Disclaimer: Don't own SlamDunk or any of its characters except for Yuiiko and the plot.

Thanks for Digital Lavender and ChibiFulzYamlan for reviewing.

This chapter is for all readers who is waiting for a little Ru/OC. At first I really didn't want to pair anyone up... but seeing that everyone was eager for a little romance action so... here it is...

Let the chapter begin...

Chapter 17

"What Hanamichi?" Yuiiko mocked rather irritably. "Can you stop fretting around me like I am a baby? I am capable on doing everything on my own!"

They were having lunch break and for the first time Yuiiko joined her brother and his friends for lunch. They were getting their food at the cafeteria and Sakuragi was insisting on carrying her tray for her.

"Look, you wound had just healed…." Sakuragi said rather cautiously.

"No," Yuiiko retorted impatiently. "My WOUND, healed weeks ago! Now leave me alone!"

"OK, OK!" Sakuragi raised both hands up, in a surrender gesture. "Whatever you say, but would you come to see practice today… we are going for the IH soon and I was hoping you will come to root for us too."

"No," Yuiiko answered rather shortly and was about to walk away when she stop.

"But…"

"I'll think about it…" Yuiiko said after a short pause.

That brightened Sakuragi immensely.

Yuiiko could only roll her eyes but couldn't stop a small smile appearing on her face when she walked away towards their table. However, she couldn't help but notice a lonely figure sitting the far end at a deserted corner having his lunch.

She blinked realizing Rukawa was watching her. He turned away when their eyes met, with a nonchalant shrug Yuiiko made her way to Sakuragi Gundam with Haruko and her friends.

That was strange; Rukawa never ever took much notice of her during break before. So what was that earlier?

Was that Yuiiko?

Was she actually smiling?

Rukawa had been watching her ever since she came back to school and the most unexpected occurrence was when he first encountered Yuiiko in one of the corridors talking rather animatedly with some girls, maybe from her class and laughing.

She was laughing when he saw her! Laughing!

For a moment, he thought that the sky had fallen on them. Or the moon was turning blue that night.

He still hadn't talk to her, since that incident and he wondered if he would ever want to. Slowly he moved his eyes towards the table she was at, he watched her snapped rather irritably at her brother at something he had said and his friends laughed.

She was also finally in talking terms with Sakuragi and he had no idea how that happened either. It wasn't that he didn't want them to make up but she used to hate her brother so passionately, he wondered what could have changed her overnight after that accident…

Or was the saying, always change before it was too late had affected Yuiiko's opinion in life. Did Yuiiko thought it was too late to patch things up with her brother when she had a near death experience? He wouldn't know. Youhei had told him that her heart beat had stopped for nearly a minute. The doctors had told them, they were lucky to be able to bring her back again.

Change before it was too late…?

Rukawa frowned at the statement and stood up. No longer hungry. He walked away from his half eaten lunch and stride swiftly out the cafeteria.

That was bullshit!

It was after school and Yuiiko was following Haruko towards the gym. She was holding onto a bottle of soda drinking from it while she walked.

"Why am I going to the gym again?" Yuiiko asked.

"Well, I know Sakuragi-kun would be really happy to know you finally agreed to come."

"But I didn't agree…" Yuiiko mumbled softly taking another gulp from her bottle.

"Oh Yuiiko-chan, I know you want to come." Haruko said lightly.

"Whatever…" Yuiiko shrugged. "But why are we so early?"

"So we will avoid Rukawa's fan girls."

"Ah that…" Yuiiko smirked.

"They are so annoying!" Haruko frowned at the thought of them. "Rukawa-kun doesn't even like it and they are so dense to keep coming and shouting!"

"Why do you think that Rukawa-kun doesn't like it?"

"I just know it…" Haruko huffed.

"Hmmm…" Yuiiko eyed Haruko's red face at the corner of her eyes. "What about Hanamichi?"

"Your brother?" Haruko turned to Yuiiko with surprise. "What about him?"

"He did run into a mist of bullet that nearly fired into him to safe you, you know."

