Had major writers block.. Sorry for the wait. I tried my hand at writing a basketball game.. Hope it's not complete torture to read. :) P.S. I know very little about basketball, so excuse the.. Erm.. Simplicity/inaccuracies.
Many thanks for the reviewers, you really keep me motivated not to give up on my silly excuse for a fic. )
Shinichi Kudo- Yes.. It's Rukawa/Kyourenish.. But it's going to be tough getting Rukawa to be a love interest.. o.x
Dollarbanks- Thanks for reading and reviewing! I'll try to update consistently. )
Let it B De Way It is- I'm glad you think its funny. I've never heard of Prince of Tennis, it must be quite good! And Rukawa IS mean. But I always imagine there's a sad history behind that cold demeanor. :P
Mizz Bloom: It was supposed to be a little sad.. But I always imagine Sakuragi leads a sad and lonely life. Since its sort of implied that his dad died.
The New Kid: Thanks for reading it. I'm glad you like it. :)
Chapter Eleven
The Practice Match
Kyouren recovered from her cold by the end of that week. It was the worst week she had ever drudged through in Kanagawa. With a sore throat, runny nose, and hacking cough she managed to complete her grueling studies, though Nitta-san forbade her from watching basketball practice. The docile housekeeper came to pick her up, steering an ancient black sedan timidly up the street. The rest of her day was spent swaddled in blankets, drinking hot tea and soup and riffling through her textbooks and scribbling out her math assignment on paper.
Haruko came to visit daily after practice, helping her with more difficult assignments and filling her in on practice. To her relief she didn't have to ask much about Sakuragi, who's name still dug at a sore spot in her chest. Haruko filled her in on how Akagi, Mitsui, and Miyagi had managed to drag him off to the hospital to get a check up, and other than being a little sore, his back was fine. Haruko told her a great many things about Sakuragi, which seemed a little stranger than usual, but she took it as a good sign that Haruko cared so much about him.
The next Monday morning was particularly an exciting day. For three days Anzai Sensei had arranged three practice games between Shohoku and it's biggest rival, Ryonan. The first game would commence that afternoon. Sitting through her second to last class, though it was her easiest (English) proved to be difficult. Tapping her pencil excitedly against her lip she let herself daydream. Miyagi would lead on assists with his lightning quick passes.. Kakkuta-senpai would tighten up the defense.. Sakuragi would snatch all the rebounds, and perhaps add a few points from under the basket.. Mitsui would shoot consecutive three-pointers.. She smiled dreamily, picturing her senpai easing into his shooting position..
"Rukawa Kaede."
Oh.. She had forgotten someone. Rukawa would be equally amazing on all sides of the court. She stopped to ponder whether that irritated her or not. Surprisingly, she didn't feel the itching desire to scowl at that name. She shifted in her seat discreetly to glance at the named player, and as usual he was dozing on his desk. A string of drool was sliding down the corner of his mouth, and his snores were louder than usual from his recovering cold, which left him with a stuffy nose. Even Rukawa was human.
"Rukawa Kaede!"
Suzuki-sensei was frowning at the dozing lump and walking towards him with a meter stick gripped in her fist. Kyouren winced at the resounding crack that was sure to leave a sizeable lump on the moppy black head.
"Rukawa get up and conjugate those verbs!" She barked.
Kyouren watched with a lingering smile on her face as her roommate lumbered to the front of the classroom, still half asleep. To the amazement of Suzuki-sensei and the rest of the students, he completed the exercise on the board correctly and went back to sleep on his desk. The hush of the classroom was filled with large snores. Luckily the bell rang before Suzuki-sensei could burst a blood vessel.
Haruko leaned towards her from her desk, her blue eyes round with amazement. "Sugoi.. I didn't know Rukawa-kun actually paid attention for some of class," she whispered.
