Episode 1

Chapter 2

“So, I heard you lost to Junhui”.

An older boy sat across from Ming. His kind eyes complemented his round, but handsome face, which was peppered with small freckles.

“Is that his name?”

Ming scowled, shoving a spoonful of rice into his mouth. The air in the food hall was abluster with the smell of fried beef, scrambled eggs and tomatoes, and, somehow, the gossip of his yesterday’s defeat.

“You didn’t know his name?” The older boy eyed Ming quizzically, as he took a sip from his milk carton.

“Look, Li, I don’t play on street courts often. How am I supposed to know his name when he didn’t even tell me?” Ming groaned, growing tired of his captain’s questions.

A small smile emerged from the corners of Li’s mouth.

“You really don’t know? I guess it's to be expected, considering you spent all of your game time playing basketball in school.”

He took another long, drawn out sip from his carton. Ming watched with slight annoyance, expecting another lecture from Li on his shortcomings. To his surprise, Li finished his milk carton and scrunched it into a pulp. Then a smile beamed at Ming.

“Junhui used to be the starting point guard for Tian Yun Middle School.” Hearing this, Ming made a gagging sound, almost choking on his rice.

“You mean, our main rivals?” he asked, coughing.

“Yep, precisely them.” Li said, nodding. “Every year, in the Guangxi province finals we’d face them, as I’m sure you saw last year.”

Ming recalled the previous finals that had just occurred. Whilst it was true the two teams that competed were indeed Tian Yun and Jing Xia, he could not remember seeing Junhui’s purple streaks on the team.

“But he wasn’t on the team was he?”

“No. He was not on the team”. Li sighed as he leaned back on his chair, as if reminiscing times long gone. “In fact, I only ever played him in one finals game. That was during my 1st year here.”

“Did you win?”

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“Of course. Don’t even question that.” Li said, his smile gaining smug features. It quickly disappeared however, as Li continued,

“But after his defeat, it seemed Junhui was never the same. I remember him standing silently on the court as his team left. He was the last one to leave. I could hear the shots he put up, after the hall had become empty.”

Li lifted his carton and sucked at the straw, but his face turned sour as he remembered it was empty and all scrunched up.

“The next thing I’d heard about him was a week after. Supposedly he’d quit his team and pivoted completely to streetball. Now he only plays in streetball tournaments”. Li’s face made a solemn expression “Such a shame, there's not really anyone else in the province who even came close to beating me except him.”

Thinking he had finally understood the lesson, Ming ate another spoonful of rice before asking “So, I should become like him?”

Li turned to face Ming, his eyes gaining a deep, wistful look.

“No Ming, you shouldn’t.”

Ming continued eating as his mind became curious.

“Uh, so, what did that have to do with me then?” he asked.

Li only stared at Ming, his eyes fixed as if observing through Ming’s very being, causing Ming to turn away.

“Please stop staring.”

Li chuckled a question in response.

“Ming, why do you play basketball?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Ming asked, slightly confused.

“Why do you play basketball?”

“I don’t see how this-”

“Answer the question please.” Li continued, still staring at Ming.

“Well…” The two sat there in silence for a while as Ming pondered this surprisingly, deep question.

“I guess, because it's something I’m good at? And because I’ve been playing my whole life, why stop now?” Ming responded, confident in his answer.

Amused, Li’s eyes flicked upwards, before looking at the brown haired boy still eating his rice.

“Hey, how about you take a break from the team.”

Shock filled Ming’s entire being.

“Bro, what are you saying? I can’t take a break. You know that. I need to learn to play with the second unit and prepare for when we take over from you. And you haven’t taught me everything. And I’m not a qui-”

“This isn’t a suggestion Ming, it's an order,” Li stated matter of factly.

“You can’t be serious! Is it because I lost? Did I shame the team? I’m sorry, I’ll make up for it I-”

“No Ming, it's not because you lost.” Li’s eyes gazed into open space as he looked deep in thought. He then turned back and said “Look, you still have over 2 years before you take over from me. Even sooner if you improve enough, but…” Li smiled. “...I doubt that will happen”.

“Then why do you want me to quit?” Ming asked, exasperated.

“I just think taking a break would be good for you. You should go explore your boundaries, see the world-”

“I’m in school Li.”

“That is true, but you still have time after school finishes in the evening. In any case, there's more to playing basketball than just your school team.”

Ming’s face morphed into a confused shape. “What else is there other than the team?”

Twinkling sparkles danced by Li’s eyes as he spoke “That's up to you to decide. But for now, you’re on break for a while until I say you can return.”

“What about coach”?

“Coach agrees with me.”

Ming sunk into his chair, crestfallen at the decision his captain had made. He’d been exiled indefinitely from the team. For Ming, it felt like his whole life’s work had been ripped apart. He had always dreamed of making it into this school, this team. After all, every elementary schooler had known that the best way of progressing to the pro leagues was through the school system. And what better way than to join Jing Xia Middle School, one of the schools known for producing the best guards in the country. Now, this dream seemed to be disappearing in front of his very eyes.

Furthermore, there was no guarantee his spot on the team would still be there, when he was allowed to rejoin the team. Opportunistic and ambitious players were aplenty here at Jing Xia. It was likely that Li would have another backup when he returned, effectively removing Ming’s starting position after Li’s graduation.

Sensing Ming’s onset of sadness, Li stood up and prepared to leave. “Cheer up my guy, there’s other ways to practise than being on the team you know. You have the potential there. After all, You weren't my backup for no reason. Remember that.”

With that, he grabbed his bag from under the table and left for his next lesson. Leaving Ming, as a dejected mess of emotions.