Pairing: Mainly SenRu, Slightly RuHana/HanaRu and SenKosh

Summary: Sendoh Akira has feelings for the Shohoku ace, Rukawa Kaede. He too feels the same way but how about Sakuragi and Koshino? A certain plan gets in the way. Is it ever too late to say 'I love you'?

A/N: Sixth chappie up. I apologize for the long lost update of the other senru fics and the Saiyuki fic…er…I just need some time to think what to do with it. So I'll just finish this first, 'cause I can't loose the inspiration of writing this fic…please don't forget to review and thanks to those who read and review especially to my buddies the xXx01 team [team ba yon?] um…something like that, hope you have time to review 3 of my senru [s] including this one I'm typing…. ^___________^;; So I won't hold you anymore you can read the sixth chapter and do review. Thanx!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Slam Dunk, Takehiko Inoue does…I'm just an author typing my own fanfics borrowing the characters…^_______^;;

Summary of Chapter Six: Sendoh's Birthday came and still Rukawa was not in sight. He decided to give him a visit on his birthday after two days of not seeing his beloved. When he arrived, things got out of hand. Find out what happens.

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Never too Late

By: KaedeRukawa_kill

Chapter Six-Apologies

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**start**

--Sendoh's POV--

Tomorrow's the day I've waited for,

A time for lovers and my own birthday.

Yet something seems to be wrong somehow,

And I can't tell what could it be.

I was sorry for yesterday,

I never meant to be that late.

But I was caught off-guard,

By my own bestfriend and teammate.

He kissed me at the park,

And I don't know what to do.

Now I've gone totally confused,

Of how to control such feelings for both of you.

True, Koshino Hiroaki, my ever so loyal childhood bestfriend with the same gender as mine is in love with me. Proof to it was the kiss…not that I care too much, its just that…I've gone totally puzzled.

Deciding I should fetch Kaede for our one-on-one session to be able to make-up and apologize my absence yesterday. I went to Shohoku High basketball court and was greeted by many familiar and friendly faces. However I didn't saw Rukawa anywhere.

"Eh, nice to see you Sendoh, visiting us?" The team captain of Shohoku asked. [A/N: For your information, the team captain is still Gori…I mean Akagi…^_______^;;]

"If you're looking for the kitsune he's not here probably sullen," Sakuragi, my arch nemesis and love opponent interrupted. [A/N: If I'm not mistaken sullen is kind of depressed and you know lonely, if ever I'm wrong kindly tell me…thanx ^__^]

"Yeah, I was looking for him because I was unable to come or should I say I was late for our one-on-one session yesterday," I replied feeling their curiosity, and smiling sheepishly.

"I believe his absent without a great basis this time," Kogure replied.

"Nani?" I asked, not understanding what he means.

"Um, Rukawa-kun always leaves a message for the basketball team every time he's unable to come either to me or Ayako-san," Haruko replied.

"Right, Rukawa was always the silent type but I never saw him act this way. I don't get it, he seemed practically fine to me yesterday," Ayako added.

"Ah okay, thanks for the great help, I better leave then, ja," I said.

I guess I'll wait for him at the park court, who knows he might show up.

/Rukawa was always the silent type but I never saw him this way…/

As I went to Shohoku High hearing those statements from his teammates gave me a new realization that Kaede was also important to the team and how much he tried to push them away, he just can't help but love his teammates and vice versa.

Hours did pass and he never did come, I was just hoping he would show up. I was earlier than him, and that was one sign there must be something wrong. Since our very first one-on-one session never before did I arrive earlier than my Kaede. Despite sometimes I arrive five minutes before our game, he's already here. He was always early and punctual, always present…but not this time.

~~Next Day~~

Today have been my very awaited birthday, yet it seems something is missing…my one and only love Kaede. Trying my luck again I waited for my Kaede at the park for about thirty minutes. Yet it seems he's avoiding me. [A/N: They have no classes, like us…]

I better visit him at his house so I pulled out the spare keys he gave me and went to the direction leading to his house.

--Rukawa's POV--

Today's the birthday of my only love,

A day where streets will soon be full.

Like my own special birthday,

Events humans like us give importance.

Yet I don't want to leave my house,

The only thing that protects me.

Blocks me from the truth outside,

The pain and suffering of every being.

The thing I am currently undergoing,

Love would have saved me now.

What I saw is already enough to send me here,

And let me suffer 'til I end this irrelevant life.

It's been a day since I locked myself here in my room. A day away from the reality outside of me, away from all the things I truly loved including basketball. My tears are now dry since I cried all day and poured all the pain, today was a significant day however I don't care anymore. Here in my room, I would not see how each and everyone walked along with their loved one while me…alone, forgotten and depressed.

I ate nothing, except super light biscuits that could not sustain any of my actions and just drank wine, which I found, at the kitchen. It's not worth living if everything was just taken away from you, like me, my parents, Akira. I was once happy with basketball, it gave me a new life, pain and joy but now it seems I can't take it anymore. I want to be free of all the luggage; I once believed in, once trusted and once loved.

