SPM 5.2

Drive 15

At the Bailey House, which he had visited by knocking on the door urgently, Harrison, who had come out to greet him with an unpleasant face, did not explain anything to Terrence.

‘What my son wanted was to get completely away from this place and start fresh. He said he hoped no one would know him, so no matter how much you ask, I have nothing to tell you.’

When he turned around with a desperate face at the unwavering, firm notification, it felt like the ground beneath his feet was crumbling.

However, the fact that he had no choice but to live more diligently than anyone else after that, the person who created that reason is the part Terrence is at least grateful for.

It was Della Bailey who urgently grabbed him as he walked desperately as if the world had collapsed.

‘Terrence, wait…!’

Since he clearly remembered how meanly she had treated Ian, there was no way a good expression would come out. Moreover, remembering how she had followed him around annoyingly made him even more irritated.

‘What.’

‘I, I am…’

‘Did you come to mock me? Get lost.’

Della Bailey blushed as if about to cry at Terrence’s fierce reaction, but hesitantly opened her mouth.

‘Ian is…’

When that name came up, he had no choice but to stop walking.

‘Ian? Do you know where Ian went? Contact information? Why does it say it’s a non-existent number? Did he completely change his number? Which university did he go to? Ian went to college, right? That’s why he left, right? Dylan Burns and everyone else didn’t know anything about Ian either, but do you know?’

When he interrogated her accusingly, Della hesitated and shook her head.

‘Haa…’

Only a sigh came out. Well, far from being close, they had a bad relationship, so how could she know? When disappointed Terrence coldly turned around again, Della raised her voice a bit and said urgently.

‘Ian will, Ian will keep watching over you, Terrence…!’

‘……’

‘He left everything behind but he’ll keep watching only you from afar. I can guarantee that for certain…!’

Before long, tearful sniffling was mixing into her shouts.

‘Someday Ian will come looking for you, Terrence…. He definitely will. I’m sorry. I’m sorry to both of you for everything…’

Terrence indifferently helped up the young girl who had now collapsed and started crying loudly. Then he took her to the front door and turned around without saying anything.

He didn’t answer, but those strange words always captivated Terrence.

‘Ian will always be watching you.’

From afar. Where exactly and how would he be watching? Even after searching through Harvard’s admission list countless times, there was no name Ian Bailey, and he wasn’t by his side, so how exactly.

But those words kept being repeated and at some point became a spell that dominated Terrence.

‘To make it so he can see me, I have no choice but to do my best.’

Ian, like his father Harrison Bailey, loved NCAA college football. Since he watched every season’s games without fail, if he worked hard at the University of Michigan, Ian would be able to watch Terrence anytime. With just that thought, he always ran like crazy. He worked harder than anyone and tried to be the best more than anyone. Because he desperately wanted to believe her words that Ian would come to meet him someday.

Come to think of it, isn’t it quite funny? Whether Ian was by his side or had completely disappeared from his side, he was consistently the driving force that encouraged Terrence to live his life to the fullest. He was the source of his strength, the love that allowed him to endure and bear each new morning, adding fire to his already strong competitive spirit.

Just get through this school year. If he get through this year. Or next year. If I become the top college football prospect like this. If I get drafted in the first round and become a pro. If I win the Super Bowl. If I hold the Lombardi Trophy and make eye contact with you on a broadcast sent nationwide.

Then will you, Ian, come find me again?

Will you be able to come to me with peace of mind by then?

He lived each day with only such thoughts.

But when he really came looking for him, and moreover appeared before him as an Omega in heat, emitting the most fragrant and enchanting scent.

How could he refuse? How could he not use all his strength to hold onto him?

So imprinting was too easy a matter.

Really, even when everyone was afraid and trembling and falling into chaos saying it was a big deal, Terrence never regretted it even once. Imprinting was perfectly his will, his intention, and above all, the situation he had hoped for.

Handling pheromones was always a simple matter for him.

Therefore, imprinting was the same. When he met the person he had longed for and waited for so much, his body reacted first. Being enveloped in Ian’s intense pheromones and desperately wanting him with all his heart, how could it not become imprinting even if it remained one-sided?

