Disclaimer: Slam Dunk does not belong to me. It belongs to Inoue Takehiko sensei

A plan that goes wrong

"Ore wa Tensai, Tensai, Basket-o-man, Sakuragi Hanamichi" The earth shattering off-tuned singing voice can be heard throughout half of the Shohoku High. The source was none other than the loud mouth self-proclaimed tensai, who seemed to be in a very good mood today. Humming the same song over and over again, smiling happily, oblivious to the hard glares given from all the bystanders. Hard glares were the only thing they could give to the redhead, none was willing to raise any voice to stop the sound pollution for they valued their life more than their poor eardrums. 'The famous Sakuragi's headbutt is not to be taken lightly' every single one of them thought the same thing at the same time.

Sakuragi was walking towards his class direction when a loud 'bam' could be heard from behind him. He turned his head slightly and saw students gathering near one of the electric pole while whispering among themselves. 'What is happening there?' Sakuragi decided to take a look at the commotions and maybe he could see something interesting that can lighten up his already light mood some more.

"Move away, the Tensai want to know what is happening here

…

Oh!

…

Nyahahaha, Rukawa, you stupid. What are you doing down there? You've been sleep-cycling again don't you?" There, near the electric pole, sat one Rukawa Kaede nursing a lump spotted on his head due to his crash. Rukawa was well known of his sleep-*insert anything here* ability, it was a wonder how all of his limbs were still perfectly intact. Sakuragi grinned maniacally at Rukawa's direction enjoying the unfortunate event befallen his eternal rival. Life is good.

"Do'aho". Rukawa said without looking at the said do'aho. He did not have time to argue with Sakuragi nor all those people have time to watch him picking up his bike, which both tires were now, dent. The school had almost started, what were all of them still doing here looking at him like either he was the most beautiful thing in this world or he had a second head dangling at the back of his current head. He preferred the first idea more.

Rukawa looked at Sakuragi who was still having that silly grin plastered on his face, "Oi, let's go, we're getting late". Sakuragi looked stunned. Did the kitsune just initiate a conversation with him, and more surprisingly in a full sentence? What catastrophe will befall them today? Rukawa rolled his eyes knowing all too well what the redhead was thinking. He walked away dragging his now non-functional bicycle without waiting for Sakuragi. "Oi kitsune? Why are you leaving me behind? Wait" Rukawa sighed inwardly, not stopping but still slowed down his pace for Sakuragi to catch up.

Rukawa and Sakuragi were no longer the cat and the dog like they were once, one year ago. They were now on friendly term with each other. It happened after the game with Sannoh in the Interhigh where Sakuragi injured his back that forced him to forgo rehabilitation programs for 3 months and by some miracle, Rukawa's All Japan Junior training camp was near with his hospital. They spent a lot of their free time together, they talked, they bickered, and they talked peacefully again and again and without knowing, their relationship has progressed to a friend-yet-rival state.

"So?" Sakuragi was looking at Rukawa expectantly and Rukawa sighed loudly. The idiot never took no as an answer. "Whatever" he replied. Sakuragi smiled, satisfied with Rukawa's answer "Yosh! That settles it then. We'll go there straight after school." "Hn." 'There goes my afternoon napping time'. For the past 30 minutes, Sakuragi was pestering Rukawa to come along to his yet another crazy – Sakuragi claimed it as brilliant – plan, saying that two would be more fun rather than doing it alone. He rejected it at first but "giving up" doesn't seem to be included in Sakuragi's vocabulary. The idiot won't leave him until he got what he wanted so Rukawa had no other choice but to agree to the idea.

