Disclaimer : Slam Dunk is owned by Takehiko Inoue. Yamada Hideo & Morita Keiji are mine!
Note: Sentences in italics are thoughts.
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AjA - Thanks! What a support!Zidane – Yep, I am rooting for Fujii to get her man eheheh....
Rook – You just made me a very happy writer. Thank you so much!
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Chapter 2: The Rules Of The Game
"I don't believe it!" An overbearing girl screamed at her friend's ear as she flung her arms up in the air. "He didn't even look at me!"
Let's just call her Ms. Rukawa-deserves-me. Just like Rukawa, Sakuragi and Haruko, she was in her third year in Shohoku. She's actually a transferee to Shohoku, a cheap, pathetic school according to her standards and compared to her prestigious all-girls' private school. If it weren't for Rukawa Kaede, she would never land her foot on Shohoku High. She believed Rukawa deserves someone like her who has 'beauty', 'breeding' and 'class'.
Naturally, her first mission was to get Rukawa's attention, which she desperately did for the first two weeks of school. She tried everything, from sweet-talking to batting her eyelashes at him, hoping that when he would see her sea green eyes that would change into blue violet, Rukawa would be mesmerized and it would be love at first sight. She even set-up bumping into him at the school corridor and climbing to the school rooftop pretending that she just wanted to enjoy some fresh air. It's not very clear though if she deliberately ordered a very short skirt for a uniform or if she just got the wrong size. After all, she could always re-order for the correct size. When all that failed, she resorted to using her body as a blockade to the oncoming sleeping raven-haired guy on top of his bicycle, which explains why she's ranting right now. Rukawa bumped into her alright, but she didn't get the attention she thinks she deserves.
Rukawa parked his bike that morning as usual. It was just another one of those mornings when he would bump into a girl. Again! He rarely falls asleep on his bike now. It was just his luck that another girl decided to throw her body in front of his rushing bike. Yes, he knew the girls' tactics just to get his attention. He thought that if he would write all the tactics the girls were using just to get his attention, he would be able to write a book. He has seen them all.
Girls have always been a mystery to him. His knowledge about girls was practically zero. He has a very limited social interaction with the opposite sex in his high school life. Not that because they don't want to speak to him but because he refused to. In fact, the only interaction he has with the opposite sex was with Ayako and Haruko and that's only because they belong to the same club.
Everyone in school knew that he hardly talks to anyone, even to his teammates. So talking to girls just because he bumped into them or because they looked like supermodels was out of the question. And if he wouldn't talk to those who tried to get his attention, what more of the girls who pretend to be cool and ignore him?
He trudged to the school hallways, went straight into his room and threw himself onto his desk.
Stupid girls. If I hardly talk to my teammates, what made them think I would talk to them?
"Haruko…?" Fujii called her from the other end of the line. It was just one of their late night chats on the phone.
"Hm? What is it, Fujii?"
"Do you still like Rukawa-kun?"
Fujii heard Haruko sighed. Her friend has always been the kind of person who's
very open. She says what she feels while she on the other hand doesn't even
have the courage to tell Haruko that she likes the redhead.
"Y-yes…" she heard Haruko answered. "But… you already know…. he only has love for basketball… I have given up hoping…."
"W-What about Sakuragi-kun? D-Do you like him?"
"I like Sakuragi-kun as a friend, that's all. We already talked about it. I thought I told you and Matsui?"
Fujii heaved a sigh of relief. It's true, Haruko had told them about it. It's just that she felt like she needed some reassurance.
"H-Hai. Anyway, I think you should not give up on Rukawa-kun. I mean… you two belong to the same club and knowing his personality, I don't think other girls would interest him. You're the only girl he talks to so…. why don't you try telling him?" Fujii slapped her forehead when she realized what she had just said.
Yeah right, great advise, Fujii, you couldn't even do it yourself.
Fujii thought she and Haruko were on the same boat. Being in love with men who doesn't seem to know their feelings. She also doesn't want to give up that maybe, just maybe, one day, the redhead would see her as more than Haruko's friend.
Haruko stared at the receiver for a few seconds and sighed wearily before she placed it down.
Don't give up on Rukawa-kun? Why would he even like me? There are a lot of pretty girls running after him.
Haruko curled up on the couch. She crossed her arms on top of her knees and laid her chin on top of her arm. Her inferiority complex was starting to set in as she thought of the pretty girls who were after Rukawa. Then she thought of herself. She never really made a fuss about her appearance. Whenever she would play the game that was usually played by men, she would just tie back her hair and never cared if she would look disheveled or not.
