**Tabula Rasa was taken from Buffy The vampire Slayers series, I didn't invent it either. So…
^^ hi again!! Wo~~~~~~~~~~~wwww I can't believe this fiction was so popular, many people wrote to me saying they liked it, so to all of you who did THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! That was probably the main reason why I continued Tabula Rasa ^___^.
I just want to say I wrote this second part under a LOT of stress, a LOT of exams and in the middle of a sea of personal problems so the ending turned out to be kindda pathetic T_T. but I hope you'll like it and it won't dissapoint you. A LOT LOT LOT of thanx to Tracy-san who helped me with the story when I got stuck Thanks gal, you saved me T_T. this second part goes to you.
*******
Tabula Rasa [yaoi/ HanaRu-RuHana w/Mitko (s.story)/SenKosh (4 fans ^^) MitHaru (lil'bit)]Slam Dunk Fanfiction by Yumi Rukawa
Part Two
Ayako had to formulate a new and very fast plan toghether with Ryota and still-clueless Kogure to save Mitsui's life and help him and Haruko recover their memories. They decided to separate; Ryota and Kogure would look for Akagi and tell him everything is OK, and Ayako would meanwhile manage a way of finding Haruko and Mitsui and bring them back to their normal selves. They decided to tell the gorilla everything had been a big huge missunderstanding and that Rukawa was happily at home while Haruko was staying with Ayako for the night again. No kissing, no new boyfriends and no weird stuff going arround. Besides, being Kogure the one in charge to tell him the whole story would make ex-captain Akagi totally buy it, as he knew and trusted the four eyed boy very much.
That, off course, in case they could find either the couple or Rukawa before Akagi did. Either way they would be fried.
Having solved the Akagi part, what was left for them to do was find the kissing couple or the trouble making couple and go home. Wich off course was no easy task.
The first two were not that hard to find. Ayako saw them right on the same spot where they had been kissing a few minutes before, only that they were not kissing anymore but instead had these satisfied light smiles on both their faces and were seating happily on some benches, holding each other's hands.
Ayako wasn't 'amnesied' (yeah, I know, I just invented that ….) anymore so the sight kindda shocked her as she had already got used to seeing Mitsui hanging arround with Kogure-senpai and Haruko-chan drooling over Rukawa-kun again and again. The scene was disturbing as it was beatiful, full of an enchanting sweetness that made it even more unreal and grotesque.
Ayako had to force herself out of the daydreaming, however, so five seconds from then she was her usual self again. She took a deep breath, some courage, and walked to the little couple nervously.
They waved their hands as soon as they saw her, though anyone could have seen there was a bit of dissapointment in their eyes (we wan privacy, hello!!!).
"Hi guys…. Um… we really gotta talk about… some things… important stuff… you know".
"Actually, we don't" Mitsui interrupted, impatient.
"What do you mean, Ayako-san??"
"About us, and who we are… I better tell ya when we're all toghether, k? Come on!"
On their way to where ever Ayako was taking them, they came across Ryota.
"Oh, Ryota!! Finally! Were is Akagi-sempai?"
"Kogure is trying to calm him down. Says he wants to see her sister right *now*! You know what Akagi can be like when he is like *really* mad…"
"Tell me about it… OK, listen. You take these two to the point we said we would be meeting with the team, I'll go look for Sakuragi Hanamichi and Rukawa-kun. PLEASE try to keep Akagi-senpai calmed and don't let him touch Mitsui, for God's sake! Deny everything about the kissing part, k? Let them play their little love thingy till I come back with the two missing guys…"
"Ok, Aya-chan. See you there!".
Somewhere else, not very far from there…Hanamichi tried to calm a little bit himself. He was turbed, confused, angry, raging, embarrased… and so sad. He had been since he saw Rukawa's eyes staring at him the way they did. WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU WERE ALSO KISSING ME, DON'T YOU REMEMBER he had said. And he had sounded so hurt it had really touched Hanamichi. It was the first time he got such an answer from the fox. Such an emotional charge in it…. Such eyes behind those angry words… he couldn't deal with it, he just couldn't.
He felt horrible for himself. His manly pride shattered to pieces, God! He had kissed a guy. Or what was worse; ha had kissed Rukawa!! He hated Rukawa!! He hated his guts, he hated everyhting that had to do with him, he was even starting to hate real foxes!! He could't understand a thing, though.
On one first place, what was he doing there were he was with Rukawa, had they been kissing or not. Last thing he could remember was the stupid house of mirrors amd then the kiss—though he didn't really want to remember it any more. All he wanted to do was run as far as he could from Rukawa, the Fun Park or whoever he knew, as he wouldn't stand the shame of what he had just done. God, he just wanted to get home and forget about everything.
He wandered looking for an exit that was nowhere to be seen. Plus, he had completely lost track of time. He just walked arround hoping no one would see him.
'God I'm stupid… how did I ever let that fox kiss me… ME? A GENIOUS! TRICKED BY A FOX!!!'
"Hanamichi Sakuragi, you're SO predictable" a voice said from behind.
"Wha--?????" Hanamichi turned round immediately. "A—Ayako-san!"
"What did Rukawa do to you now, huh?" she asked as if she wasn't at all surprised.
"No—nothing!!" the red head answered as quickly, nervously. Ha was really hoping Ayako hadn't heard the kissing part.
"And where is Rukawa-kun?"
