SLAM DUNK: A PLAYER'S HEART
Chapter 10: Selfish Hesitation...
"Sacrifice not choices is the measure of true knowledge!"
Vanessa Arrha A. De Leon
Rukawa yawned loudly as he walked his way to Shohoku High. The team had just returned from Saka the other day. Though he was still exhausted from the trip, the urge to see and talk to Ran was more over-powering.
As he passed by, some students (especially the girls) keep on congratulating him for their victory at Saka. These people unfortunately only received glares and annoying replies from the boy.
Reaching Shohoku, he immediately saw Ayako entering the gates.
"Ayako!" he said when he caught up with her.
Rukawa didn't say anything afterwards, but Ayako knew the reason why Rukawa was acting unusually casual to her that morning.
"Ran left yesterday! My brother said she got all her belongings and proceeded to Ryonan High!"
Ayako looked at him. She could still remember the look in his eyes when he got back from the station the other night. He look absent yet angry, muttering soft curses under his breath.
"Don't worry about it, Rukawa! She'll be alright!"
Changing the subject, she reminded him of something else. "Rukawa, today's the Inter High and Winter Rounds discussion for Kanagawa Prefecture. The teams from Ryonan, Shoyo, Kainandai, Miuradai, Tsukubu and Takezono will be coming here today. Don't forget it!"
Afterwards, Ayako excused herself to go to her class.
-------
That afternoon, the Shohoku team was busy cleaning up the gym for the day's meeting. Rukawa, at that time, was busy mopping the floor together with the other members. That was when the team of Kainandai and Miuradai arrived.
The captains of the 3 teams (including Shohoku) shook hands. While the rest of the members helped out with the preparations. While these was going on, Sakuragi and Nobunaga Kiyota were busy blubbering lies and insults at each other.
"Ha! Shohoku's only second to Kainan!"
"Shut up, Kiyota-no-bakero, you'll see at the Inter High, we'll beat you face down! Hahahahaha!!!"
"Not with me, super-rookie, Nobunaga Kiyota on the team!!!"
The two looked each other as electricity passed through their eyes but Sakuragi's attention was caught when he saw Ran enter the gym.
"RAN!!!" he yelled out as he left Nobunaga and headed towards Ran.
"Kyodai!!" was Ran's excited reply.
"Baka no musume!" Sakuragi said as he playfully tousled Ran's hair.
While these was going on, Rukawa was at the back of the gym, busy rinsing the mop off.
"Oi! Super Rookie, what are you doing there?"
Rukawa looked around and found Sendoh at his back.
no reply
"Same old Kitsune!" Sendoh said then walked towards the gym.
-------
"Is she really your sister, Sakuragi-san?" Kiyota said as she looked at Ran in awe.
He's acting pretty unusual... hmmm... Sakuragi thought to himself.
"Yes, she is! What do you think?"
"She absolutely does not look like you!"
"Konnichiwa! I'm Nobunaga Kiyota, the number one rookie in Kanagawa!" Kiyota said as she faced Ran.
"Nice to meet you, Nobunaga-san!" Ran replied then bowed gently, which made Kiyota flushed.
"Ohohoho... I know what you're thinking, Kiyotaru!!"
"What??"
"Forget about it, I don't need another baka chasing after my sister!!!"
Ran heard this and flushed. He tugged Sakuragi softly on his arms, "Kyodai, Please..."
"Another baka?"
"Yeah! Who else! But the windbag, the cold and self-centered, the tongue-lashing fool, the baka no kitsune of them all, none other than, the repulsive Kaede Rukawa!!!"
Rukawa was surprised at the mention of his name, he looked at where Sakuragi was and found Kiyota... and Ran.
"The kitsune is actually after something other than basketball...." Kiyota said.
Rukawa walked towards the three. "Nani yo, doahos?" he spoke up.
Ran was surprised to see Rukawa standing before them.
"Aw!! Kitsune, so you're there, I was just telling Kiyotaru here, the way you chase after my sister!"
One of Rukawa's veins popped out and his eyes formed a glare. "Chasing Ran??"
"What are the three of you doing there?" Maki said breaking the tension between the three.
"Nandemonai! Taicho, Sakuragi had just introduced his sister to me!"
"Onna no kyodai??" Maki asked.
"Hai!"
Kiyota seized Ran's arm and pulled her towards them. "This is Ran Sakuragi!" he said.
One vein popped out Sakuragi's forehead when he saw how tight Kiyota's grasp was on Ran.
"Oi! Kiyotaru, let go of my sister!"
Ran bowed gently in front of Maki. "Nice to meet you, Maki-san!"
"Ahh... nice to meet you too!"
While these was going on, Sakuragi and Kiyota broke into a fight again. While Rukawa was left at the background.
After Ran met the rest of the members, she sat down on one of the chairs placed on the side by the members. Rukawa sat beside her.
The two sat in complete silence when Rukawa suddenly placed his hand on top of Ran's. But Ran quickly pulled her hand off.
"I think there's nothing left to talk about between us!" Ran finally spoke up.
no reply
"No comments again, Oh come on, Rukawa-san, I think you could do better than that!!"
no reply
"I think this "conversation" is over!"
Ran stood up but as she was about to leave, she spotted a familiar face walking towards them.
"Rukawa, what are you doing alone with Ran?" Kiyota said as he walked towards them.
Rukawa stood up and put a protective hand over Ran's shoulder. But Ran shrugged it off and went outside.
