#5

“What.”

Shin Ho-jae met the gaze with a dissatisfied expression.

“I mean, a crazy handsome Alpha just happened to be right here, so my eyes drifted without me even realizing it.”

“By that logic, you guys are Alphas too.”

“Wait a minute. You’re funny, Ho Jae-shin. Why don’t you attach ‘crazy handsome’ to us?”

“Our Ho-jae, Ho-jae just can’t lie, can he? Right. Ji Min-chul is a tall Alpha, and I’m a pretty, handsome, and charming Alpha. Agreed, agreed.”

“Give me one too!”

“You’re a tall Alpha, what more do you want? Anyway, Ho-jae, Ho-jae? The point to note here is that the ideal type of that Kwon Jung-hyun—or whatever that brat’s name is—is exactly you.”

“That’s what I wanted to say.”

“Oh no! We must absolutely protect our Ho-jae, Ho-jae’s purity!”

Yuk Du-min cried out dramatically, crossing his arms in an ‘X’ shape over his chest.

“But seriously, what if that guy says he’ll acquire the team if Ho-jae sleeps with him once?”

At those words, Yuk Du-min wiped the mischievous expression from his face and slowly turned his head toward Shin Ho-jae. Thump, Du-min’s hand landed on Ho-jae’s shoulder.

“Ho-jae, Ho-jae… In that case, you’re the only one who can take on this heavy responsibility… you crazy handsome Dominant Alpha.”

Then, Ji Min-chul’s hand landed with a thump on the remaining shoulder.

“Yeah, Ho Jae-shin. Let your ass be sacrificed just once. This is all for the sake of the team.”

“Ah, fuck.”

At Shin Ho-jae’s low curse, Yuk Du-min and Ji Min-chul burst into fits of laughter.

They were likely saying this without knowing he had actually received such a proposal, but for Shin Ho-jae, the feeling of bitterness was beyond words. Deciding he couldn’t listen to any more, Ho-jae stood up.

“I enjoyed the meal.”

It was time to get up for afternoon training anyway. Du-min, who was bringing out cans of beer, furrowed his brows.

“Leaving already? It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other since the season ended, let’s hang out more, Ho-jae, Ho-jaee.”

“Then do you want to go to the rink together?”

“I told you I’m doing intervals today! How can you say something so heartbreaking with day-drinking right in front of you?”

“I’m leaving, then.”

“Ah~! Stay and play a bit more!”

“I have to finish training quickly and prepare a meal for Shin Yeon-jae.”

There was no way his twenty-two-year-old sister couldn’t feed herself, but it was just something Yuk Du-min said to get him to leave quickly. As expected, Du-min straightened his back and spoke with two contradictory thoughts in one breath.

“Yeon-jae? Then you must go. Wait. Does our Yeon-jae like chicken? Do you want to take the box of soy sauce chicken that’s left? No, no. Giving her cold chicken wouldn’t be polite to our Yeon-jae.”

“Ugh. There goes the woman-crazy guy chirping again.”

“Cheol, how many times do I have to tell you? I’m not woman-crazy, I’m Yeon-jae-crazy. A guy crazy for Yeon-jae. Know that before you call me that. Brother-in-law~ go on, hurry! I’ll have some delivered to your house around dinner time later, okay? Don’t eat it yourself; make sure to give it to our Yeon-jae!”

Shin Ho-jae made a motion of picking his ear as if a dog were barking somewhere, then put on his sneakers.

Ever since Yuk Du-min saw Shin Yeon-jae come to watch a Blue Wolves game last year, he had been making a fuss like this whenever he remembered.

At first, Ho-jae had been wary, wondering if the guy was serious (no matter how much he doted on his sister, her getting together with a best friend was a completely different matter), but it was always just loud commotion, and that was all.

“I’m going. Thanks for the food.”

“Yeah, yeah. Ho-jae, Ho-jae, I’ll feed you for free anytime, so come visit. Of course, on the condition that you turn on your stream~!”

Instead of answering, Shin Ho-jae gave a half-hearted wave and walked out the door.

* * *

By the time he finished afternoon training and returned to his neighborhood, it was late evening.

In a small public housing apartment complex, in the innermost building with the worst location, the end unit on the 8th floor was where Ho-jae’s family of four lived. Shin Ho-jae walked up to the 8th floor using the stairs instead of the elevator with familiar steps.

He wasn’t out of breath to this extent, but perhaps because he had just finished afternoon training, he felt his thigh muscles were slightly heavy. Letting out a long breath, Ho-jae opened the door lock cover of the peeling mint-colored front door and pressed the six-digit password.

Beep-beep-beep, click.

As he entered the entryway, he saw Shin Yeon-jae peeking her head out from the kitchen. Her long straight hair was twisted up and loosely secured with a claw clip, and she was wearing the gym shorts she had worn since middle school—the sight he always saw.

“I started on the chicken first, okay?”

As expected of a close sibling relationship, the business came before the greeting.

“Chicken?”

“Yeah. Didn’t you order it? I’ve already eaten half.”

