Disclaimer: Slam Dunk (though how I wish it is mine to own) is not my property.
Chapter 1: The Strangeness
He's doing it again, that faraway look with pained expression. He's sitting on the corner of the court holding the ball during our 5 minute break when he just suddenly became like that. I'm worried, WE are all worried. But we try not to show it, well I usually don't show any emotion but I'm really worried.
Why shouldn't we when the normally loud and boisterous boy has been silent all day. No, make it a week. His guntai stopped teasing him about being rejected by some girl and just settled on throwing some worried glances on him. And Mitsui-sempai stopped calling him baka.
Even Akagi-sempai was surprised to find the boy subdued when he visited us on Tuesday. Not to mention he's worried too, not that he'll admit it. And Kogure-sempai was clucking like a mother-hen because of worry.
He looks like he's thinking very hard, which should have been funny but it's not. Instead it's freaking the hell out of us.
"Assemble!" Miyagi ordered. I got up and went to the captain immediately but the idiot is still there. He didn't show any sign that he'd heard anything. Yasuda walked over to Sakuragi to get his attention.
"Sakuragi-kun."
No answer, not even a flinch, not even a twitch.
"Sakuragi-kun!"
Still no answer.
Yasuda then decided to shout in his ear.
"Sakuragi-kun!"
The redhead jumps in surprise, "Yasu. Why the hell are you screaming at my ear?"
We all breathed a sigh of relief, that's the first time he showed an indication that he's still the old Sakuragi we all know and loved… ehhh? Did I just say Love?
"Gomen, Sakuragi-kun but the captain said to assemble."
The redhead then focused his eyes on us, and seeing that Miyagi really did say assemble, he looked at Yasuda and mumbled "Gomen…"
We were shocked beyond our wits. Ayako dropped her fan, Kakuta's eyes grew beg. Mitsui-sempai's knees looked liked it would give in at any moment; Miyagi looked like he expect someone to shout Punked! At any moment or else he'll go crazy.
The bitch, I mean, the Akagi-girl, looked worriedly at him. And Yasuda stood frozen on the spot.
The Do'aho didn't show any sign that sign that he's doing anything out of the ordinary and he just walked over to us.
The captain trying to act calm again and pretending that nothing is wrong though he is still throwing dubious look on Sakuragi announced "I've received an invitation for our basketball team to attend our grand opening of Hitachi's Sports and Equipment here in Kanagawa, and Mr. Anzai thinks it's a good idea if we go there, you know, to meet new people and to unwind." He looked at the redhead meaningfully and we all found ourselves agreeing.
"Hitachi?" Sakuragi asked in a small voice.
"Yes, it's one of the hottest brands of Sports Equipments back then though their main company I think is in Tokyo. And then there are rumors that the company was bankrupted. Maybe this time they are trying to make a come-back on the business now."
But Hanamichi wasn't listening to Ayako's rumblings; he was having that glazed expression again but this time more deep.
"Sakuragi-kun, daijoubu desu ka?" the Akagi-bitch girl asked.
The red-head snapped up in his thoughts and looked at the girl and smiled at her sweetly making me weak in the knees. "Hmm? Uhh, yeah, daijoubu.." The girl seemed satisfied at his answer and focused her eyes on me again.
I feigned ignorance. I will not succumb to the temptation of slapping her until she woke up from her dream that we will ever be together.
"Oh, yeah before I forgot, the opening will be on Sunday and it's a formal one, so we have to wear formal clothes."
Groans followed that statement of Miyagi.
"If you don't want to wear formal clothes then go naked!" Ayako shouted while brandishing her fan.
"Aya-chan.." Miyagi said his eyes turning into hearts.
No one seemed to notice that Hanamichi left the room without a word except me…
T.B.C.
Crap it may be, but it's still my story.. ;-p