Part III: Why Love's such a pain
Disclaimers: Slam Dunk doesn't belong to me.
This was a big mess. A disaster. No, it's worse… a crisis. Yeah, that's what it is. Ayako thought miserably as she flopped on her bed, tears glistening on her cheeks. It was a good thing that her mother wasn't home, so she could cry freely.
Why did Ryota matter so much to her? Why? Why?
He was the person who kept haunting her mind. Not Kishi Yamamoto, the one she thought she liked.
In reality, she had never had a boyfriend. Several dates, but never a steady boyfriend… And she was one of the girls who dreamed of loving a person one day.
But now she blew both her chances. Yesterday while she was chasing Ryota, she received a call from Kishi, asking her out. But she couldn't say yes because she needed to apologize to Ryota. And about Ryota, obviously he was dead angry with her.
'That's it… I can call Kishi and explain everything! Maybe he can help me.' She thought. 'Stupid me… why didn't I think of it before?'
She quickly dialed the Yamamoto residence and the phone rang 3 times before a male voice answered. "Hello?"
"Hey, Kishi… I need to talk to you." She said desperately.
"Ayako?"
"Yeah. I need you to listen to me."
"Sure, what's the matter?"
His voice sounded really concerned. She narrated her whole problem to him. "…And now he's mad at me because he saw me kiss you. He won't even listen to a word I say."
"Sounds like a really big problem." Kishi said, pausing for a while. "Maybe it's best if I leave you to solve this problem. I might as well move aside for a while."
Ayako sighed exasperatedly. "Kishi! That's why I'm calling you! I don't know what I should do!"
"Well, for one thing, it's your problem, not mine. If I get into this problem, it will only get worse. Then number two, if you obviously care a lot for Ryota, you wouldn't have kissed me in the first place. And number three, you should make your own decisions. If Ryota decides to hate you, there's nothing you can do about it except to forget about him and move on. Go out with me."
God, what was the matter with this world? Ayako thought, devastated. Now, the guy whom she was sure she could trust was turning out to be a big jerk! But she knew that he was not involved in the problem. But still, as her friend, he should have given her advice on this whole thing.
"Hey look. All I want to ask for is advice on this. I don't need to let you handle the problem for me. And as for number two, I kissed you back because I like you. And last of all, I don't want anyone to hate me."
"I know, so I'm stepping out of your way so you can handle it. You're strong, Ayako. I can only advice you to forget about him and move on. And if you care so much about Ryota's feelings, then you should be kissing him and not me. You obviously care more about his feelings than mine, don't you? I bet you don't know exactly how I feel."
"I DON'T LIKE HIM!" Ayako protested defensively. Her conscience twisted. "And-"
"Yeah, you do. I can tell. Admit it, Ayako. You do like him." Kishi said, cutting in. "I fell for a girl who doesn't like me. What an idiot I am." He said bitterly.
Ayako's world was turning upside down. "Now I know. You used me to get to Ryota, didn't you?" he accused.
"You know that I didn't! I would never use you." BOYS. She could never understand them.
"Whatever, Ayako. You're lying. I can tell. And let me tell you something: I'm not as stupid as you think I am." Kishi said in a bitter voice and hung up the phone. Ayako dropped the phone and shed some more tears. Was it true that she indeed liked Ryota? And was Kishi showing his true colors? Was he telling the truth? Somehow she felt like all that he was saying was true… She felt reluctant while she was kissing him, and it was not Kishi who was in her mind. It was always Ryota.
But was it true that she used him to get Miyagi? Even she didn't know the answer.
Ryota put on some suntan lotion. He planned to have a peaceful afternoon, and think of how to attract Ayane to like him. He'd even imagined kissing her. Then they'd have a nice talk by the beach, then they'd have a stroll back to her place… then-
"Hello? Miyagi? Earth to Miyagi!" Mitsui was shouting. "I've been calling you for over a minute now, and it looks like you've been daydreaming." Mitsui said. He lowered his sunglasses, and Ryota saw a twinkle in his eyes.
He blushed. "Sorry, Mitchy. I dozed off. I couldn't help it… you know who I was thinking about." He said hurriedly.
"Yeah. Ayane." Mitsui replied, smiling at his friend. "I'm getting in the pool!" he shouted to Miyagi.
"Yeah, I'm coming!" Ryota shouted back and watched as Mitsui plunged into the pool's watery blue depths. SPLASH! Mitsui jumped in. "Watch OUT!" Ryota yelled. He splashed in after Mitsui and wet him.
"HEY! I'll get you for that, Ryo-chin!" Mitsui yelled. They began a water fight until-DING DONG! The doorbell sounded unpleasantly.
"Damn thing!" Mitsui said, annoyed. He opened the door. "Ayako-san! What are you doing here!"
"I'm here to see Miyagi." She said breathlessly.
Suddenly, Miyagi turned up behind Mitsui. "Not you AGAIN! Look, stop all this nonsense. I'm having a nice swim with Hisashi, and here you are, barging in and wanting to see me. I know what you have to say. So shut up and goodbye." Ryota banged the door shut.
"Really, Ryo-chin, I never knew you had the nerve to go against Ayako." Mitsui said a little while later.
"Let's swim," Ryota said gruffly, choosing to ignore what Mitsui mentioned.
Next day…
"I asked Ayane for a date tonight," said Ryota after basketball practice.
