Author's Notes: This is the first fic I have for the year 2004 and it's dedicated to birthday boy Rukawa Kaede. It's also dedicated to Mizuno Heiko, my cousin who loves Rukawa so much and to Reeza for the other pairing here. Anyway, I hope you'll like it. I haven't done a SD fic for quite sometime because I was finishing the sequel to one of my stories. Please review!
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~ Birthday ~Kami-sama, I hate you.
This has got to be the worst birthday ever.
Here I was, listening to Vonda Shepard's A Very Ally Christmas while loading logs on the fireplace. It was already pass eleven in the evening on the last day of December. I was all-alone at home, having nothing with me but a few birthday cards from the people back home.
I was supposed to be home right now. Back where everyone knew me. Back where everyone adored me. But instead, I was here where I would spend my birthday alone.
I was supposed to go home on Christmas but my new coach gave a Christmas bash for the whole team. And so I stayed. I wanted to go home for New Year's Eve but I couldn't get a ticket anymore. It was too late.
I sighed. No use crying over spilt milk. I just have to make do with what I have.
Let's see… I have three cards and a CD playing the traditional Christmas songs.
Oh I can see this is really going to be a wonderful New Year's Eve and birthday celebration.
Ok. I need to stop being sarcastic. I just need to look at the brighter side. Like reading the cards I got this year.
Besides, I'm the Ice Prince, right? I'm not supposed to feel lonely or something. I'm frigid. Yeah that's right. Frigid.
Ok… so I feel lonely. Ice can melt, right?
Alright. Now is the time for reading cards.
I reached for the first card.
"Mizusawa Ichiro," I read.
"Dear Rukawa-sempai,
How are you? I saw you playing last week on ESPN. You were great! I didn't think you could be better than you were before you went to Japan but you proved me wrong. If only I could be as great as you are. Anyway, the team's doing great even without me. Coach made me assistant coach until I graduate. He said that I had the talent and he needed one anyway. We made it to the junior high final four! Can you believe it, sempai? I'm so happy! Anyway, Ayako-san told me that they're all waiting for me to graduate and get into Shohoku. I'm so excited! I hope you'll be here when I enter Shohoku. We all miss you here, sempai. I know you're not the one who writes to people but it'll be great if we hear anything from you at anytime, na? I hope you're happy there! Thanks for inspiring me not to give up!
Happy 16th Birthday, Rukawa-sempai!
Mizusawa Ichiro"
I smiled. At least I inspire someone back home. That's a nice gift. Thanks, Mizusawa. I really needed that one.
Ok. Next letter is from Ayako-san.
"Rukawa,
Hey there, birthday boy! We saw you on ESPN last week. You were fabulous as ever. But as fabulous you are there, the team needs your fabulousness here! I know. You're probably asking about the self-proclaimed tensai. Well, he has improved a great deal but he still can't handle the team. And Ryota is going to retire soon. Mitsui-sempai has already left the team and he's a big loss. That's why you need to go home! You have to replace Ryota as captain! I will fly there and drag your beautiful ass all the way here if that's what I need to do to make you come back. Do you hear me, huh Rukawa? I'm dead serious, ok? Anyway, I miss you, Ice Prince. The team's duller without you. Take care there, ok? And come back! Or else… I'll leave that to your imagination.
Happy Birthday!
Ayako"
I shivered. Damn. Ayako-san is really one scary woman. I glanced at the letter again.
"…the team needs your fabulousness here!"
"… I miss you, Ice Prince."
I miss you, too, Ayako-san. And I promise I'll be back soon. Not that I don't trust the do 'ahou. In fact I think he can be a better captain than me. At least he can express his feelings more than I could.
I picked up the last card. Who could this be from?
I flipped the card and read the name of the sender. "Sendoh Akira?!"
Oh damn. I got a card from the hentai that sends cards to every cutie in town. How nice.
But who was I expecting it would be from?
The Do 'ahou?
Like duh. The only decent conversation I have with him is when we throw insults at each other.
Hmm… what about Mitsui-sempai?
Oh let's see. The only time that we ever do talk is when we're on court. That is if you call that talking. I don't think we're even friends.
Miyagi-san? Akagi-sempai?
Ok. Once again, duh Kaede. You don't even talk to them! If I don't talk to Mitsui-sempai, who I respect a great deal, what more to them?
Fujima-san? Hanagata-san? Maki-san? Kiyota?
Again. Duh, duh, duh and duh. Not close to even one of them.
