TITLE:  EXTRA-ORDINARY LOVE QUADRANGLE

( ayami – sakuragi -  haruko - rukawa  - ayami )

PURPOSE OF WRITING: I still don't know my purpose in writing…

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Slamdunk or any of its characters…don't sue me…^_^

* Author's notes:

      [my comments]                 " their lines"

     (the situation)                   no ""  and italicized means their thoughts

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

~ Tesuka!: Wow! You really read my profile eh? FYI, I'm not that smart. I actually just bribed the people there so they'll accept me (hehehe…..LOL!) Anyway, I know the story's not that original. I just like to make my own version. And Rukawa thinks a lot because that's the only part where he can actually talk. If he doesn't think, then there's no use to include him here, right?TAMA KA DYAN! Dami nga Pilipino dito……SOBRA! Astig nga di ba? ~_^

~ Tensaispira: Hehehe……THAT'S really embarrassing! So far, only girls had done that to me (accidentally of course!). But, I had some experience when I was the one who almost touched the –toot- of some of my guy classmates and my service driver. YUCK! (begins to puke everywhere)

~ Renei: I understand why you haven't noticed that I've already uploaded two new chapters. People here really upload very fast. One minute I'm in the first page and then –poof!- I'm gone. Yeah……I wish someone like Rukawa will also follow me home but not in a creepy way. And about Mitsui having a crush on Ayami…..well, just read and find out!

~ Pamela: Oi Friend! Thank you for reviewing. Don't worry. I am already planning to write a fic about Mitsui. Just wait ok? Maybe I'll start writing about it during our sembreak. There are a lot of Mitsui fics out there that's nice. ^_^…BTW, I already reviewed your fic…NICE! Really like Mitsui eh? Hmm…..guess it can't be helped!

~ Blue6-Blood6]6: Thank you reviewing and sending me e-mails! Really nice….good luck on your UPCAT k? I hope you pass……I have lots of friends and schoolmates who are studying there at UPLB.

* Now on with my story, shall we… happened before their game with Kainan. Why? No reason…

CHAPTER 8: The Pillow

AYAMI

It's already been a week since I transferred here at Shohoku and so far, it's been great. I've already made a few friends, mostly from the basketball team because I'm their assistant manager. I've also made a quite a number of enemies, mostly girls who were members of the infamous Rukawa Brigade.

Yes. The Bakemono has a fans club. Why? I don't even want to know.

Anyways, as the assistant manager of the Shohoku Basketball team, my main jobs are: assist the manager whenever she's not around but so far, her attendance is still complete so I just do other things.

Examples of my "extra" jobs are help clean the gym, praise the players, admire Sakuragi-kun, annoy bakemono, scream at the annoying fans of The Bakemono and kick their butts out of the court if I really get pissed off by their disgusting cheers, and sit in one corner and watch them play. In other words, I have no real purpose there. But, I still love my job.

Sakuragi-kun (blushes) always makes me laugh with his 'tensai' stories and he's always showing me his 'tensai' skills. Mitsui-kun had also been really nice to me. He taught me some cool moves and always talked to me during our break time. Kogure-sempai let me borrow some of his old notebooks. Miyagi-kun and Ayako-san were really nice too. They gave me a tour around the school the other day. Akagi-sempai, on the other hand, lets me play with the others after their practice.

All in all, almost all of them had been really kind to me and I really appreciate it. It made me easier to adjust to this new place…and new life that I'm having now.  

Also, for the past week, the team had been training vigorously. I guess it can't be helped. Their match against Kainan was nearing. Also, for the past week, Haruko-chan had been bugging and asking me this stupid question, 'DO YOU LIKE RUKAWA-KUN???'

I mean, hello?! Isn't it obvious that I don't even want to touch that guy with a ten-feet pole?!

Even the thought of getting near him gives me goose bumps!

Hmm……I better hurry. I still have to study for an upcoming exam about linear equations.

Uh-oh! TROUBLE ALERT!

Bakemono's crazy fans are approaching me again for the 3rd time this morning…and there's like hundreds of them now.

I think I better start running!

RUKAWA BRIGADE

" COME BACK HERE YOU WITCH! WE'RE GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY FOR THROWING US OUT OF THE COURT YESTERDAY! AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE YOU SUFFER FOR ALWAYS MAKING FUN OF OUR RUKAWA-KUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!"

AYAMI

" HAH! THAT'S IF YOU CAN CATCH ME, YOU BIG HORDE OF BLOCKHEADS!!!!"

These girls have totally lost it!

Good thing I run fast or I'll be dead by now.

Quick! I better hide…but where?! They've already discovered some of my hiding places.

Damn! They're number's getting larger.

Shit! People are looking at me!

Are they all stupid or something?! Why won't they help me and stop these demented girls?!

