Synopsis:The story plays around between the two main characters Rukawa Kaede and Karin Maho. Their friendship started with an unforgettable encounter; grew into a love interminable. But when Rukawa left America, everything changed. What happened to Rukawa? What will happen to Maho? (Rukawa x OC x Sendoh)
Disclaimer: I don't own Slam Dunk and all their characters.
Chapter 3Bye Bye
The bell had already rung. The students went to their proper seats yet they never stop in talking with one another.
As Maho sat on her chair, she noticed that Rukawa was not around.
"Maybe he's just late. Hmmp… That sleepy head…" she thought.
Their first period teacher arrived and started their lesson.
The first period had ended and still Rukawa was not yet around. Maho thought that he might come during the second or third period of class. But the class had ended and Rukawa did not come. Maho was worried at him.
"I think he was sick. I hope he'll get well soon." she muttered.
The next day, Maho went to school early so she can surprise Rukawa and gave him the bento she asked her grandmother to make. But on her surprise, Rukawa did not come to school again. Days passed and Rukawa still did not appear. She was seriously worried about him.
"Is he ill? Or did something bad happened to him?" she thought.
She went to the school registration office to ask for Rukawa's phone number or address. She saw the school registrar - a fat woman with long curly hair. Her nose was like the nose of a witch but without those big moles with hairs. She wore thick black eye glasses that made her remember something. According to one of her classmates, there was this somebody in this school that became the horror for everyone. She was wicked and strict. She hated students and even her co-faculties. When you made her mad, she can give any kind of illness – like what a witch does. You can see her wickedness in her eyes that was why she covered it with thick eye glasses.
She doubted if this was true. Yet this thought still gave her goose bumps.
She made up her mind. She's going to face this scary registrar and ask for Rukawa's number and address.
"Goo…goodddd…mor…ning, ma'm…"she said scarily. She was not afraid of getting illness by making her mad. Anyway, she did not believe to that story. She was just afraid with her appearance.
The fat lady looked at her and adjusted her thick glasses to see her clearly.
She became more scared when she looked at her.
"What can I do for you?" the registrar said. A smile was visible in her face that made Maho relieved.
"Can I ask for my classmate's phone number and home address? He's been absent for a week and still no one can say what happened to him. I am really worried about him." she said.
The registrar smiled upon hearing her request.
"That's so sweet of you. Don't worry, I'll find it on our school records. What's his name?" she said as she faced the computer on her table.
"Kaede… Kaede Rukawa." she said excitedly. Finally, she could contact him.
The school registrar's face changed. It looked like she was troubled finding it. Maho became bothered with that.
"Is there a problem, ma'am?" she asked.
"I'm sorry sweetheart but I think I cannot give any information about him." she confessed.
"But why? I mean, the school kept everyone's record including him." she protested.
"We have his record but it was included in the secret files. Maybe he was a son of a powerful person who needs to protect his identity for his protection."
"Please, open it up for me." she pleaded.
The school registrar pitied her but she could not do anything about it.
"I really like to sweetheart but only the higher administrators can open this. These files are highly protected." she said. She was so sorry for her.
"I understand, ma'am. Thanks anyway."
She left the registrar office disheartened. Now, she could not find any means of contacting or seeing him.
The crusty sound of the leaves was the only thing heard as she walked and crashed them. All the people in their village seemed to be pretty busy. No one was outside. This kind of view only added the loneliness she was having at that time.
She looked up to the trees and observed the falling leaves. They were beautiful as they dance with the wind. Yet, this sight was something that pinched her heart.
Another batch of leaves fell from the tree. Her eyes followed them until they led her to a particular place she had always been to. It was the basketball court where she and Kaede used to play in basketball. It was almost a week when she did not come to the court.
As she pushed the gate to open, the leaves under were piled and form to a mount. The crackling sounds of the leaves stopped and there was complete silence.
