Disclaimer: I don't own Slam Dunk. It's Takehiko-sensei's.

Crusty's note: for those anonymous reviewers, GOMENNASAI! (.)  From now on, I do accept your reviews (I've updated my settings) thank you to Ein A for alerted me abt it, arigato~!

Crusty's alert: again, everything happened in this chapter are flashbacks related to the flashback on previous chapters.

Pride Matters

FLASHBACK

It took two weeks before the doctor allowed Rukawa to practice basketball again.

Fortunately, his injury wasn't really serious. But for those two weeks, he didn't come to school.

It seemed that the doctor had told him not to rest at home. Or maybe Rukawa just didn't find any reasons to come to school since he couldn't practice basketball.

When Rukawa was finally came to school, all of his fans asked him if he was alright and offered helps about the lessons he missed.

But Rukawa, as usual, responsed carelessly and coldly.

When Rukawa was about to enter his classroom, Sakuragi was standing by the doorway.

"How are you doin'?" the redhead asked in a flat tone.

"Fine."

Rukawa passed Sakkuragi and entered the classroom.

During the whole lessons that day, Sakuragi spent his time staring at the Kitsune sleeping on the desk next to his.

How is he doing? Did he know how I was worrying about him for the last two weeks?

Sakuragi leaned his chin on his palm.

For the two weeks before, when his teammates visited Rukawa at his home to see how the boy was doing, Sakuragi never tag along.

Him visiting his bitter rival? Not a chance.

But actually, Sakuragi was suffering from a quite big curiosity.

His teammates said that Rukawa was OK, but he wished to find out the truth by himself. Yet, his pride always managed to fail his action.

And when he decided to tell his teammates and coach Anzai that he's the one who made Rukawa got injured, he always felt unsure that it was his faults.

Sakuragi was still staring at Rukawa.

I'm a little bit unsure that the injury he got was caused by me, but maybe it was, and maybe he knew it as well. But he said nothing to the rest of the team.

Why?

If he told the truth, he wouldn't have to worry to get in to any trouble because the only person who's gonna get scolded and punished is me.

If the team knew they might've got really mad at me.

Was he trying to protect me? He got no reasons for that.

Kitsune… I must say that I really hate you, and even until now I still hate you.

But since the last match against Ryonan, I also hate myself.

Why am I being such a jerk to you?

Well, I think you're a jerk too. But I don't know… now you seemed like a nice jerk…

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Two days passed, and it was such a surprise to everyone that the hostilities between Sakuragi and Rukawa seemed to fade away into thin air.

Well, it's not that they suddenly became friendly to each other, but they didn't quarrel and fight anymore.

They seemed to ignore each other, pretending they didn't see their 'ex-enemies'.

"It's a cold war," Ayako crossed her arms as she observed the two boys practicing their shots.

"Yeah… I guess so… But this is more like it, it's somewhat peaceful," Ryota grinned.

"What the…?" Sakuragi turned his back noticing that a ball just mildly hit his foot.

"Sorry, it slipped right out of my hands," Rukawa took the ball on the floor.

"Is your arm really doin' fine now?" still with a flat ton, Sakuragi asked and stared at Rukawa's right arm.

"Yah…" Rukawa answered carelessly and turned away.

"Rukawa…"

The Kitsune glanced Sakuragi from the corner of his eyes.

"I need to talk to you after this."

Rukawa nodded a little and walked away.

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"Why?" Sakuragi asked.

There were just him and Rukawa now in the basketball club's room since everyone had gone home after the practice.

"Why what?" Rukawa asked back.

"Why didn't you tell the guys what was actually happened. You know I was the one who made you got those bruises."

"Why should I tell them?"

"Hell, you got every reason for that!" Sakuragi got pissed off to see Rukawa looked careless.

"Shohoku had won. I got no reasons to do that."

"So if we had lost, you would tell them, is that what you mean?" Sakuragi put a ditching smile.

"No, if we had lost, I'm going to make sure you'll get your share, threefold," Rukawa gave Sakuragi a cold piercing stare.

Normally, Sakuragi would blow to his top hearing that. But this time he just stared back and said nothing.

"Weirdo," he spoke finally and turned.

"Do aho," Rukawa turned too to get his bag. And then he went outside the room, crossing the basketball court in the hall to reach the exit door.

Sakuragi glanced Rukawa as the boy left the room.

When Rukawa nearly reached the exit door of the hall, Sakuragi turned to face the Kitsune's distancing back.

"You were stupid playing basketball with your injured arm! You're just lucky you still got recovered! You're the Do aho of all, Kitsune!!!" Sakuragi shouted to the top of his lungs.

Rukawa was still walking without looking back.

Sakuragi took a deep breath, "And I'm sorry, you goddamn you!!!"

Without stopping, Rukawa slightly turned, "Apology accepted!"

Sakuragi blushed, didn't predict Rukawa would say that.

"I mean… I mean you're an idiot and I'm not sorry! You hear me!? I'm not sorry! I wasn't sorry! I never had sorry! NEVER~!!!" Sakuragi's voice echoed through whole Kanagawa.

Meanwhile Rukawa got on his bike and sighed, "Do aho…"

END FLASHBACK

TO BE CONTINUED