Author's notes: beginning chapter 1 and up, please look at disclaimers in the prologue. Arigatou.
Chapter 1: "Megane-san and the Return of the Evil Fox"
He shifted his glasses upwards and walked through the halls, deep in thought. Kogure Kimunobu was and is nervous; a game with Miuradai should not be taken lightly. As the vice-captain of the basketball club, he was aware of this threat for their goal, to be the winner of the interschool matches. He remembered their previous face-off with Ryonan and shuddered at the thought.
" ... Miyagi and Mitsui are with us now. Rukawa and Akagi are doing better." He sighed and smiled at the thought. Their basketball team would do well ... probably. He adjusted his grip on his bag as he walked towards the locker room. "Practice sessions would be helpful now." With that, he began to head towards the gym.
Yuri looked thankfully at her watch, school was done once again and she had survived it ... well, not without trouble but still survived. "If only that Rukawa wasn't so annoying ." Yuri thought. Sighing, she quickened her pace. "Hey, Yuri-san! Matte!" Yuri snapped out of her trance and looked around to see who the speaker was. She saw a girl with shoulder-length, brown hair and brown eyes run towards hair. She looked somewhat familiar, Yuri thought. "Remember me? We were batchmates from the same Junior High. I'm Akagi Haruko." Yuri smiled; no wonder she looked familiar. Yes, of course she remembered her. Haruko. "Yes, I remember you. Konnichi wa, Haruko-san." "Konnichi wa. So, how is school for you?" Haruko inquired cheerfully. Yuri thought about that for a while. " Annoying ... I've been stuck with the meanest person since the first day of school!" Haruko's eyes widened. "Sou ka? That's really bad luck for you, ne? Who is it anyway?" "Rukawa Kaede ... my seatmate." Haruko's eyes widened even more. "HONTOU?! I envy you ..." Yuri stared at her with disbelief. Who would like a guy like Rukawa Kaede??? "Haruko-san, I don't quite agree with you about him but if you like him, I guess it's your opinion." Haruko shook her head. "Daijobu. What do you plan to do now?" Yuri thought for awhile. "I have no plans now. I guess I'll be going home. Is there anything you want to ask?" Haruko beamed. "Ah! I almost forgot! Since, we come from the same school and I really need someone to talk to, wanna go with me to the basketball practice today?" "Hmmm ... I heard that the Shohoku team is good. Isn't your brother the captain?" Haruko nodded. "Hai ... he is. Eto ... do you want to go, Yuri-san?" "Sure, why not?"
Yuri waited for the members as Haruko and her friends stood beside her. She wasn't as interested in basketball as Haruko but she knew the game. She was rather curious about the team and wanted to see how good they were. "Here they are!" Haruko shouted. Yuri looked intently at the members ... they were tall ... Yuri scolded herself. Of course they're tall ... they are basketball players. "Is your brother the one in the red shirt with the black jogging pants?" Yuri asked as she pointed at the really tall, muscular (... uhh.) guy beside another student with a pale blue shirt and glasses. They seem to be discussing something important. "Hai!" Haruko nodded as she waved at her brother. "Onii-chan!" Akagi Takenori looked up and smiled. "Ikuso Shohoku! We'll beat Miuradai!" Akagi shouted; his voice boomed throughout the place. "AA!" Replied the others with equal force as Akagi. Akagi signaled the girl, Ayako to time their laps as Akagi lead the team in a dash and jog run around the court. "3 on 3! Practice now!" Yuri watched them; she was getting a bit restless. There wasn't anything interesting with the dashes and stretches, besides, they do that in their regular classes. She was looking forward to their practice game. Yuri watched them practice a series of passes, dribbles and shots, switching her focus on different groups of people. She finally settled with Takenori's group composing of a tall, red-haired, and rather air-headed student, a student with spiked hair with blue tints, the guy with glasses, the short sophamore with an earstud and ... Rukawa! She grinded her teeth and switched her attention to the other members. "Miyagi, pass! Pass! Pass!" The red-haired guy shouted. "Uruse da!" The short guy shouted. "So this guy is Ryota Miyagi ... the point guard." She thought. She had heard rumors about the members of the basketball club. They were really good at the practice game with Ryonan and also had an ongoing dilemma recently. Ryota avoided Akagi as he passed the ball to Rukawa. Rukawa shot the ball with a lay-up shot. "Why you Rukawa! Miyagi!" The red-haired guy shouted. Akagi walked towards the red-haired guy ... and hit him on the head, hard. "Baka, Sakuragi!" Yuri thought for a moment. "Who the heck is Sakuragi? A freshman, I suppose ." Yuri watched again; now Akagi had the ball and passed it to the spiky haired guy. He dribbled the ball as he ran avoiding Sakuragi. He then ended with a perfect, three-point shot. "Sugoi!" Thought Yuri. She wasn't familiar with basketball but anyone would have known that he was good and his form was beautiful. "Good one, Mitsui!" The guy with glasses said. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and made a thumbs up with the other to Mitsui Hisashi. Kogure ran to defend Sakuragi. Miyagi had the ball and was dribbling near Akagi. Miyagi jumped to shoot the ball and Akagi followed suit to block it. Miyagi smirked as he bounce-passed the ball to Sakuragi. Sakuragi pushed Kogure aside as he grabbed the ball. Kogure staggered back; his glasses falling on the floor simultaneous to the whistle Ayako blew. "Foul, Sakuragi!" Ayako shouted. "Nani!?" Ayako approached Sakuragi with a paper fan and hit him with it. "Charging!" "... Kuso ... Gomen, Megane-kun. Daijoubu ka?" Sakuragi scratched his head as Kogure picked up his glasses. " H-Hai ." Kogure answered and sweatdropped. "It's not that much of a big deal. "Hehe ... really." Rukawa passed by Sakuragi, muttering a faint "Do ahou ..."