Kyouren shook her head, smiling as she and Haruko both looked back at Rukawa. "He doesn't. But he seems to practice English on his own," she mused thoughtfully. Rukawa obviously didn't enjoy studying. Kyouren never caught him looking at a book, and one glance at his room told her he wasn't the studious type. Basketball posters, memorabilia, NBA tapes, trophies, and signed basketballs were all that composed his room. But he did practice English. She remembered seeing a few intermediate English books on his desk, and since they were the only books in his room, she suspected he read those.
"Really?" Haruko asked thoughtfully, her gaze lingering on the sleeping form.
"Mmmhmm. I hope he doesn't fall asleep during the game," she said with a laugh. "Does Shohoku have the advantage Haruko-chan?" She was barely able to conceal the excitement in her tone. It was the first game, albeit a practice one, that she would see Shohoku play against another team. The first time she would see Sakuragi play a game against another team.
"Hmm.. In all honesty I don't know. Ryonan is a powerful team. They've got strong defenders, like Koshino Hiroaki and Uekusa Yomoyuki.. And aggressive offensive ability, with Fukuda Kiccho.. And finally Sendoh Akira," Haruko said, her head upraised in recollection.
"Sendoh Akira," Kyouren thought out loud, rubbing her chin. "Ayako-san mentioned him once or twice. He's the point guard isn't he?"
"Not only that... the captain of Ryonan this year. And possibly, the best player in Kanagawa," Haruko added, tapping her fingers nervously on her desk. "He's a monster on the court."
"Really?" Kyouren asked, her interest piqued. "He's faster than Miyagi-san?"
Haruko flushed, trying to get around the question. "I can't judge that Kyouren-chan.."
"So that would be a maybe. Hmm.. But he can't possibly shoot better than Mitsui-senpai."
"Actually he's very accurate."
".. Then his defense must be.."
"Incredible."
"Can he rebound like Sakuragi?"
"Yes."
"Haruko-chan.. Surely we're not talking about one man? You sound like you're describing some sort of super human," Kyouren said, exasperated.
"Kyo-chan, I've seen Sendoh-san carry his team on his back and win the game when it seemed hopeless. He's amazing."
Kyouren studied the serious look on Haruko's face. This Sendoh sounded like some sort NBA superstar. There was only one way to make sure Haruko wasn't exaggerating.. "Then is he better than Rukawa?"
Haruko flushed beetroot red. "Anou.."
The bell rang shrilly before Kyouren could grill her friend further, and it was time for history. As she reached for her book bag to get out her notes, she noticed the snoring had stopped. As she turned her shoulder in curiosity, she found Rukawa looking right back at her, wide awake, a suspicious glint of challenge in his eyes.
When class was finally over and the classroom and the bathrooms had been swept clean during after school clean up, Kyouren rushed towards the gym with Matsui and Fuji. Haruko and Rukawa had been excused early to warm up for the practice game.
"Oi Kyo-chan!"
Kyouren was trailing shyly by Matsui and Fuji towards the gym, when Takamiya waved her over from the stands. Though she knew Haruko's friends, she still felt a little awkward standing around with them when Haruko wasn't present. So naturally she felt better when the three of them were settled next to the rowdy gundan, waving their plastic bottles filled with coins.
Kyouren couldn't keep her eyes in one location. Towards her left she spotted the three members of the Rukawa fanclub, donning pink bandanas over their foreheads as they clung to the railing, straining their eyes for their star. Across the stands the seats were also peppered with people, Ryonan students judging from their uniforms.
"First time watching a game Kyo-chan?" Yohei asked, grinning as he watched the girl absorb the arena.
"There are quiet a few people for a practice game." Kyouren mused.
"This is nothing," Ooksu replied. "You should see the stands at an official game."
"Hai.." Kyouren muttered, her eyes scanning the court. In a few minutes the players from the respective sides entered. A row of men in blue jerseys, accompanied by a middle aged man grouped in just as Anzai-Sensei and the Shohoku team emerged from the locker room entrance. Kyouren immediately spotted Sakuragi, with his flaming red hair walking out alongside Haruko, who was wearing a red Shohoku track jacket. Ayako and Miyagi walked in front, alongside Anzai-sensei.
