Haah, haah.
Koi panted heavily, wiping the sweat from his forehead. No matter how much he searched, Ashley was nowhere to be found. He had turned over Ashley’s house, even checked the office, but it was useless. Desperate, Koi even went to the rented house he had lived in before, but it was completely empty. In the end, as darkness settled over the streets, Koi stood there blankly, overwheld with helplessness.
Where the hell did he go?
Nothing else ca to mind. As he clutched his throbbing head, he suddenly felt the vibration of his phone. Hastily checking the caller, he sighed and answered.
What’s wrong? You called?
It was Bernice. Koi took a deep breath, quickly explaining that Ashley had suffered a pheromone episode and had disappeared, then hurriedly added,
“I even went to his house, but he wasn't there. The doorman said he saw him co in, but no matter how much I searched... it’s like he went back out when no one was looking...”
Did you check the closet?
Bernice asked abruptly. Koi paused mid-sentence.
“The closet?”
Yes. The wall closet inside the dressing room.
Bernice continued, her voice just as calm and businesslike as ever.
Junior is probably there.
The call ended imdiately after. Staring blankly for a mont, Koi snapped back to his senses and quickly retraced his steps.
〈Ash doesn’t truly love you.〉
Even as he ran, Ariel’s words echoed in his head.
〈Why do you think he denies it so fiercely? Don’t you see why he refuses to acknowledge that you’re a Supre Oga? He can’t stand you being above him.〉
〈Ash has always looked down at you from above.〉
〈Can you really call that love?〉
His frantic steps gradually slowed. Standing in the middle of the street, gasping for breath, Koi hesitated for a mont before shaking his head and starting to run again. Right now, finding Ashley ca first. He could think later.
If that’s what Ashley wants...
Staring up at the familiar building in the distance, Koi thought,
...I can do that for him.
Gritting his teeth, he dashed into the building. The doorman looked at him in surprise, but Koi paid him no mind and crossed the spacious hall straight toward the elevators.
Just... don’t run away from .
*
"Haah, haah."
When he finally staggered out of the elevator, Koi was so out of breath he almost collapsed. After passing through the double doors of the entrance, a heavy, suffocating silence descended all at once. Taking a deep breath, Koi moved toward the second floor. His pace was slower now, but his heart pounded even harder with anxiety as he approached the bedroom.
Opening the bedroom door, he saw the sa empty room as before. He crossed the room and headed for the dressing room. When he opened the connected door, it was the sa—no one was there. Up to this point, everything was exactly as before.
But this ti, sothing was different. Standing still and sharpening his senses, Koi felt a shiver crawl down his spine.
He’s here.
Koi knew it instinctively. He couldn’t sll it, but every nerve in his body was reacting sensitively. To Ashley’s pheromones.
Hoo, taking another deep breath, he moved forward. One step, then another—the closer he got, the stronger the certainty grew. Finally, grabbing the closet handle and pushing it open forcefully, Koi froze on the spot.
Ashley was there. Just as Bernice had said, alone inside the wall closet.
“Ash...”
As Koi reached out hurriedly to call him, sothing else caught his eye. The mont he realized what was scattered around Ashley, all his movents stopped.
The giant man, known as the best lawyer in the East, a bloodless, tearless cold-blooded man, lay unconscious surrounded by shabby dolls. Dolls so cheap and ugly that they looked ridiculously out of place with a man who stood at the pinnacle of wealth and power. And when Koi saw the pink elephant doll cradled in Ashley’s arms as he slept, tears suddenly welled up uncontrollably.
Elliping.
〈I want you to have it. Take it.〉
〈This... was an elephant?〉
〈Here, this one's an anteater.〉
All the dolls Koi had given him were there. He had thought Ashley had thrown them away. The mory of that empty mansion that day ca rushing back—the day he had thought everything was over and sobbed, believing he was utterly alone.
But he had been wrong. He wasn’t the only one left alone. And it was Koi who had made Ashley this way.
“Ash...”
Koi whispered in a voice choked with sobs. Kneeling down, he grabbed Ashley’s trembling shoulders and, swallowing back his tears, spoke.
“Why are you here all alone...”
