By Zephyria The chaotic atmosphere inside the detention center changed to silence. The guys who had been bustling about and looking at Nelson were puzzled and looked at each other. “Corner Niles?”, “Who’s that?”, Koi swallowed hard as he listened to the small voices.
It was definitely his name that the police officer had called. The gazes that were looking at Koi were the same. He heard Nelson muttering in confusion behind him, blinking his eyes.
“Corner Niles? Who is that…”
His voice was full of bewilderment, but it didn’t easily register in Koi’s ears. His gaze was fixed on only one place. Just like the other person.
Ashley came to find me.
He couldn’t believe it. He never imagined that he would meet him again in a place like this, in this way. Moreover, Ashley had found Koi at once among all these people. That was a very clear fact. Ashley’s gaze, which had found Koi before the police officer, had been fixed on him all along.
Even though I’ve changed so much.
Suddenly, a forgotten memory was revived in Koi’s mind. Soon, a small sigh escaped from his lips.
It was the same in the past. Ashley had always found him right away. No matter how many people were gathered, even when Koi, who was shorter than average, was buried among the people, he easily found Koi, approached him, and reached out his hand.
And, even now, still unchanged.
When he realized that, his nose tingled and he hurriedly inhaled. The police officer called his name again. Only then did Koi awkwardly get up from his seat and answer.
“Yes, yes.”
He felt embarrassed for some reason, even though he was just saying a simple word, and his face flushed.
“I’m… I’m him.”
A strangely hoarse voice came out, and he hurriedly cleared his throat. The police officer gestured for him to come out, and Koi hurriedly moved his body and took a step. Everyone’s eyes were focused on him. Nelson’s blank gaze as well.
“Uh… uh uh?”
A foolish exclamation seemed to come from behind him, and soon Nelson shouted.
“Wait, what? Who? Corner Niles? That loser?”
The other guys, confused by the rough voice, turned their gazes to him. As if asking what this was all about.
“What’s wrong? What’s going on?”
Nelson suddenly grabbed his hair and screamed as they asked him one question at a time.
“Are you really that guy? That pathetic loser Corner Niles? Damn it, is it really him?”
He frantically took his hand off the hair he had been pulling out and instead pointed his finger at Koi.“That bastard was the cripple I used to boss around in high school. He got his ass beat by me every single day. You know how much of a loser he was? Hey, Koi! Get over here. What are you gawking at? Hurry your ass over here and bow your head to the ground! Are you deaf? You wanna get hit again? I swear!”
He quickly reverted to his old self—the high schooler who spat on Koi and kicked him without mercy.
Nelson wasn’t the only one who had reverted. Koi had, too. In an instant, he had become the small, pathetic Corner Niles. He was taller than Nelson now, with much more hair, but for some reason, Koi was terrified.
The only saving grace was that he didn’t prostrate himself as he used to, as Nelson had ordered. It was only because his body had frozen, but the result was the same.
Ashley, who had been watching Koi standing there awkwardly, unsure of what to do, narrowed his eyes. Slowly, his lips parted, and for the first time since their reunion, Koi heard his voice.
“Koi, come out here.”
His voice was lower and deeper than before. The rich, resonant tone sent a shiver down Koi’s spine. Koi hesitated, then turned his head, and his eyes immediately met Ashley’s. He was still standing there with his hands in his coat pockets, and he commanded,
“Come out here, now.”
Come to me.
Koi felt like he heard another, hidden voice within him. Don’t worry, it’s okay. Ashley was saying. Just like before, just like then.
As if possessed, Koi slowly moved his feet. In an instant, everything around him seemed to disappear. All that remained was Ashley and himself. Ashley running towards him after the game, his face beaming, the passionate kisses he showered him with.
〈I love you, Koi.〉
The voice echoed in his mind like an auditory hallucination. His flushed cheeks, his ragged breaths, everything was as vivid as if it were happening right before his eyes.
〈Let’s go out.〉
The memory of that day, when he had made that bombshell declaration in an excited voice, flashed vividly in his mind, and then reality suddenly crashed down on Koi.
The Ashley of now wasn’t smiling at all. He wasn’t panting, and his face wasn’t flushed. He was just looking down at Koi with a cold expression. The moment Koi met his cool, violet eyes, he returned to reality. And at the same time, he heard the sound of a door closing behind him. The police were closing the door to the detention cell and locking it with a key.
Only then did sounds begin to reach his ears one by one. Behind him, Nelson was screaming in a tremendous rage. It was mostly curses, along with words that criticized Ashley, looked down on Koi, and insulted him.
Because of me, Ash is getting cursed at.
Thinking that, Koi couldn’t lift his head out of guilt. Ashley, who had glanced down at him, opened his mouth.
“Go on out first.”
“Huh?”
Koi, who had inadvertently raised his head at the low voice, nodded blankly when his eyes met Ashley’s. Soon after, seeing Ashley approach the police and say something, Koi hurriedly left the scene as he was told. Only then did his heart begin to pound.
Ash.
As he stood in front of the police station, catching his breath, he gradually began to feel a sense of reality. The cold air made his mind clear. Then, a surge of overwhelming emotion rose up within him.
I really met Ash.
It was when he couldn’t help but take a deep breath in and out. Koi, who had turned his head at the sound of the door opening behind him, froze in place.
Ashley, who had come out of the police station, lowered his gaze. Seeing him again, Koi swallowed hard without realizing it.
He had already seen him once inside the detention cell, but seeing him this close again made him feel different. Ariel had said that Ashley had changed, but Koi thought otherwise. His smooth, high nose bridge, his wide, thick lower lip, as well as his strong jawline, his narrow waist that connected to his solid shoulders, and his endlessly long legs—he was the same as before. However, unlike back then, when there was still a hint of youthfulness, Ashley was now completely a man. Seeing him in person, he looked even more like Dominic Miller. Perhaps that was because the boyishness had completely disappeared from Ashley. Koi struggled to open his mouth, trying to find his old self in him.
“…Thank you, for helping me.”
His voice cracked, and he hurriedly cleared his throat. The words he wanted to say rushed in all at once, and he didn’t know which one to start with.
What is Ash thinking right now?
He was curious, but he couldn’t read anything from his expressionless face. Koi rummaged through his busy mind and barely managed to bring up a safe topic.
“How did you recognize me? Everyone says I’ve changed a lot.”
Ashley frowned at Koi, who had managed to force a smile. In an instant, Koi’s heart sank, and he froze in place. Ashley, who had scanned Koi once, fixed his gaze back on his face and opened his mouth.
“You haven’t changed much.”
His voice, which was the first time he had spoken personally, was still low, but it was enough to reassure Koi.
“Oh, really?”
Ashley nodded briefly at Koi, who stuttered without realizing it out of relief.
“I could recognize you at a glance.”
“Oh… I see. Haha.”
Koi laughed awkwardly. It wasn’t the answer he had expected, but he was somehow managing to keep the conversation going. That was what was important right now.
“Nelson didn’t even recognize me. I mean, I’ve grown a lot.”
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