All the Sakura have fallen to the ground and Rika wore her black trench
coat and a dark blue messenger hat to school. Returning hello's and waves
with her biker-gloved hand. She went in the auditorium where Rukawa, the
drama teacher and a few students were waiting for the others to come.
"Where in hell have you been for the past week?!" the teacher fumed, "Do you know how long Chihiko Kyori had to play your part just to have half of the play finished? You've been gone for too long! Have you memorized your lines? Have you practiced acting?"
Before the teacher could continue, she immediately interjected, "Yes, I have memorized and practiced my lines. A family emergency came up, I'm sorry." She bowed half-mockingly, half-true to her acknowledgement of her fault.
"Oh, all right." The teacher agreed exasperated, "Now, take off your hat and your coat and we'll get started."
"Will it be fine if I let it stay where it is," she intoned it to be more of an implication than a request.
"Don't you feel hot in all those layers of clothing?"
"I am fine." She said firmly with her feet plated on the floor showing him / her that she wouldn't budge.
"Well, then, let's take it from act one - scene two and continue until act three - scene one." The teacher glared at Rika, "I will only show you what you will do once and if you can't get it, consider yourself flunked."
The practice went on well and he / she was surprised that Rika had caught on fast. He / she was in good terms with her since she can catch on fast and with Rukawa for his good looks. The others, though, things can be said differently. They were actually at war with him / her and vice versa for vexing each other on purpose: the students don't make their acting good and the teacher makes them repeat their lines and acts for no particular reason.
They then came to the middle of the whole play to which the teacher was excited about. "Now, you two realize that this scene contains very few lines. What will happen here is a waltz between you two and after that say your lines. Do you two know how to waltz?"
Rika shook her head and Rukawa did the same; both in unison. The teacher taught them the basics then waited for them to master it without partnering them first. When they did he made them face each other. Rukawa immediately looked away as soon as he realized he was staring at her straight to her eyes.
Rukawa suddenly felt something on his shoulder and realized it was Rika's hand. Then he felt a hand on his wrist - the teacher's - and placed it on his partner's back. He suddenly stiffened and his face was beginning to heat up and more so when their hands connected with each other.
The girls surrounding them were literally green with envy. Some were praying that Rika should break a bone or something and others were plotting to hurt her themselves the rest, on the other hand were at the brink of crying their hearts out.
The teacher then instructed them to try and waltz together and being inexperienced, both looked at their feet hitting each other. Rukawa hissed and rubbed his forehead and Rika pressed her head and winced as if checking for a lump or something.
"Don't look at your feet," the teacher scolded, "Look at each other for crying out loud! Now, try again."
They started again but before they began, the teacher arranged their positions and brought them closer to each other; their bodies inches away from each other. After several practices, blushes, trips and stepping on each other, they finally got it although they still have to practice more to get the grace he / she was demanding so much.
"Alright we'll work on that one another time," the teacher said half- mindedly as he browsed through the script. "Ah, yes. This one is perfect! Now, Rukawa, you lead Canson here," he said pointing to a spot in the stage, "and say your lines while looking at her. Canson, look at him also, OK? Then after that, you," he instructed pointing to Rukawa, "lean for a kiss and you," pointing to the other, "accept. Be sure to close your eyes."
The Rukawa fans were gnashing their teeth at that moment wanting to kill him / her.
"What the hell?!" Rika suddenly snapped, "There is no way I'm going to do that!"
"Dou ahou!" was all Rukawa commented.
The fans breathed a sigh of relief.
"Do you want to pass or repeat your year?" he / she blackmailed.
The other girls were at the brink of pounding both Rika and the teacher.
"Ok, I have a proposition," Rika suggested, "What if we just come close to that then close curtain? I mean it's almost pretty much the same right?"
"Sou yo!" the girls chorused at the same time.
"You know of all the girls I know, you're one of the very few who doesn't want to do this," he shrugged, "You two are very close though."
"She's my friend, dou ahou!" Rukawa retorted.
Rika's jaw dropped then curved to a smile. 'Thank you Rukawa. I thought you...'
Her thought was cut off as different reactions came from the girls in the room. Some gasped, some gaped, some fainted, some sighed in relief and some frowned. They didn't know anyone who was a friend of Rukawa's.
"If that's the case, then, let's resort to that," he / she agreed then whined, "You people are so unprofessional! Alright then, let's rehearse the scene one more time."
