L*ck Me If You Can

Chapter 204

Koi only managed to calm down by the following afternoon. After Ariel had gone to work, he woke up late and, still feeling sluggish, shuffled into the kitchen. When he peeled off the note Ariel had left on the fridge and read it, a faint smile appeared on his lips without him realizing.

Eat whatever you like from the fridge. I’ll be back by 7. —Elle.

Following the note’s instructions, Koi lazily grabbed some ingredients and made himself a sandwich. Then, thinking he’d make dinner for when she got off work, he went to wash up and brew some coffee. That’s when he suddenly heard a message notification.

Ash?

Startled, he rushed to check his phone—but his face instantly fell in disappointment. The message was from an unexpected sender. After reading it, Koi stood still for a long time, quietly rereading it over and over.

*

“You got a message from Julie?”

Ariel, sitting across from Koi at the dinner table eating the meal he’d made, asked in surprise. Koi nodded with an awkward look.

“It wasn’t anything special. Just a ‘How have you been?’ kind of message.”

“So what did you reply with?”

When Ariel asked, Koi hesitated for a moment and answered quietly.

“I said I’ve been doing fine.”

This idiot.

Ariel stared at his face without a word.

Feeling the weight of her gaze, Koi looked away in discomfort. After watching him for a while, Ariel finally sighed and said,

“Let’s start with your trait test.”

Koi opened his mouth as if to say something, but Ariel cut in before he could speak.

“They say extreme omegas show up as betas. So if it still reads as beta, that would confirm you’re an extreme omega. You did go through a heat cycle, after all.”

She wanted to do more tests, but Ariel’s financial situation was tight, and Koi didn’t have much money either. They needed to save for emergencies.

If I hadn’t broken up with Garrett, things would’ve been a bit easier.

Even covering the rent was a stretch—there wasn’t any wiggle room. He regretted not hanging on just a couple months longer, but it was too late. Ariel decided to focus on what was in front of them and continued,

“And what if we keep it a secret for now—that you’re an extreme omega?”

Koi blinked in confusion, and Ariel explained.

“Extreme omegas are super rare. If word gets out, who knows what kind of situation that could cause. So let’s keep it between us for now and see how things go. If there comes a time when you have to say something, just say you’re an omega, not an extreme one.”

Suddenly, Angel’s words came back to him—how he’d wanted to keep their meeting a secret. Was this the reason?

Thinking that Angel had tried to protect his identity made Koi’s chest ache. He wanted to see him again—but it was probably impossible. All he knew about him was the name “Angel.” And even that might not have been real.

“Do you think... it’d be okay to tell Ash? I mean... if I really am an omega...”

Koi couldn’t even bring himself to say “extreme omega” out loud and trailed off. Ariel responded,

“If you’re sure about Ashley, then maybe. But I’d still prefer if you kept it from him—for now.”

“Why not?”

Koi didn’t like the idea of keeping secrets from someone he liked. Ariel noticed how uncomfortable he looked and said gently,

“We don’t even know if he knew you were an omega. If he did and kept that from you, that’s a problem, right? Let’s wait and see first.”

Then, as if to soften her stance, Ariel added,

“But that’s just what I think. If you want to tell him, go ahead. It’s your life. Your decision matters most.”

Koi stayed silent. He wanted to say there’s no way Ashley would lie to him—but the words stuck in his throat. Maybe, deep down, he wasn’t entirely sure. That doubt left him unsettled and unable to speak.

After watching him hesitate, Ariel changed the subject.

“Want some tea? There’s still a little left from last time.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Ariel took her time making tea, giving him space to think.

“So, what are you going to do about Julie?”

“Huh?”

Koi flinched at the forgotten topic, and Ariel raised her cup to her lips.

“She’s reaching out after a long time, right? Why don’t you meet her? It’s a good chance to make up for how rude you were last time.”

You really are surprisingly popular.

Watching Koi sweat bullets across from her, Ariel remembered how she had to apologize on his behalf when their last date had gone so awkwardly wrong. She’d explained just how shy and socially awkward Koi was—and surprisingly, Julie had been charmed.

“Oh my God, Elle. He’s not just cute—he’s practically an endangered species.”

Julie had actually seemed more interested after hearing all that, which left Ariel both skeptical and amused. But now that Julie had reached out first, it was clear she’d meant it. Still, Ariel felt a little uneasy. According to Garrett, even Sara seemed to be interested in Koi.

