TITLE:  EXTRA-ORDINARY LOVE QUADRANGLE

( ayami – sakuragi -  haruko - rukawa  - ayami )

PURPOSE OF WRITING: To continue what I began…

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

* Author's notes:

      [my comments]                 " their lines"

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

SPECIAL THANKS:

~ lambie: TY for reviewing! TY also for the encouragements… and sorry if my fic caused any trouble to your eyes.

~ renei: TY for reviewing! And clam down… the bitch just wants attention…^_^

~ shari: TY for reviewing! And it will not be a geometric figure whatsoever… and ty for your very long reply to bitch's review ^_^

~ micchan: TY for reviewing! I'm glad you liked my fic…^_^

~ tensaispira: TY for reviewing! Um…and I also hate mosquitoes (though I don't know how it was related to my previous chap.)

~ wawa-san: TY for reviewing! Sorry for the long chaps…I just couldn't stop writing all the ideas flooding my brain.

~ wadohui: TY for reviewing! And take it easy ok? And thanks for standing up for me…I'm really touched. ^_^

*****AND LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT THE LEAST…*****

~ onehellofabitch ;p: TY for reviewing! Did you know that because of YOUR review (if you call that a review), I received MORE reviews?! Ironic isn't it?

And as much as I would like to answer you back, I just decided not to 'cause unlike you, I AM mature ^_^. And besides, I think the other reviewers already said what I would like to say to you. It would just be redundant. I admit I was annoyed at first (who wouldn't be?) but after while, I began to pity you… do you know how many people hate you right now? Tsk..tsk…and to think it's just the start of a new year.

And another thing, I would like to thank you for dedicating your VERY ORIGINAL fic to me and to my co-writers. It's a pity though that it was already deleted. Now, you won't get the attention you're oh-so craving for. ^_^

* Now, on with my story, shall we… happened before they went away for the Inter-high….

CHAPTER 18: Ganbatte Ne? (Part 1)

~ Night time, Ayami's house ~

AYAMI

Finally! We're going to leave Kanagawa the day after tomorrow.

I am so excited! This is the first time I'm going to see Inter-high games. I know there will be a lot of tough opponents there but I'm sure our team can defeat them.

(KNOCK! KNOCK!)

Are? Wonder who it is…

" Ayami-chan! Are you in there? Can I talk to you for a second?"

Oh…it's only ojiisan…

" Hai! The door's open."

Ojiisan came in with a glum look on his face.

Uh-oh…I don't like this! Something's wrong…

" Ah! I see you've already packed your things eh?"

" Hai! I want to be sure I brought everything I need. Look! I brought a camera to take pictures of the places we'll go to and I also brought a video recorder and I also brought --"

" Anou…Ayami-chan, I have some bad news for you…"

Damn! I knew it. What's wrong this time?

" Na…Nani ojiisan?"

~ Fast forward: Shohoku Basketball Court, Mid-morning ~

AYAMI

" Anou….minna…I can't go with the rest of you. Gomen ne?"

SAKURAGI

" What?! Are you serious?"

MITSUI

" But you're the assistant manager! You should be there."

AYAKO and MIYAGI

" EH?! Nande?!"

BENCHWARMERS

" …………………………………………………………."

AYAMI

" The principal called ojiisan today. He said that because I was a late enrollee, I have to make up for those days I was not yet enrolled in Shohoku so I can still study here for the next school year. That's the reason why I can't go. Gomen ne? I really REALLY want to go but…I can't."    

" Anou…don't worry. You can still go with Akagi's sister and watch our games, ne?"

" Maybe…if my schedule's not that tight."

" Don't worry Ayami-chan! The tensai will always send you letters and videos of my wonderful play at the Interhigh. NYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!"

ALL

" ……….¬.¬'………¬.¬'………¬.¬'……….¬.¬'……….¬.¬'……….¬.¬'……….."

(Just then, Rukawa entered the court and went over to their group only because they were standing next to the chairs. Rukawa looked at Ayami.  She looked back, debating inside her head if she's going to tell him the news or not then after a few seconds, turned the other way, which means that she picked the latter. Of course, Sakuragi made fun of him for being late which resulted to a fight. Then, Miyagi and Mitsui joined them for unknown reasons. Kogure was racking his brains off for some good ways to stop them. Ayako was too busy talking and consoling Ayami so she was no help. The benchwarmers were to scared to meddle so they just minded their own business. Fortunately, Akagi came just in time to stop the barbaric scene unfolding inside the court.)

