Disclaimer : If I say Slam Dunk is mine, would you believe? No, Slam Dunk belongs to Inoue Takehiko.
Chapter 4
"Tadaima," Rukawa said as he entered his home.
"Kaede-kun!" a scream was heard from upstairs. Then, heavy footsteps accompanied the sound.
"Do you realize what time it is?!" There stood in front of Rukawa, a wet Ayako in her pajamas. A blue towel was hung loosely around her neck.
"Ayako-san?"
"Where have you been? We've been so worried," she said, placing her hands on her waist.
"I had basketball practice and sort of lost track of time," Rukawa answered.
"Baka! You missed dinner," she said, following Rukawa into the kitchen. Rukawa opened the fridge and unfortunately found no leftovers. Ayako sat down on the chair and dried her hair.
"Come on, I'll cook something for you. What do you want?" she asked.
"Anything that can fill my stomach," Rukawa answered.
"Yare yare," Ayako shook her head. She opened the top cupboard and took out 2 packets of instant noodles.
"Make it 3," Rukawa said.
"What?! You big eater!" Ayako chuckled. Then, she took out a pot and started cooking.
"You were practicing at the basketball court near the beach, right?"
"Yeah."
"You always practice alone. It's easier to improve if you have a partner."
"I have one today."
"Really? Who is he or she?" Ayako was kind of surprised. She knew that Rukawa doesn't like anyone to interrupt his practice. Let alone playing with someone.
"It's a guy and I don't know."
Ayako sighed. She served the food for Rukawa then sat down opposite him. Rukawa started eating hungrily. She smiled, seeing his childish behaviour.
"So, how does he look like?"
"He had weird spikey hair," Rukawa said.
"Spikey? What's his name?" Ayako asked, curiously.
"Don't know," he continued eating.
"I'm off to bed then," Ayako said, realizing that she couldn't get anymore information on this mystery guy.
"Don't forget to off the lights."
Rukawa nodded.
**********
After dinner, Rukawa went up to take a bath and is ready for bed. As usual, as soon as his head touched the pillow, he fell asleep.
/Dream/
Where am I?
"Kaede."
Who's that calling me?
The scenery was blur caused by the fog. Rukawa tried to focus and he saw someone standing in front of him. It's a woman with long black hair until her waist. She's wearing a blue and white kimono with a purple shawl. He couldn't see her face properly but she did smell of white plume.
"Kaede."
Are you the one who's calling me all this time?
The woman nodded.
Who are you?
The woman didn't answer. She just smiled. The fog is getting thinner. This time, Rukawa get to see her face clearly. She had deep blue eyes just like his. There's a sweet smile on her face. Her skin colour is as white as his. She looked exactly like him except for the feminine look.
Why are you calling me?
"You'll find out soon, Kaede."
/End of dream/
Rukawa's eyes snapped opened. He runs his hand through his black hair.
'Who is she?'
This is not the first time he had this dream. Recently, this dream became more frequently. It's always the same woman who was calling his name. However, this is the first time he gets to see her face clearly.
'She looked like me. Could it be?'
**********
The next day, in Ryonan. It was practice time.
"I'm going first, Uozumi-san," Sendoh said.
"Sendoh, why are you leaving so early? The practice hasn't end yet," Uozumi asked.
"I've got a… dentist appointment. Please tell sensei I'm sorry," Sendoh answered hurriedly. He didn't want his challenger to wait.
"Sensei will kill you, Sendoh," Koshino warned him.
Sendoh just smile, "I really have to go. See you tomorrow." With that, Sendoh escaped practice.
"Yare yare," Uozumi and Koshino exchanged glances.
**********
Sendoh quickly run to the basketball court that they promised to meet. When he reached there, the boy hasn't reached there yet. So, Sendoh waited patiently at the basketball court for his challenger. After a while, he looked at his watch for the umpteenth time.
'He's half an hour late. Should I continue to wait for him?' Sendoh asked himself.
'I still have some homework that needs to be done. What should I do?'
