Chapter III: Day 3 Part 1

Hanamichi sat in discomfort with his head under a towel on the Shohoku bench as the match with Takezato was nearing half time. He had pleaded with Coach Anzai using his back as an excuse. He felt ashamed for doing so but he had no choice. Although the rotund coach didn't look convinced, he agreed to let Hanamichi off but insisted that he should sit out at least the first half. Hanamichi had waited till the match began before he entered the Takezato gym with a towel covering his head. His ruse seemed to have worked as there was no sign of Oda coming to confront him.

So far so good, Hanamichi thought, just a few more minutes then I can go home and ... Today was the third day and the clock was ticking away the minutes when he would be taken to hell. He still felt pretty calm but only because he had no more emotion. Last night he had practised very hard, occasionally throwing a side glance at Rukawa. Everytime he looked at that stone face and those cold eyes, he half suspected the Hell Girl was playing a joke on him seeing as his birthday falls on April Fools' Day. Eventually perhaps Rukawa would fall in love and maybe he would even say those three words but at this point in time, the fox had only enough passion for basketball.

The referee whistled for half time and Hanamichi bolted for the exit straightaway. He didn't want any chance for Oda to glance his way. He sped to the locker room, threw his stuff into his bag which he slung over his shoulder and quickly made his way to the school gate. He was only about a metre from the gate when he heard it. A sharp intake of breath and strangulated whisper, "Sakuragi, why are you still here?"

It had to be Oda but Hanamichi didn't stop walking until a hand grabbed hold of the back of his shirt. Oda put his sweaty face close to Hanamichu who almost puked from his fetid breath. Oda smelled like the walking dead.
"You should be burning in hell, damn you!"
Hanamich twisted away from him, "Calm down Oda. Ai just gave me a few extra days. Don't worry, she will be coming for me soon."

"Ai?! You called the Hell Girl Ai like she's your friend. That's what I can't stand about you, Sakuragi. You take everything for granted but still it always works out for you. You decided to play basketball for a whim and all of a sudden, Coach Anzai thinks you are a prodigy. You hurted your back, missed training and people still calls you the Rebound King. Why can't you just lie down and die, you red-haired mongrel?"

Oda was spitting like a lunatic and Hanamichi could almost feel the rage, hatred and jealousy eating him up like bitter acid inside. Although Hanamichi sometimes felt the same way about Rukawa always taking things for granted and winning over him, he never let the anger, hate and jealousy eat him up. Instead he turned them into boundless energy and determination to improve and surpass Rukawa. So he felt such sad pity for this poor driven guy but he still had a score to settle. He yanked down Oda's jersey to reveal the unique black mark bore by those poor souls who got their revenge by using the Hotline to Hell.

"You paid your price for sending me to Hell, Oda, but if you dare to touch Yuko ever again, believe me the tensai will rise up from Hell to find you and you will wish you have been to Hell sooner."
Hanamichi could see and smell fear in Oda so he was satisfied. He stepped away as he suddenly felt revulsion for the guy.
"Put all that hate and rage for me in basketball, Oda," he advised as he walked out of the gate.

Oda started to shake and tremble. He didn't know whether to believe Hanamichi or not. Still he needed to get back to the game so he turned and almost ran into a tall figure standing frozen behind him. Recognising him as Shohoku ace, Oda ignored him and rushed back to the gym.

Rukawa opened his eyes in cold shock and found himself in his bedroom. He had fallen asleep after coming back from the game with Takezato. He sat up and found that his shirt was soaking wet with perspiration. Funny, he thought, it's not such a hot day and the aircon is still on. He tried to recall the dream or nightmare he had just now. It was like he was burning up in Hell ... he at once remembered the conversation he overheard between Hanamichi and Oda.

After the whistle rang for half time, Rukawa had walked back to the bench just in time to see Hanamichi running off like crazy. He still had that stupid towel over his head. Nobody including the captain had dared to ask why he had been wearing a towel to cover his hair and half of his face. It was like he was trying to hide from someone. Feeling somewhat disquiet, Rukawa had decided to chase after him and caught up just as Oda had blurted out that Hanamichi should be burning in Hell.

Rukawa vaguely remembered hearing rumours about a Hotline to Hell only because the girl talking about it had sat next to him in class and her squeaky voice had pierced his consciousness. Had Oda access the Hotline to Hell to send Hanamichi to Hell? Rukawa refused to believe in such urban legends. But then he recalled Hanamichi's strange behaviour these past few days. The redhead had voluntarily spoken to him and in a civil manner too. He had caught the idiot sneaking glances at him too and somehow it made him feel oddly pleased.

He turned on his computer and searched for the Hotline to Hell. The website address came up in the searches and he glanced at his watch because he remembered it could only be accessed at midnight. It was 11:28 but Rukawa decided to click on it anyway ...

"You called," someone said in a monotone behind him. Rukawa let an involuntary squeak and whirled around. There was suddenly a little girl dressed in a black and white uniform in his room!

"My name is Ai Enma," she said in a monotone to match his.