The Detention Diaries II: All New Season
Note: This is a sequel to the Detention Diaries (1056926). For those too lazy to read it, the only OC to introduce would be Shizuka Tendou – in which she was a terrible, tomboy-ish shrew in the 1st season. The others (very few, maybe only a couple) will be unravelled in due time.
As this is something of a sitcom thing, you needn't worry if you've missed out any important central plot in the 1st season (because there wasn't). It was just Rukawa and Shizuka feuding & some funny episodes.
So read on, and enjoy :)
Chapter 1: Reunion
"Welcome back, Mr. Rukawa. Come, I'll have your luggage."
Obediently, Rukawa yielded his load to his servants, and followed them to the familiar limousine that was waiting outside… or not.
Hmm, new limousine. Instead of the familiar black limousine, a white one welcomed him. Oh well. Whatever.
"Wait – I'll have that." He said, as the servants were loading the baggage into the boot. From the pile he retrieved a small, square bag, and then took his seat in the handsome vehicle. It was not long before he was again speeding down the familiar streets of Japan, which indeed he missed – though not too much. For America had been kind to him, in many ways.
After graduating from Shohoku, he studied at the New York University, and was part of the team that brought NYU from Division 3 to Division 1 in the league. Upon completing his Journalism & Mass Communications degree, he proceeded to Temple University, a Division 1 team, to take a further 2-year photography course. It was then that an old passion dwindled, and a new one began…
Presently, he opened the bag he was holding and from it retrieved his trusty old Nikon. "Go slower." He commanded the chauffeur, who obeyed at once. He propped the camera in his hand, and skilfully adjusted the lens. He was waiting for that moment, waiting, waiting, now.
And this photograph shall be called "The Journey Home". He thought. There lay in this, of course, a huge irony. He never had a home to begin with. It was just walls and marble and echo, with no life in it. He rather preferred his life in America – living alone but in a small flat that was cosy, for too much empty spaces was intimidating.
The limousine drew up in front of a mansion, and he got down. Immediately, a maid came rushing up to him, informing him that a hot bath has been prepared – so had been a cold one, if he wished! There was food on the table also.
"What about drinks? I'm thirsty." He asked, deliberately naming the one thing the maid had left out. He watched the maids in the house turn frantic with much amusement. "I-It shall be done, Sir. What would you like to have?" She stammered. He gave no reply, went up the cold marble steps, entered his room and flung himself on the bed. Just when he thought he could finally get rest, there came a knock on the door. He groaned.
"What." He said irritably.
"Sir, there is a message for you on your table."
Hmm, a message. I wonder what?
"This had better be good." He said loudly, so that the maid outside shivered and waited anxiously.
The note read:
Caller: Takenori Akagi
Date: 26 January 19xx
Time: 2pm
Message: Shohoku Reunion, 7pm, today. Akagi's place, [insert some Japanese address here.]
"Not good enough." He snarled, so that the maid stammered "s-sorr-rry" and fled. Indeed he took great amusement in such sport.
Now, he considered the note, and it brought back cloudy visions of his fruitful time in the Shohoku squad in his terribly sleepy and weary mind. He wondered how coach Anzai was getting along, for he was one he deeply respected. Indeed because of Anzai, all white-haired, balding, fat and old men in gleaming glasses had been spared his wrath (think: his journalism lecturer). He wondered if coach Anzai would be present at the reunion. With this in mind, he decided to go – but not before he had gotten some precious sleep.
* * * * * *
"Is it possible to want to live somewhere forever just because, god, it's so pretty?" asked Shizuka Tendou, gazing out of the window at the clouds beneath.
"I have often wondered myself." replied Sendoh Akira. Both their minds flittered to that heavenly town, Cambridge. The cold English sun, the magnificent chapels, the frosted grass where they often lay lazily, and everything else!
"It was a 'yes' or 'no' question, Akira! You always reply so cunningly to evade answer."
"But naturally I would be on guard in the face of a journalist!" He said, laughing.
She turned her gaze away from the clouds and looked at him. "Why, yes, you should! But surely I would be afraid to land myself in a libel lawsuit, Mr. Lawyer?"
"Prosecutor," he corrected with an air of importance. "Prosecutor Sendoh."
Shizuka rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes. I forgot."
"And one day it shall be Prime Minister Sendoh!"
"I don't doubt that at all, just the credibility of your campaign. 'One kiss for one vote – blondes preferred'?"
At that moment, a gorgeous blond stewardess approached them to take down their orders. Shizuka thought she heard something like "Mmm, mmm."
"Me Japanese, no speak Englis, no." said Sendoh.
"Oh, Japanese! Cute!" the stewardess winked, then proceeded to try and explain the menu at length, all the while bending down, and conveniently (for Sendoh, at least) exposing some – ahem – cleavage.
