Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog-Chapter 619: Dad’s Letter

Kai and Aiden stood (and sat) frozen on the court after their grandmother left. Aiden approached cautiously, his hands shoved into his pockets.

"Kai…" Aiden began, his voice quiet and hesitant.

Kai didn't look at him. He didn't trust himself to.

"I need some space," Kai muttered, still looking at the ground.

Aiden studied him for a moment before nodding. "I get it," he said. "I'll text you later."

Kai didn't reply, only giving a stiff nod before turning toward the exit. His feet felt like metal as he made his way back to the hotel.

Brothers? Why now? What did it all mean?

When he entered the room, his teammates looked up from their phones.

"Woah, Kai. You look pale," Max said.

"Rough night?" Jimmy asked, observing how Kai walked like a zombie to his bed.

Kai didn't answer. He dropped his bag by the bed and sank onto the mattress, his head in his hands. The room fell silent, his teammates exchanging glances.

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"Is he alright?" Max whispered to Jimmy.

Jimmy shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "Jian just texted me, though. There's some muffins left."

Max immediately stood from his bed. "Should we go?"

Jimmy nodded, also falling for the charm of the banana muffins they hadn't tasted in a while.

"Should we invite him?" Jimmy asked, subtly pointing at Kai.

Max hesitated for a while before shaking his head. "Nah, he looks like he needs some time alone."

"Yeah," Jimmy said, shrugging.

"Kai, we'll be back in a bit, okay?" Max said, already heading out the door.

Kai only nodded, not looking up. Once the door clicked shut, he was alone with the thoughts he'd been trying to avoid.

For a moment, he just sat there, staring at the floor. His grandmother's words replayed in his mind: "If you don't believe me, open the note."

The note.

With a deep breath, Kai reached for his duffel bag. His fingers fumbled as he unzipped it, rummaging through clothes and gear until he found the small, folded piece of paper tucked into a side pocket. He hesitated, his hands trembling.

Finally, he unfolded it, revealing a letter written in careful, slightly shaky handwriting.

He recognized it immediately. It wasn't his grandmother's. It wasn't his mother's.

It must be his father's.

The father he had never even met. His mom said that his dad had died! Well, to be fair, he really was dead. However, his mom said he never even got the chance to meet him!

Kai swallowed hard and began to read.

Son,

How are you? I don't know why I'm writing this, but just in case I'm not in this world and you still are, I have something to tell you.

Honestly, this is really funny. It's not like I'm going to die soon! However, I feel like it would take a long time before I would get the courage to tell you all of this.

So, I decided to write it on paper. I'll keep it simple. You know I'm not good with words. I became a construction worker because of this.

First, there's something you need to know. You have a brother. His name is Kaiden. He's one year older than you. You got my genes. Tall height. Big built. However, he's definitely the smarter one between you two.

The two of you were inseparable as babies, always laughing and getting into trouble.

But sometimes love isn't enough to hold everything together. Your mother and I…loved each other a lot. However, the dreams we had and the sacrifices we made became too much. We loved each other so much it hurt, and in the end, we realized we were hurting you, too.

We made the hardest decision of our lives. Out of love, we let go. Your mother took Kaiden, and I kept you. It wasn't fair, of course. But it was the only way we knew how to give you both a chance at something better. We thought we'd find a way back, that one day we'd all be together again. But life doesn't always work out the way you want it to. I wish it would.

If you're reading this, Kai, it means the time has come. Look for your brother. His name is Kaiden Guo. That's your mom's last name.

And Kai? Don't give your grandmother a hard time. She's tough, that one. I have a feeling she'll outlive us all.

I'm proud of you, son. More than you'll ever know.

Love,

Dad

By the time Kai reached the end, tears were streaming down his face. He shook his head, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

"What the heck," he muttered, shaking his head.

His father. His brother. The family he never knew.

Kai clutched the letter to his chest, his heart aching in a way he'd never felt before.

Kai took a deep breath, folded the letter carefully, and placed it back in his bag. He shook his head and brought out his phone. He realized he might have overreacted a bit a while ago.

As he opened his phone, he saw a notification from Aiden.

Aiden: Hey, bro! I can actually call you that now because we're actually brothers. But should I call you big bro or little bro? I'm not sure. Technically, I'm older now, but I was younger before. Ah, whatever. Let's just call each other, bro.

Aiden: Anyway, I'm with Grandma right now. She decided to treat me out! Just wanted to let you know in case you get jealous.

Kai shook his head in amusement.

Kai: Why would I get jealous? She was your grandma before she was mine. Enjoy your time with each other.

Aiden: Eyy, you replied? I didn't expect that. Anyway, she offered to buy me some stuff. I told her where I was living, and she wanted me to move to Jilin.

Kai clicked his tongue.

Kai: Well, are you? Don't ask the old woman for money. She's already struggling as it is. Just ask me for money.

Aiden: You also get money from Grandma.

Kai: In a while, I won't be. I'll support you financially. I'll get rich after the Global Games. Don't ask Grandma for anything until then.

Aiden: Haha! I'm looking forward to that then. But don't worry. I'm staying here. You know how I said I won the writing contest, right? Well, the grand prize is a scholarship to a prestigious college here in Beijing!

His eyebrows raised in pleasant surprise, and he couldn't help but smile. Kai never thought he would get out of his miserable situation before, but Aiden has done it. He was doing something he loved, too.

Aiden: But don't forget about the money, okay! I'm looking forward to your wealth.