By Zephyria 
“I was so surprised. It was already bewildering that he suddenly appeared, but then he said he wanted to start over. How long has it been since we broke up?”
Ariel, who had been pressing her temples as if her head hurt, suddenly glared at Koi. Startled, Koi was asked in a changed tone.
“You’re the one who told him I’m single, right?”
“Uh… yeah.”
There was no point in denying it. The source was too obvious. Koi shrunk back, nodding slightly and apologizing, “Sorry.” Ariel frowned, looking at him as if displeased, but soon relaxed her expression.
“It’s already done, so there’s nothing I can do. What else did you say?”
“That’s it.”
Koi quickly replied.
“I didn’t say anything else, and I thought I should tell you and apologize first, but Bill said he likes you. You and Bill are both my precious friends, so I can’t take sides. But Bill asked me to apologize after he met you, so I just did that.”
As he apologized sincerely again, Ariel coolly brushed it off, saying, “It’s okay now.” Soon, she put her arms on the table, leaned her upper body forward, and asked with a frown.
“To say he wants to start over now, what on earth is that guy thinking?”
“He says he likes you, so what other reason could there be?”
Koi quickly said what he was thinking.
“Honestly, I hope you two work out.”
“Because we’re both your friends?”
Ariel asked mockingly, but Koi shook his head and replied.
“I thought you two looked good together, I did.”
He added with a serious expression.
“It’s not like you broke up because you hated each other.”
“That’s true, but.”
Ariel said with a sigh in between.
“Bill’s team is in the West. Koi, even if I wanted to go see him, it would take over six hours by plane, and there’s even a time difference.”
Koi had nothing to say to such a realistic problem. That was the reason they broke up in the first place. When Ariel came to the East for work, they broke up by mutual agreement. Since then, they had only exchanged occasional check-in calls, so Koi understood why Ariel was perplexed by Bill’s sudden visit.
“So, is it really impossible to start over with Bill?”
Still feeling regret, Koi asked persistently, but Ariel became serious.
“Everything I have is in the East, Koi.”
She continued firmly.
“Do you know what happens when a couple’s relationship deepens and one person sacrifices their career for the other? Most of the time, the woman gives up everything.”
Koi was taken aback by the unexpected point, and as he stammered, “Ah,” she added in a resolute tone.
“I like Bill, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to give up on myself. I’m the one who leads my life, and I’m at the center of every decision. I won’t let anyone take control of my life.”
Koi’s eyes widened. It was as if light was shining from behind Ariel, and he involuntarily exclaimed, “Wow.”
“You’re so cool, Al.”
“Thank you.”
Ariel smiled at his sincere admiration, as if she was used to such reactions.
Of course, Al had been everyone’s idol since high school.
As Koi nodded in understanding, something soon struck him. He blinked and asked again.
“Is that perhaps why you broke up with Garrett too?”
Ariel paused, but soon confessed honestly.
“He said he was moving to a job in another state and asked me to go with him. Why? Why should I sacrifice everything for Garrett? Garrett was going there to get a better position and move up, but why should I give up my current position and start all over again?”
“That’s true.”
Agreeing with Ariel, who was complaining about the unfairness, Koi nodded repeatedly.
“It’s too much if only you give up. Garrett is being selfish.”
“Exactly. I can’t be with someone like that.”
Ariel and Koi raised one hand and lightly high-fived on the table. They smiled at each other, but soon Ariel’s expression turned troubled.
“But if he comes all the way here and does this, I’m in a very difficult position. What am I supposed to do? And he’s staying here for three months.”
“Three months? Not two weeks?”
Startled, Koi was corrected by Ariel.
“Three months. Two weeks is the period the doctor told him to rest from training.”
“Ah…”
Only then did Koi understand and make a blank sound. Even two weeks would be a burden, but three months? Koi could understand Ariel’s feelings, so he carefully asked.
“It’s not that you dislike Bill, is it?”
Ariel didn’t answer. But that was as good as an answer. Koi thought for a moment and cautiously offered an opinion.
“Hey, I have an idea, can I say it?”
“Go ahead.”
With Ariel’s permission, Koi took a deep breath and opened his mouth.
“Since Bill is staying here for three months, it’s not like he can keep staying in a hotel the whole time. And you need a housemate anyway. How about you two live together while he’s here and see how it goes? It would solve the rent problem too.”
Ariel’s eyes widened. Koi quickly continued, seizing the opportunity.
“It’s not like you broke up because you hated each other, but it’s already been several years. Why don’t you try living together this time? If you see things that don’t work out, you can end it completely this time, and if not, you can think about it again then. Anyway, it would be good for you if you could stay in this house for three more months, right? Bill can definitely afford the rent here.”
“That guy could probably buy this place. Several of them, even.”
Bill currently boasted the highest salary among ice hockey players. Ariel seemed to think for a moment, then finally nodded.
“Okay, I’ll do that.”
“You made a good decision, Al!”
Ariel, who smiled brightly at Koi, who was happy as if it were his own business, soon narrowed her eyes and said.
“I’m getting relationship advice from you.”
At her expression, which seemed to admire him as if he were a grown-up child, Koi puffed out his chest and declared confidently.
“People grow, Al.”
Ariel laughed, and the two high-fived on the table again.
That’s right, so Ash, we’ll be different from before too.
Koi thought as he talked with Ariel. Everyone is moving forward. Except for Ashley. Koi had to somehow get his time, which had stopped completely since then, to start moving again. Whether he succeeded or failed, he had to move in one direction or another. Being stagnant was the worst state.
What are you doing now, Ash?
Koi barely soothed his longing as he reread the messages he had exchanged with him before going to sleep.
*
“Koi, you wonderful guy!”
As soon as he met Koi, Bill wrapped one arm around his neck and ruffled his hair wildly with the other. As Koi screamed and struggled, he barely managed to escape from him, and Bill immediately grabbed his face and showered him with kisses.
“Phew.”
Leaving Koi staggering and leaning against the wall to catch his breath, Bill began to spin around in the spacious living room of the suite. He shouted with excitement, raising his arms and shaking his hips as he danced, which made Koi laugh involuntarily.
“Are you that happy?”
“Of course, I never imagined I’d be living with Al. It’s luckier than winning the Powerball!”
Clenching both fists and punching the air forcefully, Bill shouted, “Yay!” and danced around his waist again. Koi smiled contentedly as he watched his friend. Bill danced to the end of the living room, turned around, and stopped in front of Koi.
“We should drink champagne at times like this. You’ll drink with me, right?”
As he asked, looking for the room service menu on the pad, Koi waved his hand, saying, “No.”
“Why are you being so boring?”
Bill said with a disappointed face, but readily accepted Koi’s order. After entering all the menu items, Koi put the pad he had thrown carelessly on the sofa back in its place and said.
“Sit down for a bit now, tell me in detail. What did Al say?”
To Koi, who asked with shining eyes, Bill explained the whole story with a face full of confidence. The content was all that Ariel had contacted him first to suggest being housemates and that they had decided to live together on a trial basis for three months, but he talked about it for over 30 minutes. His excitement subsided somewhat after the champagne he had ordered through room service arrived.
“I hope it goes well.”
Koi, who couldn’t drink but filled his glass anyway, wished him luck, and this time Bill raised his glass and said.
“You and Ash too.”
The two smiled and lightly touched lips. Koi watched Bill gulp down the champagne with a contented face.
The photo of the two drinking champagne in the hotel room was released the next day. Along with the image of Bill kissing Koi.