Just one more three-point shoot...
"Rukawa-kun, aren't you going home?" The voice echoed from the other end of the vast gymnasium that has been deserted by everyone except the two of them.
Rukawa ignored his calling. He picked up the ball and dribbled it quickly as he ran towards the hoop. Just as before his Nike Jordan touched the three-point line, he jumped back a little, caught the leather ball with his two hands, swung his arms and threw. The ball flew through the air and formed a loop and it dove straight into the ring. He wiped his sweat with his wristband and took a deep breath.
"Hey," Kogure handed him a clean towel to him as he smiled. "Nice shoot."
Rukawa immediately snatched the towel from his hands. He was sweating profusely, his whole t-shirt is soaked with his sweat. "Thanks," he grated Kogure and walked towards his bag.
"Listen, are you still gonna be around for a while? I'm gonna lock up the gym..."
Rukawa quickly changed his shirt, put on his windbreaker and his sweatpants. "No, Sempai."
"Alright then, I'll wait outside..." The senior smiled. He then made his way to the exit. Soon after that Rukawa followed him and walked out of the gym. Kogure locked the doors and then they both went home on separate directions.
Rukawa finally got back to his house. The same old vacant house that he had lived in all by himself for the last 4 years. It was actually a pretty small and neat house but to live in it alone is way too painful. He was always lonely. Even back then when he lived with his parents he was ignored by them most of the time. Rukawa barely remembered his parents' face. He didn't want to remember them anyway. To him his parents' existence was nothing more than an envelope full of too much money that arrived in his post office each 6 months.
He placed his gym bag aside as he took off his sneakers. "Tadaima," he whispered to himself. No one replied, of course. Rukawa only smiled painfully. The house was dark. There were no lights lit. As he walked through the dim halls his attention was dragged onto the flashing light from the phone. A message? Who would send him a message? Nobody would even bother calling him but now he received a message? His hand immediately groped around the walls for a light switch. As the lights were on, his other hands pushed the playback button on. The raven-haired boy could feel his heart thumping out of his chest. Questions were running through his mind.
Peep!
"Kaede..."
A voice of a woman came out of the phone. It was a familiar yet far-away voice. Rukawa felt his mouth open in disbelief.
Mother?
"Kaede... How are you? It's been a long time since we last talk. I know you can't pick up the phone now cause you're probably at school. How's school? I know you're working hard. I know I'll be proud of you..."
Rukawa frowned. His eyes were nailed to the phone and he was paying close attention. There is no way he would've let a word slipped out from his ears.
"Kaede I'm sorry I haven't been there for you all these times. Dad was sorry too. We were busy with work. But now we'll try to make it up. Can I come for a visit? I miss you a lot, Kaede. Mom haven't got much of a spare time... So can you call me back to maybe give me a date or something? Okay? Thanks, Kaede... I'm looking forward to see you again..."
And that was the end of the message. He winced as he thought of meeting again with his parents. It's not that he hated them. They weren't there for him all these times. It seems like they didn't need him, so why should he bother now? Rukawa was hurt, and now he was fine living all by himself. He knows it gets lonely sometimes but that he can handle. But a face-to-face reunion with his mother is what he can't deal with.
"Give you a date?" Rukawa snorted. "No way..." He then made his way to his room.
"Alright alright alright! Minna gather up!!" Akagi waved his hands around the air as he called the team members on top of his lungs. They all looked his way and then walked to the middle of the court. "We are now going to play a game! Divide yourself into two groups and then get the jerseys from Ayako. Team A will be blue and B will be red! Go go go!" They hustled around the gym and formed two separate lines.
"Hahaa... Kitsune, this time you against me!! You can't beat me now...!!" Hanamichi laughed aloud as he placed both his hands on his hips.
Rukawa only sighed. "Whatever, Do'aho..."
The two lines walked towards Ayako and she handed each one a colored jersey vest.
"Rukawa..." Akagi called as he was standing near the entrance of the gym. "Come here..." The freshman did as he was instructed and walked towards the team captain. His face was stern and is quite gloomy. What could it be? Did he do something wrong?
"Yes, Sempai?"
Akagi heaved a deep breath. "There's someone here to see you. He said he wanted to talk to you. And yeah, he's asking you to come with him so pack your bags."
"What?" Now that a week ago he received a message from his long-lost mother and now somebody is here to see him. All these times he had been alone in life now there are people who threw themselves at him. This time who could it be? "Where is him, Sempai?"
Akagi pointed his thumb towards the way to the school exit. "He said he'll be waiting at the gate."
