Chapter 41: Hockey talk

--three weeks later--

~Third Person POV~ "It's so... cold in here...!" Hina complained, her teeth chattering.

June, Byakuya, and all their friends were standing in one of Japan's most well-known sport centers, in the area made specially for hockey. They were all looking around, trying to find their seats.

"It's a hockey rink, Hina; it's supposed to be cold." June said.

Hina huffed. "I know, but that doesn't mean I like it."

"Can we just find our seats, already? I'm getting tired of standing around." Leon said.

"I must agree." Sonia spoke up.

"Yeah, my feet are hurting!" Ibuki complained, grabbed on to her foot and rubbing it.

"Where's Erin, anyway?" Sayaka asked. "When is she supposed to come out?"

"She's probably still getting ready in the locker room with her team." Makoto suggested.

"I can't wait to see her play," Ishimaru said. "This is so exciting!"

Leon rolled his eyes. "Of course it is, for you, lover boy." he said.

Ishimaru's eyes widened and his cheeks turned pink. "W-What are you saying...?" he studdered.

"Is it not obvious? Do stop playing dumb, Ishimaru, and just admit it already--you're obviously madly in love with Erin Takahashi." Byakuya said bluntly, and Ishimaru turned from pink to red in just a few seconds.

"Th-That's crazy...! That's not true... at all...!" Ishimaru shouted, but everyone could tell he was lying.

"You're a terrible liar, Ishimaru," Kyouko said. "And I should know too; I'm a detective--we know when people are lying. But, I would know you were lying even without my talent."

"Yeah! Besides, you took her to the Christmas Gala! You danced with her." Sayaka pointed out.

"She was the one to ask me." Ishimaru pointed out.

"It really doesn't matter. You're smitten with her. Stop lying." Hina said.

Ishimaru pressed his lips together firmly. "Al-Alright... I do like Erin. BUT, whatever you do, you cannot tell her! Not a word of this is uttered to her, understood?"

"Don't worry. We won't tell." June said.

"Yeah; I ain't no snitch." Leon said.

Ishimaru sighed. "Good. Just... don't say anything," he said. Then he looked down and suddenly noticed a duffle bag was just sitting there. "Hey... look." He picked up the duffle bag.

"Is that anyone's?" Sonia asked.

"I think it's Erin's," Ishimaru said before he looked inside to see a pair of ice skates and a water bottle. "Yep. It's Erin's. I should take it to her."

"Do you know where the locker room is?" June asked.

Ishimaru nodded. "Yes. I believe I saw it when we walked in." he said.

"Okay. Go take it to her and we'll get our seats." June said before she motioned for everyone but Ishimaru to follow her so they could locate their seats.

They dissappeared and Ishimaru turned towards the exit of the seats and left, searching for the locker room.

Soon, he found it and was getting ready to go in when a security guard stopped him.

"Sorry. You can't go in. Team members and coaches only." the guard said, standing in front of the entrance.

"Yes, well," Ishimaru held up the duffle bag. "I brought this. It belongs to Erin Takahashi. I need to return it to her."

The guard snorted. "Man, if I had a nickel for every time I heard that one...," He shook his head. "Nice try. I see crazed Takahashi fans like you all the time, claimin' they have something of Erin's and tryin' to sneak in just so they can fangirl, take pictures, and ask for an autograph."

"You've got it all wrong. I'm actually her close friend and, well...," Ishimaru stopped short before he just lifted up the bag and showed the guard the ID tag that was clipped to it--a picture of Erin above her name--to prove he wasn't lying. "See? It's legit, and so is my reason and explanation for entering the locker room."

The guard crossed his arms, not looking like he believed him. "Uh huh. And how do I know that's not photoshopped?"

Ishimaru sucked in a breath and rolled his eyes before he pulled his phone out of his pocket and began calling someone. "Hold on." he said.

The guard kept his arms crossed and tapped his foot impatiently.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June arrived just a minute later. She turned to Ishimaru, waving her phone in the air. "You called?"

Ishimaru nodded. "Yes. I did," he said before glaring at the guard. "Now, tell this guy I indeed know Erin and am actually trying to return something of hers!"

June turned to the guard and smiled. "Hey, Sato! How have you been?"

The guard smiled back. "Great, just great, June. How have you been?"

"Fine," June said. "Look, we need to give this bag back to my sister. Do you mind if you let us in? And don't worry--this guy's with me."

The guard nodded. "Of course," Then he stepped out of the way and motioned for them to go in. "Right this way."

June smiled again. "Thank you," she said before turning to Ishimaru. "Come, Ishimaru."

Ishimaru followed her in.

"Wait, you know him?" Ishimaru asked June.

"Well, DUH. I am Erin Takahashi's sister, after all. I've been in this locker room about a million times before!" June said.

"Oh. Right." Ishimaru said, scratching the back of his neck.

Soon the two of them searched the locker room and came across none other than Erin, who was punching the crap out of a punching bag that was hung up in a corner.

