Silent Love
By: Kuroi Neko-kun
Summary: Rukawa's mute sister returns to his life after years of separation. With the new school year coming, he expects a better life. Meanwhile, Sakuragi suffers his 51st rejection. To top it off, Haruko rejects him for Megane-kun. But a turn of events made him meet Rukawa Kinaki and finds out about her secrets, giving a chance to make peace with Rukawa. Could this be the ultimate boon or will it turn to something else?
Chapter 2: Perchance the Destined Meeting
Key:
"Spoken"
'Sign language'
Thoughts
'Mental messages'
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Sakuragi walked down the road to his home. Youhei had offered his accompaniment but he refused. The redhead wanted to be alone. He needed to clear his head and his heart before school began. He was just about to cross the road when a speeding red sports car nearly banged into him. He blinked. Someone could get hurt if that keeps up. He crossed the road and turned to the bend.
~~~
It was going to happen, she knew as she rushed out the door in her pajamas and coat. She ran down the street and stared at the bend where she saw her brother fall. She waited, in apprehension. She concentrated on the sounds, hoping to single out her brother's bike. It took her awhile but she heard it, coming closer towards her. She looked ahead of her and sure enough her brother was about to turn the bend. She saw what came at the opposite direction, a speeding red sports car.
'Onii-chan!" she mentally screamed. It did not reach him. She did not want to see him fall. She looked around and saw a young red-haired boy closer to her. She pushed a mental message to him.
'Please! Save my brother!' The redhead did not even question the message. He ran straight to Rukawa and used his body weight to get him out of harm's way. They tumbled to the sidewalk. The bike took the damage.
~~~
Rukawa stared at his bike, which moments before he was riding. Now, it was what he could have been. He turned to the person who pushed him.
"Are you al…?" Rukawa blinked. It was Sakuragi. "Rukawa…" Sakuragi muttered. They stared at each other for a while till Kinaki came to them, hugging her brother.
'Onii-chan!' She sobbed.
"Kinaki-chan… what are you…?" Kinaki turned to Sakuragi and smiled, despite her tears.
'Arigatou… for saving my brother…' Sakuragi shook his head, hearing her voice in his mind. But it was that same voice that asked desperately for his help to save Rukawa. He just nodded, unsure of what happened. The girl had turned to Rukawa and fussed over him. Sakuragi realized that she was referring to Rukawa when she said brother.
"Is this your sister?" he finally asked. Rukawa nodded. "She… spoke to me… right?" Rukawa mumbled something to his sister and she nodded.
"She's mute," he said," she can't speak."
"Oh…"
"But she's telepathic. She could speak through the mind," Rukawa explained. Sakuragi took it in and smiled at her.
"I'm Sakuragi Hanamichi," he said, nicely. Rukawa blinked, not having seen this Sakuragi before.
'I'm Kinaki. Rukawa Kinaki,' she told him. He took a step back before smiling again.
"Yoroshiku, Kinaki-san…" Kinaki's smile grew broader.
~~~
Kinaki sat up in her bed. School was starting the next day and she was thinking about the redhead that treated her normally even after knowing she spoke into his mind. Sakuragi Hanamichi… Onii-chan said he was nothing but trouble. But he's different than that. I wonder why onii-chan said that… She felt her cheeks turning hot. Gosh, look at me…. I'm thinking about a guy I met a week ago after a strange vision of my brother's supposed accident. I wonder if he's attached… She hoped not. She knew that he was from Shohoku. Tomorrow I'll definitely meet him again. I hope he likes me.
~~~
Sakuragi took a glance at the class list again. He was fortunately in a class with Youhei and unfortunately stuck with Haruko and Rukawa as well. Come on, Hanamichi! You're turning a new leaf now! It's basketball or broke! That means getting along with that fox! He walked back to his seat, which was at the window as usual. Looking out, he saw a familiar bike, a familiar chant and a familiar young girl. Kinaki-san… she's entering Shohoku?? He glanced worriedly. She was mute after all. What if they make fun of her? Sakuragi hated to see that. He swore right then to protect her from any humiliation that anyone could give her.
