A little fluff before the angst.
Chapter 22: Gravity
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of emotions. From Sakuragi's father's surprise visit and him dropping the bombshell to his son that his sister has leukemia and needed his help. Mizuki remember the look of shock on Sakuragi's face, as he stood frozen to the spot, face pale as if drained of blood, and voice trembling as he demands his father to explain. She didn't want to intrude in a private family matter but Sakuragi insisted that she stay, that the three of them stay with him.
Sakuragi's father left him when he was five years old and he then took his mother's maiden name after the divorce. They discovered that Sakuragi has a sister from his dad's second marriage, a four-year-old girl whose name was Kaori. His father informed them that a bone marrow transplant was needed and they are currently searching for a possible match. Mizuki knew at that moment the real reason why he came to visit his son, whom he had not seen nor talk in years.
And knowing Sakuragi, she knew he will do everything to save his little sister. He agreed to do the test immediately to determine if he could be a potential donor.
It turns out to be a match.
xxxxx
Mizuki mindlessly wipes the window glass with a cloth as she stares into nothingness.
Two days ago, Sakuragi and his mom flew to Fukuoka, where the operation will be held. She bawled like a baby at the airport when she and the rest of the gang went to see him off. Mito teased her for being a crybaby while Sakuragi jokes that she can have all his manga if things end up badly, which he belatedly realized was a wrong thing to say as he was instantly pummeled by his friends, and reduced her more to a crying mess. The redhead, realizing his being inconsiderate of her feelings assures her that he will be fine, saying that he was injured before and he had survived it, surely, he will overcome this one also. She prayed that what he said turn out to be true, because she doesn't think her heart can take it if she loses another person she cares about.
A light bop on the side of her head drew her out of her gloomy thoughts.
She looked down from her place atop the desk and her eyes met Rukawa's cobalt blue. Her mind was whirling with a million thoughts that she hadn't noticed him arriving next to her. With her standing on top of the table, it made her taller than him, but it did nothing to lessen his intimidating presence.
"Stop sulking." Rukawa chided as he grabbed the rag from her hand and proceeded to wipe the glass surface himself.
With a deep sigh, she slumped down on the desk, hugging her legs to her chest and then resting her chin on top of her knees.
From besides her, the raven-haired boy made an annoyed tsk sound.
"What? I can't help but worry about him, okay?"
Rukawa made no response, and continue wiping the window.
Mizuki immediately felt guilty on snapping at him and cast her gaze to the ground. She knew she should be helping with the cleaning, as today was their groups turn to be cleaners. But her bout of melancholy and lack of sleep has rendered her useless and cranky. Besides, the three legendary idiots from Wakou, namely Takamiya, Ohkusu and Noma, were not doing anything either. The latter was sitting on the far corner of the room, practicing his lines for the school play while the other two were busy doodling on the blackboard and occasionally throwing chalks against each other.
Come to think of it, Rukawa was the only one doing the cleaning task. She shifted her gaze to him and silently observed his profile in the faint light coming from the windows.
She didn't know when it happened, but somehow, the two of them formed some sort of friendship. Joining him during lunchtime had developed into a regular routine, and Ohkusu even teased that Rukawa has become the latest member of the Gang, which earned the blonde a perfectly executed right hook punch from Sakuragi for his comment.
Whereas before he was not aware or simply ignore her presence, this time, whenever they had come across each other in the hallway, she would greet him good morning, or wish him luck with the game or any small, unnecessary chatter from her part, he would nod curtly at her before continuing on his way.
But what she looked forward the most throughout the day was when she managed to get a smile from him - any kind, whether it was a smug one or teasing kind, or a small smile thrown her way that contained just a hint of mischief, when his lips twitch in an almost smile, blue eyes crinkling with amusement.
"He's going to make it."
The sound of his voice startled her out of her musings. She quickly averted her eyes when she realized she was staring, flustered at how her thoughts keep coming back to him and his pretty face.
She fiddled with the hem of her navy-blue jogging pants, fear creeping back in. "Have you heard anything from Ryota-senpai or Ayako-san?"
She saw him shook his head out of the corner of her eye.
There was a moment of pause, and then she confessed in a whisper, "I'm scared."
"He's going to make it." Rukawa repeated his words with more conviction. "He's the strongest person I've ever met." Mizuki's head jolted up at his admission. He dropped the rag on the table and angled his body to face her, gazing at her with eyes way warmer than she was used to from him. This time, she cannot find the strength to look away.
