If it wasn't for you.

Practice was going on as usual with two archenemies shooting insults at each other, an angered captain with a vice-captain trying to calm him, a manageress trying to stop those two from fighting ready with a fan, a basketball player gawking at the manageress' beauty and a great 3-point shooter sneering at the scene.

The scarred face commented. "Hey guys, have anyone told you that getting angry can make people old fast?"

Choruses of voices replied, "Urusai".

The guy just shrugged and continued practicing, ignoring the scene.

Insults could be heard in the background, though.

"Omae, kitsune, why did you hit my ball in?"

"Do'aho, because I knew that it won't get in."

"Teme kitsune!! It would have gotten in even if you do or don't hit it in."

"Whatever." The word said out flatly.

"You don't believe me, do you? I'll show you my real skills, kitsune."

"If you do have any skills."

"Nani?! Kono yarou-"

Veins popping out of the captain's head growled. "Stop snapping insults at each other, you two. Get back to the practice and co-operate, will you?!!"

"Akagi, calm down. They will get back at practice and co-operate with each other, won't you two, Rukawa, Sakuragi?" Said the bespectacled senior with a worried face.

The two ignored him and glanced at each other. A spark of light between both of them lasted for a while before they turned away from each other and went back to practice.

After some time, practice was over leaving Rukawa and Sakuragi all alone to clean up the gym as punishment for their bickering earlier on.

Sakuragi cursed. "Teme Gori!! Asking me to clean up the gym. Argh!" He eyed at the claimed 'kitsune'. "And with that kitsune. Of all people, he had to pick him!"

Rukawa sensed his stare and looked up. "Nandayo, do'aho?"

"Urusai, kitsune!"

"Whatever. I'm going now."

"Nandato? You have been just mopping for a while."

"Whatever."

"Can you stop saying that word? You have been saying it for so many times. Don't you ever get bored of it?"

"Whatever."

"There you go again."

"I'm going now and that's it." Rukawa was about to continue walking when he felt a little dizzy. He pressed his temple and tried to steady himself.

Just then Sakuragi looked up from his work and saw Rukawa staggering. Apparently, he was having difficulty walking steadily. "Oi kitsune, daijobu deska? You looked kinda pale."

Rukawa ignored him and went on walking slowly leaning his hands on the wall.

"I'm just asking out of concern that's all. Look at yourself. You can't even steady yourself without leaning your hands against the wall." Then he stopped short. /When did I ever care for that kitsune? Sure he looks pale and has difficult walking but that's his business, not mine and I'm sure that's what he thinks too anyway. Sakuragi shrugged and carried on with his mopping. Suddenly, a loud thud was heard. He looked up and saw Rukawa's body on the ground. He quickly ran over and scrutinized Rukawa. He shook his body. "Oi kitsune. Oi." There wasn't any response, not even a slightest movement. /Oh man. I better take him quickly to the clinic./ He hauled Rukawa's body over his shoulder and ran as fast as he could to the school's clinic.

Luckily, the clinic hadn't closed yet. He pushed open the door and asked the receptionist frantically. "Is the doctor in?"

"Eh?" The lady glanced up and looked from Sakuragi to Rukawa's body on his shoulder. "Ah, hai."

He walked quickly to the doctor's room with the receptionist behind him, asking him to tell her the patient's name and opened the door. "Doctor, quick come and check kitsune." He laid Rukawa's body on a bed which is used for patients to lay down for the doctor's inspection when they need to.

"Mister, you have to tell me the patient's name first."

The doctor held up her hand to stop the receptionist from continuing talking. "It's ok. As soon as I'm done with him, you can ask him. Go back to your work for now."

"Yes." With that, she walked away.

"Quick, check kitsune."

"Kitsune?" The doctor was clueless as to who Sakuragi was referring to as she didn't see any fox mentioned by Sakuragi.

Sakuragi hit his forehead with palm and cleared his throat. "Rukawa. He fainted so I brought him here as fast as I could." Sakuragi finished frantically.

"Ok, calm down, go outside and wait for me. I'll be with you in a while."

Sakuragi nodded and went outside without another word. He paced back and forth while the receptionist was pestering him to tell her the patient's name. But Sakuragi didn't listen to any word from her, he was deep in thoughts. /Oh man. First, otousan then that oyaji and now that kitsune. I just hope that kitsune will be alright. As much as I dislike him, I don't want anything bad happen to him./

He stopped pacing when he heard the doctor calling him. He went over to the doctor. "Is he ok?"

The doctor glanced at Rukawa on the bed and motioned Sakuragi to follow her so as not to wake Rukawa up. "He's just having fever and under stress. He needs rests. I suggest him taking a few days off from school for rest. He really needs it. But what he really needs is care and love." The doctor peered at Sakuragi from her glasses. "Are you related to him?"

