Slam Dunk is not.oh, whatever.
Chapter 5
Rukawa was getting more and more irritated with his brother. Kiyomuri had never stopped asking him stupid questions, like how he managed things when living alone, or how were his grades at school, or whether he had been fighting at school etc. He answered as curtly as possible, hoping that Kiyomuri would leave soon. He could sense that his onii-chan was feeling very guilty of leaving him in the first place, eight years ago. But he was not ready to forgive him. For what reason? Why should I forgive him? When he was in San Francisco I bet he didn't even give a thought to otousan and me back here. He just became rich, married and forgot about life back here. Damn him, Rukawa thought rather bitterly.
"Kaede, you should not live alone," said Harusumi's soft voice. Rukawa kept silent. He somehow liked Harusumi's soft voice and gentle way. Although her words sounded like she was bossing him around, he felt that she was being motherly. Or sisterly. Or whatever. She reminded him about his mother, Mizuki. Thinking about Mizuki just made his heart ache, and he realized, that no matter how he tried to hide it, he was really missing her and wanted her back.
"Haru-chan is right," added Kiyomuri. "It's dangerous. You should have told us that otousan has passed away. We would have come home straight away."
Rukawa felt a hot surge or anger. Would you? He demanded silently. "What's so dangerous about living alone? There's nothing wrong with it," he said, his voice shaking with anger. Then he added bitterly, "Besides, I don't even have your address or phone number in San Francisco."
There was an uncomfortable silence. For once, Kiyomuri was at a loss for what to say. What am I to say to him? What the hell is wrong with him? Then, Kiyomuri felt a pang of guilt. He should never have left home in the first place. Why, he had never even contacted otousan since the day he left. "Kaede, I - I'm sorry."
"For?"
"The day I left you here, Kaede. I never dreamed that you would be so alone. And what with otousan's death. I - I know it must have been very hard for you to bear, with me leaving after okaa-san had left," Kiyomuri sighed. "I - I'm sorry Kaede."
Rukawa was silent. Kiyomuri was apologizing to him. Should he accept it? Should he? I don't believe him. I don't believe him. He's lying. He's not sorry at all. Rukawa repeated the words again and again in his head. Then he replied, "You know, onii-chan, everyone in school calls me a cold, emotionless bastard behind my back. They think that I'm so damned blur and don't know what's happening around. But I have ears, like you, like them. I am not deaf. I can hear what they say. And it's your fault I'm like that, it's your damned fault."
Kiyomuri stared at Rukawa in shock. He had never expected Kaede to be so cold, so unforgiving. "Fine, Kaede," he said as calmly as he could. His face was livid in anger, and his knuckles were white with clenching his fists so tightly. "If you don't want to forgive me. Fine."
That was all he said before walking out of the house. Harusumi stared after him, got up and was about to follow him when she turned around and said to Rukawa, whose face betrayed no emotion. "You're the cold, emotionless bastard they all say you are is not because of Kiyo's fault. It's your own fault you became like this. You chose to be come like this, Kaede. It was your own choice."
**************************
"I can't let him live like that, all alone," said Kiyomuri rather soberly to Harusumi. "After all, it is partly my fault that he's alone."
"I know how he feels, Kiyo," she said softly. "I mean like, how would you feel if the people that you love and trust just walk in and out of your life like that? Kaede's gone through a lot in his life, and he has had to face a lot of things in this world alone. I don't think he was prepared for your sudden homecoming."
Kiyomuri thought hard. "What can I do?" Then it hit him. "Okaa-san!" he cried.
"Where is he now?"
"I last heard from otousan nine years ago that she moved to Osaka after the divorce," he said, swallowing hard. "But, I might get her whereabouts from her one of her closest friends. I'll tell her about Kaede. She won't be so hard-hearted as to just reject him."
Kiyomuri pulled out his mobile phone from his pocket. "Mrs. Tanaka is a really good friend of okaa-san," he said. "I have her number with me. She is sure to know where okaa-san might be."
He quickly dialed the number and waited almost impatiently for her to answer the line.
"Moshi-moshi?" came a voice from the other line.
"Er - Moshi-moshi. Is this Mrs. Tanaka speaking?"
"Yes, this is Ayaki Tanaka. Who is this speaking?"
"This is Kiyomuri Rukawa, Mizuki's son. Listen, Mrs. Tanaka, I have something very important to ask you, do you know where is okaa-san is staying in Osaka? This is really urgent."
"Mizuki? Why, she's moved back to Kanagawa recently! Kiyomuri, is that you? Mizuki will be happy to see you and Kaede again. And do you know, Kiyo, she's married again to Hanomuri Sakimoto!" Mrs. Tanaka gave the address and Mizuki's phone number.
He dialed Mizuki's number on his mobile. His heart was beating wildly. What would he say to okaa-san right now? He had not talked to her for nine whole years. He felt nervous. But what shocked him most was the fact that she was married again. She might not want Kaede or him back anymore.
