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.
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. This is the longest chapter in this story...I tried to divide it but it just wouldn't make any sense. Please review so I would know where to improve. Sorry for some gramatical errors and typoes! And oh, this part deals with Rukawa's childhood years, so he's kinda not fluent in speaking yet in some parts...hehehe =^o^= Anyway, enjoy the story! ^_^
Chapter 3: Blue Sneakers, Chocolate Bars and Promises
It was late in the afternoon. 6-year-old Rukawa had gone to the candy store to buy some chocolate bars, and was about to head back home when the rain started to pour. Running in the sidewalk, Rukawa put the chocolate bars in his shorts pocket and shielded his head from the rain with his hands. He sighed. his chocolate bars would be soggy now.
The candy storewas just 5 blocks away, across their street. he was about to cross the intersection to get to their house when he heard a sound nearby.
Someone was crying.
He stopped short, turned around,and saw a little girl with blue sneakers crying in the rain, under the shade of a tree.
Rukawa was soaked from the rain. he wanted to go home, eat his chocolate bar and sleep. But he didn't.
He can't leave the girl...she might catch a cold...
Without even knowing what he was doing, he approached the girl. It was peculiar for him to do so, for it wasn't his nature to care. About anything or anyone.
"Sniff-sniff" the girl cried. She was sitting in the wet grass with her head in her hands, her black hair all over her face. She looked up at Rukawa when she noticed him approaching.
It was only then that Rukawa realized that the girl had been crying fo a long time. Her eyes were almost red, and her cheeks were flushed from crying.
Rukawa sat beside her. "You wost?", he asked.
The girl shook her head no.
"Why you cwaying?"
The girl looked at him. "Pwease make em stop." she answered.
Rukawa gave her a confused look.
"Mama en Papa shouting." she explained. "Pwease make em stop."
Rukawa kept silent and listened. He can hear loud voices from the house in front of them. She must be talking about that.
When Rukawa didn't answer, the girl buried her head in her hands again and cried.
Rukawa had no idea how to cheer her up. He never have been the smart, funny little kid.
He put his little hands in his shorts pocket and took his chocolate bar.
He cast one last look at the chocolate bar. He went to all this trouble just to buy it...
He handed it to the little girl.
The girl sniffed, and wiped her nose with her hand. She looked at him, then to the chocolate bar in his hand.
And smiled. She smiled, and how sweet it was. Rukawa stared at the girl, his heart stopping...then he looked down.
She smiled at me, he thought. That's the first time anybody except his parents smiled at him.
That day was the beginning of a relationship both of them treasured so much.
***
Rukawa was a year older than Yui, and she became the sister he never had. Yui would always go at Rukawa's house to play, and she's the only person Rukawa would play with. They would play tag and hide and seek all afternoon. Then, they would lie down at Rukawa's lawn, stare up at the sky and pretend they could fly.
But then, the ice cream man would come, and they had to come back to reality.
Then play again until the sun sets.
They were kids and there was no stopping them.
Rukawa always wondered why they never went to play at Yui's house, but then remembers the loud voices from Yui's home and understood why. It was noisy at Yui's, and it wasn't fun to play if it was too noisy.
Rukawa was in 1st grade and yui was in preparatory school. They were from different schools, but it didn't matter, as long as they had every afternoon to themselves to play, and eat ice cream and chocholate bars.
***
Yui transferred to Rukawa's school when she was 7 and was in grade 2. Since then, she and Rukawa walked to and from school together.
Rukawa always got teased because his bestfriend was a girl, but he didn't care. He was in grade 3, and it was weird for 3rd grader boys not to have any guy friends. Or in his case, any friend at all.
But he didn't care. He had Yui, and that's enough.
As long as she's by his side, he doesn't need any friends.
***
It was a warm, sunny day. It was recess time, and 10-year-old Rukawa was walking down a corridor to Yui's classroom when he stopped. There were a group of kids gathered in front of Yui's room, and they seem to be making fun of someone. He approached the group not to see what the fuss was about but to force his way through. They were blocking the door to Yui's classroom.
