"Deuce!" The captain entered the gym. Everybody stopped their actions to
greet him, who was walking beside the senior manager of the club, his
lover. Then they all straighten their backs and stand up straight.
"Deuce, Captain!!!" They welcomed them in respectful behavior, the way they used to do it every day.
"Alright, Minna… Gather up." And they then abided his instructions. All of them, who were scattered around the rectangular gym, then rushed towards Miyagi who was standing before the entrance. Before he carry on to speak of today's material, he looked around and observed every face that were there before him. "Everybody here?" They all nodded. "Alright, all of you will practice basic lay-ups and shoots. Y'all will be divided into two groups. Each will line up and face the hoops. Rookies, be sure to watch your seniors and examine their play. Learn from it to improve yourself. Okay then, divide yourself into two groups now. Move! Move! Move!" As he clapped his hands, the entire team formed two lines, each facing the opposite rings on the ends of the gym.
Each of them started running towards the hoop in a rythmic pace. Right, left, right, jump. Some missed, some scored. Most of the newcomers missed, though. Only those who had the advantages of height made it. Rukawa, however, didn't miss a single try. He was bored of this basic practices, he believed that he had mastered it all since the previous year. So when it comes to his turn now, instead of performing a lay up, Rukawa jumped higher, the ball in his lifted hand. He then dunked it into the hoops. Everybody's eyes turned to him, some were whispering. "Oi, Rukawa!! What are you doing? This is not a dunking session. Focus on lay-ups!!" Rukawa said nothing. He went outside to pick up the ball that had rolled out of the gym. As he exit the gym slowly, his lazy eyes then spotted a woman in dark indigo suit with beautiful, dark tan, wavy hairs. Rukawa was startled by her beaty, but however, he know that she's in her 30s. She's too old for him, so he threw his face away from her sight.
"Ano… You are Rukawa Kaede, right…?" Her voice was trembling as if she was frightened or hesitating. Rukawa nodded in reply. "Uhh… So this is Shohoku High… Do you know Sakuragi Hanamichi?"
"What's in between you two? Are you his fans?" Coldly, Rukawa spit out his rude questions as he threw the ball lightly in his palms. The lady shook her head and forced a smile.
"Do you have time…?" She pleaded.
Rukawa looked into the gym and noted that they were still practicing lay ups. His head then turned back towards her. "Yeah sure… I'm bored of this lay-up nonesense…" She lead him towards the vacant spot, not far from the gym. There were tall trees growing among the park, giving cool shades for them. "Who are you and what's up with that Aho?"
She looked around to make sure that there's nobody around them to hear their conversation. When all seems secure, she lifted up her round face to look at Rukawa, who was about 30 cms taller than her. "Can I trust you?"
Rukawa arched his brow in disbelief. Is this woman out of her mind? Why did she kept doing some stupid acts. The raven-haired lad shrugged as he breathed out heavy air. "What do you think? Huh?"
"I believe I can trust you," she simply said as a confident smile were attached on her cherry lips (wow, garbage ^^). She sat down on the wooden and rusty bench that were available. She then signaled Rukawa to follow her and sit down there beside her. Rukawa did as she told him to.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Impatiently Rukawa asked. She talked too much. He wanted to know things that are straight to the point. Not like this.
"My name's Mifuyu, Sakuragi Mifuyu…" She finally announced her real identity.
Rukawa's eyes widened. "Sa-sakuragi Mifuyu? Are you his sister or aunt or something?" The position of 'mom' were unthinkable in his head for her because she's too young to be Sakuragi's mom. She's in her early thirties, and Sakuragi's stepping onto 18 right now. But he knew that Sakuragi Mifuyu is the name that is written on the postcard. And if Sakuragi mentioned it to be his mom then…
"Iie… I'm his mom…"
"That couldn't be true… How old are you?" Rukawa narrowed his eyes and bent his head to examine her face, making sure she doesn't have nasty, barely- visible wrinkles on her face. He couldn't find any, her face were still smooth and clean.
She giggled to herself lightly to see the reaction of the highschool lad that's sitting beside her right now. "Maa maa, Rukawa-kun… That's not a polite question to ask a female."
"…If you don't mind, though…" He added it towards his inquiry even though it's kinda too late.
"I'm 34, stepping onto 35…" Her eyes turned serious. She then glanced back at Rukawa. "I know what you're thinking, Rukawa-kun. I know you're thinking that I'm too young to be Hanamichi's mother… Demo, I have a story to that…"
"Does that story connects with the reason why you're leaving him?"
Her eyes then turned wide abruptly. "How… How did you know such things…?"