-------
"Ran!! Ran!!" Sakuragi shouted as he went outside to call his sister who was leaning on the faucet at the back of the gym.
"Nani, Kyodai??" she spoke gently.
"I want you to meet someone!!" Sakuragi said excitedly.
Sakuragi pulled Ran's arm and practically dragged her towards the gym. When they reached the gym, the meeting was over, the coaches were talking with each other while the rest of the players were talking in and about with the other players from the different teams that were present. Sakuragi stopped when they came to where the Ryonan players were seated.
"Who do you want me to meet, brother?"
"My arch-nemesis in basketball... they say he's the best... but I've proven that I am better... hahahahaha!!!"
"Sendoh!" Sakuragi called out to a particular boy with spiky raven hair who was seated at the back of the group.
Ran stopped when she heard the name, Sendoh.
Isn't that the name of the guy I met the other day?
Sendoh walked over to them, partially amused at what Sakuragi's up to. Although he was surprised when he recognized the girl who was with Sakuragi.
"Oi! Sendoh, I just came here to introduce to my sister the so-called top gun of Kanagawa, whom I thrashed during the finals!"
"Oh! Is that so?"
"Of course... What do you think, hahaha!!?!!"
Sendoh walked over to where Ran was standing and offered out his hand. "Sendoh Akira, miss!"
"I think we've met before, I don't need any introductions now..." Ran sternly replied refusing to shake his hand.
"Oh..."
-------
Ran walked outside the gym again. It was already 4:30 and she had to get back to the hotel to be able to unpack her things. She went back to the school building to get her things but found Rukawa waiting there, sitting quietly at a corner.
Ran ignored him and passed him by without looking at him. But Rukawa's reflexes were quick, and pretty soon her arms were in his grasp.
Ran tried to get loose but failed to do so. She glared at him angrily then yelled out, "Nani Yo, Bakero!!"
Rukawa was surprised at her sudden outburst. He loosened his grip and she immediately pulled her arms away. He looked at her with such discomfort although his eyes didn't show it. He chose to remain looking cold and careless of whatever was happening between them.
His heart sank as he saw her face now emanating the unspoken anger she felt towards him. But he looked at her still, with uncaring eyes.
Ran tried to stop the tears from falling but it was over-powering her again. The urge to just break down in front of him began to sway in her mind.
She had now began to feel the slight strain and knew that sooner or later her legs will be giving way but she held her body up with unknowing strength. With every minute passing by, the look in her eyes grew weaker and weaker and her body becoming stiff and taut.
"I...I...I'm sorry..." Rukawa barely said.
"Gomen, Rukawa-san, I'd rather forget!"
She began to walk away again, but this time, again, she was stopped, not with force, but with the cool, distant voice she resented the most.
"What do you want me to do?" he finally spoke up.
Ran turned to face him. Her eyes examining his face.
Then in a soft, gentle tone, Rukawa had come to fond, she spoke the words that would plague his dreams forever. "I'm dying..." Afterwards, she let out a nervous laugh and forced out a smile.
His heart began to palpitate continuously. He tried to force a laugh but all that came out is a hard, unbelieving murmur.
He walked to her, his palms sweating and shaking like never before. He reached out to her and enveloped her with the warmth she felt before, back at Orchard Slope, under the large, barren Sakura tree. He turned to face her, and brushed off the tears that were trickling down her face.
"I'm dying..." the words raced through his mind over and over.
He took hold of her fingers and gave it a soft kiss. "I'm sorry..."
Ran, now did not hold back, she took all of his affections willingly because she knew she felt the same. She embraced him softly, burying his face against his chest. And felt the comfort she needed, and the strange reassurance that no matter the circumstances are, she was going to live. To be with him, just with him...
"What do you want me to do?"
A soft, sigh escaped her lips again, breaking the moment of affection between them. She looked at him with regret and sadness.
She closed her eyes. Does she really want this, she asked herself over and over. She can't possibly take it all away from him. She can't... She'd rather die alone than hurt him, or would she??
"I'm selfish..." she said softly as she let out a pained laugh. "Are you sure you really want to know?" she asked.
Rukawa nodded softly although deep inside, he already had the uneasy feeling on what she was going to say.
"I want you to be with me... in the remaining days of my life..."
Rukawa looked at her with an absent look not fully comprehending what she was saying. She continued, "I want you to leave the basketball team for three months..."
Rukawa's eyes widened. His hands tensing all of a sudden. Ran saw this and got hold of his hand. "I don't want you to sacrifice anything and I'm not going to expect anything from you, but please let me be with you!" as tears began to form again in her eyes. She held his hand tightly.
Rukawa could feel the warm flow of tears in her eyes. He was now utterly confused of what he was going to do. He looked at her with an unknowing look. But for that moment, he chose to push away all of his anxieties and concerns.
He hugged her tightly and buried his face into her soft, silky mane. And finally let out a small sigh.
"I don't know, Ran... I don't know..." but these thoughts keep racing through his mind.
-------TO BE CONTINUED;)-------
Standard Disclaimers Apply. Thanks for all the reviews and please keep on supporting, "A PLAYER'S HEART". Sorry for the update that took so long to put up, I'll try to update sooner next time, hehehehe!! I'm building on a website and I have a lot on my mind, I'll be graduating this year, so there. Too many things to keep me TOO MUCH OCCUPIED! Thanks again, don't forget to review!!