Okay, I'm back with another story. I'm having a stressful and 'toxic' semester so to keep my sanity, I'll digress first from acads and try to enjoy myself a bit. It's been a while since I wrote something non-academic so this is my shot at it. Hehehe. I'm currently doing 'Operation do something Non-Academic' and this is one of the two activities I'm currently undertaking. I'm also currently applying for an org in my university that plays gamelan music. They're really cool and the music's fun. The training's fun too. Hope this operation of mine goes well. XD. Anyway, here's the story. Enjoy!!

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Waking up first thing in the morning to the sound of a frilly alarm clock isn't my cup of tea. My hands immediately shot up to silence the irritating contraption. Cursing, I sat up and rubbed my eyes, which I bet are the bloody red. I looked at the clock to find red digits blinking, telling me that I still had 30 minutes to prepare for school and not be late. Half-heartedly, I marched to the bathroom to begin another stupid day in my oh-so boring life.

Thank God for the people who invented basketball. As long as there's basketball, I'm willing to live this mundane life of mine to the very end. Yes, that's how much I venerate this sport. I don't effing care about other people and their affairs. As long as I have a court and a ball, I'm good. I'm willing to do anything for basketball.

Sigh

If I don't love it, I wouldn't be in this predicament. But if that effing guy only minded his own business, I wouldn't really be in this predicament. Curse people and their tendencies to meddle into others lives. Why can't they just leave others alone?

Realizing that grumbling to myself about others 'do ahou-ness ' would not merit me, I started making my way to school in my dilapidated bike. I don't really sleep that much now when I ride my bike lest that guy hears about it and make me do more stupid and time-consuming things he dubs as academic work, no thank you. This one project is enough.

I arrive at school 5 minutes before the usual time. 35 minutes earlier than my usual time. I don't really see the point of going to school early. What is there to do? Aside from copying assignments, there's really nothing else. I don't see the point of getting up early just to see your classmates and talk about sappy 'telenovelas' 1 or porn or who the hottest person on campus is. Aside from hearing these trash stories, the one thing I particularly hate is the attention people give deprivation me whenever there are no classes yet. Can't a decent guy sit in the comfort of his own classroom without being bothered by abnormal 'heart-eyed' girls and not to mention guys?? I mean how can one see properly if your eyes are heart shaped?? Seriously, they need medical attention. Afterwards, they might even see the reality that I'm not that worth looking at.

After five minutes of fan-madness agony, the bells rang signalling the start of class. Finally, I can start counting down the hours till basketball practice starts.

Oh yeah, by the way, in case you're wondering why I'm counting down hours instead of sleeping and why I'm at school early, I'm in academic detention. That pretty much sums it all. It all started yesterday...

...

Wow, cool, I'm in a flashback, drama format. Didn't know it's possible. Hehehe. Let's take advantage of the situation and breakdown the scenes and the drama...for narration's sake.

...

The bells rang late in the afternoon signalling eager students that hell was up. As you can see, I was standing up from my seat and was about to leave when that ugly guy over there on the teacher's table called me.

'Rukawa Kaede, I want you to stay for a while.' So Suzuki-sensei said. Up until yesterday, I didn't really know his name. His method of making me remember him was effective. After less than 24 hours, I could still remember him. I think I will till I graduate from high-school.

Anyway the yesterday-me, not knowing that the conversation were about to have concerns me being able to play in the club, just shot an icy glare at ugly-sensei. He returned the favour and glared at me as well. Tension filled the class so the others who stayed to gossip started to dissipate. We stayed glaring at one another for a very long time. Upon seeing the slight twitching in his left eye, I knew I won the battle. He broke the competition and motioned for me to come closer to the table. Although reluctant, I hastily made my way to the table. If my memory serves me right, I was thinking of how much precious time I was wasting spending it with ugly here than on court with a lovely basketball. From the looks of it and the aura yesterday-me was sending off, I was pissed. Royally. I could tell even if I had nonchalant face mask. I know so from personal experience.

Upon reaching the table, ugly-sensei started his homily. I'm so not gonna say everything he said 'cause it would be longer than all the sentences I uttered since I started high school, on and off school. To sum it all up, he said something about me having low grades (which are higher than the do ahou's. I don't see why he's fussing about it so much.), about my tardiness and of course the eternal complain that all the teachers I've had had, my sleeping in class.

After more or less an hour of sermon, as you can see, all I replied to ugly-sensei was a shrug and a 'Hn'. Yesterday-me was about to leave when ugly-sensei dropped the bomb. Even in flashback, I can clearly hear and feel the words that ruined the fine line my life have been traversing.

