Disclaimer: Slam Dunk belongs to Inoue Takehiko.
Chapter 2: Just a Matter of Curiosity
Rukawa's steps faltered, not quite sure if he's in the correct classroom. He glanced at the wooden signage above the door indicating the year and section, in case he made a mistake of entering the wrong class because he was still too sleepy.
The signboard reads 2-D.
If his memory serves him right, then this is his class.
After a brief hesitation, Rukawa entered the war zone, and regretted it almost immediately.
The classroom was in utter chaos. Students were throwing bits of paper on each other; a group of rowdy boys were hitting each other's behind with a broom for fun, carefree laughter and vibrant chatters echoed throughout the room.
Rukawa took his seat at the end of the room near the exit, ignoring the stares and giggles he usually received from his female classmates.
"What the heck is so funny anyway?" Rukawa thought, annoyed with their nonstop giggling.
"Hideyaki-sensei is not around." said a bespectacled boy sitting on his left.
"No shit, Sherlock" Rukawa disregard his seatmate's "earth shattering" discovery and laid his head on his desk to sleep, pulling out his earphones from his bag and plugging them on both of his ears to tune out the background noises. He's definitely prepared now, in case he experienced another one of her concierto in the rooftop. Or worst, her crying session. The discman will definitely save his eardrums. But he begins to doubt whether she will still hangout in the rooftop, after that rather awkward scene yesterday. Or maybe, she's just doing them on purpose, had known all along that the rooftop is his favorite spot to sleep, and was just acting to get his attention. Her plan worked alright. She got him curious. It was extremely out of character of him to overthink things, more so if it involves a girl. Whatever. He needs to stop this nonsense now, and focus on much greater stuff. Like basketball.
As Rukawa pondered on his plan to be the number one player in Japan, an all too familiar and irritatingly boisterous laugh broke his reverie. Even his earphones cannot block that laugh.
"Nyahahahaha!"
"What the hell?"
Rukawa removed his earphones and shifted his gaze, confirming his worst suspicions. Standing in the front of the class is the self-proclaimed "Tensai" himself, Hanamichi Sakuragi. Surrounding him were his equally annoying minions. It's no wonder the room was bustling like a busy marketplace, the king of chaos and his henchmen were present. And where there is anarchy, expect that redhead to be the instigator.
Rukawa cursed the day he enrolled in Shohoku High. Out of all the schools in Kanagawa region, he had to be with that Dou Ahou. Tolerating his idiosyncrasies during basketball practice was already an extreme sacrifice on his part, but having to experience it for a whole day, in a week, in his entire sophomore year, is absolutely nerve wracking. He should have transferred to America like he initially planned. It will probably save himself from losing his sanity.
"Now,wait a second."
When did he and that idiot share the same class? Sure, he's dozing off most of the time during class,but that flaming hair and disgusting laugh will be too difficult not to notice. It's been almost three weeks since school started, and so far, he had never seen him in his class…until now.
Why did that redhead have to pick the very same room he was in to sow terror and disorder?
Another howls of laughter were heard in the room. Sakuragi and his cohorts were engaged in some sort of arm wrestling, on the teacher's desk nonetheless. The redhead gave out a loud yelp when he received a poke on his side, losing his concentration.
"Hey! No tickling!" Sakuragi protested.
Rukawa decided it would be better for his sanity to just leave the room, before he got infected with their idiocy. Preparing to ditch class, a distinct voice stopped him from moving from his seat.
"You lose, Hanamichi! A deal's a deal! You have to live up to your end of the bargain."
Amid all the commotion in the classroom, he still recognized that voice from anyone else. After all, it haunts him these past few days. Heck, even that song she was singing got stuck on his head, experiencing LSS as he cycle on his way home.
Rukawa's head snapped to the direction of the sound, and saw an unfamiliar girl with short dark hair joining the fray. She stands with her back turned to him, her shoulders shaking with irrepressible mirth, apparently finding the Dou Ahou's antics hilarious. She was bent over, clutching her stomach and laughing loudly in an unladylike manner.
"I can't for the life of me figure out how they can stand that slapstick comedy." Rukawa's intrusive seatmate commented.
