Note: I know! I know! I'm starting another one when I haven't even updated the old one. So sorry. But this came to my mind and I just thought of writing it. Anyway, it's a little bit weird and some are out of character. And well, mystery is present. This is how it will go for the prologue up to Chapter two, I think. Anyway, please Review because it really inspires me to write more and longer and to update faster. No joke. I really hope that a lot would read and review this.

The usual disclaimer.

Don't Read Me

Prologue: The Beginning

"Ah.ah.Ah! Kaede, faster!"

"Mmmmmm…"

"Kaede, more! More!"

"AUGHHHH!!!!!" Hanamichi screamed from the top of his voice, bolting up from his bed. He clamps his hand on his ears and close his eyes tightly, drowning the sounds his flat mates were making. Sendoh and Rukawa are at it again…

Hanamichi slap his face, as the sounds grew more intense and louder. He felt himself harden just by the sound, but he shakes it off. Sighing, he finally gave up and lay back down on the bed, pulling a pillow to cover his face. " Of all the flat mates I can have, why did Ayako paired me with this two! This is driving me nuts! I haven't had any good sleep for almost two weeks now," Hanamichi thought to himself, trying to busy his mind.

Contrary to popular belief, Hanamichi is a light sleeper. That's one of the reason why he can't sleep when his flat mates makes love with only a wooden wall separating the two rooms. That and because, Hanamichi loves Rukawa.

Yup! Hanamichi is gay. He only found that out when he and Rukawa are on their final year of high school. Haruko didn't make any effect on Hanamichi anymore and he (Hanamichi) actually felt glad. Rukawa and Hanamichi finally stop fighting and had come to a certain mutual understanding. Although, insults were thrown back a few times, there wasn't any physical contact made between the two seniors.

And like all love stories, Hanamichi fell for Rukawa. And in turn, Rukawa fell in love with… Sendoh. The spiky-haired guy, a year older then Rukawa, made sure of that. He had his eyes on Rukawa for a while and being in another school, and not to mention Shohoku's rival, was a bad advantage for him. So, after reaching college, he made sure that he devoted his every free time in visiting the Shohoku Ace; irritating Rukawa as it pleasured him.

But, just like Hanamichi, Rukawa fell for the person he was irritated with. It was just the wrong person.

And just what luck did the three basketball players is stuck together.

Oh, Hanamichi kind of regretted that he didn't make a move to declare his love for Rukawa, but not that much. Nobody but Youhei and his Gundan knows about his love for the cold-hearted Ace, and Hanamichi plans to keep it that way. Now, if only he can find a way to change flat mates, everything would be just dandy. The problem was that, all the blocks are filled and nobody dared to exchange with Hanamichi. The two lovers seem to have made quite a reputation.

Finally, the noises stop.

Hanamichi took off the pillow and stared at the ceiling. Wandering what he did to deserve this kind of treatment. It was a good thing that his classes tomorrow start at one in the evening. But he'll need sleep to get through his only nigh class, which, by the way, bores him to death. Health class doesn't exactly interest Hanamichi. That and their teacher must be a century old!

Really! He has wrinkles practically on all his body. And his eyeglasses are so huge that nobody can hardly see his eyes. And his voice! Sheesh! Even a mouse can speak louder then he does. To put it mildly, if anyone has trouble sleeping, no need for sleeping pills. Just hurl Hanamichi's Health teacher into your room and you're guaranteed to fall asleep within 1.1 microseconds.

"Great! Juts when they finally stop, my mind refuses to sleep. I hate my life," Hanamichi grumbled, getting out of bed. Going inside the bathroom, he took a bottle of sleeping pill. Taking two pills, he swallowed them in one gulp. The minute Hanamichi laid back down on his bed, he was knock into the darkness.

One week later….

" Hanamichi is late," the former captain of Shohoku stated, voice void of emotion.

" Again," the former captain of Ryonan added.

" What else is new?" Ryota commented over the sound of basketballs being dribbled. " He better have a good excuse this time or the coach will put him on bench possibly for the rest of his college life," Mitsui told everyone, snickering as he take a side glance at their patience-near-to-ending coach, who was being calmed down by both Ayako and Kogure.