"Sakuragi-kun," a familiar voice greeted him. He glowered, not wanting to turn. He pretended to be asleep. Haruko tried to wake him up but soon gave up and went back to her seat.
"I saw that," Youhei muttered, sitting at the table beside Hanamichi," I thought you were over her."
"I am. I just don't want to befriend her at the moment."
"And why?"
"… A deep wound heals slower than usual…" Youhei gave his friend a look. He was surprised that Sakuragi had taken a slightly more mature respond to all this. He knew this was the end of the brash, hotheaded Sakuragi Hanamichi he knew. And he was grateful for that.
"Hanamichi, you…" Before he could continue, Rukawa had stepped in, followed by the swoon of many girls in the class except Haruko who was talking to Fujii and Matsui. She barely responded his presence. Rukawa, as usual, ignored as much as he could and walked all the way back and sat at Youhei's other side. The boy blinked.
"I thought you sat in front?"
"…Change…" he muttered before plopping himself to sleep but Sakuragi was staring at him. Not the usual 'I hate you' look but a different one that never belonged on the boy's face. Rukawa stared back. Sakuragi gave a nod and Rukawa nodded back, still staring at each other. Sakuragi smiled and turned back to the window while Rukawa fell asleep. Youhei blinked some more. What's going on here?! Somehow, he had a feeling there was a major change in the way things were going.
~~~
She felt left out. Everyone was talking and she was sitting silently as she should. Kinaki glanced left to right. It seemed like she never existed. I wonder why onii-chan wanted to be like this… She noticed that someone had come up to her and started talking. She wanted to ignore but the girl was talking about Rukawa.
"… So he's like the best player in Kanagawa! And he's sooo cool! I saw all his games ever since he was in Tomigaoka! What do you think of him?" Kinaki blinked at her and turned away, acting uninterested. The girl, frustrated, walked away. Kinaki longed to tell them that she was his sister and the number one fan spot was reserved for her but she could not. Soon, the teacher stepped in and gave his introductions. After he was done, he called out Kinaki and told her to stand in front.
"Class, I know we usually start with introductions but you have a very special classmate with you," he turned and wrote her name on the blackboard," this is Rukawa Kinaki. She's mute. That means she cannot speak." A hand shot out from somewhere in the class.
"Sensei, why did she join Shohoku? There are special schools…" The teacher shut the speaker instantly.
"Shohoku is willing to accept anyone except for those with extreme and mental disabilities. Rukawa-san only cannot speak. She is perfectly normal despite that." Another hand shot up.
"Sensei… when you meant Rukawa. Is she related to our Rukawa? You know, Rukawa Kaede?" The teacher sighed, anticipating the question. All eyes were on the teacher.
"Yes," he finally answered," she is Rukawa Kaede's sister." All jaws drop after that. Their eyes never left Kinaki as she walked back to her seat, feeling very weird.
~~~
Finally lunch. Most of the class had filed out to the cafeteria. Some stayed to eat their home packed lunches in class but soon left when they saw that Sakuragi, Youhei and Rukawa were staying back too.
"Hey, not going to practice?" he asked his friend. Sakuragi gave him a look.
"I'm taking a break from overdoing it," he answered. Rukawa, who had woken up, said nothing but still stared at him. There's something weird about him… He thought. It did not go long as his sister burst through the door.
"Kinaki-chan? What are you…?" She held up an obento at his face. He took it. "Thanks…" he muttered. She turned to Youhei and Sakuragi who had been watching them all this while. "Oh, this is my sister… she's…"
"Mute," Sakuragi continued. Youhei gave him a look. "I met her once. Her name's Kinaki-san."
"You have a sister?" Rukawa nodded. Youhei turned back to Sakuragi," You MET her?"
"Yeah… kinda weird though…" He stopped when he noticed Rukawa glaring at him. She smiled at him and took out another obento. It had a piece of paper stuck on it. It bore his name.
