1 Disclaimer: I do not own Slam Dunk. Neither do I own the characters. But
I do own Sal, my very own creation.
A/N: There are probably lots of fics out there which are quite similar to this, but I added a twist at the end. Not your usual waffy ending. There are some parts where you gotta read on to find other bits and pieces to let them make sense. Read on!
~~
"Did you see? Class ten?"
"Yeah, he's too good to be true!"
"I heard he's a great basketball player."
"No wonder. He's tall."
"And cute too."
"Hairstyle that suits him and only him."
"Cool personality."
"Perfect."
~~
"Did you see? Class six?"
"The new one? Yeah."
"I heard she's American Chinese."
"No wonder. She's so fair."
"And great complexion."
"Good figure."
"Beautiful eyes."
"Perfect."
~~
Kaede Rukawa walked down the hall attracting stares from the opposite sex, as usual.
Sal walked down the hall attracting stares from the opposite sex, as usual.
The two "perfects" had yet to meet each other.
~~
Kaede Rukawa was a legendary basketball star. Together with Captain Akagi, Vice-captain Kogure, first team members Miyagi, Mitsui and Sakuragi, the team had crashed into the championships. The first time ever for Shohoku High. He was named one of the top five players in the prefecture. Rukawa had strong determination to be the best basketball player. Tall, fair, good- looking, he was easily the most talked about guy on the first day of school. The Rukawa Brigade was set up by three girls crazy over him. The group expanded with ease. Kaede Rukawa was not simple to befriend. He was cold and did not mix with others. He slept in class and never forgave anyone who disturbed his sleep. His actions were merely taken in as part of his "perfectness".
Sal was transferred to Shohoku one month after the basketball team successfully entered the championships. She had been a star archer in her previous school. One of the youngest to be named "Archer of the Year". She was born in L.A. Her family moved constantly between Japan and L.A, since Sal's father's work demanded for him to do so. Sal decided to stay put in Japan. Her family found a place in a hostel for her and she settled to studying in Shohoku High for the next three years. Sal was sociable and outgoing. She had the ability to read one's feelings and approach him or her in a way they found comfortable. People felt at ease associating with her. At the end of her first day, Sal already had a group of friends around her.
Each exuded an air of self confidence, pride and dominance.
~~
On this particular day, Rukawa was once again walking down the hall towards his classroom. And of course, at the same time, attracting stares. Sal, on the other hand, was already sitting in her classroom. Being fairly tall, she sat at the second last roll. As Rukawa strolled past her class at his own leisurely pace, he happened to turn and look into the classroom. He did not really notice her but, subconsciously, the sight of her had been deeply imprinted in his mind. Rukawa continued his stroll to his classroom.
Sal had heard a lot about the dazzling basketball star in Shohoku. She had also seen him. And admitted that he was pretty worth swooning over. But considering his personality, he was extremely hard to befriend. Sal didn't bother to try to get his attention, neither did she gush over him all the time. However, she thought it would be fun to take up the challenge so as to make friends.
Rukawa often slept during class. He knew it, the students knew it, the teachers knew it. Therefore, he was very ignorant of school matters. In students' common tongue, gossip. But since the two "perfect"s were destined to know each other, he did pick out his male classmates talking about Sal. Rukawa could not remember ever noticing Sal, so he didn't really bother about this new beauty in school.
During break that day, the two "perfect"s were destined to meet each other, unofficially. Rukawa walking, once again, down the corridor. Sal walking, also, the opposite way. Both had a group of guys and girls following behind. The only differences were Sal had boys behind her and Rukawa had girls. And, Sal didn't mind but Rukawa did. So naturally, each individual noticed the crowd, and the cause of it. Rukawa passed Sal, looking at her right in the eye, only knowing she was the famous "star" when he heard one of his fans greeting her. Sal already knew Rukawa and walked past him without any special reaction. The clashing of "perfectness". Finally.
~~
It had been 4 days since Sal and Rukawa acquainted each other. (A/N: Fine!! Maybe less than acquaintance… but still…) That day after school, it started raining hard. Coincidently, there was no basketball practice, neither was there archery. So Sal and Rukawa were heading home. Not together. Yet.
Rukawa rode his bicycle to and fro, from school to home, everyday. Sal walked.
The storm was getting too heavy for Sal to walk home, even though she had her umbrella with her. Rukawa had a raincoat but still hated the idea of having to ride in the rain. Both were just as unwilling to go home. Sal stood at the school entrance looking despairingly at the gate. There was an important test tomorrow and she desperately wanted to get back to the hostel to study. After pondering for a while, she decided to make a run for it. Sal clutched her books close to her and prepared to sprint, when she heard a voice.
"Want a ride home?"
Surprised, she turned and found herself staring at Kaede Rukawa. Sal forgot all her manners and blurted out,
"You know me?"
Rukawa looked at her coolly and cocked an eyebrow.
"You have a pretty good name in school. Legendary archer, school beauty. Sal, right?"
Sal regained her composure. So that's why he knew her. That was normal to her. Most people knew her through gossip.
"You are too. Super rookie and Prince Charming of half of the girls in school. Kaede Rukawa?"
Both "perfect"s finally met.
Rukawa had seen Sal from within the deserted school building pacing up and down the school steps. He had then taken the opportunity to take a closer look at her. And thought that she was indeed quite pretty. When he saw that she was about to run in the rain, he hurriedly offered to send her home. Which took even him by surprise. He had guarded his personal life fiercely and now, here he was talking to a stranger offering to send her home. Something he had not done before.
Sal took a look at Rukawa's face and decided he was sincere about sending her home.
"Is it too troublesome for you?"
"Where do you stay?"
Sal told him and found out that Rukawa stayed only two streets away. She accepted the offer.
Both donned raincoats and set off.
In no time, Sal reached her hostel, soaking wet. Rukawa stopped at the front door and let Sal get off first. He handed over her books, which had been kept in his bag to keep dry. In a rush, Sal forgot to return Rukawa's raincoat she was wearing. And in a rush, too, Rukawa forgot to ask for it. It was only until Sal was in the safety of her room, did she realize.
