part 18 - an unexpected visitor
Time passed by swiftly, as if envious of the good times each and everyone in team Shohoku had been sharing for the past few weeks. The friendly match against Kainan was only a week away, and preparation for the upcoming match was well in progress and according to schedule.
Satisfaction and contentment could be seen in Anzai sensei's mien as he sat by his corner, sipping hot green tea while monitoring the weekend practice session. Usually he would be sitting there solitary. Lately however, he was seldom seen alone.
Akagi, the team's former captain, would take the slightest opportunity he has to come by and watch them practice, lending them a hand wherever he could; most of which accompanying the coach as he would in the old days. Sitting not far apart each others, the two of them could be seen engaged in an amicable and sometimes animated discussion about the team and its prospect as their eyes dutifully watched the practice sessions.
Sitting cross legged on the floor at the opposite end of the hall, Ayako looked away from the pair with a broad smile. All the while she had been observing the coach and Akagi from afar, and she found their closeness heart warming.
Darting her attention away from the progress chart on her lap, Haruko comprehended the sophomore's smile and inquired in a teasing tone, "Senpai, what is so amusing?"
Ayako glanced at her and then motioned a finger towards the coach and the ex-captain. "When the two gets together, there's no way of stopping them from talking about the team, basketball and everything else associated with it. Although Anzai sensei seems like a quiet person, but with the right company, he can be as talkative as that..." She stopped short and inquired, "What is that noisy reporter's name from Ryonan?"
"Reporter?" Haruko frowned and her thoughts drifted for a while, trying to recall anyone in team Ryonan that fits the description. Then suddenly she burst out laughing. "You mean that first year player, Aida Hikoichi?"
The manager snapped her fingers and beamed. "Yes, that's him! That player cum reporter cum investigator!" She laughed a little, shaking her head slightly before adding, "I can't stand his inquisitiveness...but he has helped us a lot with such a trait, that I can't deny. Anyway, about Akagi senpai," The manageress glanced back and looked on at the mentioned person, "He must be missing all this. That could be the only reason why he is always around."
Haruko said nothing, but she too threw her vision towards her brother and agreed in silence.
"It was very difficult for him to come up to the decision to quit the team, wasn't it?" The manager's voice resurfaced. She drew back and leaned against her vice's knees, and peered at her face inquisitively as she waited for an answer.
"It was," Haruko replied, smiling slightly as she recollected the memories of those days. "Before he made the decision, he couldn't sleep for days. I could even hear him waking up in the middle of the night to fetch something from the kitchen to cure those sleepless nights."
"Oh, you could hear him?"
Haruko laughed. "How could I not? He made so much noise that it was impossible for anyone not to be awaken by it!"
The manager grinned broadly at the revelation. She hugged her knees and rested her chin on them, while her eyes were transfixed to the person now central to their conversation. "But he made the decision after all, when I thought that all he wanted was to be with us until the end."
The tone of her voice had changed drastically, and realising this, Haruko leaned slightly forward and touched Ayako's shoulder. "Senpai, you seems disappointed. Don't be..."
Ayako glanced at her assistant and smiled weakly. "Iie...it's not that I'm disappointed, but..." She lapse into a lengthy silence before continuing; trying to find the appropriate words to convey her feelings. "I've worked with him for 2 years; so I can say that I know him quite well. For me, it was totally unexpected of him to quit playing basketball. You don't know how shocked I was when he relayed his intentions to me."
Haruko understood her feelings for she felt the same way. "I was surprised too, because I thought he would want to continue playing for university...well, should he enter one later." Then she glanced at her solemn company and revealed softly. "A couple of men from a renowned sports university even came to see him and discussed about his prospects with them, you know."
Ayako nodded in response and added, "I know. He told me that, and I guessed he must have been very enthusiastic about it, even though it was not apparent." A little smile played about her lips before she continued with a more serious tone. "Well, I know his decision must be respected for he had decided what is best for him. But I was sad he had to quit before getting to realise his dream. I have always knew that he wanted more than anything to win the IH, and it's a pity Shohoku could not provide him that when he was still with the team. Though slightly, he must have...well...sort of regretted his decision of leaving the team...and basketball eventually."
