Basketball Fever
By hrsapphire
The wind blew hard on Rukawa's face. 'Something's going to occur,' he thought. He might not be a psychic person but whenever the wind blows hard on him, something really happens, whether bad or good. He was on his way to the court when a girl in training clothes bumped into him, making him fall. "I'm sorry," she said standing up and running ahead to the court. 'That was fast,' he thought. When he was going to stand up, he felt something under his hand. He looked at it and saw the girl's ID. He picked it up but didn't look at her name. He put it in his pocket, telling himself to give it to her the next time he sees her. 'Wait a god damned minute!' he thought. He ran towards the court just to see the girl training alone in the court.
"Hey!" he shouted to her. She looked toward him and shot the ball beyond the three-point line. It went in. Rukawa was taken aback. "How did you do that?" he asked approaching her.
"I don't know. I just can," she explained. Silence was evident in the court when suddenly, the door opened.
"The genius is here!" Sakuragi shouted.
"Idiot," both of them whispered. Rukawa looked at her.
"You think so too?" he asked.
"Of course. He's done that since he tried out for the basketball team," she said crossing her arms across her chest.
"You know him?" he asked.
"Yeah. He's my brother," she explained looking at him. Rukawa's eyes widened.
"Your brother?!" he almost shouted. Sakuragi turned to the two of them.
"Oi! Rukawa! Are you hitting on my sister?" he asked.
"No he's not. Are you just going to stand there or shoot hoops with me?" She asked taking the ball from Sakuragi's hand. They played while Rukawa just stood there, taken aback. 'She's his sister?' he thought. He put his hand into his pocket and found the girl's ID.
He looked at it and his eyes widened. "Hanamichi Sakura" was written beside the picture of the girl. "Hanamichi Sakura?" he asked himself. He looked at the two of them playing basketball. He remembered that today was the day they would accept new members for the basketball team. Other players entered the court, to their surprise; Sakuragi was playing with a girl.
Kogure approached Rukawa. "Who's the girl?" he asked. Sakura shot again beyond the three-point line, staring at Sakuragi.
"Idiot's sister." Rukawa said still staring at the game at hand between the siblings. The players accumulated in the court, even the new ones who want to join. The people cheered when the game was starting to heat up, even Ryota and Kogure.
"Stop it!" Akagi shouted catching the ball. Sakura hid behind Sakuragi. "What is going on here?" he asked.
"Umm… Captain, this is my sister Sakura-san. I recruited her," Sakuragi explained.
"Show me what you've got." Akagi threw the ball at Sakura. He crossed his arms across his chest. Sakura went beyond the three-point line. Still looking at Akagi, she shot the ball and it went in smoothly. Akagi was taken aback but he didn't show it. "Do another. This time inside the three-point line," he said, not moving from his place. Sakura was about to shoot when Mitsui barged in. She was startled but the ball still went in the hoop. Mitsui stopped right under the hoop. Sakura saw that the ball was going to hit Mitsui right on the head. She ran fast toward him and swatted the ball away from his head. Both of them fell down, Mitsui under and Sakura on top. Sakura stood up and extended a hand. Mitsui looked at it then at Sakura. She smiled. Mitsui saw that she blushed.
"Sorry about that," she apologized. Mitsui just nodded.
"Nice," Akagi shouted to her. "You were fast in reacting," he complimented her.
"Thank you," she said blushing harder.
"Where did you learn basketball?" Akagi asked. Sakuragi stood up straight next to his sister and faked a cough as if saying she learned it from him. Sakura caught on what he was trying to do. He was trying to look good in front of their captain.
"Self taught," she smiled. Sakuragi's jaw dropped to the floor, figuratively speaking, and went to a corner. She laughed.
"You're good," Ayako complimented. "You don't need any basics," she continued. "But you!" She pointed to Sakuragi, who was trying to sneak away from Ayako. "You need the basics, Sakuragi-san!" Ayako reached to catch Sakuragi by the t-shirt.
"Why don't we have a game? Sakura instead of Sakuragi," Akagi suggested. Sakuragi looked at him furiously.
"What? But I'm the genius," Sakuragi complained.
"Idiot," everyone mumbled.
Ayako hit him with her fan. "Basics," she said.
"Umm… are you sure?" Sakura asked.
"Yeah. With that swat of yours, we could win," Mitsui said, winking at her. She blushed again. The game started with a jump ball. Akagi touched it and swatted it towards Ryota. Sakura caught it in the air and threw it to Mitsui.
"Thanks," he shouted. He shot a three-pointer and it went in easily. The game went on and on with a lot of rebounds, turnovers, and steals… mostly done by Sakura. The game ended with a score of 93 to 69, with Sakura's team leading.
"I… can't believe… a girl can… do that kind of… play," Kogure said trying to catch his breath.