The Alpha who finally met his Omega had no hesitation in being bound by pheromones and becoming his prisoner.

‘I finally caught him.’

Just that thought made his blood boil with ecstasy.

Now he could never let Ian go again.

Holding onto his injured ankle, Terrence continued making eye contact with Ian, who looked small from very far away.

“Hunt! Hey, Hunt! Can you get up?”

“Yes.”

When the stadium medical staff helped him up, Terrence limped to the bench.

Since the quarterback and captain, a player important enough to determine the outcome of the game, had come to the bench due to injury, it was natural that confusion spread. The medical staff, quarterback coach, and even the head coach who had been pacing around with his headset all rushed toward Terrence.

Since it was the coach’s job to decide how the Wolves would resume the game that the referee had stopped with a whistle, Randy immediately asked Terrence.

“How are you feeling?”

“…Not good.”

Terrence’s face was seriously crumpled as he said this. More than pain, he had taken a hit to his pride. He had never even imagined saying he would miss a game due to injury.

But he was a professional, and as a professional, he had to accurately judge his physical condition and make a clear, responsible decision that could cover not only the immediate game but all future games as well.

“Should we set up the blue tent right away?”

When Felicia delicately pressed around his ankle area with her fingers and asked, Terrence shook his head. Then he got up and repeatedly tried running a few steps from the sideline.

Reading his expression, Kevin, the quarterback coach, had already run toward the bench box. Having watched Terrence for a long time, he must have accurately judged that this situation wasn’t something that would simply end with wrapping some bandages in the blue tent.

Watching Kevin’s retreating figure, presumably heading to prepare Lucas Mahelona, Terrence opened his mouth with a resolute expression toward the coach and Felicia.

“I can’t miss the game, Randy.”

“I know. I know.”

“I absolutely have to play.”

“But Terrence, pull yourself together and look at me. We need to make an accurate judgment! I can’t completely destroy my player’s health over a moment of stubbornness!”

“I know. That’s why I want to take X-rays first.”

Understanding that he wasn’t refusing treatment, the coach’s voice softened.

“Alright!”

“I’ll get it ready right away.”

When Felicia told the assistant medical staff to open the X-ray room, he hurriedly ran toward the inside of the locker room. The coach conveyed the situation to the other coaches, and at perfect timing, the coordinator’s voice repeatedly came through his radio.

“Get Lucas ready. We can’t kill this drive. We absolutely have to keep it alive.”

Terrence silently entrusted his body to the staff’s support. And watching Lucas Mahelona put on his helmet with an excited expression, he moved toward the tunnel that was like a giant cave.

The announcement of the player substitution echoed loudly throughout the stadium.

“Ah…”

It was then that Ian snapped back to his senses from the murmuring of the crowd.

Spotting Terrence entering the tunnel, Ian also frantically ran back toward the inside of the locker room.

And he arrived at the X-ray room. The radiation warning sign on the door indicated entry was prohibited. Seeing the red light indicating that imaging was already in progress, he leaned against the concrete wall and sat down.

How long had he waited there? The red light went out, the heavy iron door opened, and people came out. Not only Terrence, but Felicia and Vincent were in the middle of an argument.

“As expected, it’s close to where you had cramps last time. The exact injury site is the ligament connecting the shin and calf bones…”

As Felicia quickly explained to Terrence, Vincent interrupted with an agitated voice.

“Now can you believe what I’ve been saying? This is exactly the situation I’ve been warning about.”

“…Mr. McCartney, please calm down your excitement…”

“No, so! The fact that it’s the same area means nerve and muscle abnormalities occurred together…! We need to do injection treatment right away! I can save him… This is something only I can solve.”

As if it were some kind of panacea, Vincent kept insisting on injecting MMC Pharmaceutical’s new drug, which made not only Terrence but also Felicia’s expression sour.

“But this injury isn’t simply like last time where the nerve affected the muscle…”

“That’s exactly what this treatment can intensively address! I showed you the research paper, but you still don’t believe it?”

When Vincent got angry, Terrence, who had been standing quietly between the two doctors, turned toward Felicia.

“What do you think, Mrs. Pierson? Do you think the injection that Mr. McCartney here is recommending would have immediate effects on the pain?”

