"Half-time!" The referee whistled. The score was 72-76. Shohoku down by four points.
The players went to their respective benches to discuss with coach Anzai their strategy for the next half. A lot of people noticed that Tohru was in the player's bench. Sakuragi especially requested to coach Anzai to allow Tohru to seat there since Tohru would be alone in the audience's seat. Of course, this came not without a price. Akagi scolded Sakuragi while Ryota and Mitsui teased Sakuragi mercilessly.
"Yihee! Sakuragi got a girlfriend! Sakuragi got a girlfriend!"
Sakuragi looked at Ryota evilly and looked at Ayako. Ryota immediately shut up. Then, Sakuragi looked at Mitsui then looked at Mitsui's support group that made Mitsui also silent. Meanwhile, Tohru was just smiling at the two boys.
The game resumed . . .
The score was 86-88 still in favor of the enemy. Sakuragi attempted a slam dunk. "Yes! Do it Sakuragi-kun!" Haruko shouted.
Sakuragi was in the air and all were watching in suspense. But then he failed.
"Ah, I knew it." One of Sakuragi's friends commented.
Shit! That was so embarrassing! Sakuragi looked at Haruko. She was looking back at him in a sad face. Sakuragi's face fell. Then he looked at the players' bench where Tohru was seated. Sakuragi was surprised to see Tohru smiling at him. A smile of encouragement. Sakuragi's blood went on fire. Yes, I can do it next time, he thought as he smiled back at Tohru.
Sakuragi's mind returned to the game. After a while, another opportunity for a slam dunk came in again.
When everybody noticed that he will do it again, his team mates tried to stop him. "Don't do it, idiot!" Akagi said.
"Don't Sakuragi!" Ryota shouted. Only a few seconds remaining and they are still behind two points. They can't afford to let Sakuragi make a mistake.
Sakuragi ignored all of what his team mates were saying. He looked at Tohru and Tohru nodded at him. This is for you, Tohru-san. The enemy tried to stop him.
Sakuragi made the winning dunk. At first the crowd was silent. Sakuragi can't believe it himself. "Yes! I did it!" he screamed. The crowd went wild.
"Sakuragi-kun! Sakuragi-kun! You did it!" Tohru was ecstatic. She was jumping up and down.
"Sakuragi-kun!" Haruko was also screaming. "Eh? Who's that girl? Why is she there?" Haruko just then noticed Tohru because Sakuragi did not notice her and Sakuragi went to Tohru not to her.
One of her friends answered. "Don't you remember? That's the girl Sakuragi talked with in the game with Kaibara last last week."
"What's with your face?" her other friend noticed Haruko's expression. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you're jealous."
Haruko was startled at her friend's statement. She looked at Rukawa then at Sakuragi. Me? Jealous?
Yohei and the gang were also startled. Sakuragi ignored Haruko? They all thought as they switch back and forth their eyes from Sakuragi and Tohru and Haruko.
Later after the game, Sakuragi and Tohru went to a nearby canteen to eat.
"Thank you for coming in this game, Tohru-san. You don't know how much this means to me." Sakuragi started.
"I really enjoyed this day. You were great Sakuragi-kun."
"Just a question. Why did you smile at me when I didn't make the slam dunk?"
"Eh? Was I wrong? Gomen ne. It's just that my mother said that failure makes people stronger and we should encourage one another to help a person go on."
"No, you were right. Your mother was right. I was encouraged by your smile to make that last dunk."
Tohru smiled warmly at Sakuragi. "I'm glad."
I'm not very sure if many readers here know Slam dunk but they are (Slam Dunk and Fruits) both my favorites. My friend recently told me that Slam Dunk2 is now available. Is it true? ΓΌ