Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?


Calliope Medina Erato: yeah, it did. Well that's what I thought too… but looking at the Mitsui when he returned to the team... I believe that he was a really good person; just that, sometimes he strays away… hehehe… the girl with the violin does not attend Shohoku high school… hehehe… and no it was not her… hehe… though sometimes I think that you know more than you let me know you know… hehehe… just like when you said "who's it from?" it made me think you know already…  oh and about your fujima fic, yeah I read some of the reviews and some of the reviewers thought that Fujima was kinda mean or something… but it didn't bother me though… hehehe… don't know why… maybe because I've read a lot of slamdunk fanfictions in the past which portrayed even Sendoh in that arrogant, somewhat cold character…

Simmic: I'm sorry for getting you confused on the timeline, all you have to remember is that everything in the present happens when mitsui was in the third year… and the flashbacks have their own timeline, and right now it's when he was in junior high… ok? Yeah… of course I'm not going to suddenly make him a gangster… it's a transition he goes through… but indifferent… I don't think being part of a gang makes you just indifferent… of course his meanness has a different level when it comes to Karin… Haruko giving a letter… that's a secret… hehe… oh and I also think that you also know a lot about the story, and it's secrets… I just get that feeling based on your reviews… 


Do You See Me?

Flashback

You should've told me. You should have. You didn't tell me anything - of how you injured your knee. Were you afraid that I'd tease you of all the gloating you did about bringing Shohoku to the championships? That you in fact became the MVP and yet at the start of the season you were prohibited from participating because of your injury? Or What? You know me. I'm not as dense or as stupid as to do that. You know that. You do.

I visited you at the hospital only to find your room empty. There was only one place where you would go - the basketball court. And indeed, I found you there. You were in mid-air, releasing the ball for a lay-up shot, though when you landed your eyes winced, your knee gave way, and you almost toppled over. I stood back and gave you space, hoping that you wouldn't pick the ball up. But stubborn as you were, you did.

"Mitsui!" You froze like a statue, the ball bouncing away. You were caught. "Didn't the doctor tell you to wait?" You ran a hand through your hair. A sigh was all you gave me. You started to limp towards me. "Mitsui, stop right there. You're only applying more pressure to your injured knee!" I rushed forward and placed your arm across my shoulder, synchronizing our steps. "Can you really support me?" You leaned a little and I began to lose what little I had for a balance. You took off the weight. "I know I'm not that strong, but let me at least help you. Or am I just being a burden?" You didn't answer that. You didn't say anything until we reached your room, until I closed the door leading to it, until I returned the phone back to its receiver.

"I know this must be hard for you, but-" Your laugh was overflowing with sarcasm. "You don't understand do you, Karin. Have you ever lost something that's so important to you, you don't give a damn what it takes to get it back?" I could not bear to look at you – in your face – in your eyes. "No."

Then a sudden realization struck me, it gave me strength to look where I could not once bear to look at - straight where I would be lost – in your eyes. "Yeah, I did." It seemed to say 'I didn't know that'. "I did." I repeated. "I lost a friend not so long ago. So, yeah, I do know how it feels."

It was your turn to sink further into your bed, lay your head on your pillow, cover yourself with blankets, lie sideways so that you would face the window, and not my face, so that you could hide, so that you could pretend I was not close by.

I could feel my heart pumping, could feel my chest constricting, my lungs heaving at trying to suppress this feeling. I let it loose. "You're a great basketball player Mitsui. I always thought you were. Many others did. You know that. You knew you were great. You don't have to be so impatient as to prove that." No response. "I may not understand anything of how strongly you feel for basketball, or how it almost drives you to insanity to be separated from it, maybe because I'm not a basketball player, maybe because I do not have the passion for it, maybe because, maybe because… I just don't understand."

I didn't know what to say next. I walked towards the door I once closed, turned it and with a click it opened. I stepped outside from where I once stepped in, faced the door I once faced my back with, pulled the knob I once pushed away, towards me, hoping you would turn to face me. Pride kept you from doing it.

A step. Another. A third. The fourth. The fifth. Maybe you weren't coming. Pride kept me from going back.

"Karin." It was you. I need not face you. I could tell. It was you. "I'm sorry." I said it, though I did not hear it. Instead I heard your voice, echoing what I said back at me. "Would you like to understand?"

I found myself retracing my steps. Standing in front of the door I once left, opening the door I once closed, entering the room I once exited, sat on a chair beside your bed, and listened.


Hmm… personally liked this chapter too… hehehe… well… mitsui's not too mean, a bit distant, and well Karin calling him Mitsui… it's like she's not too comfortable of calling him Hisashi again… probably out of all my ending words… I probably I like this one the most… unless I make something which I think is better… what do you think?