Disclaimer: I obviously own none of the Slam Dunk characters…

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Chapter 1: The Road Home

Slumped shoulders and nearly dead knees dragged themselves on the dimly lit street. Jet black hair concealed dark blue eyes, as Rukawa Kaede's head stayed bowed down. His bag was pitched carelessly over his right shoulder, and his hands stayed stuffed inside his pockets.

This was always the way he embarked on the journey to his house. Alone. Whether it be on his bike, or simply on foot, he was always alone. And sometimes the solitude grows unbearable. At times like these, when the loneness manages to seep through the strong and guarded demeanor of Rukawa, the desire for a companion rears itself from the small and almost eclipsed part of him, which is still capable of feeling.

The part of him that was scarred with undeniable anger. Anger towards his parents for not loving him. Anger towards everybody for not understanding him. Anger… brought about by love. Rejected love which was still left hoping, painfully hoping that it would be repaid. But some things remain sad and lonely. Some things remain the same. The hope was searing. So blight that one would wish that it were gone, and abandon a lone soul without the assuring hope. The hope kept him alive, but it never made him thankful. The life he lived was that of regret, and sorrow. Simply because of the plain act of hoping. At times he wondered if the hope would vanish if his life would. But he couldn't end his days. For the hope stopped him.

The question had asked itself so many times.

Will hope save me of spear me? Will it save me from harm? Maybe it will. But as of now, I know that it has already killed me. Inside. It murdered my soul. The hope took away my life.

And so it took away his words as well. It stole his emotions. But sadly, it hadn't pilfered his pain.

That was until the game called basketball did.

Basketball, the sport that kept him alive. The game which was at times exhausting, was his only escape from the life he wanted to desert. In his mind, basketball was his only reason for living.

Rukawa Kaede was abandoned by his parents at a very young age. But an age old enough to understand and assume that his parents never loved him. He was adopted, and he knew this. Sometimes he wished that he didn't have so much knowledge about himself, then maybe that would lessen the pain. His life was worthless, as he would simply put it, and wasn't worth living. But then he came across basketball. And it instantly changed his views. The mere thought of the sport made him lighten up. And playing it was even more overwhelming.

But even basketball couldn't top the being called Sukuragi Hanamichi. It was strange, but for some reason, since that fateful day they met for the first time in the roof, the red head's image was burned into his mind, and his name was constantly ringing in Rukawa's ears.

No one has ever had that effect on him. Ever. And what made it all the more strange is that Sakuragi hadn't even tried to get his attention. Why should he anyway? They were supposed to be enemies.

Yes, that's how things were supposed to go. Sakuragi had proclaimed that he hated Rukawa, thus making him his sworn enemy. And all our dear kitsune could do was play along. He never wanted to have this kind of relationship with the red head. But what else would he do? Try to make friends with him?

That's very unlikely.

And so he went along with the fights, criticized all he can, and sculpted himself into a presentable archenemy for the do'ahou.

But even if Apollo flies and Daphne holds the chase, or the dove pursues the griffin… there will always be that beautiful face of Sakuragi Hanamichi flashing itself in his head, and the truth beyond doubt that he, Rukawa Kaede, has fallen in love.

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Please please please please please please please review!!! I am begging you!!! : P

Let me know if I should continue. I know it's really short, but this is only the first chapter, so please understand.