CHAPTER 20: Realizations, Confessions and Confrontations

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Slam Dunk.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, it's me again, after how many weeks, I'm here to update this fic. Hahaha. Have you been waiting? Here it is….and by the way, Thanks for supporting reviewing my fic. I owe a lot to you guys, especially to these people: Kaiser Washington, StarzNight, aleya sendoh, kitsune14shin, anime freak and dionie. Please, please and please review…is my fic, cheesy already, or exaggerated, maybe? Just voice out your opinions. I would be glad to take it without any hesitations.

NOTE: The italicized words/phrases are the character's thoughts/P.O.V

It's already 8:00 in the evening. The azure sky already transitioned to a black slate with little twinkles of stars scattered throughout the sky. The cold breeze enthralled the whole Kanagawa. The dogs howl and cats skitter across the solitude of the streets of Kanagawa, as a red Ferrari sports car halted in one of the houses. A girl stepped down the car and a guy opened the driver's seat door.

"Thanks, Kenji." Ayako said silently, her head bowing down. "I…I'm sorry about you and Fujima…I know I don't have the right to meddle or judge your relationship but…it seem that both of you has a misunderstanding…"

"Don't worry about him." Said Fujima, as he played with his fingers. "It'll all be okay. He's just well, stressed about his work…but he'll be okay. We'll be okay."

I hope. He thought.

"That's good to hear." She said, "I better go inside already. It's freezing cold out here. You should go home too. It's pretty late already and we have school tomorrow." She reminded him.

"Right." He said, he is now fumbling his hair, "I'll get going. Bye Ayako."

"Bye, Kenji" Ayako shivered, "Good night."

Fujima looked at Ayako as she opened the gate.

If I will not say it right now. I won't have the chance to say it to her, ever. I better get a move on before Miyagi gets her. I know, I know you still like him, Ayako, but I…I think I'm already in love with you. I can't just let this feeling overwhelm my whole being. I have to say it to you, else, my heart's going to explode. Will you listen, Ayako? Will you just shut up, for once? Let me do all the talking…

"Wait, Ayako!" shouted Fujima, "I..I..I'm gonna tell you something."

Ayako was already opening the front door, she turned her head to face the Shoyo point guard.

"What is it?" she asked, "What are you going to tell me, Kenji?"

Fujima took a lung-full of air. He looked at Ayako's face, with so much intensity. He could still see her astounding beauty even in the darkness of the night. He knew he had to. He need to. He felt he was torn with two persons whom he love the most: Hanagata and Ayako. But he has to tell it to her. Now's the right time, not tomorrow, not next week, but now.

"Can you come here?" he asked, "Please."

Ayako shrugged. "Well, if you say so.. Just please say it quickly." And she went back to the gate side.

Fujima was sweating despite the cold weather, he tried hard to look at Ayako but he can't it's as if his eyes were in the same pole of magnet as those of Ayako's. He shook his head and stiffened up.

"I just want to tell you.." he started. " I..I…want to…to."

"To what Fujima?" Ayako said, annoyingly.

"To…"

His heart was beating faster than ever. The horsepower is increasing at an incredible rate. He can't breathe because of the nervousness…

This is supposed to be easy. He thought. Buck up, Kenji!

Suddenly, he pulled Ayako towards him and was about to kiss her…their lips centimeters away from each other…

But then, Ayako withdrew her hand from Kenji's tight grasp and moved away from him, her face full of regression.

"Sorry Kenji." She said in a small voice, "I can't. I'm sorry."

Fujima was ill-stricken. He felt rather stupid to do such thing to Ayako. He wished he hadn't done it after all. But to keep it cool, he just smiled and masked his disappointment.

"It's okay." He said. "I know you're not yet ready."

"Kenji, it's just that…you and Hanagata should work things out…" Ayako said, "You're just confused of what's happening…that's all…I hope this doesn't go between our friendship." She smiled.

Fujima's disappointment was melted by Ayako's smile. It's as if her warmth can calm anyone down.

"I now know why Miyagi have fallen in love with you." He said, as he fumbled the car keys out of his pockets, "You can melt anyone's heart…with those beautiful eyes and radiant smile."

Ayako smiled even more. "Stop kidding, Kenji. Go now, you have to rest."

"Okay, but I want to invite you for the dance…" Fujima said, patting Ayako's head softly. "Will you come with me?"

Ayako thought for a while.

