TCOTRB: The Case of The Red Bubble

📍Chapter II: Conspiracy (?)

Chapter II: Conspiracy (?)
[September 10th, 2050 Saturday]
Barat Street

A lot of crowds thronged around the court with a mesh wire fence dividing them from the court. They appear to be pumped up while watching the basketball match, screaming and throwing money everywhere. In this neighborhood, it's called a 'punt.' The winning team is awarded cash.
Meanwhile, Kaira dragged Milo along so they could get the front view. "What did I tell you about staying up late on the Internet, man? It's a good thing your parents are cool with letting you go out this weekend!" she gritted her teeth. The game has already started.
They've agreed to meet up at eight, but his impulsivity of looking into The Red Bubble mystery has interfered with his sleep. She handed him a cup of coffee to keep him awake. The strong bitter taste wasn't helping at all.

Jin and Irene later showed up to join them. Milo wondered about why Leo couldn't tag along. He instantly returned his attention to the court once the commentator announced which teams were competing next. The stout guy eyed the two teams: Team Rhino versus The Golden Manes.
Once they step up, Milo happens to catch a familiar face. One of The Golden Manes appears to be their friend, Leo! With the exception of Jin, he and his friends are just as shocked as he is.
Both teams exchanged fierce looks while every player slapped each other's hands - it's what they call the handshake of sportsmanship. "Hey, Leo!" he tried calling his attention. His friend only raised a brow at him before moving along with his team to the other side of the court.

After the game, everybody cheered as Team Rhino won the game.

Leo dropped on the ground in frustration, his corkscrew locks pressed on his sweaty forehead and groaned. He was first approached by someone by the opposite bench. A grey-haired man wearing a red track suit and bearing a huge letter 'H' over it.
"You did great there, Leo!" He tried his best to keep his nephew's spirits afloat, but to no avail. Leo calls him Tio Hector. He didn't seem to be in the mood to talk so he grabbed his stuff and walked off. His uncle kindly let him wait in the car.

"You know, it's a good thing my nephew agreed to join the team. One of our best players couldn't turn up after a family emergency," he explained.

"I didn't know Leo played basketball," Irene said dryly.

Tio Hector begins to tell them about his nephew's circumstances. Yesterday, Leo decided to move into his place after getting into a heated argument with his parents. Mr. Juegos eventually found out that he had been playing basketball after school and receiving training lessons from his uncle in secret.
"Leo used to be a star athlete until seventh grade. After my brother was laid off from his job the previous year, they always had trouble with money and Leo was forced to quit so he could be a full-time babysitter to his little sister," Tio Hector said. He added that he had always been at odds with his older brother.
He was viewed as an embarrassment to the family since he used to be a troublesome youth. As a former star athlete himself, he went through many difficulties before getting his life together. "Unfair, isn't it? A father telling his kid to avoid something because of one bad egg. He called the sport a 'hoodlums' game.' That's why I'm here to mentor Leo so he doesn't wind up the same way as I did," he then turned his attention to Milo and company.

He suggested they eat at his place which is not that far from here. Everybody agreed.

Along the trip, Leo was sitting quietly at the front seat. Jin was noticeably concerned about his friend. He may seem like the quiet type, but you can tell something is up when he drops the calm persona.
They've arrived at a green vertical building seated between a t-shirt print shop and a small gym. A mix of foreign-speaking voices rattled the entire place. They later entered his place and were immediately greeted by the cool breeze of the air conditioning. Tio Hector grabbed the remote next to the front door and turned it on for them.

"Hope you don't mind the wait. I've made gyoza for y'all! I'm just gonna cook them up right now," he moves over to the kitchen while the gang sits in the living room patiently.

"Sooo ... Has anyone heard the news of a floating body not far from The Capital?!" Milo suddenly blurted out.
He hoped to initiate the conversation himself only to make his friends uncomfortable.
Kaira had to remind him that was uncalled for. The walls are pretty thin and might cause the neighbors to panic. Milo profusely apologized to Tio Hector, thinking he would get kicked out of the place as punishment. Instead, the man forgave him and went along with it. He was about to tell them what he knew about the case.

"Remember when I told you one of my boys had a family emergency? Well, his father was one of the coast guards stationed around that island!"

*NOTE/s:
- "Barat" is the Indonesian word for "west."
- Leo is of Japanese and Spanish descent thanks to his father's side. His father and Tio Hector are sons of immigrants from Spain.

- In Asian cultures, it's also common to call someone 'Auntie' or 'Uncle' despite not being blood relatives. It is their respectable way to address someone older than you (ie. especially those within the same age range as your parents).