DISCLAIMER: I own the storyline and the OC's. No one can take them away from me unless I say so! Bwahahaha~!
Author's Notes: For the reason that I was unable to update for a few days, I decided to post this one along with chapter nine. My computer and Internet connection are giving me problems again _.
Warning: Mild OOC, Short chapter.

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            Stupid Sendoh…Rukawa thought over and over again. He sighed and came into Sakuragi's ward. He was profoundly shocked to see the redhead sprawled on the floor, with blood oozing, dirtying the floor. He quickly sprinted to help Sakuragi up.
            "Hana! Hana, wake up!" said Rukawa, hissing and pulling his love, replacing him on the bed. Rukawa dashed to get Sakuragi's doctor. Don't let him suffer anymore…

            "Practice seems a bit dull without Sakuragi, don't you think?" Ayako mused.
            Miyagi nodded, two red hearts in place of what had been his eyes. "Yes, Aya-chan…"
            Ayako blinked once. "Say, isn't that Rukawa?"
            With obscurity, Miyagi looked away from Ayako. He could see Rukawa's soaring figure seated next to Sakuragi's bed.
            "Rukawa?" asked Ayako. "How long have you been—"
            Rukawa did not answer her question.
            "We didn't expect you to be here. Rukawa? Are you listening?"
            Miyagi, noticing Rukawa did not budge at all and that his eyes were fixed on Sakuragi's inert body, asked, "What happened to Hanamichi?"
            "He knocked his head on this metal table," explained Rukawa rather gloomily.
            "He's down for the count," commented Ayako, her voice slightly strained. "What did Dr. Matsuyama say?" She grimaced at the sight of Sakuragi's heavily bandaged head, and yet blood was till transparent.
            "Nothing." Rukawa looked down. On his lap was his discman, or at least the remains of it.
            "Should we inform the others?" Ayako asked Miyagi.
            Rukawa, regretful, grasped his discman forcefully, his forehead wrinkled. I couldn't protect Hana…how useless can I get…?
            A tiny pearl dropped on to his fist.

            Why is everything spinning? Why is my head aching so much? Why do I feel dizzy?
            Opening his eyes slowly, his fingers perceived a hand was clutching his own.
            "Hana?"
            Is that… "Kaede?"
            Rukawa leaned over him, anxiety written all over his face. "You're up…Yokatta…for two days you were in coma…"
            Two days? Does that mean—he was by my side all along? Sakuragi smiled weakly. "What happened to you? Your visage never showed any concern before, but now…"
            Rukawa swallowed a huge lump in his throat. Without him knowing a tear trickled down his face.
            "Kaede? Is anything wrong? Why are you crying?"
            Rukawa threw an arm around the redhead. "You can see, Hana! You can see now…"
            Although his vision was still blurry, Sakuragi could observe the sunlight through his window. "You're right…I can see…I really can see! Kaede!"
            Rukawa pulled back. "Do'aho, don't scare me like that…"
            "How was I to know? Oi, Kaede…"
            "Hn?"
            "You look more breath-taking than ever." The light behind the raven-haired player illuminated the outline of his features. "And I got my wish."
            Rukawa nodded in comprehension.
            "You know what I'd really like to see?"
            "What?"
            "I want to see you smile. Is that too much to ask?"
            "By no means…I have a solid reason to." Effortlessly, the ends of his lips rose, and Sakuragi was face to face with what may be the eight wonder of the world.

            "Are you trying to tell me," murmured Dr. Matsuyama slowly, incredulous. His brain was trying to process what the two freshmen were saying. "Sakuragi bumped his head on this table here," He placed his hand on the said table, "andthen he got his sight back?"
            Rukawa nodded once, while Sakuragi grinned.
            "This is unbelievable…" Dr. Matsuyama massaged his temples. "Inconceivable…out of this world…"
            "Sakuragi!" Voices were calling out his name. In a split second, the rest of Shohoku Basketball team was standing outside Sakuragi's ward.
            He turned to look at them, his eyes shimmering with excitement and elation, "Megane-kun! Mitchy! Ryochin! Ayako-san! Gori!" He addressed each and every one of them zealously.
            True to form, they gasped.
            "You mean this is not a joke?" blurted Akagi.
            "He has regained his vision?" added Mitsui.
            Dr. Matsuyama had asked the nurse to contact them as soon as Rukawa notified him about Sakuragi's miraculous recovery.
            "Because of that thump on his head?" joined in Ayako, mystified. "And why are you two holding hands?"
            All eyes were focused on Sakuragi's hand that was in Rukawa's.
            "I should've known!" exclaimed Miyagi. He glanced at Ayako, wishing expectantly.
            "No wonder Haruko refused to see anyone…She had locked herself in her room," murmured Akagi.
            Kogure nudged Mitsui. "Maybe it's time we disclose our own relationship?" whispered the bespectacled boy.
            Mitsui, with a naughty grin, shook his head. "It's more fun keeping it a secret, in my opinion."
            "Fun, no. Troublesome, yes."
            Mitsui laughed and patted Kogure's shoulder.