The plan was, spying on Ryota and Ayako first date or what Sakuragi preferred to call it 'Watching Ryota get dumped'. Rukawa regretted his decision. 'This is stupid.' They were behind a bush near a café where Ryota and Ayako were currently enjoying their supposed first date. Imagine 2 tall teenagers crouching low like an unskilled thief trying to hide from polices, yes, it bounds to attract attentions. Rukawa was surprise how the couple still didn't notice them. Guess they were in their own world. He turned to look at Sakuragi who was laughing his sheepish laugh "shishishishi… Can't wait to see Ryo-chin's face once Ayako-san dumps him" said the redhead while covering his mouth and eyes glinting with amusement. Rukawa knew Sakuragi was not serious about that because the redhead always cared about that shorty captain of theirs. And Rukawa also knew the real reason why Sakuragi was following the couple. Just in case the captain did get dumped, Sakuragi was there to cheer him up. Huh, who would have thought such an idiot with a loud mouth, steel-like punches, and gangster-like hair color actually had a very soft heart? Rukawa sometimes wondered why he could easily understand Sakuragi but Sakuragi never understand him. Like why wouldn't the idiot understand that right now he rather sleeps or playing basketball than spying on the lovebirds that seems to be taking a lot of sweet time drinking whatever drinks placed in front of them. Being friend with Sakuragi had its pros and cons. The pros; he was no longer a regular at the infirmary and his face spotted less bruises like they did a year ago and he hates to admit it but Sakuragi made his monotonous life more adventurous and he somehow likes it - he will never admit it out loud though – and his grade had become a little better because Sakuragi never allowed him to fall asleep in the class. That do'aho always found a way to keep him awake. Whenever he was drifting into lala land, he would find wadded papers thrown at his head, sometimes pencil and there was one time Sakuragi actually threw a rock – a pebble - at him, the bastard. The cons, Rukawa had to say goodbye, sayonara to his napping sessions in school. Again he sighed.

"Oi Rukawa, don't tell me you have develop a new skill of sleeping with your eyes open? This tensai has been calling you for the past 2 minutes. Oi, do you hear me?" Rukawa sent a dead glare to Sakuragi. "I can hear you now, stop shaking me do'aho". "Teme kitsune! Who do you call a do'aho? I'm a tensai, TEN-SA-I. How many times do I have to remind you of that? You sure are stupid" Sakuragi raised his voice to emphasize the word "Tensai". For the nth time that day, Rukawa rolled his eyes. Getting no verbal response from the fox, Sakuragi just harrumphed and dragged the said fox to the amusement park near the café they were spying on Ryota and Ayako. "Why are we going to the park?" Rukawa looked inside the café but the couple was nowhere in sight. "Where are they?" Rukawa was aware of Sakuragi's hand clasping hard at his arm. 'That will leave bruise.' The idiot doesn't know how to adjust his strength. Sakuragi released his hand from Rukawa and talked animately at him. "Both of them leave the café while you were daydreaming just now. I called you to hurry up and follow them but you weren't listening. You just sat there like a block of ice that you are! Now hurry, I don't want to miss the moment Ryo-chin getting dumped. They went into the park" Sakuragi grabbed Rukawa's arm again and Rukawa let himself be dragged to the park.

Rukawa knew he shouldn't have come here. He should refuse Sakuragi with all his might, to hell with the redhead's pestering, but he didn't refuse, and now he needed to pay the amusement park entrance fee for TWO! That damn Sakuragi didn't even bring enough money to buy himself a drink. He didn't even look guilty. No, scratch that. He didn't even try to look guilty. He just spouted the same nonsense he always said whenever this kind of situation occurred. "Oh come on kitsune, I'll pay you back with interest. Hurry up and pay!" Rukawa knew he had to pay lest the redhead would never shut up until he does pay. But, Rukawa was not one to make things that easy, well not for Sakuragi anyway.

"Say 'please'" he said in monotonous tone. "What?" Sakuragi thought he did not hear what he thought he heard right. "Say 'please' and I'll pay for you" Rukawa almost smile, almost. He was enjoying the expression forming on Sakuragi's face. The redhead had this unbelieving expression that soon replaced by I-will-never-do-that expression "This tensai will never say that word to you. Now hurry up and pay kitsune, who knows what has happened in there while we are wasting time out here". Sakuragi's eyebrows were almost connecting to each other, frowning, but Rukawa will not back out, not this time. "If you want to hurry up, you could just say 'please' to me. It's not that hard." Rukawa was grinning widely, inside his mind. He knew for Sakuragi to say 'please' to him was like stepping on his own pride. But someone needs to deflate that redhead's swollen ego sometimes and he was taking all the pleasure to do so, himself.

"Call me Tensai first". Sakuragi said while putting both his hands on his hip. Rukawa chuckled *again, in his mind. "You know, 'tensai' and you should never be put in one sentence unless it's a sentence that has the same meaning like what I just said." Sakuragi growled at that, ready to retort but Rukawa cut him off "Look, if you don't want to say 'please', then just don't. No one is forcing you, and…I'm out of here" Rukawa pretended to leave the park but a hand stopping him in track. He turned back and saw a frustrated looking Sakuragi running his hand on his own hair wildly. "Fine. Pay the ticket, please" Sakuragi said in low voice, and he was pouting. 'Cute. Heck, where does that coming from?' Rukawa mentally smack his own head but he can't stop the small line of smile that forced itself on his lips. Sakuragi gasped. "Kitsune, what happen to you? You are smiling! I don't know you know how to smile. When did you learn that, from whom?" Again Sakuragi and his overreacting. Rukawa rolled his eyes, being Sakuragi's friend has this bad effect too, too many eye-rolling in everyday life. Rukawa made a mental note to do a research on side effect of eye-rolling.