Haruko could do no more than to remain quiet. Ayako might had a point there, but somehow she begged to differ. Knowing her brother well, she felt that no regrets had followed her brother's decision. While with Shohoku, she believed that her brother had achieved a sense of fulfillment which had appease his love for basketball. Therefore there was nothing that he could have regretted when he made the decision.
"Shohoku had given him the next best thing to his dream; the team had qualified and made a mark in the IH, and he was with them through all those times. I know he is proud of that." She offered, while trying to brighten the sullen mood. Nevertheless silence prevailed.
Finally, with a sigh Ayako answered softly. "But it's not the same thing with winning the IH title, isn't it?"
Haruko quieted in which time she pondered on some thoughts. She discerned the truth in the manager's words. As a sister, she might understand her brother till a certain point, but as a friend; one who also sees him as a leader and a player, Ayako understands him in a light she as a sister could not completely comprehend.
Suddenly Ayako sighed loudly. "One dream vanquished, but another still lives on." She said, and out of the blue, she gave her assistant's calves a tight hug. "All long as I'm here, I'll try to make his dream come true."
Haruko could do no more than blinked in bafflement at her sudden change of mood. But she smiled thereafter on hearing Ayako part with these words in her ever enthusiastic tone, "Shohoku must win in the next IH, and no better time to show our seriousness than in the upcoming Winter Tournament! Are you with me, my charming assistant??"
The Vice Manager's stare shifted from her brother to Anzai sensei and finally to the players. Seeing them toil on court with their determination the least bit waned from the constant drills, a sense of confidence and pride filled her heart.
"Hai! Shohoku will win. Kitto!" She exclaimed in return, and was again given a hug by a beaming Ayako.
* * * *
The time slowly ticks away, and the clouds that had shielded the rays slowly gave way to the midday sun. The cold weather warmed slightly, and the players began to sweat profusely as the drill session prolonged. Seeing that cold liquids would be of great saviour to the players, Haruko excused herself to replenish their bottles.
"Do you need any help?" Ayako had offered on seeing her struggling a little with the many bottles. She was about to head to Miyagi as the captain had earlier called for her help, but had stopped short in concern for her assistant.
"It's okay, I'll manage." Haruko replied. "I don't like to keep you away from Miyagi senpai anyway," she added with a cheeky smile.
The manageress gave her a smirk before continuing her way towards the team captain. Something that the manageress had relayed to him made the petit captain blush and he dared not look anywhere but to the floor. Ayako then looked back to her assistant and winked
playfully. What was being said she did not know, but she suspected it must have something to do with what she had said to Ayako earlier on.
Haruko retracted her steps towards the corridor. A smile still played about her lips as she rekindled the image of the pair, and she thought how compatible they would be should their relationship goes beyond more than friends. Secretly she hoped that someday the thought would materialise.
Her carefree strides quickly brought her to her destination, and seeing no one attending the counter, she called out for some assistance. Soon after an old lady emerged from the kitchen and smiled upon seeing her.
"The usual drink, I presume?" The canteen operator asked her as Haruko placed the bottles on the counter.
"Hai, onegaishimasu...and could you please add some ice cubes in each bottle?"
The elderly woman frowned and echoed, "Ice cubes?" Her puzzlement deepened when Haruko confirmed with a nod. Slowly she gathered the bottles. "If it's summer then it is understandable, but in autumn? Why, if it had been in my time such a thing would not be allowed! They'll get sick, I tell you. Do they never get ill?"
Haruko laughed slightly. "Never, and in fact, the colder the drinks, the more they like it...even in such a weather."
The woman was slightly taken aback with the revelation, but nevertheless she shrugged her shoulders and withdrew to the back quarter, mumbling to herself, "The younger ones are getting weirder and weirder by the day!"
Haruko could only smile at the old woman's remark. Her gaze followed the old woman until she disappeared into the kitchen, and thereafter she looked around the deserted dining hall. In the idle of time, she began to notice things in which she had never noticed before. Even the smallest of detail seemed obvious, and it amused her as to why it never occurred to her before. Haruko then slowly shifted her view outside. The sky was clear, she observed, and flying birds appeared like dotted ink on the clear blue backdrop. Instinctively she went near the window, and having left her gaze from the sky, Haruko then stared at the quiet street listlessly.