"Not to mention that Hanamichi's one of the most pigheaded guy Shohoku has ever come across." She added jokingly, in an effort to get them back into their familiar, usual banter.
"Pot calling the kettle black, huh?" Mizuki expected that teasing comeback from him, but what she didn't expect was his close proximity as he lightly flicked her temple. She had never been this close to him before, and she wasn't entirely sure if she could handle it at this juncture.
They both froze. One thing she was certain of was that her face was going to combust any seconds now. Thankfully, Rukawa took a step back, eyes widened and ears tinged a bit red.
"Hey, guuuyyys!" A loud whine shattered the bubble surrounding them. "Aren't you two finished cleaning yet? Hurry up, I'm starving," complained Takamiya who was currently slouched in the chair.
Mizuki had to restrain herself from throwing something at Takamiya. But she guesses Rukawa doesn't have that much willpower as that didn't stop him from flinging the wet rag on the bespectacled boy's face.
"Hey! What ya did that for?!" Takamiya spluttered as he pointed at Rukawa who just stared indifferently back at him before leaving the classroom.
"What! You're just going to leave without an apology!" Takamiya shouted at his retreating back. "How dare he? After I welcomed him to our group!" He whined to no one in particular.
Mizuki rolled her eyes at him before jumping down from the desk, scanning the room and discovering that there's nothing left to do as Rukawa had already finished the entire cleaning task.
"Huh." Never had she imagined Rukawa this committed when it comes to cleaning the classroom.
Later, as Mizuki was riding the bus on the way to work, she realized that Rukawa was only trying to make her feel better. And she never thought that having him around, would allow her some measure of calm.
xxxxx
"Aw, she's such a cutie!" Mizuki gushed over the photo of Sakuragi's little sister Kaori, leaving her lunch untouched as she stared at the picture.
When she went to check the mailbox earlier this morning and spotted the letter bearing the redhead's unmistakable handwriting, Mizuki started jumping, unable to contain her excitement. She quickly run up the stairs, muttering her apology as she bumps several tenants along the way because of her eagerness to share the news to Mito. Which turns out to be good news as the bone marrow operation was successful.
It was just what Mizuki needed to lift her spirits. She arrived at school in good spirits, announcing this wonderful news to every student she come across.
And that's how Rukawa found her that morning, eyes bright and a huge smile on her face. A genuine smile, one that warm up her eyes and radiates happiness.
Observant as always, he immediately notices the change in her demeanour.
"How can she be so cheerful this early in the morning?" was the thought that came to his mind. "Not to mention, it's Monday too." He added sourly as he sleepily put on his school's indoor shoes.
"Rukawa!"
"Rukawa!"
He was finding it harder and harder to ignore her. But…never had he heard her sounding this happy when she called out his name.
In the end, he couldn't help it. He yielded, as always.
"So noisy." He mumbled as he turned around to face her.
It happened in a split second. He found his shoulders being shaken vigorously (violently is the suitable term, actually). He felt like his head was going to get disentangled from his body, and he had to wonder why he allowed himself to be manhandle by this slip of a girl, and more importantly, where did all that strength came from?
Really, she never failed to surprise him.
Clearly shocked and dizzy about the 'battering' he had endured, he never got to respond to anything she said before she turned to leave to deliver the news to her next victim – the blonde-haired boy.
"Ohkusu! Guess what? The operation was successful!"
Like Rukawa, the poor boy also didn't get a chance to defend himself.
Back at the lunch table, their group has grown much larger, with the addition of Haruko and her friends, Fuuji and Matsui. Ayako, Shohoku's Captain Ryota and another one of the rookie players, Norishige Zenko also joined them.
"I can't believe someone this adorable could be that doofus' sist- ooow!" Ryota rubbed the back of his head where Ayako had slapped her.
"Geez, I was just kidding; can't you take a joke?" Ryota pouted, looking like a little boy who had been scolded.
"Well, this is not the time to be making fun of Sakuragi. What he did deserves our utmost praise and appreciation." Ayako stated matter-of-factly as she inserted the straw in her juice box.
"Respect, dude." Takamiya chimed in, stealing another tamago from Mizuki's bento, who was oblivious to the thievery that was currently happening with her lunch box.
"Hey, Haruko. You also received a letter from Sakuragi, right? Did he say anything else to you?" Noma nudged Ohkusu, wiggling his eyebrows conspiratorially.
"Umm. He told me not to worry about the operation as everything is going out smoothly. And he mostly talks about his sister, saying how brave she is and how proud he was of her." Haruko replied, a small smile gracing her lips as she recalled his letter.