~~
The next morning, Sal walked to school as usual. She wanted to return Rukawa's raincoat but found that he had not arrived in school yet. Upon entering his classroom, the whole of the guy population in the class rushed to greet her. (And the girls scowled.) Sal was used to it and declined their offer of helping in any way possible. She turned to walk out but found that Rukawa had just arrived and was standing behind her. The pupils' conversations came to an abrupt stop when they witnessed Sal passing Rukawa the raincoat and thanking him for yesterday. The whole class watched in awe as Rukawa nodded his head in response. Sal went away and Rukawa sat down at his seat. The incident was too good to be true. Sal and Rukawa, the two most sought after male and female, had finally met each other. And, naturally, gossip started to form.
By break, the news had spread to every class in the level. The Rukawa Brigade had met to discuss the situation while almost every boy in school discussed their failure in attracting Sal's attention. Rukawa and Sal were the target of everybody's eyes. As they walked throughout the school, people would turn and look. The two were too used to these situations to notice.
~~
Several weeks after the rainy, fateful day, once again, there were no practice for both Rukawa and Sal. One reason was, Rukawa really didn't have practice and Sal was sick. She had been feeling tired the whole day and realized she had developed a fever. So she decided to skip practice for the day.
On the way home, Sal had to rest at intervals so as not to tire her out entirely from walking. However, Sal collapsed on her knees after walking for ten minutes. The fever had drained her of all her strength. She stayed that way for some time before Rukawa came cycling past. He was shocked to see the sight of Sal on her knees, breathing heavily. Hurriedly, he got off his bike and approached her, only to catch her in time as she fainted in his arms. Rukawa was stunned for a moment. He had a sick girl in his arms with no one in sight to help. Making a quick decision, Rukawa strapped Sal to the bicycle, collected her books from the ground and cycled off, towards her hostel.
Halfway there, he heard someone call him and stopped. When he saw it was Ayako and Miyagi, Rukawa cursed under his breath. He wanted to send Sal home as soon as possible. The duo was shocked to see Rukawa and a fainted Sal together.
"So… … this is the new girl I have heard about? She has created quite a fuss even in the second year."
Ayako slapped Miyagi in the head when she heard that.
"Rukawa!!! What did you do to her?"
Rukawa was exasperated. He explained briefly and asked to be excused. And he left, without hearing Ayako say,
"They're compatible."
Rukawa arrived at Sal's hostel, panting slightly. He had cycled harder than usual to get here as soon as possible. Making sure Sal did not fall off the bicycle, he rapped on the front door. After a long wait, a middle-aged lady opened the door. She stared. Rukawa hurriedly stepped aside so she could see Sal and told her how he met Sal and what happened. Nodding furiously, the lady asked for Rukawa to carry Sal into her room. Inside, Rukawa realized the hostel was bigger than he had imagined. It was a traditional Japanese building with many rooms. Following the lady, Rukawa found out that Sal's room was in the west wing of the hostel. While walking, girls and boys of Sal and Rukawa's age poured out their rooms to watch. Sal was as popular in the hostel as she was in school. Rukawa suddenly felt conscious of Sal in his arms. Soon, they reached Sal's room and Rukawa laid her gently on her futon and laid the blanket over her. The lady at the door introduced herself as the matron in charge of the whole hostel. Rukawa bowed and introduced himself in return. Little did he know the matron had already guessed who he was. Hostel mates of Sal had long been talking about these two people. How compatible they were and how much they envied these two of their talents.
"When I first heard of this wonderful basketball star, I doubted it. How can one be so perfect? But looking back, Sal IS just as perfect. And they really do make quite a match. It's no wonder they are creating such a fuss in school…"
"Ano… how do I address you?"
She was pulled out of her musing by Rukawa's question.
"Gomenasai! I must have drifted off. Call me Hikaru. Dozoyoroshiku."
"Kochirakoso yoroshiku… Right… Is Sal-san alright?"
Hikaru bent down and felt Sal's forehead. Straightening back up, she reassured Rukawa that Sal had merely came down with a fever. It was probably worsened when Sal exhausted herself by walking back under the hot sun.
"Foolish girl… Really… Luckily you were there when she collapsed. Let me send you out. Come. She'll be fine."
Rukawa allowed himself to be led out of the room, throwing backward glances at Sal. Hikaru smiled at Rukawa's innocent antics. His reputation in school was one of an ignorant and cold boy, without a caring heart. However, his actions now proved otherwise. He could care for one if he wanted to, and could be as warmhearted as any other. Perhaps he just had a reason, being the boy behind the mask of ice and Sal would be the one to melt it.
At the front door, Hikaru thanked him again. After watching Rukawa set off, she returned back into the house to prepare a remedy for the foolish girl who was the envy of every other female in school.
Pedaling away, Kaede Rukawa suddenly remembered Sal's books in his bag. Part of him naturally wanted to turn back and return them. That was not out of the ordinary. Another part of him wanted to keep them and return them personally so there was an excuse for him to see Sal again. Now this was amazing. Rukawa found himself out of breath. He stopped by the roadside to rest for a while, and to ponder over his confused thoughts. Whenever he sunk deep into his thoughts, it was as if he had entered a world of his own. Now he entered this dimension again; never in his life had he been fighting within himself, or so he thought. All the while, he found worthy opponents to challenge on the basketball court and manage to hold them at whim with strong confidence. This time, he met a person, one who had not posed a threat to his desire to be the best in the whole wide world. And yet he had bothered to do much for her. Her. To have made Rukawa smile. To have made Rukawa offer her a ride home. To have made him this confused and unsure of himself. And to think he barely knew her. Her. Sal. This girl, full of innocent pride, with a warm soul, had barged into his life. One that had been frosted held no signs of life except for his own. One that held only the strong desire to win. The change in him was the stone cold barrier within fading slowly. Maybe, just maybe, Sal was the key to the door that Rukawa had shut himself behind.
Rukawa shook the sweat from his brows. He was still unable to accept the fact that Sal had managed to hold an important place in his heart. He been proud of his resistance to distractions and thought nothing could affect his mindset. Rukawa had focused on nothing but winning all his life. Then why is it now that this mere girl could weaken him to such a state? If he continued to bother about her, he might just be affected in his playing. And repeat the past. (A/N: Aha… and what's the past?… All part of the mystery…) Kaede Rukawa shuddered at that thought. It must not happen again. He had to try erasing Sal from his mind.
Getting on his bicycle, he made up his mind. From now on, Sal didn't exist in his world. Never did she. He would proceed in his journey to be the best ever.