After a few minutes, Akagi allowed the members to rest awhile. Haruko ran up to them as Yuri followed suit. "Ohayou Sakuragi-kun." Haruko beamed at him. "Haruko-chan ..." He looked at Haruko; then at Yuri. "Sakuragi-kun, you've been doing well in the practices!" Haruko said. "I can't wait to see you play!" Yuri watched Haruko give her congratulations to Sakuragi that she didn't notice the shadow looming over her. "What are you doing here... ?" Yuri flinched. Then anger came over her. "Rukawa ..." She growled as she faced her arch-nemesis. "Why? I have the right to watch." " ... " Rukawa shrugged. "Your face is annoying." Yuri's eyebrows twitch. "Nani?!" Yuri made a fist and shoved it near Rukawa's face. "Take that back!" "Yada." Kogure looked at the pair fighting and sweatdropped. "They better stop that or they might be sent out of the practice court. " He thought. "I guess I better stop them ..." He whispered and sighed. His hand ran through his hair. He slowly approached the two. The players stopped to watch the two exchange insults. Yuri shouted as Rukawa replied, each glaring daggers. "Yuri-chan ... " Haruko tapped Yuri's shoulder. Yuri slowly tilted her head towards Haruko, still having the sour expression on her face. "Nani?" "Anou ... it's not good to fight and well ..." Haruko stopped, lost for words. Yuri looked back at Rukawa and sighed. "Fighting you isn't worth it." It was now Rukawa's turn to glare. "Haruko is right ..." Kogure said as he tapped Rukawa's shoulder. "Onegai, before he gets ..." "Haruko! If your friend can't stop arguing here ... I suggest you bring her out of here! Rukawa, I demand you to stop that." Akagi shouted. " ... mad." Kogure finished. Rukawa looked at Kogure, then Akagi. He looked around, then back at Yuri. "Aa." Rukawa replied, still talking in his monotonous voice. "I'll stop if she stays away from me ." "Nani?! You were the one who approached me. "Maa maa ... Rukawa-kun and ... uh ... eto, what's your name?" Kogure inquired while shoving his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He looked at her questioningly. Yuri sighed. "Mikazuki Yuri ... or Yuri " "Aa ... Yuri-san, Rukawa-kun ... let's just resume with our normal lives and ..." "Kogure ... your making it worse." Akagi muttered, his voice just enough for the people concerned to be heard. "Oh ... gomen" Kogure said and sighed. Slowly, he walked away. His head hung in defeat. Yuri glared at Rukawa. "Che" Yuri muttered "... fine ... I'll keep quiet and stay out of trouble." "Good. Let us resume practice!" Yuri cursed inwardly as she walked towards Haruko. Her hatred burned even more when she thought of the incident and Rukawa ... anything that has to do with Rukawa made her mad. Everything except basketball. She sighed. She can never hate basketball. ~flashback~ "Imoto-chan, catch!" Small hands catched the basketball. "Ne ne, onii-chan. If I grow up and become as tall as you, will I be as good too?" Blue eyes met Yuri's hazel eyes. "Aa! Probably even better, ne?" He ruffled her hair and chuckled. She giggled. "I'm gonna be like you, ne?" "Tabun ... demo, I'm sure you'll be whatever you want to be if you try." Yuri smiled and threw the basketball towards her brother. He caught it with ease and gently threw it back to Yuri. The ball rolled beside her and slowly rolled towards the road. "Ah! Gomen ... I'll get it onii-chan." "Yuri! Matte!" He called out and ran towards Yuri, who was in the middle of the road. A truck was honking loudly, nearing the little Yuri. He pushed Yuri aside as the truck neared and was hit. ~flashback ends~
Yuri looked thankfully at her watch, school was done once again and she had survived it ... well, not without trouble but still survived. "If only that Rukawa wasn't so annoying ." Yuri thought. Sighing, she quickened her pace. "Hey, Yuri-san! Matte!" Yuri snapped out of her trance and looked around to see who the speaker was. She saw a girl with shoulder-length, brown hair and brown eyes run towards hair. She looked somewhat familiar, Yuri thought. "Remember me? We were batchmates from the same Junior High. I'm Akagi Haruko." Yuri smiled; no wonder she looked familiar. Yes, of course she remembered her. Haruko. "Yes, I remember you. Konnichi wa, Haruko-san." "Konnichi wa. So, how is school for you?" Haruko inquired cheerfully. Yuri thought about that for a while. " Annoying ... I've been stuck