Disclaimer : don't fanficcers get sick of this?

Title : The Sakuragi Cousins

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CHAPTER 8 : Stage execution

The ball continued its healthy sound against the solid floor. It was already late at night and Rukawa was still in the school gym. He has been practicing, obviously; since the gym had been free these past few days. He was left sweating hard when he finished his special training. The practice they had this afternoon was a bore. Everyone seemed busy at this and that but they were unusually silent. Sure the Gori was there but the atmosphere was different. Everyone seemed indifferent of the silence; all except for a certain ice blue eyed, raven haired boy. He sighed, surrendering to a corner of the court.

He could have sworn he heard the do'aho's booming voice once in the ensuing serenity. When he remembered that the redhead was absent, he concluded that he must have been tired and was therefore hallucinating. And he was not going to affirm Ayako's comment that he, Rukawa, was missing the redhead. He was not missing the do'aho!

An annoying silence beset him; it made him hear more of the imaginary do'aho. Where's the idiot anyway? They're suppose to have a practice game with Ryonan in a month's notice. The do'aho's not about to let this game pass. He was not about to let Sendoh get away. Besides it was his first game since the redhead's return. Surely he was not to miss this. Right?

Why was he worrying about that idiot anyway? He could care less actually. He shouldn't be bothering himself about the do'aho's absence. It's his loss.

Nothing much happened today, nor yesterday, at school. The only notable thing that happened would be the principal's announcement that day. Rukawa could have cared less, actually, only if the commotion didn't involve their former captain which it did. But then it didn't involve basketball so Rukawa cared a little less than what he normally would, out of respect to Akagi. It was some sort of a program, the principal said; an advancement program offered by another school. Some Yusenko High, a new school in Kanagawa. Most of the students hadn't heard of it before. The said school had only been in their district for 4 years and had gone unnoticed by most people. But Rukawa doesn't give a damn anyway; it must have been some other newbie school like Ryukufu. Back to the program, Yusenko was inviting some of their top students, both in academics and co-curricular, to join the program. They also included the top students last year and some others from different universities; that's where Akagi got in to the picture. The students were formally noted by Yusenko High and it seemed the candidates had been thoroughly researched.

Yusenko High was something new to Shohoku students. Not only was it that there were only about ten to five student in the whole school who knew its existence; but the information about Yusenko was quite arresting. They say that Yusenko High is actually a subsidiary of another lesser known yet highly interesting college. The college itself is a branch of an international university which has other sectors in different parts of Japan. And it's also the school where most of the brains of Japan resides! It so happened that one of the ten or so knowledgable students took an admission test in Yusenko and the geeky squirt conquered the limelight when he bragged that he had passed its initial admission exam. Then someone asked why he didn't study there. Another student brought down the lights on the geeky guy, saying "It's because he didn't pass the second screening." All heads then turned to the new speaker. Rukawa that morning was half-asleep in class, barely understanding the conversation of his classmates. It was the class president who spoke. She said a friend of her took the test and passed the initial screening but failed the second. Mostly 18 out of 20 examinee do fail the second exam. It was like giving a toddler some mean upper year exam, she said. So it was settled; Yusenko High was a haven for geniuses. And Shohoku's former captain, Akagi, was to take the plunge and be screened.

Rukawa's lips resisted a twitch; his mind somehow reeled over the idea of Hanamichi bellowing about his alleged intellect and demanding to be admitted at Yusenko at once. He shook the image off and proceeded to prepare himself to leave the gym. Before he turned off the lights, he thought he heard someone call him 'kitsune'. He looked around and saw nothing. He kicked himself mentally before leaving.

***

General science, chemistry, biology, and physics. All of them were piled on one side of Hanamichi. He has been reading them all day dutifully. Passing the program's screening was something of urgency and importance; and it was gravely emphasized by the Mistress, his grandmother. Yes, he had met with her that morning. A very nerve wrecking rendezvous, but it was definitely inevitable. His heart was seized by a powerful hand, imposing control.

.... Molecular Theory of Matter states that (1) all matter is made up of molecules, (2) molecules are always moving, (3) there are spaces between molecules (4) they attract one another, and (5) most material expand when heated and contract when cooled.....

