CHAPTER 11- "C'MON AND LET' PLAY!!!"
Rukawa and Haruko agreed to have lunch at Minako's house with Sendoh. All of them are easily getting along with each other. From being rivals, Sendoh and Rukawa are becoming the best of friends. They started calling each other through their first names.
"Instead of watching a movie. How about playing basketball?" Rukawa proposed.
"Not a bad idea. I agree but how about us. You'll enjoy playing one-on-one but Haruko and I will just watch the game."
"You'll join us, then. Haruko and Kaede and I'll be with Minako." Sendoh suggested.
"That will be very much fine to me. How 'bout you guys?"
"Sure. It's in favor to Akira's injury."
"What are you saying? I wouldn't win to you because of this injury? Uh-oh. I'm fine and I'll win easily."
All of them we're laughing.
"After the game, we'll have dinner at our house." Kaede told them. "No one must say no."
"That's great. I know nothing about your family." Haruko said.
"Ok, so let's go."
"Wait, I cannot play basketball wearing a skirt." Minako told them smiling.
"Yeah, that's right. We'll wait for you."
"Ok."
Rukawa and the others were left at the living room. They were talking about Minako's condition.
"I think she's becoming better than yesterday. She was really down yesterday." Haruko said.
"Yeah. I think she needs us badly this time and we must always be with her so that she could easily forget what happened." Sendoh agreed. "You two are getting along very well."
"Yeah." Rukawa said blushing and also, Haruko.
Minako went downstairs wearing a sleeveless blouse and cycling shorts, sporty yet sexy. They arrived at the basketball court seeing the members of Shoyo's basketball team. Fujima was there and he noticed Minako.
"I guess we just have to watch the movie. I am so thankful that I have brought some clothes."
Fujima approached them, "Minako, you're here… with some friends." She ignored him. "Anyway, what brought you here?"
Sendoh replied, "Actually, we wanted to play basketball here but we didn't expect you to be here so I think we better find another place-"
"A one-on-one with Rukawa?"
"No."
"I see." He paused. "Would you want us to play with you? We've invited some friends, too: Hanamichi, Mitsui, Miyagi, Nobunaga, Jin and many other players. Actually, we were really planning to have a game with the best players in the district and we were lucky enough to have them but some of them were busy, I think, that's why they might not play."
"I didn't know that." Rukawa said.
"That's great!" Haruko interrupted. "A game with mixed players from the best teams in the district- Kainan, Ryonan, Shoyo and… Shohoku…"
"What do you say?" Fujima asked both Rukawa and Sendoh.
"It is ok with me." Minako told them.
"We agree to play with you. Are you sure that all of them will be here?"
"Yeah, of course."
The rest of the guys waited for the remaining players. Fujima was envious of Sendoh's being close to Minako. Minako ignored him and it is obvious that she's still angry with Fujima. Hanamichi, Mitsui and Miyagi arrived first before Kyota and Jin. After a few more minutes, Koshino arrived. The members of the first team consist of Fujima, Hanagata, Kyota, Mitsui and Hasegawa. The latter consists of Sendoh who teams up with Rukawa, Jin, Miyagi and Hanamichi. The referee for the game is Koshino. It must be really an exciting game between the two teams because all of the members of the two are mixed up with different players from the best teams of Shoyo, Kainan, Ryonan and Shohoku. The game started with the ball at Fujima's team and they also got the first point with Mitsui's accurate jump shot. Jin who is also an excellent three pointer of Kainan guarded him.
The game went on; of course Hanamichi was still angry and jealous of Rukawa because he had learned that Haruko and him are getting along. He wanted to prove everybody that he's better than Rukawa by his rebounding skills and shots. He's really in best condition and everybody was surprised that he's doing great with a jump shot. No one knows who will be the winner of the game because all of them played evenly with each other.
On the other hand, Minako was surprised of Fujima's skill. Somehow, her anger toward him is fading bit by bit. Haruko was cheering for Rukawa and that made Hanamichi heat up in the second half. Everybody was excited to know the outcome of the game. With now only a minute left, with the tied scores of 84, who will win?
Everybody is now nervous, there's no more time. Kyota's defense was working well on Hanamichi. Sakuragi could not shoot; all of the other members were in the same situation except for Rukawa. They needed to get the point or else they'd lose to them. Hanamichi decided to pass the ball to Rukawa.
"Hey you! Better let the ball get in the ring or else I'll kill you!"
At last, Rukawa shot the ball, it was a three point shot and his form was really perfect. Fujima tried to block it but he failed and so, Hanagata. They won with the score of 86-84.
Minako and Haruko moved closer to them, "We're very happy that you've won even though we only watched."
"The victory is for you." Sendoh told Minako.
She blushed and Kenji seems to get nuts upon seeing them.