They have indeed spent too much time arguing outside. Ryota and Ayako was nowhere to be found and Sakuragi was blaming him. 'Hn, if he brought his own money none of this would happened'. They were walking to no particular direction. Rukawa hasn't come to Amusement Park since he was 6. This was pretty exciting he thought. "Kitsune, kitsune, I saw them, there". Rukawa saw Sakuragi happily pointed to one direction. 'I say we leave them alone.' Sakuragi was dragging him again and Rukawa couldn't help but noticed that Sakuragi was getting used in dragging him around. He needs to remind the redhead later about the brute's strength, he did not fancy looking at any bruise on his arm.

They arrived at their destination, hiding behind the carousel. Rukawa peeked his head a little and saw a very red Miyagi Ryota waiting in line, hand in hand with Ayako to ride the Ferris wheel. 'Huh, typical.' Looking at them, it seems that the date went smoothly. Rukawa highly doubted anyone would get dumped anytime soon. He considered this as mission accomplished. Rukawa looked at Sakuragi, the redhead was smiling. 'So much to say you come here wishing Ryota to be dumped, do'aho?' "Come Sakuragi, let's head back" Sakuragi turned his head to Rukawa, but now he's crying? Rukawa frowned seeing fresh trails of tears on Sakuragi's face. Rukawa didn't understand this boy's roller coaster like emotions. 'Roller coaster? I want to ride that. It should be fun.' "Why are you crying, Sakuragi? Hungry?" Sakuragi wiped his face furiously and grumbled "Stupid kitsune, who's crying when they are hungry? I'm not a kid, I'm a Tensai". 'Yeah, yeah, you keep convincing yourself that.' Sakuragi then continued saying "Now I'm all alone in this world. Ryo-chin is no longer my comrade in this lonely journey. Stupid Ryo-chin leaving me behind" Rukawa did the most natural thing at Sakuragi's reply. He sweatdropped. Sakuragi never failed to impress him on how much he can overreact to something.

Sakuragi added in between his sobs, "I need to try harder to get Haruko-san in liking me". 'Who is this Haruko again?' Rukawa snorted. "What's your problem kitsune?" "You…you...you… you like Haruko-san don't you?" Sakuragi pointed his finger right in front of Rukawa's face. "You don't deserve a kind hearted girl like Haruko-san, she deserves a Tensai like me. Nyahahahaha…." Sakuragi laughed in his famous tensai pose. 'Yeah, I can never follow this idiot's mood.' "Don't worry do'aho, I don't even know who is this Haruko you keep talking about and I'm not interested in her. I can assure you that, now let's go." Sakuragi stared into Rukawa's eyes. He kept looking and did not seem like he would move from his spot anytime soon. The constant staring annoyed Rukawa. 'Do I have something on my face?' "What?" He asked Sakuragi. Sakuragi started to walk away from their hiding place, behind the carousel. "Nothing, you just seem more talkative today, and not to forget you smiled too. I honestly like this side of you, Rukawa. You should open yourself more to people. You're not bad you know, well of course you are one step lower in 'not bad' department from the tensai, no, you should be 10 steps lower than this great tensai, but if you continue to act like this with other people you will gain more friends." 'I don't need more friends; I think one is more than enough.' "Hn" was all that Rukawa answered.

"Hey Sakuragi, let's ride that" Rukawa pointed at the super-scary looking Roller Coaster, what was the point in paying the entrance fee if they did not take any of the ride? There were not that many people in line so they shouldn't have to wait for long. Sakuragi suddenly turned green, turned his heel and started to walk in the opposite direction. Rukawa was confused. "Oi". Sakuragi did not stop. Rukawa wore a knowing smirk at the redhead because oh yes, he knew why that do'aho acted like that. "Oi, are you scared?" Rukawa snorted. 'That should do it.' Sakuragi stopped and turned around facing Rukawa. 'Yes, that did it.' "There is nothing in this world that would scare a tensai like me. Nyahahahahaha. Let's ride that stupid roller coaster Rukawa!" Sakuragi grabbed Rukawa's hand and dragged him to the place. Rukawa can tell that Sakuragi was scared but tried to put a brave front. Well, Rukawa would give Sakuragi an 'A' for effort and effort only, oh come on, Sakuragi's skin was now as pale as Rukawa's, if not, paler. Rukawa chuckled, he never thought he would live a day when he could actually see a scared Sakuragi. 'Yes, life is good'

