Author's notes: Well, here it is, the sixth chapter. To Cerulean Eyes: I'm sorry that I partnered Rukawa with another OC and not with you. I hope that all the readers get to enjoy my fic! Read and Review!
Disclaimer: I still do not own Slam Dunk.
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Chapter 6
RUKAWA'S POV
The next day, after the tiring practice session, my alarm clock rang an annoying tune of 'Star-spangled Banner', a gift given to me by mom when she got home from her business trip to the United States. I got from my bed and yawned, wondering why I set the alarm to wake me at such an unholy hour. I scratched my head robustly and tapped the button to shut the stupid alarm up. Then, I remembered: Today's the showdown of Shohoku and Ryonan.
With that thought in mind, I walked to the cabinets and stumbled on an incredibly thick book. "Stupid history book… I'm going to break a bone because of you…"
Placing the book in my bag, I did not forget to shove in my Discman, a face towel, some extra clothes, some batteries in case the batteries in my Discman will die and a bottle of Head and Shoulders hmm… I wonder why… . Then, I fled off to the assigned gym for the game.
"NYAHAHAHA!! I am the tensai who is going to beat broomhead! I am worthy to be known!" Sakuragi. That voice… That voice of such idiocy… I've heard that voice a few kilometers before I reached the place. Seeing the monkey made me not think twice of running over him with my BMX. "Oi! Rukawa! You'll say sorry when I beat you to broomhead later!"
"Do'ahou…" Yeah, right… he couldn't even beat Fukuda… I parked my bike and headed for the lockers for a change of clothes.
FAYE'S POV
Good, the game's about to begin. Good thing I woke up on time. Oh, no… Just great…
"RU-KA-WA! RU-KA-WA! LOVE ME, LOVE ME, RUKAWA!" These stupid fans have beaten me to my seats. I pity Sakura who had her earmuffs up her ears and still cover them with her hands. "RU-KA-WA! L-O-V-E- RUKAWA!!!!"
God, they're making me sick, and to find more cheerleaders occupying more seats on the back made me even sicker. How I wanted to pull their love-struck eyes out of their sockets… I walked to the cheerleaders up front as they whined "Hey! You're blocking the view, lesbian!!!"
"Oh, yeah? Block the view this!" I punched the three's heads and poked their stomachs. As my final act, I have decided to throw them overboard, directly to the blue sky and they disappeared with a 'clink!'
Ah, finally… Sheer silence…except for more of the idiots at the back… But that doesn't matter… As long as I can see the game on my seat, I'm contented… Ah… "Hi, Sakura."
"Thanks, Faye. You saved my ears… The game's about to start!" Sakura took off the earmuffs and stared out to the court.
RUKAWA'S POV
I have a hard time evaluating most parts of the game so please forgive me ( - . - ) v. Gomen!
Beat Sendoh.
Beat Sendoh.
Beat Sendoh.
Beat Sendoh.
Beat Sendoh…now.
The crowd roared but one caught everyone's attention…even mine: Kirusawa. "GOOOO SHOOOHOOOKUUU!!! I'm going to beat you guys to death if you lose the finals!!!"
I'm not surprised. That stupid imp. Now I wonder what's going to happen when we lost and she's tutoring me…
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Rukawa's imagination:
Faye: ::strangles Rukawa:: x squared multiply it by x cubed is x to the fifth divided by the quantity of 9x+3! The answer IS???
Rukawa: The Statue of Liberty
Faye: ::strangles him vigorously:: GAAAAAAHHHH!!!!
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That was freaky…
Back to my original thoughts of the day:
Beat Sendoh.
Beat Sendoh.
Beat Sendoh.
Beat Sendoh.
Beat Sendoh right now.
FAYE'S POV
"GOOOO SHOOOHOOOKUUU!!!! 'mmph!' S'kura?"
"You're embarrassing!"
"Oh, ok." Although I stared at the game like a hawk, I could see from my peripheral view that Sakura look at me as if something was wrong. "What?"
"You seem to be overly interested in this game's finals. I mean I haven't seen you like this before." She gave a malicious grin, "Is it Rukawa?"
"No, you-you-"
"Are you going to give me names? Try me." She dared.
"Dingbat!" Wrong word. Sakura burst into laughter. "Dingbat? Is that the worst you've got?"
"I was supposed to say old bat." I smirked at my best friend and she suddenly stopped giggling.
"Old bat??? Excuse me but me? An old bat??? I'm sixteen! I'm not growing wrinkles, am I?" She irritably yet sarcastically asked.
RUKAWA'S POV
"Pass!" "Pass!" "Pass to the tensai!" Mitsui, Ryota and red monkey insisted since I had the ball. I didn't pass them the ball, especially not to the monkey, because I wanted to make the shot. So, as a result, I kept the ball to myself.
MITSUI'S POV
Ignorant son of a bitch… Oh, Faye chan…
RYOTA'S POV
Ignorant son of a bitch… Oh, Ayako chan…'
SAKURAGI'S POV
Ignorant kitsune… Ha-ha-Haruko chan!!! I will win this game for you!!!
HARUKO'S POV Haruko sits behind Faye
"Rukawa…"
FAYE'S POV
"One more and I'll have to throw her like what I did to those cheerleaders…"
SAKURA'S POV
Ignorant Rukawa… I can't see how Faye chan survives a tutoring session with him… How could he not pass the ball to his teammates when he knows that they're all open and most of Ryonan's best guards are defending him? Wait a minute! He did it! He made another fade-away shot! Anyway… I still hate him and he's still an ignorant fox…
FAYE'S POV
How cool… I haven't seen Rukawa like this before… I guess that's why he isn't much focused on his studies; instead, he focuses on this dream of his… No wonder his fans call him Rukawa 'the greatest'. Wait! What am I saying? Oh my God! I'm morphing into one of his supporters! AAAAH!!! Well, not really…
About the game: there was this particular guy guarding Rukawa like a sheep dog guarding a flock of sheep. He was a guy from Ryonan with gravity-defying black hair and a tall stature. Jersey number 7: Sendoh.