At this rate, Koi’s going to end up entangled with everyone.

Even as an omega, he could still date someone—so long as he was upfront. Some people even preferred it, knowing there was no risk of pregnancy. And dating didn’t mean marriage, anyway.

Don’t tell me that bastard just wants to sleep with him and leave.

Pushing away the nasty thought, Ariel spoke up.

“Anyway, don’t you think you should at least respond to someone who had the courage to reach out?”

“But the one I like is Ash...”

Koi mumbled with uncertainty.

“I’m not saying to date Julie.”

Ariel kept her tone patient.

“Just meet her and tell her properly. You were rude last time, so think of it as paying off a debt.”

That was fair. Koi still felt guilty, and Ariel’s words nudged him in the right direction.

Ash would understand—at least this much.

But thinking of Ashley again made his heart ache. There was still no ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) word from him. Koi told himself Ashley must still be unconscious from the rut. It was the only explanation he could bear to believe.

“I’ll... I’ll do that.”

When Koi finally agreed, Ariel nodded and added,

“Reach out to Sara too. She might still be waiting.”

“Okay.”

Thinking back, Koi realized he’d treated a lot of people inconsiderately. His face flushed with shame. Ariel, noticing his drooping posture, gently encouraged him.

“Being clear about how you feel is a good thing. You like Ash, so it’s only right to turn the others down properly, don’t you think?”

“Yeah. I think so too.”

Koi nodded.

“I’ll make it clear.”

“Good.”

Ariel smiled and raised her teacup like a toast. That night, they decided to get a simple test done the next day and then headed to bed.

*

Koi got the call just as he was dozing off after tossing and turning for hours. At first, he didn’t register the ringing and fumbled across the mattress to find his phone. Before he could even answer, a voice came through.

—Connor Niles?

The flat, robotic voice made Koi bolt upright. The caller continued.

—This is Miss Bernice. Sorry to call so late, but I have something to tell you.

“Did something happen to Ash?!”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

He nearly shouted, his face going pale. She paused, then answered calmly.

—Junior is fine. He regained consciousness a little while ago. It’s just... there’s been a small issue.

“Issue?”

Koi’s heart sank as he pressed for answers. Bernice explained.

—It’s not something to panic about. Just...

After a brief hesitation, she continued.

—He’s experiencing memory issues because of the rut. Do you understand? His memory of you might be different.

Koi froze. Ashley’s memory of me is... different? He couldn’t respond. Bernice went on.

—I thought I should tell you in advance, so there wouldn’t be any confusion. Junior’s gone back to sleep. Once he’s fully recovered, he’ll contact you himself. Are you okay? Where are you?

“Uh... I’m fine. I’m at a friend’s... Elle’s place. Ash would know.”

Flustered by the unexpected question, he stumbled over his words. Bernice replied simply.

—Sorry again for the late call. Get some rest.

Still sounding impersonal, she hung up. Koi stared at his phone for a long time, but no follow-up came. He lay back down—but didn’t sleep a single minute until morning.

*

"Thank you for inviting me to such a lovely restaurant."

Julie, sitting across from Koi with a bright smile, offered her thanks, and Koi responded with a shy smile of his own. The restaurant he had brought Julie to was the French place Ashley had once introduced him to. It was the only upscale restaurant Koi knew—and the only one in that category he could afford. There had been no real choice. He silently thanked Ashley for arranging things in advance so Koi could come here alone if he ever wanted.

"I'm glad you like it. And... I'm really sorry about last time."

When he apologized again, Julie shook her head as if to say it was fine. Koi had already made up his mind to politely turn her down after dinner. In the meantime, he intended to give her his full attention. Julie was easy to talk to and brought up all sorts of topics, which made conversation pleasant—so it wasn’t too difficult.

Until the waiter brought over the menus, they chatted amicably, sharing small stories and laughing together. The waiter handed each of them a menu and stood straight beside the table. Koi accepted it with a smile and opened the first page without a second thought—only to freeze in place.

...Huh?

He blinked several times, but nothing changed. The prices listed beside the dishes were at least one zero more than anything he’d ever seen. His mind went blank in panic.

What the hell is going on?

As Koi sat frozen like ice, the manager approached quickly. Pushing the waiter aside, he pulled out a different menu and said,

"Apologies, sir. This one is the correct menu. We’ve been updating the menus, and it seems the waiter accidentally gave you a sample version. We ask for your understanding."