“Ah. I guess Yuk Du-min ordered it.”

“Really? Tell Du-min oppa thank you for me.”

“Do it yourself.”

“Du-min oppa and I don’t even follow each other. You do it. I’m shy around strangers.”

“Shy, my foot…”

Shin Ho-jae let out a hollow laugh and dropped his heavy bag containing his skates and training gear into his room next to the entryway.

“Where’s Mom?”

“Convenience store. She doesn’t have the night shift today, so she went to fill in for someone.”

“It’s late, why send Mom? You should have gone.”

“Mom refused because she said it’s dangerous for her pretty daughter to man the dawn counter alone. And today is my turn to look after Dad.”

“Ah.”

Ho-jae merely flicked an eyebrow with an expressionless face. It seemed he would have to quickly handle dinner and then go man the counter himself. Lately, his mother had been getting noticeably more tired when she stayed up all night. Now, during the off-season, was the chance to be the son he couldn’t be while he was focused on sports.

Shin Ho-jae washed his hands first and then headed to the master bedroom. Entering the dim room, instead of an ordinary bed and vanity, he saw a medical bed that could elevate the upper body and a space packed with medical equipment.

Shin Ho-jae approached the bed without turning on the light. His father, with a gaunt face, was sleeping soundly, looking almost like someone unconscious. He heard Yeon-jae’s voice from outside.

“Dad ate well earlier and did some exercises when the rehabilitation therapist came, then he fell asleep. Help me wipe his body down later when he wakes up.”

“Okay.”

Ho-jae sat on the stool next to the bed and carefully straightened his father’s inward-curving fingers and began to massage them. It was something he had learned from the rehabilitation therapist who came three times a week. He could feel small calluses on the upper part of the palm, perhaps from working hard at rehabilitation.

It was only after his father became like this that Ho-jae became comfortable holding his hand. He had been an indifferent son.

As he moved his hands, Ho-jae looked at the small frames on the bedside table.

There was a photo of his father with his arm around a young Ho-jae wearing an ice hockey uniform, a photo of the four family members together on Shin Yeon-jae’s middle school graduation day, and a series of photos from when his mother and father were dating.

As he absentmindedly scanned the frames, one fallen frame caught his eye.

Clink.

He stood the frame up and wiped away the thick layer of white dust with his palm, revealing his father’s youthful face. It was a vibrant face, roaring while wearing a judo uniform with the Taegeukgi on the chest.

He looked so robust that it was hard to believe he was the same person sleeping right next to him.

Buzz—.

Just then, the phone in his pocket vibrated.

[Coach Park Nam-woong]

Ho-jae. Did you get home safe yesterday? I’m texting you after hearing that you were the one who took me home. Thank you.

After checking the message, Ho-jae pressed the call button without hesitation.

—Oh, Ho-jae. I texted because I thought you might be training.

“I just got home. Is your stomach feeling better?”

—Yeah. After having the bean sprout soup my wife made this morning and taking the hangover cure you bought me, I took another nap, and I’m fine now. I used to be fine after drinking this much, but I guess my liver has aged.

“Don’t say that.”

Ho-jae paused before asking what he was curious about.

“By any chance, has Director Kwon Jung-hyun, whom we met yesterday, said anything else since then?”

—Well. I haven’t heard anything yet. Thank you for coming all that way yesterday when I called you so suddenly. Our ace is suffering, taking care of his coach without even getting to rest during the off-season.

“If I can be of help, of course I should go.”

—Haha. Considering your skill, Ho-jae, I hope some good news comes soon…

“Don’t be too anxious. There’s still time.”

When he offered words of comfort, a bitter smile returned. It was a silence born from the fact that both Shin Ho-jae and Coach Park knew that if they missed this opportunity, there would be no more hope. After a moment, Coach Park changed the subject.

—How is your father doing?

Ho-jae glanced at his father’s face on the bed.

Sunken eyes, protruding cheekbones, and facial muscles that looked awkward even in sleep.

“He’s much better, thanks to you.”

Without the help of his family, he couldn’t even swallow food or go to the bathroom on his own. Nevertheless, Ho-jae said he was getting better. Carrying the hope that it would become true.

—I didn’t do anything… Your family is the one suffering the most.

“Being able to care for him like this is all thanks to you, Coach.”

—Oh, dear…

After a groan that sounded like a sigh, the usual conversation followed.

I’ll definitely stop by the house sometime. Please come whenever you like. I hope your father’s condition is good when I visit. Yes, Ho-jae, I’ll make sure to find the time to go…

And then the call ended abruptly.

Ho-jae held the blackened screen in one hand and looked at his father submerged in darkness.

The coach would probably never actually stop by the house. Since they had been close friends, it had been very difficult for him every time he saw his father becoming more and more frail.

Because he knew how that felt, he wasn’t disappointed at all. He owed the man far too much to feel slighted over something like this.

Two years ago, it was Coach Park Nam-woong who had discovered his father after he collapsed from a stroke inside the house.

6 – Puck Drop