A/N: Sorry, I couldn't think of a good title for this chapter. If U thought up a better one, pls help me out *S* Thanks
Preparations
"Hey, Miyu. Wake up!"
She swung her arm in his direction. Rukawa caught it, "Where's Jordan?"
"Tokyo…came with group…two free activity day…gone back late last night. Good-night," she mumbled.
"Wake up! Practise with me.
.
Rika was walking out of her classroom and spotted Shinnosuke waiting outside for her.
He smiled, "Hey, Rika."
She forced a smile and nodded.
"I really had fun Saturday. Do you want to go out and do it again?"
"I'm sorry. But…there's this guy I like."
"Then why did you go out with me?"
"I wasn't sure. But during our entire date, I kept thinking about him, and it worrying. It wasn't until I saw him, that I began to feel better. It wasn't until then that I realize I like him."
"Who is he?" Shinnosuke asked.
"His name is Rukawa Kaede," he said and it felt good to finally admit it, 'why is it so much easier to admit it anyone other than who it truly is?'
.
'No practise, today?' Miyuki thought reading the note and yawned, 'great. Now I can go home and sleep. Baka, inconsiderate Kaede. I only slept two hours last night.'
.
"You got to be kidding."
"It's true!" Koshino said.
Taoka-sensei looked at Uozumi who nodded.
Everyone began buzzing.
"Sendoh-sempai has a crush on a girl?!"
"And she apparently doesn't know it, or rejected him for another."
Taoka-sensei clapped, "Ok. Practise for today is cancelled. Lets go see this girl."
Cheering.
Taoka-sensei turned to Hikoichi and warned, "You stay here and keep Sendoh away from this girl's house."
"B...but.." Hikoichi protested.
"Do it. Or you're kicked off the team."
"…"
.
Rika turned the corner and spotted a stunned Kiyota, "…"
"What's so good about him?" Kiyota asked softly, "who do you like him?"
"Those things can't be explained."
"Name one thing he has that I don't. One thing that he's better than me at," Kiyota challenged.
"…"
"Name it!"
Rika said the first thing that came to her mind, "Basketball."
.
"Hikoichi where's everyone?"
"Uh…practise was called off."
"That never happened before," Sendoh said with a smile, "darn, I didn't have to run all the way here."
"So, Sendoh-sempai…where are you going?"
"Home. I got something I got to ask my sister. Why?"
"Oh, nothing," Hikoichi said suspiciously, "bye."
Sendoh watch him run off, 'He's acting weirder than normal today.'
.
Miyuki was humming but stopped dead on her tracks at the sight of a dozen to two dozen guys sitting outside on her yard, 'What the…'
She quickly bladed to behind the car.
"Hey you!" the huge freaky man called.
'No…not me. Not me. You can see me…'
"I see you."
She was about to go out when a boy across the street say, "H…Hai…"
She let out a sigh of relief, "Ok. Not me. That poor kid looks freaked out.'
"Do you know when the girl living here returns?"
'If it's one or two guys I can handle. But 20?' she thought and slowly backed away the way she came, 'better hide of a while. Kaede should still be at school…'
.
"Rika, you're home?"
"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at practise?"
"Cancelled."
"Ani…I want to ask you a question."
"What?" he asked.
"How…how do girls usually ask you out?"
Her brother smiled, "Why? Do you want to ask someone out? Or is someone asking you out?"
"If you don't want to answer-"
"Straightforward and directly," he said, "now I want to ask you a question."
"What?"
"What do girls like?"
"You need my help?" Rika asked, "since when?"
"Well…this girl's different. She's…"
Rika smirked, "Miyuki. I'm not that dense. But you shouldn't ask me. I'm friends with Miyuki but I don't really know or understand her. You should ask her long time friend Ayako."
"You're right. Shohoku should still be practising…" he said running out the door.
'Baka,' Rika thought, 'directness and straightforwardness?'
.
"Yuki-chan! Why are you here?" Anozumi asked.
"Waiting for Kaede. There's some weird looking people sitting on my yard. Probably waiting for me."
