Not Sabotage

A week had passed.

Kai wasn't sure if it was a miracle or just exhaustion that things seemed to be going well within the basketball team. They were working surprisingly well together—passing, communicating, and executing plays during practice, which made Coach Xu Wei believe they could actually have a medal finish. 

Even Marcus, who had once looked at him like he was gum stuck to his shoe, now settled for cold indifference instead of outright loathing. It wasn't ideal, but it was progress.

Unfortunately for Kai, his success on the court was overshadowed by the mounting disaster of the opening ceremony with Fernando Ching.

The Elite Five were sprawled across a bench in the gym during their break, sweat clinging to their jerseys as they shared water bottles and snacks. Kai sat on the floor in front of them, legs stretched out as they talked. 

Well, they talked.