"Eh, iya. Just a teammate of his from basketball team."

"Souka. Well, I'll write a letter for him to excuse him from school for a few days. I hope you can help him to give it to the principal."

"Ah, hai."

"He'll sleep here for tonight."

"Ok."

"Do you know his contact number so I can call his family?"

"Iie."

The doctor smiled. "Well, then I guess that's all and thanks for bringing the patient here. Now it's time for you to go home and have your sleep. He'll be fine here. I'll tell him what happened next morning."

"Ahem." The receptionist interrupted and frowned. "Doctor, he hasn't told me the patient's name yet."

"Eh?" The doctor looked at the receptionist dumbly and chuckled when upon seeing the receptionist holding a form clipped on a clipboard. "Well, you better tell her the patient's name, if not she'll get real angry." The doctor started to whisper. "When she gets angry, she's real scary."

"Honto deska?" Sakuragi looked at the receptionist who has an annoyed face timidly.

"Doctor!"

"Hai hai. I'll go pack my things and then go home. Goodnight uh.."

"Sakuragi."

She smiled again. "Oyasumi Sakuragi-san."

"Oyasumi, doctor."

After he filled the patient's form for Rukawa, he had gone home. Now, he was in his own room laying on the bed, thinking. /Why was I so frantic and nervous when I saw him fainted? I thought I resented him and I wouldn't have cared about him at all/ He sighed to himself. /I do resent him, still.but I suppose that even though I resent him, I still won't want anything bad happen to him./ He stared up at his ceiling then outside at the stars through the window. /I wonder if he has any problems or anything since the doctor had said he's under stress. Oh, why do I care? That's my business he'll probably say to me if he knew I was thinking about it. But seriously, though.I hope he's gonna be fine the next morning..mmm../ He drifted off to sleep due to fatigue.

--~-- The dawn's bright sun rays awoke the prominent sleeping beauty. He fluttered open his eyes and gazed around him sleepily, taking in the unfamiliar surrounding slowly. The sleep hadn't cured his exhaustion. He was still drowsy but upon seeing the unfamiliar place that he was in, he prevented himself from falling asleep again. /Where am I? This is not my room? Where am I?/ He got off the bed and proceeded to walk away from the place. /What happened last night? Why am I here?/ He was not alert yet and the lethargy was reigning him so he couldn't recall what had happened last night.

Footsteps could be heard and seemed to be proceeding to the room where he was in then he saw the doctor in front of him. When she saw him, she smiled. "Ohaiyo, Rukawa-san. I see you are awake but looking quite sleepy."

Not returning the greeting, he asked. "Where am I and how did I get here." The supposed to be question sounded like a statement but by the tone it was demanding a reply from the doctor.

"You're in the school's clinic. You knocked out last night and a nice guy brought you here. Etto..what's his name?" She slapped herself on the forehead. "Now, I can't remember his name. Oh well."

Without another word from him, he strode out the room.

"Eh, matte kudasai. I told the principal to give you a couple of days off from school so please use it usefully and have lots of rests and relax."

Rukawa walked away without stopping to turn back.

The doctor shook her head at having a patient like him who seemed to be a cold, quiet and stubborn person. "He was such a pretty boy. If not for his hair and muscles, people would have might mistake him as a girl." She chuckled to herself.

--~-- In the basketball gym, there was confusion as to why Rukawa still hadn't come. As for the self-acclaimed tensai, he still hadn't come to practice yet which increased the wrath in Akagi.

Like always, today was no different. Kogure tried his best to cool Akagi's rage down. "Maa maa, Akagi, I'm sure there's a reason for the two of them for not showing up yet. Be patient. I'm sure they'll arrive soon."

It was too late. Fire were seen in his eyes and veins started to pop out. "Who wants to wait for those two idiots? We're starting the practice without them."

Just when he said those words, the door of the gym slid open showing a red head guy.

Sakuragi smiled. "Sorry I'm late." He scratched at the back of his head. "I guess I was too sleepy so I slept through the alarm." A whack on his head by Ayako's notorious fan.

"We were just gonna start off the practice without you."

"Eh? How dare you guys start the practice without the tensai!"

"Nani?" Fire started surrounding Akagi which intidimated Kogure who stayed away from him. Akagi punched Sakuragi on the head. "Your punishment for being late would be 500 outside shots today."

"Nani? Well, that would be a piece of a cake for this tensai."

Kogure said. "Well, the only one left is Rukawa. Are we going to wait for him, Akagi?"

"What do you think?" Akagi said angrily.

Kogure chuckled nervously. "A ha ha ha ha."

"The kitsune? Yesterday, he fainted so I brought him to the school's clinic. He stayed at the clinic last night."

Ryota pointed at Sakuragi unbelievingly. "You brought him to the clinic? I thought you would have been the first to ignore him."

