Chapter Two:
"Okay, 50 sprints around the court," Ryota yelled taking the lead at the front of the group.
Haruko and Ayako watched from the bench, while looking over statistical sheets. On the sheet it held the statistics for the IH tournament the year before for all the players that participated, not only Shohoku's individual stats, but the stats for all the teams that participated.
"It's wonderful that Shohoku showed such a strong performance in the IH last year," Ayako said, looking over the sheet, "Four of our team were in the top 15 for many categories (Ryota, Akagi, Mitsui and Rukawa), and Sakuragi was the individual leader in rebounds. We did great last year better than ever before, but this year is looking a little bit rough. We've lost Akagi and Mitsui, Sakuragi is still injured, and Rukawa is still practicing with the All Japan team, though he should be back in time for the start of the season…so right now Ryota is our best chance at victory."
"Now that Kainan and Shoyo's point guards have graduated, it does make Ryota the number one point guard in Kangawa," mused Haruko. She glanced sideways Ayako, "You do know he's going to ask you again soon. That was the condition you set. Or are you going to change the stakes again?"
Ayako blew out a breath of frustration. "I don't know. I know what I should do, but I don't want to hurt his feelings. I didn't expect him to reach number one so fast."
"Do you think stringing him along is any less painful? Giving someone false hope is a cruel thing to do, especially when there is no hope," Haruko watched Ryota leading the team through stretching exercises. "You should tell him soon so that he can move on with life and you and my brother can stop hiding your relationship."
"You really shouldn't speak to one about false hope, considering Sakuragi's crush on you," Ayako returned, mentally she added, 'and your crush on Rukawa'.
Haruko laughed sweetly. "Sakuragi-san doesn't have a crush on me. We're just really good friends!" Haruko smiled sweetly, as usual completely oblivious. "I can't remember how many times that Rukawa is the one I love. Sakuragi has never said or done anything other than being such a good friend."
"I don't know how to break it to you any more gently, but Sakuragi is deeply in love with you. I just wish you would trust me on that. You know how many times he's been dumped. Do you honestly think he could come right out and tell you his feelings?" Ayako asked. Haruko opened her mouth to respond but Ayako continued before she could. "Imagine it this way. You have a crush on Rukawa; sorry I mean that you've been in love with Rukawa for a long time. Now would it hurt more if you had already confronted him and he turned you down, or if you confronted him sometime in the future and he turned you down? That is assuming that he turned you down of course."
Haruko jumped up, "That's not going to happen! My Rukawa loves me back! He's just shy is all," she yelled.
Ayako raised her hands in a placating gesture, "Forget I said anything then. I'll deal with my own problems my way and you better prepare yourself to face reality in your own way."
Haruko sat down with a slight pout on her face and changed the topic, "So which of the rookies do you think will surprise us this year?"
Meanwhile up in the stands, the Gundai was cheering on the basketball practice. They had promised Sakuragi that they would tell him if anyone was going to try and take his place as the Tensai. Yohei knew better than to tell Hanamichi anything because then he would break doctors' orders and start practicing again. Still he went because he had promised his best friend. He could tell that while the team was just beginning it had a lot of potential to grow and that came from the tremendous leadership that Ryota was already displaying.
Yohei looked over at Haruko and Ayako who seemed to be in a deep conversation, he could already tell what it was about from the way they were glancing at Ryota and especially when Haruko had shouted. The whole of the basketball team probably did as well, unless they were incredibly dense.
He knew what Haruko was doing to Hanamichi and while he didn't like it, he couldn't be angry about it. After all, he was pretty sure that Haruko would get burned herself if she ever confronted Rukawa, but Ayako was a different matter.
Yohei sighed, it was one thing to be pining for someone while another was pining for you, but to be stringing someone along when you already had a boyfriend…that was something Yohei couldn't stand. Especially since Ryota was in some aspects similar to Hanamichi.
Yohei knew that he didn't do a great job helping his best friend after all his rejections, especially once he found out Hanamichi had depression, but perhaps when the time came he would be able to help Ryota pick up the pieces of his heart and help mend them. Yohei watched Ryota make another steal on the court and thought, 'I really hope so.'
Yohei allowed his thoughts to wander away from Ryota and back to Hanamichi. 'I wonder how Hanamichi is doing? I haven't been to visit him in a little more than a week. I should give him a call since I won't have the money to see him until next week.' Yohei thought about it for a few more minutes and decided that was what he was going to do.
Practice continued on at a good pace and Yohei decided to watch it instead of thinking about what may come in the future. Well, at least he was watching the speediest person at the practice. Yohei wasn't sure why he was so interested in Ryota, it could be worry or admiration, he didn't know. All he was sure of was that he was interested and there was nothing he could or wanted to do about it.
