Hi, guys! This is the third (obviously!) installment to A Boy Without A Girl. This is where things start to get a little interesting. How will Rukawa and Ellyta's meeting turn out? Will there be a clash of personalities? And will Sakuragi ever keep himself from head-butting other people (Oh, duh!)? Read on and find out!
And I am happy to announce that we won't ever worry of that nasty little zit barging in again!
*in a dark, creepy dungeon*
Lilia: *her mouth covered in a cloth* (Muffles) I'll get you for this, Miko!!!
Hehehe! ^_^ So now, without further, annoying ado…
Oops! I gotta do the Mail reply first!
Luv-anime-4eva ~ Aah! You're so mean! ^^ Kidding! I know when I start writing things like this would happen anyway. Can you tell me some pointers to improve so I won't stink so bad? And like I said, it'll get longer in the later chaps. Patience is a virtue, k? Thanks! ^_^
PS You know animesd? Cool! Nope, I don't own it, but I'm a fanfic/interview admin. Hisoka-san, Kiyota-sama, and Digi-san started it.
Unquestionable ~ Eh? What does that mean?? Anyway, thanks for the compliment. Gotta hate Ellyta, huh? (Ellyta…daikiraii!) No wonder she's gonna…ah, never mind! She has a weakness, by the way—anyone who can find it will getta prize! ^_^
KISS rocks ~ Uh…Thanks for the review! Just please don't smother your PC with kisses—you might get electrocuted, ya know? ^^;;
Cool! Three reviews! I thought at first I'd get zero! Sankyu you all!
Now…On with the fic!
Itadakimasu!
3 ~ End of the Past
"Flutter by, oh weary little butterflyFor the cold metal cage is now gone."
Sakuragi grinned widely as he skipped around the street, with the Sakuragi Guntai members Yohei and Takamiya following him. "Man, Hanamichi's sure in a good mood, today!" Yohei Mito, the supposed sub-leader of their gang after Sakuragi, commented as he observed the clown-antics of their red-haired friend.
"Is it because of the effect of Gori's punches on his head today?" Takamiya laughed. "How many did you receive today, Hanamichi? I counted 10."
Sakuragi was oblivious to the mocking as he kept dancing around the dimly lit streets. Yohei and Takamiya looked at each other. "Wonder if it really affected poor Hanamichi's deflated brain."
"I'm so happy today!" Sakuragi sang out loud as he went to the direction of his house. "Tensai Basket-to man Sakura-giii!! Has a date with kawaii Haruko-san! So happy!!"
Yohei patted his shoulder. "Oi, Sakuragi, what's this about a date with Haruko-chan?"
Sakuragi turned around to reveal his happy grin. "Oh didn't I tell you? I asked Haruko-san to dinner tomorrow night, and she was so nice, she accepted! I can finally say how I like her. And she'll get rid of that idiot Rukawa for good! Nyahahahahahaha!!"
"Wow, Haruko-chan's too nice! Now I ask: who is crazier today: The man or the woman?" Takamiya said before receiving Sakuragi's signature technique, The Head Butt of Justice, popularly known to people as the Head Butt of Doom. Takamiya was left alone lying on the road.
"Oi, are you going to let him stay like that?" Yohei asked as he glanced at his chubby tomodachi over his shoulder, still walking behind Sakuragi.
"Hmph! That's good for him. If a big truck runs him over, he won't need a diet anymore!" Sakuragi sneered, then continued his dance. "Ten-saiii Basket-to…"
Rukawa frowned a little as he studied the girl. Along with her blue uniform, she was wearing a braid that looked very much different from her usual loose hairstyle. But then again, that was 9 years ago, he reminded himself. It just shows how people can change when you aren't there to see it.
On the other hand, Ellyta was shuffling her foot uncomfortably, looking down on the floor, to the ball that missed the basket a few seconds ago. "So…you're still playing basketball?"
The laconic Japanese shrugged. "You didn't go all the way here just to ask that, did you?"
Ellyta struggled to smile at him, her eyes still fixed on to the orange ball, as if she thought Rukawa would explode at her any second if she sees his face. "I was assuming you'd feel…different about it. You know, after what happened."
"What's happened in the past is in the past. I've forgotten about it actually," Rukawa said back in a way you would speak to a piece of paper you want to tear to pieces but trying hard to restrain yourself. Ellyta wrinkled her nose in disagreement.
"You don't look like you've forgotten about it."
That comment caused a very unexpected outburst by Rukawa.
"Yeah? What do you care!" Rukawa raised his voice that only happened to her since…never. "I didn't think you'd even think about me or my past for a second either!"
Ellyta took a step back in shock. Then she shook her head in remorse. "You've changed."
Rukawa glared at her. "Well, no thanks to you."
The blonde sighed a little and tried to say something, but was interrupted by choking and coughing. She quickly pulled out her handkerchief and covered her mouth to subdue the noise. Rukawa pretended not to care at that moment, but he couldn't help staring as she went on coughing for a long time.
After a few minutes Ellyta put her handkerchief inside her pocket after wiping her mouth and met his eyes. She used to see him with bright friendly eyes whenever they meet, but now was so different. She wasn't accustomed to his cold, emotionless feeling and winced. "I guess I'd better go now. Good luck with your practice." She waited for a response from him, but all she got was, "Whatever."
She backed out and started to run towards the main gate. Rukawa looked away the moment she left, but the sad image of her stayed in his mind.
"Great," he muttered while he closed the gym doors loudly. If he kept up like this, he won't get anywhere with basketball. And the worst part is he's gonna have to see Ellyta's disappointed face when she has the satisfaction of seeing him fail. He curled his hands into fists.
You'll see, Elly. Tomorrow I'm train like I never did before. And you can't stop me!
~*Next Chapter – Dinner Date with Haruko*~
Aww…I know what you're thinking—another crappy shorty chap. But it makes up on the number of chapters—starting from prologue to finale it can add up to 19 chaps, and the ones in the middle to last are pretty long. But can anyone give me some techniques to make it longer? Onegai shimasu!
Please come again, again, and again!