Friends

Standard disclamation applied to this story.

This is the NON-YAOI HanaRu story. I am interesting in the two very different characters inside SD. One is fire and one is ice. Are their mind as same as their exterior showed?

Thanks for reviews.

Thanks the nutty imp telling me the names.

Chapter 3

I was reading the letter from my beloved girl on the beach after finished the healthy-but-not-tasty lunch at the clinic. That was the first time I met Rukawa on the beach. He made me annoyed as he showed off his National jersey to me. But it was funny that he had such childish behaviour.

"You, Teme!" I shouted, "You were chosen only because I was injured."

He turned without saying anything. I was just angry to him but then I had to re-start my exercise again. This was the first time we met during the holiday.

While at the weeks went on, he came everyday following the same route, jogging along on the beach, visiting me unfriendly but talking to me.

"What? Rukawa talked to you?" Yohei exclaimed.

"Unexpected." I nodded, "But only few words in the sentence."

"Seems understood to this point." Yohei grinned.

"Actually it was mostly surprised me when he suddenly talked to me." I added.

"He started first?" They asked.

"Yeap." I replied and continued the story.

It was the 3rd time Rukawa passed the beach. I never knew why he did this but I seemed used to see him everyday around 3:00pm jogging along on the beach. But that time, he suddenly sat down with his back to me. Of course, I ignored him as if he was not existing.

"How's your back?" He muttered.

"What?" I was surprised to hear his voice.

"Your back." He muttered again but a bit louder.

I smirked but I just wanted to tease him.

"I couldn't hear you if you speak that soft." I said.

He shrugged.

"And I won't speak to anyone who is at his back to me." I added.

I just wanted to see his reaction. It was funny to tease him because his reaction sometimes was not as everyone expected.

He kept silence.

I just wanted to re-start our conversation as the conversation was started...um...quite friendly by Rukawa.

But he stood up. I just thought he was going away but indeed, he came near and sat down beside me.

I stared at him when he sat beside me. He still kept his poker face - expressionless and emotionless.

"So?" He started again.

"So?" I didn't understand.

He sighed.

"Your back." He said still softly.

"Oh, right." I replied, "getting quite well now. I have done the rehabilitation for nearly 3 weeks."

He nodded mutely.

"um...how's about you?" I asked.

He shrugged without answering my question.

"I can't get the meaning." I said.

"Nothing special." He replied finally.

What was the meaning of "Nothing special"? OK, maybe I should give him a more precise question.

"How's your training?" I asked again.

He shrugged again.

"Hey!" I couldn't help.

"so so." He looked at me and turned away then.

Right, I didn't know that someone could start a conversation but giving some non-sense answer "faithfully". But I should patient because he was Rukawa, the ice block, shouldn't I?

After awhile, he stood up and started his jogging again.

"Woo, this was really a friendly conversation." Fatty said, "especially between you and Rukawa."

They all nodded.

"Actually I was quite surprised as he suddenly talked to me," I said, "although the conversation was limited in words."

"But what happened then?" Yohei asked.

We started our peaceful conversation everyday then. He asked the same question "How's your back?" everyday. I replied the same answer to him everyday until one day.

As usual, he jogged along the beach. When he approved me, he sat down beside me.

"How's your back?" He asked.

"Why can't you ask another questions?" I asked.

He didn't say anything.

"Fine!" I replied, "Doctor said I can have a little basketball game."

He turned to me like examining me. After finishing scanning, he gave me a new question!

"How's little?" He asked.

I already used to his way of questioning. He was asking me what was the meaning of "a little basketball game".

"Ten minutes." I said.

"When?" He asked again.

I smiled.

"Today." I replied, "I just wait you to come."

He stared at me and stood up then.

"Move!" He commended.

"This was the first time Rukawa invited me to a game." I said happily.

"But of course, you lost finally." Yohei teased me.

"No!" I replied proudly.

"What?" They all shouted "How did Rukawa lose?".

I glared at them.

"We are only talking the truth."

He came everyday then practicing shooting with me.

I was amazed to his accurate shooting. He didn't miss a shoot since we started shooting practice for 4 days.

"Hey! Let's have a one on one." I said.

He turned to me.

"Doctor said I am fully recovered but just have to stay 2 week more for observation. I can play 20 minutes basketball now."

He nodded.

"Yo!" I was happy that he accepted my challenge, "10 points to win."

"5 points." He said.

"Um...why?"

"Too heavy otherwise."

He was quite thoughtful sometimes.

I lost finally. I couldn't get pass him and I couldn't avoid his shoots. Although I thought that he already gave me an easy match, I was totally lost.

"Jogging with me tomorrow." He said.

I was surprised again for another invitation.

"OK!" I muttered.

He glared at me and left.

So, we started jogging at the next day.

After 2 days 20-minute jogging, Rukawa started to have 15 minutes jogging and 10 minutes basketball game with me. Actually he was helping me to re-develop my basketball skills. I finally admitted that he was very good in basketball. But unexpectedly that he was also good in schedule and plan and leadership. I followed what he said to get back my basketball technique.

"Actually he taught me some steps during jogging that are good to enhance my basketball technique." I replied.

"He taught you!" they exclaimed.

"Yeap! What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing." Yohei said, "Only surprised that you learnt from Rukawa so peacefully."

"Ha....ha... because I am Tensai!" I laughed.

They laughed too.

But one day, he came with some distracted feeling in his eyes. During the game. he missed some shoots and I won the game. I should be happy to this result but I didn't because he was so unusual that day although he tried to keep his expressionless face.

"What's happened?" I asked.

He didn't reply.

"You shouldn't lose." I said.

He kept silence and picked up the ball turning to leave.

"Wait!" I chased after him.

He kept on walking.

"Tell me." I required.

He turned suddenly and stared hard to me.

"You win." He said the fact calmly pretending nothing happened.

"I am not talking the game." I shouted, "I am talking about you."

He shrugged and turned away.

I followed him. We passed the clinic's area and I continued followed him.

"Tell me." I only repeated the same line.

He sighed.

"Just leave me alone." He trembled.

I was shocked to his voice and emotion in his sentence. I just looked at his back until he was not at my sight.

"What happened?" Yohei asked.

"This was what I wanted to know during that time." I said softly.

"But he didn't tell you." He said.

"I find it out myself." I said.

They all looked at me.

ยก@

--End of chapter 3--

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I hope you like this chapter. Sorry to stop here but I have to think about what had happened to Rukawa. Do you have any ideas?

Review please.