Author: I own the characters that are NOT from Slam Dunk…. If they are from Slam Dunk, they are property of Inoue Takehiko. Please don't sue me… Also, a foreword, I tend to be long winded when writing my fics, so at least you get the overall picture, as well as the locations/background, and worth your dollar on Internet charges! LOL Please do email/review me, and I can update the previous chapters. Thanks!

Words in italics or between slashes are thoughts, words within ^^ are actions, unless otherwise stated, words in brackets are locations usually before each section.

(=^_^=)  Chapter 15 – What the hell happened?  (=^_^=)

^FLASHBACK^

(On the sidewalk, near Shohoku High.)

She ran for what her legs could give, and Mitsui gave chase, shouting her name and begging her to wait for him. Mitsui soon caught up with her, and tackled her by the legs, knowing that she wouldn't stop running unless he did something. Kimiko ended up splat on her face, and when she sat up, she could see spots of blood on the road. She reached up to feel her face, and discovered that her nose was bleeding, internally.

"Itai…" both of them groaned.

"Kimiko-chan, daijobu ka? (Are u alright?)" Asked Mitsui, sitting upright.

"What do you want? Let go of me!!" asked Kimiko angrily, not facing Mitsui, her body lying face down on the pavement.

"Kimiko-chan, please listen to me…I… I didn't mean to hurt you back there on the court…" stammered Mitsui, as he let go of Kimiko's legs.

"And do you mean, you meant to hurt me now? Kimiko asked coldly. /Did you want me to get fatter with those chocolates too?!/ (L.I.D.[author]: ^Sweat drop^)

"I… I really think you're a nice person, and I would love to get to know you better, if you'll just give me a chance, Kimiko-chan… I'm sorry if I embarrassed you…" pleaded the 1.76m player.

"Do you expect me to give you a chance so soon? Mitsui-san, we've what… known each other for only a couple of weeks!!"

"Demo, Kimiko-chan, I really didn't mean to make fun of you! I'm really sorry!!!"

"Yeah, that's all and good, but why'd you have to make me bleed?" retorted Kimiko with daggered eyes, turning to face Mitsui. "It hurts, you know… Baka!" as Kimiko punched Mitsui on his face, making his nose, bleed as well.

"Itai!!!"

When Mitsui looked at her, and only an expression of shock could appear on his handsome face.

"Shimatta! Did I do THAT? Tissue, where's the tissue!" Mitsui exclaimed as he frantically searched his pockets for tissue, and realising he had none, for he was still in basketball uniform.

"No, you didn't do it, I tripped and fell 7 storeys from a building…"replied Kimiko sarcastically. "Thanks for the chocolates too, you plan on making me gain weight too, don't you?" Kimiko added icily, her fist with a bit of Mitsui's blood, trembling beside her.

Now that they were facing each other, the helpless look on Mitsui's face was priceless after Kimiko's last sentence. Kimiko couldn't stay mad at Mitsui anymore, and so she began to giggle, much to the puzzlement of Mitsui.

"Na da? (What?)"

After a few seconds, the both of them, then burst out laughing.

"Your face, it's priceless, with that expression of yours… ha ha! Plus, you don't look bad with blood on your nose too…"

"Never mind about my face or my nose, YOUR nose is bleeding!" scolded Mitsui, in a soft caring voice, when their laughter subsided. He then took his towel, and carefully wiped the bleeding area around her mouth.

/Does he care? Or is he worried I'm going to sue him for making my nose, bleed? /

"I'll be alright… I'm made of tougher stuff. You should go back…"

Putting a finger against Kimiko's lips, Mitsui began to speak.

"Kimiko, I truly meant what I asked you back there. I think you're a girl that's interesting, who can make me laugh with your sense of humour, can make me stammer, and can probably make me cry, but I doubt it, since guys don't cry."

Kimiko: ^Sweat drop^ /Kono yarou… (This idiot guy…)/

"What I'm trying to say is, you're not like other girls, and that's not only what I'm after. What I'm after is you, Toyowara Kimiko, and I want to be with you, to know you, and understand you. I guess, what I need is your stamp of approval on whether I can do that, on a public basis; you know…" said Mitsui, scratching the back of his neck with his palm. "I don't know if just made sense to you, but I hope I did… I care about you, Kimiko-chan, and I hope I can be, that man in your life whom you'll share stuff with…"

After what seemed to be an eternity, Kimiko looked up at Mitsui, with tears in her eyes, and hugged him. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, he hugged Kimiko back, and smiled.

"Hai." Mumbled Kimiko.

"Nani?"

Kimiko just smiled.

Mitsui broke into a wide smile, and shouted: "Yosh! (Yahoo!)" Before planting a kiss on Kimiko's cheek, which caused her to blush furiously.

The two hugged each other again in silence, feeling good that they had expressed their feelings for each other, before a sharp pain shot through Kimiko's nose.

"Itai!!! My nose hurts like hell now." Complained Kimiko, holding her nose, laughing. "It's all your fault, you know!" landing a playful punch on Mitsui's cheek.

"Never mind, I'm here, to make it all better…" said Mitsui, taking his towel, and gently wiping away the blood from Kimiko's face in a such a caring manner that the both of them ended up blushing again.

"Shall we go? I think I'll need the first aid kit at the court… Plus, I'll need to wash your towel for you, Mitsui-kun…"

"Iie, (no) call me Mit-chan from now on, my Miko-chan, for you're my priestess of luuurve now." Mitsui said glibly, with a wink. "Don't worry about the towel, you can keep it as a memento of when I asked you to be my girlfriend." grinned Mitsui.

"Mit-chan no baka!" laughed Kimiko, blushing.

"Let's go back, I'm worried about your nose, Miko-chan…"

"Hai."

Off the two went, back to Shohoku High, with Mitsui carrying Kimiko's backpack on his back, and Kimiko holding Mitsui's towel on her nose to prevent it from bleeding anymore. The two of them went back to Shohoku High, holding hands lovingly, as a couple should be.

^END OF FLASHBACK^

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(=^_^=) Meow!

L.I.D.[author]: Firstly, the replies…

Lady Harlequin-san: /smiles/ Glad I caught you off guard for a while there… I wrote that, coz I LOVE it when Inoue Takehiko inserts humour into the series. ^_^ I love it too when they cry… those waves of tears are hysterical! Do check out my second fic too! Arigato! Come back again soon!

Fehrocious-san: He he he… I'm posting it now, aren't I? Yes, you're review is nice, keep on checking! ^_^ Kogure is sweet, but just read to find out more ne?

Ghostwriter-san: Boo hoo, u called me baka! Never mind, Watashi Tensai desuuuu! Nya! ^_~ (joking) Do read on, and ganbatte on ur fic! *reads*

Anata-san: Hey, reviewing each of my chapters isn't a bad idea at all. /smiles evilly/ How do you like what happened in the street with these two? R&R me! See if had enough sugar or syrup to make you have diabetes, coz if not enuf, there's more where that came from! Bwa ha ha ha! Alamak, dun Grrr me leh…

Nellie-san: Hai! As requested, here is the latest chapter!!!! R&R Onegai!