Bottles scattered around my room, smashed to smithereens like the glasses. I heard the door click and a shadow I could not notice entered.

What the someone's here?

"Ka-RUKAWA!!!" I heard the man say.

I sipped some more wine before my mind finally registered that the man was none other than my beloved Akira.

"WHAT THE FUCKING HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

He pulled the bottle away from me, he looked hurt but I shook my head a couple of times. He doesn't care about me!!! He DOESN'T! He isn't worried…it's just my imagination.

"Stop drinking!" He ordered as he tried to pull the bottle away from me again.

"WHAT DO YOU CARE?"

Then he slapped me right in the face as I lost my grip of the bottle and it shattered to pieces staining my carpet with wine.

"I DO CARE CAUSE I'M YOUR FRIEND!!!" He replied losing his own temper.

"HOW CAN YOU CALL YOURSELF A FRIEND WHEN…WHEN…" I added, breaking into tears again.

"When? Yesterday?" He asked this time lightly as he saw me cry.

"I WAITED…WAITED…" I replied unable to continue.

"I'm sorry about that I lost track…" He tried say.

"LOST TRACK OF TIME? ARE YOU SURE? THEN WHAT WERE YOU TWO…KOSHINO AND YOU DOING THERE AT THE PARK COURT…KISSING WEREN'T YOU? I WAS STILL THERE YOU BASTARD!!! I SAW EVERYTHING…HEARD THINGS LIKE HIRO-KUN AND AKIRA…THANKS REALLY…BLAH BLAH BLAH!!!" I shouted breathing unevenly as tears ran across my face again.

Silence ensues.

"Ru…no Kaede…" He tried to say after the long silence.

"WHO GAVE YOU RIGHT TO CALL ME BY MY FIRST NAME?" I interrupted.

"Listen to me first…I didn't do that on purpose. I swear I never did, I didn't know you were still there…" he explained.

"THEN WHY THE FUCKING HELL DID IT TOOK SO LONG?"

"I was totally surprised to react…Rukawa I'm sorry please forgive me…" He said giving me a sincere smile.

He walked closer to me and hugged me, liked he never wanted to let go and I felt what I had longed for…loved and that was all I needed.

I heaved a sigh and said, "Are you really really…"

"…sorry? Yeah, I am, pretty please…"

"Um…what can I do? I guess its okay…"

"Thanks Rukawa really!!! By the way can you just call me Akira and can I call you Kaede?" He asked suddenly.

"Err…okay, Akira," I replied with a smile.

Then I was totally surprised when he actually carried me towards the bed. [A/N: No hentai thoughts, this is a PG-13 just because of the language not because they'll do something like *blush* ^___^;;] He went outside the room and I just waited.

After some minutes, he reentered my room with some cleaning tools and a first aid kit. He soon started to nurse my wounds.

"You shouldn't have hurt yourself, Kaede," he said worriedly.

"Gomen, I was really angry back then…" I replied.

"It wasn't your fault, I don't blame you," he said.

"Itai…" I hissed as he cleaned one of the wounds.

"This ones kind of deep than the others, that's why it hurts," he said.

I just nodded.

After cleaning my wounds, Akira cleaned my room willingly, removing the shattered and dangerous pieces of glasses, mirrors and some bottles.

"Gomen, Akira for doing this," I said shyly.

"Its okay, you should rest for awhile," he replied, continuing what he was doing.

After he cleaned and trashed the dirt from my room. I decided to greet him already.

"By the way, inside the drawer, open you gift there, otanjoobi omedetto gozaimasu Akira!" I said.

I watched him open the drawer and remove the gift.

"Kaede, you shouldn't have bought this," he said.

It was the one, Akira wanted when they visited a store. It was a simple yet elegant silver necklace for men [A/N: You might think Sendoh's girly or I mean totally gay…of course not ^__^]. There were some codes embellished at the necklace. [A/N: Its Rukawa Kaede and Sendoh Akira]

"Do you like it?"

"Who wouldn't? Thanks very much Kaede," he replied and wore the necklace.

"Today's your birthday, can we eat out?" I asked.

"Sure, I'll wait while you dress up," he said.

I went inside the restroom and started changing into some new fresh clothes feeling better.

"Its my treat so lets go?" I asked.

"Sure," he replied.

"We should use the car," I said.

"Why?"

"There's a wonderful dining place I want to show you.  A little too far if we walked it," I replied.

"Ah okay"

And we exited my house, making sure the house was securely locked, I got the car keys and I drove towards the restaurant I loved and somehow knew Akira would too.

A/N: Finish at last…this should have become a bit longer however deciding I exceeded my usual writing up to this. I cut the story so for chapter seven lets see Sendoh's birthday celebration and when Koshino and Sakuragi finds out that their first plan has not succeed, Sakuragi's plan gets a little too far than expected. Find out soon so don't forget to review.

Thanks to my good buddies aki7, lethal_virus04/fuji04, washu, zhao, saka, stuuupid_gurl, eggnog, doggie, a. pikachu, close [?], chi, dimantrien…the xXx01 pipol and the others who reviewed… Thanks a bunch guys…^_____^;;