Disclaimer: Rukawa Kaede, the other recognizable characters and the anime Slamdunk belong to its creator Takehiko Inoue. Yui Hiroyuki is a made-up character by yours truly. No profit is gained from this fanfic, and I have no money so don't sue.

Summary: Rukawa's childhood friend is back in Kanagawa, and he is torn between anger and happiness on her return.

Author's Note: Italicized words means characters' thoughts and capital letters means emphasized words. The -- part means sound effects(ex. --KABOOM!--) or unfinished sentence/thoughts. 3 * means an end of a part of that chapter while 6 * means an end of a chapter. Please review. By the way, this chapter contains the longest dialogue Rukawa ever said! ^^; Watch out for it! Enjoy! ^_^

To Your Heart and Back

Chapter 2: The Confrontation

Yui was walking in front of him, cheerful and all. But Rukawa doesn't mind. Yui was the sunny person Rukawa never was.
She was HIS sun.

"And so, as I was saying, life in America is a wonderful experience. Bishounens thrive there, and there are also a lot of nice people. But of course, life there is nothing compared to life HERE. I miss everything about this place. And the food--I miss the food. But I'm not complaining. US is my second home, and I love it too. But not as much as I love JAPAN...I missed this place..."

They were walking side by side now, Rukawa with his bike. He never rode it though, for it would be rude for Yui's part.
He was glad that she's back, but a bit angry too. It had been long.

"...I missed you." Yui added, smiling and slightly blushing.

Both fell silent for a while, and it was Rukawa who broke the silence.
"Why'd you come back?" he asked.

Yui stopped on her tracks. "I came back to fulfill my promise."

Rukawa stopped walking too. Liar, he thought. "That's not the real reson why." he replied.

"But it is...I came back to see you..."

No. That was a lie. She didn't came back just for me.

"Stop lying. Why'd you come back?"

Yui's expression changed to guilt. She bit her lip. So...Rukawa is still Rukawa. he never fails to read her mind. She can never hide anything from him. He knows. He always know...

"My...my mom died...." she replied. "I came to...to bid her goodbye."

Rukawa was struck by what she said. So that was why she was wearing black...her mother passed away...
He looked at yui. She was about to cry from the way she looks, but fought the urge to. She would never cry...not in front of him... never. It was one of her promises. Never to cry.

Rukawa wanted to hug her and apologize. Apologize for bringing the topic up. He wanted to comfort her, like he always did, when they were young.

But he never could. It wasn't his nature.

Although he loved Yui much, there was a part of him who wished she didn't came back.
She did fulfill her promise. She came back to Japan. But not for him.

Anger once more.

"I see. We have nothing to talk about then." he finally said, and he walked away. Something he should have done years ago. All those years of waiting for nothing. And for a second there, he thought Yui indeed came back for him.

Who was he kidding?

He really couldn't explain why he's feeling like this. It's just that...it's been too long.

Old feelings forgotten. Almost nothing else left. Tired of waiting. Hope lost.

Not for him. Not because of him...

"Rukawa, wait!" Yui called. She rushed towards him and held his hand. She never called him that before...by his surname. She always called him Kaede or just Kae-chan. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I lied, but I really came back to see you too..."

Rukawa looked at her for a second and shoved her hand away.

"You don't have to be."

"Then what's the point of ALL THIS? ALL THIS?!" Yui asked, almost shouting. "Aren't you even GLAD to see me?"

Rukawa turned to look at her.

"I have no time for this, Yui."

"Because you won't MAKE TIME! And I thought you'd be even just a little bit glad that I'm back! You haven't changed, Rukawa...you're still the same boy I've known years before. Cold as ice. Tell me, why are you angry? I know you are. What's your problem?"

"6 years, Yui. That's enough time to change anyone. And you're wrong. I've changed. It's been too long."

"But you said you'd wait for me. And I'm here now."

"Yes. But I shouldn't have. The waiting's over for me."

He started walking again, but Yui just won't let him leave.

"You said you'd wait for me. You said you won't forget. You said when I came back, and when we grow up, we'll go to the park again, and eat chocolate bars. Talk about basketball and play all afternoon. Look at the stars. Watch the sunset together. You haven't FORGOTTEN your PROMISES, have you?! You promised--!"

Rukawa's mixed emotions burst. Promises...he haven't forgotten his promises. But she did.
Rukawa stopped dead in his tracks and faced the girl who had made his life both sweet and miserable.

"I never forgot mine! You're the one who had forgotten everything!" he answered back. Rukawa never meant to raise his voice, but he can't help it. "In those 6 years, I've waited for your return, but nothing came. No word, no letter, no phone call, nothing. Not even a sign that you're still alive. And now you're going to barge into my life from out of nowhere and expect things to be the same."

Yui bit her lip and stared down.

"You stepped out my life completely."

"But I'm here now, Kae-chan..."

Rukawa smirked and took one final look at Yui.

"For now. Then you'll disappear again, and maybe be gone for good this time."

After saying that, he turned his back on her and went on his way.

Yui fell silent. She stood there, under the dim light of a lampost, head bowed down, eyes stinging from tears that wouldn't fall.

You stepped out of my life...
back again...
then gone for good...

***

Rukawa was almost at their house when the rain started to pour. He muttered a curse under his breath as he pedaled faster.

Just 5 more blocks and I'll be home...

Suddemly, Rukawa hit the brakes of his bike. He was on a sidewalk in front of a candy shop.
A memory flashed across his mind.

Himself, running from the rain, just like now...

He started to pedal again. He crossed an intersection and was in front of the empty house across their street.

Yui's house.

Another memory flashed across his mind.

Of a girl, crying...

Rukawa entered their garage and tied his bike with its cable lock.

He remembered a day, just like this one, ten years ago...

******