"Nobody's talking to you." He gave the specs boy a cold hard death glare to convey his thoughts. The boy shuddered and diverted his attention somewhere else.
Again, he took a casual glance towards the girl and found her still laughing her head off at something the Dou Ahou is saying. What's with her? Just yesterday, she's crying her heart out like Moaning Myrtle, now, she's Little Miss Sunshine personified. As Rukawa began to question the girl's multiple personality disorder, and why she hangs out with those slackers, the teacher came in.
"Okay class, get back to your seats!"
Students scrambled to get back to their seats, and Rukawa finally caught a glimpse of her. As the short-haired, pale skinned girl headed on his direction, she chanced a glance up, and her chocolate coloured orbs locked up with his ocean blue eyes. She staggered a bit, stunned to find him awake and looking at her pensively. A series of emotions crossed her face, from surprised to embarrassed and then to frustration. Rukawa doesn't know what to make of it.
She took her seat in front of specs boy.
"Huh." All this time, the shrieking girl was just in front of him.
"Good morning class. As all of you have noticed and might I add, have taken advantage of the situation that Hideyaki-sensei is not around, I will be your substitute teacher for now until Hideyaki-san's health fully recovered. He called in sick today; doctor's given him two weeks of bedrest."
"Lucky old man." Sakuragi commented.
"I wouldn't exactly refer to his situation as lucky, with all the tubes and wires running into his body. The term mostly appropriate, I think, is blessed, that his well-being is not in critical condition. Am I right, Sakuragi-san?"
"You are right, as always, Yamada-Sensei." Sakuragi replied cheekily. Small crumpled pieces of papers were thrown on his face by his so called legion, making fun of him.
"Oi, oi, Hanamichi, stop flirting with the sensei!" A guy with a slick black hair remarked in a teasing manner. Rukawa remembered him as the guy who beat up Mitsui during the brawl at the gym last year.
"I thought you only had your eyes on Haruko-chan, you two-timer!" Another student shouted.
The pretty brunette teacher adjusted her eyeglasses, and regarded the redhead in a thoughtful expression. "And I am completely certain, that you are in the wrong classroom, Sakuragi Hanamichi. I believe you belong in section 2-E."
The class erupted in laughter.
"Busted!" anonymous rooftop girl piped up.
"Awww, can I just stay transfer to this class?" Another round of crumpled papers flew on Sakuragi's direction.
"I'm afraid that's not possible."
"B-But you're my favorite teacher" Sakuragi replied as if his whining will help in his case.
"Why, thank you, Sakuragi-san. That remark sure do wonders on boosting my morale.. Unfortunately, the answer is still no; you cannot transfer to this class." She then turned her attention to the student seated beside the redhead. "And the same goes for you, Yohei Mito. You're in section 2-C, if I'm not mistaken."
Sakuragi let out a loud laugh. "Nyahahaha! If I go down, you go down with me!"
"Dude, why did you have to open that big mouth of yours in the first place?" Yohei complained.
"Why you - "
"Now, now, time for both of you to return to your respective classes."
"Bummer." Sakuragi mumbled. He raised his hand and gave a wave, before tucking his hands in his side pockets and walking out of the room.
"See yah later." Yohei specifically directed his comment to the nameless girl, who gave a short nod.
"Okay… So, we only have a few minutes left before your first period starts, so let's commence with the class attendance." As the teacher began the roll call, Rukawa keeps an eye on her out of his peripherals, waiting for her name to be called. He didn't quite understand this sudden curiosity on her; this impulse to know the name behind the face.
"Amano Hiroshi." Rukawa's meddlesome seatmate answered.
"Hai!"
"Azuma Tomiko."
"Hai!"
"Chuichirou Noma."
"Reporting for duty, sensei!" A guy with moustache raised one of his hand and loudly answered.
Rukawa paid no heed to the stares he's receiving from his classmates, except from the raven haired girl. He noticed her sneaking a peek at him over her shoulder. He put his elbows on the desk, rested his chin on his right fist, and for the second time that day, his eyes bore into hers. Again, he was rewarded by the reddening of her cheeks. She huffed and turned her attention back to the teacher.
