Expectations
Author: miku
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.
Warning: This story contains shounen-ai (boy/boy relationship).
Part Two
Unintentional Meeting
The Shohoku Team was preparing for the Winter Tournament. Mitsui was still with them making up for the lost time. Akagi and Kogure were already retired, but they would visit from time to time to check how the team was doing under the new captain Miyagi. Haruko was the assistant manager, and so was Ichiro, the former captain of Tomegaoka, where Rukawa also studied. Hanamichi was already recovering from his back-injury and was back to his constant blabber of being a tensai.
A one-on-one match: Rukawa was dribbling the ball while Mitsui was on the defense.
Suddenly, he found himself recalling the various injuries suffered by his teammates. Akagi badly injured his ankle and despite of it he continued playing, which could have been very dangerous for him. Mitsui had his injury with his knee before so much like the case of Ichiro, although the case of the latter was worse. Hanamichi, too, had injured his back and was still recovering from it. What if one day he wakes up and realizes that he could no longer play basketball? What would he do? What could he do? Basketball had been his life since the day he held a ball.
Still with that thought, he attempted an easy shot and missed.
An ordinary happening, but not for someone like Rukawa Kaede; Ayako and Ichiro, who had been watching the game and the exclusive match between Mitsui and Kaede immediately noticed it. So were Mitsui and Ryota who both exchanged glances. Hanamichi saw that, too, but did not perceive the peculiarity of it so he just made his usual banter
"Ahahahahaha! Stupid kitsune! Just an easy shot and he missed! Nyahahahahaha!" Hanamichi teased, which served him a whack on the head from Ayako.
Rukawa just snorted knowing that everybody's attention was on him. He mentally reminded himself to avoid thinking negatively during games. So what if he could not play basketball again? He would just have to kill himself and end it all.
He stopped frozen on his track. Had he just thought of suicide? He mentally shook the idea aside.
He felt someone tapped his shoulder. He turned his head to see their manageress and Ichiro looking at him concernedly. "Are you all right, Rukawa-kun?" Haruko asked.
Why do they have to notice every single flaws he makes? He thought, but instead of speaking out loud, he just nodded and went to get the ball.
"Rukawa-sempai seemed not himself today, na, Ayako-san?" Ichiro commented still observing the raven-haired boy. Ayako only nodded in response.
"He'd get over it somehow," Mitsui said, tapping Ichiro's shoulder. The younger boy agreed.
The practice resumed and as what everybody expected, Rukawa regained his usual playing mood.
He promised to himself never to make a single mistake again for it would only cause people to notice him.
But isn't that what he wanted? For people to notice him? What he did not want was their concern. But they were only concerned about his gameplay, anyway, he thought. It was probably what Anzai-sensei was thinking, too. The team needed him to win. So would that mean that if the team gained enough number of good players, then he would not be needed anymore?
No. He tried to convince himself. Anzai-sensei's wife told him that the old man did not want someone like him lose his track.
Would that mean that their coach cared for him? Perhaps. But he needed not to think of it. What matter was that the team needed him and that was enough to drive him to be better.
He stopped pedaling and parked his bike near the fence. Good thing he did not sleep on his way today, he thought. He grabbed his duffel bag and attempted to enter the fenced public court when he heard a ball being dribbled. He stopped, dropped his bag and took a peek. He easily caught the red hair of the player. It was Sakuragi. He stole his playing area again.
He watched his teammate dribbled the ball madly and rushed for the ring. He jumped high and performed a perfect dunk.
He had long admitted it: Sakura was very good with dunks.
The redhead got the ball again and dribbled it quite harder this time. Rukawa, forehead furrowed and eyes narrowed, realized that Sakuragi was mad. Really mad. But as if he had never seen the redhead mad. As a matter of fact he always did. Always.
"AHHH! I'll beat you Rukawa! I'm sure I'm going to beat you!!" he heard Sakuragi shouted followed by a rude hurling of the ball. It dropped in rude thud and bounced to the fence then bounced back straight to Sakuragi's face. Rukawa sweatdropped.
"He's sure so stubborn, na?" Rukawa heard a familiar voice behind him commented. He was surprised and he wanted to turn around quickly to see the expected figure, but he did not. It was unlikely of him. So after a few seconds, he turned his head slowly and calmly searched for the man's face. Just as he expected, it was Sendoh Akira.
He wanted to ask the man why he was here. He did not, of course. He just did the usual snort, "Hn," and turned to look back at Sakuragi who was pounding the ball hard as if it was the kitsune.
"I saw him passed by my apartment this morning so I challenged him to a one-on-one," Sendoh started. "I guess he improved a lot but then, I'm still better! Haha!" Sendoh continued laughing softly.
You are just like him, Rukawa thought but did not bother to say it out loud.
"Then I told him to beat you first before trying to beat me. I guess that's the reason why he's so mad."
Rukawa slowly digested what Sendoh told him. "Then I told him to beat you first before trying to beat me…" What was he trying to prove? He turned to Sendoh and stared at him with unreadable expression written on his blue eyes.
Sendoh noticed the look but he ignored it and continued, "Because I told him that if he was able to beat you, it would also mean he had beaten me."
Rukawa just stared at him silently. He heard what Sendoh said. He understood it. Did it mean that Sendoh considered Rukawa as his equal in terms of basketball skills?
"But as I've told you before, Rukawa," Sendoh still continued, this time a little serious, "You are good with one-on-ones but you still have to develop team-play…"
He still stood there silently keeping his thoughts to himself. Sendoh told that to him once before they went to the National Championship. At first he did not understand what he meant, but after their game with Sannoh, he realized the meaning of team-play and actually appreciated it.
He could tell Sendoh that he was thankful of that advice now, couldn't he? But then he was hesitant. Here was Sendoh, giving him advices and compliments yet he could not show a single gratitude.
"Now I guess we're equal though," Sendoh's voice brought him back to the present again. "I watched your game with Sannoh and I believe that you already understood what I meant before."
Rukawa nodded slowly and picked his bag. He should leave already. He could not stand facing this carefree guy anymore. Not that he hated him but he was being bugged by his conscience already. He did not want to have anything to think about tonight too. Sleeping had been very difficult for him nowadays.
He walked pass Sendoh and was going to pull his bike when he heard the taller man called him, "Rukawa…"
He stopped and turned his head staring at Sendoh's sincere smiling face.
"You're welcome…"
Rukawa slightly widened his eyes. How come Sendoh could read him so clearly like the way he could read his moves during their games? Yes, he was very thankful and Sendoh knew it. Now he did not know how to react. But as always, he reluctantly turned his back from Sendoh, hopped in his bike and started pedaling. He was sure he would not sleep on his way back home… or even maybe tonight.
To be continued
Do you have any suggestions, criticism or whatever? Feedback is accepted: just e-mail me at miku_
Sendoh: Now where's the yaoi??
Miku: I'm just starting baka!
Sendoh: Well anyway, what is it going to be? SenRu, HanaRu, SenHanaRu (!)??? What????
Miku: That's a secret
Sendoh: WHAT?!!!
Miku: I'll make sure that everything would be out of your expectation that's why the title...
Sendoh: Yeah, right *sarcastic*