-endymion-
-Disclaimer: Slam Dunk belongs to Takehiko Inoue, IT Planning, Toei Animation and all that crap. Put bluntly, they're not mine. Enjoy!-
Angry scolding met Rukawa's ears once he stepped foot into his classroom almost fifteen minutes late. As usual, he ignored his teachers rants and headed straight to his usual seat. He settled down and dropped his bag beside his chair. He looked up front and noticed the empty seat before him.
'Watanabe's...no...Reika's seat,' he thought.
Strange. He felt almost as empty as the seat in front of him.
Most of the team had filed in the gym when Ayako arrived.
She scanned the room and mentally checked attendance. Of course, Ryota was there first, since he was team captain. Shiozaki, Yasuda and Kakuta were there, and so were Hanamichi and Mitsui. Rukawa arrived last. Soon enough, all the team members were in. Haruko was beside her, voicing out drills for the others and the schedule of the practice games.
'Where could she be?' Ayako found herself wondering.
After a while, Ryota announced a ten minute break. The team members then took the chance to freshen up and rehydrate themselves.
"Yo, Aya-chan," Hisashi said as he walked up behind her. "Terrific Trio incomplete today?"
Ayako raised an eyebrow, completely lost. "What are you talking about?"
"I meant Reika," Hisashi clarified. "Isn't she coming to practice?"
"I don't know," Ayako replied softly. She had been very troubled ever since the debacle last week. Up until now, she couldn't believe what she saw. She had to know if Reika's all right. After all, they are friends now, right?
Rukawa chose that very moment to grab his water bottle from the bench Ayako was sitting on. "Hey, Rukawa," she said. The rookie in question raised his dark blue eyes to her. "How's Reika?" she asked him.
There was a pause. "Wakan'nai. (I don't know.)"
"She didn't come to school, did she?"
Rukawa shook his head.
"All right, thanks," Ayako told him. Ryota blew his whistle and practice had resumed.
Once again, there was havoc in the Men's Locker Room as Hanamichi, Ryota and the other freshmen team members blasted each other with water from the showerheads.
"Take, this Ryo-chin!" Hanamichi said, laughing manically and blasting Ryota straight in the face. The team captain retaliated by turning up the pressure on his showerhead.
Mitsui shook his head, amused. Usually, he'd be out there too, beating the others' brains out with high-pressure water. He just didn't feel like it today.
He headed for the lockers to change. He wasn't surprised to see that only Rukawa was there. The rookie had finished showering and was already starting to dress up.
"Yo," Mitsui greeted him.
"Sempai," Rukawa merely nodded to acknowledge him. Mitsui supressed a smile. 'Typical Rukawa.' He thought. "You all right? You seemed out of it in practice."
True enough, the rookie seemed a little off that day. He didn't miss any of the shots, but his throws weren't as precise. Usually, he threw the ball straight into the hoop, no problem. But today, some of his throws made the ball roll around the ring before falling in.
"Ah," Rukawa affirmed that he was fine.
Mitsui dried himself with a towel, thinking about the rookie's weak performance. "Hey, if you don't mind my asking...is there something going on between you and Reika?"
Rukawa, who was bending to tie his shoelaces, froze for a moment before resuming his task.
"I mean, its nothing to be embarrased of," Mitsui said reasonably. "She's a pretty girl, and she's real nice. I was just a bit surprised, that's all. Partly because—well-you didn't seem to have any interest in women at all and--"
"There's nothing going on, sempai," Rukawa replied curtly, bending to tie the other shoe.
"Don't worry Rukawa-kun, it's normal to like a girl." Mitsui clapped the younger boy's back before he started to leave.
"Tch," came Rukawa's agitated reply. He stuffed the earphones into his ears and gathered his things.
But as he rode his bike home, he couldn't help thinking about his conversation with his senior.
'There's nothing going on,' Rukawa thought blankly. How could they even think that? Reika was...well...Reika. The newbie motormouth. How could someone as one-worded as him could be attracted to someone that noisy?
'Nothing...Right?'
"—My heart to joy at the same tone; And all I loved, I loved alone...--'" recited one of Rukawa's classmates.
