It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The sun was shining brightly overhead and the sky was clear and blue with wisps of fluffy clouds. The weather was fair, just mentioning it just in case it doesn't seem obvious enough, and it was the perfect day for practice for the basketball team of Shohoku high for soon the tournament will start with them and Ryonan High.
Not that they need the practice badly or anything after all they bad beaten the team last year and especially now that feared Uozumi had already graduated.
'We're better,' Miyagi had told his teammates as they started the practice.
Miyagi Ryota had been a happy camper since the start of the year for he replaced Takenori Akagi as the new team captain. Well deserved, of course, after all he was a good player---no scratch that---he was a great player, if he said so himself. He was also the eldest now among the best players of the team. Unfortunately for him, however fine the job sounds...with that goof Hanamichi Sakuragi around pissing him [because he was chosen instead of Hanamichi] Miyagi might as well train bird-brained dogs. Often would Hanamichi ruffle Miyagi's muffin hair when Miyagi did something 'wrong' like called a foul for Hanamichi...things which offended the 'genius's' sky-high ego.
There were new members of Shohoku of course, and these new members were good, in Miyagi's standards anyway. One was Ishikawa Ruikiba, who was in the position of point-guard. He was as good as any player could get. Tall and lean, he had the speed of Miyagi [although for Miyagi, himself was faster] and the techniques of Mitsui combined. This point guard was a complete powerhouse of the new Shohoku team.
And he was popular as Rukawa when it came to girls. Rui-chan was a complete hunk of a man. Brushed-up, jet-black hair, small, deep-set eyes, angular face with high cheekbones and a wide, calm grin. He was a couple of centimeters shorter than Hanamichi but he never seemed to be intimidated by anyone, not even Hanamichi himself, nor had he panicked in a game with he best ace ever, Rukawa. Always he was in smiles, and his confidence [okay fine, I scratch it all out…he is EGOTISTIC] with himself was overwhelming. The bad thing about him was his being a playboy. He actually had 20 girlfriends already since he started his freshman year. And those dumb girls never seemed to get tired of him. Actually some of Rukawa's cheering squad had already shifted to the Rui-chan Fan Club.
Another notable freshman was Raikouchi Seisui. This quiet guy was a remarkable player in court. He could replace Rukawa someday as ace and point-getter. He was a runner-up for MVP at the same school Mitsui had graduated from [Takeishi Junior High], and surely that school yielded great players. He was the swiftest runner, most careful dribbler and the best at offense Miyagi had ever seen. At average this guy could gain at least 25 points in the first half with his precise 3-point shoots and lay-ups.
Seisui was tall, standing at 188 cm. He had shaven-dark brown hair, always in place [if his hair doesn't stay in place, I don't know what will] and most of the time wrapped in black bandanna. His brown eyes were glaring and no-nonsense and most of his batch mates were scared to even talk to him. To Miyagi, this guy was even more nonchalant and indifferent than Rukawa, the only difference was Seisui barely talks, while Rukawa had a fond habit of making funny but annoying comments [especially at Hanamichi's stupidity]. He has a lanky body, although perfectly built, and as he moves he seemed to glide with the wind. And Seisui was smart, very intelligent indeed. Actually, he was the top 3 of his batch. Many people were wondering why he joined the basketball club instead of the chess club however perhaps it was because they had never seen him play ball.
Surely, Shohoku's entrance to the Interhigh the previous year had attracted more good players to come and join the club [which didn't go with Seisui, for he was Rukawa's neighbor and claimed he went to Shohoku because it was near their house].
'Ayako-chan!' Miyagi called as Ayako was seen walking towards the court in her cycling shorts and pink shirt. Her curly hair was tied behind her head as usual and atop was her cap, as usual. Miyagi immediately blushed, and his eyes grew watery with sheer adoration and his knees wobbled, as usual. [lol…as usual]
---Rui-chan ^sweatdrops^---
It was the middle of the game and the ball was forgotten by Miyagi. It was funny but this year Miyagi seemed to be more attracted to Ayako than ever. Perhaps because it was their last year already and he had to make Ayako his before they graduate. Maybe all the Interhigh trophies would be enough to make her, his...unfortunately if he kept forgetting the game every time he saw her, the championship would merely be just a dream.