A movement on the street rapt her attention. A black car had stopped in front of the school gate, but when the guard opened the gate for it to enter, it never did. Instead, a man stepped out of the driver's compartment and went to the guard. The man was indisputably the chauffer, judging from the crisp white uniform he had on, complete with matching gloves and hat. He could be seen asking the guard for directions, for the guard then pointed at the entrance of the school and explained something.
Haruko retracted her eyes away from the pair and stared curiously at the black sedan. Its completely tinted glass and notable foreign make further gave the car an air of mystery, and this indefinitely roused her curiosity. A car of such a make is rarely seen in the neighbourhood; only the cream of the society could ever afford one. In her silence, Haruko began to wonder who the owner might be, and what was his or her purpose of stopping there right in front of the school.
After bowing to the guard as a gesture of thanks for his help, the driver entered the car once again and slowly steered it through the opened gate. As she looked on, Haruko felt an unexplainable surge of anticipation wash over her. She could not grasp the reason, but she felt it was indeed odd of her to be that very much excited over something quite typical.
"Who could that be?"
A loud voice that broke the spate of silence surprised her greatly, and this made her turn back almost immediately. Her eyes widened with alarm.
The old canteen operator was already at the counter with the replenished bottles, and from the look of things, she probably had been standing there for some time. Seeing that she had made her jump, the old woman smiled as she apologised. "Gomen ne. I should have called you earlier, but you seemed so absorbed there."
Haruko felt herself flush with embarrassment when the old woman chuckled a little after she spoke those words. Casting her previous thoughts aside, she quickly made her way to the counter. All the while the old woman stared at her, and the smile that remained on her lips made her feel even more uncomfortable. Haruko could do nothing but smiled meekly as she stopped in front of her. The old woman then leaned closer to her and whispered, "I was just as curious as you were, too. Couldn't help it, though. Made me wonder how rich he could be, and if he's also a looker. What a bonus if he is!" This did not make Haruko feel any better at all. However, even if the canteen operator had misread her mind, she had not the desire to say anything more.
The old woman took a quick glance outside before counting the bottles on the counter. Haruko noticed that her eyes had flickered with interest with what she saw outside. Nevertheless, what it was that she saw, Haruko could not bothered to know, although deep inside, she was tempted to steal a glance.
"Well...twelve bottles of Pocari Sweat," the old woman mumbled as she punched the numbers on the cash register. "So that'll be ¥960. Will you pay cash, or should I charge it to the account?"
"Er...charge it to the tab." Haruko answered.
The old canteen operator peered behind Haruko's shoulder as she handed the latter a slip of invoice. "Hm...quite good looking. But he couldn't possibly had come here on a business mission, could he? He very much look like it, though."
Haruko followed the old woman's gaze and instantly her previous thoughts returned. There on the school ground, past the guard post, stood a man in his forties. He was slightly greyish haired and smartly dressed. For a long moment he just stood there; seemingly observing his surrounding with keen eyes. The black car was now parked inside and its white clad driver was standing beside it. His eyes trailed the smartly dressed man as he began to thread his way slowly towards the school's main building.
"Whoever he might be, he definitely could not be a student's parent, that's for sure." She heard the woman said with certainty. Instinctively Haruko turned to her, cupped her chin and stared at her quizzically.
"And why is that, oba-san?"
When she caught the look Haruko gave her, the old canteen operator shrugged her shoulders and then explained rather hesitantly. "Well...for one, I think he looked too rich to be from somewhere near, and secondly, a person that rich could not possibly had sent his children to this school. He surely can afford one of those prestigious, expensive private schools."
Haruko pondered on her words, and was momentarily lost in them. She find it difficult for her to agree with the old woman entirely. There are rich parents who would send their children to a public school rather than a private school, she thought. Haruko threw her vision outside again and scrutised the man further. Though she could not make out his mien clearly, she could well see that the man was bespectacled and had a clean shaved face.
"Oh no! I've forgotten my soup!" Suddenly she heard the old woman wailed, and her eyes swiftly shifted to her face. A look of panic was written all over the old woman's face. She turned to her and uttered in one quick breath, "I've been so careless!! If there's nothing else, you would have to excuse me!" Then she bolted to the kitchen right away, leaving Haruko slightly dazed. She was about to ask her for some plastic bags to carry the water bottles, but the old woman had already disappeared.