Haruko?
I shook my head. OK. I so don't want to receive cards from those stupid fan girls.
Koshino-san?
Probably busy with… and we're not even friends. And I get on his nerves.
Kogure-sempai?
Well, I did think that he'd be the one to send me the card. For one, he's thoughtful, caring, sensitive…
And he's the only person who talks to me even off-court. He's the only one who I know really cares about who you are inside and not outside.
And he's the only one I want to hear from.
I slapped my head. Kaede no baka. You don't even talk to him and you expect him to go out of his way to give you a card? You're dreaming, aren't you?
I sighed. Might as well settle for the card Sendoh gave.
"Rukawa,
'Wishing you a seductive and horny Christmas
Licked by love and penetrated by heavenly graces.
And may all your misfortunes be ejaculated
During this season's climax!
Merry Christmas and a Happy Birthday!
Hugs and Kisses,
Sendoh Akira and Koshino Hiroaki"I shook my head. What more could I expect from the hentai-est of all hentais? I wonder what Koshino-san thought of that card. I looked back at the card again. Hey. There's a P.S.
"p.s.
I know that it's quite lonely up there. Just give us a call and Hiro-kun and I will be ready to warm you up. You know what I mean, Rukawa-kun. And, Fujima wants me to tell you (he'll kill me if I don't tell this to you) that he's sorry for not sending a card but he's out of town with his family right now. Poor guy, I know. No one to warm him up, too. Anyway, he wants you to know that he misses that beautiful and firm butt of yours here so you have to go home. Come to think of it, I miss it too! And so does Hiro-kun even if he won't admit it. It's not enough for us to see you on ESPN! We need to see you live. Come home and we'll be waiting! Or, we could just fly there… Give us a ring, won't yah? Mwah!"
Sendoh no baka! You're still as hentai as ever! I swear that I will kill you the moment I get back there!
I closed the card and sighed. At least they remembered me. I guess I don't really care if Sendoh's intentions are hentai. The point is that they remembered.
If only he remembered me, too.
I was just about to keep the cards when I heard the clock strike twelve. Oh jolly! It's my birthday already! I glanced at the mirror behind me and smiled.
Happy Birthday, Kaede!
Damn. I don't even have a cake for myself. Bah. I don't know how to bake so why bother?
I could hear the fireworks now. I bet they're beautiful.
Why don't I treat myself to a little look outside?
I stood up and went upstairs. I was looking for a coat and a scarf when I heard my doorbell ring.
Who could it be?
Ayako-san?
Sendoh and Koshino?
I rushed down as I heard the third bell. Wait, dammit. I'm coming.
I opened the door and found myself staring into the most beautiful pair of eyes I've ever seen.
"Happy Birthday, Rukawa!"
I blinked. This could not be true. Someone was just playing a joke on me, right?
Someone pinch me! Someone tell me that he's really here!
"Kogure-sempai?"
He smiled. "For a second there I thought you didn't recognize me. Do I look that different without the glasses?"
I shook my head. I wanted to say No sempai. But you sure look damn hotter!
"Could you possibly let me in? It's kinda freezing out here."
I blinked again. Oh shit.
"Sorry. Come in."
He flashed me a smile again and I could feel my knees go weak. I just stared at him as he brushed off the snow from his coat. He must've noticed because he looked up and smiled at me again. Damn. He should really stop that disarming smile of his.
"Why are you…? How did you…?"
He laughed. "Whoa! One question at the time, Rukawa-kun."
"Why are you here?" I asked.
"Baka. It's your birthday and I know that you'd be spending it alone. So I decided to come here and celebrate your birthday with you. I hope that's alright."
"Alright? It's great!" I blurted out before I had a chance of thinking.
He beamed at me. "That's great! And about your second question, it was Ayako who gave me your address here."
Oh. So I guess that's how Sendoh got it, too.
"I guess you haven't changed, na Rukawa? You're still alone. I guess it was a right decision to come here."
"I don't exactly have English as my forte," I said.
"I wanted to come here on Christmas but Hisashi invited me to spend Christmas with him and I couldn't decline. So I decided I'd come here on New Year's Eve. And besides, I have something to tell you that I should've told you before you left Japan."
He looked serious as he walked towards me.
"This is kinda my gift to you, too."
"Gift?"
"Uh-huh. So close your eyes."
I closed my eyes without another word. He has something for me!
Ok, Kaede. Calm down. It was hard to put up the frigid ice prince front when I was in front of him.