Eigo (English) class. What could be more boring? Well, it was not boring, per se, but it was never one of Rukawa's strong points. For one thing, it was a communication arts class. Communication and Rukawa Kaede do not belong in the same sentence. For another, he slept through almost every class.
While everyone was listening intently to the poem, Rukawa was on the verge of sleep once again. He glanced up for a little while and then rest his head back on the table.
Reika still hasn't come to school.
Rukawa had a hard time getting to sleep last night, and woke up the following morning feeling restless. Inexplicably, he just had to find out if she was all right. And it didn't look like he was going to find out soon.
Or so he thought.
Halfway through English class, someone slid the classroom door open. Rukawa didn't care to look up, thinking it was only the principal with some announcements or something.
"Is that allowed? But she's so late!"
"How come sensei's letting her off that easy?"
His classmates started whispering. He looked up to see what they were gossiping about now.
It was Reika. She had just arrived, school gear and all, looking as catty and cheerful as ever. She was standing beside the teacher's desk while she watched the teacher sign a note she had presented to him. When the teacher handed her the note back, she sauntered down to her seat in front of Rukawa.
Before she got into her seat, he flashed Rukawa one of her brightest smiles and mouthed 'Hey.'
Rukawa couldn't get back to his nap after that
Clicking the ballpoint pen in her hand, Ayako walked down toward the gym. She checked her clipboard to check the chedule. 'Yep,' she thought. 'Regular like clockwork.'
She tucked the pen behind her ear and turned left. All of a sudden, she had bumped into someone and had almost fallen to the ground.
"Aiyaa! Sumimasen! (Pardon me!)"
"Mou, daijoubu.." Ayako picked up her clipboard and found herself face to face with Reika. "Reika!"
"Yo!" Reika grinned at her, flashing a peace sign. Ayako threw her arms around Reika, surprising herself and the younger girl with her sudden show of affection.
"I've been so worried," Ayako said, pulling back. "How've you been?"
"Never better," Reika replied, still grinning. "All I needed was a little bedrest."
"Are you sure...?" Ayako looked at her uncertainly. Reika's features bore no trace of the sick girl Rukawa lugged home two days ago. And yet Ayako felt that the other girl was not telling the complete truth.
"Look, Aya-chan," Reika draped an arm across Ayako's shoulders and steered her toward the gym once again. "I know what you saw looked bad, but its not that bad. Honest."
"All right..." Ayako said, some of her worry subsiding as they entered the gymnasium. The entire team was already there, starting their drills under Ryota's instructions. "Yo, minna! Look who's back!"
"Yo, Reika-chan!" some of the freshmen called. Reika flashed them a peace sign.
"Good to have you back, kiddo," Mitsui clapped her shoulder. Reika laughed and punched him back.
Ayako watched her friend talk and laugh with some of the members of the team, as if nothing happened. She also saw the other girl's eyes fleet towards a certain raven-haired rookie who was stubbornly doing warm-up exercises instead of joining his mates. Then she saw that certain rookie look annoyedly over at the small group of men that was forming around a certain girl.
Well that was certainly interesting. Mildly weird but interesting. Ayako chuckled and went over to check attendance.
"Aya-chan, can I talk to you?" said a voice.
"Ryota?" Ayako faced the curly-haired captain. "What is it?"
"I wanted to give you something," Ryota said, fumbling with the hem of his jersey and blushing beet red. He held out something to her. A bouquet of yellow roses.
Ayako's mouth dropped open. These were her favorite flowers.
"These are for you," Ryota gave them to her. She took the flowers from him, but she was at a loss of words. He had asked her so many times before, but he never did anything quite as drastic (not to mention romantic) as this.
Ryota stepped closer to her so he was looking into her eyes. "For the two-hundred and seventy-third time...would you go out with me, Aya-chan?"
Ayako's lips twitched upward into a decidedly happy smile. She didn't realize that she had been waiting for him to ask that question again since her talk with Reika.
"Of course Ryota, I'd love to."
One look at the flowers and the giddy smile on Ayako's face, Reika knew Miyagi-captai had made his move.