"I guess I just have to carry them like before." She sighed and began to gather them in her grasp. Just as she was about to pace away, Haruko turned to look outside, but the man was no more in sight.
* * * *
After much effort and time, Haruko finally made it to the hallway. Her work was made more difficult as the bottles were now heavier and also cold to the touch. The cold bottles had begun to sweat, thus making it harder for her to grip their slippery surface. She had to be extra careful not to let the bottles slip.
She paused for a while and stared at the vacant stretch up front. With the load, the distance to the sports hall seemed much more longer to her and that thought alone was tiring enough. Sighing, she once again resumed her pace, struggling with the burden as she went.
As she went farther down the way, Haruko could hear the faint sound of footsteps coming from the other end of the corridor. Little by little the steady tap became louder. In the dim lighting she could not see anyone, but she halted as a strange feeling crept to her heart. The person got nearer, step by step, until finally, Haruko could make out the silhouette of a tall man before her. On sensing that someone was before him, the man too, stopped in his track.
"Who's there?"
A deep voice was heard, and it was loud enough to stun her a little. Lost in the suddenness, her grip loosened and the bottles she was carrying came tumbling to the floor. The deafening echoes filled the lonely hallway. Haruko was aghast as she looked at the mess before her and for a moment the stranger before her was forgotten. A loud groan escaped her as she quickly bend down to chase a few bottles that were rolling down the corridor in various directions.
Suddenly Haruko was once again aware of the stranger's presence when the tap of his formal shoes ensued. In no time he was kneeling on the floor just as she was, and was trying to pick up as many bottles as he could from the floor. Haruko's gaze went further up, until it reached the stranger's mien. To her bewilderment, it was the man whom she had seen earlier from the window of the dining hall.
As if sensing her eyes on him, the man looked up and with an expression not of concern but more of impatience, he asked, "You fell down, didn't you?"
Haruko quickly lowered her gaze. "Ii-iie!" She stammered. "I was...it's just--The bottles just slipped, that's all."
Once the bottles had been collected, Haruko got to her feet and looked around to see whether she had left any behind. Probably the man noticed her, for then he said, "I think that's about all." Instinctively Haruko turned to him, and saw that he had with him half of the bottles she had brought before.
"Arigato," She said, and extended her free hand to take the bottles from the man. "I can manage from here."
The man did not budge, and his eyes were fixed squarely on her in a profound gaze. Finally, with a rather unsmiling face he said, "If you had managed, the bottles wouldn't have slipped from your grasp at the first place, would they?"
Haruko blushed profusely. She did not know what to say for she was deeply embarrassed. All she could do was to braved herself to look up once again, offering him a weak smile. The man seemed to comprehend this and said with the exact indifferent expression he had on before, "Very well. I will help you carry these bottles, but you in turn must help me find my way to the sports hall."
Her eyes lit up, but at the same time she found it odd that of all the places, he wanted to go there. A thought that he might be Anzai sensei's friend crossed her mind, but she was unsure. Finally she impart, "I'm actually heading there. If you'd follow me, I'll show you where it is."
"Then lead the way." He responded briefly.
* * * *
"How old are you?"
Haruko turned to look at the man after the question was directed at her. All the while he had been following her quietly down the corridor. She had found the silence rather unsettling, given their rather awkward meeting earlier on. Therefore it was a relief for her to hear him speak at last.
"I am 16 this year, a first year student." She replied.
Haruko then glanced at the man, and she was just in time to notice the flicker of interest in his eyes as he digested the information. Finally he nodded, then uttered in an undertone, "Same age as my son."
Her eyes immediately shifted to his face and remained there. Noting the anticipation written all over her face, he smiled slightly and the rigidity Haruko had associated him with disappeared completely. However, contrary to what she had hoped, the man only said, "But he is a very reticent person, I'm sure you don't know him. Hardly talk to anyone, his nanny said of him."
"His nanny?"
There were wonderment in her tone as Haruko abruptly questioned the man. The man seems to fathom the tone and the thought that came along with it, and he explained albeit looking a little hesitant. "His mother passed away when he was young, hence the nanny to take care of him."
At that, Haruko quieted. She scowled at herself for being tactless. Somehow without her realising it, she had already crossed the limit by delving into his personal matter. Thereafter their walk resumed in silence, and Haruko could not help but to feel that she was at fault.
