Somehow, Sendou couldn't look Rika in the face and kept his eyes on the
field to his left as they sat on one of the benches.A long silence lingered
between them before either of them dared to talk.
"What's going on, Sendou? What are you doing here?" Rika half-demanded, half-asked with concern.
"Well," Sendou stumbled still not looking at her, "First of all, I want to tell you that I didn't spread the rumors and neither did I tell anyone at all. Secondly, I found out that it was Sakuragi who told it. He heard us and...he didn't hold his tongue. I was enraged by that. I know it would hurt you a lot and I don't want that to happen. I don't want you blaming that on me either."
"I'm sorry, Akira. I was going to call you later on but it seems you're way ahead of me." She replied fiddling her fingers, "Sorry, I was just enraged too and I didn't want to do anything drastic, so I left. It's been scattering here as well. I can't walk a hall or anywhere here without a questioning eye following me. But I hope you didn't attack Hanamichi like that. I'll talk to him and maybe we could stet things straight, right?" she said ruffling his hair.
Sendou winced as he felt his hair being ruffled, "Hey, stop it or I won't forgive you at all."
Rika laughed, "Alright, but you get out of here while I talk to Hanamichi, OK?"
"Fine," Sendou replied, "He's lucky you came in before I pummeled him to the ground. Tell him I'll do something worse if he doesn't fix this."
"You wouldn't do THAT, now, would you?"
"I definitely would, now that my folks got luckier."
"All right then, I'll get him to fix this. Now you scurry on and I'll be at home if you want to know what happened. Anzai's sick and I need to take care of him. Oops! I shouldn't adopt the rude way Americans call their relatives." She stood up and called to him again as she remembered something, "Oh, and Akira, don't you have basketball practice today? I mean. You shouldn't be absent, being captain and all, and your coach will be very mad at you."
"Coach Taoka will take care of everything," he laughed, "I put my friends first before basketball and, besides, I'm really quite used to his 'lectures' on my 'bad habits.'"
Sendou hurried along another way and Rika went to go to her teammates who waited for her anxiously. "I sent him off. Now, let's just forget this whole thing ever happened and go back to practice since you aren't really hurt, are you?"
Sakuragi growled, "I'll make him pay for this! Knock him out or make him a laughing stock on the court. Nobody does this to the Tensai!"
Everyone went back and Rika fell beside Sakuragi. "Are you hurt?"
"No." Sakuragi said firmly but the grit in his teeth and the effort he made in keeping his back stiff gave him away.
"You're stomach hurts, doesn't it?" she whispered, "Don't worry, even that freshman, Ei - Kimori would have a hard time with that blow. I suggest you do what Akira told you. I don't care if you don't but, he's pretty serious about it. There's something he can do that will really ruin your life. I'll try my best to stop him from doing it, but I can't guarantee that." She smiled at him.
Sakuragi looked back in surprise. "You're not mad at me for doing that? But you're mad at everyone else for just asking you if it were true."
"Something...happened, Hana - Sakuragi." Rika kept her smile genuine. "Now, I know something that will make you faster and more agile. I taught that to Akira, too, but if you really want to beat everybody else, I'll tell you too. The secret is Dance Dance Revolution. And, for you to be better at blocking and screening, a little practice at being goalie at soccer would help a lot."
Sakuragi couldn't respond. He wanted to say he want to learn all of those just to get better, but he couldn't bring himself to do so remembering what he spread about.
"If you don't say a word, I'll teach that to all Shohoku players. Well, gotta be there! Oh, and give your stomach a hot compress when you get home, if you don't that will ache for 5 days." With a wink, she ran to the gym leaving him behind.
***
While Shohoku practiced under the supervision of Ryota, the team captain, Rika went to the dean and the soccer coach to use the soccer field for one day and was granted the time.
When she got back, she checked each player's progress by letting them show themselves off on the court. First up was, of course, the team captain. When he was done Rika only smirked, looked at the highest bench and shrugged as Haruko called the next player. 360° lay-up. Ryota snorted, 'I'm not good enough, huh? I'll show you tomorrow.'
