Disclaimer: Slam Dunk belongs to Takehito Inoue and only Sumire, Manx, Sierna and Ananda (my OCs) belong to me! Sumire is actually---- a-hem! somebody out there.... =p

~*~*~Cruising for Love~*~*~

By: ChinaEyes

Chapter 2: Meeting Ms. Perfect

Sakuragi scanned the place, everything was neat and perfectly organized. It was just like in an expensive hotel!

'This is paradise!'

He walked through the stores and glanced at the display.

"Wow!" He got mesmerized by the colorful poster on display that he almost forgot his mission.

"Oh yeah..." he said as he remembered the plan. The Mazta Plan.

'Get the kitsune a girl to get him off our ass...of course, not just any girl. She gotta be pretty with lots and lots of sex appeal or else Rukawa wouldn't even take a second look at her and all our hard work will be put to waste.'

Sakuragi sighed and he suddenly got a burst of determination, "I am a tensai! And a tensai shall find a girl for that--that baka kitsune even if he doesn't deserve it!"

He walked towards the door of the virtual arcade, still muttering to himself, when suddenly the door burst open.

"YEOW!" Sakuragi cried as he landed painfully on his butt.

"Oops. Sorry...heh-heh." A girl extended a hand to Sakurai, helping him up.

"Eh?" As soon as Sakuragi was up at his feet, he began to survey the girl who nearly broke his nose. She was wearing a wide-toothy smile and her blazing red hair was worn in pigtails. She had a cute baby tee on and white shorts. Simple. Cute. Perfect.

"You were going in the exit." She giggled.

"I--I was? Nyahahahahaha!!! I got lost in my thoughts....hehehehehe." Sakuargi laughed uneasily, he wish the girl wouldn't notice that his face had turned red. "I-I'm Sakuragi Hanamichi, by the way....."

The girl stared at him, apparently deciding whether to introduce herself to this moron. Sakuragi felt his palms had gone sweaty and his mouth rather dry.

Finally, she smiled and said, "I'm Sierna Misato. Nice to meet ya!"

"Hey! Maybe you'd like to sit with us at dinner..." Sakuragi asked invitingly, thinking that this would be the ideal opportunity for her to meet Rukawa.

"Ummm...you're a fast one." Sierna observed, a smile playing on her lips.

"Eer-yeah. My friend, " He spatted the word disgustingly, "would looove to meet ya."

"Your friend?"

"Yes. Name's Kaede Rukawa, a heart-warming and totally outgoing person! Never gets mad! A happy-go-lucky type...." Sakuragi lied. He would have love to say that 'Rukawa is a self-centered, arrogant, cold and selfish git.'

"Oh sure. I am excited to meet this friend of yours. He is just what I was looking for!" Sierna replied cheerfully.

"Really? I mean-ok! See you at dinner Sierna! Bye!" And Sakuragi rushed off, whistling.

Mission Accomplish.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mitsui sighed heavily as he searched the ship for "incredibly-irresistible girls" He never thought that girl-hunting could be so----tiresome.

'Wonder what the other guys are doing?'

He walked pass a shop and something caught his attention and he doubled back

'Umm...That shades will look good with my new Gucci shirt...'

He went in and looked around. The place was reeking with perfume and there was even a small coffee table for VIP customers only, which serves tea and biscuits. The shop was clearly for the filthy rich and posh society.

"Excuse me. May I see that please?" Mitsui whirled around when he heard the voice, a beautiful girl with flowing black hair was talking to the sales clerk. Two men wearing replicas of the men in black suits were behind her, keeping guard. They were struggling to keep hold of the several shopping bags and gift boxes entrusted to them.

Mitsui licked his lip as he proceeded to make his move, he slid to the counter next to girl. He glanced at the girl's purchase, it was an sparkling emerald ring imported from Italy.

"Nice pick..." Mitsui commented and his blue eyes met her amethyst ones.

She eyed him for a moment then smiled, "Do you think the earrings would look great too?" she pointed at the earring on display. Pretty daisy-shaped earrings.

"The earrings would look fabulous on you...but the necklace over there will bring out the color of your eyes." Mitsui was glad the conversation was going as he planned, he was always a good charmer.

"Fine. I'll take them all." She smiled politely then handed her card to pay.

"Excuse me." He addressed the sales clerk who was in the middle of wrapping a package.

