By Zephyria “Why would you say that……”
Koi muttered in a dejected voice. Ashley, as if sensing it, added nonchalantly.
“Everyone dies someday.”
“Still, don’t say things like that.”
At the firm tone, Ashley remained silent for a while. Feeling an awkward silence, Koi cleared his throat with ahem.
“Um, then… tomorrow, can I go to pay my respects too? Um, if it’s okay with you.”
As Koi stammered hesitantly, Ashley replied indifferently, just as before.
“What for? Even if you greet the deceased, they won’t know anything.”
“Uh, that’s true, but……”
Koi felt a strange feeling at Ashley’s still indifferent reaction. It seemed Ashley hadn’t been very close to his father, but his reaction felt too cold. Koi, pondering the voice that sounded devoid of any emotion, as if it were someone else’s affair, gathered his courage and spoke.
“Ash, you don’t have to hide it from me. It’s not good to hold back your grief too much.”
Just as Koi thought Ashley might not be realizing it yet due to the shock, Ashley said.
“You seem to be mistaken, I’m not particularly sad.”
He continued in his usual calm tone.
“I’m not hiding anything from you. I told you, I’m fine. Koi, you seem to think everyone is automatically sad when a family member dies, but that’s not true for everyone. Rather, I think he was thoroughly selfish and did everything he wanted until the end. Why would I be sad? If anything, I’m bewildered.”
Koi faltered at the tone that seemed to carry cynicism. Ashley then changed the subject casually.
“How are you doing yourself? Are you still at Al’s place?”
Koi was taken aback by the sudden question.
“No, I told you I moved out the other day……”
As Koi spoke unintentionally, Bernice’s words suddenly came to mind. Did his memory problems act up again? As Koi froze for a moment, Ashley also fell silent. A tense silence hung in the air, and Koi spoke first.
“I’m doing well. I’m working part-time too……”
“Part-time? Doing what?”
Ashley’s voice suddenly sharpened. Koi blinked, bewildered by the sudden reaction.
“No, I’m looking for a new job, but I haven’t found anything suitable yet… I have to do something in the meantime, I can’t just do nothing.”
He didn’t bother asking for the answer to his proposal. He couldn’t make Ashley’s situation more complicated at a time like this. It’s fine, I can think of it as having more time to prepare the ring. Koi let it slide, but Ashley couldn’t.
“You’re working? Now? What kind of work?”
Koi blinked, bewildered by the repeated questions.
“Just, you know…” he fiddled with his hands and opened his mouth. “The same work I used to do… plumbing, repairs, that sort of thing…”
“No, don’t. You need to rest.”
“Huh? Why?”
Koi tilted his head again at the hastily spoken words. A serious silence followed. All that could be heard was Ashley’s ragged breathing, as if he were searching for words.
“Hey,” Koi started to speak, but Ashley spoke first.
“Health check-up.”
“Huh?”
Ashley managed to speak, his voice strained.
“I told you, you need to get a health check-up. Did you forget?”
“Uh, no.”
Koi quickly shook his head. He remembered, but he hadn’t set a date, and he thought it had just fizzled out, so he stammered, bewildered.
“Was that still valid? I…”
“Of course. ……It’s already passed.”
Ashley seemed to have checked the date, then muttered a curse in a low voice before adding immediately.
“I’ll schedule another health check-up for you sometime next week. You need to maintain peak condition, so it’s best not to work for a while. Let’s rest at home and prepare for the check-up, okay?”
Koi, who had only repeated “Uh, uh,” asked in a dazed state.
“Is a check-up always like that?”
He had never had a health check-up in his life. The genetic test with Ariel was the first since school. Ashley’s answer came back immediately.
“It’s always like that. When I get a health check-up, I take about a week off work and stay home.”
“I see… So everyone does that?”
“Yes.”
Ashley repeated the same answer, and Koi said, “Okay.”
“Then I’ll do that… Don’t worry, I’m free to work part-time, so I’ll rest at home as you said.”
“Good.”
Finally, Ashley returned to his usual tone and concluded the conversation. Koi also let out a sigh of relief and smiled, but Ashley then asked.
