Kanashi Koi By: Lydd & Ris (co-writer)

Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own anything. The play Kanashi Koi or Sad Love is owned by Clamp and Kodansha Ltd. makers of Card Captor Sakura. Slam Dunk is owned by Inohue Takehiko.

"saying something"

'thinking something'

~Setting~

|Profile|

(A/N)

Prologue 1: Problems and Solutions

~Aida Residence somewhere out there in the district of Kanagawa.~

~Almost Spring already. Specifically the last week of February. The snow's melting, the sun's shinging and the trees are growing leaves again.~

"I heard the IH committee is going bankrupt this year." Ketsueki Hakari told Aida Yayoi while sipping tea. "They even plan on canceling the IH tournaments."

|Ketsueki Hakari. 29. A scriptwriter and producer but can also be a director. She writes scripts for plays and movies and she sometimes directs it too. She is one of the greatest scriptwriters in Tokyo. Won countless awards for the plays she writes and directs. She's a lady with shoulder- high, black ebony hair and blue eyes (you'll find out why)|

"Hai. That's true. It's such a shame really," Yayoi affirmed her friend and shook her head in dismay, "and because of that, it's getting harder and harder to get sport news."

"Ch. That's nothing compared with my problem. Almost everybody in my squad quitted acting already because they're wishing to get to be big on screen." Hakari sighed.

"Oh by the way, how are we going to do Haka's new play?" Tenshi Ayashii realized and slapped her forehead.

|Tenshi Ayashii. 26. Stage Manager and Wardrobe Mistress. She's one of the best stage managers, she can turn an amateur into a professional in only a few days time and when she's the one supplying the costumes, trust her, she makes characters look so real. She has chin-length brown hair and green eyes.|

"I hope that there is someway to fix both our problems like hitting two birds with one stone." Suzume sighed and told the three of them and they all nodded.

|Zunou Suzume. 28. Publicity. She's the cameraperson in short. She makes the best posters, flyers, etc. Computer Wiz and Camera (anykind) Wise. She attracts numerous people to watch the plays being produced because for her creative mind in making those. She looks like Hakari except that her hair is waist-length.|

"Something's that supposed to raise money for the IH to continue the tournaments and for us to experiment Hakari's new scrpit for the play, right?" Yayoi said getting and trying to figure out the picture. She laughed as a funny idea came to her head, "How about making the basketball players as the characters of the play? That would look very original." she joked to the three of the stage-worriers. The three quirked an eyebrow but they realized what she said and they all rushed, fighting over the phone.

"You're all not serious are you? Hey! I was only joking!" she said trying to calm the three down who were wrestling over the phone already and the phone looked so harassed within minutes.

"But it's a great idea Yayoi!" Hakari stopped fighting and paused leaving the two off to get the phone. She slung her arms over Yayoi's shoulder and whispered, "Imagine. The heartthrobs of each school, performing not only in a court but also on a stage." Hakari nudged Yayoi on the shoulders. Then both of them paused having an idea of their own, Hakari thinking of opera and Yayoi thinking of how Sendoh would look. (She has a crush on Sendoh right?) They both smiled.

"Don't worry I'll bring you to every practice to cover up the whole play." she continued.

She gave a scruntinizing look. "Are you sure?"

Nod.

Then Yayoi rushed to where the two were and started to wrestle over the phone too. Hakari just sweat-dropped.

After about 30 minutes.

The fight ended with Yayoi winning over them. She dialed the phone number of the Chairman of the IH and told her idea.

"Yes sir. That's how we plan on doing it. Don't worry. We have willing people to help. They're very experienced and I give you my word that the play would be a success." Yayoi confirmed with the chairman. "Ah! You want to know the title of the play? I'll ask."

She looked at Hakari and asked. "The chairman wants to ask the title of the play if it's suitable or not."

Hakari went ghastly pale when she was asked, she gulped then replied, "Kanashi Koi."

"Sad Love."

******

"What's with the face Haka?" Suzume asked, "Why? What's wrong with the title?" She was very confused. What could be wrong about that? It's not like they're going to show something not suitable for the audience. right?

Right?

Ayashi just shook her head, "No. Nothing's wrong with the title. It's the story that's wrong." Hakari, upon hearing this, grimaced.

"I still don't get what you're trying to say." Yayoi said. She was still confused about the actions of her friends.

Ayashi sighed, "It's like this. Were doing a play with romance and angst, right?" the two nodded.

"We already have permission to use the basketball players as the characters, right?"

Nod again.

"Basketball players are specifically what gender?"

"Male." Hakari wailed.

"And what kind of play are we doing again?" Ayashi asked.

Dawning came upon the two and all that they can mutter was a soft "OH."

"Exactly! That's what's wrong with the play." Ayashi sighed and slumped on the sofa. "So basically we have to start on scratch again because of the irony."

"I don't see anything ironic about it." Yayoi replied, looking at Hakari, "The title's 'Sad Love' right? It's perfect!"

"Say that to a scriptwriter!" Hakari warily said slumping down next to Ayashi, "If we're going to make all the character's male, there won't be anything to differentiate the characters. Anyway, if that happens, I'll have to change the setting and the plot. Something I wouldn't want to do because it takes too much time. We have to finish that before the IH committee declares the cancellation of the IH tournaments which would be when?" she looked at Yayoi.

"A month from now would be the best time to show the play since it is the 'Sakura Festival' anyway. It'll attract more audience. Anyway, the chairman said that they needed the money and fast. So I guess that's it."

"See. Changing the plot and setting of a story is like changing the whole story itself." Hakari sighed, "But if we don't change the characters and just edit a tad bit of the story."

"The problem would be the players. It's hard to make a person perform the opposite gender. It would be very hard to convince them to play a lady's role." Suzume continued, "It'll be very hard since males are known to be awfully stubborn and bratty." she sighed. This discussion is getting nowhere. There are too many potholes to fill up.

"But we have no time to change anything in a short span of time. So we have to trust you on this one." Suzume looked at Ayashi, "Is it alright with you?"

Ayashi sighed, "Oh, alright. If anybody doesn't want to perform the part well, I'll give them my deadly puuppy-eye look."

"So it's settled now, right? All we have to do is inform the managers of each selected team of the meeting in one of their gyms." Hakari said brightening up.

"Err. Which teams do we put in the play?" Ayashi asked. "We're not exactly that knowledgeable on the teams here." Everybody looked at Yayoi.

Yayoi just smirked, "Don't worry. I know everything. Leave the contact part on me. It's the least I could do for the help you've given me. And trust me, when this is all over, I'll make the best article about it!"

"Glad to hear it!" They all chirped in.

But what they don't know is that this is going to be the start of a very frustrating month for them.

TBC