A/N: Here's Chapter 4 of What a Joke! It's only recently I realized that the title has very little connection to the plot… anyway, what's done is done… thanks to all who spent precious time reading and giving reviews…SORRY FOR THE LONG UPDATE! School torture!

magnus preistess - well... ito na ang nangyari... update for the other fic... sa susunod na lang siguro...
cutiedallie - thanks sa comment
Setsuna-Ramen Eleison - yes! that's you! tingin mo ok na 'to?

Disclaimer: Doesn't differ to what every author says… Slam Dunk has an owner and it's not me! I'm just a student, don't sue!
Legend: "dialogue" … 'thoughts' … (actions/sounds/notes) … Situations …

Friday… Normal POV (Narrative)

"Today's the big day… uh… night… uh…whatever! I'm so excited… I can picture the things that are going to happen at the party… Oh, Kaouru… Just wait for me… I'll be there soon." Mitsui said to a person/creature only he can see.

Ever since he woke up that morning, a smile is glued in his face. He went to school just like every High School student would do on a Friday… But he's definitely no ordinary student. If you would examine closely, he was the happiest looking creature walking in the grounds of Kanagawa.

You can even say that it's better than the award-winning Sendoh smile. His friends noticed this and also the members of the basketball club. Everyone was wondering what was up with him, though Rukawa only knows why. And if we know Rukawa, and I believe we all do, we would know that he'd share the reason to a maximum of 0 people. Am I right, or am I right?

He's now currently preparing for the party. And guess what, he's still wearing that smile if not a wider one.

"Wow… I look great! I could fall for me if I'm gay…" He praised himself while looking at his image at a full-length mirror. "…and I guess Kaouru would be no different…" 'She's going to be mine!'
"Hm… Let's see… Where did I put that gift of mine…? I sure hope she likes jewelry…" Mitsui said as he made his way down the stairs.

Meanwhile at the house, or should I say Mansion of the Rukawas…

"Honored guests, may I present tonight's star, the lovely Rukawa Kaouru!" announced the trusted steward of the Rukawa clan.

And as expected a very beautiful young woman came into sight. Her appearance was plain and simple, but simplicity is a great factor that shows a woman's real beauty. Her raven-black hair was loose but in a way that her bangs is not covering her ice blue eyes – A/N: Just use your wide imaginations readers… c",)–. She has this very formal look that she carries nicely along with her sophisticated moves. Whispers like "she's growing more beautiful each year", "very lovely", "reminds me of myself when I was her age", "no wonder Rukawa-san is very protective of her", "a certified Rukawa from head to toe", and the likes can be heard from the guests.

After her very grand (may I note, VERY GRAND) entrance, family friends started to approach her. They were all trying to get to know the next generation of Rukawas. And being the nice girl everybody knows, she gladly entertained the guests. But little does she know, she's going to be very surprised when she meets a very unexpected (may I note again, VERY UNEXPECTED) guest that just arrived.

"Wow! I know they're rich, but I never thought they'd be THIS rich." Mitsui commented when he saw the entrance to the very big (note again, VERY BIG) residence of the Rukawas.
"May I have your invitation sir?" The 'welcome boy' asked.
"Huh? What invitation? Oh… that invitation… Sorry I left it at home. I didn't know I was supposed to bring it." Mitsui answered.
"Sorry sir, without an invitation I can't let you in…"

'What's this? A no ID no entry place?' Mitsui sarcastically asked himself.

"…May I know your name instead, sir? I'm going to look for it in the guests list."
"Huh? Oh, it's Mitsui Hisashi."

The 'welcome boy' looked at the list of guests and tried to find Mitsui's. "Sorry sir, no Mitsui Hisashi listed."

"What? Correct me if I'm wrong, but does that mean I…"
"You can't come in." the 'welcome boy' finished for him.
"What? Can't come in?" Mitsui shouted in frustration.

"Sempai?"
"Kaede-sama…" the 'welcome boy' bowed before the future master of the house.
"Eh? Kae…de-sa…ma?" questioned the shocked Mitsui then continued "Oi! Rukawa, help me out here will you?"

Rukawa raised a brow.

"This servant of yours doesn't let me in!"
"He's not a servant." He answered monotonously.
"Fine, whatever… just let me in already."
"No."
"What do you mean by no!"
"No is no"
"You're sister invited me, for crying out loud! You even gave me the invitation, which I left at home."
"I did?"
"What! You don't even remember?"

