Disclaimer : This Fic is original(as based on my account) and if in any cases of similarity, it's just coincidence. Slam Dunk does not and never will belong to me.
Da Gift
After the arduous match between Shoyo and Shohoku, Shohoku emerged victorious. Best buddies, Sakuragi Hanamichi and Kaede Rukawa, Shohoku Players, decided to celebrate their triumph victory with their buddy Kenji Fujima (Shoyo Captain) who appear to be very sad and depressed over his defeat.
"Hey Kenji! Let's go over to your place to watch "Battousai X" and drink to celebrate..." The unfeeling and insensitive Kaede suggested.
"Oei! What the hell? Celebrate what shit?! You trying to gloat over my defeat, is it?!" Kenji retorted angrily.
"Hey cool it! Kaede didn't mean it, it's just a slip of tongue. Don't be so sensitive... Try to look on the bright side and learn from this experience and maybe you will defeat us next time around." Sakuragi tried to cheer Kenji up.
"Haiz, kk. Sorry Kaede. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just A BIT "short" with myself today. Alright sad stuff aside, let's make our way to my place now and probably we can start designing our team shirts for our next match, then we can go Junky*8 Arcade for a race on Daytona USA and of course, King Of Fighters!" Kenji droned on and on...(Sakuragi and Kaede sweatdrop: How come he's so temperamental?)
With that, the trio made their way to Kenji's place. Settling down, Sakuragi took out his hard work for the past two weeks--- The T-shirt that he had designed for Rurouni Kenshin's birthday.(Rurouni Kenshin is Sakuragi's senior.)
"Wow! I think this shirt rulez... It's so nice! Cool! Er...but are you sure that Rurouni Kenshin will be able to fit into it? Kaede asked.(Kaede picturing Rurouni Kenshin squeezing into the shirt...)
"Er... I really don't know lehz... Hope so lorz... I still got some ironing to do for that shirt... Kenji, can you set up the ironing table for me?" Sakuragi replied.
"You very troublesome lehz! Haiz, I must have done something terribly wrong in my previous incarnation to deserve you as my buddy!(Sakuragi getting read for his famous but deadly move-- Headbutting...) er... just kidding larz..." Kenji complained.
Sakuragi started to iron as soon as Kenji finished setting up the ironing table. While ironing, Sakuragi turned and talk to Kenji and Kaede as they watched "Battousai X" and design their team shirts at the same time. Poor Kaede have to do two shirts, one for himself, the other for Sakuragi.
"Sakuragi, is this the first time that you are ironing?" Kenji asked when he saw how clumsy Sakuragi is.
"Yes... duh... Do I have this look on my face that I actually do housework? Rurouni Kenshin should be glad that I'm giving up my "first time" for his birthday. Ouch! Ouch! Oh my holy shit! I just burnt my fingers!" Sakuragi raised his red and sore burnt fingers to show Kaede and Kenji. The duo laughed at the miserable state that Sakuragi is in.
"You really suck at ironing, Sakuragi! Are you done with ironing the shirt? 'cause, I think if you continue ironing, you will surely burn your fingers charred and then you can say goodbye to basketball forever. Haha! Seriously speaking, I know for Rurouni Kenshin's three birthdays in the three years, you had always never fail to give him something but does he bothers about your birthday at all? " Kenji said in a as-a-matter-of-fact tone.
"I doubt that Rurouni Kenshin actually have the slightest idea when in the world is my birthday... Actually, I know that I'm just like a clown to him but who cares anyway? I'm just a foolish fool two years ago to actually believe that a senior-junior friendship would actually work out. In fact, I really doubt that he knows anything much about me. For the past two years that we were acquainted, he had only called me for three pathetic times and that's to return my calls only but for me, I really don't know how many times I've called him. Besides, we really got communication problems. Everytime we actually talk, it would be just like "questions & answers". Frankly, I myself really see no point in carrying on this "one-sided" friendship but..." Sakuragi mellowed.
"If that's really the case, then why don't you just give up on the friendship since it's so "one-sided"?" Kaede asked.
"The thought had crossed my mind before but I really can't bear to." Sakuragi replied.
"Why not?!" Kenji & Kaede asked unanimously.