"Are you the water 'boy' or manager or something like that for a sports team?" The man asked her not long after, much to her surprise. Haruko scrutinised him in discreet. It seems that their little conversation earlier on had eased him a little for there were no more signs of sternness in him anymore, unlike before. Haruko was conscious that he was eyeing the water bottles, turning over one in his grasp to see whether it had any label on it. "Which sports team?"
"I'm the Assistant Manager of the school's basketball team." She replied with a slight smile, but then added in a guilty tone. "They have been practicing for an important upcoming match, and so far I'm not much of a help to them. This is the least I can do to be of much use."
The man glanced at her but said nothing. He remained quiet thereafter, but then turned to listen to her when she inquired, "What about you, sir? Are you here to see someone?"
He did not answer her right away, and from the look of it, the man was hesitant to provide her an answer to such a question. However, on noticing that Haruko had been eyeing him, he gave in. "Making amends, I suppose." Thereafter a bitter smile spread across his lips.
Haruko frowned. Had she listened right? Though she wanted to inquire further, sensing that personal matters might be involved, Haruko knew it was not right of her to do so. Therefore she kept mum, and the man too, was quiet for the rest of the way.
* * * *
The sports hall came into view. Pausing for a while, Haruko turned and informed, "Well, that's the sports hall." The man merely look at her with an odd expression when she relayed this, but Haruko could not determine why. She stepped forward, anticipating the man to follow her. Therefore, on finding that the man had not budge, she stopped again and eyed him questioningly. "Sir, is anything the matter?"
Slowly taking off his stare from the sports hall building, the man stared at the floor and fidgeted for a while. The look of uncertainty was visibly on his face. "I...um-" He paused and finally settled his eyes on her. "I've just remembered that I've forgotten something in my car. I've to get it first."
Although knowing that his conduct was somewhat odd, Haruko kept the thought to herself and touched on the matter no further. She broke into a smile. "In that case, please carry on, sir. Thank you for helping me."
Taking the cue, the man handed over the bottles he had been carrying back to her and apologised softly. "This is the farthest I can help. So sorry for that."
"Iie, daijobu." Haruko replied, shaking her head slightly. "It's not that far anyway. I can't thank you enough for your help." She bowed a little, gingerly balancing the bottles in her embrace as she did so. When she looked up, the same profound stare the man had cast her before greeted her eyes. She did not know what to make out of it, but she smiled anyway, though feeling rather sheepish. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Haruko thought of how strangely familiar he seems with such a look in his eyes.
Suddenly the man remarked softly, "Your smiling eyes...they reminds me of someone." He kept on staring at her for a little while. Then, as if awaken from a reverie, the man stirred a little and cleared his throat. This time his face remained indifferent, as if nothing had happened. "Sorry, but I didn't get your name?"
Haruko smiled slightly. The man appeared to be stern at first and then calm but mysterious just moments after. This confused her a little, but she tried to look unperturbed by that single thought. "Haruko," After a while she replied. "Akagi Haruko."
The man nodded in comprehension, and recalled her name, "Haruko...what a nice name. Anyway, thank you for leading me here. It is nice knowing you." The man extended his hand to her, in which she took timidly. "Ja ne."
Haruko mouthed her reply softly and retraced her steps towards the hall. A while later she looked back. Realising that the man was still there looking on at her, she offered him a smile before disappearing through the door.
* * * *
Rukawa Hayato trailed the girl's figure as she went inside the hall, and waited for some time before he himself carefully paced forward. Peering through the ajar doors, he could see her nearing another girl who was sitting on the side bench. Then the girl, Haruko her name, sat beside the other one and lined the bottles on the floor. Having done her job, she focused her eyes on the court. Suddenly she leaped up and gave a cry of encouragement. The name in which the encouragement was directed to caught his attention.
He too diverted his eyes towards the same direction, and was just in time to witness what he had never learn to appreciate before.
A tall boy; pale skinned with hair as black as raven, having been guarded fiercely under the ring by his overly defensive opponents, suddenly sprang into action thus skillfully eluded the protective barrier around him. His move must have shocked his opponents, for it was clearly registered on each of their faces. Subsequently the ball was passed to him and it seems nothing could have stop him thereon. With a powerful jump, he leaped for the ring and performed a dunk. It was not exaggerating to state that the vibration reverberates through the hall, and everyone who had looked on, were clearly awed.
