L*ck Me If You Can

Chapter 210

"Koi!"

As soon as Koi entered the house, Ariel hurried to greet him.

"How did it go? What did that guy say?"

With a bitter smile at Ariel's harsh words, Koi first asked for some understanding.

"Can I wash up and talk about it?"

"Oh, right. Go ahead, sorry, I’m just so curious."

Koi smiled as though it wasn’t a big deal and made his way to the bathroom. Fortunately, Ariel hadn’t found a new housemate yet, so Koi had a place to stay.

But that would only last until the end of the month. Koi had contributed some money, but it was only enough to cover rent for one month. If they didn’t find someone suitable by the end of the month, neither Koi nor Ariel would be able to stay here anymore.

Hopefully, it would be fixed by then.

After quickly washing up, Koi went outside, where Ariel was waiting. Sitting across from each other at the table, Koi briefly explained what happened with Ashley. He didn’t tell everything—he knew Ariel would probably get angry, and venting wouldn’t change anything.

He kept it simple, saying that Ashley wasn’t doing well due to the pheromones, and that he told Koi to go back to the West, but Koi was determined to stay and be by Ashley’s side. Ariel responded with a serious face and said, "I see." Koi, noticing that she was at a loss for words, naturally changed the subject.

"Anyway, that’s how it is. But what about you and Bill? Did you two meet?"

"Ah? Yeah, we did."

Ariel nodded, and now realizing it was her turn, she sighed heavily.

"I was so surprised. Not only did he suddenly appear, but now he wants to start again. How long has it been since we broke up?"

Ariel pressed her temples as if to stave off a headache before suddenly glaring at Koi. Startled, Koi’s response was to meekly nod and apologize.

"Did you just say I’m single?"

"...Uh, yeah."

There was no use in trying to deny it. The source was too clear. Koi, feeling embarrassed, nodded again and apologized. Ariel looked displeased, her nose wrinkling as she stared at him, but she soon relaxed.

"I already said it, so there’s no helping it. So, what else did he say?"

"That’s all."

Koi quickly answered.

"I didn’t say more, and I thought I should apologize to you first. But Bill told me he liked you. I can’t choose between you and Bill since both of you are precious to me. But Bill asked me to apologize to you, and I agreed to that."

"Don’t worry about it now."

Ariel responded casually, then leaned her arms on the table and gazed at Koi with a furrowed brow.

"Now that he’s back, what’s that guy thinking, wanting to start over?"

"He says he likes you, so I guess that’s reason enough."

Koi said quickly, adding his thoughts.

"Honestly, I hope you two can work things out."

"We’re both your friends, right?"

Ariel asked mockingly, and Koi shook his head in response.

"I think you two are a good match," he said seriously. "It wasn’t like you two broke up because you hated each other."

"That’s true, but—"

Ariel sighed and continued.

"Bill’s team is in the West. Koi, even if you wanted to meet him, it takes over six hours by plane and there’s a time difference."

Koi couldn’t argue with the reality of it. They had broken up for a similar reason before. When Ariel came to the East for work, they had agreed to part ways. Since then, they had only exchanged brief check-in calls, and now, with Bill suddenly showing up, Koi understood why Ariel was feeling conflicted.

"Is it really impossible to start over with Bill?"

Still feeling regret, Koi asked, but Ariel gave him a serious look.

"Everything I have is in the East, Koi."

She continued firmly.

"Do you know what happens when a relationship deepens to the point where one sacrifices their career for the other? Usually, it’s the woman who sacrifices everything."

Koi was taken aback by this unexpected observation. He looked stunned, but Ariel continued with a resolute tone.

"I like Bill, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to give up on myself. I’m the one leading my life, and all my decisions are mine to make. I won’t let anyone take that away from me."

Koi’s eyes widened in surprise. It felt as though something radiant was shining from behind her, and he couldn’t help but whisper, "You’re amazing, Elle."

"Thanks."

Ariel smiled, seemingly used to this kind of admiration.

Of course, she had always been an icon for everyone since high school.

Koi nodded, his mind quickly processing the situation, and a thought crossed his mind. He blinked, then asked again.

"Did you break up with Garrett for the same reason?"

Ariel paused for a moment, then honestly confessed.

"He asked me to go with him when he moved to another state for work. And I was like, why should I? Why should I sacrifice everything for Garrett? He’s going there for a better position and to climb the ranks, so why should I give up my spot and start over?"

"That’s true."

Koi nodded in agreement, supporting Ariel’s frustration.

"Just you sacrificing everything? That’s unfair. Garrett’s being selfish."

"Exactly. I can’t be with someone like that."

Ariel and Koi high-fived lightly across the table, smiling at each other, but then Ariel’s expression shifted to something more serious.

"But now he’s here, and I’m really stuck. What should I do? And he’s staying for three months."

