Students chattered away inside their classroom, waiting for the bell to
rang. A few foolish girls were sitting on the desks near the entrance of
the class, waiting for the man of his dreams, Kawaii Mayu, to enter the
class. Rukawa only sighed and looked at them with pity eyes. Fool of them,
he thought, there won't be anymore Kawaii Mayu. Besides he's just a written
character in a script anyway, and now the story's done, and it's the end.
A girl : Ano, Rukawa-kun… I believe you are a close friend of Kawaii-kun… Do you know where he is now?
Girl 2 : I believe it's getting late, and now he's not coming too. He's been absent yesterday too…
Rukawa leaned back on his chair and ran brushed his bangs back with his hands and sighed. The girls blushed a bit though, awed by the movement that Rukawa just did.
Rukawa : (with a cold and sharp monotone voice) He's moving… *looks away*
Girl 2 : Naniiiiii? He's moving?? That couldn't be true!!!
A girl : Sou yo! He's only been here for a couple of days… and he's moving? I couldn't believe it!!!!!
Girl 2 : Ne, ne, Rukawa-kun! Where's he moving to? Ne, Rukawa-kun! Tell us! Tell us!
Rukawa : Shiranai… Now would you leave me alone?
A girl : Come on, Rukawa-kun!! You must've known… You were so close to him!!!
Girl 2 : That's true..! *grabs Rukawa's shirt* Please tell us where he move to, Rukawa-kun!
Rukawa : *pissed, pulls his arm away abrasively away from her grip* Get lost… Leave me alone… I already told you I don't know…
A girl : *snickers while walking away with her friend* Look at him… Last time he smiled all the time, now he's back to his RUDE old self!
Girl 2 : That's right, Misae-chan… All of these things these days feels like a dream! A sweet dream, now we're awake in the bitter reality where all we get is a gorgeous-faced man with rude attitude *turns her sharp eyes towards Rukawa*
Rukawa : That's right, I am your worst nightmare, huh? Ha ha ha…
***
Haruko : Rukawa-kun… I wonder if he's okay today… He seemed to act so cold and soooo quiet…
Haruko stood next to Ayako, her senior manager, who's busy monitoring the freshmen who's training their basic skills. Ayako only turned her head to look at Rukawa. He's sitting on the floor, leaning to the wall with his one leg folded and his knees bearing his chin.
Ayako : Well, that guy hadn't move a single inch since the beginning of today's practice, has he?
Haruko : *nods nods* And that newcomer, Kawaii-san, he's been absent for two days…
Ayako : *sighs* My my… We're having an important practice game in about 3 days, and now the team's not going smoothly…
Haruko : Mmm… I'll try to talk to him…
Ayako : *grins sheepishly* Hehehe… I know you're trying to make us of the current situation to get closer to him… *winks* Demo, careful with Hanamichi…(to herself)
Haruko : That's not true, Ayako-san! I'm just worried, that's all…
Ayako : Well, ganbatte, Haruko! *winks*
Haruko : *blushes* Ayako-san!!
Haruko approached Rukawa slowly. He seemed to be drifted in his own thoughts. Strange of him, basketball used to be the main thing that is filling his mind. Now there's something more important crossing his head. What could that be?
Haruko : Ano, Rukawa-kun…?
Rukawa : *opens one eyelids and stare at her*
Haruko : I wonder what's bothering you… You haven't join the practice since you came into this gym… Is there anything?
Rukawa : *closes his eye again* Nothing… I don't feel like it…
Haruko : Well, *gulps* I was thinking, you should do some practice or so. A practice game against Ryonan is coming up… We need to practice hard…
Rukawa : *muttering* I know I know…
Haruko : I'm glad you understand… *pauses* Oh yeah there's one more thing I wanna ask you, if you don't mind, though…
Rukawa : What?
Haruko : Well, it's about Kawaii-san… He's been frequently off the practice this last 3 days… Did you know anything about him?
Sakuragi : Sou, Kitsune… Where did that guy go these days? *appears out of nowhere*
Rukawa : *stares at Sakuragi with mild eyes* … (thinking) I wonder what he'll do if he knew that Kawaii Mayu was me myself all along…
Haruko : I'm asking you, since… since you seemed to be the most who's familiar with him…
Sakuragi : Well, Haruko-san! I've become one of his close friend too, you know! *laughs*
Haruko : Sou ka? That's great, Sakuragi-kun! I know I could trust your attitude and your maturity of thinking!