AKAGI

" URUSAI!!!" (gave the four a gigantic Gori punch on their heads)

" 100 push ups NOW!!!!!!!!!!!"

(……¬.¬'……..) Why is it that I'm always surrounded by bakas?!?!

~ After practicing from afternoon till evening, practice was FINALLY finished ~

AKAGI

" Yosh! Everyone gather here."

" HAI!!!!"

" Minna, I've got some important announcements for ALL of you regarding our trip tomorrow…"

After saying that, Ayami immediately jumped from her seat behind me.

" Anou….gomen nasai Akagi-sempai!"

" NANI?!"

" Ah…Sakuragi-kun! Don't forget the videotapes ne? And your letters too…I'll be looking forward to them!"

" Ayami-chan…"

" Mitsui-kun….don't forget to take those medicines I gave you okay? It'll increase your stamina, trust me!"

" Hai…arigatou."

" And Ayako-san, I've finished all the records. Just get them from ojii-san tomorrow ne?"

" Hai…" (sniffing)

" Ayami…what's wrong with --"

" Gomen Akagi-sempai! I didn't mean to be a bother to you. I'm leaving now….JA NE! Ah….GANBATTE MINNA!!!"

And with that, she bowed down first then ran out of the gym.

HUH? WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?!

When I turned around, almost everyone was glaring at me.

" Oi Gori! How could you do that to her?!"

" Anou Akagi…you shouldn't have rubbed it in."

" AKAGI NO BAKA!"

" Captain, that was really mean….ne Aya-chan?"

" Sempai, you didn't say that on purpose, did you?"

" ……………………………………."

" WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!?!"

RUKAWA

What the hell are they talking about?

And why did that do'ahou ononoko leave all of a sudden?

CHE! Maybe she forgot to buy some things for the trip…or maybe she just wants some attention….

" Gori! You don't have to act as if you don't know anything. ALL of us know why Ayami-chan ran out of the court!"

I don't know anything, do'ahou.

" BAKA! I really don't know anything."

" Che! Oi Akagi, you're the captain so you should be the first one to know right?"

" ABOUT WHAT?!"

Yeah…about what?

" Yare,yare….just stop with the act ok?"

" BAKA! Will you just tell me what's going on?!"

Yeah…tell him so I would also know, do'ahou.

" HO! HO! HO!"

" ANZAI-SENSEI!"

" Akagi-kun, come here and I'll explain everything."

After that, Akagi-sempai glared at us before going over to Anzai-sensei. Everyone else was whispering to each other different ways on how they would ask forgiveness from sempai for not believing in him. As for me, I still remained clueless.

Che! I think I should just find out why by myself then….

I thought I'd go ask Mitsui but he had already left the court. I thought I'd ask Miyagi but he was busy staring at Ayako-san. Kogure–sempai, on the other hand, was busy cleaning the court together with the other members. I couldn't ask Sakuragi because he's a do'ahou. 

So, I've got no other choice but to ask Ayako-san.

I hope she doesn't think any stupid reasons behind this….

AYAKO

" Ayako-san?"

" Are? Rukawa?"

" ……………………………."

" Oi! You okay?"

" I want to ask something."

" Are? You're talking to me?!"

" ………………………………."

" Wow….this is new. Demo, we should not talk here. That baka Ryota might see us and suddenly go berserk."

" Hn…."

" Yosh! Let's see…we could talk in the locker room. You okay with that?"

" Hn…."

" Oh….okay!"

And with that, we went to the locker room

This is really weird! I wonder what Rukawa wants from me…

~ Inside the locker room ~

AYAKO

" So….here we are! What do you want to ask me?"

" Ayami."

" Eh? What about her?"

" Why?"

" Eh? What do you mean why?"

" Why did she leave?"

" Eh?! You mean you don't know? I thought she already informed everyone…except Akagi-sempai, of course."

" ……………………………….."

" Anou…. I thought you'd be the first person to know about this. Are you sure she didn't tell you?"

" ……………………………….."

" Well, you see, even though Ayami-chan's the assistant manager of this team, I'm afraid she's not going with us for some academic purposes."

RUKAWA

That… do'ahou.

I bet she just made up that reason…academic puprpose…che.

I quickly thanked Ayako-san and immediately went out of the room. I was thinking of ways on how to torture that do'ahou ononoko for giving a lame excuse on not joining us that I didn't notice someone was standing in front of me. It was Miyagi.