"For me?" She nodded. Sakuragi thanked her gratefully and smiled back," arigatou, Kinaki-san." Rukawa and Youhei blinked. Sakuragi was acting different. Before Youhei could think of anything else, a plate of rice balls was shoved at his face. She started her sign language, which Youhei understood.
"Thank you," he smiled," It's okay that you didn't know that I was here. We never met. I'm Mito Youhei. Call me Youhei if you like," he answered. She smiled and bowed before taking her leave, feeling better than before. The two basketball players blinked at him.
"You know what she was saying??" Sakuragi exclaimed.
"I had to… My aunt was deaf and we had to learn it to talk to her," he shrugged.
"Deaf? That's not the same…" Rukawa sighed.
"The deaf can't hear so they have to use sign language to talk to each other, do'ahou," Rukawa drawled. Miraculously, Sakuragi smirked at him.
"This do'ahou is planning to learn that sign language," he proclaimed before turning to Youhei," you gotta teach me." Youhei, a bit surprised, nodded. Rukawa reacted like he normally would: uninterested. But he was surprised too.
~~~
The sports hall was packed and noisy as many of Rukawa's fan club and others who are suddenly interested in basketball came to watch the start of the first basketball practice for Shohoku High. Miyagi stepped up and shouted over the noise for the team's attention.
"Okay! Everyone settle!" he shouted," first years, get in line." Everyone stopped talking and followed his orders. Miyagi glanced at the first years and whistled. "We've got a lot of them this year," he mumbled. Ayako came over to him and handed the list of first years. He glanced nervously at her.
"It's okay… you can do this, Ryota," she whispered, winking at him. He smiled back at her and touched her hand, giving her his silent thanks. He had told Ayako his feelings and, unlike Sakuragi, he got his girl. He moved over and dealt with the first years.
~~~
He waited patiently for this to be over. Ryo-chin… Iya, Captain is taking too long… He was not itching to show off but he wanted to play, to show himself, and everyone, that he's being serious of the game. Sakuragi watched him talk to the last boy in the row. After the other introductions [where Rukawa's fans screamed when he said 'unh'], Miyagi proceeded on a basic warm-up and then the practice match.
"Seniors versus first years," he announced, "let's see how much you can deal in court." Ayako smiled at him, knowing how much he had prepared for this day. He turned to Rukawa and Sakuragi. "I want you two to make sure you give them hell. Being in Shohoku does not mean we're lenient. Remember our secret theme is 'Remember Akagi'." The two blinked at him. He gave them a look," I mean it! Now get there!"
~~~
Kinaki never had problems finding her way to the sports hall. It seemed like all the girls had it etched deep in their minds. She just had to follow their minds.
Should I? Kinaki stopped. She was hearing another person's mind, by accident again. She wanted to push it out, ignoring it. Even if I had hurt Sakuragi-kun that way… That caught her. She hid at a corner, listening. I should go… I am assistant team manager, after all. Sakuragi-kun should be over it by now… right? Before she knew it, Kinaki was pulled into the girl's memory.
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Kinaki looked at her surroundings. She was at a park near the school. Nobody seemed to notice her. You have finally reached the ability to enter someone's memory… she mentally groaned, not liking the idea. She had not taken a few steps when she heard a familiar voice.
"Haruko-san… I've been meaning to tell you this…" It was Sakuragi Hanamichi's! Kinaki felt the glow on her face.
"What is it, Sakuragi-kun?" It took awhile for Sakuragi to answer back but he did, blurting out everything.
"I love you!" She heard the gasp and then the fade out. That was all she needed… for now.
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She snapped back to reality, slightly overwhelmed by her new power. Kinaki shook her head and straightened herself. She heard footsteps and saw the young girl walk to the sports hall. Disheartened and angry, she swore to herself, Sakuragi would never be hurt by the likes of you! I won't allow it! She felt the thought projecting and ignored that. She turned and walked away, not knowing that the thought was pushed into Haruko's mind. Haruko heard it, loud and clear.
