SLAM DUNK: A PLAYER'S HEART

Chapter 12: Walking Away...

"Sacrifice not choices is the measure of true knowledge!"

Vanessa Arrha A. De Leon

Akagi's vision narrowed as he tried to comprehend what Rukawa was saying to him that moment.

"What are you trying to say, Rukawa?" Akagi said in a rather angry tone that sent shivers up the other players' spine.

"I'm leaving the team..." Rukawa replied faintly.

The two looked at each other with 2 different expressions in their eyes. Akagi, confused and furious while Rukawa, the usual cold and blithe look.

"I don't understand what you're trying to say?"

Rukawa didn't reply but still continued on looking at the angry man in front of him.

"Why?"

Rukawa's facet changed into a milder one, "Ran needs me...", saying this he grabbed his duffel bag and went outside the gym ignoring Akagi's shouts and calls towards him.

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As Ran and Rukawa walked together that morning to school, they couldn't help getting unknowing and wondering look from other students who were passing by.

(They already know about Rukawa...) Ran thought miserably.

Ran looked at Rukawa from the corner of her eye. His face doesn't show any care at all to what others were saying, but knowing him, she knew that he must be hurting. And he's hiding it, deep down inside of him.

They reached earlier than usual, so she decided to go to the gymnasium by herself, until the bell rings.

She leaned by the faucet at the back of the gym, contemplating on Rukawa and other unimportant matters to while away the time. Until...

"Ran Sakuragi!"

Ran looked up to find three furious girls in front of her. She smiled sarcastically at them then said, "You three again?"

"What did you do to Rukawa?" the first one said.

"I didn't do anything!" Ran replied.

"Iiee! You made him quit the team!" they all said in chorus.

Ran looked at them. (Why are they so upset?)

Suddenly, the first Shinietai pushed Ran backwards.

Ran fell back to the faucet, causing her uniform to get all drenched up.

Ran bursted off angrily, "Why you?" she stomped off angrily at them. She reached out her hands to pull one of them.

When she got hold of one, she twisted her arm. "I let you get away with it the first time! I'm not that dumb to let this pass again!"

As Ran was tightly twisting and holding one of the girls' hand, she felt an unexpected cramp on her legs. She let the girl loose and she fell down to the ground.

"What's wrong with her?" one of the Shinietais shakily said noticing Ran lying in the ground.

Ran felt her legs stiffen, then her arms and afterwards her hands. She felt her heart beating faster and faster by the minute, she tried to move her right hand but it stayed there, stiffened cold.

After a few more minutes, the feeling of breathlessness was beginning to take over her. She felt her throat dry up with each second passing by.

"What's wrong with her?" one of the Shinietai said as they all backed up shakily in fear.

They watched as Ran finally fainted on the ground. They tried to run back to the school to get some help. On their way, they met a familiar boy with sandy blonde hair and soft brown eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked them.

"Ran! She's... She's fainted!"

The boy's eyes widened at hearing Ran's name, he ran to the placed the girls had pointed out and found in no different state from where the girls had pointed out.

"Ran! Ran! What happened?"

Ran still unconscious did not stir at all. The boy carried her in his arms, he walked quickly, carrying Ran towards the gates.

Other students were alarmed when they saw this happened. Wondering what happened to Ran? When he went outside, he was met by another man with black hair and green eyes, who was leaning back on a black luxury car.

"Ruiyo! What happened?" the boy called out when he saw a fainted Ran in his arms.

"Kayu, we've got to get her to the hospital!" Ruiyo replied.

Kayu pulled open the door and assisted Ruiyo in bringing him in.

Afterwards, the car immediately started up and rushed to Tokiyo Community Hospital.

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When class started, Rukawa was beginning to wonder where Ran was. He looked out the window to see if she was outside but found no one there.

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"Where are you going, Ruiyo?"

Ruiyo ignored Kayu's question and went out of the room.

"I'm going to see this Rukawa Kaede..." Ruiyo answered then walk out of the door.

-------

Rukawa let the man lead his way inside the hospital. He walked slowly behind him, trying to figure what was happening.

"Ran's sick..." the man told him before he asked Rukawa to come with him.

He led him into Rm. 011, which the Rukawa noted was his room during his stay there. As Ruiyo opened the door, the faint image of Ran, laid there. Her soft, almost faint breathing can be heard silently in the room.

Ruiyo walked in first and seated himself on a small blue couch at a corner of their room. That was when, Rukawa noticed another man inside, seating beside Ran's bed.

Rukawa walked ahead, and settled beside Ran's bed. His face slightly tainted with anger and worry. He looked over to where the other man was seated and felt a pang of envy when he noted how firm the man was holding Ran's hand.

The man noticed this and smiled slightly. "Ohayou, Rukawa-kun..."

Rukawa nodded then focused his attention again on Ran.

Ruiyo finally spoke up, "His name is Kayu Takiko!"

Rukawa didn't show any reaction at all to what Ruiyo was telling him, Ruiyo noted this but still explained on...

"He is the brother of Eikawa Takiko... Ran's fiance..."

Rukawa stiffened a little and turned his attention to Ruiyo. He glared at him, but the man didn't seem to mind at all.

"Eikawa Takiko is the 2nd child of Suichirou Takiko, the owner of Takiko Corporation located both here and the States. And he... he is the only key to Ran's survival!"

"I don't care..." Rukawa whispered softly.

"Maybe you don't but I do..." Ruiyo replied.

Long silence followed, Rukawa never taking his eyes off Ran's face.

Ruiyo spoke up again, "Sorry, if I'm telling you this, but I want you to leave Ran alone..."

Rukawa didn't say anything at all and pretended that he could not hear.

"Leave Ran!"

Rukawa turned to face him, his eyes glaring at him menacingly.

"I can't... She's the most important--"

Ruiyo spoke up, cutting him off, "I'll spell it out for you... Ran is an obstacle to your dreams..."

Rukawa froze. His eyes widening a little bit.

"See... she is... you will never be no.1 if Ran's presence keeps holding you back..."

Rukawa was going to reply, his eyes now containing the anger and hatred he felt for this man who dared to "spell out" what he was trying to hide, but Ran suddenly stirred...

"Rukawa..." she called out weakly, her eyes still close, but her right arm reaching... for him.

"Don't take it..." Ruiyo called out to Rukawa, "This will spell the end of your dream... no... of your career..."

Rukawa stared at the hand, the urge to hold it filled him inside, but the words... Ruiyo spoke had stiffened him up.

Rukawa turned his back in frustration, and headed towards the door. Ran's 'untaken' hand, fell limply to her side.

When he opened the door, he found someone standing in front of him. His lips pursed in a sly grin. Rukawa ignored him and walked ahead but as he passed him by he whispered something faint for Rukawa to hear, "You stay with your dream... I'll stay with Ran..."

Afterwards, he went away. He turned and nodded at Kayu and Ruiyo. The two stood up and went out the door.

Ran was left there. Silent and empty, as tears began to trickle down her cheeks from her still closed eyes.

"Iiee... Rukawa... Don't go away..."

-------TO BE CONTINUED;)-------

Author's Notes: Whooh... (wipes the sweat off forehead) One of the hardest chapters to write, it took me a long two weeks before I've finally gotten this down. Typing, erasing, pretty much the same sweet stuff. Anyway, please don't forget to review. Thanks for still supporting my fanfiction.