Making a detour, he left Sal's books at the hostel's doorstep. Then made for home.
When Sal woke up, she was already lying in bed. The last thing she remembered was walking home after school. What happened after that, she did not know. Neither did she know how she got back. Feeling better already, she sat up and looked around. Everything was in place, except… … Where were her schoolbooks? They were not in their usual place, on her study table. Panicking slightly, she started to stand up. Hikaru slid the shoji open and came in. She saw Sal out of bed and beckoned her to lie down again. Sal did as she was told without protest. She knew how strict Hikaru-san was when it came to one's health.
"Hikaru-san. Where are my schoolbooks? And how did I get home?"
Sal watched Hikaru's expression turn from puzzlement to amusement.
"Hmm… I suppose Rukawa-kun decided to keep them for you for the time being?"
Sal let the information digest.
"What does Rukawa-kun have to do with my school books? Hikaru-san, stop giving me that expression. Tell me what happened. Now."
"Maa, maa. You are sick for goodness sake. Cool down, then I'll tell you."
So, Hikaru told her how she opened the door to find Rukawa and her, fainted of course. How Rukawa was the one who brought her in and how he had seemed very concerned about her. Hikaru assumed Rukawa had forgotten to return the books.
Sal suddenly felt very embarrassed. She had actually fainted in Rukawa's arms. However, at least Rukawa was someone she knew. She made up her mind to thank him the very next time she saw him.
Then, her friend, Makiko, knocked and came in. She was carrying a pile of books that looked strangely familiar. And no wonder, it was her schoolbooks. To Sal and Hikaru's amazement, Makiko found it on the doorsteps. No one was in sight when she picked them up. Leaving the books on the table, she excused herself.
"Well, I suppose you better rest. Seems like your Rukawa-kun is a bit shy."
Sal didn't rebut and Hikaru went out. A creeping feeling told Sal that Rukawa was more than shy. He might not be too happy to see her in the next few days. She couldn't figure out why she felt that way, but her sixth sense had been pretty reliable at times. Sal decided to ask him first thing tomorrow. That is if she was fit enough to go to school.
~~
The following morning, Sal still found herself pretty weak. She had to muster all her strength just to sit up on her futon. Looking around, she saw only faded outlines of the furniture in her room due to the lack of light. In the early hours of the day, she closed her eyes and found herself swept away into a state of half consciousness due to the fatigue caused by her sickness. Sal hurriedly lay down again. Overexerting herself would only bring upon more nagging from Hikaru. The young matron had been very concerned about Sal's condition and had checked on her every half an hour, even after she fell asleep. Sal had been grateful in spite of her constant protesting to the concerned Hikaru showered upon her.
Just as Sal rearranged the covers, Hikaru slid the shoji open softly. For that moment, everything looked as if they were soaked in silver paint.
"Come in, Hikaru. I just woke up."
Hikaru stepped in and closed the door behind her. The room, once again, plunged into semi-darkness. The rice paper filtered out almost all light from the moon, leaving everything in hazy shadows. Hikaru made little sound on the wooden paneled floor as she approached. Her cool palm covered Sal's forehead, testing her temperature.
"You still have a slight fever, Sal. Stay at home today, okay? It might get worse if you go out."
Her soothing voice lulled Sal into a deeper trance. The cooling morning air had created a comfortable atmosphere to sleep in. With added fatigue, all that Sal wished for then was more rest. So she was more than eager to comply with Hikaru's wish.
Hikaru smiled as she watched Sal give in to the slumber rising to capture her. This slight girl had always been gentle and cheerful, even as she slept, she kept a smile on her face. Hikaru backed out of the room quietly, leaving Sal to catch up with her rest in peace. She would return later to check on her.
~~
Kaede Rukawa rode his bicycle to school every morning.
The morning after Rukawa picked up a fainted Sal, he was on his way to school. His mission to forget Sal was going well, all for a nagging thought at the back of his mind.
"See if you can resist when you see her in school."
He had ignored the thought all night, believing his ability to be oblivious to distractions. Cycling on, he fell asleep, arriving in school with drool dripping from his mouth as usual.
Dismounting and locking his bicycle, Rukawa immediately received news from two nearby students that Sal was out sick. Part of him had an urge to visit her after school. A stronger part of him resisted. There was practice today. No way he was going to miss it for a mere girl he hardly knew.
~~
The gym was filled with sounds of balls hitting against the paneled floor, Ayako shouting encouragements, Akagi shouting orders and Sakuragi protesting. That idiot. These sounds had been a big part of his life. Not to mention people cheering for him at competitions. They roused him from his stupor caused by the mundane life in school. While practicing, he was often surrounded by an air of menace, one that intimidated all. All except Sakuragi. But this was often broken by the atmosphere created by the presence of his irritating fan club. They always made their presence known by screaming, later shouting Rukawa's name. How much did they know about him? Absolutely nothing. Nothing at all. Perhaps other people might simply show some gratitude, but not him. These people only liked him for his looks and skills. If they really understood him, there would be no existence of the Rukawa Brigade at all. He hated all these unnecessary attention. Rukawa only wanted recognition in his skills in basketball.
Suddenly, he felt the ball coming his way. He could always sense where the ball was. Reacting based on his instincts, Rukawa grabbed the ball and immediately brought it down the court. His swift reactions won another bout of screaming and he vented his anger by slamming the basketball into the hoop, with more vigor than ever. The ball went through the hoop and bounced on the floor with much impact and rebounded to hit Sakuragi's face. Rukawa regretted his impulsive actions. Not only did he attract more girls to faint and scream, he had to deal with Sakuragi's useless threats and ramblings.
When practice ended for the day, Rukawa was for once relieved. He had been feeling frustrated without knowing why. That limited the prowess he could show. And that irritated him more.
After washing up a bit, he headed back home. Rukawa's irritable mood kept him awake during the night home. Practice had ended slightly earlier than usual and he was greeted by the sight of a beautiful sunset. Even him, being one who often ignored such beauty, kept his eyes on it. The sunset was a brilliant mixture of orange, red and pink. It cast a dull orange glow on everything. Slowly, Rukawa sensed his tension easing away. Not all, but nature had certainly taken its toll on Rukawa, in a good way.
