บท 12: Basketball Court

Noah arrived home around 9:20 PM, the darkened sky outside signalling the late hour. It was early January, and the sun had already set around 6 PM, leaving the streets bathed in the dim glow of streetlights.

As he stepped out of the car and approached his house, he noticed that the windows were dark. It wasn't unusual—his parents often went to bed early.

His dad had a demanding job, and coupled with his health issues, it meant that by 9 PM, both of his parents were typically already asleep.

Noah quietly unlocked the front door and slipped inside. The house was silent, a comforting stillness that he was accustomed to.

He flicked on a small lamp near the entrance, casting a soft light across the room, careful not to disturb the peacefulness.

As he moved through the house, he couldn't shake the thoughts that had been weighing on his mind. The money he'd earned from the system was already significant, and it would only continue to grow.

But how could he explain it to his parents? He couldn't just come out and say that he had a system that made him rich. They would think he was lying or, worse, doing something illegal.

He paused in the hallway, considering his options. The system was something he couldn't reveal to anyone, not because he didn't trust his parents, but because the potential consequences were too great.

A slip-up could lead to questions he couldn't answer, or worse, put them in danger.

"I need a plan," he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair. He knew that eventually, he would have to come up with a believable story, something that would satisfy his parents without raising suspicion.

But for now, he needed to focus on more immediate concerns, like the upcoming mock exams he'd mentioned to them earlier as an excuse for being out late.

Noah made his way to his room, the weight of his thoughts heavy on his shoulders. As he closed the door behind him, he resolved to figure out a way to introduce the money slowly, perhaps as earnings from an investment or a small business. Something that wouldn't raise eyebrows.

After mulling over his thoughts for a while, Noah decided to shake off the weight of his worries and head to the bathroom.

The hot water of the shower was soothing, helping to clear his mind, and the familiar routine of brushing his teeth brought a sense of normalcy back to his evening.

As he finished up, he glanced at the clock on the wall and realized it was still only 10 PM. It wasn't that late after all.

Back in his room, Noah sat on the edge of his bed and grabbed the white bag with the bitten apple logo on it. He carefully unboxed his new iPhone, the sleek device gleaming under the soft light of his lamp.

Setting it up didn't take long, and soon enough, he was holding the brand-new phone in his hand, its high-resolution screen lighting up as he navigated through the setup process.

With everything in place, Noah leaned back against his pillows and began scrolling through social media. The endless stream of videos and posts provided a quick hit of dopamine, each swipe giving him a brief distraction from the thoughts that had been circling his mind earlier.

He knew it wasn't the healthiest way to wind down, but in that moment, it was what he needed. The bright screen and engaging content helped him detach, offering a temporary escape from reality.

As the minutes ticked by, Noah found himself getting more and more absorbed in the content, his focus drifting as the videos played.

He barely noticed when his eyelids started to grow heavy, the fatigue of the day catching up to him. Eventually, his scrolling slowed, and without realizing it, he drifted off to sleep, the phone slipping from his hand and resting beside him on the bed.

The soft glow of the phone screen illuminated his peaceful expression as a video continued to play, its sound barely audible in the quiet room.

The day had been long and full of action, but now, in the stillness of the night, Noah finally found the rest he needed, his mind easing into dreamland.

Next day, Early Morning...

Noah woke up feeling refreshed and full of energy. The good night's sleep had done wonders for him, and as he went through his morning routine—brushing his teeth, washing his face—he felt ready to take on the day.

He headed toward the living room, where his family always gathered for breakfast.

As soon as he entered the room, his little sister Emily spotted him. Her eyes lit up, and she jumped out of her chair, running toward him with all the enthusiasm her small frame could muster. "Big Brother!!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Emily!" Noah replied, matching her excitement as he scooped her up in a hug. He lifted her off the ground for a moment before gently setting her back down. "Good morning," he said warmly, looking over at his parents who were already seated at the table.

"Morning, Noah," his father replied with a nod, while his mother smiled warmly at the sight of her children together.

Noah gently placed Emily back in her chair, ruffling her hair as he did. He took his seat at the table, but when he saw what was for breakfast—cornflakes again—his resolve to introduce his newfound wealth to his family strengthened. They deserved better.

He decided to ease into the conversation. "Mom, Dad," he began, "Aiden and I have started a small business on the side. Aiden's handling most of the upfront costs and some of the technical stuff, and I'm focusing on the skill side of things."

His mother's expression shifted to one of concern. "But Noah, you already have work on the weekends. If you add this to your schedule, it might hinder your studies," she said, her worry evident in her voice.

"Don't worry, Mom," Noah reassured her. "I quit my other job because we've already started making money from this business. It's more than what I was earning from manual labour." realising that he still hasn't called his boss to say he quit.

