Hi guys, I'm back with the next chapter! Thanks so much for reading and/or reviewing.

Elena: Hello new reader! Thanks for deciding to read at last. Yes, I know my biggest problem is my pronoun use, fret not, I will do better!

jhydl: I know how you're feeling. My laptop has a minor technicality now and as a result I can't use the internet there, so I'm using my sister's. Thank you sister! Hopefully my own laptop would be up and running next week. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read this!

insomniac: I know my english is not as good as i hoped, and you're right, i think it should be stupidity. Sorry!

Sabrina: First of all congratulations on the Italian victory. Wish I could say the same for Switzerland. They lost to Ukraine, sniff. It was so unfair, they lost on penalty shootout! It's not right, especially when it was obviously clear to all those watching that the Swiss team should have been awarded at least one penalty shot! A Ukrainian tripped a Swiss in the penalty box, it was so obvious, but nooooo, that referee didn't see it, how unfair! Oh, did you see that game? They were so heartbroken, I couldn't look at them properly. Anyway, Ukraine's taking on Italy next and I hope they looooose...crush Ukraine okay? It would really make me feel better...

For those who are watching the world cup, you'd understand how I'm feeling.

Hala: Thanks! Here's the next chapter!

neko11lover: Yes, there's an O negative type blood. They're really rare, so whenever a doctor or a hospital finds someone that has that blood type, they always encourage that person to donate asmany times as possible, provided that they're in healthy condition of course, because the blood is so rare. Just a little trivia for you, and why do I have the feeling you're lying to me about geometry?

You Mean, Rukawa has a best friend?

Chapter Nineteen

The next few minutes were some of the longest for Kira. Sitting there, watching the people go back and forth with doctors and nurses shouting out instructions to each other. Everything seemes to be going way too fast, and people were scraming way too loud. She felt like she was going to go deaf.

She rubbed the spot were the doctor took a few millimeters of her blood. The doctor used one of the larger needles, and though apprehensive at the sight of the needle, she swallowed her fear and presented her arm. When the doctor had taken enough, she stood up quickly and said, "Is that it? Are you sure? I can give more –"

"They've got what they need, Kira," said Sendoh reassuringly.

The doctor gave them a small smile as he instructed the two of them to get some rest. "As soon as the results come in," he said, "I'll let you know. It's only a few minutes."

Kira decided to handle her anxiety bywatching Rukawa. He was still unconscious, and there was a large turban of bandages warapped around his head. There was a spot of red in the side of his head. The moreshe looked at it, the less anxiety she felt, since the blood spot didn't seem to grow bigger.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sendoh stand up. She looked at him and turned completely around, and saw the doctorapproaching them. He was expressionless, and Kira took that as a bad thing.

"I'm not a match?" she asked desperately.

The doctor turned to her, then to Sendoh, then to her again. She was gettingmore and more flustered, thinking that the doctor wasdoing this to createfrigging tension.

Then, finally-

"If you would come with me, Miss Yamato," he said lightly, "we can take your bloodright now."

Kira couldn't help but feel a little lighter, as she nodded enthusiastically. She looked up at Sendoh, wholooked tired, but was smiling anyway.

Taking her blood didn't take over an hour. She didn't really have the sense of time anymore, in the urgency to get her blood out of her system, into a bag, and into Rukaw's body. They took her height, weight, and in next to no time, there was a small tube from her arm that took blood all the way to a small plastic bag next to her, labeled O (-), 500 mL.

Once the bag is filled, the nurse took out a tube and covered the pinpoint hole in her arm with a band aid. "That's it," she announced.

Kira looked at the bag. It was full, and it's half a liter, but -

"That's it?" she asked the nurse, and then turned to the doctor and Sendoh. "But that's not enough!"

"That's half a liter of your blood, Miss Yamato," the doctor said incredulously.

"Yeah," she retorted, "But what if he needs more? Come on, take more, it's okay! I agree to whatever clauses you've got!" She tried to stand up from the hospital bed, then suddenly, she felt light headed, and clammy.

"Kira!" said Sendoh suddenly, supporting her back into sitting in the bed. "Are you okay?"

Kira nodded. "Yeah," she said, "I just feel light headed."

The nurse then gave her bread and some juice. "Here," she said kindly, "that feeling's normal. This will help."

She took it with a mumbled thanks. Sendoh insisted that she eat it right away, so she did so.

After finishing the bread, she looked up. She didn't feel so dizzy anymore, and looked up at Sendoh. "Where did the docotr go?" she asked, when she saw that she and Sendoh were alone.

"I'm here," the doctor suddenly announced. They both turned to him. He had a smile in his face. "Well, I'm happy to say his body's accepting the blood just fine. That would speed up his recovery."

Kira nodded, and grinned up at Sendoh who was smiling back.

"See," he said, "I told you he's going to be okay."

She nodded silently, and looked at the doctor. "Thank you, doctor."

"No problem," he said, "now, you go home and get some rest, you can visit him in the next few days."

Kira and Sendoh had walked out of the hospital a few minutes ago. Sendoh had insisted that he walk her home, no matter how many times she refused. After the fifth time of his insistence, she gave up and let him. They walked silently, Kira was too absorbed in her own thoughts.

"Maybe I should tell Captain Akagi," said Sendoh suddenly, cutting the silence like a sharp knife.

"Huh?" asked Kira

"I should tell Akagi and the rest of the Shohoku team," repeated Sendoh.

"Why you?"

"So you should?" asked Sendoh, "Look at you, you're in no condition to even walk home, much less –"

"No, Akira," said Kira firmly, "they'll want to know exactly what happened, and I was the one there and I could tell them everything."

"But," asked Sendoh silently, "will you be able to?"

Kira didn't answer. Finally, she nodded, "Of course," she said, "blubbering about what happened today isn't gonna make time go back and make it so it didn't happen. I know what I'm doing, and I'm the one who's gonna tell them. Besides, I have to tell Kaede's parents as well, and I'm sure that that's a lot harder than the basketball team."

Sendoh smiled and nodded. Kira didn't smile back, not because she didn't want to, but because she can't. truth be told, she didn't know how to tell Rukawa's parents. She had their office numbers and they're somewhere in Europe, maybe she can just leave a message…

But that would seem so rude, she thought.

She was still lost in her thoughts when she realized that they were standing in front of her house.

"Are you sure, you're going to be fine?" asked Sendoh again, looking at her straight in the eye.

Kira nodded. "I'll be fine," she said, "school starts tomorrow anyway, so I can have something to do besides wring my hands." She tried to smile again, but couldn't. "Don't worry, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Sendoh nodded, but still looked worried. He hugged her tight. Kira didn't know whether she should hug back, but before she can make a decision, Sendoh had let go.

"You know," he said, "when I said that he'll come around, I didn't mean for it to be like this."

"It's not your fault, Akira," she said, "don't worry. It'll be fine tomorrow, okay?"

He nodded, and kissed her forehead. "Call me if you need anything, okay?"

She nodded. She waved goodbye as she saw him being engulfed in the darkness.