LMI 31

“What?”

Koi’s eyes widened again this time as well. The image of Ashley with his girlfriend immediately came to mind. The school’s hottest couple, the captain of the ice hockey team and the captain of the cheerleading team, had broken up. Bill added as he prepared to return to the group.

“He was dumped out of the blue, so the shock must be huge. Don’t worry too much.”

“Hey, Bill. It’s really not a cold, is it?”

When he urgently called out to Bill, who was about to leave, he gave a bitter smile.

“It could really be a cold. But it’s not just for one day, and it’s such a bad cold that he said he’d take a few days off in advance…”

Bill shook his head and soon left. Koi, who was left alone, stared at his back for a while before getting back on his bicycle and pedaling. His bicycle, which was running while he was lost in thought, was significantly slower than usual.

*

A breakup.

Standing in front of the cash register at the quiet part-time job, Koi mulled over the thought. He had never had a girlfriend. He had never even had a one-sided love, so he had never even thought about being dumped or breaking up with someone.

But Ashley was different. Ashley had had several girlfriends, as far as Koi knew. The seat next to him, which had never had a vacancy, seemed to have been filled for quite a while after he started dating Ariel, but that seemed to be over now as well.

I naturally thought they would get married.

It’s common for couples who meet in high school to get married as soon as they turn 20. Koi, who had vaguely thought that they would be like that too, felt strange about the changed reality. And Ariel had dumped Ashley, so whatever had happened between them, the shock to Ashley must be enormous.

That’s why he said he’d miss training for several days.

Koi, who recalled Ashley’s face smiling like sunshine, looked down at his cell phone with a serious expression. He hesitated several times, but in the end, he mustered the courage to press the call button.

He was flustered because he didn’t know what to say after the ringing tone sounded, but he had already run out of courage. He couldn’t hang up and was trembling, but finally the connection tone stopped and there was a moment of silence.

• …Hello.

A low, subdued voice flowed out briefly. Koi was flustered by Ashley’s cracked voice and cautiously opened his mouth.

“Um, uh… Ash?”

This time as well, he answered after a pause.

• …Yeah. What’s wrong?

It was only a few words, but his voice was full of fatigue. Hearing his deeply sunken, hoarse voice, Koi couldn’t help but sigh with pity.

“Um, I happened to meet Bill and he told me you were very sick? I was calling to see how you were doing… it sounds like you’re not doing well…”

Ashley just listened quietly to the gradually fading voice.

Did he faint?

At that moment, his heart sank, and then Ashley’s voice was heard.

• I’ll get better if I rest. Thanks for worrying about me.

“Oh…”

When Koi hesitated, Ashley said gently in a softer voice.

• I mean it, Koi. Let’s see each other after the weekend.

“Are you coming to school?”

• Of course.

Ashley laughed out loud. Hearing that cheerful laughter made him feel much better, but Koi’s heart sank at the small groan he heard soon after. After a pause, Ashley spoke again.

• Don’t worry. Then…

Koi wanted to talk to him a little more, but the other person wasn’t in a condition to do so. In the end, he mumbled a rough greeting and hung up the phone. Haa, Koi, who sighed again, was lost in deep thought.

Ashley had said that he lived alone. Judging from Bill’s words and attitude, it didn’t seem like his friends were going to visit him and take care of him.

What should I do?

The image of Ashley delirious with fever kept flashing in his mind. He had gotten sick after breaking up with his girlfriend, that was for sure.

In the end, he made up his mind and picked up his cell phone again. After a few ringing tones, Ashley’s voice was heard again, and Koi abruptly got to the point.

“I’ll go after my part-time job.”

• What?

Ashley asked, sounding flustered on the other end. It was an unusual reaction, but Koi continued quickly without paying attention.

“I can’t stand being worried. I’m going, please let me.”

• …Are you asking me for permission right now?

Ashley asked after a pause, sounding dumbfounded.

“Yes.”

