Author's notes: ok, here goes the interesting part… no, don't worry, Saeko isn't that perfect. Christmas is coming, and I'm in a holiday mood! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! I'm so happy! (Yes, I am pathetic and a real sap.) My exams are over at LLLLLOOOOOOOOONNNNGGGGGGG last! Unfortunately, I don't think I did very well though… wahhhh… anyway, just read the fanfic.
Disclaimers: standard ones apply… I don't own slam dunk, own the vcds and all of 1 poster…(finally! It's been long enough! =P) Christmas is coming… I am thinking of presents! Let's face it, I don't think anyone would mind if we woke up on christmas morning and found Kenji Fujima on our doorsteps… drool… or any of our favourite characters, for that matter. ( Jin anyone? How about Koshino? Or Miyagi? Kogure? Mitsui? Kiyota? Sendoh?--- er, this is my sis's suggestion for the Sendoh fnas to save me from being assaulted. And the list goes on… NO, not Rukawa. That is one evil kitsune.)
Special thanks to everyone who wrote reviews! I love reading reviews, I must be the kind of person who loves to hear about themselves, ugh. Ok, ignore me. but please review! (Makes me happy… becomes starry eyed )
Rukawa's shinetai (including your wonderful sister truly) :
RUKAWA! RUKAWA! L-O-V-E RUKAWA!
AAAAAAAAAHHH! RUKAWA! RUKAWA KAAAAWWWAAAAIIIIIIIIIII !!!!!!
So there… you Do'aho, call him evil kitsune! *hmph*
(Author sweatdrops at being bombarded by angry shinietai.)
Part Three:
" Is this what they call breakfast?" Saeko made a disgusted face at the food on her plate. 2 blackened lumps, one soggy looking thing, and a burnt piece of toast.
" Well, it's supposed to be sausages, egg, and toast. That's the orange juice over here."
" Ugh. With food like that, no wonder you've lost weight."
"Have I? I thought I'd put on weight 'cos I keep eating outside."
" Maybe. How do you eat this thing? It's disgusting!"
" Just put it in your mouth. If you're hungry enough, it's bearable."
Grudgingly, Saeko shovelled a mouth of food into her mouth. "Bleah! It tastes as bad as it looks!"
" You're not used to it. Once you are, this doesn't taste half bad."
" It's inedible! Not even pigs would eat it." She made a disgusted face.
" Did someone say my food wasn't fit for consumption?" She looked up to see the towering figure of Jun Uozumi above her.
" Yes! This is terrible! " She stood up and shoved the plate into his face. "Taste it for yourself."
He did, and burst into tears. "I'll never be a cook this way!"
Fujima decided it was time for him to speak up before Saeko's big mouth made anything worse.
" I think she meant that your cooking needs a little improvement, Uozumi – san. "
" Really? I meant that?" Saeko stared at him hard. He nodded his head frantically, hoping that she would catch his drift. Thankfully, she did.
" Oh yes, Uozumi – san! Your cooking only needs a little improvement!"
Uozumi looked up and dried his eyes. " Thank you for your kind encouragement! I will continue to work hard!" With that, he turned and headed back to the kitchen.
" Whew! Disaster avoided! You really should learn to control your big mouth, Saeko –chan, don't be so insensitive the next time ok?"
" Ok, but the food really tastes bad!"
" Yah, I know, but give the guy a break. He's trying his best." With that, he swallowed his last mouthful of food and sat back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his head. "Hurry up! I want to go and shower! Honestly, girls can be so slow at times." He grinned at her.
She made a face at him." It's my first time eating this goop."
" Did I hear someone calling my food goop?" a roar came from the direction of the kitchen.
Both of them sweatdropped profusely. " No, Uozumi – San, no one did!" Fujima called out.
He glared at Saeko, who shrugged apologetically, and gobbled up the rest of her food. Then they hurriedly left the canteen after depositing their trays.
" Gomen nasai! My mouth is always getting me into trouble…"
" And me too, might I add, " he said dryly.
" But you're used to it!" they both laughed.
(later)
Saeko sat down at her table and looked around. There were many freshmen like her taking the diagnostic tests too. She yawned and stretched. She had finished her tests long ago and was just waiting for them to collect the papers.
" Time's up! Stop writing! Pens down, everyone!" a shrill voice sounded.
"Finally," Saeko thought. After they were dismissed, she hurried out of the room to look for the cheerleading coach.
She found her with the rest of the cheerleaders at the gym.
" I'm here! So sorry I'm late. My tests just ended," she panted, out of breath.
" It's ok. Change and join us."
She quickly changed into her gym outfit and joined them, pleased with the feeling of familiarity that came when she started the warm-ups and basic routines.