"Hot date, Ayako-sempai?" Reika asked her senior, who was busy combing her hair in front of the bathroom mirror. The two of them had gotten into the ladies shower room together to freshen up before going home. Haruko went on ahead with her brother.
Ayako blushed. "Not exactly hot. Lukewarm, more like. I'm going out with Ryota."
"Hot enough," Reika laughed as she redid her braids. "Finally! Watching you two was painful. I don't know how the others can stand it."
"You should talk," Ayako poked Reika lightly on the arm. "What's up with you and the ice prince?"
"Who?" Reika wrinkled her nose, completely lost.
Ayako raised her eyebrows. For someone moderately smart, Reika sure was slow. "I meant Rukawa. What's going on with you guys?"
Reika suddenly became very industrious in rebraiding her hair. "What are you talking about? There's nothing going on," she said, expertly evading Ayako's gaze.
"Oh please," Ayako said, pulling out the cashmere sweater she packed for the day. "I saw you watching him earlier at practice."
"Well—he's a good player!" Reika reasoned, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.
"He wasn't playing," Ayako's laughter was muffled as she pulled on her sweater. Good thing the change of clothes she brought were date-worthy. "He wasn't even holding a ball, for crying out loud."
"I must've been looking at something else then," Reika said, tying the end of her loose braid with an elastic.
"Just say it Reika-chan," Ayako said. "You like him, don't you?"
"I don't!" Reika stubbornly refused, even though the faint blush she had was starting to deepen. "I...can't. I shouldn't. Err...Ayako-sempai...you're going to run late if you don't go soon," Reika said, checking her wristwatch.
"Don't change the subject."
"I'm not," Reika said. Ayako checked her own watch and gasped.
"Holy crap, you're right!" she said, hastily checking her apperance and stuffing her things into her locker. Once the lock clicked in place, she pulled on her shoes and started to leave.
"Have fun!" Reika called after her before turning back to her reflection. So, Ayako noticed it too. 'What's so wrong with wanting to watch him?' Reika thought, wanting to justify her actions. But deep inside, she knew exactly what's wrong with wanting to watch him. It would only lead to the very thing she had been trying to avoid.
Shaking her head, she picked up her things. She would just have to keep her heart in check, that's all. 'Avoidance is the key,' she thought. 'Yeah, that's it.'
Whistling a merry tune she opened the door and stepped out of the shower room. A figure leaning on the wall beside the bathroom made her stop in her tracks.
'Avoidance is the key,' Reika thought bitterly. 'What a load of crap.'
She was back home by now, answering some of the review questions their teachers had given them. Rukawa Kaede was sitting beside her, reading the notes she had highlighted for him. She was trying very hard not to turn into a tomato in front of him.
After she had left the shower room, she found Rukawa right outside leaning back against a wall.
"What took you so long?" he asked, sounding a little irritated.
"You were waiting for me?" Reika was too surprised to snap at his irritable behavior. "Why?"
Rukawa gestured at the small pile of books on the floor beside his backpack.
"Oh...right," Reika said, comprehension dawning into her. "The study session. Okay then."
So the two of them walked to Reika's house together. At first, Reika felt really uneasy, but after a while, she grew used to his presence. She began to talk. And when Reika Watanabe began to talk, there's no stopping her. So she chattered on and on, with Rukawa only nodding every once in a while to show that he was listening. It took a lot of patience from him not to stuff his fist into her mouth to shut her up. After all, she was going to help him study. And at least he can relate to whatever she was saying, given their similar love for basketball.
But now that they were in Reika's living room. Inside the closed space and alone, the feelings of unease started to come back.
'Sheesh, Reika. Get to studying!' she reprimanded herself. She'd been trying to read the same page for the past thirty minutes. A couple of weeks ago, the two of them had been sitting in the same living room, working on the project. But she didn't feel as queasy back then.
She looked over at Rukawa and her eyebrow popped up. The rookie had drifted off. She reached over to wake him up, but she stopped herself and let her eyes roam over him for a while. She decided then and there that Rukawa looked his best when he was asleep. The perpetual scowl was gone, replaced by a look so peaceful, you'd want to fall asleep with him.
Reika slapped herself. Hard. Then proceeded to do the same to Rukawa.
