Disclaimer : Slam Dunk is owned by Takehiko Inoue. Rani is mine!

Note: Sentences in italics are thoughts.

Madness

Chapter 5: Rani, The Cupid

Kogure just got out of Room 207 when Rani grabbed him and dragged him to a secluded spot in the hospital hallway.

"Kogure-kun! I didn't have to steal him after all!!" She excitedly blurted out.

"N-nani? What are you talking about?"

She rolled her eyes at her friend's cluelessness. "I am talking about Maru! Hattori-san has been cheating on her! She caught him with another woman! I saw her crying this afternoon and I asked what was wrong and she told me that she broke up with him because of that!" She said everything in one breath.

Kogure tried to absorb what his friend has been telling him.

"Isn't it great, Kogure-kun? You can finally be able to make your move! Yes! Yes! Yes!!!" She was pumping her fist up and down in the air, gritting her teeth with so much excitement.

He doesn't know if he would be happy or what. Maru is hurting but he felt like rejoicing. Rani looks even more excited than him at the development.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After more than a week since Maru and Hattori broke up. Rani knew Maru doesn't wait for her ex-boyfriend anymore. And since it is weekend, she thought it would be a nice time to go out.

"Hey Maru, why don't you go out with us?" Rani invited her. Kogure who is walking beside her began to panic.

"Err…excuse us for a while ne, Maru-chan?" He dragged her a few feet away from his dream girl. "Rani, what are you doing?"

"What? We're just going out as friends! It's not a date yet. Why are you being so uptight?" She paused. "Oh, let me guess, you don't want me to go with you, huh?" She grinned at him.

"Nani? No, it's not like that!" Yup, it's not like that. Just that how in the world can he act normally with Maru around him. "But…"

"Besides, I am there, so don't worry." She winked at him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After walking around the mall for two hours, they decided to take a bite when Rani complained that she's already starving. The truth is that she is getting exasperated with her housemate. She's been deliberately walking ahead of the two so Kogure would be able to strike a conversation with Maru but the shy bespectacled man would just give a timid smile to Maru whenever she would say something.

"Um…Maru, I just have to go wash my hands. I'll be back." Rani gave a kick on Kogure's leg before she stands up.

"Itai!!!" Kogure blurted out but Rani just gave a grin.

"Kogure-kun, are you alright?" Maru asked.

"Ah…H-hai." What a night.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rukawa was gulping his soda when he saw a woman wearing a white uniform. She looks different from her usual t-shirt, shorts or jogging pants attire but he can't be mistaken. It's her.

Rani was taking a peek at the two and feeling a bit exasperated at her housemate for not being able to talk this whole time when she felt someone tapping on her shoulder.

"Rukawa-kun? What are you doing here?"

"I just had my dinner here." He answered as he looked to the direction she was looking.

"Oh."

"You're stalking Kogure-sempai?"

"What? No!"

"Looks like it." Rukawa walked out from behind her heading to the table Kogure and Maru were sitting but Rani grabbed him from behind.

"No!!!" She hissed while clutching the hem of his shirt.

Rukawa stopped and looked at her.

"Don't ever spoil the romantic setting. Let's give him a chance to talk to her." She almost begged, her palms close together.

"You are playing matchmaker?" Now he's really curious.

She grinned. "Something like that."

"Ok, I have to go now." He turned back towards the other door.

"Ok bye!" She waved her hand in his direction without leaving her eyes on the couple at the table.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"So what did I miss?" She eyed Kogure like a hawk.

Kogure was fidgeting as usual. Rani sighed and rolled her eyes. Maru on the other hand is sipping her iced tea.

"Kogure-kun, it's rather late. I think you should take Maru-chan home." She proposed.

"N-nani?" Kogure panicked once again.

Maru looked at them and butted in. "It's alright, Rani. I can manage."

The three of them stood up and prepared to leave.

"Aa…. No can do, Maru-chan. I insist that Kogure-kun take you home." She turned back to her housemate. "Now be a gentleman, Kogure-kun." She pretended to give Kogure a pat at the back but in fact pinched him. [A/N: I got this from the scene where Sakuragi pinched Kogure at the back mwahahahaha!]

Kogure almost blurted another 'itai' for the night.

"What about you?" Kogure asked Rani.

"Oh, don't worry about me. I can take care of myself." She waved her hand in front of her. "Pity those who will try something foolish on me." She grinned once again.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rani left the couple and walked down to the train station. I hope Kogure-kun would be able to talk. She sighed at the thought of her shy friend. Maru really had such an effect on him.

Beep!! Beep!!

She smiled to herself. Oh, they would make such a sweet couple. Kogure-kun after all is a sweet guy. I hope---

"Oi!"

….Kogure-kun would get that shyness out of his system once in a while…..

A grip on her elbow suddenly put her out of her thoughts. For a moment her heart thumped thinking somebody was attacking her.

"Rukawa-kun? I thought you left already?"

"I just got my car from the parking area then I saw you walking. C'mon, I'll drop you home. I pass by your place anyway."

"Uh…alright. Thanks."

"No problem." He opened his car door and let her in.

Rani leaned her back and relaxed while Rukawa drove the car. She is thankful because trains are always crowded on a Friday night and she would most probably be standing up. But once they turned the corner, they got stuck in traffic. Yup, Friday nights also mean traffic.

"You are helping Kogure-sempai get a girl?" Rukawa asked while maneuvering through the tight lanes.

"Uh…well. I just thought he needed a boost. He's really shy around girls, you know."

He nodded. Now he understands why she was sneaking on them a while ago.

"You ever had a girlfriend before, Rukawa-kun?"

"Yes. But that was long ago. Before I went to America."

"Oh. So what happened?" Rani's natural nosiness is starting to set in.

"She gave up on me."

"Really? You must be a lousy boyfriend hahahahah!"

Rukawa gave her a short glare then turned his attention to the turtle-paced movement of cars in front of them. "She said I was cold."

Rani blinked at him. "Were you?"

He shrugged. "It was partly my fault, I think. And my so-called fans harassed her."

"Hmm? How bad can your fans get?"

"You don't want to know." He looked annoyed when he answered her.

"I see. So, that's it? Only one ex-girlfriend?"

"Hai."

"Geee…why? I thought popular guys like you have this tendency to collect girls hahahahah!." She teased.

"I don't collect girls." His eyes still on the bumper to bumper traffic ahead.

Rani just looked at him and shrugged.

"I dated when I was in America but that was all." He continued.

Rani nodded. "Uhmm…you had sex?"

He looked at her for a while as he couldn't believe how outspoken she is.

Rani on the other hand waited for an answer but when it took a few moments, she shrugged thinking Rukawa wouldn't answer. "It was just a question."

He looked ahead. "Yes, I did."

"See? It's not so hard to answer." She grinned and then leaned back her head on the seat.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Now be a sweetheart and tell me you are still reading. -_~