"Ah… how am I supposed to know?!?!?! I'm not the kitsune's nanny, y'know!" he said very angry. Ayako pulled a surprise face at Hana's sudden reaction.
"Well he was your PARTNER hello!!!"
"HE IS NOTHING OF ME!! WE ARE NOTHING I HATE HIM AND I LOVE HARUKO-SAN!!!!" he excalimed violently.
"Whoa, chill out! You don't need to yell, we *all* know you like Haruko-chan, OK?!"
This seemed to calm Hanamichi.
"Anyway, I'm glad to see you are OK. You recovered your mind…"
"Huh? My what…?"
"Um… let me explain it when we're all toghether again. So do you at least know if Rukawa-kun is OK? Or safe at least..?"
"Stupid fox…" he said angrily again, "I dunno… maybe he went home, that hentai… who knows…"
"Hentai ka?! Rukawa-kun??? Haha, sure!"
Hana wasn't very pleased by this comment and he suddenly went all beet red over the face.
"What?" Ayako guessed. "What did you do to him? Or what did he do to *you*, huh??"
"No—nothing!! Let's go with the rest of the team!!"
"No way. TELL ME!!"
"I said NOTHING, woman!"
*PAF* paper fan over Hanamichi's face.
"Itai!! Ayako-san!"
"Listen Hanamichi Sakuragi, you can fool who ever you want except ME! So tell me."
Hana kept quiet for a few seconds.
"I'm still waiting…"
Hana didn´t want to tell her, but seemed he had no other option…
"To—today… we… we fainted on the mirror thing…" he was making a great effort to remember what had happened in between the morrir house and the kiss, "we… we didn't know who we were… I swear!"
"And you had a fight?"
"N—no… no, we were acting friendly, in fact…"
"That's great!"
"NO!! Then… then we went to the hospital…"
"So you HAD a fight!"
"NO! He—he fainted or something… again. He was wet and I took him… took him to the hospital… and then to eat something—yes… but then he… We…I… he…"
"HE WHAT???"
"He… he…he… he… he…. He ki… k… k… kis… ss… ss… ki—kissed me!"
Ayako was astonished.
"wha… wha… you… you… YOU KISSED RUKAWA-KUN?!?!?!?!?!?!!?"
"Sure, yell it louder, I DON'T THINK THEY HEARD YOU IN URUGUAY!!!"
"What kind of kissing?!?!" she asked getting rather excited about the idea. Hana started fearing the worst. Again, his cheeks went as red as his short hair.
"You mean you let him stuck his tounge into your mouth?!?!?!"
"COULD YOU NOT PUT IT THAT WAY, PLEASE?!?!!"
Ayako didn't know wether to burst into laugh or tears.
"Wow…" she didn't know her spell could go *that* well… "and… and… what did you do then??"
"I… I remembered who I was and… pu… punched Rukawa on the face and told him I hated him… and run."
"And him?"
"I dunno!! He said something. I wasn't paying attention, I just wanted to get the hell outta there… damned kitsune…"
Ayako didn't say a word. She was lost in deep thinking, actually wondering if she hadn't missheard Hanamichi. And as for Rukawa, she wondered if he was OK.
"Please Hanamichi Sakuragi, try at least to remember where Rukawa is??"
Hana was angry. Very. Why this woman kept on asking for Rukawa when he had told her they had just kissed?!?!?! If there was someone he would rather not see for the next hundred years, that was Rukawa.
"I dunno… he went home!!" he lied. He didn't want to remember the confused and furious expression Rukawa had when he had punched him, and the pain on his voice when he shouted those words… He had looked as if he honestly had no idea where he was standing and Hanamichi started wondering if he hadn't been a little bit harsh on him…
Ayako sighed. "Home?"
"Yeah"
"But you mean he acted like he actually knew who he was, right??"
Hanamichi looked at her really confused, "What do you mean, you are crazy!!"
After hiting him on the head with her infamous paper fan, Ayako took Hanamichi Sakuragi with the rest of the team.
Meanwhile, going back with the poor pretty fox…Rukawa sat down on the empty green space, crying. He let himself lay indefinetly over the smooth grass, not knowing what on earth he was to do with his life from then on. He was much too confused to allow his dizzy brain to think correctly so he just stayed there were he was, unable to get head or tail out of the whole situation. He actually felt not only sad and irritated but insulted and annoyed. Whoever was this red head guy anyway, and why the hell were they both kissing when there was a very big probability that didn't even know each other. And who *was* this Haruko person after all??? Hadn't he said he couldn't remember anything at all either???? And why did he allow him to kiss him…? Huh? Was that guy making fun of him? All the time…? Why…?
Too many questions wandered Rukawa's head while all he wanted was to drive them away. He didn't want to think about it anymore or worry for the damned red head either. In fact, he just wanted to die.
He sighed once more actually taking this last idea into consideration for a while but immediately scared it off thinking there was no use in wasting his life for one stupid guy that meant absolutely nothing for him. He wiped the last tears out of his pale cheek and sat down trying to figure out what to do. His head hurt like hell and it felt as if he hadn't cried that much in his whole life. He didn't notice the two pair of eyes that watched him from a not very big distance…
***
"Ok, so, who are you looking at now?!" the smaller boy said, annoyed, as he gave a soft but precise punch to his companion on one arm.
"Itai!! Hiro~~~~~~~~!!! That hurt!!" the other one answered playfully. His blue eyes turned automatically in the first guy's direction and looked at him innocently. The later frowned.