However, when they started the actual routines, Kaoru, who was her partner, kept fluffing her parts on purpose, to make her look bad on front of the coach.
When they were supposed to perform a lift in the air, Kaoru didn't lift her properly, and she fell down, right in front of the coach, who happened to be there.
" See, coach she's so clumsy. I could have sprained my back!" Kaoru complained.
" Nani? It was your fault! You were the one who let go of me!"
" No way! You were the one who slipped!"
" Stop it! Girls, we must work as a team! There should be no quarrelling between us! Both of you are at fault. Stay back and clean the gym after practise."
"But coach… …" both girls begun.
" No BUTS! Get back to practise!"
Shamed, both of them returned to practise.
Afterwards, when they were cleaning the gym, Kaoru turned to Saeko.
" Hey," she said.
" What? " Saeko looked at her suspiciously. Just what exactly did this girl want? A date with Kenji? Or to bitch some more?
" Don't look at me like that. I'm here to make peace."
Saeko's eyes widened to the size of watermelons. Make peace? Just what does she want?
" Make peace?" she sputtered.
Kaoru waved her hand dismissively. " Yeah, make peace. I'm sorry for happened this morning. Please tell Kenji-sempai that I'm sorry for the scene. "
" Ooookay, I will." Try as she could, she couldn't keep the suspicious tone out her voice.
" And I'm sorry for letting you slip just now," she continued.
Saeko was stunned. The queen was making an apology?
" Um, hello? Did pigs just fly? Or did you just say sorry to me?" she cupped her hand to her ear.
" Don't push it. I already told you I was sorry."
" Ok, but why the sudden change of heart?"
" I was thinking of what my ex-boyfriend said. He was always one to settle disputes peacefully. He always told me to be less blunt and that I shouldn't be so nasty to others."
" That's what Kenji-kun is always telling me! Your ex-boyfriend sounds like a very nice person."
" He was. I shouldn't have broken up with him."
" Why did you break up anyway?" by now, both girls had lost all interest in mopping the floor.
" I thought that he'd be a liability to my social status. You see, he wasn't even a starting member of the basketball team. How could I, as head cheerleader, date anyone less? " she sighed.
" Now I wish we hadn't broken up. I miss him so much. But it's too late."
" Who's he anyway?"
" Kogure Kominobu."
" Oh, I see. You're right, he's not a very good player, but he's an extremely nice person."
" Yah."
Both girls sat in silence.
" Come, Kaoru, we'd better finish cleaning, or we'll never to get to eat dinner." Saeko stood up and extended her hand to Kaoru, who grasped it.
" So, are we friends?"
" Yah. Don't tell anyone what I just told you. Ok?"
" Ok."
( Later)
" Come in!"
" Kenji-kun, am I disturbing you?"
" No, I was just finishing my report." He switched off the computer and turned to face her.
" There's guy called Kogure on your basketball team, right?" She looked at him expectantly, her head tilted to the side as it always was when she wanted something.
" Yeah, why?" he felt his body stiffen, and tried to keep his voice neutral. Could she possibly like him? He felt another foreign feeling well up inside him. Was it jealousy? She couldn't like him, right?
" Well, I have this friend, and she likes him, but is too shy to make the first move…"
" So? What does this have to do with me?"
She sighed. " You're obviously not getting the point. See, this is the whole story………."
After he heard the story, he sputtered in disbelief. Kaoru? And Kogure? They seemed to be the most incompatible couple on earth.
Besides, he still didn't get it. What did this have to do with him?
" So, do you understand now?"
" Kind of, but what does this have to do with me, anyway?"
She sighed impatiently. Gosh, he could be so dense at times.
" YOU are supposed to help me arrange a meeting between them."
" ME?" he sputtered in disbelief for the second time.
" YES, you."
" Hey, wait, when did I agree to be part of this?"
" I agreed on your behalf."
Now, it was his turn to sigh. Saeko was always so naïve, believing everything that others told her. Plus she loved to meddle in others affairs and try to put them straight whenever she could. And somehow, somewhere along the line, he would be roped in. It looked as if he had no choice now.
" Ok, ok, I'll help. But if she turns into a monster again because you've meddled in her affairs, I can't help you."
" Oh no, she won't! She'll be eternally grateful to us! Thank you Kenji-kun!" she flung her arms around his neck. He hugged her back, and that same feeling he had had this morning at the basketball courts came back.
She untangled herself, thanking him again, before bouncing off to her room.
He could only look at her back and sigh, before turning back to his computer.
So sorry that took so long coming out… I was in thailand for 5 days and wasn't remotely near a computer, so I couldn't continue! Please read and reviews are very very welcome!