Pedaling, Kaede Rukawa neared a familiar building with a familiar form sitting on the steps, admiring the same sunset. Sal and her hostel.
~~
Sal turned as Rukawa approached. He coasted to a stop though reluctant. Rukawa was sure she was not waiting for him. He was early today. And he knew Sal would definitely make it a point to thank him for sending her home.
"Konbanwa, Rukawa-kun. I suppose you're going home?"
"Aa."
"It's just as well that I met you. I'm really grateful that you sent me back when I fainted."
"I wouldn't have left anyone lying on the road, unconscious. Are you feeling better?"
Sal nodded her reply, meaning both yes to Rukawa-kun's question and thank him for asking. She turned once again to face the sunset. Her instinct had wormed its way into her mind, telling her that Rukawa-kun was struggling to both tell her and not tell her something. It was obvious to Sal that he was going through a turmoil of feelings. She had concocted several explanations to why her books were left on the steps instead of Rukawa bringing them in. It seemed weird to Sal that Rukawa had bothered to send her home twice and yet be as irresponsible as to leave her books in the open. So she guessed that he was either feeling shy or something he discovered had that much impact on his emotions so as to render him changing his feelings suddenly. Sal knew he was attracted to her. Or he would not offer to send her home. Something about her was different from the normal girls. Sal analyzed that Rukawa was one who hated people who judged by looks. (A/N: Which is correct… I mean, she is the leading female and she has got to realize ne?) She was attracted to him as much.
Glancing at Rukawa's face, Sal decided to take the first move.
"You have something to say don't you?"
Rukawa had to bite his tongue so as to stop himself from blurting out all the emotional burdens he was carrying when Sal turned back to admire the sunset. Never had his self-restraint been as weak. When Sal was still studying the sunset, Rukawa knew he no longer could hold back his feelings. The moment Sal asked, Rukawa knew he needed someone to confide his feelings and problems. And he only trusted Sal. Not to mention he wanted Sal to know how he felt about her.
"Could you come over to my house? I need to talk to you… And I would like some privacy."
If Sal was surprised, she showed no signs.
"Let me tell Hikaru. Wait a moment."
With that, Sal stood and walked back to the hostel.
~~
Within a few minutes, Sal was in Rukawa's home. It was a two storey apartment. Rukawa ushered her through the front door and asked her to wait for a moment while he disappeared into the kitchen. The house appeared to be empty, other than Sal and Rukawa. When Rukawa came back into the room, he was carrying a tray with two drinks on it. He motioned to Sal to follow him as he climbed the stairs and into his room.
Rukawa's room was very neat. It was furnished simply with a bed and wardrobe. (A/N: Notice no study table!!) The walls were painted white. Sal was surprised to find no posters of NBA basketball stars or whatsoever anywhere. His school books ( as good as new) were stacked tidily in a corner.
"Take a seat. On the bed if you want. I don't mind."
Sal smiled and settled at the edge of Rukawa-kun's bed. She glanced at Rukawa, who was leaning against his wardrobe, obviously not used to having guests in the house. Sal waited politely as he stared at the ground for a few minutes before starting to talk.
"I know it may seem odd to you that I'm saying all this to you but I just wanted to make one thing clear. Whatever you may think, I simply regard you as someone who could be a very good friend of mine. As you probably can guess, I have none so far."
Rukawa stopped to see how Sal was reacting. The expression on her face was not of disappointment, neither was it of any eagerness to be the first to know about Rukawa's private life. It was of understanding and acceptance of what he just said.
"Don't worry. I have always treated you like any of my other friends. I have no special feelings for you."
(A/N: Don't blame me for my plot or anything… it's my fic after all… And Rukawa's inner thoughts are never made known, so it's up to me to make them up!)
Rukawa seemed satisfied and continued.
"I hate people who judge by simply looks or skills. Not personality. All those girls in the club know nothing about me. They are simply attracted by looks, which I don't really care about. I only wish for people to acknowledge my talents and skills, silently. I have found nobody who has been able to do that, except for you. Considering how popular you are, I suppose you come across such problems as well?"
Now that Rukawa had started talking, he relaxed slightly and slid down to sit on the floor.
Sal pondered over Rukawa's question. She did meet people who only attracted to the fact that she was good looking and was more popular then others. Seldom only admired for skill. More often were people envious and jealous instead of acceptance. However, that didn't really bother her much. Perhaps it was because of her personality. But she had to admit Rukawa had every reason to detest these people. Sal chose her words carefully for her answer to Kaede's question. Cold as he was, Rukawa could get upset too.
"I do meet with people like that. And very often too. But I don't let them get to me. Every person on earth is different but no matter what, there would be somebody who would share your feelings. That person would understand your problems and help you through them. And vice versa. It is only a matter of time you give yourself and others to understand and change. Try looking at it in a different angle."
"And that would be?"
"You found me. For a friend. Though I do not share the same desire to be the best, nor do I get frustrated by unwanted attraction, I know how it is like."
"That doesn't help much does it? People still badger after me. Your appearance has somewhat worsened the situation."
Rukawa hadn't thought about that. Before, he was only concerned about Sal distracting him if he was to fall for her. Now that this matter was cleared, Sal seemed to post as yet another threat. He waited for her answer. When none came, he spoke again.
"Surely you get irritated?"
Once again, there was silence from Sal. Rukawa's patience soon ran thin and broke. He got up and approached Sal. She was till sitting on his bed, looking at the floor, ignoring him. Kaede flared up and was going to grab Sal by her shoulders when she lifted her head and made eye contact with Rukawa. Her lively and sparkling eyes turned piercing, searing with a burning flame. Normal people would find her stare scary, or even threatening. But Rukawa knew better. Within that gaze, he saw that Sal had found out something and was just about to question him.
"Who or what made you change? Kaede-kun? Can I call you that?"
Her voice was surprisingly warm compared to her glare. The composure and confidence in her voice dispelled all doubts Rukawa had in Sal. He nodded yes to her second question, not making any move to answer her first.
Tension grew in Rukawa as he debated whether to tell. Sal knew. She knew something happened in the past. But how?
~~
A/N: Heh… I'm finishing the story soon… just a while more… I'm bombarded with homework!!
1.1
1.2 Glossary
Dozoyoroshiku: "Pleased to meet you."
