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 - I knew you would like it!jessi – Thanks! I actually thought nobody would like male OCs because it seems female OCs are the 'in' thing but you're right, I'll do my best to develop Hideo and Keiji in the coming chapters. I'm glad you liked that little 'comedic' part. Yep, you're right again, I'm gonna have to work on my grammar. I appreciate your constructive review. ^-^
miracle – I'm glad to know that there are readers who like Hana/Fujii. I don't see a lot of fics about them, that's why.
ChinaEyes – Thanks! Here's the update!
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Chapter 3: Gearing Up!
From: "Kanagawa Basketball League" secretariat@kbl.org.jp
To: "Shohoku Basketball Club" basketball-club@shohoku.ac.jp
Date: Tue, 22 Apr 03 18:17:08
Subject: Kanagawa Basketball Clinic
Greetings!
The Kanagawa Basketball League is inviting the top four high school basketball teams of the Kanagawa Prefecture to join the basketball clinic which will be held on 26th April, 0900 hrs, at the Yokohama Arena.
Each team is requested to send at least one representative. A team captain or vice-team captain would be more appropriate as they would have to teach the basics of basketball to the primary school kids and junior high students. It will be a whole day affair.
Let's all cooperate in this noble endeavor and make it a successful one!
"But Haruko-chan!" Sakuragi protested. "I thought we have a practice game with Miuradai on that day!?"
"I'm not going," Rukawa said before he ran off to practice in the middle of the court, leaving Haruko and Sakuragi speechless.
"Hmph!" Sakuragi crossed his arms in front of him. "Leave it to me, Haruko-chan. This tensai knows more about basketball than that selfish baka kitsune, anyway!"
After changing into her usual t-shirt and cycling shorts attire, Haruko decided to go to the gym an hour earlier since she has some paperwork to do. She tied her hair back as usual, nothing really fancy about her as she preferred to stay simple. Her aura radiated of a woman who loved being a woman. At seventeen, Haruko has grown into a fine, young lady. Slim, yet had all the right curves in all the right places. Pretty, yet down-to-earth.
The team manageress was walking along the hall leading to the gym when she saw Morita not so far ahead of her.
"Morita-kun!" Haruko called out and waved at the freshman wearing eyeglasses.
The freshman stopped walking and turned towards her.
"Ha-Haruko-sempai!" The freshman greeted back and bowed slightly.
"Going to the gym early?"
"Hai. I-I wanted to have more practice time."
"That's great, Morita-kun!" she cheerfully said. "When I saw you that day playing at the park, I knew you had the potential. You just need more practice. Be confident and do your best!" She pumped her fist for effect.
The freshman smiled timidly.
"Say, do you have friends around here?" Haruko asked. "I haven't seen you with anyone."
Morita shook his head. "I usually do things alone, Haruko-sempai."
Haruko felt sorry for the freshman. He looked like he didn't have friends and didn't seem to have a high regard for himself. Could it be because of his looks? No, Haruko thought to her self. Morita didn't look bad at all. Just that he was skinny and he couldn't be categorized as a good dresser. Other than that, he could even pass off as a fine gentleman.
"Ne, Morita-kun?" she asked. "Have you considered wearing contact lenses? I mean you look alright with your glasses but it would be safer if you would wear contacts. Basketball after all is a rough sport and we don't want you to get injured."
Morita stopped walking and clutched the handle of his duffel bag tightly. He knew basketball was a contact sport but he never played with a team before so nobody really banged into him.
When it took a long time for the freshman to answer, Haruko felt stupid and feared that she had offended the freshman. "It's…. just a suggestion, Morita-kun," she said. "You really don't have to…."
"Ha-hai, Haruko-sempai," the freshman stammered. "I will try getting them next week."
As soon as they were a few steps away from the gym, they heard the sounds of a ball being dribbled against the floor.
"Looks like someone had beaten us, ne?" Haruko giggled.
Well, it was normal, Haruko thought. If it's not Rukawa, it's Sakuragi. When Morita slid the gym doors open, Haruko saw that the person creating the sounds was neither of the two persons she had on her mind.
What they saw was a ruggedly handsome young man up in the air and was just seconds away from performing a dunk. Haruko and Morita just watched in awe at the perfect execution. The team manageress clapped her hands as soon as the young man landed back on the floor.
"Sugoi! Yamada-kun!"
Yamada, another freshman member of the team, jogged towards them and bowed.