She folded her arms and thought quietly, then shook her head precariously.

“No. Of course, Mr. McCartney here would know this area better, but I don’t think it directly addresses the pain. If that’s the case, you’d be better off getting a painkiller injection.”

“Then that’s settled. There’s nothing more to hear.”

Terrence limped along without even being careful of his ankle already wrapped in bandages. Other coaches and assistant medical staff walking beside him tried to support him, but he firmly refused, saying he was fine.

Ian stood behind watching them, then quickly followed Terrence.

“…Terry.”

Even though he called very quietly, it was truly amazing. Terrence stopped abruptly as if he had never been pushing through people toward the field and turned around.

“Ian.”

Come here. Somehow it seemed like he heard that voice, so Ian rushed toward him as if being pulled in and embraced Terrence.

“When did you come?”

“From the beginning. I’ve been watching everything. You know I’m always watching over you.”

“Right. I know. I know so well.”

Though he hugged very gently so as not to strain the injured leg, Terrence embraced him fiercely as if his body didn’t matter, or as if Ian’s weight had no effect whatsoever on his injury. The hard shoulder pad pressed against Ian’s body.

“It’s nothing serious, so don’t worry.”

That was what he had wanted to say first. When Ian stroked his face with a tender expression, Terrence lowered his head and briefly kissed him.

“…”

He had nothing to say to him.

Of course, he knew that was natural. The world of athletes was, to use a cliché expression, truly cold and strictly a matter of one’s own. Anyone around, even beloved family or lovers, could only offer silent support at moments like this. Though it was heartbreaking, Ian didn’t show it. He couldn’t act weak as an athlete’s partner. Ian pulled away from him with an even more resolute expression and firmly held his hand.

“You can do it, Terry.”

“Yeah.”

“Whatever you want, you can do it all. It will happen just like that. I believe in you.”

“…”

“Right? You always told me to believe. That I should absolutely trust you above all else.”

He looked like a general going to war. Terrence looked down at Ian’s face and smiled brightly.

“That’s right. You remember well.”

His large hand gently ruffled Ian’s hair.

“Keep watching over me, Ian. Then I really can do anything, just like you said.”

“I understand. I won’t take my eyes off you for a second. I won’t go anywhere and will keep watching.”

It’s what I’ve always done. I can do it well. He added, imitating his signature line, and Terrence smiled even more deeply, leaving a final kiss on Ian’s cheek.

From a distance, the broadcast announcing that the Boston Armors had scored another touchdown was echoing loudly. It was the end of the first half.

Hearing that sound, Terrence got up and turned his eyes toward the field. He patted Ian’s shoulder and limped toward the outside where bright light was coming in.

Though the precariously imperfect steps made him want to cry, Ian couldn’t go any further than this. This was as far as Ian was allowed to be. Beyond that strictly controlled entrance was entirely Terrence’s own fight.

“Terry, go and come back! I’ll wait!”

When he shouted loud enough to make the concrete corridor echo, Terrence continued moving forward while casually raising just one hand.

Yes. That was enough. That much was sufficient.

Had he been very nervous? Somehow feeling his strength drain away, Ian took a deep breath and leaned back against the cold wall.

As he stayed there for a moment, a small shadow fell over him as he sat.

“What exactly are you thinking? Please tell me.”

Vincent, wearing the white uniform of the stadium medical staff, was looking down at Ian with an indignant expression, hands on his hips.

Ah, here we go again. Ian sighed deeply and got up his drooping body.

“Our doctor… What’s bothering you this time?”

Did it sound sarcastic? If so, that was exactly what he intended. The other party seemed to understand properly too, as he got even more heated and raised his voice while stamping his right foot.

“Do you know what might happen to Terrence’s body when you encourage him like that and send him out? What if he overexerts himself and gets injured again? This time it might not be solved with just one injection, so will you take responsibility then? How would you? Do you have the ability to cover it if that kid can’t continue his athletic career? Are you even a doctor?”

So does this doctor have the confidence and ability to cover and take responsibility if Terrence ends his athletic career… Though unintended, a snicker escaped.

“Seriously…”

He couldn’t stop chuckling at the continuous subtle comparisons between his and Ian’s situations.

