I finally updated!

Sorry for the long wait. I just needed for my other fic to catch up. Anyway… The following chapter you will read is about Rukawa's thoughts. It may not sound like him but that's the best I can do.

If ever I don't update this story at once, that means I'm trying to finish my Fujima fic first.

Anyhoo… Enjoy!

Chapter 5 - Victim

It was the sun.

The bright morning light of the warm star blinded his vision. It made him blink and squint at the same time. He shielded his deep cobalt blue eyes with his slim fingers creating a barrier between the blazing sunlight and his eyesight. The burning heat caused him to perspire and tiny beads of sweat gently rolled down the perfectly chiseled features of his face, and all the way down to his neck. It was making it more uncomfortable and hard for him.

Then there came the wind.

Coming to his rescue, her endless arms were spread wide open, embracing him and softly kissing the surface of his pale wet skin. It made chills run down his spine for the moment, as he slowly gasped out for air with a slight shudder. The cool breeze continued to blow against him, slamming into his firm and slender physique. He declined his hands away from his face and slowly closed his eyes. It felt relaxing. Gently inhaling and exhaling, he let his thoughts wander off together with her...the wind.

My goal is to be the best.

I will be the best in all Japan.

I will make it to America.

I will be in the NBA.

I will be the greatest player there is.

No one can stop me.

He spoke to her, reciting those words in his mind again for the last time and a long deep breath. Then he let it all out…

He walked away from the edge of the rooftop and sat in the middle of the cool concrete tiled floor of the building. Carefully he lied down with his arms behind his head, watching the clouds frolic in vast blue emptiness.

* * *

"Why me?"

I ask myself this same annoying question almost everyday since that so-called incident in the gym happened. Of all the people in this school, why should it be me?

So, it is true. Shit happens.

"Why would someone do such an offensive thing?"

Yeah right. Like, who's dumb enough to answer that? No one confessed. So the culprit is still at large.

Who in the world is that stupid to compare me to a stuffed toy? I mean, you can compare me to a book or tree but a toy? That word feels particularly offensive.

"It's just letters."

You think I'm overreacting because of those? You're not the one getting these trashy messages with cryptic words about someone obviously obsessed with you in your locker almost every damned day. I fear for the safety of my things.

Now my teammates are suddenly expecting fan mails in my locker every practice.

It's nothing. I just want it to stop.

Especially now that even they are being just too interested. Stay away from my stuff.

"What do I think about the incident?"

I don't really talk too much because I just want my thoughts to myself. Is that bad? It's a free world, ain't it? So, that means is it free for them to make fun of me? What did I do to that crappy loser anyway?

What's in my mind, stays in my mind. Got a problem with that?

People think I don't give a damn. Hell yeah I don't. But…It's just a little disturbing.

My life is a closed book. I don't want anyone 'reading or re-writing' it. So what's their problem? Why? Why of all the people to annoy… why me?

There goes that stupid excuse for a question again.

Right now from where I am staying, I could sense whoever that person is, he or she or that thing is thinking of what to do next.

I still couldn't figure that out. If you want to scare the hell out of me, why not just go to my pad and kill me right there. Not that I'm scared of you. I'm not afraid to die. I've accepted long ago that death is a part of life. The point is, why involve the whole school? All I can say is, you are worse than that idiot redhead.

The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.

"What the f*** does he want from me anyway?"

He? If he was gay, probably. Could be a woman too. So what does she want from me? Painting the gym was acceptable. Why the soccer field now too? How could it even manage to do that?

That person is really sick.

An obsessed fan? I heard Sempai (Mitsui) mention that, I don't know when. Hell. I know I got fans. If you could call them fans, that is. Their squeals make me think of piglets. I doubt they want to be thought of as piglets. So why do they waste so much time yelling themselves hoarse? Seriously, they're annoying and irritating. They make you lose your concentration and interfere with games.

Who invented fans anyway?

They are parasites who will feed upon humanity, until they have completely co-opted your species.

I think I read that somewhere in my Biology book. Hn. I can't remember.

