Chapter 5: No Way to Work

"Hey! Hey!"

Nothing beats a gun in a situation like this. The two guys who were just shouting insults immediately shrank back, raising their hands with open fingers towards Tony to show they meant no harm, shouting, "Calm down, calm down!"

The only troublemaker left was the guy who refused to back down. He kept breathing heavily, glaring at Tony while frequently eyeing the gun at Tony's waist.

"Got the guts, come at me, nger."

Tony tilted his head back, showing his teeth with a sneer, and even pushed his big belly forward. The gun was loosely hanging from his waist, just a little closer to the other guy's hands.

Everyone who had been playing basketball noticed the tension, and the bouncing of the ball stopped abruptly. Silence filled the air, stretching on for what felt like an eternity—1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 seconds where time seemed to freeze.

"Forget it, forget it."

The two who had backed down quickly grabbed their buddy's shoulder, pulling him back. "Let's go, let's go," one said, still protesting a bit, but eventually giving in, reluctantly being dragged away.

"Pussy, get lost! Don't ever show your face here again!"

At that moment, Little Lowrey stepped out from behind Tony and threw down the gauntlet, giving the troublemaker a hard shove on the head.

The guy was seething, veins bulging on his forehead, eyes bloodshot, looking like a wild beast ready to tear someone apart. His friends had to practically drag him away from the scene.

"That was close..."

Song Ya let out a long breath. The tension just now had been too much. He couldn't imagine what would have happened if that guy had actually drawn his gun. What would the situation have turned into? "America sure is intense," he muttered to himself.

Tony casually adjusted his shirt to cover the gun and called out to the crowd still watching, "It's fine now! OK?"

The sound of basketballs bouncing resumed. Little Lowrey turned to AK with a smile, "You good to go now? We ready to continue?"

Once AK gave him an affirmative nod, he turned to the rest of the group, "Same teams?"

"Same teams, Alex..." Tony motioned to Song Ya.

"You're still playing? What if they come back to get revenge?" Song Ya was shocked. He couldn't believe they were still playing after all that! How much guts did they have?

"Shut your damn mouth," Tony growled, stepping closer and speaking through gritted teeth.

"Alright, alright." With no other choice, Song Ya got back into position at the top of the arc, facing off against Little Lowrey again.

There were fewer players on the court now. Song Ya noticed several people packing up, preparing to leave. "I guess they all sensed the danger, huh?" He felt on edge, every shadow that appeared at the corner of the court, or the faint sound of a siren in the distance, made him tighten up.

"Huh? Something's off..."

He suddenly realized something was wrong with Little Lowrey. His dribbling was all over the place, his usual smooth moves were gone, and he seemed distracted.

No, it wasn't just him. Everyone seemed off.

Though they tried to act casual, there was less talking, and their movements had become stiffer. Even the "silencer" (a nickname for one of the players) was looking around nervously, his eyes constantly glancing toward the fence.

Song Ya's mind clicked. He grinned, realizing something. The pride of these guys wasn't the same as that of Chinese people, but the nuances in their behavior were kind of amusing in a way.

They stuck around on the court for another 40 or 50 minutes before, suddenly, an old-school electronic ringtone rang out from beneath the basketball hoop.

"Sorry."

AK walked over to a pile of clothes and pulled out a pager. After reading the message, he called out to Little Lowrey, "Looks like the boss has an urgent matter!"

"Alright," Little Lowrey tossed the ball to Song Ya and told Tony, "Looks like we're done for today. Next time we continue."

"Got it." Tony gave him a hug and punched him lightly on the back. "You know how to find me. I'm always here."

"Yeah, thanks for today." Little Lowrey gave "Silencer" and Song Ya a big hug too.

"Your business is our business," Tony said.

Little Lowrey gave his chest a firm tap, showing his sincerity.

They all parted ways.

Once "Silencer" started the car, Tony tucked his handgun under the seat, and only then did Song Ya feel like the weight had lifted from his chest.

"What's wrong with you!? The situation was unfolding, and you were just standing there, watching!"

Tony turned around and scolded him, "Next time something like this happens, you need to jump in immediately, move with us. Understand? Or you'll be left out."

"Left out? I never planned on joining your little brotherhood," Song Ya retorted. "Why pull a gun over something so small? What's the point of taking such a huge risk? Is it worth it?"

Neither Tony nor "Silencer" answered at first. After a long pause, "Silencer" finally spoke, "No scholarship, no college."

"We don't mix with gangs or mess with drugs, we've been playing basketball for years. For what?" Tony said. "Wasn't it all to get noticed by a college and leave this hellhole with a scholarship? You think we want to be out here, fighting people in the streets like just now?"

"And in the end? No college team wanted us. Not even a community college."

"If we don't go to college, what are we supposed to do after graduation? Work a night shift at McDonald's? Or clean toilets in the mall?"

"No way, Little Lowrey is our best shot. We have to make it count!"

"When his album drops, he'll need a lot of help. He's promised he'll bring us along." Tony's eyes sparkled with hope. "I've known him since we were kids. Once he makes it big, he'll take us along, no doubt..."

Song Ya was confused, "You've said all this, but has Little Lowrey actually offered you guys specific positions?"

"Why the hell do I have such a dumb brother?!"

Tony cursed, "Did you even get an A+? Little Lowrey and I are buddies! We share the load, we spend the money together..."

"WTF! Are you stupid or am I stupid!?"

Song Ya was stunned. Why should someone else get to spend money with you?

Well, in the end, it turned out Song Ya was the one who was confused. After Tony explained, he finally got it.

It turns out, the Black community does have this sort of "tradition." Since entertainment and sports stars are the quickest way out of the impoverished neighborhoods, once someone becomes a successful singer or athlete, they feel responsible for bringing up their relatives, close friends, and the like—helping everyone rise together. The whole "spending money together" idea was a bit exaggerated, but if Little Lowrey really made it big and took Tony and "Silencer" along, their lives would definitely change.

Of course, it wasn't just sitting around doing nothing. They'd be doing things like acting as bodyguards, running errands, playing video games together, and even putting on tough guy acts like today. Come to think of it, there was actually a fair bit to do.

"Let me think this through, let me think this through."

Song Ya's Chinese way of thinking slowly started to shift. "So, if Little Lowrey makes it big, the job he can offer you two is... being his sidekicks?"

"They're brothers, buddies," Tony corrected him.

"Call it being brothers, but let's be real—aren't you just his lackeys, his goons?" Song Ya silently complained. "By the way..."

He thought of a few possible outcomes, "What if Little Lowrey doesn't get famous? What if he thinks your show of loyalty today was too reckless, and he's scared to bring you along? What if his music boss doesn't let him keep you two around?"

"Uh..."

Tony and "Silencer" exchanged glances, "If that happens..." Tony muttered, "Then we're left with one choice: join a gang." Their faces darkened.

"So, in the end, working a regular job is just out of the question, huh?" Song Ya finally understood, silently concluding.