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.
Thanks for the review! ^_^
Well… Akira… sorry for making Sendoh so sad… but I have to… ^^;; I like him so much that's why… (ehehehe)
Oh… and as long as I could avoid it… I don't want this to have a tragic ending to. ^^;; I guess I made so many people expect and I don't want them to… uh… feel bad. But it could not be help I know…. ^^;; so I guess I have to make every character… contented???
Anyway, just enjoy reading. And sorry for the very slow story transition. ^^;; And… I think it would be long before I continue… but it won't take me weeks I guess… just days… you know… school… .
Thanks again!!
Part Seventeen
Kimi Ga Suki Da To (I want to shout I love you)
Rukawa woke up from a bad sleep, or rather, he did not sleep at all. He had been thinking a lot of things last night – a lot more than the usual. At least he could sleep in his class…
Classes were ordinary. He had not even felt it start and end… he was sleeping almost the whole day anyway. When he woke up, there were many love letters that were addressed to him. He did not even bother to pick any of it, even just to see the sender. He left them in his desk and went to the gym.
How cold of him…
Why could he not be kind to those who admired him?
But they're annoying…
And he had other things in mind…
Like basketball…
And…
Sendoh… Sakuragi…
He did not have to bother about Sendoh today, anyway. He could deal with him later perhaps. But Sakuragi… he would see him at today's practice… or maybe not…. He had been absent for four days anyway. Rukawa sighed upon remembering the event last night.
What could he do to patch things up?
He came just on time. Almost everybody was already there… everybody except Sakuragi. He saw Haruko peeked expectantly and Rukawa perfectly knew who was she looking for and that person was not around. Upon learning that Sakuragi was not around, she sadly left the gym.
He entered the locker room and got changed.
"What's with Sakuragi now?" Miyagi could not help but ask not anyone in particular. Ayako just sighed sadly. Anzai-sensei was not with them for now because he had to rest. And without their coach, problems like this were hard to solve. If only Akagi was still the captain… he somehow managed to get the team together.
"He did not choose to stop playing, right?" Ichiro uttered silently hoping that he would hear the others agree. "He was getting better already… and… it could be shame to…"
"Ichiro, of course not! Sakuragi would not do that!" Ayako consoled the boy. Ichiro slightly smiled and nodded in response.
"Of course! The Tensai would never do that!" a boisterous voice shouted from the gym door. Everybody looked at his direction knowing exactly to whom the voice belonged to.
"SAKURAGI!!!" Almost everybody shouted and ran to him… almost everybody except Rukawa.
"BAKA! What happened to you!?" Miyagi questioned. The new captain was punching him lightly.
"You scared us, Sakuragi-san," Ichiro added.
Sakuragi gave off his trademark laugh. "NYAHAHAHAHAHA! Of course! The team surely does not want to lose such great player!!" followed another laugh. Everybody sweatdropped, even Rukawa who was dribbling the ball to continue his practice.
"And…" the redhead suddenly said, his voice was serious. Everybody stared at him, puzzled.
Sakuragi's eyes which sparkling with unknown emotions, were only staring to one person in front of him. Everybody followed his gaze knowing exactly to whom the redhead's eyes were fixed upon.
"And I just made some thinking and come up with a decision…" Sakuragi continued slowly making his way to Rukawa who was still dribbling the basketball although a little trembling now.
Everyone watched the two of them. They were thinking that perhaps the two had a fight and Sakuragi was now planning to get even with the raven boy.
"And I'm willing to gamble with it… Kaede…"
Silence.
The way Sakuragi said Rukawa's name surely proved that he was not into fighting today. His voice was dead serious yet firm. He knew exactly what he was going to say not like the usual speak-whatever-comes-into-your-mind attitude.
Rukawa froze and dropped the ball. Sakuragi just kept on walking towards him.
"I don't care anymore…"
Sakuragi held Rukawa's wrist firmly yet gently, and pulled the boy and turned him around so they were facing each other.
The other Shohoku members served as witnesses to this extraordinary moment.
"I'm certain of this now…"
He knew he was not certain about it but… but he just wanted to try it out. If he quickly regretted what he would profess then he would know it was not meant to be. He could just laugh it off and quickly tell everyone that he was just joking.
But would that hurt Rukawa? Would that offend him?
He suddenly doubted the idea… Would he regret this confession afterwards like the way he regretted his act?
However, he just felt like wanting to continue… it would be now…
"I…"
Could he? In front of these people? What would their reactions be? Would they laugh at him? But more importantly, would Rukawa ignore him? Or reject him? Would he hate him or what?
"I…"
"Rukawa-kun! Someone's looking for you!" one student shouted from outside the gym. A figure of a tall, well-built man blocked the light from outside the door.
Sendoh…
Sendoh was a little stunned upon seeing Sakuragi standing so closely to Rukawa and holding his wrist possessively. He wanted to back out now yet… yet… he did not want to… he did not want to be a coward and just let Sakuragi win Rukawa. So what if Rukawa choose Sakuragi from him? At least, he had been honest, right?
Right…
Sendoh stepped inside, still smiling like always, his eyes were fixed only to one person.
"Kaede…"
Rukawa's gaze turned to him. Sendoh could see so many emotions with those deep blue eyes. Confused… expectant… puzzled… unbelieving…. Rukawa stepped to him gently releasing his wrist from Sakuragi's grasp.
"Kaede, I don't care about anything else right now…" Sendoh stepped a little more to reach Rukawa. He laid both hands to Rukawa's shoulders and faced the younger boy straight in the eyes. "I love you…" he whispered.
Whew! Did he just say it at last?
He noticed Rukawa's eyes widened a little but not like a reaction of someone who was not expecting such confession. After all, he did kiss him even before, right?
"I love you, Kaede…" Sendoh repeated, this time with a louder voice. "And I'm willing to shout it out loud…" Sendoh's eyes narrowed slightly smiling. He felt more relieved. He smoothly turned while declaring, "I LOVE YOU KAEDE!! Do you hear that everybody? I LOVE RUKAWA KAEDE!!" he shouted on top of his lungs, smile was still visible.
Everybody stared in amazement.
Rukawa was frozen from his place.
Sakuragi was shaken.
Then Sendoh turned to face Rukawa again and pulled the shocked boy into a warm embrace. "I love you Kaede… I've never been serious in my whole life. I've never felt this way to anyone than you. I don't care if you don't love me back just… just…" tears began forming in Sendoh's closed eyes and as hard as he tried to prevent them from falling, they smoothly glided down his cheeks. "Just… just don't stop me from loving you…"
To be continued…
Miku: Sakuragi was too slow ne? And "Kimi Ga Suki Da To" really suited him! ^^;; but he's really slow, ne??? It's too obvious in the series… tsk tsk… ^^;; pardon me hanaru fans! ^^;;
Well, no one here. Sakuragi, Rukawa and Sendoh were all… err… shocked to what I did to them. Anyway, thanks for reading minna! I hope I could write the next chapters soon! I already want to finish this… ^____^
OH! For senru fans, SD just finished here in my country… ^_^ and the last episode was… so… ah… ^_^ heartwarming. Ehehehe. Sendoh had been looking at Rukawa too many times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*fell down and died*