Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

Silence enveloped the hospital room like a heavy blanket, the sound of the television being drowned out by the tension caused by the revelation of Shang's injury.

Kai sat beside Shang's bed, not knowing how to react.

Shang's normally vibrant and cheeky eyes were clouded with concern.

Kai knew all too well the gravity of an ACL injury. It wasn't just a setback; it was a blow that could ruin the very foundation of a basketball player's career. As he continued to observe Shang, he saw his past self—the one who was forced to stop playing basketball due to a physical injury.

Fortunately for Shang, an ACL injury was reversible. However, time can only tell how the treatment will turn out.

"How long do you think it will take to recover?" Shang's voice broke the silence.

The doctor hesitated for a moment before responding.

"For it to be fully recovered, I would say at least twelve months," he finally replied. "Maybe even longer, depending on how severe it is and how your body reacts to the treatment."

Shang's shoulders slumped as the weight of his diagnosis settled heavily upon him.

He chuckled bitterly, looking down at the ground.

"Shang, I know this is very hard for you," the doctor continued. "Injuries like these aren't uncommon in sports. However, it's unfortunate how it came to this so early in your career."

"I'm going to be completely transparent. Playing basketball might be a struggle as it can also cause the recurrence of the injury. However, if you rest properly for more than twelve months, you can recover and get back to playing. But then again, this isn't a foolproof plan. These are just the possibilities."

"But…can I at least start doing normal activities soon?" Shang asked.

"Yes," the doctor responded. "You may be able to do basic activities of daily living in as early as three months."

Shang nodded slowly, digesting the information. But Kai knew that playing basketball wasn't just a daily activity for Shang. Based on his disposition with playing, it was his passion, probably even his lifeblood.

The doctor finally stood and stepped back, his expression sympathetic. "I'll give you boys some space. Afterward, I'll come by again to discuss Shang's treatment plans," he quietly said before slipping out of the room.

Silence once again lingered in the room as Kai and Shang didn't speak. With only the two of them present, the atmosphere became suffocating, and Kai wondered if it was a mistake to come here and hear the diagnosis with Shang firsthand.

Kai searched for words of comfort despite not being good at such.

"You know, ACL injuries can be tough, but plenty of players come back from them," he ventured, his voice soft and reassuring. "You've still got a shot at playing again."

But Shang's eyes showed bitterness despite the comforting words.

"When?" he choked out, his voice trembling with emotion.

"Next year? I'm already graduating next year."

"There are still basketball teams in college," Kai said.

Shang chuckled as he glanced at Kai.

"You know that it's not the same."

Kai pursed his lips since he knew that Shang was right. He struggled to find the right words to say. But before he could speak, Shang's voice broke through the silence.

"I'm going to quit playing," he declared, his words ringing with finality.

"What?" Kai's voice was incredulous, disbelief heard in his tone. "But you're the only Power Forward of the team. You can't just give up like that."

Shang's gaze dropped to his hands, his fingers tracing the lines of his palms as he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "It was my dream, Kai," he admitted. "But it was a dream I wasn't good at."

"Still—"

"I've been playing since I was a first-year," Shang continued. "Actually, I wasn't originally from Jillin. My dad only came here after my mom died. We used to have a lot of land in the city, so life was good. However, my mom suddenly became sick, and before we knew it, we had sold all of the land for my mother's treatment."

Kai cast his eyes to the ground as he listened to Shang's story. He knew how hard it was to open up to a stranger, yet Shang was doing it without any inhibitions.

"So, we came here—just the two of us. Thankfully, my dad also bought some land here, not nearly as big as what we had in the city, but still, it brought food to the table."

"When I first arrived here, I thought I was good at basketball. As a first-year, Kun, Yuze, and I quickly became one of the starting players. They said it was rare for a first-year to be a starting player, so I took pride in it."

"However, the first game we had during the Winter Cup was with Yin Yang High. At that moment, I felt like I wasn't good at basketball after all," he chuckled, remembering the distant memory.

"Still, I tried to improve. I trained every day with my friends. I watched games. I got advice from players who graduated. My dad was very supportive, too. Even though he needed help with the farm during the weekends, he would send me to watch basketball games and go to training camps instead," he smiled.

"However, even then—even with everything that was given to me—it wasn't enough."

"Truly," Shang muttered, looking down at his palms. "Some people just aren't born with it."

"You don't know that," Kai said.

"Except I do," Shang said with resolution.

"Yuze—he was born with it. And on top of that, he works so hard," Shang smiled.

"There are people who deserve to stay in the court. Meanwhile, there are also people who only pass by it."

"I seem to be the latter case," he said, the unshed tears in his eyes finally gone.

"Basketball is my passion, but it also isn't for me."

"So, I'm going to quit," he said with resolution this time.

"And the team?" Kai asked.

"You guys will be alright," Shang said, patting his back.

"Besides, you're going to be taking my place, right?"