Disclaimer: I don not own Slam Dunk or any of its characters.
A/N: Hope you enjoy reading! ^^
Chapter 3: So Near Yet So Far
You're right in front of me
But still you're thousand miles apart.
"SHOHOKU, FIGHT! FIGHT!"
The cheer of the crowd inside the gym was deafening. It was a surprise that so many spectators came to watched even though it was not an official game. Many has come to cheer for the home team, Shohoku High School.
The game was almost lopsided with Shohoku on the lead. The triple threat of the team was a little too much for Takezono. With captain Miyagi Ryota orchestrating the offense, Sakuragi Hanamichi on the defensive end and the Rukawa Kaede taking care of the scoring.
"Nice one, Rukawa!" Ayako shouted when the said player made another jump shot on the left wing of the court keeping Takezono at bay. His movements were watched closely by the opponents but Rukawa's strength was just too much for the Takezono's defense.
"Only three minutes left," Haruko told the team manager. They were leading by 20 points but the players seemed not contented with the huge lead. They were still pounding on Takezono's defense especially Rukawa. He seemed angry. Haruko noticed.
Ever since the night that she gave him the letters, Haruko tried her best to stay normal. She did her daily routine as the assistant manager and still left spare towel and drinks by his locker, and afterwards give Rukawa the keys of the gym. They never talked nor made any eye contact. Not that he looks at me anyways. Haruko thought bitterly.
BAM!
Haruko was brought to the present when a loud colliding sound was heard on the gym.
"Rukawa-kun!" she gasped. Rukawa was on the floor, clutching his right ankle. It seemed that he collided with one of the players of the other team while attempting a slam dunk and he landed badly on his foot. Pain was visible on his usual stoic face. The other players including Sakuragi were around him, faces all painted with worry on what might happen to their ace.
"Haruko-chan!" her reverie was pulled by Ayako's voice. She didn't realize that the manager was already on the court trying to attend on Rukawa. Running to her aide, she grabbed the first aid kit.
"Oi, kitsune, you can't be serious, right?" Sakuragi said, masking his worry by mocking the raven-haired player.
"I'll handle this," Haruko firmly told Ayako. The game needs to resume. Gently putting her hand on Rukawa's, Haruko checked his ankle. It was swollen. "You need to continue the game," she turned to Ayako. The team manager stared at her hesitantly, Haruko gave her a nodded. I can do this.
With the help of the other players, Rukawa slowly, excruciatingly, walked to the lockers, Haruko beside him.
"This may hurt," Haruko uttered when she was about to put ice on the swollen ankle. It was only the two of them in the locker. "Tell me to stop if it hurts so much, okay?" She said, trying her best to hide the crack on her voice. She could feel her heart beat erratically due to fear. All those time she avoided looking at his face. She's afraid to see the pain in his usual icy exterior.
Biting her lips, Haruko pressed the ice pack on Rukawa's injured ankle, her hands slightly shaking. She heard him suppressed a gasp. Just bear with it. She thought, telling herself more than Rukawa. She hates seeing people hurt.
"Huh?" Haruko's eyes widened and her breath hitched when she felt Rukawa's hand over hers.
"I can do it myself," he said, his voice cold and distant. She looked up at him, his face unreadable as usual.
"No, I'll do it," Haruko insisted. "It's my duty." She tried to hide the prick of pain that tugged her heart caused by his cold demeanor towards her. Doesn't he trust her?
"Rukawa-san needs rest for two weeks," the doctor told Haruko. After she applied first aide to Rukawa's injury, with her persistence, he agreed to check in the hospital. She already called Ayako to inform her about Rukawa's condition. Afterwards she called his guardian who happens to be Rukawa's grandparents. The doctor said that it was a torn ligament. The ankle needed to be cast. He has to stay into the hospital until they remove the cast. It was a huge disappointment to Rukawa's side. He will not be able to play basketball for at least a month.
Entering Rukawa's private room, she stared at him sleeping. He really sleeps easily. Sitting on the chair beside his bed, she waited for his guardian to arrive. Haruko couldn't help but wonder what kind of people raised Rukawa. Why is he so cold and anti-social?
She remembered the events in the locker room; Rukawa didn't want her attending to his injury. She bit her lip, trying hard to stop it from trembling. Why is he like that? He was right in front of her but the distance between them was miles apart. It was as if no matter how much she reaches out to him, she would never get to him. This is not the time to think of your feelings, Akagi Haruko! She mentally scolded herself. I need to worry about the team and Rukawa-kun.
"You need to recover soon, the team needs you," Haruko muttered as the door opened to welcome a grey-haired woman, maybe in her 60's. She has a gentle smile on her face and eyes that resembles Rukawa Kaede except for the fact that they were sparkling.
"Konnichiwa!" Haruko stood up from her seat and bowed.
"Konnichiwa," the old woman smiled at her. "Are you Akagi-san?"
"Hai," She answered, still bowing.
"Rukawa Komiko," she offered Haruko her hand. "I'm Kaede's grandmother."
"Nice to meet you, Rukawa-san," she said accepting the extended hand.
"Call me grandma," Mrs. Rukawa uttered with a mischievous smile.
"Huh?" Haruko stood there frozen. She's a total opposite of the stone cold Shohoku ace.
"Well, aren't you, Kaede's girlfriend?"
"Eh?!" Haruko flushed. "No, n, no….. I – I'm – j- ju- st " she was so flustered with the old woman's remark. Her face was beet red with embarrassment.
"Hahaha, I'm just playing around, I know that you're the assistant team manager." Mrs. Rukawa laughed at her reaction. "But that was an epic reaction!haha"
Is she really Rukawa-kun's grandmother? Haruko pondered while on her way home. She excused herself from Mrs. Rukawa before she makes another embarrassing comment about her and the when his grandmother joked about her being his girlfriend. As nice as it may sound to her ears, Haruko knew that it will never happened. Rukawa only sees basketball. It was his only focus and inclined person while Rukawa Kaede is cold and distant.
Sigh.
"Why am I thinking about these things, anyway? I should just think of a way to help Rukawa-kun's fast recovery," Haruko thought.
Without realizing it, she has reached the pedestrian full of people and accidentally bumped unto a tall man causing her to land on the pavement.
"Ah!" she gasped.
"Are you alright, miss?" the heard the man asked her.
Haruko slowly, looked up him and was surprised to see a familiar face.
"Sendoh Akira!"