Ashley still did not open his eyes. Bernice’s indifferent words that Ashley would be there crossed Koi’s mind. Whether he was asleep or unconscious was unclear, but one thing was certain: every ti sothing like this happened, Ashley had always stayed here, alone.
Quickly wiping away his tears, Koi hurriedly called Bernice.
Leave him alone.
She answered simply.
He’s drunk on pheromones. His consciousness will return with ti.
When? Anxious, Koi asked silently, and Bernice added,
If you want to ask Junior anything, ask him now. He’ll answer you.
Hanging up, Koi looked down at Ashley again. He was still unconscious. After a mont’s hesitation, Koi carefully called his na.
“Ash.”
He cleared his throat and tried to raise his sunken voice a little.
“Ash, it’s . Koi.”
His voice trembled so badly he had to take a deep breath midway.
“Open your eyes.”
Calling his na again and gently shaking his shoulder, Koi waited. And then, after a few seconds of silence, Ashley’s eyes miraculously fluttered open. Koi held his breath as he watched the half-lidded eyes blink slowly.
“...Koi?”
Ashley mumbled sleepily, as if drunk. Koi, fighting back another surge of tears, nodded frantically.
“Yeah, it’s . Are you awake?”
He asked urgently, but Ashley didn’t answer right away. Then, murmuring in a low voice, he said,
“Koi... really ca?”
“Yes, I’m here. I really ca.”
Koi grabbed Ashley’s hand and pressed it against his cheek. Dropping the stuffed animal he had been hugging, Ashley slowly lifted his gaze. Their eyes t. Ashley stared at him for a while, and then a faint smile slowly spread across his face.
“...Koi, you’re here.”
Ashley stretched out his arms, and Koi imdiately leaned down to embrace him. Taking a deep breath, Ashley muttered like a lant.
“I’ve been waiting. All this ti.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
Koi quickly apologized, but Ashley, still in a daze, continued speaking.
“I had a strange dream... I was waiting for you at the train station, but you didn’t co. No matter how long I waited, you didn’t...”
Koi’s eyes widened, and he froze. Ashley, still hugging Koi’s waist with his eyes closed, kept whispering.
“It’s strange, right? You would never abandon . You’re here now, right? We’re leaving together now, just the two of us.”
Ashley asked, but Koi couldn’t answer imdiately. Sensing sothing was off, Ashley lifted his head.
“Koi?”
The mont he saw Ashley’s dazed eyes, Koi realized it.
mory disturbance.
Right now, Ashley was mistaken. He °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° believed he was waiting at the train station and that they had finally reunited. How many tis had Ashley returned to that day ten years ago? Waiting, waiting, and waiting.
Waiting only for the Koi who never ca.
“...Yeah, that’s right.”
Koi barely managed to answer.
“I’m sorry I’m late, Ash.”
Sorry for coming so late.
Sorry for abandoning you.
This was what Bernice had ant. If he experienced mory confusion every ti he got drunk on pheromones, he would probably forget even after waking up. No, it wasn’t just this. He would lose even more mories. Every ti, every mont.
Constantly returning to that day.
Koi bit his lip, took a deep breath, and then cradled Ashley’s face with trembling hands. He leaned down and kissed him. Their cold lips touched. Ashley closed his eyes and burrowed into Koi’s embrace. Koi held Ashley’s head gently and soothed him quietly.
“Ash, I have sothing to ask.”
Right now, Ashley would answer honestly.
Koi inhaled and exhaled before asking in a difficult voice.
“Why can’t I be a Supre Oga?”
Tense, he waited for the answer. Ashley, breathing slowly like he was asleep, finally spoke.
“Because it’s impossible.”
“Why?”
Koi hurriedly asked, chasing the drowsy voice.
“Elle said it’s because you want to deny that I’m above you. Isn’t that it?”
“What are you talking about?”
Still sounding languid, Ashley answered as if it was absurd.
“Koi, I’ve never once been above you.”
Then why?
Unable to resist, Koi pressed him.
“Be honest, Ash. What are you afraid of?”
His heart pounded painfully. Then Ashley whispered.
“Because if you’re a Supre Oga, it ans you’re purposely hiding your pheromone scent.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)