Rukawa thought very hard but he doesn't remember giving an invitation to Mitsui for THIS celebration. Though he thinks he didn't doesn't mean he really didn't right? You all read it crystal clear in the previous chapter nee, minna? Well, ok… so let's give consideration for Rukawa's oh-so-great ability to just give something to someone without even looking at it. So he didn't give Mitsui an invitation for THIS occasion, at least not intentionally.

So to cut Rukawa's thoughts, Mitsui managed to get inside courtesy of the younger lad. But at the same time, Rukawa is thinking of an excuse for Mitsui's arrival. He does know that his sister wants to show his sempai something, something that can't be done tonight and has to be tomorrow. His arrival would be a very great help to this revelation – NOT!

"So, where's your sister?" Mitsui asked when he can't sense a Rukawa Kaouru near.

'He can't see her. He just can't.' Rukawa reminded himself, so knowing that Kaouru would be entertaining guests he replied, "Probably inside."

So Rukawa walked his way inside the house. Mitsui was about to follow but fate would declare him to hear someone call out Kaouru's name. So without Rukawa's knowledge, who is by the way already half-way inside the house, Mitsui went to the opposite direction towards the celebrant.

"Konbanwa Rukawa-san, you look very lovely tonight." he greeted.
"(Gasp) Mit…su…i-…san?"
"In the flesh!"

'What's he doing here? I told Kae-chan not to invite him here… Kae-chan you're dead meat when I find you… You little…' her thoughts of torturing Kaede was interrupted by,

"What's the matter?"
"Huh? Ah… nothing…"
"Now why doesn't that convince me?"
"Oh… well, it's just that I wasn't expecting you Mitsui-san…"
"…"
"…But since you're here, you might as well enjoy."
"Yeah… but…how come you're…"

Mitsui's question was interrupted by, "Kaouru, the Sendohs are here."

'That must be the old man that I talked to on the phone… how rude – not addressing his mistress sama… Wait… did I hear it right, the SENDOHs?' Mitsui said inside his head.

And his eyes proved his ears correct. Sendoh Akira is here – in the flesh!

"Kaouru-san… Happy birthday! You're looking … eh… Mitsui-sempai?"
"Kaouru, I want to talk to you… now!"
"Ah… Ha… hai, so… sofu. (gulp)" Kaouru answered nervously then followed her sofu.

'So the old man isn't their steward… he's her grandfather. But why is she so afraid? Maybe…'

"Mitsui-sempai… Don't get me wrong or anything but you do know what's in it for her, right?" Sendoh interrupted Mitsui's thoughts.
"Huh? I don't understand what you're trying to say… Wait, how come you're here?"
(Sigh) 'That's what I'm trying to ask you, myself.' Sendoh thought but instead he said "Sendohs and Rukawas are business partners."
"Really? So, you're also rich… But you don't like one. No offense."
"None taken… I'm trying to keep a low profile… you know…"
"Yes, I think I get it… that's why you study at a public school."
"And same goes for the two Rukawas."
"One thing I don't understand though… how come Ka… uh… Rukawa-san studies at Ryonan and not Shohoku?"
"You like her, don't you?"
"Am I that obvious?"
"Guys know guys like them… (SMILES) and I think it is better that the answer would come from her."

While Mitsui and Sendoh were talking, Rukawa finally (FINALLY) noticed that his sempai is no where near him, so he made his way out of the house to prevent (PREVENT?) him from seeing his sister (YEAH RIGHT). At the same time, the elder Rukawa is so nervous that she stopped walking to simply get it over with; IT referring to what her sofu might do because of the presence of someone UNINVITED.

"I'm expecting a reasonable explanation for this scandal." (SCANDAL?)
"Uh… He's a…"
"Friend of yours?"
"He was the one who helped Kaede when he was robbed."
"For the first time Kaouru… I'm disappointed at you. Just because he showed some kindness to your brother doesn't mean you have to invite him here! And I thought you really have a REASONABLE answer."

"He's my guest."
"Kae-chan?"
"Well… I might have known. It's impossible for Kaouru to invite someone like him… Hn… Not just in choosing a career, even in choosing your friends you have a very poor judgment for someone suitable for the family. Pathetic, really pathetic. You're a shame in the clan!"
"Sofu please!"
"What? And you're going to defend him again? Kaouru that's problem with you… You always defend this… this… insult with his faults!"