"Don't you dare give me that look, Akira Sendoh!!!" he said in what sounded as a mother addressing his little kid after he did something bad.
"What kind of look? I'm looking at you normally. And I must say—you have such pretty eyes, Hiro-kun…" he smiled.
"Stop calling me like that. It's KOSHINO! Ok?" the boy said, blushing furiously. Sendoh laughed.
"But you look so cute when you put that face!" Sendoh smiled lovingly, huging his lover despite his desperate attempts to avoid the hug.
"Enough Sendoh!!" he cried finally getting the spike-haired boy to let him go. His attention focused again on what should have been the main point of the conversation, "So who were you looking at."
"Huh? Looking…? Oh, ah, yes! That guy, look" he pointed at the figure of Rukawa sitting on the grass.
"Yes. What with him. What are you planning now?!"
"Planning?! Hey wait!! Don't look at me like that!! I didn't mention it with those intentions!! Don't take me wrong!!"
"Ok, so what's with him?" Koshino asked sharply, uninterested.
"Don't you think that's a familiar face over there?". They both looked in Rukawa's direction, trying to get a better image of him.
"Isn't it Rukawa from Shohoku?"
"Rukawa? What on earth would Rukawa be doing in a place were people are supposed to have fun? He has less emotion than a turtle."
"Well who knows… but he does look kindda depressed, huh?"
"Aw, please Sendoh!! That's exactly one reason why he couldn't be Rukawa at all! Ok? Let's go!"
"Demo Hiro! We can't let a person suffer alone like that!!"
"Sendoh, I know you and I *know* those are not your true intentions!"
Sendoh looked at Koshino's eye with a very hurt and sad face (fake, off course).
"Didn't I prove I was 100% loyal to you yet? Besides, Rukawa doesn't like guys."
"That has never stopped you…" Koshino answered, giving up and following Sendoh towads were what was supposed to be Rukawa was.
***
Rukawa was just sitting there. His face had adopted his usual neutral 'expression' (if we can call that an expression) and he looked like the old Rukawa again, except for the faint sad glimmer on his deep blue eyes.
He noticed someone coming his way and hoped it wasn't someone he knew for all he wanted was to be alone for a while.
But.
"Rukawa!! Rukawa, ne!!" Sendoh called cheerfully. He stopped a meter or two away from the foxy boy, smiling. Koshino came righ behind.
Rukawa sighed for the unptieth time. 'Please let that not be me', and then turned arround just to be sure. There he saw this vary tall—maybe even taller than him—guy with black spiky hair, friendly smile and a flashing sensual smile.
"Hi, hey, how are you? Are you alone?" Sendoh insisted, getting closer to Rukawa who just looked at him in awe, unable to recognice that face either.
"Why, answer, are you deaf or what?". There was this other guy behind, same blue eyes but they did't look as friendly. Rukawa kept his silence.
"Hiro, please. Ne, Rukawa, are you OK?"
"Who are you?" Rukawa asked looking confusedly into Sendoh's eyes like pleading for an answer.
"Huh? What do you mean who are we?"
"That's it! Sendoh lets get the hell out of here!!" Koshino exclaimed clearly pissed off.
"No, wait. You are Rukawa right?" Sendoh somehow knew there was something wrong with that
guy.
"Off course he is!! It's just that you know how he is!!! Lets GO!"
Rukawa took a deep breath, "I dunno who I am"
"What??"
"What?? You've got amnesia or something?"
"I don't know! I don't even know my name or why I am here or anything, ok?"
Sendoh sat down besides Rukawa and Koshino followed.
"Hn. That must be why you look like all sad"
"Yeah it's not very normal to see you like that…"
"So you know me"
"Well yeah. Kind of."
"Don't you remember anything at all? Nothing?"
Rukawa shook his head slowly, trying to remember, but nothing came to his head.
"Well your name is Kaede Rukawa and you play basketball for your school, that's how you get to know us as we have played against your school a few times."
"Yeah, and this guy here is your rival and you hate his guts" Koshino explained.
"Hiro-kun!!"
"Ok, maybe hate is a little bit strong…"
"Kaede Rukawa…" Rukawa looked into the empty space in front of him, absently, repeating his name slowly, "he called me that too…"
Sendoh blinked "He?"
"Um… yeah. Some guy… he said his name was something like… um… something with sakura…"
"Sakuragi?!" Hiro said.
"HANAMICHI SAKURAGI?!" the taller guy shouted. He almost left the other two basketball players deaf.
"You don't need to shout WE CAN HEAR, OK?!"
"I'm sorry, Hiro-kun ^^Uu"
"Do you know him?" Rukawa asked, his eyes shining with hope.
"Yes, he is one of your team mates. With the read hair and all that, right? But I would't say you two are exactly good friends…"
"Hm… I know, I've noticed that…" he answered. Both the other guys looked at him surprised. Ru explained: "He was with me earlier today but… we had some problems… like we didn'k know who we were. The two of us, and we were getting along like friendly but then um… something… happened and he said he hated me and that he loved--"
"Haruko-san" Sendoh finished.
"Yes. Who is she anway?"
"A girl he's always been in love with. Ever since he entered the basketball team, but she… well she likes another person…"
"Tell him" Koshino said, turning at Rukawa, "that would be you."
"Huh?" Rukawa blinked, "me??"
