EN-DRAMA - Enhypen Shortstories

Ice Ring - Heehoon

Heeseung was pretty tired, but he knew he had to go on.

He was the captain of his High School's hockey team after all. He always had to show his best side to the other players.
However, it was Saturday morning and he was tired from a full week of school and responsibilities. The players trained four times a week, which was already a lot, but Heeseung liked to go train on his own as well. He liked to work on strategies and on finding good ways to keep his team motivated and working.

He however knew he was one man only. Somewhere deep down, a little voice kept telling him he couldn't go on like this forever. Thing was, Heeseung hated that voice and never gave it an ounce of attention.

"Hee!" shouted one of his teammates, pushing him out of his daydreaming. "Watch out!"

Heeseung looked around, finding the source of the voice.

Jay

"Man, what are you doing? You missed two great passes" commented Jay, sliding next to his friend.
"Sorry, I'm out of focus" replied Heeseung, placid.
"Want to take a break?" asked Jay.

Time out? No way.

"Nah, I'm good" said Heeseung, finally moving his feet.

The rest of the training went well. Heeseung felt so enraged that Jay had noticed his moment of weakness that he was fully determined to give his all and surpass everyone until the end of the training.

Finally, Heeseung powerfully shooting the puck in the net. The players cheered in unisson.

"Let's wrap this up boys. Enough for today" said the coach, nodding at them.

Heeseung looked up at the clock on the wall, behind the net. Three hours had passed so fast.
"Let's grab something to eat Hee!" suggested Jay, as the walked to the locker room.
"Only if you're paying" Heeseung, slapping Jay's leg with his hockey stick.

The whole team was inside the locker room, taking their heavy equipment off. After three hours of intense exercise, their hair were wet, their cheeks red and their shirts stuck on their skin.
Heeseung took off his shirt and pants, only keeping his boxers. He grabbed his towel and headed for the shower, aware that someone was watching him.

He always watched him, and Heeseung couldn't care less.
He didn't even know that boy's name, he only knew he was in the ice skating team, and that they crossed paths in the locker room several times a week.

Heeseung didn't have any time to loose with anyone in either way. He focused all his free time on his team and his studies.
If everything went according to his plan, he would soon enter the best Sports University of Korea and then be captain of the national hockey team some day.

~

"What happened today?" asked Jay. "We're alone, you can tell me."

Heeseung frowned. He didn't like revealing his weakness to anyone. He was the best at hockey. He could not be unfocused during training.

"Will you let this go?" asked Heeseung, munching on his fries.
"You're never like this, it's only logical that I worry right?" explained Jay.

Heeseung rolled his eyes in despair.

"Okay, fine, I was a little tired" admitted Heeseung, his a painful whisper.
"See? Didn't kill ya, did it?" replied Jay, chuckling.

Killed my pride, yes.

"Let's change subjects, shall we?" requested Heeseung, as he attacked his well deserved burger.
"Okay, okay" replied Jay, starting his burger as well. "Have you decided who you're taking to prom?"

Heeseung choked on the bite he had just taken.

Prom? Seriously?
I don't know if I'd prefer talking about the training.

"Easy, I'm not taking anyone" replied the team captain.
"Really?" asked Jay. "You could literally ask anyone out and they'd accept instantly."
"I know, but it doesn't mean I want to" explained Heeseung. "Plus I don't know if I want to go at all."
"Damn man, you really need to loosen up!" said Jay. "It's our last year together. Then, we're all going to different universities. It's a great way to just party and enjoy a good night together. You're aloud to have fun sometimes, you know?"
"Sounds like you're excited about it enough for the both of us" commented Heeseung.

"You know that if you don't come, he will be elected Prom King, right?" asked Jay, knowing how this would mess up Heeseung's opinion.

As expected, Heeseung painfully forced a smile.

"That's good for him" he forced his mouth to say.
"Come on Hee" laughed Jay. "Could you at least try lying a bit better? Cause no one will believe you if you say it like that."

Heeseung was fuming.

He can't win that title. Not just before going to university. This would show he's more popular than me. Not happening.

Truth was, the High School always recommended their best athlete of the year at the end of the exams, ensuring the latter a good place in the best Sport's university of Korea. Heeseung wanted that recommendation so badly. He couldn't stand the thought of not having it. He could even less stand the fact the he might steal his recommendation.

"Okay, you win" he said, sighing. "I'll go to the stupid prom. And I'll win the Prom Kind's title."
"I bet you will" replied Jay, finishing his burger.
"Who are you inviting by the way? I noticed that Choyeon spends all of her time looking at you during history class" said Heeseung.

Jay opened his eyes widely, as if he wasn't expecting that at all.

"Actually, someone asked me" informed Jay.
"Really?" replied Heeseung surprised. "Who did?"
"Well, it's a surprise" answered Jay, enjoying the curiosity in his friend's eyes.

"Well times have changed, haven't they?" commented Heeseung.
"What do you mean?" asked Jay, not following him.
"A younger Jay would have been so excited about his date that he wouldn't have kept it secret for two minutes" laughed Heeseung.

Jay nodded.

"Can't deny it" he confirmed.

~

Heeseung had to return to the ring that afternoon. He had forgotten his school bag in the locker and he obviously needed it for homework.
He intended to quickly go in, grab his bag and head out. He had a full afternoon before him.

However something messed his plan up. Someone, rather.

Heeseung had confidently walked towards the locker room, unaware that someone was leaving it at the same time. Before he knew it, Heeseung had crashed into his rival.

The Ice Prince.