By Zephyria “No, I want to do my best.”
At his serious tone, Ashley changed his tactics and asked bluntly.
“Don’t you have any athletic activities or anything?”
“I do.”
He didn’t bother mentioning it was marathon running. He was doing physical training with him on the track almost every day, and his tiny bit of pride was deeply hurt at the thought of having to say it himself to someone who didn’t know at all. Still, he glared at him, not hiding his dissatisfied expression, but Ashley didn’t care at all. Ashley, who sighed deeply again, finally opened his mouth as if he had given up.
“Okay, so what do you want to do?”
Ashley asked, showing Koi both of his palms as if he was surrendering. Koi took a deep breath and brought up what he had prepared. He talked about how to proceed with the assignment, starting with the data research, and then tried to make an appointment to meet.
“I have training all week.”
Ashley crossed his arms and looked down at Koi. As if asking what he was going to do now. Of course, Koi had an answer ready.
“It ends at 6. Shower and 7 should be enough, right?”
Ashley looked disgusted for a moment. Koi wondered if his persistence was that appalling, when Ashley asked suspiciously.
“You’re not, like, my stalker, are you?”
“What… absolutely not!”
Ashley laughed it off nonchalantly at Koi’s horrified reaction.
“Just kidding.”
This narcissist!
Koi’s anger flared up and he glared at him.
“I’m really not. I just know because I do athletic activities too.”
This is why I hate popular people. Koi said with a very swollen face.
“If you think everyone in the world likes you, you’re mistaken.”
“Yeah, isn’t that great?”
Seeing him sigh in relief, Koi was completely fed up. Koi glared at Ashley Miller’s too-perfect face and quickly added.
“I’m free at 7 today too, so let’s start right away. It’ll be better for you to finish quickly, right?”
“Okay.”
Just as he was about to tell Ashley, who seemed to have accepted all reality, to meet at the cafeteria.
“Then let’s meet at Green Bell at 7.”
“What?”
Koi was startled and snapped to attention. Green Bell, at such an expensive place? No way!
“Wait, Ashley, no, Ash, wait!”
Ashley, who was about to turn around and leave, looked down at Koi, who had grabbed him again, with annoyance. But Koi didn’t care about that.
“Um, is there really a need to go to a restaurant? We can just talk at the school cafeteria…”
“At 7 in the evening?”
Ashley asked as if he was dumbfounded. Koi, who had grabbed him out of the blue, also snapped to attention at that point. Of course. The cafeteria closed at 5.
Ashley, who was looking down at Koi, who was speechless, was called by his friend. Ashley naturally took Koi’s hand off him and asked as if to confirm.
“7 o’clock at Green Bell today, okay?”
There was no other way. The stores Koi could afford were either closed at that time or too far away.
As Koi let his hand drop powerlessly, Ashley soon left for his friends. Left alone, Koi sighed deeply and tore at his hair.
*
Ashley appeared at Green Bell at exactly 7 o’clock. The marathon team usually finished about an hour earlier than the ice hockey team, so Koi was able to arrive at the meeting place before Ashley. But it was only a 10-minute difference.
Of course. I came by bike and that guy came in his fancy Cayenne.
Koi, who was pouting for no reason, made eye contact with Ashley, who was standing at the entrance looking around. Ashley walked straight to him and sat across from Koi, letting out a sigh.
“You’re here early.”
As he said this, Ashley checked that there was nothing in front of Koi, and Koi said to him.
“I haven’t ordered yet.”
“Oh, really?”
Ashley turned his head and a staff member who happened to be looking that way readily approached. Koi picked up the menu book placed in front of each of them and barely managed to stop himself from gasping.
He quietly closed the menu book, but Ashley continued to flip through the pages, humming. Koi awkwardly fiddled with his phone, killing time until he decided on his order.
Finally, Ashley, who seemed to have made a decision, raised his hand, and a staff member approached and took out a notepad and pen from his pocket. After confirming that she was ready to write, Ashley began to order.
“Tuna salad sandwich, double patty burger. Take out all the onions and two slices of cheese each. And pancakes with bananas on the side, bacon well done, and two boiled eggs. Maple syrup and… oh, two double patty burgers. And…”
“W-wait, wait a minute.”
Koi was horrified at his continued ordering and put on the brakes. Ashley blinked, looking puzzled. Uh? Is that not it? Ashley said to Koi, who was flustered.
“I’m going to eat it all myself?”
“Huh?”
Ashley continued to order, leaving Koi with his eyes wide open. He even added the restaurant’s signature dish, a huge steak, and finally ordered sparkling water before closing the menu book.
“Your turn.”
Koi, who had been mesmerized by his bright, refreshing face, belatedly came to his senses. He frantically looked for the menu book, but he only ordered one thing.
“…Coke. No ice.”
“That’s all?”
Ashley asked before the staff member could. At his incredulous question, Koi clutched his aching stomach and tried to answer as if nothing was wrong.
“I ate dinner already.”
“Oh, really?”
Thankfully, Ashley didn’t ask any further and ended the conversation. There was no need to tell him that all he could afford with the money he had was just a glass of Coke.
As the staff member turned and left, Koi brought up what he had prepared to say.
“About this assignment, I’ve been thinking about it roughly.”
After taking a deep breath, he took out his notebook and opened it.
“Our assignment is to choose one of the Latin countries and research its culture. Is there any country you particularly want to do?”
“No.”
His quick and simple answer left him feeling deflated. He had expected it, but his attitude was completely devoid of motivation. Seeing his disappointed expression, Ashley said awkwardly.
“I don’t want to think about anything when I’m hungry.”
Huh?
Koi blinked unconsciously at his words, which sounded like an excuse or an apology. Just then, Ashley yawned loudly and opened his mouth in a tired voice.
“Anyway, go on, I’m listening.”
He must be very tired.
Koi continued the conversation, glancing at him with a slightly guilty feeling.
“I’ve picked out a few, do you want to see them? Or should I just pick one from these?”
“I’d like you to pick one for me.”
“Okay.”
Koi readily nodded. Ashley’s attitude was probably because this assignment didn’t mean much to him. Since he had prepared himself to do more work, Koi quickly continued.
“Let’s do Argentina, and since food is the easiest, let’s do food, how about coffee and sandwiches? Like the history or how to make them…”
“Okay.”
Ashley answered simply again, and Koi nodded and moved on, as he had expected.
“Then let’s do some research and decide how to divide the table of contents and chapters accordingly.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to divide it up like you do coffee, I do sandwiches, rather than that? If there are any overlapping parts while researching, we can sort them out separately and compare them.”
“Oh, okay. Let’s do that.”
Koi was delighted and agreed with Ashley’s suggestion. He had a good feeling about this. Starting with that, the two had a conversation for the first time in a while. Ashley was mostly listening, but he occasionally gave his opinion or disagreed, and Koi actively listened to him.
Unexpectedly, Ashley was a good conversationalist. Or maybe it was just because Koi was excited. What was certain was that Ashley’s popularity was not just because of his looks. Koi had only talked to him for about 30 minutes, but he was completely smitten with him. The charm of captivating people without saying much, it was hard to believe that he was his classmate.
Especially when his silver-blue eyes gazed at him and smiled, he forgot that he was the same gender and his heart fluttered.
No wonder everyone’s going crazy.
Koi nodded to himself in agreement and took notes diligently. He was roughly skimming through the data on his phone and piecing together the story, when the food he had ordered finally arrived.