"Yeah but she doesn't even exist for you. Like you hardly know her name. That's one of the reasons why Sakuragi hates your guts… I can't believe we are telling you this."
"… oh, and you would be…?" Ru asked. He was receiving information about him from people he didn/t even know who they were xD.
"Oh! Akira Sendoh! And this here is Hiro-kun…"
"Hiroaki Koshino!" Koshino corrected Sendoh while pinching his arm.
"I meant that—ouch!!"
"So, what are you planning to do know? Do you know were you live, or where did Sakuragi go? Or anything else like when or how did you lose your memories?"
"Nh nh… no. But now at least I know my name… I'll figure it out. Thanks" Ru said as he stood up. Sendoh did the same and then his little lover.
"You sure you'll be Ok?"
"Anything you need… Sendoh, why don't you give him your cellphone number?"
"No, it's OK, really. Thanks a lot. Bye…" as he said this, Rukawa was smiling. Sendoh stood there looking idiotically. When he was gone, he turned to his Hiro-kun.
"That was weird" he said.
"Yeah, I wonder where he got this amnesia thingy… it's scary…"
"Not that, Hiro, his smile."
"What about it ¬¬?"
"Aw, you are being jealous again!"
"I'm not!! Stop it!!!". Sendoh laughed again, wondering if they had done the right thing. It's not every day you get to see a fox like that show his pretty smile…
Same time, the other part of the team, almost 5:30 pmAyako was trying to manage a way of warning Hana about Haruko's weird attitude towards Mitsui, as she knew Hana would probably want to kill him if he saw them. 'Mark another one on Akagi senpai's side…'
"Hanamichi Sakuragi!"
"What?" he growled as an answer.
"Listen, I know very weird things have happened today to you and maybe you can't understand why now, but you will when we see the rest of the team. I just have to tell you that however crazy you see your other team mates act, don't—and I mean DON'T freak out, Ok?"
"Why would I do that?!"
"Just promise you won't"
"Ok Ok… ¬¬ women…"
After hiting Hana once more with her paper fan, Ayako finally spotted the table at wich everybody was sitting. Mitsui and Haruko were toghether, as she had predicted, holding hands and Kogure sat beside them, trying to keep his and Akagi's composure. Ryota looked worriendly as if Akagi was a time bomb ready to explode.When he saw Ayako coming his way with Hana, he ran towards them to make sure the red head wouldn't cause even more problems because of the Mitsui-Haruko issue.
"Hanamichi!! Are you Ok? Where's Rukawa??"
"Why do everybody have to worry about Rukawa?!?! I'm fine! Thanks!" Hanamichi said angrily. Ayako just pulled a 'he-is-in-a-bad-mood-never-mind' face to Ryota. Hana walked past the smaller boy, towards the other guys. He saw Haruko and suddenly forgot everything that had happened that afternoon. Still, however, he noticed he wasn't blushing idiotically like he used to do when he saw her… he didn't feel that extreme passion or happines that sort of invaded him whenever she was near him…
"Haruko-san!" he said smiling. Ayako and Ryota rushed to his side when they heard this.
"Wa—wait, Hanamichi!!"
A lilttle bit too late.
"KYAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!! HARUKO-SAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING HOLDING HANDS LIKE THAT TO MITCHI?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!" Hanamichi yelled in total shock, "TEMEEE MITCHI HENTAI!!!!!"
"Lay back, punk! She is my girlfriend!!" Mitsui answer, defiantly.
Hana was very very very extremely pissed off. So much that he prepeared to throw himself against Mitsui and show him who he was with one of his famous headbuts, but Ryota and Ayako were there to hold him on time.
"Hanamichi Sakuragi, wait!!!"
"LEMME GO!!!"
"Hanamichi STOP!!! Listen to us!!!"
It wasn't until Akagi stood up and gave Hana a extra powerful gori punch that the red head calmed down. He had gone totally mad, much to Mitsui's and Haruko's surprise.
"Sit down, you fool," Akagi said terminantly, "and listen to what they've got to say. Do you think *I* would agree some former street gangster like Mitsui or you hang out with my sister?!"
Hanamichi growled but kept quiet and sat down, giving a very scarry look full of hatred to Mitsui.
Ayako then cleared her throat and started explaining what had really happened that afternoon to her boys.
"Ok, so listen carefully. Hontou wa… um… Ok. We all came to this park together, to start with. Me, you guys and another guy that is not here—Rukawa. We were here to celebrate Hanamichi Sakuragi was rejoining the team—the basket ball team you all play for—after some months hospitalized for some column problems. However, the real reason we were all here today, other than welcoming Hanamichi Sakuragi back to the team, was to try to make him and Rukawa-kun stop fighting and become friends."
"WHAT?!" Hana asked in disbelief.
"Wait, wait—listen!! I tried to cast a spell on them that would errase their bad memories and the feelings of hate they had towards each other…"
"…but the spell went wrong and left everyone on the mirror house amnesiac" Ryota finished her sentence for her, "Because we all decided to get into the mirror house in pairs and to be able to get Rukawa toghether with Hanamichi we ended up like this. The reason Akagi-senpai and I weren't affected is that we didn't enter the house of mirrors when the spell was cast."
"Yes. I really don't know what exactly went wrong with Tabula Rasa, but as we were on pairs and we sddenly found ourselves alone with somebody we didn't know by our side, we might have though or actually believed we were with that person for… other significant reasons."
Ayako eyed Mitsui and Haruko.
