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 23 – Casey's Club Closure   (=^_^=)

(L.I.D.[author]: Please note, before reading on, if you have the songs, "Who the hell are you" AND "Don't call me baby" BY the singer Madison Avenue on your pc or CD, please listen to it later during the fic. Thank you!)

 (Casey's Club, Saturday Night, 15th of February)

"WHAT!!!!" Shouted Casey, the owner of the nightclub.

"Itai… You heard what I said, Casey-san… I'm sorry to have to break it to you, but I really have to…" shrugged Kimiko.

"B… But…you're our best act! I'll double your pay!!!" blubbered Casey. "Everybody loves you, because of your voice and humour! And you look so cute with your short hair now!"

"Casey-san… It isn't about the money…" Kimiko softly replied, as she held his hands comfortingly. "Please don't mistake my reasons… I just can't work here anymore…" Kimiko sadly looked at the floor. "And thanks for your complement about my hair. Ha ha!"

"What did that yarou Mitsui do to you? If you want, I'll pound him into bacon bits if he offended you!"

"Oh no! Casey-san!" Kimiko said, trying her best to laugh. "He didn't do anything… Tell you what, since we're friends, I'll discuss with my next working place to let me perform here twice a month, or when I can, what say you? You know I'm sincere, Casey-san…"

"Hai, I know you well enough that you're not the type to run and go unless there's a good reason… Hai, I accept your request… I could never turn you down, now could I, Kimiko-chan?" smiled Casey.

"Arigato, Casey-san!" cried Kimiko, hugging Casey who looked like Danny Devito. "I'll go get ready now for tonight's last show." Kimiko said, as she kissed Casey on his forehead, closing her dressing room door.

^FLASHBACK^

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

"Are you sure you want me to wear THIS???" asked Kogure, looking at the silk material Kimiko had handed him.

"Hai, now wear it quick, I have to go to work soon! You'll accompany me won't you, Kogure-sempai?" pleaded Kimiko. "Besides, I'll have to stay with you for a while ne? I already brought my luggage!" Kimiko said, pointing to her big suitcase that she had temporarily put in Kogure's room.

"Hai, Demo… This shirt is…"

"That shirt is perfect, Kogure-sempai! You'll look cool in it! Besides, after I'm through with you, Mitsui won't recognise you!" exclaimed Kimiko. "See, we even bought contact lenses, ne?"

"Hai…" sighed Kogure, as he resigned himself to her hands. "Just get it over with, onegai?"

"Hai!" cried Kimiko, smiling.

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

^END OF FLASHBACK^

"Kogure-sempai! You look absolutely kawaii!"

"Aa. Glad someone thinks so…"

"Honto ni!!! My female colleagues were all over me, asking me for your number!!" swore Kimiko, with her hand on her heart.

"Hai, I believe you… Now, where exactly do I sit in the audience, again?"

"Second set of tables from the right, facing the stage. You'll be fine. Just help me look out for Mitsui-san, and wink at me if he's there, all right?"

"H… Hai." Kogure blushed at the thought of openly winking at Kimiko, when she was on stage.

"All right, I'm ready. Iko ka? (Shall we go?)"

"Aa."

When Kimiko emerged from her dressing room, her hair was short, and neat, not like a boy's hair cut, but hers had wisps, and was also teased up, and her make up was stunning, complementing her round face. She was dressed in a black V-neck blouse, wearing Kogure-sempai pendant, with black ladies pants to match. She still subconsciously wore Mitsui's ring but didn't notice it. As for Kogure, he was wearing a deep maroon silk shirt, with gold cufflinks, black pants, and a leather belt with black shoes. He wore contact lenses, and his hair was teased up, and he looked as if he was a magazine male model. The both of them looked smouldering hot together, and brought a lot of attention from everyone. The males noticed Kimiko, whilst the females noticed Kogure. Two males especially took notice of Kimiko.

/Oh god, Kimiko-chan, you look so wonderful tonight…/ thought Kogure and Mitsui. (L.I.D.[author]: Hey, nobody said fat girls should look ugly all the time!!)

