DISCLAIMERS: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Takehiko Inoue and other companies. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Only the new characters and plot are mine.
Summary: Book I: Ayami Sendoh had always been the unique one in the family. But being the most different among many was not an easy task. And meeting one famous basketball player didn't make her situation any easier.
THE FOUR SEASONS I: AUTUMN LEAVES
Yoake Mae
Chapter One
***
"See that dunk nii-chan made? I swear I'll do better than that!" Jiro said excitedly while his mouth was still full so bits of rice fell out.
"Jiro don't talk with your mouth full!"
"Ma, did you see? Did you see that dunk? Told you I'll—" the boy kept on eagerly, ignoring his mother's reprimand.
"Yeah yeah, whatever squid," Akira interrupted his younger brother.
"Squid? You calling me squid?! Ha! Just wait and see nii-chan and I'll best you in basketball someday," Jiro promised fervently then he coughed, choking on his food. He then drank from his glass in big gulps.
Akira laughed. "Now see what happens when you don't obey Ma."
"Akira, when is your next game?" their father suddenly asked as he set down his hot cup of tea.
"I'm not sure. I think it'll be on next Monday," Akira told his father, turning to him. "Why ask Pa?"
But before his father could answer, Jiro, finally recovering, suddenly said, "Nii-chan! We'll watch your game of course! You know we never miss any of your games."
"You'll win your next game, ne? I bet your next opponent will be just as easy to beat like that lousy Hamigaiji you defeated earlier," his father added with a confident and proud smile. He remembered the game they attended earlier, the game which Ryonan won again.
"Well, we're not so sure about that," Akira said uncertainly. He then turned his attention back to his food.
"And why not?" both Jiro and their father asked at the same time. His mother altered her attention too from feeding the baby (the youngest in the family) when she heard her son. All eyes were on Akira, who was now taking his time in chewing his dinner.
"Is it because your next game will be against Kainan?" Jiro asked, almost anxiously.
But Akira merely shook his head.
"It must be Shoyo then," his father said quite gravely. He shook his head. "Then it will really be hard. But as what I've seen from your play today you have a big chance against that Shoyo."
"But Pa, it's not Shoyo either," Akira admitted.
"Then what team is it nii-chan? Surely you're the next best team after Kainan and Shoyo," Jiro said.
"That, Jiro, is without any doubt," their father agreed.
"Well? What team is it Akira?" their mother joined in too. Kanjou, their two year old baby, also stopped from playing with his cereal and looked at his eldest brother, as if he could understand their conversation and was waiting for his answer too.
Akira looked at his family then with a small pleased smile, "It's Shohoku."
"Shohoku? But they're not even good, Akira. What are you worried about?" his father asked incredulously and confused.
"No Pa. Shohoku changed. They have good players now. It's almost unbelievable but it's true," Akira said casually. He was not very nervous about their next game against Shohoku. In fact, he's rather excited about it.
"But even so, they won't be that difficult to defeat, isn't it?"
But the Ryonan ace player just shrugged and proceeded with his dinner, showing he didn't want to discuss the topic any further. His family knew this of course, knowing him for many years. So they just shifted the subject from basketball to school.
"Aww Ma. It isn't my fault our teacher's such a bore," Jiro whined, irritated. From the moment his parents asked him about a certain detention this coming Friday, he already wanted to walk out from the dining room and just play his play station. But that would anger his parents more so he didn't.
"Even so Jiro. You shouldn't have slept all throughout your class! Again! Now you have another detention coming," his mother scolded.
The boy just shrank lower to his seat, picking his mood and sulking. Akira, with a raised brow and an amused smile, chuckled.
Jiro turned to him with a glare. "It's not funny. And it isn't fair either! You always sleep too during your classes."
Akira choked as their parents looked at him with displeased eyes. He held up his hands in defense and said, "At least I don't get caught."
His younger brother scowled at him and he just burst out in laughter.
And the family went on with their dinner with the usual jovial matters.
However, seated quietly in one corner of the rectangular table, she didn't show any expression towards the family discussion. She was calmly eating her food, never turning her gaze away from her plate. She didn't even reacted at all with a tiny smile or a frown. She didn't even made any comment nor contributed to the talk.
She was just there. Her mere presence known. Her sheer existence ignored.
But she was suddenly startled by the call of her name that she immediately dropped her utensils with a loud clang.
She looked up, almost with a blank expression on her face except that of mild surprise.
"Ayami," her mother called her name again, her tone not too pleased but her face remained calm with patience. "I asked you about your school today."
"Oh," Ayami responded vacantly. She stared at her mother's inquiring face. "It was fine," she finally managed to say.
"Are you okay, Ayami?" her mother asked, this time with a tinge of concern.
