Kai stared at Steven Murr, the legendary player whose career had inspired countless young athletes, including himself.
"Sir Steven Murr," Kai said again, looking at him with wide eyes.
Steven chuckled. "That's . Kai Guo, right? I've seen a lot of you in the past week. You're really good, kid."
Kai bowed deeply, his back nearly breaking with the fast action. "It's an honor, sir. You're a legend."
Steven raised his hands in protest. "Oh, co on now, kid. You don't need to do that."
Kai straightened his posture and shook his head. "I have to, sir. You paved the way for players like ."
Steven smiled, enjoying the complints from the young player. "You're a kind one, aren't you? Very different from Julian. Even though you're younger than him, you seem a lot more mature."
At the ntion of Julian, Kai pursed his lips. Right, he was the reason why he started wandering around.
"Does he not treat you with respect, sir?" Kai bluntly asked, causing Steven to chuckle.
"Well," he said. "I'm sure you already know that he doesn't have the best reputation. That's even putting it mildly."
Kai chuckled along with him before the two were engulfed in silence. Kai thought this would be the perfect chance to get so answers.
"Speaking of Julian," Kai began hesitantly, "have you seen him around, sir?"
Steven shook his head. "Probably still sleeping. He thinks he's good enough to skip practice. No point in waking early when you think the ga's already in the bag. I still force him, though. I don't want the next generation of players to beco complacent."
Kai nodded. His arrogance sounded really familiar.
It took Kai back to Interhigh Nationals—when Jian was the sa. He didn't attend practices and thought he was the best. Their nas sounded similar too.
Although, Jian's attitude stemd from years of natural talent and a lifelong complex. Julian, however, wasn't naturally talented. Kai saw that in his previous gas.
But, he still carried himself like he had earned every inch of it.
Steven sensed Kai's mood. He smiled at the young boy, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"I can see that you're curious about Julian," he ntioned. "If you want to know sothing about him, just ask. I'll answer one question."
Kai paused for a while. This was actually the perfect opportunity to ask.
However, he suddenly shook his head, surprising even himself. "No, sir," he said.
Steven's eyebrows raised in surprise.
"I don't want to ask about Julian. I want to ask about…Sir Jonathan," he continued.
Steven froze, but he quickly composed himself. However, there was a hint of pain in his eyes. "Jon?"
"Why do you want to ask about him?"
"Well, I have heard he was Julian's brother. I've admired his career for as long as I can rember."
Steven's reaction was subtle but telling. Conflict was seen in his eyes before he nodded.
"You've done your howork," Steven said. "Not a lot of people know about this. It's not even on the web."
"My friend knew," Kai explained. Then, he smiled.
"I just want to know more about him. He was a great player."
"Great is an understatent," Steven muttered, rembering his old friend.
"Jon was special," he continued, implying there was more to the story than he was willing to share.
"Here's my question, sir," Kai said, his curiosity eating him up.
"Does Julian really play like Jonathan Samson?" Kai asked, looking into his eyes.
Steven paused, studying Kai carefully.
The kid was smart. Steven had to give it to him. How could he notice it so quickly when a lot of players failed to realize it?
Steven could still rember the first ti he t Julian Barker.
It had been years ago, during the peak of Jonathan Samson's career. Jon, ever the proud older brother despite their differences, approached Julian during a ga with the New York Nobles.
They had known they were brothers for a long ti. However, they never acknowledged it. Well, Julian didn't.
Jon introduced him proudly to Steven.
"This is my little brother," Jon had said with a warm smile. "He's got talent, you'll see."
But at that ti, Julian shrugged off Jon's hand imdiately. "Don't introduce like that," he'd muttered, glaring at his brother. "We're not brothers."
Steven had tried to smooth things over, cracking a joke about sibling rivalries, but Julian hadn't laughed. The kid was brimming with resentnt, and it was clear he didn't want to be associated with Jon.
It had been heartbreaking for Jon, who'd confided in Steven afterward. "I just want us to be close. Our parents might not have gotten along well, but that shouldn't continue with us," Jon had said.
When Jon passed away suddenly, Steven was devastated. He thought Julian would be too. However, Julian hadn't even shown up to the funeral.
But then, last year, Steven found sothing strange with him.
Watching Julian on the court felt surreal. It was like seeing Jonathan again. It was an imitation, down to the smallest detail.
Steven couldn't explain it. How had Julian gone from diocre to extraordinary so quickly?
Was it a gift from Jon, who was in the afterlife? A legacy passed down in ways Steven couldn't comprehend?
But then again, Jon and Julian hadn't even gotten along. Why would Jon's brilliance find its way to soone who had resented him so much?
"Sir?" Kai called, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"That's a tricky question," Steven said after a long silence.
Then, he shook his head with a small smile. "A tricky question that I'm not willing to answer."
Kai frowned. "But you told you can answer one question, sir."
Steven pursed my lips. "I can take back my word if I want to."
"Good luck with your ga, kid," Steven said, cutting their conversation short. "I'm looking forward to seeing what you've got."
Kai watched as Steven walked away. Steven hadn't answered the question outright, but he hadn't denied it either.
And that silence was more telling than any direct response could have been.
"Not answering is still a form of an answer," Kai whispered.
Julian Barker had definitely inherited Jonathan Samson's system.
Kai smiled as he stared at the empty corridor.
Thankfully, Kai knew Jonathan Samson really well. He was one of his idols, after all.
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