Kyouren's eyes lingered on Sakuragi as the players began to take their positions on the court. The starting five for Shohoku were Miyagi, Mitsui, Rukawa, Sakuragi, and Kakkuta. Sakuragi positioned himself in the middle of the court, facing a tall dark man from the Ryonan team. The two were exchanging words, and by the scowl on Sakuragi's face, not good words.
"Nande Hanamichi? What's he doing?" Noma muttered, shaking his head. "Arguing with Fukuda, that baka."
"Fukuda..?"
"Hai.. Sakuragi's rival. He nearly crippled him on the court in their last match."
Kyouren glowered at the dark haired man, marking his number. "Hmph. He looks kinda slow to me..."
Yohei exchanged meaningful glances with his friends, noting the dark look on Kyouren's face. He and the gundan were thoroughly convinced the girl was in love with Sakuragi, the way she pounced on anyone who spoke ill of him. Before he could pose a question on the issue, the two players were jumping for the ball– the game had begun.
Kyouren cheered heartily with the gundan as Sakuragi successfully swatted the ball towards Miyagi, who caught it neatly and began racing down court. The gundan were rattling their bottles and roaring.
A sudden blur of blue appeared in front of Miyagi, arms calmly outstretched. He moved lithely from side to side, temporarily causing the short captain to come to a stand still.
"Masaka.. Someone's stopped Miyagi?" Kyouren asked, her eyes widening in surprise. The short Captain was struggling to keep hold of the ball, as he waited for his team members to gain better positions.
"That's Sendoh Akira." Yohei replied, leaning over the rail. "The battle of the captains.. IKE SHOHOKU!"
So that was Sendoh. He was extremely tall, with gravity defying hair, and.. She leaned over alongside Yohei, peering at the tall mans face. He was smiling brightly. "Who does he think he is.. Captain planet?"
"Ora.. Captain.. Planet?" Yohei asked, blinking at his companion.
Before she could explain Miyagi shot a lightning pass behind his back, towards Rukawa who had just broken away from his marker. She watched mesmerized as Rukawa sprinted down court with the ball, and Sendoh Akira followed him. "He's leaving his marker?" Kyouren asked incredulous, but the Ryonan team neatly switched places, Rukawa's marker slid neatly towards Miyagi, filling the dangerous gap between the speedy captain and an easy pass.
Rukawa and Sendoh now stood before the basket, the former dribbling calmly as the smiling opponent stood opposite him in a defensive position, that seemed almost lazy. They were staring each other down.
"What.. Are they doing?" Kyouren asked, feeling tense with excitement.
"Trying to predict each others movements." Yohei responded, his eyes focused on the pair.
In a split second the rhythm of the bouncing ball was broken– Rukawa was diving left towards the basket, but Sendoh had predicted his movement, and again he was cut off. But from the right corner of the paint line Mitsui had gained footing over his marker. Rukawa shot a blurring pass, Mitsui arched his back, his wrist flipped back and–
SWISH!
"Shoooooooooohoooku!" Kyouren shrieked, bouncing in the stands holding Noma and Matsui by the hands.
The score keeper flipped three points on the Shohoku side as the players began to move on the defense. Sendoh Akira checked the ball to his team mate, and Kyouren watched fascinated, as the man calmly bounced the ball down court.
"Oi.. Don't panic, lets get one in!" He called in a even voice. The Ryonan players responded spiritedly in return. They weren't even ruffled.
"That arrogant porcupine," She muttered.
Sendoh was guarded immediately by Rukawa. It seemed the two were rivals, the way they took to one-on-one battles down court. Rukawa was doing a phenomenal job keeping Captain Planet in check, though neither could fully surpass the other. It was give and take for a long while. Ryonan scored with a smooth pass from Sendoh to the man named Fukuda, who slammed in a dunk over Sakuragi's outstretched hand. Kyouren felt her heart fall to her stomach, as she watched the red-haired tensai fall back unsteadily and fall on his bottom.