***
At the practice of Shohoku, Everyone was trying their best again for the upcoming game the next day. Rika sat beside her grandfather and sighed. "How long do you think before they can know the meaning of 'Ace'? I've been absent for so long I don't know how close they are to discovering it."
"Still far from it," Anzai shook his head. "I hope they can uncover at least that, now. The prefecture elimination is tomorrow already."
Rika nodded then went over to Ayako. "Ayako, I don't have the voice right now, so please divide the team into four groups. Make sure there is a best player in every one of the teams. You just arrange the gameplay." Then she faced Haruko next, "Akagi, please act as the coach for the practice game and be firm on your decisions." Haruko nodded and took a deep breath.
Two teams played but Rika shook her head at each one knowing they didn't get the puzzle. Then it came to the next two teams. She realized that most of the players hogged the ball to show how good they were at shooting.
The time off for half of the game was in session and Sakuragi was urging his team to fight and not loose the fight. He suddenly realized how hard being captain was even only at that level. He remembered Gori and how he put the team together and finally admitted that he admired the guy. He shook his head then slumped his shoulders. "Alright, everyone, listen up." He snapped at them. "Since all of us are used to the position of either center or forward, I will be the point guard in this game. OK?"
A lot of them beamed at him. Finally, their team had a point guard. Haruko blew the whistle and the final half of the game resumed.
The two teams that were sitting on the benched were suddenly taken aback by Rika and Anzai's reaction from that point on. They were studying the players - not just watching them like the two did to former teams. They noticed that a smile crept across Rika's face and Anzai was chuckling lightly.
"Just in time, don't you think so, Rika?" the old man asked his granddaughter.
"And from the person I least expected, Anzai-sensei," Rika shook her head, "From the most impossible person, if I should say so."
The game of Sakuragi against Miyagi was close but Miyagi's team won by a point. The teams gathered to the coach and assistant coach eager to know what they were smiling about. Rika cleared her throat but it was Anzai who spoke. "You are probably wondering why we were smiling." The team nodded in response. "It's because," Anzai continued, "We found someone who understood what the true meaning of 'Ace' is."
"And we found it n the most unlikely person of all," Rika said amused. "I'd never thought you'd get it, Hanamichi Sakuragi."
Sakuragi stared dumbfounded, then laughed his usual laugh saying, "Nyahahaha...that's because I'm a genius! Ore wa tensai!"
"Although!" Rika suddenly interjected and her voice strained, but it did stop Sakuragi. "It took you to take the position of a point guard to get it so you only take half the credit."
The other players sneered at him.
"What that meant," Anzai picked up from where Rika left off, "Is that true aces do not worry about how many points they gain individually; it is what the whole team gets. That is what the main priority of an ace is."
"Now that you know," Rika added, "I hope you do better in the game this year than you did in the last, equipped with those two riddles. We'll give the next riddle after the game. I know you will do better and you WILL go to the top in the Inter-high."
"Hai!" Miyagi agreed, "Ore-tachi wa tsuyoi!"
Everyone chorused an agreement and went on to the showers dismissed. Rika stood up with her back behind the others and lifted a sleeve of her coat and shook her head. She went outside sullenly with her hands in her pockets.
Rukawa knew she was acting odd that day and caught up with her. "Hey, doushite?"
"Nothing," she responded smiling at him, "Why?"
"Nothing." Rukawa answered then followed by a tap on her shoulder as she turned away. She faced him and smiled in question. "Where are you going?"
"To the sea side," she responded, "Want to come? My sister will be coming out of her school in five minutes."
"Sure," Rukawa agreed, "And I'll use my bike, by the way."
Rika nodded and waited for him at the gate where the two-wheeled transportations were parked. Rukawa came out and Rika prepared herself for her bike but before they went anywhere, Rukawa asked. "Are you hiding something?"
"No."
"Then why are you wearing that trench coat and that hat?" he asked disbelievingly.
"You don't want to know." She smiled and started slowly for the street with Rukawa trailing behind. She glanced every once in a while to check if he hasn't fallen asleep or ran into anything.
***
ninny: you'll soon find out why she was absent. Yah, office work to be exact. Cest la vie!
Sofia/3sh: Finaflatter mo naman ako eh...
dunkmoonX: your name is Nikki??? Well, I have a classmate named Nikki and he's a boy. Suman de! I didn't know.
