DISCLAIMER: I do not own Slam Dunk, Takehiko Inoue does. In this fic, I've made up some original Japanese names. I don't know if they are genuine though so please bear with me.

"I Love You, I Don't"

"He doesn't love me anymore..." Hanamichi opened up to his best friend Youhei. They were sitting at an outdoor café, fifteen minutes from Shohoku high school.

"Why did you say that?" Youhei asked, totally bewildered.

Silence.

"You guys are perfect for each other. What's happening?" Youhei inquired.

"He's become cold and distant. We've been together for almost three years. Frankly, I'm scared of losing him now that the graduation is coming up." Hanamichi confessed.

"Don't worry, he wouldn't let you go." Youhei made a remark that somehow uplifted Hanamichi's spirit.

'I don't know about that. I think we're gonna be separated in college. His father wants him to study business management in Tokyo for their company. As for me, I have no college to go to. You know Kaede, he just wants to play basketball." Hanamichi knows he is not making any sense with what he is saying.

"Come on, it'll work out. Stop worrying so much. Rukawa loves you." Youhei said.

"Thanks."

"It's coming...any minute now." Hanamichi thought.

They were in a public seaport during their every-Friday-night date. Both were staring out at the sea waiting for the inevitable.

"Hanamichi, we need to talk." Rukawa started. No Hana-kun. No do'aho. Just plain Hanamichi.

"I won't cry. I won't cry. I won't cry." Hanamichi found himself thinking over and over again.

"You know about me going to Tokyo University for college, right?"

"Yes...what about it?"

"Do you think there is a chance of us surviving a long distance relationship?"

"Maybe."

"Look, Hanamichi, the technology is much powerful now. We can talk all the time."

"I suppose so. But if you really don't want to continue, that would be fine with me."

"Come on, Hana. Don't say that."

"That's the way the cookie crumbles. You don't have to act like you're still interested."

"Don't...don't you have plans for college?"

"Nope."

"Sou ka. Well it's getting late. I have to get going."

"Yeah, ja!"

"Keep in touch, okay?"

"..."

Rukawa turned around and proceeded to his car that was parked nearby. At that very moment, Hanamichi's tears fell to the ground.

Graduation Day

For most people, this was supposed to be a very joyful moment. On the contrary, it wasn't for Hanamichi. With each passing second, the distance between them was lengthening. His heart is being shattered to pieces as he continuously hear the words 'congratulations' and 'keep in touch'. It was all he could do not to break down.

"Baka-saru! I wouldn't have bet for you graduating high school!" Mitsui Hisashi remarked as he clasp Hanamichi on the shoulder.

"Hey Micchy! What are you doing here?" Hanamichi said enthusiastically.

"Well, visiting you guys! Of course, I'm here with Min-kun." Mitsui said.

"Ah..."

"Well, congratulations!"

"Thanks, Micchy."

It's not fair. Everybody is happy. Everybody is in high spirits. Except for me. I cannot feel the joy of finally graduating. I simply can't. Not without this person telling me and assuring ME that everything is going to be all right between us.

"Hana! Why looking so morose?" The gundan was acting childishly as usual, throwing their graduation caps again and again. They think that was the best graduation scene.

"Nothing."

"Ne, ne? Are you missing pretty boy?"

"Urusai."

"Hahahaha!!! Hanamichi's missing Rukawa!"

"Bakas."

Graduation come and goes without me hearing a word from him. I saw him leave but he never even looked at me. I was a non-existent to him. No words. No goodbyes. Not even a glance. The next thing I knew, he had flown with his family to Tokyo. That was the end. What the hell happened to keep in touch? I wondered.

It's hard to move on. It's hard to pick up the pieces of my life. But I am the tensai and I can do this. I have to return to my old self and do myself a favor. Forget the past and forget about the kitsune. The first thing I've done was to apply for an examination in Kanagawa University. With my good basketball evaluation, I was accepted in a scholarship program for athletes. All I have to do is maintain a GWA of 2.5 and I'm going to graduate with a degree. I don't care what the degree is all about. All I care about is basketball, nothing else. This sport is going to be my life. Nothing and no one specially can interfere with. I'm going to be the best.

"I miss him." Rukawa thought to himself. "So very much. How can I be so harsh?" It was very hard to leave but I know that in the long run, this is going to be in favor of us. Don't get me wrong. I love Hanamichi with all my heart. In the back of my mind, I can feel that we are meant to be. But I also have dreams and plans for the future. I wanted to be someone. Otousan says that if you are really going to be with each other, love will find a way. I want to believe in that. We have to admit that we are awfully young. At 19, life has so much in store for you. I don't want to deprive us with the opportunity to develop. I am not that selfish. This is not a justification of what I've done to him. Still, I miss him. Will it hurt to send him e-mail?

The Kanagawa University basketball varsity is starting to pick up their momentum. More than half of their games have been won and a shot at the National Finals is now a reality. Hanamichi Sakuragi, the ever self- proclaimed tensai, is behind the success. His supernatural abilities to jump, rebound, and slam dunk proved to be an essential to the basketball team. Known for his red hair and prowess at the sport, Hanamichi is undeniably a campus figure. Wherever he goes, regardless of time, everyone eagerly looks at him. For them, he was the chance for nationwide acknowledgment. He was their hero with his gundan.

