Disclaimer : Slam Dunk is owned by Takehiko Inoue. Rani is mine!
Note: Sentences in italics are thoughts.
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Sofia/3sh – eheheh.... Thanks! I hope you like this continuation.Mitchy – Thanks! Here's the update!
Incent Racelis - I'm so glad you liked it.
mskitsune – Yup!
tsongmandude – Yay! I did it! I followed your advice, my title and dividers are now centered. Oh, I could kiss you! Thank you very much!
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Chapter 9: Um... More Madness?
"Kogure-kun, Rukawa-kun here played alone this morning. Apparently, Mitsui-kun and Sendoh-kun didn't show up." Rani had just finished placing the bowls of rice on the table.
"Really?" Kogure, who just came in twenty minutes ago from visiting his grandmother, turned to Rukawa. "Gomen ne, Rukawa-kun? I came to visit obaasan."
"You're lucky actually." Rukawa sat down to join the two for dinner. "At least, you weren't there when this aho was pretending that she was jogging."
Rani glared at Rukawa. "What do you mean pretending? I was jogging for real!"
"No, you were not jogging," Rukawa said as he picked up the chopsticks.
"I was jogging!" Rani retorted.
"No, you're not," Rukawa answered back void of any facial expression. "You were not jogging at all. You were just chasing teenage boys."
Rani snorted and gave him a sideglance. Rukawa ignored her.
"Maa…" Kogure tried to stop his two bickering friends in front of dinner.
Rani turned to her housemate. "So how's your grandma, Kogure-kun?"
"She's doing fine. She said thank you for giving her some fruits."
"I'm glad to hear that. I remember this funny lady whom I've been taking care for two weeks now. Her name is Fujima Eri and she keeps on pairing me with her grandson hahahah!"
Kogure and Rukawa looked at each other.
"Fujima?" Kogure asked.
"Hai. Fujima Eri. Her grandson's name is Fujima Kenji."
"Fujima Kenji!?" The two guys asked in unison.
Rani leaned back from the two and looked suspiciously at them. "Are you two joining a choral group or something?"
"Rani," Kogure swallowed his food before continuing. "You didn't tell me that Fujima Kenji comes to the hospital!"
"Hellooooooooo! How am I supposed to know that you know him?"
Rukawa chuckled. "Fujima was Shoyo's ace."
"He was a basketball player of Shoyo before, Rani," Kogure answered. "He and I graduated in the same year."
Rani shook her head and smiled slyly. "You guys never failed to amuse me. I can't even remember my college classmates' names now and you two can remember a basketball player from another school."
"He was really good," Kogure added. "He was the coach and team captain of his team at that time. We had a hard time beating them. Right, Rukawa-kun?"
Rani rolled her eyes. "Spare me the details."
"Oh…Ru~ka~wa-kunnn……." Rani called to Rukawa in what she thought was a sweet and irresistible voice.
Rukawa stiffened. That voice. There's something about that voice. For some reason, he suddenly felt nervous. "What is it?"
"Anou…. could you accompany---."
"No."
"Awww… c'mon… please, Rukawa-kun…" Rani pleaded.
"What festival is it this time?" Rukawa asked while trying to put on an indignant face.
"The Sapporo Snow Festival," Rani answered not giving attention to Rukawa's put-on.
"Sapporo!? Do you even know how far Sapporo is?"
"Well, according to my research," Rani took out a small notebook and read from it. "It's about one hour and 50 minutes from the Narita Airport. We can take trains but it would take 12 hours to get there." She sported what she thought was a sweet smile but in fact she had the smile that a cat would give to a cornered mouse.
Rukawa sweatdropped. Rani obviously does her homework.
Rani placed her left hand on her chest and raised her right hand as if taking an oath. "You won't spend a single yen, I promise."
"No."
"I will do your laundry next week."
"No."
"I will do your laundry and clean your house next week."
Rukawa sighed. Rani obviously doesn't know the meaning of 'no'.
"Yare-yare…. But on one condition."
"Anything for the best basketball player in the world!" Rani grinned happily and gave him a massage on his shoulders.
Rukawa shook his shoulders so Rani would get her hands off him. He knew Rani was just pulling his leg. She's never been interested in basketball and would never compliment him on his basketball skills. And she can be such a pest sometimes.
"Stay away from vending machines."
"Mmmmmm…. I just loooove tempura! Maru will fatten you up, Kogure-kun." Rani winked at the woman who is now Kogure's girlfriend."
"You should also try some of these squid rings," offered Kogure.
"Ahh… of course, seafood is my favorite!"
"Rani, why don't you get a boyfriend?" Maru asked.
Rani shook her head as she popped a squid ring into her mouth. "No time for love."
"I thought you were spending more time with Rukawa-kun?" Maru pressed on.
"Hm? Yeah, so?" Rani started munching the squid while looking around people who are also having lunch at the hospital cafeteria.
"You two would make a great couple," Maru said nonchalantly.
Rani almost spit the squid. "Are you kidding? Rukawa-kun? I bet a dead log is easier to arouse! He doesn't have a life!" She blurted out after swallowing the squid.
"Maa…. " Kogure butted in. "I think Rukawa-kun goes out more often now, Rani. I think he is enjoying your company."
Rani dismissively waved the chopsticks on her hand. "Whatever."
"What about Fujima-kun? The last time we talked to him, he seems so fond of you," Kogure continued.
"Kenji?" Rani looked up from her plate. "No, we are just friends. Besides he's so good-looking he looks prettier than me. I feel so insecure hahahah!"
The bespectacled man looked slyly at her. "See? You are even on a first name basis with him."
"Rani, I didn't know you have many prospects," Maru winked at her.
"Eh?" Rani turned to her direction then saw Kogure sporting a sly smile at her. "Oi! Kogure-kun, don't look at me that way. Kenji-san is just a friend. I didn't come to Japan to get a boyfriend.
At last, the day Rani had been waiting for arrived. They were trudging towards the train station that would take them to Narita Airport. Rukawa stopped walking when they passed by an ongoing motor show.
"Oi, let's go check the motor show first," he called out to her who didn't seem to notice that she was already walking alone.
"Are you sure this is a wise thing to do?" Rani protested. "We might be late for the flight."
"This won't take long."
Rani sighed in resignation and followed him. "Geez…. Men! If it's not basketball, it's cars!"
"Whoa…" Rani's eyes turned dreamy.
"See that car over there?" Rukawa pointed at a sleek midnight blue car. "That's the kind of car I want to have."
"Ca-Car….? What….. car?"
"That one." Rukawa pointed to the car once again. "It's a Jaguar, my dream car."
"Ohh….yeah…… dream boats….." Her voice trailed off.
Boats? He frowned at Rani's weird smile and dreamy, faraway look.
Rukawa followed Rani's gaze to see what she's looking at. He facefaulted when he finally realized that Rani wasn't looking at the car but at the shirtless hunks that were modeling for the car.
He flicked his fingers in front of her face. "Oi, aho, wake up."
Rani broke out of her dreamy state and agreed with him. "Um…yea…nice car but I'm thirsty. I'll just go get---."
"Oh no, you won't," he said as he grabbed her by the collar on her back. "Did I ever tell you that you are not to touch any vending machines when you are with me?"
"But I need a drink!" Rani protested.
"I'll get it. Stay here." Rukawa ordered Rani like a little kid. "Don't move, don't breathe and don't do anything stupid or else we won't be going to Sapporo."
Rukawa marched towards the vending machine while shaking his head. It seems that ever since he has been hanging around with Rani, he has learned to stay alert. He's even nagging a lot lately. He, of all people!
So much for being quiet.