“Doctor, you should have more faith in the player.”

It’s not worth responding to. Ian checked the time by looking at his wrist and left.

Halftime wasn’t much longer.

*

Ian walked to the staff meeting room at the end of the corridor. Located next to the press conference room, Toby and several other staff members who had been watching the broadcast with Ian in the corridor earlier were already there, looking very seriously back and forth between the TV and tablet screens.

“Replay that scene again.”

When someone said this, a staff member sitting on the sofa armrest repeatedly played the moment Terrence fell on his tablet. The dizzying injury scene was repeated several times, enough to make one’s eyes squeeze shut.

At the same time, the voices of halftime hosts discussing the first half situation were loudly echoing from the TV.

— The current score is 13 to 6, with the Boston Armors leading. However, a bigger issue than the score is Terrence Hunt’s ankle injury. Reggie, let’s look at this scene once more.

The same scene was also playing on the large TV screen.

— Here it is. Rolling out to the right, and oh. He suddenly stops to avoid the blitz. And with his left foot stuck in the grass as weight is put on it… it twists around. It’s a sensitive area. A spot where players are always prone to injury.

As soon as the commentary came out, Toby next to him leaned over and whispered carefully.

“That… that’s not because of the problem you’ve been worried about, right? He just got hurt trying to avoid it, right?”

To that question, Ian nodded. Even if the previous muscle spasms were problems caused by the aftereffects of one-sided imprinting, this wasn’t that. How many players have fallen with twisted ankles while avoiding blitzes? As everyone was staying quiet, it was certainly an accident that occurred during the game. Probably only Dr. Vincent McCartney would absolutely refuse to acknowledge that fact.

But if he wanted to fan the flames of Ian’s inner anxiety, he had hit the mark exactly. Since the beginning was certainly because of that, and he had always felt uneasy about it, there was indeed guilt-tinged fear about Terrence’s injury. Moreover…

‘Can you take responsibility?’

Vincent was properly stimulating Ian’s old trauma of feeling like everyone around him was becoming unhappy because of him.

— That’s right. An injury to the central player… This is really a sensitive issue within the Wolves. We’re hearing that there’s been busy movement from the locker room throughout halftime.

Indeed, unlike during the game, there was busy movement here too. The meeting room door opened and closed several times as staff ran around. Watching this, Ian turned his attention back to the broadcast.

— Let’s connect to the scene. Katie, is there any news about Hunt’s condition?

The screen split and on one side appeared a blonde reporter with a microphone standing in the corridor Ian had been walking through just moments before.

— Yes, this is in front of the Heartland Howl Stadium locker room. Terrence Hunt just finished his X-ray and returned to the bench. Although exact diagnostic results haven’t come out, according to team insiders, there’s no bone damage and ligament sprain is the likely situation. Terrence showed strong will to continue playing with bandages, and they’re currently discussing the final decision with the coaching staff.

— Thank you, Katie.

The screen returned to the broadcast booth.

— Reggie, what kind of impact would this type of injury have on a quarterback like Terrence, someone who leads plays from the pocket?

— Huge impact. For a pocket passer, the ankle isn’t just a “running function” but the core of balance and rhythm. If you can’t put weight on one foot, accurate passing becomes impossible.

— Exactly. That’s precisely what Wolves fans are most anxious about. How will Terrence, unable to utilize his strengths, overcome this situation?

— What’s interesting is that the Armors know this fact exactly too. I’d bet my wallet that during this halftime, the Armors coach will strategize to target Terrence as an injured player.

Hearing this, Toby slammed his fist on the meeting room table and muttered irritably.

“Damn, I’d bet my wallet too that there’s only a twenty-dollar bill in that wallet!”

“Ooooh.”

“Toby! Toby! Toby!”

Responding to the staff chanting his name, Toby pulled out his wallet from his back jeans pocket and threw it. Whether the meeting room got noisy or not, the broadcast continued flowing out of the TV.

― And there’s another point we can’t forget, isn’t there? The Wolves are a team designed around Terrence Hunt. Right now backup quarterback Lucas Mahelona is still waiting on the bench, but the coach is probably still hesitating about that final decision.