To her relief the red-haired man seemed made of rubber, he bounced right back up, his indignation clear even from the stands.
"Aahhahahahahaha! Hanamichi fell on his butt.." Takamiya howled, slapping his chubby thighs.
"Oh shut up and watch the game," Kyouren mumbled, her eyes following Miyagi as he led the offense.
The five members began to close in. Miyagi was closely guarded by a tall forward. Sakuragi was struggling to hold back Fukuda, just below the basket. Rukawa stood way to the left outside the paint, struggling against Sendoh. Mitsui was closely guarded by Koshino, a solid defender. The team struggled to realign itself to better suit its position. In a sudden burst of movement, Rukawa faked right, then caught himself, his shoes squealing against the floor as he burst left. Miyagi didn't miss the movement, and in a blur he passed to Rukawa who was a step ahead of Sendoh. Rukawa didn't lose the opportunity, sprinting forward he laid the ball smoothly in the basket, bringing the score to 7-6, Shohoku.
The two aces exchanged brief words. Sendoh said something with a smirk, but Kyouren knew Rukawa. He was probably grunting in that offhanded, slightly irritating way. She felt a surge of appreciation for his incredible skill.
"Oi Rukawa, gambatte!" She roared, her voice barely audible among the shrieking Rukawa girls who were screaming "Love me love me RUKAWA!" To her surprise Rukawa glanced at her briefly before turning back to his game. But Sakuragi was not pleased.
"KYO-CHAN! Why aren't you cheering for the tensai?" He roared, stabbing his finger in accusation at her.
From the sidelines Kyouren clearly heard Ayako's deep yell. "SAKURAGI HANAMICHI, stop gabbing and pay attention!"
"HANAMICHI don't screw up!" The gundan included cheekily, guffawing as the red-haired mans face turned a tomato color.
"Kuussooo," He fumed as he was dragged away by Mitsui and Miyagi.
"Sakuragi.. Gambatte," Kyouren called out, smiling to herself, though she knew he couldn't have heard her.
"You really care about him, don't you?" Yohei asked quietly, while his friends were joking amongst themselves.
"Who?" Kyouren asked, in mild surprise. Yohei was giving her a long measuring look.
"Nevermind," he finally muttered, paying attention to the game. The others were groaning in dismay.
Fukuda had knocked the ball away from Sakuragi, and ripped it down to Sendoh. The man was sprinting down court, Rukawa at his heels, but no one else was near them. It was one on one again, Rukawa waiting in anticipation as Sendoh blazed towards him. In a blurring second he was in the air, positioned for a jump shot. Rukawa had also jumped his arm reaching for the ball, he tapped slightly as the ball left the air, causing Sendoh to tilt back. The fade-away sailed neatly through the hoop, as the two giants landed gracefully on the hardwood floor. A whistle blew shrilly.
"Foul Number 11 red! Basket counts, one free throw!"
"What!" The entire Shohoku side began to hiss at the student referee, who looked nervous at the murderous glowers the students were giving him.
They watched in silence as Sendoh Akira lined up for his free throw. He stood calmly, bouncing the ball experimentally in his hands.
"Miss.. Miss.. Miss.." Kyouren muttered.
Swish!
When the first half ended, the scores were against Shohoku. Sendoh scoring, assisting, and stealing all over the place. Mitsui was subdued tightly by Koshino, who didn't allow him the two seconds he needed to prepare himself for a free throw. Sakuragi was reigned tightly by Fukuda, though he leapt and captured most the rebounds. Rukawa was tightly hemmed in from the offensive by Sendoh, who pursued him relentlessly. Miyagi was struggling to find an opening to the basket, or set up clean plays for his team mates, who were all hemmed in strange places. Everytime Shohoku made a precious basket, Sendoh was on the back attack, scoring before they could blink. 23-30, Ryonan.
