Disclaimers: I own not Slam Dunk. I own not this song. So sue me not.

Author's Notes: This is a companion piece to "Save the Best for Last". It was supposed to be "I Love the Way You Love Me", but certain things happened in such a way that made me deem this song more appropriate. This song was performed by Karen Carpenter, and I'm using the arrangement a close friend performed once. Sendo POV.

Lyrics

You
by Shinri Ayase

You are the one who makes me happy
When everything else turns to gray

Have you ever had those days? When you realize that taking back that one wrong move would have made all the difference between winning and losing?
I do. and no one ever notices.
Well, maybe except for HIM. HE always knows when I'm feeling down. And somehow, he makes it all better.
Like, for example, that above-mentioned incident. After the rest of the team had gone, I quickly dropped my act. I hit everything I could with everything I have.
He was there, watching. When I stopped for a breather, he quirked his eyebrow at me and crossed his arms.
"You done?" he asked.
I shrugged.
And then...he made a face at me. He just up and crossed his eyes while sticking his tongue out to the left. I just had to laugh my guts out.
"Oh, my GOD! What was THAT for?"
It was his turn to shrug. "I just felt like doing it."
You must understand, though...my OshKosh never does things so impulsively. And out of the blue, he did that.
For me.
It's weird. At that moment, I was reminded how blindingly lucky I am.
To have HIM, of all people, loving ME, of all people.
He was blushing, and I knew it must have taken all his guts to do that. He never liked being the fool.
I love him so much!

Yours is the voice that wakes me mornings
And sends me out into the day

And he always knows what's good for me, you know? Back when we were younger, I had this...problem. With girls. One day, I was dumped by one girl too many. So I got drunk. and somehow ended up at Kosh's place. He had these cute slippers...that...I...puked on. Hm. I should ask him what he did with it.
In any case, that was the day I declared that he was my best friend. In retrospect, I may have been a bit drunk. But that was the best decision of my life.
I spent the entire day with him and had a blast.
That was the first time I realized that he was actually kinda cute. Like an angry, rabid squirrel. Dangerously rabid, and cute. When we parted ways, I told him to give me a call.
He did. Early the next day. He wanted to make sure I didn't kill myself. Also, he said I'd be late for class if I didn't move my behind. I took that the wrong way, of course, and endured this hour-long tirade about hentais.
We were late for school that day. So ever since then, Hiro-kun would call me at four am so he'd have leeway for a lecture before school.
I still come to school late and get an earful for it. I always found that comforting.
I think I started to fall the moment he began that first rant.

You are the crowd that sits quiet list'ning to me
With all the mad sense I make
You are one of the few things worth remembering

Now don't get me wrong. Kosh may be very good with lectures. But nobody beats me at rambling. And I mean no one. Sometimes, I would ramble on and on about nothing in particular like this one time when Rukawa Kae-chan and I started playing and we lost track of the time and then we found out we've been playing for twelve hours straight after we passed out from exertion and the heat and he blamed me for it an I said "Nuh-uh, you challenged me" and he said it was still my fault and then some passerby told us to shut up and then Kae-chan said something rude and then...
Well, you get it.
Somehow, my Hiro-babe's the only one who could stand a full hour of my idle prattle. And translate it. Fukuda always said Koshy-kun couls write a whole dictionary of Akiran words and phrases.
I'm not usually a serious person. But when I do get serious, I make sure that it's over something important.
No doubt about it. Koshino Hiroaki is about as important as they come in my life.

Sorry if sometimes I look past you
There's no one beyond your eyes
Inside my head the wheels are turning
Hey sometimes I'm not so wise

I'm the first to admit that I have the attention span of a goldfish. And I'm very rarely coherent. And sometimes I trust people too much. and most of the time, I just don't think. I feel.
It was a year ago when IT happened.
He'd invited me to watch this game (I don't know how he scored the tickets, but I loved it!), and of course, I agreed. So off we went. I was really excited, too - I get to go on a trip with Kosh (and secretly pretend that it was a date).
But the game was cancelled. Poor Kosh was really upset about that. And then we ran into Rukawa Kae-chan, who challenged me again. Of, course, I couldn't back out. It might not look it, but I have professional pride. and since Kosh was there, we asked him to referee - just to make sure the game was fair and square.
We played for hours, and I still won. But Kosh really looked tired and frustrated.
I shouldn't have been surprised, really. Being referee isn't all that fun.
I was too tired to say anything on our trip back home. And he was, apparently, too upset to care.
But then...
The sky shone like a sign from heaven. I looked at the boy beside me...
And knew at that moment what he had become to me. I just had to say it before the moment escapes.
"I love you, Kosh."
He looked surprised for a moment, then pissed.
He punched me. Hard.
I thought I was being rejected. I was just about ready to pick up the pieces of my broken heart when...
He kissed me.
So I kissed him back. I'm not one to let a chance go past.
We've been together ever since.
Come to think of it, I never did find out why he punched me.
I guess I should try and figure it out myself.
But, for the moment, I'll just bask.

You are my heart and my soul, my inspiration
Just like the old love song goes
You are one of the few things worth remembering

He catches me staring at him again and he gives me The Glare. The one that says "This is for your own good, so do it and do it well!"
I know we were supposed to be studying for the entrance exams, but I'm really bored. Who cares about Algebra, anyway? I don't think I'll need to solve for the values of x and y when I'm taking up Journalism (yeah, I know, it's supposed to be Hikoichi's turf - but I like it).
"Baka. What are you thinking when you're supposed to be concentrating?"
I look up at him and grin.
"Why did you punch me one year ago?"
He looked surprised, then embarrassed, then defensive. It was just so cute. Cuter than the Bert and Ernie dolls I gave him for our monthsaries.
"I'll tell you when you pass the damn test. Now STUDY!"
I just have to give him a kiss for that.
"Baka."
He leans in for another kiss, then it's back to work.
Yosh! I'll pass this test for sure! After all...
Have you ever had one of those days? When you realize the bad days don't really exist?

And since it's all true, how could anyone mean more to me than you?

END

Happy SenKosh Day!