Meanwhile, in the school gym. The silence of the spacious room was broken by the occasional voices of players gathered near the center line. Ming You stood with his arms crossed behind his back, carefully studying the lineup. The main team was gradually assembling around him.
Only one person was missing.
As soon as the gym door swung open, all eyes turned to Jung Ho as he entered. His face, usually calm, was now tense. Without wasting time, he headed straight for Ming You.
"Ming You, we have bad news," he said, lowering his voice but still ensuring the others could hear. "The newcomers have formed their own separate team, which means the Yoshido Basketball Club is split. They also wanted me to be their captain, but I refused."
A heavy silence fell over the gym. But Ming You sharply dispelled the quiet by raising his index finger:
"I already anticipated this when they complained to the coach, which is why I wanted to discuss with you the plan of action we'll take against them."
"Ming You, are you psychic? Can you please predict when I'll get a girlfriend?" asked Lu Shen, tapping his index fingers together.
"In that case, I can be a fortune teller too, and the heavens' answer is... NEVER!" Haru Lin teased him, after which everyone except Ming You started laughing.
Lu Shen turned away from the team in displeasure.
"Damn devils!"
"Alright guys, enough jokes, we have some unfinished business." Ming You clapped his hands and then continued, "We'll go to the newcomers, or rather, they will come to us since their practice starts in 20 minutes. When they arrive, we'll propose a game to them. I'll give you the details once we meet them."
The team nodded silently, their smiles replaced by focused expressions. Even Lu Shen stopped sulking and straightened up. Without another word, everyone headed to the locker room, preparing to meet the newcomers. Silence enveloped them again, but now it was filled with determination.
After fifteen minutes of quiet waiting, the newcomers entered the locker room. Ming You slowly raised his head and began explaining his plans, his voice calm, almost monotone, but his eyes held a cold calculation:
"Hi-hi, guys," he tilted his head slightly in a semblance of a polite bow, but his smile was laced with false courtesy. "We're all very happy to see you."
So Ho's fingers abruptly unclenched, and his backpack fell to the floor with a dull thud. He didn't even notice how his eyes filled with a mixture of shock and anger.
"Don't be afraid, we won't do anything to you. We just have a proposal for you." Ming You tilted his head to the side, the corners of his mouth twitching in a sly grin.
"What do you want!?" So Ho clenched his fists, his voice sharp, tinged with fury. He took a step forward, as if ready to start a fight at any moment.
"It's simple. I want to play against you, but this time you'll have a fairly high chance of winning." Ming You raised his hand, intending to continue, but So Ho didn't let him finish:
"You think we're not aware of your cunning plans? We won't have any dealings with you, let alone play!"
"Then how about my next proposal." Ming You paused, letting his words carry more weight. "If you win, not only will you be rid of your debts, but we will also take on double your debt and pay it to you. Furthermore, we will obey you unconditionally, and I will ensure none of us can break the agreement."
"And what happens if we lose, or if we simply refuse to play? Which is most likely what will happen." So Ho's gaze became intense, as if trying to detect a trick in every word.
"In case of your defeat, you will be completely subordinate to us. Your debts will remain, but if you show loyalty to me, you will have a fairly high chance of paying them off." Ming You made a small pause, then his voice became quieter, but all the more dangerous because of it. "However, in case of refusal, I'll have a word with some people, and your debts will increase tenfold. And you won't get off with just a warning."
So Ho gritted his teeth, his fingers digging into his palms until his knuckles turned white. But before he could respond, Jen Ryu intervened.
"It would be great to have someone like you under our command, but first, explain the rules of the game."
"No problem. One captain, meaning one of the five main players, will play against your group of five. A tempting offer, isn't it?" Ming You spread his hands, feigning generosity, but his smile was too confident, as if he already knew the outcome.
"That's exactly it, your offer is too tempting!" So Ho shot him an accusatory look, his voice trembling with distrust. "You're clearly up to some trick!"
Ming You smiled widely, as if enjoying their confusion.
"Of course, you can refuse, but keep in mind your team's debt will increase tenfold."
"It seems we have no choice but to accept the game. So we'll take the chance to kick you out of the team, after pissing on you and making you lick our shoes!" Jen Ryu twisted his lips into a grin, his voice challenging, but tension was visible deep in his eyes.
"Excellent, I'm very pleased with your attitude. Then we'll meet tomorrow evening at the streetball court where you already lost before." Ming You nodded, his tone full of sarcasm, as if he were talking to children starting a silly argument. Jen Ryu laughed loudly, but his laughter was sharp, almost nervous:
"Perfect! I can't wait for you to start running errands for us!"
He turned and left the locker room, the others following him, leaving Ming You with his team.
…
Ming You arrived earlier than everyone else to have time to explain the plan and rules of the upcoming game. A slight chill hung in the air, and fine gravel crunched underfoot on the asphalt. He shifted impatiently from foot to foot, waiting for the others.
When Taek Jung appeared with his crew, Ming You greeted him with a sarcastic smirk.
"Hi-hi, Taek Jung, miss me?"
He just chuckled, shoving his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket.
"Haha, alright, spit it out. What have you cooked up now?"
Ming You, pleased with his interest, began explaining, gesturing with his hands.
"I'll start with the game plan. The game will be like this: five players against one. And I'd also like to ask you and the others to bet on the one player who will play against five."
Taek Jung and his lackeys exchanged glances, then burst into loud laughter.
"Why are you so confident about one guy winning against five? Are you setting up a game against one-year-old girls?"
Ming You wasn't fazed and continued, slightly tilting his head.
"That's related to the game rule I'm going to set. One point for the five players equals one, but one point for the single captain, i.e., the one player, equals two. For the five players, three-pointers count as two, like in regular streetball, but the three-pointer for the single player from my team will also be multiplied by two. Simply put, a three-pointer from the single captain will be worth four points. Given this advantage, I advise betting on the single player."
"With rules like that, the single player has an obvious advantage, and it's pretty boring. So if you want to change the game rules themselves, you need to pay a fee." Taek Jung's eyes gleamed with greed, and the corners of his mouth twitched in anticipation. Ming You, without batting an eye, pulled out a wad of money.
"No problem. Is one million won enough to change the rules?"
"Two million." Taek Jung grinned even wider. However, Ming You coolly parried:
"One and a half."
"One point six." Taek Jung stood firm, and his voice held an unshakable resolve. Ming You thought for a second, then his empty gaze suddenly flashed with the same greed.
"Fine. But only if you and your buddies bet on my single captain."
He pulled out another wad of money, the bills rustling. Taek Jung, having gotten what he wanted, relaxed, but his gaze grew colder.
"Alright, the rules are settled. But remember," he handed the money to one of his lackeys, then slowly raised his eyes, "if your captain loses after we all bet on him, don't expect to get off easy like you usually do."
He adjusted his jacket, and there was a hidden threat in his movement. Ming You just smiled predatorily.
"By the way, these newcomers are already your debtors, so it's in your interest to increase their debts too."
The thugs burst into laughter, appreciating his audacity. Taek Jung shook his head, barely holding back a smirk.
"When will I ever get used to your shamelessness..." He sighed, then waved his hand. "Fine, it's a deal. We're betting on your player."
This time, Taek Jung was the first to extend his hand. Ming You shook it firmly, and the deal was sealed.