Here's another chappie! Thanks for being patient with me, everyone...hehe... I just wanna say some stuff to some people...
Aki - Thanks! Wow...glad to have you review my fic...hopefully you review this chapter as well...
Mifune - I'm so happy I made you like this fic! ) The pleasure was all mine. Hope you enjoy this chapter too!
Coffeemaverick - Well, not to give any spoilers, but there's going to be a lot of denying in this fic...haha...
blufox - Sorry! Just realised my mistake. I fixed it already...haha thanks anyway...
AngelicKill - Agreed! Don't we all just learn to love SenRu? Thanks...
Lady in Blue - Short review...but thanks anyway... ;)
Alright, don't wanna hold everyone up from reading the fic...hope you guys enjoy this chapter! This is for all those who enjoyed my fic, whether or not you reviewed...
Sardonic
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimers: I don't own anything in this fic. Not Rukawa, not Sendoh (sob) but at least I own the fic.
Chapter 2: Every Other Day
When Rukawa opened his eyes, he was staring at the ceiling of a very familiar place. He sat up in the bed, slowly. Gazing around, he blinked. Beige walls, iodine smell, window facing the park. He knew this place!
He got up, walked to the window. He stared at some bluebirds, twittering as they flew past. He loved standing there whenever he came here. Suddenly, it hit him.
The game! The basketball game! Against Ryonan! What? How? His eyes landed on the clock hanging on the wall. It was 6pm.
"Oh no…"
He had not even noticed the nurse walking in. "Is something wrong, Rukawa?"
Rukawa looked at her, speechless for some reason.
She smiled at him. "Welcome back. How have you been?"
"The game…"
She cocked her head. "What game?"
"The basketball game! The game that happened three hours ago!" He cried, waving his hands around angrily.
"Calm down, Rukawa. Sit down."
He sat down obediently. He looked at her. "Keiko-san? What happened?"
She sighed. Then she bent down and looked him gently. "How is your breathing? Still having difficulties?" She asked instead.
"No, I'm not." He said impatiently. "What happened?"
She frowned. "Well, I don't know how it went, but your friends came to see you, not much earlier. They told me how the results were." She paused and frowned again.
Rukawa was on the edge of his chair. "…Keiko? Yes? Go on, please…"
She looked at Rukawa. "Shohoku lost. It was 50-75."
Sendoh Akira was sitting at his desk, worried. "Rukawa…"When the boy fainted, Sendoh had panicked. He had run to the boy's side and held him, yelling for paramedics. Feeling the boy's limp body against his chest had scared Sendoh half to death.
Rukawa couldn't die.
No, he mustn't.
Once the paramedics had rushed to the scene, Sendoh had laid him down gently, though very reluctantly. He remembered all the players shouting, the crowds gasping and yelling. But Sendoh had stood there very silently, watching, as he prayed that Rukawa would be alright.
To his relief, they said it was nothing serious. Just a minor problem. Sendoh had heard some talk about Rukawa having some breathing difficulties but wasn't sure whether it was a rumour, or the truth.
They took him away, and the game continued.
The drama had left everyone in a bit of a shock, and Sendoh was still shaken. But everything went smoothly after that. The Shohoku players, struggling to cope without their ace, had made little resistance to Ryonan, and in a flash, it was over.
Ryonan had won. But Sendoh didn't feel any better. He wanted to see Rukawa.
He jumped up suddenly. Exactly! That was it! He would go and see him!
Since he wanted to see him, why didn't he just go?
Although Sendoh knew Rukawa would be upset that a rival had come to visit him, he didn't really care. As long as he could see Rukawa talking and breathing normally again, putting his pride aside would be worth it.
He grabbed his coat and headed for the door.
When Sendoh had bought some fruits (he couldn't decide between that and flowers, but finally he decided that lilies weren't Rukawa's thing), he headed for the hospital they said he would be in. He went to the counter, smiled at the young swooning nurses, and asked for Rukawa's ward.
"Ward 501."
He smiled, earning dreamy smiles in return. "Thank you." Then he turned and got into the nearest elevator.
He pressed the button and the doors shut.
Pacing inside the elevator, he realised he had come unprepared.
"What am I to say to him? What should I do? What if he asks me to go away? What if he gets angry?"
The elevator doors opened almost all too soon. He walked to the room, stopped in front of the door.
This was it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he knocked and stepped in.
To his surprise, it was a lady who stood there by the bed.
"Where's Rukawa?" He blurted. Then he cleared his throat and tried again. "I'm sorry. Do you know where Rukawa is?"
The nurse fixed the bed sheet and turned to him calmly. "Oh, he isn't here. He just left."
Sendoh came in and placed the fruits on the table. "Will he be coming back?"
"He always comes back." She replied. "Fruits?"
Sendoh nodded. "Could I leave this here for him?"
She shook her head. "He only comes when he needs to, and leaves much too early for his own good. He never stays. He wouldn't eat those, even if he was here."
"You can have them, then." Sendoh answered, instead.
She laughed. "Alright. Thank you. Who are you?"
"Sendoh Akira."
"Ryonan, aren't you? Rukawa talks about you sometimes."
Sendoh's eyes widened. "He does? What does he say?"
"He speaks of you as a friend would. I never thought I would meet you. Though sometimes he's so hateful when he talks about you, I think he doesn't really mean everything he says." She shut the window, as the wind was blowing some dust in.
Sendoh was startled. Then he laughed. "You do know him well."
The nurse looked at him. "I don't, really. No one actually does. Not even his mother."
There was an uncomfortable silence.
"I guess so. I have to go. Thanks a lot. Goodbye." Sendoh smiled and walked towards the door.
"Perhaps you should go back along the back road of the hospital." The nurse called.
"Why?"
She didn't reply. She just brushed past him at the door and left.
Even so, Sendoh heeded her advice. He disliked the back alley but since she had said so…
He stopped in his tracks.
"A basketball. A ball bouncing." He murmured to himself and headed towards the sound.
As he turned the corner, he saw someone playing at a basketball court across the street.
"Rukawa!" His breath caught in his chest. He was there, across the road! Without thinking, Sendoh crossed the road and stopped at the court.
Leaning against a wall, he watched Rukawa playing.
Rukawa…he looked so graceful, and so, raw with passion.
When Rukawa turned around, he stopped suddenly, seeing Sendoh .
Sendoh was at a loss of words. They stood there, staring at each other. A few minutes passed, Sendoh was sure. Then Rukawa threw the ball to Sendoh. Unprepared, Sendoh nearly couldn't catch it.
Rukawa tossed the hair on his eyes back and took a step towards Sendoh. "Play with me?"
