NHL 2

Because he knew he was uncoordinated, he had never even dreamed of becoming an athlete. An office job suited Joeon. Although, that didn’t mean he particularly loved the work he was doing now.

A job is just a tool for a living. As long as you earn money and get by, you have fulfilled your duties. There was no need to pour passion into it, and he had no desire to do so, either. Days without any motivation.

‘It’s boring.’

It was devoid of vitality, as if all daily life had stopped. Through the window reflected over Peter’s shoulder, the city engulfed in a blizzard was visible. It was a day when I didn’t even want to work.

“Well, shall we get going? I checked the rink conditions online, and they said they’ve cleared all the snow.”

The employees, who had been wrestling with programs drawing graphs while leaving their presentation materials open, lifted their heads from here and there. Looking at the time, it was already nearing five o’clock, which was time to go home.

The view outside the window, which I looked at upon hearing that the snow had already been cleared, was already black. Since it is December, when the sun sets by five and it becomes pitch-black night, I saw the night view outside the window instead of the sunset dyed in colorful hues.

The blizzard that had been raging until lunch, to the point where one couldn’t see ahead, had disappeared without a trace, and the colors of the streetlamps and headlights were clear and vivid. It was a beauty that could only be appreciated after darkness had fallen.

“Uh, I’ll head out in 30 minutes. You guys go ahead.”

As Joeon informed his team members, who were packing their things, they all turned around in a flash as if they had promised to.

“Why? Why not go now?”

“Yes? Well, the… end-of-month settlement data is…”

“John. That’s not due until the day after tomorrow, so you’ve got time. Just come with us when we go now.”

Peter waved his hand as if it were no big deal and pointed at the exit with a nod. Though he seems warm and good-natured, he occasionally acted like a stubborn old fogey. Seeing that he was already wearing a scarf, hat, and gloves, it seemed he had been eagerly waiting for this time.

Joeon, realizing that there was no way to escape no matter how he looked at it, hesitated and turned off his computer. He put on an awkward smile to hide his failed plan.

“All right, let’s go.”

Joeon moved sluggishly to put his laptop in his locker and took out his bag. He didn’t forget the hat and gloves he had brought in the morning. He thought that if he did this, everyone would get tired of waiting and leave first, but they were still standing in front of the door waiting for him, so he had no choice but to hurry his movements.

“Tyler, is that your skate?”

At Jamie’s voice, who was standing in front of the elevator, people’s gazes turned to Tyler all at once. Tyler, who said he played ice hockey when he was in school, tapped the shopping bag he usually only used when grocery shopping. A pair of skates with considerable thickness was inside it.

“That’s right. It’s my baby.”

“Is that for ice hockey?”

“Yeah. I was wearing these when I won the championship trophy.”

“Really?”

Tyler rattled off the story of how he won the championship in ice hockey during his school days like a heroic tale.

“I was even the captain. Want me to show you a picture?”

While riding the elevator down to the lobby, he rummaged through his phone and showed the pictures to the people, looking proud. He, looking ten years younger than he does now, was pouring and drinking champagne into the trophy. The locker room was visible in the background.

“That’s impressive. Why did you quit?”

When one employee who didn’t know Tyler’s history asked, Tyler said nonchalantly.

“An injury. I broke my leg and had to have surgery. It took over a year just to recover.”

“Oh, too bad.”

To think that he still wants to skate after such major surgery. Joeon shook his head with a stiff face. Truly, there was no sport as dangerous.

The department staff finally faced the ice rink after walking through streets piled high with snow because they had yet to be reached by the snowplow vehicles.

With the CN Tower, which is over 550m tall, behind it, and a lake nearing 19,000 square kilometers in front of it, it boasted a beautiful night view and an open view at the same time.

It was a place where the blue sky and the golden waves of the lake spread out during the day, and after the sun set, the five-colored, brilliantly sparkling CN Tower and the runway lights inside Billy Bishop Airport on Centre Island unfolded. The blinking lights of the airplanes taking off and landing in a row for night flights were not as flashy as the CN Tower, but it felt like a part of the city’s nightscape as well. Contrary to my initial feeling of annoyance, it wasn’t bad once I arrived.

“The place to rent skates is this way.”

Following Angela’s guidance, people turned and flocked in that direction. The place where you could rent skates was on the first floor of the building attached to the ice rink, and the unadorned, rustic interior consisted of nothing but benches, coin lockers, an ATM, and a rental desk.

Behind the wide-open desk, one could see shelves filled with skates arranged by size. As the two employees moved busily, the number of customers wanting to rent skates kept increasing, creating a long line in front of the desk.

Those who brought their own skates, like Angela or Tyler, sat on the benches and changed their shoes in advance and stored their luggage in coin lockers while others were renting skates.

“Hey, John. Do you want to share a coin locker with me?”

Just as I received the newly rented skates and sat on the bench, Ivana asked from across me. She was an immigrant from Ukraine and a young employee around the same age as Joeon.

“Sure.”

Joeon and Ivana put their luggage in the locker and locked it with two coins. Joeon looked at Ivana while holding the key. There were two people, but there was only one key. Ivana shrugged her shoulders as if it were a hassle and handed the key to Joeon.

“You keep it.”

“All right.”

Joeon, who was putting the key in his pocket, suddenly asked.

“Ivana, are you good at skating?”

“So-so.”

Judging by her confident answer, it didn’t seem like she was a first-time beginner like Joeon.

“Are you going to skate for a long time?”

Actually, this was what Joeon was curious about. He had no interest in others’ skills. He only planned to skate for about 30 minutes appropriately and then leave the scene wisely. Otherwise, he would definitely be swept up by people asking for a beer and get dragged to a pub.

“Of course. It’s the first skate of the year, so I have to enjoy it! How about you?”

As expected. Joeon put on his awkward smile again.

“I was planning on it too.”

The two followed the group leaving the locker room and stepped outside. A pure white plain was right in front of his eyes. Ice that reflected whitely from the lights stretched out widely, and beyond that, he could see the lake embracing the pitch-black night. Just in time, an airplane was lowering its altitude and landing. A refreshing wind blew.

“Isn’t it nice? But there are quite a lot of people. John, come on over too!”

Ivana, who was walking waddlingly while wearing skates, took her first cautious step onto the ice and soon slowly gained speed and moved away.

The advanced skaters, Tyler and Angela, had already entered the rink and were skating all over the ice. They were so fast that they seemed like beings from a completely different world than Joeon. Like Tinkerbell in the Frozen kingdom.

“Is this your first time skating?”

Angela, who had made a lap around the ice and returned to the entrance with stairs, asked while looking at the people standing awkwardly while clutching the railing.

All of them raised their hands. Since those who knew how to skate were already showing off their skills on the ice and warming up, that was inevitable. Only the small fries who couldn’t even walk remained, grabbing the railing and taking baby steps one by one.

“Oh my. There are too many of you?”

Angela grabbed each person and taught them how to walk slowly. People who were not in their group also gathered around Angela and eavesdropped on her surprise lesson. Meanwhile, the motivated people tried to walk along the railing, and Joeon, who was unmotivated… stood blankly and enjoyed the scenery.

Because the snowstorm had passed, the air was clear. When I took a deep breath of the winter air that even felt refreshing, it felt clear even to my lungs. The movement of the airplane flying far away, the stars in the night sky that must be twinkling behind the clouds, and the lively expressions of the people skating beneath them were pleasant to watch.

‘Since I’m already here, shall I try it once.’