Kochirakoso yoroshiku: "I am pleased to meet you. (response to Dozoyoroshiku.)
A/N: There are probably lots of fics out there which are quite similar to this, but I added a twist at the end. Not your usual waffy ending. There are some parts where you gotta read on to find other bits and pieces to let them make sense. Read on!
~~
"Did you see? Class ten?"
"Yeah, he's too good to be true!"
"I heard he's a great basketball player."
"No wonder. He's tall."
"And cute too."
"Hairstyle that suits him and only him."
"Cool personality."
"Perfect."
~~
"Did you see? Class six?"
"The new one? Yeah."
"I heard she's American Chinese."
"No wonder. She's so fair."
"And great complexion."
"Good figure."
"Beautiful eyes."
"Perfect."
~~
Kaede Rukawa walked down the hall attracting stares from the opposite sex, as usual.
Sal walked down the hall attracting stares from the opposite sex, as usual.
The two "perfects" had yet to meet each other.
~~
Kaede Rukawa was a legendary basketball star. Together with Captain Akagi, Vice-captain Kogure, first team members Miyagi, Mitsui and Sakuragi, the team had crashed into the championships. The first time ever for Shohoku High. He was named one of the top five players in the prefecture. Rukawa had strong determination to be the best basketball player. Tall, fair, good- looking, he was easily the most talked about guy on the first day of school. The Rukawa Brigade was set up by three girls crazy over him. The group expanded with ease. Kaede Rukawa was not simple to befriend. He was cold and did not mix with others. He slept in class and never forgave anyone who disturbed his sleep. His actions were merely taken in as part of his "perfectness".
Sal was transferred to Shohoku one month after the basketball team successfully entered the championships. She had been a star archer in her previous school. One of the youngest to be named "Archer of the Year". She was born in L.A. Her family moved constantly between Japan and L.A, since Sal's father's work demanded for him to do so. Sal decided to stay put in Japan. Her family found a place in a hostel for her and she settled to studying in Shohoku High for the next three years. Sal was sociable and outgoing. She had the ability to read one's feelings and approach him or her in a way they found comfortable. People felt at ease associating with her. At the end of her first day, Sal already had a group of friends around her.
Each exuded an air of self confidence, pride and dominance.
~~
On this particular day, Rukawa was once again walking down the hall towards his classroom. And of course, at the same time, attracting stares. Sal, on the other hand, was already sitting in her classroom. Being fairly tall, she sat at the second last roll. As Rukawa strolled past her class at his own leisurely pace, he happened to turn and look into the classroom. He did not really notice her but, subconsciously, the sight of her had been deeply imprinted in his mind. Rukawa continued his stroll to his classroom.
Sal had heard a lot about the dazzling basketball star in Shohoku. She had also seen him. And admitted that he was pretty worth swooning over. But considering his personality, he was extremely hard to befriend. Sal didn't bother to try to get his attention, neither did she gush over him all the time. However, she thought it would be fun to take up the challenge so as to make friends.
Rukawa often slept during class. He knew it, the students knew it, the teachers knew it. Therefore, he was very ignorant of school matters. In students' common tongue, gossip. But since the two "perfect"s were destined to know each other, he did pick out his male classmates talking about Sal. Rukawa could not remember ever noticing Sal, so he didn't really bother about this new beauty in school.
During break that day, the two "perfect"s were destined to meet each other, unofficially. Rukawa walking, once again, down the corridor. Sal walking, also, the opposite way. Both had a group of guys and girls following behind. The only differences were Sal had boys behind her and Rukawa had girls. And, Sal didn't mind but Rukawa did. So naturally, each individual noticed the crowd, and the cause of it. Rukawa passed Sal, looking at her right in the eye, only knowing she was the famous "star" when he heard one of his fans greeting her. Sal already knew Rukawa and walked past him without any special reaction. The clashing of "perfectness". Finally.
~~
It had been 4 days since Sal and Rukawa acquainted each other. (A/N: Fine!! Maybe less than acquaintance… but still…) That day after school, it started raining hard. Coincidently, there was no basketball practice, neither was there archery. So Sal and Rukawa were heading home. Not together. Yet.
Rukawa rode his bicycle to and fro, from school to home, everyday. Sal walked.
The storm was getting too heavy for Sal to walk home, even though she had her umbrella with her. Rukawa had a raincoat but still hated the idea of having to ride in the rain. Both were just as unwilling to go home. Sal stood at the school entrance looking despairingly at the gate. There was an important test tomorrow and she desperately wanted to get back to the hostel to study. After pondering for a while, she decided to make a run for it. Sal clutched her books close to her and prepared to sprint, when she heard a voice.
"Want a ride home?"
Surprised, she turned and found herself staring at Kaede Rukawa. Sal forgot all her manners and blurted out,
"You know me?"
Rukawa looked at her coolly and cocked an eyebrow.
"You have a pretty good name in school. Legendary archer, school beauty. Sal, right?"
Sal regained her composure. So that's why he knew her. That was normal to her. Most people knew her through gossip.
"You are too. Super rookie and Prince Charming of half of the girls in school. Kaede Rukawa?"
Both "perfect"s finally met.
Rukawa had seen Sal from within the deserted school building pacing up and down the school steps. He had then taken the opportunity to take a closer look at her. And thought that she was indeed quite pretty. When he saw that she was about to run in the rain, he hurriedly offered to send her home. Which took even him by surprise. He had guarded his personal life fiercely and now, here he was talking to a stranger offering to send her home. Something he had not done before.
Sal took a look at Rukawa's face and decided he was sincere about sending her home.
"Is it too troublesome for you?"
"Where do you stay?"
Sal told him and found out that Rukawa stayed only two streets away. She accepted the offer.
Both donned raincoats and set off.
In no time, Sal reached her hostel, soaking wet. Rukawa stopped at the front door and let Sal get off first. He handed over her books, which had been kept in his bag to keep dry. In a rush, Sal forgot to return Rukawa's raincoat she was wearing. And in a rush, too, Rukawa forgot to ask for it. It was only until Sal was in the safety of her room, did she realize.