Sakuragi-kun, Mitsui-kun, Kami-sama, anybody…HELP ME!!!!

HAH! The rooftop door is open. Maybe I could hide in there!

Arigatou Kami-sama!

As I opened the door, I saw the very last person I wanted to see that time…

RUKAWA

I heard noises, mostly girls screaming, down the building.

This must mean she's already here…and it must be do'ahou ononoko's fault again.

From the moment she transferred here, the school became an all-girls battlefield. And basketball practice never became the same again. She was always there, fighting with anybody and that anybody is mostly ME. No day passes without her having a fight.

I wonder why she loves to fight so much?

She's so different from her ojii-san. What's weird is that Anzai-sensei doesn't seem to mind at all. He just sits there and laughs.

Hmmm…maybe she was just adopted by her parents so she's different from Anzai-sensei and maybe, that's why she's always angry.

Yes…that's a good theory.

That's when I realized that I don't know anything about her. Not that I would like to.

Che! HOHUM…Are? Someone's coming.

I thought everybody here knew that this was MY territory?

Che! He'll be sorry for disturbing me.

What the…what is SHE doing here?!

I think I'm having a nightmare…

AYAMI

I totally forgot that this was Bakemono's sleeping ground.

Why do I have to forget it NOW of all times?!

I started going down but I heard the brainless girls' footsteps and voices nearing my place.

" WE'LL DEFINITELY CATCH YOU THIS TIME!!! YOU CAN NEVER HIDE FROM US!!! WE'RE EVERYWHERE!!! "

They're right. I'm surrounded. I can't go anywhere except…MATTE!

Souka…I can hide here at the rooftop! They'll never go here because they'd be too shy to be this close to the Bakemono!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I'm really good!

All I need is to spray a large amount of disinfectant (whisk! whisk!)…there!

Take a deep breath and…

RUKAWA

This is not happening. She's not here. I'm just having some hallucinations.

" Oi! Can I stay here for a while? It's your fault anyway. You're mentally deranged supporters decided to kill me for the …(looks up and starts to count)…actually I don't know how many times, this week because I kicked them out of the court again yesterday for cheering like demented fools."

Then, she closed the door behind her. She's definitely staying. DAMN!

" Honestly, I don't even get it why they had to do that. As far as I'm concerned, Sakuragi-kun is MUCH better than you. " [She's really into Sakuragi.]

Yes…that's right. Blame everything to me.

And, as if that's not enough, she said that that do'ahou is better than me.

B-A-K-A…

I didn't answer and just glared at her. It's my way of saying 'Shut up and just leave me alone'. She has no right to disturb my sleep. But, she was either too slow or too naive. She didn't get it.

" No answer means yes. Thank you so much for understanding my current situation. I know, deep down that bakemono looks and heart of yours, is a kind-hearted person."

After 'flattering' me, she plopped herself on one corner, opened her bag, got some books and started reading. Not yet satisfied, she got her CD player and listened to it. I thought that if I stare at her really hard, she'll eventually go away because I know how she hates being stared at. 

" What?! We have an exam later so I'm studying. I'm not like YOU whose life only includes playing basketball, sleeping and failing his subjects. Got a problem with that?"

I can't believe this. One moment, she was fighting with those girls and now, she's starting to pick a fight with me. This girl really got a lot of nerve.

I just grunted and continued sleeping, hoping to have good dreams.

AYAMI

Finally…I can study at peace.

Never mind if those girls were still looking for me. I don't care if they lose their voice. That way, I don't have to hear them cheer for The Bakemono. Besides, it's their time they're wasting.

I hope they all fail on their exams, if ever they have one. HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Hmmm…it feels good out here. Very windy and quiet. No wonder Bakemono picked this place.

I applauded him silently for choosing this location.

Well, study time! Let's see…

HAH! I can't really understand these stupid equations…

(after 30 min. of studying)

Hmmm…I think that's enough. My mind's already swirling with x's and y's.

HOHUM…..ARE?

It seems like he's having a hard time sleeping. Maybe because he doesn't have a pillow!

Okaa-san once said to me that no one can have a good sleep without a pillow. I suddenly remembered that I brought one, in case of emergency. Okaa-san made it for me when I was still a sweet, little girl [that means a LOOONNGGG time ago!]. It's not that big…just right to fit one's head.

Then I realized that his head's bigger than mine…I mean, WAAAAY bigger, with his ego and everything. But, I'm not that rude and heartless so I called out to him……

RUKAWA

I can't sleep. It's too noisy downstairs. They've been screaming do'ahou ononoko's name over and over again. Another thing is, I have a funny feeling that she's staring at me.

Maybe she's planning a surprise attack…

I can't let my guard down.

" RU…I mean, BAKEMONO! Here, catch!"

HUH?! I'm not exactly a fool to catch anything from her. What if it's a bomb or anything deadly?

