Author: I own the characters that are NOT from Slam Dunk…. If they are from Slam Dunk, they are property of Inoue Takehiko. Please don't sue me… Also, a foreword, I tend to be long winded when writing my fics, so at least you get the overall picture, as well as the locations/background, and worth your dollar on Internet charges! LOL Please do email/review me, and I can update the previous chapters. Thanks!

Words in italics or between slashes are thoughts, words within ^^ are actions, unless otherwise stated, words in brackets are locations usually before each section.

P/s: This fic MAY be in tune with what actually happened in the original anime, but as this is a fic of mine, there MIGHT be parts that will be OOC… But that's what makes it nice, ne? Bwa ha ha ha ha!!!! ^_^

(=^_^=)  Chapter 18 – The Swim of Understanding  (=^_^=)

/Oh my god! Mi-chan's awake and swimming too! What in heaven's name possessed me to go for a swim? Oh yeah, my frustration and growing libido… Good, Mi-chan's finished swimming, now I can swim in peace! / Thought Uozumi, as he slowly entered the indoor swimming pool grounds.

(Flashback)

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11:45 pm

/Argh! I can't get Yumi out of my mind! And it's bugging the hell out of me! Grr… Better calm down… I know! I'll go for a swim! / Thought Uozumi, trying to silently head towards the indoor swimming pool. /There shouldn't be anyone there, and the guys and Mi-chan are so exhausted, they'll sleep like a log! /

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(End of Flashback)

With his back facing the pool, Uozumi began to lazily take off his t-shirt, which showed a fabulous muscled and toned body. (L.I.D.[author]: *drools excessively and has swirls for eyes now*) Uozumi warmed up a bit by stretching himself, not noticing a figure standing by the shadows watching his every move…

Yumi had finished doing whatever she had to do (read: pee.) and returned to the swimming pool, only to be greeted by the sight of Uozumi taking off his t-shirt. Yumi nearly gasped as she saw Uozumi's rippling muscles as he stretched himself. And when Uozumi took off his pair of shorts, revealing black briefs, she nearly drooled as well. She watched, as he entered the deep end of the pool, and groaned loudly in comfort at the cool water that caressed his skin. A naughty thought entered Yumi's mind, and she decided to tease Uozumi. (L.I.D.[author]: She's a prankster, what can I say? ) Yumi looked as he floated on the water surface, and smiled.

/This is going to be fun! /

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Yumi slowly crept to the shallow edge of the pool and went inside.

"Ahem!"

"Gakkk!!!" exclaimed Uozumi, not expecting anyone else to be in the pool beside him at this hour, flipped into the water and nearly ended up drowning.

"Hee hee! Daijobu, Jun-Jun?" shouted Yumi, swimming up near to Uozumi.

"M…m…Mi-chan! W…w… What are you doing here?" sputtered Uozumi, blushing madly, trying to regain his buoyancy in the water.

"I should ask you the same question, ne Jun-Jun?" Yumi said, grinning from ear to ear. "Nice trunks you have on." Yumi winked, looking at the black blob through the water that was his briefs.

Uozumi's expression was priceless, and therefore unexplainable, (but he did blush) and sent Yumi into a fit of laughter. "I'm only joking! Well, half joking actually…"

"Not funny."

"Yare yare…" retorted Yumi, before swimming all the way in front of Uozumi.

When Yumi was in front of Uozumi, she noticed that his face was totally red. "Jun-Jun…"

"Nani?"

"This isn't the first time you've seen me in a swim suit, right?" asked Yumi, remembering all the times they swam together when the both of them had free time.

"Hai…"

"So why is your face so red?"

"Ano…"

"You must have had hentai thoughts haven't you? Naughty Jun-Jun!!"

"Chigau (you're mistaken), Mi-chan!" Uozumi cried, shaking his head from side to side violently.

Yumi looked at him with disbelieving eyes before smiling like a neko (cat). "Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!! I'm JOKING!!! You're so fun to tease, Jun-Jun!"

Uozumi: ^Sweat drop^

Yumi then started to splash water onto Uozumi's face, which in turn led to a full-fledged water splashing fight. When it died down, Yumi was happy, but exhausted, and had a hard time keeping afloat vertically. Uozumi knew this, due to the pace of her breathing and suddenly, he hugged Yumi, gently pressing her close to his being as the water level was about 1-2 centimetres below Uozumi's shoulder.

"Jun-Jun…"

"Nani? (What)"

"Naze? (Why)"

"You're tired…"

"So desu ne…(Yeah)"

Yumi leaned her head on Uozumi's muscular chest, and wrapped her arms around his upper body. Her wet hair clung to his chest, and it sent mental shivers down Uozumi's spine.

"Jun-Jun…"

"Nani?"

"Why do you like me?"

"Wakaranai. (I don't know)"

"Naze?"

"Ask my heart…"

Yumi pressed her ear onto Uozumi's chest to his heart and listened. Its beat was steady and strong.

"Mi-chan…"

"Nani?"