"Nozomi Takamiya."
"Prshent!" one bulky guy responded unclearly as his mouth was stuffed with food.
Almost three-fourths of his classmates were already called.
"Is she even from this class?" He thought before mentally berating himself for his sudden curiosity in that mere slip of a girl.
"Rukawa Kaede."
Silence filled the room, anticipating his reaction. Yamada-sensei looked up from her list to validate her student's attendance and did a double take when she saw him awake.
"Hai." He answered disinterestedly.
And just like that, the room went wild. His hordes of fan girls started screaming when they heard him respond to the teacher's call. Some guys had their jaws hanging open in bewilderment. His eyes narrowed at their reaction.
"What's their deal?" Rukawa leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms on his chest. He saw one girl sitting two rows ahead of him raised her notebook, showing the words "I heart you" written in capital letters with loads of heart shaped doodles scattered on it. He quickly glanced away.
"My, My. Rukawa-san's looking all vibrant and lively today. Finally got tired of sleeping, I presume?" The teacher asked jokingly before returning her focus back on the student's list on her desk. She resumes with the checking of attendance.
Rukawa closed his eyes, just listening to the voices.
Half a minute passed…and then..
"Yohei Mizuki."
"Here." Her soft voice was heard, a far cry from the ear-piercing sounds she made in the rooftop the other day.
"Yuji Ohkosu."
"Hai!"
As the teacher completed checking the attendance, she then called on the class representative, who turned out to be his nosy body of a seatmate; to make some school announcements. As the rest of the class listened to the announcements, Rukawa's mind was somewhere else.
"Yohei? That sounds strangely familiar." In fact, he's positive he heard Yasuda-sensei mentioned that name a while ago.
An image of a boy with too much hair gel popped onto his mind. "Ah, right. That guy."
Yohei…He wondered about the similarity of their last name..."His cousin, perhaps…or maybe…his twin sister?"
His eyes wandered on the object of his scrutiny, his gaze lingering on her face, trying to find out if gel boy and her were indeed identical twins. Same short raven hair, but hers was cut in layers, and bangs covered her forehead, shielding her brown eyes as she sat with her head bowed, scribbling on her notebook. Her posture was quite stiff, even looking self-conscious. He saw her discreetly peeked at him for the nth time. She blushed again when he caught her, and unconsciously tugged at the bangs on her forehead. He suddenly wanted to get rid of those awful bangs, so he can see her face clearly.
All of a sudden, the girl shifted from her seat, turned to face him with an evil smirk, and put one of her index finger on the bottom right side of her mouth. Surprised by her unexpected and bold move, Rukawa's eyes slightly widened. She's mouthing something to him, with her index finger still pointing on the right side of her lips, but he doesn't understand what she's trying to say. She turned back to her desk, and writes something on her notebook.
"What is she trying to say?"
Is this another 'I heart you' confession? Or another invitation to join a school play?
The guy sitting in front of him sneaked a peek on the words she's scribbling on her notebook, and let out a loud gasp. He looked back at Rukawa nervously, afraid that he will 'once again' become the receiving end of their Ace's wrath once he discovered what she's written.
Yamada-sensei glanced up on their direction, having heard the loud gasp. "Is everything okay in there, Satoshi-san?" She asked.
"Ummm, m-may I please be excused, Sensei? I n-need to go to the loo."
The teacher studied the stuttering lanky guy, her keen eyes darting from him to the sleepy troublemaker boy seated behind him, before giving him permission. Satoshi immediately run out of the room.
As the class representative continued on with his boring announcements, she turned to him again, both hands holding the notebook open on her lap, revealing the contents for him to read.
Rukawa blinked. His eyes scanning the words she had written with unreadable emotion.
You have drools running down your chin, 'Sleeping Beauty'
His eyes sought her again, trying to figure her out. The smirk on her face slowly faded, and was then replaced by embarrassment. She looks as if she felt guilty on what she had written.
Rukawa shrugged, and then buried his face on his desk. He can't believe he had wasted a good thirty minutes of his sleep because of that loony. He had enough of this crazy girl with her stupid whining and absurd mind games.
He had a basketball championship to conquer.