After a few seconds, something dropped on front of my face. She grunted and threw again something at me and this time, it was pen.

OW!

 " BAKA! Don't you know the meaning of CATCH? It means to extend your hand and take hold of that something that's thrown at you. Sheesh…and to think we're on the same year and as an added insult, we're even classmates! Now I know why those stupid girls like you. You know the saying 'Birds of the same feather flock together'? You and your moronic fans are the best example I've ever seen."

" I know what catch means, do'ahou."

" Then why didn't you catch it?! Now look at what you've done! You've gotten it dirty."

" I did not request anything from you."

I  got up, reached out for the 'thing' and found out that it was a pillow.

A PILLOW?!?!

I stared incredulously at her.

She has a pillow in her bag?! First she has a first-aid kit and now, she has a pillow?!

She's really weird…

She must've read what I was thinking because she began explaining……

AYAMI

" I can't go out without that pillow. You see, when I was a child, otosan used to fetch me after school. But because of work, he usually comes really late. Okaasan thought she'd make me a pillow in case I get sleepy while waiting for otosan. Since then, I've never removed it from my bag. It's really precious to me. She spent a lot of time just to make it really soft and beautiful. Okaasan was really sweet…making me this pillow and everything. You know, when I was in kindergarten, I --"

Uh-oh! Shouldn't have said those things…too emotional. Too personal.

STUPID AYAMI! What was I thinking?! 

Fortunately, Bakemono doesn't seem to mind. And, if by some luck, he might have not heard anything I said!

" Why you giving me this?"

I thought the answer was pretty obvious.

He's really stupid…

" Well, I saw you fidgeting there and I thought something's bothering you. Then, I saw that you don't have any pillow and I thought that maybe, that's the cause of your uneasiness. I remembered that I brought one and since I'm not using it because I'm studying while you're not, I thought that maybe, you'll like to use it. And I'm not GIVING it. I'm LENDING it to you. There's a big difference between those two, in case you don't know. Here, I have a dictionary. Look up the words if you don't believe me."

He just stared at me. He really NEVER gets tired of staring.

" Well, if you don't want to use the pillow, fine. I just thought you might want to use while I'm studying here."

RUKAWA

I was shocked when she started telling me something about her pillow. I mean, it looked it was more than just a pillow to her. When she mentioned something about her okaasan, her voice changed. It became…sad. Her sudden 'opening up' puzzled me.

" Why did you tell me?"

" Wha…what did I tell you?"

" Your pillow… It's none of my business."

Did she think I didn't hear a thing she said earlier?

She can be so exasperating sometimes…

She started furrowing her eyebrows and after a few seconds, her light bulb was on. Then she blushed.

" Ummm…No reason. Just thought I'd tell you before you start thinking weird reasons why I have a pillow on my bag."

I looked at her pillow. I know her intention for LENDING me her pillow was really nice, but I threw back it back to her.

" Can't use. Germs everywhere. Now, let me sleep, do'ahou."

Want to know my real reason why I didn't accept her pillow? DROOL.

Yep! I was afraid I'd drool on it. That would be too…bad.[Not to mention disgusting!] I'd destroy the essence of her pillow. And the pillow seems too important to her.

Can't do that. Not that I don't like to….I just don't want to feel guilty later.

With that, I laid down on the floor again and fell asleep.

AYAMI

I. CAN'T. BELIEVE. HIM.

Here I was, being kind and all, but still he called me a do'ahou?

Hah! I could and would never understand this guy.

But, maybe he has his own reasons…?

Whatever…I'll just study.

But I can't concentrate because he snores too much. And, his previous question kept repeating in my mind.

Why was I telling him the story of my pillow in the first place? Is it really because I was afraid he'd think weird things about me? Or I just want to tell someone my story?

Actually, I don't know. The words just came flowing out of my mouth. I just felt like telling him. But, I must admit that it's like I'm opening my life to him.

TO HIM! TO THE BAKEMONO?!

It's really weird…that's the last thing I wanna do.

Ugh! It's time already. Should I wake him up?

Ummm…maybe not! Have him sleep. That way I can concentrate on our lessons today!

Well, I guess I'll just see you later at practice Bakemono…….

And with that, I left him.

RUKAWA

" ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!" (drools everywhere, looking like he's having a nice dream)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~_^ MY! MY!

I'm actually sleepy when I was writing this fic so that should explain the title…I know the story sucks but, if you've read up to this part then maybe, there's still hope for mankind. LOL! I dunno but I think this chapter is really……boring!  Whatever…..just judge it by yourselves. It's short because I just squeezed in finishing this chap in my overly busy sked…finals are just around the corner and I have a LOT of term papers….hay!!!! So, as my consolation……

Love it? Hate it? Let me know!

Pls. Review! JA! ^_^