The continued commentary caused sighs to echo throughout the conference room. The staff gathered here knew better than anyone that the Wolves were a team designed around Terrence’s play.

― The second half is about to begin. The Wolves look like an army waiting for their wounded general to return before battle. And we’ll see if that general can return to the field.

Twelve minutes that seemed both the longest and shortest in the world. Halftime passed and both teams appeared on the field again.

The Wolves’ red and the Armors’ gray faced off once more on the green field.

The third quarter began and Boston initiated the first attack. This meant the Wolves’ defense team would take the field first. Ian breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it was fortunate that Terrence could rest even a little, and focused on the game.

Tensely clasping his hands together in prayer, his hopes were answered as the Wolves’ defense successfully stopped the Armors with a 3 and out. They didn’t score, so the score remained 13:6.

“Now it’s our turn to attack.”

Toby rubbed his palms together ominously and muttered.

“Look! The flow of the game has no choice but to turn in our favor now.”

“Let’s do this, Terrence! Look at those bastards’ iron-tight defense! Terrence absolutely has to go in!”

“Wolves! Wolves!”

The conference room quickly became noisy with cheering.

And as if he had actually heard that cheering, Terrence appeared on the field.

― Oh, this is incredible. Randy has made a really big decision! The Wolves are restarting their drive, and the quarterback is Terrence Hunt!

― Lucas Mahelona wasn’t that bad earlier either.

― But suddenly changing tactics completely is also difficult. Plus, according to news from the bench, Terrence himself strongly wished to return.

― The game is getting more and more exciting.

Watching the screen broadcast, Ian muttered to Toby.

“He’s right. It’s actually really difficult…”

“Huh? What is?”

“What the commentators are saying. Our side also has strategies built around Terrence to face the Armors, so it’s not easy to substitute players. But then again, the other side too…”

Understanding perfectly what Ian was saying, Toby also nodded with a serious face.

“Right. The other side would have been wondering whether to change their set tactics too. And they would have perfectly changed to tactics targeting the injured Terrence.”

That prediction was exactly right.

The Armors came out so strategically prepared that they greatly strengthened their blitz targeting only the pocket and mid-range coverage. It was truly perfect defense like a shield with iron-tight protection. From this side’s perspective, it was absolutely dreadful.

The third quarter passed with both sides precariously going back and forth, widening the score gap and catching up repeatedly.

And finally, the last fourth quarter.

As if the Armors had figured out all of their tactics, they accurately predicted and blocked even the routes of passes and running backs. Eventually, due to precise tackling, they were forced back 3 yards.

― The Armors have completely read that Terrence is trying to hold on with short passes. Look how they’re waiting right in that position!

Moreover, they were carrying out a full blitz with 6 defenders as if they had made up their minds. The Wolves’ offensive line, completely overwhelmed, collapsed in an instant.

“Huh? Uh…!”

“The, the pocket’s collapsing!”

At that moment, Terrence tried to escape to the right.

But the Armors reacted as if they had been waiting for Terrence to move that way. The #99 defensive end playing contain approached sliding across the grass quickly like a beast.

And the moment Terrence tried to change direction while holding the ball.

Thud. A 120kg player’s body like an iron club flew into Terrence’s side.

“No, no…”

The tremendous crashing sound came to Ian’s ears like a hallucination. The loud drumming that accompanied it also rang unpleasantly in his head. His heart was beating as if it would burst.

The ball bounced.

Terrence’s body also, like that ball… not a body approaching 100kg, but very lightly like the pointed ball now bouncing up into the sky… Could a person’s body rise so easily? So easily that he did a full turn and a half in the air before crashing terribly onto the grass. His back and the back of his head hit the ground almost simultaneously with a tremendous crash.

The force was so fierce that while rising up was light, the moment of hitting the ground was the complete opposite. Like someone in a traffic accident, his helmet bounced and… dirt scattered messily in all directions.

And silence fell over the stands.

Someone could be heard gasping in shock. Next to Ian, Toby also covered his mouth with his hand.

“My God…”

“…”

“…”

When everyone was speechless and in shock, it was none other than Vincent who broke through the long silence that seemed to have stopped time.

Vincent burst roughly through the conference room door, pointing at Ian and shouting.