"Oh," Haruko turned even darker shade of red. "Yeah, I really am very, very grateful he did that but he didn't get shot. You did."

"In a matter of speaking," Yuiiko answered rather bluntly.

"I am sorry I didn't mean…"

"No, it is ok, but what I am saying if he really did get shot, how would you feel?" Yuiiko asked curiously.

"I don't know…" Haruko answered rather uncertainly and quietly.

"Then think about it…" Yuiiko smiled slyly, having a slightest feeling that Haruko may have the slightest feeling for her brother.

They entered the gym together and saw Rukawa in a distance practicing alone.

"Uwah, he is so great!"

Yuiiko sighed inwardly.

Rukawa you really have bad timing! Yuiiko thought silently.

She had thought that she may have gotten Haruko to think about Sakuragi and there Rukawa got her distracted again. That can never change, can it? They walked towards a chair where a towel was hung. Yuiiko took another gulp from the bottle when Haruko spoke behind her.

"You know, Rukawa had all the beautiful rippling muscles…" Haruko gushed.

Yuiiko nearly choked on her drink, whirled around to look at Haruko, who was looking at her with dreamy eyes and seeing another towering figure behind Haruko, made Yuiiko spit out the contents in her mouth, coughing and spluttering.

"Yuiiko, are you alright?" Haruko asked concerned.

"Yes…" Yuiiko said in a strangled voice, covering her other free hand over her mouth. The hand holding onto the bottle gestured a finger behind Haruko, to tell her to turn around to look.

Haruko turned slowly and her face suddenly turned tomato red again.

"Rukawa-kun!" Haruko squeaked.

Rippling muscles indeed…. Yuiiko thought watching Rukawa's impassive expression and then Haruko's embarrass face, trying very hard not to laugh, her hand still covering over her mouth. But her shoulders were shaking, giving her away.

"I should be going…" Yuiiko said suddenly, she couldn't help herself and was really going to break out with hilarity.

Besides, the tension between the both of them was intense. The last thing Yuiiko want was getting involved in between.

Rukawa watched Yuiiko walked out the gym, about to break down with mirth at what Haruko said. He wondered how he would feel if Yuiiko was the one who said that. But that would be ridiculous; Yuiiko wouldn't ever go telling anyone that he had beautiful rippling muscles. Besides, he wouldn't want Yuiiko saying that either. It would be so unlike her and that would be a total put off.

He turned back to the rather bashful Haruko staring down the floor.

Without a single word, he swept passed her to get the towel on the chair. He could see a brief disappointment flash in her eyes but he didn't care. He turned towards the door when Haruko called him softly.

"Rukawa-kun…"

He turned around to look at her quietly.

"Ano… I…" Haruko smiled, blushing crimson still.

"Haruko-san," Rukawa said rather quietly but his voice remained deadpan. "I can't, I am sorry."

With that he turned to leave, leaving Haruko rather bewildered and shocked at his sudden apology. Why did he apologize? What did he mean that he can't? He can't show emotions? He can't give her want she wants from him?

Haruko sank on the chair rather dejectedly and miserably. Right, Rukawa had never cared about anything but basketball. She knew that even when she was in the first year. When she realized that she was so devastated she cried.

Suddenly, she heard a familiar tensei song in a distance and so slowly, a small smile appeared when she saw Sakuragi appeared into the gym. Yuiiko's words echoing in her head repeatedly.

What happens if he was the one shot? How would you feel?

How would you feel?

How would you feel?

Haruko imagined she would be so distraught; she probably won't leave his side….

Yuiiko sat cross legged, under a tree in the school garden laughing so hard her stomach ached. She clutched her stomach, taking deep breath trying her very best to stop her mirth. That was one of the million dollar jokes in the world!

Beautiful rippling muscles, muahahahahaha….

She finally stopped when she felt another presence. Yuiiko watched Rukawa looking at her with his head slightly inclined a foot away from her. They never said anything, while their eyes locked silently.

