The sun hasn't even risen yet, but the basketball court was already noisy.
No, it wasn't because of a bunch of old men competitively playing chess. It also wasn't the sound of badly-remixed music that middle-aged women used to dance for their Zumba classes.
Instead, it was because of two young boys training at dawn, wanting to make sure that one was ready for the upcoming game.
"Again!" Kai barked from his wheelchair, holding a stopwatch in one hand and a notebook in the other.
"Again?" Aiden wheezed. "I'm dying here!"
Kai barely looked up, scribbling something in the notebook. "You think the Chinese team was granted a chance to play at the quarterfinals by whining? Do it again!"
Aiden groaned and jogged back to the three-point line, his steps faltering. He dribbled awkwardly, barely managing a crossover before attempting a layup. The ball clanged against the rim and ricocheted off.
