A Love Within Three Hearts
Disclaimer: Slam Dunk, and its original characters do not belong to me. It belongs to Inoue Takehiko. All the unoriginal characters in this fic are mine, though. What If?, A Fling and A Love Within Three Hearts is a trilogy. If you haven't read the other two stories, read those first
Chapter 11
The referee threw the ball in the air, and both Kaede and Sendoh jumped for it, but Kaede jumped higher and swished it to Miyagi, who passed to Hana. Hana tried to make a three pointer, but it rebounded off the hoop.
Len got the rebound, and slam dunked the ball. Shohoku gains 2 points. Koshino angrily took the ball, and lead the team towards the offence area. He passed to Sendoh, who's being guarded by Hana. Hana stole the ball, but, oh my! Sendoh stole it back, and passed to Fukuda, who made a jump shot.
"I haven't seen you score yet," Len said to Sendoh, while they are guarding each other.
"It's not time yet, I'm only using 50% of my ability for now," Sendoh lied.
"Oh really?" asked Len. "To a Western basketball player, you are using 5%,"
At the same point, Hana passed to Len, and Len eluded Sendoh, who were shocked by what Len just said. Len scored.
After that, when Sendoh got the ball from Koshino...
"What you said made me get out my full potential," Sendoh said to Len. "I'm playing 100% now,"
"Huh," Len replied.
"Is this what you called 100%?" Len asked, and snatched the ball in mid air and passing it straight to Miyagi.
But Fukuda managed to steal it from Miyagi after that, and Fukuda passed to Sendoh again, and Sendoh tried to shoot, and Len jumped to get the rebound.
"I've played with a whole team of players better than you, Sendoh Akira," Len arrogantly said, and took the rebound.
Like last year, Shohoku and Ryonan are evenly matched. The difference of the scores go up and down, and sometimes even. Nobody could guess which team will win.
Sendoh could not believe that he is actually getting influenced by Len's taunting, but nonetheless, he gave Len one of his smiles, and played, even though he is affected by it inside.
~~Half-time~~
At half time, the score is even, 40-40
Shohoku locker room
"Miyagi, 2 fouls, Sakuragi, 1 foul, Mikage, 2 fouls, Rukawa, no foul, Rukawa, no foul," Ayako announced.
"Team, we need to broaden the score range," Miyagi said. "We've never lost to Ryonan..."
"Except during the practice match last year when both you and Mitcchy's not there," Hana supplied. "We lost by two points,"
"Len, I don't know what you did just now, but you actually slowed Sendoh's point getting down a little bit," Miyagi said. "Keep it up,"
Len nodded at once. "Hai, captain,"
"Mikage, get as much three pointers as you can, I knew you could do it," Miyagi said.
"Hai, captain!" the boy answered.
"Rukawa Kaede, do what you did last year, and never fail to pass to either Hana or Len if necessary,"
Kaede nodded.
"Hana, stop Fukuda if you could," Miyagi instructed.
Hana nodded. "I'll do my best, Ryo-chin,"
"Hana, Kaede, Len, I need to talk to the three of you privately," Anzai-sensei said. All three nodded, The rest of the team, including Ayako and Haruko went out of the locker room.
"I don't know what's the problem lying within the three of you, but I do hope... that the three of you set aside your problem for now, to get your potential out fully. I don't see any of your combination play just now," Anzai-sensei lectured.
The three of them stood silent. The room was so silent that a drawing pin could be heard if it is dropped to the ground.
"We'll do our best, Anzai-sensei. We'll forget about the problem, for now," Hana answered. "Right, Kaede, Len? We need to win,"
Kaede and Len grudgingly nodded.
"We ARE strong!" Hana said, putting her hand out. "Kaede, DO YOU WANT TO BEAT SENDOH?" Kaede put his hand on top of Hana's.
To Len, who still didn't put his hand on top of Kaede's. Hana shouted to Len, "DO YOU WANT TO PROVE THAT YOU ARE FROM THE STATES?"
Len put his hand out on top of Kaede.