Sendoh continued to wait. He checked his watch from time to time. Time passes and the blue sky has turned into dark. Still, the raven-haired boy was nowhere to be seen.
'I can't keep on waiting. Maybe he's busy,' Sendoh thought to himself.
Somehow, Sendoh have the feeling that he will show up, so he continued to wait. Then, he felt raindrops falling on him. He looked up at the now darkened sky. The rain slowly became heavier that made Sendoh have no other choice but to quickly run home. His mind is still wondering why didn't the boy show up.
**********
Rukawa was looking out the window. The rain has indeed become heavier. He can see people running around to find shelter. Then he sighed. He wondered if the spikey-haired boy is still waiting for him.
'Impossible, nobody is that dumb to wait under the rain,' he thought.
He didn't understand why he agreed to play with him again. It's not like he doesn't want to but…
Somehow, Rukawa felt quite uncomfortable when he's with him. It's like he couldn't concentrate on the game much. And what's worse is that guy's smile. It's really bothering him. How could someone smile so easily? Suddenly he felt guilty. Maybe he should tell the older boy that he's not coming. What if he's still waiting at the court?
Immediately, he grabbed his jacket and rushed downstairs.
"Kaede-kun, where are you going? It's raining outside!" Ayako shouted at him.
Rukawa didn't listen to her. He grabbed the umbrella that was leaning against the cupboard and ran straight out.
**********
As Rukawa was running pass of a row of shops, Sendoh was running at the opposite way at the other side of the shops. Unfortunately, they didn't see each other through the gap between the shops.
When Rukawa reached the court, he was panting. His eyes wondered around to look for a certain spikey-haired guy but no one's there.
'I should have known.'
He turned and walked away.
**********
"KAEDE-KUN, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Ayako was screaming until the whole house vibrates a little.
"It's raining outside, you might catch a cold!" she said, angrily.
"I'm okay, Ayako-san. I'm going up," Rukawa said softly.
He was tired. He wanted to sleep and… also to stop thinking about him.
-tbc-
Please review!!!
Chapter 4
"Tadaima," Rukawa said as he entered his home.
"Kaede-kun!" a scream was heard from upstairs. Then, heavy footsteps accompanied the sound.
"Do you realize what time it is?!" There stood in front of Rukawa, a wet Ayako in her pajamas. A blue towel was hung loosely around her neck.
"Ayako-san?"
"Where have you been? We've been so worried," she said, placing her hands on her waist.
"I had basketball practice and sort of lost track of time," Rukawa answered.
"Baka! You missed dinner," she said, following Rukawa into the kitchen. Rukawa opened the fridge and unfortunately found no leftovers. Ayako sat down on the chair and dried her hair.
"Come on, I'll cook something for you. What do you want?" she asked.
"Anything that can fill my stomach," Rukawa answered.
"Yare yare," Ayako shook her head. She opened the top cupboard and took out 2 packets of instant noodles.
"Make it 3," Rukawa said.
"What?! You big eater!" Ayako chuckled. Then, she took out a pot and started cooking.
"You were practicing at the basketball court near the beach, right?"
"Yeah."
"You always practice alone. It's easier to improve if you have a partner."
"I have one today."
"Really? Who is he or she?" Ayako was kind of surprised. She knew that Rukawa doesn't like anyone to interrupt his practice. Let alone playing with someone.
"It's a guy and I don't know."
Ayako sighed. She served the food for Rukawa then sat down opposite him. Rukawa started eating hungrily. She smiled, seeing his childish behaviour.
"So, how does he look like?"
"He had weird spikey hair," Rukawa said.
"Spikey? What's his name?" Ayako asked, curiously.
"Don't know," he continued eating.
"I'm off to bed then," Ayako said, realizing that she couldn't get anymore information on this mystery guy.
"Don't forget to off the lights."
Rukawa nodded.
**********
After dinner, Rukawa went up to take a bath and is ready for bed. As usual, as soon as his head touched the pillow, he fell asleep.
