“Are you sure you’re up for this? You just got released yesterday!” Jinwook voiced his concern when Kogyeol sat down in the spectator’s area of the ice hockey stadium. “Hey, it’s not like I’m going to play! You said it’s your first practice since my accident. I came here to support you”, Kogyeol waved off.

Jinwook looked at him worriedly. “I am fine! Really! Stop worrying and go get changed”, Kogyeol assured him. Jinwook hesitated for a few more seconds before he gave in with a sigh and a grumbled “okay, okay. I’m going.”

Kogyeol chuckled when his pouty boyfriend walked away to get changed. He’d missed the stadium. He probably had to rest for at least three more weeks but nothing would stop him from coming here to cheer his friends on. He couldn’t wait to be back in the rink.

Practice started shortly after. Kogyeol didn’t fail to notice Hwanhee’s absence. The younger hadn’t shown up to practice which was somewhat understandable. Still, Kogyeol knew how cranky Wooseok could get if somebody missed practice without a valid reason.

After practice ended Kogyeol decided to join his friends on the ice. He put on his skates and his helmet which he kept in a locker at the stadium and made his way over to Jinwook who had that worried look on his face again.

“You’ll get wrinkles if you keep making that face”, Kogyeol . “Is it okay for you to skate already?” Sungjun asked. Kogyeol shrugged. “I’ll be fine...”, he replied. Dongyeol skated over to where they were. “Does anyone know where Hwanhee is?” he questioned. They all shook their heads.

“He isn’t answering my texts...I’m kinda worried...”, he said. “I’m here...”, came a voice from the rink’s entrance. It was Hwanhee. He looked at his friends who all skated over and gathered around him. “I came to tell you guys that I’m leaving the team”, he finally said.

Of course, that earned him a round of shocked reactions from the others. “What? Why?” Gyujin questioned. Hwanhee lowered his head. “I ruined everything. I put Kogyeol in the hospital, Wooseok hates my guts for several reasons and I even destroyed my relationship with my best friend...”, he explained. "This is for the best..."

He turned around to leave when Dongyeol spoke up: “Come on, that’s ridiculous! You’re still my best friend. I thought we were fine after we talked at the hospital.” Hwanhee faced his team again before looking at Dongyeol. “I thought so, too, but how can you not be mad at me after how I treated you?” he asked.

Dongyeol gave Wooseok a short side look. “Because this whole thing helped me realize something. In the end it was good the way you treated me...”, he answered. “What are you talking about?” Yein asked. “Am I the only one who doesn’t understand?” he added.

“We’ll tell you later”, Wooseok spoke up before facing Hwanhee. “Listen, I admit that I did want to rip your throat out several times these past few weeks”, he began. “Ouch!” he exclaimed when Dongyeol elbowed him in the side.

“Sorry, what I mean is...even though I was mad at you I don’t hate you and I don’t want you to leave the team. I’d have nobody to fight with anymore”, Wooseok told the younger. Hwanhee looked at him. “Y-you don’t hate me?” 

Wooseok shook his head. “I understand that it must have seemed that way. And I want to apologize for blaming the accident on you. It could have happened to all of us...and I’m also kinda sorry for punching you”, he said.

“Kinda?” Dongyeol asked. “It’s okay, I deserved it”, Hwanhee said before Wooseok could reply anything.

“Hwanhee...I started ice hockey because of you. It’s thanks to you that I even met Kogyeol to begin with”, Jinwook spoke up. Kogyeol smiled at him and put an arm around his waist. “That is true – mainly because my dear friend Wooseok failed to introduce us way earlier”, he agreed. Wooseok just grinned at him sheepishly.

“Seriously, though. Accidents happen. It’s not like you did it on purpose”, he added. Jinwook nodded. “Exactly, nobody’s blaming you”, he said. Hwanhee looked at each of his friends’ faces. “On top of that”, Changhyun suddenly started, “we love you and this team wouldn’t be the same without you!”

Hwanhee took a few seconds to answer. He hadn’t realized that he was actually wanted here even after all the trouble and heartache he had caused. He had been sure that his teammates would welcome his withdrawal from the team. Seeing them try to convince him to stay was touching.

“Alright, you guys...I guess I’ll stay”, he finally said, causing a huge wave of cheers to erupt, followed by a clumsy group hug.

“Now, about what Dongyeol talked about earlier...”, Yein trailed off. “Yeah, what was that all about?” Gyujin asked. “Oh...”  Dongyeol looked over at his best friend for a second before looking at Wooseok who chuckled and reached for the younger’s hand.

“We’re dating. And it’s sort of thanks to Hwanhee as well”, Dongyeol announced. The others stared back at them in disbelief. “Wait, pause! You and Wooseok? When? How? What the f-“ “What Sungjun is trying to say is congrats”, Sooil interrupted the younger who was still trying to progress the info. Wooseok laughed. “Let’s get changed and get some milkshakes. My treat”, he said.