[gaaahh...this story is about Rukawa, not Miyagi...ANYWAY...]
Rukawa, by the way, had businesses of his own. While Miyagi was in his own sweet little world, he scored 6 points against Miyagi's team. Rui-chan was not good enough yet for Rukawa, and occasional spins and fakes did the trick. Hanamichi was unfortunately in Rukawa's team. The truth was, Rukawa and Hanamichi were a pair, as decided by Miyagi ['So you'd stop those nasty sparks when you two are together,' said Miyagi] and Seisui, Rui-chan and Miyagi in the other team.
The ball dribbled in front of the still half-conscious Miyagi and pissed off, Rui-chan hit it on the captain's head. Never had Rui-chan seen a captain that weird. [perhaps it was because Rui-chan had never experienced being dumped by a girl, considering Miyagi's condition in life…] Miyagi, now snapped back to reality took the ball, and found his teammates glaring at him. He smiled weakly and scratched his head 'Hehe...'.
So the game continued, Rukawa's team leading by 2 points. Rukawa was extremely good, even for Seisui. Leave Hanamichi with the rebounds, as he and Rukawa had decided amongst themselves, and Rukawa was in charge of the points---much to Hanamichi's dismay, however he learned from Haruko that rebounds were better than points so that technically would not affect Hanamichi's genius. It was a miracle he agreed though, when he usually wanted to control the game by himself.
This day was different for Hanamichi, to explain the oddity, for Haruko had delivered him a box of cookies and nothing could make Hanamichi's day go sour, even if all the points go to Rukawa.
'Haruko is mine!!! Eat my dust fox!!! Hahahahaha!' Hanamichi had laughed like a dumb clown at school a couple of hours back.
'Idiot' was Rukawa's only answer.
Rukawa Kaede sure was the star of that afternoon's practice game. He scored 32 points all in all, from their total of 53 against Miyagi's team 52. But Miyagi wasn't disappointed at their loss; he was actually happy his team mates were much better than he expected.
[really...I must shift now to Rukawa...too much on Miyagi...gaaahhh]
The game finally ended and they had gone to the shower rooms, sweaty and all. Rukawa sat on the bench outside for a while, letting air breeze past his tired body. He crouched low, his head bowed and his elbows on his knees. He was breathing fast and was quickly recovering strength. He sat up and stared at the ceiling blankly. His back, now flat on the bench, and his arms widespread at either side of his body. His small, chinky, narrowed eyes were thoughtful as his thinking shifted to the upcoming tiournament.
The image of a mocking Sendoh flashed across his thoughts.
He had not beaten him yet. Although his team was left eating Shohoku's dust, Sendoh was still, as much as Rukawa hated to admit it, better than him in most ways. Perhaps...
What was worse was Sendoh's idiotic smile. He almost reminded Rukawa of Rui-chan. 'Do-aho,' he muttered under his breath. He was the only one left in the court and he was glad or his team mates would have regarded him as crazy, talking nonsense.
Now that his mind wandered about it, he suddenly developed a certain dislike for Rui-chan. Even more distaste than he had for the idiot redhead Hanamichi.
Suddenly a girl came in the gym disrupting Rukawa's thoughts. This girl was a new face to Rukawa, maybe a freshman lost in the middle of nowhere. He ignored her and went back to his thoughts. He still heard noises in the shower room, the sound of water and laughing people. He decided to let them have their baths first, he was not in the mood to mingle with a happy bunch. [leave Seisui out. I don't think he ever was seen with a smile]
'Moshi moshi!'
This time she really did interrupt him. He lifted his eyes at her, still narrowed, and showed no hint of interest.
'Is Rui-chan here?' she asked, lifting both brows then averting her gaze from his face and scanning the empty gym.
Rukawa silently motioned towards the shower room with his head.
'Ah...sou ka...' She casually sat beside him and crossed her legs in front of her. 'I guess I cannot go in there huh? I'm pretty sure you don't mind me sitting beside you.' She smiled at him.
What's new...he disregarded it immediately.
'By the way I'm Ito Hitsumi,' she went on, as if not realizing he didn't want to talk at all. Her smile was still as bright as the early morning sunshine.
Then the guys bustled out of the shower room, at least Rui-chan and Miyagi did. There suddenly were echoes of mirth across the gym as they passed, until it quieted down upon seeing Hitsumi there.