"What do you mean 'actually believed?!'" Mitsui said furiouisly, standing up, "are you trying to say I actually believe I love my girlfriend but that we've got nothing to do with each other?!"
"Mitsui, please, calm down!"
Haruko pulled her lover back.
"Darling please, there is no reason why we should believe this…!"
Ayako frowned at haruko's statement. She had been there when the spell was being prepared.
"Why do you think you found the name Kaede Rukawa familiar, huh??" she asked Haruko, "let me tell you why—you are totally crazy for that guy!! Ever since high school!! You don't like Mitsui, for God's sake!!! Haruko, please!!!"
Haruko was in shock too but she tried not to listen to what Ayako was saying. She knew nothing about this Rukawa person anyway, and in any case, she had to follow her heart rather than what anybody was saying, and her heart told her to keep those blue eyes near her.
Mitsui was getting a little bit violent after hearing all that Ayako had said but Haruko was still holding him from the shirt and he dare not hurt her or anybody in front of her. He *had* promised he wouldn't fight again… hadn't he?
"Darling... " Haruko started, "listen. I don't know if what Ayako-san is telling us is true or not, but there is no reason we have to break up, anyway! I love you, darling, that's all I care for!"
Akagi almost faints and Kogure had a tough time preventing his mass of a body from falling to the floor.
"I love you too Haruko-chan. Let's go away from these wacky people. Bye loosers!" he said and grabbing Haruko's hand he took her somewere else.
"Wait!! Let me finish!!!" Ayako pleaded but they were gone and she couldn't warn them about what could happen if they didn't recovered their mamories fast…
Hana stood in his position on his chair, but his mind was somewhere else. His thoughs had set on Rukawa again and he was so concentrated he had missed the whole Haruko-Mitsui scene. Maybe he had realised he didn't care that much, as his main concern now was whether Rukawa was Ok or not and if he had recovered his memories by now. He would sure be hating him if he had done so and that got him somewhat depressed. He got off his daydreaming when he noticed aAyako was calling her name repeatedly.
"Hello. Earth calling to Hanamichi Sakuragi" she said sarcastically.
"What do you want now?"
"Do something!"
"What? About what?!"
"Were where you?! Mitsui and Haruko ran away and Kogure, Akagi and Ryota had to go find them because they don't want to break up on their first anniversary!! How's that?! Go get Haruko-chan back before Mitsui does something to her!"
"Grr!! That baka Mitchi!!!" Hana said, but just as he was standing up, the loudspeakers of the park called his attention.
"Sakuragi Hanamichi-san. Please Sakuragi Hanamichi-san, Rukawa Kaede-san is waiting for you at the entrance of the House of Mirrors. I repeat: Sakuragi Hanamichi-san, Rukawa Kaede-san is waiting for you at the entrance of the House of Mirrors."
"Huh?!" Hana looked very surprised and confused at the same time… seems he had remebered after all.
"Rukawa-kun?" Ayako looked up into the sky, "he is Ok, phew. Seems your foxy companion didn't have enough of you Hanam--"
She couldn't finish her sentence as the tall red head ran past her side, hurriedly, in direction to the House of Mirrors. She smiled.
"Seems you didn't have enough of him either…"
House of Mirrors once again, about 6 pmRukawa was standing right in the entrance of the attraction, not very sure of what he was about to do. He wanted to see this guy again and at least ask him if he was making fun of him or what, or maybe he was taking revenge for being him the one this Haruko somebody had chosen to like… who knows.
He just waited there, both anxious and maybe angry. There weren't many people near the place. It was getting late and the park closed its doors at about 7:30 at that time of the year, so those who had gone to spend their day there were already leaving and going home. The sun had started to set down, though there was still plenty of light and some early stars had started to appear in the clear, pail-blue sky.
He had been standing there for the past ten minutes and was about to abandon this crazy idea of his and forget everything when he saw Hanamichi's silohuette running towards him. Rukawa didn't know why but he immediately recignized his figure even though it could have been anybody.
Hana saw him right away and stopped just a few meters from where he was, panting. He leaned his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath back, while the dark-haired boy merely watched. He decided Hana's hair looked even cuter when it fell wildly over his face, like on that precise moment.
"I was about to leave…" Rukawa said, though his voice seemed absent.
Hana said nothing. He had his normal breathing back but didn't know how he could handle tha situation.
"…though you wouldn't come, after all the things you said…"
"I never ment them! I swear!" Hana suddenly looked at Rukawa's eyes and the foxy guy saw nothing but pure honesty in the chocolate bright eyes of the red head.
There was silence again. Hanamichi's cheek started to go slighly red and he had to avoid Rukawa's eyes to keep on talking.
"S…so… you recovered your memories…" he said shyly.
"Do think I would be here if I had done so?"
"Huh??"
Ru sighed.
"I met this two guys. Sendoh and Koshino. They told me about me and you and Haruko, and they mentioned the part were you hate me and love that girl, wich off course I already knew as that was exactly what you said when you hit me and left me clueless on the floor."
Hana bit his lower lip. He was trully very sorry for that.
"And as I am really starting to believe we really hate each other, I would at least like to know why on earth you let me kiss you, cause I've started feeling very weird and unconfortable things since then and if you don't give me a reasonable answer my head is going to explode…! If you were just making fun of me—"
"No! I… I wasn't making fun… of you. I couldn't remember a thing either! It's true… I… I was in the same position you were—are…"
"Then what?!"
