A heavy silence descended—one Koi had never felt before. He could only stare at Ashley with wide eyes. Ashley stood with both hands in his pockets, keeping a asured distance as he spoke.
“You like . That’s why you were jealous.”
“N-no, no, that’s... no...”
Koi scrambled to deny it, repeating the sa words like a broken record while shaking his head. Ashley frowned at the sight, but he had no intention of backing down.
“Everyone knows it. Don’t deny it.”
“I-I said it’s not true! H-how would you know?! How could you know?!”
As Koi shouted in a desperate, defiant voice, Ashley dropped a bomb.
“You’re the one who wrote that post on the board.”
Silence fell again. This ti, Koi completely froze. Unlike before, he couldn’t even shake his head or raise his hands in denial—just stared at Ashley with wide, panicked eyes. After a long mont, he finally managed to speak.
“W-w-w-what p-post?”
Watching him stamr, Ashley answered coolly.
“The one that said you fell for the hockey team captain who’s in AP classes and aced the college entrance exam. Everyone knows who it’s about. Don’t try to cover it up.”
Koi didn’t respond, but the way his eyes shook violently said everything. Eventually, in a voice barely above a whisper, he asked,
“S-so... everyone knows...?”
Ashley answered without hesitation.
“At the very least, they all know the post was about .”
“I-I didn’t write it...”
Koi shook his head quickly, repeating the denial as if he’d been waiting for this exact mont. Ashley’s expression twisted in frustration.
“Koi, do you rember what I told you?”
He spoke quietly. When Koi still didn’t answer and just kept shaking his head, Ashley continued.
“I said—I can’t wait forever.”
Koi’s body froze. The tone was calm, but the weight of those words hit him harder than anything else ever had. As he stared up at Ashley, the other boy looked right back and spoke again.
“Hocoming’s coming up.”
There wasn’t a single car passing by. In the stillness, Ashley’s quiet voice cut through everything, ringing clearly in Koi’s ears.
“If we win that ga, no matter what your answer is—I’ll decide how this ends.”
Ashley looked down at Koi, who still couldn’t move.
“Got it, Koi? This is your last chance.”
Then Ashley gave him one last look before turning around. Koi watched helplessly as Ashley walked back to his car. Just before the door closed, Koi finally managed to call out.
“The hocoming... party...”
Ashley, with his hand on the door, turned and looked at him. He frowned and gave a wry smile.
“That doesn’t matter anymore.”
Koi could only watch as Ashley got in the car. A mont later, the engine started—and then Ashley was gone.
He disappeared from view in an instant. As Ashley drove toward the mansion, he ntally repeated the words he’d said. There wasn’t a single hint of regret. When he thought about how Koi could never seem to make up his mind, this was probably for the best. And when he’d said this would be the last ti—he ant it.
No matter what, Ashley would follow through. No matter what.
*
Koi stood there, still staring blankly after the car, even after it vanished. The road was deserted, not a shadow of another car in sight. A gust of cold wind snapped him out of his daze. He turned quickly and headed ho. He had to shower before his father ca back.
He couldn’t tell whether Ashley had released pheromones or not. Even if his father beat him half to death, Koi had no intention of staying away from Ashley—but he’d rather not take unnecessary risks.
Just in case, he opened all the windows and doors of the motorho, then rushed into the shower booth. Everything needed to be done before his father arrived. He even rembered to wash the clothes he’d been wearing. Under the spray of water, Koi scrubbed his T-shirt and pants by hand, then washed his hair and soaped up his body twice more before putting on clean clothes and stepping back out. He hung his shirt and pants on the laundry line outside the motorho, finally feeling a bit of relief. Now all he had to do was lie on the bed and pretend to be asleep before his father got ho.
Once he finished everything and lay down, the crushing stillness returned. Koi curled up tight and closed his eyes. Ashley’s face imdiately filled his thoughts.
That was when he realized. The reason he’d rushed ho, scrubbed himself, done laundry in a frenzy—it was all because he wanted to delay thinking about what had just happened.
But now that everything was done and he had nowhere left to escape to, Ashley took over his mind. And with him, ca the question Koi had been desperately trying to avoid.
What did Ashley an by what he said?
Koi clenched his eyes shut and recalled it all. Ashley had never looked more serious. And no one would say sothing like that as a joke—not in a mont like that.
But why say it now?
People get tired eventually.
The thought popped into his head, and he opened his eyes.
Was he saying he doesn’t like anymore?
Maybe Ashley was just worn out. He’d said he liked Koi, over and over—but Koi hadn’t believed him. Their relationship never moved forward. And Ashley was Ashley Miller. There were plenty of other people who wanted him.
I was the one who said he was mistaken and rejected him.
So if Ashley had finally realized it wasn’t worth it, of course he’d go back to Ariel. Why hadn’t Koi considered that? The image of the two of them being so close flashed in his mind. It all made sense now.
If they win the ga, he’s going to stop looking at .
"If we win this ga, no matter what your answer is, I’ll make my decision."
Ashley’s last words echoed in his head.
"Got it, Koi? This is your last chance."
So that’s it. Koi thought. He’s going to say he doesn’t like anymore.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
The thought hurt so much he could barely breathe. That’s why he said he didn’t care about the hocoming party. Because he finally realized how insane the idea of going with Koi really was.
Koi curled up tighter, trembling as he swallowed back sobs. He knew this would happen. That’s why he didn’t believe it when Ashley said he liked him. That’s why he pushed him away.
Now, covering his mouth with both hands to stifle the sounds, Koi shut his eyes tight.
Even though I knew it was just a misunderstanding...
At last, the truth he’d buried began to rise. Koi couldn’t deny it anymore.
Why did I keep believing Ashley would like forever?
His nose burned, and tears welled up. Koi pressed his mouth shut and swallowed the sobs.
anwhile, Ashley had just finished showering and was now pouring mango cola into a cup full of ice. His face was serious as he stared into the fizzing drink.
Which room should I lock Koi in?
*
“You’ve got no energy lately.”
During practice break, Ariel suddenly pointed it out. Koi blinked in surprise and looked at her.
“M-?”
“Yeah, you.”
She widened her eyes in warning.
“Don’t you know what cheerleading is? If we’re low-energy, how are the athletes supposed to stay motivated? We need to be more energetic than them. We’re supposed to overwhelm the crowd!”
She jabbed her finger in front of Koi’s face as she scolded him.
“Push yourself until your paprika shrivels up and disappears, got it?!”
“Y-yeah...”
After confirming his reply, she turned and walked over to the vice-captain. Koi finally let out a breath and relaxed a little.
Practice continued. Ariel kept calling him by vegetable nas—always different ones. But it was never anything cool or sturdy like eggplant or even asparagus.
Today it’s paprika...
Koi wiped his sweat and sighed. At least it was better than broccoli. When she’d called him broccoli the first ti, he was so confused he missed the beat. Of course, it didn’t an anything.
Hoo.
Since that day, Ashley hadn’t co to [N O V E L I G H T] pick him up. He only sent a short text:
[Can’t co get you. Training. Sorry. –Ash]
That was it.
Koi used to go to and from school alone anyway, but it hadn’t even been that long, and sohow it had already beco a habit. The walk to school now felt so much lonelier.
Of course, Ashley saw it differently. He was thinking that, just in case he ended up having to lock Koi up, he should let him enjoy his freedom one last ti. But Koi completely misunderstood.
Guess he doesn’t even want to see anymore...
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