As he neared the group, he caught a glimpse of the person they were teasing.
What he saw angered him.
They were making fun of YUI!
"I like your new hair, YUI BOY!" the ringleader of the pack teased. He was a large boy for his age, and he seemed a little scary. He laughed out loud as he said that, and the others laughed with him.
Yui was on the brink of crying.
"I'M NOT A BOY!" she screamed. "I cut my hair short! At least I have some hair, not like you, BALD PIG!"
The boy teasing Yui got angry at what she had just said. "I'm not BALD and I'm not a PIG!" he shouted, then in his anger, pushed Yui hard. Yui bumped against the wall behind her and hit her head. She fell to her knees, crying in pain.
The boy laughed, but his laughter was cut short when someone punched him in the face and he tumbled sideward.
It was Rukawa.
"Make fun of Yui and I'll punch you again." he said coldly. He walked towards Yui, who was crying, and he helped her stand up.
The boy stood up too, angrier this time. "You're that 4th grader, Rukawa!" he shouted. "But I'm not scared of you!"
And he charged at Rukawa and punched him too. The two began to exchange fists and kicks in the corridor.
I won't let you hurt Yui anymore...
***
Rukawa spent the rest of his afternoon in the principal's office. He got detention for starting a fight and beating up someone younger than him.
He was bruised and his nose was bleeding, but the boy teasing Yui was in worse condition. That boy was in the clinic, crying from a sore eye and a couple of loose tooth.
That's what he gets for bullying others.
It was late in the afternoon when Rukawa was allowed to go home. He thought he would walk home alone today, but was surprised to see Yui waiting for him by the school gate.
She did looked like a boy, with her cropped, uneven hair.
They fell in step together.
"I'm sorry." Yui apologized."That bully punched you because of me."
Rukawa just continued walking. It wasn't Yui's fault.
"Does it hurt?" Yui asked, meaning the bruises in Rukawa's face.
Rukawa nodded no.
"I like your hair longer." Rukawa said out of nowhere.
Yui stared at the concrete pavement upon hearing the comment. "You don't like it?"
Rukawa remained silent for a while. "Why'd you cut it?"
"I...I wanted mommy and daddy to stop shouting and notice me instead."
Then, she turned to Rukawa. "Do I look like a boy?"
Rukawa stared staright ahead. "No. The bully just said that to make you cry."
Yui didn't reply. The two of them continued walking silently.
"Thank you, Kae-chan." Yui said finally as she looked him in the eye. Sensing that Rukawa was unhappy, she tried to cheer him up. She took his hand and smiled.
"I'll buy you some chocolates! Mommy always eats them when she's hurt, and they make her smile!"
Without warning, she let go of Rukawa's hand and broke into a run. "Last one to get in the candy shop is an old spotted pink bear!"
Rukawa lightened a bit. He wanted to eat chocolates. And he is not an old spotted pink bear!
He smiled slightly and ran after Yui.
The real reason for his happiness was that Yui called him "Kae-chan". No one ever called him that way before...no one because he didn't really have any friends...
Rukawa promised to himself that day that he would always take care of Yui.
So he could always see her smile.
***
It was summer of that year. 10 yr-old Rukawa waited for Yui to drop by his house because he wanted to say something. He would be gone for a month because he had sign up for Basketball Camp.
And so he waited and waited, from morning 'til noon.
But Yui didn't come.
Rukawa wondered if the large truck parked near Yui's house had something to do with it.
Are Yui and her family moving out...?
Suddenly, their front door burst open and in came Yui, crying. She ran towards him and hugged him tight.
"Kae-chan!" she muttered in between sobs.
Rukawa understood why. He hugged Yui too, afraid to let her go.
***
It was their last afternoon together. Both children went to the park, and they sat on the swing. It was their favorite place, aside from Rukawa's front lawn. There, they could do anything they want. It was also only a block away from their favorite candy shop.