Why can't they just be themselves instead of pretending to be someone else? Do they actually think I would fall for that lame old stunt? Do'ahou. So, you're my fan. That's nice, thanks for the praising, but please… I'm not your God. I don't give for praises.

"Would I ever accept my fans?"

That's a question that hasn't been answered yet. It might be good having fans, but not like this.

Guess what. I do accept fans after all. Some of my teammates think I'm good. One of them doesn't think so.

"Where do I go from here?"

If this nonsense continues, I don't care. You enjoy that? Fine. At least I'm giving happiness to someone. Like I said, I don't give a damn.

"Happiness…Fullfillment."

One. Become the best player in all Japan; Two. Go to America; Three. Join the NBA.

Damn, my mind sure is talkative today. Must be something I ate.

* * *

He stood up trying to forget everything he thought. The man people call Rukawa Kaede heaved a sigh.

Once again he turned back to look at the sun and protected his eyes. Then he turned back and descended the stairs going back to his classroom.

"Rukawa-kun…" Some random girl he passed by and called his name. She blushed. Then another girl looked at him as if she would faint… or die. Her face becoming pale.

Still, looking like a moving tower, he continued to walk down the hallway. He heard countless whispers and sighs of every girl he passed by. The men he saw just stood there gaping at him, wondering how tall he was… mentioning his name like he was a criminal or some movie actor.

"What the hell is wrong with them?" He mumbled, his dark hair covering his eyebrows and almost touching his eyes.

* * *

I went down the stairs, knowing that I was late for my next subject. I don't know what subject it was anyway. Why bother? Going through the hallway, I could see some girls staring at me like I was some sort of creature from the heavens. One girl said my name. What do you get when you say my name? Do they even need to speak of me when I pass by? It's freaky, I tell you.

After that, she looked red like a tomato. No, even redder… almost rotten.

Then another girl looked at me, she looked like she just saw a ghost. So, I don't comb my hair? Got a problem with that? Am I that scary? Maybe she hasn't seen Akagi-san yet.

I continued my walk in the hallway of fame. I could still hear some students murmuring. I decided to ignore it, I was getting a little sleepy. Being under the sun for a few moments always made me drowsy.

Although, they woke me up. I couldn't believe it but, some guys where actually gaping at me. This school gets weirder and weirder everyday. I wonder what it feels to study in Ryonan?

At last, I arrived in my destination without getting hurt from all those glares, my humble classroom. To my surprise, even though my eyes didn't really look surprised, it was empty.

I forgot. It's P.E. They were outside the field.

I went to my seat near the wall pinned with paper full of announcements and sat down. Since there was nobody there at all to scold me, I took a nap. No one would dare to wake me up. They know they would end up hurt anyway.

I woke up during our Math subject. I knew it was math because I got a glimpse of the blackboard. Numbers and equations. I really don't like math, so I closed my eyes again and fell asleep.

I was awake when it was English. I needed that subject. Future use, when I enter the NBA. I really have a hard time pronouncing some words in the sentences but I kept on trying. Hey, we use some english terms too in basketball.

Our next class was Science, or maybe it was Literature. I don't know. We have the same professors for those two subjects. English made me really tired so I decided to sleep again.

It was 4 something in the afternoon when I woke up again. Great. Time for practice. I needed something to keep me alive this time. I rushed out of the classroom and headed for my locker to change my shoes when someone bumped into me.

Was that person blind?

It was a girl. I think I saw her somewhere before. Hn. But, I'm not really good at remembering things.

I eyed her from where I stood, she had short brown hair, up to the shoulders, she was looking at me nervously.

What?! It's not I'm going to eat you alive! Geez.

Wait, did she do that on purpose?

* * *

"G-gomen ne, Rukawa-san." Yumi bowed nervously, trying to hide her face. "I-I'm very sorry. I… I should really look where I am going." Without even letting him speak she fled, running towards the exit.

The tall rookie noticed she dropped something. A book.

"Oi." He knew she wouldn't hear him. He picked up the book and placed it inside his locker. Then he changed his shoes and went directly to the gym.

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You can shoot me now. ^_^