L*ck Me If You Can-Chapter 165

Am I dreaming right now?

Standing alone in the spacious bathroom, Koi blinked blankly. From the moment he stepped out of the car until now, nothing had felt real. The doorman opening the front door, the massive painting that covered an entire wall in the lobby, the dim glass elevator with dark translucent panels, and now this—an apartment with a living room large enough to swallow his entire basement home, soaring ceilings, and a grand staircase made of marble leading to the second floor of the duplex.

Ashley had led him all the way to the bathroom, but Koi was still dazed. This can’t all be a dream... can it?

Blinking in disbelief, Koi raised his hand and slapped his own cheek hard. Smack. The sting jolted him back to reality. He winced, covering his face with one hand.

It’s not a dream.

Rubbing his still-tingling cheek, he finally started preparing to shower. The luxurious bathroom featured a marble bathtub set against a wall with a large window overlooking the night skyline—perfect for soaking with a view. The adjacent shower stall, enclosed in glass, was lined with polished stones of varying sizes that sparkled under the lights.

I’ve never seen a bathroom this clean or fancy.

Though grateful for Ashley’s kindness, Koi didn’t dare touch the bathtub. He decided to keep it simple and just shower—but even that turned out to be difficult. Once he began undressing, he realized he had no idea where to put his clothes. Everything he had was so dirty and worn that it felt like even touching the bathroom might stain it. Frozen in place, unsure what to do, he flinched when he heard a light knock on the bathroom door. The door opened a second later, and Ashley stepped in.

“Koi? You okay?”

“Oh—uh, yeah.”

Startled, Koi nodded quickly. Ashley glanced him over, noting that he was still fully clothed, and without a word, placed a folded set of clothes on the counter beside the sink.

“Get washed up and change. It’s my sleepwear—it might be a bit big, but it’s all I’ve got.”

“Ah, okay. Thanks.”

When Koi thanked him, Ashley paused before leaving and asked,

“You need anything else?”

Koi quickly shook his head.

“No, I’m fine.”

Ashley gave a small nod and turned to go. But Koi suddenly called after him.

“Hey, Ash!”

Ashley stopped and turned back. Koi, flushed and embarrassed, asked quietly,

“Where... where should I put my clothes?”

Ashley pointed to under the sink. Koi followed his gesture and spotted a large rattan basket. “Ah,” he said softly, lifting his eyes again—only to find Ashley still standing there, waiting, like he was making sure there really wasn’t anything else Koi needed.

“Um, well...”

Koi hesitated, then forced himself to ask.

“Can you show me how to use the shower? I’ve never seen one like that before...”

His voice faded to a whisper. His face flushed hot, but he had no choice. Every feature in this bathroom was unfamiliar. He could guess that the knobs adjusted temperature, but he couldn’t figure out how to even turn the water on.

Ashley didn’t answer right away. Koi, flustered, couldn’t read his expression. Then, glancing briefly toward the tub, Ashley spoke.

“Wouldn’t a bath be better?”

“Oh, uh... maybe...”

Of course it would. But it felt rude to just jump into someone else’s tub. Koi was about to politely decline, but Ashley, as if reading his mind, spoke first.

“Koi, I want you to rest comfortably while you’re here.”

His voice was quiet, but firm.

“That would make me feel more at ease too.”

Is he saying that as a friend, or as my lawyer?

The thought passed through Koi’s mind just as his eyes fell on the clothes Ashley had brought.

“A lawyer’s duty is to protect their client.”

“...Did you do this for your other clients too?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Koi regretted it. That had been a thought he meant to keep to himself. Flustered, he clamped his hand over his mouth—but it was too late. Ashley looked straight at him and said,

“Koi, don’t get the wrong idea.”

Koi’s stomach sank.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Ashley’s expression didn’t change as he continued,

“My clients, if they wanted to, could vanish into ten different hideouts no one else could ever find.”

...What?

Koi blinked at the unexpected response. But Ashley said no more and moved over to the bathtub.

“Come here, Koi.”

“Ah—okay.”

Still flustered, Koi followed him. Ashley began to explain how everything worked.

“This one turns the hot water on. This is for cold. This controls the pressure. And this—”

Koi nodded earnestly as he listened. There were far more features than he’d imagined, fitting for such a fancy tub.

As Ashley listed each function, Koi found himself mesmerized by the sound of his voice. Since they reunited, this was the most Ashley had spoken. He used to laugh often, make silly jokes—now, he barely spoke at all. Koi had missed that, so hearing him like this made him feel oddly happy. A faint smile crept onto his lips just as Ashley called his name.

“Koi. Are you listening?”

“Huh? Oh—yeah.”

Startled, Koi blinked up into those violet eyes staring at him. He snapped back to reality and nodded quickly.

“Yeah, I heard everything. Thanks for explaining.”

It was meant as a polite signal that Ashley could leave now—but he didn’t move. Instead, he frowned, staring at Koi with a look full of skepticism.

Do you really understand what I just said?

Koi felt like the question had been spoken aloud. Panicking, he reached out and said quickly,

“I mean it! I can handle the rest on my o—”

He smiled and pressed a button—and instead of the tub filling up, water suddenly poured straight down from the ceiling.

“Ahhh!”

Koi shrieked, shocked, as water splashed onto him. Ashley quickly shut it off. Blinking up, Koi saw the large rain shower head on the ceiling still dripping.

“S-Sorry.”

Coming to his senses, he stared at Ashley, now drenched. Ashley said nothing, just stared back.

His perfectly styled hair was soaked and messy. The crisp white shirt clung to his skin, transparent in places, revealing the contours of his body. Water streamed down his frame, pooling on the marble floor. The East’s top lawyer was now standing there, utterly drenched—and it was Koi’s fault.

What do I do...

He wouldn’t be surprised if he got thrown out for this. He couldn’t even pay him, and now he was just a burden. Instead of being helpful, he’d made a mess. Ashamed, Koi squeezed his eyes shut.

“Koi.”

The calm voice made him flinch and shrink his shoulders. He cautiously opened his eyes. Ashley’s expression hadn’t changed much. Still on edge, Koi waited. Then Ashley spoke, quietly.

“You’ll catch a cold if you stay soaked like that.”

...What?

Koi didn’t know how to react. Before he could say anything, Ashley knelt and began filling the tub with water. Koi just stood there, watching as Ashley sat on the edge, dipping a hand into the bath to check the temperature and adjusting the valve.

He was still wearing the same white dress shirt, tie in place. Maybe he'd been about to take a shower himself. He’d probably just come in to bring Koi clothes before that.

Did Ash do this kind of thing with other people while we were apart?

The thought hit out of nowhere, and his heart dropped.

Ashley, who had just finished adjusting the temperature, looked up and called to him with a puzzled look.

“Koi? What’s wrong?”

Koi didn’t answer. He just looked at him. His mouth was full of words he couldn’t bring himself to say.

Ash.

Staring back at him, Koi silently repeated the words in his head.

While we were apart... how many people did you date?