Time Out

A fanfic about Slam Dunk II

By: Priss

"Claim" All characters are not mine, they are from Slam Dunk

'Slam Dunk' is by Takehiko Inoue & IT Planning & Toei Animation

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A car stopped infront of Shohoku High school's main gate. The school was crowded with people, both men and women in their best appearance and gowns. Everybody was indeed very beautiful and elegant.

A piece of lavender gown slid down the car's door and a pair of legs followed. There suddenly stepped down a girl who was very elegant looking. She stood there looking up in the bright night sky. She walked forward as the moon brightly shone down her path, leading her inside the school. She stopped beside the main entrance door and sighed while brushing off her shoulder-length brown-reddish hair.

"Who are you waiting for, Michiru?" she asked the pretty girl infront of her.

"Oi, Natsumi, you're a little late!" she greeted. "Nobody in particular, just Rukawa!"

Natsumi raised an eyebrow and pointed a finger at her, "My bestfriend's your date?" she asked.

Michiru laughed quite loudly, loosing her poise. "No, but somebody is! Look, here he is now." They both looked near the gate as a gorgeous hunk came walking down the gate and like old times, accompanied with screaming girls whom he didn't give his attention to. "I told you! He's coming!" she smirked.

"Yeah, he is now!" Natsumi replied. "And those girls will never change!" she shook her head as she watched the most gorgeous guy approach them. "Hey Kaede-chan, what brings you here?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around the newcomer.

"Michiru invited me." he replied.

"I guess I did but, there's still someone I want you to meet." She said while tiptoeing as if, looking for somebody. She placed her hand across her forehead and smiled, "Oh, there he is now!" she screamed and ran towards the gate.

"He?" Natsumi and Rukawa asked in horizon as they took a look backwards to see whom Michiru's been waiting.

"Best!!!!!!!!" Michiru shouted while embracing the guy.

"Sendoh?!?" Natsumi and Rukawa shouted at the same time, while pointing at each other's faces.

"Yo!" the tall spiked-haired guy waved at them. "Nice to see you two again." He then gave a seductive look at Rukawa, followed by  his girl-fainting smile, which made Rukawa blush a little, "Mich, who'll be my partner? You?" he asked.

"Of course not!" Michiru held her tongue out at Sendoh while giving him a light box on his face. "It's not me but…it's gonna be…" she smiled while pointing Rukawa as if presenting him to a whole crowd,  "…Rukawa!"

The two most handsome guys anyone had ever seen there were both blushing hard. At first, these two guys where looking down at the floor slightly shy to look at each other but not long enough. They exchanged looks and smiled. Rukawa looked at his bestfriend beside him to help him make a fair decision. Natsumi just smiled at him and gave him a thumbs-up.

"Go for it…I'll just back you up in case you two lose control of your senses!" she whispered at his side. Rukawa gave her a bad look as if he was an ex-convict who was ready to punch her. Natsumi slightly laughed and pushed him lightly at his back, "Just kidding! I'm sure that you'll gonna have a good time with him…just go for it!" 

For the first time, an obvious smile came across Rukawa's face. The thought of being with the most important person in his life made it last a minute more, but Natsumi knew that his smile, even without seeing it, would last for this whole night.

"Arigato, Mich!" Sendoh whispered silently to the girl beside him.

"Have a nice night you two!" both Natsumi and Michiru shouted before Sendoh and Rukawa headed their way towards the ball. They winked at them and walked hand in hand until they were out of sight.

Natsumi sighed. "Shall we go in too?" she asked Michiru.

"Nah, there's still somebody out there." Michiru replied.

Natsumi sat at the bench near the door and sighed aloud. "You have a date don't you?"

She didn't even have to reply for after Natsumi asked that stupid question, a voice suddenly butted in. "Gomen…gomen, it was traffic you know!"

It was Kogure, he was still a megane and handsome, no more handsome than before. He had grown much taller but thinner, cause obviously; he was fully occupied with his studies and a bit of basketball too. His voice was nearly out of breath but still; he managed to kiss his partner right down on her lips.

She opened her eyes slowly without removing her gaze on the person embracing her. She sighed and smiled continuously, "Daijobu…" she shoved some hair out of his forehead and wiped off his sweat, "So want to go in now?" Michiru continued while holding his hand.

Kogure just nodded.

"Natsumi, we better go in. Sorry, I can't accompany you while you wait for your date." She said just before Kogure held her hand closer to his.

"No, I'm the one whose bothering you're special moment. Besides, I don't even have a date." Natsumi smiled at them, and then gazed up at the sky.

"Eh?!? You don't have a date? You?" Michiru reacted quite suddenly. Kogure just tapped her on her side, "…Ah…Gomen…"

"No…it's alright, just have fun you two!  I can manage by myself." She looked at them with an assuring smile.

Michiru smiled, "Bye now!" she said just before they entered the school.