~~~
Practice ended late as usual. Rukawa heard the newbies complain of the tough match they had with the second years. He snorted, knowing most of them would be quitting soon, not able to take the toughness of the team. He had been captain himself and knew that it had always happened. He came out of the showers and got dressed. He was just about to leave when he passed Sakuragi, who was staring in space. Rukawa tied to ignore but his mind would not let it. After all, Sakuragi was different in court. He remembered how he was on court, playing like a real player. And he was not trying to show off too. I could say he's changed.
"Oi…" he started. Sakuragi looked up, almost mechanically. "Oi…" Rukawa patted his shoulder. He suddenly jerked up, like he just woke up.
"Huh?" Rukawa sighed.
"Daydreaming, do'ahou?" Sakuragi started packing up his bag.
"Oh… Rukawa…" he sighed," Nothing, just a bit…" He picked up his towel and a bottle dropped out from it. Rukawa picked it up from the floor, recognizing the bottle.
"Tipsy?" He continued for Sakuragi. The bottle was snatched from his hands.
"Shh!" Rukawa grabbed the bottle back and kept it in his bag.
"I thought you changed, do'ahou," Rukawa said, " but this proves that you've gone the lowest of the low." That fumed Sakuragi.
"What do you know about me anyway?!" he shouted," you barely say anything to anyone and you think you can judge people like that?!" Rukawa slapped him, bringing him back from hysteria. They just stared at each other for a while.
"What's this all about?" Rukawa asked, breaking the silence. Sakuragi looked away and thought about it for a while.
"If I told you… you won't tell Youhei about the booze?" Rukawa nodded. Sakuragi sighed and sat down. He told Rukawa everything right there and then.
~~~
He never knew that Sakuragi had suffered so much rejection in his life. It was not a wonder he had resorted to drinking to cure off some of the pain left from Haruko's rejection. He had said to Rukawa," I know you think its stupid… right?" He gave a nervous laugh. The pale boy shook his head. But from that, he found the reason why Sakuragi hated him. He had the heart of the girl he had loved, one-sidedly.
"I told myself that I have to move on… but every time I stayed on court, the past caught up to me." Sakuragi smirked at him and turned back to his bag. "But I'm not going to run away… I just love this game too much."
"Sakuragi…" Rukawa muttered, a bit touched by Sakuragi's determination.
"What? Did you just call my name?" Rukawa blinked and turned away, realizing it himself.
"What are you talking about, do'ahou?"
~~~
It had been a very happy week for Rukawa Kinaki despite the minor setbacks. She returned to the family she longed to be with since young. She had people being her friends and she met someone, who now had special meaning to her heart. She sighed, smiling to herself as she walked down the sidewalk to the supermarket. Rukawa wanted to meet her there after practice. He had told her that her father wanted something cooked by her, for a change. Besides, Benibana-san was on leave for the weekend. She was about to take a turn when someone stepped in front of her. The young man smiled at her. She smiled back.
"Hi," he said," are you alone?" Kinaki kept her smile on her face and nodded. "Oh, really? Then, would you like to go somewhere with me?" She shook her head. "Are you meeting someone?" She nodded again. "Oh… okay…" His smile faltered and he sighed, running his hand through his spiky hair. "I must be boring you until you don't want to even open your mouth…" Kinaki shook her head and was about to use her sign language when her brother came from behind the boy and glowered.
"Sendoh," he muttered. The boy whirled and smiled at Rukawa.
"Rukawa… what a coincidence…" Kinaki ran up to her brother, clutching his arm. Sendoh sweat dropped. "Is this your new girl?"
"…Sister."
"Oh, no wonder she won't speak to me…" Sendoh muttered," Are all Rukawas like that?"
"She's mute," Rukawa deadpanned. Kinaki smiled at him as Sendoh widened his eyes even more.