"Nee-san is always like that Ma. No real news there," Jiro butted in.
Ayami looked at her younger brother but said nothing.
"Ayami," this time, her father called to her sternly. "Your mother is asking you."
She blinked then said to them, "I'm fine."
"Alright then," her mother said, although still a bit hesitant.
"By the way, my school is having—"
But before she could finish her sentence, Kanjou wailed loudly. And all attention was shifted to him.
"My poor baby. Stop crying now. Yes, here's your milk…"
"Wah wah wah. He's such a baby. Make him stop crying Ma."
"Think Jiro, think. Of course Kanjou is just a baby."
"I know that nii-chan."
"Boys, how would you like to go out after Akira's next game? Say, for victory celebration. You can invite your team mates too if you want, son."
"All right Pa! We'll get pizza!"
"Jiro, pizza is not enough for your nii-chan's team."
"But Pa I told you we're not so certain this time of our winning."
"Forget about being humble, Akira."
"But Pa I'm not—"
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
"Ma! Make Kanjou stop. He's really irritating."
"Jiro, it's natural for babies to cry."
"But Ma—"
Ayami stared at her family, once again expressionless. She bit her lower lip, a bad thing that had become her mannerism. She wasn't sure if it meant something. She just knew that she often bit her lip, intentionally or not, whenever she didn't know what to do next.
She decided that she would just tell her parents later after dinner. It would be really hard to snatch their attention from her brothers and basketball.
Brothers. Basketball.
All they ever care about are themselves, their works, their news, and most especially basketball. It seemed that Ayami was the only family member who isn't interested even just a bit in basketball. Even her mother and Kanjou (who was only three years old) often showed some curiosity in that sport.
But her… She had always been the different one.
"Don't forget your homeworks Jiro. Your teachers might scold you again for not studying," their mother said to Jiro, who was already out of the dining room and walking up to the stairs to his room.
"Yeah Ma, I heard you," he called out back.
Akira started cleaning up the plates when his mother stopped him. "No no, Akira. Let me do those. You go to your room and do your school works too."
"I already finished them Ma," he lied. He always did his assignments at school before the class starts. Or if he was really too lazy on those days, he wouldn't do his homeworks.
"All right then. Go somewhere. Practice basketball or whatever," his mother said absentmindedly, gathering up all the dishes and putting them in the kitchen.
"Practice again? Thanks Ma but I'll honestly prefer to sleep," Akira said, yawning.
"So early, son? Why not watch some games with me on tv?" his father invited, already standing up.
"Uh… okay Pa," Akira answered. 'Don't tell me it's basketball again,' he said to himself.
And the father and son walked out of the dining room.
Ayami stayed, standing at the middle of the room, silently watching her mother go back and forth from the dining table to the kitchen. She turned her gaze away from her busy mother, who seemed to be still not noticing her daughter, and to Kanjou, who was now playing with his rattle, and then she looked down to the floor. She was again biting her lip unconsciously.
She breathed in heavily then hesitantly, helped her mother clean up the table. She gathered the glasses and utensils and brought them to the kitchen sink.
When they were finished with the table, her mother turned to her, "Is there anything you want, Ayami?"
"Well… We have this parents' meeting this coming Saturday…" Ayami trailed off. She was looking down the floor, not meeting her mother's eyes.
"This Saturday? But Ayami, it's Kanjou's daily check-up with his pediatrician," her mother said. Ayami reddened, suddenly embarrassed and regretted she even mentioned the meeting to her mother. Luckily her father wasn't in the room anymore. That would be more horrifying for her.
When it seemed that her mother was about to add something up, Ayami quickly interrupted her. "It's all right, Ma. It's not important anyway."
And without even waiting for her mother to reply, she walked out of the room quickly.
***
She leaned back on the door then sighed loudly. She closed her eyes, as if torment had suddenly came upon her, and she let herself slid down to the floor with her back still resting on the door. She bent her knees close to her chest and looked up to the ceiling.
Ayami was amazed with herself. Everyday she always experienced the same scenarios with her family; her, always disregarded and left out of the issue. But after every same scene she always left to have her refuge in her own room, feeling isolated, lonely and hurt. But really, she should be used to it by now. After all those years of same indifferent treatment from the people whom she was supposed to care for…
Ayami stood up and moved toward her full-body mirror. She stared at herself blankly. Then with contempt in her eyes, she turned away.
Her gaze went to her cds and discman. She put on one of her cds, then her earphones. She then lied down to her bed and closed her eyes, letting herself be drifted away by the music and leaving the harsh reality behind.
To be continued…
090203
***
Author's Notes:
The first chapter in the first book! Reviews please! ^_^