"Mizuki Sakimoto speaking."
There was a brief silence. Then, "O - okaa-san," Kiyomuri's voice trembled with emotion.
Another long pause. "Ka - kaede?"
"No. This is Kiyomuri."
"Kiyomuri!" cried Mizuki shocked. "How are you? How are things at home? And how is Kaede?" She let all the questions flow out of her before adding, "I've missed you and Kaede a lot, Kiyo, I really have, and I regret not keeping in touch with you. But I was afraid of your otousan."
Kiyomuri took a deep breath, and then proceeded to explain everything about Kaede's life and about everybody he loved leaving him. Mizuki listened shocked.
"Your otousan, dead? And poor Kaede living alone?"
"Listen, okaa-san," said Kiyomuri. "Why don't we meet somewhere? Then we can talk. How about by the park?"
"I'll be there, Kiyo."
********************
Mizuki stood at the entrance of the park. The wind blew gently and caressed her face. She kept looking across the road and around, in case Kiyomuri had arrived and she had not noticed or recognized him. But, when he arrived, she recognized him immediately. The same wavy brown hair as her first husband, chocolate eyes like her, but this time an earring glinted on his left earlobe. He was with a small, slender woman.
She ran to him, and he, to her. And there, they embraced on the spot, each feeling the joy of finding something they had lost. Harusumi smiled gently, the wind whipped her hair across her face. Mizuki was crying. Tears of joy streamed down her cheeks and dropped slowly to the ground.
After Kiyomuri had made all the introductions between his mother and wife, they proceeded to talk about Kaede.
"I have to see him immediately," said Mizuki rather worriedly. "He might not be feeling well. He's asthmatic, you know."
Kiyomuri knew. "He looked alright to me when we visited him yesterday," he said. Then his face lit up. "But I know how you could surprise him. He's playing in a basketball match against Ryonan High School tomorrow morning. You could be there to support him."
Mizuki thought for a while. "I'm positive it was Kaede who saved Chihiro's life the other day," she told Kiyomuri. "Never mind, we'll find out tomorrow."
"The match will be held in his school, Shohoku High tomorrow morning," said Kiyomuri.
"And that's where we are going."
Tbc.
Ah.another chapter done.at last. Boring? Review me n tell me pls.
I'm reeelee sori bout de paragraphing..everytime I upload a de chapter it becomes like this.I can't help it. So sori..uRRgh, I need sum teh tarik right now!!
Chapter 5
Rukawa was getting more and more irritated with his brother. Kiyomuri had never stopped asking him stupid questions, like how he managed things when living alone, or how were his grades at school, or whether he had been fighting at school etc. He answered as curtly as possible, hoping that Kiyomuri would leave soon. He could sense that his onii-chan was feeling very guilty of leaving him in the first place, eight years ago. But he was not ready to forgive him. For what reason? Why should I forgive him? When he was in San Francisco I bet he didn't even give a thought to otousan and me back here. He just became rich, married and forgot about life back here. Damn him, Rukawa thought rather bitterly.
"Kaede, you should not live alone," said Harusumi's soft voice. Rukawa kept silent. He somehow liked Harusumi's soft voice and gentle way. Although her words sounded like she was bossing him around, he felt that she was being motherly. Or sisterly. Or whatever. She reminded him about his mother, Mizuki. Thinking about Mizuki just made his heart ache, and he realized, that no matter how he tried to hide it, he was really missing her and wanted her back.
"Haru-chan is right," added Kiyomuri. "It's dangerous. You should have told us that otousan has passed away. We would have come home straight away."
Rukawa felt a hot surge or anger. Would you? He demanded silently. "What's so dangerous about living alone? There's nothing wrong with it," he said, his voice shaking with anger. Then he added bitterly, "Besides, I don't even have your address or phone number in San Francisco."
There was an uncomfortable silence. For once, Kiyomuri was at a loss for what to say. What am I to say to him? What the hell is wrong with him? Then, Kiyomuri felt a pang of guilt. He should never have left home in the first place. Why, he had never even contacted otousan since the day he left. "Kaede, I - I'm sorry."
"For?"
"The day I left you here, Kaede. I never dreamed that you would be so alone. And what with otousan's death. I - I know it must have been very hard for you to bear, with me leaving after okaa-san had left," Kiyomuri sighed. "I - I'm sorry Kaede."
Rukawa was silent. Kiyomuri was apologizing to him. Should he accept it? Should he? I don't believe him. I don't believe him. He's lying. He's not sorry at all. Rukawa repeated the words again and again in his head. Then he replied, "You know, onii-chan, everyone in school calls me a cold, emotionless bastard behind my back. They think that I'm so damned blur and don't know what's happening around. But I have ears, like you, like them. I am not deaf. I can hear what they say. And it's your fault I'm like that, it's your damned fault."