Kyouren's throat was dry from the intensity of the game and yelling herself hoarse. While the gundan discussed with Matsui and Fuji the game play by play, Kyouren slipped down the stands towards the water fountains outside the gym. She wondered what Anzai-sensei, Miyagi, and Ayako were advising to the players. She wondered what Sakuragi was thinking, and she had the sneaking suspicion he was eager to score over Fukuda's head.
The water fountain was lined with people, since there were no vending machines nearby. As she waited in line, she pictured the dark, hulking man named Fukuda and the smiling, spike haired Captain who were threatening Shohoku. "Hmph. Fukuda and Sendoh.. So stupid and arrogant."
"Excuse me..?"
She looked up in surprise as a boy about Miyagi's height gave her a look of pure indignation. He was wearing a blue track suit, a Ryonan player.
"Yes?" She asked, feigning ignorance.
"Did you say what I just thought you said?" He asked, looking slightly confused.
"Oh. I said Fu-ku-da and Sen-doh.. Are STUPID and ARROGANT," she enunciated, smirking as the short boy began to turn furiously red.
"Nande yo? Do you know who you're even talking about?" The boy practically shrieked, his fists clenching at his sides.
"I think I do. The one with the sleepy expression, and the one with a porcupine for a haircut, right?"
"You.. You don't even know anything about basketball! You're a girl."
Kyouren felt a burning sensation in her cheeks as she felt a burst of irritation flood her veins. "What' s that supposed to mean, shorty?"
"Shorty? Speak for yourself! And I'll have you know I'm as tall as your captain– "
"Oi. Hikoichi, Coach is calling you," Another boy in a blue track suit called, jogging towards them and eyeing them curiously. "He wants to see your records for the first half.."
The short boy, named Hikoichi shot her a seething glare, before turning away. "I have it all here.. Yo check ya!."
Kyouren stomped her foot and stormed off to the stands, in her irritation she forgot about her water. In a few minutes the players were walking towards the court from their benches. Shohoku looked particularly grim, jaws and fists clenched in determination.
"Fighto Shohoku!" The gundan cheered loudly, smashing their bottles against the railing. Kyouren raised her own voice to their cheers, sitting on the edge of her seat to watch the rest of the game enfold.
The game rolled on to the last 5 minutes of the final half. Shohoku had made a major come back, thanks to the incredible recovery efforts of Sakuragi Hanamichi, Miyagi Ryouta and Mitsui Hisashi in the beginning of the half. Sakuragi snatched the rebounds, while Miyagi acted as a screen for Mitsui confusing the defense, and passed to the sharp shooter, who didn't hesitate to shoot from under the basket when pressured. But Sendoh was retaliating with a vengeance. He swarmed from all angles, acting like a one man army as he tapped the ball out of Kakkutta's hands, and gunned down court to slam it in, bringing the score to 45-51, Ryonan.
Miyagi was on the offensive, a finger raised as he calmly dribbled the ball down court, his eyes darting carefully noting the positions of his team mates. Kyouren nibbled her nails, as the clock began to tick down from 4 minutes. We CAN'T lose..
"One basket at time.. Don't rush it guys," he called evenly, sweat pouring down from his forehead.
"Aa Ryouchin.. Pass the ball!" Sakuragi bellowed vigorously. With strength born of determination he thrust himself in front of Fukuda, blocking the tall man behind him. The ball blurred between his hands, and he gripped it tightly as he stood under the basket. To his left he spotted Sendoh rushing in for a steal, probably trying to take advantage of his developing defensive skills. Feeling a rush of irritation he jumped back for a jump shot as Fukuda towered over him with his hands outstretched. Like he had practiced with Gori, hundreds of times that last week, he let his body fall back as he flipped his wrist.
Yohei's mouth dropped open, and the gundan gasped openly. Kyouren blinked as Sakuragi's fade-away jump shot sailed in, hitting the backboard and falling into the net.