Rukawa's bought two pieces of the same photo of them captured while they were riding the roller coaster. He smiled softly at the photo, there on that piece of paper, he was grinning happily while Sakuragi's eyes were shut and both of his hands clutching tightly on the safety bar until his knuckled turned white. This was the first time Rukawa felt so alive aside from when he was playing basketball. "Oi, here." Rukawa handed one of the photos to Sakuragi who after the ride has suddenly become the quietest person in the whole Japan. His face was definitely paler than Rukawa's, Rukawa can guarantee that. Sakuragi took the photo, looked at it and put it inside his pocket without muttering a single word. Rukawa was taken aback. This was the first time Sakuragi did not question his action. 'His soul must really have been left on that roller coaster.' Rukawa said nothing and both of them walking silently side-by-side leaving the park. For the first time in his life, Rukawa felt so carefree and for the nth time today, he smiled.

Rukawa thought, hanging out with Sakuragi was definitely fun. He'll come here again with the do'aho in the near future.

Sakuragi thought, he will make a big banner and plastered it to his door "Never bring Rukawa Kaede near any Amusement Park!". Ah, he was feeling sick again.

Little did Sakuragi and Rukawa know, two pair of eyes was glinting like mad in their direction. An interesting rumor will start tomorrow. The couple smirks.

***** The next day ****

"Ore wa Tensai, Tensai, Basket-o-man, Sakuragi Hanamichi" The earth shattering off-tuned singing voice can be heard throughout half of the Shohoku High, again. Sakuragi was walking happily when suddenly he felt a shiver run down his spine. He stopped and turned his head a bit. He saw Rukawa's brigade glaring menacingly at him. 'What do those annoying girls want with me?' To Sakuragi's surprise, those girls suddenly running towards him. Sakuragi panicked. "What did I do?" Looking at their faces that resemble so much that of a predator, Sakuragi decided it was not a good decision to just stand still. So he did what his primal sense told him to, run. Sakuragi cursed himself for being such a gentleman, not able to headbutt those girls or any other girl. "Wait you readhead monkey! You despicable being! How dare you tainted our Prince Rukawa!" What? "I don't know what you're talking about. Leave me alone." With that, Sakuragi sprinted the fastest he could into his classroom. "Safe" For now.

School went by not as nicely as what Sakuragi had hope. His classmates kept throwing strange awkward glances at him and the kitsune? 'Why is that?' He also realized that his gundan was restraining really hard from bursting with laughter. That annoyed him more. He'll headbutt them later, he thought.

Sakuragi was on the way to his basketball practice. By now he already used to the strange glares from the whole school, yes whole school, teachers, cleaners and even gardeners included. His gundan already escaped from him before he could grab and questioned them, more importantly headbutt every single one of them. Sakuragi sighed, and then he saw Akagi Haruko sitting alone on the bench near the football field. His eyes turned into two little pink heart and he skipped happily to the bench. "Haruko-san" Sakuragi smiled while waving at Haruko. She looked up at Sakuragi but then she averted her gaze to the ground. And without saying anything, she ran away to god knows where. Sakuragi was super panicked and confused. He wanted to chase after Haruko but he did not want to be late for practice. That Ryochin will take all the pleasure in this world to punish him if he's late. Feeling suddenly frustrated, he headbutted the bench with full force and like any other object he headbutted full force, they broke. He felt a little better. He'll find Haruko some times later, or maybe tomorrow.

Sakuragi walked into the gym. He saw Rukawa practicing his already perfect shoot alone while others just stared at him. Well of course Kitsune is kitsune, he was in his own world oblivious to all the stares sent his way. Ryota, Ayako, Mitsui and the rest of the team gathered at one spot talking and then looking at Rukawa and then continue talking and then again they looked at Rukawa and the cycle went on and on and on and Sakuragi cleared his throat. Now everyone's attentions were on him. "Why are you looking at the kitsune like that? Did he do something stupid?" They stared at Sakuragi with the same stares they gave to Rukawa. Their eyes glint, and they smirk. Sakuragi had had enough of this and he yelled, "Why are you all looking at me like that? From this morning until now everybody is staring at me. Well the tensai don't mind all this attentions of course but I want to know the reason why". Mitsui opened his mouth, "Because we know. Well I never know you swing that way Sakuragi. And to think of all people you would choose him, it's a shock to us all, well to tell you the truth; we were more shock to why he chose you, really. But don't worry, we will support the both of you." Then Ryota continued, "This is good for the team too." And Ayako had to insert her two cents in "You were too cute yesterday" and she giggled. Sakuragi blinked, digested the words but still, he didn't understand. "Eh, I don't understand. Could someone please tell me what's really happening here before this tensai's head explodes?"

