Rakka eda ni kaerazu
~ Fallen blossoms do not return to branches ~
-- a Japanese proverb
Chapter One: Snapshots
Spring, Present
Kanagawa, Japan
Various places
Rukawa Kaede looked up around him at the cherry blossoms falling from the trees. They were moving in a graceful dance, seemingly random yet forming a complementary picture. The season of the cherry blossom was ending. Another was beginning.
He walked away, basketball in hand. It would always be basketball season for him.
Kogure Kiminobu cleared his schoolwork off the table, smiling now that he had completed all his assignments. He went downstairs to the kitchen to get a glass of milk before he went to bed. Tomorrow was Saturday, and he had promised to meet an old friend who was arriving in Kanagawa at the airport. The flight touched down at five-forty in the morning, so it was an early pilgrimage.
Akagi Takenori stirred in his sleep, dreaming of basketballs and the Inter-High. The dream to make Shohoku the champion was so much a part of him that even his subconscious was focused on achieving it. He grunted in his sleep as an imaginary ball was dunked into an imaginary hoop, in front of the largest cheering crowd ever imaginable.
Sakuragi Hanamichi had met with trouble on the streets. Apparently, some street thugs had thought it easy to bully the red-head strolling along alone. They were wrong, of course. Sakuragi delivered painful head bashes to each one of them and continued on his way home nonchalantly.
Spring, Two days ago
Philadelphia, USA
An average suburban home
She could hardly sleep; she was so full of anticipation. After three years in the United States of America, she could return home.
Kawasaki Michiko could hardly wait to get to Japan, get to Kanagawa, and meet up with the one who had saved her life.
Disclaimer: Slam Dunk and all of its characters do not belong to me...
Author's Notes: The first, short, chapter...whetted your appetite, I hope! Reviews please!