*for my usual rant:* minna no kimochi wa yowai da. dakara hito-tachi ga nakitsubusu datta...
"Where in hell have you been for the past week?!" the teacher fumed, "Do you know how long Chihiko Kyori had to play your part just to have half of the play finished? You've been gone for too long! Have you memorized your lines? Have you practiced acting?"
Before the teacher could continue, she immediately interjected, "Yes, I have memorized and practiced my lines. A family emergency came up, I'm sorry." She bowed half-mockingly, half-true to her acknowledgement of her fault.
"Oh, all right." The teacher agreed exasperated, "Now, take off your hat and your coat and we'll get started."
"Will it be fine if I let it stay where it is," she intoned it to be more of an implication than a request.
"Don't you feel hot in all those layers of clothing?"
"I am fine." She said firmly with her feet plated on the floor showing him / her that she wouldn't budge.
"Well, then, let's take it from act one - scene two and continue until act three - scene one." The teacher glared at Rika, "I will only show you what you will do once and if you can't get it, consider yourself flunked."
The practice went on well and he / she was surprised that Rika had caught on fast. He / she was in good terms with her since she can catch on fast and with Rukawa for his good looks. The others, though, things can be said differently. They were actually at war with him / her and vice versa for vexing each other on purpose: the students don't make their acting good and the teacher makes them repeat their lines and acts for no particular reason.
They then came to the middle of the whole play to which the teacher was excited about. "Now, you two realize that this scene contains very few lines. What will happen here is a waltz between you two and after that say your lines. Do you two know how to waltz?"
Rika shook her head and Rukawa did the same; both in unison. The teacher taught them the basics then waited for them to master it without partnering them first. When they did he made them face each other. Rukawa immediately looked away as soon as he realized he was staring at her straight to her eyes.
Rukawa suddenly felt something on his shoulder and realized it was Rika's hand. Then he felt a hand on his wrist - the teacher's - and placed it on his partner's back. He suddenly stiffened and his face was beginning to heat up and more so when their hands connected with each other.
The girls surrounding them were literally green with envy. Some were praying that Rika should break a bone or something and others were plotting to hurt her themselves the rest, on the other hand were at the brink of crying their hearts out.
The teacher then instructed them to try and waltz together and being inexperienced, both looked at their feet hitting each other. Rukawa hissed and rubbed his forehead and Rika pressed her head and winced as if checking for a lump or something.
"Don't look at your feet," the teacher scolded, "Look at each other for crying out loud! Now, try again."
They started again but before they began, the teacher arranged their positions and brought them closer to each other; their bodies inches away from each other. After several practices, blushes, trips and stepping on each other, they finally got it although they still have to practice more to get the grace he / she was demanding so much.
"Alright we'll work on that one another time," the teacher said half- mindedly as he browsed through the script. "Ah, yes. This one is perfect! Now, Rukawa, you lead Canson here," he said pointing to a spot in the stage, "and say your lines while looking at her. Canson, look at him also, OK? Then after that, you," he instructed pointing to Rukawa, "lean for a kiss and you," pointing to the other, "accept. Be sure to close your eyes."
The Rukawa fans were gnashing their teeth at that moment wanting to kill him / her.
"What the hell?!" Rika suddenly snapped, "There is no way I'm going to do that!"
"Dou ahou!" was all Rukawa commented.
The fans breathed a sigh of relief.
"Do you want to pass or repeat your year?" he / she blackmailed.
The other girls were at the brink of pounding both Rika and the teacher.
"Ok, I have a proposition," Rika suggested, "What if we just come close to that then close curtain? I mean it's almost pretty much the same right?"
"Sou yo!" the girls chorused at the same time.
"You know of all the girls I know, you're one of the very few who doesn't want to do this," he shrugged, "You two are very close though."
"She's my friend, dou ahou!" Rukawa retorted.
Rika's jaw dropped then curved to a smile. 'Thank you Rukawa. I thought you...'
Her thought was cut off as different reactions came from the girls in the room. Some gasped, some gaped, some fainted, some sighed in relief and some frowned. They didn't know anyone who was a friend of Rukawa's.
"If that's the case, then, let's resort to that," he / she agreed then whined, "You people are so unprofessional! Alright then, let's rehearse the scene one more time."