She headed to the bench – their secret ball compartment. She reached the ball and stared at it for a long time. She missed playing it. Something was telling her to dribble. She dribbled it. The happiness she felt at that time was unexplainable. She continued dribbled it as she ran towards the ring. With no hesitation, she jumped and made an easy layup. The excitement and the happiness she felt were just some of the proofs of her love for basketball.
She made a number of shots. But then she realized something.
"Before, I don't mind playing alone. When grandpa was out for work, I play by myself yet I am still happy. But now… (she sighed) everything seemed to be different. I was used to play with Kaede. With him, I think everything is possible. But now, without him, I feel incomplete…" she said.
"Really?" someone at her back said.
She jumped out and looked back. And there he was! Kaede, the boy he really missed a lot, was now in front of her.
"Did you miss me?" he asked giving a smile she had been longing for.
She ran to him and hugged him as tight as possible. Kaede was surprised for her sudden embrace. He never thought that she really missed him that much. He then hugged her back. He missed her to.
"What happened to you?" she asked, still embracing him.
"I became bored seeing the face of our teacher so I didn't attend school." he said as he scratched his head.
"I'm dead serious, Kaede." she said as she release herself from his embrace. Her face looked serious. Her aura changed, showing that she was not going to entertain any lies from him.
With no choice, he explained everything.
Flashback
In London…
A lady in her black fur coat and white skirts embroidered with different Swarovski crystals sat on her desk as she examined some of the file of papers in her desk.
"How's everything?" the lady with long brown curly hair asked.
"Madam Chen Lu had cancelled the meeting. Her son was kidnapped and she was really busy about that." her assistant reported.
She stood up from her leather chair, freaked out on what she heard. She held into the back of the chair to support herself. She felt that she was going to lose her senses.
"Tell me the whole story." she commanded to her assistant.
"Yes, ma'am. It all happened almost two weeks ago. Her son was in his school when suddenly a group of men secretly entered the school. They immediately proceeded to the room of Madam Chen's son as if they already planned and studied where to find him. They abducted him and no one can say who were these men and where did they hide him. What's too bad about this was that these kidnappers weren't asking for any ransom. It only showed that the suspects were those person who were mad at her and were just only seeking for revenge. The whole police district was in search of him, even the FBI's. And the government was…" she said but stopped when she saw that Lady Shin was looking dizzy.
"Lady Shin, are you alright?" she asked as she held her arms to support her.
"Yes. I was just horrified with the news. This was not the first case of 'the kidnaps'. There were lot of sons and daughters of wealthy persons in this industry that were kidnapped and killed. Prepare my private jet plane immediately and I'll go to Japan this night."
It was 7:30 am in Japan when…
Kaede was preparing himself to school. He woke up early compared to usual because he went to bed before nine o'clock. He had no assignments, recitations and quizzes for tomorrow. That's why he played video games all night and felt sleepy before nine.
He was tying his shoe lace when suddenly he heard sound of cars. Then, this sound was followed by commotions in the ground floor of their house. He opened the door of his room. He saw that their maids were rushing as if they were panicked. This scene troubled him and decided to look for Uncle Hohoemi, their butler and his guardian, to know what was really happening. When he went down the stairs, he saw that all their servants were in the door – falling in a two straight line. He went to the door to see what's the matter. When he went out, he saw her mother with her body guards and her assistant, greeting all their servants in their mansion. Uncle Hohoemi approached her and greeted her. Kaede was stunned on his place. Her mother suddenly noticed him and she ran to him. She hugged him tightly as if she hasn't seen him for years. He hugged her back but he did not know what to tell her. He was curious of her arrival.
Kaede and her mother were in their elegant dining table to have their breakfast.
Kaede kept on playing with his food; he was uncomfortable with the presence of her mother. He only spent a little time with her. Her mother was always busy with her business. He only saw his mother everytime there were special occasions like Christmas and birthdays. It was Uncle Hohoemi who looked after him.