Shit! Why does he have to study this crap? It's been discussed over and over again since when? 4th, 5th, and 6th grade? That's what Van said when she handed this to Hanamichi. She had given him her old elementary notes up to her present high school books. Lucky for Van she need not worry about the screening test; she's been in since last year and is now one of the prominent seniors and highly respected student leaders. And of course, she's a member of the premiere team. Hanamichi's main goal is to pass the test, get in to the team, and work as fast as he could into senior level. The time allotted for him is 3 months, which in conventional case, would be a feat next to the impossible. Hanamichi has to study within 3 days; what good is that? Hanamichi tossed the notebook in a heap on the floor. He has had enough of the basics of molecules and matter.

... One of the main causes of water pollution, other than industrial waste, vessel discharge, and domestic sewage, are agricultural runoff and salinization. Agricultural runoff and domestic sewage are largely responsible for euthrophication, a phenomenon that causes virtual suffocation in most aquatic life forms.....

Blah, blah, blah... Boring. Everybody knows that agricultural runoff could result to euthrophication. The tensai knows that. Too much carbon waste could deplete the oxygen resource underwater. To diminish aquatic destruction, an industry needs a very environment-friendly and efficient water treatment plant. Some major industries in Japan had given a lot to water treatment and had been almost successful in achieving a hundred percent efficiency, adding nothing to thermal pollution. Hanamichi scanned the pages of the environmental science book. He had never dreamt of becoming an environmentalist; but the pitiful status of mother earth and its startling effects on human beings left him interested.

He took another book. This time, on biology.

... Plants probably evolved from green algae called charophytes. For decades, systematists have recognized that green algae are the photosynthetic protists most closely related to plants.....

What exactly is he doing?

Hanamichi was never used to this sort of academic activity. He was always sure of himself, uncaring. But now there is this urgency. So what's the reason?

He was out to prove himself. Those scrutinizing and discriminating eyes of his grandmother and Aunt Miranda was enough to compel this young man to dare everything in order to sustain his pride, the same pride that presides every Sakuragi.

'You dare bear the name Sakuragi, eh?' Miranda mockingly stated. 'How pathetic!' She pushed up a finger to her spectacles; her intimidating glare on him. His Aunt Miranda would always look at him like that; her prim and formal eyes boring through Hanamichi. He could only lower his gaze, half fuming and embarrassed, as they interrogated him. He knew not exactly why he was feeling very much nervous; but they always had that effect on him ever since. Shudders would come now and then; he need only to stifle them.

Of course, Hanamichi was not one to be underestimated. He was after all a typical stubborn Sakuragi, a rightful possessor of the name in every aspect.... except maybe for one trait which is normally uncalled for. He professed his aim to be considered settled: he was to enter Yusenko High's comprehensive Youth Scholastic and Co-curricular Enhancement Program (YSCEP), a prelude in entering the political and scientifically based system of Liwette University. It was decided; and it must be done. He gave up the sciences and indulged himself in the drudgery of Math.

... Points A and B are on opposite sides of Lake Yankee. From a third point, C, is the angle between the lines of sight to A and B is 46.3°. If AC is 350m long and BC is 286m long, find AB.....

Sometime ago he needn't bother himself with this sort of question; and the same time ago he could not perceive a whit of understanding on the same question. But now, the clearness of his mind was seemingly awful and impossible to comprehend. At the mere thought of his unbelievable intellect, he sighed with resolution and picked up a pen to jot down the formula for the law of cosines.

***

"Oi!" Van popped her head from behind the door. Hanamichi was in the moment busy studying the mechanics of limits and derivatives. The subject wasn't actually hard to comprehend; it's just that he could not see the use of these things in his daily life.

"What?" he half-scowled, half-greeted his cousin.

"Whacha' doing?"

"Math."

"Ah, Calculus."

"Yeah, whatever..."

"That's pretty easy."

"Of course, it is! It's easy for the tensai!"

"I never said anything. Want me to help you?"

"Are you saying the tensai does not understand what he's reading?!"

"I didn't say that, you said that. It maybe that I'm implying it but I didn't say it. Anyway, I'm just kidding."