"Good that the three of you are finally settled, I know you are strong, ho ho ho ho," Anzai sensei said, and went out. The three followed after him.
******
Ryonan Locker room...
"You've done your best to stop Rukawa Len, Sendoh, but you haven't stopped him enough," Taoka-sensei said.
"He managed to score 4 three-pointers, 4 jump shots, and he had cut you seven times, and managed to steal the ball 8 times, and get almost all the rebounds," their manager read from the record.
Sendoh nodded.
"Sensei, what if we make box one defence against Shohoku?" Koshino suggested.
Taoka-sensei thought about it for a moment, and then answered, "Hmm, there's a possiblity, but who do you want to guard so tightly?"
"Sakuragi Hana, she tend to pass to all the people who then became the finisher," Koshino said.
"Do a box-one on Hana?" Sendoh outraged.
"Sendoh, Sakuragi Hana may be your friend off the court, but today, on the court, she's the enemy, you must remember that," Taoka-sensei defended Koshino. "You do want to win, don't you?"
"Hai, sensei," Sendoh answered.
******
On their way back to court, Hana felt an instinct.
"Ryocchin! Anzai-sensei!" Hana called.
"Yes, Sakuragi?" asked Anzai-sensei.
"What, Hana?" asked Ryota.
"I have this feeling that Ryonan will do box-one defence," Hana answered. "I don't know why. I felt that could happen,"
"Interesting," Anzai-sensei answered. "Who do you think will be guarded that tightly?"
"Either me, or Kaede, or Len, or Miyagi," Hana answered. "They don't think you are a threat, Mikage,"
"Ok, if your feelings are right, Hana, one of you will be guarded by one player, while the others were guarded by four players at once, the one guarded by one player, do a three-pointer shot, if you know how to do it," Anzai-sensei instructed. "If it rebounds off the hoop, Len or Kaede, if both of you aren't guarded by the one player, take the rebound and dunk it straight,"
"Hai!" Both the Rukawa brothers answered at once.
******
At the court...
Shohoku team
"Remember boys, and Hana, that, you are strong," Anzai-sensei adviced.
"Hai!" they chorused, and entered the court.
Ryonan team
"Remember our defense tactic, boys," Taoka-sensei said.
"Hai," they chorused, and entered the court.
This time, Len became centre, and both he and Sendoh jumped for the ball, but Len got it first, and passed to Miyagi, who passed to Hana. Hana dribbled towards Shohoku offence area.
Immediately, Koshino guarded her, while Sendoh mouthed 'sorry' when he and the other players guarded the other four players inside.
~~At the audience~~
"BOX ONE?" Mitsui outraged, remembering the time when he was defended using Box One by his rival from Shoyo.
"Hmm, yes, I wonder how Sakuragi will handle that," Akagi wondered.
"THAT WAS BRILLIANT OF HER!" Akagi roared when he saw that Hana swished the ball to make a three-pointer.
~~~~~~~~~~~
At the court
Koshino shouted, "REBOUND," But there was no rebound, because the ball falls cleanly into the basket. Shohoku's leading by three points.
"Darn!" Koshino muttered, and passed the ball to Sendoh who made dribbled towards Ryonan offence area.
And again, Len uses his psychological tactics with Sendoh.
"Are you playing 100%, Sendoh?" asked Len.
Sendoh nodded.
"In the States, especially my old school, half of us are better than you," Len said, and stole the ball when Sendoh was in a mid-shock. Len then passed to Hana.
She dribbled the ball towards Shohoku offense area, and passed to Mikage, who did a three pointer, just before the Ryonan players has the chance to do box one again. Unfortunately, the three-pointer rebounded off the hoop, and Len, Kaede, and Yamazaki jumped for it, but Len got the rebound, and slam dunked the ball. Shohoku's now leading by five.
When Shohoku's leading by eight points, Taoka-sensei called a charged time-out. After the time-out, Ryonan cut the lead by five points, and Shohoku add it back up to seven, and it continued that way until Ryonan cut the lead by three points.