~~
The next morning, Sal walked to school as usual. She wanted to return Rukawa's raincoat but found that he had not arrived in school yet. Upon entering his classroom, the whole of the guy population in the class rushed to greet her. (And the girls scowled.) Sal was used to it and declined their offer of helping in any way possible. She turned to walk out but found that Rukawa had just arrived and was standing behind her. The pupils' conversations came to an abrupt stop when they witnessed Sal passing Rukawa the raincoat and thanking him for yesterday. The whole class watched in awe as Rukawa nodded his head in response. Sal went away and Rukawa sat down at his seat. The incident was too good to be true. Sal and Rukawa, the two most sought after male and female, had finally met each other. And, naturally, gossip started to form.
By break, the news had spread to every class in the level. The Rukawa Brigade had met to discuss the situation while almost every boy in school discussed their failure in attracting Sal's attention. Rukawa and Sal were the target of everybody's eyes. As they walked throughout the school, people would turn and look. The two were too used to these situations to notice.
~~
Several weeks after the rainy, fateful day, once again, there were no practice for both Rukawa and Sal. One reason was, Rukawa really didn't have practice and Sal was sick. She had been feeling tired the whole day and realized she had developed a fever. So she decided to skip practice for the day.
On the way home, Sal had to rest at intervals so as not to tire her out entirely from walking. However, Sal collapsed on her knees after walking for ten minutes. The fever had drained her of all her strength. She stayed that way for some time before Rukawa came cycling past. He was shocked to see the sight of Sal on her knees, breathing heavily. Hurriedly, he got off his bike and approached her, only to catch her in time as she fainted in his arms. Rukawa was stunned for a moment. He had a sick girl in his arms with no one in sight to help. Making a quick decision, Rukawa strapped Sal to the bicycle, collected her books from the ground and cycled off, towards her hostel.
Halfway there, he heard someone call him and stopped. When he saw it was Ayako and Miyagi, Rukawa cursed under his breath. He wanted to send Sal home as soon as possible. The duo was shocked to see Rukawa and a fainted Sal together.
"So… … this is the new girl I have heard about? She has created quite a fuss even in the second year."
Ayako slapped Miyagi in the head when she heard that.
"Rukawa!!! What did you do to her?"
Rukawa was exasperated. He explained briefly and asked to be excused. And he left, without hearing Ayako say,
"They're compatible."
Rukawa arrived at Sal's hostel, panting slightly. He had cycled harder than usual to get here as soon as possible. Making sure Sal did not fall off the bicycle, he rapped on the front door. After a long wait, a middle-aged lady opened the door. She stared. Rukawa hurriedly stepped aside so she could see Sal and told her how he met Sal and what happened. Nodding furiously, the lady asked for Rukawa to carry Sal into her room. Inside, Rukawa realized the hostel was bigger than he had imagined. It was a traditional Japanese building with many rooms. Following the lady, Rukawa found out that Sal's room was in the west wing of the hostel. While walking, girls and boys of Sal and Rukawa's age poured out their rooms to watch. Sal was as popular in the hostel as she was in school. Rukawa suddenly felt conscious of Sal in his arms. Soon, they reached Sal's room and Rukawa laid her gently on her futon and laid the blanket over her. The lady at the door introduced herself as the matron in charge of the whole hostel. Rukawa bowed and introduced himself in return. Little did he know the matron had already guessed who he was. Hostel mates of Sal had long been talking about these two people. How compatible they were and how much they envied these two of their talents.
"When I first heard of this wonderful basketball star, I doubted it. How can one be so perfect? But looking back, Sal IS just as perfect. And they really do make quite a match. It's no wonder they are creating such a fuss in school…"
"Ano… how do I address you?"
She was pulled out of her musing by Rukawa's question.
"Gomenasai! I must have drifted off. Call me Hikaru. Dozoyoroshiku."
"Kochirakoso yoroshiku… Right… Is Sal-san alright?"
Hikaru bent down and felt Sal's forehead. Straightening back up, she reassured Rukawa that Sal had merely came down with a fever. It was probably worsened when Sal exhausted herself by walking back under the hot sun.
"Foolish girl… Really… Luckily you were there when she collapsed. Let me send you out. Come. She'll be fine."
Rukawa allowed himself to be led out of the room, throwing backward glances at Sal. Hikaru smiled at Rukawa's innocent antics. His reputation in school was one of an ignorant and cold boy, without a caring heart. However, his actions now proved otherwise. He could care for one if he wanted to, and could be as warmhearted as any other. Perhaps he just had a reason, being the boy behind the mask of ice and Sal would be the one to melt it.
At the front door, Hikaru thanked him again. After watching Rukawa set off, she returned back into the house to prepare a remedy for the foolish girl who was the envy of every other female in school.
Pedaling away, Kaede Rukawa suddenly remembered Sal's books in his bag. Part of him naturally wanted to turn back and return them. That was not out of the ordinary. Another part of him wanted to keep them and return them personally so there was an excuse for him to see Sal again. Now this was amazing. Rukawa found himself out of breath. He stopped by the roadside to rest for a while, and to ponder over his confused thoughts. Whenever he sunk deep into his thoughts, it was as if he had entered a world of his own. Now he entered this dimension again; never in his life had he been fighting within himself, or so he thought. All the while, he found worthy opponents to challenge on the basketball court and manage to hold them at whim with strong confidence. This time, he met a person, one who had not posed a threat to his desire to be the best in the whole wide world. And yet he had bothered to do much for her. Her. To have made Rukawa smile. To have made Rukawa offer her a ride home. To have made him this confused and unsure of himself. And to think he barely knew her. Her. Sal. This girl, full of innocent pride, with a warm soul, had barged into his life. One that had been frosted held no signs of life except for his own. One that held only the strong desire to win. The change in him was the stone cold barrier within fading slowly. Maybe, just maybe, Sal was the key to the door that Rukawa had shut himself behind.
Rukawa shook the sweat from his brows. He was still unable to accept the fact that Sal had managed to hold an important place in his heart. He been proud of his resistance to distractions and thought nothing could affect his mindset. Rukawa had focused on nothing but winning all his life. Then why is it now that this mere girl could weaken him to such a state? If he continued to bother about her, he might just be affected in his playing. And repeat the past. (A/N: Aha… and what's the past?… All part of the mystery…) Kaede Rukawa shuddered at that thought. It must not happen again. He had to try erasing Sal from his mind.
Getting on his bicycle, he made up his mind. From now on, Sal didn't exist in his world. Never did she. He would proceed in his journey to be the best ever.
