"Ok. Meet you there at ten. Bye." Sakuragi hung the phone up. Sendoh
just called and asked him to meet where they usually did. It was time to
switch, again. Sakuragi grabbed the phone and dialed Rukawa's number. He
let the phone ring for about ten times before hanging up. Obviously
Rukawa's not home, and as far as Sakuragi can remember Rukawa lives alone.
Sakuragi sighed then punched the wall with force, "Are you already with
Fujima, huh Rukawa?!" The conversation he had with Shoyo's ace guard made
him tense and scared. Now, he reflected, he won't have a snowball's chance
in hell that he'd be together with Rukawa. Sakuragi banged his head hard;
being helpless was not his style. He had never been a coward before, and he
doesn't intend to start now. It was time to take drastic measures. He
smiled evilly, grabbed his coat and walked out with renewed determination.
Rukawa sighed, gripped his head and muttered darkly at no one in particular. He was out thinking, his large and airy house is not the place to think and reflect, it was in itself a torture. You'd think that tons of people live there, but no, Rukawa had the place all to himself, and he doesn't like it one bit. Rukawa always wished that he had a family and a place to call home. He needs someone to love and need him, which is what he's craving for all his life. He lifted his chin and stared blankly at the stars. "I wish." "I hope I can grant your wish Kaede." Rukawa whipped his head around and found himself face to face with a bouquet of roses. "What the." "I thought you'd be surprised." Fujima chuckled and handed him the flowers. He sat down and began to trace the outline of Rukawa's cheek. "It suits you perfectly, those roses I mean." Rukawa slapped Fujima's hands away and glared at him. "I don't want this." Rukawa gestured at the flowers which he discarded almost immediately and continued his monologue. "And I don't want to see you again." With that Rukawa stood up and started to walk away when he felt Fujima tugging his arm. "Mou, Kaede can't we just forget all about the past and start all over again?" Fujima smiled sweetly and stared at Rukawa innocently. Rukawa could feel veins popping in his head. "What more do you want Kenji? Isn't it enough you made me suffer so? Are you not satisfied yet?" Rukawa bursted, his contained anger finally billowing out. He can't help it, but he felt tears streaming down his cheeks. Fujima looked flabbergasted but then recollected himself. "I never meant to hurt you so, Kaede. Please let us start over again, I swear this time I'll do it right." He reached out to hold Kaede but Rukawa took a step back. "I don't want to hear any of this." He pointed out. "Get out of my life! I don't need you anymore." "But. please." Fujima reached out again but a pair of strong arms grabbed his shoulder. "What the hell?! This is none of your business!" He turned to confront the man when realization struck him. "Sakuragi?!" The red haired Shohoku player was grinning from ear to ear. "Oi! What a pleasant surprise!" "What's so pleasant about this?" Fujima grunted hard, trying to shake Sakuragi's grip, but Sakuragi remained firm. Sakuragi suddenly turned serious; his eyes were full of loathing. "I don't like to see my teammate getting harassed. So if you have any common sense, you should leave now." Fujima gulped, he knew well how dangerous Sakuragi can be. He has to retreat this time. He glared best as he could at Sakuragi and walked away. Sakuragi adapted a comical voice then called out at the defeated Shoyo player. "Yeah, and make sure that you aren't within 50 feet radius of Rukawa at all times ne? Ja ne, shorty!"
Sakuragi and Rukawa walked in silence. Sakuragi decided to walk Rukawa home since the player still looks shaky. Rukawa broke the silence first. "Thank you." "For what?" "For bothering." Sakuragi stopped walking, then gripped Rukawa's shoulder shaking him slightly. "Its okay. Besides you're worth the trouble." He smiled at the sad raven haired player, trying to cheer him up. "Stop that attitude. It doesn't suit you." Sakuragi wrinkled his nose. "It's like I'm with someone else. Why not yell doaho or something. The tensai can forgive you this one time! Nyahahahaha!!!" Rukawa chuckled, his mood was already lightening. "Doaho." "That's more like it, kitsune! Nyahahahaha!!!" "Doaho." "That's good, kitsune! You better cheer up for tomorrow!" "Tomorrow?" Rukawa looked confused. "I haven't told you yet? Okay. So Sendoh asked me for a meeting so YOU should be there. He'd suspect instantly if you are gloomy! This tensai's always happy! Nyahahahaha!!!" "You're right. You and gloominess doesn't exactly mix, right?" "Nyahahahaha! I guess you're right." "Shut up! You'll wake everybody up with that loud laugh of yours." Rukawa sighed at the bubbly red head, when suddenly Sakuragi turned serious. "Oi, if you ever need me, I mean need my help again, just call me. I'll be there, I promise." With that Sakuragi left, leaving an open mouthed Rukawa behind.
