Author's rant:
Konichiwa!!! So this is the second chapter I really hope that you'll like it. I am so sorry if my story's not that interesting but it would be in the following chapters. So here goes! Slam Dunk does not belong to me. Review please! ^-^ No flames please, I know that this is just so horrible! I myself can't bear to look at it…
Chapter 2: Mask
Smiling, Sumire went back to her house she can't help thinking about the game she saw a while ago and to add up her thoughts images of Sendoh kept flooding her mind, she blushed at that very moment. "Tadaima." She whispered as she opened the door.
"You're late! I am hungry." An angry voice was heard inside the living room.
"Gomen nasai, 'tousan…" she said. "I'll make you dinner right away."
"You're a real pain in the neck! I wish your mother were here to see how miserable you are!!! So that she'd wish to abort you when you're still inside her! So that she'll still be alive!" her father threw her an empty bottle of beer.
"Gomen nasai 'tousan," she trembled and evaded the bottle. Sumire's mother died while giving birth to her and with that her father is forever blaming her as the cause of her mother's death. He'd sometimes lock her in the basement or worst he'd beat her up. Other than Rukawa, no one really knows about the situation between Sumire and her dad.
Next day:
As Rukawa entered the school gate a mob of schoolgirls dashed to meet him… (The Rukawa fan club)
"Ohaiyo! Rukawa-kun!! Omedetou on you're game yesterday!!!" one girl said.
"Sugoi, sugoi!!!! Rukawa-kun!!!" and others said.
"Rukawa-kun marry me!!!" and still others… "I am willing to be your slave Rukawa-sempai!!" He sighed; he hates those girls in his fan club. He then walked away from them, hoping to find peace to where he's headed. He reached the school's rooftop; he opened the door and found her.
"Sumi-chan. What are you doing here?" No answer. "Sumi-chan." Still she made no attempt to answer. "Oi!" Still no answer, he then sat next to her and patted her shoulder. "Oi! Sumi-chan."
"IYAH!!! KAEDE-CHAN!!! Don't you ever scare me like that!!!!" she said in shock.
"I didn't, I called you several times but you seem to be preoccupied." He said flatly.
"Oh. Gomen nasai I was just thinking about Sendoh-kun. Kae-chan" she said.
"Hey, is that a bruise?" he noticed. "No, no that's nothing really!" she said hiding her arm away from him. He snatched her arm,
"Wait let me see." She winced as he raised the sleeve.
"Daijoubu Kae-chan, it's nothing really."
"How long do you plan to live your life like that?" Silence.
"I don't know. But it's ok really!" she smiled.
"Liar. Come on we're skipping classes," he said.
"What?" "We're going to my place."
There she goes again. Acting as if nothing happened. Don't she think that I don't know what's she is going through? It's her father, as always, he'd beat her up once again. And for crying out loud she's even thinking about Sendoh! What the heck is wrong with her? More importantly, What's wrong with me?
"So what are we gonna do at your house?" she asked.
"I am going to tend your wounds, cuts and bruises," he said monotonously.
"You don't have to, they are not that serious," she smiled a fake one.
"Baka." He uttered.
"Kae-chan,"
"How long are you planning to stay miserable?" he asked.
"Stop it Kae-chan! You're starting to sound like my father!" Sumire shouted as she struggled with her arm. "Damn it for once just stop pitying me!"
"I am not. I am only doing this because I am your friend," his face remained impassive.
"Just great!" she sighed.
She's confusing me again. I am worried about her really, though 'worry' doesn't seem to be a part of my personality. Her situation made me.
"You know what? You're starting to act different Kae-chan. You care too much." She smiled.
"What are you talking about?" he said.
"Nah, forget it, I am just not used to you being like that."
"Baka. Hn, will you stop it already? You're irritating me." Rukawa tighten the bandage around her arm.
"Ouch! Kaede!"
The doorbell rang.
"Now who the heck is at the door?" Rukawa said to himself, he opened the door and found…
"Sendoh-kun."
"Oi! Ru-kun! I just dropped by to see what's going on." Sendoh smiled.
"Sendoh-kun! You cut class too?" Sumire popped out to Rukawa's shoulders.
"Oi! Sumire-chan, well I just decided to skip class today. What are you doing in Ru-kun's house?" Sendoh teased.
"Nani?"
"So aren't you gonna let me in?" Sendoh said to Rukawa.
"Uhuh, yeah."
Behind that smile, behind that mask, the real Akira Sendoh hides.
"It is very unusual to see you here." Rukawa commented. "So what are you here for? Are you sure you are ok?"
"Ru-kun, are you that desperate to get me out of here?" Sendoh smirked.
"No."
"Then why ask? Well if you really want to know, I was just looking for a good place to play basketball and I thought your backyard is available," he laughed.
"Are you gonna shoot the ball or I'll just steal it from you?" Rukawa mumbled.
"Huh?" Sendoh blinked. Rukawa made a fake left turn and with in the process got the ball from Sendoh.
"Hey!" "I told ya." Smirked Rukawa.
"Ru-kun… the truth is…" he said. "What truth?" noticed Rukawa. "Nah forget about it."
Now what's wrong with Sendoh-kun? I just don't get it.
"Oh no you don't!" Sendoh blocked Rukawa's 3-point shot.
"Kisama!!" Rukawa grunted.
"He, he!" "You know I just can't help wondering how you guys do that." Sumire said.
"Do what?" Sendoh asked as they stopped.
"On court when you play basketball you're rivals, as if you guys wanna kill each other. But out the court that's a very different story."
"I don't get it too sometimes. But we see to it that we're having fun. Ne, Ru-kun?" Sendoh beamed as he patted Rukawa's shoulders.
"Do I have to say yes?" said Rukawa.
"You know Su-chan, have you noticed that Ru-kun's suddenly talkative nowadays?"
"Yeah, I've been noticing that too. Maybe next time we could make him smile." Sumire winked.
"Baka!" Rukawa sighed. "You wouldn't dare."
"But we would," said Sendoh looking at Sumire.
"You're gonna regret that this day ever happen!" hissed Rukawa.
Author's rant:
He, he, I know it's short… and some of you guys wanna kill me for that… (Tikki-chan!!!!! Oh, Tikki-chan!!!!) I've made Rukawa confused, gomen!!! Ummm… ano… I don't know what to say any more… see yah to the next chapter! Ja'ne!!! Please review!!! I just want to know if there are any improvements on my writing. ^-^ SENDOH's part is on the next chapter… ja'ne!
Tikki de lune: Be grateful that I ever allowed you to publish your work, Yamapi-chan. And to think I rarely changed some parts. This could've been worse if I hadn't. I'm doing this for the sake of the readers. By the way, NO YAOI! My friend's mind is too dirty for that. Mine too.