Why Love's such a pain...

A/N: Yo! This was probably my first fic, and when the system crashed, this one got erased... but I guess I'll just post it up. For all you Ayako and Ryota Miyagi fans, here you go. (By the way, I'm not exactly and Ayako-Miyagi fan, but I write about them... Weird...)

Disclaimers: Slam Dunk doesn't belong to me.

Miyagi Ryota stepped in the noisy gym. Sounds of scurrying and balls swishing in the basket were heard. He was just in time to see Akagi-sempai do a "gorilla-dunk". Akagi came towards him. "And why are you late?" He thundered.

"I'm sorry. Er... I just lost track of time." Ryota stammered. It was a good thing that Kogure came to his rescue. "Akagi, go easy on him. You don't need to spend your nerves getting mad all the time, you know. After all, the eliminations are near..." Kogure cautioned his friend, Akagi.

"Oh fine. But remember Ryota, another tardiness and you know what you'll get!" Akagi warned him with a stern face.

Ryota sighed. Akagi was a strict captain, but nevertheless his work always paid off. He may look like a big dumb gorilla, but Akagi was always devoted to making the Shohoku team a success. And you wouldn't want to piss him off.

"Phew, you are lucky, Miyagi," said Mitsui, Ryota's friend. "I got a lump last practice because I was late. There was, unfortunately, no Kogure to rescue me from the gorilla. He was absent last practice." Mitsui said.

Ryota shrugged. Yet he felt something was missing...

"Hey, where's Aya-chan?" he asked urgently. Ayako was the team's helpful assistant (A/N: Correct me if I'm wrong...) and to Miyagi, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Miyagi had a big crush on her, but didn't know how to tell her.

"Ayako-san? She is not here," Mitsui answered distractedly. He was dribbling the ball for some exercise.

That's weird, Miyagi thought. She never misses basketball practice. But what if she was grabbed by strangers before school? What if she was in trouble right now? Ryota thought. He panicked. What'll I do? I can't think of another excuse, I just got here... Not to mention, the final eliminations are near...

"Assemble!" Akagi shouted, his voice ringing throughout the court. All team members gathered around him. "Our game with Kainan High is on Saturday. That's it for today, and Ryota...tomorrow, don't be late for practice. Okay?" Akagi announced gruffly, glaring at Ryota to make sure that he was listening. Ryota nodded.

The other team members left. Mitsui followed Ryota. "You are sooo lucky." He said.

"Will you please stop saying that?" Ryota said, impatient.

The real reason for Miyagi's tardiness was that he was looking for something for Ayako's birthday. What if I buy a big banner for her saying 'Happy Birthday'? Corny. What about a birthday cake? Corny. Ah, I know! A ring... perfect!!! Ryota thought.

"...what do you think, Miyagi?" Mitsui asked him, which sank him back to reality.

"Er... what did you say?"

"I said, I think Ayako is gone for the day because she needed to go someplace. Kogure told me that she was going to the hospital. Geez. But I don't know the whole story."

"WHAT!!! Aya-chan... sick??? GOING TO THE HOSPITAL??? MITCHY, WHERE? SHE MIGHT BE HAVING A FEVER THAT'S AT LEAST 180 DEGREES! NOW TELL ME QUICK!!!" Miyagi screeched, nearly dropping his gym bag in total shock.

"You are too overreacting, honestly, Miyagi. You're too much in love with Ayako-san. Who knows what happened to her, I didn't get the full story, remember? Maybe she was just going to visit someone in the hospital." Mitsui contradicted, rolling his eyes.

"BUT IT'S A BIG DEAL! BIG DEAL, YOU GET ME? WHAT IF SHE'S IN A COMA OR SHE SUFFERED A STROKE OR SOMETHING???" Ryota screamed, half the block having heard him.

"Look, Miyagi, calm down. She's too young to suffer a stroke and she's pretty healthy. She can get over sicknesses, Miyagi! Now shut up, the whole block's gonna hear you." Mitsui hissed. Honestly, Miyagi can join the drama club if he wasn't into basketball. But Mitsui didn't mention this to his friend.

"STILL!!! SHE COULD BE DYING RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, AND YOU'RE JUST STANDING HERE TELLING ME TO CALM DOWN! I DON'T CARE!!! I'M COMING, AYAKO!!!" Miyagi yelled hysterically. Mitsui put his hand on Miyagi's forehead. "Are you sure you're not sick, Miyagi?" Mitsui asked calmly.

"I AM NOT SICK!"

"Calm down, Miyagi, or else I'll call 911." Mitsui threatened. This quieted Miyagi down a little bit. Soon he took a trip to Ayako's house. Ding dong, went Ayako's doorbell. Ayako's mom answered the door.

"Why, Miyagi! What are you doing here?"

"Konnichiwa. Where's Ayako-san?" he inquired.

"Ayako? She's not here. She went to the mental hospital down Megumi Road."

Ryota said a polite goodbye and in one swift action, he disappeared.

"MITSUI! I'm getting mad! Why the hell did you tell me that Ayako was sick????"

"How should I know? Kogure told me!" Mitsui's impatient voice rang through the cellphone connection.

"She's at the MENTAL HOSPITAL!!! She's not sick! She may even be insane RIGHT NOW!!!! AND IF YOU'D TOLD ME EARLIER, I COULD HAVE VISITED HER! WHAT KIND OF A FRIEND ARE YOU?????"

"Hey, Miyagi, excuse me but IT'S NOT MY FAULT!!! I didn't even know, for goodness' sake!!!!!!!!! Miyagi, if I say so, I really think you're too much in love with Ayako." Mitsui snapped back.

"WHATEVER!" With that final rude remark he hung up.

He had one last errand to do before he visited Ayako at the hospital. He stopped by the mall to buy her an exquisite gold ring. It was expensive, and it caused a really big injury to his wallet.

'Aya-chan had better like it,' he thought as he slipped the ring into a small red box. He was able to hail a cab to the mental hospital afterwards.

"Konnichiwa." He said to the lady at the front desk. "Can you tell me where to find Ayako?"

"Ayako? No, she's not a patient." The lady said, counterchecking her list of patients. "But she's a guest."

Miyagi sighed. So she was just visiting, after all. There was nothing to be afraid about. "Okay... what room is she in?"

"Room 315." The woman replied.

Miyagi opened the door to Room 315. Ayako was definitely there-but something made his mouth gape open in disbelief. Something that made him drop the ring. Something that made him drop to his knees pathetically to the floor.

And that something was Ayako kissing a third-year.

Then she stopped and saw Miyagi. "Miyagi!" she said in surprise.

"I saw enough." He said hurriedly, trying to stop the tears welling up in his eyes. How could Ayako do this to him? He knew that he was nothing to her but a friend, but he couldn't help feeling hurt. And the pain wouldn't go away. He took the ring's box and ran out of the hospital.

He hailed another cab, barely noticing events.

"Hello? Mitchy?" Ryota said to the phone 15 minutes later.

"Yeah. What?" Mitsui said in pure irritation. "You got some nerve, calling me after you just dissed me."

"Ok, I'm sorry man. I really jumped to conclusions a while ago. You're right. I was just overreacting. And besides, I'm sure I have no hope with Ayako anyway. She doesn't love me."

"What? She doesn't? But I thought-"

"Never mind about that, Mitchy. Gotta go now. I'll explain to you tomorrow." Ryota said quietly and hung up.

He felt like he was being dumped for the 11th time. But it was over with Ayako-for good.

A/N: So, what do you think? This is the first Slam Dunk fic that I ever posted up. Good? Bad? Crappy? Please review!

This one will have a sequel... coming right up. Stay tuned.