with the meanest person since the first day of school!" Haruko's eyes widened. "Sou ka? That's really bad luck for you, ne? Who is it anyway?" "Rukawa Kaede ... my seatmate." Haruko's eyes widened even more. "HONTOU?! I envy you ..." Yuri stared at her with disbelief. Who would like a guy like Rukawa Kaede??? "Haruko-san, I don't quite agree with you about him but if you like him, I guess it's your opinion." Haruko shook her head. "Daijobu. What do you plan to do now?" Yuri thought for awhile. "I have no plans now. I guess I'll be going home. Is there anything you want to ask?" Haruko beamed. "Ah! I almost forgot! Since, we come from the same school and I really need someone to talk to, wanna go with me to the basketball practice today?" "Hmmm ... I heard that the Shohoku team is good. Isn't your brother the captain?" Haruko nodded. "Hai ... he is. Eto ... do you want to go, Yuri-san?" "Sure, why not?"
Yuri waited for the members as Haruko and her friends stood beside her. She wasn't as interested in basketball as Haruko but she knew the game. She was rather curious about the team and wanted to see how good they were. "Here they are!" Haruko shouted. Yuri looked intently at the members ... they were tall ... Yuri scolded herself. Of course they're tall ... they are basketball players. "Is your brother the one in the red shirt with the black jogging pants?" Yuri asked as she pointed at the really tall, muscular (... uhh.) guy beside another student with a pale blue shirt and glasses. They seem to be discussing something important. "Hai!" Haruko nodded as she waved at her brother. "Onii-chan!" Akagi Takenori looked up and smiled. "Ikuso Shohoku! We'll beat Miuradai!" Akagi shouted; his voice boomed throughout the place. "AA!" Replied the others with equal force as Akagi. Akagi signaled the girl, Ayako to time their laps as Akagi lead the team in a dash and jog run around the court. "3 on 3! Practice now!" Yuri watched them; she was getting a bit restless. There wasn't anything interesting with the dashes and stretches, besides, they do that in their regular classes. She was looking forward to their practice game. Yuri watched them practice a series of passes, dribbles and shots, switching her focus on different groups of people. She finally settled with Takenori's group composing of a tall, red-haired, and rather air-headed student, a student with spiked hair with blue tints, the guy with glasses, the short sophamore with an earstud and ... Rukawa! She grinded her teeth and switched her attention to the other members. "Miyagi, pass! Pass! Pass!" The red-haired guy shouted. "Uruse da!" The short guy shouted. "So this guy is Ryota Miyagi ... the point guard." She thought. She had heard rumors about the members of the basketball club. They were really good at the practice game with Ryonan and also had an ongoing dilemma recently. Ryota avoided Akagi as he passed the ball to Rukawa. Rukawa shot the ball with a lay-up shot. "Why you Rukawa! Miyagi!" The red-haired guy shouted. Akagi walked towards the red-haired guy ... and hit him on the head, hard. "Baka, Sakuragi!" Yuri thought for a moment. "Who the heck is Sakuragi? A freshman, I suppose ." Yuri watched again; now Akagi had the ball and passed it to the spiky haired guy. He dribbled the ball as he ran avoiding Sakuragi. He then ended with a perfect, three-point shot. "Sugoi!" Thought Yuri. She wasn't familiar with basketball but anyone would have known that he was good and his form was beautiful. "Good one, Mitsui!" The guy with glasses said. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and made a thumbs up with the other to Mitsui Hisashi. Kogure ran to defend Sakuragi. Miyagi had the ball and was dribbling near Akagi. Miyagi jumped to shoot the ball and Akagi followed suit to block it. Miyagi smirked as he bounce-passed the ball to Sakuragi. Sakuragi pushed Kogure aside as he grabbed the ball. Kogure staggered back; his glasses falling on the floor simultaneous to the whistle Ayako blew. "Foul, Sakuragi!" Ayako shouted. "Nani!?" Ayako approached Sakuragi with a paper fan and hit him with it. "Charging!" "... Kuso ... Gomen, Megane-kun. Daijoubu ka?" Sakuragi scratched his head as Kogure picked up his glasses. " H-Hai ." Kogure answered and sweatdropped. "It's not that much of a big deal. "Hehe ... really." Rukawa passed by Sakuragi, muttering a faint "Do ahou ..."