Mitsui agreed. "Sodesu."

"Nani? How dare you criticize the tensai like that? I'm not as heartless as you think."

"So, what did the doctor said?" Akagi asked.

"The doctor said he has fever and is under stress."

Ayako and Kogure murmured at the same time. "Stress."

"Go and see how he's doing. Make sure he's alright."

"What are you saying, Gori? I want to practice and he probably went home because the doctor gave him a couple of days off from school. He can take care of himself." Sakuragi cleared his throat. "And besides, if you care about him so much, why don't you go see him yourself then?"

"Nani?!" Fury and rage started whirling inside him once again. "Are you going or not?"

"Iya."

"I'm punishing you to take care of him from now on till he recuperates."

"Nandato? No way I'm gonna do that."

"You dare to go against my command? I'm telling you I'm the captain not you."

"Sakuragi, you better go now if not Akagi would get much more angrier." Kogure advised.

"Megane-kun.." He sighed. "Wakata." He turned around and walked away, heading to the clinic. "Mataku. I have to take care of that kitsune. What's going on with the world and Gori?" He went in the clinic and saw the doctor talking to a patient. He called her. "Doctor."

She looked up at him. "Oh, hi Sakuragi-san." /Matte, I thought I forgot his name. Crazy me remembering his name now./

"Where is kit, uh Rukawa?"

"Oh, he went home."

"Souka. Do you have a record of his address?"

"Oh, sorry, no. I think you can find it in the student's record file in the main office."

"Ok, arigatoo, doctor."

"No problem. Ja."

"Ja. Have a nice day, doctor."

The doctor smiled at his retreating back. /I'm sure Sakuragi's the guy who can help Rukawa being the quiet guy but Sakuragi who is such a cheery person will sure help Rukawa./

--~-- He had copied down the address from Rukawa's record. He had a tough time getting the record from the teacher but when the teacher heard Akagi's name, he had instantly gave him Rukawa's record. Sakuragi chuckled. "I guess even Akagi's name besides from his face can scare off people."

He arrived at a house with a gate in front of it. He checked the house number with the one on his paper. It was correct. He looked at the house. It was just a normal small house. The gate was not locked, lucky for him. He went in and was about to open the door when he saw a middle aged lady coming out who stared at him weirdly.

/Who was that?/ Shrugging, he went in himself. The atmosphere was so quiet that it sent tingles to his spine. /Doesn't that kitsune have any family members?/ He called out. "Oi kitsune. Are you in here?"

There was no response but he could hear the vague sound of movement. He headed towards the sound then saw Rukawa on the bed looking at the trees outside, so absorbed in looking at the scenery outside. Sakuragi too looked outside. The scenery was beautiful. The trees were swaying against the wind and leaves started to swish down, looking like it was dancing in the air. Then Sakuragi realized that there was not even a house next or across Rukawa's. It's like the house was isolated just like Rukawa. He couldn't help thinking how lonely it would be if it was him, living here and leading a life like Rukawa. Maybe just maybe Rukawa had his reasons to be like how he is currently.maybe the truth is he needs a friend and maybe.he could be Rukawa's friend.maybe Rukawa's not such a bad person too.

Sakuragi cleared his throat.

Rukawa didn't budge and sighed. "Shori-san, ore wa daijobu des, shimpai suna."

"Anou.ore Sakuragi."

Rukawa turned around and narrowed his eyes when he saw Sakuragi. "Why are you here and when did you get here?"

"Wow. That's a lot of words you said just now for the first time, kitsune." He counted the words with his fingers. "That's how many.lemme see.ah 10 words.." When he saw Rukawa's serious face, he straightened up and answered. "I've been here for a while. Gori asked me to come here to take care of you from now on."

Rukawa shot him a deathly glare then snorted. "I know how to take care of myself. Go back to where you are supposed to be."

"Hey. It's not like I have any choice. That Gori made me to take care of you as a punishment and if I go back without taking care of you, my punishment would be worse."

He narrowed his cold blue eyes again. "Fine. Stay if you want but leave me alone, do'aho."

Sakuragi just shrugged. "Oh yeah, who was the lady I saw coming out from your house when I was coming in?"

Rukawa who didn't response laid on the bed and closed his eyes. He turned away from Sakuragi and laid on his side with his back facing Sakuragi.

"I'm just curious. Fine, if you don't wanna answer me. Hey, don't you have any family members? Your house is so quiet, don't you feel lonely here?"

Lonely. That word repeated in his mind. It described his feeling when he was on his own for the first time but now it had seemed so ordinary that he was used to it and he didn't care anymore. He didn't need anybody.not anyone.he can manage everything on his own.

"It's none of your business." With that, he took his discman and put the plugs in his ears to prevent himself from listening to anymore words from Sakuragi and closed his eyes to get some rest.