Just before the end of the game, both Shoyo and Kainan players went to watch Shohoku and Ryonan play. Kainan had won the game, again, by three points. Kiyota Nobunaga watched his all-time rival, Rukawa Kaede.
Kiyota watched as the pale ravenhead passes the ball to Len, and Len passes to Hana, who passes to the new player, Mikage, who did a three pointer.
"Strange, sensei, did I really see Rukawa Kaede pass?" Kiyota asked.
Takato-sensei watched the pale ravenhead, and nodded. "Yes, Kiyota, he passed the ball,"
Maki, who had just got back from watching Kainan against Shoyo, watched the game with his old team.
"Sensei, who is that purple haired boy?" asked Maki. "He sure looks a lot like Rukawa,"
"Why, yes, he really does look like Rukawa," Takato-sensei answered. "Shohoku has a secret weapon again after all. I wonder what is his weakness,"
*****
In the end, without showing much of their triple combination play due to the presence of Shoyo and Kainan, Shohoku won by 3 points 93-90. They just need to win 2 matches more, to wrestle the championship trophy from Kainan.
********
The next day...
"Okay, team, we need to win against Kainan and Shoyo to be the champion of the district championship," Miyagi said to the rest of them.
"We won against Shoyo before, but I doubt that it'll be easy to beat them again," Hana muttered.
********
Sakuragi residence...
"Is Hana home?" asked Fujima.
"Aah, Kenji, Toru, come in, nope, Hana's still out, practicing," Keisuke answered.
"We want to take her to a dinner, you remember our bet?" asked Hanagata.
"Yup, I remember that very well, there she is," Keisuke said again, after seeing Hana enter the gates.
"Kenji-nii-chan, Toru-nii-chan, are you going to bring me to that dinner that you promised?" asked Hana.
"Yup, go and freshen yourself up, while we wait for you at the sitting room," Toru answered.
End of chapter 11 - please read and review
A/n: I noticed that I couldn't really write a chapter just about the match like I did in What If? There's something wrong with me, but I don't know what it is. Hmm... my mind is probably too caught up about the Len-Hana-Kaede love triangle.
Disclaimer: Slam Dunk, and its original characters do not belong to me. It belongs to Inoue Takehiko. All the unoriginal characters in this fic are mine, though. What If?, A Fling and A Love Within Three Hearts is a trilogy. If you haven't read the other two stories, read those first
Chapter 11
The referee threw the ball in the air, and both Kaede and Sendoh jumped for it, but Kaede jumped higher and swished it to Miyagi, who passed to Hana. Hana tried to make a three pointer, but it rebounded off the hoop.
Len got the rebound, and slam dunked the ball. Shohoku gains 2 points. Koshino angrily took the ball, and lead the team towards the offence area. He passed to Sendoh, who's being guarded by Hana. Hana stole the ball, but, oh my! Sendoh stole it back, and passed to Fukuda, who made a jump shot.
"I haven't seen you score yet," Len said to Sendoh, while they are guarding each other.
"It's not time yet, I'm only using 50% of my ability for now," Sendoh lied.
"Oh really?" asked Len. "To a Western basketball player, you are using 5%,"
At the same point, Hana passed to Len, and Len eluded Sendoh, who were shocked by what Len just said. Len scored.
After that, when Sendoh got the ball from Koshino...
"What you said made me get out my full potential," Sendoh said to Len. "I'm playing 100% now,"
"Huh," Len replied.
"Is this what you called 100%?" Len asked, and snatched the ball in mid air and passing it straight to Miyagi.
But Fukuda managed to steal it from Miyagi after that, and Fukuda passed to Sendoh again, and Sendoh tried to shoot, and Len jumped to get the rebound.
"I've played with a whole team of players better than you, Sendoh Akira," Len arrogantly said, and took the rebound.
Like last year, Shohoku and Ryonan are evenly matched. The difference of the scores go up and down, and sometimes even. Nobody could guess which team will win.
Sendoh could not believe that he is actually getting influenced by Len's taunting, but nonetheless, he gave Len one of his smiles, and played, even though he is affected by it inside.