"How weird looking?" Yuji asked.
"Well…the huge looking man-beast looking guy, a triad member that's stoned, a private school kid, a monk…and this old looking man that looks like annoyed, impatient or maybe has to go to the washroom really bad. Hope he doesn't go in my yard…and a dozen or more. I didn't get a detailed, direct look."
"For an indirect look that was pretty detailed," Sauichiro said.
"Are there that many weird looking guys? I mean there's six in this gym and three right here," Youhei said indicating at the rest of the guntai.
"Teme?!?!"
Youhei ran as the guntai chased him. Miyuki laughed.
.
Sendoh went into Shohoku gym and everyone glanced at him, "Hi, everybody."
"What are you doing here? Spying on us, eh?" Hanamichi said.
'Miyuki's here too?'
"Maybe he's stalking Miyuki," Ayako said.
Akagi grabbed Hanamichi, "Rukawa just scored."
"Teme?! Kitsune, how dare you take advantage of the tensai's momentary inattentiveness!"
"Actually I'm here to see you," Sendoh said smiling.
"What do you want to see Aya-chan for?!" Ryota demanded being held back by Akagi.
"That would be between Aya-chan and me," Sendoh grinned.
"What?!" Ryota exclaimed.
"Fight, fight, fight!" the guntai chanted.
"Aya-chan. You and Sendoh-san…why didn't you tell me?" Haruko asked.
.
She could tell Ryota was steaming from hearing Haruko's accusation. She looked at Sendoh, 'What is he doing here? To cause trouble?'
He looked at her and smiled, "Wish me luck."
She laughed, "If you want to date Ayako, you'll need it. Her heart belong to Ryota, ne?"
"Really Aya-chan?" Ryota asked becoming docile with heart-shaped eyes.
Ayako was digging her nails into Miyuki's arm and got up, "Ok, follow me Sendoh."
'Baka. Just like Kaede pissing off people. What the heck is wrong with him? Sendoh got to be here to cause trouble. Got to get Ayako to clip her nails…' Miyuki thought rubbing her arm.
They left to some room as Ryota followed them.
"Where do you think you're going?" Akagi asked.
"To follow them of course!"
"Akagi. I think we did enough for today," Kogure said, "maybe we can call it quits for the day…"
Akagi sighed, "Ok. Practise is over."
Cheering.
"Yuki-chan, we decided to accompany you home with Rukawa to see those freaks," Anozumi said.
"That makes the odds better. 3 to 1."
.
"Sendoh, so why are you here?"
"I want to ask you about Miyuki."
Ayako smiled, "What do you wish to know?"
"How to court Miyuki."
Ayako laughed, "Sendoh, you need help in courtship? Unbelievable."
"Because usually girls court me. Not vice versa and when I do it's usually because they give me signals."
"Guys must hate you," Ayako said amused.
"How can anyone hate me?" he asked with a smile, "so will you help me?"
"Don't you know her well enough to know what she likes?"
Sendoh sighed, "No. She seems to like everything and only dislike garnishes. She's pretty obsess with getting Rukawa together with my sister."
"Don't use obsess, use persistence. But why are you asking me? You should ask her yourself."
"I can't do that…"
"Sure you can," Ayako said, "just don't let her know."
"Huh?"
She sighed.
.
Rukawa looked at the guntai bickering and flashed Miyuki a look.
"What? We really need help," she said, "and they're amusing."
"Bakas," he said.
"I think they're cute and enduring," she said, "and anyways, there's a bunch of guys outside our house. 20 or so, and they're searching for the girl that lives there."
"What did you do?
"Nothing. I promise. I don't even know them. Maybe they got the wrong house," she said.
.
"Thanks for your help," Sendoh said opening the door for her.
Ryota fell in and looked up at them guiltily.
"How dare you eavesdrop on us," Ayako said storming out.
"Aya-chan, hold on," Ryota said and flashed him a venomous look, "I'll get you later. Aya-chan wait for me!"
'Ayako's right. And there's no time like the present to test out her idea.'