“You! You…! Ian Bailey, because of you! Because of you, damn it, Terrence is!”

Even as he was shaken by roughly grabbed collar, each of his accusations struck Ian’s chest like arrows.

“Imprinting! If it weren’t for that damn one-way imprinting! Because of you…!”

The scream that seemed to expose everything added more chaos to the scene.

“Imprinting? Imprinting?”

“What? Who is Hunt’s imprinting target?”

“It’s all because of you!”

It was chaos itself.

Vincent’s accusation shocked several staff members in the conference room, equipment team employees, and especially front office employees like Ian, all with surprised and pale expressions.

However, what pushed them even further into shock wasn’t Vincent, nor was it Terrence on the screen.

“Wh-what is this?”

An extremely thick pheromone was explosively bursting out of Ian’s body.

His heart was beating like crazy as if it wanted to tear through his chest and escape, and heat wrapped around his entire body. It was a clear change that even Ian himself could feel.

Someone muttered as if they couldn’t believe it.

“H-heat?”

*

Huff, huff, huff.

Only rough breathing filled the helmet in his muffled ears.

It wasn’t actually quiet outside either, but all he could hear was his own breathing and some tinnitus. And in front of his eyes were white sneakers and staff legs slowly running over the green grass lying horizontally. His tangled, slowed vision and hearing were slowly finding their place.

“Hey, hey! Terrence!”

“Are you okay? Try to sit up.”

“Hunt! Can you hear me?”

“Damn bastards… trying to kill a person.”

Among the medical staff carefully supporting his back, Jeffrey at left tackle position, who was blocking around him at closest range, muttered with a voice full of indignation. It had clearly been an unnecessarily excessive tackle. The rough indignation surely included regret that he hadn’t been able to maintain the pocket.

Terrence declined the medical staff’s assistance and slowly got up while brushing off his uniform.

“I’m okay.”

But no one believed those words, and the fact that everyone’s gaze was on Terrence’s ankle, which was limping much more than before, was message enough.

— Hey, Terrence! What happened? Are you okay?

Coach Randy’s voice flowed from the speaker installed in the quarterback’s helmet. At the worry-soaked shout, Terrence gave a thumbs up toward the sideline where the coach was standing. At that moment, strong cheers and support for Terrence, who had stood up again, poured from the stands.

— Can you keep playing?

To that question too, Terrence signaled as if it were obvious.

The coach’s concern was natural. The Wolves were losing with too big a score difference, and the quarterback who should be leading plays was repeatedly getting injured.

It was definitely a time when a turning point was needed.

Terrence slowly bent and rotated his limbs as if loosening his stiff body, then raised his head.

That spot. Ian had been standing right in that spot earlier.

Though it was a far distance, he knew their eyes had met exactly.

And although Ian’s figure wasn’t visible now, Terrence could know. The fact that Ian would definitely be watching him from somewhere.

Continuously, always unchangingly, he had watched tirelessly and eventually came looking for him. This time would be the same. No matter how much they denied reality, they were inseparably connected.

‘I hope he’s not worrying too much.’

Wondering if that tender-hearted guy might have fainted seeing him get tackled and fall. But Ian had already promised Terrence. That just as he ran on the field, he too would watch from behind without collapsing. That he would wait.

He had felt it since Ian studied tenaciously, but contrary to appearing delicate, he knew well that his strength of character was remarkable. So how could he doubt their promise?

“Whoo, whoo.”

Terrence carefully rotated his ankle and took deep breaths.

When the drive ended and he returned to the bench, all Terrence did was grab the medical staff and request they wrap the bandages tighter. A blue tent was immediately set up and Terrence’s ankle was wrapped with thicker bandages over his uniform.

Current score 13:23. The defensive team that had just gone out instead of them had allowed the Armors a touchdown.

A 10-point difference. There was no greater humiliation than this. And at home stadium too. A self-deprecating smile leaked from Terrence’s lips.

“Time remaining is 8 minutes and 2 seconds.”

10-point difference, injured quarterback, and only 8 minutes given to them.

How could the conditions be so dirty and mean? It was natural that everyone in red was gloomily dejected.

Just before the hard count, the coach’s voice flowed through the headset.