"Oh! Okay! Italy spaghetti very nice! Yes, yes, spaghetti." Sendoh said at last, wide-eyed, playing the part of the innocent Japanese tourist.
"And you, ma'am?" The stewardess turned to Shizuka.
"Spaghetti also."
As the stewardess retreated, Shizuka said with one brow raised, "Law & Politics graduate from Cambridge, and you can't speak English?"
"Well, in front of cute blondes with nice racks who think being Asian is kinky – no." Sendoh said matter-of-factedly.
Shizuka muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "men!" and turned her attention back to the skies. Well, it's back to Japan! She rubbed her hands together in an attempt to kindle whatever anticipation there was. Once you've been to Cambridge, you'll never want to go anywhere else. No, no, look on the bright side! And the bright side would be…?
BAKA SHIZUKA! HOW DARE YOU FORGET MEEEE
Sakuragi, at that instant, popped up in her mind like a… popper. A noisy cracker. Or whatever. Well, she'd be going back to Japan, back to her friends! She did miss them throughout the course of her stay, and would've felt very lonely indeed if not for Akira. In fact, she was very grateful for him. She thought him wise, though sometimes he acted like a fool; kind, though sometimes he acted haughty. Well, I'm so stupid, he's so clever. We make good friends, period.
She wondered how she would've survived in England alone, if not for him. She arrived in England a rude, childish and hot-tempered lass – not knowing at all how to socialise. But he brought her to parties, dinners, and other privileged social events, and there she learned and matured. She was all of 23 now – an adult – and she hoped to act like one ('hope to' being the operative words.) It would be good for her younger brother.
"OH, HECK IT, AKIRA!" She cried, much to the surprise of surrounding passengers, and, not to mention, throwing all resolutions to act like an adult to the wind.
Oh shit, here comes her temper again. Did she leave something at the airport? Did her heel break? Or is it me? What??
Sendoh knew her tempers well. He wished he didn't, though, as he ruefully recalled the day when she dunked a plate of noodles on his face – for what he couldn't remember. Was it forgetting to give her a morning call? Well, something of the sort.
"You're stepping on my handbag!"
Sendoh looked down, and quickly lifted his feet. Which girl would leave their handbags on the floor?
"You know, Shizuka, there's a reason why these are called HAND-bags? And not FLOOR-bags, or just plain bag?" He said sarcastically.
"Yup, and the reason is – "She ground her heel into Sendoh's leather shoe, and he gave a yelp, "THIS."
With that she picked up her handbag and from it took out a banana. She gingerly peeled it and ate. "Thank god you didn't squash my banana, Akira. Or I would squash you."
And Sendoh didn't doubt that at all. Well, some things never change!
* * * * * *
"Quickly now! Our friends will be waiting." She urged Sendoh eagerly, as she quickly sped her trolley along at the airport.
"Be careful now, don't bang – " Sendoh warned her, like an old man trying to take a little girl in hand, but too late! " – into someone…"
Shizuka quickly muttered a sorry to a grumpy, middle-aged woman, and sped on.
"Hey, wait up!" Sendoh called, and tried to catch up, but Shizuka was not concerned, for she had already caught sight of her friends.
"SAKURAGI!!" She halted and called. "MITSUI! YOUHEI!" They cheered, and walked towards her.
"Hey, don't stop suddenly!!" And Sendoh, unable to stop his trolley in time, banged into Shizuka.
* * * * * *
"And he was like," Began Akagi, and now changed to a twangy American accent, all the while making funny imitation gestures, "so my sister's boyfriend's best pal came over and I was like 'hi' and she was like 'hi' back and oh boy she was hot, I mean, who wouldn't think so – but her cousin was hotter, and they were like so cool, I mean, they're so hip-hop, and stuff, ya know!"
The small party burst into guffaws. Seeing Gori imitating some 'hip' and extremely talkative American kid was definitely hilarious. The fact that he did it so well made it all the better.
Takenori Akagi had been on an exchange program to Temple University in America. After he returned to Japan, he worked as a manager at some soda company, before taking over Anzai as coach of the Shohoku basketball team.
"Must've been tough on you, Gori – having such a room-mate." Miyagi patted his sturdy ex-captain on the back. The others murmured in assent, punctuated with bursts of laughter.
"And you, Shizuka? Any funny English room-mates?" Mitsui asked.
"Nah, she was English but wasn't funny. Akira kept hitting on her though!" And with that, she went on to a descriptive narrative of Sendoh's (who was now at some Ryonan gathering, complaining about Shizuka's tempers) philandering ways in England, and of the "blond stewardess incident" earlier on the plane.
At this, Haruko and Ayako shook their head in apparent disapproval.
"Well, that's natural," Said Miyagi. "Which guy wouldn't want to look?"
"Yeah, like duh." Youhei and gang chipped in.
"You know, I wonder how women can stand having boobs and yet not stare at them all day." Said Mitsui.