"Do'aho" When did that kitsune joined our conversation? "Why you kitsune. What do you want? You want to make me more confuse don't you? I don't need any more of this crap, I had enough". Rukawa handed a newspaper to him, the school daily newspaper. "Here" he said and he left them to continue his practice. Sakuragi aware of the giggling sound from Ayako and the knowing look from all the others. He opened the newspaper and looked at the first page. He froze, his face was blank, and little by little the muscles on his face move and finally formed into an unmistakably a total shock expression. "WHAT IS THIS?" He screamed. The newspaper glided lifelessly to the floor. There, on the front page was the photo of him and Rukawa at the Amusement Park. He had his hand on Rukawa's arm and Rukawa was looking into his eyes. The title says, "Will the basketball team marches to the national with the power of love?"

Sakuragi stuttered "Wh-Wha-What is that? Why is there a photo of Rukawa and me there? And what with the power of love thingy?" Mitsui patted Sakuragi's shoulder. "You don't have to hide it anymore. We know you were on a date yesterday. Ryota and Ayako saw you, well, they were the one who took that photo actually" Ayako still had the guts to show peace sign to Sakuragi. Sakuragi was frustrated beyond measure. He headbutted the gym floor and earned a big 'Woah' from all others. They all worried for the floor, obviously. "I'm not in love with that kitsune and we were not on date yesterday. Why doesn't anybody believe me?" Now he knows the meaning of stares and glares he received by the whole school and the reason why Rukawa's brigade was chasing after him. He needed to clear his name or else who knows what those annoying girls might do to him, he shivered at the thought. That Rukawa's brigade. Rukawa's brigade? Rukawa? "Oi Rukawa, why aren't you saying anything? Tell them none of this is true." Rukawa just snorted and resumed his practice.

"Why you? You dare ignoring this tensai?" Sakuragi took several long strides to Rukawa's spot and put his hand around Rukawa's shoulder in order to do the deadly Gorilla head-locked attack to the boy. But then, the crowd of those gossiper teammates that he had began whispering among themselves, again with the glinting eyes and the annoying smirks. He looked at them and he realized the position of him and Rukawa right now was what made that reaction out from them. He released Rukawa at once and said "No! This is not what you think it is. Aaarrgghh, I'm going crazy. If only Haruko-san is here. She will believes me. Eh, Haruko-san?" And now he just remembered about Haruko's behavior earlier. "Oh no. Oh…no…no! Haruko-san thought I might date Rukawa. That's why she looks so sad. She thought I cheated on her. Oh no" With that said, Sakuragi ran out of the gym to find Haruko but before he could go any further, there, just outside the door, he was ambushed by Rukawa's brigade. 'Redhead monkey', 'insolent brat', 'you evil bastard' and several other curses and insults and one loud 'Leave me alone!' can be heard throughout the whole school. The basketball gym filled with laughter. Rukawa tried so hard to suppress a small line of smile that threatened to form on his thin lips. He didn't give a single damn to what other people said, that was why he was not bothered with this incident at all. But 'Watching Sakuragi suffering is definitely entertaining.'

And so, that was just the beginning of Sakuragi Hanamichi's hard life in Shohoku High School. Nobody ever saw him walking proudly singing his tensai song into school ever again. Sakuragi never really hate his so-called date with Rukawa that day though, but he really did hate the consequences coming out from it.

End.

Belle: Kill me! Arrrgghhh, I don't know why I wrote that and why the story progressed into that way. And I am sucks at writing summary and ending! And not to forget my bad grammar *please forgive all the mistakes*. I'll do my best to improve!

To "Punishment for Rukawa Kaede"'s readers, I'm cracking my head to write the next part. It just won't come out, well it did came out actually but the story doesn't look pretty to me and I'm not satisfied I'm sorry. I'll try harder and I'll update the story but I can't promise you when.