She stood up and grinned at Rui-chan.
'Hun...' said Rui-chan, startled for a quick while. 'What are you doing here?'
'Hun?' echoed Miyagi, feeling his heart sink. It was impossible for Miyagi to call Ayako that and Rui-chan here has a pretty girlfriend for all he cared.
Her smile widened. 'Oh nothing, I thought I'd visit. I wanted to see you play actually, but I guess I came too late...'
He waved his hand in the air and tilted his head. 'No need for that hun,' he told her teasingly then walking over to her he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. 'You know, I'm kinda busy and...sometimes...I don't want interruptions you know…'
Miyagi almost fumed. Hanamichi, hearing this as he was sauntering out of the shower room almost hit the roof. Talk about taking girls for granted.
Rukawa was roused; his eyes darted towards Rui-chan for a split second then ignored the world again.
'What is she your girl?' Hanamichi's voice boomed over suddenly, catching everyone by surprise. His brows were almost touching each other as he loomed over Rui-chan, his eyes burning with rage. 'How dare you baka!!!'
Rui-chan blinked at Hanamichi then laughed, pulling Hitsumi closer to him. He turned them around and made for the door. Hitsumi could not say anything.
Maybe it was in Rukawa's nature to be a gent at heart although he did not seem like one, that he actually gave part of his attention to the silly commotion happening. Girls were just trouble, yeah, but Rui-chan was not doing a good job of treating them despite that fact. Rukawa's annoyance for Rui-chan was growing intensely by the moment, like if you dump a gazillion pack of fertilizer on potato-cropped soil.
'Do-aho...' he mumbled.
Fortunately for him although he didn't seem to mind Rui-chan and his girl waddle out of the gym, he did with his fox-like senses. For once he agreed with Hanamichi he indeed was a fox, but of course he didn't the least bit care. [lol] His fox-like ears heard every movement and at the corner of his small, sly eyes barely seen as a cascade of ragged hair covered it, watched the two exit the gym like a cat carrying his prey mouse.
So Hitsumi was likened to a mouse. A pretty mouse. [roflmao]
The gym door swung close behind the two so-called 'lovers' and the gym was quiet again, except for Hanamichi's heavy, angry breathing. He looked funny, like a redhead version of Gori, with heat waves emanating from his burning hair. Oh the color fitted all right, red-hot flames.... Ironic...the rude bastard Hanamichi has a soft side for girls...now Rukawa thought he had seen everything.
'Who does he think he is anyway? Treating girls like they're sort of trash or what,' Miyagi commented thoughtfully.
'Darn that bastard!!!' exclaimed Hanamichi. Rukawa imagined smoke puffing out of Hanamichi's mouth and nose.
Sighing, feeling all the world has gone pathetic, Rukawa stood up and shook his head silently. 'Bakeru..' he muttered, grabbing his towel and making for the washroom.
All eyes were suddenly on him. He ignored them and continued towards the shower room door.
'NANDATO?' yelled Hanamichi.
Rukawa felt the overflowing anger of Hanamichi. In his mind's eye he saw Miyagi holding Hanamichi back from gnashing at Rukawa, while of course receiving a couple of bruises from holding the giant in his arms. The thought amused Rukawa for a while as he shut the whole world out.
--------------------
'Hun, where are we going anyway? I think we better head back to school...I think I forgot my homework there...' said Hitsumi quietly, measuring her words carefully.
'Nah! I don't think that's needed,' snorted Rui-chan, grinning broadly at her with his perfect white teeth shimmering under the sun's rays. His smile was as perfect as a magazine model's, and as superficial.
---Hitsumi ^Now I wonder why I even fell for him in the first place^---
Rui-chan tilted his face upwards, to catch the warmth of the sun's glow. His lips curved up to a soft smile, and closed his eyes, feeling the slight breeze blowing amidst him. Then he opened them again, and focused his gentle stare upon her face. And so he made this little cute face, squeezing his puppy-like eyes shut and pulling his grin to his ears.
Hitsumi now wondered why she was wondering why she even fell for him in the first place. [was that even clear?! ^^] She should feel lucky to be going out with a gorgeous star player, who had the skills of a professional and a looks of a Greek god.