Natsumi sighed aloud. "I guess I'm better off alone." She told herself while looking back at the whole school. "Nothing's gonna be done if I let myself stick with the past…" she closed her eyes and smiled. "He won't be coming anyhow…" Somehow she managed to make herself contented as she walked inside the school.

The corridor was silent and the only light was from the ballroom. "This is my last year and my last day here in Shohoku. I'll be…graduating soon…" she sighed. She took a look around the corridor and smiled. "This place is full of memories that…I can't easily forget…but everyone must move on…Sayonara…" she whispered while holding the knob of the ballroom's door.

As she open the door, a bright light and a slow music welcomed her. She looked around the room and saw different people laughing and dancing. Her sentimental aura suddenly vanished as the jolly breeze of the room surrounded her. She gazed at the bar and saw Akagi standing still.

"Long time no see, sempai!" she called.

"Natsumi, konichiwa!" he replied.

"So, what brings you here?"

Akagi blushed, well, she couldn't really say that for it's hard to tell in his color. "Well, my girlfriend…well, invited me here." he said.

 "Well, sempai, I better go now. See ya!" she said while walking away.

For a couple minutes, she just wondered around the hall, meeting somebody she knew on her way and stopping to have a little chat. It felt so strange to be wondering alone in a hall full of people accompanied with another.

"Everybody seems to be happy." She told herself then sighed. "I guess, I'm the only one here who doesn't have a date." She then held her hand up infront of her face. A diamond ring, which dated almost a year now, was brightly shining at her ring finger. She smiled as the memories of the past played in her mind.

"Natsumi-chan!" somebody called behind.

She looked back and saw Ayako and Ryota sitting down beside each other at the big table behind her. This two were holding hands as they give a toss to the cold drink in each of their other hands. They were an unsure couple a year back then, but now look, they are the most known couple all over the school.

The table was the biggest one of all and well…the most crowded one. She walked towards the table and sat down beside Rukawa. "Yo!" she greeted.

It was just like a dream, everybody was sitting around her…well everybody that belongs to the basketball club ever since she came to study at Shohoku. Everyone there seemed to be accompanied with somebody.

Mitsui was sitting beside the most beautiful girl in the campus, but she didn't seem to be his girlfriend though. He was still the type who is very good-looking, well also considering his deep, manly voice. He was now a little serious at his studies but Natsumi didn't quite miss him for they always see each other around, especially in the hospital. Who would imagine that this guy once tried to break the team, but then he was quite their ace because of his three point plays.

On the other hand, Akagi and his girlfriend were getting quite well with each other. He was not able to go to the number 1 college in Japan but look, he's happy with his studies and of course Basketball, who would have asked anything else.

If there was anyone that had changed a lot in a year, it must be Yasu. He didn't have enough confidence with himself but he managed a hard year in the Shohoku basketball club. He had improved his skills and is happier compared last year. His eyes were now widely opened, which makes him look cuter than before.

Still nothing has changed in Rukawa's attitude. He was still the most respectful and the most heartthrob aloof guy in the campus. Until now, girls were still bugging him but his eyes was only caught by, no other than the most handsome guy in Ryonan, Sendoh. Nobody can blame these two guys for they look good with each other and they get along pretty well. They might not show it that much in public but this two heartthrobs were deeply and madly in love with each other, that sometimes they lose control over their consciousness.

Come to think of it, this table also holds the most loyal couple of all time, Michiru and Kogure. Ever since their first encounter, you can feel the aura of love surrounding this two but, like any normal relationships, problems do approach them, recently. Well, they can easily get through those stuff especially when they have this whole gang's support behind them. Actually, they look good in each other's arms and you can really see that they respect each other deeply. They were the first couple to well, get together and until now they are still going strong even though they were two worlds apart.

This was a perfect reunion. Even Sakuragi and Haruko were here. They are the worst of the worst ever. Both of them acquire these personalities that only the two of them understand, maybe that's why they click together. These two were weird but I can assure you that these two do love each other.

"Everyone was happy and was enjoying themselves, everyone except me. It has been a year now and the only thing left with me was a ring. A ring that holds all the memory of the happiest moments of my life." Natsumi thought while looking at the ring at her finger.

"Care to dance, Aya-chan?" Ryota asked the beautiful girl beside him. Ayako nodded happily as the man of her dreams glided her towards the center of the hall. Everybody then followed them in pairs. The once crowded table was now empty except for Rukawa, Sendoh, the "most beautiful girl", Mitsui and Natsumi. Even though they weren't doing anything funny or should I say out of this world, Rukawa and Sendoh felt very happy with the fact that they were just both together at this special night.

"Why are you lonely down there, hot chick?" a familiar voice called. She knew who it was; he had called her that ever since they had met again after a long time. It was Jin with Maki, Kiyota and Hanagata, the strongest members of two tough teams Kainan and Shoyo.  Even though they were rivals, they consider themselves as friends outside the court. Well…except for the fact that Jin and Mitsui are MORE than friends. Just by hearing his voice, Mitsui raised his consciousness from boredom to well it's hard to describe such weird excitement. So that's it.