Her friends say she is pretty and that there are guys who are after her. She never believed them. That belief was even more imbedded in her since first year when Rukawa wouldn't even look at her. Maybe she isn't really pretty, after all.
Naturally, it was a shock to her when Matsui and Fujii told her that Sakuragi likes her. She and the redhead were really close and would kid each other a lot. There were times when he would say things but she thought he was just being playful. When the redhead finally confessed to her, she had to be honest with him. She doesn't want to use Sakuragi as a substitute boyfriend just because she couldn't have Rukawa.
She had decided to give up on Rukawa, knowing that if she would keep on dreaming, she would just keep on getting hurt. Ever since she did that, things have been a lot easier for her. Now, she could talk to him easily and they have a pleasant working relationship. Besides, they would be moving on with their lives after high school. He would go to America to chase his dream and she would go to college. She also knew the only reason Rukawa talks to her is because she is the team manageress. He would never see her more than that.
The only female member of the team went to the gym earlier than usual to put up a chart on the gym's wall beside the bulletin board. It was a chart that would make the new and old players as well get familiarized with some rules of basketball. She was sure Rukawa wouldn't talk about it anyway and the team needs to get familiarized with the rules if they want to achieve their goal.
Haruko psyched herself up. She believed that she could help the team. If she was able to see a great basketball player in Sakuragi, teach him slam dunk and lay-up, she could do this, too. As soon as she saw Rukawa went out of the locker room, she approached him while the redhead was calling on everyone to assemble.
"Rukawa-kun, may I have 15 minutes with the players? I will just explain the chart to them."
Rukawa nodded.
Penalty: Ball possession goes to opponent team
Free throw violation - not shooting the ball within 5 seconds after the ball was given to youPenalty: Miss chance to shoot
Personal fouls - holding, pushing, tripping, body contactsPenalty: Ball possession goes to opponent team or free throw/s awarded to the opponent who was about to shoot but was fouled
Disqualifying foul - actions made with bad intentions, swearing, intimidation, talking back to the refereePenalty: Sit out for the rest of the game
5-second violation - player holds the ball for more than 5 seconds without dribbling, passing or shootingPenalty: Ball possession goes to opponent team
30-second violation - team in possession of the ball failed to shoot within 30 secondsPenalty: Ball possession goes to opponent team
Double dribble - player dribbles, stops, then dribbles againPenalty: Ball possession goes to opponent team
5 personal fouls - Accumulation of 5 personal foulsPenalty: Sit out for the rest of the game
Goaltending - player interferes illegally with a shot on the rim or on a downward path to the hoopPenalty: Ball possession goes to opponent team
Elbowing - Excessive swinging of elbowsPenalty: Ball possession goes to opponent team
Haruko started to explain the rules to the team members. She clearly stated the circumstances where violations are committed and the corresponding penalties.
"Please try to remember the rules of the game. They are very crucial and could make or break our chances. We should avoid fouls because once the other team gets the possession of the ball, chances are they might score. Do not foul out or you won't be able to play throughout the rest of the game. This would put the whole team into trouble."
"I never thought there were so many violations!" Sakuragi suddenly blurted out.
"You have committed every one of them, do'aho," Rukawa mumbled.
"Teme!"
After seeing that everyone's attention was on them, the do'aho and kitsune shut up.
Rukawa just silently stood at the side with his arms crossed in front of him, as Haruko continued giving a lecture to the players. He watched the petite girl who was looking so small in front of the team members. He has to admit he never really paid much attention to her but she's doing a great job. She was known as someone who would always prioritize the team's welfare, always very supportive and ready to give a helping hand with a smile.
Little by little, he realized why Sakuragi became so infatuated with her once.
His mind drifted off to the time when he once heard Ayako and Miyagi talking at the locker room. They were saying that the reason why the do'aho was so irritated with him was because Haruko likes him.
Can it be true? Does she really like me?
Nah….
Rukawa slightly shook his head trying to convince himself otherwise. He is aware that Haruko cheers for him, but she also cheers for Sakuragi and the other members of the team. It's only natural that she would do that as she is the team manageress.
Nah…. I don't think she likes me or else I would have noticed. I can't be that dense, can I?
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A/N: I am not an expert on basketball so if you notice any mistake or you think I need to add more, kindly inform me. I am following the high school basketball rules, by the way.