ANMELDENCarl Kōnoshima Akihiko's POVI was still chatting with Kane when Daniel finally came out of the house. We may not agree on a lot of things lately, but we both understood one truth: our grandfathers were cut from the same ruthless cloth. If we wanted any chance of putting them in their place, we had to stick together, at least for now.The moment I saw Daniel, my conversation with Kane died on my lips. He looked like he had just seen a ghost. His face was pale, his eyes glassy, and even from a distance I could see the tears slipping down his cheeks. He was not even trying to hide them. He moved like someone in a trance, steps mechanical, shoulders slumped under the weight of whatever had just happened inside that house.I was instantly on high alert. I scanned the area around us, looking for any sign of danger, but the street was quiet. That could only mean one thing, whatever broke him had come from inside his own home.“It is not my fault, is it?” I wondered aloud, the thought slippi
Daniel's POVOur kiss was about to be deepened when I noticed a group of teenage boys heading our way and quickly pushed Carl back.“That is enough for now,” I whispered against his ear, giving his earlobe a light bite. “We will continue this later tonight.”Carl looked reluctant, but he pulled away. “You would make a great top,” he murmured, shaking his head with a disappointed sigh. “What a pity…”I frowned, confused. “What a pity?”“It is a pity that I will be the one shoving it into your asshole instead of the other way around,” he said with that mischievous smile of his that always made my stomach flip.I wanted to argue, but there was no time. My parents were probably already wondering where I was. I climbed out of the car and tried to steady my breathing. “We will talk about this later tonight, Top. I promise. Get some rest.”****I took a deep breath before stepping inside the house. Just as I expected, both my dads were already seated in the living room. Father (the gentler o
Daniel's POVI froze. When I finally recovered, I had to force myself to stay calm and keep my eyes on the road.“You have a crush on Kane…?” I murmured, the question slipping out quieter than I intended. My throat felt tight. I quickly signaled and pulled the car over onto the shoulder of the highway, tires crunching against gravel. The sudden stop made the seatbelt press harder against my chest.Carl’s eyes widened. He shook his head fast. “No, no. That is not what I meant. I meant before. What if I once had a crush on him? Back when we were kids?” He stammered through the words, looking a little panicked now.“Well, do you?” I asked, getting straight to it. There was no point dragging this out.Carl watched me for a second, then a small proud smile crept onto his face. “Are you jealous?” he whispered, clearly enjoying himself.“You are my boyfriend. Of course, I have every right to be jealous,” I replied, giving him an obvious look.Carl grinned like a little kid who had just won s
Daniel's POVOur trip back to Canada was quiet for a while. We both had things occupying our minds. And although Carl didn't say it, I knew he was worried about Ethan's health, and Kane's acceptance.“Do you think he has woken up?” Carl finally asked.I glanced over at him from the driver’s seat, the highway lights streaking across his tense face. His fingers drummed restlessly on his knee, a habit he only fell into when he was trying not to fall apart.“I hope so,” I said quietly, keeping my voice steady for his sake. “The doctors said the surgery went well. If there were any complications, someone would’ve called by now.”Carl let out a breath that sounded too close to a sigh of relief.“You think Kane’s still there?” he asked after another stretch of silence.“Definitely.” I switched lanes, the tires humming steadily beneath us. “He hasn’t left Ethan’s side since we got the call. You know how he is. I mean he's like a brother to you after all.”That did the trick, and the smile on
Kane Hau Alexander's POVHave you ever felt caged? Like you are trapped inside a complex box with walls that keep shifting. You know the way out is right there, you can see the exit, but the more you struggle and push against it, the tighter everything closes in around you.That was exactly how I felt standing beside Ethan’s hospital bed, watching the monitor beep steadily beside him. I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to grab his shoulders and tell him straight that he was not going back to Canada, not stepping foot on any ice rink, and definitely not playing in that damn championship. I wanted to remind him that I had stepped up as his acting guardian while Catherine recovered, and it was my responsibility to keep him safe, even when he fought me like a wild animal.But I did not say any of that.I stayed quiet, my hands clenched at my sides, because when I looked at him lying there in that white hospital gown with the IV line taped to his arm, I did not see someone I could control
Ethan Oliver Harrison's POVMy eyes fluttered open slowly, heavy like they had been glued shut for days. I stretched my arms out with a groan, then yanked them back when the movement pulled at something in my hand. The bed felt surprisingly comfortable, with soft sheets and a pillow that actually supported my neck. For a second, I just lay there, blinking at the ceiling. I had slept better than I had in months. No tossing, no waking up every hour with my mind racing. I had the most ridiculous dream too, something about being in a hospital.A small smile tugged at my lips. *Fuck. I'm late for training.* Today was the day I was supposed to fully resume with Team Canada. The thought sent a rush of energy through me. I sat up quickly, swinging my legs over the side of the bed, a bright grin spreading across my face.Then I paused.What was that beeping sound? Why did the room smell like antiseptic and plastic instead of the usual faint sunflowers and coffee from my kitchen? And why was
Flashback to days earlier:Ethan Oliver Harrison's POV“What do you want to tell me that's so urgent? And what do you mean it's about Kane?” I asked suspiciously.Carl looked unusually serious. For once, there was no teasing smile on his face and no ridiculous joke waiting to come out of his mouth.
Kane Hau Alexander's POVTokyo was exhausting. It wasn't because of the city itself. Tokyo was beautiful. The streets were clean, the skyline glittered at night, and everything moved with a precision that fascinated me.The exhausting part was my family. I had flown halfway across the world hoping
Ethan Oliver Harrison's POVThe closer we got to Toronto, the tighter my chest felt.By the time the car stopped in front of my apartment building, evening had already settled over the city. The streets were glowing with headlights and neon signs, and for a brief second, I just sat there quietly st
Daniel’s POVFour days later, Carl still hadn’t left me alone. At this point, I was beginning to think he genuinely didn’t know how to stay away from people.Every morning, he sat beside me in the locker room like it was officially his seat now. Every practice ended with him talking beside me, skat







