Ah! Gomen! I've been gone for a long time because of college. But I'm back,
although slower than ever!
***
Rika and Rukawa walked across the stage memorizing where to go and what to do at the last minute. Rukawa went to the stage curtains and looked at the crowd. Rika walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. "Looking for someone?" she asked casually.
Rukawa shook his head and let go of the small crack he made but unknowingly it all went along with a blush. "No, just seeing how many people came."
Rika laughed at his denial and smirked, "I know you're looking for my sister."
Rukawa's face heated up so he turned away. "Of course not!" he answered very defensively.
"Whatever you say," she laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "Good luck and good luck."
Rukawa's face was a puzzle. 'Two good lucks?' He suddenly realizes that the other one was not related in anyway to the show, but to her sister. He blushed even harder. "I don't like her!" he scowled back at her. The only reply that he got was her continuous laughter from the backstage. "Dou ahou!"
***
Sendou, along with Rina and Arnold, arrived at the auditorium taking the best seats. Since the play was to be in Japanese, they didn't have a hard time dragging the gaijin in.
Soon the auditorium was filled and the play was about to start. The lights went off and the play began. Everyone was amazed at the proficiency of everybody's English at the play, that even the foreign guests were impressed. Even for a group of amateurs, they all admitted that they were good enough.
Arnold watched the play calmly but rage was threatening to shatter the walls of his self-control every time he sees Rukawa up close with Rika. Fortunately, his walls were hanging on, but clearly shaking because of his clenched fist and gritted teeth. Holding until the last few minutes of the show.
[Well, your highness,] Rika recited her lines in the British accent on the makeshift balcony, [It seems that this dance has come to an end.]
[It seems so, Miss Anna.] Rukawa responded but not with the same ease as Rika, although well pronounced, [But this night should not be wasted with the end of the dance.]
[I am suggesting Miss Anna,] he moved closer until their faces were only inches away, [That we cherish this night together.]
[As you have recovered from your illness, I suppose.] she smiled and looked out the "balcony" toward the audience.
Rukawa's hand touched her face and gently moved it toward him. She opened her mouth to ask something, as rehearsed, but closed it again. They looked into each other's eyes for quite a while and made a move inching toward each other, closing the gap.
At the backstage, the stage manager barked some orders. "Don't pull down the curtains! They can't do anything but continue."
'Why aren't the curtains going down?' Rika screamed her thoughts to herself as they came closer and closer to kissing.
Arnold was, by then, on the edge of his seat, not wanting Rika's first kiss to be taken away from him. He was not the only one showing a bit of edginess, though. Even Sendou was already clenching his arm rest and scowling. Rina only had her face scrunched-up for no apparent reason she could think of but could not smoothen it no matter how hard she tried. Rukawa was also feeling jittery. They were not supposed to continue that scene but the curtains were not coming down.
Leaving the two characters no choice, they kissed and sent most of the students screaming in hopes that they were kissed by Rukawa, too. At that point, the curtains went down and both immediately separated and Rukawa was surprised to e greeted by glowering eyes that sent a torrent of shivers down his spine.
"Why didn't you--?!" she started but was cut off as the curtains began to open again for the curtain call. She immediately replaced her scowl with a smile.
Rika and Rukawa searched the crowd. They saw Sendou and Rina and a blank seat beside her. Both of them clapped as hard as they could and so did the entire audience. Rukawa stared at both of them the longest - to Rina in particular. He noticed Sendou going away without even calling Rina's attention.
As it ended, Rika resumed her fuming. "Why didn't you close the curtains?! Do you think it was a good joke?" The stage manager could utter no words and kept opening his mouth to make indistinguishable vowel sounds and so Rika stormed off.
Everyone stared after her, including Rukawa. After a few moments of silence, they resumed to packing-up, undressing and such but Rukawa only sighed. By then, Rina was able go backstage with a half-forced smile on her face.
Rina hurriedly approached Rukawa who was in a corner, isolated from the others, and said in a cheery tone, "Congratulations, Rukawa! You were great up there. Have you seen my sister?"
"No," Rukawa shook his head, "She stormed off. We were not supposed to continue the last scene but, unfortunately, they didn't lower the curtains immediately."
"Don't you mean, fortunately?" Rina laughed. "I'm sure you enjoyed that."
He shook his head. "No, I finally realized I only had a crush on her but she's not the one I love."