— Alright. Next is high formation. Post route after run fake.

Play names that only Wolves players could understand. It was an instruction that precisely identified Terrence’s play style of always leading stable passes.

Randy was a veteran who had won battles for a long time in the rough world of football. As soon as the entire offensive team heard the strategy, they exchanged firm looks together, and running exactly as the coach instructed, they immediately scored a touchdown.

But that was only 7 points. Even amid the crowd’s cheers, Terrence thought about the remaining 3-point difference.

And after a moment’s consideration, when he looked around at the players guarding his sides outside his helmet. Terrence had completely made up his mind.

“Next is Wolf Red Nine-teen Jet Run Keep.”

At the quarterback’s sudden instruction, everyone’s eyes widened inside their helmets. It was completely unexpected and even different in nature from the coach’s instruction given just before, so the players each murmured like short breaths.

“What? Now?”

Omar, the receiver who always liked to fool around, challenged him as if he couldn’t believe it, but someone nudged him with an elbow and nodded. It contained strong faith in their captain.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Got it.”

“Alright. Let’s go.”

According to the suddenly changed strategy, they bent their waists on the field facing the Armors’ massive defenders.

A breathtaking close battle, it was their last chance.

At that moment, in the now empty conference room, only the TV was still loudly broadcasting.

— It’s 3rd & short situation. Wolves, this might be their last chance. Terrence Hunt is standing behind the pocket. Will it be the same strategy as before?

— But look. Right now Boston is completely predicting the Wolves’ pass. The safeties are deep, right? That’s a formation saying ‘you absolutely can’t run.’ Wow, they’re very confident.

The commentator clicked his tongue at the formation that clearly conveyed the intention to never give up the remaining 3 points.

But all their concerns and expectations were overturned.

Contrary to expectations that he would aim for a touchdown with an accurate pass from within the stable lineman’s pocket as always.

— Snap! It’s a fake! Hunt, stepping back as usual, and what?

— No, no! Look! He’s running with the ball himself!!

— Oh my God. Terrence Hunt is running himself! Sideline! 40 yards, 35 yards! Wow, two blockers are clearing the way ahead!

— 30! 25! Huh? One defender left, but cutback!! Cutback!! He fooled him! All that’s left is touchdown!!

The caster and commentator shouted at the top of their lungs at the completely unexpected play.

And rightly so, because Terrence as a quarterback hadn’t often run toward the endzone carrying the ball himself until now. But right now, it was a play that completely ignored the typical pocket passer modifier that had been given to him. He moved like a swift beast without hesitation, passing the defenders clinging to him with unimaginable body movements and sprinting.

And with just 10 yards left to the end zone…

― 10! 5! 3! 1!! Ah! Touchdown!!! Wolves, Terrence Hunt!!! This man has done it again!!

Tremendous cheers and shouts erupted simultaneously from the TV speakers and the home stadium. It was such fierce intensity it seemed to tear the sky apart.

― My God! What did I just see? Does this even make sense?

― Ahhh! Player Hunt! Leading with that injured leg…!

― No, Reggie! Shouldn’t we consider that injured leg almost a fake at this level? We’ve witnessed a situation that makes absolutely no sense! This wasn’t just a simple running play. What we just saw was ‘a rebuttal to everyone who thought I was finished’!

― Ah, what a fierce man! Truly a strategic genius and a rebel, isn’t he?

― Who exactly has been calling Terrence Hunt just a pocket passer until now? That modifier should be thrown straight into the trash from now on. This man is a playmaker! A completely legitimate playmaker!

The caster’s final comment wrapped up the broadcast along with the explosive heat and cheers rising from the stands.

― 27 to 23. Wolves, successful comeback. And Terrence Hunt made this city’s heart beat again with his own legs.

It was the birth of the playmaker, which would become his defining title as a quarterback.

*

Pop! Sparkling paper pieces fluttered down from the sky onto the stadium.

They had achieved a comeback victory in the opening game at their home stadium. Red flames, silver light streams, and the howling sound of wolves, the Wolves’ symbol, exploded on the scoreboard. Since the Armors team and fans had already left the stadium, it was now filled entirely with red.

