China
The new-generation national team starters were in the middle of their drills.
"Li Wenyu! Speed up your dive to the rim!"
Sun stood courtside, arms crossed, holding a tactics board filled with diagrams — all of them drawn from the plays Kota had suggested.
He lowered his eyes to examine the board again, and a hint of admiration flashed in them.
Even with his experience, he couldn't find a single flaw. In fact, several of the play variations were so clever he had almost wanted to applaud when he first saw them.
Which was exactly why the national team's tactical drills had reached borderline inhuman levels these days.
On the court, Li Wenyu wore the expression of a broken man. For the entire past hour, he'd been running cuts and dives like a machine. If they changed courts, people might've mistaken him for some guy training for a marathon.
"Damn it… Kota, weren't the plays you gave Coach Sun a bit… excessive? Every day it's nothing but tactical drills. I don't even have time for the weight room anymore!"
During a brief moment when their routes crossed, Li Wenyu grumbled at Kota. The latter rolled his eyes.
"Captain, with a simple-minded guy like you, more tactical repetition is exactly what you need. If you only lift weights all day, your brain's gonna turn into mashed tofu."
Li Wenyu froze, then scowled.
"Hey! I play smart basketball, okay? I get steals all the time!"
Kota tapped his chin, pretending to recall.
"Yeah, you run around like a maniac for four straight quarters. If you keep sprinting nonstop, of course you get steals."
Li Wenyu: "…"
"Tch… I'm done talking to you!"
He clicked his tongue and returned to running routes with renewed irritation.
Meanwhile, Kota was staring out the window, completely spaced out.
Unlike the others, he didn't need to internalize the plays — every detail and variation was already engraved in his mind.
Honestly, he could've just stood next to Coach Sun and let the man ask him questions directly.
So why was he here running drills with everyone else?
First, so he wouldn't seem antisocial.Second…
Riiiiing!
Sun's phone went off.
"Hello, Master."
He straightened his posture immediately — respectful, almost reverent.
Kota blinked. That tone… must be Ebi.
As he continued running his route, Kota watched from the corner of his eye.
Sun's expression suddenly shifted — shock flashing across his face.
"Really? Are you sure? There's no way they would…"
"Yes, understood. Next week… I'll inform them."
He hung up.
To Kota's surprise, Sun didn't immediately call the team over. He simply waited quietly for the current drill to finish.
"Finally! I'm dead tired… Forget the gym today, I'm done."
Li Wenyu wiped the sweat off his forehead, looking like someone who'd been spiritually tortured. He'd been about to drag Kota off to play cards when the long-stoic Sun finally clapped his hands.
"Gather up."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried weight. Every player immediately dropped what they were doing and lined up in front of him.
Coach Sun clasped his hands behind his back, expression unreadable.
"Next week… we have a scrimmage. Mandatory attendance."
The moment he said "scrimmage," Li Wenyu perked up like a dog hearing a food bowl.
"For real?! We finally get a game?"
"Yes! I don't have to run those damned formations anymore!"
The rest of the team got excited too. Compared to boring drills, games were obviously more fun.
Sun watched silently, letting them have their moment.
Kota, already knowing who the opponent was, decided to pour some cold water on the celebration.
"Coach, who's the scrimmage against?"
Coach Sun looked at him, voice calm.
"Team USA."
"Doesn't matter who— wait… Team USA?"
Li Wenyu's smile froze. He stared at Sun like the man had suddenly started speaking Martian.
"USA? As in THE USA? As in Jabberwock's captain, Nash— that USA??"
Sun nodded.
"That's right. Last year's world champions."
The gym went silent for a full five seconds.
Then came the sound of several players gasping.
Li Wenyu let out two dry laughs.
"Coach… you sure you didn't mishear? Team USA is top three in the world rankings! Why would they want to play us? Shouldn't they be scrimmaging other world-class teams? You must've gotten something wrong!"
Sun ignored him and turned to Kota.
"I heard Jabberwock played an exhibition match in Japan recently. Kota, did you see them there?"
Kota nodded."I did. Their captain, Nash — he's pretty strong."
Too bad he still lost to me in a one-on-one, though.
He didn't say the second part, but even the words pretty strong shocked the team.
Zhou Yi threw his arms out.
"Pretty strong?! He's insanely strong! Nash is like a walking highlight reel!"
"Kota— don't tell me you actually saw him play in person?!"
"…More or less," Kota answered.
Saw him, fought him, flattened him.
Zhou Yi screeched in envy.
"Unfair! So unfair! When we play them next week, I'm getting his autograph no matter what!"
Yeah… he was definitely a fan. Though Kota wasn't sure how Zhou Yi would feel if he saw Nash's true personality off-court.
Collapsed idol? Is that how the word's supposed to be used?
Before Kota could decide whether to warn him, Sun coughed, signaling for attention.
"This scrimmage is technically optional… but I want every one of you there, whether you're playing or not."
He paused, gaze sweeping across the team — lingering briefly on Kota.
"This will be your first chance to witness — in person — what world-class basketball really looks like."
"That's all. Dismissed."
After practice
"Kota! Over here!"
On the roadside, Shu poked his head out of the car window, sunglasses on, waving excitedly.
"Thanks for the pickup."
Kota climbed in.
"Ai, what thanks? Don't mention it! Anyway— next month is Spring Festival. You're coming to my place for dinner! It gets real lively here during the holiday…"
Shu's enthusiasm hadn't changed at all. He launched straight into explaining Spring Festival traditions.
Kota rested his chin on his hand, occasionally responding, though his mind was clearly elsewhere.
With the holiday approaching, Reiko — who hadn't gone home in years — returned early, leaving Kota in Shu's care.
Luckily, Shu was kindhearted and talkative. Even though he barely knew Kota, he treated him warmly. And Kota didn't dislike people like that.
"By the way, Kota… your Mandarin keeps getting better. When you got in the car earlier, I honestly couldn't tell you were a foreigner."
Shu clicked his tongue in amazement. Just half a year ago, Kota sounded like a lost tourist. Now he could hold a fluent conversation.
Kota shrugged."I guess practicing every day helps."
Shu nodded like he'd expected that.
He glanced at Kota via the rearview mirror.
"Hey, aren't you guys playing Team USA next week?"
Kota blinked.
"How'd you know? Coach Sun literally told us just now."
Shu puffed up proudly.
"Heh! Your brother Shu has connections."
Kota simply stared at him.
As expected, Shu cracked in seconds.
"…Fine! The news already spread through the basketball association. Everyone's hyped! I bet the gym's gonna be packed on game day!"
Kota rubbed his chin."Shu, do you like Team USA too?"
"Of course! They're number one in the world! Who wouldn't admire that?"
His eyes lit up with admiration.
"If China ever became number one… man, I think I'd explode from happiness!"
Kota glanced out the window with a small smile.
On a nearby rooftop, a small white pigeon flapped its wings and soared into the sky.
"…Yeah, let's not explode. If China ever really hit number one, that'd make your comment way too ominous."