"I'll have the blue shades on display please."

Mitsui saw, from the corner of his eye that the rich girl was now waiting for his next move.

"Are you sure? That's mightily expensive, you-" The sales clerk started to say but Mitsui slid his gold platinum card on the glass counter and it shut her up.

"Oh. Very well then. I'll be back." And she hurried off.

The mysterious girl moved closer and lanced at Mitsui's card.

"Hisashi Mitsui." She mused her amethyst eyes sparkling.

"Yes. And you are?"

"Sumire." She paused then continued, "Sumire Yanazaki. Very pleased to meet you."

"So, spending time with anyone on board?" Mitsui asked casually as the sales clerk wrap his shades.

"No. Unfortunately, I'm on my own." She smirked and waited for the reply.

"I'm with my friends...er-one of them is the son of a rich business tycoon.." Mitsui invented. "He already runs two of his father's company. You might have heard of him before. The Rukawa Enterprises."

"Rukawa...Rukawa....?" Sumire frowned slightly.

"You mean you haven't heard of his family?" Mitsui gave her a "you are a nobody if you don't know him" look.

"I-I think I've seen him during my visit in Japan last year..." Sumire said.

"Yes. That must be him." Mitaui said, relief that he had managed to lure her into his trap. "Why don't you sit with us later, at dinner? I'm sure he'll be glad to see you again."

"Yes, I think I'll go. Thank you, Mitsui." Sumire nodded his way and exits, her bodyguards trotting behind her clumsily.

Mitsui grinned.

Success!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The dinner as set up in the same room where Rukawa was caught brawling the other day. The food tonight was very special and exotic. a lot of people were already dancing in the middle, several were talking and laughing. Others had gone out in the gangplank for some fresh air.

Rukawa sat on a table, he was expecting his companions to leave him alone except they brought some girls to sit with him. And they were acting very strangely indeed. They kept on excusing themselves from the table and hovering on the buffet table, muttering in low voices. Sakuragi was giving him nasty glares all the time (this was the only thing that didn't seem strange), even Mitsui had stomped on his foot several times when he about to fall asleep.

The girls were just as weird. One, with the pigtails, kept on smiling at him. She was smiling so broadly that Rukawa was surprised that her jaws didn't break. The other one had this snotty voice and she kept on bragging about the places she's been; Puerto Rico, Miami, California, Africa, China, etc.....The last one was brought by Ryota and she definitely got his attention. Who wouldn't? She was wearing black shirt, black pants, black bandana, black boots and black shades. She could scare Count Dracula herself!

The three guys were having an important meeting....

"Look baka! She's perfect! She's beautiful! She's rich! She's---" Mitsui was interrupted by Ryota.

"She's too eccentric! All she does is talk about her wealth! Now see Manx, she's really sensitive and ---"

"---a weird sense of style! She look like a witch!" Sakuragi raged.

"How about that girl you got for Rukawa? She wouldn't stop grinning like an idiot! And Rukawa doesn't even smile!" Ryota retorted back.

"Sierna is a happy gal, that's all. She might be able to change Rukawa and--"

"Shhh! Keep your voices down! He might hear us!" Mitsui hissed. "Now the perfect girl for our dear ace-player is Sumire not some Zorro-look alike or a grinning baboon."

"Don't you dare insult Manx! She's rather sensitive and the ideal girl for someone cold and rational!" Ryota protested.

"Sierna is the one, man. Can't you see that? Have you heard: Opposite Attracts!" Sakuragi said indignantly.

"Okay, okay. We're not going anywhere if we fight right now. Let's just leave it to Rukawa to decide...."

"Yeah..." Ryota agreed.

"Alright, but I still think that----" Sakuragi shouted.

"SAKURAGI!!!"

"Sorry, I won't say anything anymore...." he shurgged.

"Mitsui..." a voice from behind called out.

"Sumire, what's wrong?" Mitsui asked, the two other girl, Manx and Sierna was with her.

"Rukawa...he just took off."

"NANI?!" The three boys immediately went out to search for their disturbed teammate.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Rukawa leaned on the rail outside the dinner hall. The cold wind blowing his hair and making him sleepy but he could not. The fight with his father the other night still troubled him. He had lots of fight with his dad ever since he and his mom got a divorce. His mother would have been pleased by his achievements. She would have praised him and encouraged him at the same time. But that man! All he ever cared about is his work!

