Disclaimer: Do not own Slam Dunk and chars.
There goes my heart, just passing by
totallyloud
Haruko stood stiffly in front of the doors of their gym. It was hours past the end of their classes. But instead of going home straight to her house, she just stood there before the large doors for about an hour.
Dribble. Dribble.
Shoot. Pant.
Dribble.
She gulped as she heard the dribbling and shooting of ball from inside. There was only one person who could be staying and training at this hour in the gym. That person was exactly who she needed to talk to- admit something to, in particular.
She reached out her clammy-shaky hand towards the door handle but immediately took it back. 'Ugh. I'm really dead now. I'm so nervous.' She bit her lip, feeling her foot tapping anxiously.
She stared at the door and she heard the dribbling again. The nagging in her head just keeps going and going, You have to tell him! You have to tell him!. She almost went pale. "Oh, here goes nothing!"
She burst through the door and was immediately dazed. Rukawa didn't seem to notice her barging in. He was still doing his training. Haruko just stared at him in awe. He was so beautiful.
Haruko almost drooled but quickly shook her head. 'No time for this. But does it matter? My life is going to end any minute now anyway.' She sighed and took a deep breath. "Ru-ru-ru…"
Rukawa quickly turned his head towards her. She jumped in surprise and quickly reached back for the door when his voice stopped her.
"Oy," He called out.
She froze and slowly forced her body to face him. "…yes?"
"Nn." He beckoned her to come closer with his index finger. She followed like she was hypnotized by his orders. "So what did you come here for?"
She opened her mouth to admit what she just did a while ago. But she just couldn't get those words out of her mouth contrary to what had just happened in the morning. "I…uh, nothing. Nothing, really…ehehe." She scratched her head.
Rukawa just raised his eyebrow at her, clearly not believing.
She sighed. "Okay, I, you see, I-" She paused and took a deep breath, shutting her eyes and clenching her fists tightly. "I told your fans club that I was really going out with you! I didn't mean it! I just-"
"I see." Rukawa nodded and took a shot from where they were standing.
Haruko stared as the ball went straight inside the ring. 'Wow.' But her amazement was overpowered by her surprise. "Wait, wait,wait. What 'I see'? Aren't you going to be mad? I-I mean, I don't want really you to get mad, it's just that-"
"I don't mind." He said lastly and ran off, dribbling. He did a lay-up this time. The ball bounced towards Haruko.
She caught it in reflex. Having a big brother who was always playing basketball removed her fears of bouncing balls and instead made her knowledgeable in playing also. She stared at the ball and at Rukawa; he was wiping his sweat with his jersey. Not that it was a great help, sweat was dripping all over his head and at the tips of his bangs.
He stared at her. "Do you?"
Haruko was surprised at that. "I…no."
olololololololo
They ended up going home together. Rukawa just walked; his bike on his side.
"Uh," Haruko started. "Um, my stop is here. Thanks." She glanced at him unconsciously.
Rukawa observed the place where they stopped and nodded. Turning on his heels, he started to walk towards the other side.
"Bye." Haruko whispered and just watched his back as he walked away. Then she suddenly knocked her head loudly on the large post beside her. Thoughts ran through her head as she continued banging her head continuously. 'WHAT- What? What's this? What's happening here? I don't understand what just happened. I don't even understand him! Am I already dead? Am I in heaven?' She continued to sulk there for some minutes.
"Haruko? What are you doing there?"
Haruko quickly stepped away from the post and came face to face with her big brother. "E-eh, Onii-chan!"
Takenori just stared at her and the post oddly. "Hm. Go inside, I need to talk to you about something."
Haruko gulped. 'That 'something', could it be…'
olololololololo
Takenori drummed his fingers along their dining table, eyes bearing straight at Haruko's uneasy expression. "Hm, so…" After some minutes of more uneasiness, he finally spoke. "Is it true?"
Different thoughts flew around her head and she decided to just ask what it was first. "Um, w-what's true?"
Takenori narrowed his eyes at her. "You and…" He gritted his teeth. "…that Rukawa."
Surprised, Haruko almost jumped out of her seat. "I, no, I mean, I don't know…" She bit her lip.
"He already admitted it to us. Well he didn't but-"
"Eh, he did?" Haruko stood up from her seat, eyes wide.
Her brother just stared at her. "So it's true. The rumors were true."
"I," She nodded unsurely. "..guess."
"Haruko," He called out to her, his eyes soft now. "Rukawa's not really interested in girls, you know that."
"I," Haruko dipped down her head and bit her lip. "I know."
"Look, I'm just worried you'll be hurt by him again." Takenori explained.
Haruko forced a smile and nodded.
"Just… if you really want this, don't be too serious. Rukawa, he just maybe, maybe he just wants to play. That is his forte, after all." He stood up and placed a hand on Haruko's shoulder.
"Onii-chan," Haruko looked up at him and smiled, grateful for having such a great big brother. "Un." She nodded. "I won't get hurt, Onii-chan."
"Don't be too serious." He called out as he went upstairs to change his clothes.
"Yeah, yeah, Onii-chan. I heard you!" Haruko laughed and waved him off. "Hey, what do you want for dinner, Onii-chan?"
She hid a smile as she went to ready their meal. A thought lingering in her head, 'So he admitted it to them. Then are we really going out?' She asked herself. 'Ugh. I still don't know…'
olololololololo
Haruko glanced at her watch as she dashed her way outside her house. "Eh, I'm going to be late!"
She turned right at the first corner and heard a loud screech and BAM!
"Ow!" She rubbed her suddenly sore ankle. She stared at the person in front of her and gasped.
Rukawa sat up from the ground and lifted his bike off of him. He looked like he was just awoken from his sleep. He then gazed at Haruko; he blinked at her.
"It's really fine, Rukawa-kun. It doesn't really hurt that much, I can bandage it later…" Haruko blabbered as she was dragged towards the infirmary. "Really." She forced a smile.
Rukawa just scowled at her. "Just go in."
"O-okay…"
"…thank you."
He glanced at her. "You just got hurt because of me. What are you thanking me for."
"I don't know…" She answered truthfully. "So you're sorry?" she started to smile.
He stared at her again, she just stared back. He looked away and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, whatever."
Haruko beamed. Rukawa had just said sorry to her –not in real words but it was his intention. "It's okay! Just don't sleep anymore while riding your bike, okay?" She placed her hands on her hips and grinned at him.
He lifted a small part of his lips, forming a smile. "Nn-"
"Nooooo!" Someone shrieked. The two turned to see who that was. It was Rukawa's fans club.
They stomped their way towards where Rukawa and Haruko was standing. "No, no, no! This can't be happening!" They stepped forward to Haruko.
"What is this? Rukawa-kun, you two aren't really going out, right?" They stepped again. Haruko tried to step away from their glares but failed and stumbled backwards.
Rukawa caught her immediately and Haruko caught sight of his frown. He steadied her up and turned towards the other girls. "We are." He stated.
"Let's go." He grabbed Haruko's arm and towed her along with him as he started walking.
Haruko wearily glanced at him, surprise etched on her face. "Don't be too serious." Her brother's words echoed in her head. On the other hand, with every effort she had, she tried to stop her heart that was now already thumping hard on her chest.
'How can I stop it now?'
AN: Reviews? Reactions, suggestions or corrections?:D
