Haruko
Sakuragi-chan is playing so impressively! It's only her first game and already she's guarding Sendoh-san! Onii-chan said he'd rather Rukawa-kun guard Sendoh-san but Anzai-sensei had supported Mitsui-san's decision to let Sakurai-chan do the honors! I'm so happy for her!
Mito
I see her tactic now. It's really obvious actually, once you're aware of it. Hanami finds some way to distract Sendoh- usually by joking- then she takes advantage of his temporary distraction to score. Brilliant really.
Ike ike Hana.
Ayako
Four more minutes…….don't foul up Hanami-chan! The boys need you!
"She's handling Sendoh pretty well don't you think?" commented Kogure-sempai.
"Hai. I'm surprised actually," I reply, "considering that this is her first time playing an actual game."
"Well I guess we should be thankful she's such a fast learner, ne?"
I nod in agreement. We should be indebted.
Sakuragi
Less that four minutes to play…. That should mean…
"Hanami!" I grabbed the ball Ryochin passed and made no attempt to evade Sendoh.
………..approximately 2.7 points per minute (ppm). Not too bad. I'll just have to keep gaining possession of the ball and scoring, that's all. Shouldn't be too hard. I'll show that Mitchy!
Turning my attention back to the game, I realized that Sendoh was already trying to read my next move. Fine. He probably wouldn't expect this.
I leaped to score from half-court.
Akagi
Baka! That's too risky!
Mitusi
You learned well.
Ayako
She didn't even take time to place the shot!
Sakuragi
Let my aim be true!
The ball sails into the net in a perfect arc. I start to breathe again. I almost thought I wouldn't make it.
"Hah! How many points was that? Five?" I boasted, catching Mitchy's eye.
"Only two actually," replied Sendoh, whistling appreciatively, "nice shot."
I smiled and cringed at the same time. "Thanks. Only two?"
He nodded an affirmative. How unfair.
"If you keep doing that, you'll get five points, maybe more every minute," he noted, staring at the scoreboard.
"Really?" I asked, brightening up.
"Yep. But don't think I'm going to let you pull it off again."
I laughed. This Sendoh Akira wasn't too bad. Not bad at all actually.
I kind of like him already.
Rukawa
Slightly more that 3 minutes to play. Shohoku will win. Only one more point to go.
Sakuragi
The kitsune scored the next point, placing Shohoku in the lead. That's nice, but I still want my 9 points due. No way in hell, or heaven that I'm going to let Mitchy win. Why did I agree to the deal in the first place?
I don't realize that Sendoh is no longer dribbling in front of me till too late. He scores of course.
Drats.
Miyagi
"Oi Hanami! Focus!" I yell.
She nodded sheepishly.
Silly girl.
Mitsui
Tick Tock.Tick Tock.
Sakuragi
I glance at the score board. Shit. Less than a minute to go. ARGGGHHHH!!! O still need 9 points! Freeze the game! Freeze the game!
Sendoh
Mitsui-san's in possession of the ball. He might shoot from the outside……no, he passed to Rukawa.
"Ikegami!" I barked.
He nodded and tightened his defence. Only 21 seconds to go…. Don't let him through.
Takamiya
18…..17…
Sakuragi
"Pass! Pass!" I wave frantically at the kitsune.
Rukawa
D'aho. As if I'm going to pass with Sendoh guarding her so closely.
Wait.
Why is the hentai guarding the d'aho so closely?
Noma
12……..11…..
Sendoh
Rukawa's not bothering to break through Ikegami's defense anymore. He seems more interested in glaring at me with those killer eyes of his.
Sakuragi
Kitsune! What the hell are you doing? Time's a-wasting!
Ayako
8….7…..6…..
Rukawa
Stupid Sendoh. Stupid, annoying porcupine.
Hikoichi
We're going to tie the game with Shohoku! Koshino-san won't be too happy when he wakes up!
Kogure
5……4…..
Sakuragi
"Kitsune!!!!!!" I yell, unable to stand it any longer.
As if he'd been waiting for me all the while, he coolly throws the ball over. I dash forward to score and….
