Hi! I'm back again. I told you it won't be long as the other one! HEHE. Enjoy all you readers! :)

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Mitsui wanted nothing more than to just crawl back into his bed and stay there forever. Of course, provided he can play basketball whilst sleeping would be nice, but things like that are impossible in real life. Plus, he would look so much like Rukawa and we wouldn't want that, now would we? Mitsui Hisashi, former MVP sighed as he stepped into the Shohoku compound. Bag slung casually over one well formed shoulder, he made his way to the school gym for practice. Mitsui carefully avoided any teachers incase any of them suspected that he skipped school and only came for practice today. Yesterday too. And the other day before.  ( Naughty! )

"Why?!?" a girl's voice whispered brokenly. "Stupid *hiccup* emotional girl."

Intrigued as to why would anyone, much less this girl, call herself stupid; Mitsui came closer and craned his neck behind a tree that lined along the school compound. That's when he saw this so-called 'stupid emotional girl'.  She was kneeling on the ground, eyelashes stained with tears as she whispered and continued hiccupping about. The afternoon sun shone lazily after a brief shower, over black hair that ended just below small swan-like shoulders. Her creamy skin suits the black hair very well. Mitsui noted in appreciation as his 'trained' eye zoomed in on a peek of pink just under her skirt and went further down along the lined of her long legs. //Wow, what a looker. Now, if I only can get a glimpse of her eyes…//

Mitsui formed a plan  in his mind. Already his hands were busy searching for that one thing all crying girls need. He deftly ran his hands over his front pockets, digging into them and found, not what he intended, but a piece of paper. Scrawled on it was a very feminine writing which read, "Call me, lover boy! 667-092. ~Saika."  'Oh that girl!' Mitsui remembered the girl who was practically draping herself all over him last night in a club he went to. That was partially the reason he didn't go to school in the mornings and turned up for practice only. It's not like he cared about his studies anyway. It was strictly 'Basketball'. He crumpled the paper and tossed it behind him, his hands continually ran his hands over his back pockets.

"Oi! Baka! Gay or something?" teased Miyagi who had caught him running his hands over his own backside. Mitsui resisted the great urge to swear and blush all in the same time. He had better things to do. Say, like soothing a beautiful girl?

"Shut up, Ryota! Go chat up with Ayako there, I think one of the mates got it bad for her," Mitsui remarked as he watched satisfyingly at Miyagi who was already disappearing into the gym. //I didn't say it wasn't you who got it bad! Baka. Heheh. Score one for Hisashi!//

After failing to find the most important thing he needed that moment, he remembered his bag. He rummaged  through it shoving things from one side to another. Then he found what he was looking for and it buried in between with his towel and toothpaste. Carefully he lifted it up and let the breeze caress it's silky surface, it's white glinting in the sun much like the grin that was sporting on his face now.

It was essential to the whole approach thing : A handkerchief.

 His white almost perfect teeth glinted  through the huge grin as he folded it up into a square and began to approach the fallen angel. //Stop grinning, stupid. You look like a pervert!// He toned down his grin into a smile as he came nearer to the said angel.

"Here," his deep tone made him sound like a knight in shining armor made modern. Mitsui personally loved that.