"Oi! Sendoh stop it! It's still early." Koshino yelled, shaking Sendoh off him. Saturday early morning and Koshino up and about doesn't sound right. "Ouch! Stop it. It hurts Hiro-kun!" Sendoh pouted and stood over the side avoiding the flailing arms of the shorter player. "We need to hurry! It's already nine a.m. and the meetings supposed to be at ten! We should get there early you know, so that you could hide yourself well." Sendoh whined, but Koshino held no signs of getting up. "I'll leave without you! Just be ready for the return of an insane Akira!" With that he noisily left the room and plopped in the living room couch. Sendoh smiled, he could here grunts and rustling sounds from Koshino's room which means that he's getting ready. After a few moments, a grumpy Koshino emerged from the room. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!" Sendoh smiled happily and followed Koshino out.
Fujima breathed hard, gripped whatever he could and threw it across the room forcefully. "This is not yet over Kaede!" He lashed out, spit spaying every where. He grabbed yet again for something when someone stopped him. "Let me be okay? Leave me alone!" Fujima slapped his butler's hands away and stared at him spitefully. The butler handed him a large vase, which he took gratefully then smashed it against the wall. "Are you fine now, master?" Fujima took calming breaths then nodded. "Thank you. You may leave now." The butler nodded then walked away. Fujima collapsed in his bed. He stared at the ceiling angrily. "You may have won the battle Sakuragi! But the war is far from over!" He turned over and reached for a framed photograph of him and Rukawa. "Just you wait, Kaede. I'll win you again, I promise."
"So you hide there!" Sendoh pointed to a bush nearby the scene. "No! Look there so many ants there. I'd be full of them by the time you finish!" Koshino crossed his arms as if daring Sendoh to make him. "Fine. So where exactly would you hide?" "Do I really have to?" "Yes. And besides you offered to do this for me right?" Koshino grunted and looked on the ground. "Please just bear the ants this one time? It's the best place to hide really!" "Okay! But you'll owe me!" Koshino turned to the bush Sendoh pointed and crouched. "Thanks Hiro-kun!" Sendoh hollered after him. Sendoh checked his watch, ten. "He should be here any minute." He muttered to himself. He picked the ball up and dribbled it a couple of times. "Getting ready for our one on one eh? Smiley?" Sendoh whipped his head around and found Rukawa. Sendoh began to sweat and he could feel his head spinning. "Rukawa?" "Huh? Are your eyes okay smiley? I am tensai Sakuragi not that baka kitsune!" Rukawa grabbed the ball from Sendoh's hands and dribbled the ball around, quite clumsily. "You cannot fool me, Rukawa! You are not Sakuragi! You are not Hana-kun!" He yelled to Rukawa, then he gripped his head. "Please stop pretending? I can't take it anymore!" Sendoh sank to his knees crying.
"Ouch! Ughh! Pesky little." Koshino tried to shake off as many ants as he could without making a scene. He squinted up to see if the blockhead from Shohoku had shown up. He gasped. Rukawa was staring At Akira quite fondly, who in turn was on his knees crying. "What the hell?!" He could hear Rukawa speaking. "Oi, Smiley? What's with all this crying? I told you, double timing me with that baka kitsune is hazardous for your health. Nyahahahaha!!!" He could here Sendoh sob more and he could feel heat rising. "Damn you Rukawa!" He did hear Rukawa said baka kitsune right? And he did hear him laugh like Sakuragi used to right? And Sendoh had a date with Sakuragi not Rukawa. It's clear now to Koshino that the two did pair up together to get revenge from Akira. Koshino stood up from his hiding place and walked over to where Rukawa is. Sendoh was still wailing on the ground. Oblivious to anything around him, he launched a punch right in to Rukawa's face.
"What the?!" Rukawa was caught off guard. Someone has just punched him! He balled his hands into a fist to launch a counter attack, when he realized that it was Koshino who threw the punch. He gaped bewildered at the still steaming Koshino who raised a fist again. This time Rukawa caught his fist and held it tightly. "What do you think you're doing?" Rukawa yelled. "I should be asking you the same thing! Who gave you the right to confuse Akira? If you wanted revenge then do it some other way. Can't you see he suffered enough?" Koshino yelled back and threw another punch. Rukawa did not avoid this one nor did he avoid the other one and the other.
"Wonder how the meetings going?" Sakuragi wondered. He realized the court was on his way. "I'll go check." He headed at the court singing a happy tune. He bested Fujima yesterday and dissing him was fun. Sakuragi peeked inside then gasped. An unconscious Akira and a growling Koshino was in sight. HE focused to see what was going on with Koshino, he had someone underneath him and the man was obviously hurt from the many punches he received. Sakuragi grasped the railing and gasped. It was Rukawa! With no time to loose he ran towards Koshino and gave him a hard shove then kicked him in the shin. "You! What did you do to Hanamichi?" Sakuragi said in a deadly low voice, like Rukawa's. "You have no right to do that!" HE kicked yet again at the shocked player then finally having enough, strutted to where Rukawa is and picked him up. "Don't let me see you again hurting Hanamichi. Or else." Sakuragi walked away an unconscious Rukawa in his arms.
