L*ck Me If You Can-Chapter 148

“T-the pants are too short now, so I can’t wear them.”

Koi blurted out an excuse, but Ashley’s expression didn’t change.

“And the shirt?”

At the sharp question, Koi hesitated before mumbling,

“It’s short-sleeved, so...”

He’d bought it a little big at the time, so technically he could still wear it. It was definitely tight now—very tight—but those were the only nice clothes he had, all from more than ten years ago when Ashley had bought them. He never had the luxury to buy more. Any extra money went straight into savings with single-minded focus.

Thanks to that, he’d achieved his goal, made it to the East, and met Ashley again. But he wasn’t about to say all that. He didn’t want to burden Ashley.

Though... it felt like he’d already ruined the mood enough.

Sigh. A breath escaped, and Koi flinched. He looked up and saw Ashley, brows drawn, staring off in another direction.

“They were mine to give. It’s your choice how you use them.”

Then Ashley gave a short, bitter laugh and muttered like he was talking to himself.

“Though I really don’t get why you’re still holding on to clothes that don’t even fit.”

“But...”

Koi hesitated, then murmured in a trembling voice,

“How could I throw away something you gave me...”

Ashley fell silent again. After a long pause, he let out another deep sigh and spoke with a tightly locked voice.

“You really are...”

He stopped himself. Koi, growing anxious, waited for him to finish, then finally couldn’t help but speak.

“Ash—”

“Got it, Koi. Just go now.”

Koi hesitated, but Ashley, face drawn into a frown, pressed him.

“Hurry up and get out. I’m tired.”

“O-okay... sorry.”

Koi could only apologize as he got out of the car. As soon as the door shut and he took two steps away, the car pulled away. Koi stood watching until it was completely out of sight before finally turning around and slowly walking home.

It’s not like I expected much anyway.

As he turned the key and opened the door, a harsh creaking sound echoed through the building. The small basement room had once been a storage space. It had no windows and reeked of mold, but Koi couldn’t smell it anyway, and he figured getting sunlight from work outside was enough. With the rent he could afford, this was more than he could hope for.

Poverty had always followed him. It was nothing new. The only regret was how he’d met Ashley again.

It would’ve been nice if it had been... better.

And only then did he realize—he hadn’t even thought about what “better” meant. Even as he showered and climbed into bed, he still hadn’t come up with an answer. He fell asleep without reaching a conclusion.

*

He didn’t open his eyes until well past lunchtime. The sudden ringing of his phone roused him, and groggy, he rubbed his eyes and picked it up without thinking.

“Yeah, hello...”

He mumbled through a yawn, and a moment later, a voice came through the receiver.

—Koi?

“Uh...”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Still dazed, Koi barely responded. The caller said again,

—It’s me, Koi. Still in bed?

It took a few more seconds to recognize the voice. When it finally hit him, he jolted upright—and fell off the bed with a thud. After the loud crash, he scrambled to pick up the phone again.

“H-hello?”

—You okay? That was a pretty loud crash.

“I-it’s fine! Don’t worry. A-Ash? It’s you, right?”

Even without seeing him, Koi could imagine Ashley’s furrowed brow. Confirming it in a fluster, he heard a laugh on the other end.

—Isn’t that a little fast for confirmation?

“Y-yeah...”

That teasing tone brought back old memories, and Koi’s face relaxed. He even laughed a little, and Ashley continued.

—How’s your body feeling? Still tired?

“N-no, I’m fine. Slept really well. Um, what’s up? Why the call...?”

Koi quickly shook his head and asked. Ashley’s voice came back, still laced with a smile.

—You told me to call, didn’t you?

Of course he had. But he hadn’t expected Ashley to actually call—especially not this soon. Koi smiled, but answered honestly.

“I thought you were mad at me...”

Ashley didn’t respond right away. Instead, he smoothly changed the subject.

—You said the date’s tomorrow, right? If you don’t have plans today, want to grab dinner?

“T-today?”

The unexpected offer made Koi’s voice rise. Ashley answered in that same laid-back tone.

—Yeah. I’ve got time, and you did say you were buying.

He had. But the idea that Ashley would call first and suggest meeting was something Koi hadn’t even dared to imagine. His mind went blank, and all he could do was open and close his mouth. On the other end, Ashley added,

—If you’re not up for it...

“N-no! It’s not that, I just... I was surprised, that’s all. I’d love to. Really.”

The words tumbled out all at once, and once he came back to his senses, Koi quickly added,

“Thanks for calling so soon.”

His face was burning. Still flustered, he gave his thanks, and Ashley’s amused voice came again.

—No problem. Since you’re paying for dinner, I’ll pick the place. I know a good spot.

“Ah, okay.”

The only restaurants Koi knew were cheap joints like Green Bell. Anything Ashley picked would be expensive. But Koi made up his mind. He’d just bring all the cash he had. When else would he get a chance like this? As he resolved himself, Ashley asked,

—Then I’ll pick you up at six. Sound good?

“Uh...”

Koi was about to say he’d get there ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ himself—but paused. The company truck was still at Nelson’s place, and he usually took the subway or bus. If they were going to a fancy restaurant, he’d need a car. Should he rent one? Would he have time to find something decent?

His thoughts spun, but Ashley said,

—You’re paying for dinner, so I’ll cover transportation. Sound fair?

“Oh... yeah.”

Koi thought it over and nodded. That was reasonable. They weren’t dating anymore. Splitting responsibilities like this was normal between friends. In fact, him renting a car to pick up Ashley might’ve been crossing a line. Their relationship wasn’t what it used to be, and he had to be careful. Koi firmed his resolve and said,

“Then I’ll leave it to you. Let’s meet at six—where we said goodbye yesterday.”

—Sounds good.

Ashley agreed readily, then added,

—A light suit is fine. Just wear a shirt and tie. And make sure you wear dress shoes.

“Ah, okay.”

Koi glanced down at his worn sneakers and nodded. As soon as the call ended, he scrambled to prepare his outfit. The only decent clothes he had were the ones Ashley had bought him ages ago. But Ashley already knew that, so he probably wouldn’t be too shocked. Koi also had a cheap tie and one pair of slacks.

He pulled out the dress shoes he’d tucked away. He’d only worn them a few times—they were still practically new, but dust had settled on them. He grabbed a brush and polished them quickly. After a shower and changing, it was almost time for their meeting.

*

Ashley’s car arrived right on time. Koi was already waiting outside and quickly got in the moment the Bentayga stopped. He locked the door himself.

“Let’s get going. It’s not safe here.”

Ashley let out a soft chuckle at Koi’s usual habit of checking his surroundings, then started the car. Only once they left the neighborhood and hit the main road did Koi finally relax.

Next time, we should meet somewhere else.

Seeing Ashley’s flashy car always made Koi anxious. The idea of a robbery, of Ashley getting shot—it filled him with guilt. That couldn’t happen. No way. Determined not to let those thoughts ruin the evening, Koi deliberately lightened his tone and spoke up.

“Thanks for picking me up. So where are we going?”

Ashley gave a short reply, but Koi didn’t catch it. He blinked in confusion, and Ashley clarified,

“It’s French. M, O, N...”

As Ashley spelled it out, Koi quickly typed it into his phone. The translation appeared on the screen.

My delight.

“Why in French?”

“It’s a French restaurant.”

Koi immediately panicked. He knew nothing about French food. He’d once heard something about snails—was that what they were going to eat?

He tried to look up the restaurant but couldn’t find even a website. While Koi fidgeted with rising unease, Ashley kept his eyes on the road, expression calm. The car glided down the bustling weekend streets toward their destination.