Title

By Miku

miku_4444@yahoo.com

*Standard disclaimer applies… thank you*

This is supposed to be serious story. Yeah. Oh well… I can't be serious personally but I really, really, really, REALLY wanted this to be serious. Ehehehe… but it seemed impossible already after the Prologue… Oh well *sighs* Chapter 1 is here…

Let me remind myself about the plot first… well… hmm… yeah… yeah… that's it… uh… right. There! Now I'm clear with the plot! On with the story! ^^;;

Oh! P.S: Thanks for the review! And… If Simply Kim is reading this… I just want to tell her… please do continue your "Umm… Kae-chan?!" PLEASE!!!! And hey, thanks for all SenRu writers and readers… you are my inspirations… *hugs*

Oh! One more! The story centers mostly to Sendoh's POV.

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Chapter 1: Is this really you?

Sendoh turned the knob of the door, opened it and glanced at Rukawa gesturing the latter to follow him.

So did the raven boy.

Once inside, Sendoh immediately went to the kitchen, opened the fridge, grabbed a bottle of mineral water, and drank. He was obviously thirsty for he drained its content in no time. Then, he grabbed another bottle to give to Rukawa. He went to the living room, more refreshed now, and was a little stunned seeing the younger boy still standing near the door eyes focused on the displays of awards in one corner of the room.

"Feel at home, sit down and relax, okay?" Sendoh insisted as he gave Rukawa the bottled water. The raven boy nodded before he took his shoes off and made his careful steps to the carpeted living room and sat. Sendoh was amused. For the first time, Rukawa was not impassive. Sendoh watched how the younger boy bit his lower lip and moved hesitatingly as if shy all of the sudden. This was not how Sendoh expected Rukawa would be. Actually, he imagined the younger boy just nodding and acting as if he did not care. But this was actually new. Grinning, Sendoh followed the raven boy to the living room and opened the television.

"I'll be fixing snacks, okay? Just do whatever you want," Sendoh declared and returned to the kitchen. He opened the cupboard checking for something easy to cook. He was not very good in cooking because he had someone who could do that task for him. But for now, he would not want to rely to that someone. It would be embarrassing especially in front of Rukawa. He decided for a tuna sandwich and orange juice. He was preparing to make the spread when he heard loud footsteps descending the stair and he immediately dreaded the presence of that someone.

"Oi, Akira! You did not tell me you're going to have a visitor today!" the man shouted exasperating the spiky-head. That man was unfortunately his elder brother. Sendoh wanted to check Rukawa all of the sudden. He knew his brother was quite the nosy one. However, he chose to continue what he was doing. He trusted Rukawa would do the best thing – that was to ignore his brother.

"Are you a classmate of him?" Sendoh could hear his brother asking. He just shook his head, sighed and continued chopping onions.

"Really? So you're from Shohoku! That means you're Ryonan's number one rival!" His brother shouted shocking Sendoh. Sendoh could not hear Rukawa's voice but he was sure that Rukawa just answered his brother's question and even informed the latter that he was from Shohoku. That was queer… he actually thought that if ever the young boy would answer, it would be monosyllables or two to three-word phrases. Curiosity rising, Sendoh peered from the slightly opened door and saw Rukawa looking at his brother, actually talking, and even smiling timidly. He was dumbfounded. He had heard the young boy's impression as the Ice King to many people who had known the boy and had met him. One who never smiled, one who rarely, and that really meant rarely, talked they said. So seeing Rukawa like this really shocked him. Maybe they were wrong of their opinion to the raven boy. Rukawa just seemed like he was any ordinary person who would be shy and who would be cordial enough when in someone's house.

So then, that was perhaps the reason. Rukawa was in a totally new environment – in the house of someone he was not really acquainted well enough. That would be enough reason for his sudden change of personality – that was, after all, the expected reaction from guests.

Sendoh smiled and pursued chopping while listening to the conversation of the two, or rather, the voice of his brother.

"Rukawa Kaede!! The super rookie! Haha! I guess my brother just found himself a challenge! Defeat him, okay! That would wake him up from his disillusion of being the best player! Hahahahaha! Oh, by the way, I'm Akito, Akira's big brother! Just call me Kito, okay?"

Sendoh sighed and sweatdropped. His brother could not be really expected to be tactful. He was getting embarrassed already. Yeah. He should admit that he talked a lot like Sakuragi in front of his brother, except the trademark laugh of the redhead of course. But those times were just purely joke – purely to annoy his brother. And Rukawa was slowly learning them all. But he was not bothered by it. He believed that Rukawa was not someone to spill his newly revealed secrets. He was just embarrassed so to speak.

Then the kitchen's door swung wide open revealing a taller, well-built man, looking so much a lot like Sendoh. "And what are you preparing, Akira?" Kito asked with a very loud voice. Then, seeing the can of tuna and chopped onions, Kito screamed, "Tuna sandwich! That's all you could give for such handsome visitor? That's all? That's all?" in a louder voice that could easily be heard from two blocks away. Akira could feel blood rising fast in his cheeks. His brother was totally merciless. "Get out! I'll prepare you a better snacks!" Kito declared as he literally threw Akira out of the kitchen.

Glancing to his visitor, Akira just smiled sheepishly and rubbed his nape.

"Just don't mind my brother, okay?" the spiky-boy said, rather seemingly requested, as he stood up and sat in front of Rukawa. The latter just nodded, eyes wide a little, obviously stunned. Then those eyes narrowed again, serious all of the sudden, as Rukawa focused watching at the TV.