"No naps," she said, getting on her feet. Rukawa grunted, annoyed. Reika gave him a new set of review questions. "There, answer these and I'll go make coffee. You'll want it black, won't you?"
"Ah."
Rukawa picked up his pen and started to read the first question. Rukawa was halfway done with the first page when Reika came back, with two coffe mugs and a plate of sandwiches. She set them down on the table, and sat back down next to Rukawa. She peered over his shoulder and read his answers.
"Hey, you got number three wrong," she murmured. Rukawa turned to face her and they realized just how close their faces were. They both turned away quickly. Reika cleared her throught, hoping against hope that her face didn't resemble the color of a cooked lobster. She took the pen in his hand and leaned over. "Here, this is how you do it," she explained, amazed that her voice didn't sound as nervous as she felt.
Rukawa tried to focus on what Reika was saying, but her closeness made his thoughts hazy. The figures on the page were clashing together in a load of gibberish. He shook his head, trying to clear his senses of the lavender scent that was coming from the girl beside him.
When he looked back at the page, amazingly, it made sense. Her words slowly made their way to his brain and he understood. He took the pen from her, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach when his hand brushed hers as he did, and wrote down the answer.
"Correct!" Reika exclaimed, obviously pleased that her work was paying off. She grinned up at him. "I think you'll do just fine on the exam on Friday."
He couldn't ignore the butterflies then
Reika's Journal Thursday, 9:32 pm
Kaede just left. We covered all our subjects in such a short period of time. He came here every afternoon since I came back to school, right after practice. He always came home late afterwards so he was catching up on his sleep at break times, while I read a new novel. Sometimes, I secretly borrow one of his earphones so I can listen to his Walkman. He doesn't seem to mind. His tapes are pretty good. I think he'll do well on his exams tomorrow. Me? I had finished studying ages ago.
I think the little 'talk' I gave to Ayako-sempai and Miyagi-captain worked. I didn't do much really, coz all they really needed was a little push in the right direction. This afternoon, they had a study date. And by tomorrow, they'll be out on an after-exam date. They look pretty good together. And I think they'll work out pretty well.
Mi-chan is now a good friend of mine too. Like a big bro. And I see my dad when I watch him. Gawd I miss my father...
Enough of this depressing talk.
You know what? It's stupid but I think I can read minds. Well, maybe not. Moods probably. And they're Rukawa's moods. We've gotten pretty close these past few days. Which is very strange. I wonder why he's not so secluded with me as he is with everybody else... Oh well, no need to think about that. At least I know he isn't annoyed with me or anything. I know for a fact that most people tend to get irritated once my mouth goes on overdrive.
But...should I keep on hanging with him? I can't ignore the fast beating of my heart when I'm with him. That means something...something not good. I really, really shouldn't...but I can't help it.
Mom's out again on a meeting. Gads, her business is really flourishing.
'Night.
Reika
The students waited with bated breath as the sensei handed out the marked sheets of paper that contained the test scores of all the subjects. There were sighs of relief and wails of agony when the students found out what their scores were.
Reika was feeling a little anxious. No, she did good on her own test. It was Rukawa's test she was fearing for. The Winter IH Eliminations are coming up, and she didn't want Rukawa to miss them. She looked over her shoulder at him.and bit her lip. He was calm, as usual, but he was awake and looking out the window. She supposed it was the rookie's way of showing nerves, being awake.
'I shouldn't be worried,' she thought. She taught him all she knew. She wasn't a genius, but she was good in academics. And he did answer the review questionnaires pretty well. That should count for something...right?
Rukawa leaned back on his chair and watched Reika's worried reflection on the classroom window. He knew she was nervous about the test scores. Or rather, his test scores. Well, who wouldn't be worried? He wasn't exactly valedictorian material. And with the Winter IH eliminations coming...well..let's just say its not a soothing thought that Rukawa Kaede won't be able to play for Shohoku.
"Watanabe," the sensei said, handing Reika her test sheet. She glanced at it to take note of her scores, but her face showed no other emotion but anxiety.
"Rukawa."
A sheet of white paper was shoved under his nose. He took it from his teacher and scanned it quickly.