~~Half-time~~
At half time, the score is even, 40-40
Shohoku locker room
"Miyagi, 2 fouls, Sakuragi, 1 foul, Mikage, 2 fouls, Rukawa, no foul, Rukawa, no foul," Ayako announced.
"Team, we need to broaden the score range," Miyagi said. "We've never lost to Ryonan..."
"Except during the practice match last year when both you and Mitcchy's not there," Hana supplied. "We lost by two points,"
"Len, I don't know what you did just now, but you actually slowed Sendoh's point getting down a little bit," Miyagi said. "Keep it up,"
Len nodded at once. "Hai, captain,"
"Mikage, get as much three pointers as you can, I knew you could do it," Miyagi said.
"Hai, captain!" the boy answered.
"Rukawa Kaede, do what you did last year, and never fail to pass to either Hana or Len if necessary,"
Kaede nodded.
"Hana, stop Fukuda if you could," Miyagi instructed.
Hana nodded. "I'll do my best, Ryo-chin,"
"Hana, Kaede, Len, I need to talk to the three of you privately," Anzai-sensei said. All three nodded, The rest of the team, including Ayako and Haruko went out of the locker room.
"I don't know what's the problem lying within the three of you, but I do hope... that the three of you set aside your problem for now, to get your potential out fully. I don't see any of your combination play just now," Anzai-sensei lectured.
The three of them stood silent. The room was so silent that a drawing pin could be heard if it is dropped to the ground.
"We'll do our best, Anzai-sensei. We'll forget about the problem, for now," Hana answered. "Right, Kaede, Len? We need to win,"
Kaede and Len grudgingly nodded.
"We ARE strong!" Hana said, putting her hand out. "Kaede, DO YOU WANT TO BEAT SENDOH?" Kaede put his hand on top of Hana's.
To Len, who still didn't put his hand on top of Kaede's. Hana shouted to Len, "DO YOU WANT TO PROVE THAT YOU ARE FROM THE STATES?"
Len put his hand out on top of Kaede.
"Good that the three of you are finally settled, I know you are strong, ho ho ho ho," Anzai sensei said, and went out. The three followed after him.
******
Ryonan Locker room...
"You've done your best to stop Rukawa Len, Sendoh, but you haven't stopped him enough," Taoka-sensei said.
"He managed to score 4 three-pointers, 4 jump shots, and he had cut you seven times, and managed to steal the ball 8 times, and get almost all the rebounds," their manager read from the record.
Sendoh nodded.
"Sensei, what if we make box one defence against Shohoku?" Koshino suggested.
Taoka-sensei thought about it for a moment, and then answered, "Hmm, there's a possiblity, but who do you want to guard so tightly?"
"Sakuragi Hana, she tend to pass to all the people who then became the finisher," Koshino said.
"Do a box-one on Hana?" Sendoh outraged.
"Sendoh, Sakuragi Hana may be your friend off the court, but today, on the court, she's the enemy, you must remember that," Taoka-sensei defended Koshino. "You do want to win, don't you?"
"Hai, sensei," Sendoh answered.
******
On their way back to court, Hana felt an instinct.
"Ryocchin! Anzai-sensei!" Hana called.
"Yes, Sakuragi?" asked Anzai-sensei.
"What, Hana?" asked Ryota.
"I have this feeling that Ryonan will do box-one defence," Hana answered. "I don't know why. I felt that could happen,"
"Interesting," Anzai-sensei answered. "Who do you think will be guarded that tightly?"
"Either me, or Kaede, or Len, or Miyagi," Hana answered. "They don't think you are a threat, Mikage,"
"Ok, if your feelings are right, Hana, one of you will be guarded by one player, while the others were guarded by four players at once, the one guarded by one player, do a three-pointer shot, if you know how to do it," Anzai-sensei instructed. "If it rebounds off the hoop, Len or Kaede, if both of you aren't guarded by the one player, take the rebound and dunk it straight,"
"Hai!" Both the Rukawa brothers answered at once.
******
At the court...
Shohoku team
"Remember boys, and Hana, that, you are strong," Anzai-sensei adviced.