"Ore wa tensai basketto-man...Sakuragi Hanamichi!!!" Sakuragi is singing at the top of his voice on his way to class. In high school, almost everyone sweat dropped as they hear this song from Hanamichi. Now, it was a fact that he, indeed, is a tensai.

"Nyahahaha!!! Kanagawa University is going to be the National Champions!!!" Hanamichi laughed all through the way to his computer class.

"Sound confident, Hana-chan." Youhei called to him.

"OF COURSE! Sakuragi tensai is on the team."

"Yare, yare. Let's go, we're going to be late."

"Ei... Youhei. What's that you're doing?' Hana asked as Youhei opened up his e-mail address.

"Checking for mails. Don't you remember that I made one for you?"

"No...I thought the mails are going to come via postman." Hanamichi said, obviously clueless.

"Duh... You mean you haven't opened it up since?"

"I don't think so."

"Okay. Let's open yours first."

As Youhei expected, his mailbox reached the 100 limit.

"Let's start with the inbox. You click this word, inbox, okay?" Youhei suggested.

There on the screen, completely undeniable, are the words, Sender: Rukawa Kaede. Both guys didn't know what to do. They are stunned with the words, believing that their eyes are deceiving them.

"Do you want to open it?" Youhei asked, barely above a whisper.

"..." Hanamichi is completely speechless. His heart seems to stop beating for a second, after which started beating triple fast.

"Hana..." Youhei prompted.

"Okay." He said in a hardly audible sound.

Hana-chan,

Hey! How've you been? Is everything okay with you? I hope so. I just kept my promise to keep in touch. I'm doing very well here. I'm in my second year in college and things are starting to get difficult. I wish I could cope. I can't believe we haven't talk for so long.... Whew!!!

You know me and, I love to play basketball. But my course is really interesting; I think I'm going to enjoy being the CEO of our company. hehehe

Good luck to you! Please reply if you can.

Kae-chan

Everything seems to revert to the past. The wounds became fresh again with its pain and hurting. I though I forgot about him. But I haven't. All the memories came rushing back to me and I don't want them. I'm not going to be a weakling again like last time.

"Delete it. Delete all my messages." Hana said to Youhei.

"All of them?" Youhei asked unbelievingly.

"Yes, all of them. Delete them along with the email address." Hanamichi commanded.

"Sure... If you say so."

After the e-mail, Hanamichi became more determined to be a basketball legend. He was a robot dedicated only in perfecting his field. And his field is the basketball game. Needless to say, the Kanagawa University varsity team is slowly reaching the top rank. Games after game were won. They've been called the invincible team for nothing can stop them. With each victory, it was accounted solely to Sakuragi Hanamichi. He is living up to his self-proclaimed moniker, the tensai.

"Yosh Minna-san!!! This is the game we've been waiting for all summer. This is it. The deciding game has come. Either we will move to the Nationals or stop our practices too short. I'm sure you want to make it, right?" The usual pep talk of their team captain, Noshido Takaro, never ceases to boost members's spirit.

"Hai captain!!!" everybody chorused as they walk out of their designated locker room.

"Sakuragi, I need a moment with you." Noshido started.

"What is it?"

"You know that you're the only hope for the win in this game. I'm hoping you will do your best."

'It's okay captain. We've already won." Hanamichi smiled a confident smile as if they'd already won the game.

Just as Hanamichi predicted, Kanagawa University won the deciding game to the Nationals. Usually, in games like these, it is impossible to tell who would win for the games are closely matched up. However, Kanagawa won with almost thirty points in the lead. They had creamed and mushed the opposing team, leaving them helpless.For the first time in Kanagawa University history, the basketball varsity team are going to the Nationals.

"Yatta, yatta, yatta!!! Woo!!! Ore wa tensai!!!" Hanamichi could not contain his happiness as they had finally won the ticket to the Nationals.

"Good work Hanamichi! Good work minna! Let's start practicing tomorrow to ensure our best performance in the upcoming Nationals." Noshido Takaro instructed every member as they headed outside the gym toward the afternoon sunshine.

"Oh, come on, captain! We deserve a break, don't we? I suggest we go to some place to celebrate our winning," the point guard, Misoharu Aota said, clearly in a party mood.

"Yeah! Let's!" Everybody chorused as they supported Aota's suggestion.

"Well...ok! Any recommendation as to where we are going?"

During the party at Danny's, a well-known bar in Kanagawa district, the gundan were having drinks they celebrate the winning.

"Hanamichi, how does it feel to be on your way to the nationals?" Ookusu inquired.

"Nyahahaha!!! What kind of question is that, Ookusu? I'm not feeling a bit nervous. I'm the tensai remember?" Hanamichi strikes the tensai pose as he said this.

"Seriously Hanamichi, you have improved so much after the game." Youhei commented.

"Of course! You are talking to the tensai, Youhei."

"No, really, you can almost compare to ah-uhm..."

Silence prevails the table.

"Youhei, I'm glad at what I do because of my unique abilities. Nobody can compare to me and I cannot compare to anybody."

"Sure, Hana. I did not mean anything."

"So what's the big deal? Let's celebrate!"