"Can't you re-schedule this scolding-Kaede session? It's ane-chan's birthday for crying out loud!"
"Yes… even in the happiest occasions you manage to make me angry… How do you do that?"
"Easy as 1-2-3…"
"I…"
"Sofu…"
"We'll settle this next time."

"Why did you say that?"
"Please… I don't have time for you're show-some-respect-for-sofu sessions."
"Not that! Why did you say that Mitsui-san is your guest? I know that he's just your teammate nothing more."
"I've always disappoint them and you always become more than what they expect."
"What's your point?"
"I'm used to it."

Kaouru just raised a brow.

"I'm helping you keep your image."
"No."
"No?"

"You feel guilty, that's why. YOU gave him the wrong invitation… so technically, it's really your fault!"
"Yeah… but you wanted him to come."
"No… I want him to be here tomorrow. So if you didn't give the damn invitation, he wouldn't be here right now."
"I told a lie to keep your reputation as it is… and this is the thanks I get."
"Did I ask you to?"
"Uh… no."
"See? I win…"
"Damn it!"

"Having another brotherly fight I see…" Sendoh said as he came closer to them along with Mitsui.
"Yeah… and I won!"
"Hn… birthday luck…"
"Is there such a word?" Kaouru fired back at him.

'Why is she acting this way? I know… maybe she's just adapting to Sendoh's cheerfulness. Yeah… that's it…' Mitsui stated in his mind then said "Uh… sorry to interrupt… but… Rukawa-san… here's my gift. I hope you'll like it…"

"(Smiles) Mitsui-san… you shouldn't have… but thanks anyway."
"Aren't you going to open it?"
"You mean, I can?"
"Sure… it's not expensive but…"

When Kaouru open the gift, it was a bracelet that has an "RK" charm.

"How did you know that she likes Rurouni Kenshin?" Sendoh asked.
"It's supposed to be Rukawa Kaouru. But Rurouni Kenshin works as well. (GRINS)"
"Uh… miss, someone asked me to give this to you." A guy said then left.
"Who is it from? It's very big…" Sendoh commented.

Kaouru looked at the card and it says Happy Birthday ane-chan. Kaede.

"Awww… thanks Kae-chan!" Then she opened the big package (can't think of a better word) and inside she found the teddy bear that she saw at the mall the other day. It was indeed very big… Big in the sense that she can sit on it.

"Well… since I seem to be the only one left… here Kaouru... happy birthday." Sendoh handed a small rectangular box. Kaouru opened it and inside was a silver necklace with a sapphire pendant.

"Sapphire?" Mitsui whispered.
"It's my birth stone… Akira-kun… this is…beautiful."
"I'm glad you liked it. (SMILES)"

'I seem to be left out. Rukawa gave a huge teddy bear… Sendoh gave a silver necklace… and I gave a… oh man! Just thinking about it makes me embarrassed. I should have known that by the way she lives, she's not going to get cheap gift but expensive ones! There may even be someone who'll give her a car or something… Hisashi you're so stupid!' Mitsui scolded himself in his mind.

"Kaouru…"
"Otosan!"
"Well… I saw Kaede's gift got DELIVERED a while ago… So… here's from me and your mom."

'AN ENVELOPE?' Mitsui thought.

Kaouru opened it and guess what… Mitsui was right! There was someone who'll give her a car; because there was a car inside the envelope… yes… it fit in! No, seriously there was a car key inside. (Sorry readers… I'm just not myself tonight)

"Your baby is waiting for a test drive outside… and you'll get yours next year." He said baby referring to the car and you referring to younger Rukawa.

'Great… just great… I'm really left out! Can I survive the night? I'm so ashamed of myself… this just can't get worse can it?' Mitsui asked someone inside his mind.

"TIME TO OPEN YOUR GIFTS KAOURU!" Someone called out.

'Well, obviously it can!' The other side of his head answered.

End of Chapter 4

A/N: What do you think? I'm not attending parties like what Kaouru is having so obviously, I kind of made things up… I just hope you don't mind… Anyways, what will happen to Mitsui now? Will he give up his CRUSH for Kaouru or will he be more determined? I'm not so sure myself… I'll just write whatever comes across my head… That's the result of too much school work… Imagine a 3rd year high school student taking up Trigonometry, Physics, Calculus, and Statistics… well, that's me! Waaaaaaaaaa! ABSOLUTE TORTURE! Those subjects are for 4th years!