"I—I dunno!! You were there and then we were kissing, I was very confused!! I had a mess on my head and suddenly I started to remember everything—everything!! And it *is* true, we used to hate each other but I don't see any reason why we should now…" Hana stopped as he remembered what Haruko had said to Mitsui before. I don't know if what Ayako-san is telling us is true or not, but there is no reason we have to break up, anyway! I love you, darling, that's all I care for!
"I love you, that's all I care for…" he whispered, evoquing Haruko-san's concerned tone. Ru couldn't hear him, anyway, as he was far enough to miss the whispered words. Hana suddenly started feeling dizzy again, but it wasn't the same kind of dizzyness he had felt before on the House of Mirrors, it was more like those he had felt back in the hospital when he was still in rehab. His back started hurting horribly and his legs were almost shaking. Ru noticed there was something wrong with him.
"Are you ok?"
Hana took a hand to his face. He remembered all the different attractions he had gone to that day and then the warning his doctor had gave him: Keep it calm or you might have a relapse and it will hurt.
"Shit my back…" he mumbled. Ru came nearer him.
"What's wrong?" he asked, getting really worried.
"Shit shit shit" Hana cursed as he tried to stand up straight, unsuccessfully. 'Not now, please, I *got* to settle things with him… not now please…' but his pleading wasn't heard, as he lost his balance and felt heavily to the floor.
"Hana!!!" Rukawa called unconsciously as he ran next to Hanamichi and tried to hold him up.
"I'm sorry… honki…" the red head got to say before he fainted.
Almost finished (I swear =_=.) with the other lot…"Mitsui-saaaaaannn!!!!! Doko kaaa?! Mitsui-san!!!" Kogure shouted. He had lost Ryota and Akagi somewhere while searching for Haruko and her 'darling' all over the place. He was lost and alone. Perfect! And Ayako-san had said he had to get himself back to normal before 6 or else he would never remember who he was. Fine! It was past 6 and all he knew was his name and that he was falling for one of his supposed-to-be best friend's sister's boyfriend—a guy (Mitsui, bah). He was starting to get a little bit desperate by the simple though of that all.
Ryota and Akagi were also searching for them. Akagi had tried to keep his calm on the basis both Haruko and Misui were acting strangely because of that stupid spell, but under its influences or not, this had gone much to far for him to take no action. If he had to literally beat common sense out of Mitsui, he would.
Back to poor sad megane, he was tired of following people arround so decided to take a break and calm down. He forced himself to a more open space were he could take some air and clear his thoughts. There was were he found them, still holding hands and walking rapidly, as if trying to avoid being seen by somebody.
'Shit' Kogure mentally cursed. He wanted to see everybody but them but then again his own common sense told him the correct thing to do rather than running away would be taking the couple back to the rest of the team.
"Mitsui-san!! Haruko-chan!!!" he called once more. There was something on Kogure's sweet voice that kept the happy couple from running away from him too. They both turned round and felt safer when they noticed he was alone.
"Kogure…" Mitsui started, looking onto the four-eyed boy glasses. Kogure returned a sad blue look.
"Where is everybody?" Haruko asked.
"Looking for you" was the answer.
"Hm… maybe we exagerated things a little bit" she said, grasping Mitsui's hand with hers.
Mitsui returned the gesture. "Hn" he said in agreement, keeping eye contact with Kogure, "But I'm not leaving you".
Haruko smiled sadly, for some reason. "Me either…"
"Tell them not to worry. We'll be OK. I'll take good care of her…" he said and turned round once more, with Haruko following his every step. Kogure saw them and felt he had to do something about it, before it was too late. Before he lost Mitsui for ever.
He closed his eyes for a second and though he had seen a day in the past when they were both in the gymn, fighting, and everyone was there too. He remembered. He remembered having admired Hisashi Mitsui long ago when he was still on high school and having loved him passionately ever since then… he remebered the confession a few weeks after the fight. The fear of rejection, the anguish and the happiness he had felt when he got his answer back—'yes'. Everything, every single moment they had been toghether ever since that day showed right in front of his eyes, making him remember how they kept their little secret and that almost-year-and-a-half relationship going on.
And now? He was about to lose all he cared for in his life.
"Mitsui please, don't leave!!" he begged, "Don't go, try to remember, don't leave me, please…". He felt exhausted of remembering everything all of a sudden and so felt to his knees, to the floor, tears in his eyes.
Mitsui freezed. That voice calling him like that broke his heart into a million pieces. Kogure sobbed and Mitsui let go off Haruko's hand. She didn't move, as she had seen Kogure's feelings on his eyes and knew there was nothing she could have done. (Note: hm. Haruko is not supposed to be so perceptive ¬¬)
Mitsui turned once more and walked towards Kogure.
"Ko—Kogure… what's wrong with you??"
"Hisashi, please, try to remember… please!!" he cried, wiping away the little tears that appeared from his gentle eyes.
Mitsui approached him, mumbling 'Don't cry, don't cry'. He knelt down besides him and then turned to Haruko, but she wasn't there.
"Please… I can't see you like this, please…" Kogure begged once more before bursting into tears again.
Mitsui embraced him strongly and felt his body under his own arms. His heart started beating fastly and then he knew. He loved him blindly with all his heart and soul.
