L*ck Me If You Can-Chapter 80

The game had started, but Koi couldn’t focus. Ariel had stormed off with an angry look on her face. The assistant captain, following behind, waved to the others to reassure them. Koi, deciding it was best not to add to the numbers, reluctantly stayed behind in the dugout with the others.

Although he wanted to watch Ashley play, his attention kept drifting to the direction where Ariel and the assistant captain had disappeared. It seemed like the other cheerleaders felt the same way.

“Ash, I’m really disappointed.”

The girls whispered to each other.

“Yeah, I thought they were going to go to the homecoming party together after the game.”

“She was waiting in the hallway yesterday too.”

“Just being clingy. But if it’s not meant to be, it’s not.”

The firm reactions from the girls made Koi’s mind more conflicted.

Ashley was probably going to ask Ariel to get back together after the game...

He became anxious thinking that Ashley might be turned down by Ariel again. How disappointed would Ashley be?

Because of me.

Koi couldn’t raise his head, consumed with self-loathing. He knew he couldn’t go on like this. He had to hide somewhere, out of sight.

Just as he thought about turning away, the sound of the crowd’s cheering suddenly erupted behind him. At first, he thought maybe a goal had been scored, but he was completely wrong.

“Oh no, there’s a fight!”

One of the cheerleaders shouted. Koi instinctively turned around and his eyes widened. Ashley had just thrown a punch at a player from the opposing team.

*

The game had started, but Ashley couldn’t focus at all. The situation from earlier was still vivid in his mind. The image of Koi, lifting his legs and dancing, kept flashing before him. How could he focus on the game after that? He knew that what he had done was a huge mess. But how could he stay calm in this situation?

Koi had danced, showing his bright legs to the entire school.

Though the memory felt a bit distorted, Ashley didn’t have the luxury of questioning reality. He was experiencing firsthand how rage could blind you. Because of this, he made a few small mistakes, which quickly led to huge gaps in defense. The mistakes piled up, and the others began to notice. While chasing the puck, the other players exchanged uneasy glances as Ashley’s movements, so different from the first period, made everyone uneasy. Bill, seeing what was happening, quickly approached Ashley.

“What’s going on, Ash? Are you feeling sick or something?”

Bill’s voice was filled with worry, but Ashley didn’t even look at him as he muttered.

“It’s nothing. Just play the game.”

Bill, not wanting to argue, stepped back.

Get it together, Ashley Dominique Miller. You’re in the middle of a game.

Ashley knew he had taken out his frustration on Bill, but he couldn’t control his emotions. He swung his stick at the puck in front of him, but made a mistake, leaving a gap. The opposing team, not missing their chance, quickly seized it and scored a goal.

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The crowd reacted with a mix of cheers and jeers. Ashley exhaled sharply, straightening his back. His mind was a mess. Cursing under his breath, he turned to focus on the next attack when the opposing player who had just scored approached him, smirking.

“Nice pass. Hope you can keep it up.”

“That bastard...”

As Bill, who had been changing direction behind him, overheard, he was about to get angry when Ashley suddenly threw his stick down and aimed a punch at the player. The crowd exploded in cheers.

“Finally!”

“Fight, fight! Beat him up!”

“Buffalo, Buffalo, win!”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

The cheers and shouts became louder as fists flew and a brawl erupted. This was the first time the crowd was so energized after so many goals had been scored. Though this was a typical aspect of ice hockey, watching it unfold, Koi felt his heart burning with anxiety.

What’s going to happen? This is really bad!

While fights were common in hockey, especially between Ashley, Bill, and the other players, Koi only cared about Ashley. Even if the others fought, he would be surprised, but not as concerned. Every time the opponent attacked Ashley, Koi felt his heart sink. He wanted to rush out and help, but he knew that he would just be a burden. So, all he could do was stamp his feet anxiously in the dugout.

It wasn’t just Koi reacting this way. The cheerleaders, who had been casually making negative comments about Ashley before, were now enthusiastically cheering on the fight, swinging their arms.

Heart pounding, Koi watched as the opposing player reached out to attack Ashley.

Ashley’s going to get hit!

Koi, unable to watch it, squeezed his eyes shut. But just as he did, the crowd’s cheers erupted in unison. Something was different this time. Koi hesitantly opened his eyes to see the opponent clutching his nose, crouching in pain.

“Nice punch!”

One of the cheerleaders giggled and gave a thumbs up. Only then did Koi exhale with relief. The opponent, now bleeding from his nose, was separated by the referee. And Ashley, for his actions, was given a five-minute penalty, unable to participate for the remainder of the period.

“There are 5 minutes left in the second period.”

Jeers filled the air, but there was nothing to be done. Ashley picked up his stick and gloves, slowly making his way back to the dugout. The team’s mood was still good, but Ashley’s face remained grim. The cheerleaders, along with the others, were watching him silently, but said nothing. Leaving them behind, Ashley quickly exited the dugout.

Koi hesitated for a moment, standing there. Should he go after him?

If things continue like this, they’ll definitely lose the game.

Then what happens? Will Ashley still confess to Ariel?

Koi didn’t know the answer. A dark temptation stirred in his heart.

What if they lose the game?

Ashley might not get back together with Ariel...

His heart raced fearfully. Cold sweat covered his palms, and his vision spun. What if, really, what if that happened...

The thought of seeing Ashley and Ariel together made his chest ache. But what would happen if he actually saw it? He felt paralyzed with fear.

If Ashley and Ariel ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ don’t get back together...

A subtle, malicious thought crept up in his mind. His mouth felt dry, and his senses sharpened. Unable to control himself, Koi tightly shut his eyes. The image of the two laughing and talking together, still fresh in his mind, only made the thought worse. What if, what if that becomes impossible?

Ashley would be so disappointed.

Koi slowly opened his eyes. The crowd’s cheers felt like an echo. He felt the weight of his legs, as though walking through water, and slowly turned his body.

As he walked step by step in the direction where Ashley had gone, everything in his mind started to fade. The sound of his heartbeat reverberated in his ears.

Ashley was sitting alone on a bench in the hallway. Not a sound could be heard, not even the cheers from the crowd. In the stillness, Koi moved slowly toward him. Despite hearing his footsteps, Ashley hunched over, resting his elbows on his knees, burying his face in his hands, unmoving.

Finally, Koi stopped a couple of steps away from him. He opened his mouth, but it took him a while to speak.

“...Ashley.”

With a cracked voice, he called his name. Ashley’s shoulders twitched, and after a moment, he slowly lifted his face.

Ashley’s expression was more devastated than Koi had ever seen. Thinking about how defeated he must feel, Koi’s heart ached again.

“...Why?”

Ashley finally spoke. Koi realized that he had been staring at him without saying anything.

“Uh...”

He had come prepared to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. Summoning his courage, he finally managed to speak.

“Don’t worry too much. The game... we’ll win, for sure.”

His voice was shaking so badly that Koi could barely hear it. As he fell silent, Ashley let out a bitter chuckle. Koi’s courage, which had just started to form, immediately faded away. An awkward silence fell between them once more.

Koi had something to say, but the words simply wouldn’t come out. Hesitating and not knowing what to do, he finally gave up and instead pulled something from his pocket in his skirt, which he had tucked into his inner shorts.

“...What is this?”