Chapter 10

"Ru-ka-wa! Ru-ka-wa! L-O-V-E Rukawa!"

It was the first round of the Inter High tournament in Kanagawa. Shohoku were playing Miuridai but the regular lineup was benched by Coach Anzai. Kaede, Hanamichi, Ryota and Mitsui were all sitting impatiently on the bench. Thanks to the fight incident last week, Coach Anzai had to punish his star players for their misbehavior.

Hikaru, still wearing her baseball uniform from practice, sat alongside Haruko and Sakuragi's gang. They cheered on loudly for Shohoku despite the lead by Miuridai. When Kogure successfully landed a three-point shot, Shohoku cheered.

"Amazing shot Kogure-sempai!" Hikaru called out, having hearts in her eyes

"Megane-kun!" Sakuragi's gang joined in

Kaede heard the voice and looked up to the crowd. While the cheerleaders screamed, thinking he was looking at them when he wasn't, Hikaru waved at him. He blushed and quickly looked away. He, along with the other three idiots, was waiting impatiently to be put into the match. After some time, Coach Anzai decided to change players. Everyone, except Akagi left the court. Rukawa's fangirls screamed as he entered the court.

"Rukawa-kun, Sakuragi-kun, gambatte!" Haruko called out, blushing as she looked at Kaede

"Ha-Haruko-san!" Hanamichi beamed with happiness and made a victory sign towards Haruko but her vision clearly was on Kaede now.

"Go for it Ru, er I mean, Kaede!" Hikaru waved and smiled

'That baka, always forgetting not to call me Ru-chan in public' Kaede thought to himself as he looked plainly at Hikaru, trying to hide his blush. He then looked at Kogure, who was cheering them on while sitting on the bench.

"Fight Shohoku, fight!"

'Oh Ru-chan, he's really nice and always smiling', Hikaru's words played back on his mind. Always smiling…

BUZZZZ!

The game ended with Shohoku taking the victory. Shohoku cheered and jumped, while Kaede just stood there watching them. As they headed outside the gym, Kaede left his team and met up with Hikaru. Haruko and the Sakuragi goon squad saw the two walk away from the group.

"Hmm… wonder where they're going?" Takamiya asked suspiciously, smirking as well

"They're always together or something?"

"Actually, they've been friends since junior high" Haruko told them, trying to deny the fact that Hikaru and Kaede really did look good together.

Yohei and the others eyed Haruko and gave her the what-the-hell?-are-you-serious look. "Hmm? Friends?" they chorused.

"Oi, where's Rukawa gone to now?" Miyagi asked, noticing that their ace was nowhere in the group

"He left with my sister" Ayako smiled cheekily. "I think they're going back to school or they're both hungry and decided to eat without us"

"I have noticed Aya-chan, that Rukawa and Hikaru-san are really close"

"Well what do you expect? They've been friends since Junior high"

IN THE BASKETBALL GYM

Kaede was dribbling the ball before he ran from one end to other and made a smashing dunk. He dunked it so hard that the board shook and the sound echoed throughout the gym. Meanwhile, Hikaru sat on one corner and did half of his assignment for him.

"Ru-chan, we're supposed to finish your Math homework! C'mon and sit down" Hikaru scolded her friend, sounding very much like a mother scolding a child.

Kaede succumbed to defeat and sat close to Hikaru, who was busy writing. She was unaware that he was looking at her intently. He looked at her from the side of her face down to her neck, then lower and lower until he blushed before turning his attention on the homework. He was surprised at himself! Damn it Kaede, don't be a pervert.

"See, it's not at all that difficult. Just remember that the value would always correspond to the…" Hikaru's jab about the Math homework was cut short by a soft snore. A vein popped out of her head as she clenched her fist, snapping the pencil in half. "Do'aho. Bakame Ru-chan. Ru-chan wake uuuuuup!"

Kaede jerked up from his 'nap' when Hikaru punched him on the head. A mound could be seen emerging out and he rubbed his hand over it, feeling the pain. "Did you answer them all?"

"Why you…" another vein popped out of Hikaru's head again. "I ALREADY ANSWERED HALF OF YOUR HOMEWORK FOR YOU. WHY THE HECK SHOULD I ANSWER THEM ALL?!"

Kaede stared at her, poker face and all, then back to his homework and felt guilty. He took the half-broken pencil and began writing on his notebook. He then showed a page of the problems to Hikaru, who analyzed it and concluded that he at least got one correct on his own. She sobered down and laughed at the homework. "I like it when you try, Ru-chan" Hikaru smiled and pat him on the head. Kaede looked and saw her smiling eyes, and beaming smile. What he'd give to always see her like that. He eyed her lips as they moved, then he looked at her hazelnut eyes. Hikaru's words were swirling inside Kaede's head as he was lost in her eyes and lips. He bent over, unaware of his own actions, closer to her.

"Did you hear what I said Ru-chan?" Hikaru turned around and caught Kaede in the middle of his act. "What the heck are you doing? I don't think you were listening at all"

Kaede jerked backwards, thankful for the interruption. His heart was pounding and he feared she would hear it too. "You, you have something on you" he said, pointing at her collar. As Hikaru looked to where Kaede was pointing, he flicked his finger up her nose.

"Hey!" Hikaru winced as she cupped her nose with her hands "Kaede Rukawa!"

Kaede didn't laugh but his lips did curl upwards. He smiled at Hikaru's reaction and remembered why exactly he had a crush on her back in junior high. "You're so uptight today" he said in his usual monotone voice.

"Well Ru-chan, you're always so glum and cold"

Glum and cold… She called me cold?

"You know, you should smile more Ru-chan"

Author: See? I told you you should smile

Kaede: (evil eyes) Urusai!

Author: (chibi mode) okay, oay I'll shut up... Ru-chan (laughs cheekily)

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