“I’ll have everything ready so you can do it right after the funeral procedures are over. Three days should be enough. Stay at my place during that time.”
“I-it’s okay.”
Koi quickly replied, remembering the memory of being chased away by the doorman at his own entrance. He felt like he would be truly dejected if he had the same experience again. Besides, he didn’t feel like being alone in that big house without Ashley, and he was afraid to wait alone after seeing his cold expression the last time.
“I can stay here. Don’t worry, I won’t go to work.”
He couldn’t let the expensive health check-up go to waste. He had promised himself and Ashley, but Ashley’s reaction was firm.
“No, the environment there isn’t good. Didn’t I tell you? You need to maintain peak condition. Come to my place and stay. I’ll make the arrangements.”
“Uh…”
It seemed Koi’s opinion wasn’t considered at all. But he couldn’t insist. His own situation wasn’t good right now, and Ashley seemed to be doing his best for Koi, which touched his heart. Koi finally nodded in agreement.
“Alright, I’ll come tomorrow then.”
“You should.”
Ashley, speaking in a firm tone, emphasized again that Koi should come to his house and wait for him, then hung up. Koi belatedly realized he hadn’t properly said goodbye, but it was too late. He looked down at the silent mobile phone and sighed, then lay down on the bed.
What happened to Ash’s memory?
The buried question resurfaced. Wasn’t the situation resolved? Was it still the after-effects of the pheromones? What if it was?
*If he’s tired, his condition will worsen.
But it couldn’t be avoided. What about his parents’ funeral? Koi groaned and shook his head.
Just a few more days and I can see Ash.*
It wouldn’t be too late to confirm then. In any case, his task was clear. When day broke, he would pack a small bag, go to Ashley’s house, and wait for him. Get enough rest for the health check-up. End. Koi organized his thoughts and forced himself to sleep.
He finally drifted off to sleep, only to wake up due to a sudden stomachache.
“Ah, ouch…”
Letting out a groan involuntarily, Koi curled up like a shrimp. The pain, which had visited him occasionally, was longer this time. While writhing in pain, clutching his stomach, he suddenly felt a fever in a part of his body.
…Huh?
Sweating, Koi barely opened his eyes and waited blankly. Another throbbing pain came, and he bit his lip, his face contorting. Immediately after, the fever spread rapidly.
…Oh.
He froze. The pain slowly subsided, and instead, his body began to heat up. Koi knew what this was. He had experienced it before. Only then did Koi realize what the irregular pain that had started a few days ago was.
It was the heat cycle.
The moment he realized it, Koi’s entire body stiffened.
Bang bang bang, bang bang bang bang!*
His whole body tensed at the continuous noise. It had been like this for over ten minutes. He knew who had come, but he couldn’t bring himself to move.
“Koi, open this door quickly.”
A growling, low voice came from beyond the thin front door. Koi held his breath even more and curled up. If he stayed like this, they would break in. He covered his mouth with his hands, trying not to make a sound, and waited for the person to give up and leave. Just a little longer.
Then, another sound came from outside. It seemed a neighbor was protesting the noise. He hadn’t properly heard the first part, but he clearly understood the latter.
“Get lost right now, or I’ll call the police, you damn bastard!”
“……”
The door, which had been banging noisily moments before, fell silent. Was Ash finally giving up? Expecting to hear footsteps turning away, he listened intently.
Bang!
A noise incomparable to before echoed throughout the small house.
“Eek!”
He let out an involuntary scream. As if hearing it, Ashley, who had paused for a moment, kicked the door again. The force was on a different level from the fist pounding moments ago. The flimsy door would surely break and fall to the floor any second. But instead of running, Koi froze, trembling, his eyes wide open, staring at the shaking door.
With another bang, the wooden door creaked and cracked. And the next moment, it could no longer hold and split in two.
“…Haa.”
A giant man, standing against the dim light of the hallway, sighed in annoyance and swept back his falling blond hair. Koi, huddled on the old bed, stopped breathing in shock and stared at him with wide eyes.