47-51..
"Nice fade-away Hanamichi!" the gundan roared, their bottles thumping the railing. Kyouren cheered wildly as Sakuragi passed, his fingers forming a V for victory.
"Nyaahahahha ore wa tensai!"
Even Sakuragi's gloating was short lived– there were 2 minutes and 15 seconds left on the clock, and Sendoh was advancing, Rukawa closely guarding him. Out of nowhere Miyagi blurred from behind Sendoh, moving with lightning fast reflexes, a hand darted out to knock the ball out of his grasp.
The ball sailed through the air, only to be caught by Fukuda, who in his excitement dribbled it hastily down court.
"Fukuda, slow down!" Sendoh called in vain.
The tall man jumped for a dunk, but a red head blocked his vision, and a large palm struck down the ball grasped in his hands. The ball flying from his hands, Sakuragi jumped again for the rebound, springing to an incredible height as he out jumped Koshino and Mitsui, snatching the ball close to his body.
"Ryou-chin!" He called, snapping the ball towards the short captain with a smart pass.
"Nice pass!" Miyagi wasted no time in dribbling down the other direction. The captain gunned towards the basket, where Sendoh and Rukawa were waiting for him. Miyagi faked a pass to Rukawa, causing Sendoh to start, then jumped to make a lay up.
49-51...
Sendoh was suddenly on the breakaway, snapping away from Rukawa. He raced up towards the paint line, going for a three pointer– Rukawa jumped in preparation, but Sendoh threw a blind pass to Fukuda, whose arm snaked out from around Sakuragi, gripping the ball tightly to his body. Breaking away from Sakuragi's weak defense, Fukuda shot from the left side of the basket, nailing up two points.
49-53..
The clock was ticking down to seconds. Kyouren felt Fuji's hand close over her own squeezing it painfully. The shy brunette had her eyes squeezed shut, and looked suspiciously like she was praying.
"Fuji-chan.. My hand," She yelped, curling her fingers experimentally when the girl finally let go. Kyouren's nails were chewed to bits. "Can they do it?" She asked rhetorically, while the gundan shook their bottles nervously, and Matsui burst out with shouts of "Ike Shohoku!"
Miyagi dribbled the ball contemplatively, eyes furrowed in concentration. His marker moved furiously in front of him, intent on giving him a hard time. He watched as Mitsui moved furiously, trying to free himself for a three pointer. Miyagi glanced at Sakuragi, as he struggled from underneath the basket, cursing as Fukuda pressed against him. Sendoh stood over Rukawa. Miyagi glanced again at Mitsui, a three pointer was tempting in this situation.
As if reading his mind Mitsui sprung towards the right, surprising his marker as he sprinted towards the paint line from mid-court. Miyagi tossed the ball towards him, only to be read by Sendoh. The point-guard dove just towards the ball, tapping it away from Mitsui, but Kakkutta was close. Before the ball could go out of bounds, the senior dove, shoving it inside as he crashed onto the floor.
Rukawa caught it expertly, as Sendoh turned to mark him. To his surprise, Rukawa stepped away from the paint and shot. With an urgent leap Sendoh rose to block the shot, brushing Rukawa's arm slightly just after the ball had left his fingers.. It was a high archer that swished as it went in.
A shrill whistle blew across the court, escalating the tension. "Foul Number 4 blue, basket count one throw!"
A gasp echoed through the stadium. Kyouren and Fuji were jumping up and down cheering, while the gundan roared in surprise. The Ryonan side was bustling with mutters and hisses. The student referee looked a little nervous, as he lined up Rukawa for his foul shot.
"I touched him after the ball left his hands.." Sendoh sighed, shaking his head.
Rukawa ignored the shrill screams erupting from the stands, dribbled the ball calmly and shot. The ball thunked lightly against the back board and slipped into the net.
53-53.
30 seconds.