Rukawa simply shrugged. "We all know that he's living with his father… And living alone now, since his father died…"
She remained silence. She then hesitated to carry on. Her lips seemed shaking. This Rukawa must've known more about Sakuragi. She's greatly jolted by her own fear for him. Rukawa must've known something. Or else, he could've just think that Sakuragi's mother had died too. Now that he knows that secret, Mifuyu scrupled to tell the story that she promised to share. Perhaps now all she can do is tell the whole truth. "Promise not to tell anybody?" She finally began.
"…Yeah." He agreed to kept it as a secret, away from everybody except the two of them. Even Hanamichi, the son of this lady, himself.
"Sakuragi Hanamichi… I don't think he knows anything about this…" She paused to inhale the fresh air that surrounds her head. "I… I don't think he also know that the father he had been living with all the time is not his real father."
And with that Rukawa felt himself shudder. What does this woman means? His heart beat faster, knowing that this should be an interesting background story about Sakuragi Hanamichi.
"That boy… He didn't came from him (the father). I… It was rather said that… He was… unwanted."
"What do you mean?!" Rukawa quickly hollered the question. "What do you mean by being unwanted…?" He now feels agitated and hungers for the truth. Not to mention he also feels pitiful for Sakuragi, now that his own mom stated it.
"…I was raped when I was 17… And… There was how Hanamichi came into this world…"
"There was more to that, though… While I was pregnant… I became so stressed, I even take alcohols and I smoked. I know it would harm the baby but… I don't know… I was so depressed. I was grateful, though, because Hanamichi was born in a perfect condition but then…" She stopped.
How sad the story was. How bitter it is. Sakuragi Hanamichi… He didn't know his own father. He was deceived, he thought that the father he had lived all his life with, he thought it was his real father. His father in his blood. "But then what?"
Her eyes, wet and full of teardrops, narrowed as she cupped her mouth. "I don't know… The doctor stated that he suffered of a serious disease, caused by my uncarelessness of taking alcohol and tabacco…" And the next thing Rukawa know is that he unconciously slipped his arms around her and pulled her close, allowing her to cry on his muscled chest. "Sakuragi Hanamichi… suffered… minor blood cancer…"
What? Blood cancer? That's one hell of a serious and uncurable disease. And now the one and only and special-characterized Sakuragi Hanamichi, the long rival that Rukawa had known, is suffering from it? And now does it mean that he's dying also? This must be a nightmare. Rukawa only stared at the vacant narrow path in front of him in shock. Meanwhile, the lady in his arms are still crying. Rukawa didn't know what to do know.
"I felt guilty… I felt guilty! So I faked a marriage with that man that Sakuragi only know as his father… And… And when he was 8 years old, I couldn't bear it anymore. I thought that I was bearing too much guilt by raising him up cause I know his life would come to an end soon! I couldn't face it anymore so I left him, hoping that he would vanish from the corners of my mind…"
"Idiot… Now you feel more blameworthy because you kept hiding the truth on his back for his whole 17 years of age, right?"
Mifuyu looked up and stared at the sophomore. "…That's… true…" She tried to hold back the tears and wipe the ones that were on his face away so that she could continue to talk. "The doctor stated that… He should only be able to survive until 14… Hanamichi is a strong boy… And I know he could last longer than that… Even without medicines. I worried too much, though, so I send him a postcard, telling him to color his head red. So that whenever I walk around the streets of Kanagawa, if I saw a red-colored head and a pair of hazel eyes. I know that it's him, and I could watch him from afar…"
"Why? Don't you think putting an end to your hide and seek game is better than watching him from a distance?" Mifuyu pulled back to sat up straight again. Rukawa's head was now filled with confusion. Questions of thought ran in his mind, and he was unable to think clearly.
"I'm afraid… I'm afraid to meet him… I'm afraid that he will hate me after he had coped the secrets that I had been hiding from him!" She announced loudly. Before Rukawa could throw out another question, Ayako came running out of the gym, shouting out for his name.
"Rukawa!!! Rukawa!!" What's the matter? Panic were printed on her face. Is something bad happening? Or is he in trouble? She looked around and finally spot where he was, sitting beside a lady. "Rukawa! I finally found you! We need your help!!"
"Wha…? Calm down, Sempai…"
"Excuse me, Miss, but I gotta borrow Rukawa for now. Would you mind?" She bowed down towards Mifuyu, who's sitting beside Rukawa. She tried to control her voice. Mifuyu only nodded. She would like explanations later on, though. "Rukawa! Come with me! Hurry!"
"What's all with the rush?!" Rukawa protested, muttering to himself.
"I need your help! You're the one who's capable of doing this…"
"Doing what?"
Ayako quickly grabbed Rukawa's hand and pulled him from the rusty bench. "Sakuragi! He collapsed! We don't know why!" Mifuy gasped. She covered her mouth with her hands. She knew this was a sign for both trouble and danger. And with that Rukawa quickly rushed inside to help the team carry him towards the school clinic.
a.n : waaaaaaa… review!