Rukawa Hayato stood mum as his eyes trailed that single person, who had now landed on the floor and quietly making his way back to his spot in his team's half of the court. Being himself, as Hayato knew he is, the boy heed not his surrounding, nor the shouts of cheers the spectators made as a respond to his performance.
His heart had soared when he witnessed the spectacle, and no words could well convey his feelings. He looked on at the boy in his ever silence, neither smiling nor frowning. But if seen closely enough, one could see that his expression was shadowed with affection. However at the same time, sadness could also be seen about his face.
* * * *
"Great dunk, Rukawa-kun!" Ayako shouted from the side of the court, clapping her hands wildly for the first year player. For an instant, one could see that Miyagi's face was furious; what could he do to get such a support from her? It did not help either that Rukawa was on the opposite team, and cheering for him meant that Ayako was also cheering for the captain's rival team. Miyagi could be seen with a burning determination thereafter, and although Rukawa was technically not the one he was supposed to guard, he tailed the first year anyway, glaring at him as he did so.
Haruko stifled a laugh. The mock match could be a racket sometimes, she thought to herself.
Taking her seat once again, Haruko threw a glance outside, but when she saw someone there, partly hidden from view, she narrowed her eyes to get a better look. It didn't take her long to realise that the person was the smartly dressed man she had met earlier. She could see that he was very much absorbed with the game.
Didn't he say that he wanted to take out something from his car? She mused as she stared at the man with utter puzzlement
Haruko was about to get up and approach the man, wanting to invite him in, when Ayako's loud cheer surprised her. Automatically her attention averted to the court again, and then she comprehended what had caused the cheer. Rukawa had again scored, this time with a perfect 3 pointer that sent everyone in his team jumping with joy. Now they were leading the game, and the opposing players, especially Sakuragi and Miyagi, were visibly livid with the outcome.
Instinctively her pupils darted outside. Like every other spectator, the man clapped his hands, but he was clapping slowly as if in a trance. His eyes were fixedly upon Rukawa as a smile decorated his lips; a smile full of pride and happiness.
"His mother passed away when he was young, hence the nanny to take care of him."
The Assistant Manager turned towards the court slowly, frowning a little as the conversation line entered her mind. The man's words had seemed to strike up a memory deep in her mind, but at the moment she did not know with which she could relate it to. The next few minutes were spent in deep thinking. Momentarily everything else around her was just a hazy passing.
Suddenly Haruko gasped aloud when it finally downed upon her.
Of course! Why hadn't I think of it before? He is Rukawa's father! Their stare...the similarity is so evident!
Silently scowling at herself, Haruko turned to look outside again. But to her utmost surprise, the man was no longer there. She got up immediately and paced towards the ajar doors, hoping that the man would materialise. Nevertheless, there was no sign of him as she reached the vacant corridor. She did not know for how long she stood there, looking around to see whether her eyes had belied her. Suddenly she could hear footsteps nearing her from behind.
Feeling a soft tug on her sleeve, Haruko turned back instantly. Her eyes settled upon Ayako's puzzled expression. "Haruko, what is it?" The manager asked.
"Did you see him?" She asked her eagerly.
The manager raised an eyebrow; confusion was written all over her face. "Who?"
"There was a man here...and I think he is..." At that, Haruko paused for a long moment. Inside her mind, she was contemplating whether to reveal the person she had just seen, or just keep the knowledge to herself. After all, it was only her deduction, nothing conclusive. She focused her eyes on Ayako's deeper frown, then shook her head slightly. "Well...nothing. Probably just another spectator."
Ayako peered outside and narrowed her eyes as she look from side to side before turning to stare at her with an odd look. Finally she emitted a sigh, though her eyes were still looking at Haruko with suspicion, "Probably. But seriously, what could be so enticing? You practically sprang from the seat and sped towards the doors, you know? It surprised me."
Haruko offered a weak smile. Again the manager sighed before saying, "Come on, then." She slipped a hand under her vice's arm. "Back to our seats." The latter followed her silently. However, she glanced at the corridor for the last time before being pulled further away, just to sate her curiosity.