Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog-Chapter 597: It’s Their Fault

"What was that?" Kai asked when Marcus hadn't passed at the last second.

Marcus didn't respond and merely walked away.

He went to the bench and dropped his towel. Despite its light material, it made a relatively loud noise, startling their teammates.

Kai, still on the court, shook his head and exhaled sharply. The rest of the team exchanged worried glances as Coach Xu Wei folded his arms, visibly tense.

Just then, Marcus stood and started walking away from their bench.

"Marcus, where are you going?" Caleb asked. However, Marcus didn't respond. Jaw-Long held onto his arm, but Marcus forcefully shook his hold off and continued walking away.

"This isn't good," Dong muttered, watching Marcus disappear down the tunnel.

Coach Xu Wei ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe this was a mistake…Putting so many strong personalities on the court together."

"Or maybe the entire competition was a mistake," Max said out of his frustration.

Jimmy sighed and covered his face with a towel, already feeling the gaze of his dad burning through the thin material.

Dong stood up with a sigh. "I'll go talk to him."

Kai stopped him with a raised hand. "I'll handle it."

"Kai," Dong started, knowing that the young one didn't know Marcus well enough.

However, Kai had already jogged off toward the locker room.

The halftime clock ticked down, and tension hung heavy in the air. They couldn't afford to lose focus now—not when the South Korean team was closing in.

On the opposing bench, Jinwoo glanced toward the tunnel. He nudged a teammate. "Look. Guo and that other guy are gone."

The teammate frowned. "Think something's wrong?"

Jinwoo smirked faintly, folding his arms. "If it is, we can take advantage of it."

Back in the corridor, Kai caught sight of Marcus leaning against a wall, his head tilted back and his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

The sound of Kai's approaching footsteps made Marcus look up briefly before turning away, dismissive.

"Marcus," Kai called out, stopping a few feet away. "We need to talk."

Marcus didn't respond.

Kai stepped closer. "What's your problem? We're supposed to be a team."

Marcus scoffed, pushing off the wall. "A team? Since when? Everyone out there is playing for themselves."

"That's not true, and you know it," Kai countered, frustration creeping into his voice. "We're falling apart because we're not working together. You're not working with us. Well, Jimmy isn't too, but honestly, that guy needs to get his head together first."

"However, we need YOU out there today. It's the only way we can win."

Marcus turned to face him, his eyes blazing. "Why should I? Why should I care about teamwork when I've gotten this far on my own? I can work with the other guys, but not with you."

Kai stared at him, stunned. "So, you've finally admitted it out loud," he muttered. "What if we lose?"

Marcus clenched his fists. "Maybe I don't care about losing. Maybe I care more about proving that I'm the best out there."

"Then prove it by playing smart," Kai shot back. "Prove it by lifting everyone else up, not dragging them down."

For a moment, Marcus just glared at him. Then he spun on his heel and stormed down the hallway.

"Marcus!" Kai called after him, but he didn't stop.

Kai hesitated, a knot of anxiety forming in his chest. The halftime clock was nearly out, and their team couldn't face this kind of division.

He jogged after Marcus, his footsteps echoing in the empty corridor.

At the far end of the hallway, Marcus slowed down, his posture tense. Kai approached cautiously, unsure of what to say next.

Then, a voice broke the silence. "Marcus."

Marcus stopped in his tracks, and Kai did, too. He was behind him, so he couldn't see who the person was. Kai went on his tiptoes to get a closer look.

A figure stepped out from the shadows, leaning heavily on a crutch. Marcus froze, his breath catching in his throat.

"Haoran," Marcus whispered.

"Haoran?" Kai muttered.

Was it…

Haoran Zhu?

Kai's heart sank as recognition dawned on him.

The prodigy Marcus had mentioned in one of his drunken rants. The teammate who was supposed to go to the international league with him. The one who never got the chance.

Haoran smiled faintly, his weight shifting on the crutch. "You weren't going to say hi?"

Marcus hesitated, turning around for a second.

Kai quickly went behind a wall, not wanting to get caught. When Marcus saw that the hallway is empty, he faced Haoran once again.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice thick with emotion.

Haoran raised an eyebrow. "Can't I watch my best friend play?"

Kai stayed rooted in place, watching the interaction unfold. Even when he couldn't see his back, Marcus still looked vulnerable.

"You've been watching?" Marcus asked, his tone soft. "I knew I saw you on the big screen."

Haoran nodded. "Yeah. I couldn't watch the previous ones, but here I am. That reverse dunk was something else."

The most uptodat𝓮 n𝒐vels are published on freёnovelkiss.com.

Marcus cracked a small smile. "That wasn't me."

Haoran tilted his head. "Still, it's not like you to let someone else steal the spotlight. What's going on?"

Marcus looked away, his expression hardening. "Nothing. Just...not my best day."

"That's not how it looks," Haoran said. "You're playing like you've got a chip on your shoulder."

"Maybe I do," Marcus muttered.

Haoran sighed. "Marcus, you're better than this. You've always been better than this."

"Yeah?" Marcus snapped, his voice rising. "How can I be better when you're not there?"

Haoran's smile faltered, and he looked down at his crutch. "I wasn't there for most of it, Marcus. You've been doing this without me for a while now."

"That's not the point," Marcus said, his frustration boiling over. "You were supposed to be with us this season. But because of them—because of their politics—you were cut."

"You were finally given a chance. We could have finally played together! Now, we can't…and it's all because of them."