Summary: What could be the truth behind Rukawa's so called "cheating" on Sendoh? Hmm…

Pairing: SenRuSen!

Disclaimer: Of course I don't own SD! I'd be the gawd if I did. :D Song lyrics featured (c) Good Charlotte.

Author's Crappy Notes: Hello! Belated April Fools' Day and that was like two days ago:D (Hey, don't get me wrong—this fic isn't about the April Fools'!) Notes… notes… Ok, the plot was given to me by (user) Sekiho-chan because I told her I wanted to write but had nothing to write about. XD Lol, and then she was just having this Good Charlotte fetish and suggested the song. starts laughing And how could I forget, thanks to Lady in Blue (user) for inspriring (sorta) me to write SD slash again. XD And to (user again XD) H. Reeza for linking my domain! Muah's everyone!

Dedications: Lady in Blue, H.Reeza, Sekiho-chan


The Truth

Walking a couple of meters in going to the basketball gymnasium with this kind temperature feels same as walking down the trail going to hell. It's sizzling hot and one could've thought of frying an egg on a car's exposed-to-the-sun surface if they ran out of gas at home. Tss. I might die of heat stroke any time now.

The moment I arrived at the gymnasium, all sweaty and flushed, the great Hikoichi greeted me with one of his big smiles and pen-in-hand waves. As I normally do, I greeted him back too. I glanced at the wall clock and saw that I was close to getting late already considering that I haven't changed yet and were still planning to take a very quick shower. So I paced hurriedly to the locker rooms.

While changing I was surprised to hear a voice behind me. I nearly jumped at shock to see that someone was with me inside the room without me even noticing it.

"Uh…Sendoh!"

My head automatically turned to the talking guy. Ha, it was just Hikoichi.

"Hey, watcha doing here?"

"Uh…I was wondering if I could have a word with you."

"On our way to the gym, ok?" With that I started stuffing all my stuff inside the old locker with paint already peeling.

We then went out of the locker room and made way for to the gym taking big steps to not waste time and not be late (I hope). Oh and then I remember he wanted to tell me something a couple of minutes ago. "Yeah Hikoichi, what was that you want to tell me?"

He stopped walking. I question why? Was it really so important? Before he told me what, he took inhaled heavily first. "It would hurt you if you found out that the one you love's betraying you, right?

I was totally clueless about this. Is this a survey or what? There was a light laugh inside my head with the thinking that Hikoichi's actually asking me stuff about this. But the word 'betrayed' has struck me for some reason I just don't know. "Betray? In what way?"

"Like dating somebody else. Or even having a relationship with someone when you two are actually in one."

Ok, his statement struck me again and much harder this time. I thought of Kaede and I imagined him with someone else but I quickly erased the picture of it off my mind. Kaede loves me and he wouldn't do it. I started walking again (we started walking again). "Why? Are you having dilemmas about love?" I gave off a light laugh and before he could answer I continued with what I wanted to say, "Well of course I'd be hurt. Dating someone else is like saying that you're bored at your partner and having a number two is just like signifying that you want some difference, change, adventure, and a new experience. But the worst part is sometimes, having a number two means that he er, or she is just playing with you and your tender feelings. In short, cheating on you and that's just pure shit!"

Hikoichi then bit lit lower lip. He looked like he was in some hesitation whether to continue or not. I raised my brow at him and urged him to go on, "Hey it's ok, tell me. Come on…"

His big eyes were staring at me now and sweat trickled on the back of my neck (because of the heat, maybe). "Is there anything unusual about Rukawa Kaede these days?"

"I don't know. We haven't seen each oth—" I panicked. He just connected Kaede with all these mushy rubbish. "What the! Hikoichi Aida, will you just go straight to the point already!"

"The other day when I was on my way home I saw him some guy that I think is Hisashi Mitsui at some old abandoned building by the beach. They were… uh…. Kissing! I was totally shocked and ran away quickly. Look Sendoh, I just felt like it's right to tell you this! So-don't-be-mad-at-me-ok!"

He was right. It was very right to tell me this. But wait maybe he's just mistaken! "How did you know it was actually my Kaede?"

He looked down, and then looked back at me again. "He was wearing his jersey! Red, number 11, Shohoku High school!"

I didn't react. I didn't respond. I didn't feel like doing it. This is madness. I swear I'm going crazy any minute now. My world has now turned pitch black and it will never be lighted again – ever!

It didn't occur to me that we were already at the gymnasium's entrance. Hikoichi looked at me with heartening eyes maybe hoping that somehow I'll feel better – but I didn't. And I will not. I kicked at the iron door and my team mates and everybody looked at us. Coach Taoka jabbed a finger at us and ordered us to do 80 push-up's because of being late and added a treat for me, "Plus twenty for you, Sendoh! That's for kicking the goddamned door!"

"Yeah, goddamned door and goddamned you." I whispered under my breath. I am so in a bad mood.

Practice didn't go well for me today. I did stumble once on the floor, which made some of then gasp in disbelief that I actually did. I kept on passing the ball to an invisible teammate. I was hit by a ball on the head thrice, and a lot more things happened that is just so un-ace player-ish. Koshino tried talking to me but I ignored him. Well, I ignored everybody.

I took the shower. Tears streaming down on my cheeks created a different sensation when it mixed with the cold shower water. The picture of Kaede and Mitsui together with a background of the old abandoned building by the beach and the sound of splattering waves—it's pain to me… pain to me like I'm splitting open, very brokenbody, heart, and soul.