"I am putting you under academic-detention and not unless it is lifted, you cannot play basketball."

At first, the words seem distant but they grew louder and louder in my ears as the sentence unfolded it meanings.

"You cannot play basketball."

At this point, yesterday-me standing there unmoving means that he's, I mean I'm shocked. Yes, if one scrutinized my face closer, they could see a part of my mask breaking. That's how dear basketball is to me. Don't believe me? Here come, let's go closer. Let's pause this flashback for a while ne?

--

See, if we move in closer and inspect my face, you can see that my eyes widened a considerable length of 3mm. Now, that's a great give away already. And notice how my eyebrows arched due to the widening of my eyes. Going south, you'll see that my mouth is slightly opened. If that's not proof enough for you of how shocked I am, then I don't know how else I could convince you. I rest my case. It's up to you if you believe me or not. I don't really care much either way.

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Now going back, where were we? Oh yeah, the bomb. Let's press play and there.

So as I was saying, yesterday-me was shocked and the words 'can't play basketball' kept ringing in my head. Reading yesterday-me's thoughts, it was clear that I was panicking. Obviously, basketball is my life support and is the reason why I come to school and comply with my parents' wish of me finishing school. Hitting two birds with one stone. No playing basketball meant no basketball club, meaning more dull days ahead. No more tournaments and practice game with other teams. No other teams meant no Sendoh.

Sendoh...?

Shit, why was he in my thoughts?? Come to think of it, he was the first one I thought of when those words were dropped.

No shitting. Why is he there??

Damn. Pretty twisted head I got there.

Saa, anyway let's deal with that later. Back to the story.

So, ahou ugly-sensei dropped the bomb and asked me to come to the office to discuss my predicament. Along the walk to the office, yesterday-me was thinking of how to get out of the situation. I was so panic-stricken that time that yesterday-me still haven't realized that I just thought of Sendoh. Stupid Kaede Rukawa. How many times have I told myself to distance myself from that do ahou? I think I have contracted his stupidity virus. How I shudder at the thought.

Anyway...as we were about to sit in ugly-sensei's office to discuss, Akagi senpai along with Kogure senpai came bursting through the door. Apparently, they have heard from eavesdropper about my case and tried to talk to ugly sensei. At this point, I realized how great Akagi-buchou was and that he wasn't really that bad either. And Kogure senpai didn't look so frail and wimpy this time in my eyes. Through yesterday-me's vision, they were angels sent from God above, heroes glowing sort of like that. Of course, I don't view them now in that light but I'm still grateful.

In the end, after much debate to which I contributed nothing, it was decided that I could still play basketball but under several conditions, one of which is that I can't be tardy anymore nor can I sleep while doing social activities like biking, in class etc., for the welfare of others. Not being able to sleep seemed daunting but I agreed nonetheless, for basketball and Sendoh...

Damn Sendoh again. Why does he keep sneaking up in my thoughts like that?? Weirdo.

But, alas (can't believe I just used that. It doesn't seem to complement my cold exterior), ugly-sensei was not content with just those condition so he gave me several projects. Each subject had one. Easy enough, I guess. But then he had to add this project for my development. As to what is that, he said we'll discuss it tomorrow.

Damn ugly-sensei. I knew I should've killed him that time when he woke me up from sleep and I decided to strangle him. Back then, I could still reason out that I was half-asleep and didn't know what I was doing.

Ah there's goes first period. Man, is this talking-to-yourself method of killing time effective or what.

"Rukawa Kaede, day dreaming in class is tantamount to sleeping in class. Please refrain from doing so to keep up with our agreement."

Damn ugly-sensei. I'll kill you someday. Just you wait and see.

Okay, killing time method number 2 : Plot the demise of ugly-sensei.

Next period's gonna be fun.

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A.N.: Hahaha, Rukawa talking inside his head. That was fun!!I just noticed I used so many 'anyway's hehehe. Sendoh didn't really appear in this chapter but he'll be around. This is a SenRu after all.

Anyway  please tell me what you think about it. Hehehe. Anyone who gets the urge to beta it for the sake of it being readable, please tell me. Hehehe.

I'm only doing this to amuse myself 'cause there hasn't been that much SenRu being written nowadays. I urge you others who love SenRu as much as Rukawa loves basketball to please write!! Let's fill ffn with SenRu.

Operation SenRu domination? Why not, debah?? (Winks)

BTW, 1.'telenovelas' - are soap operas in English (I think?). Tele is from television and novellas (loosely translated) are stories.