.
"What are you doing here?" Koshino asked.
Kiyota ignored him.
"Don't you now it's rude to not-"
Kiyota was pissed off enough and didn't want to put up with this guy's mightier-than-thou attitude. It made him think of Rukawa.
"You guys?"
"Kaede-kun, you know them?" Kiyota you're here too?"
"They're Team Ryonan. Are they the odd-" Youhei began.
"Rukawa Kaede! I challenge you!"
"…"
.
The group of Ryonan people were circling around her like a pack of hyena measuring up a prey.
"Anou…do you guys mind telling me why you're here?"
"We heard Hikoichi talk about you and came to see for ourselves if you're as he says."
The guntai were circling outside around Team Ryonan and muttering stuff like, "He must be the man beast…"
"He's the monk, right Yuki-chan?"
She forced a smile, "I hope he didn't say anything bad…"
"Oh, quite con-"
"Taoka-sensei, Uozumi, Kosh, Fukuda, what are you guys doing here?"
"Sendoh! Nothing!" the entire Team Ryonan cried and ran off, two seconds later they rushed back and carried the guntai off.
'What the heck was that?'
.
Rika decided to take her brother's advice and get it over with. She was going to ask Rukawa out. But she never been to his house and was having slight trouble finding it.
Thud-thud-thud.
It was the sound of a basketball hitting the pavement. She glanced at the court, 'Rukawa and Kiyota?!'
Kiyota had the ball and was racing down the court. Rukawa appeared beside him. Kiyota switch the ball to his left hand while fending off Rukawa, who cut him off so he couldn't do a left hand lay-up. They squared off.
.
"Your team mates are…uh…unique."
"You mean to say odd, right?"
"So you want to come in for coffee, Aki-kun?" she asked raising a suggested eyebrow.
"Sure. I really need your help on something."
She sighed, "I know it was too good to be true. Come in."
"You disappointed?"
She laughed opening the door, "A bit. I'm glad to see you, but disappointed that there's a motive behind your visit."
.
Rukawa half heartedly faked a right, Kiyota followed it. Rukawa did a jump shot and the ball went in. He went under the net, caught the ball and began walking away.
"Hey! It's not over yet!" Kiyota shouted.
Rukawa ignored him.
Kiyota grabbed his arm.
"I won't play with a loser."
"How dare you call me that!" Kiyota growled.
"What should I call you? With the way you're playing you'll be lucky to get three points. I won't play with someone who's heart and mind isn't in the game," Rukawa stated, "and is playing only with reflex and instinct."
Kiyota looked at him. Rukawa spun the ball in his index finger looking bored.
"You're right, Rukawa," Kiyota admitted, "I hope you'll continue this game. So I can prove I'm better than you. I promise to play seriously."
Rukawa snort and toss him the ball.
.
"So why are you here?"
"To get your expertise on dating girls."
Miyuki almost spat out her coffee, "First it's dumping girls, then aiding you in getting a girl's forgiveness, and now in courtship?"
"Well…she's special. I don't know how to deal with her and she's a lot like you…so…"
"Understood. How do you want me to help you?"
"I just want to ask you some questions. Like what kind of guys do you like?"
"Me?"
"I told you she's just like you."
"Then why did you decide to date her instead of me?" she asked pouting, "you shouldn't pretend to be someone you're not, I'll accept you the way you are. As for me, I like a guy that's funny, sweet, cute, good looks never hurt anyone, and has silliness."
"Silliness?"
"For example, you told him, you like guys that are cool and ride motorcycles. So he goes and gets a motorcycle license, gets you a nice helmet, and takes you to the arcade to play on the motorcycle racing games, with your biking attires on," she said with a soft smile, "and though you had fun you ask him why. He tells you it's because he's a novice and doesn't want to get you hurt, and because he can't afford to even rent a motorcycle after wasting his entire savings on lessons, and buying the lovely but overpriced helmets."
.
"You won, Rukawa."
Rukawa looked at him.
Kiyota sighed, "Take good care of Rika."
