AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey, guys! I haven't update this story for a long time. The lazy bug bit me. Oh well, that's water under the bridge now. Here's chapter 4.
LEGEND:
"italic" – thoughts
plain italic – flashback
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Slamdunk. All copyrights belong to Takehiko Inoue.
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He never really smoke. Just a single stick every now and then but he wasn't a chronic smoker by anyone's standard. Even when he was still with Tetsuo and his gang, he was never into these vices. And though his parents suspected that he's taking drugs, the only drug that he was really addicted to was caffeine. After he had joined the basketball club again, he had practically sworn off cigarettes in his life. But today was different. Mitsui just couldn't stand the sadness that seemed to had dawn over the school and most especially the basketball club. Heck, even some basketball members from different schools attended Sakuragi's funeral. It was really quite surprising to see some of their opponents like Maki, Sendoh and Uozomi paying their last respect to Sakuragi. It was even more surprising to see the throng that attended the redhead's funeral. It seemed like the brash, loudmouth boy had quite a number of friends. "Lucky bastard…" Mitsui muttered but he couldn't help getting misty-eyed.
He missed that redhead monkey. It has just been four days since Sakuragi had passed away and yet, the place had that eerie quiet that's practically ramming into his head the void that Sakuragi left. He would have preferred to have a basketball practice today and hear the rhythmic thump of the basketball rather than settling for this peace. But Akagi and Coach Anzai called off practice today as a sign of respect for Hanamichi. But Mitsui just couldn't bear staying still and have his mind be flooded with Sakuragi's memory. It just too damn painful. With nothing else left to do, he grab a ball and headed to the nearest court.
While walking towards the court, Mitsui was finishing his single stick of cigarette when he heard the sound of the basketball bouncing on the ground. "Who could that be?" He quickly put off his cigarettes and headed toward the court. Mitsui smiled inwardly when he saw who was at the court. "Rukawa!"
Meanwhile, Rukawa was busy practicing his lay-ups and his three-point shots. Like always, his face was emotionless and as cold as ice. But upon closer inspection, a hint of determination was etched on his face as if Rukawa was battling an unknown opponent. He would swerved to the left then to the right, then did a fake before he attempted a fade away shot that hit the rim before finally going in. Rukawa, seeing that his shot went in, slump on the pavement and wiped his forehead. "Do'aho." Rukawa thought.
"Rukawa!"
The raven haired boy turned at the direction of the voice and saw Mitsui jogging towards him. Rukawa stood up as a sign of respect and greeted the older boy. "Sempai…" Rukawa bowed before he fished out his bottled water into his bag.
"Nice move you got there." Mitsui praised his kohai as he watched him took seat once again. Rukawa just slump his head so that Mitsui wouldn't able to see any trace of sadness that might come into his eyes. Little did Mitsui know that Rukawa tried that move on Sakuragi. It was the day before the redhead's death and as usual, Sakuragi challenged him to a one-on-one. Sakuragi lost but not that badly. The score was 10-6, in favor of Rukawa.
Both boys was sweating heavily and catching their breath as they face-off against each other. The score was 8-6 in favor of the 'kitsune'.
"NYAHAHAHAHAH! I'll beat you kitsune!" Sakuragi boasted as usual. Rukawa just gave him what sounded like a grunt. He dribbled the ball, thinking of his next move. Sakuragi posted his defense. "Come on, kitsune." Sakuragi said with a half-smile on his lips. Rukawa just smirked at him.
Rukawa dribbled again then attempted his move. He swerved left then to the right. Sakuragi's defense was sticky and Rukawa could barely saw an opening to shoot. He swerved again to the left then did a fake to the right. He thought that Sakuragi took his fake so he did a fade away. But apparently Sakuragi wasn't that dumb anymore in basketball.
Sakuragi saw that Rukawa did a fade away shot. "Not in my court, pal!" Sakuragi jumped at the same time Rukawa attempted his shot. Rukawa was stunned to see that Sakuragi perfectly blocked his jumper. The ball bounced before rolling off in mid-court Sakuragi did his tensai pose and laughed his ass off. "NYAHAHAHAHAHA! The tensai just proved once again his tensainess! NYAHAHAHAHAH!"