'Okies hun…it's not that I don't want to spend time with you, it's just that this is so important to me…' she coaxed.
He made a sad face, perhaps expecting her to think he was pathetic enough so she would not leave. 'Okies then hun…I'll be getting us ice cream. Meet you at the park okay?' he said childishly.
She grinned, pecked him on the cheek and dashed back towards the school.
--------------------
It just so happened that Rukawa was going back to the school as well to fetch his forgotten pair of spare basketball shoes [if he ever had spares…]. Half asleep he strode across the empty hall towards the locker room, unconsciously passing by the faculty room, and smashing directly at Hitsumi, who was heading towards the faculty room herself.
Rukawa did not seem to notice, or perhaps he really didn't. He continued to wobble towards the locker room as if nothing happened, still dozed off. Unfortunately for Hitsumi, her papers scattered upon impact and some were even stepped on by Rukawa himself. Ugly, gray and dirty Adidas marks were stamped upon her papers…and to her hapless fate…her thesis.
She actually exploded.
'KOROSU!!!'
Her loud voice sent a strong gust of wind blowing across the hall, and to exaggerate even more, sending Rukawa hitting the walls and leaving a dent upon it. Of course, he cared not, felt not…he continued his slumber. He must have been dreaming he was riding his bike towards school and crashing himself on a car, and dismantling his bike in the process, well of course without receiving even the slightest scratch.
His indifference led to her sudden tornado of anger, slamming the windows shut. 'WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST DO MISTER?' She rampaged towards him and punched him on his drowsy face.
He woke up, finally, and stared at her blankly [you know, the smile which says 'huh?'] as if half expecting her to disappear into his realm of dreams.
'You JUST ruined my THESIS!' she boomed, fire leaping into her deep brown eyes.
He blinked at her.
'AAAARRGGHHHH!!!' She gave him another hit on the face.
He lifted his brow.
'What is WRONG with you?" yelped Hitsumi, losing control of herself more. [actually, she already did…^^]
He gaped at her stupidly. Then suddenly, the typical Rukawa attitude---disturb-my-sleep-and-get-hit.
Senselessly he whammed her with the back of his hand and went on back to his own rubber-shoe business…or rather, dreams of hitting a truck this time…
Hitsumi was fed up. She frenzied at him and the rest was history…
Not that they need the practice badly or anything after all they bad beaten the team last year and especially now that feared Uozumi had already graduated.
'We're better,' Miyagi had told his teammates as they started the practice.
Miyagi Ryota had been a happy camper since the start of the year for he replaced Takenori Akagi as the new team captain. Well deserved, of course, after all he was a good player---no scratch that---he was a great player, if he said so himself. He was also the eldest now among the best players of the team. Unfortunately for him, however fine the job sounds...with that goof Hanamichi Sakuragi around pissing him [because he was chosen instead of Hanamichi] Miyagi might as well train bird-brained dogs. Often would Hanamichi ruffle Miyagi's muffin hair when Miyagi did something 'wrong' like called a foul for Hanamichi...things which offended the 'genius's' sky-high ego.
There were new members of Shohoku of course, and these new members were good, in Miyagi's standards anyway. One was Ishikawa Ruikiba, who was in the position of point-guard. He was as good as any player could get. Tall and lean, he had the speed of Miyagi [although for Miyagi, himself was faster] and the techniques of Mitsui combined. This point guard was a complete powerhouse of the new Shohoku team.
And he was popular as Rukawa when it came to girls. Rui-chan was a complete hunk of a man. Brushed-up, jet-black hair, small, deep-set eyes, angular face with high cheekbones and a wide, calm grin. He was a couple of centimeters shorter than Hanamichi but he never seemed to be intimidated by anyone, not even Hanamichi himself, nor had he panicked in a game with he best ace ever, Rukawa. Always he was in smiles, and his confidence [okay fine, I scratch it all out…he is EGOTISTIC] with himself was overwhelming. The bad thing about him was his being a playboy. He actually had 20 girlfriends already since he started his freshman year. And those dumb girls never seemed to get tired of him. Actually some of Rukawa's cheering squad had already shifted to the Rui-chan Fan Club.