Making a detour, he left Sal's books at the hostel's doorstep. Then made for home.
When Sal woke up, she was already lying in bed. The last thing she remembered was walking home after school. What happened after that, she did not know. Neither did she know how she got back. Feeling better already, she sat up and looked around. Everything was in place, except… … Where were her schoolbooks? They were not in their usual place, on her study table. Panicking slightly, she started to stand up. Hikaru slid the shoji open and came in. She saw Sal out of bed and beckoned her to lie down again. Sal did as she was told without protest. She knew how strict Hikaru-san was when it came to one's health.
"Hikaru-san. Where are my schoolbooks? And how did I get home?"
Sal watched Hikaru's expression turn from puzzlement to amusement.
"Hmm… I suppose Rukawa-kun decided to keep them for you for the time being?"
Sal let the information digest.
"What does Rukawa-kun have to do with my school books? Hikaru-san, stop giving me that expression. Tell me what happened. Now."
"Maa, maa. You are sick for goodness sake. Cool down, then I'll tell you."
So, Hikaru told her how she opened the door to find Rukawa and her, fainted of course. How Rukawa was the one who brought her in and how he had seemed very concerned about her. Hikaru assumed Rukawa had forgotten to return the books.
Sal suddenly felt very embarrassed. She had actually fainted in Rukawa's arms. However, at least Rukawa was someone she knew. She made up her mind to thank him the very next time she saw him.
Then, her friend, Makiko, knocked and came in. She was carrying a pile of books that looked strangely familiar. And no wonder, it was her schoolbooks. To Sal and Hikaru's amazement, Makiko found it on the doorsteps. No one was in sight when she picked them up. Leaving the books on the table, she excused herself.
"Well, I suppose you better rest. Seems like your Rukawa-kun is a bit shy."
Sal didn't rebut and Hikaru went out. A creeping feeling told Sal that Rukawa was more than shy. He might not be too happy to see her in the next few days. She couldn't figure out why she felt that way, but her sixth sense had been pretty reliable at times. Sal decided to ask him first thing tomorrow. That is if she was fit enough to go to school.
~~
The following morning, Sal still found herself pretty weak. She had to muster all her strength just to sit up on her futon. Looking around, she saw only faded outlines of the furniture in her room due to the lack of light. In the early hours of the day, she closed her eyes and found herself swept away into a state of half consciousness due to the fatigue caused by her sickness. Sal hurriedly lay down again. Overexerting herself would only bring upon more nagging from Hikaru. The young matron had been very concerned about Sal's condition and had checked on her every half an hour, even after she fell asleep. Sal had been grateful in spite of her constant protesting to the concerned Hikaru showered upon her.
Just as Sal rearranged the covers, Hikaru slid the shoji open softly. For that moment, everything looked as if they were soaked in silver paint.
"Come in, Hikaru. I just woke up."
Hikaru stepped in and closed the door behind her. The room, once again, plunged into semi-darkness. The rice paper filtered out almost all light from the moon, leaving everything in hazy shadows. Hikaru made little sound on the wooden paneled floor as she approached. Her cool palm covered Sal's forehead, testing her temperature.
"You still have a slight fever, Sal. Stay at home today, okay? It might get worse if you go out."
Her soothing voice lulled Sal into a deeper trance. The cooling morning air had created a comfortable atmosphere to sleep in. With added fatigue, all that Sal wished for then was more rest. So she was more than eager to comply with Hikaru's wish.
Hikaru smiled as she watched Sal give in to the slumber rising to capture her. This slight girl had always been gentle and cheerful, even as she slept, she kept a smile on her face. Hikaru backed out of the room quietly, leaving Sal to catch up with her rest in peace. She would return later to check on her.
~~
Kaede Rukawa rode his bicycle to school every morning.
The morning after Rukawa picked up a fainted Sal, he was on his way to school. His mission to forget Sal was going well, all for a nagging thought at the back of his mind.
"See if you can resist when you see her in school."
He had ignored the thought all night, believing his ability to be oblivious to distractions. Cycling on, he fell asleep, arriving in school with drool dripping from his mouth as usual.
Dismounting and locking his bicycle, Rukawa immediately received news from two nearby students that Sal was out sick. Part of him had an urge to visit her after school. A stronger part of him resisted. There was practice today. No way he was going to miss it for a mere girl he hardly knew.
~~
The gym was filled with sounds of balls hitting against the paneled floor, Ayako shouting encouragements, Akagi shouting orders and Sakuragi protesting. That idiot. These sounds had been a big part of his life. Not to mention people cheering for him at competitions. They roused him from his stupor caused by the mundane life in school. While practicing, he was often surrounded by an air of menace, one that intimidated all. All except Sakuragi. But this was often broken by the atmosphere created by the presence of his irritating fan club. They always made their presence known by screaming, later shouting Rukawa's name. How much did they know about him? Absolutely nothing. Nothing at all. Perhaps other people might simply show some gratitude, but not him. These people only liked him for his looks and skills. If they really understood him, there would be no existence of the Rukawa Brigade at all. He hated all these unnecessary attention. Rukawa only wanted recognition in his skills in basketball.
Suddenly, he felt the ball coming his way. He could always sense where the ball was. Reacting based on his instincts, Rukawa grabbed the ball and immediately brought it down the court. His swift reactions won another bout of screaming and he vented his anger by slamming the basketball into the hoop, with more vigor than ever. The ball went through the hoop and bounced on the floor with much impact and rebounded to hit Sakuragi's face. Rukawa regretted his impulsive actions. Not only did he attract more girls to faint and scream, he had to deal with Sakuragi's useless threats and ramblings.
When practice ended for the day, Rukawa was for once relieved. He had been feeling frustrated without knowing why. That limited the prowess he could show. And that irritated him more.
After washing up a bit, he headed back home. Rukawa's irritable mood kept him awake during the night home. Practice had ended slightly earlier than usual and he was greeted by the sight of a beautiful sunset. Even him, being one who often ignored such beauty, kept his eyes on it. The sunset was a brilliant mixture of orange, red and pink. It cast a dull orange glow on everything. Slowly, Rukawa sensed his tension easing away. Not all, but nature had certainly taken its toll on Rukawa, in a good way.
Pedaling, Kaede Rukawa neared a familiar building with a familiar form sitting on the steps, admiring the same sunset. Sal and her hostel.
