NHL 14

“Because I’m sorry. If I happened to make you confused or anything like that….”

Dylan placed a hand on Joeon’s shoulder and patted it as if to comfort him.

“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not like that. Hearing your words, I felt like looking around for the first time in a while, and since I happened to be nearby, I just thought it was a good opportunity.”

“So…, but it is true that you came because of me, right?”

When Joeon looked up at Dylan with a remorseful expression, Dylan, erasing the smile from his face, stared at him with an unreadable expression.

“Are you hoping I say yes? Or are you hoping I say no?”

“Obviously, I hope it’s not. Because I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for. I only came here because I wanted to see it myself. It’s not like we had an appointment or anything.”

“…”

For some reason, Joeon could not simply believe Dylan’s answer. Something kept bothering him.

“I know. Actually, I came because I have a gift for you.”

Dylan rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a paper envelope to hand over. When he received and opened it, two tickets with the Polar Bears logo printed in large letters came out.

“You said you went to see a game at the company before, right? You don’t seem to be a hockey fan, but I brought them thinking you might like watching it.”

Only then did Joeon recall Dylan’s attire and nod.

“I guess you went to work today?”

A fundamental question popped up—would an athlete dress in a suit to go to work?—but he guessed as much, thinking that since he was injured and it would be an office rather than the arena, he might have dressed neatly.

“Yes. I also had my examination.”

Even though Joeon knew what injury he had suffered, he managed his expression to avoid letting it show.

“Did the results come out? Is your body okay now?”

Dylan checked the time and shrugged his shoulders.

“They’ll let me know soon. But it’s fine. I know my own body well.”

Hearing words his grandparents, who had passed away when he was young, used to say like a habit coming from Dylan’s mouth, a groundless worry surged. Joeon had seen many people until now who made their illnesses worse by being that confident. Especially in North America, where it is difficult to receive medical services.

“But you don’t ask.”

“Yes? About what?”

“Where it hurts.”

Joeon, wearing a startled expression, hesitated and replied.

“…I, I saw it on the news. I wasn’t trying to look it up.”

“Ah.”

There was an inexplicable bitterness in that short sigh and the accompanying nod. Joeon sensed an unknown anxiety. It was a premonition that Dylan might set up a sturdy wall and turn away at any moment.

If he distanced himself like that, it felt like he would never be able to see him again. Joeon hurriedly changed the subject in a bright voice.

“Thank you so much for the tickets. I imagine they are quite expensive….”

“Who are you going to go with?”

Since he hadn’t thought that far yet, Joeon rolled his eyes and fell into thought.

If it were Tyler, who likes hockey, he would likely cancel even if he had a prior engagement to go watch the game. However, if asked if they were close enough to go watch a hockey game just the two of them, that wasn’t the case. Still, it wasn’t right to sell the gifted ticket to him in its entirety.

“Well. I think my coworker would like it…. You saw him then, right? Tyler. He said he played hockey until high school.”

He answered hesitantly, but for some reason, Dylan’s eyes looking at Joeon were coldly chilled. Startled by his cold face, Joeon flinched and lowered his gaze, while Dylan’s thumb was poking his own chest. Realizing the meaning, Joeon shouted “Ah!” belatedly. It was only after that that a sheepish laugh erupted.

“I, I’m not close enough with that coworker to go watch a game just the two of us. So, if you don’t mind, I would like it if Dylan could go watch it with me. How about it?”

“Are you sure you can go with me? Instead of Tyler?”

“It’s not instead. I just hadn’t thought of it because Dylan is a player. It would have been awkward if I had gone with my coworker.”

As if he had heard the answer he wanted, he finally embraced Joeon’s shoulder with a softened face and pulled him close. With a cup of alcohol in one hand, it felt as if they had become close drinking buddies.

“I have no choice since you put it that way, Joeon. It’s a home game on Thursday at seven.”

“…Yes. But even if you’re injured and not playing in the game, does a rostered player really watch their own team’s game from the spectator seats?”

When Joeon asked with a subtle smile, Dylan stared intently at him and answered.

“Not a chance.”

Then, he placed the tickets in Joeon’s hands and checked the time.

“Oh my, time’s up.”

He muttered as he let Joeon go. While finishing the cup of mulled wine, the promised 30 minutes had already ended.

“See you that day.”

“Yes.”

At the greeting exchanged while making eye contact, Joeon also nodded in a daze.

“Then….”

“Goodbye.”

“Good night.”

Watching Dylan turn around and leave without any lingering attachment, Joeon checked the tickets again with an awkward expression.

Although the game was scheduled for just two days later, he felt grateful yet burdened by the fact that he had come all the way here just to hand these to him. Unlike Dylan, who easily approached strangers, Joeon’s personality wasn’t like that.

The sociable appearance he showed was all a facade.

To maintain decent human relationships, not to remain an outsider even if he couldn’t become part of the mainstream, to keep a proper distance but not be alienated in group settings.

Joeon’s mindset was to maintain his existing connections just enough so they wouldn’t fall away. He was a different breed from Dylan, who created connections where there were none. Whatever he received from him, he would never be able to return as much.

Balance exists even in human relationships. Give and take. It is human psychology to be satisfied only when one receives as much as one has given. People who are weak at such calculations exist, but Joeon was not one of them.

If so, what should he give Dylan? He is a person living in a world different from a guy like him.

For a moment, he felt pathetic and unsightly for starting shallow calculations even with a gift received from Dylan.

The tickets placed in his inner chest pocket pressed heavily upon him. Joeon struggled to ignore the weight of the burden on his chest and, wearing his mask, entered the event hall.

🏒🥅

The arena where the Polar Bears’ home games are held is located in the southern part of Union Station.

The station was a place where various transportation methods including subways, streetcars, trains, and buses passed through, and due to repeated construction and remodeling, the station building had a somewhat complicated structure. It was a place where it was easy to get lost if you were a first-timer.

Joeon helped a few tourists who were wandering around near the arena, checked the time that had become a bit late, and hurried his steps.

Actually, there was no need to rush. Last night, to his disappointment, he had received a message from Dylan saying it would be difficult to watch the game together.

「The examination results were good, so I’ve been listed on the roster (starting entry). I might be returning to the game starting tomorrow. I’m sorry we can’t watch it together.」

He worried all day long about who he should give the orphaned ticket to. Would it be better to tell Tyler after all? He might refuse because it’s too sudden, but if he didn’t have plans, he was someone who would gladly go watch it with him.

However, in the end, Joeon concluded that it would be better to leave the seat next to him empty. The image of Dylan’s dissatisfied face when he brought up Tyler while Dylan was asking who he would go with kept popping up strangely. Like a child jealous of the fact that their friend is closer to another friend.

Unlike how he looks, does he not have any friends?

He wasn’t stupid enough to have such an absurd imagination. Being a professional athlete, he must have plenty of acquaintances around who are interested in hockey, and surplus tickets are just something he can throw to anyone. Family, friends, seniors, juniors, or just casual acquaintances.