Disclaimer: Don't own slam dunk or its characters.

Author notes: This is a prelude chapter, sorry, no Akira or Kaede just yet. I don't have a beta reader, if any errors please tell me. This is my first fic, please review

Okay this is a revised version, I want to try to fix the problem I have with my overemphasis on dialogue and make it a better fic (I am still working on it)

/../ denotes action

"…" denotes dialogue

'…' denotes thoughts

Title: Challenge

Prelude: Confession?

Sakuragi and Youhei were walking back home after basketball practice. As usual Sakuragi was bragging and talking loudly as his friend next to him followed along with a permanent sweat drop attached to his head.

"You seem unusually happy today, Hana," Youhei said in one of the unusual gaps in the monologue.

"Ha! That's because I am improving rapidly as was admitted by Gori himself. I even landed five 3-pointers! NYAHAHAHAHA!

"Yes, as I recall you also missed about a hundred others and got punched TWICE by Gori for almost starting a fight with Rukawa. It seems as if your mind has deliberately blocked out this parts, no?"

Sakuragi stops walking, his head slowly turns to face Youhei, his face becomes dark and his eyes turn into two red fireballs. "ARE YOU MOCKING THE TENSA!"

/evil music playing/

Youhei gulped, "S- Stop that! This is not a horror fic!"

/pow/ Youhei is hit with lightning fast speed by the infamous tensai headbutt.

/stagger/

Hanamichi, not being hit, recovers faster, "Anyway, you're right Youhei, the tensai cannot dwell on such insignificant things"

"Then why hit me?" asks Youhei, nursing his wounded head which now had a bump the size of a melon.

Sakuragi's eyes started to glow sinister red again, "DO YOU QUESTION ME?"

/sweat drop/

"On second thought, I think your mood is quite foul"

Sakuragi returned to normal, "Actually it's both. I was happy because Haruko praised me today but also sour because she kept giving the kitsune bubbly looks….All my glory is being misplaced into that rotten no-good baka kitsune!"

Youhei looks away, "You should forget about her, all she ever sees is Rukawa. Even when she praised you it was because you and Rukawa cooperated in the team match, it was really directed at him more than you."

Sakuragi is obliviously stubborn, "No, it was praise for my good work!"

"Rukawa"

"Me!"

"Rukawa"

Threateningly, "Me!"

"Ruka…" /Heatbutt/

Sakuragi walks smugly ahead, putting his hands on his hips and his chest out.

"You really where asking for it, no one dares insult me twice in one day. Nyahahaha!"

"Psycho…" Youhei starts but then thinks better of it, he instead drags himself up, burning with the fighting spirit, "don't underestimate me"

brawl Youhei jumps at Sakuragi, catching him unawares. Sakuragi loses balance and falls back, with Youhei attached.

/sounds of bones breaking/

/shrieks/

Onlookers pass by seeing two gangster-looking thugs fighting it out in a big cloud of dust, until the sounds of sirens are heard in the distant and both walk calmly away as if nothing had ever happened.

The two equally beat up friends continue on their walk.

"That was great Youhei, just like old times when we used to beat each other up all the time. Remember, it was always a battle to the death when we saw each other."

"Yes, the guntai said it was like watching two bulls battle it out. Who would have thought were would ever become friends… talking about old times… do you remember that confession you told me then?"

"Tensai doesn't recall."

"…"

Sakuragi tries to distract Youhei, "Look Youhei a cool car drives by!"

A beat up ford is the only thing seen in the street, it ambles on in a slow pace.

"Yes, I see, but getting back on track…"

/Points excitedly to random direction/ "Look a tree!"

"Don't change the subject! I was…"

/Cough cough cough/ Sakuragi rolls around on the floor coughing his lungs out.

"Are you okay?" Youhei asks concerned

Gets up abruptly "Why yes, thank you"

"…"

"…"

"I'm concerned Sakuragi. People don't change overnight. You were very sure of yourself, you told me straight out that you were gay."

"NOOOOOOO!" Sakuragi screamed as he covered his ears.

several minutes later…

"Dammit Hana! I hope you're happy, my ears won't stop ringing. I am telling you, you can't avoid the subject forever. I am your best friend now, you should be able to talk frankly at least to me."

Sakuragi looks away, "I am fine, I have changed. I was confused then."

"You still are confused. What was with that violent reaction right now? Ever since that incident you have changed. You ask out any girl which crosses your path, no matter how little you've known her."

"Not EVERY girl. I never asked out my neighbor from next door and she's hot."

"You mean Mrs. Younes? She is fifty and you just said she's hot!"

Sakuragi seems to thinks for a moment, and then gets his generic expression of puppy ove on his face.

"Well, Haruko is different. She makes me feel good."

Youhei thinks for a moment, "Have you ever thought about it? What is it about her that you like in particular?"

"Well,… she's smart and nice…she is also sweet and understanding…and can play basketball!"

"She can't play basketball, I've seen her. Are you attracted to her?"

Sakuragi blushes, takes out a soap box and stands on it, "Why of course! I plan on showing her my awesome basketball powers and she'll see my worth. After the match with Kainan, she will fall into my arms and her heart will melt like jelly. Nyahahaha!"

"Is that the plan?" Youhei asks skeptically

"Why certainly! I will then confess my true feelings and walk away with her into the sunset."

sweatdrop "And you'll ride in a gallant white horse too, I bet"

/light bulb/ "White horse? You think so? I should write that down"

Sakuragi stops in his tracks in order to visualize his ultimate victory, drool dropping from his mouth on occasion.

Youhei sighs, "You're hopeless. This is where I turn for home. See you tomorrow."

Sakuragi doesn't even hear him, he is still to engulfed in his thoughts to notice.

Mumbling Sakuragi, "Now if only that kitsune weren't in the way…hehehe…stupid fox…"

Youhei walks the rest of the way home, but his preoccupation over his dense friend had not subsided.

"…must do something about that baka..."

'If only I could get someone to help me…but then I would have to tell him that Hana is gay and I swore I'd never tell….'

Youhei walks like a crazed man mumbling to himself, mindless of the stares people give him.

'…he even made me cut my finger and swear a blood oath…'

"But I don't have to tell them directly!" he exclaims, scaring an child away as he does.

'I need to find someone for him but who?...That do'aho only becomes more moody as he suppresses his real emotions, at this rate he is likely to commit mass-murder…

'I am even starting to call him do'aho like Rukawa does. '

"Perhaps Rukawa will help…but no he is even more stubborn than Hana. Well perhaps Smiley would help. I really have to think this through though if I don't want to become Hana's first victim because I spilled his secret."

Youhei arrives home and start to formulate his plan to help Sakuragi. He hated being a busybody but Sakuragi would not change unless forced. So many possibilities…

Preview: Next chapter: the Hentai approaches