'I rarely even see him' Rukawa thought angrily. Though its almost shameful to admit it to himself--he was unloved and uncared for since and now he's longing for that love once more. He needed someone--someone who he could share his life and feelings with....

"Watching the clouds

floating in the sky

nightfall slowly creeping

alone in my sorrow I cry..."

"Huh?" Rukawa shoot a look at the person who startled his thoughts.

The perosn was a girl about his age with long black hair braided up to her waist and sparkling emerald green eyes that were visible even behind her spectacles. She was holding a thick leather bound book in her hand, and she cast a small smile at his bewildered expression.

"Hi...Sorry I didn't mean to startle you." She said, her voice warm and soft making Rukawa rethink about shooing her away.

"Oh, don't mind me. I just wanted some fresh air." She let the cool wind blew on her face and she closed her eyes as if in a deep thought, then she started to recite once more...

"I could still remember

the way I used to love you

all my thoughts still linger

and makes me feel so.....

"so...so......."

"Blue."

She turned to her silent companion. This was the first time he ever talked. She was beginning to think that he was mute.

"so blue....yes. It fits! Thanks!" she smiled at him "You like poems?"

"No." Rukawa replied numbly.

"Oh.." She sounded a bit disappointed. "What do you like?"

"Basketball."

"Really?! I bet your really great since you're tall and all..." Her voice faded. "I like poems so much that I compile them here!"

She held out the thick book she was clutching.

"You make your own then?" Rukawa asked, wondering why the hell is he interested in this girl and even bothering to talk to her.

"Well...yes but I'm not good and --"

"RUKAWA!!!" Somebody screamed behind her making her jump. Then three young men went passing by her and dragging her mysterious companion inside the dinner hall.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?!"

"You should be inside the dinner hall!"

"C'mon. Let's go!"

The girl was stunned as she watched the pale faced guy she was talking to just a while ago let himself be drag inside like an old doll. The cold wind blew once more as if assuring her that they shall meet again.

"Mmm....Rukawa...."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"What is wrong with you Rukawa! How can--"

"We took all the trouble to get you a girl and ---"

"You didn't even show that you're interested---"

"Show a bit of gratitude and I---"

"Now the girls are pissed off and you have to make up for it or else!"

The four Shohoku stars had crowded in Mitsui and Rukawa's cabin. All very furious and raging, Rukawa was annoyed and sleepy wishing they would just go away. He had remained silent the whole time, their lecture is pointless and pathetic.

'Damn....' He thought.

"And who was that girl you're with?"

"She's not you're type!"

"A definite no-no!"

"I don't want to see you near that girl again!"

'D'ahos...Who are you to order me around? I don't even know her name...' Rukawa thought angrily.

Sakuragi had jumped up from the chair he was sitting on for sometime now in rage. "And why are you so silent?!"

"Rukawa---" Ryota was about to say something but was immediately interrupted by Mitsui.

"Guys, guys. C'mon lets call it a night." Mitsui said, opening the door for them. "Let Rukawa and I have some rest."

The two regarded Mitsui with suspicion for a while but headed out and closed the door with a snap. The moment their footsteps died away, Mitsui quickly marched towards Rukawa and declared,

"I've arranged a date for you and Sumire. You are going tomorrow whether you like it or not!"


~*~*~Author's Notes~*~*~

I'm back! Cruising for loooove!!! Heh-heh!!! Valentines near...sigh I know a lot of people are happy because of this and an even more number of people are frustrated...I am one of those, unfortunately. Why? Because I didn't get enough reviews for the last chapter but I still ended up posting the next. I couldn't think of the chaos my ryodanz would make if I quit right now....

Speaking of my ryodanz...The poems I used here is courtesy of Paku-chan or purple rhapsody. You can check out her fics and poems here if you want! She's really incredible and a-hem....she's one of my characters here... ^_^

To those who reviewed: THANK YOU!

To those who read my fic but didn't review: I'm begging you! REVIEW!

To the one who reviewed but insulted me at the same time: a-hem! You know who you are.....my ryodanz...

Alright! See ya soon and hope you have a memorable Valentines' Day! wink wink I'll be posting the next chapter if I manage to find a nice ending for my other fic.

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