Rukawa sighed, gripped his head and muttered darkly at no one in particular. He was out thinking, his large and airy house is not the place to think and reflect, it was in itself a torture. You'd think that tons of people live there, but no, Rukawa had the place all to himself, and he doesn't like it one bit. Rukawa always wished that he had a family and a place to call home. He needs someone to love and need him, which is what he's craving for all his life. He lifted his chin and stared blankly at the stars. "I wish." "I hope I can grant your wish Kaede." Rukawa whipped his head around and found himself face to face with a bouquet of roses. "What the." "I thought you'd be surprised." Fujima chuckled and handed him the flowers. He sat down and began to trace the outline of Rukawa's cheek. "It suits you perfectly, those roses I mean." Rukawa slapped Fujima's hands away and glared at him. "I don't want this." Rukawa gestured at the flowers which he discarded almost immediately and continued his monologue. "And I don't want to see you again." With that Rukawa stood up and started to walk away when he felt Fujima tugging his arm. "Mou, Kaede can't we just forget all about the past and start all over again?" Fujima smiled sweetly and stared at Rukawa innocently. Rukawa could feel veins popping in his head. "What more do you want Kenji? Isn't it enough you made me suffer so? Are you not satisfied yet?" Rukawa bursted, his contained anger finally billowing out. He can't help it, but he felt tears streaming down his cheeks. Fujima looked flabbergasted but then recollected himself. "I never meant to hurt you so, Kaede. Please let us start over again, I swear this time I'll do it right." He reached out to hold Kaede but Rukawa took a step back. "I don't want to hear any of this." He pointed out. "Get out of my life! I don't need you anymore." "But. please." Fujima reached out again but a pair of strong arms grabbed his shoulder. "What the hell?! This is none of your business!" He turned to confront the man when realization struck him. "Sakuragi?!" The red haired Shohoku player was grinning from ear to ear. "Oi! What a pleasant surprise!" "What's so pleasant about this?" Fujima grunted hard, trying to shake Sakuragi's grip, but Sakuragi remained firm. Sakuragi suddenly turned serious; his eyes were full of loathing. "I don't like to see my teammate getting harassed. So if you have any common sense, you should leave now." Fujima gulped, he knew well how dangerous Sakuragi can be. He has to retreat this time. He glared best as he could at Sakuragi and walked away. Sakuragi adapted a comical voice then called out at the defeated Shoyo player. "Yeah, and make sure that you aren't within 50 feet radius of Rukawa at all times ne? Ja ne, shorty!"
Sakuragi and Rukawa walked in silence. Sakuragi decided to walk Rukawa home since the player still looks shaky. Rukawa broke the silence first. "Thank you." "For what?" "For bothering." Sakuragi stopped walking, then gripped Rukawa's shoulder shaking him slightly. "Its okay. Besides you're worth the trouble." He smiled at the sad raven haired player, trying to cheer him up. "Stop that attitude. It doesn't suit you." Sakuragi wrinkled his nose. "It's like I'm with someone else. Why not yell doaho or something. The tensai can forgive you this one time! Nyahahahaha!!!" Rukawa chuckled, his mood was already lightening. "Doaho." "That's more like it, kitsune! Nyahahahaha!!!" "Doaho." "That's good, kitsune! You better cheer up for tomorrow!" "Tomorrow?" Rukawa looked confused. "I haven't told you yet? Okay. So Sendoh asked me for a meeting so YOU should be there. He'd suspect instantly if you are gloomy! This tensai's always happy! Nyahahahaha!!!" "You're right. You and gloominess doesn't exactly mix, right?" "Nyahahahaha! I guess you're right." "Shut up! You'll wake everybody up with that loud laugh of yours." Rukawa sighed at the bubbly red head, when suddenly Sakuragi turned serious. "Oi, if you ever need me, I mean need my help again, just call me. I'll be there, I promise." With that Sakuragi left, leaving an open mouthed Rukawa behind.
"Oi! Sendoh stop it! It's still early." Koshino yelled, shaking Sendoh off him. Saturday early morning and Koshino up and about doesn't sound right. "Ouch! Stop it. It hurts Hiro-kun!" Sendoh pouted and stood over the side avoiding the flailing arms of the shorter player. "We need to hurry! It's already nine a.m. and the meetings supposed to be at ten! We should get there early you know, so that you could hide yourself well." Sendoh whined, but Koshino held no signs of getting up. "I'll leave without you! Just be ready for the return of an insane Akira!" With that he noisily left the room and plopped in the living room couch. Sendoh smiled, he could here grunts and rustling sounds from Koshino's room which means that he's getting ready. After a few moments, a grumpy Koshino emerged from the room. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!" Sendoh smiled happily and followed Koshino out.
