CHAPTER 6: INTERESTING…

The news about Rukawa spread like wildfire throughout the campus. By lunch everyone knew he was the one they thought was a new kid. In class 1-3, it was all what the girls were talking and giggling about. Haruko was assigned to this class and was situated by the window. She was looking out into the horizon. She was in deep thought about the events that morning. She was confused of what she feeling. There was Sakuragi, who has been her friend for the longest time. Could she really start to like him that way? Then there was Rukawa, has he really come back. She felt her heart skip a beat. She didn't know if she still felt the same way about him but she still felt a tug from her heart.

"Haruko have you heard the news?" It was Matsui standing in front of Haruko's desk. Haruko was startled by them. She almost jumped from her seat.

"Eh?" Haruko asked puzzled.

"Are you daydreaming?" Matsui asked as she waved her hand in from of her face. "Well, never mind, I said that if you heard the news already?" Matsui asked her again.

"What news?" Haruko was still puzzled. "I'm sorry I have been thinking of something serious for a while so I haven't been talking to anyone."

"Oi..." Matsui put her hand on her head and has this blank stare of disbelief. "Ru-ka-wa is back."

"NANI!" Haruko jumped out of her seat this time. At this time, Fujii entered silently into the room.

"Hn." Fujii answered. "He has been assigned to class 1-6." She said softly. "I just passed their classroom on way here."

"So it was him…" Haruko said.

"What did you say?" Matsui asked.

"Iie, I said nothing." She waved her hand from side to side as of to repel something. She was blushing by this time. Really red and her hands were sweating too. Right now she didn't want to see him. She was just confused. Matsui looked a bit surprised.

"Are you not going to check his classroom?" Matsui was really wondering at the different attitude of her friend. She was not jumping for joy or even going heart-shaped eyes.

"Do I need to?" Haruko just looked at Matsui as if it was nothing. "I'm just thinking the team will have a chance to win with him back." She acted it very well. But her explanation was just too suspicious. It doesn't seem right. Matsui thought to herself. She rubbed her chin but had to dismiss it for the mean time. There is a time and place for everything. I'll find out eventually.

"What rotten luck!" The fat member of the gundan said. "You're stuck with Rukawa as a classmate. I can't imagine how bad is it." His face faltered at the idea of Rukawa.

Youhei and the rest of Sakuragi's gundan were on top of the rooftop together during lunch period.

"Well the ice prince wasn't talking much as usual." Youhei replied. "But he did seem a little more attentive in class, which of course shocked our sensei a great deal." He thought. His eyebrows met slightly. That seemed odd I think. He rubbed his chin a bit.

"What are you thinking?" Ookusu asked this time.

"Nothing really…" He then paused and remembered something. "Well except for one thing." He rubbed his chin even more.

"What?" All three asked in unison with some questioning looks on their faces.

"I just remembered something." He began to think a little. "Do you know what Sakuragi's class was assigned?" He already knew the answer. He just wanted to hear if they knew.

"No. We all assumed he was assigned to a different class this winter like the rest of us."

"Neither did I. And since he was still in the hospital there was no way I was finding out anytime soon. So I sneaked into the registrar's office for the official list of the student's classroom assignments." Youhei paused for a brief moment to catch his breath.

"And…" They were all curious as what Youhei was driving at and by the way Youhei was talking.

"Well, there was a mix up and was forced to assign him into the same class as mine." Youhei said frankly.

"That's great! But you don't seem happy about it." One said.

"That's because it's not." Ookusu said. "Don't you guys remember who their CLASSMATE is?" He tried stressing that fact. The other two then realized.

"Rukawa…"

"Right…" Yohei smirked. "Oh boy… This will be interesting."

The last bell finally rang to end classes for the day. Finally! The raven haired boy in class 1-6 thought. The whole day he thought he had to dodge every oncoming person he saw. They hounded him and he hated all the attention. Won't they just leave me alone. He thought. Then again at times he thought of just letting it be. In some twisted way, he enjoyed how the school was because he had really missed it.