The girl looked up to reveal crystal-blue eyes that was glossy from crying. Her small lips opened as she stared openly at him.

~~~~

Eyes wide with wonder, Emi looked up to see the most startling eyes she had ever seen. It was certainly a change from the one she has recently accustomed herself to; Rukawa's cold gaze which seemed to shield him from the outside world. This, this was a new thing for her. This pair came with a hint of mischief into them and a kind of determination buried within. She tilted her head to side and saw the humor in his eyes light up. // I guess that was a bit childish of me. Great Emi, look ridiculous in front of the third guy you met today. Way to go! //

She saw the handkerchief and took it. The material felt soft in her hands and smelled of jasmines. She wiped her tears away with the material and smiled gratefully at the stranger. She blushed at the prospect of what she was going to do next. She turned around slightly and blew her nose into it.  It wasn't a horrendous sound, not horn-like at all but she still had the grace to blush a few more shades darker.

"Thank you," she gazed up at him appreciating his help.

"Nah, no problems. I mean I've got lots more of this where it came from. After all, have to please all the beautiful woman out there," he replied.

Emi giggled as he grinned down at her. "Ummm…have a seat," she offered. The stranger chuckled as he folded his long legs to accommodate himself on the floor beside Emi.

"And will I have the honor of knowing this beautiful young lady's name?"

Emi was a bit surprised by the comment and for the first time saw the handsome looks that grazed his face. The slight scar  on his chin did nothing to flaw his handsome looks, not to mention his great shape. Suddenly feeling very nervous, Emi answered, " F-furuhata Emi."

"Emi. It has a nice ring to it. Nice to meet you, Emi," the stranger smiled as he offered his hand towards her.

Emi took the offered hand willingly and felt a bit light headed as his warm palm enclosed her own smaller ones. "You too."

"Name's Mitsui Hisashi," he grinned again as he introduced himself to her.

"Mit-," she started  but was cut off by the stranger.

"Hisashi, call me by my first name, kay'?" Mitsui winked as he pulled her up with him.

~~~

Rukawa saw everything. Mitsui grinning like a pervertive bastard. Charming the hell out of Emi. That stupid handkerchief.  The oh-so-teen-romancy meeting. Stupid. It's all stupid.

Rukawa scowled as he clench his hands in his pockets. Stupid. Damn. Damn Mitsui. MVP freak. Why was he so riled up about a stupid meeting between stupid Mitsui and Emi? Why? // Maybe, you like her, you freakin' ice block! How bout' that!? // Oh, he isn't an ice block right now, is he? He's scowling, see? Burn. In. Hell.

He saw her first. Emi was practically living with him! Heck, he even saw her na-… //No need to bring THAT up.// Whatever. Then his eyes flashed as he narrowed them when Mitsui shook Emi's hand. // Get your hands off her, you stupid pervert. //

Emi was smiling now. She was smiling NOW. AFTER HE MET HER. This is so stupid. Damn stupid. Stupid. Stupid. STUPID. She even giggled. Giggled like giggly-giggly. Stupid. Rukawa shuddered at the remembrance of those three girls who were all so pathetic in his eyes. Yup, the RU-KA-WA girls. They're stupid. Blech.

Mitsui pulled Emi up and Rukawa caught a glimpse of a pink material just under her skirt. Definitely…NOT stupid. ( The guy's a guy. Give em' a break. ) But why is the guy still holding onto Emi's hand? Stupid. Let it go, stupid.  Mitsui led Emi into the gym oblivious to the fact that he, Rukawa Kaede the 'burning ice-block of Shohoku' was standing a few meters away. This only led to more fury to the fuming raven haired rookie. Damn him.

And that's when his conscience started kicking in and pulled the right strings in. // You missed your chance. Doofus. // ( See? Even his conscience has a better vocabulary then him? Isn't that a wonder? *pouts* ) If he was bit more like the charmer, he would have Emi stop crying in a matter of seconds. Only, he didn't have that bit of charmer in him. Heck, he didn't have much experience in the whole girls thing. Sure, he has his occasional running away and dissing them, but never soothing. ( AHA, minna-san I proved that I myself was wrong! He does have good vocab. skills! ) // Mom always said, I was dull. Way to go for encouragement, Mom. Woohoo. …Wait, that was Auntie Jen. Yeah, she was so mean. Stupid. //

(*author goes haywire*)

"CAN IT, HANAMICHI!!! APOLOGIZE NOW!!!!" boomed Mitsui's voice from inside the building

Rukawa rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Stupid." He's playing the part of the knight in shining armor again. "Emi, what have you gotten yourself into?"

~~~

End of Chapter 8!

Thank you. I have one startling revelation. Mitsui fans? You have another fan right here in the making. I love the guy! :) Hehe. Of course Kaede will still be my first. ;p Yes, I love making him OOC, so sue me. On second thought, sue me big time! Hahah… all you're getting is a piece of my mind.