Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SD CHARACTERS.
Chapter 11-
"Aarrgh! It's morning? What time is it anyway?" Kiyota asked himself absentmindedly.
" MORNING?" Yumi almost choked, " It's midday! Even Acturus and Maki had went back!"
" Wha? You could've at least woke me up!" Kiyota protested as he grabbed for a piece of bread.
"Wait! Go brush your teeth first!" Yumi ordered him and Kiyota reluctantly obeyed.
***********
Maki tapped Rukawa's shoulders from behind. Rukawa turned around. They were walking along the road to the park. (Rukawa was wheeling his bike again)
" Rukawa I need to have a talk with you." Maki's eyes looked grim.
" So the princess split on me." Rukawa didn't budge but his blue eyes told Maki that he didn't care. Maki looked angry and before any of them realized what was happening a strong fist hit Rukawa's face.
" She had to stop me from twisting your neck! You should thank her!" Maki yelled at him. Rukawa didn't do anything.
" What is it? I'm busy...what do you need to say?" he asked.
" Don't you know how much you hurt Acturus? I do not mean your actions...I meant by making her remember Seth. I know you don't know about him so you can't have the full blame but I'm here to let you know. Seth was our childhood friend. We used to play in our three and he went to Switzerland, that was the main reason Acturus asked to go there. She fancied Seth." Maki tried to contain all his anger.
" Well...what about him?" Rukawa looked bored.
" He...looked like you...Blue eyes...pale skin...and most of all...he is a wonderful basketball player with a style and attitude similar to yours." Maki looked pained. For the first time during the conversation Rukawa looked a bit shocked, and felt a tiny bit guilty.
" So?" he tired to hide his feelings.
" Seth...he was only friendly to Acturus, you can ask Hanamichi...he knows Seth..." Maki told him, " And Seth...died..." Rukawa looked taken aback and the twinge of guilt had increased inside him.
" I...didn't know that..." He sounded helpless but Maki continued.
" So Rukawa...the first time I heard Acturus was going to Shohoku I was worried...about her...because you looked so much like him...She never mentioned your name at home but I think she noticed..." Maki looked away from Rukawa, " So please...don't hurt her...It is painful enough to have a vision of Seth in front of her but to have him hurt her...that is even worse...I'm just telling you this so you can be more understanding to Acturus..." with that Maki turned around and walked away.
***********
" Acturus! Catch!" Sakuragi flung the basketball at Acturus. Acturus caught it perfectly and attempted a three point shot. The ball soared through the orange sky and went into the hoop beautifully. Sakuragi gave her a high five. Sakuragi didn't know what happened yesterday but since Acturus looked so happy now he decided not to bring up the subject anymore.
" Hanamichi, how come I never see you do any slam dunks? You said you love them best!" Acturus demanded. Sakuragi gave her an overconfident grin and prepared to do a dunk but when he jumped the ball bounced back from the rim of the hoop, luckily it didn't hit his face but Acturus caught it.
" What is with this hoop???" Sakuragi eyed it angrily and Acturus just laughed. They heard a bicycle bell and Rukawa went round the corner.
" Oi! Rukawa! Want to practice with us?" Sakuragi offered, he was clueless about the conflict yesterday. Rukawa gave him a cold, icy glare.
" Not with an idiot like you." He muttered and rode away on his bike. Sakuragi looked offended but he didn't fight back instead he just dribbled the ball and made a successful dunk.
" See Acturus! I CAN do a dunk! Ore wa tensai! Eh? Acturus?" Hanamichi just realized that Acturus was missing.
*****************
" What do you want?" Rukawa pedalled faster but Acturus ran faster than him and stopped his bike. She returned his icy stare with a fiery glare.
" You don't have to insult Hanamichi just because of me!" She said through gritted teeth.
" I am allowed to do anything I want." Rukawa tried to get the bike around the girl but she stopped him AGAIN.
