By Zephyria A few hours earlier.
[Ash, I can’t practice skating today. I’m going to Green Bell for a Cheerleading Team meeting. See you tomorrow. Sorry. -Koi]
Ashley, who saw the message Koi sent, quickly moved his fingers to send a reply.
[Have a good time, Koi. See you tomorrow. -Ash]
While looking at the screen for a moment after sending the message, the unconfirmed mark Sarahd and soon another message came in.
[Okay, thank you. See you tomorrow. -Koi]
Only then did Ashley smile faintly and close his cell phone. In fact, they could send messages like this all night long. Koi always replied to messages he received, and because of that, even though he had said hello first, if Ashley greeted him back, he would send another greeting. He probably thought that he had to reply to any message he received.
Cute.
Ashley, who had laughed in a low voice, lifted his head with a smile still on his face. He could see the ice hockey team guys skating and training on the ice.
Haa, a sigh soon flowed from his lips. While the other guys were sweating, he was just sitting in the stands watching, and he was so restless that he was going crazy. But there was nothing he could do. He was waiting for the coach’s decision.Before Manifestation, Koi would finish his practice around the same time as Ashley finished his training, so it was routine for them to go to Ashley’s house together to practice skating and then part ways. But because of Manifestation, the schedule they had been keeping regularly had been disrupted.
Koi told Ashley to go back to the mansion first and he would come after practice, but Ashley chose to wait. No matter how much Ariel had given him a new bike, how strenuous would it be for him to ride it up the mountain? If he made the person he liked do such hard work, he would definitely not be a man.
Also, Ashley was not happy with the fact that Koi was riding the bike Ariel had given him.
I need to buy Koi a new bike as soon as possible.
He couldn’t stand to see Koi cherishing Ariel’s bike. But he couldn’t just buy a new bike without permission, and more than anything, Koi had to like it. Because of that, while looking for an opportunity, all he could do was drive Koi around in his car as much as possible, including to and from school. Of course, Koi always brought that damn bike and put it in Ashley’s car trunk, but even so, this was better.
Should I pick him up at Green Bell when the gathering ends?
That was also a good idea. It was quite a distance from Green Bell to Koi’s house, and even though the new bike was better than the old one, it was still not an easy distance. Plus, he liked seeing Koi again, and he liked that Koi wasn’t riding that bike, so there were only advantages in many ways.
If he asks how I came, I’ll say I was passing by and thought of him. Of course, Koi will believe it. He believes anything Ashley says. Thinking that far, he checked the watch on his wrist. The store closes around 10, so there’s still plenty of time.
When is the coach going to talk to me? He was tired of the boredom and stretched out largely. He heard footsteps, and he saw the coach walking towards him. He folded his arms and waited for him to come closer, and soon the coach sat down one space away from Ashley.
“Well, did you wait long?”
“About an hour?”
He deliberately checked the watch on his wrist and smiled brightly, and the coach smiled back awkwardly.
“Well, it’s not an easy decision.”
“Yes, I suppose so. I’m prepared.”
If it doesn’t work out, there’s nothing I can do. It’s a shame, but ice hockey is over now. It’s a relief that I never intended to become a professional in the first place. Soon after, the coach asked.
“You’re only playing until the end of this year, right?”
“Yes. I have to prepare for college too.”
Come to think of it, how did Koi’s college exam go? I don’t think he did well. Does he have to take it again? If it’s late, it’ll overlap with college prep and be very difficult.
He’s not thinking of not going to college, is he?
Soon after, Ashley, recalling Koi’s words that he wanted to go to NASA, dismissed the last thought. He’ll have to prepare for the college entrance exam again. Let’s check.
“Ash, as we discussed.”
Ashley, brought back to reality by the coach’s voice, refocused his attention on him. He scratched his neck and then cleared his throat. So it’s not going to work out, Ashley thought, when the coach opened his mouth.
“We’ve decided to accept you playing on the team for this season only.”
Ashley paused at the unexpected answer, and the coach continued.
“It’s your last season, and we need time to replenish our strength. You know that we were already preparing to make replacements next year because some kids are quitting after this season, right? It’s only one season, and it’s not against the rules for you to play.”
The coach paused there and added.
“We’ll keep an eye on your rut cycle and other difficulties as we go. We’ll prepare to make replacements right away. It doesn’t just come on suddenly, does it?”