Another notable freshman was Raikouchi Seisui. This quiet guy was a remarkable player in court. He could replace Rukawa someday as ace and point-getter. He was a runner-up for MVP at the same school Mitsui had graduated from [Takeishi Junior High], and surely that school yielded great players. He was the swiftest runner, most careful dribbler and the best at offense Miyagi had ever seen. At average this guy could gain at least 25 points in the first half with his precise 3-point shoots and lay-ups.
Seisui was tall, standing at 188 cm. He had shaven-dark brown hair, always in place [if his hair doesn't stay in place, I don't know what will] and most of the time wrapped in black bandanna. His brown eyes were glaring and no-nonsense and most of his batch mates were scared to even talk to him. To Miyagi, this guy was even more nonchalant and indifferent than Rukawa, the only difference was Seisui barely talks, while Rukawa had a fond habit of making funny but annoying comments [especially at Hanamichi's stupidity]. He has a lanky body, although perfectly built, and as he moves he seemed to glide with the wind. And Seisui was smart, very intelligent indeed. Actually, he was the top 3 of his batch. Many people were wondering why he joined the basketball club instead of the chess club however perhaps it was because they had never seen him play ball.
Surely, Shohoku's entrance to the Interhigh the previous year had attracted more good players to come and join the club [which didn't go with Seisui, for he was Rukawa's neighbor and claimed he went to Shohoku because it was near their house].
'Ayako-chan!' Miyagi called as Ayako was seen walking towards the court in her cycling shorts and pink shirt. Her curly hair was tied behind her head as usual and atop was her cap, as usual. Miyagi immediately blushed, and his eyes grew watery with sheer adoration and his knees wobbled, as usual. [lol…as usual]
---Rui-chan ^sweatdrops^---
It was the middle of the game and the ball was forgotten by Miyagi. It was funny but this year Miyagi seemed to be more attracted to Ayako than ever. Perhaps because it was their last year already and he had to make Ayako his before they graduate. Maybe all the Interhigh trophies would be enough to make her, his...unfortunately if he kept forgetting the game every time he saw her, the championship would merely be just a dream.
[gaaahh...this story is about Rukawa, not Miyagi...ANYWAY...]
Rukawa, by the way, had businesses of his own. While Miyagi was in his own sweet little world, he scored 6 points against Miyagi's team. Rui-chan was not good enough yet for Rukawa, and occasional spins and fakes did the trick. Hanamichi was unfortunately in Rukawa's team. The truth was, Rukawa and Hanamichi were a pair, as decided by Miyagi ['So you'd stop those nasty sparks when you two are together,' said Miyagi] and Seisui, Rui-chan and Miyagi in the other team.
The ball dribbled in front of the still half-conscious Miyagi and pissed off, Rui-chan hit it on the captain's head. Never had Rui-chan seen a captain that weird. [perhaps it was because Rui-chan had never experienced being dumped by a girl, considering Miyagi's condition in life…] Miyagi, now snapped back to reality took the ball, and found his teammates glaring at him. He smiled weakly and scratched his head 'Hehe...'.
So the game continued, Rukawa's team leading by 2 points. Rukawa was extremely good, even for Seisui. Leave Hanamichi with the rebounds, as he and Rukawa had decided amongst themselves, and Rukawa was in charge of the points---much to Hanamichi's dismay, however he learned from Haruko that rebounds were better than points so that technically would not affect Hanamichi's genius. It was a miracle he agreed though, when he usually wanted to control the game by himself.
This day was different for Hanamichi, to explain the oddity, for Haruko had delivered him a box of cookies and nothing could make Hanamichi's day go sour, even if all the points go to Rukawa.
'Haruko is mine!!! Eat my dust fox!!! Hahahahaha!' Hanamichi had laughed like a dumb clown at school a couple of hours back.
'Idiot' was Rukawa's only answer.
Rukawa Kaede sure was the star of that afternoon's practice game. He scored 32 points all in all, from their total of 53 against Miyagi's team 52. But Miyagi wasn't disappointed at their loss; he was actually happy his team mates were much better than he expected.
[really...I must shift now to Rukawa...too much on Miyagi...gaaahhh]
The game finally ended and they had gone to the shower rooms, sweaty and all. Rukawa sat on the bench outside for a while, letting air breeze past his tired body. He crouched low, his head bowed and his elbows on his knees. He was breathing fast and was quickly recovering strength. He sat up and stared at the ceiling blankly. His back, now flat on the bench, and his arms widespread at either side of his body. His small, chinky, narrowed eyes were thoughtful as his thinking shifted to the upcoming tiournament.