It wouldn't hurt if I come with Kenji, would it…? But Ryota's asking me too…I bet he'd already asked Misaki to come with him. Besides, I don't want anymore connection with that guy things will just get worse.

"Yeah, sure." Ayako nodded, "But not as a date, okay? I'm just an acquaintance."

Kenji rolled his eyes. "Okay, whatever you say."

Kenji opened the car door and started the engine. He pulled down the window.

"Tell you what? Let's go shopping this Sunday to find the perfect dress for you." Kenji smiled, "to piss Miyagi off because he didn't have the chance to ask you out."

Ayako laughed. "You brat, Kenji, you evil faggot. You don't have to do that. Hahahaha!"

He started to pull up the window and the engine raved. "But I want to. I want you to be the most beautiful lady that night, even though you're not…"

"I'm not?" Ayako was puzzled. "Who's the most beautiful then?

"I am." Kenji said and the race car sped off into the night leaving Ayako all by herself.

"What a fag!" whispered Ayako, "I just don't understand him. One time he's a boy and then next, he's gay."

She opened the gate but then a shadow of a man turned up from Ayako's behind.

"You're Ayako, right?" said the hollow voice.

"Yeah." Ayako said, still not facing the man, "Kenji, if you're just playing a prank on m-"

Ayako's mouth was covered with a cloth. She tried to struggle but the man's strength was very strong and suddenly, she was lifeless. The man looked around, ensuring no one was there watching, carried her and ran away, and not mindful that Ayako's necklace (the one that slipped on her jeans with the Ryota and Misaki engraved on it) was removed and it dropped down in the cold concrete floor covered with blood.

Ryota was walking in the middle of the night, the practice has just ended. He was bothered because he didn't see Ayako in the course of the practice.

"She rarely, if not she doesn't miss practice at all." He said to himself. "What happened to her?"

He kicked an empty can of softdrink as he stride across the street.

Maybe she's sick or something. But even though, she could've told Captain Akagi if she were. And why do I have this eerie feeling right now. My heart's acting strangely, as if there's something going on. Maybe it's just that I miss her and her cute smile.

Then an idea flashed into his mind.

What if I visit her? Will she be angry? Maybe I should bring some flowers or something that could make her feel great. Yeah, that would be it. Hmm…but flower shops are already close by now, what, with this time? Anyway, I'll just stop over and take a peek in her room.

Ryota turned and walked on the other side of the street, not minding the cool breeze enveloping his whole body, seeing Ayako was more important for him. As he passes from house to house, his eerie feeling was bothering him. He didn't felt great even though it meant seeing Ayako. But he ignored it and continuously walked until he found the house where Ayako lives. He was hesitant to ring the doorbell;

"It seems like all of them are already asleep." He said, "Maybe, Aya-chan's already sleeping."

But he wasn't contented. He jumped to have a better view of Ayako's room until he crashed into the garbage can and destroyed the silence of the night.

Ryota didn't know what to do, he wanted to run but then, he was aching all over. Suddenly, the lights were on and a woman in a nightdress showed up.

It was Ayako's mom. She looked outside to see if anybody was there until she saw Ryota sprawled on the pavement and piles of garbage were scattered all around him. Though aching, Ryota stood up to give respect to Ayako's mom.

"Uh, I'm sorry for disturbing your sleep…uhm, I just wanted to see if Ayako's there." mumbled Ryota, his gaze on his feet.

"It's okay, Ryota." smiled Ayako's mom, "Ayako isn't here. She said she'll be going out to meet a friend. But strange, it's already nearing dawn, she hasn't called yet."

"Really?" Ryota was now suspicious, "When did she leave?"

Ayako's mom was thinking deeply. "More or less ten o'clock earlier in the morning. I'm beginning to worry about her. Where could she be? She said she will be here on or before 9:00 in the evening. Do you have any idea where could she might be?"

Ryota shook his head.

"But Aya-chan..I mean, Ayako, isn't like that." He said, "She is always on time, not until now."

"Just give me a call if you've found her, huh, Ryota." Ayako's mom smiled. "Good night."

"I will. Good night." said Ryota, as Ayako's mom closed the gate and went inside the house.

Where in the world could she be? He asked himself. Aya-chan isn't like this. If she is, then something's really wrong.

Suddenly, he heard a crack from the concrete floor. He saw a gleaming thing from behind the garbage. He scrambled to get it and examined the 'thing'. It was covered with blood so, he wiped it with his shirt and looked at it again. His eyes widened when he looked at it.