Facing Yumi, he began: "In my mind, I'm battling for your heart, but in my heart, it's not a battle. It's been decided that I live and breathe you. I don't expect anything other than to show you how much I like you, and once you have decided whom, no matter whom it is, if it is Akagi, I will respect your decision. I do not wish to pressure you, ore wa no Mi-chan…"

"Jun-Jun…" Yumi whispered, looking up, deep into Uozumi's blue eyes.

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"Woi! Wake up you sleepy head!" whispered Ikegami, waking up and irritated Sendoh.

"Nan da? Do you know what time it is??" groaned Sendoh momentarily.

"Yumi and Uozumi aren't here! Don't you want to know where they went?"

Sendoh opened his eyes, wide-awake now. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!" Sendoh hissed.

Ikegami: ^Sweat drop^

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The two were still embracing in the water, with Uozumi's arms around Yumi's waist to support her, for her feet could not touch the pool floor, whilst Uozumi's could.

With those touching words, Yumi couldn't control her tears anymore, and wept. Uozumi wiped her tears with his right hand, and cupped her cheek and their lips met in a gentle and tender kiss.

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"OH MY GOD! I didn't know Uozumi-sempai had it in him!" cried Sendoh, which sounded more like a hiss, to Ikegami. The two had finally found them and were very wide-awake.

"Apparently he does…"

Ikegami took out his camera, and attached the silent mode apparatus, and took a snapshot of the two as they shared that oh so gentle kiss. /This picture is going into my album for the most romantic! / Ikegami grinned inwardly.

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However, Uozumi was not finished yet.

/It's now or never…/ thought Uozumi.

"Mi-chan…"

"Nani?"

"If by Kami-sama's grace (god's), it is me you choose, then it will be to show you how much… I love you."

Yumi wept, yet again, and leaned her head on his shoulders.

/What should I do? Whom should I choose? What do I feel? / Thought Yumi, her head spinning. Yumi was somewhat conscious, yet delirious, and she could only feel her desire to show Uozumi how much he meant to her, without getting his hopes up on her ultimate choice.

"Jun-Jun…" whispered Yumi, her head still leaning on his shoulder.

"Nani?"

"Please let me show you what my heart feels now, demo, it's not my ultimate or final choice…Onegai…"

Uozumi nodded.

Yumi turned her head, and began to kiss Uozumi's neck, softly, with her lips. Uozumi groaned, and proceeded to kiss her neck as well.

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"OH MY GOD! What are they doing?!" cried Sendoh softly, his eyes widening, to Ikegami.

"He's kissing her neck, what does it LOOK like he's doing?"

Ikegami took out his camera, and took another photo of the two. /This picture is going into my album for the most unexpected! You owe me, Uozumi. /

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Somehow, Yumi's swimsuit strap fell to the side of her shoulder, as it was loose, and Yumi then kissed Uozumi's shoulder, and vice versa. Ikegami wasted no time in taking more photos. Suddenly, Yumi stopped, and smiled. So did Uozumi. They miraculously understood how each other felt, and had no need to go further.

"Arigato, Jun-Jun…And I'm sorry…"

"Daijobu, Mi-chan…"

"I'm sorry that I'm so confused… Soon, I will know the answer. Until then…"

"I will wait. No matter the outcome." Smiled Uozumi.

Meanwhile, both Ikegami and Sendoh had looks of utter bewilderment as to why the two 'love birds' stopped their display of affection, and decided to leave them be. They had seen enough, and were afraid that their libido would catch up with them. (L.I.D.[author]: hey, they're teens, what do you expect?)

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The next morning, Uozumi and Yumi talked as if the events of last night never happened, for they understood. However, Ikegami and Sendoh were not about to let the fact that they knew about it escape Uozumi, and teased him mercilessly in private. (L.I.D.[author]: ^Sweat drop^) All in all, it was back to normal.

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(=^_^=) Meow!

Tell me you didn't feel your heart tug at the strings!!!! What a tearjerker ne? ^_^ Hope you guys loved reading it as much I did writing it!

Replies!

F5C-chan: LOL Who knows, Nori-kun just might win! ^_^ Glad you read it, and find that it is definitely not yaoi! LOL

JCM-chan: You're right, it IS Jun-Jun!! ^_^ And please, you are talented too! ^_^ I'm glad you think it's heart catching! ^_^ (So do I!)

Icko14-chan: LOL Glad you see them through my eyes now, and find both of them appealing! *Grins, and then sweat drops at Sendoh's and Mitsui's fight over Icko-chan* LOL I love the dialogue! ^_^ And yeah, Uozumi would do anything Yumi asks, like Ryota would for Ayako, so she did ask him to stoop down, and then she hit him! ^_^

Madiha-chan: LOL THANK YOU S MUCH!!!! ^_^ *hugz*

Nellie-chan: LOL It is supposed to be… (Cute)

Fehrocious-chan: It's no pervert! LOL *looks at above chapter* It's Uozumi! Ta da! Ha ha ha ha! Hey, don't some people get the feeling they wanna pee after swimming? It's perfectly normal! ^_~ And I have many things going on in this head of mine, thank you very much! ^_^