In contrast to Koi’s chatty tone, Ashley replied flatly.
“Still short.”
“Short?!”
Koi widened his eyes in protest.
“I’ve grown a lot, you know—over ten centiters...”
His voice, which had rung out confidently toward Ashley, began to trail off until it vanished completely. Koi, who had been looking up to et Ashley’s gaze, hesitated before speaking again.
“Um... did you get taller again?”
“What?”
Ashley frowned at the quiet mumble, then nodded once he understood the question.
“About twenty centiters? I’m not sure exactly.”
Suddenly, Koi felt like a tortoise endlessly running toward a finish line he could never reach. Up close, the difference between him and Ashley was even more glaring. Koi had thought his height, his shoulders, even a bit of muscle had finally co in—but standing next to Ashley, he felt completely insignificant. His height, his shoulders, even the width of his chest—Ashley was easily twice his size in every way.
“...Did you keep playing ice hockey in college?”
Koi asked hesitantly. Ashley replied casually.
“Just for exercise now and then. The regions are different here, so they don’t restrict you from joining teams because of your traits. That kind of thing is discrimination.”
“I see...”
Koi nodded reluctantly, though he had already accepted defeat in his heart. It had been a mistake from the beginning to think he could catch up to Ashley. Just when he thought he’d taken a step closer, Ashley was already three steps farther away. Koi surrendered completely to the overwhelming gap.
“You didn’t play after graduating, right?”
“I’m not a pro. I don’t have ti to waste on that.”
It was a matter-of-fact response, and once again, Koi accepted it without complaint. For soone as busy as Ashley to co all the way to the police station at this hour because of him—it made him feel even more sorry. He was about to thank him and apologize when Ashley spoke first.
“Well, if we’re done here... let’s call it a night.”
Ashley made a point of checking his watch, and Koi’s heart sank. He was right. It was already past midnight, nearly dawn. It made perfect sense to part ways and make plans to et again later.
But emotions didn’t always obey logic. Their reunion had been absurd, but Koi couldn’t let the opportunity slip away. He already understood how difficult it was to et Ashley now. If he let him go, there was no telling when—if ever—they’d see each other again. Maybe not even in this lifeti. So the mont he saw Ashley turn to leave, his reason snapped.
“W-Wait! Wait, Ash!”
The urgency in his voice made Ashley pause and turn back. He’d only taken a few steps, yet he already seed so far away. It felt like a taphor for the distance between them. Frantic, Koi ran up and blocked his path.
“Um, thank you... for today. If it’s okay... would you want to get sothing to eat together?”
Just setting up a promise, no matter how small, made him feel like he could breathe. Ashley wouldn’t answer his ssages, wouldn’t et even if he showed up in person. Koi had to talk to him directly—right now—while he still had the chance. He looked up at Ashley with desperate eyes.
He might say no.
Koi’s brain flooded with scenarios. Ashley frowning and saying he was too busy. Or telling him to speak to his assistant. Or, worst of all, just saying no flat-out. Whatever happened, Koi had no choice but to beg. This was the only chance he had. He had already decided—long ago—that he would do anything.
“...Alright.”
“...Huh?”
Koi blinked stupidly at the response. Ashley looked down at him and spoke again.
“I said alright. Where do you want to go? Not many places are open right now.”
“R-Right now?”
The sudden shift caught Koi completely off guard. He had planned to schedule sothing—a proper reservation at a nice restaurant, to talk, to clear the air. He hadn’t expected a chance to co up right now. While he scrambled to react, Ashley spoke again with disinterest.
“If it’s too much trouble—”
“N-No! It’s fine, really! I’m hungry too. It’s perfect—great!”
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Koi blurted it out in a rush. If he let this go, there might never be another chance. Hurriedly pulling out his phone, he began searching for nearby restaurants. Unsurprisingly, most were closed. He kept expanding the radius, desperate. Finally, he found one. Just as he was about to speak, he froze.
“Oh.”
The odd sound made Ashley glance down. He, too, checked the restaurant Koi had found. Koi hesitated, then looked up cautiously.
“...There’s a Green Bell nearby.”
He forced a smile, but Ashley’s expression didn’t change. Koi rushed to fill the silence.
“You haven’t gone in a while, right? There’s one near where I live, so I go sotis... still tastes the sa.”
While awkwardly trying to steer the conversation, Ashley suddenly cut in.
“You want to go to Green Bell?”
Koi jumped at the blunt question.
“How’d you know?”
Ashley let out a short, dry chuckle.
“Why else would you bring it up?”
Koi’s face flushed, but there was no backing out now.
“U-Um, it’s kind of far, but it’s the only place open right now... is that okay?”
Without answering, Ashley gave a small nod and turned first. Koi hurried after him—and stopped when he spotted the Bentayga parked nearby. He had a feeling, and it turned out he was right. When Ashley pulled out his smart key and clicked the button, the luxury SUV responded imdiately. Koi murmured without thinking.
“He drives a van...”
He had expected a fancy sedan—sothing sleek and classy for a hotshot lawyer. Of course, the Bentayga was insanely expensive, but still... a van? That, he hadn’t seen coming.
Without hesitation, Ashley opened the driver’s side door and climbed in. Koi, who had been watching dumbly, scrambled into the passenger seat and buckled up. Ashley tapped the GPS, entered the destination, and the car started to move.
Sitting beside him, Koi felt a strange mix of unfamiliarity and déjà vu. He never imagined Ashley would drive a van. If it had been a Cayenne instead, Koi might have gotten the wrong idea completely.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. If Ashley played music... would it be that ridiculous song again?
Too afraid to ask, he stayed quiet as the car cruised toward Green Bell.
*
Though it was well past midnight, the restaurant still had quite a few patrons. It was probably the only place open in the area. Fortunately, they found an empty window seat. Koi picked up the nu and spoke.
“My treat. You got out of there.”
He forced a smile, but Ashley didn’t smile back. Watching him glance through the creased, cheap nu, Koi felt a strange disconnect.
Back in the day, Ashley had sat at this very kind of place with his friends, eating heaps of junk food without a care. But now, he looked completely out of place. His tie alone looked more expensive than everything Koi was wearing combined. It wasn’t just that. His perfectly manicured nails, elegant long fingers, the flawless suit—they all seed to say:
This man doesn’t eat cheap burgers at places like this anymore.
“Double «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» cheeseburger.”
Ashley ordered as if to ignore that thought completely. Koi, jolted out of his daze, quickly ordered the sa. He added a soda, which arrived before the al. He sipped it through a straw, not really thinking, when he noticed Ashley watching him.
“What is it?”
He asked curiously, and Ashley glanced at his cup and replied.
“You get ice now.”
“Huh? Oh...”
Realizing what he ant, Koi gave a small, sheepish smile.
“I can afford it now.”
Ashley didn’t react right away. Only after Koi took another sip did he finally speak.
“...What?”
At that single word, Koi looked up. Ashley was staring at him with an oddly stunned expression, like he’d just been hit over the head.
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