All Chapters of Hockey Rivalry: Bed first, game later : Chapter 161 - Chapter 170

177 Chapters

Impossible

Daniel's POVIt had been two days since Carl left, and I still could not get through to him. At first, I thought his trip to Las Vegas was simply taking longer than expected. I tried to stay calm, telling myself he was probably caught up in meetings or family stuff. But after chatting with a friend who worked at the airport and confirming that Carl had left two days ago, my heart started racing.Is he alright? Is he in trouble? Has he changed his mind and decided to switch back to Team America? Is he mad at me for getting jealous? Is he avoiding me or has he fallen in love with someone else?My mind was spiraling with different thoughts. I could not eat. I could not sleep. His mansion felt lonely and cold without him in it. Every room reminded me of him. I kept checking my phone every few minutes, hoping for a message or a call that never came.“Why do you look so terrible? Are you alright?” Ethan asked me after our usual training.I sighed and slumped into the couch in the meeting ro

Our reality

Kane Hau Alexander's POVThe call ended, but I kept staring at my phone long after the screen went black.Carl had disappeared. No, he had vanished without leaving a single trace behind.That alone was enough to tell me something was terribly wrong.Carl was irresponsible when it came to replying to messages, but he never ignored important calls. He especially would not disappear after promising to meet me. He hated making people worry. If Daniel had spent days calling him without getting an answer, then Carl was not choosing to stay silent. He could not answer.I immediately dialed his number.The number you have dialed is not available.I frowned and called again. But it was the same response. Someone had removed his number from the network. That was not something ordinary people could do.I stood up from my office chair so abruptly that it rolled backward and crashed into the bookshelf.“What happened, boss?” one of my secretaries asked from outside.“Cancel every appointment I hav

Home calls

Daniel's POV“A week?”The words left my mouth before I even realized I had spoken. They echoed through the empty meeting room as I shot to my feet so quickly that the chair scraped loudly against the floor.“A whole week?” I repeated, staring at Ethan as though he had just told me Carl was never coming back. “You expect me to wait seven days without knowing whether he's even alive?”Ethan slipped his phone into his pocket and let out a slow breath. The conversation with Kane had clearly exhausted him too.“I just got off the phone with him,” he said calmly. “Carl is in Tokyo, Japan with his grandfather. Kane thinks bringing him back immediately would only make things worse. We have to give him time.”I laughed bitterly. “Time?”The word tasted disgusting.“Kane wants time because it's convenient for him.” I folded my arms across my chest, trying to ignore the ache that had settled behind my eyes after two sleepless nights. “He's never liked Carl dating me. This is exactly the kind of

The feeling of hopelessness

Daniel's POVFor the first time in years… I believed he meant it. A bitter smile tugged at the corner of my lips."If you really missed me," I said quietly, "you would've come over to my training ground and apologized to me."Dad's shoulders stiffened, but no one replied."I kept thinking one of you would show up at the apartment I live in, knock on my door, or even come over to the ice to beg." I laughed softly, but there wasn't a trace of humor in it. "Instead, all I got was the occasional voice notes and funny calls."Father lowered his head. "We wanted to give you space," he murmured."I didn't need space." My voice cracked despite my best efforts to keep it steady. "I needed my parents. I needed a family."The room fell deathly silent. Even Mia stopped fidgeting.Dad rubbed both hands over his face before letting out a long sigh. "I failed you," he admitted."No..." Father corrected quietly. "We failed you."Neither of them tried to defend themselves. Neither of them blamed work.

Disown

Ethan Oliver Harrison's POVThe week dragged on like a slow, painful death sentence.Every morning I woke up with the same heavy feeling in my chest. The championship was a few weeks away, and the pressure was suffocating. It was not just about winning anymore. It was about proving we belonged here. About proving that all the sacrifices, all the pain, all the doubt had been worth it. The entire team felt it. The air in the locker room was thick with tension. No one joked the way we used to. Even the usual banter had died down to awkward silence or forced small talk.Carl was still missing.His absence hung over us like a dark cloud. The coaching staff had brought in a replacement goalie, a young guy from the reserves named Marcus. He was talented, sure, but he was not Carl. He did not have that same fire, that same connection with the defense. Every time he stepped onto the ice, I could see the team adjusting, trying to make it work, but it was not the same. The rhythm was off. The tr