"Not enough time," Yohei groaned, leaning back in his seat.
Kyouren watched intently as Sendoh led the Ryonan team on the offense. "If we stop them from scoring.. Then an extra minute is added to the game, right?"
"It's a practice game so a tie is a tie," Ooksu explained, waving his bottle energetically. "Shohoku defense!"
The group watched nervously as the seconds ticked down. The five Shohoku starters were exhausted, but still fighting to keep the Ryonan players at bay. Even Sakuragi was throwing himself on Fukuda, channeling his stamina to form a blurring wall of torso and arms.
20 seconds.
Hemmed tightly in by Rukawa, Sendoh took a brief glance at his surroundings. Koshino, now guarded by Kakkutta was struggling to break free. In a split second he burst left, and Sendoh shot a lightning quick pass under Rukawa's arm.
Kyouren and the gundan held their breath, as Koshino broke away from Kakutta. Koshino streamed down court and stopped just past the three point line, where Sakuragi and Mitsui were blocking their markers.
Kakkutta raced in front of Koshino who was poised for a jump shot. Kakkutta sprung, but Koshino was faking. With a look of dread on his face, Kakutta watched as his marker shot a pass to Sendoh, just outside the paint line.
5 seconds..
Rukawa sprung as Sendoh made a clean jump shot, but it was a high archer. The tips of Rukawa's fingers just missed the ball. But he wasn't alone– from behind a hulking figure with arms outstretched roared.
"Ore wa tensai!"
Smack!
Sakuragi had rushed in from nowhere, with a spring that out jumped the two aces. The ball sailed downwards with a echoing thud.
The whistle blew. Time was up.
53-53.
They certainly hadn't won, but Kyouren, Matsui, Fuji, and the gundan were cheering and yelling from the stands in an ecstatic frenzy."Did you see him jump?" Kyouren exclaimed, high-fiving a grinning Noma.
"Hanamichi the fly-swatting king!" Takamiya roared, thumping the bottle against the rail.
From below the court the players were settling down on the bleachers to catch their breath. Sakuragi stood before the crowd, an arrogant smile gracing his features. He flashed them a "V" sign and strolled to his team mates, his laugh echoing through the gymnasium. "Nyahahahahhahahaaaa!"
"..Can it, do'ahou. We didn't win," Rukawa muttered, a towel shrouding his features.
"Nani kitsune-otoko? You're just jealous cause I defeated Sendoh!"
Miyagi sighed, putting down his can of Pocari Sweat. "Baka.. We defeated nobody. It was a tie."
"Don't be so hard on yourself Ryouta.. You all played well," Ayako said, flashing him a smile and a thumbs up. Miyagi turned a pink with pleasure.
"It was a good game," Kyouren added, as she and the gundan emerged from the stands.
"Nyahahah.. Kyo-chan, did you enjoy the tensai's awesome techniques?" Sakuragi grinned, already basking in the glow of Haruko's ecstatic praise.
"Hai! You really showed that porcupine man!" Kyouren exclaimed, and leaned in to give him a brief congratulatory hug. It was a very modest hug, a slight squeeze around the waist. But suddenly all motion had stopped, and Kyouren realized she had done something horribly wrong.
Sakuragi was looking at her with a surprised and confused expression on his face, as if he was wondering if she had meant to hug him. She blinked in confusion, noticing the smug look on Ayako's face, and she heard the low mutters of the gundan behind her. Haruko and Kakutta were blushing, and Mitsui and Miyagi had surprised looks on their faces. No one spoke.
"What's the matter?" Kyouren broke in, scratching her head thoughtfully.
"Uh.. Kyouren-chan. You just hugged him," Miyagi pointed out stupidly.
"Yes..? So?"
"So.. Are you guys dating or something?" Noma blurted out.
"Whaat!" Kyouren exclaimed, her cheeks turning brilliantly red. "It was a congratulatory hug! It was a friendly hug!" She exclaimed.