I was still in the process of calming myself down when I felt his lips on mine. It was just a brief kiss but it was enough to send shivers down my spine. Then, he whispered something to me.
"Ai shiteru, Rukawa."
I bit my lip. How long have I waited to hear that from his lips? How long have I wanted his lips to touch mine? How long?
I opened my eyes and saw him smiling at me.
I wanted to tell him that I felt the same way but for some strange reason, I could not find my voice. All I could do was stare at him and watch him stand there uncomfortably.
He bit his lip. "I guess I'll be going then, Rukawa-kun. Happy Birthday."
He turned around and grabbed the doorknob. I just stared at him as he opened the door and went out of my apartment. I heard my door click.
"Kogure-sempai…"
"Ai shiteru, Rukawa."
Damn! How could I let that opportunity pass?!
I hurriedly opened the door and rushed outside. Please let him still be somewhere near…
I looked to my right and saw him slowly walking. Thank you, God!
I trudged towards him as fast as I could and grabbed his hand. I jerked him towards me, wrapped my arms around him and kissed him. This time, this kiss had the same intensity as my feelings for him.
A few moments later, I pulled away, breathless.
"Hey, y'know what? I love you, too."
His lips slowly curved into a smile. He snaked his arms around my neck and leaned me quietly. We stayed like that for sometime before he spoke up.
"Do you know how long I practiced on how to summon all the courage I have just to tell you how much I love you?"
I smiled and held him closer. "And do you know how long I have dreamed to hear those words from your lips?"
He loosened his embrace and looked at me straight in the eye. "Too long, I presume."
I smiled at him. I was about to kiss him again when I heard someone's voice that sounded awfully familiar.
"Save that mushiness for later, will yah?"
I released Kogure-sempai from the hug and turned around. "Mitsui-sempai?"
He gave me a cocky grin and pointed at the people behind me. The whole Shohoku team plus Sendoh, Koshino-san, Fujima-san, Hanagata-san, Maki-san, Jin-san and Kiyota were also there.
"Junior said he wanted so much to come but was currently stuck in a family reunion. He sends his regards, though," said the do 'ahou, referring to Mizusawa.
"Got the card we sent you, Rukawa?" Koshino-san asked.
"The offer still stands, y'know," said Sendoh.
"Couldn't resist the offer of seeing you again, Rukawa," Fujima-san said, smiling slyly at me.
"They kinda missed you so when they heard that I was going to visit you here, they decided to tag along," Kogure-sempai explained, holding my hand.
Ayako-san alighted from behind the crowd. She was carrying a big chocolate cake with the icing saying, 'Happy Birthday, Rukawa! We love you!' Sixteen candles were all lighted just for me to blow.
She smiled at me and gave me a peck on the cheek. "You didn't think we'd forget your birthday, did you?"
"Actually, I did."
"How could we forget one frigid Ice Prince?" asked Miyagi-san.
"There's only one like you in the whole Kanagawa prefecture and we'd like to show you just how important you are to all of us," said Akagi-sempai.
"Ok. Ok. Mitsui said that we'd save the mushiness for later, right? Make a wish now, Rukawa!" Kiyota said.
"That's Mitsui-sempai for you, wild monkey!" the three-pointer cried out.
"Hey, Mitchy! Nobody calls him wild monkey but me!" argued Sakuragi.
"Oh, shut up, Hana," said Kiyota, trying to hide that blush on his face.
So the two monkeys were seeing each other, huh? That's nice.
I closed my eyes and thought of what to wish. I smiled to myself, thinking that I didn't need that wish. I have here with me all I've ever wished for. And so I just wished something for every one of them for the New Year. Then I blew all the candles.
Kogure-sempai squeezed my hand as I heard everybody start singing.
"Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday, Rukawa…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO … YOU!"
I smiled and tried to compose myself. I brushed away the tears in my eyes that were supposed to fall down any minute.
Kami-sama, arigato.
This is the best birthday ever.
-Owari-
Author's Notes: I know that Rukawa's OOC but couldn't help it. The season is getting to me. Hope you liked it, though. Please review! Thank you for reaching this far!
Disclaimers: Slam Dunk and all it characters belong to Takehiko Inoue. Only the story belongs to me.
Birthday is copyright of Yumehime Yana Hossuru, 01Jan2k4, 1:27p. No part of this fanfic may be reproduced without the consent of the author. All rights reserved. 2004.