My boys

Kane Hau Alexander's POVFive days before the championship.It had been exactly one week since Carl disappeared. I kept acting like everything was fine, but the truth was I missed him like hell. Even when we fought, he was still my best friend. Not hearing his voice, not getting a single sarcastic text from him, it was starting to scare me more than I wanted to admit.Is he alright? Is he eating? Those two questions kept circling in my head like vultures.I had thought about flying to Japan more than once to confront his grandfather myself. But Shula shut that idea down fast. She even took my passport and hid it somewhere just to make her point. She knew me too well.Anyway, today it all ends. Carl is supposed to be back by noon. Some of my assistants left for Canada early this morning because none of us knew what to expect when he finally showed up.“What if Grandpa Akihiko is waiting at the airport with bombs?” Shula asked as we walked down the stairs from my office. “What if he pla

Baby's back

Ethan Oliver Harrison's POV I jumped up quickly. My smile widened as I ran into his warm embrace.“Kane! Baby?!” I screamed like a child who'd just found sugar.Kane had a bright smile on his face. His arms eagerly wrapped around me, pulling me into a warm hug.I didn't struggle or try to move. I stood still, burying my head in his arms.“How have you been?” he whispered as he gently caressed my head.“Not good. Training has been hell, and I missed you,” I hummed in response.Kane looked at me with furrowed eyebrows before bursting into laughter. “You do remember that I play for the opposing party, right? Are you sure you're supposed to be complaining to me about how hard your team is?”I scoffed, playfully hitting him on his shoulder. “Since we're rivals, how about you quit hockey then? I don't want you crying to me when you eventually lose, so I'm politely asking you to quit while you still can,” I joked.Kane looked serious, and the smile on his face vanished. “Are you scared?” He

Carl's so lonely

Carl Kōnoshima Akihiko's POVTwo Days After I Arrived In Japan, Tokyo:I carefully walked out of my room. The sky was still pitch-dark, making it the perfect time to slip away unnoticed.I'd packed only the necessities, and before leaving, I made sure the two guards assigned to my room were fast asleep.I hadn't gone far when I heard footsteps behind me.My heart sank. This wasn't my first attempt to run away. Every time I thought I was finally getting somewhere, my grandfather's men would appear out of nowhere. It was almost as if they already knew the route I'd take.I kept walking, pretending not to notice them. The footsteps stayed steady behind me.The moment I reached a corner, I turned sharply and disappeared into a narrow shortcut. I'd memorized the road’s layout thanks to my many failed attempts.For the first time that morning, the footsteps stopped. But I didn't dare look back.The cold Tokyo air stung my face as I hurried down the empty street.I hailed a taxi and got off

Home at last

Ethan Oliver Harrison's POVI exchanged a quick glance with Kane.**Tell him already. Come on.**Kane caught the look immediately, but he acted as though he had no idea what I meant. Judging from the faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips, he was enjoying the miserable expression on Carl's face.The moment Carl saw us, he'd assumed Daniel wasn't coming. I'd wanted to tell him the truth, but he didn't give me the chance. Every time I tried to say something, he'd already moved on.I glanced at Carl again. He was staring out the window."Are you alright?" I asked.He nodded without looking at me. "Yeah."He said just one word, and I wasn't convinced.He'd turned his face toward the window, but every now and then, I caught the faint shine of tears before he quickly wiped them away.I sighed and pulled out my phone.>This is unfair, Kane. Tell him already.*The message was marked as read almost immediately.A few seconds later, Kane replied.>Let's not spoil their fun. The build-up

Our Future

Kane Hau Alexander's POVFour Days Before the Championship:I turned over sluggishly, still half asleep.The room was dimly lit, and for a moment, I couldn't make out anything around me. Then I heard a quiet sniffle.My brows furrowed. I reached across the bed, expecting to feel Ethan beside me, but my hand met nothing.My eyes immediately flew open. I clapped twice, and the lights came on. I looked around the room until my eyes landed on him.Ethan was sitting on the floor with his back against the bed. His head rested on his knees, and every now and then, another sniffle escaped him. He was crying.I climbed out of bed and slowly walked over to him."Oli," I called softly as I crouched beside him. "What's wrong?"He didn't answer. I waited a few seconds before calling him again."Oli."Still nothing.I gently placed a hand on the back of his neck and lifted his head. My chest tightened. His eyes were bloodshot, and tear tracks stained his cheeks.How long had he been crying?I brush

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