Chapter 1: Fushigi-san
Hey guys! This is the first fic I've written, but the first fic I've ever posted in my entire life is entitled "To Live Again" in Initial D Section.

I've written this fic supposedly as a semi-sequel for renei's "NO JOCKS ALLOWED" displayed in this same section. (Note: Renei is a fellow writer. I hope you read her works. They're great!). However, I'll just treat it a separate story entirely.

Acknowledgements: A lot of thanks to renei for inspiring me to write and post my fic, although she doesn't know yet… hehe!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Slam Dunk, and nor do I own the weirdoes whom we call as the characters of the anime! I DON'T own Rukawa or Mistui, I'm just borrowing them.


It was a busy morning in the streets of Japan. Everywhere you looked, you'd find people rushing to get to their destination on time. The newspaper boy was pedaling madly on the other side of the street to deliver the daily gazettes. Adults dressed in office uniforms were rushing, trying to beat the others into the fully loaded train. Students of were hurrying to get to class on time. All except for one.

"Kaede! Kaede!!!" Mrs. Rukawa's voice boomed all over the dining room, when she saw her dead-to-the-world son drooling on the breakfast table. "Kaede, Kaede, wake up or you'll be late for school. Again!" She emphasized her last word by hitting her son's head with the bread knife.

"…."

Somehow, the bread knife did the trick. Rukawa opened his eyes slowly, trying to take in what his mother was saying to him. He wiped the drool off his mouth and tried to focus his eyes into reality. He felt like he was floating as if in a dream; his head ached for more sleep.

"What, young boy? You're still sleeping? You're ten minutes away from being late!" She picked up Rukawa's bag and threw it at him. "And look, your hair is still ruffled. What? You didn't bother to use the new brush I bought for you yesterday?" She took a brush from her handbag and started combing her son's hair. Kaede, on the other hand, was unmindful of what was happening. Besides, he was already used to this daily routine - her mom doing the morning jobs for him: fixing his uniform, cooking the breakfast, and even combing his hair for him! When she was finished with the hair, she pushed her son out of the house. She watched her son ride his bike, "Go now, Kaede, and be a good boy!" She gave her son a slap on the butt and pushed her son's bike into motion.

(You see, this is how I envision every morning of living with Rukawa. Since he is practically a zombie, sleepwalking or something, you have to do everything for him, so he would live. He's like a baby who doesn't do anything for himself, although he CAN. He just wouldn't, since he 's unconscious)


"Ohayou."

Professor Kagayaki started the long school day lecture with his Poetry. He blabbed on about poetry as a form of literature showing emotions and thoughts , until it got really boring, that all Kaede could do was drift off into his wonderland and achieve NIRVANA… into deep sleep.

It lasted for about an hour or so, and the bell rang, signaling the end of Poetry Class.

"Okay class," started the professor who was trying to compete with the noise coming from the students already preparing to leave, "Tomorrow, submit your poetry. Don't forget to incorporate what you've learned today."

Everyone was already heading towards the door, except for one. He was still sleeping and making a pool on his desk, enjoying his extended visit to Wonderland.


Rukawa's poetry in Wonderland:
I love Basketball

I love Basketball

I love Basketball

I want to play Basketball

I want to play Basketball

I want to play Basketball

I'll beat Sendoh one of these days

I'll beat Sendoh one of these days

I'll beat Sendoh one of these days

Someday I'll be the best basketball player in the world

Someday I'll be the best basketball player in the world

Someday I'll be the best basketball player in the world


At last, the day was over. School went okay, with Rukawa just sleeping on all of them. Basketball practice was even better, with him improving on his defense. He was really preparing himself up for his next meeting with Sendoh. He wanted to defeat Sendoh in ball skill. Much more, he wanted win in the finals.

He was passing by a convenience store on his bicycle, when something caught his eye. Through the transparent glass walls of the store, he could see that there was a commotion inside the store. He could see panic and fear in the people's faces. His eyes darted to the cashier and saw a masked man pointing a gun towards the old man tending the money. Kaede took his time for the situation to sink in. Then slowly, he got off his bike and went inside the convenience store.

Compared to the bandit, Kaede was taller and more scary-looking in build. "Oi," he addressed the criminal, "What do you think you're doing?" He pasted on a mean-looking growl, his anger rising.

"Hey kid, step outta the way," said the masked man, who was already holding the moneybag in his left hand, "this is none of your business." He pointed his gun towards Rukawa, trying to scare him off.

"@*%!"

"Listen, I don't want to do it, but I have no choice. My mother is sick, and I don't have the money to take her to the hospital. I tried to sell these," he took out three pieces of carton for Kaede to see, "but nobody wanted to take it. It's all I have…"

"What are those?" Rukawa asked incredulously.

"These? These are tickets to the past, present, and future. This will lead you the way. But nobody believes it."

"Yeah right," Rukawa answered in his monotone of a voice, "Who would believe you? Those things are just junk!" The 'tickets' look nothing more than milk carton cut into pieces.