Under his breath he cussed to himself. "Hai..." He took off his blue vest and then handed it to Ayako.
"You're going home, Rukawa?" Ayako's face was a little bit disappointed. Rukawa only nodded. "Too bad... I was bored today and was hoping for a show that I know you'll usually put up. But then... oh well..." She smiled and patted Rukawa's shoulder since she's too short to reach Rukawa's head. "Just come tomorrow, okay?"
"Hai..." Rukawa replied shortly and then packed his bags. He took out his jacket and then excused himself from the rest of the team.
"Chi... That Kitsune is such a coward. He walked out on me?" Bonk! A punch landed on Sakuragi's head.
"Shut up and just play." Again he raised his hands in the air and drew everybody's attention. "Let's begin the game, minna!!!"
Rukawa walked slowly towards the entrance gate. Among the few students he saw passing by he saw a man in black suit. The man's face lifted as he saw Rukawa coming his way.
Must be that guy... What the hell is up with that black suit and all that?
"Kaede-san." The man greeted with a faint smile. His hair was dark and was slicked with gel to the back. His face was light but he could barely see the wrinkles that started to get visible. This man must've been at least 30 years old. "Follow me."
"Where are we going?" Rukawa gave him that cold hard look. Of course, he needed an explanation. He had just met this mysterious stranger that is approximately 15 years older than him and said that he would take Rukawa to some place. He couldn't be dumb and would let someone kidnap him. "And who the hell are you?"
Once more the man smiled. He offered his hand to him, waiting for Rukawa to take it and shake his hands. "Call me Ian." Rukawa did not shake his hand. "I have a car waiting outside. And I just wish to take you to your house. Someone is waiting there."
"Who is it?" Quickly Rukawa threw back another question right after Ian finished talking.
The man smiled. "A very close relative of yours, sir. The one that you have not met for 4 years. The one that wished to see you."
There was an awkward silence. Rukawa sighed. He knew exactly who he meant. It was no one else rather than the one that had gave him a house to live alone and has abandoned him all these years. The one who he decided to delete from his memory. The one who had called him a week ago.
"Mother..."
:: to be continued ::
a.n : long time no write a slam dunk fic. Hahah... I decided to write another serious fic. Hope you enjoy!
"Rukawa-kun, aren't you going home?" The voice echoed from the other end of the vast gymnasium that has been deserted by everyone except the two of them.
Rukawa ignored his calling. He picked up the ball and dribbled it quickly as he ran towards the hoop. Just as before his Nike Jordan touched the three-point line, he jumped back a little, caught the leather ball with his two hands, swung his arms and threw. The ball flew through the air and formed a loop and it dove straight into the ring. He wiped his sweat with his wristband and took a deep breath.
"Hey," Kogure handed him a clean towel to him as he smiled. "Nice shoot."
Rukawa immediately snatched the towel from his hands. He was sweating profusely, his whole t-shirt is soaked with his sweat. "Thanks," he grated Kogure and walked towards his bag.
"Listen, are you still gonna be around for a while? I'm gonna lock up the gym..."
Rukawa quickly changed his shirt, put on his windbreaker and his sweatpants. "No, Sempai."
"Alright then, I'll wait outside..." The senior smiled. He then made his way to the exit. Soon after that Rukawa followed him and walked out of the gym. Kogure locked the doors and then they both went home on separate directions.
Rukawa finally got back to his house. The same old vacant house that he had lived in all by himself for the last 4 years. It was actually a pretty small and neat house but to live in it alone is way too painful. He was always lonely. Even back then when he lived with his parents he was ignored by them most of the time. Rukawa barely remembered his parents' face. He didn't want to remember them anyway. To him his parents' existence was nothing more than an envelope full of too much money that arrived in his post office each 6 months.
He placed his gym bag aside as he took off his sneakers. "Tadaima," he whispered to himself. No one replied, of course. Rukawa only smiled painfully. The house was dark. There were no lights lit. As he walked through the dim halls his attention was dragged onto the flashing light from the phone. A message? Who would send him a message? Nobody would even bother calling him but now he received a message? His hand immediately groped around the walls for a light switch. As the lights were on, his other hands pushed the playback button on. The raven-haired boy could feel his heart thumping out of his chest. Questions were running through his mind.
Peep!
"Kaede..."
A voice of a woman came out of the phone. It was a familiar yet far-away voice. Rukawa felt his mouth open in disbelief.
Mother?
