Lin Fan and Lu Keran were sneaking out of the school's high fenced-wall which was near their botanical garden behind the school building. They think it was a great spot to break out because there were trees that would cover them from escaping school and it was out of sight from anyone, especially the faculty. Lin Fan gave Lu Keran a boost up so she could reach and climb up to the top. Lu Keran used her upper muscles' strength to lift herself and when she was able to climb on the top. Lu Keran held on to the pillar to reach for Lin Fan. "Grab my hand." When Lin Fan held onto Lu Keran's hand and was about to climb up, Lu Keran let go of Lin Fan's hand; they were startled when someone approached them from behind.

"Are you two going home?" Xiaotang asked curiously when she saw them bringing their bags with them. It made Lin Fan shrieked as her heart skipped a beat.

Lu Keran almost fell from the wall. "Darn you Xiaotang, you startled me," She held on to the pillar tightly, her heart was thumping.

Xiaotang laughed when she saw the horror on their faces. "Hahaha! If you could have seen your faces, I'm sure you'd laugh too."

"Ha-ha very funny," Lu Keran said sarcastically. "Help Lin Fan up, will you?"

"What about Yuyan?" Lin Fan asked Lu Keran. She thought they were going together as planned.

"Let her, I think she won't come," Lu Keran said, looking at them below. Yuyan promised them that she would be their third-man-player but she's disappointed at her when the latter didn't come on time. Instead, Xiaotang showed up. It wasn't as bad as she thought, in fact, Xiaotang's presence saved them.

"Oh, she's part of this? Where are you going?" Xiaotang looked at both of them.

"Basketball court near the North Jade," Lin Fan told her.

"What for?"

"Actually, those darn students from the North Jade All-Girls High School challenged us a basketball game," Lu Keran answered.

"Oh, why now? You can play after school," Xiaotang told them. There is always time for it but why does it have to be during class hours? They knew it's against school rules to cut class. Everyone in the world knows that rule. It's the basic rule of all rules.

"Xiaotang, you don't know sh*t. This is a battle of pride, our school versus their school," Lu Keran told her like it was a matter of life and death.

Still, it didn't make sense for Xiaotang but for friendship, she'll do anything for her friends. They only need one player and basketball is her specialty. After all, she's not the point guard of their school's basketball team for nothing. "I know we'll get into trouble. I promised someone that I'd not get into any, but since it's you guys..." She sighed as she had already made up her mind. "I'm in."

Lin Fan and Lu Keran were glad to hear her wholeheartedly take part in the game. They have the courage that they can beat the students from the North-side. They got Xiaotang with them, their best point guard of the team. Xiaotang gave Lin Fan a boost to climb up, and when Lin Fan reached the top, both Lu Keran and Lin Fan pulled Xiaotang up to the wall.

Upon arriving at the open basketball court in the park which is near to the North Jade All-Girls School, one girl from the North Jade stood up as she saw Lin Fan, Lu Keran, and Xiaotang walking to them slowly. "I thought you'd never show up," She threw the toothpick that she was biting; it landed in front of Lu Keran's feet. "I didn't expect you'd bring a girl to play with." She looked at Xiaotang and thought she's pretty. She was thinking that Lu Keran was desperate to not lose the game by bringing a random plus one for their team.

Xiaotang was flabbergasted by her words that she found it funny. She observed the other people around them. Some were sitting on the bench and some were squatting on the ground; there were eight of them including their leader who was talking to them. All of them are butches – tall and masculine looking girls from the North Jade. No wonder the butch called her "a girl" like it was an insult. Xiaotang found it amusing that a female would say something demeaning to the same s*x like she is a guy. "What a fine toxic masculinity you got there, ghurl," She sassed emphasizing the last word, making a sassy pose. Xiaotang knew that it irked the butch when she noticed her eyes twitched.

"Alright then," The butch whistled, calling out her gang. The two butches walked behind her. "I bet it won't take too long to beat you losers down," She mocked them; overconfident that she could finish the 3-on-3 basketball game within fifteen minutes or less.

Lin Fan flinched when the butches faced them. She was awed by how tall they are; they were around 185cm (6'0 feet) tall. On the other hand, Lin Fan is the tallest of the three with a height of 176cm (5'8 feet), but their enemy is taller than them. But it didn't break her confidence; she believes in their capability that they can win the game.

The butch leader faced-off Lu Keran, taunting her by giving her mocking looks and bumping her shoulder against her. Lin Fan and Xiaotang tugged Lu Keran's shirt so she wouldn't retaliate to the taunting. Xiaotang warned their opponent to calm it down as the game hasn't started yet; she felt that this game wouldn't be a good one judging by the rival's attitude towards them.

"Lu Keran, if we win. You'll bow to me in front of my gang," She told her. Then, she looked at Lin Fan and Xiaotang, she wanted to humiliate Lu Keran in front of them too. "No, I'll make your friends take the video while you kneel to me after you lose," She smugged, belittling Lu Keran's basketball skills.

"Make me," Lu Keran glared at her like her eyes could shoot lasers. She was pissed at how arrogant the butch was. She wanted to play the game and win it. This is the game that she shouldn't lose. Her pride won't allow it.