"You don't believe me? I tell you this: These tickets are powerful. You just have to use the ticket to the past to see what went wrong in your past, so you can change it; you can use the ticket to the present to do something you haven't done before; and you can use the future ticket to see what is in store for you. If you don't like what you see, you are free to change it. That's how powerful my tickets are… yet no one believes in it!" He said his last sentence with disgust.

"Baka. You surely lost your mind."

With that, the bandit lunged towards Rukawa, anger burning his eyes. Rukawa, who saw it coming, dodged the blow with ease. He caught the bandit off guard and gave him a punch that sent the outlaw into Wonderland.

"Crazy old man…" He retrieved the moneybag and returned it to the cashier. Minutes later, the police went in and seized the still-sleeping bandit.

"Hey kid," said one of the policemen to Rukawa, who was given a free snack by the cashier, since he refused to be paid for his deed, "what's your name?"

Rukawa thought for a moment if he should keep silent and decided against it, "Rukawa. Rukawa Kaede."

"Mmmm. .. Rukawa Kaede," he said while listing down the name, "Can you tell me what exactly happened? The old man in the cashier is still too shocked to speak."

Rukawa told the police officer all he knew. Afterwards, he was allowed to go home.


It was already six in the evening when Rukawa arrived at his home. He felt tired, coming from the practice and the bandit-chase. He went to the fridge to get an ice-cold Gatorade and a siopao. He put the siopao in the microwave and went back to the living room. He rummaged through his bag to find his notebooks, so he could start his assignments. He was already in the middle of his Math assignment, when a piece of paper caught his eye. It was the same paper the man from the store was holding earlier. He picked it up and studied it carefully. Nothing special here. Just a small note. I knew that man was crazed.

"As the door to the past had been closed long ago," Rukawa read the writing on the carton, "may this voice I find open it to the place I wanted to go." There was a sudden brush of cold air, caressing the hairs on the back of his neck. How odd. There was no wind at all…

Ping!

The microwave signaled to a stop. Rukawa went to the kitchen to get his snack. Even after a snack at the convenience store, he was still hungry. He felt like his stomach was an endless pit. After he finished his snack, he tried to continue his Math project, which was forgotten earlier, but realized he could not. He felt sleepy again. He placed himself into a comfortable position on the sofa and started his walk to Wonderland…


"I'm sorry. Kaoru, but we already did our best. There's nothing more we could do about it. It was already a hopeless case, as I've told you earlier. I'm really sorry."

"Kaiko," Kaoru said in a desolate voice, "Kaiko, can you hear me?"

"Kaoru," the man on the hospital bed answered. He looked like he was in pain, "Kaoru, take care of Kaede. Love him for me…"

"Don't say that, Kaiko, don't!" She tried to push away the dread and sadness in her voice. She caressed her husband's face and spoke gently, "We're gonna be a family, ne? And we will live happily forever… near the beach. That's what you want, ne? Please fight. Fight it for Kaede…"

"Sayonara, baby…"

"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…….."


"Kaede-kun…"

"Ame-san…"

"I love you, Kaede-kun. Please remember that always."

"I know. And I love you, too."


"A-ano, sensei, where is Ame?"

"She's still in the emergency room. She got hit by a truck, and she has suffered many injuries."

"W-will she be all right, doctor?"

"We're not sure. For now, all you can do is pray for her survival."

"Pray for survival?!?!?"


"Oi, Rukawa!"

"… Kenji…"

"Aren't you going to Ame's funeral? She'll be delivered to her resting place this afternoon."

"No"

"C'mon, man, do you think my sister's gonna be happy knowing that you're drowning yourself in misery and in playing ball? Do you think her soul will rest in peace, knowing you're mourning?"

"To hell I care! I love Ame, and I'll always will. Next to her is basketball. If I can't have her anymore, I'll just drown myself into playing ball!"


"Yaaa! Rukawa is sooooooo good in playing ball!" (giggle)

"Hai. And he surely is very handsome!" (laugh)

"Ooooohh, I love him!" (starry-eyed)

altogether: "RU-KA-WA! Ru-KA-WA!…"


"A-ano, Rukawa-sempai,"

"…" (continues to shoot hoops and ignores the girl)

"Watashi… ano… I love you, Rukawa-sempai!"

"… You're distracting me from my practice…" (hands clenched into a tight fist)

"Gomen…" (runs away, crying)


"Reiko!"

"Oh, jock boy!"

"You baka with the butt attracted to the floor!"

"Ah! You kitsune!"

"Pah! Teletubby-freak "

"faggot!"

"Come here! I'll throttle you to death!"


"Huh!"

"Honey, you were dreaming! You were cursing in your sleep." Mrs. Rukawa woke her son, who was drenched in sweat while sleeping on the sofa. "Don't work too hard on your assignments," she pointed to the half-finished Math problems lying on the floor, "you'll wear yourself out."