"You're leaving?" Rukawa asked finally after a long silence.
Yui nodded yes.
"To where?"
"To California." Yui answered. "Daddy said it was a pretty place. He said it's his new work place."
"Is California far?"
Yui nodded. "Daddy said we will ride an airplane to get there."
"How about your mommy?"
Yui stopped swinging and held on tight at the chains of the swing. She pulled her leg up and fitted it at the tiny space she was sitting on.
Tears began to fall from her eyes again.
"Daddy said she can't come with us."
There was a long pause. Rukawa didn't know what to say. What exactly would he say to someone who can't be with her mom? Its better fro him to leave everything to silence.
No words. Just his presence. It was enough.
***
It was late afternoon. Rukawa an Yui were now lying on the grass at Rukawa's front lawn, staring at the sky.
Yui had just stopped crying.
It's time for Rukawa to tell her about his plans for the summer.
"Yui..." he started. "I'm going to basketball camp."
"Really?!" Yui asked, the slightest hint of loneliness vanished from her face. "I knew it! You like basketball because I always see you watching the 6th graders play at school. I thought so!"
It was obvious that she was happy and excited for Rukawa.
Imagine that: her bestfriend becoming a great basketball player someday!
Yui sat up, and suddenly took off the laces of her favorite blue sneakers.
"Here, Kae-chan!" she said, handing over a white shoelace to the boy next to him.
Rukawa took it and stared at it in confusion.
"Its for good luck, silly!" Yui explained. "Since it's from my favorite shoes, it will bring you good luck...to help you with basketball!"
Rukawa stared at it again. For good luck...in basketball?
"And," Yui added, blushing "I'm gonna keep the other one, see?". She showed Rukawa the other shoelace. "You keep it so you'll always remember me, and I'll keep mine so I'll always remember you."
Rukawa looked from the shoelace, then to Yui, who smiled.
He smiled too. Of course he'll keep it.
He will become a great basketball player for Yui.
It wasn't long before Yui began talking again.
"Kae-chan," she began "When we grow up, would you teach me how to play basketball so we can play it together?"
Rukawa nodded.
"Kae-chan, when we grow up, can we still go to the park?"
"Yes."
"Kae-chan, when we grow up, can I still go to your house and play?"
"Yes."
"Kae-chan, when we grow up, would we still eat chocolate bars?"
"Yes."
"Kae-chan, when we grow up...will you still remember me?"
Rukawa didn't respond. How could he forget Yui?
"Kae-chan...promise me you won't forget..."
I...I will never forget you, Yui. Never...
"Kae-chan...?"
"I promise." Rukawa replied. Upon hearing that, Yui smiled, hugged him tight and began to cry. She doesn't want to leave, but it was fate's will for her to.
"Yui..." Rukawa began. "Promise me you'll never cry again."
Yui sniffed. "I-I'll try to be as strong as you are..."
"Yui...will you...come back for me?"
"I will, Kae-chan. I promise I'll come back for you."
The two children lied in each other's arms.
No words. Just each other. And love.
They stayed under the sky until it turned black and the first stars began to appear...
...wishing that that moment would last forever.
***
Rukawa was lying on the roof of their house, staring at the inky black sky and the fe stars which seemed like diamonds sewn in neverending silk.
He was reminiscing his childhood...when everything between him and Yui was still okay...
He'd got to stop doing that...living in the past.
As he was about to stand up, he felt something in the back pocket of his denim pants. He took it.
It was the shoelace Yui had given him 6 years ago.
The shoelace of promises.
Rukawa looked at it with both love and regret.
Does Yui still have hers...? Probably not. She already forgot her promises...what need does she have for a trash like this?
"Stupid." Rukawa muttered as he threw the shoelace away.
What need does he have for it now?
Unknown to him, Yui too, was staring at the same sky he was staring at...at the same stars, though from a different place.
Looking at the shoelace she had kept for 6 years... wondering too, if Rukawa still had his.
Both of them sighed.
If only life was as simple as it was like when they were still young.
******