Mito
3 seconds left…..2……
Sakuragi
*SMACK*
"Ara?"
PHWWEEEEEEEETTT!!!!!!! The whistle blows. Or is it the chirping of those birds I see flying before me?
"Hanami?" someone shakes me gently.
"Oi. You all right?" someone else asks, shaking me not-so-gently.
Oh. The birds are flying wildly now. Poor birdies. They're gonna get dizzy soon.
"Hanami! Oi! Answer me!" Mitchy's worried face suddenly pops up in front of e. he waves a hand in my face.
The last thing I see are waving little Mitchy birdies flying frantically around.
Poor things.
Ayako
The poor girl passed out- not too surprising considering what happened. Anyone would pass out after running head on into Uozumi Jun. Hanami? She never stood a chance.
I'd better call an ambulance. Our girl doesn't look too good.
Haruko
Poor Sakuragi-chan! I hope she's all right!
Matsui
That was one loud smack.
Fujii
Oh dear…..
Rukawa
D'aho. She should have looked where she was going. Doesn't she ever learn her lesson?
Sendoh
"That was unnecessary Uozumi-san," I told him reprovingly.
"What was?" he feigned innocence.
"You knew she wouldn't avoid you."
"I took a chance."
"You probably broke her skull."
"Maybe."
"How can you still be so calm?" asked Mitsui, eyes narrowing.
"In times of emergency, it's essential that we remain calm," came the matter-of-fact reply.
"You're just sexist," accused Mitsui.
I nodded in agreement.
"And you're both leaping to conclusions," growled Uozumi, annoyed.
I was, needless to say, upset. Uozumi-san probably ruined my chances with her. Provided she's alive of course.
In the hospital…..
Ayako
How is she, sensei?" I asked nervously.
"She's in a coma but she's fine."
"How can someone be in a coma and still be fine?" questioned Ryota skeptically.
"It means she's not in and immediate danger," I explained. Still, it worried me.
"Demo….." he began, but Akagi-sempai cut him.
"She'll be fine," he said patronizingly, daring anyone to contradict him, "someone should stay to watch. Mitsui, you go first."
Mitsui gladly obliged.
Mitsui
"K'so!" I cursed as I stared at the motionless figure on the bed. "k'so!"
She hadn't stirred the slightest bit since I'd started watching her 5 hours ago. it was already evening and my stomach grumbled- I hadn't the appetite to eat lunch nor dinner.
"Damn it Hana! Why now?" Her normally expressive face, radiant and transparent, was now a mask of indifference. I heard of people smiling in their sleep but this….. she looked so eerily calm and beautiful it took my breath away.
I couldn't stand it anymore. I want the noisy Hana back. So I slipped quietly out of the room, lest I should rouse her, and went in search of a doctor. Ironic really, since I didn't want to wake her up.
Rukawa
I was assigned to keep watch of the d'aho overnight. According to Ayako-sempai's logic- the d'aho probably wouldn't wake up tonight so that was good. She wouldn't know that I'd kept watch over her and so wouldn't make a fuss of it. Obviously Ayako-sempai doesn't know anything about us.
When I reached her ward, it was empty. Where had Sempai gone off to? How irresponsible. What if the d'aho woke up while he was gone?
"Rukawa," came a voice from behind me.
"Sempai." I greeted curtly.
"I took off to look for a doctor…they all said the same thing- there's nothing more that can be done. We can only wait. Bunch of useless trash," he frowned, running a hand through his hair. "But I can't just wait you know. I want to do something, anything. I want her back. Look at her…. That's not Hana….." he motioned to the statue on the med in frustration.
I grunted.
"I'll come by again tomorrow. Got everything you need?"
I shook my head.
Glancing at the d'aho, sempai sighed heavily and left, the door clicking shut behind him.
And I was alone with her.
My eyes were starting to droop but I forced them open again for the nth time. No way was I going to fall asleep with the d'aho in my care.
"Wake up soon d'aho," I whispered, "there are so many things we haven't done."
Kogure
Rukawa was asleep when I arrived in the morning.