Fujima breathed hard, gripped whatever he could and threw it across the room forcefully. "This is not yet over Kaede!" He lashed out, spit spaying every where. He grabbed yet again for something when someone stopped him. "Let me be okay? Leave me alone!" Fujima slapped his butler's hands away and stared at him spitefully. The butler handed him a large vase, which he took gratefully then smashed it against the wall. "Are you fine now, master?" Fujima took calming breaths then nodded. "Thank you. You may leave now." The butler nodded then walked away. Fujima collapsed in his bed. He stared at the ceiling angrily. "You may have won the battle Sakuragi! But the war is far from over!" He turned over and reached for a framed photograph of him and Rukawa. "Just you wait, Kaede. I'll win you again, I promise."
"So you hide there!" Sendoh pointed to a bush nearby the scene. "No! Look there so many ants there. I'd be full of them by the time you finish!" Koshino crossed his arms as if daring Sendoh to make him. "Fine. So where exactly would you hide?" "Do I really have to?" "Yes. And besides you offered to do this for me right?" Koshino grunted and looked on the ground. "Please just bear the ants this one time? It's the best place to hide really!" "Okay! But you'll owe me!" Koshino turned to the bush Sendoh pointed and crouched. "Thanks Hiro-kun!" Sendoh hollered after him. Sendoh checked his watch, ten. "He should be here any minute." He muttered to himself. He picked the ball up and dribbled it a couple of times. "Getting ready for our one on one eh? Smiley?" Sendoh whipped his head around and found Rukawa. Sendoh began to sweat and he could feel his head spinning. "Rukawa?" "Huh? Are your eyes okay smiley? I am tensai Sakuragi not that baka kitsune!" Rukawa grabbed the ball from Sendoh's hands and dribbled the ball around, quite clumsily. "You cannot fool me, Rukawa! You are not Sakuragi! You are not Hana-kun!" He yelled to Rukawa, then he gripped his head. "Please stop pretending? I can't take it anymore!" Sendoh sank to his knees crying.
"Ouch! Ughh! Pesky little." Koshino tried to shake off as many ants as he could without making a scene. He squinted up to see if the blockhead from Shohoku had shown up. He gasped. Rukawa was staring At Akira quite fondly, who in turn was on his knees crying. "What the hell?!" He could hear Rukawa speaking. "Oi, Smiley? What's with all this crying? I told you, double timing me with that baka kitsune is hazardous for your health. Nyahahahaha!!!" He could here Sendoh sob more and he could feel heat rising. "Damn you Rukawa!" He did hear Rukawa said baka kitsune right? And he did hear him laugh like Sakuragi used to right? And Sendoh had a date with Sakuragi not Rukawa. It's clear now to Koshino that the two did pair up together to get revenge from Akira. Koshino stood up from his hiding place and walked over to where Rukawa is. Sendoh was still wailing on the ground. Oblivious to anything around him, he launched a punch right in to Rukawa's face.
"What the?!" Rukawa was caught off guard. Someone has just punched him! He balled his hands into a fist to launch a counter attack, when he realized that it was Koshino who threw the punch. He gaped bewildered at the still steaming Koshino who raised a fist again. This time Rukawa caught his fist and held it tightly. "What do you think you're doing?" Rukawa yelled. "I should be asking you the same thing! Who gave you the right to confuse Akira? If you wanted revenge then do it some other way. Can't you see he suffered enough?" Koshino yelled back and threw another punch. Rukawa did not avoid this one nor did he avoid the other one and the other.
"Wonder how the meetings going?" Sakuragi wondered. He realized the court was on his way. "I'll go check." He headed at the court singing a happy tune. He bested Fujima yesterday and dissing him was fun. Sakuragi peeked inside then gasped. An unconscious Akira and a growling Koshino was in sight. HE focused to see what was going on with Koshino, he had someone underneath him and the man was obviously hurt from the many punches he received. Sakuragi grasped the railing and gasped. It was Rukawa! With no time to loose he ran towards Koshino and gave him a hard shove then kicked him in the shin. "You! What did you do to Hanamichi?" Sakuragi said in a deadly low voice, like Rukawa's. "You have no right to do that!" HE kicked yet again at the shocked player then finally having enough, strutted to where Rukawa is and picked him up. "Don't let me see you again hurting Hanamichi. Or else." Sakuragi walked away an unconscious Rukawa in his arms.