***
At the practice of Shohoku, Everyone was trying their best again for the upcoming game the next day. Rika sat beside her grandfather and sighed. "How long do you think before they can know the meaning of 'Ace'? I've been absent for so long I don't know how close they are to discovering it."
"Still far from it," Anzai shook his head. "I hope they can uncover at least that, now. The prefecture elimination is tomorrow already."
Rika nodded then went over to Ayako. "Ayako, I don't have the voice right now, so please divide the team into four groups. Make sure there is a best player in every one of the teams. You just arrange the gameplay." Then she faced Haruko next, "Akagi, please act as the coach for the practice game and be firm on your decisions." Haruko nodded and took a deep breath.
Two teams played but Rika shook her head at each one knowing they didn't get the puzzle. Then it came to the next two teams. She realized that most of the players hogged the ball to show how good they were at shooting.
The time off for half of the game was in session and Sakuragi was urging his team to fight and not loose the fight. He suddenly realized how hard being captain was even only at that level. He remembered Gori and how he put the team together and finally admitted that he admired the guy. He shook his head then slumped his shoulders. "Alright, everyone, listen up." He snapped at them. "Since all of us are used to the position of either center or forward, I will be the point guard in this game. OK?"
A lot of them beamed at him. Finally, their team had a point guard. Haruko blew the whistle and the final half of the game resumed.
The two teams that were sitting on the benched were suddenly taken aback by Rika and Anzai's reaction from that point on. They were studying the players - not just watching them like the two did to former teams. They noticed that a smile crept across Rika's face and Anzai was chuckling lightly.
"Just in time, don't you think so, Rika?" the old man asked his granddaughter.
"And from the person I least expected, Anzai-sensei," Rika shook her head, "From the most impossible person, if I should say so."
The game of Sakuragi against Miyagi was close but Miyagi's team won by a point. The teams gathered to the coach and assistant coach eager to know what they were smiling about. Rika cleared her throat but it was Anzai who spoke. "You are probably wondering why we were smiling." The team nodded in response. "It's because," Anzai continued, "We found someone who understood what the true meaning of 'Ace' is."
"And we found it n the most unlikely person of all," Rika said amused. "I'd never thought you'd get it, Hanamichi Sakuragi."
Sakuragi stared dumbfounded, then laughed his usual laugh saying, "Nyahahaha...that's because I'm a genius! Ore wa tensai!"
"Although!" Rika suddenly interjected and her voice strained, but it did stop Sakuragi. "It took you to take the position of a point guard to get it so you only take half the credit."
The other players sneered at him.
"What that meant," Anzai picked up from where Rika left off, "Is that true aces do not worry about how many points they gain individually; it is what the whole team gets. That is what the main priority of an ace is."
"Now that you know," Rika added, "I hope you do better in the game this year than you did in the last, equipped with those two riddles. We'll give the next riddle after the game. I know you will do better and you WILL go to the top in the Inter-high."
"Hai!" Miyagi agreed, "Ore-tachi wa tsuyoi!"
Everyone chorused an agreement and went on to the showers dismissed. Rika stood up with her back behind the others and lifted a sleeve of her coat and shook her head. She went outside sullenly with her hands in her pockets.
Rukawa knew she was acting odd that day and caught up with her. "Hey, doushite?"
"Nothing," she responded smiling at him, "Why?"
"Nothing." Rukawa answered then followed by a tap on her shoulder as she turned away. She faced him and smiled in question. "Where are you going?"
"To the sea side," she responded, "Want to come? My sister will be coming out of her school in five minutes."
"Sure," Rukawa agreed, "And I'll use my bike, by the way."
Rika nodded and waited for him at the gate where the two-wheeled transportations were parked. Rukawa came out and Rika prepared herself for her bike but before they went anywhere, Rukawa asked. "Are you hiding something?"
"No."
"Then why are you wearing that trench coat and that hat?" he asked disbelievingly.
"You don't want to know." She smiled and started slowly for the street with Rukawa trailing behind. She glanced every once in a while to check if he hasn't fallen asleep or ran into anything.
***
ninny: you'll soon find out why she was absent. Yah, office work to be exact. Cest la vie!
Sofia/3sh: Finaflatter mo naman ako eh...
dunkmoonX: your name is Nikki??? Well, I have a classmate named Nikki and he's a boy. Suman de! I didn't know.
*for my usual rant:* minna no kimochi wa yowai da. dakara hito-tachi ga nakitsubusu datta...