Sakuragi : *laughs* Well I'm a tensa—
Rukawa : *stands up* Stop this crap… *looks at Haruko* There's no more Kawaii Mayu… He's gone, he's not gonna be here anymore… *walks away to join Miyagi and Mitsui who's practicing in the court*
Sakuragi : Chi! What's wrong with that fox?
Haruko : Sou yo, Sakuragi-kun… Last time he's smiling all the time… Now he's back to the old Rukawa Kaede we know… The ice prince with charming face…
Sakuragi : Well, about that Kawaii… It's sad huh, he could've been a great player who'll give us a big impact towards our team…
Haruko : Un… Demo, I believe we could make it this year…
Sakuragi : *laughs like a crazy wild horse* Well of course, Haruko-san! Shohoku got me, Sakuragi Hanamichi, and I will bring it to Inter-High and win the championship!!!!!!
Haruko : Un! That's true! So, Sakuragi-kun, why don't we start the practice now?
Sakuragi : Sure! This Tensai Sakuragi Hanamichi will do his best for Haruko- san!
And they rushed into the middle of the court still laughing.
***
The practice is finished. Rukawa unchained his bike from the parking lot and cycled home. As soon as he reached home, the phone rang. He was surprised to see who's calling him, since it hadn't rang in a million year. Who would call him and who would know his phone number anyway?
Rukawa : …Moshi-moshi?
There were silence on the other side of the line, Rukawa waited patiently for a voice to speak up.
Rukawa : Moshi-moshi?
Sendoh : Aah! Kaede-kun!! I thought you'd never answer the call… I had been calling 4 times in a row and there was no answer…
Rukawa : Sendoh?
Sendoh : Yup, it's me!
Rukawa : …What?
Sendoh : Well, I'm off the hospital tomorrow! And the kids, they're going to held a mini-special celebration for me… Well I'm inviting you to come… Well I still feel like you're a part of us, so why not…
Rukawa : ………
Sendoh : Well, I'm only inviting you… It doesn't mean that you GOT to come or something… It's up to you…
Rukawa : When?
Sendoh : Err… Tomorrow at 5 pm straight afterschool… Would you be there?
Rukawa : …I'll try…
A girl : Ano, Rukawa-kun… I believe you are a close friend of Kawaii-kun… Do you know where he is now?
Girl 2 : I believe it's getting late, and now he's not coming too. He's been absent yesterday too…
Rukawa leaned back on his chair and ran brushed his bangs back with his hands and sighed. The girls blushed a bit though, awed by the movement that Rukawa just did.
Rukawa : (with a cold and sharp monotone voice) He's moving… *looks away*
Girl 2 : Naniiiiii? He's moving?? That couldn't be true!!!
A girl : Sou yo! He's only been here for a couple of days… and he's moving? I couldn't believe it!!!!!
Girl 2 : Ne, ne, Rukawa-kun! Where's he moving to? Ne, Rukawa-kun! Tell us! Tell us!
Rukawa : Shiranai… Now would you leave me alone?
A girl : Come on, Rukawa-kun!! You must've known… You were so close to him!!!
Girl 2 : That's true..! *grabs Rukawa's shirt* Please tell us where he move to, Rukawa-kun!
Rukawa : *pissed, pulls his arm away abrasively away from her grip* Get lost… Leave me alone… I already told you I don't know…
A girl : *snickers while walking away with her friend* Look at him… Last time he smiled all the time, now he's back to his RUDE old self!
Girl 2 : That's right, Misae-chan… All of these things these days feels like a dream! A sweet dream, now we're awake in the bitter reality where all we get is a gorgeous-faced man with rude attitude *turns her sharp eyes towards Rukawa*
Rukawa : That's right, I am your worst nightmare, huh? Ha ha ha…
***
Haruko : Rukawa-kun… I wonder if he's okay today… He seemed to act so cold and soooo quiet…
Haruko stood next to Ayako, her senior manager, who's busy monitoring the freshmen who's training their basic skills. Ayako only turned her head to look at Rukawa. He's sitting on the floor, leaning to the wall with his one leg folded and his knees bearing his chin.
