Disclaimer : Slam Dunk is owned by Takehiko Inoue.

Author's Note: After being absent for one and a half years, my obsession for RuHaru has never waned. Though I should be updating my fics, I decided to make a one-shot for my favorite couple. Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Gift

"Haruko, what could be so hard? Which is harder, having feelings for him and carrying that feeling and yet denying that it exists? Or getting over it? If you are in love with Rukawa-kun, just go up to him and tell him. You should be willing to take the chance. If he rejects you, at least you can move on and entertain other guys. God, Haruko, you don't know how crazy Sakuragi is for you!"

"Sakuragi-kun? Sakuragi Hanamichi?"

"Well, duh! How many Sakuragi do we have in this school?"

"But Ayako, Sakuragi-kun is a very good friend to me. It's just that it's Rukawa-kun that…"

"That you love. Exactly! That's why you have to go up to him and tell him how you feel! Don't punish yourself like this. For crying out loud, Haruko, you've been holding that Christmas gift for him for almost a week now!"

"I know… and it's our last day of school …"

"Right. What are you afraid of anyway? He talks to you once in a while, correct?"

"Hai…. But I don't want to push my luck. I'm afraid he would just be rude to me or something. He's known for that, you know."

Rukawa Kaede took steps backward, turned around and walked to the sidelines. As soon as he laid down his school bag to one of the seats, he jogged to the basketball bin, picked a ball and dribbled it. The sound of the dribbling ball must have created enough noise to break the conversation of the two women in the locker room because he saw Haruko walked out carrying a stack of white towels.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Haruko stealing glances at him. He came in early for practice for the last school day before the holiday vacation and he never thought that the two manageress were already there before him.

He dashed for the goal, then, with a quick jump, he did a fade away shot. Ball swished into the basket to his satisfaction. He looked at Haruko's direction. Her mouth was wide open as if in awe of what she just saw. In an instant, the girl looked away when she saw him looking at her, faint blush on her cheeks. Inwardly, he smiled. What a pretty sight, he thought to himself.

One by one, the tired members of the team left. Each one greeting one another the best of the holidays could bring. Somehow, he too, felt alive and invigorated. It must be true that there is something magical about the holiday season. Maybe it was the cool weather this time of the year. Or maybe, it was just because he learned that the assistant manageress has something for him. Somehow it felt good inside knowing a girl like her is in love with him.

The gym was quiet except for the noise that he was making. Everyone left already except for him and the assistant team manageress. He usually practices late and Haruko, being a junior of Ayako, is usually left to make sure everything is in order before leaving the gym.

He looked through the window and saw that it was starting to get dark outside. He decided to make one last jump shot. As soon as the ball bounced on the floor, he picked it up and threw it on the basketball bin.

As he walked up to his locker, he saw Haruko looking at him. He knew she was waiting. After washing up, he changed into his school uniform and went back to his locker. He saw Haruko took a deep breath, looking blankly at her opened locker as if she was trying to gather enough courage for an impossible mission. Then he saw her pulling something red from her locker and slowly walked up to him.

"Ru-Rukawa-kun…" he heard her start.

"Uh…" Even though he knew what was coming, Rukawa was still caught off-guard when Haruko approached. He turned to her and saw a gold-ribboned, red-wrapped gift, about an inch thick on her hands.

It took a while before the girl in front of him could speak. There was some air of nervousness about her, like she was afraid of him. The conversation he overheard just that afternoon kept on flashing back to him. Was she really scared of him? Was he really rude to her? Maybe he was. He just didn't realize it. When he noticed that the girl was slowly losing her composure, he realized that he must have been staring at her for so long. Was it because of his eyes? People say his eyes coupled with his quiet attitude are quite intimidating.

"Yes?" he asked, pretending not to know what was going on.

"T-This is for you, Rukawa-kun. Merry Christmas," she said, and all he could do was stare at the gift she extended in front of him.

"Please accept it…I…I made it just for you," The girl said, very uneasy.

Without saying a word, he extended his arm to reach for the gift.

Haruko timidly smiled. "I hope you'll like it."

"…………."

Then she broke the silence. "I… I guess I better go."

Rukawa, without much ado, pushed the door behind him. A soft click was heard when he pushed the door knob, a sign that they were locked in. "Aren't you supposed to tell me something?"

The girl's eyes were wide open, her demeanor visibly shaken.

"I- I guess that was it, Rukawa-kun… I..."

"Hm. Is that so?" He said as he turned his attention to the gift he was holding and slowly peeled the red wrapper away revealing a drawing. A man was wearing a red Shohoku basketball team uniform with No. 11 on his back. He realized that it was a picture of him in the act of dunking a ball while the two players who were supposed to be guarding him came coming down under the basket.

"Arigato."

He saw Haruko faintly smiled, visibly relieved that her gift was appreciated. After putting the portrait on his locker and closing it's door, he turned to her again.

"So… is it true?" he asked.

"Rukawa-kun?"

"What you were saying to Ayako this afternoon," he revealed.

Haruko's face was as pale as a fresh winter snow. Obviously, the girl doesn't have a clue that he overheard their conversation.

"What is wrong, Haruko?"

"I- No, nothing, Rukawa-kun…" she stammered, slowly taking steps backward.

He shortened the distance between them by taking two steps forward, trapping Haruko in between him and his locker. "Is it true?"

Not looking at him, Haruko nodded, her face reddening.

"I want to hear it from you," he told her, his face just a few inches away from hers.

He saw her turn her head, trying to avoid his eyes. "Yes… it is true, Rukawa-kun. I think… I am in love with you," she said, her voice softer at the end of her sentence.

Then she turned around and looked at him. "But …please don't let it bother you, Rukawa-kun. I am not expecting anything in ret--- Ummph…"

Rukawa grasped her hands behind her back with his one hand and used his other hand to hold her body close to him. He wanted it to happen. He wanted her to know that he felt the same thing. That although he loved her in secret, he never had a chance to be with her alone as she was constantly surrounded by her friends and his rival for her, Sakuragi Hanamichi.

But at that moment, there were just the two of them. He could open up to her as she did to him. Maybe the reason why he forced it out of her was because he wanted to motivate himself too, into letting out his feelings. He was tired of it. He was tired of hiding and pretending. Somehow, he has got to take away her fears and apprehensions. What was Haruko thinking? If only she knew the way she makes him feel, how much she controls him.

As Rukawa slowly loosened his grip on her, he felt her gasped for air.

"I just have to hold your arms so you could not slap me," he said in a raspy voice, faint smile on his lips while looking at her eye to eye.

"Rukawa-kun….," she said softly, tears started to well up in her eyes.

"Shhh… it's Kaede for you," he whispered.

He held her in a tight embrace. As he looked up at the window, he realized that it's already dark and chilly outside, yet warm feelings washed all over him. He closed his eyes and told to himself how lucky he was. The holiday season brought him the best gift: The gift of being loved.