"He's so loud…" Sendoh uttered softly, pouting a little. Rukawa just nodded understanding. "But he cooks well that's why I'm still grateful of him," the spiky boy continued only earning another nod from the raven boy. "Why don't you talk to me like the way you talked with him?" Sendoh suddenly asked, not mad, not jealous, but just totally curious.

Rukawa just sighed, closed his eyes and opened them again only to concentrate at the TV. He answered nonetheless and that was quite better, "Because I'm not used to."

Sendoh blinked once, twice… and thrice. "That's all? How come you could remove that 'I'm-not-used-to' reaction in front of him?"

"For respect."

Sendoh blinked again twice. "And you don't respect me?" The spiky boy could already see the frown slowly appearing on the younger boy's face. Rukawa was obviously not used to answer too many inquiries. But Sendoh wanted to know what was so different between him, the other player, and his brother? Rukawa did not respond however as if he just decided to totally neglect him.

The kitchen door flew open and Kito appeared widely smiling. "Food would be ready in no time! Just wait!" he announced and closed the door again leaving the two players staring at the now-closed door, sighing in unison and concentrating back to the TV at the same time.

"He's really loud…" Sendoh uttered exasperatedly, pouting a little, as Rukawa just nodded in affirmation. "But he cooks really well so I'm grateful of him," Sendoh repeated followed by his and Rukawa's sighs.

The ending song of Shaidder was already playing. That was the only sound in the room followed by the TV advisory announcing the next program to be Fiveman ^^;. Then the commercials ensued.

Bored, Sendoh glanced to Rukawa and found the latter looking at the awards displayed from the closet. He smiled. "Those were mostly from basketball tournaments," he informed as he himself looked at the awards too.

Rukawa nodded. 

"Half from grade school…" he continued as he reminisced of his childhood memories.

"One from a chess tournament?" Rukawa suddenly asked stunning Sendoh a little.

"Yeah. I did chess in the past too but found it boring… I want physical games. But I'm somehow good with it. You play chess too?" Sendoh felt curiosity and excitement as he waited for the younger boy to reply. He did not know why – maybe he just wanted Rukawa to reveal something about him this time, or maybe just to speak again.

Rukawa just nodded however.

"Let's play together some time! It'd be something new for us I guess!" Sendoh suggested happily, clapped his hands and looked at Rukawa expectantly.

The opening song of Fiveman was now playing together with some sound effects. It ended and one robot character started speaking.

"Maybe…" at last, Rukawa answered as Sendoh followed with a sigh.

"Food's ready!!" Kito announced once more swinging the door rashly.

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"Gouchisousama!"

Then the phone rang and the two Sendoh rushed to the living room to answer it leaving an exasperated Rukawa behind. Sendoh was the one who picked the phone for he dashed faster than his brother. After a very cheerful greeting, Sendoh flinch as his smile vanished followed by a childish pout as he angrily offered the phone to his brother. He sighed as he sluggishly made his way to the kitchen. Then he stopped seeing Rukawa on the sink washing the dishes, his sleeves folded upwards so as to avoid them being damped. Sendoh just stood there silently watching the raven boy do the task expertly. He found himself leaning at the doorframe and admiring how the younger boy could look so much like… a mother despite him being a man. 

"What are you doing?!" his brother's usual loud voice woke him up from his reverie. Kito dashed to Rukawa's side forcing the latter to stop and leave the dishes. Kito continued washing while glaring at Sendoh. "How could you let your visitor do this job, Akira?" he questioned the spiky boy who was now furiously sweating. Rukawa just stood behind Kito a little astounded.

"It's really okay," Rukawa uttered softly as he relaxed.

"Really? Well then, just rest okay?" Kito suggested winking at the raven boy who just blinked several times before nodding. Then Rukawa went to the living room and sat discreetly at the couch. Sendoh followed him mumbling apologies. Rukawa just snorted however.

"Do you live alone, Rukawa?" Sendoh inquired as he sat next to the younger boy and absent-mindedly swung his arm and hung it just behind Rukawa's back.

"No."

"No? So who's living with you? A relative? Your family?"

"My sister," Rukawa answered as he leaned a little forward, resting his elbows to his knees. Noticing the uneasiness in Rukawa's action, Sendoh abruptly removed his arms from the backrest.

"I see. I bet she's beautiful," Sendoh teased trying to hide his discomfiture and also breaking the tension he could feel rising, maybe just his feeling though…

"Don't mess with her," Rukawa suddenly spoke directly a treacherous glance to the older boy.

"Of course not!" Sendoh exclaimed backing off a little. Rukawa just snorted and then checked Kito in the kitchen as if waiting for the latter to be finished.

"Do you want to go already?"

Rukawa nodded slowly and almost shyly.

"Okay," Sendoh consented and stood up. "Kito! Rukawa's leaving! I'll just walk him to the station!"

"It's alright. I can walk there by myself. And thank you for the food," Rukawa mumbled timidly as he picked his duffel bag.

"No. Sendoh would accompany you, okay?" Kito demanded as he appeared from the kitchen wiping his hands with a towel.

"It's not needed, really," Rukawa tried refusing but Kito just glared at him and then smiled.

"Take care, Kaede-kun! I hope you visit more often!" Kito said cheerfully and then pushed the two younger boys to the door.

/Kaede-kun…/

 "Akira! Make sure your friend is safe, alright? And don't go anywhere else anymore!"

/Friend…/

"Yeah," Akira answered rolling his eyes. Rukawa smiled skeptically and nodded in appreciation before he was lead by the taller man outside the gate.

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…to be continued…

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Okay… so nothing happened… hehe… but actually… don't you think it's starting already???

*What??*

Er… ehehehehe… so you did not notice… anyway… Reviews would certainly be appreciated!