Rukawa was now wide awake, but he could still remember his dream. It was odd, how he dreamed of his life in the past. It felt so real, like he was watching every scene on a big screen. He thought he'd forgotten about Ame and Reiko, but now he knew he hadn't. He remembered every bit of Ame's person. She was sweet, understanding, caring… she was like the perfect girlfriend to her. They thought they'd be together, until her tragic and untimely demise came. He remembered the great pain his first love's death gave him, every agonizing moment when he had to see a sweet couple making out or anything lovey dovey. He felt his life shatter into pieces. But he realized he should move on, and he did. He moved on with his life with a new love - basketball. That was when he started to become obsessed with playing ball. He started to become nonchalant of the world around him, and focus only on playing ball. He soon forgot about love, until someone came.

Reiko. Her name still sends a chill to his spine. She could be really stubborn, but she has a quality that made him interested in her, even for just a little while. True, they shared many times together doing a stupid Biology project. But most of those times they spent arguing and fighting over something really stupid. He could still remember her music in the music room, when he was sleeping. Even her stubbornness during their video shoot. She was really different from Ame. Everything about her is different and wrong, until THAT day came…

Oh, he remembered everything!

"Kaede…"

"nani?"

"I have to tell you something."

"hm?"

"Kaede, I TRIED TO STOP IT, but it just won't go. I TRIED TO HIDE IT, but I can't control it." she stopped and shed a tear, "I think I'm in love with you…"

"…"

"Don't you have anything to say?"

"… Let's get on with our project…"

That was the last time they talked to each other. Kaede knew he should've told her how he felt. He should have put his feelings in priority before his game. But the following year, Reiko was gone. He didn't know where she transferred, but he knew he won't see her again. That's what he deserved for hurting her, for denying his feelings…

"Kaede? Kaede?" Kaoru was waving her hand in front of Kaede, but he was unmindful of it. "Oi, Kaede? Spacing out again, eh?" She pinched his face. And he yelped in pain. "So, are you here on earth, again?"

Rukawa just gave his mom an icy glare, "I wasn't spacing out. I was just thinking!"

"Thinking, eh? About what? Or who?"

"About basketball, that's what!" He put his notebooks back in his bag.

"So defensive! I think you're thinking about her." She had on an awfully sweet smile on her face.

"Who?" He tried to act innocent, but his face was not cooperating, turning red in an instant.

"You know… Reiko, the 'baka with the butt attracted to the floor' and 'teletubby-freak!' I heard you two talking in your sleep." She gave a hearty laughed, pleased that she got through his son's skin.

"Mom? You stopped what you were doing just to pester me?" He shot her a mean look. She just flashed her a wicked grin. "You surely are one great mom!" His voice was full of sarcasm.

"Thank you, son. I'm sure your dad is very proud of me." She then continued cooking their dinner.

After the mention of his dad, Rukawa suddenly became interested about his lifelong dead dad, whom he never really knew, since his dad died while he was just a year old. He had no real memories of him. But in the dream, he saw his dad. He saw him in his deathbed…

"Mom?" he asked a while later, "can you tell me more about dad?"

Kaoru was obviously surprised by this query. She had long forgotten that she was now a single mom. She stopped cooking and faced her son, "naze?" she asked plainly.

"Nothing. I just got interested. Well?"

"Sure," she agreed, although quite unsure, "nani desu ka?"

"Did my father die of a sickness?"

"Hai. In fact, he died with a three-year bone cancer. They say it is the most painful cancer illness."

"Does he like to live near the beach?"

This question took Kaoru off guard. She scrutinized his face for any sign of a joke or something. He was surely creeping her out. "How did you know?"

"Nothing." So my dream is true. This is so weird! "Mom, I'll go to my room first and do my homework before dinner." And with that, he went upstairs.


Damn! This is really a peculiar thing. What's happening to me?

You don't believe me?

Who are you?

I tell you this: These tickets are powerful.

What are you doing to me?

You just have to use the ticket to the past to see what went wrong in your past, so you can change it

What are you talking about?

I give you the chance to right the wrong in the past. Now, you should choose!

Wait!

I want to ask something! Wait!


"Oi Kaede," Kaoru said to her son while having dinner that evening. She observed that he was more silent than usual, and it worries her. "Is something wrong, honey?" Rukawa just gave her a shrug. She knew something was wrong, but she didn't bother to talk about it. She knew that whatever it was bothering her son would soon go away.

"Oh, and honey," she turned to him after she finished her calamares, "will you do the dishes? I'll be upstairs doing some work."

"…"


This is weird. I can't even open my notebook to answer my assignments, just because I was having all these peculiar things going on in my head! What are these dreams about, anyway? They just keep on entering my head and eating up my sanity.

Since when have these things started? Since that robbery man told me about the insane tickets; since I got this ticket-to-the-past-whatsoever. Whatever it is, I just wish it would go away!


"Kaede! Kaede!"

"Who are you?"

"Kaede, it's me! Or have you forgotten all about me completely?"

"Ame?"

"Uh-uh. Kaede! I've missed you so much. You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this moment."

"Naze? Do you have something to tell me?"

"Hai. A-ano… Kaede, I want you to know that I love you so much. I want you to experience happiness. Let go of the lonely past that happened between us…"

"I don't understand…"

"You will. In time you will. But for now, I'm sending you to a place where you should be. Remember, whatever happens, I'll still love you…"

"I love you, too…"


To be continued...