Chapter Two: Changes
Continuing from last time…
"Kaede, your dad wants to talk to you." His mother appeared at the hallway. "He said you have to do something for him."
"Not again! Not another blind date!" he thought rapidly, trying to contain him from showing any sign of fear to his mother. He sure does not want to look weakened.
He recalled his first experience with his dad's set-up. As if he was experimenting on his own son, in a sociological studies. He was asked to date a rich company girl at the age of 14. She was pretty, but the thing is she's more annoying than him. She nags him and drags him. If only she's not a girl, he would have kicked her out.
Therefore, he's afraid to try that thing once more.
Sighing, he continued his way to his father. Basketball… sleep… basketball… sleep… Girl? GIRL! Awful! He was pretty mixed up. He had arrived his father's library without even noticing.
"NO!" he yelled, finally loosing his temper from his thoughts.
"And what's a NO, Kaede?"
He was back from his reverie. Looking at his front, his grinning father was looking at him in an annoying way.
"Anything else but that." The boy replied "A big NO for blind dating. I hope and pray for you not to make such set-up. You're playing with my feelings. Enough."
His voice, monotone again, shocked his father at first. "So you are so willing. I never talked to you that continuously. You have changed a bit now, my son."
A shrug.
"Stop glaring at me. Your eyes get smaller!" his father was now chuckling like a fool. "I love your eyes, Kaede-kun. You got it from your mom…"
Is he teasing me or what! He thought of his dad silently. Grrr… I don't like what's going on!
"Again, I called for you as the company president." His dad became serious at last. "Knowing from everyone that they wanted you as the next president---"
"But I…"
"Let me finish first." His dad continued. "I know but you have actually no choice."
"Well---"
"And so… I am requiring you to at least fulfill some requirements."
"What the heck are you saying?"
Rukawa Kaede seethed, glaring at his dad at every angle. His fiery glares sure scared him a bit. "Take it easy. Everyone does this sort of initiation… not really…"
"Just tell me."
"Okay… here it goes. This deal will be for one year. You will not continue your studies at Shohoku if you fail. You will be thrown to Beijing."
"WHAT?" His small, Chinese eyes enlarged in trauma.
"And in case you succeed, you will be supported fully in basketball, stay at Shohoku, have a chance to be a National player, be the company president… and most of all…"
He paused, grinning. This irritated Kaede more. "… The last thing is my only wish for you as my successor. One person could help you out for your success. And that thing is… you must have an instant fiancée."
"NO WAY!"
So that's the beginning of everything. Kaede got up early for school, for the first time, and hadn't practiced basketball early in the morning. What's shocking is that he absent-mindedly agreed to their butler in going to the school with their extravagant car. As soon as he arrived at the gate, many students were astounded.
"Wow! What a nice car!"
By chance, his fellow teammates were staying there too. And as the chauffer opened the door, he stepped out, admired by more girls, and leaving his teammates' mouths wide open.
"It's Rukawa Kaede!" yelled some girls from the back. "YAY!"
"What the hell?" Sakuragi exclaimed "Kitsune had a piece of fortune this day!" He came closer to take a look, and even saw his reflection on the gleaming black car. Unexpectedly, Kaede didn't react violently. Instead, his chauffer answered:
"Young Master Kaede owns this car, sir. His family owns lots of companies." He explained "he just humbly rides his bike so that no havoc like this will happen."
With that, the crowd became silent, and Sakuragi looked at the whole area. There are lots of people who were astonished at Kaede's revealed lifestyle. Suddenly, he simply looked at his chauffer in a moderate manner, then signaling him to go. He followed his command, and the car zoomed away the Shohoku's main school gate. Everyone stares at him.
"Isn't that Kitsune?" Sakuragi told Miyagi, "I thought he'll gonna say stupid monkey or some insult to the tensai!"
"Shut up that tensai thing! I guess something's wrong about him today." Miyagi replied, leaving Sakuragi teary-eyed.
"You're cruel!"
Then the school bell rang, and the rest of the students proceeded to their classes. Haruko, who was walking alone were surprised by her classmates who were at the school gate location a while ago. They were running hysterically, trying to talk to Haruko immediately.
"Haruko-chan!" one called. "Do you know what we just saw and who?"
Haruko was startled, "What? I don't get it. Is that a very important thing?" the girls walked side by side to their classroom. "Calm down and tell me."
"Well, it all began when a black Limo was parked in front of the school," she said "and then, suddenly…" She stopped, leaving Haruko eager. "it's…"
"It's what?"
"Rukawa-kun came out of it!"
"Nani!" she shrieked. Then she blushed upon the mere mention of his name. "Wow, I couldn't believe it… he actually is rich!"
"Yup, and his chauffer also revealed that he is the son of a rich company president."
"Everyone just couldn't believe it!"
"Yeah," Haruko replied sadly. "That means that I really have no chance to be with him or even talk to him."
"Oh, Haruko-chan… don't take it so seriously."
Having the day continued, Kaede's eyes were open and everyone couldn't help but notice it. The teacher seemed very pleased with his transformation. Every time a thing is presented, he dared to ask some questions, participated in recitations, and nodded to his contentment. All in one day, Kaede seemed to be the teacher's pet. He even volunteered to dust the eraser for his teacher.
The news spread. He was the content of every conversation. His teammates heard of that too.
"I guess he has a problem." Akagi told Kogure. "Rukawa is not the type of guy to change immediately, besides the fact that he can change for basketball and not for studies."
"But what problem will a rich guy encounter?" Kogure replied, thinking.
"Family problem?" Mitsui asked
"He's not your type, Michi!" Sakuragi entered the scene with his guntai. Mitsui glared at him. He laughed at this. "See, you're guilty!"
"What is the relation of that with regards to Rukawa?" Mitsui frowned. "Well, let's accept it. At least he could be very, very useful now. He could play with us as a team."
"That's right." Akagi replied. "We will be surely the best team."
"That's nice! Coach will love that." Kogure added.
"NO WAY!" Sakuragi said "if he plays with us, the game will be ruined! He just needs to mind his own thing!"
"MORON!" everyone yelled at him.
"Don't you get it? It's nice, Sakuragi. First, he won't be so selfish, then he won't bother to insult your tensai skills…" Akagi tried to appease Sakuragi with his few convincing words with the very word "tensai".
Gori is right… he thought to himself, I could now command that stupid fox!
Time of practice came. At exactly 5 pm, everyone was waiting for Rukawa's arrival. But, unusually…
"Where is he? He's 10 minutes late!" Akagi shouted
"Sorry." A voice said, coming from the door, with several females behind him.
"What a dramatic entrance!" Sakuragi said.
"… I need to run some errands for Mr. Tezuka."
"OK, let's begin!"
"HAI!"
Kaede didn't reply. Everyone looked at him in disbelief…