"Tensainess?" Rukawa looked at Sakuragi's laughing form then at the unattended ball at mid-court. An evil glint passed his eyes. He left Sakuragi to his bragging and retrieved the ball. Without even being noticed by Sakuragi, Rukawa went near the goal and simply throw the ball at the ring. It went in. "I won." Sakuragi, who was busy laughing, was suddenly cut-off. "NYAHAHA-Nani!?!" Rukawa picked up the ball and shoot the ball again. "I won." He repeated. Sakuragi's face went from shock to annoyance.
"ARRRRGHHH! Kitsune, you cheated!"
"Iie."
"You cheated!"
"Iie."
"You cheated!"
Rukawa stared Sakuragi's fuming face. The electricity was thick in the air. Finally…
"Do'aho."
"TEME!!!!!"
As usual, the one-on-one ended in a brawl. After a couple of kicks, punches, and a good number of bruises, both boys were sprawled on the floor panting. Sakuragi was the first one to recover. "Grrrr. Damn you kitsune! Next time, I swear." Sakuragi huffed and puffed. Rukawa remained silent while catching his breath. Then the latter stood up and went to the locker room. "Matte, kitsune!"
Rukawa stopped at his tracks without looking back at the redhead. "Oi, kitsune. What's your Christmas wish?" Rukawa couldn't help but face-faulted at Sakuragi's question. "That's none of your business." He replied coolly. Sakuragi growled under his breath and didn't pursue the matter. "Damn kitsune! I was being nice to him. Why did I even bother to ask. Grrr.Stupid. Stupid kitsune! Arrrgggh!" Sakuragi banged his head on the floor.
Rukawa continued walking but he could hear Sakuragi muttering and giving the poor floor a mighty dent. Rukawa thought that it wouldn't hurt if he would just answer his question. "To be the number 1 in Japan." Rukawa said quietly. "Ore?" Sakuragi looked up from the floor. "I want to be the number 1 in Japan." Does he need to repeat everything he said tonight? Suddenly, the self-proclaimed tensai gave out a big laugh. "NYAHAHAHAHAHAH! It won't happen while the tensai is still here! NYAHAHAHAHA! Besides, you can't even beat Sendoh! NYAAHAHAHAH!" Sakuragi was practically rolling on the floor.
A vein popped in Rukawa's head at Sakuragi's last remark. Rukawa wasn't such a violent person, mind you. But this redhead just piqued his ire. He strode on the laughing idiot and gave him a kick in the butt.
"TEME RUKAWA! What did you do that for?"
"Do'aho."
"RUKAWA!"
The two ended up in a fisticuff once again.
"Rukawa. Rukawa!"
The young man turned to Mitsui. He had sat there dazed and he wasn't mindful of what his sempai was saying. Mitsui just gave him an odd look then smile knowingly. "You miss him, too." Rukawa glanced at Mitsui briefly then averted his eyes. "Why would I miss that baka?"
"Tsk. Just admit it." Mitsui sat beside the raven haired boy. Rukawa kept his silence. Mitsui glanced once again at the boy beside him and said, "He would have been your biggest rival in the two or three years time." Seeing that Rukawa was as quiet as ever, Mitsui continued what he was saying. "It would be very funny to see you two working together. I can't imagine when will that time comes. You could be best friends you know." Mitsui couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Rukawa and Sakuragi being the best buddy. Not a minute passed without them snarling at each other's throat, for God's sake.
"I don't know him."
"What?" Mitsui asked, surprised.
"I don't know him, sempai." Mitsui stared at the boy's passive face and saw a hint of sadness that marred Rukawa's face. "How could I befriend him when I don't even know him?"
Mitsui smiled half-heartedly. "Are you regretting the fact that you always seemed to pick fight with him?" Rukawa looked at him surprisingly. "That you are cold and aloof with him? That you had never let him win any of your one-on-one basketball matches?" Mitsui looked intently at the younger boy. "Rukawa, I think you know him better than we all do." Mitsui stood up and shot a three-pointer. The ball went in. But instead of retrieving the ball, Mitsui continued what he was saying. "You could have let him win in those matches but you didn't. You knew that Sakuragi's pride was at stake. And yours too. Both of you brought out the best in each other. You just didn't notice it but if you only saw how good your partnership with him on court…" Mitsui sighed then brushed an imaginary lint off his shirt. "That partnership wouldn't happen if you didn't know each other very well." Rukawa's head immediately shot up at Mitsui's last sentence. "Think about it." Mitsui grabbed his basketball and gave a small wave to Rukawa before finally leaving the court.