"Hmph. Fine, if you wanna ignore me and want me to shut up." He walked out of the room and started towards the kitchen. "If I say so myself, I've been quite patient with him just now. I wonder how long I can stay patient with him like that." He shook his head and started getting the cooking utensils to cook.

While cooking, he noticed a radio and switched it on.

Here you are in the darkened room, all alone looking out the window your heart is cold and lost the will to love like a broken arrow you are standing in the shadow, come to me, come to me Can't you see that? Nobody wants to be lonely, nobody wants to cry. My body is longing to hold you so bad that it hurts inside. Time is precious that it is slipping away that I've been waiting for you all of my life. Wow Nobody wants to be lonely so why, why don't you let me love you? Why? Oh, why? When you hear my voice, when you hear my soul, it's severe that so your heart comes bind me wow, oh then something leads coming fly down the stairs in a body oh baby oh you start going crazy run to me cause I'm dying

Sakuragi finished cooking and switched off the radio before the song ended. He put some pepper and green onions in it and brought the food to Rukawa's room. Rukawa was apparently asleep and his face was turned in Sakuraig's direction. He couldn't help feeling that Rukawa looked so pretty like a beauty. His facades looked so gentle and mellow like of a female's.

He hit himself mentally. /What am I thinking? I'm supposed to resent the kitsune and not like him./ He walked over to Rukawa. /I better wake him up to eat the congee if not who knows if he'll eat later./ He put the bowl on the desk and called out to Rukawa lightly. "Oi, kitsune. Wake up." Rukawa didn't even move so he shook his body and called louder this time. "Oi, kitsune. Wake up, wake up."

Then he received a blow at his cheek. "Ittetetetete." He looked at Rukawa whose fist was in the air and was drooling. "Kono yarou. Kitsune, why did you hit me for?"

Rukawa slowly opened his eyes and looked around him then his gaze fell on Sakuragi who was holding on his cheek then at his fist in the air. He stared at Sakuragi blankly.

Sakuragi asked again. "What did you hit me for? I was just trying to wake you up."

"I will wake up if I do want to."

"I just cooked a bowl of congee for you to eat. It's there on the desk. Eat it while it's hot."

Rukawa glared at him then at the bowl and went back to sleep.

"Hey! I cooked it for you and now you don't wanna eat it. If it wasn't for me sympathizing you, I wouldn't have cook it for you and would just ignore you."

Rukawa sat up on the bed and stared hardly at Sakuragi. "Fine, ignore me. I don't need another person like everyone else just sympathizing me. I don't need any sympathy."

"Wakata, wakata. Don't eat the congee then. I'll get out of here and out of your sight. I'll go against Gori's order." He strode out of the room and out of the house. "If it wasn't Gori who called me to take care of you, I wouldn't have been caught dead in your house. Baka kitsune." He punched at a wall he passed by, causing passer-bys staring at him. "Hmf. Now, I don't have to take care of that baka kitsune I'll go find Mito and the others."

After Sakuragi left, Rukawa went back to sleep. When he woke up, it was evening already and he saw the bowl of congee on the desk next to his bed. He started to feel hungry but refused to eat Sakuragi's congee. He went to the kitchen and searched for packets of instant noodles but he couldn't find any. He sighed. /I better go buy them tomorrow. I'm too tired now./ He went back to his room and saw the bowl of congee. /Well, I don't have anything to eat but that do'aho's congee. Oh well, I hope it doesn't taste too horrible./ He spooned a little and started chewing and swallowing it. Funny, it tasted quite good. The do'aho in his eyes wasn't as stupid as he think he is.

He continued eating until there wasn't any left in the bowl. Congee never tasted as good as it is now..

~fin~

Author's note: Domo minna-san ^_^ This is my first yaoi fic and I bet it's not up to your expectation, right? Well, I wrote the best I could. I hope you'll guys continue to read this fic ^_^ the next chapter probably won't be as long as this chapter. It'll probably be half of this chapter long only lolz well, we'll see I too hope I won't write so short the next chapter. Ah, I have to say that I'm glad I finished this first chapter of my first yaoi fic ^_^ Well, I hope you guys don't mind me describing Rukawa like a female because I think he's kind of like a female. His basketball moves so gentle, mellow and careful, you know. Anyway, I hope you guys will give me some feedback on how I've written in this chapter as I told you it's my first time writing a yaoi fic. Oh yeah and the lyrics in this fic is from Ricky Martin & Christina Aguilera's Nobody wants to be Lonely. There might be some errors since I listened from the song and typed them down because I might have listened wrong. I don't really like the song, though just think that it quite suit Rukawa and Sakuragi in this fic ^^ Anyway, thanks for reading ^_^

~Kaorin