So he picked up his bags and got ready to head to the gym. He still put on this very blank almost brooding expression on his face. His hair just slid down his face partially hiding it from everyone. He hurried a bit because he was truly excited. I'm back! He almost had a small smile on his face but he stopped himself before anyone could see. By this time he almost had a big crowd following from behind. He sighed a bit when he noticed. So he tried running off so no one could follow him.

He arrived at the gym and peeked in. No one was there yet so he quickly ran off to change into his basketball clothes. He smirked a bit (A/N: This is so not like Rukawa! But I couldn't help myself). He looked around and decided to practice some shooting since he was a bit early.

Meanwhile, the other basketball members were already on their way to the gym.

"I can't wait!" Miyagi was smiling so much. He was walking rather fast and was so excited in getting to the gym. He paused and called out to his back. "Ne, ne, Aya-chan, hurry up!" The curly haired boy was almost jumping and screaming to get Ayako's attention.

"Whoa! You're in such a big hurry." Ayako put her hands around her waist in exhaustion. She was trying to keep up with Miyagi's pace but failing miserably. "You're going to give me a heart attack…" She puffed again. She thought he had too much energy to keep up with all the time.

"Ee… but it's the first day of basketball practice." He said so happily. "I'm the captain and I have to make a good impression to the team and to new recruits." He grinned at Ayako definitely trying to impress her.

This guy will never change. She thought in defeat. She just thought it was rather cute. But I'll die first before I admit that. She shaked her head a bit. "You're not doing a good job trying to impress me." She said frankly but with an evil grin on her face. She knew she'd get some reaction from the boy she was talking too."

"Wh-what... Ah-ah-I wasn't trying to impress you." Miyagi almost jumped out of his shoes because of shock. His eyes widened and he was almost ready to run away. "Wh-what m-makes y-you s-s-say that!" He exclaimed as he continued to stammer.

"It's so obvious Miyagi… just give it up." A low hard voice said from the back of Miyagi.

"What was that you…" He turned around to see who it was. "Mitsui… teme…" he said a bit angrily. "Hey how long have you been listening?"

"He he… well long enough." Mitsui smirked and taunted Miyagi some more.

"When I get my hands on you… I will…" Miyagi said as he started to chase Mitsui when he was cut off suddenly.

"Guys wait up!" A girl was screaming trying to catch up with them.

"Ara, Haruko, it's you…" Ayako said a little puzzled. Haruko was also rather early to arrive. She was going to greet Haruko when she noticed that there was someone already in the gym. Hmm… I think I know who that is. She thought and smirked inwardly. "Do you guys hear that?" She asked them.

"Ah… someone is already in the gym." Miyagi said. "I was hoping to be the first to arrive. I wonder who it is." He thought about it. He even put his hand on his chin and rubbed it. All of a sudden a fan flew directly at the back of Miyagi's head. "Itai!" It was Ayako's DEADLY paper fan. Mitsui just chuckled at the site.

"Don't you know who it is?" She looked at him with curiosity and a bit of disbelief. "Haven't you heard the news?" She had her arms crossed across her chest still holding the paper fan. She had one of her eyebrows raised too.

"What news? I don't usually listen to rumors in school." Miyagi shrugged his shoulders as if to say I don't know.

"I don't know the news either. What is it?" Mitsui popped his question as he was also curious what Ayako was talking about. Haruko just kept quiet at the background. She already knew who she was talking about. She was just afraid a bit to see him again. She wasn't really sure if it was okay.

Ayako sighed. "You two belong together." She raised her hands in defeat. "I guess there is only one way for you guys to know. Come follow me." She led the two of them to the door of the gym and opened it. As she opened the door, they saw a silhouette of someone doing a fade-away shot.

"Kirei…" Haruko said as she closed her fists in front of her face.

"RUKAWA!" Both Miyagi and Mitsui shouted in unison

A/N: What the heck is it with my story ending with people saying Rukawa… hehe. And I don't even really like the guy. Weird! Though I like using him because his character has so much potential.