Disclaimer : Slam Dunk is owned by Takehiko Inoue.
Note: Sentences in italics are thoughts.
Author's Note: Rukawa's thoughts based on a scene in the anime series. Forgot which episode though. If I get the chance to watch all the episodes again, I'll make sure to take note of it. If you are a Slam Dunk fan, I'm sure you are familiar with this scene.
As for my other running stories, I never abandoned them. I am still very much interested in continuing them. I have been writing my fics for close to three years and there is only one reason why: I love Slam Dunk and all its characters. No more, no less. It is something that I am doing out of love.
That would mean that I would come and go, show up and be quiet for a while but the passion will always be there. Hey, I am proud of the fact that I have a job. It makes me very independent and satisfied. Life is good!
BREAKTIME
Breaktime.
I am walking down the hallway. That's where you can usually find me at this time. I'm sure you know how it feels like to sit for long hours through boring lectures. Of course, I wouldn't deny the fact that I take a nap once in a while. But then, fifteen minutes of walking and stretching won't kill me.
I heard somebody say my name. So what else is new? Hey, I know it. I'm like a hot shot at school. Doesn't bother me. I guess I wasn't born with the desire to be popular, unlike many kids at school. Many would go out of their ways just to be accepted or to be 'in'. What's up with that? Why do they let others have control over them like that? I don't really believe that anyone should validate me and I don't think anyone should ask for validation outside of themselves either. I like being me and I like people to be just themselves.
I shrug my shoulders.
So, here I am, walking, when out of the blue, a girl showed up by my side. Hn… looks like she was pushed towards me. I stop. Huh? Did I just stop for a girl? Wait, I never do that! I, Rukawa Kaede never stop for any girl. Not ever! Oh heck, I really should stop analyzing myself. Could it be that I have some polite nerve inside of me that I am not aware of? Rukawa Kaede is not known for being nice. Now, now, wonder what those people who claim to know my character would say?
Argh! Here I go again.
What am I standing here for again? Why did I stop walking just because she is in front of me? Well, yeah. She looks like she has something to say to me. I roll my eyes. Like I didn't know that. Could it be that she is going to apologize for what happened at the rooftop days ago? Wait. Of course not. Why should she apologize when she hasn't done anything wrong to me? Could it be that I seem like I am waiting for her to start a conversation because I know that deep inside, I have wronged her? I don't consider myself special, yet I know that I am different from others. If I want to convey something, I do it in an unusual way. This is the reason why many read my actions differently. Sure, I may be quiet and look like I am oblivious to my surrounding but I know what's going on. Like I said, I know I am popular and um… yeah, I know that she likes me.
I look at her. Ohhh yeah… I am losing it. I am really looking at her. If my fans know this, they are going to freak out. I get the feeling that they have this notion that I don't look at a girl or talk to a girl whatsoever. I may not be the smartest man in the world but I am not naïve. Get it? Give me some credit, will you? Does anybody really think I can be a good basketball player if I don't have a tendency to pay attention to what's going on around me?
Really. Sure, I know her. Well, not know, know. I guess you know what I mean. I know her name is Haruko Akagi. How would I not know her name when the Sakuragi do'aho kept on bungling every time she is around? Mouthing 'H-Ha-Haruko-chan!' Sheshh… obviously, he has a thing for her. And yeah, being the captain's sister, it goes without saying that she is an Akagi.
Speaking of Captain Akagi, I have a lot of respect for the guy. Sure, I may act like a brute sometimes but it is him, the Captain, the only one who can make me stop. Hey, didn't I save the game at one time when he was injured and out of play? It is called respect. And in my opinion, he deserves it. Just like Anzai-sensei deserves my respect.
Back to Haruko. I thought she looked familiar when I saw her at the rooftop. It was our first day in Shohoku. All I wanted to do was have a good nap when a series of misfortunes decided to chance upon me. I had to take a nap. You see, I am a growing boy. Ok, that's an overused sentence, you might say. How about this? Let's just say that I, Rukawa Kaede, wake up at 5:00 so that I can play basketball at the park. Japan is not teeming with basketball courts, not to mention Kanagawa. The early bird gets the worm, so to speak. That's the dark 5:00, not the sunny 5:00. By the time I get to school, I am already worn out from practice.
Where was I again? Oh yeah. The rooftop. The redhead idiot was acting like… well, what else but an idiot. And in the course of that incident, I got the drift that they know each other. No, scratch that. More than that, considering that the pathetic guy was ready to commit suicide when the girl showed concern for me.
Hey, I could've accepted her handkerchief just to spite him but I chose not to. Ask me why. How many times did this thing happen to me, anyway? And how many times had I been beaten by countless jealous boyfriends? Does anyone really think I became a good fighter without a reason?
I consider myself a reasonable guy. So, you see, I don't hate her for showing her concern. Any single-celled organism with common sense would not feel scorn for that small act. There is absolutely no reason for me to hate her. I just had to reject her. I had to. It never fails. I reject a girl's concern and the boyfriend leaves me alone. It is for this same reason that I avoid girls. But then, the weird thing happened. The 'boyfriend', in his dreams, if I may add, didn't leave me alone. I already rejected her. He was supposed to leave me alone. Judging from bruises I got that afternoon, obviously, Sakuragi Hanamichi didn't get the point.
Do'aho.
So… why am I standing here again?
Am I waiting for her to say something? Like what? Like, Rukawa-kun, I like you? Sheshh… What else? That's what all girls say to me. Now, if I am not waiting for her to say something, why on earth am I standing here in front of her? Why didn't I just kept on walking and ignore her? Like I usually do? This is not good. I am known as the royal snob since junior high. Not that I am concerned about my image. Heck, no! It's just that… this… this is not me!
"Rukawa-kun!"
Great. Another girl. Better split before a horde of girls appear. For some reason, girls always appear around me. Hey, what can I say? Great. Now I am beginning to think like the do'aho. Oh well, at least I am keeping it to myself.
"Rukawa-kun! I am writing for our school paper. What do you think about the coming Inter-High Games?"
What the---? What kind of stupid question is that?
"I don't think about it."
Sheshh… pesky reporters. I continue walking. After a few steps I realize I am alone again. Good riddance to the paparazzi in the making.
No, I don't have any reason to hate Haruko. If anything, she has more right to hate me for rejecting her kind offer. From the looks of it, I guess she never really did. Wait a minute. Am I being apologetic? Sure, I can be a jerk sometimes but I guess I have too much pride to admit it. For the nth time, I shrugged my shoulders.
No use in regretting.
We are just on our second month in Shohoku. Who knows what could happen in the next few months? She doesn't know that I know how she feels for me. No prob. Honestly, I didn't really have any idea that she liked me until I started reading her actions.
Odd as it may seem, I like that. I mean, I don't see any pretensions. She actually never tried to be cool or smart around me. Hey, people say I am cool and I can tell you right now that I am not doing anything out of the ordinary. Must be that thing they say that it's in the eyes of the beholder cause if I think about it, I won't really consider myself cool. I mean, what's so cool about sleeping all the time and drooling all over my desk? I guess it's just the way people see me.
As for me though, I like honest people.
Who doesn't?
Let's just say that anything is possible.