“No… I guess?”
Ashley lightly raised and lowered his hands.
“I don’t know because it hasn’t come yet, but I know there are signs. I have Suppressants too.”
“Okay, that’s good.”
The fact that Ashley Manifested as an extreme Alpha, not a normal Alpha, was only known to Koi, Father, and his secretary. They didn’t know that normal Suppressants don’t work well for extreme Alphas. In fact, no one knows what the effect will be because there are no extreme Alphas who take Suppressants.
But for now, he can control his Pheromones, and he can get through it well enough as long as it’s not rut. Besides, the coach said he has a way to prepare for rut.
“Then can I participate in training?”
At Ashley’s question, the coach nodded and checked the time.
“It’s almost time to finish today, so let’s have you return to training from tomorrow.”
He got up from his seat first, smiled for the first time, and patted Ashley’s arm a couple of times as he followed him.
“There’s a homecoming game coming up soon. I have high expectations for your performance. Let’s finish well.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The coach smiled at Ashley once more, turned around, and walked away. Ashley watched his back for a moment, then turned his head and met Bill’s eyes.
He had stopped training and was watching Ashley. Seeing his expression full of worry and anxiety, Ashley smiled and gave him a thumbs up. Soon Bill cheered, and then the other guys, surprised, looked back and forth between Ashley and Bill and followed suit, shouting and waving their arms enthusiastically.
He had been skipping training, using the excuse that he ‘had a cold but wasn’t in good condition.’ The ice hockey team had no choice but to agree to his words that he would make a decision after discussing it with the coach. It had only been a few days, but it seemed they had been waiting for Ashley to return quite a bit.
Ashley was about to pack his things and leave when he took out his cell phone first.
[Koi, I’m rejoining training from tomorrow.]
Ashley paused while typing the text. Soon a good idea came to him. He deleted the message he was about to send and put his cell phone back in his pocket when he heard the coach’s whistle signaling the end of training.
“Bill!”
He shouted as he went down the stands, and Bill, who was about to go inside, stopped and looked at him. Soon Ashley, approaching the fence, said to Bill.
“Want to go to Green Bell to celebrate my return? I’ll pay.”
“Sounds good. Hey!”
Watching Bill’s back as he immediately turned around and moved away, conveying the good news to the other guys, Ashley thought.
This will naturally lead to joining the Cheerleading Team.
Traditionally, the Cheerleading Team and the sports teams are close. He started dating Ariel because they saw each other often for that reason, and if the two teams happened to meet at a restaurant, it was natural to join tables.
I’ll stall for time and come out with Koi.
Ashley whistled, picked up his things, and headed outside. When the guys came out, they would go to Green Bell in their respective cars. The plan was perfect.
Until reality unfolded before his eyes.
*
“What is this?”
Ashley asked with a frown. Ariel also mouthed, ‘I don’t know either.’ Only the Cheerleading Team kids were grinning and laughing. Soon Ariel, noticing their little scheme, was dumbfounded, but she couldn’t just get up from her seat now. To maintain her dignity, she had to take a deep breath.
But Ashley was different. The fact that Koi was sitting the farthest away from him was more important than the dignity he had to maintain. With Cheerleading Team girls on either side of him, too.
“Didn’t you tell them we broke up?”
He growled, grinding his teeth, and asked in a low voice, and Ariel smiled and muttered through clenched teeth.
“Of course I did, am I crazy? Am I going to put on a show that I’m still dating a guy like you?”
“Then what is this situation?”
Ariel couldn’t figure it out either. She raised and lowered her hands and then forced a smile again, looking around once.
“We have things to talk about among ourselves, so should we rearrange the seats? Cheerleading Team together, ice hockey team together.”
“Can’t we just eat first, Al?”
The vice-captain quickly interjected. The other members nodded, agreeing, and Ariel had no choice but to succumb to democracy.
“Okay, then like that…”
“What are you talking about? Are you having a meeting?”
This time, an ice hockey guy interjected. Before Ariel could answer, the vice-captain said.
“We’re going to change our cheerleading uniforms. We’re trying to choose a new design.”
“Then can’t we all look at it together? We’ll help you choose.”
Another clueless ice hockey team guy added. The Cheerleading Team kids immediately agreed, and everyone except Ashley and Ariel was satisfied, and the seat change was canceled.