Read my disclaimer first: SD rawks but it doesn't belong to me! As for the rest, it's as original as can be by yours truly! :)
I am really happy to hear that my email idea was well received by my reviewers! I will try to put in more 'creative' chapters as I go along. Glad I have a new reviewer 'demi-writer', and of course, not forgetting dana and KoinoTenshi. I may not have many reviews, but you guys keep me going. :)
Please review at the end of this chapter!
Chapter 5: More than tuition for Basketman!
Ayako's indomitable paper fan landed on Sakuragi's head.
Thwack"Ouch! Ayako-sempai, that hurts! Why did you hit me?" Sakuragi nursed the lump on his head and glared down at Ayako through the tears streaming down his eyes.
"Serve you right! You are supposed to be doing your schoolwork, not running around like a monkey!" Ayako let out a long-suffering sigh, "Your concentration span is worse than a six-year old."
"But-but Ayako-sempai, being cooped up in this place with nothing to do is really driving me crazy!"
Ayako, with a glint in her eyes, nodded. "Alright, than let's go and have some fun..."
Sakuragi jumped up and started to clear away the school papers.
"Great! I knew you are the most understanding...anyway, no schoolwork can be too difficult for this Tensai here-"
"...It won't matter if you are banned from playing in the team again, like the last time you did so badly in your exams." Ayako continued speaking over Sakuragi, and let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh poor Mitsui-sempai and Ryota! They have been looking forward to your return...and even Rukawa has been working hard in school. It seems like the letters that the cute little Haruko has been sending to you are all a waste..."
"..." Sakuragi sweatdropped and knew he was defeated. "Alright, alright! I will do it because of Haru-chan! I suppose Tensai also needs some practice in schoolwork."
"Ha ha ha..."
Sakuragi turned towards the laughter. "Hey no fair Kimiko-sempai! It's all your fault I was scolded in the first place!"
The 'culprit' blinked, "Me? But I didn't do anything!"
"It's all because of the beautiful drawing you have given me! Its makes me want to play basketball now! Hey, next time tell me earlier if you are going for our matches ok? Than I, Tensai Sakuragi, will create more poses for you to draw!"
Sakuragi anticipated another hit on the head by the paper fan, but Ayako was looking at the drawing Kimiko had given to Sakuragi. "Kimiko, I recognize this scene...it was during our summer IH games right? I remember you told me a few days ago that you went to watch us play. But you never mentioned that you were going to me before."
Curious, Ayako turned to look at Kimiko, the idea of giving Sakuragi tuition put aside for the moment, much to his delight.
Kimiko had been visiting Sakuragi with Ayako, and they had become friends. When Sakuragi had heard Kimiko was in the school's Art club, he was rather impressed. Actually, Sakuragi was hopeless in art and crafts, but he was secretly envious of people who could create beautiful things. Surprising, for such a violent young man; but when he had expressed his respect for the arts, Kimiko had brought him a present.
A colored drawing of himself, scoring for Shohoku.
Kimiko had captured every tiny detail. The look of concentration on his face; the slight flex of his wrist as the ball left his hand...
In fact, Sakuragi never knew he could look so ... cool.
"N-no. Ano...it was a-a last minute decision...that's right, a last minute decision, so I didn't have time to inform you, Ayako."
Ayako looked suspiciously as Kimiko. "But you couldn't have gotten the tickets to the match if it was last minute! Although basketball is not that popular yet, but the IH games are always full-house."
Kimiko was struggling to answer, when something hit Ayako.
"Oh, oh!" Ayako became excited, "Don't tell me it has something to do with Mitsui-sempai!"
Ayako knew she had hit the nail on its head when she saw Kimiko's horrified expression.
"What? That sneaky Michi has gotten himself a girlfriend while I wasn't around??" Sakuragi looked at Kimiko's blushing face. Wow, Michi sure has good taste in girls. Kimiko-sempai is not only good in her art and crafts, but she is also kind, gentle...and quite pretty! Sigh...I must work harder to win Haru-chan!
"No-no, you've got it all wrong...""Now, don't try to deny Kimiko. Rei told me she saw you and Mitsui-sempai coming to school together on Thursday!"
"Lucky Michi!" (Sakuragi's dream was to send his dream girl to-and-from school everyday.)
Kimiko sweatdropped and put out her hands, as if to ward off the both of them. "You guys seem more excited than me...but you've got it all wrong. I do know Michi, but he isn't my boyfriend."
"She called him 'Michi'! How intimate..." Ayako and Sakuragi are united against Kimiko. "So tell us what's your relationship already!"
Kimiko let out a mushroom-shaped sigh and knew she wouldn't be going home without telling these two about Michi and herself.