A collective 'awww' was heard from the rest of the girls.
"What, he still didn't say the three magic words?"
"Huh?" was the assistant manager's confused reply.
Noma felt a hard kick on his right shin. It was Mito who mouthed the words 'shut up' at him.
Ayako quickly diverted the discussion to a neutral topic. "Did he mentioned when is he coming back?"
"The Inter-High is getting near, he'd better be back by then." Ryota answers between a mouthful of rice.
"You're competing against Ryonan this Friday, right?" Mizuki decided to join the conversation at last.
"Yeah, if we lose to them, that's it. We're finished. Sayonara, Inter-High."
"Don't worry." Mito says, his tone reassuring. Wrapping an arm around the tall freshman Zenko's shoulder, he continues, "I heard that babyface here," – the group erupted into loud cheers, "is a phenomenal player."
Ohkusu and Noma raised their hands and then bow at the now blushing Zenko. "We are not worthy. We are not worthy." The pair chanted while the others shower their underclassman with compliments.
"Respect, dude." Takamiya once again commented, but this time his attempt of nicking food from Mizuki's bento was thwarted as a hand suddenly seized his wrist. The tamago dropped from his chopsticks and fell back down to Mizuki's lunch box.
Takamiya turned to glare at the person who dares hinder him from his food.
It was Rukawa.
Everyone at the table fell silent, all wearing shocked faces. All, except for Zenko, who was watching with a curious expression on his round face.
Rukawa released the bespectacled boy's wrist and just stared at them blankly.
"He sounds like a cow chewing its cud." He deadpanned before resuming eating.
"Hey, you're being mean to me lately!" Takamiya grumbled as he kneaded the wrist where Rukawa had grabbed him.
Mizuki broke the silence as she finally started to giggle. Seeing Takamiya's pout, the giggles burst into full-blown laughter.
The others join in the laughter, unable to resist that infectious giggles.
"It's not funny!" Takamiya countered, but it only made them laugh harder. "What's a cud, by the way?" The portly boy asked Noma in a hushed tone.
"Beats me," Noma replies, shrugging his shoulders. Flashing a mischievous grin, he then adds, "But the kitsune's right though, you chew so loudly it can be heard all the way to Fukuoka."
"Oh yeah?" Takamiya bristles, hackles rising at his friend's treachery. "The same way can be said to your fart!"
The two continue to bicker with each other which prompted Ryota and some of the table's occupants to voice their protests for their uncivilized manners.
"Manners, please."
"Seriously, man, were eating here!"
"Well, go eat somewhere else then!"
Rukawa tries tuning out the ruckus surrounding him. He let out a sigh. 'I didn't sign up for this shit.'
He threw a discreet glance in her direction, coz how could he not, when she's looking so happy. And there was that strange feeling again as he watches her, unfamiliar and unsettling.
He suddenly felt eyes on him. Promptly he glanced around, and was met by Ayako's inquisitive gaze.
Rukawa schooled his expression into impassivity but the curly haired team manager only raised her eyebrow and made no pretence of hiding her own smirk. He knew he'd been caught.
Damn Ayako and her all seeing eyes.
xxxxx
Mizuki had a tendency to be impulsive and this impetuous nature of her got her into trouble most of the times. One might assume that after the accident, she would have been more careful and mindful of the possible consequences of her behaviour. But apparently, she hadn't learned her lesson.
It all started with a poster.
She was currently loitering along the school corridor trying to pass the time, scanning the posters plastered on the bulletin board, while drinking her strawberry fruit shake with a loud slurp. A scoff escaped her lips as she saw a red 'X' over Noma's face for the school play's poster. Until now, some students are still bitter that Noma landed the role of Sleeping Beauty's prince charming. And she knew all too well who those sour grapes were.
She didn't hear any footsteps approaching so Mizuki nearly jumped out of her skin when a tall figure suddenly loomed beside her.
"Geez, Rukawa!" She shrieked as she put a hand over her chest. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
The dark-haired boy didn't bother to spare her a glance even as she complained and grumbled about his quiet, cat-like manner of sneaking up on people.
"Were you a ninja in your past life?" she muttered before taking a sip of her smoothie.
"Maybe," She rolled her eyes at his monotonous reply.
Mizuki then spotted the poster announcing Shohoku's upcoming match against Ryonan. She remembered Rukawa mentioning Sendoh as his greatest rival during the interview.
"So, you feeling excited to the upcoming game? After all, you're competing against Akira Sendoh, whom you considered to be your biggest adversary." She says, tossing her now empty cup in the nearest trashcan.