" Takuya sensei, please, calm down. Remember what the doctor said about your blood pressure," Kogure tried to sooth the Coach, he himself wandering where is Hanamichi. Sure, after going into college, Hanamichi's study habits have change, tremendously, but bad habits are always hard to break. In Hanamichi's case, it's his never-ending lateness.

The members: Fujima, Hanagata, Akagi, Ryota, Mitsui, Rukawa, Sendoh, Uozumi, Koshino, Jin, Maki, Kiyota and the rest are not worth mentioning, started their warm-up with fifty laps around the court as Kogure and Ayako continued to calm the enrage basketball coach.

Ayako was starting to get worried. She notices that Hanamichi has been acting weirdly since two days ago, and being the observant woman that she is, Ayako noticed a lot of things about Hanamichi. One thing was that, he looked tired and his always-present energy seems to have disappeared. He forced himself to smile on his friends and withdraws from the chattering teammates when break time starts. That was Rukawa's job, and still is only with the addition of Sendoh in the dark, and Hanamichi almost rivaled Rukawa in doing so, even if it was only for two days.

And now, he's late for more then thirty minutes, which, even back in the high school days, never happened.

Ayako is now really worried. And it doesn't help that Takuya sensei looks like he is about to burst a vein.

" Takuya Sensei," a voice stated behind the said name.

" You're late. For thirty minutes!" Ayako, out of reflexes, immediately brought out her trusty paper fan and whacks Hanamichi's head.

Make that, would have whack, if it weren't for Hanamichi's drop-dead serious expression.

Ayako stopped in mid-air and so did Takuya's mouth. Even if the coach only knew the boy for about a month, he knows that Hanamichi doesn't show a serious face unless on a basketball game where they are seriously losing (not that it can happened. Look at their line-up!) or provoke. Everyone stop what he was doing and faced the directed of Hanamichi, waiting for his next words. The gym, for once, was quiet (they prohibited fan girls or any type of cheering to be done while practicing. Why, just imagine all the girls that will populate the audience stand with the aces on the team).

" Sensei. Please excuse me today and tomorrow from our practice. I have a realty important thing to do," Hanamichi ask politely. Hanamichi didn't show any emotion, making it hard for anyone to read what the redhead is thinking.

"Umm... All right. I'll make an exemption for you. But only this once!" Takuya answered, nervousness evident in his tone. Hanamichi smiled a little bit and bowed to the coach as well as the whole team, saying " Arigato Gozimas! This means a lot to me."

He quickly jogged towards the door and out of the gym when the Gundan came rushing inside and calling his name. " Hanamichi, matte yo!" Takamiya yelled while trying to catch his breathe. " You forgot this!" Noma said, throwing a duffel bag towards Hanamichi. Hanamichi swiftly caught it, looking grateful to the three. " And this as well," Yuji added, throwing a bouquet of flowers to Hanamichi's way.

Hanamichi's smile grew larger and he called out, " I owe you guys one!"

" Get the hell out of here. Youhei is on his way," Takamiya warned. " And the ship might go any minute now. Get your butt moving!" Noma include. Hanamichi smiled widely and turn around, running towards the main gate of the university as fast as he can. The minute Hanamichi's shadow cannot be seen anymore, Youhei burst through the doors, the Gundan blocking his way.

" Get out of my way," Youhei growled out menacingly. Everyone turned to look at the usual calm headed guy in pure shock. The Gundan stood their place and didn't even move an inch.

" He's gone. He's probably on his ride, on his way towards the port," Noma spoke first.

" I said move!" Youhei ordered louder.

" No," Takamiya answered with equal stubbornness. Youhei deftly grab hold of Takamiya's collar and shook him violently. " How can you do this?!? You brought Hanamichi's death right on his very feet!" Youhei yelled out, all his frustrations and anger finally materializes.

" We have to let him go," Takamiya silently answered. " We're his friends. We're suppose to be protecting him," Youhei angrily replied.

" Protecting?!" Takamiya said, pulling out of Youhei's grip. " What protecting?! We did nothing but denied what he truly wanted. To be free."

" He doesn't know what he wants! He thinks like a ten-years old of goodness sake!" Youhei retorted back.

" Then it's high time we let him grow up," Yuji interceded, staring at Youhei with determination.