Chapter 5 – Good News? Bad News?
A few weeks passed.
Tsuki had finally settled into her new life in Kanagawa. She woke up to a bright sunny day, and decided to go browsing at the shopping district.
The crystal reflected rays of the sun caught the corner of her eyes and she walked to that particular shop displaying the crystal figurines immediately, to the love of her life.
Peering through the display window, she saw the new collector's club ornament from Swarovski. It was the figure of a clown. Its head was resting on one of its knees and a drop of tear hanged on the corner of its left eye. It was a piece of mastery. The figurine looked as if it was alive, and the sadness in its eyes was so apparent that Tsuki felt a pang in her heart. She held her hands to her chest tightly, trying to hold back the pain. There and then she decided to buy that crystal statue, adding it to her precious collection.
Tsuki took a deep breath and walked into the shop asking the saleslady to wrap that figurine for her. Although it cost her almost forty thousand yen, she still think it was worth it.
Walking out of the shop satisfied, she held up the bag holding the figurine she just bought and smiled contently to herself.
"What are you doing smiling to yourself like that?"
A voice out of no where startled Tsuki. She looked up and saw Akida Hiroshi smiling at her.
"Hi." Tsuki said in a flat tone.
Hiroshi grinned. "How come I didn't see you at the fuel station again? Hope you're not avoiding me."
"Me avoiding you? Why'd I do that?" Tsuki replied with a half smile.
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe you're worried that I might ask you to race me?" He said with a wink.
Tsuki laughed. "Well…just being cautious."
Hiroshi struck a thinking pose. "Hmm…does this mean I should hide my driver instincts? I sure don't want to lose more business."
Tsuki nodded in agreement to Hiroshi statement with continuous laughter, while Hiroshi put a hand to his forehead in gesture of defeat. To that, Tsuki laughed more.
Tsuki tried really hard to regain composure after her laughing fit with giggles in between. Hiroshi on the other hand stood there waiting with a helpless expression on his face.
When Tsuki finally managed to control her laughs, she said apologetically, "I'm sorry, but your expression was so funny just now."
"Think I know that." Hiroshi blurted. "By the way, you never told me your name, don't you think that's rude of you?" He added jokingly.
Tsuki grinned and held out a hand. "Fujima Tsuki. Nice to make your acquaintance."
Hiroshi shook the hand she held out to him smiling. "Likewise."
"So, you own that fuel station?"
"Yeah." Hiroshi paused a little then continued, "Well, I'm one of the partners anyways."
"I see…" Tsuki took at look at her watch. "Hey, it's almost lunch time, wanna grab a bite to eat together?"
"Sure. Iko, I know this nice little restaurant…" Hiroshi said as they walked towards their cars.
After making a friend out of Hiroshi, Tsuki frequented his petrol station rather regularly, especially since she's got a fuel-guzzler for a car. Hiroshi never mentioned anything about racing in front of Tsuki, although they chatted about cars whenever they saw each other. She also acquainted herself with two of the employees at the fuel station, Kido Jun and Tachibana Issei, who were also members of Strikers. They too know about Tsuki's don't-ask-me-to-race-or-I'll-ignore-you-forever concept, so they also never raised "race conversations" with her.
* * * * *
Another week has gone by. Tsuki fell to her knees at practice on this day. Everyone rushed over to see if she's alright, but she shook her head and assured them that there's nothing wrong with her, that she just needed to rest for a while.
After practice, which Tsuki sat out of after her fall, Rukawa asked to cancel their one on one practice that day. Tsuki smiled and thanked him for his concerned and consideration of her situation. For that she offered him a ride home, to which Rukawa obliged.
On the way to Rukawa's house, he asked Tsuki if she's ill.
Tsuki glanced at him and shook her head. "No, I'm not ill. Guess I haven't recovered fully from the injuries I received from that car accident back in the States."
"It was really bad huh?" Rukawa said with his normal monotone.
"If having two broken ribs punching a couple of holes in your lungs aren't bad, then I don't know what the meaning of bad is." Tsuki replied with a slumped face.
Rukawa raised an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything.
(akane: At least say something comforting to her Rukawa-kun!)
(Rukawa: …)
(akane threw her hands up in the air.)
(akane: I give up!!! *sighs*)
(What can we expect from a block of ice…)
"Speaking of which, I'm actually due for my check-up tomorrow afternoon at the hospital." Tsuki said when they stopped for the red lights. She turned to Rukawa, "So, can you tell Miyagi sempai the reason I'll be missing practice tomorrow for me?"
Rukawa expressionless. "Hn."
Tsuki smiled. "Thanks Rukawa-kun."
"Hn."
With his continuous 'hn-ing', Tsuki let a laugh escaped from her lips. When the lights turned green, she shifted into first gear and still giggling.
As Rukawa stepped out of the Nissan muscle car, Tsuki smiled and said, "See you in class tomorrow, Rukawa-kun."
Rukawa, although expressionless as usual nodded in gesture.
After Rukawa got off, Tsuki sped home and rushed to her room before she collapsed into her bed with an audible sigh. Her chest still felt a little uneasy. She pushed herself up from her bed and opened the drawer of her bedside table, taking out a small bottle containing some medication for her condition. She took two small white tablets out of the bottle and hurriedly gulped them down with a mouthful of water. After a few minutes, she felt the medication kicking in together with the easing of the tightness she felt in her chest earlier.
* * * * *
Sitting in the office of her specialist, who was also the president of that privately ran hospital.
"Akida sensei, are my lungs healing properly?" Tsuki asked in a worried tone.