After a few minutes, Akagi allowed the members to rest awhile. Haruko ran up to them as Yuri followed suit. "Ohayou Sakuragi-kun." Haruko beamed at him. "Haruko-chan ..." He looked at Haruko; then at Yuri. "Sakuragi-kun, you've been doing well in the practices!" Haruko said. "I can't wait to see you play!" Yuri watched Haruko give her congratulations to Sakuragi that she didn't notice the shadow looming over her. "What are you doing here... ?" Yuri flinched. Then anger came over her. "Rukawa ..." She growled as she faced her arch-nemesis. "Why? I have the right to watch." " ... " Rukawa shrugged. "Your face is annoying." Yuri's eyebrows twitch. "Nani?!" Yuri made a fist and shoved it near Rukawa's face. "Take that back!" "Yada." Kogure looked at the pair fighting and sweatdropped. "They better stop that or they might be sent out of the practice court. " He thought. "I guess I better stop them ..." He whispered and sighed. His hand ran through his hair. He slowly approached the two. The players stopped to watch the two exchange insults. Yuri shouted as Rukawa replied, each glaring daggers. "Yuri-chan ... " Haruko tapped Yuri's shoulder. Yuri slowly tilted her head towards Haruko, still having the sour expression on her face. "Nani?" "Anou ... it's not good to fight and well ..." Haruko stopped, lost for words. Yuri looked back at Rukawa and sighed. "Fighting you isn't worth it." It was now Rukawa's turn to glare. "Haruko is right ..." Kogure said as he tapped Rukawa's shoulder. "Onegai, before he gets ..." "Haruko! If your friend can't stop arguing here ... I suggest you bring her out of here! Rukawa, I demand you to stop that." Akagi shouted. " ... mad." Kogure finished. Rukawa looked at Kogure, then Akagi. He looked around, then back at Yuri. "Aa." Rukawa replied, still talking in his monotonous voice. "I'll stop if she stays away from me ." "Nani?! You were the one who approached me. "Maa maa ... Rukawa-kun and ... uh ... eto, what's your name?" Kogure inquired while shoving his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He looked at her questioningly. Yuri sighed. "Mikazuki Yuri ... or Yuri " "Aa ... Yuri-san, Rukawa-kun ... let's just resume with our normal lives and ..." "Kogure ... your making it worse." Akagi muttered, his voice just enough for the people concerned to be heard. "Oh ... gomen" Kogure said and sighed. Slowly, he walked away. His head hung in defeat. Yuri glared at Rukawa. "Che" Yuri muttered "... fine ... I'll keep quiet and stay out of trouble." "Good. Let us resume practice!" Yuri cursed inwardly as she walked towards Haruko. Her hatred burned even more when she thought of the incident and Rukawa ... anything that has to do with Rukawa made her mad. Everything except basketball. She sighed. She can never hate basketball. ~flashback~ "Imoto-chan, catch!" Small hands catched the basketball. "Ne ne, onii-chan. If I grow up and become as tall as you, will I be as good too?" Blue eyes met Yuri's hazel eyes. "Aa! Probably even better, ne?" He ruffled her hair and chuckled. She giggled. "I'm gonna be like you, ne?" "Tabun ... demo, I'm sure you'll be whatever you want to be if you try." Yuri smiled and threw the basketball towards her brother. He caught it with ease and gently threw it back to Yuri. The ball rolled beside her and slowly rolled towards the road. "Ah! Gomen ... I'll get it onii-chan." "Yuri! Matte!" He called out and ran towards Yuri, who was in the middle of the road. A truck was honking loudly, nearing the little Yuri. He pushed Yuri aside as the truck neared and was hit. ~flashback ends~