Her eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. "Really now...So you mean, there's a luckier girl than her?"
Rukawa just stared at her.
Since Rina couldn't predict the mood of Rukawa she decided to fool around a bit. "If I know, you're only covering up, Rukawa," she nudged him playfully, "You love her too."
"Not as much as you-" abruptly, he cut off realizing what he had just said. With his placid emotions and serious tone, it would never pass for a joke and he hurried himself to find a way around it. For the few times in his life, he was fazed and in panic, though not as showy as everyone else is.
"Did you..." Rina began uncertainly but looked at him hopefully, "mean that?"
Rukawa was surprised by her reaction. She wasn't mad at all. In truth, he finally understood his feelings and wanted to say it, for all the world to know. "Yes, I meant that...and I still do."
Rina was almost on the brink of tears in joy. "I did, too, the first time I met you but I did it irrationally since I was so jealous of Rika...Rukawa, will you forgive me for that?"
Rukawa held her hand and a smile began to dance on his lips. "Only if you could be mine."
Without a second thought, Rika nodded and squeezed his hand gently in response. "Of course, I will."
They stood there relishing each other's company until Rukawa got his wits back. "I saw Arnold and Sendou a while ago. They were with you, right? Where are they? Why aren't they with you?"
Rika's sister hesitated for a while then answered, "Arnold couldn't take the scene of you and Rika kissing so, he went out." She sighed and continued, "I think he went to our father to plan something mischievous. Those two can get along very well and he always visits him when he's frustrated." She looked at the other way hopefully, "I just wish it wouldn't be against you. He's really jealous, this time, you know, so you have to be careful."
Rukawa nodded, "I see..." he echoed thoughtfully, "Don't worry, I'll be alright whatever happens. But what about Sendou?"
Rina bit her lip. "He didn't say anything but, I know he's frustrated about something because when I asked him what was wrong, he only waved his hand in dismissal as he went away."
"I see" the Shohoku ace added as an afterthought.
***
Sofia/3sh: Sos sorry for holding this up!
dunkmoonX: Mostly what I did was taking care of my cousins...
Mean Helga Pataki: Well, the least you could do is tell me what makes it mary sue. Besides, it's not self-based, want to know why? I want to be all the things she is... well, maybe not all.
ninny: So sorry about that.
***
Rika and Rukawa walked across the stage memorizing where to go and what to do at the last minute. Rukawa went to the stage curtains and looked at the crowd. Rika walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. "Looking for someone?" she asked casually.
Rukawa shook his head and let go of the small crack he made but unknowingly it all went along with a blush. "No, just seeing how many people came."
Rika laughed at his denial and smirked, "I know you're looking for my sister."
Rukawa's face heated up so he turned away. "Of course not!" he answered very defensively.
"Whatever you say," she laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "Good luck and good luck."
Rukawa's face was a puzzle. 'Two good lucks?' He suddenly realizes that the other one was not related in anyway to the show, but to her sister. He blushed even harder. "I don't like her!" he scowled back at her. The only reply that he got was her continuous laughter from the backstage. "Dou ahou!"
***
Sendou, along with Rina and Arnold, arrived at the auditorium taking the best seats. Since the play was to be in Japanese, they didn't have a hard time dragging the gaijin in.
Soon the auditorium was filled and the play was about to start. The lights went off and the play began. Everyone was amazed at the proficiency of everybody's English at the play, that even the foreign guests were impressed. Even for a group of amateurs, they all admitted that they were good enough.
Arnold watched the play calmly but rage was threatening to shatter the walls of his self-control every time he sees Rukawa up close with Rika. Fortunately, his walls were hanging on, but clearly shaking because of his clenched fist and gritted teeth. Holding until the last few minutes of the show.
[Well, your highness,] Rika recited her lines in the British accent on the makeshift balcony, [It seems that this dance has come to an end.]
[It seems so, Miss Anna.] Rukawa responded but not with the same ease as Rika, although well pronounced, [But this night should not be wasted with the end of the dance.]
[I am suggesting Miss Anna,] he moved closer until their faces were only inches away, [That we cherish this night together.]
[As you have recovered from your illness, I suppose.] she smiled and looked out the "balcony" toward the audience.
Rukawa's hand touched her face and gently moved it toward him. She opened her mouth to ask something, as rehearsed, but closed it again. They looked into each other's eyes for quite a while and made a move inching toward each other, closing the gap.
