Chapter 24: UNEXPECTED TRAINING

Morning sunlight started sneaking in through the gaps in the worn-out apartment curtains, illuminating the small room that had been Kai’s home for the past two years. The golden rays fell right on his face, waking him from a fairly deep sleep—for the first time in a long while, he didn’t dream about fire and blood. Kai opened his eyes slowly, feeling his body still a little sore after a night on the old, uncomfortable sofa. But this time, there was a different feeling enveloping him—an unusual lightness, a feeling that made him want to get up and start the day right away, a feeling he hadn’t felt since before the war ended.

He stretched on the sofa, rolling his stiff shoulders, then sat up straight. His eyes unintentionally landed on the cabinet in the corner of the room—where the old revolver was buried under a pile of dirty laundry that hadn’t been washed in a week. The revolver that used to accompany his lonely nights, the revolver that always went "click" instead of "bang" every time he pulled the trigger. The revolver with one bullet that never wanted to come out. Now, that revolver no longer caught his attention. He no longer felt the need to take it out. He no longer felt the need to play the same deadly game every night. Something had changed in him, and he didn’t want to stop it.

Kai looked away from the cabinet, then stood up and walked toward the bathroom at the end of the room. His steps were slow and heavy on the creaky wooden floor, as usual, but this time there was a spirit accompanying every step. Cold water flowed from the old rusted faucet, and Kai washed his face until the drowsiness completely disappeared, until his skin felt fresh and his eyes opened wide. He stared at the mirror—a twenty-four-year-old man with black hair that was starting to look neat, eyes that were no longer sunken, and a thin scar on his left cheek. There was something different in his eyes today. Something he didn’t recognize. Something that looked like... hope. Hope he thought had died years ago, hope that was starting to grow again after he decided to live—not for himself, but for them.

Kai dried his face with a dull towel that had lost its original color, then took the black jacket hanging behind the door. The same jacket he’d worn yesterday—still wrinkled, still untidy, still full of creases on the sleeves and back—but this time he didn’t care as much. He was starting to get used to this outfit, starting to accept that he would never look like a perfectly neat teacher. He slipped his arms into the jacket sleeves, buttoned it with more confidence, and straightened his red tie with more skillful movements than usual. He was learning from his mistakes, and that was something he’d never done before—learn from mistakes without having to pay with life or blood.

Quickly, Kai grabbed his old backpack, peeling in several places, its shoulder strap starting to break on one side, and checked its contents. An old leather wallet with a few thinning bills, a rusted apartment key, an old phone that could only be used for calls and texts, and an old alarm clock he’d properly turned off before sleeping—no more embarrassing incidents like yesterday. He put everything into the bag, hoisted it onto his shoulder, and walked toward the door. He opened it, stepped out, and closed it softly behind him. The sound of the key turning in the lock echoed, and he descended the stairs with lighter steps than usual.

Outside the apartment, the morning air was still fresh and cool, with a thin layer of dew still clinging to the wild grass by the roadside. Kai walked along the sidewalk with lighter steps than usual. He passed the bakery that emitted a fragrant aroma—the smell of freshly baked bread that always made his stomach growl—passed the small garden with flowers starting to bloom after last night’s rain, and passed a group of children playing cheerfully in an open field. Everything looked beautiful, everything felt perfect. I don’t remember the last time I felt like this, Kai thought as he kept walking, his eyes observing his surroundings differently than usual—not searching for threats, but enjoying the view. Maybe... this is happiness. Maybe this is what living feels like. Maybe all this time I was just surviving, but now I’m truly living.

Kai passed a woman watering her plants in front of her house, and she smiled at him. Kai returned it with a small nod. He passed an old man reading a newspaper on his porch, and they nodded at each other. He passed a small child chasing a cat, and the child’s laughter sounded like tiny bells in the quiet morning. All of this still exists, Kai thought. Life still goes on, even after the war. Even after everything that happened. Even after I almost died. Life still goes on, and I... I’m still here, being part of it all. And in his chest, something warm started to grow—something he didn’t recognize, but he didn’t want to stop it. Maybe it was hope. Maybe it was gratitude. Maybe it was just the feeling that he was still alive, and that was enough.

