"Ja, Rukawa-sempai!" The freshmen on clean-up duty that day left the gym. Once again, as always, he was the last one left after practice.
It was his second year in Shohoku. Being the young, aspiring and horribly talented and determined basketballer he was, there was hardly any doubt that he would be taking over the committee once the seniors this year left. Especially now that his rival in the team wasn't around to well – be his rival anymore.
Sakuragi Hanamichi was once a basketballer in the Shohoku High School basketball team. Like Rukawa, he had the talent. Plus, he had the physique and stamina that contributed to his unbelievable improvement throug a few months.
Yet, he was no longer part of the team.
A fall in their preliminary match of the Nationals had caused him a major injury in his spinal cord, and a car accident which definitely could have been prevented had taken away his ability to walk completely, just as he was recovering from his injury.
Rukawa'd never heard of him since then.
He stared at the hoop and yanked the ball in that general direction. It rebounded off the hoop and landed back on the floor. After a while, it became still.
Baka.
Despite not wanting to admit it, he was pissed off at the fact that such talent was destroyed just like that.
Sendoh Akira.
Could he beat Sendoh now? Now that he knew what teamwork was. Now that he'd been to the Youth Team Summer Training and received training there. Was he better now?
Sendoh hadn't seen what the Nationals were like. He couldn't beat Sawakita.
And I could.
I won't lose to Sendoh Akira.
"Kaede-sama…!" A soft voice disrupted his thoughts. He spun around, only to see the familiar figure of a girl his age before him.
She had reasonably long auburn hair which was held up in a loose bun with her bangs falling down the sides of her face. The aura around her was one of gentleness, thus giving others the impression that she was matured and motherly.
She was a quiet and kind girl by nature who listened to her parents orders whether she found them correct or not. She was the daughter of a rich family, and had her whole life planned out for her at birth. She never questioned the words and actions of others, but frequently doubted herself.
"What are you doing here." He asked in a flat tone. He was neither interested in knowing the answer nor surprised that she was here in the first place.
"It was getting late, so I came to see if you… nevermind." She answered despite knowing that her answer did not matter to him. His silence only served to discourage her, thus causing her to cut herself off mid-sentence.
"Go home. I won't be going home so early. And how many times must I tell you not to come to my school." He said, sounding rather annoyed.
"I… I was concerned." She whispered, looking searchingly at the ground around her feet.
"… My life is none of your concern." He muttered. He was surprised that the statement had not come out in the harsh tone they'd both have expected it to come out in. Maybe he was just feeling guilty. "Go home. I'll find my way."
"Hai, Kaede-sama." She bowed and waited till he turned away before she stood up straight again and took her leave.
Before others, she was refined and carried herself with such grace that even the other rich girls at school respected her. Yet in front of Kaede, she looked like a haggard maid. She just couldn't bring herself to smile before him.
She was his fiancee, but by name only. It wasn't as if he cared about her. It wasn't as if she mattered to him. It wasn't as if he loved her in the first place.
FWAH. HAHA.
How was that. I thought it sucked. As in, I didn't know how to end it. Basically don't expect to see this fic completed. Because you see, I've written hundreds of them, but hardly any gets completed. And even if they are, the endings are very abrupt. Not that I can write anyways.
I suppose you could review if you want! I'd appreciate it. I intend on continuing anyway so haha there isn't a minimum amount of reviews I need before continuing (as if I'd get it anyway). I expect to only get one or two at most haha. Oh man if I don't stop now my footnote would be longer than the chapter itself. Pfft. Haha.
