L*ck Me If You Can-Chapter 92

“...What?”

Ashley genuinely wondered if he’d misheard. In a brief instant, the entire day replayed in his mind like a panorama.

Seeing Koi in the cheerleading uniform and getting angry, Koi giving him two dollars, the close victory in the game, kissing and confessing in front of everyone, and finally—finally—officially becoming Koi’s boyfriend.

Even if he erased the hour-long session of furious masturbation at the end, it had still been a day full of so much, and now Koi wanted to pretend none of it happened?

They had just eaten together and held hands the entire ride over.

Ashley had driven with one hand on the wheel and the other wrapped around Koi’s fingers. Now he was completely dumbfounded.

What the hell did I just hear?

“...Are you breaking up with me? When we haven’t even started?”

“N-no, that’s not what I meant!”

Koi frantically shook his head.

“We’re dating. We are... but just... let’s keep it a secret...”

“Why?”

Ashley pounced on the trailing end of Koi’s sentence.

His reaction was only natural—Koi could understand that. If their positions were reversed and Ashley had asked the same thing, Koi would have been crushed too.

But there was no other option. If his dad ever found out they were dating... Koi didn’t even want to imagine what might happen.

And if he told Ashley the truth, Ashley would definitely be offended.

How would it feel to be rejected by your boyfriend’s family? Humiliating, no doubt.

Though, knowing Ashley, he wouldn’t feel humiliated—he’d get angry. And that scared Koi even more. He didn’t want to push Ashley away, or hurt him. More than anything, he was afraid of him getting hurt.

Ashley was so cool, so perfect... If Koi’s dad ever said something horrible to him just because he was dating him, Koi wouldn’t be able to bear it.

I don’t want Ash to be treated like that.

Koi took a breath and spoke again.

“It’s just, um... I think it’d be better that way.”

“Why?”

“Because...”

The conversation kept looping, repeating itself without moving forward. Eventually, Ashley made the first move to break the cycle.

“How are we supposed to keep it a secret? We kissed and I confessed in front of the whole school.”

“T-that...”

Koi jumped in.

“People probably didn’t think it was serious.”

Ashley furrowed his brow.

“And why not?”

“Because, well...”

Koi hesitated, then answered.

“Because I’m... me.”

The crease between Ashley’s brows deepened. Koi hurried to explain.

“I’m not putting myself down, but be realistic. If someone said you liked me, no one would believe it. You wouldn’t have, back then.”

Sure, that might’ve been true back then. But now, absolutely not. And right now, the one clinging on was Ashley, not Koi.

More than anything, Ashley wasn’t ashamed of loving Koi.

If anything, he wanted to plaster “I’m Koi’s boyfriend” across every freeway billboard in the country. That’s how proud he was. So he couldn’t understand what Koi was saying right now. He thought they’d finally come to understand each other—was that just his illusion?

“It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. What matters is how you feel.”

Ashley knew Koi still liked him—nothing about that had changed. So why was he doing this?

Unless...

Ashley narrowed his eyes.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“Be honest, Koi. Are you ashamed that I’m your boyfriend?”

Koi flinched, stunned. That was the last thing he expected to hear.

“What? Of course not!”

“Then why?”

“It’s not that I’m ashamed of you...”

Koi struggled to find the words, then finally managed to speak.

“It’s just... I’m not ready. Could you give me a little time?”

Ashley, still frowning, asked:

“Ready for what?”

“Well...”

Koi dropped his head, mumbling without giving a real answer. He’s hiding something. Ashley could tell. The whole day had been perfect.

Until just now. Something had to have triggered this ending.

If this is just some excuse I can’t understand, I’ll really act on it.

This time, he wasn’t going to let it slide. He’d been patient for too long. And this is what he got in return? Hide the fact we’re dating?

“Tell me. What’s the real reason. If you lie or try to brush it off, I won’t let it go.”

Ashley issued his final warning and fell silent.

Koi felt completely cornered. He was terrified of how Ashley might react if he told the truth. But lying or dodging the question would definitely make him even angrier. In the end, Koi hung his head and confessed in a small voice.

“My dad...”

“What?”

Koi still couldn’t lift his head, his voice trembling.

“My dad told me... not to see you.”

This time, Ashley didn’t respond right away.

He’d dated a lot of girls before, but this was the first time a guardian had actually told someone to break up with him.

“...What?”

Ashley asked again after a pause, and Koi started to sniffle.

“My dad said... if your pheromones trigger something in me, what would we do... He said I should never see you again. That I’d be in big trouble if he found out...”

Tears welled up in his eyes as he wiped them away with the back of his hand.

“I’m sorry, Ash. I really like you... I really like you, but my dad... he’s scary. When he gets mad, I don’t ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) know what he’ll do. If he finds out we’re dating and hears about it...”

Only then did Ashley fully understand what Koi was saying.

No way. That couldn’t be. That shouldn’t be true. But somehow, he forced the words out.

“...Koi. Does that man... hit you?”

Koi gasped in shock. Ashley didn’t hesitate—he grabbed his shoulders.

“Koi, look at me. Is it true? Are you scared he’ll hit you again?”

Koi hesitated, then slowly raised his head. Ashley saw his face—and froze.

Ashley had always thought of his own father as trash. He’d despised him, felt nothing but contempt. But not even his father had ever laid a hand on him.

Of course, the man had no reason to. He had countless crueler, more elegant ways to destroy someone.

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Still, Ashley couldn’t believe that someone could be hit by their parent. Sure, he knew people like that existed. But seeing it up close? Facing it in reality? That was something else.

Especially if that person was Koi.

“I’m okay.”

Koi spoke in a trembling voice.

“My dad only gets like that when he’s drunk. And it’s been a while since he hit me... I’m more worried about you.”

His eyes filled with tears again.

“I’m scared that if my dad finds out he hates you, you’ll start hating me too.”

That’s why I didn’t tell you.

Ashley could guess the words Koi didn’t say. And it hit him hard—how he’d cornered Koi like that, pressured him so harshly.

Why didn’t I just drop it when he didn’t want to talk? Not pressing can be a kind of care too.

He’d been bragging about being Koi’s boyfriend and hadn’t even done the most basic thing.

Ashley felt an overwhelming wave of guilt. At the same time, his heart ached with sorrow and sympathy. His grip on Koi’s shoulders loosened.

“There’s no way I could stop liking you.”

His voice was much gentler now, and Koi lowered his head again. A tear slid down his cheek and fell.

“You’re all I have... If you said you didn’t like me anymore, I don’t know what I’d do.”

His quiet sobs filled the car. Ashley just stared at him for a while. I have to do something.

The rage toward Koi’s father, the helplessness, the affection—everything was too much. It made his head spin.

“...Alright then.”

Ashley finally spoke after a long pause.

“Let’s say you dumped me.”

“...What?”

Koi’s head shot up in shock. Ashley reached out to wipe his tear-streaked face, wearing a bitter smile.

“I was the one who confessed to you, right? We can’t take that back. And no one’s gonna believe we’re not dating now. So this is the best way—let’s say I’m the one who liked you, and you rejected me.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

Koi frantically shook his head. Who in the world would believe that? Connor Niles dumped Ashley Miller? You’d have better luck convincing someone that Connor Niles kicked a lion in the ass.

“But, Koi. There’s a condition.”

Ashley spoke seriously to Koi, who kept shaking his head.