The SiXth Man

Part I

"Hey! Watch where you're going!"

"That was my foot you just stepped on!"

"Wretched kids!"

"Be considerate, you fools!"

That would be the last harsh remark they'd hear as the two of them cut through an opposing mob of men and women dressed in fine business attires on an afternoon rush to the subway station. With Ayumi leading, they scampered the busy sidewalks of Kanagawa to catch up with the prefecture's very own monster team Shohoku.

"Hey, hey, hey! Wait a minute, will you! For God's sake, we've been running for almost half an hour now!" the other girl behind her protested as she was being tugged by the arm.

"We can't stop now, Satoru. We have to be there on time or else I won't see him!" She tightened the grip on her best friend's (already) sore arm.

Satoru heard herself eek as she felt her blood stopped circulating, then her wrist pulse gradually declining.

"They can't start the game without me…I won't let them!"

"YOU'RE CRAZY, DON'T YOU KNOW THAT! Firstly you made me LIE to your father so as to cover up your sorry ass for running away from home. Then you talked me out of coming with you to Kanagawa – with NO money or whatsoever - to meet a guy who hardly ever KNEW you existed! And now you want to be on time to watch a stupid basketball game - (not to mention that its about to start in two and a half minutes) - in a gymnasium at the other end of this district! Do you have any idea how FAR that is?! That's THREE KILOMETERS from here! ARE YOU GONNA GET THE BOTH OF US KILLED?!"

Ayumi can't help but chuckle at the girl's sudden hysteria.

"Dare you laugh?! You're not supposed to laugh if you know you're going to end up dead in these streets! What am I supposed to tell your father if I brought home a body bag, huh?!"

It's impossible for Ayumi to hide her smile. She turned and met her best friend's irate gaze. "Then why did you come with me in the first place? You could always say 'no' if you really don't want to, Satoru-san. You know that." She said sweetly.

Her jaw dropped. "Well I'm sorry, Ayumi-san…I should have been selfish!" She snapped. "…I should have thought of me losing my job first than to be an accomplice in this crazy shenanigan! Guess I must be insane to have listened to you in the first place…!" Then she shuts her mouth and diverted her attention away from Ayumi's eyes. Frowning.

(How could you be so naive, you stupid, STUPID girl!)

Ayumi sighed. Her best friend was never really good at expressing her good side to anyone, not even to her.

Ayumi rubbed an affectionate thumb on Satoru's skin, making her look back. "Thanks a lot, Ishii. I wouldn't have counted on anyone else if you turned me down. You're really a true friend." She beamed another smile, then slightly let go of her arm. "You knew he really means a lot to me, don't you?"

Satoru blinked at her first, then a sarcastic smirk curved on her face. "Hn. Not a chance." She snorted. "Now look upfront and be quiet. We have two and a half kilometers more to go."

Shohoku High

"Sakuragi Hana…bichi, Sakuragi Hana…dichi, Sakuragi Hana…gichi…"

Sakuragi Hanamichi was scrolling down on a series of names posted on the school board for students who passed the year-level Chemistry exam, hoping he would find his.

"…Sakuragi Hana…kichi, Sakuragi Hana…pichi, Sakuragi…"

…

"Nyah! My name is not in the list!" He exclaimed, pulling a handful of red hair.

"Hahaha! Tough luck, Hanamichi!" Yohei ridiculed as he moved to the previous column and began to search for his name.

"Mito Yo…hea, Mito Yo…hee, Mito Yo…heo, Mito…"

…

"Nani!? M-My name is not here, too!" He cried out. (Fountain of tears swell up his eyes, flooding the hallway).

"Tough luck, Yohei! NYAHAHAHAHA!" (SD Sakuragi sashaying around the kneeling Yohei - his world crushed. I didn't sleep just to memorize those Goddamn elements!)

"Oi, Sakuragi Hanamichi!"

Both of them turned at the arriving manageress (waving) with the captain, complete with practice gear and sports bag.

"Ayako-san! Gori!"

"Why aren't you all set? You better go and change or we'll be late. We don't want to miss the game, do we?" Ayako said giving him a wink.

Dotted-eyed Sakuragi stared at her unknowingly. "Game…? (blink, blink) What game?"

"Hah…?"

"Baka!" Akagi gave him his usual dose of monkey-punch. "Haven't you been paying attention at yesterday's meeting? We're scheduled to have a practice game with Bijutsu High today." he reminded Sakuragi then added another lump on the tensaii's head.

"Bi-jut-su? I haven't heard of such a team." Yohei remarked.

"That's no surprise, Yohei. Bijutsu High was just new in the league and they're just making a name for themselves." Ayako filled him in. "It has only been a year since the team made its debut and immediately ended up in the final eight. Their statistics show superb group offence and defence, though individually they're really not that strong. They're dubbed as today's fastest rising team in Kanagawa despite that weak point. Though many hoped that they will make it in this year's final four."

Yohei was nodding till Ayako finished her statement. (Background: Gori was holding a headlock on Sakuragi.)

"A-Ano…" a shaky student tapped a finger on the captain's broad shoulder. "…Are you Akagi Takenori?"

"Yes. I am."

"Sumimasen, sempai, but you're wanted at the Principal's Office. They say it's urgent."