Her mother, after finishing her meal, looked at him intently. It was almost a year when she last visited him. She was amazed how fast he grew up. He was now already twelve years old. Faster than she could ever imagine. But then, she remembered the reason why she was here. She changed position in her sit but still maintaining her poised. She cleared her throat that made Rukawa looked at her.
"How's your schooling son?" she asked.
"It's okay." he said briefly.
"Do you still keep the information about our family?" she asked.
"Yes." he answered, starting to be annoyed.
"Do you observe any malicious person around you?" she asked again but this time more serious.
"No." He was now completely annoyed.
"Does anybody asked you a…" she was asking her son when suddenly he stood up abruptly.
"What do you really want to know mom? Go straight to the point!" he exclaimed.
Her mother was shocked with his violent reaction. But after all, she could understand why he reacted that way. She knew that her son truly hated this kind of life. Ever since he was born, he was already well protected. She's afraid that he will end up being kidnapped or being murdered by those who dislike her. That's why she never introduced him to the public. No one ever knew that she had a son aside from those who lived with her. But this entire things make Rukawa hated his life. He wanted to have his freedom and to have a simple life like the other children. And now… she's going to give it.
Lady Shin raised her right eyebrow to Rukawa. She waited him to calm down and sit on his chair.
"Kaede, my son, do you want to leave this hell?" she asked seriously.
"Yes, mom. If only I could…" he answered. His eyes were now enveloped with sadness.
"Then you're free now. I'll be sending you to Japan where you can live the ordinary life you've been dreaming of."
Rukawa was stunned. Is he dreaming? Did his ears trick him? Did he really hear those words from his mother?
"Why all of a sudden?" he asked, still shocked from what she said.
"This is all for your safety. A lot of sons and daughters of my colleagues were being kidnapped and murdered. And since no one knew that I have a child, it is better to send you off somewhere. In this way, it wouldn't be hard for me to protect you. You'll just keep your identity close and you can live the life you wanted."
His mind experienced a sudden lapse in processing these things. He never thought that he would never this kind of words. He didn't know what to say. All he could do was to stare at her mother.
"Hohoemi will be the one to look after you in Japan."
"But I want to live on my own." he protested.
Lady Shin sighed in disbelief. She could never imagine how stubborn his son was.
"You'll live independently in Japan when you reached sixteen. But expect that I'll still monitor you, son." she said.
"--- but for a while, you are not going to your school. This will be for your own safety."
End of Flashback
Rukawa took the ball from her hands. He looked up as if he was dreaming.
"You know what, I am very happy. I can now live the life I wanted ever since. I can go and walk to school alone. I can play basketball anytime I wanted…" he said, his gaze was still into the skies.
"You can now escape those language lessons… You will not see again your Tutor, Tanaka-san…" she laughed.
"That's right! I will not have any dance lessons anymore. I can eat ordinary foods from now on. I will not see again these Men-In-Blacks (his body guards)…"
She continued laughing. She was so happy for him. Along ago, he confessed to her the life he ever dreamed off. And now, he was making his dream come true.
"But with all these things, there's no you after all." he sighed. He felt sadness crept into his being. After all, he was going to leave her.
"Kaede, don't be sad. We can still see each other. We'll always keep in touch, right?" she said as she smiled. She knew that she was hurting inside but she decided to be strong and support him.
Kaede looked at her. She made him strong. She always knew how she can comfort his weary soul. At good times and bad times, she was always there beside him.
He suddenly bent forward. Their lips met. His eyes were close. Her eyes too. The moment was so magical. The air was suddenly filled with the scent of love and with the songs of birds so romantic. It was their first real kiss.
Their lips parted and turned into a sweet smile for each other.
"I'll always love you, Maho."
"Me too, Kaede. I'll do."
The two parted when Uncle Hohoemi fetched Rukawa. They both promise to contact each other and that they will find no other love…
End of Chapter 3! Do you like it? The next chapter will surely be the start of the real story. These first three chapters were just an introduction of my story. Please R&R!