"Kaede... How are you? It's been a long time since we last talk. I know you can't pick up the phone now cause you're probably at school. How's school? I know you're working hard. I know I'll be proud of you..."
Rukawa frowned. His eyes were nailed to the phone and he was paying close attention. There is no way he would've let a word slipped out from his ears.
"Kaede I'm sorry I haven't been there for you all these times. Dad was sorry too. We were busy with work. But now we'll try to make it up. Can I come for a visit? I miss you a lot, Kaede. Mom haven't got much of a spare time... So can you call me back to maybe give me a date or something? Okay? Thanks, Kaede... I'm looking forward to see you again..."
And that was the end of the message. He winced as he thought of meeting again with his parents. It's not that he hated them. They weren't there for him all these times. It seems like they didn't need him, so why should he bother now? Rukawa was hurt, and now he was fine living all by himself. He knows it gets lonely sometimes but that he can handle. But a face-to-face reunion with his mother is what he can't deal with.
"Give you a date?" Rukawa snorted. "No way..." He then made his way to his room.
"Alright alright alright! Minna gather up!!" Akagi waved his hands around the air as he called the team members on top of his lungs. They all looked his way and then walked to the middle of the court. "We are now going to play a game! Divide yourself into two groups and then get the jerseys from Ayako. Team A will be blue and B will be red! Go go go!" They hustled around the gym and formed two separate lines.
"Hahaa... Kitsune, this time you against me!! You can't beat me now...!!" Hanamichi laughed aloud as he placed both his hands on his hips.
Rukawa only sighed. "Whatever, Do'aho..."
The two lines walked towards Ayako and she handed each one a colored jersey vest.
"Rukawa..." Akagi called as he was standing near the entrance of the gym. "Come here..." The freshman did as he was instructed and walked towards the team captain. His face was stern and is quite gloomy. What could it be? Did he do something wrong?
"Yes, Sempai?"
Akagi heaved a deep breath. "There's someone here to see you. He said he wanted to talk to you. And yeah, he's asking you to come with him so pack your bags."
"What?" Now that a week ago he received a message from his long-lost mother and now somebody is here to see him. All these times he had been alone in life now there are people who threw themselves at him. This time who could it be? "Where is him, Sempai?"
Akagi pointed his thumb towards the way to the school exit. "He said he'll be waiting at the gate."
Under his breath he cussed to himself. "Hai..." He took off his blue vest and then handed it to Ayako.
"You're going home, Rukawa?" Ayako's face was a little bit disappointed. Rukawa only nodded. "Too bad... I was bored today and was hoping for a show that I know you'll usually put up. But then... oh well..." She smiled and patted Rukawa's shoulder since she's too short to reach Rukawa's head. "Just come tomorrow, okay?"
"Hai..." Rukawa replied shortly and then packed his bags. He took out his jacket and then excused himself from the rest of the team.
"Chi... That Kitsune is such a coward. He walked out on me?" Bonk! A punch landed on Sakuragi's head.
"Shut up and just play." Again he raised his hands in the air and drew everybody's attention. "Let's begin the game, minna!!!"
Rukawa walked slowly towards the entrance gate. Among the few students he saw passing by he saw a man in black suit. The man's face lifted as he saw Rukawa coming his way.
Must be that guy... What the hell is up with that black suit and all that?
"Kaede-san." The man greeted with a faint smile. His hair was dark and was slicked with gel to the back. His face was light but he could barely see the wrinkles that started to get visible. This man must've been at least 30 years old. "Follow me."
"Where are we going?" Rukawa gave him that cold hard look. Of course, he needed an explanation. He had just met this mysterious stranger that is approximately 15 years older than him and said that he would take Rukawa to some place. He couldn't be dumb and would let someone kidnap him. "And who the hell are you?"
Once more the man smiled. He offered his hand to him, waiting for Rukawa to take it and shake his hands. "Call me Ian." Rukawa did not shake his hand. "I have a car waiting outside. And I just wish to take you to your house. Someone is waiting there."
"Who is it?" Quickly Rukawa threw back another question right after Ian finished talking.
The man smiled. "A very close relative of yours, sir. The one that you have not met for 4 years. The one that wished to see you."
There was an awkward silence. Rukawa sighed. He knew exactly who he meant. It was no one else rather than the one that had gave him a house to live alone and has abandoned him all these years. The one who he decided to delete from his memory. The one who had called him a week ago.
"Mother..."
:: to be continued ::
a.n : long time no write a slam dunk fic. Hahah... I decided to write another serious fic. Hope you enjoy!