"Mute?" He asked," oh… sorry…" Kinaki stepped up, 'It's not your fault.' She said in sign language. 'You don't have to apologize.' Rukawa noted Sendoh's unsure face.
"She said…"
"No, I just… felt weird. Somehow, I should have…" Sendoh was lost for words. Rukawa blinked.
"You know sign language?"
"My dad used to teach me because he said that no matter what, everyone has to communicate with each other," he smiled," by the way, you're very cute." Kinaki blushed and hid under her hat.
"Really…" Rukawa rolled his eyes and grabbed Kinaki's hand," let's go…"
"Wait! I… um…" Sendoh started stammering. Kinaki faced him. "You want to go out with me…sometime?" Rukawa wanted to punch his face but Kinaki gave an answer that stopped him and shocked the both of them at the same time.
'Sorry, I've got someone else in mind… Thanks for asking.'
~~~
"Okay, tell me."
'No.' Kinaki answered as she dropped more items in the cart. Rukawa pushed by her side.
"Who is the guy?"
'I won't tell you.' She smiled at him and ran off to another aisle.
"Kinaki! Tell me!!" Rukawa chased after his younger sister, who was now blushing.
'I won't tell…'
"But you have someone in mind. I'm just concerned…"
'And curious… I can read your mind, you know…' She smiled, hiding her flushed cheeks. She did not want to tell him who he was. Not because she was shy but her brother seemed to not get along with him. He had always complained in his letters of the 'Redhead Do'ahou'. She sighed, hoping that they might get along and then, she'll tell him. In the meantime, Rukawa was prying the answer out with a form of twenty questions.
"Is it someone from your class?" She shook her head. "Is he a first year?" She shook her head. "Is he from my year?" She nodded again. "Is it someone from a sports club?" She nodded her head and placed a few cans of soup into the cart. "Is it someone in the basketball club?" She stopped turning to him.
'Onii-chan, stop it, ok? I'll tell you when I'm ready…' Rukawa stopped for a while and finally nodded, respecting her decision.
~~~
"Ah~! Rukawa!" screamed from the other girls at her left. Kinaki gave an inward sigh as she took out her fingers from her ears. The girls were going to make her deaf. She had pushed her way to the front and nearly fell when a curly haired girl caught her.
"Hey there!" she said as Kinaki straightened up. The girl examined her for a while and smiled. "You must be Rukawa's sister, right?" Kinaki blinked. "Oh, sorry… I'm Ayako and I know about your… condition. Anyway, I know about you from Rukawa since I went to Tomigaoka with him. He didn't tell me but… I saw your picture in his locker." Kinaki blushed at that. Not once a person approached her with such… naturalness before. "What is your name?" Kinaki took out a piece of paper and scribbled her name on it. "Ah," Ayako said," you have a beautiful name, Kinaki-chan…" She bowed, silently thanking her. "Take a seat here, your brother will take forever, trust me." Kinaki did, enjoying watching her brother practice. Every now and then, she would glance at Sakuragi and blush when she realized she was staring at him. She glanced at Ayako who, thankfully, had not noticed. Kinaki was enjoying herself when a familiar cheery voice darkened her day.
"Haruko," Ayako greeted her," how was the extra class?" Kinaki threw a glare at her, without her noticing.
"It was okay for now. By the way, Rukawa and Sakuragi will be going to theirs next week so…" She trailed off, noticing Kinaki," who's this?"
"Oh, this is Kinaki-chan… er, Rukawa Kinaki, Rukawa's sister." Kinaki did a curt bow.
"Hello, I'm Akagi Haruko… pleased to meet you, Kinaki-san." Kinaki gave a very short handshake. Haruko blinked at her, expecting her to say something when Ayako jumped in.
"Er… Kinaki-chan's mute." Haruko reacted like everybody else would: filled with apologies of sympathy and awkwardness. Kinaki brushed it off with 'it's alright' scribbled on her notepad. She went back to her seat and watched her brother [and secretly, Sakuragi] practice.
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