" Oi! What's wrong with you?! Are you blind?!"

" ……………………….."

" KUSO…. are you picking a fight with me?"

I just looked at him and continued walking out of the room. I've got more important things to do than pick a fight with him for no reason.

That do'ahou ononoko must have a good explanation for not telling me…

MIYAGI

" OI! COME BACK HERE YOU --"

" Ryota! That's enough."

" Demo Aya-chan…."

" Don't mind him. He's just having a bad day."

" EH?!"

" Ayami-chan didn't tell him."

" Oh….bummer!"

" Yeah…"

You think I didn't know anything eh? OF COURSE I DO!

Aya-chan mentioned to me her 'theories' about those freshmen a few days ago. Mitsui also mentioned to me the other day something about Rukawa having this 'thing' for Ayami-chan.

Of course, I didn't believe them but now, I think they're probably right.

" Anou…Aya-chan, where do you think he's going?"

" I don't know."

" Do you think he's going after Ayami-chan?"

" Maybe."

" Then why are we still here?"

" Mitsui-sempai."

" EH?!"

" He said that if anything happens, we should give him a call."

" Oh…"

" He's on his way now."

" Okay…."

I know it's not right to meddle with other people's lives but….THIS IS REALLY INTERESTING!

Just imagining that Rukawa has a central nervous system after all is already a good reason enough to be interested.

Plus, the fact that I would spend more time with Aya-chan is a really great bonus.

Aya-chan…..

AYAKO

Here we go again…. (shaking her head)

Mitsui-sempai, HURRY UP!

~ Meanwhile, at the park ~

AYAMI

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

THIS IS REALLY FRUSTRATING!

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

I thought I would finally see an Interhigh game. I thought I'm finally going to see some other places here in Japan. I thought I'm going to spend more time with Sakuragi-kun. I thought I'd be able to annoy Bakemono throughout the trip. I thought…

AAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGH! I thought about so many things but everything was ruined just like that….

Nande….

Why me?

Why am I so unlucky?

Nande….

I accidentally kicked a stray stone that was on my path. The stone, then, accidentally landed with a loud thud on the head of a crazy-looking stray dog. This particular dog started to growl. I started to go back.

I remember okaa-san telling me when I was still a sweet little girl that you shouldn't run when a dog starts to get mad at you. And you should try your best to look innocent and avoid any means of eye contact.

But I couldn't. I was too scared. I ran with all my might.

And it ran after me, with saliva and everything dropping from its mouth while barking furiously.

" AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! HELLLLLLLP MEEEEE!!!!!"

But it's either that everyone's gone deaf or that they're just too scared to stop this crazy dog from becoming crazier. I had no choice but to climb this really tall tree. How I did it, I'll never know.

" Go away you stupid dog! Go and meddle with your own species! SHUU! SHUU! SHUU!"

But the stupid dog just continued on barking. People were looking up at me and then after a while, they'll just continue whatever they were doing as if it's an everyday occurrence for them to see a girl up in a tree while a dog's barking like a maniac below her.

This is the exact reason why I want to leave this place. People here are so… placidly boring.

After a while, the dog got tired of whatever he was doing so he just left me all alone. Now, I'm faced with another problem: how to get down from the tree.

How unlucky can a person get?! Maybe I'll just wait for someone to get me down here… I can't risk my life by assuming that I have monkey blood inside me…

So there I was… a dirty and forlorn girl sitting up in a tree… waiting for someone to rescue her.  But if I can get anymore UNlucky, I can see myself sitting there all evening and becoming friends with all the insects and birds living here… pathetic.

" Oi, what are you doing up there?"

Are? That voice sounds awfully too familiar… maybe I'm just hallucinating…

It can't be him…

Of all the people here, he can't be the only one to notice that someone's up here right?

" Oi do'ahou ononoko. Planning to be an acrobat?"

Yep! It's him… he's the only one ruthless enough to call me that nickname…

" Bakemono?"

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

~_^ MY! MY!

Sorry. It's just that, if I continue writing everything on one chapter, it'll be REAALLLYYY long so I decided to cut it again. Don't worry; I'll upload the continuation immediately, ok?

This chap is really…weird. They're all getting dramatic just because Ayami's not going with them…weird! ~_^ Hehehe…I'm criticizing my own work…this just shows how lame I can be!

So, just do what you're supposed to do…

Love it? Hate it? Let me know!

Pls. Review! JA!

BUT if you're going to flame me, please do it nicely ok? ^_^