Kiyomuri stared at Rukawa in shock. He had never expected Kaede to be so cold, so unforgiving. "Fine, Kaede," he said as calmly as he could. His face was livid in anger, and his knuckles were white with clenching his fists so tightly. "If you don't want to forgive me. Fine."
That was all he said before walking out of the house. Harusumi stared after him, got up and was about to follow him when she turned around and said to Rukawa, whose face betrayed no emotion. "You're the cold, emotionless bastard they all say you are is not because of Kiyo's fault. It's your own fault you became like this. You chose to be come like this, Kaede. It was your own choice."
**************************
"I can't let him live like that, all alone," said Kiyomuri rather soberly to Harusumi. "After all, it is partly my fault that he's alone."
"I know how he feels, Kiyo," she said softly. "I mean like, how would you feel if the people that you love and trust just walk in and out of your life like that? Kaede's gone through a lot in his life, and he has had to face a lot of things in this world alone. I don't think he was prepared for your sudden homecoming."
Kiyomuri thought hard. "What can I do?" Then it hit him. "Okaa-san!" he cried.
"Where is he now?"
"I last heard from otousan nine years ago that she moved to Osaka after the divorce," he said, swallowing hard. "But, I might get her whereabouts from her one of her closest friends. I'll tell her about Kaede. She won't be so hard-hearted as to just reject him."
Kiyomuri pulled out his mobile phone from his pocket. "Mrs. Tanaka is a really good friend of okaa-san," he said. "I have her number with me. She is sure to know where okaa-san might be."
He quickly dialed the number and waited almost impatiently for her to answer the line.
"Moshi-moshi?" came a voice from the other line.
"Er - Moshi-moshi. Is this Mrs. Tanaka speaking?"
"Yes, this is Ayaki Tanaka. Who is this speaking?"
"This is Kiyomuri Rukawa, Mizuki's son. Listen, Mrs. Tanaka, I have something very important to ask you, do you know where is okaa-san is staying in Osaka? This is really urgent."
"Mizuki? Why, she's moved back to Kanagawa recently! Kiyomuri, is that you? Mizuki will be happy to see you and Kaede again. And do you know, Kiyo, she's married again to Hanomuri Sakimoto!" Mrs. Tanaka gave the address and Mizuki's phone number.
He dialed Mizuki's number on his mobile. His heart was beating wildly. What would he say to okaa-san right now? He had not talked to her for nine whole years. He felt nervous. But what shocked him most was the fact that she was married again. She might not want Kaede or him back anymore.
"Mizuki Sakimoto speaking."
There was a brief silence. Then, "O - okaa-san," Kiyomuri's voice trembled with emotion.
Another long pause. "Ka - kaede?"
"No. This is Kiyomuri."
"Kiyomuri!" cried Mizuki shocked. "How are you? How are things at home? And how is Kaede?" She let all the questions flow out of her before adding, "I've missed you and Kaede a lot, Kiyo, I really have, and I regret not keeping in touch with you. But I was afraid of your otousan."
Kiyomuri took a deep breath, and then proceeded to explain everything about Kaede's life and about everybody he loved leaving him. Mizuki listened shocked.
"Your otousan, dead? And poor Kaede living alone?"
"Listen, okaa-san," said Kiyomuri. "Why don't we meet somewhere? Then we can talk. How about by the park?"
"I'll be there, Kiyo."
********************
Mizuki stood at the entrance of the park. The wind blew gently and caressed her face. She kept looking across the road and around, in case Kiyomuri had arrived and she had not noticed or recognized him. But, when he arrived, she recognized him immediately. The same wavy brown hair as her first husband, chocolate eyes like her, but this time an earring glinted on his left earlobe. He was with a small, slender woman.
She ran to him, and he, to her. And there, they embraced on the spot, each feeling the joy of finding something they had lost. Harusumi smiled gently, the wind whipped her hair across her face. Mizuki was crying. Tears of joy streamed down her cheeks and dropped slowly to the ground.
After Kiyomuri had made all the introductions between his mother and wife, they proceeded to talk about Kaede.
"I have to see him immediately," said Mizuki rather worriedly. "He might not be feeling well. He's asthmatic, you know."
Kiyomuri knew. "He looked alright to me when we visited him yesterday," he said. Then his face lit up. "But I know how you could surprise him. He's playing in a basketball match against Ryonan High School tomorrow morning. You could be there to support him."
Mizuki thought for a while. "I'm positive it was Kaede who saved Chihiro's life the other day," she told Kiyomuri. "Never mind, we'll find out tomorrow."
"The match will be held in his school, Shohoku High tomorrow morning," said Kiyomuri.
"And that's where we are going."
Tbc.
Ah.another chapter done.at last. Boring? Review me n tell me pls.
I'm reeelee sori bout de paragraphing..everytime I upload a de chapter it becomes like this.I can't help it. So sori..uRRgh, I need sum teh tarik right now!!