"You can say that again," Mitsui second the motion. Sakura sat on the bench, trying to catch her breath. She was breathing heavily. Sakuragi dropped the ball and ran towards his sister.
"Sakuragi! Come back here!" Ayako shouted. Sakuragi didn't listen.
"Sakura, you OK?" he asked. Sakura couldn't answer. She was still breathing hard. "Sakura. Talk to me," he said.
"I'm… fine," she said trying to smile for assurance.
"Sure?" he asked again.
"What's wrong?" Rukawa asked.
"I'm fine. Really. Just a little heart burn," she said trying to stand up but failing to.
"Just sit down," Sakuragi said sitting beside her and rubbing her back. The members formed around her. Ayako handed her a bottle of water and Sakura took it. She just held it until her breathing came back to normal. She took a gulp. "You ok now?" Sakuragi asked. "Remember what Takani-san said about straining yourself too much," he added.
"I know. You don't need to remind me," she said taking a small plastic bottle from her bag and taking a pill out. She popped it in her mouth and gulped another from the bottle of water.
"What's wrong here? Sakuragi?" Akagi asked parting the crowd and leaning before Sakura.
"She has a heart problem but she wouldn't listen to me when I say that she can't play basketball," he answered.
"I can get over it if I do play. Takani-san said so herself," Sakura said contradicting what Sakuragi said. She was still heaving.
"I know but you're straining yourself," Sakuragi said raising his voice.
"What is wrong captain?" a gentle voice asked from behind everyone. They looked to find Anzai-sensei standing by the door of the court.
"Anzai-sensei…" everyone stood up straight. Sakura still sat on the bench and Sakuragi was rubbing her back.
"Sakuragi, who is this girl?" he asked again.
"My sister sensei. She practiced with us and now she's having heart burn," Sakuragi said glaring at his sister. Anzai approached the girl. Sakura sat up straight, with beads of sweat running down her temples. She gave him a weak smile before passing out.
"Sakura! Sakura, wake up!" Sakuragi shouted shaking her.
Sakura fluttered her eyes open only to find that she was in the hospital. She looked around and found Sakuragi sleeping in a chair beside her. She smiled. A lot of tubes were strapped to her. She sighed. 'I'm here again as usual,' she thought. Suddenly, the door of her room opened and Anzai came in. "So how are you feeling?" he asked. She just smiled.
"Fine I guess," she answered looking at Sakuragi's sleeping form.
"You're lucky to have Sakuragi-kun for a brother," he stated. She looked at him with a confused face.
"Why do you think so?" she asked.
"He was the one who brought you here. He ran from the school going here, carrying you," He said looking over to Sakuragi. She smiled.
"He did it again," she whispered.
"Hmm?" Anzai asked.
"He did it one time. The first time I fainted. Instead of calling for an ambulance, he carried me and ran to the nearest hospital which was 2 miles far," she said reaching towards her brother and caressing his cheek after hitting it with her finger. Suddenly, the door opened to reveal five guys and two girls.
"Oh, you're awake. How are you feeling?" Dr. Takani asked checking her record.
"Fine," she smiled. Sakuragi stirred. He stood and rubbed his eyes awake. He looked at Sakura.
"Don't you dare do that to me again," Sakuragi said glaring at her then smiling.
"Don't worry. I won't," she said smiling and taking Sakuragi's hand in hers.
"Yeah, yeah. You and your promises," he said smiling back.
Ayako hit him with her fan. "You gave us quite a startle when you fainted. Good thing Sakuragi was fast in running," Ayako said smiling at Sakura.
She just chuckled. "He's used to it," she said. Everybody laughed.
"Yeah. I think so too," Ryota said still chuckling.
"What do you mean by that, Ryochin?" Sakuragi snarled fisting his hand.
"Guys, guys. This is a hospital. People are resting. Don't wake them," Kogure said walking between them. They stopped but Sakuragi still glared at Ryota.
Sakura chuckled. "You're not going to play basketball again," Sakuragi said.
"But…"
"No buts. You're going to rest," he stated.
"Oh, she can play but not longer than ten minutes," Takani said.
"Great. Half time," Mitsui rejoiced. And so did Sakura.
"But…"
"No buts. You're going to rest when I go in," Sakura said cutting Sakuragi off and turning the tables on him. He turned chibi and went to a corner. Everybody laughed.
"Take a long rest and you'll be out in a few days," Takani said leading the others out except for Sakuragi.
"Don't do anything I would," Sakuragi said winking at her.
"I love you, onee-chan," Sakura said before Sakuragi closed the door behind him.
"I love you too. Now rest," Sakuragi said closing the door behind him. She smiled then closed her eyes to go into a deep sleep.
End… for now?
A/U: Don't ask me to continue even though you want me to because I wouldn't know what would happen next. Or maybe I can… but for now, sorry to cut you short. We'll just see if I can think of a continuation:)