At the backstage, the stage manager barked some orders. "Don't pull down the curtains! They can't do anything but continue."
'Why aren't the curtains going down?' Rika screamed her thoughts to herself as they came closer and closer to kissing.
Arnold was, by then, on the edge of his seat, not wanting Rika's first kiss to be taken away from him. He was not the only one showing a bit of edginess, though. Even Sendou was already clenching his arm rest and scowling. Rina only had her face scrunched-up for no apparent reason she could think of but could not smoothen it no matter how hard she tried. Rukawa was also feeling jittery. They were not supposed to continue that scene but the curtains were not coming down.
Leaving the two characters no choice, they kissed and sent most of the students screaming in hopes that they were kissed by Rukawa, too. At that point, the curtains went down and both immediately separated and Rukawa was surprised to e greeted by glowering eyes that sent a torrent of shivers down his spine.
"Why didn't you--?!" she started but was cut off as the curtains began to open again for the curtain call. She immediately replaced her scowl with a smile.
Rika and Rukawa searched the crowd. They saw Sendou and Rina and a blank seat beside her. Both of them clapped as hard as they could and so did the entire audience. Rukawa stared at both of them the longest - to Rina in particular. He noticed Sendou going away without even calling Rina's attention.
As it ended, Rika resumed her fuming. "Why didn't you close the curtains?! Do you think it was a good joke?" The stage manager could utter no words and kept opening his mouth to make indistinguishable vowel sounds and so Rika stormed off.
Everyone stared after her, including Rukawa. After a few moments of silence, they resumed to packing-up, undressing and such but Rukawa only sighed. By then, Rina was able go backstage with a half-forced smile on her face.
Rina hurriedly approached Rukawa who was in a corner, isolated from the others, and said in a cheery tone, "Congratulations, Rukawa! You were great up there. Have you seen my sister?"
"No," Rukawa shook his head, "She stormed off. We were not supposed to continue the last scene but, unfortunately, they didn't lower the curtains immediately."
"Don't you mean, fortunately?" Rina laughed. "I'm sure you enjoyed that."
He shook his head. "No, I finally realized I only had a crush on her but she's not the one I love."
Her eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. "Really now...So you mean, there's a luckier girl than her?"
Rukawa just stared at her.
Since Rina couldn't predict the mood of Rukawa she decided to fool around a bit. "If I know, you're only covering up, Rukawa," she nudged him playfully, "You love her too."
"Not as much as you-" abruptly, he cut off realizing what he had just said. With his placid emotions and serious tone, it would never pass for a joke and he hurried himself to find a way around it. For the few times in his life, he was fazed and in panic, though not as showy as everyone else is.
"Did you..." Rina began uncertainly but looked at him hopefully, "mean that?"
Rukawa was surprised by her reaction. She wasn't mad at all. In truth, he finally understood his feelings and wanted to say it, for all the world to know. "Yes, I meant that...and I still do."
Rina was almost on the brink of tears in joy. "I did, too, the first time I met you but I did it irrationally since I was so jealous of Rika...Rukawa, will you forgive me for that?"
Rukawa held her hand and a smile began to dance on his lips. "Only if you could be mine."
Without a second thought, Rika nodded and squeezed his hand gently in response. "Of course, I will."
They stood there relishing each other's company until Rukawa got his wits back. "I saw Arnold and Sendou a while ago. They were with you, right? Where are they? Why aren't they with you?"
Rika's sister hesitated for a while then answered, "Arnold couldn't take the scene of you and Rika kissing so, he went out." She sighed and continued, "I think he went to our father to plan something mischievous. Those two can get along very well and he always visits him when he's frustrated." She looked at the other way hopefully, "I just wish it wouldn't be against you. He's really jealous, this time, you know, so you have to be careful."
Rukawa nodded, "I see..." he echoed thoughtfully, "Don't worry, I'll be alright whatever happens. But what about Sendou?"
Rina bit her lip. "He didn't say anything but, I know he's frustrated about something because when I asked him what was wrong, he only waved his hand in dismissal as he went away."
"I see" the Shohoku ace added as an afterthought.
***
Sofia/3sh: Sos sorry for holding this up!
dunkmoonX: Mostly what I did was taking care of my cousins...
Mean Helga Pataki: Well, the least you could do is tell me what makes it mary sue. Besides, it's not self-based, want to know why? I want to be all the things she is... well, maybe not all.
ninny: So sorry about that.