"Oh, ok..... HEY!! Now wait a minute!!!"

She leaned over the study table to look at Hanamichi's scratch works which, besides being dirty and almost illegible, proved to be all correct. "Nice work."

"Of course!" Hanamichi grinned smugly. Of course, he was the tensai. What is it that he could not do? Get a girlfriend maybe, but... heck! What's he saying??!!

"Yes. It's well done. But let me suggests an important pointer here. Please, Hana, if you're doing a derivation, don't forget to complete the whole computation rather than just jotting down the factors and without labeling them properly. It's better to write 'f of x' instead of 'y'; and please don't forget to write the 'x approaches a' under the 'limit of f of x'. That way it would be clearly understood."

Hanamichi frowned at his work. "What's the use? They only want the answers, don't they? What difference will it do?"

Van sighed exasperatedly as she walked across the room towards the window. She pulled the curtains open. He did have a sense there. Anyway, she had always felt uneasy with Math subjects even if she's considerably good at it. She was an environmentalist for creep's sake! What good will Math do to her, unless she's doing a field work and checking slopes and angles of earth surfaces? But she doesn't have to deal with computations anyway; what are co-researchers for?

"The difference is you'll get a higher score from it. It's basic pointer, Hana, and very imperative while solving math problems. Our teachers are very strict about that. You can give a little note on your paper after solving saying 'that the whole labeling process is totally absurd' and then 'blah, blah,blah...'. Who knows, they might respond to you-- they usually do. Just make sure that your points are strong enough or else... well, our teachers are mostly smart-asses. They may piss you off if they intend to be excruciatingly smart." She looked back at Hanamichi, leaning her slim body on a small table by the window. Everybody knows that this is not going to be easy for him. He came from a conventional Japanese school: prim, semi-authoritative, public. That's why he stared back at her puzzled, but with openness which could be his guiding strength. Probably there'll be a chance for him to adopt more rapidly than the others.

"What exactly are you planning to say to me?"

"Some advice before taking the test."

Hanamichi grunted. "Yeah, whatever...." He irately faced his desk, unwilling to be taught.

"By the way, Math tests are, as usual, all or nothing," she continued nonchalantly. They always are, she thought grudgingly.

"What's new about that?" he snapped, fixing still on the desk reading.

Van resisted to laugh out loud. "I know. They require essays too," Van walked towards him. "Mediocrity is considered lame unless your vindication are impressive and convincing or you have contributed another aspect to the subject. Don't be cloying; it's disgusting." She stood by the desk, gluing herself to the spot. "Be radical if you have to. More importantly be original." She had arrested his attention for the time by the way he gave side glances despite himself she thought. "Be frank if you feel like being one. This also applies during interviews. Show that you have the eagerness or at least the appreciation to learn subjects or notions that may seem different and unconventional in society. It's kind of confusing but the bottom line is: you should have a character of your own and not be afraid to show it."

And now his complete attention is drawn to her. Reclining his back on the chair, Hanamichi attended Van dubiously. He has to say his cousin has a very prominent personality and such an aura does not usually reside in a normal school like Shohoku; and he is saying this with much conviction. She sports herself with simple apparels; and yet however plain, homely, or ridiculous they may seem when donned by others, Van looks a lot refreshing to the eyes whichever of the articles she chooses. Currently she permitted herself a pair of black slacks and a dark blue polo shirt which clung to her fair bosom artfully. Her hair which was unconventionally pink in color had tiny braids dangling carelessly beside her face; and the strands looked like they needed attention; despite all she still looked stylish and alluring. She emitted a confidence and haughtiness that only a Sakuragi could express definably. Her gray eyes express the same shape which was common to their dear clan. Keep her amongst a sea of crowd and you could easily pinpoint her in a second's flash; even if she was wearing a garb of homely plainness. Hanamichi admires her in a way one longs for a figure that one wishes to possess. If only he, Hanamichi, was born like her; it would have been less painstaking. He sighed, scorning himself mentally.

"And basically why are you saying this to me?"

She quirked a brow. "To get you pass Yusenko High, dolt! What else?"

Hanamichi snorted.