The image of a mocking Sendoh flashed across his thoughts.
He had not beaten him yet. Although his team was left eating Shohoku's dust, Sendoh was still, as much as Rukawa hated to admit it, better than him in most ways. Perhaps...
What was worse was Sendoh's idiotic smile. He almost reminded Rukawa of Rui-chan. 'Do-aho,' he muttered under his breath. He was the only one left in the court and he was glad or his team mates would have regarded him as crazy, talking nonsense.
Now that his mind wandered about it, he suddenly developed a certain dislike for Rui-chan. Even more distaste than he had for the idiot redhead Hanamichi.
Suddenly a girl came in the gym disrupting Rukawa's thoughts. This girl was a new face to Rukawa, maybe a freshman lost in the middle of nowhere. He ignored her and went back to his thoughts. He still heard noises in the shower room, the sound of water and laughing people. He decided to let them have their baths first, he was not in the mood to mingle with a happy bunch. [leave Seisui out. I don't think he ever was seen with a smile]
'Moshi moshi!'
This time she really did interrupt him. He lifted his eyes at her, still narrowed, and showed no hint of interest.
'Is Rui-chan here?' she asked, lifting both brows then averting her gaze from his face and scanning the empty gym.
Rukawa silently motioned towards the shower room with his head.
'Ah...sou ka...' She casually sat beside him and crossed her legs in front of her. 'I guess I cannot go in there huh? I'm pretty sure you don't mind me sitting beside you.' She smiled at him.
What's new...he disregarded it immediately.
'By the way I'm Ito Hitsumi,' she went on, as if not realizing he didn't want to talk at all. Her smile was still as bright as the early morning sunshine.
Then the guys bustled out of the shower room, at least Rui-chan and Miyagi did. There suddenly were echoes of mirth across the gym as they passed, until it quieted down upon seeing Hitsumi there.
She stood up and grinned at Rui-chan.
'Hun...' said Rui-chan, startled for a quick while. 'What are you doing here?'
'Hun?' echoed Miyagi, feeling his heart sink. It was impossible for Miyagi to call Ayako that and Rui-chan here has a pretty girlfriend for all he cared.
Her smile widened. 'Oh nothing, I thought I'd visit. I wanted to see you play actually, but I guess I came too late...'
He waved his hand in the air and tilted his head. 'No need for that hun,' he told her teasingly then walking over to her he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. 'You know, I'm kinda busy and...sometimes...I don't want interruptions you know…'
Miyagi almost fumed. Hanamichi, hearing this as he was sauntering out of the shower room almost hit the roof. Talk about taking girls for granted.
Rukawa was roused; his eyes darted towards Rui-chan for a split second then ignored the world again.
'What is she your girl?' Hanamichi's voice boomed over suddenly, catching everyone by surprise. His brows were almost touching each other as he loomed over Rui-chan, his eyes burning with rage. 'How dare you baka!!!'
Rui-chan blinked at Hanamichi then laughed, pulling Hitsumi closer to him. He turned them around and made for the door. Hitsumi could not say anything.
Maybe it was in Rukawa's nature to be a gent at heart although he did not seem like one, that he actually gave part of his attention to the silly commotion happening. Girls were just trouble, yeah, but Rui-chan was not doing a good job of treating them despite that fact. Rukawa's annoyance for Rui-chan was growing intensely by the moment, like if you dump a gazillion pack of fertilizer on potato-cropped soil.
'Do-aho...' he mumbled.
Fortunately for him although he didn't seem to mind Rui-chan and his girl waddle out of the gym, he did with his fox-like senses. For once he agreed with Hanamichi he indeed was a fox, but of course he didn't the least bit care. [lol] His fox-like ears heard every movement and at the corner of his small, sly eyes barely seen as a cascade of ragged hair covered it, watched the two exit the gym like a cat carrying his prey mouse.