Rukawa was next. His moves were very smooth and admirable that even the other players gaped. The assistant coach, however, threw him the same reaction as the next name was called. Allyoop (sp?). Rukawa shook his head, 'Do you think you can do better? I'll give you a better move tomorrow.'
Sakuragi stood in front of the court. He definitely improved and got approving smiles from his teammates. 3-point shot. Rika's reaction didn't change as another was called to do his stunt. Sakuragi growled, 'You have no right to react like that to the Tensai! I'll show you, I'm the best!'
Ishijiro, the new recruit, came next. He was very swift and he seemed to be very used to doing magic by his quick hands. 360° slam dunk. Rika sighed and gave him the same reaction. Ishijiro raised an eyebrow, 'That doesn't please you either? I'll think of something to impress you!'
Kimori, one of the freshmen, was then called. He did his tricks well and ended with a roar thinking he would please her. Slam dunk. She did not spare him either and this time it was coupled with a sigh and a cross of the arms. Kimori winced, 'What gives? I'll do the hardest move I can think of tomorrow and we'll see who'll give that reaction.'
Everyone did the craziest and fanciest tricks they know but all received the same reaction. A lot of them muttered either in their thoughts or in the weakest voice they could muster.
"The way I see it," Rika suddenly spoke up, "you aren't really inclined with the word 'sport' and the phrase 'basketball player.' Not until you get that, will you please me. I don't doubt that all of you are really good but, there is one thing I'm looking for that you don't seem to let me see; this is lesson 1. Perhaps tomorrow when I check on your progress again, I will find out who among you learned." She clapped her hands, "That's all for today and try to figure out what I am talking about."
Low rumble of voices echoed as they began to pack up their things and go to the showers. Ayako went up to Rika and asked, "What are you looking for? They were all very good."
"If I tell you, can I trust you not to tell anyone, not even Ryota?"
Haruko suddenly went up to them and Ayako jumped as she came up, "I want to know, too!"
"Can I trust you two, Akagi, Ayako?" Rika asked again. Both nodded their heads eager to know what it was. "Then that is your word. An oath you will not break. Players are supposed to do what they must to win, not to show off. This is a sport; not a showdown. I told them to 'show me what they've gained in basketball,' not 'show off what they gained.' Now you see? If they don't learn that, I don't know what to do with them."
Ayako's and Haruko's mouth half-gaped and half-smiled. It was true and they know it. They were very tempted to tell the others but, it was an oath that they made with Rika and they wanted the team to be better so they decided to shut their mouths to the others.
"How did you come up with that?" Ayako asked.
"Those were one of the riddles my grandfather gave me, when I was just 7 years old, to solve; and unless I solve all of them, I can't be a better player." Rika shrugged, "That applies in any sport; except maybe for the sports where you really have to show off, right?"
"I see." Haruko mused, "How long before you got all of the riddles?"
"A week," she answered as if it were no big accomplishment, "I didn't sleep for 4 days and I wasn't able to talk to any of my friends, not even Akira, that time and he became so mad at me that he refused to talk to me for a week as well." She laughed along with the other two. "Hey, that reminds me, I haven't given him those riddles yet. Don't worry, I'll tell him not to let that on his other teammates so that Shohoku will still be the best."
They stopped talking about it as Ryota came up to them, "Rika, with these techniques of yours and with our players, we will make be the national champions."
"Ryota," she smiled at him and shook her head, "Don't jump to lesson 3 so eagerly when you're not done with lesson 1."
Ryota sighed and nodded although he didn't understand.
"Well, see you soon guys!" Rika waved and ran off.
Sakuragi went to the showers and talked to his teammates. Rukawa looked at him meticulously and gritted his teeth, he knew...
***
Sofia/3sh: Thank you! Thank you! I wuv you! *sniff* aww...you made me cry. I'll write for you, I'll do my best!
KISS rocks: I hope you will read more than one chapter, but I understand if you don't like it.
dunkmoonX: thanks for the appreciation! I hope you read it all the way, too.