"Well, maybe I had better start from the beginning. I know I've kept this from you, Ayako, but I've actually known Mitsui-sempai since I was a child. I've been calling him 'Michi' ever since I was young."
Ayako anticipated a good story, and settled comfortably on a chair next to Sakuragi's bed. Sakuragi settled more comfortably unto his bed.
Kimiko's eyes took on a faraway gaze as she continued her story. "My mother was a painter when she was young. She used to travel around when she was younger, that's how she met my dad in Europe. He was Japanese, but he was a traveling businessman. The first few years of my life were spent traveling around, so I didn't have any friends. When I was five, my mother decided to become a full-time house maker. That's how I came back to Kanagawa, my parent's hometown."
"I met Mitsui during my sixth birthday. He was the son of my mother's best friend." A smile tugged at Kimiko's lips as she remembered their first meeting. "His blue-black hair was long than...in fact he looked like a cute little girl. He was hugging a big basketball to himself. Even than, he had loved playing basketball; he refused to put it down despite Aunt Tomoe's cajoling. He had this solemn expression on his face when he threw the basketball at me. I was so shocked that it smashed right into my face! He refused to be my friend because I hadn't caught that ball he threw. 'Girls are hopeless in basketball, so Mitsui hates them too!'...He said that to me."
Ayako sweatdropped. It was difficult to imagine Mitsui-sempai looking like a girl!
Sakuragi nodded thoughtfully, "Oh, so Michi's violent tendencies began as a child..."
"I cried after hearing what he said. It was my birthday and I so badly wanted a friend to play with...in the end, Mitsui got a scolding and he was forced to play with me. Of course, within five minutes, he wanted to go out of the house to play basketball.
I was afraid he wouldn't be my friend if I didn't agree, so I went along with him. At that time, I had a basketball hoop-stand in my backyard; my dad liked playing basketball too. And so, I stood quietly by the hoop-stand and watched him dribble the ball around and try to throw it into the net. He was, of course, too short to get the ball anywhere near the net, but I would help him retrieve the ball, and throw it back to him...
Every time after that, he would head straight for my backyard when he came to my house. He would play, and I would watch quietly at the sides, helping him to pick the balls. One day, he told me ' You're not so bad as a girl since you don't make much noise.' It was the happiest day of my life, that I've finally been accepted by him."
Tears came into Kimiko's eyes as she remembered her childhood with Mitsui. Ayako and Sakuragi were quiet. It was as if listening to Mitsui's past made them understand Mitsui more, and seeing Kimiko tearing made them realize how important Mitsui was to her.
Ayako reached out her hand to Kimiko. "Kimiko, if it makes you sad, you don't have to tell us anymore."
Kimiko shook her head, and brushed her tears away. "No...it's ok, I'm just being silly. So... ever since that day, I followed him everywhere. He was my best friend. We used to see each other very often since our mothers are good friends, and we got enrolled into the same schools. Even though I was behind him by one year, I would run and look for him during breaks. Whenever I made something during art class, I would give it to him.
He became used to me following him, like I was his shadow, but he never chased me away. Underneath all that awkwardness and roughness, he was very, very nice to me. He'd teach me homework, fight off bullies, listen to all my childish dreams and complains..."
Kimiko took a deep breath and continued.
"W-when I was ten, my father died. My mother broke down completely. She loved my father a lot, and she couldn't take the news. She didn't even have any energy to take care of me. Aunt Tomoe took me to her place while my mother got better. And Mitsui... Michi was there for me during this time. He didn't say much...but he understood. He just held me while I cried..."
Kimiko felt something wet dropped unto her hand. She looked down and was surprised to see that it was her tears. In fact, her cheeks were wet. She wept them off hastily.
"You guys must think I'm so silly...crying like that."
"I would think anybody would cry if they were you. It's not a crime so don't be sorry to show your tears! Even I cry...but only sometimes."
Kimiko gave Sakuragi a watery, grateful smile, while Ayako gave her a hug.
"Michi was there for me while I was going through my most difficult time. He was always there for me...that was why I felt so helpless, so angry with myself when I couldn't help him. I knew he was hurt, I knew he was giving up on himself...but nothing I did could give him hope, could help him start all over again. All I ever did was to give him trouble...I was so useless, and I couldn't help. So when I heard that he had gone back to basketball team again, I was so happy. I went to the IH games, hoping to see him play again."
Kimiko smiled as she recalled watching Mitsui play.
"I had never seen him look so happy for a long time..."
"Kimiko...!"
Surprised to hear his voice, Kimiko turned, and Mitsui stood at the doorway to Sakuragi's room, a stricken look on his face.