- Chapter Three -

"Oh my God! I have never seen a player like Sendoh!! Gosh I think I'm inlove!!!"

I overheard Ryu talking to our other classmates. That hurt a bit. No. That hurt a lot.

"I thought you're inlove with Mitsui?" classmate A said

"Are you really sure you're not inlove with Rukawa?" classmate B said

In my heart I was really sincerely deeply truly hoping that she'd say yes. I found myself muttering a silent prayer that she'll say yes.

"He's my bestfriend!" Ryu replied. My heart crushed. She just treated my like her brother. And I don't think her feelings will develop into something more, something deeper.

I got sad. And the only escape I had was going to the arcade place. I need to regain my emotionless state so that she'll think nothing's wrong. Its only 8am in the morning. Nobody will be there. Oh shit. To my dismay, Sendoh Akira is there. What the hell is he doing here anyway?

"Ow.. Rukawa Kaede! Hello man!" he greeted me with much delight.

"Hi" I greeted back.

"What are you doing here?" he asked

"What's in it to you?" I replied.

"Chill man, I was just being polite! Want a drink?" he asked. I said nothing. But he went to the vending machine anyways.

The moment he went back, he threw me a beer. We sat at the "friendship circle" outside the arcade place. I showed some gratitude and opened the can and drank its contents and sat with him.

"Hey listen. I have to ask you something" he said in a very serious manner.

"What is it?" I replied.

"It's about that Ryu girl. You said she's not your girlfriend right?"

"So?" I said. Feeling my heart beating fast after hearing her name.

"She's so beautiful!! Hey do you know her schedule or when I can visit her in your school?" he asked intently

"She goes to school at 7am. And she leaves at 5:30pm." I replied.

"Thanks man! Oh ya, one more thing... Since you're her bestfriend, can I ask for your permission if I can court her?" he asked me. God this man is annoying!

"Do whatever you want. I don't own the girl" I replied feeling very much irritated.

"OKAY!!!!" he exclaimed

"One thing though Sendoh, be sure not to hurt her. Or everyone in Shohoku will be after your ass" I said

"Come on man that's crap! Everyone in Shohoku will be hunting down my ass? I don't believe that. I believe that its only you. You love her don't you" he said

"......" I said nothing. I have nothing to explain to anyone. Especially to him.

"Silence means yes Kaede Rukawa. Well, in that case, may the best man win! Thanks for being here man! I gotta go" he said then waved goodbye.

beep beep

Its 10pm and my cellphone alarmed. Surprisingly, I received a message from Ryu. The message went: "Kaede!! I missed you! Pick me up at 7am? Lets go to school together!"

My heart leaped as I read the message. I hurriedly made myself look good and excitedly went up to her place.

"So how are you now Kaede? What's new? Gosh! I missed you! You didn't go to class yesterday!" she asked with so much curiosity.

I was speechless. I just couldn't bear the thought that I'm not the only man that wants Ryu to be my girl. Am I scared? Yes. Super.

"Kaede! Whats wrong? You always are quiet and you never let others read that mind of yours. Can you at least open up to me?" she asked.

I am quiet and cool in person. But in my mind, im talkative. Im always thinking.

"What do you want me to say?" I asked her

"Nevermind" she replied

The walk to school was held in an awkward silence. I've never seen her so quiet before. It bothered me. Maybe she's that bothered too.

The moment we set foot in the gates of our school, there was a big fuzz.

"What's going on?" Ryu asked.

"I see a tall person with spiky hair" I replied.

"Sendoh!" she exclaimed. Oh no, her all-time crush is here. What is he doing here? This is our territory. Our bullies should have taken cared of him. We approached the gates in silence. Of course, Ryu was silent. She is nothing like any of those cheap girls who were desperate enough to come up to Sendoh and ask for his autograph.

"Oh my gosh. Even here in Shohoku, Sendoh is very popular" she said while blushing. Oh God she looks so good when she blushes. Too bad she's blushing because my rival is here.

We were walking away from "Sendoh's Crowd" when we heard someone call Ryu's name. We turned around. And we saw Sendoh walking our direction. Oh no.

"Hi Rukawa..." he greeted me with a big smile. What's he smiling about? He held out his hand for me to shake. Should I shake it? Maybe not. But Ryu won't be impressed. So I shook it anyway.

"Hi Ryu" he greeted her.

"Hi Sendoh-kun. What are you doing here?" she asked.

Okay. Their talking. I feel like I'm out of place. I silently walked away and went to my class.

The bell rang. Ryu isn't here yet. What were they talking about? What's taking them so long? Grrr...

"Heya Kaede!!!" I felt so much relieved once I heard her sweet and child-like voice.

"What took you so long?!" I asked her.

"Ow. Sendoh-kun just asked me about stuff and he gave me front row tickets to the opening ceremony of the inter-high games" she explained.

I can give her a ticket. She should have asked one from me. Inter-high games. I'll practice more. And settle the real score between me and Sendoh.

A/N: end of chapter three!!!! Thanks ya'll for reading my fic!!! Please review it as well.

Spills from the next chapter: Mitsui is not Rukawa's real rival after all! He's real rival is Sendoh. How will Kaede come up with ways to win Ryu's heart now that he overheard that Ryu just looks up at him as her bestfriend and nothing more? Will he prevail? Or will Sendoh still win this?