After the mascot’s antics running around the stadium with flags ended, the stadium filled with victory music and fireworks was crowded with people congratulating and encouraging each other. Not only players and coaches, but countless reporters and cameras, staff members whose identities were unknown, and even players’ families. Unlike usual regular games, the stadium field was bustling chaotically.

Led by the coach who was still giving what seemed like his nth interview, cameras, phones, and microphones were attached to each player who had run on the field today, capturing their joyful words.

While players laughed and bumped shoulders and arms, congratulating each other, Terrence was looking around distractedly, unable to focus on the seventh reporter following him.

There had been a time like this before. When he had searched for Ian in countless crowds.

Suddenly that time struck him like lightning, and a chill passed through his chest.

He should definitely be able to find him anywhere. He definitely should, but Ian’s figure was nowhere to be seen. His heart, which hadn’t been anxious even before scoring the touchdown, rapidly pounded in his chest.

Perhaps he looked too urgent, as one reporter holding a microphone hurriedly approached and asked.

“Player Terrence Hunt! You’re today’s star, but why do you look like that? Is something wrong?”

“Ah…”

When a large broadcasting camera also attached and filmed him, Terrence momentarily hesitated. He remembered his promise with Ian. Ian’s request not to reveal themselves to the media yet, let alone inform people.

Moreover, what kind of past had Ian experienced? Perhaps because of that shameful memory of being mocked in front of countless people at that auditorium, the Lloyd Jones School concert, Ian had been extremely afraid of situations where others’ attention was focused on him.

Knowing his lover’s pain, he had been especially careful and attentive. Though he wanted to boast about him to the entire nation, he had suppressed everything and tried to keep Ian’s appearance from being revealed.

But how could he speak honestly in front of reporters? Terrence slowly shook his head and calmly opened his mouth toward the reporter.

“The person I was looking for isn’t visible…”

He had intended to simply deflect with just that much, but there was someone who embraced him from behind and called out.

“Terry…!”

He knew who it was without looking. This scent, this voice, even the sensation conveyed from where they touched. That his beloved, whom he had always waited for, had finally come to find him.

“Ian! Where on earth did you go?”

Terrence lifted his lover who came into his arms high and embraced him deeply so he was buried in his chest and shoulders.

“I kept looking for you.”

For you to come. Not us who always hurriedly ran away and chased, but now I desperately wanted you to come find me first.

And now, at this moment when Ian appeared so naturally in front of people, Terrence realized. This was what he had truly wanted.

Was it perhaps a bit of a complaint mixed with resentment, uncharacteristically? Ian answered with a flushed face, his eyes red and wet from crying so much, folding into a bright smile.

“There was some business, but it’s okay now.”

Only then did he feel the warm body temperature from the embraced body.

And this scent. It was yearning pheromones that felt restrained, as if barely suppressing the intense passion bursting forth. His lover’s scent that awakened and seduced every nerve ending of Terrence.

A heat cycle? Startled, Terrence grabbed his shoulders and looked around frantically with wary eyes, but Ian gently shook his head.

“It’s okay, Terry. No one knows.”

“What?”

“Only you can detect my pheromones now.”

And Ian smiled brightly. A smile that was indistinguishable between crying and laughing. And with a joyful face mixed with all the heartache and regret up until now, he stretched out both arms and hung around Terrence’s neck.

“…!”

Only then could Terrence understand everything. That the mutual imprinting he had waited for so long had finally been achieved.

That he had finally pressed the ball down in the end zone he had been running toward like pioneering alone, achieving a true touchdown. That it had really been accomplished as he had hoped and desired.

Ian whispered softly into Terrence’s ear.

“Now we’re together forever, Terry.”

“Ah…”

“I love you, my sweet playmaker.”

“…Ian. My Ian.”

Continuously murmuring the name that was never enough no matter how much he called it, Terrence embraced the body in his arms once more as if he would burst.

“Yes.”

“I love you too.”

The moment when their bewildered faces filled with emotion and they shared a kiss.

Their ending and beginning were all captured by dozens of cameras. The flashes and shutter sounds sparkling from all directions whispered congratulations to the two people over their lips that wouldn’t part.

For the real victory achieved through going round and round.