Koi answered immediately.

“Actually, I’m very nervous right now. But I’m too worried about you. …If you really don’t need me, if you want to be alone.”He let out a nervous sigh and added,

“Then I’ll endure it. I’m just really worried.”

Ashley was silent for a while. Was he angry? Koi quickly grew anxious. Was I being too forward? Did I get too excited just because he was a little nice to me? What if Ash is sick of me? Should I apologize now? Or should I just hang up?

• …Pfft.

Just when his heart felt like it was about to explode from the tension, he heard a chuckle from the other end. Koi gasped, “Ah…” Ashley said in a voice laced with laughter, as if admitting defeat.

• Okay, come over. I’ll let you.

“Ah…”

• I have to tell you something beforehand.

Ashley cut off Koi, who was about to shout for joy without realizing it.

• My face is seriously messed up right now. You might be surprised when you see it. Prepare yourself.

Did he cry so much that he got all puffy?

“No way, that can’t be.”

Koi said firmly.

“No matter what, Ash’s face will always be super, super handsome. He’s probably still incredibly good-looking right now.”

• I hope you don’t change your mind.

Ashley, still speaking with a chuckle in his voice, hung up the phone. Koi checked that the call had ended, then stretched his arms out wide with a “Whoa!” Thank goodness. It doesn’t seem like he’s too depressed.

Maybe he feels refreshed after crying his heart out.

Koi thought. He’d never been through a breakup himself, but he was determined to comfort Ashley as best he could. With that in mind, he quickly took out his phone and typed in a search query.

How to comfort a friend who has been dumped.

Quickly scanning through the various methods that filled the screen, Koi carefully made notes of the ones he could do.

*

“Corner Niles, A High School.”

The security guard checked his student ID and looked at Koi’s face with a sharp gaze. He considered going around the mountain like before, but since he had Ashley’s permission, he decided it would be better to go through the main gate, even if it was a hassle. The security guard held Koi there and picked up the phone, pressing a button. He was clearly calling Ashley.

After waiting for a while, he gave Koi’s personal information and confirmed his visit. Koi sat on his bike, passing the boring and anxious time until the security guard hung up and allowed him entry.

“…Yes, I understand.”

The security guard hung up the phone and gestured for him to enter. Koi hurriedly stepped on the pedals and sped off. Wait for me, Ash. I’m coming!

*

Why on earth would anyone build a house at the top of a hill like this?

Koi thought, gritting his teeth as he pedaled, completely exhausted. He knew the answer. It was because being built in such a high location allowed for an incredibly amazing view.

What good is a great view if it’s so hard to get up here?

Of course, he knew the answer to that too. It was that people who lived in houses like this never rode old, beat-up bikes up the mountain, so it didn’t matter to them.

Just then, a car zoomed past him. Koi coughed and sputtered from the exhaust fumes left behind, struggling to pedal upwards. He was on the verge of collapsing when the mansion finally came into view.

“Haa, haa, urgh.”

He was so out of breath that he felt nauseous. Koi leaned against the wall, panting and waiting for his breathing to calm down. Suddenly, a wide sky came into view. He was blankly looking at the endlessly open blue sky, with nothing obstructing his view, when it happened.

He faintly heard footsteps. Koi quietly listened. The approaching footsteps were definitely Ashley’s. It was like this every time Koi came to this house, but there was never any sign of anyone. Except for the sound of someone walking over now.

“Koi?”

At Ashley’s voice, Koi said, “Yeah,” and tried to push himself off the wall.

“Wait.”

Ashley suddenly stopped him. Confused, he stopped, and Ashley continued speaking from behind the wall.

“I have something to tell you before you see my face, so don’t be surprised when you see it.”

“Yeah, I came prepared.”

Koi solemnly promised. All sorts of Ashley’s faces flashed through his mind. The common thing was a face reddened from crying and swollen eyelids. But he’ll still be handsome. That belief was unwavering.