Ayako and Yohei were all ears. "What for?" Akagi said, puzzled.

"Ooh…you've been a bad boy, Gori…What did you do?" Hanamichi teased and nudged him on the side.

He turned to face the student. "We have a practice game to attend to. I don't know if I still have time for that." Akagi said, ignoring the redhead aside.

"We know that, sempai, but this won't take long." He assured Akagi.

The captain thought for a moment then agreed. "Ok." He removed the strap around his body and handed his enormous bag to Ayako. "Here. Carry it for me till I get back."

"S-SEMPAI?!"

"Sakuragi, you go on ahead. I'll follow afterwards. Tell Anzai-sensei that I'll be back as soon as I'm done with my business. Kogure will fill my shoes for now." He bid them farewell as the student escorted him to the third floor of the building.

"You are so unfair! Why do you have to make ME your baggage girl!" The manageress was about to cry.

"Here, Ayako-san," Mito Yohei took the bag strap from her hand, "I'll carry it for you."

Shohoku High Gym

"OMIGOD! There he is! There he is!" Ayumi shrieked while pulling her best friend's sleeve, almost ripping it off.

Astoundingly, they made it just in time before the real play commenced…in just five minutes. (Look, ma, no sole! ^_^)

"Where?!" Satoru was up on her feet.

"There!" Ayumi pointed to the rightmost cluster of players on red jerseys. Satoru began to scan each of Shohoku's faces on the bench, curious to know what type of guy would make her best friend awake for almost a week. She eyed them carefully and meticulously. One by one, she judged them:

The redhead (*SNORT*)

The midget (Cute…but then again…*snort*)

The scar-face (Ooh…He's hot!)

The megane (*snort* Never liked four-eyes…)

The blue fox (*gasp* HE'S A GOD!)

"Which one? I can't tell!" Satoru got excited all of a sudden.

"There!"

She followed Ayumi's finger as she pointed at someone from the team who are currently having a pep talk with a fat old man with glasses on. Their sensei, probably. The player her best friend was referring to was with their female manager. He also happens to be sitting beside her: raven-haired, fair complexion, good built…

Satoru turned to Ayumi…then to him…then to Ayumi…then back to him. Her left brow rose to an incredible extent.

…We came all the way…for THAT guy...? Jeez! I can see STUPID written all over his face…! Satoru muttered to herself, crossing her arms, as she stared at her love-struck friend in complete annoyance.

Ayumi was blushing terribly.

Great…she's possessed. Now I'll have to wait for her to do a three-sixty spin with her head and crawl down these bleachers upside-down.

"Be still, my heart!" Ayumi bellowed holding her chest.

Satoru glared at her more.

The buzzer sounded, signifying the start of the game. Shohoku's starting line up proceeded to the center circle of the court. Sakuragi will lead the jump ball for the team.

"Hey…why is he still sitting there? He should have been playing with the others." Ayumi's excitement melted off her face.

Satoru's arms were crossed. "Hn. Some favorite player of yours, Ayumi. Can't you see he's not wearing any uniform? It only means that he's not gonna play today."

She stole a glance at the man on the bench. "Ganbatte, Hanamichi! Ike, Ike, Shohoku! We're with you all the way!" he heard him yell.

"Ike, Ryota-kun!" the curly-haired woman beside him followed.

A startling realization suddenly came to Ayumi. She looked at Satoru with boggle eyes. "Now I understand…"

"Hm? What are you talking about?"

"…Him. Now I understand him. Why he's just sitting there and letting the others play."

"And?" She gestured her friend to talk further, "Why IS he just sitting there and letting the others play?"

"Oh, Satoru! I couldn't be more right!" She glanced back at him. The corners of her lips started to curve up. "He's no other than Shohoku's Ace Player. The best in their league!"

Dotted-eyed Satoru blinked at Ayumi. "N-Nani?"

"Can't you see? He looks so cool and contented just sitting there yelling. He has enough confidence in Shohoku that they can win this game without his help." She pointed out.

"Are you sure?"

Ayumi nodded. "Father told me once that this would be an advantage for the other team. Else, they wouldn't stand a chance in scoring for the first quarter if the ace was to become the starting member."

"I see." Satoru began to think deep. Shit! I must have underestimated this guy. He doesn't look knowledgeable enough but then…if what Ayumi was saying is true…

The jump ball commenced. Sakuragi tapped the ball to his side and it went to Shohoku's possession. Riyota dribbled the ball to their side of the court. As defense assembled, he passed it to Rukawa.

Damn! Ayumi should have picked that fox instead!

Ayumi stood up, surprising her best friend. "I can't stand here and do nothing, Satoru. Playing or not, I have to cheer for him. I have to show him my support! I have to let him know I'm here!" The flame of passion burns inside her.

That's what I'm afraid of! Satoru began to conceal her face with both hands, fearing the worst.

Plucking out a white-laced hanky from her empty purse, she waved it in the air and hollered his name.

"YOHEI!"

Everyone from the bleachers turned to stare at the funny woman with the white hanky.

To be continued…

Disclaimer: I don't own Slam Dunk, its title nor its characters. However, names you may encounter here, that are not found in the series, are all mine.