Upon arriving at the gates of Phoenix Academy, Kai was greeted by Leina’s smile, standing by the fence as usual. Her shoulder-length black hair looked fresh, tied half-back with a simple clip. She wore a white blouse and a long gray skirt, with a book in her hand—maybe an attendance book, maybe notes—and she waved at Kai when she saw him coming.

"Good morning, Mr. Kai. You look fresher today than yesterday. Did you get enough sleep?"

"Good morning, Ms. Leina. Maybe because I’m starting to get used to this routine. Or maybe because it’s bright today."

"Good. I hope you have a pleasant day. And don’t forget, if you need help, I’m in the teachers’ office."

"Thank you, Ms. Leina. I hope you have a pleasant day too."

Kai walked toward the school building with light steps. He climbed the stairs to the second floor, passing through the corridor that was starting to get busy with arriving students. The sounds of laughter and chatter filled the morning air, and some students greeted him with smiles. Occasionally he greeted passing students, and they replied with smiles that warmed his heart even more. Some called him "Mr. Kai" with familiar tones, some just nodded, and some smiled shyly. Everything felt different from last week. Everything felt better.

When Kai opened the door to Class IX-9, he saw his students already sitting neatly at their desks. They were chatting casually, and some of them smiled when they saw Kai enter. Mira waved enthusiastically, Rin nodded with a small smile, and Ella already had her notebook open with a pen in hand. The classroom atmosphere felt more alive than usual. There was energy flowing through the room, energy that made Kai want to smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Kai!" Mira exclaimed enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling as usual.

"Good morning, everyone."

Kai walked to the front of the class, set his things down on the teacher’s desk, and started teaching as usual. He explained about literature, about poetry and its building elements, about metaphors and personification. But this time, his mind drifted elsewhere. I need to find additional members for the basketball and volleyball teams. We don’t have enough players to compete optimally. Only Rin and a few friends for basketball, only Ella and a few friends for volleyball. We need more. But where can I get them?

He stood in front of the blackboard, chalk in hand, but his hand didn’t move. His eyes stared blankly at the still-empty board, as if searching for words he couldn’t find. The students started exchanging glances with confused expressions. Silence. Quiet. Unusual stillness.

"Mr. Kai?" Ella called from the front row, her voice cautious and full of concern. "Are you okay?"

Kai blinked, returning to reality. "Huh? Yes, I’m fine. Sorry, I was daydreaming for a moment."

"You looked very serious," Rin said with raised eyebrows, her sharp eyes looking at Kai with curiosity. "Is something on your mind? You’ve been quiet in front of the board for a while."

"You’ve been quiet for a while," Mira added in a soft voice, her usually cheerful eyes now filled with worry. "Like there’s a burden on your mind. Is there a problem? You can tell us. We can help."

"If there’s a problem, you can tell us," Iris continued with a mysterious smile, her eyes looking at Kai with scrutiny. "We can help. We’re not students who just stay quiet and listen, Sir. We care."

Kai smiled slightly, touched by their concern. "There’s no big problem. I was just... thinking about the competition. We’re still short on members for the basketball and volleyball teams. We don’t have enough players to join all the events."

"Short on members?" Rin asked with a furrowed brow, her hands stopping their tapping on the desk. "But we already have teams, right? I’m ready for basketball, Ella’s ready for volleyball. Isn’t that enough?"

"For volleyball, Ella and a few other friends are ready. For basketball, Rin and a few other friends are ready too. But we still need more players. The competition requires complete teams, and we don’t have enough people to fill all positions. We need backups, we need substitutes, we need enough strength."

The room fell silent. The students exchanged glances with worried expressions. Aria started biting her nails, Luna stared out the window with empty eyes, and Fay, who usually smiled, was now just silent.