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Flashback:
"Faye, this is Akira Sendoh, one of my best friends. I met him a few years ago, remember? He's the one who I challenged to a basketball game when I saw him playing in a small court. Aki, this is my younger sis, Faye." Lurren introduced a six-footer who had his hand held out. Instead of taking the it's-nice-to-meet-you gesture, I can't stand but notice how his amethyst eyes greeted me warmly… "Faye, he wants to shake your hand."
"Uh, yeah. I knew that." I heard him slightly giggle at my little mistake and I felt myself blush for a while. Eventually, I took his hand and felt his gentle grasp.
He kindly said, baring his set of flawlessly straight teeth, "It's nice to meet you, Faye chan."
"So, Aki, I'll introduce you to my parents, ok? Then you could help me with my homework. I'm having trouble with all those letters in our algebra." Lurren headed for her room.
"Hey, we're having a mini-game with Shoyo next week. I'd be glad if you'd come and watch us." Sendoh offered.
"Hey, Aki? My room's here, upstairs." Lurren called out.
"Right! So, see you then."
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That happened three years ago and since then, we barely talked to each other. I wonder if he's the same Sendoh I knew before…
When the game ended, it was then that the cheerleaders before appeared to me bruised and with casts on their arms and legs "We hate you, Kirusawa! Oh, the game ended? RUKAWA??? Where are you, our precious Rukawa???"
It was then when I heard the announcer proclaim Shohoku as the winner. Sakura and I went to the benches to congratulate the entire team. All of them had smiles up their faces due to their win. Sakuragi laughed out loud, "Nyahaha! Our team won because I, the tensai, brought good luck to us all!! So, who wants to have a victory party???"
"Yeah!"
"Let's do it in my house! My parents aren't at home for the entire week!" Mitsui grinned.
"No, let's do it in Rukawa's house!"
Hearing this, I saw Rukawa give them a lethal glare. "Do'ahou…"
"Yeah At Rukawa's house! Later at six!"
"Everybody must bring their own share of food and drinks!!!"
After congratulating them, I murmured to Sakura "I'll just be somewhere so I guess I'll see you in school."
"Ok, bye!" She waved as I approached Ryonan's bench. As I did so, all of their tired eyes were on me…all except Sendoh, who was busily sucking a slice of lemon. My focus was to talk to him so I didn't mind the other members' stares. I stood before him and he looked up to me.
"Faye?" He asked as I smiled and nodded. He stood up and I realized I was a few inches shorter than he… Maybe it was because of my being in the volleyball team. He flashed his trademark smile, "Hey, how are you?"
"I'm alright." I answered.
"It's been a long time since we last spoke to each other, huh? It's been what? Three years since that mini-game with Shoyo?"
"Yeah."
"Wait, before we start talking, I'll just change in the lockers. So, please wait for me by the stairs outside." I did what I was told and within five minutes, he was already there.
"You know, Faye chan, it's been three years and I noticed how tall you're becoming…" He complimented. "Do you want to buy an ice cream?"
"Sure. Um, Sendoh san, I-"
"Aki."
"Huh?"
"Call me Aki. I've told you this before, haven't I?" Then I remembered: he did ask me to call him by his first name before…but I refused. "Anyway, how's your family? How's Kai? I haven't heard from Lurren about him for along time…"
"Well, I guess he's alright. He's already in Grade 1. Mom and dad are all right too. So, how are you?"
"Everything's fine. My grades are improving. I was nominated in class to be their chairman but I turned down the offer. I didn't want to suffer the burdens a class president have to undergo." He shoved his hands in his pockets, "You know, the first time I saw you awhile ago… I really didn't believe it was you… You changed, you know. You changed a lot. You've grown prettier."
"Yeah, I get that a lot from my grandparents." As we passed, we saw Rukawa kneeling down to his bike, unchaining it.
Sendoh greeted with enthusiasm "Hey, Rukawa!"
"Hmph."
RUKAWA'S POV
"Hmph." I grunted and turned back to my bike until I noticed who was with him: Kirusawa.
She tacked her hair beneath her ears, "Um, Rukawa, I guess I can't tutor you later because of your victory party. I guess I'll see you some other time…"
They left when I called out, "Kirusawa."
"Huh?" She turned.
"Could y-you," I stuttered at my words. Finally, I got them out directly without and stammering. "Come to the victory party?"
She smiled so kindly and nodded her head once.
FAYE'S POV
"Sure." I accepted his invitation? Oh, well… That's that… "I'll be there by six…"
"You won't be tutoring Rukawa? What do you mean? He's into tutoring?" Sendoh looked at me awkwardly, "And you're the one who's tutoring him?"
"That's right. His grades were slipping so, our teacher asked me to help him."
"Are you that smart to tutor him?" I felt myself blush. He continued, "You must be an outstanding student."
"I think so…"
"Any luck so far?"
"Yeah, he's improving." I told him, "At least, I know he is…"
"Well, here's the ice cream man. What flavor will you have?"
"You're going to pay for mine?"
"Of course. That's why I asked you to come with me, right?" Sendoh smiled.
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Author's notes: I've updated my profile. There! Done! The sixth chapter's finally done!