Rukawa had quietly watched Yuiiko laughed at the ridiculous statement Haruko had made earlier. He had never seen her laugh so hard before, and it was quite amusing watching her. When she realized she wasn't alone any longer, she stopped and stared right at him.

Silently, Rukawa stride over to her and flopped down next to her under the tree. His knees bent in front of him, his arms resting on them.

"You've changed…." Rukawa started shortly and emotionlessly.

"Well, I was never always like who I was the time you met me…" Yuiiko answered. "The façade I had put up on myself was to keep my feelings for Hanamichi locked away. It wasn't easy but I just hate to be disappointed again. Now, nothing disappoints me anymore."

"Why?"

"You can say I am use to it…." Yuiiko shrugged nonchalantly.

"Are you disappointed in me?"

"Why should I be?" Yuiiko asked with surprised, turning to him with wide eyes.

Rukawa simply stared in front of him indifferently and shrugged. Another silence issued.

"I never came to see you…" Rukawa finally answered in his callous voice.

"Is it surprising, I am not…?" Yuiiko smiled softly.

"Why?"

"I don't know. I didn't expect anything from you I guess." Yuiiko leaned back on the tree trunk and stared up the gaps between the brushes and leafs, sprinkling sunlight through. "Besides, why do you think you should come to see me?"

Rukawa was silent.

"Rukawa-kun, I think I should tell you something…" Yuiiko said softly still staring upwards. "You were the last person I saw before I closed by eyes and everything was a haze to me. The only thing I had in my mind was to wake up again to tell you that I am alright."

"Why?" Rukawa turned to her with mild surprised flashing passed his face for a second.

"You were so scared and I took every ounce I had to come back to tell you I am alright…" Yuiiko mumbled turning to him. "The look on your face had me thinking you were a stranger…"

No wonder she looked like she couldn't recognize me when I held her, Rukawa thought inwardly.

"So, now that I have a chance to talk to you, even though, it is already long passed weeks ago. Rukawa-kun arigatou for being there for me… and don't keep asking why. Just accept that thanks!"

"I don't understand."

"Ah well," Yuiiko smiled. "Neither do I… all I know was that I don't want to see that fear in your eyes again, that is so unlike you. It was freaky until it could even bring me back from the dead."

"And what do you know about me?" Rukawa asked snatching the bottle of soda from Yuiiko's hand and took a gulp himself, from the bottle.

Yuiiko's eyes nearly fell out. Now he is sharing a same drink with her. That was definitely freaking her out.

"I guess I don't really know you…" Yuiiko admitted truthfully.

"Ever want to try?" Rukawa asked, passing her back the bottle as if it was an agreement on a business contract.

There was a pause when Yuiiko was looking around wonderingly.

"What is wrong?" Rukawa asked bewildered at her strange behaviour even he didn't show.

"Looking for flying pigs…."

"Flying what?" For a moment Rukawa nearly gave away a startled expression.

"Just kidding…" Yuiiko smiled, taking the challenged. "You bet."

She grabbed the bottle from him and took a swig from the bottle as if sealing the contract.

"I am glad you finally decided to drop your Ice Prince title." Rukawa continued frigidly, though feeling slightly contented secretly. "Nobody takes that title away from me…"

"Oh, I am sorry that I stole that title…" Yuiiko said in a rather false apologetic voice. "But you have to admit that I make a pretty good Ice Prince… I mean… Ice Princess."

Yuiiko could have sworn that Rukawa almost smile at that.

TBC

It is not the ending yet, well like I did say that I had no intention on making this a real romance fic... so this is only want you get for both Rukawa and Yuiiko... for a start between them. I am trying not to make Rukawa OOC, so I hope the scene worked, I promise there will somemore RuYuiiko in the following chapter...

Next chapter, I will try to put some Sakuragi Haruko in. Since I am not a Sakuragi Haruko fan, I would have to strive really hard. Till next time. More about Negi would be coming up soon... I am sure everyone is still curious what gruesome thing he did and why is he in a wheelchair before... Muahahahah...ah well it will be told. Maybe I will pair him up with someone too... HAHAHAHA... who do you think? I am sick!