He saw a 'Ryota and Misaki forever' engraved on it. He couldn't be mistaken, it's his necklace. But why is it in here? Why is it covered with blood?

Suddenly, something struck his mind.

"No, it couldn't be." He said as he looked again at the necklace, "Aya-chan… where are you?"

He looked around and saw some droplets of crimson blood leading to somewhere.

What are these? It looks like someone's been killed. He thought.

NO! AYACHAN!

And he ran in the middle of the night following the droplets of blood which he had a feeling that those are of Ayako's.

At that same night, Fujima didn't go straight home. He dropped by a familiar store where Hanagata has been working for the night shift. He parked his car in the isolated parking area and entered the restaurant. Hanagata was wiping the glassware as he looked up and saw his lover. Hanagata smiled and Fujima smiled back until he spoke:

"I knew you were coming." Hanagata said, still wiping the dishes. "What are you here for?"

"You do?" Fujima tried to smile, "I just need some company and I thought that this is the best and maybe, the only place where I can stay and just talk."

"What do you want to talk about?" Hanagata said, obviously busying himself with his duties, "Let's just get this done with, shall we? I still have lots of things to do."

Fujima stood up from the stool he's been sitting on.

"I think I like Ayako, Toru." said Fujima, "I can't control myself anymore. I'm sorry."

"Sorry about what, Kenji?" Hanagata replied and turned his back from Fujima.

"About loving Ayako…" sparkling tears were now falling from his eyes, "and I think love…just ceases. I mean, I did love you, Toru. But things changed since we don't spend much time together."

"Just say what you want to say, Kenji." Hanagata said calmly, "don't push yourself too much."

"Why are you like that?" shouted Fujima, "Why are you always so calm like you just don't care? Like I was just nothing. I feel like a nobody, Toru. Can't you just hate me or be jealous because I can't feel a thing! Sometimes I can't feel your love for me. Are you really? ANSWER ME!"

Fujima's composure left him instantly. He was standing now his gaze steadied on Hanagata's back. He didn't care how Hanagata might react or what he might feel; he just said what he wanted to say for the past weeks.

Hanagata, feeling the intensity of their conversation, now looked at Fujima, unlike him, his gaze was blank.

"I love you, Kenji. I know I have been busy and I can't find the time to be with you." he started, "I can't blame you for falling out of love for me. I know, it's my fault and I'm so sorry."

"Just that? You will just say you're sorry?" Fujima argued. "So, you're just okay with it? You're letting me go?"

The glass slipped from Hanagata's hands and it shattered on the floor into tiny bits. Blood were now trickling from his hands. His temper now rising.

"What do you want me to say?!" he shouted, "You like Ayako, right? Then go! You don't have to go here and lament on my face! If you're happy with her, then fine! I can live alone. You really want to hear the truth? Here, I'll tell you. I don't like your plans any of it, at all. I'm so over these lies, Kenji. Why can't we just tell them the truth? Why do we always have to say things that are not really going on?"

"You know by heart that my parents and all the people around us wouldn't allow our relationship!" Fujima exasperated, "Can't you understand that?"

"I do, more than ever!" said Hanagata, "But we can try and do you think I'll just leave you like that when they all detest our relationship? If you're thinking that way, well, Kenji, you don't know me. End of conversation."

"Yeah, I think you're right." Fujima smirked, "I thought you're the person I thought you were, but you're not. Have a nice life, Toru."

Then, Fujima left without saying another word or waiting for Hanagata's reply. Hanagata was there, shocked by what happened as if he just blasted on reality. The reality that Fujima already left him bleeding, literally; the reality that he would never talk to him again and that this would be the last time; the reality that Fujima was now gone in his life forever. As he realized all these, tears began to well up his eyes. He rarely cries. But this moment is one of those exceptional ones. And so he did, as his blood and tears collide as he said things that weren't supposed to be said because these were all lies, lies that he made for Fujima, for him to live a normal life: a life with no lies, a life without hesitations, a life that is free and accepted by the society and the life that he always wanted.

Ayako woke up chilling in the cold. Her dress was dripping wet and has a dirty color of red on it. She felt the pain on her right kidney where the blood stained the most. Her body was tied with a rope and she felt the friction of it on her body whenever she moved. She was groggy and she didn't know where she was. She can't see anything because her face was tied strong with a cloth. Everything was pitch black. Just then, a voice boomed on her head.