" I thought you were his friend! How can you insult a FRIEND just because someone who is NOT your friend did something wrong to YOU?" She argued back, her defiant eyes told Rukawa that she won't give up.
" Baka! Go mind your own business! I can't stand here all day!" Rukawa got off the bike to wheel it around her but she won't give way.
" Go apologize to him!" She ordered.
" Why should I go apologize to an idiot? It's not as if he's going to know what Gomen nasai mean." He tried once more to get around her but she kept on blocking his path.
" Rukawa...I mean it." She sounded firm. Did she really have a sad past? Rukawa's mind floated about for a while and the guilty feeling came back to him.
" Make me." Rukawa sighed. That is the only way I will get her to beat me up...then perhaps...I won't feel that guilty... Acturus looked surprised but her loyalty to Sakuragi forced her to slap him really hard across the cheek. Rukawa stood still and didn't fight back. Acturus threw him across and attacked him with every move she could think of. Every time Rukawa just wiped the blood away from his mouth and stood up again. After a while Acturus got desperate she started to punch him with really quick moves but Rukawa blocked them. The girl collapsed onto the ground, sitting down and tears started to stream down her cheek.
" Why? Why don't you fight back?" she cried. Rukawa didn't know what to say, Acturus's teary face looked back at him, " You always win...no matter what...why can't I beat you?" she asked.
" You beat me just now..." Rukawa reminded her.
" But...but...I feel like I've lost..." she tried to dry her tears but she couldn't. She stood up and faced him defiantly. Rukawa looked at the tearful girl and for the first time felt sorry for her. It must really hurt her to have a vision of Seth in front of her... Rukawa took a few steps towards her.
" Sorry..." he said. Acturus kept silent and Rukawa gave her a firm yet gentle embrace. Acturus looked surprised.
" I said I'm sorry...Acturus...sorry...I didn't mean to hurt you" Rukawa whispered into her ears, which made her cry even more. Acturus didn't stop and they stayed that way for a while. Finally the sky started to darken and the wind rose. Rukawa placed his Jacket around her to prevent the cold from getting to her and led her to sit down on a bench in the park.
" Stay here, I will go get something to drink." Rukawa told Acturus wand went to the nearest drink vender. He came back with two cans of Lemon Tea. (MY favourite) Acturus thanked him quietly and opened it but she didn't really drink it.
" Rukawa...how can you be so mean to me one day and so nice to me another?" she asked him. Rukawa didn't answer her. Acturus fell silent again. The stars started to appear. Rukawa noticed that all of a sudden she became all dreamy and absentminded.
" I would just love to be one of them..." Acturus stared up at the twinkling stars, " Glittering away without any worries..." she continued. Rukawa knew that she was thinking about Seth.
" Your name...Acturus...that is a star isn't it?" Rukawa asked her.
" I...wish it was...You are talking about Arcturus...the brightest star in its constellation...even though it is similar...it is not...." Acturus looked at her sneakers.
" Acturus...Arcturus..." Rukawa muttered to himself.
They spent the rest of the time staring at the stars until Acturus fell asleep. Rukawa carried her to the bike and made sure that she won't fall down and rode to Maki's house.
***********************
Maki was having a meeting with the other four starting members of the Kainan team when the doorbell rang.
" I'll get it." Jin offered as he got up and opened the door, " Rukawa? Acturus?" he seemed a bit paralysed. Maki hurriedly got up to check on her. He saw Rukawa's beaten up face.
" Rukawa...You have blood trickling down your chin and your arms are full of bruises! What happened?" Maki demanded. Rukawa gestured to Acturus.
" She beat me up...but I feel so much better afterwards..." Rukawa gentle woke her up.
" Unggh? *Yawn* I'm so sleepy..." Acturus yawned and stretched her arms, and then she seemed to remember where she was and quickly turned around to face Jin, Maki and Kiyota. (He had crept up whilst they were talking), " Umm...sorry for coming home late...sorry to make you worry..." she apologised.