When I opened the shower door an annoyed looking Koshino greeted me. "Damn you Sendoh, talk to me!"

I ignored him still and his fingers turned into angry fists and were about to punch me. Before he could I threw myself to him and started sobbing like a helpless little kid saying, "He's cheating on me! He's cheating on me!"

"Wtf."

I explained to him what happened and told him every teeny-tiny details of what Hikoichi said as we walked together to the mall (because we needed to buy something from the bookstore). His mouth was hanging open all the time and I had to close it for him. Though he's like that he didn't seem convinced. He never really believed anything that came from Hikoichi since one incident that happened a year ago. I am still very persuaded that it's true. I mean it's just so possible. Mitsui, his teammate, his biggest rival in their team… And me, me not seeing him for a week already and not knowing how he is or what goddamned things' have been happening in his life already. I know I'm being immature, but hey I really am.

Koshino started blabbing stuff about his past relationships and lessons he had earned from it. It was pointless though because I couldn't even relate a bit. It was a different case than the one I'm having right now. When we were supposed to be buying school stuff, we were hanging out in the mall. Kosh brought us some taco bells and we ate it in front of a music store that was playing Good Charlotte songs.

We leaned on the wall beside the music store's entrance. He was quiet at last, and so am I. I forced myself to eat thought I couldn't taste the anything. Even my taste buds were numb. And everything else became numb when the current song playing was some song that I heard over my neighbor last night. I even mocked the song because the vocalist sounded like he overdosed on drug depressants. He was seemed so depressed while singing the song; pouring in every word he say what he's feeling inside. And now, I found out the song's own beauty as I can relate to it.

I hummed with it at first….

I want the truth from you

Give me the truth, even if it hurts me

I want the truth from you

Give me the truth, even if it hurts me

I want the truth

Koshino gave me a "What the fuck, are you punk!" look. Some kids going out of the store looked at me with amusement. Then I tried to sing along on the second verse…

So this is you

You're talking to me

You found a million ways to let me down

So I'm not hurt when you're not around

I was blind

But now I see

This is how you feel

Just say it to me

If this was ever real

And I guess I got too carried away as the song nears the bridge part and the outro. People were looking at me saying things and I don't care a bit. They think I'm weird? They think I've lost my mind? I don't give a darn damn! Koshino backed away and was saying something I couldn't understand. I sang with so much intensity in my voice. I felt my pain, I felt the singer's pain, and I felt everybody's pain!

I know that this will break me

I know that this might make me cry

You gotta say what's on your mind

On your mind

I know that this will hurt me

Break my heart and soul inside

I don't wanna live this lie

I want the truth from you…

Give me the truth, even if it hurts me

I want the truth from you

Give me the truth, even if it hurts

I don't care no more, no!

Just give me the truth, give me the truth

Cause I don't care no more

Give me the truth!

Cause I don't care no more, no!

Just give me the truth

Give me the truth!

Give me the truth!

Give me the truth!

Give me the truth!

Cause I don't care no more, no!

When the song ended, I did my finale with one hard kick at the nearest trash bin. Koshino's eyes widened. Some people around us gaped at astonishment. I… well… I came back to my senses, the normal me… and I… I suddenly felt… embarrassed darn it. A security guard started walking towards our direction and I can't do anything but look down on the shiny mall floor.

"Hey kid, this isn't your studio, garage or anything. I'm warning you—or else I'll be sure that I'm the one to escort you to the nearby mental hospital!"

I nodded in agreement and found my heart pounding hard and faster when I heard a familiar voice that came from behind the stupid security guard.

"No, sir. I'm volunteering to take him to the place for incurable people like him."

I heard Koshino laugh and greet someone, "Hi there! What are you doing here?"

"Checking out new CD's."

I looked up and saw… holy shit, Rukawa Kaede. I'm surprised; he actually spoke to the guard he barely knew with… two, four, six, eight, ten, twelve, fourteen… fifteen words, all in all!

When the guard went away, he spoke to me. "Akira…"

"What! Damn it!" I responded to just add some I-in-a-bad-mood thing.

He turned to Koshino and gave him a look that asked for an explanation about my behavior and Koshino explained what had happened and what we have learned about. I would gasp whenever I hear "Hisashi Mitsui".

Again Kaede spoke to me when Koshino have finished. "Hey Akira."

I didn't answer but just looked down on the floor again.

He continued, "The do'aho gave away my shirt."

"What!" I beamed out.

"My jersey shirt. Sakuragi gave it to some Shohoku-fan-boy."

So is this "the truth"?

"And that fan boy turned out to be Mitsui's boyfriend. And he didn't want to return it."

Ok, more words. And he said it really fast. I felt much, much more embarrassed now but a lot better. It came right from his words. It was all fake. Hikoichi had just mistaken the guy for being Kaede. I looked at Kaede. "So you weren't cheating on me?"

He curled his lips and replied with a, "No. So don't be such a moron."

And then I heard Koshino; he started patting me on the back "See, I told you. Don't ever listen to that dumbass Hikoichi."

I felt merrier than ever. Rukawa Kaede had illuminated my pitch-black world again. I knew he couldn't do this to me. We are so damn in-love and I'm just one-in-a-million and he couldn't afford to lose me.

We started walking away from the music store that started playing my favorite song again. I became glad like crazy and then grinning at Kaede, Koshino and everyone we met on the way.

I turned to Kaede and made sweet-talk with him, "I love you forever."

"Yeah, and you're still a moron."