So Hitsumi was likened to a mouse. A pretty mouse. [roflmao]
The gym door swung close behind the two so-called 'lovers' and the gym was quiet again, except for Hanamichi's heavy, angry breathing. He looked funny, like a redhead version of Gori, with heat waves emanating from his burning hair. Oh the color fitted all right, red-hot flames.... Ironic...the rude bastard Hanamichi has a soft side for girls...now Rukawa thought he had seen everything.
'Who does he think he is anyway? Treating girls like they're sort of trash or what,' Miyagi commented thoughtfully.
'Darn that bastard!!!' exclaimed Hanamichi. Rukawa imagined smoke puffing out of Hanamichi's mouth and nose.
Sighing, feeling all the world has gone pathetic, Rukawa stood up and shook his head silently. 'Bakeru..' he muttered, grabbing his towel and making for the washroom.
All eyes were suddenly on him. He ignored them and continued towards the shower room door.
'NANDATO?' yelled Hanamichi.
Rukawa felt the overflowing anger of Hanamichi. In his mind's eye he saw Miyagi holding Hanamichi back from gnashing at Rukawa, while of course receiving a couple of bruises from holding the giant in his arms. The thought amused Rukawa for a while as he shut the whole world out.
--------------------
'Hun, where are we going anyway? I think we better head back to school...I think I forgot my homework there...' said Hitsumi quietly, measuring her words carefully.
'Nah! I don't think that's needed,' snorted Rui-chan, grinning broadly at her with his perfect white teeth shimmering under the sun's rays. His smile was as perfect as a magazine model's, and as superficial.
---Hitsumi ^Now I wonder why I even fell for him in the first place^---
Rui-chan tilted his face upwards, to catch the warmth of the sun's glow. His lips curved up to a soft smile, and closed his eyes, feeling the slight breeze blowing amidst him. Then he opened them again, and focused his gentle stare upon her face. And so he made this little cute face, squeezing his puppy-like eyes shut and pulling his grin to his ears.
Hitsumi now wondered why she was wondering why she even fell for him in the first place. [was that even clear?! ^^] She should feel lucky to be going out with a gorgeous star player, who had the skills of a professional and a looks of a Greek god.
'Okies hun…it's not that I don't want to spend time with you, it's just that this is so important to me…' she coaxed.
He made a sad face, perhaps expecting her to think he was pathetic enough so she would not leave. 'Okies then hun…I'll be getting us ice cream. Meet you at the park okay?' he said childishly.
She grinned, pecked him on the cheek and dashed back towards the school.
--------------------
It just so happened that Rukawa was going back to the school as well to fetch his forgotten pair of spare basketball shoes [if he ever had spares…]. Half asleep he strode across the empty hall towards the locker room, unconsciously passing by the faculty room, and smashing directly at Hitsumi, who was heading towards the faculty room herself.
Rukawa did not seem to notice, or perhaps he really didn't. He continued to wobble towards the locker room as if nothing happened, still dozed off. Unfortunately for Hitsumi, her papers scattered upon impact and some were even stepped on by Rukawa himself. Ugly, gray and dirty Adidas marks were stamped upon her papers…and to her hapless fate…her thesis.
She actually exploded.
'KOROSU!!!'
Her loud voice sent a strong gust of wind blowing across the hall, and to exaggerate even more, sending Rukawa hitting the walls and leaving a dent upon it. Of course, he cared not, felt not…he continued his slumber. He must have been dreaming he was riding his bike towards school and crashing himself on a car, and dismantling his bike in the process, well of course without receiving even the slightest scratch.
His indifference led to her sudden tornado of anger, slamming the windows shut. 'WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST DO MISTER?' She rampaged towards him and punched him on his drowsy face.
He woke up, finally, and stared at her blankly [you know, the smile which says 'huh?'] as if half expecting her to disappear into his realm of dreams.
'You JUST ruined my THESIS!' she boomed, fire leaping into her deep brown eyes.
He blinked at her.
'AAAARRGGHHHH!!!' She gave him another hit on the face.
He lifted his brow.
'What is WRONG with you?" yelped Hitsumi, losing control of herself more. [actually, she already did…^^]
He gaped at her stupidly. Then suddenly, the typical Rukawa attitude---disturb-my-sleep-and-get-hit.
Senselessly he whammed her with the back of his hand and went on back to his own rubber-shoe business…or rather, dreams of hitting a truck this time…
Hitsumi was fed up. She frenzied at him and the rest was history…