"Look," Van prompted. "We want you to get in there. And not just in there Hanamichi." She smiled maliciously. She has been doing that for sometime, grinning conspiratorially like a thing so thrilling was about to happen. Hanamichi stared up at her, waiting for the purpose of all that has been happening.

"Ok, you want straight facts?" She wasn't about to beat around the bush like the others. "Our family is one of the main financiers of Liwette. All trained researchers and scholars are absorbed by our companies for their use. We didn't raise brains for nothing, Hanamichi, we practically own them and are obliged to us. The companies are expanding and we need trained and intelligent people with us." Her voice was of low, secretive tone accentuated by something of an insane excitement. Van, despite her outward free spirit, was just like him, controlled and attached to the name Sakuragi. It was clear to Hanamichi that she wasn't totally of her own; to think how similar they are!

"What does this got to do with me?!" That question still remained unanswered. He never expected to be a part of this. If they held him so in much contempt as he thought they did then why does he have to be involved? Confused as he may, he knew Van was not the person to ask this.

"How should I know? What ever came to you to agree with this anyway?" she backfired, equally thrown off. "Look, just do it. Just pass the da-- just pass the test, ok? I'll teach you how to draft term papers and proposals tomorrow. Wake up early." With that she preferred to leave the room, leaving Hanamichi more vexed than he was before. He gave up a breath; this would be harder than he thought.

***

It was half past twelve. The hall was accordingly dark and the shadows were hovering along it like spirits from a surreal time. Everyone seemed to be slumbering in the depths of it all, except for one red headed soul. Hanamichi was still wide awake, immune to the darkness with only a patient light to guide him on his task. Conditional probability was at first confusing; but while reading the examples a couple of times and doing a little exercise for himself, he found out that it was a bit like permutation and combination and visualization dawned at him.

Stat gave him more headache than expected, so he closed his eyes and rubbed his sore temples. While performing some head exercise, turning his head left and right, he caught a glimpse at the picture on the bedside table. There a big framed photograph of Shohoku team lay silently, looking back at him in remembrance of what he had left at Kanagawa. From the dimness of the room he could distinguish his team mates faces vividly, wondering of their occupation at this unholy time. Obviously they're tuck snugly in their bedrooms, sleeping soundly. Especially that stupid kitsune. He's probably down on a coma, drooling his head off. Hanamichi snorted. "Baka kitsune..." he muttered low on his breath. Irately he tore his gaze away from the piercing eyes of the blue eyed boy, only to be replaced by another azure eyes glowing with juvenile gleam which touched the very bottom of his heart. The photo from Jeantuel was fixed closely on the study... beside him. Hanamichi stared at the young blond boy from his youth fondly. He already felt lightheaded and fuzzy, cleared off of the constant worry at hand. Pushing himself of the table, he decided to rest, clicked off the lights, and headed for the bed. Antoinette and his picture was placed complacently on the other bedside table.

***

Three days had passed and the special exam of Yusenko High came. The exam starts at 8 a.m. and by 7:30 students were already swarming the huge lobby. Yusenko Kanagawa High School, located near the outskirts the prefecture, was grand, one adjective to describe simply the unspeakable aura surrounding the place. The area was twice the capacity of normal schools. The main building impresses an English structure with huge, seemingly archaic arches and huge brick stones. The front lawn was laden along side the pathways with delicately trimmed bushes and flowers. Yusenko Kanagawa was startlingly big for more or less 500 students. Each class has a normal capacity of twenty and some special rooms have the maximum of fifty. There were about 17 accessible laboratories around the campus, excluding the other Yusenko branches which the students can also use. Liwette University was just one wall away from its high school counterpart. It has been told that there were no barriers hold on both campuses; they can freely comply with each other.

There are three screenings for the said exam. First is the normal entrance exam. Within a week's time the results would be given and another screening would be held immediately. This time a comprehensive screening would proceed; and the very last is the interview and such other unknown supplementary of this odd program. Akagi was already there as early as possible. Some Shohoku members gathered themselves to bid their support for the former captain. They were quite surprise to see some familiar faces amongst the crowd like glass boy Hanagata of Shoyo, obnoxious Miyamasu of Kainan and some other basketball athletes they know or hear to be intellectuals. Such a stir this event showed to be a phenomenon for Kanagawa folks for it was at the same time engaged on different cites.

