China vs. USA (4)

The referee finally blew the whistle, and the game came to a halt. 

The gymnasium was loud with calls and murmurs, but to Kai, everything felt muted. He stared at the lights on the ceiling, his chest tightening as he struggled to regulate his breathing. 

Then, the lights dimmed when Jian made his way to his vision. 

"You okay?" Jian asked, sounding genuinely concerned. He crouched next to Kai, trying to catch his gaze. 

Kai blinked and finally sat up. However, he still appeared absent-minded. 

He nodded stiffly in response, but Jian knew better than to believe he was okay. 

His teammates glanced at each other. As much as they hated to admit it, Kai had become the main guy of their team—the face of Chinese basketball. Even if he was so young, his talent and courage had been their best asset throughout the tournament.