Disclaimer : Slam Dunk is owned by Takehiko Inoue.
Note: Sentences in italics are thoughts.
To All The Reviewers: Thank you so much for your support! I am so touched. Really.
I Couldn't Ask For More
Chapter 3: In Search Of The Past
A welcome party was thrown for him by the All-Japan Team on his very first day of training. Some of them were also his former teammates as he used to play with them before he left for America.
He was happy.
They were his countrymen, his teammates.
The press naturally had a field day.
RUKAWA LEFT NBA.
RUKAWA JOINS ALL JAPAN TEAM.
RUKAWA IS HOME.
He answered all their questions. Even though he never liked the attention, he has learned to deal with them through all these years. Heck, if they interviewed him when he was just a rookie, they would get nothing but glares, grunts and drools. He couldn't help but laugh at himself.
Was I really a loony before?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
One of the things he likes about playing basketball is that he gets a lot of free time. For him, basketball and sleeping go hand in hand. When he is not sleeping, he moves around Kanagawa to get familiarized with it again.
It's like getting to know someone after a long time of not seeing each other.
A few people recognized him. Of course he has matured. If he still looked the same pretty boy years ago, people would instantly recognize him. Only basketball enthusiasts recognize him now. He is never one who would want to attract attention anyway so he liked it that way.
It was a windy afternoon. He decided to go to the park and sat down on the bench not so far away from the basketball court. Some teenagers are playing basketball and he decided to watch them.
His thoughts drifted back to his previous conversations with his father. Until now, he couldn't believe that his father would set up a marriage for him. He should have known better than to shove something like that into him. But then again, his father doesn't know him that much. He shrugged.
We were never close anyway.
How could he possibly know me?
He was always busy with his business ever since he, his son was still in diapers. Then his mother died when he was just 14. When he went to America, his only communication with his father was just a few phone calls and that's it. He sighed and shook his head. Clearly, his own father doesn't know him.
Even if it was a family tradition that they followed from the olden times to subscribe to arranged marriages, he doesn't like it.
He doesn't like it when his father makes the choices for him.
He feels helpless.
Like he cannot control his own life.
And he doesn't want that.
He stood up and started walking when he noticed a little boy playing alone at the smaller basketball court.
The little boy was trying to shoot.
But missed.
He was amused seeing the boy as small as he is seemingly so serious at it. The ball he was using was of different colors, red, blue and white.
Again and again, the boy tried to shoot.
But constantly missing the hoop.
He looked into the little boy's face and noticed that he was undaunted. He seems determined to continue on playing. The little boy had black hair and dark eyes. He laughed inwardly and thought that if he didn't know any better, he would have thought that he was his son. He walked to the spot where the boy was standing and gave him a couple of pointers on how to shoot.
"Just try it that way again and again. In time, you will get it."
"H-hai."
The little boy tried it again and the ball went in much to his delight. He turned to find the man who taught him so he could thank him but he noticed that he was already too far.
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11:46 am?
He rubbed his eyes as he struggled to get up from his bed.
No practice today.
He quickly took a shower as his stomach is growling from hunger. Gotta grab something to eat.
He dragged his bike out and decided to see more of Kanagawa. The afternoon sun wasn't shining so bright.
It's a nice day for some biking.
Wait. I know this house.
This is the house of their former basketball captain Akagi. He's been here before when they had a sleep over after some tutoring sessions and also just had some plain gatherings with the team. He pressed the button outside the gate and waited. After a couple of minutes, he pressed again. There must be nobody home. He was about to turn around preparing to leave when the gate opened.
"Yes? Who is it?" It was an elderly woman.
Rukawa bowed in respect then started to speak. "Konnichiwa! I am Rukawa Kaede. Is Akagi-san home? Akagi Takenori?"
"Akagi-san?" The old woman paused to think. "I think you are talking about the former house residents. They don't live here anymore."
He felt disappointed. "I see. Do you know where they live now?"
"Oh no. My son bought this house from them three years ago and I don't think we have contact with them now."
Rukawa nodded. "Thanks anyway." He bowed to the old woman and left.
I wonder how they are now?
Rukawa biked with no destination in mind. A lot of changes in his hometown. New shopping arcades, new restaurants. Even new street names.
He almost got lost.
He entered a sports shop and started browsing some of the basketball sports magazines.
"Rukawa-kun?" He heard a female voice call out his name. "It's you! It's really you!"