Author: miku
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies in this fic.
Warning: This story contains shounen-ai (boy/boy relationship) and if that offends you, better leave. I may add some lime or something like that (m.a.y.b.e) but I'll warn you before you can proceed.
The last time I read my story, there were many typographical and grammatical errors! ^^; Pardon minna! But I have no plan of editing them anymore. At least you understand the story right? Right! ARIGATOU!!!!
Now… you know what, the next chapters would be HanaRu but of course, Sendoh's still in the background! ^^;
Oh well… I think the story's going to end sometime soon… I hope so… ^^; I'm still wondering who would Rukawa choose.
^_^
Enjoy reading! Oh. And thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them! ^^
Part Eleven
The Challenge
Maybe he should stop with his game now.
Maybe he should stop his act already or he'll lose – lose to himself and fall – fall in love with him, Rukawa Kaede.
But the Tensai should never accept defeat. However, he might let it pass with Rukawa. He did not know anymore how to confront or face the other boy. But he would not definitely lose to that Ryonan ace. After all, that was his goal before – to defeat Sendoh.
Maybe he could still defeat him in basketball. The idea sounded better. That was his original objective, right? Yes. Defeat Sendoh with basketball and not in any other way else. Yes. He would definitely win against him.
So he decided. It's today or never. If Sendoh would lose now then he would not think of any other means of defeating that spiky-head, which once drove him to that stupid plan. Everything should end today.
He should search for Sendoh's apartment so he tried to find Hikoichi. But it was difficult. It's summer now and school is over. Wanting to give up although it only took him an hour looking for Hikoichi, he stood in a newsstand waiting for any miracle to occur.
And so did miracle happen.
He glanced in one of the magazines being sold and quickly noticed a title of an article regarding basketball. The author was Aida Yayoi and it was about Sendoh. Sakuragi quickly wanted to tear the magazine apart.
Why does he hate that man today? Isn't it that he hated Rukawa more than any other?
But no. He could not find the strength to get mad with the raven boy again.
An idea quickly entered his mind. He opened the magazine and searched for the article about Sendoh. And he found it. There was a contact number of the author at the end of the article. Sakuragi smiled ghastly.
He was trotting along the hallway of the apartment, eyes looking deadlier than ever while scanning the room numbers. He would defeat Sendoh today.
But could he do it?
Of course! I am tensai! Do I doubt my ability?!
But then… he should admit it. Watching Sendoh and Kaede playing brought him goosebumps. They were superb.
Wait a minute. Kaede? Did he just remember that boy with his name?
Sakuragi smiled wistfully. Kaede… the name sounds so good… and beautiful. Yet… yet he could not understand himself. He could not accept that he was actually near to… falling.
He stopped upon reaching the last room of the third floor. He began to doubt the idea. Maybe he could challenge Sendoh but not now. Not now. At least…
"AH! Kaede-kun! You made me so happy! I love you!!" Sakuragi heard Sendoh's voice shouting.
Kaede-kun?! Happy? I… love…
His heart beat faster. He opened the door abruptly silently hoping that… that… that what he heard was wrong. But then, upon opening the door, he quickly caught sight of Sendoh grasping Rukawa's shoulder and they were… very near to one another.
He felt like he was swallowed in a limbo but he did not know why. But one thing was made certain from that moment. His desire to defeat Sendoh became stronger.
"Sendoh Akira! I challenge you!"
There was a long moment of silence.
Sendoh was looking at him with unreadable expression. He was still holding Rukawa and that made Sakuragi's blood boil more.
No body dares to touch him… even I… and you…
Rukawa was staring at him too… with his usual stoic face. The raven boy's presence there was the only thing that calmed him. Yet it was the reason too why he was so furious…
Strange. How could one person cause two different emotions at the same time?
"Okay! We already prepared the place! Let's go there now!" a voice quickly announced. Sakuragi quickly regained consciousness. Yeah. Yayoi was with him; he almost forgot. The woman gave Sendoh's address in exchange of being given the privilege to watch the game. And that includes one cameraman in tow and a crowd for an audience.
"Uh…" Sendoh mumbled a bit stuttered.
"Don't tell me you're chickening out?" Sakuragi taunted. Sendoh smiled – the same smile he flashed to Sakuragi during matches.
"Of course I'm not…" Sendoh's eyes narrowed a bit. Sakuragi could not read the emotion. "I… accept your challenge."