All the males present agreed, save for Kogure who laughed sheepishly and Akagi who pretended not to hear.
"Hey, men can pee standing up! Does that mean you feel like peeing every time you stand?" Shizuka retorted.
"Well, something like that!" Replied Youhei, and the guys burst into fresh peels of laughter at some stupid inside joke.
And so the evening wore away into night in light spirit. Akagi's apartment was unsightly by the time they had finished – empty cans of beer lying around, crumbs of chips on the floor. Some of the party had a drop too much and ended up wasted – Sakuragi, Mitsui and Miyagi. Akagi was also bordering on "wasted", though not yet – and the girls took great amusement in noticing the pinkness of his gorilla cheeks.
* * * * * *
Rukawa sped down the street on his bicycle, having overslept (he woke up at 9). A sense of urgency gripped him – he hoped to reach there before they dispersed. He wished to know how everyone was, having been overseas for 4 years.
He was already 24 now, at that strange stage where you're reluctant to abandon your arrogance in younger days – thinking you ruled the world, and didn't need anyone – but at the same time you realise that to be alone is a horrible thing, and no man is an island.
Having reached the destination building, he hurriedly parked his bicycle and went up.
Well, here it is. He was at the door, and he knocked hesitatingly.
* * * * * *
"Can you still walk straight, Akagi?" Asked Youhei, amused.
"Yes, of course – hic! – I can."
"That's the favourite line for drunken people."
"What nonsense." Replied Gori.
"And that's the 2nd favourite." said Shizuka.
Just then, there came a knock on the door.
"Now you sit down here, and I'll go answer the door." Ayako instructed sternly.
"Rukawa! What a surprise, come in!" Ayako received him warmly. "But they're mostly drunk now, though."
Rukawa nodded a little, and went in. Indeed, Ayako was right: Mitsui, Sakuragi and Miyagi now lay huddled in a heap on the floor; his esteemed captain Akagi looked like a Gorilla bride, what with pink cheeks.
Haruko gave a little gasp. "Ru-rukawa!"
Wow, how clever of you. 5 points for guessing my name!
"Hi." He said shortly.
"Hey, what's up." Youhei gave him a little grin.
"Hey, Rukawa! Long time no see!" Greeted Kogure in his usual friendly manner.
"Hey." Rukawa said shortly, again, in response to this new tide of hey's.
At this moment, Shizuka came out of the kitchen with a fresh can of beer.
"Well guys, I think I'd better get going! I'm really tired, jetlag and all that."
Rukawa's attention was drawn to this familiar voice, but not very familiar face. She looked like she had been in a land without sun – she was so much fairer than when he last saw her. She looked so much older, too – she was now wore make-up, and no longer dressed like some trashy kid. She looked, well, like a lady. Well, what can I say? Oh my god.
"Hi."
She stared at him. "You!"
2 points to you for correctly identifying me as someone other than yourself! You can do better next time. He thought wryly to himself.
She smiled at him (much to his astonishment) without too much consideration, and then took her leave from the house.
Well, there she goes. You won't see her ever again. Woot.
(Well, little did poor Rukawa know then what fate would befall him.)
Why, why? Shizuka thought to herself miserably. She had thought she would never meet him again when he left for America, and was quite glad about it.
As she passed him, she felt an overwhelming urge to stamp her heels on his bare feet, but thought better of it. Again, the troubling age of 23! She had left Japan for England at 19 – still a teenager. And now she returned to Japan at 23, an adult – how should she pick up the loose threads of her teenage life? She had no desire to continue her feuds with enemies of old, but her pride did not feel quite right.
She wished she could be like Akira – so carefree and not bogged down by anything, and so wise and knowing in dealing with situations like these. I'm so stupid, he's so clever, she thought glumly. She wanted to be clever, too.
* * * * * *
Author's note: Well, this is the 2nd season of the Detention Diaries (the original is 1056926). Again, this is in the form of a sitcom, so there's not really any OBVIOUS central plot.
The 1st season, I must say, was quite a failure because of the difficulties involved in developing something without any consistent plot (I'm sure, if you read DD 1, you'd know what I mean!). However, I've done much to ensure this won't happen in the 2nd season – in fact, all the near-20 episodes are already planned and plotted.
I hope you enjoy reading this 2nd season, and thank you to all that have supported the 1st!
Some replies:
Maemi: Yes, I totally know! The epilogue was so awkward to write, but I hope the sequel will make amends : )
Yelen: here it is!
Angel: thanks for reviewing! I guess the title of the sequel is pretty obvious, albeit unoriginal (too lazy to think of a new name), hehe.
Blah: aye, you're absolutely right, Rukawa was a little (only, I hope!) OOC in the 1st season. I hope to correct this in the 2nd, and of course I look forward to any criticism/corrections that can be offered : )
Ayu: don't just wonder, read on! :D