Caught off guard by the sudden tension, Koi was startled for a mont—but then the car stopped at a red light. Only then did he breathe a small sigh of relief. Oh. It’s just because he was driving. Ashley’s grip soon relaxed, and he calmly responded.
“Just so-so.”
“I see. It must’ve been nice to see them again after so long.”
Ashley didn’t reply right away. Koi, watching him glance back and forth across the road, figured he was just checking the signal. But Ashley, who had deliberately been scanning the empty street, finally looked forward again and opened his mouth.
“My dad found out I’d manifested, so he called over for a checkup. I needed it too... While I was there, I toured a few universities and stuff.”
“Universities?”
Koi’s hazy mind snapped into clarity. It felt like waking up from a nice dream only to be yanked back into reality. He suddenly rembered sothing he’d completely forgotten.
“You said... you were going to college on the East Coast...”
He mumbled like he was reminding himself. So he really is leaving. The thought made the remaining ti feel painfully short. Koi sat stunned until Ashley turned and asked him,
“Koi, what happened with your plan to retake the college entrance exam?”
“Huh? Oh...”
Snapping out of it, Koi stumbled over his words. Seeing this, Ashley smiled nonchalantly and said,
“It’s okay. You can always try again. There’s still ti. You registered, right? If not, let’s do it together. I’ll drive you to the test site this ti. We can go on a date afterward, yeah?”
“Uh, yeah.”
Koi hesitated, then spoke up.
“Actually... I already did okay. So I don’t have to take it again.”
“Really? How well?”
Embarrassed, Koi ducked his head and replied in a shy, tiny voice.
“...Sa.”
“What?”
Ashley asked again. Koi gathered his courage, pushing through the embarrassnt, and whispered almost inaudibly,
“My score... sa as yours.”
“...Oh.”
At that, Ashley broke into a wide grin, released Koi’s hand, and pulled him in by the shoulders.
“You did amazing, Koi. Seriously, I knew you would! Of course you did—you’re my boyfriend!”
Ashley’s joyful laughter lit up the air, and Koi’s heart brightened with it. Hearing that familiar laugh, he finally felt like Ashley had really co back.
Koi, caught up in the mont, reached up and kissed Ashley. It was only a small, smacking baby kiss, but Ashley smiled and cradled the back of his head, kissing him again on the lips.
Koi involuntarily gasped and closed his eyes. His heart pounded wildly, and his fingers tingled with heat. Ashley’s breath and thick tongue in his mouth stole away every thought.
Ash.
He wanted to say his na, but the tongue brushing his own stopped him from speaking. Shaking, Koi could only hold tightly around Ashley’s neck.
Ashley’s tongue twined with his, pulling him deeper before retreating again. The two of them were completely lost in the kiss. Imrsed in each other’s heat and warmth, there was no room for thought.
“...Ha.”
When their lips finally parted, Koi unconsciously let out a breath he’d been holding. Ashley’s breathing had turned ragged, too. They stared at each other for a mont, catching their breath, until Ashley gave a wry smile.
“If only we weren’t in the car.”
“Yeah.”
Koi nodded and looked up at him.
“...I missed you, Ash.”
When he spoke with honest emotion, Ashley stared at him quietly for a mont before answering.
“... too.”
With a softened voice, Ashley whispered,
“I missed you too.”
As soon as the words left his lips, he leaned in again. Before they even touched, Koi closed his eyes. The gentle warmth of Ashley’s mouth reminded him all over again—this was real. Tears welled up again without warning.
“What’s wrong, Koi?”
Ashley pulled back when he heard the sob-like breath. Koi smiled and replied,
“This is the first ti we’ve kissed... since we got back together.”
Ashley fell silent. He looked dazed, like the words had shocked him. Koi repeated himself.
“Since we got back together. The first.”
“...Right.”
Ashley finally replied after a pause.
“You’re right.”
Their lips t again. Koi smiled as he closed his eyes and opened his mouth. Every ti their tongues t, he exhaled in relief.
It’s real.
His heart swelled again, thumping hard in his chest.
Ashley really did co back.
By the ti they finally pulled away from each other, the traffic light had already changed several tis. A car behind them had switched lanes and passed them. Seeing this, Ashley burst into laughter.
He finally started the car again, and just like before, kept one hand tightly holding Koi’s. Their fingers intertwined, and Koi held on just as tightly. The mood was completely different now. Koi, back to his usual self, spoke up casually.
“So, which school are you going to? The one your dad went to?”
He asked, recalling sothing Ashley had said before. Ashley gave a short nod.
“Probably.”
The school Ashley ntioned was exactly the one Koi had expected.
“You said you wanted to be a lawyer, so I figured it might be that one.”
At that, Ashley furrowed his brows, thinking for a mont before asking curiously,
“...Did I ever say that?”
“You did. When we t for our first project.”
Feeling oddly proud, Koi puffed out his chest.
“You might not rember, but I rember everything.”
Ashley’s eyes widened in awe, and Koi lifted his chin confidently. Seeing that, Ashley asked suspiciously,
“Are you sure you weren’t my stalker?”
“No! I wasn’t!”
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
If Ashley hadn’t been driving, Koi would’ve given him a playful smack. Instead, he just puffed out his cheeks in protest, face red.
“I just have a good mory.”
“I know, I know.”
Ashley laughed again. Koi, now embarrassed by being teased, puffed up his cheeks even more. Ashley lifted Koi’s hand and kissed the back of it with a loud smack before asking,
“What about you? Where do you want to go?”
The question brought him back to reality, and Koi lowered his head, unable to answer right away.
“I just...”
He took a little ti to think, trying to sound casual when he finally replied.
“I don’t know yet.”
“Yeah?”
Nervously gauging his reaction, Koi was relieved when Ashley took it in stride.
“Well, it’s good to be thoughtful.”
He felt a little more at ease, and Ashley continued,
“It’s cool that you’re taking ti to figure out what you really want. That’s a good thing, Koi.”
“Ah... yeah.”
He replied before realizing it, but now he felt even more awkward. Sorry, Ash. It’s not that noble. Honestly, I’m just waiting for any school to offer a scholarship so I can cry tears of joy and go running.
Of course, he couldn’t say that out loud.
Before they knew it, they’d arrived at the usual curb where Ashley always dropped him off.
“Thanks for the ride, Ash.”
Koi stood on the sidewalk after getting out and waited for Ashley to get his bike from the trunk. Then he spoke up.
“I’d say you could walk all the way ho, but...”
Ashley trailed off with a bitter smile. Of course, he assud they were parting ways here—like always. But today, Koi decided to take one step forward.
“Um... it’s okay.”
His voice cracked from nerves, and he quickly cleared his throat. After steadying his breath, Koi looked up at Ashley and said clearly,
“It’s okay. You can walk ho.”
Ashley, who had been silently waiting for him to finish, slowly widened his eyes in surprise. Seeing the reaction, ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) Koi quickly added, flustered,
“Don’t be disappointed when you see it. Whatever you’re imagining, it’s worse.”
“Okay.”
Ashley nodded without hesitation. Was he really not bothered? Koi felt doubtful, but Ashley easily slung the bike over one shoulder and held out his free hand.
Koi looked back and forth between his face and his hand, then smiled and took it.
It’s okay.
As they began to walk together, Koi thought to himself:
We’ll be okay.
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