Disclaimer: I don't own Slam dunk… but someday I will find a way to be the co-owner of slam dunk… hehehehhe… (Hey, there is nothing wrong in dreaming…J)

Author's note:

                Please don't forget to review after finishing reading this chapter… J

Rhapsody of Destiny

Chapter 2      Park, Project, Sealed

(Damn, he is good in the road) Rukawa made a turn and returned to confront the other person. He'll get some answers from him or else he'll be skinned alive.

~~~__

When he arrives, he saw the stranger leaning on a red sports car. He stood up upon spotting his arrival. Rukawa killed the engine of his car and approach the guy. They exchanged glared, that the persons who witness it saw lightning traveling from one another's eyes. Sendoh broke the glaring contest.

"Not bad for a beginner. You're a quick thinker; you know when you're beaten. You can't defeat Youhei in racing. He is good at that – after all it is his hobby and passion aside from music. You can't easily catch him when he is on the wheel. I just waited for my own ride and to formally say that the planned project is off." Sendoh turned around and approached the passenger seat of the car. He hopped in the car and lowers his window to give his last word to Rukawa.

"Rukawa, a piece of advice… Stay away from her. She doesn't like to be wooed by the likes of you. Besides, you don't like females remember. We were wrong in that area; you just said that to get publicity. One more thing, she likes your songs so much – so why don't you sing it yourself. I know you have the talent to sing them. We heard you sing before."

"Wait! Before you leave, I want to know why she fainted. IS she ill?" Rukawa couldn't hide the concern in his voice.

"She fainted because she is tired. That's all." Sendoh smiled to reassure him that there us nothing wrong to Sakura.

Rukawa stood there as he saw the car on the road and out of his sight. Just like Sakura, he saw her and now she is gone from his sight just that.

(I will find you, Sakura. I will make you mine. I will learn all the things about you.)

Rukawa entered his studio and found his brother and manager comfortably sitting and talking to one another, discussing about the incident that occurred. He asked Maki to gather information about Sakura and he wants it as soon as possible. Maki did what Rukawa asked; he knows that Rukawa never asked for a favor before. Sakura must be special for him to have the reports ASAP.

After a week of searching about any information about Sakura, the only thing that Maki discover about her was a piece of bond paper. The information was only pure profile that Sakura's company distributed about her. All the information is limited and nothing special was gathered but still it is an information.

Rukawa received the reports but it didn't help at all. He felt the same way as Maki but more depressed. Another week passed still no lead on where Sakura is. She hadn't shown up for two weeks already. Her managers won't talk no matter what Rukawa do.

Rukawa decided to unwind by going to a park. He was walking when a running person bump him that causes both of them to fall. He groaned inside upon the impact made from his back in his chest. As the offender started to move and rise from their "uneasy" position, Rukawa went paler than usual as he sees the soulful and most beautiful eyes of his girl – no other than Sakura herself.

"Gomen… I didn't mean to hurt. I was trying to escape some of bodyguards. Oh, my… they are already near me. Oh my..." Sakura stammer and shake as the voice got nearer and nearer to their location. She was about to give a very long sigh when she was swept from her feet by the stranger she accidentally bump into. They run as fast and as far as their feet can take them. They only stop when they feel they have gotten far and safe from the chasers.

Sakura was very tired but laughed like crazy because they succeeded to elude her bodyguards. On the other hand, Rukawa gaze dreamily at the laughing figure of Sakura. Sakura stop laughing and laid down in the field covered with grass. She enjoyed the feeling that she is free and happy. Nature really can make her relax at the same time refresh her tired body.

"Ummm… can you tell me why are you running from your bodyguards? If it is okay with that is?" Rukawa tried to make a conversation to Sakura and to break the deafening silence that started to engulf them.

"Ah… my bodyguards?! You see my best friends locked me in my room to have a rest. You can say I am kindda grounded for two weeks straight now. I have a feeling that it will extend now that I succeeded to escape." Sakura rolled on her belly to face Rukawa, who sits beside her, with sparkling brown eyes enjoying the idea that she outwitted her guardian.

"I am not prying or something but why would your friend locked you in your room."

"Why? They locked me because it is for my own good. You see I am a workaholic type of person. I overworked myself for the pass few days before my appointment to a known composer. I think hard to make many plans to make sure that I have the chance to sing even a verse of his work. A verse of his song and that's that. – I will be happy and contented." The sparks in her eyes sudden faded as she answered his question. Rukawa got worried because he caused her to feel lonely. He was about to speak up to change the subject when Sakura continued on talking.

"You know what, I think it is true that when you wished hard you will get it. So I get the chance to sing a verse of his song when I saw a piece of paper in the floor that was flown by the wind. I picked it up and sang the verse. I felt as if the song was telling me to continue on singing it – that it was made just for me by the composer. My system got relaxed and I suddenly felt refreshed. I also felt that I don't need my plan because my wish did come true. So I gave up. When I decided to give up and left the room, I felt so tired all of a sudden and I collapsed. Because I collapse, the two went ballistic and worried about my health. So they locked me in my room to recover – but my goodness for two weeks I was locked up. I got sooo bored. Aside from that, they even forbade me to even dream of singing Rukawa's song or listening to it. Oh, Rukawa is the composer I was talking about for quite sometime now. So I escaped. That is my story." Sakura smiled sweetly that Rukawa was taken aback by the sudden changes of her attitude.

Sakura kept looking at the handsome face of Rukawa as mixed of emotions flooded his face. Rukawa on the other hand became transparent to her because he was attracted to her brown eyes that penetrated deep within him. Rukawa was disturbed from his day dreaming when Sakura spoke.

"Oh, we have been talking but yet I still have no idea who you are. By the way, my name is Sakura. And you are?" She extended her right hand to introduce herself formally to the person who helped her.

"Ummm… nice to meet you Sakura… My name is Rukawa… Rukawa Kaede." He was uneasy introducing himself but he tried his best not to show it to her. Sakura in contrast to him went pale and shock upon knowing that the guy she was with was the same guy he dreamed of meeting and convincing to allow her to sing his songs.

"You're Rukawa Kaede… the Rukawa the composer… the famous Rukawa guy?"

"Yes… I am. Are you worried?"

"Nope. I am honored to meet you personally and I didn't need to set an appointment to you." She chuckled at her joke. Rukawa smiled and laughed along with her.

They continued talking and laughing until sun down. They parted as friends and made an agreement that the project will push through, even without their managers' presence.

~ OWARI~