"Three months? Not two weeks?"

Koi was surprised, and Ariel corrected him.

"Three months. The two-week period was just the time the doctor recommended for resting."

"Ah..."

Now Koi understood and let out a dazed sound. Even two weeks would have been overwhelming, but three months was quite a lot. Koi, understanding how Ariel felt, asked cautiously.

"You don’t mind Bill staying, do you?"

Ariel didn’t answer directly. But that silence told Koi everything. After a moment of thought, Koi hesitantly suggested an idea.

"I have an idea. Can I share it?"

"Go ahead."

Ariel nodded, giving him permission, and Koi took a deep breath before speaking.

"Since Bill’s staying here for three months, it might be weird for him to stay in a hotel the whole time. You also need a housemate anyway. Why don’t you consider letting him stay here while he’s here? You’d be able to solve the rent problem too."

Ariel’s eyes widened in surprise. Koi quickly continued.

"I’m not suggesting you get back together with him. But since it’s already been years since you broke up, why not give it a try while living together? If it doesn’t work out, you can officially end it this time, and if it works, you’ll know. Either way, if you can stay here for another three months, it’d be good for you, right? Bill can pay his share of the rent."

"He could stay here, sure. And probably in several other places too."

Bill was one of the top-paid ice hockey players right now. After thinking for a moment, Ariel finally nodded.

"Alright, I’ll do that."

"Good choice, Elle!"

Koi beamed with joy as if it were his own idea, and Ariel smiled widely in return.

"Thank you."

Seeing him so excited, Ariel raised her eyebrows and playfully asked, "I’m giving you relationship advice now?"

With a proud grin, Koi stood tall and declared confidently.

"People grow, Elle."

Ariel laughed, and they high-fived again over the table.

That’s right, Ash, things will be different for us too.

As Koi talked with Ariel, he thought to himself. Everyone is moving forward. Except for Ashley. His time had come to a complete stop, and Koi knew he had to make it move again, no matter the cost. Whether it succeeded or failed, they couldn’t stay stuck. Stagnation was the worst place to be.

What are you doing right now, Ashley?

Reading the messages they exchanged before he went to sleep, Koi tried to calm the longing in his heart.

*

"Koi, you thoughtful kid!"

As soon as Bill saw Koi, he wrapped an arm around his neck and started ruffling his hair with the other hand. Koi, screaming and squirming, finally managed to escape from his grasp, but Bill immediately grabbed his face and kissed him.

“Puhah!”

Koi staggered, leaning against the wall and panting heavily, as Bill, full of excitement, began spinning around the spacious living room of the suite. Laughing and shouting, Bill threw his arms up and shook his hips, dancing around. Koi couldn’t help but smile at the sight of his friend’s joy.

“Are you that happy?”

“Of course! I never imagined I’d be living with Elle! It’s more luck than winning the Powerball!”

Clenching his fists tightly and slamming them down, Bill shouted, “Yeah!” before spinning his hips again. Koi watched him fondly, amused by the enthusiasm. Bill continued dancing across the room, turning around to face Koi before coming to a stop in front of him.

“We need to drink champagne to celebrate. You’re having some too, right?”

Bill asked while browsing through the room service menu on his tablet. Koi shook his head and «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» waved his hand.

“No, I’ll have herbal tea. With ice.”

“That’s boring.”

Bill pouted for a moment, but he quickly accepted Koi’s request. After entering the order, he tossed the tablet carelessly onto the sofa and placed it back on the table. Koi spoke up as he settled.

“Come on, sit down. Let’s talk. What did Elle say?”

With excitement in his eyes, Bill explained everything to Koi with his usual confidence. Elle had contacted him first and suggested the possibility of being housemates for three months as a trial. Bill spent over 30 minutes talking about it in high spirits. His excitement finally calmed when the room service brought the champagne.

“I hope it works out.”

Though Koi couldn’t drink, he filled a glass to toast and wished Bill good luck. Bill raised his glass in return.

“You too, and Ashley.”

They both laughed and gently clinked their glasses. Koi watched with a warm smile as Bill eagerly gulped down the champagne.

It was later that evening when the picture of Koi and Bill drinking champagne together in the hotel room surfaced, along with a kiss from Bill.

Ashley Miller didn’t come across the article until late in the afternoon. After finishing a morning meeting and having a scheduled lunch, he returned to his office, slumping into his chair with a sigh.

Everything in his daily life was continuing as usual. No one had noticed the change in him. Occasionally, he might forget something, but his secretary was quick to fill in the gaps. Nobody questioned it, as it was just a minor slip-up that could happen to anyone.

That morning, after reading a short summary article from his secretary about the economy and society, Ashley planned to dive deeper into the information by searching more articles. He opened the internet, only to be bombarded by the scandal surrounding a sports star, which was dominating every corner of the screen.

“Mr. Miller?”

