**Gomen, gomen. *bows* I got hang up a bit so here's chappie 2... Very, very sorry for the late upload… ^_^
**Standard disclaimers apply.
Chapter 2: A Blank Slate
Rukawa opened his eyes to an unfamiliar place. He scanned the room and did not notice anthing familiar with it.
"Glad to see your finally awake," he heard a voice say. He glanced to the direction of the voice and stared at the person standing beside his bed. He was also unfamiliar. Very.
"Who are you? Where am I?" Rukawa fired the first two questions he can think of.
"Whoa. Slowly," the man answered. He smiled and placed a chair beside Rukawa's bed.
"My name's Hisashi Mitsui, that's for your first question. And for the second one, you're at my house."
"What am I doing here?"
"Uhm, don't you remember?" Now it was Mitsui's turn to ask.
"Remember what?" A helpless Rukawa asked back.
"The accident…"
"What accident? I don't remember… I don't know what you're talking about."
Oh, god. Realization fell on Mitsui. Could it be? That he has amnesia?
"What?" Rukawa piqued. "Can you please just tell me something? Anything?"
"Do you know your name?"
"What do you think am I? Stupid?" Rukawa snorted.
"No… Just wondering what your name is…" Mitsui replied, although he already has an idea on what the answer could be.
Rukawa looked alarmed at the simplest question Mitsui threw at him. Finally, he realized that he would not get the answer to that question, no matter how hard he tried to think.
He covered his face with his hands. "I don't know my name…"
Mitsui felt sympathy towards the raven-haired boy. He smiled gently at him. The least he can do was tell the boy everything he knew, which was not too much to begin with.
But that's all I can give for now…
"Two weeks ago, you had an accident. Actually, we had an accident. When I made a right turn, I saw your car heading directly towards me," he explained. "I think you saw it, too, at the same time, because you swerved your car. I swerved mine, too, but I was lucky not to crash into a tree..."
"So, I crashed into a tree…"
Mitsui nodded. "Yes, you did. I brought-"
"But, why was I driving that bad to head towards your car?" Rukawa interrupted.
"That I wouldn't know."
Was I a bad driver? Rukawa thought. "Oh, sorry. Do continue," he said as he noticed Mitsui looking at him.
"I brought you to a hospital and they checked you for internal injuries, and you're fine. The doctors said I should bring you home, but I don't know where you live, so I brought you here."
He stopped and checked to see if Rukawa was able to digest everything he said. Then, he continued,
"You were unconscious the whole time. I asked one doctor to often visit here to check up on you. Now, you're finally awake… Rukawa."
Rukawa's eyes widen. "Wha-what did you call me?"
"Rukawa. The caption on your jacket said so." Mitsui held a what seemed like a varsity college jacket and handed it to Rukawa.
"Here."
Rukawa let his hands ran on the jacket. He touched the name sewn on the left chest of the jacket.
"Kaede Rukawa…" He looked up at Mitsui. "This is my name..?"
"I guess so. And apparently, you are or used to be a varsity player of some sport at Kanagawa University," Mitsui said matter-of-factly. "Look at the back."
Rukawa turned the jacket around and true enough, an emblem of Kanagawa University was sewn on the jacket.
"So, I play a sport…" Rukawa murmured. "But, I still can't remember anything…"
Mitsui gave him an encouraging smile. "You know what, the guys I see wearing that jacket are usually basketball players…"
"Really?"
"Yeah. And you know what, you don't have to worry because I'll try my best to help you…"
"Thanks, Mitsui…" Then, he added in a soft voice, "I owe you my life."
-tbc-
**I can't believe I was able to concentrate on this chapter while listening to Gensomaden Saiyuki's soundtrack… I mean, it was more on the rock side, and this is, well, not… Ahehehe… ^_^