The game resumed, but nothing seemed to change.
The Australian team continued to dominate the game, and their confidence grew with every possession.
On the bench, Kai sat in silence, his eyes fixed on the court. Coach Xu Wei hadn't even glanced his way since the start.
He knew why. He was young, untested on the international stage.
Beside him, Jimmy was in the same boat, sitting idle with his legs bouncing restlessly. "This isn't what I thought it'd be like," Jimmy muttered under his breath. "I figured they'd at least try us out, you know?"
"Especially since my dad is watching," he muttered to himself but Kai heard him clearly.
Kai didn't respond. He knew exactly what Jimmy meant. As much as he respected the veterans, watching the game slip further out of reach while sitting on the bench was unbearable.
The camera panned to Kai for a moment, and a murmur spread through the crowd. Online, comments flooded in under the live feed.
