By Zephyria It took even more courage to put the next words into his mouth than it had before. Koi clenched his fists tightly, took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and then opened his mouth.
“Did… me coming to see you cause you a lot of trouble?”
“Yes.”
Ashley blurted out without a moment’s hesitation. He turned his head away from Koi, who had frozen again, and muttered to himself as if he were talking to himself.
“You came too early.”
“Too early?”
He couldn’t just let those words pass. Did Ash intend to meet me? If I had stayed in the West, would Ash have suddenly come to find me one day?
“Were you thinking of coming to see me…?”
Ashley answered readily this time when he asked hesitantly.
“Yes.”
Koi couldn’t decide what emotion he should be feeling. He felt a sense of relief and joy, but also a sense of guilt. Would it have been better to just wait for Ashley in the West? If Ashley had any plans, it was only natural that he would be embarrassed to see Koi suddenly appear. Koi hesitated and carefully opened his mouth.
“Um, did I do something wrong by coming here…?”
Ashley chuckled briefly, making a deflated sound. Behind a somewhat hollow yet nervous laugh, he said.
“Yes, you ruined my plan. Completely.”
Koi’s heart sank. Anxiety and self-loathing came over him. I made a big mistake with Ashley again.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”
All Koi could do was apologize. He repeated the word “sorry” over and over again, then suddenly remembered. It took him more than 10 years to get here. When was Ashley planning to come and find Koi?
“Who knows.”
Ashley muttered to himself in response to Koi’s question.
“Maybe in another 10 years?”
“So I almost didn’t see you for over 20 years?”
Koi suddenly felt empty and slumped his shoulders. He felt sorry for Ashley, but he thought he had done well to come here with all his might. He didn’t know why he was going to come after 20 years, but by then, Koi might have been exhausted and dried up waiting.
“20 years is too long.”
Koi said with a sigh, but Ashley just stared straight ahead without saying a word. Koi, who was waiting for his next words, had no choice but to speak first due to the continued silence.
“Um, why were you going to wait 20 years to meet me?”
If he was going to forget him altogether, he wouldn’t have tried to meet him in the first place. Koi felt relieved that he was going to meet him anyway, but he was bothered by the excessively long period. Ashley didn’t answer immediately to Koi’s question. Just when he thought he was going to ignore him, he opened his mouth.
“I wasn’t trying to fill 20 years.”
“Then?”
Koi asked again in a somewhat dejected voice. Ashley still didn’t look at him and answered.
“I thought my plan would work out after that much time.”
This time, Koi couldn’t help but ask.
“…What plan?”
Silence fell again. He was prepared to wait until Ashley answered, but the words that came out when he opened his mouth were different from what he had expected.
“So your purpose was just to meet me?”
“Yeah… that’s right.”
Koi hesitated and opened his mouth.
“I also wanted to apologize.”
“Apologize for what?”
“For when I…”
Koi forced himself to make saliva in his parched mouth, swallowed it, and then spoke with difficulty.
“For not choosing you.”
Ashley was silent. Koi felt a heavier silence than ever before and barely continued his confession.
“I wanted to apologize for hurting you. I’ve been regretting what I said to you back then when I… chose Father. Back then, I… when I chose Father, I said you had a lot.”
Koi spoke quickly, taking shaky breaths in between.
“I thought you were better off than me anyway…”
“Koi.”
Ashley suddenly interrupted him. Koi snapped out of it and looked up, and Ashley asked in a cynical voice.
“Does it matter who is more unhappy?”
Koi couldn’t answer. He was right. What good is all this now?
“…I’m sorry.”
He apologized for a different reason this time, but it was still the same. This was also a useless act.
“That’s enough, now.”
Ashley returned to his indifferent tone and said.
“It’s all over.”
He was right. Koi knew it well too. He also knew that he was struggling meaninglessly.
I’m going back to the West…
Just as he thought that far, Ashley suddenly opened his mouth.
“Goodbye, Corner Niles.”
Koi was startled by the firm greeting. He couldn’t just leave like this. He didn’t know what Ashley’s plan was, but they had already met and come this far. It was a completely different reunion than he had expected, but he couldn’t end it like this. Koi wanted to take one more chance.
“Um, give me your phone number.”
Ashley finally turned to look at him when he opened his mouth in a hurry. Koi gathered his courage and continued, seeing his vaguely frowning face.
“I said I’d buy you dinner again next time. I need to know your contact information to make an appointment.”
“Haa…”
Ashley sighed loudly enough to be heard. He might be annoyed and irritated. But Koi didn’t back down. Ashley, who had confirmed Koi looking at him with firm resolve, finally took out his wallet from his suit pocket as if he couldn’t help it. He waited anxiously for him to hand over his business card, but unexpectedly, Ashley turned the business card over, placed it on the steering wheel, and wrote something on the back.
“Here.”
Koi carefully took the business card Ashley gave him and checked the back, and Ashley said.
“It’s my personal number. Call me there.”
“Uh… y-yes.”
Koi’s face gradually brightened as he looked at the quickly scribbled numbers. It was time to say goodbye and get out of the car, but he didn’t. Instead, Ashley, who was watching Koi take out his cell phone and quickly dial the number, frowned at the sound of the ringing cell phone that followed. He looked suspiciously at Koi, slowly picked up his cell phone to check, and then turned his gaze back to Koi’s face at the unfamiliar phone number. Koi, who had just hung up the phone, smiled brightly and said.
“It’s my number. Save it.”
He then added shyly.
“You can’t not answer because you think it’s spam.”
He didn’t seem to think that Ashley would deliberately not answer. Ashley looked at him without saying a word and reluctantly saved the number.
“Well, thank you so much for today.”
Koi said, forcing a smile before getting out of the car.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be going back to the West soon.”
Ashley paused, but he didn’t realize it and continued.”I just want to treat you to a nice meal one last time. As a token of my gratitude… That’s really all.”
I won’t bother you anymore.
Koi added in his mind before hurrying to get out of the car.
“Koi.”
Suddenly, Ashley called out to him. Koi, who had just opened the car door, paused and turned around as Ashley asked,
“When’s the date?”
Startled by the unexpected question, Koi hastily replied,
“Huh? Oh, it’s Sunday, so tomorrow. We’re meeting at 4 to see a movie and have dinner.”
Ashley’s previous words suddenly came to mind, and he scratched his head, feeling awkward.
“It’s only our second time meeting, so it probably won’t be a date. Just casually as friends…”
“Do you have something to wear?”
“Huh?”
Another unexpected question made Koi pause again. Ashley added in his usual indifferent tone,
“Even if you’re not going out with that intention, you still need to be presentable. You’re not planning to go out looking like that, are you?”
At his words, Koi unconsciously looked himself up and down. After spending more than half a day in the detention center, his already dirty work clothes were a complete mess. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Koi blushed and replied,
“Of course, I’m not going out in my work clothes. I have a few nice outfits too.”
Ashley chuckled and said,
“Not something I bought you a long time ago, is it?”
It was clearly a joke, but Koi couldn’t bring himself to laugh along. Seeing Koi’s face redden in embarrassment, Ashley’s expression hardened.
“Don’t tell me, is it true?”
Ashley asked in a chilling voice, as if growling. Flustered, Koi couldn’t help but shrink back.
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