Both players were panting really hard and were staring at each other seriously. Sendoh won with four-point lead.
"Dammit!" Sakuragi cursed and slammed the ball harshly. It bounced several times, in many directions, good thing it did not strike his face.
Many watched the game but most of them had gone already. Some of them wondered why Sendoh was playing with the redhead and Rukawa was only standing at the side watching the game. Yayoi was now busy with the cameraman but was still attentive to her surroundings; there's still a Sendoh around anyway.
He could not believe it. He lost! But he played the hardest he could. The best actually.
Yes. That was the best game he played. It was queer though because he could not think of any other reason why he wanted to defeat Sendoh. It was not even a professional game. And Haruko was not around.
How come he seemed to be more determined today than ever?
"You lost," Sendoh gently declared. He was still smiling despite exhaustion.
"Ch. But I'm still going to defeat you and I'm not giving up yet," he affirmed.
Silence.
Sendoh's smile changed; from a serene, contented one to a challenging and resolved one.
Silence still…
Then a ball was heard being dribbled. The two players looked at its direction and saw Rukawa dribbling lightly and shoot.
He's bored, Sakuragi thought. He smiled. And Sendoh's smile changed again to a milder one. Sakuragi took notice of it. And that caused his heart an obscure painful thug.
"I'm always ready," Sendoh said grabbing Sakuragi's attention once again.
Silence again…
"None of us would win yet… until he decides…" Sendoh continued, his head turning slightly to see Rukawa.
Sakuragi's eyes widened a little. "Nani… what are you talking about?" he asked slowly and doubtfully.
Sendoh changed expression. He was a little surprise now. "Oh. Why did you challenge me anyway?"
Silence once more…
Sakuragi knew he wanted to challenge Sendoh to defeat him. That was all. There's no other reason besides that. But then… his desire to beat the sophomore heightened greatly upon… seeing him… with… Rukawa.
But no. He wanted to defeat Sendoh to prove the tensai's greatness. That's it and no more.
"I just want to. Because I want to prove I'm the greatest…" Sakuragi answered.
Sendoh sighed and smiled.
"What were you thinking anyway?" the redhead could not help but ask.
"I just thought…" Sendoh muttered. Then he chuckled. "I thought that you were challenging me because of Rukawa," he told it soft enough not to be heard by any other people besides the two of them.
What? Because of Rukawa? Why… but then… But then could it be true? But Sakuragi was uncertain of anything right now. And Sendoh bringing up the topic made him even more so. "What made you… think that…?"
Sendoh laughed again. Sakuragi could sense genuine happiness with that. "Nothing. But I'm glad." Sendoh faced Sakuragi a little seriously. "I'm glad I don't have to fight you with him."
What… Fight me because of Kaede? But… but is it really…
Sakuragi's head was aching now. But more was his heart. He was confused. Very, very, very confused. Why could he not make certain of his feelings. Could it be that he was actually falling for Rukawa? No. He liked Haruko.
But like and love are two different things… a part of him nagged him. Sakuragi shook the thought aside. Sendoh was now walking away from him and going to Rukawa.
Another painful thug.
"Na, Kaede-kun… we lost an hour. I guess we could pay the lost hour now, na? How about dinner?" Sendoh offered. Rukawa did not respond quickly. The raven boy was looking at Sakuragi who was staring at nothingness.
"Na, Kaede?" Sendoh asked again, shoving a few strands of hair away from Rukawa's face.
"No. Next time Sendoh."
Rukawa was still looking at Sakuragi.
"Ah, I see. But really? Even just one more hour?" Sendoh asked pleadingly. He was starting to be on his insistent mood.
"Next time, Akira."
Sendoh smiled upon hearing his name from Rukawa's lips. That was enough for him to obey the younger boy. "Okay! You promised next time!"
It took a few seconds before Rukawa could answer with, "Yeah."
"Oi, do'aho. Let's get going," Rukawa uttered softly but loud enough for Sakuragi to hear. The latter just only stared at him though and after a short moment smiled.
Sendoh was hurt. The whole time, Rukawa had been staring at Sakuragi. But he could not read any emotions. And now, he would walk with the redhead.
Does Rukawa really liked Sakuragi?
To be continued… ^^;
… No extra people today. Sakuragi and Sendoh were both tired. Rukawa was bored to death and could not be sensible enough. The author's paranoid. Please bear with us …