"Rukawa-kun, wake up. You're going to be late for school if you don't hurry on home," I shook the boy gently.
He stirred and his eyes fluttered open. Fearing for my safety, I stepped hurriedly back out of his range.
"Kogure-sempai?" he croaked, half-asleep.
"Konnichiwa Rukawa-kun," I smiled, "there's school today remember? Go home and freshen up."
He nodded and complied immediately.
"Hang in there Hana," I whispered to he unmoving statue before turning to leave as well.
Mito
The boys had planned to skip school and crash the hospital but I didn't think it was a very good idea. If I were the one in a coma, I wouldn't want them there. So I told them firmly, no- unless they wanted me to tell on them to the headmaster.
Okusu
*sulking*
Takamiya
"You're no fun Yohei," I grumbled.
Mito
"This is serious. Hana's in a comatose state. We can't disturb her," I explained to them patiently. I missed her but I was going to wait till school let out. And I wanted to see her alone.
Haruko
"Yohei-kun!"
He turned at my voice.
"How is Sakuragi-chan?" I asked. I'd wanted to visit her in the morning but onii-chan had insisted I didn't.
He smiled sadly in response. "Don't know. I haven't seen her since yesterday."
"Oh!" I gasped. Poor Sakuragi-chan! She's all alone in the hospital! I must see her later!
Rukawa
I did go back home to shower and pack for school, just like Kogure-sempai had told me to, but I turned in at the road and retraced my steps to the hospital. To hell with school- I'm not about to leave the d'aho alone.
She hadn't moved from her position and I sighed- both in relief in frustration. That meant she hadn't regained consciousness at all. Pulling up a chair, I sat down next to the bed, staring hard at her, willing her eyes to open.
Wake up d'aho, I begged silently, please.
Mitsui-san was both right and wrong about one thing- the d'aho didn't look like herself and yet she did. In my eyes I saw her completely exposed. In that slack-jawed, emotionless face, I saw who she really was.
Sempai might say she wasn't the d'aho he knew, but he'd forgotten how she was at the start- cool and aloof.
I reached out to stroke her face gently before planting a tender kiss on her cold, dry lips.
Sakuragi
Ahah! What's this light at the end of the tunnel? Am I on the path to enlightenment or what? Or am I just dead?
How depressing. I haven't become the top swimmer in Japan yet, neither have I made it to Toudai. Pity.
Rukawa
Her eyelids flutter and I look on in amazement as she opens her eyes. My breath catches in my throat as a smile spreads over her features and she looks at me.
"D'aho," I say, relief flooding over me, "You're awake."
She smiles brightly at me and attempts to sit up. Hurriedly, I come to her aid.
Sakuragi
Who should I see the moment I open my eyes?
Sendoh. That cute ace from Ryonan. What's he doing here? Perhaps he's here to guide me on my journey to attain enlightenment.
Rukawa
I'm a bit confused here. The d'aho's smiling at me…… ah hell, I shouldn't complain. She's alive and awake.
I risk a smile at her.
Sakuragi
Kakoii ne, Sendoh-san. You should smile more.
Blue-eyed fox: you're right actually. Haha!
Chris: I wouldn't be too sure….. *knowing smile*
Unchained: what's that? you think it's gonna be a clear-cut RuHana? o.O hahaha~ you don't know me that well then *laughs psychotically*
Devil: thanks. Hope you enjoyed this too. ^^
Yoko-chan: *huggles* a SenHana? Hmmmmmm……*smiles smugly*
Unquestionable: another one for SenHana then! Lol. thanks. My fic loves you too. ^^
Kowai-no-onna: chihihihihih? Was that laughter? O.O
Renei: thanks! ^^
Kimeno-pebols: yep yep! As if he doesn't already! ^^
Caramel: aw, don't die yet….. the story's still not done! If you died, I'd lose one nice reviewer…. !-!
Asvaloth: Ack!!! *turns blue* okay, okay, I'm sorry! I promise not to have any more cliff hangers!!!! (if I can help it XD)
Thanks to all!!!! *glomps*