" See you tomorrow for the match Acturus..." Rukawa started to leave but Kiyota pulled him back.
" Do you know how much trouble you caused?" he punched Rukawa, adding another bruise to his face. Rukawa didn't say anything but he just wiped some more of the blood that had trickled down his chin. Acturus hurriedly stepped in between them.
"Kiyota!" She shouted at him, " Stop it! Leave him alone!" Kiyota was stunned but he withdrew anyway. Rukawa left without another word, leaving the Kainan members somewhat surprised.
" You...shouldn't have hit him Kiyota..." Jin started, seeing Kiyota's annoyed face he quickly added, " I mean...considering we have a match tomorrow and he will probably beat the light out of us!" Kiyota was about to cut back when Maki stopped them.
" That is enough...go home now...I think Acturus needs some rest." Maki pushed them out of the door.
" Acturus, still want to go out to eat tomorrow?" Kiyota's muffled voice shouted back.
" Of course! I'm still hungry from that time you know!" she stuck out her tongue at him. Maki closed the door.
" Anyway...let's get some sleep..." Maki patted his sister. Acturus looked up at Maki and gave a tired, over-exhausted sigh.
" Allright..." Acturus slowly walked up the stairs.
" Acturus...Hanamichi called just now...something about you disappearing or something...he was so worried! If you are going to disappear at least tell him where you are going!" Maki yelled at her. She gave a sheepish smile.
" Gomen..." Acturus looked a bit guilty.
" Anyway...are you going to give me the lucky charm tomorrow?" Maki asked her. Acturus looked a bit amused.
" Onii-chan...you are on another team and as if that is not bad enough we are OPPOSING you guys! Of course not!" Acturus explained in an exaggerated manner. Maki laughed and waved to her, indicating she should go up and get some sleep now. Acturus obediently obeyed.
The match against Shohoku & Kainan is up next chapter. Anyway PLEASE review! I beg you, please review!I don't really know how to say this but...if anyone can be kind enough to be my friend please e-mail me because I know very little people here....
Chapter 11-
"Aarrgh! It's morning? What time is it anyway?" Kiyota asked himself absentmindedly.
" MORNING?" Yumi almost choked, " It's midday! Even Acturus and Maki had went back!"
" Wha? You could've at least woke me up!" Kiyota protested as he grabbed for a piece of bread.
"Wait! Go brush your teeth first!" Yumi ordered him and Kiyota reluctantly obeyed.
***********
Maki tapped Rukawa's shoulders from behind. Rukawa turned around. They were walking along the road to the park. (Rukawa was wheeling his bike again)
" Rukawa I need to have a talk with you." Maki's eyes looked grim.
" So the princess split on me." Rukawa didn't budge but his blue eyes told Maki that he didn't care. Maki looked angry and before any of them realized what was happening a strong fist hit Rukawa's face.
" She had to stop me from twisting your neck! You should thank her!" Maki yelled at him. Rukawa didn't do anything.
" What is it? I'm busy...what do you need to say?" he asked.
" Don't you know how much you hurt Acturus? I do not mean your actions...I meant by making her remember Seth. I know you don't know about him so you can't have the full blame but I'm here to let you know. Seth was our childhood friend. We used to play in our three and he went to Switzerland, that was the main reason Acturus asked to go there. She fancied Seth." Maki tried to contain all his anger.
" Well...what about him?" Rukawa looked bored.
" He...looked like you...Blue eyes...pale skin...and most of all...he is a wonderful basketball player with a style and attitude similar to yours." Maki looked pained. For the first time during the conversation Rukawa looked a bit shocked, and felt a tiny bit guilty.
" So?" he tired to hide his feelings.
" Seth...he was only friendly to Acturus, you can ask Hanamichi...he knows Seth..." Maki told him, " And Seth...died..." Rukawa looked taken aback and the twinge of guilt had increased inside him.
" I...didn't know that..." He sounded helpless but Maki continued.
