“What are you doing?”
Ashley asked as he caught Koi just in ti, trying to move his steak onto Ashley’s plate. Koi flinched and looked up at him.
“Uh, well, I just... it’s a bit too much for .”
“You’re only going to eat that much?”
Ashley glanced over at Koi’s plate. Koi looked down at the at that had suddenly diminished and forced a smile.
“Yeah, I’ve never been a big eater.”
“...Really?”
As Ashley gave a lukewarm response, Koi quickly moved the at he was holding. After completing the mission successfully, he even felt a sense of pride. He was smiling contentedly when he heard Ashley mutter to himself.
“No wonder you’re so tiny—you eat like a bird.”
If anyone else had said that, Koi would have fired back with everything he had: Have you ever seen a bean this big? Isn’t it you who’s freakishly huge? If everyone ate like you, the Earth would’ve already collapsed, there’d be nothing left—at, plants, everything devoured.
But the fact that it was Ashley completely killed any fight in him. Instead, Koi even found himself nodding along like, Well, if Ashley says so, I guess it must be true.
“What do you want to drink?” Ashley asked.
“Huh? Oh, uh, cola.”
Koi answered on impulse, and Ashley, standing at the fridge with the door open, asked again.
“Mango, apple, li, zero, original—what kind?”
“M-Mango!”
Ashley pulled out two mango colas and two glass cups, placing one of each in front of Koi.
“Thanks.”
Koi said thank you again, but Ashley just turned around without a word and pressed the ice maker button on the fridge to fill his glass. He sat down in full view and filled his own cup with cola and ice, then chugged it back with gusto. Koi blinked at the sight.
“Um...”
“You don’t like ice, right?”
Just as Koi was about to say sothing, Ashley beat him to it. Koi fell silent again.
“Y-Yeah.”
He mumbled, unable to say anything else, and quietly sipped his cola. Even though Ashley had said that was all the food left, there was quite a lot once he started eating. Koi filled his empty stomach with mashed potatoes and salad in place of the at.
Once he was reasonably full, Koi put down his fork and leaned back in his chair. At the sa ti, Ashley also seed to have finished and was wiping his mouth with a napkin.
“Was it enough? You’re not still hungry?”
Koi asked, and Ashley replied casually.
“I don’t always eat that much. This was fine.”
He stood up first and began clearing the plates. Already? Koi was surprised, but quickly followed him to help clean up. As soon as they finished tidying the table, Ashley spoke up.
“Alright, should we get to practicing now?”
The food he had just stuffed himself with suddenly felt like it was stuck in his throat. Koi nodded, a tightness forming in his chest.
“Okay.”
*
The ice rink Ashley ntioned was on the second basent level. When Koi asked what was on the first basent level, Ashley simply replied, “Wine.”
...Cold.
The mont they reached B2 and opened the door, a rush of cold air hit them. Koi hunched his shoulders and gasped. Ashley, who had entered first, turned around and asked,
“You okay? Want to get you sothing warm?”
“C-Can I?”
Seeing Koi chattering from the cold, Ashley casually opened one of the lockers placed to the side. Inside were a few clothes and pairs of skates. He pulled out a thin jumper and handed it to Koi as he spoke.
“You’re not used to it yet, so I’m giving you this. But it’s good to get used to the temperature. You won’t have a choice if you want to join the cheerleading team.”
“Yeah, I get it.”
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Koi nodded obediently, though right now, avoiding the cold was more urgent. The jumper Ashley gave him wasn’t thick enough to block out all the cold, but it was better than nothing. As Koi hurried to put it on, Ashley asked,
“What’s your shoe size?”
“Huh? Uh, 7.5.”
“What?”
Ashley stopped searching for skates and turned his head. Koi, a bit embarrassed, raised his voice and repeated,
“Seven point five. Seven point five!”
“Pfft...”
Ashley let out an odd exhale, then turned back around. He was only muttering to himself, but in the silence of the empty ice rink, Koi could hear him clearly.
“Wow. I was size 8 back in fourth grade...”
Koi felt so embarrassed he wanted to crawl into a hole.
*
The skates were extrely well kept. According to Ashley, his body grew so quickly that there were plenty of shoes and clothes he had never even worn. That, of course, was sothing «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» Koi couldn’t relate to at all.
“Do these feel better? Or these?”
Ashley asked, and Koi paused to think. In terms of size, the right one fit better, but the left felt more stable. When he admitted it, Ashley made the decision for him.
“Then go with the left. With skates, the snugger the better.”
He added that loose skates made injuries more likely. Koi silently followed his instructions.
“Sit down, I’ll tie them for you.”
Ashley sat Koi down on the bench and, without hesitation, dropped to one knee in front of him. Flustered, Koi quickly reached out.
“It’s okay, I can do it—”
“Next ti.”
Ashley spoke as his hands moved skillfully.
“Let do it this ti.”
Ashley was overly kind. Koi felt a warmth spread in his chest from that kindness but also scolded himself not to get carried away.
Ashley is just a good person. That’s all.
Just because they happened to get close didn’t an he was special. Ashley had plenty of friends, and even more people who liked him. Everyone was probably waiting for a chance to get close to him. So Koi’s situation wasn’t anything unique.
Just be grateful.
Koi told himself that, then looked down. He saw Ashley’s nape. It was the first ti seeing it. It felt strange and unfamiliar. He never imagined there would be a day he’d be looking down at Ashley like this.
And now Ashley was kneeling in front of him.
Koi quietly held his breath and watched him. His fingers, twisting the long, thin laces into neat knots, were srizing. They were long-boned, graceful, and even his square-shaped nails looked pretty.
While Koi was staring blankly at them, he asked without thinking,
“Ash, do you play any instrunts?”
“Hmm... flute?”
It was a casual question, but the answer was unexpected. Koi blinked and asked again,
“Flute? Really?”
“Yeah.”
Ashley finished tying one side and sat up, then grabbed Koi’s other leg. He gently held his calf and pulled it toward him, lowering his upper body again and wrapping the loose laces around his fingers.
“I even used it for my music exam.”
“Really? For what piece?”
“Sentintal.”
“Sentintal?”
Koi echoed his answer, and Ashley replied,
“Yeah, by Claude Bolling.”
It was a na Koi had never heard before. To be honest, he didn’t know much about music. But he made a ntal note of it anyway, determined to look it up later when he was alone. Maybe Ashley noticed, because he suddenly stopped tying the laces, pulled out his phone, and quickly typed sothing.
“Here.”
“Ah.”
He placed his phone next to Koi on the bench and returned to tying the skates. Koi was about to thank him, but then the music started playing.
Soft jazz began to flow gently through the air. It was a beautiful lody Koi had never heard before, and it left him montarily speechless.
Ashley... played this?
Listening closely to the flute, Koi tried to imagine how Ashley might have perford it. With those long fingers now tying his skates, had he pressed the keys one by one? Lowering his eyes like now, his long lashes fluttering now and then.
He must have taken a breath every ti the note ended. Parted his lips, drew in air, exhaled each sound slowly...
Ah.
Koi thought.
How beautiful he must’ve looked.
Just as a quiet ache blood in his chest, Ashley finished tying the laces and lifted his head. Koi, who had been watching him all this ti, suddenly locked eyes with him. Ashley’s gaze dipped slightly, and his lips curved into a soft line.
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