~~
Sal turned as Rukawa approached. He coasted to a stop though reluctant. Rukawa was sure she was not waiting for him. He was early today. And he knew Sal would definitely make it a point to thank him for sending her home.
"Konbanwa, Rukawa-kun. I suppose you're going home?"
"Aa."
"It's just as well that I met you. I'm really grateful that you sent me back when I fainted."
"I wouldn't have left anyone lying on the road, unconscious. Are you feeling better?"
Sal nodded her reply, meaning both yes to Rukawa-kun's question and thank him for asking. She turned once again to face the sunset. Her instinct had wormed its way into her mind, telling her that Rukawa-kun was struggling to both tell her and not tell her something. It was obvious to Sal that he was going through a turmoil of feelings. She had concocted several explanations to why her books were left on the steps instead of Rukawa bringing them in. It seemed weird to Sal that Rukawa had bothered to send her home twice and yet be as irresponsible as to leave her books in the open. So she guessed that he was either feeling shy or something he discovered had that much impact on his emotions so as to render him changing his feelings suddenly. Sal knew he was attracted to her. Or he would not offer to send her home. Something about her was different from the normal girls. Sal analyzed that Rukawa was one who hated people who judged by looks. (A/N: Which is correct… I mean, she is the leading female and she has got to realize ne?) She was attracted to him as much.
Glancing at Rukawa's face, Sal decided to take the first move.
"You have something to say don't you?"
Rukawa had to bite his tongue so as to stop himself from blurting out all the emotional burdens he was carrying when Sal turned back to admire the sunset. Never had his self-restraint been as weak. When Sal was still studying the sunset, Rukawa knew he no longer could hold back his feelings. The moment Sal asked, Rukawa knew he needed someone to confide his feelings and problems. And he only trusted Sal. Not to mention he wanted Sal to know how he felt about her.
"Could you come over to my house? I need to talk to you… And I would like some privacy."
If Sal was surprised, she showed no signs.
"Let me tell Hikaru. Wait a moment."
With that, Sal stood and walked back to the hostel.
~~
Within a few minutes, Sal was in Rukawa's home. It was a two storey apartment. Rukawa ushered her through the front door and asked her to wait for a moment while he disappeared into the kitchen. The house appeared to be empty, other than Sal and Rukawa. When Rukawa came back into the room, he was carrying a tray with two drinks on it. He motioned to Sal to follow him as he climbed the stairs and into his room.
Rukawa's room was very neat. It was furnished simply with a bed and wardrobe. (A/N: Notice no study table!!) The walls were painted white. Sal was surprised to find no posters of NBA basketball stars or whatsoever anywhere. His school books ( as good as new) were stacked tidily in a corner.
"Take a seat. On the bed if you want. I don't mind."
Sal smiled and settled at the edge of Rukawa-kun's bed. She glanced at Rukawa, who was leaning against his wardrobe, obviously not used to having guests in the house. Sal waited politely as he stared at the ground for a few minutes before starting to talk.
"I know it may seem odd to you that I'm saying all this to you but I just wanted to make one thing clear. Whatever you may think, I simply regard you as someone who could be a very good friend of mine. As you probably can guess, I have none so far."
Rukawa stopped to see how Sal was reacting. The expression on her face was not of disappointment, neither was it of any eagerness to be the first to know about Rukawa's private life. It was of understanding and acceptance of what he just said.
"Don't worry. I have always treated you like any of my other friends. I have no special feelings for you."
(A/N: Don't blame me for my plot or anything… it's my fic after all… And Rukawa's inner thoughts are never made known, so it's up to me to make them up!)
Rukawa seemed satisfied and continued.
"I hate people who judge by simply looks or skills. Not personality. All those girls in the club know nothing about me. They are simply attracted by looks, which I don't really care about. I only wish for people to acknowledge my talents and skills, silently. I have found nobody who has been able to do that, except for you. Considering how popular you are, I suppose you come across such problems as well?"
Now that Rukawa had started talking, he relaxed slightly and slid down to sit on the floor.
Sal pondered over Rukawa's question. She did meet people who only attracted to the fact that she was good looking and was more popular then others. Seldom only admired for skill. More often were people envious and jealous instead of acceptance. However, that didn't really bother her much. Perhaps it was because of her personality. But she had to admit Rukawa had every reason to detest these people. Sal chose her words carefully for her answer to Kaede's question. Cold as he was, Rukawa could get upset too.
"I do meet with people like that. And very often too. But I don't let them get to me. Every person on earth is different but no matter what, there would be somebody who would share your feelings. That person would understand your problems and help you through them. And vice versa. It is only a matter of time you give yourself and others to understand and change. Try looking at it in a different angle."
"And that would be?"
"You found me. For a friend. Though I do not share the same desire to be the best, nor do I get frustrated by unwanted attraction, I know how it is like."
"That doesn't help much does it? People still badger after me. Your appearance has somewhat worsened the situation."
Rukawa hadn't thought about that. Before, he was only concerned about Sal distracting him if he was to fall for her. Now that this matter was cleared, Sal seemed to post as yet another threat. He waited for her answer. When none came, he spoke again.
"Surely you get irritated?"
Once again, there was silence from Sal. Rukawa's patience soon ran thin and broke. He got up and approached Sal. She was till sitting on his bed, looking at the floor, ignoring him. Kaede flared up and was going to grab Sal by her shoulders when she lifted her head and made eye contact with Rukawa. Her lively and sparkling eyes turned piercing, searing with a burning flame. Normal people would find her stare scary, or even threatening. But Rukawa knew better. Within that gaze, he saw that Sal had found out something and was just about to question him.
"Who or what made you change? Kaede-kun? Can I call you that?"
Her voice was surprisingly warm compared to her glare. The composure and confidence in her voice dispelled all doubts Rukawa had in Sal. He nodded yes to her second question, not making any move to answer her first.
Tension grew in Rukawa as he debated whether to tell. Sal knew. She knew something happened in the past. But how?
~~
A/N: Heh… I'm finishing the story soon… just a while more… I'm bombarded with homework!!
1.1
1.2 Glossary
Dozoyoroshiku: "Pleased to meet you."
Kochirakoso yoroshiku: "I am pleased to meet you. (response to Dozoyoroshiku.)