"Aren't you always practicing?" After class, Kobe asked curiously, watching Su Feng collapsed like a dog on the court.
"Without being ruthless, one can't stand tall!" Su Feng gasped, hands on his knees.
Looking at Su Feng, Kobe felt his obsession with basketball was on par with his own.
Too bad… the talent was a little—
"Oh right, I wanted to ask you something, Su."
While warming up and casually shooting hoops, Kobe glanced over and said, "You mentioned this morning that you study at Nefalia, right? Also, judging by your accent and appearance, you're Chinese, right? And the only Chinese student at your school?"
Su Feng nodded. "Let me answer all three at once—yes!"
Hearing that, Kobe set the ball aside and exhaled. "No wonder you don't need to attend class..."
"So you're the 'Superman' everyone's been talking about!" Kobe added.
Su Feng: "..."
Wait, what?
Superman?
What does that even mean?
Su Feng glanced cautiously at his lower half—nope, no red underwear over tights...
Eventually, under Kobe's explanation, Su Feng figured out the story.
Apparently, his calm and heroic act the other day had spread across Philadelphia high schools like wildfire.
Back in 1994, information didn't travel as fast as it does now, but that just made it easier for the story to get distorted.
Somehow, between all the retellings, Su Feng had been elevated to "Superman" status.
"They say you were sent to protect the Earth," Kobe said with a straight face.
Su Feng rubbed his temples, exasperated. "I knew it… teenagers in the future are going to be just as delusional."
That was America in the '90s—science fiction movies were all the rage, and people were fascinated by the unknown, the cosmos, the stars.
And since information mostly spread via newspapers and TV, rumors could easily get out of hand.
Still, Su Feng reminded himself: always believe in science. And sports should always aim for faster, higher, stronger.
"Seriously, what made you go out of your way to save someone?" Kobe asked, genuinely curious.
After thinking for a moment, Su Feng replied seriously, "Maybe because I'm an Aries."
Kobe: insert O'Neal black question mark meme.jpg
"The book says Aries boys are kind," Su Feng added innocently.
Kobe, still unfamiliar with horoscopes, looked intrigued. "What about Virgos and Leos?"
"Well, the book says to avoid Virgos…"
"As for Leos… I think they're compatible with Aries?" Su Feng said earnestly.
Kobe was annoyed at first—what's so wrong with Virgos? But hearing the second part made him shiver.
Wait a second... is this guy for real?
Cough, cough!
After another day of training, Su Feng realized he and Kobe actually had a lot in common.
From technique and tactics to basketball "black tech," they could talk endlessly.
And after Kobe learned about Su Feng's "heroics" from the other day, his attitude shifted noticeably.
Su Feng sensed that Kobe was starting to genuinely consider him a friend.
Three days later...
"You're improving really fast," Kobe said, surprised, watching Su Feng at a street court in Market Street.
Kobe had initially thought Su Feng lacked talent—but just three days later, his view changed.
Though Su Feng had only gone from a casual enthusiast to a serious hobbyist in Kobe's eyes, the speed of his progress left a deep impression.
"Well, what did you expect? Who's been playing one-on-one with you nonstop these days?" Su Feng grinned.
He understood Kobe's character well. As someone born on the cusp of Virgo and Leo, Kobe had both Virgo's perfectionism and Leo's pride.
To deal with Kobe, you needed the right balance of flattery and candor—never overdo it, but never miss the mark either.
Sure enough, when Su Feng said that, Kobe's expression twitched ever so slightly.
He tried to stay cool, but his eyebrows betrayed him.
Su Feng had just taken a perfect shot—and he knew it.
There was a touch of resentment in his voice (clearly still sore from Kobe going hard on him the past few days), but also a subtle tone of admiration. Kobe found it quite satisfying.
In Su Feng's past life, Kobe was considered a difficult teammate. But Su Feng didn't think Kobe's personality was that special.
After all, internet forums had psychoanalyzed him to death.
Once you got used to it, Kobe wasn't hard to get along with.
Same goes for O'Neal—he only understood what a "black-hearted" coach was like after meeting Pat Riley.
Earth ain't easy!
"By the way, the Finals are starting soon. Want to come over to my place and watch?" Kobe asked after another intense workout.
"The Finals?" Su Feng blinked, then quickly remembered.
Of course—the 1993–94 NBA Finals were just days away. After Jordan's retirement, this series was dubbed "The Season Without a God."
Su Feng remembered bits and pieces from his past life—mostly from highlight reels and Baidu. If memory served, this year's Finals would be a showdown between Olajuwon and Ewing.
The Knicks and Rockets would battle it out in seven games. In the end, Olajuwon would take the crown and cement his legacy among the four great centers.
The reason Olajuwon was often considered the best among the four was largely due to his Finals wins over both Ewing and a young Shaq.
Poor Ewing...
The guy was destined to be the background character—on the court or atop the Empire State Building.
"Sure!"
Su Feng welcomed the invitation. It was a great opportunity to bond with Kobe.
Besides, he didn't even have a TV in his rented apartment.
He wanted to see for himself whether the Finals back then were as intense and raw as people claimed online.
"Then it's settled!" Kobe said, smiling.
Despite his rising fame, Kobe had very few—if any—friends at school.
He once said in an interview that he felt isolated from a young age.
Growing up, constantly moving with his father, Kobe had only basketball as a companion.
In high school, his demanding standards for himself and his teammates made others wary of approaching him.
No one wanted to offend the school's ace.
But ever since meeting Su Feng, Kobe felt like he'd finally met a kindred spirit.
Their shared love for basketball, Su Feng's dream of making it to the NBA—Kobe didn't laugh at him. In fact, he looked at Su Feng with newfound respect.
And in those grueling one-on-one sessions over the past few days, a true friendship was forged.
In Philadelphia, at four in the morning, a bridge of brotherhood was quietly built.
Kobe admired Su Feng's love for the game—and Su Feng? He wanted what Kobe had.
In short, a wonderful start.