Reika bit her lip, trying her best not to turn around and demand to see Rukawa's scoresheet. She reread her scoresheet to help pass time. There was a tap on her shoulder.
She stiffened and glanced around until her cheek came in contact with a piece of paper.
She eyed Rukawa questioningly, as she took the scoresheet from him.
'Passed...passed...passed...' the knots in her stomach loosened gradually as one by one she saw Rukawa's test results. She heaved a giant sigh of relief and turned back around to return it to him.
"Good job," she grinned at him, before giving her attention to the teacher up front.
"Reika," said Rukawa's deep voice.
"Hmm?"
"Thanks."
RUKAWA (riding his bicycle with headphones on)
I'm changing and it's scaring me.
What's happening? What is it with her? I've been hanging with her a lot. I don't mean to, but I always run into her. Or she runs into me. I don't know, but it seems we go to all the same places. The Basketball shop, the public court, the Shohoku gym or the rooftop. She's always talking, I don't think her mouth ever takes a break, but I don't give a damn. She's full of stories. I forgot most of them but I remember her mentioning her mother, her brother and maybe the team members. Maybe I'm not annoyed coz I can relate to whatever she's saying. It's amazing how she can talk endlessly while I just speak up every twenty minutes or so. But she shuts her mouth when I go to sleep. She knew when I was tired. Or when I was in a bad mood coz she always makes me feel better. She does this something that can kick me out of a mood swing. What was it again? I can't seem to remember...
Oh yeah. She looks at me in the eye and smiles.
She never missed a single game, whether it was just practice or actual. She was there when we won our first few games. She said she'd never miss any of Shohoku's games, so when we win, she would remember our every step. Sendoh saw her cheering the team on while we played against Ryonan in a practice game. When we won against them, Sendoh clapped me in the back and told me this: 'Take care of her, all right?'
Tch. What does he know?
She never asked me those stupid questions the way the school reporter always does. She also never screamed cheers at me when I practice or play. She just looks at me from the sidelines and gives me a thumbs-up and a smile.
She would answer questions that I never voiced out. I never told her anything. Yeah right. Like I even have to. She always understood, it's creepy. But I like it.
And she also helped me study. The teachers were surprised to see I passed. She smiled again when she found out. She smiles a lot. I wish I did too, but my facial muscles seem like they don't know how to.
I walk her home every day. I don't know since when but I was afraid those idiotic thugs would go after her again. I won't let them. And I have been going to her house on Saturdays too. Its boring at home, and Watanabe-san's cooking is better than overcooked instant ramen in my kitchen. Koji even asked me to help him train in basketball if I had nothing to do. I agreed. After all, it is still doing something I like, playing ball.
And I guess I can admit it now. I like being with Reika.
Author's Babbles:
Lotsa babbles on this one!
"My heart to joy at the same tone; And all I loved, I loved alone" – Alone, by Edgar Allan Poe
thanks to Bet You Loved That (one of 's most notorious critics coughflamercough) for the 'ice prince' nickname..'
to emma: your idea sounds fantastic! Too bad I can't use it on this...u see, this fic is actually finished. I'm just reediting some parts and...well..waiting for more reviews (to be assured that anyone is reading this ') before I update... u can use it on ur own fic though! Then it will be my turn to read n rview u! I'm sure u'll do great! :D
many thanks to angel-leigh (fellow Kapuso..harhar) , mistressKC and all the others...! After 'bet you loved that's' review, well, let's just say she didn't particularly encourage me to continue..mwehehehe..
The fic is nearly done...yay!
Gomen gomen if the chronological patterns are somewhat jumbled..! I'll try to rearrange them later..
Oh, and I couldn't resist putting in a Ryota/Ayako side story...poor guy...! Obvously, I invented (and exaggerated a little) the number of times he asked Aya-chan out.
Can anybody tell me whatAyako's last name is?? It's not really essential to the fic, but I really do wanna know. To the angels who know the answer..mail them to me onegaishimasu! Mucho arigatou!
As you might have noticed, I'm not very fond of Haruko...so I didn't give her much of a role in this..harhar..
Read and review onegaishimasu!
Til next chapter!