Akida sensei looked at her with much concern written over his kind face. "Fujima-san, you know you shouldn't be doing any vigorous exercise, of which basketball is one of."
Tsuki lowered her head. "Hai sensei, I know. But I can't tear myself away from the sport I love."
"Fujima-san…" Akida sensei was rendered speechless, yet extremely concerned.
Tsuki looked up at the doctor. "Sensei, but am I making any progress in the healing path?"
"Yes you are Fujima-san, but your recovery is hindered rather significantly by your sporting activities. If you hadn't played basketball that much, you would have recovered fully by now. You are straining your lungs by playing that much basketball, therefore slowing down your recovery."
"Do I have to stop playing basketball completely then sensei?" Tsuki asked with a hopeful expression.
Akida sensei sighed heavily. He knew it was impossible to ask Tsuki to give up basketball for now until she had fully recovered from her injuries.
"Fujima-san, I do not want to lie to you. It is best if you can stop playing basketball for now, for until you have fully recovered. But I know it is hard for you to do that."
"Sensei, does that mean…"
Akida sensei smiled kindly. "You can play Fujima-san, but not for long periods of time. In a competition, you may play for ten minutes. That is the maximum time span your lungs can sustain for such an active activity. So, you must not exceed the ten minutes for your lungs are still recuperating. Do we agree on that?"
Tsuki flashed a bright smile. "Yes sensei. I will hold up to my promise to you."
"Good. I do not want to see you stressing yourself and your lungs again anytime soon." Akida sensei finally showed a relieved smile. "Okay then, you may go now. But remember to take your medications on time to aid the healing and our promise."
Tsuki stood up and bowed sincerely to the grey-haired specialist. "Hai sensei. Doumo arigatou."
"Take good care of yourself Fujima-san. The next time I see you, I want to see your lungs fully healed."
Tsuki nodded. "Ja ne sensei."
"Ja."
Tsuki stepped out of the doctor's office and headed to the pharmacist's counter to collect the medication prescribed to her. Whilst she was waiting, she saw Hiroshi walking towards her direction wearing a white coat together with a few other doctors.
Hiroshi saw her and waved. "Tsuki-chan!" He walked over to where Tsuki was. "What are you doing here?"
Tsuki frowned, "Why do you think?"
"Miss Fujima, your medications are ready." The pharmacist at the counter called out.
Tsuki turned around to collect her prescription, which were snatched by Hiroshi as soon as the pharmacist handed them to her.
Hiroshi inspected the small bottles. "You've got lung problems?" He asked in bewilderment.
Tsuki stuck her tongue out at him and grabbed back her medications. "No big deal, just waiting for the punctures to reseal themselves."
"You mean your lungs were punctured?" Hiroshi wide-eyed at the information.
Tsuki nodded, "Yeah, from a car accident about four months ago."
"You're recovering properly I hope."
Tsuki nodded again, "Just a bit slow, and Akida sensei just told me that I should cut down the amount of basketball practice I'm having to increase my rate of healing."
"I see. Then you better listen to my father then." Hiroshi answered with a smile.
Tsuki let out an I-knew-it smile. "So, you're a doctor as well huh? Never thought that doctors can be racers, really haven't seen any around except for you."
Hiroshi shrugged. "Who cares?"
"True."
They both looked at each other then laughed.
"Hey, I need to get going. I'll see you around." Tsuki said.
"Sure thing." Hiroshi smiled.
Tsuki turned around and headed for the exit. She quickly got into her car and drove home because she had to report to her Aunt Kazumi about her consultation that day.
Since Tsuki's visit to the hospital, she told Anzai sensei about her situation. Anzai sensei was very understanding and told her to do as told by the doctor. Therefore, from that day onwards, Tsuki's time on court was cut down dramatically. Instead of playing and practicing with the team, she stood aside most of the time, watching the team practice. During this time she would pick out one or two team members and watch them play carefully, noting down the pros and cons of the member's techniques, which later she will help them correct.
Tsuki also omitted the one on one sessions she used to have with Rukawa after each practice. Rukawa was also understanding enough to cancel this little agreement of theirs. But with Tsuki on the sidelines, she also picked up tiny flaws in Rukawa's techniques, which she told him about and help him in correcting them.
Soon, the whole team had improved notably with Tsuki correcting their technical flaws. Tsuki also introduced the Shohoku basketball team to new training methods, namely those she was subjected to at her old school back in Washington.
Even without their ex-captain and center Akagi Takenori, and ex-point guard Mitsui Hisashi, the Shohoku team was stronger than before by the time the provincial high school basketball season started.
"Let's show them all that we are the strongest. Not only in the prefecture, but in Japan!" Miyagi announced the day before the official launch of the provincial summer basketball season.
Everyone replied energetically, "We are the strongest! Fight Shohoku! Fight!"
Tsuki stood beside Haruko watching the team shouting out their motto, and smiled proudly for them all. She knew that although she won't be playing much on court, she was still a not-to-missed person, required to support the team through it all.
"Yes, let the games begin, and we will show them that we are the strongest." She said softly.
Haruko turned to look at Tsuki and smiled brightly at Tsuki's statement.
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akane の tea house:
A lot of ramblings…*sigh* Guess I'm still trying to build the story…at least that's what I think I'm trying to do X_x
If any of you out there think this is getting boring…sorry~~ cause I'm actually writing this story in between my breaks of writing my thesis, which is a load of pressure sitting on my shoulders. That's why, if the fic start to drifting off to who knows where, please be patient with it, k? Thank you so much for putting up with me… Ciao then~ =^.^=