"Arigato, Haruko-sempai," he said.
"You're doing great, Yamada-kun! And do you know what else? Your height and built are good for rebounding so I think you should polish on that skill too!" Haruko said excitedly.
"Hai."
Haruko secretly smiled at the sight of the two freshmen who decided to practice together. Just like Morita, she knew Yamada would be a great asset to the team. He seemed to have a lot of stamina and was a very determined player.
With his manly features, Yamada could rival Rukawa in the looks department. He had a tanned, well-proportioned body, black, curly hair ala Elijah Wood and a centimeter taller than the team captain. Haruko had at one time seen a group of girls swooning at Yamada when she saw him at the school cafeteria. And although he didn't exactly basked at the adorations the girls had showered him, Haruko noticed that he was exceptionally polite when he talked to the girls.
After training, Sakuragi went to his locker and got some of the things that he would need for the next day.
The truth was that he was not feeling bad if Rukawa didn't want to join the basketball clinic. Their team would be having a practice game with Miuradai the next day and they would need their team captain during the game. Not that he thought Rukawa was doing a noble thing. Just that he knew that no matter how much persuasion he and Haruko would do, Rukawa wouldn't miss the game for anything.
It's funny that the three of them, after being together for more than two years in high school, had learned how to deal with each other's flaws and tantrums. He actually had a lot of respect for Rukawa but he would rather be caught dead than let the kitsune know that. Throwing insults at each other was something that they had learned to live with. In fact, it was their unique way of showing their support and respect for each other. But that was it. No harm done really.
Sometimes the redhead felt sorry for the team captain for the kitsune didn't know what he's been missing in his life. Rukawa had the love of what he considered as the greatest girl he had ever known and yet he didn't seemed to care.
He sure is one lucky guy, he thought. Good friends are considered a treasure and when it comes to friends, the redhead considered himself the wealthiest man in the world. He may not always have money on his pockets but he had his gundan and not only them. He had also gotten close not only to Haruko but also to Fujii and Matsui. They had given him their unwavering support in all the games and would cheer for him as well. There were also times when all the eight of them would hang out together.
That was what the kitsune didn't know, the feeling of belonging and being loved.
Man is a social animal and no man is an island, after all.
After stuffing everything into his bag, he went out of the locker room and had a small talk with Haruko. Then he proceeded to give a few encouragements to his teammates. Before going out of the gym, he turned his attention to the team captain who was still shooting hoops.
"Oi, Kitsune! Don't bring shame to our team, alright!?"
Rukawa stayed late for practice. Basketball was his life and studying was just a means to play basketball. He never really cared for school. He was in Shohoku to play basketball.
Yet he was not alone. Haruko was doing the routine checking of the locker room just after she had finished the report that she was going to give to Anzai-sensei. Since safekeeping was one of her duties as a team manageress, she usually stayed later than most team members to check if everything was in order before locking the gym.
He had known Haruko since they were freshmen. Their first meeting wasn't very pleasant. He met her at the rooftop when she offered to treat his wound after being injured by the seniors. He brushed her off thinking she was just one of those girls who wanted to get his attention. He didn't know her at that time. Little did he know that she was going to be the next team manageress after Ayako.
He got to know her more and more when she became the assistant team manageress to Ayako. She would cheerfully greet him when the situation permits. And most of the time, he would greet back with just a simple nod.
Rukawa stopped dribbling and started thinking. If she wanted to get his attention, how come she's not being friendly to him? Especially times like these when only the two of them were left at the gym? She can easily do that, he thought. But she treated him like how she treated everyone else in the team. In fact, she's even friendlier to the do'aho.
The team captain shook his head. His theory was right all along. Girls are mysterious and hard to figure out.
"Rukawa-kun," he heard Haruko called out to him. When he whirled around, he saw her walking towards him. "I have checked everything. Lock the gym after you're done, will you? Here's the lock."
He reached for the padlock and nodded his head.
"Don't tire yourself too much, ne? Save some energy for Miuradai," she reminded him.
Rukawa stared at the padlock on his hand and felt the warmth of her grip that was left on it.
"Very well then, see you tomorrow," she smiled and said goodbye.
His eyes followed the team manageress as she walked out of the gym. He didn't even realize that he was already contemplating about the girl while he was lightly tossing the lock on his hand.
Rukawa Kaede avoided girls all his life. Little did he realize that the more that he avoided them, the more that he was being drawn into one.