"Deuce, Captain!!!" They welcomed them in respectful behavior, the way they used to do it every day.
"Alright, Minna… Gather up." And they then abided his instructions. All of them, who were scattered around the rectangular gym, then rushed towards Miyagi who was standing before the entrance. Before he carry on to speak of today's material, he looked around and observed every face that were there before him. "Everybody here?" They all nodded. "Alright, all of you will practice basic lay-ups and shoots. Y'all will be divided into two groups. Each will line up and face the hoops. Rookies, be sure to watch your seniors and examine their play. Learn from it to improve yourself. Okay then, divide yourself into two groups now. Move! Move! Move!" As he clapped his hands, the entire team formed two lines, each facing the opposite rings on the ends of the gym.
Each of them started running towards the hoop in a rythmic pace. Right, left, right, jump. Some missed, some scored. Most of the newcomers missed, though. Only those who had the advantages of height made it. Rukawa, however, didn't miss a single try. He was bored of this basic practices, he believed that he had mastered it all since the previous year. So when it comes to his turn now, instead of performing a lay up, Rukawa jumped higher, the ball in his lifted hand. He then dunked it into the hoops. Everybody's eyes turned to him, some were whispering. "Oi, Rukawa!! What are you doing? This is not a dunking session. Focus on lay-ups!!" Rukawa said nothing. He went outside to pick up the ball that had rolled out of the gym. As he exit the gym slowly, his lazy eyes then spotted a woman in dark indigo suit with beautiful, dark tan, wavy hairs. Rukawa was startled by her beaty, but however, he know that she's in her 30s. She's too old for him, so he threw his face away from her sight.
"Ano… You are Rukawa Kaede, right…?" Her voice was trembling as if she was frightened or hesitating. Rukawa nodded in reply. "Uhh… So this is Shohoku High… Do you know Sakuragi Hanamichi?"
"What's in between you two? Are you his fans?" Coldly, Rukawa spit out his rude questions as he threw the ball lightly in his palms. The lady shook her head and forced a smile.
"Do you have time…?" She pleaded.
Rukawa looked into the gym and noted that they were still practicing lay ups. His head then turned back towards her. "Yeah sure… I'm bored of this lay-up nonesense…" She lead him towards the vacant spot, not far from the gym. There were tall trees growing among the park, giving cool shades for them. "Who are you and what's up with that Aho?"
She looked around to make sure that there's nobody around them to hear their conversation. When all seems secure, she lifted up her round face to look at Rukawa, who was about 30 cms taller than her. "Can I trust you?"
Rukawa arched his brow in disbelief. Is this woman out of her mind? Why did she kept doing some stupid acts. The raven-haired lad shrugged as he breathed out heavy air. "What do you think? Huh?"
"I believe I can trust you," she simply said as a confident smile were attached on her cherry lips (wow, garbage ^^). She sat down on the wooden and rusty bench that were available. She then signaled Rukawa to follow her and sit down there beside her. Rukawa did as she told him to.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Impatiently Rukawa asked. She talked too much. He wanted to know things that are straight to the point. Not like this.
"My name's Mifuyu, Sakuragi Mifuyu…" She finally announced her real identity.
Rukawa's eyes widened. "Sa-sakuragi Mifuyu? Are you his sister or aunt or something?" The position of 'mom' were unthinkable in his head for her because she's too young to be Sakuragi's mom. She's in her early thirties, and Sakuragi's stepping onto 18 right now. But he knew that Sakuragi Mifuyu is the name that is written on the postcard. And if Sakuragi mentioned it to be his mom then…
"Iie… I'm his mom…"
"That couldn't be true… How old are you?" Rukawa narrowed his eyes and bent his head to examine her face, making sure she doesn't have nasty, barely- visible wrinkles on her face. He couldn't find any, her face were still smooth and clean.
She giggled to herself lightly to see the reaction of the highschool lad that's sitting beside her right now. "Maa maa, Rukawa-kun… That's not a polite question to ask a female."
"…If you don't mind, though…" He added it towards his inquiry even though it's kinda too late.
"I'm 34, stepping onto 35…" Her eyes turned serious. She then glanced back at Rukawa. "I know what you're thinking, Rukawa-kun. I know you're thinking that I'm too young to be Hanamichi's mother… Demo, I have a story to that…"
"Does that story connects with the reason why you're leaving him?"
Her eyes then turned wide abruptly. "How… How did you know such things…?"
Rukawa simply shrugged. "We all know that he's living with his father… And living alone now, since his father died…"
She remained silence. She then hesitated to carry on. Her lips seemed shaking. This Rukawa must've known more about Sakuragi. She's greatly jolted by her own fear for him. Rukawa must've known something. Or else, he could've just think that Sakuragi's mother had died too. Now that he knows that secret, Mifuyu scrupled to tell the story that she promised to share. Perhaps now all she can do is tell the whole truth. "Promise not to tell anybody?" She finally began.