Practice ended and the boys hit the showers in a hurry. Ryota felt refreshed. It had been a long while since he had felt good after a practice. He leaned his forehead against the cool tile of the wall and let the hot shower pound on his back. He was not in any hurry tonight. Since it was still the first week of practices he had decided to give his teammates a break and take care of the clean ups after practices. It was good for him because it gave him the chance for extra practice.
He knew he was now the best point guard in Kangawa, but he wanted to be the best in Japan. It was partially because he knew Ayako would again change the stakes for him to date her, but also for himself. He knew he was a lot like Sakuragi in regards to basketball. Both of them joined for a girl and both now loved the sport, more than they did the girl. Ryota was proud of the fact that he was no longer playing basketball for Ayako, but for himself and only himself. With that thought in mind, Ryota turned off the shower and changed into a loose pair of sweat pants and a muscle shirt. He left the locker room and headed back to the court to do the clean up. He would do his practicing on one of the outside courts tonight.
As he neared the supply closet he noticed a figure holding the broom. It took him a moment to figure out who it was before recognition set in. It was Sakuragi's friend Mito Yohei. He looked around for the rest of the gang that Yohei and Sakuragi hung out with, but didn't see them, "Mito-san, what are you doing here and why are you holding that broom? You're not part of the team so you don't need to help with the clean up." He paused for a moment thinking and then continued. "Actually, you shouldn't be here at all." He held out his hand for the broom but Yohei did not give it to him.
"Honestly? Well I'm so used to helping Hanamichi out that it's become habit. Last season this was typically his day for clean up. Guess its just force of habit," Yohei responded before handing over the broom. "Besides," he continued, "It's too big of a job for someone to do alone."
Ryota thought about it for a moment. 'I could use the help and it would mean that I would have more time to practice afterwards.' He handed the broom back to Yohei. "All right," he said, "You sweep while I clean the balls."
Yohei nodded a small smirk on his face. 'A lot like Hanamichi,' he thought. "Why aren't you having someone help you," he asked as he started sweeping.
Ryota chose not to answer but asked a question of his own, "You said that you helped Sakuragi clean before but he always had another team member helping him. Why did you help?"
Yohei noticed the diversion but let it slide for now. "Rukawa was always the one helping Hanamichi. Do you honestly believe that he would stay awake long enough to do the clean up?"
"Ah you have a point there," Ryota said, "but why help him?"
Yohei looked at Ryota like he was a moron. "Because he's my friend and friends should help each other when they can. He also can't stand being alone…" Yohei closed his mouth and thought fast. "You have to admit; his personality craves people and attracts them like flies." Yohei grimaced at the image of hundreds of flies swarming around Hanamichi.
"I guess you're right," Ryota said finishing up the last ball. He had caught the slight difference in Yohei's voice and decided to be nosey. "Sakuragi must be going nuts or at least driving the hospital staff nuts." He watched Yohei's face out of the corner of his eye and saw a flicker of worry pass though his eyes before he was able to mask it. After a few minutes of silence Ryota walked over to Yohei and stood in his path, "Mito-san, Sakuragi is all right, isn't he?"
Yohei snapped out of his daze. "Yeah he's probably doing well. He was fine when I saw him last week. I'm supposed to call him tomorrow; do you want me to tell him you said 'hi'?"
"That would be nice, thanks," Ryota decided to drop the issue for now, but he had a feeling it was going to come back up sometime. "The sweeping is pretty much done if you want to go. I'll do the mopping in the morning after I do early practice."
"Yeah I need to do homework any way. Have a good night Miyagi-san," Yohei walked leisurely towards the door and then out into the night. He kept berating himself because he hadn't done what he had set out to do. 'I couldn't do it. I couldn't tell him about Ayako. That was the whole point of talking to him. I guess I'll tell him if Ayako doesn't.' Yohei once again put the thought out of his mind and replaced it with another one. 'He really looks good in loose sweat pants, even if his hair is still almost mushroom shaped even when wet.'
Ryota watched Yohei until he was out of sight and then went to the locker room to get his stuff before locking up for the night. He made up his mind to check on Sakuragi tomorrow after practice, especially after seeing the concerned look in Yohei's eyes.
As he walked to the nearest outside court he let his mind wander over his friendship with Sakuragi. The initial fight with him when he thought Sakuragi was after Ayako. Their talk in the part where Sakuragi understood him and didn't laugh at him and never told others of their conversation. How he defended Ryota when Mitsui's gang came to beat up on the team. How Sakuragi always defended him when others called him a shrimp, even though Sakuragi always called him that himself. And how had he repaid that friendship? He hadn't. 'It's time to make up for that lapse now,' Ryota thought as he continued on his way.