His mother still looked worried, but his father intervened. "Leave him be, Caroline. He's a grown man now, and he seems to be doing well for himself. Just make sure you don't overdo it," his father said, taking a sip of his tea.

Noah nodded in agreement, grateful for his father's support. He quickly finished his breakfast alongside Emily, who chattered away about her day ahead.

After finishing, Noah stood up, ruffling Emily's hair one last time before heading out. "Bye, Mom, Dad," he called as he left the house.

As they walked toward Emily's school, Noah leaned down and whispered, "I got you a gift, Emily."

"Really?" she gasped, her eyes widening with excitement. "What is it?"

"It's a secret," Noah teased, smiling at her eagerness. "I'll give it to you later at home."

Emily practically bounced with joy. "I can't wait!" she squealed, holding his hand tightly as they continued walking.

After dropping Emily off at school, Noah made his way to his first class of the day: Physical Education.

Arriving at the basketball court, Noah noticed that several students had already gathered, their chatter filling the crisp morning air.

Among them were familiar faces—Aiden, who was already waving enthusiastically at him, the icy school flower Lily, standing off to the side with her usual cool demeanour, and Mark, who was glaring at him from across the court.

Mark's friends were huddled close, whispering something that caused them to snicker, their eyes flickering toward Noah with clear disdain.

Noah ignored the stares and made his way over to Aiden, who wasted no time in launching into a conversation. "Hey, Noah! Let's hit up the skewer shop again after school today. I've been craving those skewers all night!" Aiden's eyes lit up at the mere thought of his new favourite spot.

Noah shook his head with a chuckle. "Chill, man. We can't be going there every day. I've got something to work on later."

Aiden pouted, putting on an exaggerated look of sadness. "You're killing me, Noah. Skewers are life!"

Noah laughed, giving him a playful shove. "You'll survive. Besides, we've got basketball today, pray that you are placed in my team otherwise, you are bound to lose."

Aiden sighed dramatically but quickly shifted gears. "Yeah, about that... Do you think Coach is gonna make us run drills all period, or are we actually gonna play a game? I heard Mark's been talking big like he's gonna dominate the court today."

Noah glanced over at Mark, who was still throwing daggers his way with his eyes. "Let him talk," Noah said calmly. "We'll see what happens on the court."

As they spoke, the coach blew the whistle, signalling the start of the lesson. The students began to gather in a loose circle around him, anticipation buzzing in the air. Basketball was always a highlight in PE, and today seemed like it was going to be no different

"Alright, everyone, warm up for the first 10 minutes! I want to see 5 laps around the court, followed by 10 push-ups and 20 squats. And don't forget to mix in some dynamic stretches—prevention is better than cure!" Coach William's voice rang out as he blew the whistle, signaling the start.

The students immediately got moving. After just 5 minutes of running, Aiden was already struggling, his breath coming in heavy gasps, and his belly jiggling with each step.

Noah couldn't resist a jab. "Aiden, you've got to work on that stamina. How are you going to fight or flee when it really counts?"

Aiden shot back, his voice strained, "Shut up, Noah! It's those skewers from yesterday. They threw me off."

"Sure, blame the skewers," Noah chuckled as he dropped down to start his push-ups.

The warm-up flew by, and soon Coach William called them back in. "Alright, time's up! Let's get into teams."

To Noah's surprise, he found himself grouped with Aiden, Lily, and Layla, while Mark and his friends were lined up on the opposing team.

Noah quickly brushed off any thoughts of Layla, focusing instead on the game ahead.

The shrill blast of Coach William's whistle pierced the morning air, signalling that the game was about to commence. The two teams gathered at the centre of the court. Coach William pulled out a coin from his pocket to decide which team would start with possession.

"Heads or tails?" Coach asked, looking between Noah and Mark.

"Tails," Noah replied calmly.

Coach flipped the coin high into the air, all eyes following its arc as it spun and landed deftly back into his palm. He revealed the result with a slight smirk. "Heads it is. Mark's team starts."

Mark's lips curled into a smug grin as he grabbed the ball, his eyes locking onto Noah's with a fierce intensity. Stepping closer, he leaned in and hissed, just loud enough for Noah to hear, "I'm going to humiliate you in front of everyone, Noah. Get ready to eat dust."

As those words hung in the air, a familiar chime resonated in Noah's mind, and a translucent screen appeared before his eyes, invisible to everyone else.

[Ding! Ultimate Choice System Activated!]

Option 1: Lose to Mark.

[Reward: -10 Affection with Lily]

Option 2: Win against Mark but don't humiliate him.

[Reward: Basic Basketball Skills]

Option 3: Humiliate Mark and destroy him.

[Reward: Intermediate Basketball Skills and +5 Affection with Lily]

Noah's eyes scanned the options swiftly, his decision clear even before he finished reading. Option 3, he thought decisively.