"So... we can’t join the competition?" Aria asked in a soft voice, her nail-biting fingers moving faster.

"We can," Kai answered firmly, his eyes looking at Aria gently. "We just need to find additional members. I’ll find a way. Don’t worry."

The break bell rang, a long sound echoing through the school, signaling that the first lesson period was over. The students started getting up from their desks, some going out to get food, some staying in the classroom. But before they left, Ella stood up and walked toward Kai with an unusually serious expression. Her notebook was closed, but the pen was still in her hand.

"Mr. Kai," Ella said in a soft voice, her eyes looking at Kai with full determination. "Actually... I’ve been thinking about that."

Kai blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I’ve already found a few students from other classes who might want to join us. I’ve talked to them, and they agreed to help." Ella’s voice was firm and confident, as usual.

Kai’s eyes widened. "Really? Who are they?"

"They’re waiting outside. Can I call them in?"

Kai nodded quickly, unable to hide his excitement. "Of course! Call them in."

Ella walked toward the door and opened it slowly. From outside, six female students entered with hesitant steps, like lambs about to be slaughtered. They lined up at the front of the class with expressions between nervous and anxious. Some of them looked down, some bit their lips, and some clutched the edges of their uniforms tightly. Kai observed them one by one—their faces showed clear discomfort, as if they’d rather be somewhere else.

"Mr. Kai," Ella said in a firm voice, standing beside the new students. "They’re the friends who agreed to join our team. They’ll be our teammates for the volleyball and basketball competitions."

Kai smiled widely, feeling relieved and grateful. "Thank you, Ella. This really helps. Truly."

But his smile immediately faded when he saw the expressions on the new students’ faces. They didn’t look happy. Didn’t look enthusiastic. All that showed was deep fear and doubt. Their eyes were restless, their shoulders slumped, and some of them even looked like they were about to cry.

"What’s wrong?" Kai asked in a soft voice, approaching them with slow steps. "You look uncomfortable. Is there something I can help with?"

One of the students—with short hair and eyes that always looked down—answered in a soft voice, barely audible. "We... we can’t play basketball or volleyball, Sir. We’ve never been taught. We’ve never been given a chance."

"We’re here because Ella forced us," another student added in a trembling voice, her eyes starting to glisten. "We’re actually not competent in sports. We’re always the backups in our own class. We’re never chosen for any team."

"We’re always the last ones picked," a third student continued, biting her lip. "We’re never considered good enough. Even our PE teacher never pays attention to us."

Kai heard all of that, and his chest felt tight. Not because he was angry, but because he understood. He understood the feeling of never being chosen, never being considered good enough, never being given a chance. He understood the feeling of being last, being the most unwanted, being the most worthless. He’d felt all of that before, and he knew how much it hurt.

He looked at Ella, who seemed a little guilty. "Ella, is it true they were forced?"

Ella sighed, her eyes looking down for a moment before looking at Kai again. "I didn’t force them, Sir. I just... persuaded them. I said this was a chance to prove themselves. I said they could learn. But I didn’t expect them to be this anxious. I’m sorry."

Kai nodded slowly, then turned to face the new students. He looked at them one by one, trying to read what was behind their fear. "Listen," he said in a gentle but firm voice, a voice trying to soothe. "I know you lack confidence. I know you feel incapable. But I’m here to teach you. I don’t care if you’ve never played before. What I care about is your willingness to learn. That’s all."

"But, Sir..." one of the students tried to cut in, but Kai raised his hand, stopping her.

"No buts. You’re here now. And you’re going to be part of this team. I won’t let you feel worthless anymore. I’ll teach you everything you need. From scratch. From the beginning. I don’t care how long it takes."

The students exchanged glances, still doubtful. Some of them bit their lips, some looked down, and some looked at Kai with eyes starting to glisten.

"Do you trust me?" Kai asked.