Miles from them the same assembly was conjured in the city of Naha where Yusenko Naha was already established long before the branch in Kanagawa. The rumpus was less since its far off capital island. The facilities were just the same as that of Kanagawa's but the physical structure differed since Naha was a bit more on the modern architecture. Nevertheless, the atmosphere has the same mysterious air compounded by its inhabitants. On that same city a certain red head merged himself among the crowd pretty much determined to rule them all out.

***

Sapporo, Japan.....

He felt chill on his spine. They had finished half of the exam required by noon, and it was only a matter of urgency for them to have a break. A fancifully colored white and yellow ballpen played between his thumb and middle finger in a display of tactful maneuvering. The other hand busied itself with a stray lock, twirling it continuously with a finger until it curled beautifully beside his face. It was a sunny day, the temperature no different from where he came from; yet the air and country struck him thoroughly, like a lovely fragrant suffocating him to his merry death. Oh, how he would love to burst, scream, and run so badly! Run to where his juvenile heart is at, down south. He knew it: 'he' is down south. What an irony this gives; now he knows what they meant when they say, 'so close, yet so far'. He admitted he could have laugh at it given different circumstances, if only it didn't involve 'him'.

Instead of getting acquainted with some of the students, or feasting over his meal, he stopped his hand from meddling the cute ballpen and took out a notebook. There he spilled out his suppressed sentiments and anticipations.

'I am happy yet I am sad. I am here and you are there. For years this has been the closest I could get to you; but I could not help but hope. Squelching this last straw of hope is like taking the very heart of me, crushing it with strength of cruel indignation until I bleed miserably and die of insufferable agony. I could not possibly cease hoping; you know it will kill me. And then I wonder, is this a horrible trap set out for me? To hope on a hopeless dream so I may crush down to oblivion when they deliver to me the dreaded sentence? It is infuriating! They play me as if I'm a mere toy, a demented puppet for their amusement. They did not choose to give me the death I deserved, instead they have maliciously trampled my emotions! How could they?! I only wanted to be with you, was that too much to ask?' The door opened and swallowed in a prim looking instructor carrying a bundle of papers. It was already time to start the next exam. Stopping tear to fall down his eyes, he jotted down the last sentence he could think of. 'And yet here I am, a complete fool and still at their mercy. I tried to be strong; no-- I will be strong. My soul may suffer and it may die; oh, I may be exaggerating things but when it stabs the very heart of me-- Dear me! I must think positively; at the moment I know you're in the same condition as I am; it is fanciful to think that we are taking the exam at the very same moment. That is enough to make my weary heart flutter up to seventh heaven. I will not give up as I promised, oniichan. I shall see you again..... Hanamichi....'

-_-;; TBC

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(~_~;) ok, hello..... finally..... *sigh* this will take me long. a lot of technicalities in this chapter. nothing much.... still misted with confusion.... my writing's starting to sound like Anne Shirley on the latter part, but one doesn't give a f***....

M-i : i think i'm apt to break my promise to you one way or the other.... ehehehehe.... =P

starsong : i'm happy that you're happy... ^_____^ i hope you continue to be happy.... no need to say sorry.

fiery frost : enlightenment?? well, let's just see. i've to provoke my hands for it (*kisses hands*).

keli : Woah!! that comment blew me off! i am trully honored. there will be HanaRu and HanaxAntoinette.... I am torn but there will be romance, if you would want to call it that..... i'm not good with romance actually, but I dare make one. don't worry.... i'm glad you liked it...

bentoh : why, thank you... sorry to keep you waiting.... hehe...

mischief14 : the last line on chapter 7 was actually intended to reveal Van's gender; and yes, van is a girl... i apologized for somehow leading you astray. it's a bit HanaRu. i hope you continue reading this. =D

Alexandra : of course, i will write on.....

Maria- chan : well, here it is.... a bit on someone (you probably know who) on this chap.... *wink*

well, these notes are supposed to be on the top of the page but i can't seem to distort my momentum and formal layout. so these notes would be stuck at the both..... (^_^;;)