"Congratulations for what? We didn't exactly win.." Mitsui asked flatly, downing the last of his water.
"For. For.. A game well played!" She sputtered. "Oh come on guys.. Don't you guys hug your friends? In America we do it all the time! I mean.. We even hug people who aren't even our close friends."
Sakuragi was looking more frightened by the minute. He inched away from her, taking a seat by Haruko. "Really?" He asked, looking doubtful. "Hugs are reserved for family and girlfriends here in Japan," Sakuragi replied.
Kyouren felt stung by those words. Hugs are reserved for family. She let her sadness meld into unadulterated rage. She stalked towards the basketball players who looked up questioningly. In a deft movement she reached out and circled her arms around Rukawa's waist briefly, shocking the basketball player who turned rigid like granite.
The gundan's jaws dropped. Sakuragi was turning brilliantly red. Kyouren ignored them and went down the line, reaching out for Miyagi, who leaped from his seat.
"What do you think you're doing?" He yelped, scurrying behind Ayako.
"I'm going to HUG you! Cause that's what friends do!"
"Uh.. Kyo-chan, I think we get your point," Ayako faltered, trying to shield Miyagi.
"Get over here Ryouta-san..I don't have cooties!" Kyouren yelled over Ayako's shoulder, as the tiny captain scurried away. Her eyes blazing she turned on Kakutta who was 'next' in line. Her senpai looked like a deer caught in the headlights, eyes round and frightened, but frozen to the spot.
Luckily Anzai-sensei interrupted the stare down with a "ho ho ho" that brought the teams attention to the snowy-white coach. "She's right. Americans view hugging as a friendly greeting."
"Sensei!" Kyouren said gratefully, relieved that someone was backing her up.
"You played a very fine game today," Anzai-sensei spoke softly, his blue eyes stopping to measure each of his basketball players. "But tomorrow, you'll have to do better."
"Aa!" The five basketball players grunted, energized at the prospect of the next game.
"We'll win the next one," Miyagi said, glancing across the court at Sendoh, who returned the look with a trademark grin.
The first practice match ended with an explosive show of strength, skill, and determination by both teams, that wowed the spectators. Kyouren would never forget that first game in her life– as the first game she ever saw her brother play, and also one of her most embarrassing cultural faux-pas in Japan.
That very day while riding home on Rukawa's bicycle, there was an awkward silence. Which was broken only once.
"Oi."
"Hm?"
"Don't ever hug me again."
ooOOOOoooOo
I realized that I've been using a lot of Japanese words without explaining them all.. So here's a list of phrases I frequently use in random order.. I don't know the Japanese language. I try to use mostly trademark phrases and simple words from the characters... like Ore wa tensai and Do'ahou. I don't speak any Japanese, or know anything about Japanese grammar. Done at the request of Mizz Bloom. :)
Masaka : It can't be! No way!
Nani : What
Kitsune : fox
Otoko: man
Aitsu : creep, that guy, he she.. Not so rude between friends
Tansoku : short-legged
Sensei: teacher
Kantoku: coach
Obaasan: grandma
Anou: Um.. Uh.. (Used to get listeners attention)
Eto: Uh.. Er.. Eh..
Maa: Well
Baka: idiot
Do'ahou: big moron
Hentai : pervert
Hai: Yes
Iie: No
Senpai/Sempai: Senior
Otousan: Father
Tensai: Genius
Ore: I, very arrogant form used usually by men.
Onichan/Onisan: Big Brother
Daijoubu (ka): You okay? (can also mean I'm fine by itself)
Kuroguma: black bear
Teme: You bastard
Kuso: Shit/Crap
Sou Ka: "Is that so" or "I see"
Ohayo (gozaimasu): Good Morning
Arigatou (gozaimasu): Thank You
Genki: Healthy, high spirits
Sugoi: Cool, awesome,
Suman/Sumimasen: Excuse me, Sorry
Gomen (nasai): Sorry
