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Disclaimer: Slam Dunk is mine. In my dreams.


Silence

The night is totally silent. Almost eerie.

Rukawa Kaede never has problems sleeping. Heck, the problem is staying /awake/. Dropping off to sleep is a reflex action, something that happens the moment there's nothing basketball-related to occupy the one-track mind.

Something's different tonight.

I can't sleep.

I've been tossing and turning on my bed for the past hour or so already. I've covered my eyes with the pillow, with the blanket. I've tried switching positions. I've even tried counting sheep; my sheep make dunks instead of jumping over fences, though. Nothing works.

Every time I think I'm finally going to fall asleep, a familiar face flashes across my blurry vision, clearing it again. A familiar face, with an unfamiliar expression. It's the same deep blue eyes, the same spiky hair. So what's different?

The smile. It's not there anymore.

It's so quiet.

I don't get it. I have /never/ seen Sendoh without his smile... till now. Even after Ryonan lost to us, he was able to muster a grin, false though it seemed. But at least he managed to make the effort, and succeed somewhat. So why? Why did it disappear so suddenly, when all I said was one simple word?

America. Yes, that is my dream. To go to America, where the best are. To play with them, train with them, /be/ one of them. I want to be the best. First in Kanagawa, then in Japan, then in the world. I might not be /the/ best, but I want to take the chance. At least I tried, right? I've learnt that it's useless thinking about what might have been. The best you can do for yourself is to see it through to the end. If you love something enough, don't let anything or anyone get in your way. No matter how great the risks, or how small the chances are, just do it.

Maybe that's why my favourite brand is Nike. Hn. Baka Kaede, what are you thinking? You're supposed to /sleep/. Why is that so hard to do tonight?

Sendoh is my /rival/, dammit. There's no reason I should be so affected by him. His strange mood. The way his blue eyes clouded over. That cheerful smile slipping away...

K'so. This is not helping.

Somehow the silence is making it worse. Why did my walkman have to run out of batteries today of all days?

I turn over again and thump my pillow. Sigh. Another thump. More tossing. Kick off the blanket 'cause it's getting hot. Then pulling it back up again as I start to feel a slight chill. I shake my head and sit up.

So many thoughts running through my head. I'm so confused. Why did he walk away from me so suddenly today? It's not like him to leave without a chirpy goodbye. Why did he stop smiling? It's not like him to frown. That's /my/ job. And... why the hell am I even thinking of him so much that I can't /sleep/?!

But the hurt in those blue eyes...

I give up. I throw off the covers and scramble off the bed. Head towards my desk and grab my cell phone. Fingers press the rarely-used buttons, almost like they have a mind of their own. It's certainly not /my/ will. Since when do I ask people for anything? I don't even know why I /own/ a cell phone. Pause. Are you sure about this?

I give in. I dial the only number that's stored in my phone.

A voice answers on the third ring. A voice that sounds so familiar, and yet there's something different. Perhaps I've just never heard it over the phone before. And then I realise... this is the first time I've ever called anyone of my own accord. No, it can't be just the slight static that makes the voice sound strange. A voice that sounds strangled.

A voice that sounds... dead. "Hmm."

"Sendoh."

A silence. Only a physical silence. For though there are no words spoken, I hear the voices in my head. I make out just one word amongst the jumbled thoughts: "Why?"

A silence. I don't even hear breathing. Not from the other side, and not on mine.

A silence. As yet unbroken.

"Why?"