Going on the stage, Kimiko tested the microphone, and adjusted the microphone stand.

"Hello, testing 1,2 3… All right… Is everybody ready TONIGHT?" shouted Kimiko over the microphone.

A roar of approval from the crowd replied.

"I can't hear you! ARE YOU GUYS READY?"

An even louder roar was heard from the crowd.

"Alright! Tonight is Casey's Club Party night, yeah? Well, I'm sure you've been enjoying the sounds of the previous acts, who might I add, ARE fabulous! Give it up for them mou ichidou onegai! (One more time, please)"

^Loud clapping all around^

Kogure looked around, and saw, in the far corner of the club, a lone figure leaning against the wall. It was Mitsui! Kogure then quickly turned away, thanking the gods Mitsui didn't recognise him, and sat in a relaxed position, before winking at Kimiko's direction. His thumb pointed in the direction where Mitsui was, when Kogure put his hand on his mouth, as if he was wiping his mouth. Kimiko saw Kogure's wink, and subtly nodded.

"ALL RIGHT then… Mina, tonight, I have some good news, and some bad news… Which do you want to hear first?" A majority shouted for the good news, whilst the minority shouted for the bad news.

"All right, good news first… I'm going to sing you guys two songs tonight and we'll be having a blast tonight!"

A roar of approval from the crowd replied.

"Now for the bad news… I will tell you all after I perform! Ha ha!"

Everyone laughed.

"Therefore, I shall start tonight's first song, something called, "Who The Hell Are You"! Hope you all like it! All right guys, hit it!" Everyone in the club began to tap their feet, and all were soon dancing on the dance floor, with enthusiasm.

(L.I.D.[author]: Madison Avenue - Title: Who The Hell Are You)

* (Well) now when I was a little girl, my mamma sat me down and told me all about the world.

Now she, she told me true, she said one day you would probably break my heart in two.

But now I, I beg to differ baby; I don't take it, that way you like to give it.

Now look at you, on your knees, sweet as sugar baby, sayin' please.

I said I'm looking at you, well

Said I'm looking at you, aah hah

I said I'm looking at you, (yeah)

** Now who the hell are you to treat me like that?

I don't care where you've been, what you've done or where you're at.

Now who the hell are you to act that way you do?

You won't be smiling by the time I'm through with you.

Now who the hell are you?

Well now, ain't no cheating, ain't no lying,

Ain't no explaining justifying going on around here.

Now stand up and be a man, if you want it, come and get it baby catch me if you can.

Come on and catch me if you can

Well you know that, if you want it, come and get it, if you want it, Owwww.

[Repeat **]

[Repeat * , ** , **]

(End of song)

While Kimiko was singing, she danced on the stage sexily, and took several glances at where Mitsui was supposed to be, but mostly at Kogure. Kogure nearly had a nosebleed when he saw how sexily Kimiko danced. (L.I.D.[author]: Ha ha!)

/Masaka! Can she see me? Kuso!!!! / As Mitsui listened to the lyrics of the song, his heart was torn to bits, slowly but surely.

"All right! Now my next song is called "Don't Call Me Baby"! ENJOY!" Kimiko announced, as the music changed to her second song for the night.

(L.I.D.[author]: Madison Avenue - Title: Don't Call Me Baby)

You and me, we had an opportunity

And we can make it something really cool

But you, you think I'm not that kinda girl

I'm here to tell you, baby, I know how to rock your world

* Don't think that I'm not strong; I'm the one to take you on

Don't underestimate me, boy; I'll make you sorry you were born

You don't know me, the way you really should

You sure misunderstood, don't call me, baby

You got to learn that, baby, that'll never do

You know I don't belong to you

It's time you knew I'm not your baby

I belong to me, so don't call me baby

Behind my smile is my IQ

I'm must admit this does not sit with you likes of you

You're really sweet, mmm, you're really nice

But didn't Mamma ever tell you not to play with fire

[Repeat *]

(End of Song)

"Yosh! I hope you people had a good time tonight!"