Both of them readied when one of the rival's friends who was the referee of the game, whistled to set the players on the court. And when the referee tosses the ball mid-air, both of them jumped at once but their rival got it first since she is taller than Lu Keran. She dribbled it near the basket and made a successful shot; she fist-bumped her teammates, she felt they will win the game easily. Lin Fan patted Lu Keran's back telling her it was alright since it's just the beginning of the game.

They were playing the game for a couple of minutes and it was a good sign that they were winning. Xiaotang was observing how the opponents play; it wasn't as good as the other schools they have played during the district tournament. She noticed that the North Jades play roughly, she was elbowed on her chest purposely which was supposed to be foul but nobody called out since the referee is one of them. So, Xiaotang has to double up her effort to wipe them on the whim to finish the dirty game. It was clear that the rival team was already pissed by the score gap of 12. They were playing half-assed, thinking, Xiaotang was just a plus one girl for their team. They were blinded by their arrogance that they didn't know how well she plays basketball. Xiaotang didn't even play aggressively.

This time, Lu Keran has the ball, dribbling it. "Looks like it's clear that your school doesn't compete much in tournaments."

"Brave of you to assume that we weren't in the final's district tournament," The opponent from the North Jade snickered.

"See that pretty looking chic behind you?" Lu Keran pointed at Xiaotang. "Yeah, the one you called a girl," The North Jades all look at Xiaotang trying to suppress the concerned looks on their faces. They kept their eyes on Lin Fan and Lu Keran, they didn't know that Xiaotang was the real threat. "You should be worry of a pretty chic like her; she's not called the Hokage point guard for nothing. Our school got into the finals because of her," Lu Keran winked at Xiaotang bragging about her to them.

The other butch locked her eyes on Xiaotang, it was clear that she was threatened. Xiaotang smiled at her opponent, winking at the butch, and made her quite taken aback by Xiaotang's visuals.

Lu Keran forward to the opponent's block and made a quick turn to evade the ball from being stolen from her and when she made a long-range shot, her rival blocked the ball, spiking it hard like she was playing volleyball, purposely hitting the ball on Lu Keran's face.

Lu Keran kneeled in pain, Xiaotang and Lin Fan called it a foul, and ran towards her. When they saw Lu Keran's nose was bleeding badly, they called for a time out but the North Jades wanted to continue playing.

"What the hell?!" Lin Fan shouted. "How can we continue if she's bleeding?!"

"Stand up losers!" The North Jades were howling and booing at them.

Xiaotang felt wronged for the foul play, she stood up to talk sense to the butch. "Hey! This isn't fair!"

"Oh?" The butch raised her brow, taunting them.

Xiaotang could hear the North Jades jeering at them, she knew what it was; she didn't want to bite the bait as it will just cause a fight. It was a dirty game that she knew from the start. She didn't want to continue the game anymore and just leave the court. It was a nonsense game to play if the players are a bunch of cheaters. It was better to quit, it was clear anyway that they win the game. "Fine, we quit," She shrugged and walked away.

"Hey, pretty girl! If you walk away, it means you lose!"

The North Jade students were slowly approaching, getting ready for whatever chaos may rise. Lin Fan and Lu Keran could feel the tension arising; they just hoped Xiaotang wouldn't respond to whatever sneer they throw at her. Lu Keran wanted to stand up but her nose was bleeding non-stop. Her shirt was already dirtied from the bloodstains. Lin Fan offered her handkerchief to stop the nosebleed. "Xiaotang, don't mind them," Lu Keran reminded her.

Xiaotang halted her steps to look around them. "Lose? Brave of you to say that," She rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue. Lu Keran and Lin Fan were mentally saying "no-no-no-don't" because they knew Xiaotang has taken the bait. "Do you even play basketball?" She looked at North Jade's leader with a disgusted look on her face. "Next time, practice first before challenging us. I can't believe you're the captain of your team," She scoffed and turned away.

Her words were enough to piss off the North Jade's leader that she was enraged by the insult. She clenched her fist, her nails were digging a mark on her palms as she remembered how other people mock her for being mediocre. She couldn't accept another defeat in her life that it angered her so much. She put a metal knuckle on and charged towards Xiaotang to hit her.

Lu Keran yelled, warning her friend. "XIAOTANG!!"

"Sonofab*tch!" The butch punched Xiaotang's face hard that she scraped her brow hitting her cheek, knocking Xiaotang down on the ground.

Lin Fan was about to run and help Xiaotang but Lu Keran stopped her as they were outnumbered by the students of the North Jade, gathering around them.

The butch leader kicked Xiaotang on her stomach. Xiaotang lurched from the pain. "Get up, loser!" She demanded. Xiaotang felt dizzy from the heavy blow she received. But still, she didn't want to give up, she kneeled and raised her head, facing the bully without fear, she didn't want to concede that easily. "Lu Keran, I like your friend. She's a feisty looking chic," She smiled sinisterly. "I'll make her bleed next," She pointed at Lin Fan.