She looked fierce.

"Well, there she is. Just drop off the bag. I'm gonna go back to the rink. I assume you can find your way out. See you soon." June turned and left Ishimaru standing, watching Erin.

Ishimaru just kept standing there, not taking his eyes off Erin, who was still going at it at the punching bag.

He had probably been watching her for only a little over a minute when he suddenly heard someone say, "Scared? You should be."

Ishimaru jumped a bit and turned to see a hockey player leaning against the lockers next to him, a member of Erin's team.

"Um..." was all Ishimaru could get out.

"Yep. That's our captain, alright--tough as nails, and freaking scary," the hockey player said before smirking. "But, you've gotta admit... it's pretty hot too."

Ishimaru felt heat creep up his neck. "I-I... Uh..."

"Many guys have tried winning the heart of Erin Takahashi, and none have succeeded, but they got their asses kicked in the process. I'm just warning you now."

"W-Why would you be warning me?" Ishimaru asked.

"Dude, it's obvious you're into her. It's the way you look at her. I don't even know you and I can tell." the hockey player replied.

It was silent for about five seconds before Ishimaru spoke up. "So... Did you try?"

The hockey player grimaced. "Yep; tried and failed. Majorly. I hit on her a couple of times and asked her out, and she made it perfectly clear she didn't think of me that way and if I ever tried to hit on her or ask her out ever again, she said she'd shove her hockey stick up my ass. I don't doubt she'd do it either, so I immediately backed down, mainly because I knew she'd do it. She's the captain, after all. Flattery doesn't work on her, and God knows flirting doesn't either. Honestly, she scares the shit out of everyone on this team. And she should; that's what makes her a good captain."

Ishimaru had known Erin was the captain of her hockey team being as she was the best player on the team, but he didn't know how whipped into shape she had them.

"Oh," Ishimaru said. "Well, thanks for the warning, but I'm not backing down--Erin is worth it."

The hockey player smiled. "I thought you'd say that. Just, be prepared to have your ass handed to you, or worse, kicked into tomorrow." With that, he turned away from Ishimaru and walked away.

After that, Ishimaru stopped staring at Erin, walked up to her, and laid the duffle bag at her feet. She didn't notice him, since she was still preoccupied with the punching bag.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Excuse me... excuse me... excuse me--sorry--excuse me...! Watch your feet...!" Ishimaru struggled to get to his seat, trying not to step on too many people.

Thankfully, he finally made it to his seat, which was located right in the middle of all his friends' seats.

He sat down. "Finally! Now, let's get to watching the game."

June nodded. "Yep." she agreed.

"How does Erin usually do in these things?" Hina asked.

"Well... she rocks it, obviously. She's the current MVP and she's gotten more Hat Tricks than any of her teammates (or any of the other teams in the league, for that matter) combined." June said.

Hina's eyes widened.

"Yeah; she's that good. Some times I can't believe it myself," June said. "She gets it from Dad. When he was Erin's age, he was a hockey nut too. But, he wasn't as obsessed with it as Erin is."

Hina nodded as June kept talking.

Eventually, June finished just as the game was about to begin. Both teams entered the rink, skating skillfully. Each player had a hockey stick.

Soon, they all saw Erin emerge on to the ice. Several people, obviously Takahashi fans, cheered when they saw her. Erin's face, along with her name and jersey number, appeared on the Jumbotron for all to see.

The game started and all the hockey players either got into position or chased after the puck, which skidded across the ice.

Byakuya leaned over and put an arm around June's shoulders. "So, how's this for a date?" He smiled.

June gave him a look. "This isn't really a date; all our friends are here and this isn't exactly what you'd call romantic." she pointed out before chuckling.

"Anything with you is romantic, even if we're in a smelly hockey rink surrounded by a bunch of annoying and very loud people." Byakuya said. June blushed.

"Aww... Byakuya...," June placed a brief kiss on Byakuya's lips, then pulled away only slightly so their noses were touching, and their foreheads were together. "You're so sweet some times, it hurts."

Byakuya chuckled lightly. "Call me what you want." he whispered, and June smiled before they both closed the gap in between them.

Behind them, Leon tapped on their shoulders. "Um, there's a game going on and we're in public, in case anyone forgot...!" he said. Ibuki and Sayaka, who were sitting next to him, both snorted.

Byakuya and June slowly pulled apart before Byakuya glared at Leon. "Why is it I find I want to slap you all the time...?"

Leon shrugged and smirked. "It's a gift. I'm used to it." he said.

"I'm sure you are." Byakuya said with a roll of his eyes. June tried not to laugh.

For the rest of the time there, they all watched as Erin went to score several goals, earning herself yet another Hat Trick. Erin's team won easily. And after the game ended, they all went to congratulate her and her team, afterwards leaving the rink and heading back to Hope's Peak.

It was late so they all headed to their dorm rooms to get a good night's sleep.

Soon sleep had consumed all of them, and they were out like a light.