" So Rukawa...the first time I heard Acturus was going to Shohoku I was worried...about her...because you looked so much like him...She never mentioned your name at home but I think she noticed..." Maki looked away from Rukawa, " So please...don't hurt her...It is painful enough to have a vision of Seth in front of her but to have him hurt her...that is even worse...I'm just telling you this so you can be more understanding to Acturus..." with that Maki turned around and walked away.
***********
" Acturus! Catch!" Sakuragi flung the basketball at Acturus. Acturus caught it perfectly and attempted a three point shot. The ball soared through the orange sky and went into the hoop beautifully. Sakuragi gave her a high five. Sakuragi didn't know what happened yesterday but since Acturus looked so happy now he decided not to bring up the subject anymore.
" Hanamichi, how come I never see you do any slam dunks? You said you love them best!" Acturus demanded. Sakuragi gave her an overconfident grin and prepared to do a dunk but when he jumped the ball bounced back from the rim of the hoop, luckily it didn't hit his face but Acturus caught it.
" What is with this hoop???" Sakuragi eyed it angrily and Acturus just laughed. They heard a bicycle bell and Rukawa went round the corner.
" Oi! Rukawa! Want to practice with us?" Sakuragi offered, he was clueless about the conflict yesterday. Rukawa gave him a cold, icy glare.
" Not with an idiot like you." He muttered and rode away on his bike. Sakuragi looked offended but he didn't fight back instead he just dribbled the ball and made a successful dunk.
" See Acturus! I CAN do a dunk! Ore wa tensai! Eh? Acturus?" Hanamichi just realized that Acturus was missing.
*****************
" What do you want?" Rukawa pedalled faster but Acturus ran faster than him and stopped his bike. She returned his icy stare with a fiery glare.
" You don't have to insult Hanamichi just because of me!" She said through gritted teeth.
" I am allowed to do anything I want." Rukawa tried to get the bike around the girl but she stopped him AGAIN.
" I thought you were his friend! How can you insult a FRIEND just because someone who is NOT your friend did something wrong to YOU?" She argued back, her defiant eyes told Rukawa that she won't give up.
" Baka! Go mind your own business! I can't stand here all day!" Rukawa got off the bike to wheel it around her but she won't give way.
" Go apologize to him!" She ordered.
" Why should I go apologize to an idiot? It's not as if he's going to know what Gomen nasai mean." He tried once more to get around her but she kept on blocking his path.
" Rukawa...I mean it." She sounded firm. Did she really have a sad past? Rukawa's mind floated about for a while and the guilty feeling came back to him.
" Make me." Rukawa sighed. That is the only way I will get her to beat me up...then perhaps...I won't feel that guilty... Acturus looked surprised but her loyalty to Sakuragi forced her to slap him really hard across the cheek. Rukawa stood still and didn't fight back. Acturus threw him across and attacked him with every move she could think of. Every time Rukawa just wiped the blood away from his mouth and stood up again. After a while Acturus got desperate she started to punch him with really quick moves but Rukawa blocked them. The girl collapsed onto the ground, sitting down and tears started to stream down her cheek.
" Why? Why don't you fight back?" she cried. Rukawa didn't know what to say, Acturus's teary face looked back at him, " You always win...no matter what...why can't I beat you?" she asked.
" You beat me just now..." Rukawa reminded her.
" But...but...I feel like I've lost..." she tried to dry her tears but she couldn't. She stood up and faced him defiantly. Rukawa looked at the tearful girl and for the first time felt sorry for her. It must really hurt her to have a vision of Seth in front of her... Rukawa took a few steps towards her.
" Sorry..." he said. Acturus kept silent and Rukawa gave her a firm yet gentle embrace. Acturus looked surprised.
" I said I'm sorry...Acturus...sorry...I didn't mean to hurt you" Rukawa whispered into her ears, which made her cry even more. Acturus didn't stop and they stayed that way for a while. Finally the sky started to darken and the wind rose. Rukawa placed his Jacket around her to prevent the cold from getting to her and led her to sit down on a bench in the park.