Silence for a moment. Then, one of the students nodded slowly. Followed by another. Slowly, the doubt on their faces started to fade, replaced by a small hope starting to grow.

"I trust you, Sir," said the short-haired student with a voice starting to steady.

"Me too," another added.

"I’ll try," whispered the third.

Kai smiled. A genuine smile. A smile that made the new students feel a little calmer. "Good. Now, let’s start training."

On the basketball court, Kai gathered all his students. The basketball team led by Rin, the volleyball team led by Ella, and the six new students who would become additional members. They stood in two groups, waiting for instructions from Kai. Rin was already bouncing the ball with an improving rhythm, Ella was already holding the volleyball with the correct hand position.

"Alright, everyone," Kai said in a firm voice loud enough for all his students to hear. "Today we’re going to start serious training. We don’t have much time—only a few days left before the festival begins—but I’ll make sure you’re ready. I’ll teach you everything you need."

"First, for the basketball team," Kai continued, looking at Rin and her team. "I’ll teach you some very important basic techniques. This is the foundation of all movements in basketball."

Kai took the basketball and stood in the middle of the court. He held the ball with both hands, feeling its rough leather texture.

"First, about dribbling. Rin, you already know the basics. But for those of you who are new," Kai looked at the three new students who would join the basketball team, "I’ll teach you from the beginning. From zero."

Kai demonstrated how to dribble correctly—hands should be relaxed, fingers spread open, and the ball should be bounced beside the body, not in front. "Never look at the ball when dribbling. Your eyes should always be looking forward, watching your opponents and teammates. If you look at the ball, you lose sight of the game."

"Then, about passing," Kai continued. "There are two types of passes most commonly used in basketball: the chest pass and the bounce pass."

Kai demonstrated the chest pass—throwing the ball from the chest with both hands, elbows straight forward, and wrists pushing the ball out. The ball shot straight and fast. Then the bounce pass—throwing the ball to bounce off the floor to reach a teammate, using the bounce to avoid opponents’ hands.

"The chest pass is faster and more accurate for short distances. The bounce pass is harder for opponents to anticipate because it bounces, but it’s slower. Choose the right one for the situation."

"And most importantly," Kai said seriously, his eyes looking at all his students with full attention. "About defense. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, knees bent, and hands spread wide. Never leave the opponent you’re guarding. Stay between the opponent and the hoop. If your opponent moves, you move. If your opponent is still, you stay alert."

"One secret tip for beginners," Kai added with a small smile, trying to lighten the mood. "If you feel overwhelmed, focus on one thing: don’t let your opponent get past you. That alone can make a difference in the game. If you can defend, your team can attack."

Kai gave some professional tips he’d learned from his military experience—about how to read opponents’ movements, how to anticipate the ball’s direction, how to maintain stamina throughout the game. The new students listened carefully, moving from doubt to curiosity, from curiosity to interest.

"Now, let’s practice," Kai said. "Rin, you’ll be the example. Show them how to do the chest pass correctly."

Rin took her position, her eyes focused on Kai. She threw the ball perfectly toward Kai—the ball shot straight and fast, right at Kai’s chest. A satisfying slap sound echoed when the ball hit Kai’s palm. The new students were amazed, their eyes wide.

"Good," Kai praised. "Now it’s your turn. Try to do it like Rin."

"For the volleyball team," Kai continued after the basketball session ended. He walked to the volleyball court on the other side, where Ella and her team were already waiting with volleyballs in their hands. Ella stood at the front of her group, her notebook already full of scribbles.

"Ella, you already know the basic techniques. But for those of you who are new," Kai looked at the three new students who would join the volleyball team, "I’ll teach you from the beginning."

Kai took the volleyball and stood in the middle of the court. The volleyball felt lighter in his hands, different from the heavy basketball.

"First, about hand position when receiving the ball," Kai said, demonstrating the correct position. "Hands clasped together, arms straight, and knees slightly bent. Never receive the ball with open palms. Use your forearms to direct the ball. This will give you better control."