"Hi Ayako." said the voice, "Do you know me?"

Ayako tried to look around following where the voice came from.

"I don't know!" she said, "Get me out of here!!"

"Well, that's what I like about you," the voice sneered, "you're playing the hard-to-get…"

He moved towards Ayako and touched her face: her eyes, her noce, her cheeks and her lips.

"Let go of me!" Ayako shouted, "Don't you dare touch me!"

"Ohhh.." cooed the man, "What could you do? You can't even see me and you're tied."

"What do you want from me?" she asked, she was now breathing heavily.

"Hmmm…" the man looked to her, from head to toe as if examining her and grinned, "It's quite simple, really. I just want you…and you're body."

He bit his lip and moved towards Ayako and began kissing her. He was not yet contented and so he carried Ayako on the ground and started kissing her again while she struggled.

"LET ME GO!!" she shouted, "PLEASE STOP IT!! PLEASE!!"

It was like the man didn't hear anything and continued his act. He suddenly, ripped her dress from her shoulder which bared her bra and continued kissing her again…

As Ayako heard her dress was ripped, she cried:

"STOP IT!!" she said, "NO!! PLEASE!!"

Then again, the man ignored her, the man then, removed her underwear forcefully, Ayako was now unconscious, her energy already left her.

Just then, the door slammed open and Ryota came in. He saw Ayako lying lifelessly on the ground, her garments ripped and torn apart showing her underwear and her body.

"AYA-CHAN!" he called, and ran to her. He scooped her up and shook her, "Aya-chan, can you hear me? Please answer me. Aya-chan! This is Ryota. Please wake up."

"So, you're Ryota Miyagi." said Hagarashi, "I've heard so many things about you."

"What have you done to her?" roared Ryota, as he supported Ayako's body.

"She's my type." smiled Hagarashi, "And I did what most guys would probably do if they're addicted to the girl. Can't you see what happened to her?"

"YOU FREAKIN' PERV!" raged Ryota, he carefully dropped Ayako's body on one side and turned to the maniac. "You'll pay for these, psycho!"

"Oh, really?" said Hagarashi. "C'mon, let's see what you got."

He stanced and plunged his fist on Ryota's face. Ryota slide back but he staggered and gave Hagarashi a flashing kick on his abdomen.

"You're good." Hagarashi said as he spit blood on the floor, "I've heard you're the legendary Ryota …too bad, I already have tasted your girlfriend."

"SHUT UP!!" shouted Ryota as he gave a double jab on Hagarashi's face, "DON'T YOU DARE!! OR I'LL KILL YOU!"

"AHAHAHAH!" he laughed as he stood up, "I already have."

This only raged Ryota more so he kicked and punched him steadily on opponent's face. As Hagarashi was beaten down, his face was now swollen with bruises and cuts.

"Now, what?!" thundered Ryota. Hagarashi can't stand because many of his bones were cracked by the impact.

Ryota turned to Ayako and kneeled beside her. Ayako opened her eyes slowly…

"Ryota," she said softly, cupping his face lovingly, until her eyes widened and to Ryota's disbelief she turned him, pushing him to her previous position while she took his. Then, Ryota heard a metal drop and he saw a knife drenched in blood on the floor and Hagarashi was horror-stricken. He turned to Ayako and saw her eyes were half-closed. She smiled and mouthed, "You came for me…" She spat blood on the floor and her eyes were closing slowly, her body fell lifelessly on Ryota's chest.

Just then, Ryota noticed the crimson blood flowing from Ayako's torn clothes. She was stabbed by Hagarashi instead of him. Ayako saved him and risked her own life.

Hagarashi, seeing that he killed her, ran away. Ryota shouted for him to come back but he couldn't stand, his energy also left him like Ayako. He can't do anything. He just hugged her lifeless body as they both drenched in her blood.

Ryota's eyes were now filled with tears but his body was already too tired. He felt his head hit the floor but he didn't care. He can't move at all. The only thing he could feel was Ayako's weight resting on his body.

Ayako's hands dropped on Ryota's palm…and they're both gone.

Hi guys! Sorry again for this late chappie…I know you're all too tired of hearing my excuses but I can't do anything about it.. my second term will start this Wednesday so I might just as well add this chapter…hahaha! Hope you like this!! This isn't the end yet…but we're nearing to the finale, watch out for it, okay?! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! LOVE YOU ALL!!