"Hai!" they chorused, and entered the court.
Ryonan team
"Remember our defense tactic, boys," Taoka-sensei said.
"Hai," they chorused, and entered the court.
This time, Len became centre, and both he and Sendoh jumped for the ball, but Len got it first, and passed to Miyagi, who passed to Hana. Hana dribbled towards Shohoku offence area.
Immediately, Koshino guarded her, while Sendoh mouthed 'sorry' when he and the other players guarded the other four players inside.
~~At the audience~~
"BOX ONE?" Mitsui outraged, remembering the time when he was defended using Box One by his rival from Shoyo.
"Hmm, yes, I wonder how Sakuragi will handle that," Akagi wondered.
"THAT WAS BRILLIANT OF HER!" Akagi roared when he saw that Hana swished the ball to make a three-pointer.
~~~~~~~~~~~
At the court
Koshino shouted, "REBOUND," But there was no rebound, because the ball falls cleanly into the basket. Shohoku's leading by three points.
"Darn!" Koshino muttered, and passed the ball to Sendoh who made dribbled towards Ryonan offence area.
And again, Len uses his psychological tactics with Sendoh.
"Are you playing 100%, Sendoh?" asked Len.
Sendoh nodded.
"In the States, especially my old school, half of us are better than you," Len said, and stole the ball when Sendoh was in a mid-shock. Len then passed to Hana.
She dribbled the ball towards Shohoku offense area, and passed to Mikage, who did a three pointer, just before the Ryonan players has the chance to do box one again. Unfortunately, the three-pointer rebounded off the hoop, and Len, Kaede, and Yamazaki jumped for it, but Len got the rebound, and slam dunked the ball. Shohoku's now leading by five.
When Shohoku's leading by eight points, Taoka-sensei called a charged time-out. After the time-out, Ryonan cut the lead by five points, and Shohoku add it back up to seven, and it continued that way until Ryonan cut the lead by three points.
Just before the end of the game, both Shoyo and Kainan players went to watch Shohoku and Ryonan play. Kainan had won the game, again, by three points. Kiyota Nobunaga watched his all-time rival, Rukawa Kaede.
Kiyota watched as the pale ravenhead passes the ball to Len, and Len passes to Hana, who passes to the new player, Mikage, who did a three pointer.
"Strange, sensei, did I really see Rukawa Kaede pass?" Kiyota asked.
Takato-sensei watched the pale ravenhead, and nodded. "Yes, Kiyota, he passed the ball,"
Maki, who had just got back from watching Kainan against Shoyo, watched the game with his old team.
"Sensei, who is that purple haired boy?" asked Maki. "He sure looks a lot like Rukawa,"
"Why, yes, he really does look like Rukawa," Takato-sensei answered. "Shohoku has a secret weapon again after all. I wonder what is his weakness,"
*****
In the end, without showing much of their triple combination play due to the presence of Shoyo and Kainan, Shohoku won by 3 points 93-90. They just need to win 2 matches more, to wrestle the championship trophy from Kainan.
********
The next day...
"Okay, team, we need to win against Kainan and Shoyo to be the champion of the district championship," Miyagi said to the rest of them.
"We won against Shoyo before, but I doubt that it'll be easy to beat them again," Hana muttered.
********
Sakuragi residence...
"Is Hana home?" asked Fujima.
"Aah, Kenji, Toru, come in, nope, Hana's still out, practicing," Keisuke answered.
"We want to take her to a dinner, you remember our bet?" asked Hanagata.
"Yup, I remember that very well, there she is," Keisuke said again, after seeing Hana enter the gates.
"Kenji-nii-chan, Toru-nii-chan, are you going to bring me to that dinner that you promised?" asked Hana.
"Yup, go and freshen yourself up, while we wait for you at the sitting room," Toru answered.
End of chapter 11 - please read and review
A/n: I noticed that I couldn't really write a chapter just about the match like I did in What If? There's something wrong with me, but I don't know what it is. Hmm... my mind is probably too caught up about the Len-Hana-Kaede love triangle.