Hey ya'll. The first chapter's up! Hope ya'll like it.For those who reviewed my prologue; annoyingsister (of course, my own annoying sister), hanabanana, kari and arty, thank you!! Anyway this chapter takes place during the real setting of the anime. And since this is my fist attempt to write RukawaxOC, I'm working hard to make my OC, less mary-sue. If you think that my OC is a mary-sue, do write to me and help me to change it. And I hope you'd write and give me ideas for the upcoming chapters too. I'd reallyappreciate it.

Ok then, enough talk! Read and review ok?

Disclaimer: sigh I think ya'll know what I mean. SD isn't mine. (Though I hope Mitsui is mine..) sigh

First Chapter-Welcome Back

"Do you think we can be friends?" the girl asked him. He just shrugged. "I've never had any real friends before" she told him.

He didn't answer her. It wasn't a question, and even if it was, he wouldn't know how to answer.

Silence ensued. They looked at the setting sun, ignoring the noisy visitors visiting the theme park. She broke the silence a few minutes later, "I'm coming back next year. Mom asked me to."

He just nodded. Again, it wasn't a question. He was only trained to answer questions or only speak when needed. The girl sighed, understood. Trying to get the statue-like person to talk wasn't an easy job. She looked at him, smiling not wanting to give up easily. "I guess I see you next year then?"

He knew that was a question. But he still doesn't know the correct phrase to answer it. Dear lord, he was only taught to shoot hoops. He gave her a nod. "Aa" was his only reply.

The girl smiled. "Next year…things will be different then, I guess"

The second alarm clock started ringing vigorously. He stirred in his sleep and finally gave in. He took the clock and threw it out the window and heard his gardener's screaming his name again for throwing the 12th alarm clock down his garden that week.

Kaede Rukawa scratches his head. He was having the same dream again, that week. He had dreamt of his meeting with her a year ago.

He got up, to get ready for school. He was about to pull off his t-shirt when he noticed a magazine on his desk.

This must be Reiji-niisan's work, he told himself. He picked up the magazine. There on the cover of "Dream" magazine, stood the girl, Akie or the name she's known as in the model world, "Ai". Her hair was blonde this time. He began to wonder how many times she dyed her hair in a day. She still looked the same like the last time he saw her. Only certain parts of her body did mature, he had noticed.

He threw back the magazine and continued where he left off. He tossed his clothes and it landed on his desk, covering the magazine. But Kaede Rukawa didn't seem to notice it.

"Rukawa!" the ball passed to him in an instant. Automatically, he knew what he was doing, where he was going. He ran so swiftly, avoiding the opponents. He almost reached his destination. He jumped.

The board was shaking. Two hands hold dearly on the rim before letting go. "TEME KITSUNEE!!!" someone hissed behind him. He didn't need to know who it was; he ignored the red head and went back to his team.

Ayako looked up, another dunk by Rukawa. I wonder if he thinks about anything else other than basketball, she asked herself, watching the rookie running back for defense.

She looked around and let out a sigh. Mr. Anzai was no where in sight. She wondered where her coach might have been. Is he sick? No, Mr. Anzai was fine yesterday. Besides if he was sick, Mrs. Anzai would've called me. But I didn't receive any call that morning, other than Ryota calling just to say hi. So where could—

Her thoughts were disturbed by the loud shouting in the middle of the court. Akagi, the captain who was standing next to her to observe the game went to them, while the vice-captain was trying to stop the red head's rage.

"HE STARTED IT!!" Ayako heard Sakuragi's voice. She was sure that even outsiders could've heard Sakuragi's voice a mile away. The quarrel continues, Sakuragi blaming Rukawa for something. She didn't bother to find out, it's not that she doesn't care, it happen everyday, and it bored her already.

She'd secretly wish something different would happen to the club, something that can change the mood, or to be precise her mood of the club—

"WHAT DID YOU SAY? YOU STUPID FOX!!!" —or something that can stop the necking—

THUMP

–and she doesn't mean Akagi's powerful punch which Sakuragi had just received.

Ayako shook her head. After a few minutes (and a few more punches) the game continued. She watched silently as Kogure passed the ball to Mitsui. Mitsui took his stand and shoot a three pointer. It almost went in if it wasn't stopped by Rukawa in mid air. The ball flew to Miyagi and he dribbled it to the other side.

Miyagi passed the ball to Yasuda, but Sakuragi caught it instead. He went on his way for a dunk. Again, it was stopped. Sakuragi's face became red, even redder than his hair if it was possible.

She was enjoying it, until she heard loud commotion. She went towards where the noises came from. There were a few people standing in front of the gym. "Um, can I help you?"