'Because of me? Kiyota actually challenged him because of what I said? But why does Rukawa look so…normal and emotionless?' Rika wondered, 'not at all happy?'
Kiyota as coming out, she dove into the bushes.
.
Rukawa yawned exhausted, 'What kind of person comes and challenges another person in the evening, right at dinnertime and after I got myself clean? Now I'm tired, hungry and sweaty.'
He stepped out of the court to see Rika crawling out of the bushes. She looked at him and scurried up, brushing herself off.
'What is she doing here?' he wondered and looked at her.
"I was just walking by…"
"You don't live here," he pointed out.
"I…you…are you busy tomorrow?"
"Why?"
"I…" she said looking uncomfortable, "never mind!"
He watch her run off, 'What's with all these weird things happening today?'
.
"My perfect date? No. You'll laugh."
"Why?"
"Because at the end it gets all sappy."
Sendoh smiled, "Please."
"Ok. It begins at noon because I'm not an early riser. A picnic lunch, some unique form of dancing to get rid of those calories, then a visit to the zoo, and after dinner, star gazing and chatting. I believe it's easy to tell if two people are meant to be together, if they are they can talk about anything for hours, even the weather," she said, "and he walks me home at midnight and gives me a good-night kiss."
"Unique dancing?" he asked, "you kiss on first dates?"
She sighed, "Kiss? Sure, lets do an enactment. I'll be you and you be the girl."
"Ok…"
She pulled him to the couch and jumped into it, "Ok, about the right height. We're at the girl's door."
"Ok…"
"No. U say in a girly way: well…we're here…"
"Well…we're here…" he said in a high pitched voice.
"Aki-kun, may I kiss you good-night?"
He nodded bashfully.
She looked at him and looked like she was about to burst out laughing, "Aki, I do believe you should close your eyes."
He did and felt her cup his chin. It was the first time he felt so apprehensive. She planted a soft kiss on his forehead. He looked at her.
"I won't take advantage you of, silly," she said with a smile and ran to the other end of the couch and tripped over edge of the couch.
He rushed over, "You ok?"
She sat up grabbing her right foot and groaned, "You weren't suppose to trip after the good-night kiss. You should've left a grander exit."
"Don't kid," he said, looking at her moist eyes, "are you hurt? Should I take you to see a doctor?"
"I thought it wouldn't hurt…but it does. It hurts a lot ," she said as tears began rolling down her face.
He sucked with crying girls, "Miyuki…uh…don't-"
"Tadaima," Rukawa said, "is dinner…"
.
'Miyu's crying?!' he wondered and ran beside her, "Miyu, what's wrong?"
"Nothing…I…I just need to…get it out of…my system," she said between sobs.
Rukawa knew there was no comforting her when she was crying like this. It was best to comfort her later because everything said would make her cry harder. He glared at Sendoh and tugged him out the door, "What did you do?"
"Nothing…I…she tripped."
"Those weren't tears because she tripped. What else did you do?" Rukawa demanded.
"Nothing. I was just asking her about the kind of guys she likes, why she likes them, her ideal date and stuff like that…"
"Do'aho! You…baka!" Rukawa exclaimed raising his voice well above normal and turned to slam the door, 'I can't believe that idiot!'
He went back to the living room, to find her holding Diamond. Her crying subdued a bit.
"You…shouldn't yell at him…it's not his fault…" she said.
"Miyu, next time if anyone ask you such question, you can tell them to shut up and not think about it."
She shook her head, "But…I want to remember. I…I miss him."
Rukawa looked at her helplessly, 'Baka. She should put him behind her already.'
.
'Rukawa looked absolutely infuriated. What did I do?' Sendoh wondered, 'maybe I should apologize to her. I should ask Ayako what I did wrong.'
.
Rika sighed, 'I couldn't do it. I couldn't tell him or ask him out. I guess I'll have to try again tomorrow. Kami-sama, help me work up the courage to ask Rukawa out.'
End of Preparations
A/N: Thanks Kylie, for correcting me