"Don't cry… Min-kun. It's OK. I'm always here for you…"
(Note2: aw that was so sweet ^^)
Now, Haruko:
Haruko walked away. She wasn't sad but you couldn't say she was exactly happy. She was just… somewhat down. She walked slowly and not really knowing were to go. Mitsui's jacket was over her arms and shoulders and she was holding to it strongly.
When she raised her head she met three familiar faces to wich she smiled warmly. The first of the three was a very tall and big young man to whom se ran and embraced trustfully.
"Oniichan!!" she said, sinking her face into Akagi's chest.
"Haruko!! Are you OK??" he asked very worried about his little sister. She nodded in return.
"Everybody is fine and everything's Ok… oniichan" she looked at Ayako who understood everything she had seen immediately.
"Phew! So we did have a happy ending after all…" she came near Haruko and patted her on he shoulder. Haruko let one tear roll down her face, but Ayako wipped it fast before Akagi could see it and started asking about what had just happened.
"Wanna have a girl to girl conversation?" the older girl asked.
"No, it's OK. Really" Haruko smiled. Her love for Rukawa's beatiful blue eyes and dark hair had made her fall for the wrong person, but she had enjoyed the few hours she had spent with what had most looked like a boyfriend in her whole life—at least up to that day.
"Let's go" she finally said as she started walking opposite where she had left Mitsui and Kogure. She kept on smiling all the way.
7:40 pm, Hospital
Rukawa was sitting in the waiting room of a nearby hospital. Ok, he wasn't sitting, he was walking, making small circles arround the room, nervously. The other few people there were about to kill him. He was breathing hardly, trying to calm himself down. Good thing there had been a hospital near that area, as he wasn't very sure were to take the red head after he had fainted just in front of the House of Mirrors.
A nurse emerged from the room where Hanamichi was and called Rukawa. He rushed to were she was and was let into the tiny room where, on a white bed under a small window, Hanamichi slept soundly.
Rukawa felt very relieved. He sound of the red head's breath told him he was at least alive. He found himself smiling once more, coming near Hana's bed. The nurse behind him opened the door for a doctor that came right next to Rukawa and put a hand over his shoulder.
"Don't worry, he will be ok. As you had his doctor's phone number with you, we could help him get better. Now he needs some rest. He will be spending a day or two here at the hospital…"
Rukawa nodded. He had found both his doctor's and family number in Hana's wallet and was able to figure out what was wrong with him. Now what was left was calling his family but he preferred to do that once he had talked with him.
"I'll leave you now. If you need anything, please don't hesitate and call the nurse" the doctor said before leaving.
"You might want to get some rest too, Rukawa-kun" the nurse added before closing the door behind her and leaving Rukawa and Hanamichi completely alone.
Ru waited until she had closed the door to sit beside Hana. It was weird to think some hours before the situation had been the same but the other way round. He motioned his fingers towards Hana's head and moved his red hair from his closed eyes. He wondered if the hair was real or if he had dyed it, though he couldn't get a picture of him in the bathroom dying his hair neatly.
He smiled again at the chibi image of Hana in he bathroom. He felt so much better now that he was sure he would be ok… he stood up and looked again at Hana. He doubted whether to… or maybe not…
He looked around making sure he was alone, and when he did he leaned slowly towards Hana and kissed him softly on the lips. He then turned arround. Hana smiled in his dreams.
"Baka kitsune…" he said
"I'll see you tomorrow, baka doahou…" Ru whispered, as he walked to the door and pulled a faint little smile on his lips as well.
EpilogueNext day after that, everybody had learned about Hana's problem. Rukawa had called Ayako telling her what had happened and for Sunday afternoon even Sendoh and Koshino were there on the hospital. Hanamichi had woken up somewhere in the morning just to find Rukawa drooling over the white sheets while he slept at his feet. His back hurt really badly but Rukawa being there somehow made his pain easier to carry. He couldn't recall the exact minute where he started liking Rukawa, but now he was sure of something—he wouldn't let him go just like that.
And to think that the realtionship of two people that used to hate each other could change like that within one day… though one very bizzarre day, that's it. He decided he liked Rukawa's smile so much that he would try to make him smile more, if possible. Though, off course, nothing is impossible for a genious like him. NYAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Later that day the team came to visit him. Ayako, Haruko and Ryota were there, as they couldn't locate Mitsui and Kogure (Ayako mentioned something as celebrating first and a half anniversary and too much loving left them way too tired to come but nobody except for Haruko understood this so they preferred not to care) and Akagi had to stay home to study for one very difficult exam he had the next day. Koshino and Sendoh somehow got the news (never underestimate the power of a member of the Aida family—means they were friends of Hikochi, d'uh) and were there too (mostly because they wanted to make sure Rukawa was allright).
After arguing a while with the nurse that claimed Hana needed rest, not visit, they somehow managed to enter Hana's room, thanks specially to Sendoh's infallible technique to make women do what he wanted (much to everybody's amazement and Koshino's I-m-gonna-kill-you-Sendoh very present look). So the first three Shohoku people got to enter the room.
There ha was, lying bored on the bed, watching wrestling on TV. Rukawa was still sleeping on the same spot he had been the whole night and Youhei that had come a little earlier was there too. Hana had wanted to talk with him about certain stuff he believed to be important amd Youhei had given him his understanding and support.
"Please, don't tell the guys yet… I would preferr to tell them by myself… just to be sure I can headbut them if they laugh… nyahahaha"
Youhei sweatdropped ^^Uu "Count on me, man. I had it coming anyway.. hehe"
"¬¬ what do you mean?"