"Uh, this girl wants to see one of the players, Ayako-san" her classmate, Yuko told her. Ayako looked at the pointed girl. She wasn't from around, she thought. The girl was tall and slim. Her long, thick wavy vermillion hair was eye-catching. She had worn a sunglasses despite that the sun wasn't shining much. No wonder the guys are following her, the girl was indeed gorgeous, she looked like a model in Ayako's eyes.

The girl looked at her and took off her sunglasses. "Um, hi. Who's you're looking for?" Ayako asked the girl. She smiled, "I'm looking for a player named—"

A ball flew in their direction. They ducked, protecting themselves. Ayako turned back to the game. "TEME RUKAWA!!" Sakuragi blew out. Ayako could feel his anger rising, steams were visibly coming from his ears. "Do'ahou" was Rukawa's only reply. He was the closest to Ayako and the crowd. He walked to them and looked for the ball.

"Here" the girl passed him the ball. Rukawa looked at her, his eyes narrowed, as if trying to recall the girl from his memory. He took the ball and the girl smiled.

He remembers that smile.

And the hair.

"I'm back" the girl suddenly said, looking straight in his eyes.

Icy blue met ocean green.

Ayako looked at the scene unfolding in front of her. So did the few people.

Her jaw almost dropped when she saw that Rukawa had a little smile-that-isn't-really-a-smile-at-all on his lips. It was something new. Rukawa HAD never given that expression.

He nodded and the girl widened her smile. "What's going on there?" Akagi bellowed. They all turned around and faced the captain. "What's going on?"

Rukawa ignored his captain. He was looking at the girl. As if she had understood his look, she nodded, went near him and whispered something. Then she faced Akagi, bowed and said sorry and left, taking the drooling boys with her. Akagi and Rukawa looked at their retreating back, before walking back to the game.

Ayako however had pulled Yuko's arm, "Eh?"

"Who's she?"

"I was at the library when suddenly this guy, he's quite tall and he looked a lot like Rukawa-kun except that he's friendlier. He asked me if I could take the girl with me to the basketball club. Then the guys saw her and started following her—" She was cut off.

"O-kay, but who is she?"

"I asked her. She said she's a close friend"

"A close friend of Rukawa?" Ayako asked. She began to wonder, if there's a guy who looked like Rukawa, it must have been Reiji Rukawa, Rukawa's older brother. She had seen him before in her junior high. Speaking of junior high, she had known Rukawa from there, but even until today, Rukawa never had a close friend. From all she can tell, his only friends are his basketball teammates.

"Ayako!" she heard her name called by the captain. "Oh! Ok, thanks Yuko." She said and bid her farewell. She went back to the gym and went to the captain.

"Phew, that was tiring" Mitsui told Miyagi at the boys' locker room. They had finished their training and were changing their clothes. "Tell me about it" Miyagi said, unlocking his locker.

Kogure walked in. "Hey, did you notice what happened just now?" Mitsui asked him. "Huh? About what?"

"How would we know? We only saw Rukawa standing at the door and a glimpse of someone in front of him with red hair" Miyagi said.

Kogure looked up, trying to remember. "No, I didn't notice anything. Probably someone went to pass a message to Rukawa?"

As if on cue, the boy walked in, making his seniors jumped back. Rukawa raised a brow. "Heh, uh hi!" Mitsui said, sweat dropped. Rukawa gave him his stoic look and went to his locker, the opposite of theirs.

The three watched quietly as the boy changed his clothes. They became curious when they saw Rukawa stopped on his track for a moment, looking at something and then closed his locker and went out.

Miyagi looked at Mitsui. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked. Mitsui nodded. Kogure sensing that his fellow teammates were up to no good, told them, "I think it's best if we stay out of Rukawa's business"

"Not when there's a juicy story!" Miyagi said, walking towards Rukawa's locker. Mitsui, who was already there, opened the locker and the duo began searching the locker. Suddenly Miyagi's eyes caught a glimpse on something underneath Rukawa's extra t-shirt. "Hey, what's this?"

"Guys, I don't think it's a good idea to—", Kogure's words were cut off by Mitsui. "Hey, it's a picture"

Mitsui looked at the picture closely. Miyagi did the same. Curious, Kogure did too. It was a sticker picture. There was Rukawa, looking stoic like always and a girl. "Who's the girl?" Miyagi asked.

Suddenly the door burst opened. Surprised, Mitsui put back the picture and slammed the locker. They looked at the door. It was Sakuragi. He cocked an eyebrow, looking quizzically, "What are you up to?"

"Uh, nothing" Miyagi answered, picking up his bag and left the room, Mitsui and Kogure followed suit, leaving Sakuragi clueless.