His secretary called out in confusion, waiting for his instructions. But Ashley’s eyes remained fixed on the monitor, unmoving.

“Leave me.”

With a muttered command, his secretary quickly replied, “Yes,” and left the office. She was curious as to why her boss was reacting this way and quickly skimmed through the article. However, standing behind the monitor, she couldn’t figure out what had caught Ashley’s attention.

It wasn’t until about 30 minutes later that Ashley picked up his phone. By then, the article from the morning had already been updated, and new reports kept pouring in. After quickly scanning through the new information, he organized it in his head before dialing a number. The phone picked up after just two rings.

Ash?

As soon as Koi’s voice reached his ears, Ashley paused and then slowly exhaled.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

Despite his usual businesslike tone, his gaze never left the screen. Specifically, it was fixed on a photo of Bill and Koi smiling at each other, glasses of champagne clinking between them.

His heart pounded painfully in his chest. Koi, on the other end of the phone, gathered himself and focused on the conversation.

He had just woken up a couple of hours ago. He’d gotten up later than usual, dragged himself to shower, and prepared a light breakfast. Ariel had already gone to work, leaving him alone in the house.

The rare, leisurely morning didn’t last long. Just as Koi was about to get up and make another cup of warm herbal tea, the doorbell rang. The moment he saw the caller ID, his face lit up.

“Ash?”

Excitedly calling out his name, Koi quickly received a response from the other side.

Yeah, it’s me.

Ashley’s voice, as usual, was emotionless and formal, but Koi didn’t think much of it. The fact that he called was what mattered the most.

“Hey, how’ve you been? It’s already lunchtime. Are you resting now?”

...Yeah.

The response was followed by a brief silence, but Koi didn’t notice anything strange and happily continued chatting.

“I see. I just woke up a little while ago and was about to have some tea. Don’t worry, it’s herbal tea.”

Koi still couldn’t quite believe he was pregnant. Even becoming an omega didn’t feel real to him, let alone the pregnancy. He absentmindedly rubbed his stomach, his heart racing as he tried to calm himself before speaking.

“Hey, did you think about it before calling? About us.”

...What?

The response surprised Koi, and he immediately felt disappointed. Rather than slouching, he decided to continue casually.

“I guess it’s too soon, huh? It’s fine, we can take more time. But I don’t want it to drag on too long. I’m not trying to pressure you, but...”

Fearing he might be pushing too hard, Koi trailed off, but there was no response from Ashley. Koi, feeling puzzled, called out his name once more, and only then did Ashley speak.

I have something to ask.

“Yeah, ask me anything. I’ll tell you.”

Koi answered quickly, and Ashley hesitated before asking.

Do you know Bill’s here?

Koi, sensing Ashley’s cautious tone, nodded without hesitation.

“Yeah, he’s been here for a few days. Oh, did I not mention it?”

No, you didn’t.

Koi muttered to himself, realizing he hadn’t mentioned it. It made sense though; they had been preoccupied with their own matters. He quickly continued the conversation, keeping it casual.

“He’s here for some business. He contacted me, and I met up with him. He mentioned he had to rest for two weeks due to an injury from practice.”

That should be fine, right? It was already public knowledge, so Koi decided to stick to the facts while leaving out any personal details.

After a pause, Ashley responded quietly.

Is that all?

“Yeah. Really, that’s all we talked about.”

Koi added with a small laugh.

“Bill wanted to drink champagne, but I refused since it’s alcohol. We just toasted instead. He complained a bit, but what can you do?”

After saying this, Koi cautiously asked,

“So, when are we going to meet? Should I wait a bit longer?”

Though he hadn’t figured everything out yet, he wanted to see Ashley. But the response from the other side was lukewarm.

Later.

Ashley’s response was as formal as ever, leaving Koi with the feeling of talking to a lawyer trying to end a call with a client. Koi’s shoulders slumped in disappointment. Ashley seemed to notice the shift in tone and added.

I’m a bit busy right now, but I’ll come to see you soon. You’re at Elle’s, right?

“Yeah, someone kicked down my door. Do you think I can file a lawsuit and get compensation for the damage, lawyer?”

Koi teased, imitating a client, and Ashley let out a short laugh. Koi couldn’t help but feel relieved and smiled back.

“I love you, Ash. You’re the only one for me.”

Koi couldn’t hold back the confession, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. Ashley didn’t say anything in response. The sound of his laughter faded, and Koi couldn’t tell how he was reacting. Regretting not talking to him face-to-face, Koi was about to speak again when Ashley finally responded.

...I know.

The call ended shortly after. Ashley never doubted Koi’s feelings. He hadn’t before, and he wouldn’t in the future.

But whether he trusted Koi himself was another matter entirely. Koi looked down at his phone, his face serious as he sank into deep thought. How could he get Ashley to trust him?