Hi sohite hito-tachi no kimochi wa atsui demo hyou to watashi no kimochi wa tsumetai...zenbu wa tsumetai...
"What's going on, Sendou? What are you doing here?" Rika half-demanded, half-asked with concern.
"Well," Sendou stumbled still not looking at her, "First of all, I want to tell you that I didn't spread the rumors and neither did I tell anyone at all. Secondly, I found out that it was Sakuragi who told it. He heard us and...he didn't hold his tongue. I was enraged by that. I know it would hurt you a lot and I don't want that to happen. I don't want you blaming that on me either."
"I'm sorry, Akira. I was going to call you later on but it seems you're way ahead of me." She replied fiddling her fingers, "Sorry, I was just enraged too and I didn't want to do anything drastic, so I left. It's been scattering here as well. I can't walk a hall or anywhere here without a questioning eye following me. But I hope you didn't attack Hanamichi like that. I'll talk to him and maybe we could stet things straight, right?" she said ruffling his hair.
Sendou winced as he felt his hair being ruffled, "Hey, stop it or I won't forgive you at all."
Rika laughed, "Alright, but you get out of here while I talk to Hanamichi, OK?"
"Fine," Sendou replied, "He's lucky you came in before I pummeled him to the ground. Tell him I'll do something worse if he doesn't fix this."
"You wouldn't do THAT, now, would you?"
"I definitely would, now that my folks got luckier."
"All right then, I'll get him to fix this. Now you scurry on and I'll be at home if you want to know what happened. Anzai's sick and I need to take care of him. Oops! I shouldn't adopt the rude way Americans call their relatives." She stood up and called to him again as she remembered something, "Oh, and Akira, don't you have basketball practice today? I mean. You shouldn't be absent, being captain and all, and your coach will be very mad at you."
"Coach Taoka will take care of everything," he laughed, "I put my friends first before basketball and, besides, I'm really quite used to his 'lectures' on my 'bad habits.'"
Sendou hurried along another way and Rika went to go to her teammates who waited for her anxiously. "I sent him off. Now, let's just forget this whole thing ever happened and go back to practice since you aren't really hurt, are you?"
Sakuragi growled, "I'll make him pay for this! Knock him out or make him a laughing stock on the court. Nobody does this to the Tensai!"
Everyone went back and Rika fell beside Sakuragi. "Are you hurt?"
"No." Sakuragi said firmly but the grit in his teeth and the effort he made in keeping his back stiff gave him away.
"You're stomach hurts, doesn't it?" she whispered, "Don't worry, even that freshman, Ei - Kimori would have a hard time with that blow. I suggest you do what Akira told you. I don't care if you don't but, he's pretty serious about it. There's something he can do that will really ruin your life. I'll try my best to stop him from doing it, but I can't guarantee that." She smiled at him.
Sakuragi looked back in surprise. "You're not mad at me for doing that? But you're mad at everyone else for just asking you if it were true."
"Something...happened, Hana - Sakuragi." Rika kept her smile genuine. "Now, I know something that will make you faster and more agile. I taught that to Akira, too, but if you really want to beat everybody else, I'll tell you too. The secret is Dance Dance Revolution. And, for you to be better at blocking and screening, a little practice at being goalie at soccer would help a lot."
Sakuragi couldn't respond. He wanted to say he want to learn all of those just to get better, but he couldn't bring himself to do so remembering what he spread about.
"If you don't say a word, I'll teach that to all Shohoku players. Well, gotta be there! Oh, and give your stomach a hot compress when you get home, if you don't that will ache for 5 days." With a wink, she ran to the gym leaving him behind.
***
While Shohoku practiced under the supervision of Ryota, the team captain, Rika went to the dean and the soccer coach to use the soccer field for one day and was granted the time.
When she got back, she checked each player's progress by letting them show themselves off on the court. First up was, of course, the team captain. When he was done Rika only smirked, looked at the highest bench and shrugged as Haruko called the next player. 360° lay-up. Ryota snorted, 'I'm not good enough, huh? I'll show you tomorrow.'