"Whoah, Ayako's absent today-yet again-she's absent mostly now," Mitsui commented.
"So? Who cares?" Ryota said coldly. He wasn't about to forget what she had done to him.
"Whatever. Listen, I've got to go, we are having dinner early." Said Mitsui, and left Ryota alone.
Later…
Later that night, Ryota and Ayane walked to the cinema. "Wow, this movie's nice!" she said, pointing to the international movie K-19. "Let's watch it."
"Um, ok." Was Ryota's hesitant answer, since he and Mitchy usually watched local movies. But since Ayane was his date… he couldn't disappoint her.
They entered the cinema and chose seats. "Like popcorn?" he asked.
"Okay! Hey, get me one of those cheesy ones, they're really good." She said, not even bothering to say please.
Ryota disregarded this, and when he came back, she grabbed the bucket of popcorn, not bothering to even say thank you. Neither did she share with him. And after the movie, she chose the restaurant they were going to eat in. In the end, Ryota was exhausted. He resolved to himself never to take Ayane out ever again. He remembered those times when he took Ayako out on a friendly date…
Flashback.
"Hey, Ryota! You're late!" Ayako said, looking at her watch. "Sorry," he apologized, realizing what time it was. It was 8:00 in the evening, and the movie had started at 7:45.
"I'm really sorry I made you wait," he said. "My sister had to go to a doctor appointment, so I couldn't make it on time. I'm really sorry," he apologized. His cheeks flushed.
"It's ok, Miyagi. We can still watch it," she said, pushing her auburn locks from covering her face. It was only then when Ryota noticed how simply she dressed but she looked beautiful.
"What are you looking at me for?" Ayako inquired when she noticed him staring at her.
"Oh, um, nothing…" Ryota answered, blushing. She smiled and they went inside the cinema.
When they had finished watching the movie, Ryota supposed that he had to take her out to dinner. It was pretty late and he was sure that she was pretty hungry. "Where do you wanna eat?" he asked.
"Oh, anywhere you want. I don't mind." She said politely. So in the end they ended up having a good and enjoyable night.
End of flashback…
Ryota sighed as he walked home, treasuring that moment forever. He had had no problem with Ayako. She was the perfect girl for him, until she had kissed that Yamamoto.
Maybe he was still in love with Ayako.
Ayako didn't know what to do anymore. She had a good life up until she had kissed Kishi-and it wasn't really her fault. Now she didn't even know whom she liked.
'This is stupid… I'm supposed to like Kishi, but when he hung up, I didn't feel his pain. I felt Ryota's… I could only go back to the memory of him seeing me and Kishi kiss… And I felt his pain.' She thought.
She was more muddled up than ever. Maybe she just had to accept the fact that she had fallen in love with Ryota-she couldn't bear to hurt him, and she had felt his pain and sorrow.
She didn't know if she should still face everyone at Shohoku. She was sure she would get a pretty bad reputation, because sooner or later many people would know that she had used a guy to get the one she supposedly liked.
'Perhaps I should just apologize to the both of them and forget about my feelings… After all, many people are cheerful at school, but deep inside they're hurt. I just have to hide it from everyone…' she thought, tears springing to her eyes.
And she promised to herself that she would finally apologize to Ryota tomorrow.
Ryota, meanwhile, was busy walking home when a sudden thought occurred to his mind. 'What if I visit Ayako right now and say that I'm sorry for all the things that I said? I'm sure I hurt her really badly. And I can't wait for tomorrow… I'd go nuts.' He thought resignedly.
'Maybe she's asleep by now…' he thought as he took the path to her house.
'Don't be like that, Miyagi… Have hope. She's awake…' a voice whispered in his head. And it was because he trusted this voice, which came from his heart, that he was able to make it to Ayako's house, ringing the doorbell almost casually.
Ayako's mother answered. "Hello, Miyagi, I haven't seen you here for quite a time." She greeted him. "Ayako's upstairs, if you want to see her."
Ryota wasted no time and hurried up the stairs, turning left to Ayako's room. His heartbeat moved on a faster pace as he opened the door. Ayako didn't even notice him coming in, because she lay on her bed, her back to him. He supposed that she was crying.
He slowly approached her, wanting more and more to take her in his arms and kiss her.
"Ayako," he said softly.
She turned around, shocked to see him. She sure wasn't expecting him that night. "W-what are you doing here?" she stammered, blinking.
"I came here to apologize." He explained. He took a chair and sat down. "Look, Ayako-I'm sorry for everything that I said. I realized that-well-it was my fault for not considering your feelings. I guess that you really like that Yamamoto… and he's lucky to have you. You're a really great girl, Ayako. I understand now." He said. Ayako took a moment to digest these kind words.
"Miyagi… I have something to tell you too." She said quietly. "I don't love Kishi. He just kissed me that day in the hospital-and even if it felt pleasant, it didn't seem right. It's my fault for kissing him back… I guess I really wasn't considering my own feelings. Because I know now that my heart belongs to you… And I want to be with you more than anyone else." She said, avoiding his eyes.
There was a short silence. Ryota finally broke it by pulling her into a hug. "I'm really sorry, Ayako." He whispered. "I'm sorry too, Miyagi…" she sobbed into his shoulder.
"I love you." He whispered, and kissed her. And as she kissed back, he knew that she loved him, too.
The end.
A/N: So, how was it? Any comments? Violent reactions? please review!