" Stay here, I will go get something to drink." Rukawa told Acturus wand went to the nearest drink vender. He came back with two cans of Lemon Tea. (MY favourite) Acturus thanked him quietly and opened it but she didn't really drink it.
" Rukawa...how can you be so mean to me one day and so nice to me another?" she asked him. Rukawa didn't answer her. Acturus fell silent again. The stars started to appear. Rukawa noticed that all of a sudden she became all dreamy and absentminded.
" I would just love to be one of them..." Acturus stared up at the twinkling stars, " Glittering away without any worries..." she continued. Rukawa knew that she was thinking about Seth.
" Your name...Acturus...that is a star isn't it?" Rukawa asked her.
" I...wish it was...You are talking about Arcturus...the brightest star in its constellation...even though it is similar...it is not...." Acturus looked at her sneakers.
" Acturus...Arcturus..." Rukawa muttered to himself.
They spent the rest of the time staring at the stars until Acturus fell asleep. Rukawa carried her to the bike and made sure that she won't fall down and rode to Maki's house.
***********************
Maki was having a meeting with the other four starting members of the Kainan team when the doorbell rang.
" I'll get it." Jin offered as he got up and opened the door, " Rukawa? Acturus?" he seemed a bit paralysed. Maki hurriedly got up to check on her. He saw Rukawa's beaten up face.
" Rukawa...You have blood trickling down your chin and your arms are full of bruises! What happened?" Maki demanded. Rukawa gestured to Acturus.
" She beat me up...but I feel so much better afterwards..." Rukawa gentle woke her up.
" Unggh? *Yawn* I'm so sleepy..." Acturus yawned and stretched her arms, and then she seemed to remember where she was and quickly turned around to face Jin, Maki and Kiyota. (He had crept up whilst they were talking), " Umm...sorry for coming home late...sorry to make you worry..." she apologised.
" See you tomorrow for the match Acturus..." Rukawa started to leave but Kiyota pulled him back.
" Do you know how much trouble you caused?" he punched Rukawa, adding another bruise to his face. Rukawa didn't say anything but he just wiped some more of the blood that had trickled down his chin. Acturus hurriedly stepped in between them.
"Kiyota!" She shouted at him, " Stop it! Leave him alone!" Kiyota was stunned but he withdrew anyway. Rukawa left without another word, leaving the Kainan members somewhat surprised.
" You...shouldn't have hit him Kiyota..." Jin started, seeing Kiyota's annoyed face he quickly added, " I mean...considering we have a match tomorrow and he will probably beat the light out of us!" Kiyota was about to cut back when Maki stopped them.
" That is enough...go home now...I think Acturus needs some rest." Maki pushed them out of the door.
" Acturus, still want to go out to eat tomorrow?" Kiyota's muffled voice shouted back.
" Of course! I'm still hungry from that time you know!" she stuck out her tongue at him. Maki closed the door.
" Anyway...let's get some sleep..." Maki patted his sister. Acturus looked up at Maki and gave a tired, over-exhausted sigh.
" Allright..." Acturus slowly walked up the stairs.
" Acturus...Hanamichi called just now...something about you disappearing or something...he was so worried! If you are going to disappear at least tell him where you are going!" Maki yelled at her. She gave a sheepish smile.
" Gomen..." Acturus looked a bit guilty.
" Anyway...are you going to give me the lucky charm tomorrow?" Maki asked her. Acturus looked a bit amused.
" Onii-chan...you are on another team and as if that is not bad enough we are OPPOSING you guys! Of course not!" Acturus explained in an exaggerated manner. Maki laughed and waved to her, indicating she should go up and get some sleep now. Acturus obediently obeyed.
The match against Shohoku & Kainan is up next chapter. Anyway PLEASE review! I beg you, please review!I don't really know how to say this but...if anyone can be kind enough to be my friend please e-mail me because I know very little people here....