Ayako : Well, that guy hadn't move a single inch since the beginning of today's practice, has he?
Haruko : *nods nods* And that newcomer, Kawaii-san, he's been absent for two days…
Ayako : *sighs* My my… We're having an important practice game in about 3 days, and now the team's not going smoothly…
Haruko : Mmm… I'll try to talk to him…
Ayako : *grins sheepishly* Hehehe… I know you're trying to make us of the current situation to get closer to him… *winks* Demo, careful with Hanamichi…(to herself)
Haruko : That's not true, Ayako-san! I'm just worried, that's all…
Ayako : Well, ganbatte, Haruko! *winks*
Haruko : *blushes* Ayako-san!!
Haruko approached Rukawa slowly. He seemed to be drifted in his own thoughts. Strange of him, basketball used to be the main thing that is filling his mind. Now there's something more important crossing his head. What could that be?
Haruko : Ano, Rukawa-kun…?
Rukawa : *opens one eyelids and stare at her*
Haruko : I wonder what's bothering you… You haven't join the practice since you came into this gym… Is there anything?
Rukawa : *closes his eye again* Nothing… I don't feel like it…
Haruko : Well, *gulps* I was thinking, you should do some practice or so. A practice game against Ryonan is coming up… We need to practice hard…
Rukawa : *muttering* I know I know…
Haruko : I'm glad you understand… *pauses* Oh yeah there's one more thing I wanna ask you, if you don't mind, though…
Rukawa : What?
Haruko : Well, it's about Kawaii-san… He's been frequently off the practice this last 3 days… Did you know anything about him?
Sakuragi : Sou, Kitsune… Where did that guy go these days? *appears out of nowhere*
Rukawa : *stares at Sakuragi with mild eyes* … (thinking) I wonder what he'll do if he knew that Kawaii Mayu was me myself all along…
Haruko : I'm asking you, since… since you seemed to be the most who's familiar with him…
Sakuragi : Well, Haruko-san! I've become one of his close friend too, you know! *laughs*
Haruko : Sou ka? That's great, Sakuragi-kun! I know I could trust your attitude and your maturity of thinking!
Sakuragi : *laughs* Well I'm a tensa—
Rukawa : *stands up* Stop this crap… *looks at Haruko* There's no more Kawaii Mayu… He's gone, he's not gonna be here anymore… *walks away to join Miyagi and Mitsui who's practicing in the court*
Sakuragi : Chi! What's wrong with that fox?
Haruko : Sou yo, Sakuragi-kun… Last time he's smiling all the time… Now he's back to the old Rukawa Kaede we know… The ice prince with charming face…
Sakuragi : Well, about that Kawaii… It's sad huh, he could've been a great player who'll give us a big impact towards our team…
Haruko : Un… Demo, I believe we could make it this year…
Sakuragi : *laughs like a crazy wild horse* Well of course, Haruko-san! Shohoku got me, Sakuragi Hanamichi, and I will bring it to Inter-High and win the championship!!!!!!
Haruko : Un! That's true! So, Sakuragi-kun, why don't we start the practice now?
Sakuragi : Sure! This Tensai Sakuragi Hanamichi will do his best for Haruko- san!
And they rushed into the middle of the court still laughing.
***
The practice is finished. Rukawa unchained his bike from the parking lot and cycled home. As soon as he reached home, the phone rang. He was surprised to see who's calling him, since it hadn't rang in a million year. Who would call him and who would know his phone number anyway?
Rukawa : …Moshi-moshi?
There were silence on the other side of the line, Rukawa waited patiently for a voice to speak up.
Rukawa : Moshi-moshi?
Sendoh : Aah! Kaede-kun!! I thought you'd never answer the call… I had been calling 4 times in a row and there was no answer…
Rukawa : Sendoh?
Sendoh : Yup, it's me!
Rukawa : …What?
Sendoh : Well, I'm off the hospital tomorrow! And the kids, they're going to held a mini-special celebration for me… Well I'm inviting you to come… Well I still feel like you're a part of us, so why not…
Rukawa : ………
Sendoh : Well, I'm only inviting you… It doesn't mean that you GOT to come or something… It's up to you…
Rukawa : When?
Sendoh : Err… Tomorrow at 5 pm straight afterschool… Would you be there?
Rukawa : …I'll try…