"This is not an interview, by the way." She stated as an afterthought.
Rukawa stay quiet, seemingly lost in his thoughts. His features remained impassive, but she sensed something was bothering him.
She watches his profile, and a sudden rush of shame welled up inside her for her lack of empathy. She recalls the conversation they had at lunch the other day, with Ryota indirectly expressing his fear of losing their chance at Inter-High. How can she be so insensitive? Rukawa's worried about the game and here she was, teasing him about it. She felt awful for her behavior, especially since he was nothing but nice to her these previous days.
She ought to return the favor and show her gratitude by encouraging him and by showing him that he had her full support.
Mizuki hesitates a moment, before tugging at his sleeve. "Don't worry." She says softly, hoping her voice sounds soothing.
He stiffened at her touch, his gaze dropping at the hand on his arm.
"I'm rooting for you." She blurts, and his head snaps around to look at her, eyes wide with surprise.
"Fighting." She added with her right hand raised and closed fist.
He continues to stare at her, his brows creased.
Immediately, she drops her hand and let out a weak, nervous laugh, her heart thumping wildly.
She pretends to busy herself with reading the posters, but she could still feel him watching her. She tries not to fidget uncomfortably under his attention.
She cleared her throat, finally conjuring a response. "Don't let it go to your head." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, eyes looking over and behind him clearly avoiding direct eye contact. "I was just being supportive, I'm not turning into one of your crazy fans. Not joining your club, nah-uh."
"Well, I'll do my best then." Rukawa replied at last, his voice smooth and laced with clear amusement, silently daring her to retract her statement. He smiled at her a little, and her heart simply stopped.
He was, simply put, beautiful.
Mizuki swallowed, in an attempt to dispel the sudden dryness in her throat.
She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Rukawa patiently waited for her response, his all too blue eyes trained on her.
Suddenly, a poster behind him caught her attention, and all thoughts of Rukawa instantly dissipated into thin air.
"Holy Guacamole!" She squeals as she roughly pushes him out of the way. "Studio Ghibli's having an exhibit?! What? When? How come I only learn of this today?" She removes the flyer from the board as she eagerly read the details. Giddy with excitement, she clutched the paper and reread them, in case she missed out some important info. Too engrossed with her reading, she failed to notice the scowl that formed on Rukawa's face.
"Today is the last day?! I need to go there! Yes! It's until 9pm. I still got enough time." She mentally calculated the time it would take her to get to the exhibit if she took the train. "Yup. Plenty of time."
She glances up as she finally remembered she had company. "Sorry. A Ghibli fan." She grinned sheepishly at Rukawa, who now wore his usual bored expression.
"What? Don't like their movies?"
"Never seen one."
Mizuki's jaw dropped open. "You've never seen a Ghibli movie?" She asks, incredulous. "What the heck, Rukawa?"
His eyebrows shoot up, surprised by her outburst and a bit baffled by her growing frustration with him.
"I can't believe you've never watch Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, Ho-"
"The giant furball?" He interjects.
With a huff, Mizuki folds her arms over her chest to assume an obstinate pose. "I know your life revolves around basketball and you're devoted to your sleeping regime, but seriously, Rukawa, not seeing a single Ghibli movie in your entire existence is completely absurd. This is just unacceptable." She gave a dramatic sigh. "You're missing out on life."
"What time does your practice ends?" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. "You need to go see it, familiarize yourself with their films, we can go together after-"
Panic seized her as she realized what she just said.
He seems to realize it at the same time, something indecipherable flashing across his face.
"I mean, not - not together. We'll .. uh …go there separately." She stuttered, twisting the poster in her hands. "Or not. It's up to you if you want to see them. I know you're too busy with practice -"
"5 pm." Rukawa interrupted her rambling. He shuffled his feet and looked down at his shoes as he shoved his hands inside his pockets, not meeting her shocked gaze.
"Eh?"
"Let's meet after practice."
Time seems to stop.
"I'll wait at the gate."
"No!"
He blinked back at her, confused by her outburst.
"Not at the gate." She amended quickly, afraid he'd change his mind. "There's just too many people. I don't want people getting wrong ideas, you know." She explains, the paper now lays crumpled in her hands due to her excessive fidgeting.
"I'll wait at the café near the bus station."
She waited for his response, her heart thumping wildly.
After another beat of pressing silence, he nodded his head.
Holy Guacamole. What in Merlin's beard did just happened?
It took her a moment longer until she found her voice. "I'll, uh, see you later then."
"Later then." Rukawa echoes, a small smile breaking over his face.