/Dream/
Where am I?
"Kaede."
Who's that calling me?
The scenery was blur caused by the fog. Rukawa tried to focus and he saw someone standing in front of him. It's a woman with long black hair until her waist. She's wearing a blue and white kimono with a purple shawl. He couldn't see her face properly but she did smell of white plume.
"Kaede."
Are you the one who's calling me all this time?
The woman nodded.
Who are you?
The woman didn't answer. She just smiled. The fog is getting thinner. This time, Rukawa get to see her face clearly. She had deep blue eyes just like his. There's a sweet smile on her face. Her skin colour is as white as his. She looked exactly like him except for the feminine look.
Why are you calling me?
"You'll find out soon, Kaede."
/End of dream/
Rukawa's eyes snapped opened. He runs his hand through his black hair.
'Who is she?'
This is not the first time he had this dream. Recently, this dream became more frequently. It's always the same woman who was calling his name. However, this is the first time he gets to see her face clearly.
'She looked like me. Could it be?'
**********
The next day, in Ryonan. It was practice time.
"I'm going first, Uozumi-san," Sendoh said.
"Sendoh, why are you leaving so early? The practice hasn't end yet," Uozumi asked.
"I've got a… dentist appointment. Please tell sensei I'm sorry," Sendoh answered hurriedly. He didn't want his challenger to wait.
"Sensei will kill you, Sendoh," Koshino warned him.
Sendoh just smile, "I really have to go. See you tomorrow." With that, Sendoh escaped practice.
"Yare yare," Uozumi and Koshino exchanged glances.
**********
Sendoh quickly run to the basketball court that they promised to meet. When he reached there, the boy hasn't reached there yet. So, Sendoh waited patiently at the basketball court for his challenger. After a while, he looked at his watch for the umpteenth time.
'He's half an hour late. Should I continue to wait for him?' Sendoh asked himself.
'I still have some homework that needs to be done. What should I do?'
Sendoh continued to wait. He checked his watch from time to time. Time passes and the blue sky has turned into dark. Still, the raven-haired boy was nowhere to be seen.
'I can't keep on waiting. Maybe he's busy,' Sendoh thought to himself.
Somehow, Sendoh have the feeling that he will show up, so he continued to wait. Then, he felt raindrops falling on him. He looked up at the now darkened sky. The rain slowly became heavier that made Sendoh have no other choice but to quickly run home. His mind is still wondering why didn't the boy show up.
**********
Rukawa was looking out the window. The rain has indeed become heavier. He can see people running around to find shelter. Then he sighed. He wondered if the spikey-haired boy is still waiting for him.
'Impossible, nobody is that dumb to wait under the rain,' he thought.
He didn't understand why he agreed to play with him again. It's not like he doesn't want to but…
Somehow, Rukawa felt quite uncomfortable when he's with him. It's like he couldn't concentrate on the game much. And what's worse is that guy's smile. It's really bothering him. How could someone smile so easily? Suddenly he felt guilty. Maybe he should tell the older boy that he's not coming. What if he's still waiting at the court?
Immediately, he grabbed his jacket and rushed downstairs.
"Kaede-kun, where are you going? It's raining outside!" Ayako shouted at him.
Rukawa didn't listen to her. He grabbed the umbrella that was leaning against the cupboard and ran straight out.
**********
As Rukawa was running pass of a row of shops, Sendoh was running at the opposite way at the other side of the shops. Unfortunately, they didn't see each other through the gap between the shops.
When Rukawa reached the court, he was panting. His eyes wondered around to look for a certain spikey-haired guy but no one's there.
'I should have known.'
He turned and walked away.
**********
"KAEDE-KUN, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Ayako was screaming until the whole house vibrates a little.
"It's raining outside, you might catch a cold!" she said, angrily.
"I'm okay, Ayako-san. I'm going up," Rukawa said softly.
He was tired. He wanted to sleep and… also to stop thinking about him.
-tbc-
Please review!!!