            "Ready to go?" Rukawa asked the next day.
            "Um, yeah." Sakuragi glanced around the ward. "I'm finally leaving this hospital. I thought I would be stuck here for the rest of my life." He held out his hand, returning Rukawa's shattered discman to its owner. "Sorry, I didn't take care of it very well…"
            Rukawa nodded. "Who broke it?"
            "Err…Haruko-san did."
            "...I see."
            "You're not cross, are you?"
            Shaking his head, "No."
            "She'll be fine, given time." Sakuragi beamed at his boyfriend. "Let's go, shall we?"
            "Take care of yourself," advised Dr. Matsuyama. "I don't want to have you under my care anymore should anything befall you in the future."
            Sakuragi laughed genially. "This genius can look after himself very well! You don't have to worry about me!"
            He's back. "Do'aho, your own negligence brought you into this mess in the first place."
            "KITSUNE!!!"
            Some things never change…
            "QUIET! Need I remind you we're in a hospital?" shouted Dr. Matsuyama in rebuke.
            They thanked the doctor and left the ward, Stepping out of the white edifice, Sakuragi remembered something.
            "Hey, Kaede…I wonder what happened to Sendoh…."
            Rukawa looked at the redhead curiously.
            "Well, I'm surprised that he hadn't visited me ever since the day I, erm, rejected him—sort of."
            "He's been taken care of." Rukawa hailed a taxi.
            "What do you mean?" asked Sakuragi, blankly.

            Sendoh heaved a long sigh.
            "Tired already, Sendoh?"
            Pouting, he murmured, "How come you're suddenly so full of energy? We've been staying back after practice and only go home late at night for days."
            Balancing the orange ball on his fingertip, Koshino Hiroaki responded in reproof. "Another round, Sendoh. Get up. Considering you're an ace I thought you would enjoy a one-on-one with me. That's why I come up with this suggestion."
            "But everyday?" Sendoh, who was on the floor, looked up at the shorter boy. "There's more to this than what meets the eye." His tone was grave.
            Koshino put on his most innocent expression. "What are you talking about?"
            "I can tell you're up to something, Koshino. I defeated you in every game of ours, but you still want us to continue. What's the meaning of all this?"
            Koshino bit his lower lip. "You really want to know?"
            Sendoh smiled beseechingly. "Pretty please?"
            A whitewashed sigh. "Do you know I've received a lot of complaints about you?"
            Sendoh blinked once. "Complaints? About me?"
            Koshino nodded and crouched, his eyes on the same level as that of Sendoh's. "From Rukawa."
            RUKAWA? "…huh?"
            "He told me he'll burn you alive, skin you, and then feed you to the dogs if he ever finds you nosing around Sakuragi Hanamichi—or 'Hana-kun', as Rukawa had referred to him."
            "…and?"
            "I could tell he means business, Sendoh." Koshino lowered his head, his fringes concealing his eyes. "I…I don't want you to get hurt, nor do I want to see you interfering in their relationship."
            "But, Koshino, why? I didn't know you care…"
            "You still want to ask me why?"
            "Koshino—"
            "This is why."
            Without prior notice, Koshino had kissed him fully on his lips. Sendoh could decipher how Koshino Hiroaki truly tasted like—seventh heaven. He was in cloud nine.
            When Koshino ended his demonstration to the spiky-haired ace, the former stood up and made an attempt to leave. Before long, Sendoh had pulled his hand, motioning him to stay put.
            "Koshino…I'm sorry…"
            Sendoh?
            "…for making you worry…that, and a lot of other things I've done…and I never knew I would hurt your feelings at the same time…"
            He's going to reject me…
            Sendoh pulled him closer, until Koshino's chest was against his very own. Koshino could distinctively sensed Sendoh's heart beating adjacent to his own heart.
            Sendoh went on, "You're not a bad kisser, you know…"
            "Sen—Sendoh?"
            Sendoh's forehead was on Koshino's, his deep eyes piercing into Koshino's nervous ones.
            "Come, Hiro-kun…I'll show you how the professionals do it…and how it should be done…"
            As Koshino treasured the moments he was in Sendoh's warm embrace, tears were streaming down his blushing cheeks.
            "I don't know why I had to look far whereas my true love has been near all this while…Forgive me, Hiro-kun…"
            "Akira?"
            My name never sounded better…coming from his lips… "Yes?"
            "Shut up already and just kiss me."

~{When Your World is Funereal – End}~

More Author's Notes: Yosh! Finished! I'm truly sorry for not being able to keep my promise to update daily! Sorry, sorry, sorry… *bows*
            Anyway, about how Sakuragi got his vision back…it seems a tad unrealistic, but since amnesia cases are "cured" that way, and that Sakuragi lost his sight because of the same reason, so I thought it's OK. If the fic seems a bit rushed, well, perhaps it's because it is. Guilty me… *sighs*
            That's it. Most probably I won't be writing fanfics anymore until late November 2003. My studies have to come first, sad to say  T__T. Thanks a lot for the reviewers, and I truly hope this fic is adequate and up to your expectations. *bows*
            Please leave me a review? No flames, I hope. Thank you again for reading!