Rukawa looked up at the sky, pondering over what Mitsui said. The day seemed to be a little brighter after Mitsui's little talk. "Good partnership, huh." And then Rukawa smiled.
Mitsui, on the other hand, stopped by at Danny's for a drink. He really missed that baka. He had a lot to be thankful for Sakuragi. Mitsui knew he wouldn't be back in the basketball club without Sakuragi and his gundan taking the blame for him beating up the basketball club. And he would have been dead right now if Sakuragi didn't arrive on time to save him from his former gangster friends. "That baka. I'm getting sentimental because of him." Mitsui remembered one their last talk together. Sakuragi peculiarly asked him what he wanted for Christmas.
"Oi, Micchi."
"Stop calling me that!"
"Fine! Then oyaji!"
Mitsui sighed resignedly. "Micchi is better…"
"NYAHAHAHAHAHA! Someone doesn't want to admit that he's an old man!"
Mitsui gave Sakuragi a whack in the head. "BAKA!"
"ITAI! Why did you do that to the tensai! Micchi-baka. Gori the second. Che!"
Mitsui shook his head in resignation. This boy will not learn any respect. "What is it baka?" Sakuragi acted as if he hadn't heard the last remark. "Oi, what's your Christmas wish?" Mitsui gave him another whack in the head. "Why do you asked that, baka!?!" Sakuragi hold his throbbing head. He felt a bump forming. "Itai…Hey, I'm being kind here!" Mitsui looked at the bumbling redhead, as if waiting for the punchline to come.
"Well?"
"Well, what? That's none of yo-" But Mitsui was promptly cut off by Sakuragi. "GAAAAAA! Look at the time! My mother's going to kill me! Micchi, just tell me tomorrow, ok?" Just like that Sakuragi quickly dashed away, leaving a stunned Mitsui behind.
Mitsui watched the retreating back of Sakuragi and smiled inwardly. In his heart, he knew what he wanted. "A family…I want a family for Christmas."
He never did tell Sakuragi his wish. He couldn't possibly do it now that he's gone. He envied Sakuragi. The redhead was obviously well loved by his mother. Unlike his parents…a small sigh escaped Mitsui's lips. Sure he had money. His parents were even kind enough to buy him an expensive false teeth so he wouldn't be insecure to walk down their school with front teeth missing. But Mitsui just didn't care about money. He wanted their attention. But they didn't gave it to him so he turned to basketball. And when basketball was almost taken away from him, he turned to Tetsuo and his gang. Besides, his parents barely trusted him even when he returned to basketball.
It's not as if, they didn't try to reach out to him. It just that, the wound and the distance between them had grown so much that it was almost impossible to mend it. Mitsui's finished his iced tea and stood up. Too much thinking was giving him a bad headache.
After a few minutes, Mitsui finally reached his home. He found the door open and was greeted by the sight of his parents waiting for him at the living room. "Tadaima." Mitsui said without even looking at the two figures and was almost at the stairs when he was called back. "Where have you been?" His mother asked softly. "Your mother was worried about you." His father added. Here goes their suspicion again. "Look, I'm not with any gang alright? I just went to the court and shoot some hoops then went to Danny's for a drink." Mitsui replied almost exasperatingly.
"Look honey…we're just worried about you."
"Stop worrying, mom! I'm already grown-up. Don't treat me like a baby!" A deafening silence hung over them. Mitsui was the first one to broke the silence. "Look…I'm going to my room, now. Goodnight."
"We just don't want anything bad happening to you…especially after what happened to Sakuragi."
Mitsui looked at his dad and for the first time, he noticed how old he had become. In a span of two years since he rebelled, Mitsui's dad became old from too much worrying for his son's safety. Mitsui realized that if he wanted a family, maybe he should be the one to patch up this old wounds that he himself helped create.
"I'm sorry for making you worry…It just that…"
"Maybe we should have a little talk." His mother suggested. Mitsui's father looked at him hopefully. He wanted to make this family whole again and finally mend the distance between him and his son. Mitsui looked at both his parents and smiled.
"Yeah, a talk would be nice."