"Hey guys, what brings you here?" she asked them with a surprised voice.

Maki rolled his eyes in a funny way, "Dates…" he replied immediately but quite softly.

Natsumi smiled at him maliciously, "Everyone of you?" then she looked at Jin at the corner of her eye.

The four of them blushed a little, "Sort of…" Kiyota replied.

"No…not really…" Jin answered softly.

"Jin-san…" Mitsui called.

With that call, Jin sat down beside Mitsui and started a conversation that left Mitsui's partner totally left out. Natsumi felt a little sorry for her though. "These two are naïve…" Natsumi smiled as she took a look at the happy couple by her side.

"Sendoh-san!"

Everyone gathered there suddenly sighed aloud. They all knew that voice; the high-pitched voice which had followed each of them even once just to check their plays. It was Hikoichi with his handy dandy notebook. Well, at least he was good at one thing; he had brought Koshino, with him.

"Yo, minna!" Koshino greeted while hanging his hand at the air.

"Oi Koshino! I haven't seen you for a while!" Natsumi said while raising her cup to greet him.

"Ano, Natsumi, where's your partner?" Jin asked while looking at her. Mitsui's partner was now off the table [being left out with the bunch of basketball superstars who wouldn't] and they were now side to side. He put his arm above her shoulders in a casual way. She didn't even reacted for all these people seemed like brothers to her.

Natsumi gazed down at her ring, "Obviously, I don't have one!" she pasted her genki smile.

"Eh?" Hikoichi got his notebook out of nowhere and wrote something down. "It's strange, I need to check that!"

"Hikoichi, stop it!" all of them shouted.

He sighed aloud and frowned at the table, "Hai, hai!"

"I thought Fujima was coming over." Hanagata gazed down at his drink, then back at Natsumi to see her expression. Jin gave him a slight box at his side.

Her smile faded as she stared UP at him, "Ken-chan's gonna…"

Hanagata looked away from Natsumi's stare. "He did say so…"

Natsumi was silent for a while, she didn't hear that name for about a year now, but she had never forgotten it. It stayed in her heart in silence. She did long to hear that name again but this isn't the right time to do it. Suddenly pair of hands pulled her from her seat down to the center of the hall. It was Rukawa. She always knew that her bestfriend cared for her so much and now, he saved her again.

"Gomen…Sendoh's suppose to be your date." She said, not looking at his eyes.

"Hn..do'aho." He smirked, but his finger suddenly lifted her face for it to meet his, "Shall we dance?" to Natsumi's surprise, Rukawa whispered those words in a soft voice.

"Maybe late—"

He had put his finger on her lips to prevent her from talking. His gaze was a little different now. This time he was serious. "Just this once…" he whispered again.

Natsumi smiled and rested her head on Rukawa's chest. They followed the flow of the music as she tried to comfort herself from the different feeling she suddenly felt inside. The dance seemed to be doing the trick but she knew that it wouldn't last for long.

Well, it didn't for a man's figure stopped her from breathing. He was standing infront of them hardly going out of breath. It seems that he just ran a hundred miles just to get here. His image made her heart pound more as his sight stopped her world from turning. It was the same hair, scent, body, height and face…yes the same face of the man who gave her happiness as well as loneliness. It was her one wish…Fujima Kenji.

Rukawa pulled away from her arms to give way to the man behind him. He turned back without saying a word for he didn't have any guts to ruin this moment. Both were silently staring at each other's eye, both lost in each other's gaze. They wished for this moment to last forever but she suddenly burst into reality. She closed her eyes and stepped away but Fujima's hand stopped her on making another step.

"Please…can I have this dance?" he whispered.

Her mind didn't want to but her heart couldn't make a perfect alibi not to fall right into her lover's trap. She gazed deeply into his eyes and after finding out that he was really serious; she closed her eyes and followed the hand of the man leading her.

Silence filled the room as they danced slowly but gracefully. Natsumi's eyes were locked into Fujima's as they forget everything else but themselves at the moment. Not even a year changed his or her feelings to the other. They were both madly in love with each other and that was all that matter right now.

"I thought that this would only exist in my dream…" Fujima started.

"This is a dream…"

Fujima's eyes told her how long he longed for this moment to come true, "If it is, then I don't want to wake up…"

She fell into complete silence, but her eyes deceived her. It was shining, asking him to end the flow of time. To be with her and don't ever let her go again. Her wish was just simple…to have him.

"Gomen…" he whispered to break the silence that is building in between them. "If only I could bring back the past once again, this would never hap—"

Natsumi shook her head enough to cut his sentence, "Everything has it's own purpose…" she gazed at his eyes even more deeply than ever.

"I feel though it was just like yesterday…" she placed her head down at Fujima's chest and embraced him tightly, "It felt like everything just happened yesterday…"