The next morning, in the school locker room that smelled of fresh paint and had a slight dampness to it, the new club members gathered. On the central bench, to the left of which was a wooden door, sat So Ho. Next to him was Jen Ryu, legs crossed, elbow resting on his knee. His posture seemed relaxed, but his clenched fists and tense shoulders betrayed inner agitation. The other club members sat further away, whispering and glancing furtively at the pair.
"In this team, besides us two, no one can be trusted," So Ho declared with contempt. "After Ming You, you can't call any of them human anymore."
"That's true. Even Jung Ho, with his principles, has become inhuman. We need to figure out what to do when the team's foundation is such bastards," Jen Ryu supported him, and Mei Yu immediately added:
"How about we just not play? After all, even if something happens to us or our relatives, we can simply go to the police, can't we?"
"Hey, we don't want anything to happen, so that's not an option," one of the newcomers interrupted.
The team froze in confusion, exchanging bewildered glances. No plan, not the slightest possibility of escaping the situation – only a dead end, choking them with panic.
And then the locker room door creaked. Everyone turned sharply, and when Ming You appeared in the doorway, their bewilderment only intensified.
"Hi-hi friends, missed me?" he said indifferently.
The newcomers exchanged glances. No one knew how to react. While the others tried to gather their thoughts, So Ho was the first to find his voice:
"What the hell do you want?"
Ming You didn't blink. He slowly raised his palms in a gesture of feigned peace.
"Hey, hey, calm down, I came to you with a rather profitable proposition."
"What the fuck kind of proposition?" Jen Ryu stood up abruptly. The bench behind him flew back with a crash, hitting a metal locker. "We're not going to dance to your tune!"
His voice trembled with rage. Ming You's face remained stony, but something flashed in his eyes – either irritation, or... pleasure?
"Why so rude, huh? I came to help you, by the way."
Thick veins bulged on the foreheads of each newcomer, their skin flushed with fury, faces contorted in grimaces of anger. Jaws were clenched so hard the muscles in their cheeks trembled, and fists involuntarily tightened, leaving marks from their nails on their palms. Even the most restrained among them couldn't hide their outrage – tension hung in the air, ready at any moment to erupt into a scream or even a fight.
Among all present, not a single one dared to openly speak out against such insolence. But So Ho, taking a deep breath and suppressing the first wave of anger, gave his interlocutor a cold look:
"Well, and what kind of help are you offering us? And what's in it for you?"
"Help in the form of canceling the rule that increases the captain's points. Even more – your points will be increased." Ming You paused, savoring the reaction. "And as for my benefit..." His lips stretched into a mocking grin. "You're just pathetic weaklings, and I'd like to crush you even without my advantage."
The locker room filled with silence for a moment. The hum of ventilation, the creak of wooden benches under the weight of the players, heavy breathing – all merged into a tense pause, as if before a thunderclap.
Jen Ryu lunged forward sharply, grabbing Ming You's T-shirt with such force that the seams creaked. His face was blazing, eyes burning with fury, fingers digging into the fabric as if ready to tear it to shreds.
"Bastard, who are you calling weaklings, huh?"
"All of you," Ming You smirked at him. "And you're not just a weakling, but also a dumb idiot."
Jen Ryu exploded. His fist clenched, muscles tensed for a blow – but at the last moment, So Ho stepped between them, shoving Jen Ryu back sharply.
"Don't fall for his provocation."
Jen Ryu growled, gritting his teeth so hard his cheekbones stood out as white spots. He took a step back, but his chest was still heaving heavily, his fingers involuntarily clenching into fists.
When Jen Ryu stepped back, So Ho took a step forward, closing the distance to Ming You.
"Let's say you want to play fair, which we'll never believe by the way, but about the game... You're clearly planning to set your own rules, aren't you?"
"You're quite perceptive. So yes, you're right. But you're mistaken about one thing..." Ming You leaned a little closer, feigning a smug smirk. "I'm planning to make rules in favor of your team."
The silence in the locker room grew even thicker. The players exchanged glances, not understanding where he was going with this.
"And what kind of rules are these that would be beneficial to us?" So Ho said sharply, looking Ming You straight in the eye. "You're clearly up to no good!"
"You're partly right, it'll be a rule for one round with me, but if you lose, hehe..." Ming You produced a sinister grin, slowly looking around at each of them. "The rules will be in my favor, but if you win, not only will I pay off all your debts, but I'll also leave the team. So, a tempting offer, isn't it?"
The team remained in confusion. The players' eyes darted from one to another, as if seeking support, but finding only the same bewilderment. Jen Ryu, the most hot-tempered among them, took a sharp step forward, his sneakers slapping loudly on the concrete floor.
"So what exactly are the rules you're planning to set?"
"It's quite simple: my points will be worth one, as in regular streetball, so a three-pointer will be two. But your points will be doubled. It would be stupid to refuse, wouldn't it?" he said indifferently, and So Ho asked him loudly:
"So what's the catch then?"
Ming You smirked, as if he'd been waiting for this question.
"The catch is that if you manage to lose with such an advantage, then in the final games your points will be worth half, and my player's points will be quadrupled. To be precise, your points will be worth half a point compared to one, and my player's points will be worth four. The same goes for three-pointers: your shot is one point, my captain's shot is eight points."
"So it's some kind of gamble?" So Ho said slowly, trying to comprehend what had been said. "If we win, we're debt-free; if we lose, then with such rules in the final games, we'll definitely lose too..."
Ming You slowly raised his thumb, as if putting a final point on his words:
"That's right. So, do you agree? Or do we keep the same rules as before?"
"And why the fuck can't we just have regular streetball rules for these games?" Jen Ryu blurted out aggressively. So Ho sharply looked up and supported him:
"Exactly! Why complicate everything?"
Ming You's lips stretched into a cold smirk. He gave a sinister look, as if assessing his victims before a decisive blow.
"Have you still not understood who the debtors are here and who aren't? I only gave you a chance to get out of a difficult situation, so you should be grateful to me, but if you refuse such a chance, it'll only be your own fault, know that."
"Well fuck me, thanks, you're a real saint!" Jen Ryu's words sounded angry and sarcastic, as if he wanted not just to object, but to punch Ming You right here and now.