Rukawa was next. His moves were very smooth and admirable that even the other players gaped. The assistant coach, however, threw him the same reaction as the next name was called. Allyoop (sp?). Rukawa shook his head, 'Do you think you can do better? I'll give you a better move tomorrow.'
Sakuragi stood in front of the court. He definitely improved and got approving smiles from his teammates. 3-point shot. Rika's reaction didn't change as another was called to do his stunt. Sakuragi growled, 'You have no right to react like that to the Tensai! I'll show you, I'm the best!'
Ishijiro, the new recruit, came next. He was very swift and he seemed to be very used to doing magic by his quick hands. 360° slam dunk. Rika sighed and gave him the same reaction. Ishijiro raised an eyebrow, 'That doesn't please you either? I'll think of something to impress you!'
Kimori, one of the freshmen, was then called. He did his tricks well and ended with a roar thinking he would please her. Slam dunk. She did not spare him either and this time it was coupled with a sigh and a cross of the arms. Kimori winced, 'What gives? I'll do the hardest move I can think of tomorrow and we'll see who'll give that reaction.'
Everyone did the craziest and fanciest tricks they know but all received the same reaction. A lot of them muttered either in their thoughts or in the weakest voice they could muster.
"The way I see it," Rika suddenly spoke up, "you aren't really inclined with the word 'sport' and the phrase 'basketball player.' Not until you get that, will you please me. I don't doubt that all of you are really good but, there is one thing I'm looking for that you don't seem to let me see; this is lesson 1. Perhaps tomorrow when I check on your progress again, I will find out who among you learned." She clapped her hands, "That's all for today and try to figure out what I am talking about."
Low rumble of voices echoed as they began to pack up their things and go to the showers. Ayako went up to Rika and asked, "What are you looking for? They were all very good."
"If I tell you, can I trust you not to tell anyone, not even Ryota?"
Haruko suddenly went up to them and Ayako jumped as she came up, "I want to know, too!"
"Can I trust you two, Akagi, Ayako?" Rika asked again. Both nodded their heads eager to know what it was. "Then that is your word. An oath you will not break. Players are supposed to do what they must to win, not to show off. This is a sport; not a showdown. I told them to 'show me what they've gained in basketball,' not 'show off what they gained.' Now you see? If they don't learn that, I don't know what to do with them."
Ayako's and Haruko's mouth half-gaped and half-smiled. It was true and they know it. They were very tempted to tell the others but, it was an oath that they made with Rika and they wanted the team to be better so they decided to shut their mouths to the others.
"How did you come up with that?" Ayako asked.
"Those were one of the riddles my grandfather gave me, when I was just 7 years old, to solve; and unless I solve all of them, I can't be a better player." Rika shrugged, "That applies in any sport; except maybe for the sports where you really have to show off, right?"
"I see." Haruko mused, "How long before you got all of the riddles?"
"A week," she answered as if it were no big accomplishment, "I didn't sleep for 4 days and I wasn't able to talk to any of my friends, not even Akira, that time and he became so mad at me that he refused to talk to me for a week as well." She laughed along with the other two. "Hey, that reminds me, I haven't given him those riddles yet. Don't worry, I'll tell him not to let that on his other teammates so that Shohoku will still be the best."
They stopped talking about it as Ryota came up to them, "Rika, with these techniques of yours and with our players, we will make be the national champions."
"Ryota," she smiled at him and shook her head, "Don't jump to lesson 3 so eagerly when you're not done with lesson 1."
Ryota sighed and nodded although he didn't understand.
"Well, see you soon guys!" Rika waved and ran off.
Sakuragi went to the showers and talked to his teammates. Rukawa looked at him meticulously and gritted his teeth, he knew...
***
Sofia/3sh: Thank you! Thank you! I wuv you! *sniff* aww...you made me cry. I'll write for you, I'll do my best!
KISS rocks: I hope you will read more than one chapter, but I understand if you don't like it.
dunkmoonX: thanks for the appreciation! I hope you read it all the way, too.
Hi sohite hito-tachi no kimochi wa atsui demo hyou to watashi no kimochi wa tsumetai...zenbu wa tsumetai...