Pairing: RuHana but also a little bit of SenHana.

Warning: Contains shonen-ai/slash. Nothing graphic though. Don't like it? Don't read.

Disclaimer: Slam Dunk belongs to Takehiko Inoue.

Author's Notes: Hanamichi is already in his 3rd year. That means he's 17 and most of the characters in the series are in college so I won't bother much with them.

Please read and review!

"Are you sure about this?" The man in a white coat drummed his fingers nervously on a clipboard. He looked at the young man before him imploringly. He didn't really want him to go; he knew all hell would break loose if he went away, even for only a few days.

"Yes I am," came the dreaded reply.

He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. 'This boy is really stubborn,' he thought. He was about to say something more, but the young man was already gone.

A while later, the young man seemingly popped out of nowhere in an empty alley. He looked around and remembered that this was the alley beside the pachinko parlors. He grinned. He heard the voices of Yohei and his friends so he ducked behind the dumpsters. They were complaining about getting caught again by one of the guards.

"Think of it this way guys, we only have to wait one more year to be allowed inside," Yohei said, trying to cheer up the other three.

"That's still a long time! We would've gotten in if Hanamichi was here," groused Noma, kicking a can out of frustration.

Yohei smiled. "Well you know him. He's always busy nowadays."

"You should talk Yohei. You've been spending more time romancing your girlfriend than you do with us," piped in Ooksu. Takamiya and Noma guffawed.

Yohei blushed, but recovered quickly. He glared at them. "I do not!"

"Yeah yeah, whatever you say loverboy," said Takamiya. Noticing that Yohei was ready to pounce, he broke off into a run. Ooksu and Noma went after him, laughing their heads off. Yohei was not far behind, yelling obscenities.

Hearing the fading voices, the young man went out of his hiding spot and walked to Sakuragi Hanamichi's house. Fortunately, it wasn't very far. He looked around and felt memories wash over him. 'Good times,' he thought with a smile. He knew Hanamichi was still at school, having basketball practice. So he sat down on the porch, and waited for the redhead to come home.

Meanwhile...

Basketball practice was over and Hanamichi was bored. Life for him was getting terribly monotonous.

Sure, a lot of things had changed. Yohei was dating Haruko. He was now co-captain of the basketball team. He had a shinetai of his own, and girls were chasing him for once. His grades were laudable. And ever since he got over Haruko, he and Rukawa were actually civil to each other.

But he still didn't have a girlfriend and his guntai still teased him endlessly about it.

"Those bakas. They just have to rub it in, do they?" muttered Hanamichi to himself. "Just because I don't fancy any girl in school, that doesn't mean I'll be single forever. Maybe I'm just in a slump or something..."

The redhead was too preoccupied with his thoughts; he didn't notice the guy sitting on his porch.

"Hey Hanamichi," A familiar voice rang out.

Hanamichi snapped out of it and stared at the man smiling at him. His hair was red like his, only longer and almost touching his shoulders. He had well-defined muscles but lithe at the same time. And he was taller by 5 inches, almost as tall as Akagi.

After a few moments of gawking at the stranger, Hanamichi finally came to his senses.

"Who are you?"