"Finally you're back!" Reiji shouted. He went up to his brother and pretended to kiss him.

Kaede Rukawa quickly pushed him away.

"Oh? Is this how you repay me, when I kindly brought your future wife to see you at school?"

The youngest of Rukawa members gave his brother his icy glare. "You think you can kill me with that stare? Hah! As if! I'm power—ow!" he turned around to face the red-haired girl holding a thick book which she had hit him with it.

Her face was flushed red. "Ne, Reiji-san, would you like to have fish for dinner tonight?" she threatened, remembering that Reiji's worst phobia is offish.Akie tried hard not to burst into laughter at the thought of the handsome, strong guy in front of her screaming and running away at the sight of the scally,cold-blooded vertebrate that lives in water.

Reiji's face showed horror,"uh, no thanks."

Kaede Rukawa ignored them and walked up to his room. She's back earlier than I expected. He thought as he glanced at the red-haired girl. A small almost a smile appeared on his face.

Dinner went like usual. Kaede Rukawa had found out that only Akie and her sister came back to Japan, their parents working busily back at the States. "Are you sure you don't want to stay here?" his mom asked Akie.

Akie smiled. "Mom and Dad bought an apartment for us. We're only staying here for a while, until they finished renovating and moving in all the furniture." Mrs. Rukawa nodded. "So Aoko, you're gonna take over your dad's branch in here?" Mr. Rukawa asked. Aoko nodded. "Looks like you and me are going to be partner" Sakura smiled, spoon-feeding her daughter, Sayuri.

This is boring. Kaede thought. He looked at Akie before taking a sip of his drink. "Can I be excuse?" he asked. His parents nodded. They watched him going up to his room. Then they shifted their look on Akie who was playing with her food. Akie looked up, meeting everyone's gaze on her, "What?"

They were grinning madly, even her sister. It was more than the usual smile. This was the menacing, mischievous grin. The SCARY one. Suddenly it struck her, she knew what they wanted her to do. "Oh no!"

Rukawa opened his bedroom's door. He looked at his half messy room before plopping down on his bed; his head hit the pillow, but not yet ready to fall asleep. It was weird; usually his eyes would be eager to close when he hit his bed, but not tonight.

He stared at the ceiling. Why she came back early? Isn't she busy with her modeling work? He closed his eyes, trying to sleep, but he still couldn't. Suddenly he heard a knock from outside. "Come in"

And Akie did. Kaede sat up on his bed, staring at her. She walked in and sat on the bed, next to him.

Kaede looked at her, "What is it?" He was a bit surprised. No girl, except for Sakura and his mother had sat on his bed. Then again, no other girl had entered his room before. He wondered what the girls at school would say about this.

Akie just shrugged. "I was happily eating and they pushed me here." She told him.

Kaede nodded. Silence took over.

"So" Akie said, breaking the ice. "You must be wondering why I came to your school earlier." She said looking at him. He gave her his stoic expression. Akie continued.

"I arrived early in the morning. Reiji-san and Sakura-san picked Aoko-neechan and me. Then we went back here. Suddenly Reiji-san had the craziest idea to bring me to your school. So we went. Suddenly he walked out, taking me with him and we went in the school."

"Then Reiji-san saw this girl and asked her to bring me to the basketball court. At first I didn't want to, but Reiji-san pushed me, so I had no way out. Then I saw you," she said, smiling at him.

Kaede just nodded his head. The silence came back again. Akie was lost in her thoughts, while Kaede stared at his study desk, hoping that Akie won't see the magazine.

Out of the blue came a shout from downstairs, it surprised Akie. She jumped back, her shoulder pressing against his firm one, their skin touched. "Akie! Come back down!" she heard her sister shout.

Honestly, didn't she felt any shame? Shouting so loudly and this isn't our house, for God's sake! Maybe she felt too welcome here, after all the Rukawa treats us like family, maybe it's because— Akie looked at the guy next to her, suddenly feeling her cheeks turning to a shade of red.

She let out a sigh. "I better go see what Aoko-neechan wants," she told him and he merely nodded. She stood up, walking to the door. Her hand was already on the door knob and she turned around to face him.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I'm going to enter your school. Good night Kaede" she said and walked out.

Kaede looked at the closed door. Going to Shohoku? He rested his head on his pillow. She's going to enter Shohoku? Another almost-a-smile emerged on his face, the third time that day before dozing off to sleep.

I hope I didn't confuse any of you with this chapter. Don't worry, everything will be explained in the next chapter. Yup, it's the flashback when the two of them first met; a year ago. Till then, REVIEW!!!