A roar of approval from the crowd replied Kimiko.

"As for the bad news, mina, I'm afraid that tonight's my last night at Casey's Club, therefore, I thank everyone for your support, and hope you'll continue supporting Casey-san's establishment even after I've gone."

Kimiko took a very deep bow, smiled, and left the stage, towards the back door exit.

Everyone immediately stopped their chattering, and the whole club became silent.

"What?!?!"

"Kimiko-chan's last night??"

"Sonna! It can't be!"

Those were some of the murmurs that filled the club. Casey-san sweat dropped, and fiddled with his hands, getting ready to answer questions from his customers about the loss of one of his best singers.

Kogure was already waiting in a taxi for Kimiko, when she showed up from the back exit. Kimiko hopped into the cab, and the both of them went back to Kogure's home. Kimiko leaned onto Kogure's shoulders, and cried all the way back.

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

When they both returned to Kogure's home, they bathed (L.I.D.[author]: In separate bathrooms of course, hentai!) and dressed into their night clothes. Kimiko sat on the living couch, waiting for Kogure, who was preparing some hot chocolate.

"Hai, Dozo." Said Kogure, placing a mug of piping hot chocolate, with mini marshmallows on top.

"Marshmallows! You remembered, Kogure-sempai!"

"Ha ha! Nan da yo? (What do you mean?) You never take hot chocolate without marshmallows, unless unavailable, ne, Kimiko-chan?" winked Kogure playfully, sipping his own hot chocolate slowly, making himself comfortable on the couch.

"Ne, Kogure-sempai, I'm ready for it now…"

"Are you sure?" Kogure looked deep into Kimiko's eyes.

"Hai." Said Kimiko, sitting closer to Kogure.

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

(=^_^=) Meow!

Replies!!

Cherry Blossoms Kaorin-san: No problem at all! ^_^ Oh, I end my story with a Meow and a cat face to know that it's the end of the chapter, (IF they are as dense as Hanamichi! :p) but seriously, it's my way of saying HI! To my readers, and how cute and chibi I can be! ^_^ Hope that answers your question! ^_^

Babygwing-san: about time you came to my fic! LOL was wondering when you'd come over! ^_^ *hugz* LOL As for the Jap words, I'm sorry, coz I intended to write for those who knew a bit of Japanese, but I'll include more translations now, okie? :p except to those small words which are VERY obvious. :p And my fic, it goes all the way when Akagi and Kogure were in the first year, way before slam dunk started. Thanks a lot!

SyiveSe-chan: *LOL as you swoon and nose bleed about Kogure* Ha ha! You're Kogure mad! Hey, it isn't easy coming up with four fics, but I hope to finish one of them soon! LOL

F5C-san: Will do! Hope you like this chapter, and look out for the next one coming out soon after more wonderful people like you review! ^_^

Lady Harlequin-chan: Erm, it's not yet the end, so you'll have to figure out who she ends up with… he he he… *Evil grin* I'm glad you got tingles up your spine when you read the last chapter, and I hope to send more on the way! LOL Enjoy this chapter! Dozo!! ^_^

Super rookie-chan: Yep, they kissed twice! LOL Glad you saw the humour in that! ^_^ Come back soon!

Nellie-chan: LOL We'll see how this goes, coz I want the readers to enjoy my fic! ^_^ *hugz*

Ghostwriter-chan: It's too soon to tell. :p

Mitsui no Miko-chan-chan: Oh no, Kimiko didn't get over him yet… Just for your info.

Fehrocious-chan: THANK YOU for being the 100th person to review me! ^_^ *hugz* I'm so happy that my first fic has gotten so much support from lovely readers like you! ^_^ Okie, on to proper replies… *covers ears as fehrocious-chan screams her head off* LOL okie, so now I know you're not hentai. *stcks tongue back at you!* LOL :p *sweat drops at Rukawa-kun*

Demented ding-chan: LOL Kogure does NOT ogle!!! (yet) Nya ha ha ha!!!! :p Come back soon, and hope you liked this chapter!