He handed over the new menu and immediately took the old one back. The menu Koi now held showed prices identical to the ones he remembered.

"Wow, that scared me. The prices were so insane, I almost fainted," Julie said with a laugh, pressing a hand to her chest. But Koi couldn’t laugh at all.

What the manager said didn’t add up. If the menus had just been updated, why did the one he held now look exactly the same as before—except for the prices?

...No way.

Ashley’s smiling face flashed in Koi’s mind. What had he said when they first came here? That the prices were high because it was a membership-only place? Then... was that a menu for members? But if it's members-only, why would there be a separate menu?

Did Ashley lie to me...?

Julie was still talking, but Koi couldn’t focus. His thoughts kept circling back to Ashley, spinning through an endless loop of questions.

“Sigh...”

Excusing himself, Koi went to the restroom, splashed cold water on his face, and tried to collect himself. He checked his phone again, but there were still no missed calls.

Should I call first?

He told himself he was waiting for Ashley out of consideration—but in truth, it was just an excuse. He realized he was still afraid of Miss Bernice.

Pull it together. The one who matters right now is Ash.

He slapped his cheeks hard several times and stared into the mirror, firming his resolve.

Ashley would call after Koi’s tests were done and things had calmed down. From what he’d read, someone in rut could sleep for at least two days, sometimes up to five.

Even though he’d briefly regained consciousness, he had gone back to sleep—so it would take more time.

There’s still time left. Don’t rush it.

He repeated the thought to himself.

Remember why you’re even here in the first place.

Koi tried his best to stay calm. He’d come here to sort things out before seeing Ashley again. It was also a matter of respect for Elle. For now, he needed to focus on Julie.

Even if Ashley lied, it must’ve been for my sake.

Exhaling deeply, Koi gave himself one final pep talk and returned to his seat. Thankfully, the rest of dinner passed without incident. As they were heading out after paying the bill, someone coming in brushed past them—and while Koi instinctively stepped back, Julie lit up.

"Oh my gosh, Mel! Fancy meeting you here!"

"Julie!"

They clasped hands warmly, clearly overjoyed to see each other. Koi watched blankly as the two women stood there—Mel was a delicate-looking, elegant beauty who looked like someone from a wealthy family. She smiled brightly, and Julie continued chatting away.

"How have you been? It’s been forever!"

"Yeah, I’ve been well. Sorry I haven’t kept in touch—I’ve been busy."

Seeing the shy smile and the ring on Mel’s hand, Julie’s face lit up even more when she noticed the man standing behind her.

"Oh my god. Are you serious?"

When Mel nodded, she introduced the man as her fiancé. Julie beamed, then spread her arms wide for a hug. The couple embraced warmly, looking at each other with twinkling eyes before Julie stepped back.

"You have to tell me all about it later."

"Of course. I’ll call you."

Mel glanced subtly at Koi before giving Julie a meaningful look and walking away. Watching her leave, Julie finally turned back to Koi with an apologetic expression.

"Sorry about that—I ran into an old friend and got carried away."

"It’s okay. That kind of thing happens."

Koi replied easily, took the car key from the valet, and got into the car. Driving the car Ariel had lent him, he escorted Julie home in awkward silence. Trying to break the tension, he finally spoke up.

"She seemed like a close friend."

Julie nodded, then explained without hesitation.

"She’s a friend from high school. Super kind. Her family’s insanely rich, but she never shows it—so everyone loved her. I hadn’t heard from her in a while and had no idea she got engaged. I’m really glad to see she’s doing well now."

"Sounds like she had a rough time before?"

As he turned the corner, Julie sighed and nodded again.

"She was about to get engaged in college, but it broke off. It really messed her up. I don’t know the details, but the guy was definitely the one at fault—no doubt about it."

Her voice grew a little heated, like she was remembering something unpleasant.

"I mean, how could someone like her get mixed up with a jerk like that? Total scumbag."

Julie’s apartment building came into view. Koi glanced at her and spoke half-mindedly while gathering his thoughts.

"She was unlucky, I guess. But at least she’s with someone good now, right?"

"True. Ah, you can pull over here."

Julie pointed to a spot, and when Koi parked, she smiled and added casually,

"I mean, it’s not like she’d end up with another asshole like Ashley Miller."

Koi, who was just about to unbuckle his seatbelt and get out of the car, froze.

A few seconds passed before he reacted.

"...What did you just say?"