Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

The boys arrived at their hotel, all in dejected moods. They didn't even speak as they went to their respective rooms.

Jimmy flung the door open, grumbling as he stomped in. He dropped his gym bag by the door and plopped onto his bed, arms splayed out, letting out a loud groan.

Max, who had just finished untying his sneakers, looked over from the edge of his bed with a raised brow. "At least change out of your uniform first," Max said.

"What for?" Jimmy shot back, turning his head to glare at Max. "I didn't sweat. Didn't even play. Heh."

Max chuckled, leaning back on his elbows with a smirk. "I played," he boasted.

"For a few minutes," Jimmy deadpanned, rolling his eyes as he kicked his shoes off lazily. "You're acting like you dropped 30 points or something. It's so annoying having roommates."

Max laughed louder this time, enjoying himself. "Looks like daddy's power must be diminishing, huh?" he teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Not giving you everything anymore? Or is it your power that's diminishing?"

Jimmy groaned, throwing a pillow in Max's direction. "I swear, I'm changing rooms."

"Unfortunately," Max said, dodging the pillow effortlessly, "you're stuck here. Zheng and Jian are busy having their honeymoon in the other room."

Jimmy sat up, grimacing at Max's choice of words. "Honeymoon?"

Max nodded, his lips twitching with suppressed laughter. "Yep. Three years of rivalry, and now they're reconciling. It's beautiful, really. You'd ruin the mood if you barged in."

Jimmy let out a drawn-out groan, flopping backward again. "I can't take this anymore. Someone swap with me. Please."

At that moment, the bathroom door opened, and Kai stepped out, a towel draped around his neck, hair damp and clinging to his forehead.

He didn't say anything as he crossed the room, dropped his towel on the back of a chair, and sank onto his bed with a long sigh.

Max and Jimmy watched him for a moment before exchanging looks.

"Great," Jimmy muttered under his breath. "The quiet one's brooding now."

Kai ignored them, reaching for his phone. He scrolled through his contacts briefly before his thumb hovered over a name. Without hesitating, he tapped the screen and brought the phone to his ear.

"Lina," he said softly when the call connected.

Both Jimmy and Max groaned in unison.

"Oh, it just got worse," Jimmy said bitterly, burying his face in his pillow.

"You've got it all, huh, Kai?" Max chimed in with mock cheerfulness. "Oh, wait—you didn't get put in today! Guess the world is fair, after all."

Kai shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips despite his disappointment. "You two were a lot cooler when we weren't roommates," he muttered.

The teasing didn't faze him, though. As soon as Lina's voice came through the speaker, everything else faded in the background.

"Hey," Lina greeted, her tone gentle and familiar. "I was wondering when you'd call."

Kai leaned back against the headboard, phone pressed close to his ear. "You saw, didn't you?"

"Of course I did," she replied. "It's not every day I get to see my boyfriend on the world stage like that."

The two of them were quiet for a moment.

Lina cleared her throat. "Are you alright? Eat your favorite food if you're upset. Do you want me to have it delivered to you?"

Kai chuckled, feeling lighter all of a sudden. "You don't have to do that," he muttered.

"Well, it's clear that you're upset," she stated.

"I'm not upset that we lost," he sighed. "I'm just upset that I didn't get a chance."

On the other end of the line, Lina didn't respond right away. For a few seconds, Kai wondered if he'd said too much. But then, her voice returned.

"Do you remember how it all started?" she asked.

Kai blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean?"

"Back in Shizi High," she said, giggling slightly. "You joined the team as a total noob, remember? Yuze didn't want to give you a chance. You had to fight for every second you got on the court."

Kai closed his eyes, memories of those early days appearing in his mind. She was right. Back then, no one had believed in him—not even his own teammates.

"This is similar," Lina continued. "You're on a different playing ground now, but that doesn't change who you are. You're still Kai Guo—the guy who makes people notice him the second he steps onto the court."

Kai's chest tightened at her words. "It doesn't feel the same," he said quietly. "Back then, I had something to prove. Now, I feel like I don't even get the chance to prove it."

Lina answered. "Something will change, Kai. You know it, and I know it."

Kai opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling. "Really?"

"Yes, really," she said, and he could almost hear the smile in her voice. "You've always been the kind of person who turns doubt into opportunity. You're not going to sit on that bench for long. You'll get your moment, and when you do, you'll remind everyone who you are."

A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You're pretty good at this, you know?"

"What, cheering you up?"

"Yeah," Kai said softly. "You always know exactly what to say."

"That's my job, isn't it?" she teased lightly. "I'm your number one fan, after all."

Kai chuckled, the tension in his shoulders easing. "Thanks, Lina. Really."

"Anytime," she replied. "Now stop worrying so much. You'll get your chance, and when you do, I'll be cheering louder than anyone else."

Kai felt a warmth spread through his chest. "I'll hold you to that," he said.

"You'd better," she shot back. "Now go to bed. You'll need your energy for tomorrow."

Kai smirked faintly. "Yes, ma'am."

They lingered for a moment longer before hanging up. Kai set his phone down on the nightstand, the conversation replaying in his mind.

"Sweet talker," Max teased from his bed, breaking the silence.

"Disgusting," Jimmy added. "Why are you even worried? You've got everything—a girlfriend, talent, good looks. It's annoying."

Kai shook his head, laughing quietly. "Go to sleep, Jimmy. It sounds like you're complimenting me now."

"As if," Jimmy grumbled, rolling over and pulling his blanket up.

Meanwhile, Kai also laid back in his bed with a small smile.

"I'll get my chance," he muttered.