"It's really not a question of "why not?". It had never been my intention to start a friendship to end one and besides, Rurouni Kenshin means something to me after all.(The two gave Sakuragi a suspicious look.) Hey don't get me wrong! I mean... Haiz.. you two are too dense to understand.(Angry stares from both Kenji & Kaede.) Haiz... I think just let nature takes its own course. Enough talking about this topic larz..." Sakuragi said.
"Alright if you want to avoid it. Are you done with your ironing?" Kenji said.
"Yeapz! I'm done! Ouch! My fingers hurt like hell! Are you guys done with the team shirts? I want to make my way to Junky*8 Arcade soon..." Sakuragi said. "Oh yes! Kaede, come and give me some help with wrapping the gift..."
"What do you think I am? Your private servant? Haiz... Alright, I'll be kind this time around... So how do you intend to wrap this gift up?" Kaede, exasperated.
"I'm thinking about a 17-layers wrapping style since Rurouni Kenshin's 17 this year..." Sakuragi replied. They finished wrapping the gift up in a while.
"Finally! I finished my team shirt. Let's make our way to Junky*8 Arcade now. Sakuragi, go call your Rurouni Kenshin and ask when he can meet you up to get his birthday present." Kenji said. Without any delay, Sakuragi The Tiensai Kenji a powerful headbutt.
"Mind your bloody mouth! Rurouni Kenshin ain't mine! Tok what crap! I think I better make a call to him.Thanks for the reminder." Sakuragi reached for the phone and made a futile call to Rurouni Kenshin.
"Can't get through Rurouni Kenshin's phone! Haiz... Looks like WE gotta take turn with holding this present..." Sakuragi said.
"WE?!" The duo exclaimed in astonishment unanimously.
"Yes." Sakuragi replied. (Sweatdrops down the duo.)
At the Junky*8 Arcade, the trio bought their TAPZ (Top up And Play Zone)cards and went over to the Daytona USA machines and started a race between Kenji and Sakuragi.
"Kenji ! Eat my durst !" Sakuragi said (The duo sweatdrop)
The race ended with the Sakuragi victorious and Kenji's 2nd.
"Alright! Give me a high five! I managed to beat you. Kenji! I'm Sakuragi the Tiensai!!! Yay!!! "Sakuragi self-praise. (Kenji & Kaede sweatdrop)
"Doh-Ah-Hou!"Kenji & Kaede exclaimed unanimously. (Doh-Ah-Hou is Japanese for "Big Idiot")
"The race is about to begin, gentlemen start your engines!" The race between Kaede and Sakuragi finally unveiled.
"Kaede, I'm Tiensai forever and ever and you will never beat me! I'm telling you in advance just in case you feel depressed later..." Sakuragi playfully said.
"Well... YOU never know the finals!" Kaede replied...
The race ended with Kaede victorious & Sakuragi...
"Hey, I've been very good boy nowadays and had not raced for a total of 9 months already... If I practised before our match, you will surely eat my dust! " Sakuragi, unwilling to admit his disastrous defeat.
"Yeah, yeah... Whatever you say!"Kaede replied.
The trio made their way to the KOF gaming machines and Sakuragi and Kaede who's never interested at all in playing KOF look at Kenji's game uninterestedly while sharing their Cheese Fries from KFC. Drool!
After Kenji's game, the trio made their way to the MRT Station and while Sakuragi made another futile call to Rurouni Kenshin, the duo went into World Of JJ for comics.
"Darn that Rurouni Kenshin's phone! It's still off for goodness sake! Waste my 10ยข just to listen to his flooded mailbox! What the hell?" Sakuragi cursed.
"Hey, cool it larz... " Kenji said.
"Whatever... Kaede, can you please send this present over to Rurouni Kenshin's place since your place is just a stone's throw distance from his? 1000 and 1 pleas?" Sakuragi begged Kaede.
"Hah? Don't want larz... I don't even have the least idea who he is in the first place and if I just visit his place like that, people may think I'm a stalker giving my stalkie a birthday present... " Kaede's wild imagination on the loose again.
"Haiz... Doesn't matter larz... You look like a stalker anyway, just joking... ouch!" Sakuragi said. Kaede delivered his deadly spinning kick to Sakuragi and send him yelling in pain.
"Alright then, Kaede, then you lead us there, WE go together." Sakuragi suggested.
"What?! WE?!" Kenji exclaimed in disbelief.