"I'm just joking!!!!!" Youhei answered nervously.
Then the door opened at least.
"Hanamichi Sakuraaaaaaaaaagiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!" said a womanly voice from the door, "Look who's here!! Konnichi wa!!!!!!!"
Ayako entered, followed by Ryota in his *in-love-with-Aya-chan mode* and Haruko.
"Good morning Sakuragi-kun" the later said with a smile. Youhei gave her a very significant look, and then he did the same with Rukawa. So that would be a very interesting thing to see…
"Haruko-san!" Hana said cheerfully as everybody was used to see him greet the small girl.
"^^ hi there. How do you feel?"
"Great because I am a tensai!! And better now that Haruko-san came to see this genious nyehehehehe!!"
"That is great! I'm really sorry your party had to end up like this…"
"It's ok, Haruko-san. It's nothing, really. My doctor said all I need is some rest and maybe next week or the other I'll be joining the team as ever!"
Haruko smiled and then turned at Rukawa. She blushed all of a sudden.
"'Rukawa-kun is here," she said inocently, "is he ok?"
"At least we know he is the old Rukawa for he called me yesterday to say everything was ok. And he is slepping like a tree so he must be fine…" Ayako answered.
Hanamichi turned his head towards Rukawa and smiled, only that this time he wasn't flashing his big, arrogant, self-confident smile. He was just grinning cutely and lovingly, and Haruko though he looked really sweet when he smiled in that way.
"He brought me here and sat there all night…" he explained absently, looking at the foxy guy with thankful eyes. The room was filled with silence then.
It was a beautiful sunny day and the birds outside sung cheerful melodies.
"Well, we better get going before that nurse eats Sendoh-san…" Ayako started.
"Yeah, and that Hiro-kun beats the crap out of us for letting her do so" Ryota finished.
"Get better Hanamchi Sakuragi, we'll be waiting for you at Shohoku!!"
"I better get going too, Hana" Youhei said, "the guys must be waiting for me at Pachinko…"
"Yeah you go help those lazy asses in, they can do nothing without you and the tensai, hm!"
Youhei smiled and followed Ryota and Ayako. Only Haruko was still in there. She was looking right at the floor.
"Sakuragi-kun…"
"Yes?"
"I'm really sorry… for what happened with Mitsui-san yesterday. I know you tried to help me and I… I acted like a fool. I'm really sorry…"
"Ha—Haruko-san!! Don't say that, please!!" Hana said, worrying for who used to be his beloved one. He turned to her in order to give her some confort but while doing this he accidentaly kicked Rukawa's head and woke him up. Bad thing to do, never *ever* disturb Rukawa while he is sleeping.
"Ru… Rukawa… oops" Hana said. Rukawa grumbled.
"I won't forgive people who bother me while I'm trying to get some sleep…" he calimed half asleep in his very Rukawa like monotonous voice. Fortunately haruko was there to save the day.
"Rukawa-kun!!" she almost cried, getting beet red on the face.
"Huh?" Who was she? Wait, he knew her name, he was terrible at names but… what was her's again?, "Haruko, ne?"
"Y…y…y…ye…yes…s…!". Hana gave her the sad look every person has when they are looking at somebody they love and still know they haven't got the slightest chance with. Rukawa noticed this and so stood up automatically. He knew this could mean losing Hana, but…
"I'll leave you alone…" he said. Hanamichi looked at him surprisedly. He nderstood what Rukawa ment, and this was probably the last chance he would get in his whole life of confessing to Haruko, and still…
Rukawa gave one step in direction to the door but then felt one strong hand grab him by the wrist.
"No, wait" Hana demanded, holding Rukawa, "Haruko-san was just going…"
Rukawa looked at Hana with surprise in his eyes. The girl stood up too, smiling.
"That's right, Ayako-san must be waiting outside so I better get going too. I really hope you'll get better Sakuragi-kun. Jya! Bye, Rukawa-kun, see you tomorrow." With that, Haruko disappeared out of the room.
The two guys kept quite for a while, until Rukawa broke the silence.
"I though you--"
"I had to make a choice. And I don't really care what her choice was back then, cause now I choose you".
He still had Rukawa's wrist tight in his hand, so he pulled the black haired boy to where he was, untill he got him sitting on the bed, right beside him.
"Suki dakara. I love you" he said while he embraced Rukawa.
"Me too… but now do me a favour and get some rest…"
Hana closed his eyes and searched playfully for Rukawa's mouth with his lips. Rukawa was trying to say something when he found them, and then once more he surrendered to the kiss, opening his mouth and letting the red head kiss him once again, passionately.
They made sure the door was correctly closed and kept on kissing savagely for some time, until they were so tired and breathless they had to stop and get some real rest. For Hana's back's sake at least.
They lied on the bed for the rest of the night, embraced. And smiling.
When the fire goes out,
When the crystal turns black,
The spell will be cast.
Tabula rasa,
Tabula rasa,
Tabula rasa.
~ Owari ~ The end ~
Yumi Rukawa October 22nd / 2002
**Yumi says: Ok so rukawa *was* a lil' bit Out of character, but hey! He had lost his mind and like *was* supposed to be… rite?? @_@. Anyway, it wasn't THAT bad, rite??? R/R and tell me of you liked it ^_^. Plzzzz!!!!! And, Oh, I just couldn't help the SenKosh part… they are sooooooooooo cute ^_______^.