"…Yeah." He agreed to kept it as a secret, away from everybody except the two of them. Even Hanamichi, the son of this lady, himself.
"Sakuragi Hanamichi… I don't think he knows anything about this…" She paused to inhale the fresh air that surrounds her head. "I… I don't think he also know that the father he had been living with all the time is not his real father."
And with that Rukawa felt himself shudder. What does this woman means? His heart beat faster, knowing that this should be an interesting background story about Sakuragi Hanamichi.
"That boy… He didn't came from him (the father). I… It was rather said that… He was… unwanted."
"What do you mean?!" Rukawa quickly hollered the question. "What do you mean by being unwanted…?" He now feels agitated and hungers for the truth. Not to mention he also feels pitiful for Sakuragi, now that his own mom stated it.
"…I was raped when I was 17… And… There was how Hanamichi came into this world…"
"There was more to that, though… While I was pregnant… I became so stressed, I even take alcohols and I smoked. I know it would harm the baby but… I don't know… I was so depressed. I was grateful, though, because Hanamichi was born in a perfect condition but then…" She stopped.
How sad the story was. How bitter it is. Sakuragi Hanamichi… He didn't know his own father. He was deceived, he thought that the father he had lived all his life with, he thought it was his real father. His father in his blood. "But then what?"
Her eyes, wet and full of teardrops, narrowed as she cupped her mouth. "I don't know… The doctor stated that he suffered of a serious disease, caused by my uncarelessness of taking alcohol and tabacco…" And the next thing Rukawa know is that he unconciously slipped his arms around her and pulled her close, allowing her to cry on his muscled chest. "Sakuragi Hanamichi… suffered… minor blood cancer…"
What? Blood cancer? That's one hell of a serious and uncurable disease. And now the one and only and special-characterized Sakuragi Hanamichi, the long rival that Rukawa had known, is suffering from it? And now does it mean that he's dying also? This must be a nightmare. Rukawa only stared at the vacant narrow path in front of him in shock. Meanwhile, the lady in his arms are still crying. Rukawa didn't know what to do know.
"I felt guilty… I felt guilty! So I faked a marriage with that man that Sakuragi only know as his father… And… And when he was 8 years old, I couldn't bear it anymore. I thought that I was bearing too much guilt by raising him up cause I know his life would come to an end soon! I couldn't face it anymore so I left him, hoping that he would vanish from the corners of my mind…"
"Idiot… Now you feel more blameworthy because you kept hiding the truth on his back for his whole 17 years of age, right?"
Mifuyu looked up and stared at the sophomore. "…That's… true…" She tried to hold back the tears and wipe the ones that were on his face away so that she could continue to talk. "The doctor stated that… He should only be able to survive until 14… Hanamichi is a strong boy… And I know he could last longer than that… Even without medicines. I worried too much, though, so I send him a postcard, telling him to color his head red. So that whenever I walk around the streets of Kanagawa, if I saw a red-colored head and a pair of hazel eyes. I know that it's him, and I could watch him from afar…"
"Why? Don't you think putting an end to your hide and seek game is better than watching him from a distance?" Mifuyu pulled back to sat up straight again. Rukawa's head was now filled with confusion. Questions of thought ran in his mind, and he was unable to think clearly.
"I'm afraid… I'm afraid to meet him… I'm afraid that he will hate me after he had coped the secrets that I had been hiding from him!" She announced loudly. Before Rukawa could throw out another question, Ayako came running out of the gym, shouting out for his name.
"Rukawa!!! Rukawa!!" What's the matter? Panic were printed on her face. Is something bad happening? Or is he in trouble? She looked around and finally spot where he was, sitting beside a lady. "Rukawa! I finally found you! We need your help!!"
"Wha…? Calm down, Sempai…"
"Excuse me, Miss, but I gotta borrow Rukawa for now. Would you mind?" She bowed down towards Mifuyu, who's sitting beside Rukawa. She tried to control her voice. Mifuyu only nodded. She would like explanations later on, though. "Rukawa! Come with me! Hurry!"
"What's all with the rush?!" Rukawa protested, muttering to himself.
"I need your help! You're the one who's capable of doing this…"
"Doing what?"
Ayako quickly grabbed Rukawa's hand and pulled him from the rusty bench. "Sakuragi! He collapsed! We don't know why!" Mifuy gasped. She covered her mouth with her hands. She knew this was a sign for both trouble and danger. And with that Rukawa quickly rushed inside to help the team carry him towards the school clinic.
a.n : waaaaaaa… review!