"Yes, any problem? We are best buddies, aren't we? Then we should brace everything together as one..." Sakuragi replied. (Sweatdrop down Kenji)
"Haiz... No wonder people says that there are always pros and cons in a friendship... Now I get what they mean. So how are we going there?"Kenji asked.
"What you mean how? Don't you have God's greatest gift on you--- your legs? Walk lorz... Besides, Kuo Chuan is quite near here if I'm not wrong..." Sakuragi said in his as-a-matter-of-fact tone.
"You are so wrong. Kuo Chuan is so damn far from here. Looks like we can train for our 2.4 KM run. Lets go." Kaede said.
After walking for what seem like an eternity, the tired and drained-of-energy trio finally reached Rurouni Kenshin block. They were so glad that the lift actually stops on Rurouni Kenshin's level.
Reaching Rurouni Kenshin's apartment, while Kenji waited in the lift to stall it, Kaede and Sakuragi left the gift in between the metal bars of the gate. They left in a hurry.
"Aye, do you think that it's safe to leave the gift like that? What if..."Sakuragi wondered.
"Oh maybe, when Rurouni Kenshin's parents see the gift, they might thought that it's a prank or maybe a time bomb and throw it away. Maybe they will even ask the SDU to come and open the package. Maybe..." Kaede's wild imagination running loose AGAIN.
"Whatever... Whether Rurouni Kenshin gets the gift or not, that lies in the decision of God. As for me, I've done more than my part. Oh shit!, it's so late now... " Sakuragi said.
"Oh shit! I gonna get in trouble with my naggy mum now!" Kaede said.
"Oh shit! My dad gonna kill me!" Kenji exclaimed.
"IT'S ALL RUROUNI KENSHIN'S FAULT!!!" The trio unanimously yelled.
The trio hurried to the bus stop and waited impatiently for the bus. (They can't afford to walk as they are already late.) The bus took eternity to reach...
Nothing much happened at Kenji's & Kaede's. The story now goes to Sakuragi.
Back at home, Sakuragi took his super late dinner and then his shower. After shower, he started packing for tomorrow's cosplay. He took a rest. The phone rang. It was Kenji. Kenji has called five times for the night.
"Yes, Kenji? This is the fifth call liaoz... I know that you are very excited over tomorrow's cosplay but I really want to rest. Very tired lehz..."Sakuragi said.
"Haiz... Haiz... I'm very uptight now... I calling you to remind you about tomorrow's cosplay though I know you know it." Kenji said.
"You very boliao lehz... I wanna rest..." Sakuragi exclaimed.
"Yeah I know... Since you wanna rest, I'll give you a break and end the call. Bye." Kenji ended the call.
Shutting his eyes on his sofa, Sakuragi rested while his family watched the serial show. The phone rang again. "What the hell?" Sakuragi cursed Kenji as he thought that the call was from Kenji again. Making no effort to get up from his comfortable position, he send his pesky sister to get the call. It's for him again.
He trudged grudgingly over to the phone and peeked over at his trusty Caller-ID and to his astonishment, he saw Rurouni Kenshin's number.
"Hello?" Sakuragi murmured tiredly.
"Oh hello Sakuragi! Hey thanks for the present." Rurouni Kenshin said.
"Ok."Sakuragi replied.
"Oh, you came over to my place is it? I'm so sorry. My phone's battery flat" Rurouni Kenshin said.
"Yah." Sakuragi replied.
"Oh did you spend a lot of time on it?" Rurouni Kenshin asked.
"Not really..." Sakuragi lied.
"Not really?" Rurouni murmured.
"Yah." Sakuragi replied.
Silence for a moment before Sakuragi speaks.
"Anything else?" Sakuragi asked.
"er.. no, nothing else..." Rurouni Kenshin replied.
"K, bye." Sakuragi ended the call. Sakuragi felt like being interrogated by Rurouni Kenshin about his gift.
The call may have been short but it made Sakuragi ponder if their friendship
is really so hopeless as he had initially thought. He went to bed shortly after
the call. The numerous questions in his head kept repeating...
P.S. To All who read this fic, Da Gift , please send your opinions about this fic to radicasion87@hotmail.com . As this is my first fic, I need opinions before i start writing my next fic.The friendship between Sakuragi & Rurouni Kenshin, will it stay? Opinions please...