"Then, about serving," Kai continued. "There are two types of serves commonly used: the underhand serve and the overhand serve."

Kai demonstrated the underhand serve—the ball tossed gently then hit with a clenched fist, producing a low, stable arc. Then the overhand serve—the ball tossed up then hit with an open palm, producing a faster ball that was harder for opponents to receive.

"The underhand serve is easier to control and suitable for beginners. The overhand serve is harder but more effective for scoring points. For those of you just learning, start with the underhand serve first."

"And most importantly," Kai said seriously, "about positioning. In volleyball, each player has different positions. There’s the setter who sets up attacks, the spiker who hits the ball, the libero who defends, and the blocker who blocks opponent attacks. But for beginners, the most important thing is that you know where to stand and when to move."

"Secret tip for beginners," Kai added. "If the ball comes toward you, don’t panic. Focus on the ball, not on the opponent. And remember, volleyball is about teamwork. If you can’t take the ball, tell your teammate. Communication is key."

Kai gave professional tips about how to read the ball’s direction, how to anticipate opponent attacks, and how to maintain communication on the court. The new students listened attentively, their eyes not blinking.

"Now, let’s practice," Kai said. "Ella, you’ll be the example. Show them how to do the underhand serve correctly."

Ella took her position, her eyes focused on the ball. She tossed the ball gently, then hit it with her clenched fist. The ball flew low and crossed the net perfectly, landing exactly on the other side of the court. The new students clapped in admiration.

"Good," Kai praised. "Now it’s your turn. Don’t be afraid to fail. Failing is part of learning."

The training lasted a full two hours. The new students started from hesitation, then slowly began to gain confidence. Rin and Ella helped them patiently, giving encouragement and support without end.

"You can do it!" Rin called out to one of the new students trying to dribble for the first time. "Don’t look at the ball! Look forward! I know you can!"

"Your arms are too stiff," Ella said to another new student trying to receive the volleyball. "Relax a little. Like this. Try again, this time more relaxed."

"You almost got it!" Mira called from the sidelines, clapping enthusiastically. "Try one more time! I’m sure this time will work!"

"You can do it," Luna whispered from the corner, her voice barely audible but full of support.

"I believe in you," Nora said in a calm voice, her eyes looking at the new student with full conviction.

Kai watched them from a distance, and a small smile formed on his face—a smile he couldn’t hide. They’re starting to learn. They’re starting to believe. And that’s enough. That’s more than enough.

After training ended, Kai gathered all his students in the middle of the field. The sun was starting to set on the western horizon, creating a beautiful orange sky with gradients from orange to purple. Sweat dampened their foreheads, but smiles never left their faces.

"Alright, everyone," Kai said in a firm voice. "Today’s training is over. I’m proud of you. You’ve shown amazing spirit. Especially those of you who just joined—you dared to try, and that’s more than I asked for."

"But remember," Kai continued, his eyes looking at all his students one by one. "This training isn’t just about winning. It’s about your journey. It’s about discovering strength within yourselves you never knew existed. It’s about learning that you can do anything if you’re willing to try."

"And most importantly," Kai said in a soft voice, his eyes looking at them with full sincerity. "You’re not alone. I’m here. We’re all here. And we’re going to do this together. Until the end."

The students nodded enthusiastically. Smiles started appearing on their faces, replacing the doubt that had been there before. Some of them even clapped, celebrating their small achievements today.

"Tomorrow we train again. Make sure you come on time. And don’t forget to get enough rest."

"Yes, Sir!" the students exclaimed in unison, their voices echoing across the now-quiet field.

"Mr. Kai," one of the new students called in a soft voice, her eyes looking at Kai with gratitude. "Thank you for giving us a chance."

"We’ll do our best," another student added.

"We won’t let you down, Sir," whispered a third.

Kai smiled. "I know you won’t let me down. You already proved it today."