Kaede made his way into his bed quietly. He gently placed Hanamichi into the huge bed and tugged off the stained clothing. He decided to let the child sleep naked that night.
A part of him still hoped that Hanamichi would revert back to his original age.
Hanamichi woke up when he felt cold. He saw Kaede standing near the bed and cooed him closer. Kaede smiled tenderly at the baby before he lay beside him. The small body immediately rolled closer.
Kaede effortlessly lifted Hanamichi and placed him over his chest. The baby might get crushed if he slept beside the heavy-sleeper Kaede. The pink lips opened in a yawn as the redhead laid his head trustingly on the broad chest.
"Good morning, Sakuragi-san," Tenyo Makuro, Shohoku's principal, greeted coldly as the redhead made his way quietly into his office. When Hanamichi was seated in front of his desk, he stood confidently and walked over to the young man.
"I think you know why you're here," he stated calmly as he sat on the opposite chair.
Hanamichi nodded woodenly.
Makuro sighed. "Then please explain why you're sleeping in the gym every night, Sakuragi-san."
Hanamichi raised his chin proudly. But telltale moisture could be seen on the brown eyes.
"Sakuragi-san?" Makuro sounded worried. He had met Hanamichi several times over the pass year due to his war act. But he had never seen the boy in such state of depression. 'Must be hard for him to see all his friends' death,' the principal thought.
"I'm fine, sir," Hanamichi insisted stubbornly.
The principal smiled. 'Boys will be boys,' he thought.
"I'm sorry about your friends," Makuro said gently.
Hanamichi nodded woodenly again.
"Sakuragi-san?"
When the redhead raised his head, Makuro continued. "Do you still have a home?"
Hanamichi looked shocked then turned his eyes away. Makuro got his answer.
"I see," he murmured. He looked at his desk and he saw Hanamichi Sakuragi's file. The boy was an orphan yet was not taken to the orphanage because of his parents' final will. A trust fund was there yet it obviously not helping the redhead. He turned his head away and spotted another pile of paper on top of another table. A thought ran through his head but he shook it off. It was ludicrous.
"Do you want a scholarship?"
Hanamichi stared back at the principal weirdly. "Excuse me?"
Makuro coughed. He blushed at his outburst. But hey it might help. "A scholarship. Would you like one?"
"A scholarship?" Hanamichi sounded like it was a nasty joke. "What kind?"
"A scholarship," Makuro insisted. "Don't you know what a scholarship is?"
"I know what a scholarship is, sir." Hanamichi made a hard edge on the 'sir'. "What I mean is that what kind are you offering?"
Makuro thought for a minute. The new file on Hanamichi had included the damage on the redhead's back due to the accident in court. So the athletic scholarship was not optional, unless…
"Do you play chess?"
"Chess?" Hanamichi stared at Makuro like the guy had change into Zuma or something. "Knights, queens, kings, and pawns?"
(Zuma is a monster with two snakes attached to his neck. He was originally a villain in a comic series in the Philippines with the same title.)
"Yes," Makuro replied enthusiastically. "You could be a chess player."
Hanamichi stared hard at the genki principal. He was staring at Makuro so hard and so long that the principal sweat at the intense look. Finally, the redhead spoke.
"You're offering me a scholarship for playing chess?"
"Yes," Makuro replied. "You can't play any other sports since your injury."
Hanamichi looked around the room as if checking if he's really in the principal's room. The dirty white walls were still there. A mahogany table with a vase and plastic flowers were also there. The door seems a little crooked though. But he could tell that he'd been here before. So maybe the guy in front of him was not really the principal.
Makuro sweat-dropped when Hanamichi narrowed his eyes at him. He was not at all surprise at the next question.
"Who are you?" the redhead asked suspiciously.
'Good question,' Makuro thought. 'Maybe I'm not me or maybe I'd finally lost my mind.'
"Who are you?" Hanamichi sounded angry.
"I'm Tenyo Makuro, you're principal," Makuro said after a sigh.
"Really?"
"Really," Makuro sounded angry now too. He straightened in his seat. He raised an eyebrow when Hanamichi shifted away from him. "I'm not interested in you."
A bushy eyebrow rose dubiously.
Makuro sighed again as he reached out to his desk a picture frame. He showed the redhead a picture of a pretty brunette. "My fiancée," he introduced.
"Oh, pretty onna," Hanamichi cooed then gave his principal another dubious look.
"She's thirty-four, but the picture was taken when she was only in junior high," Makuro replied defensively. He sighed as he replaced the picture. "Enough with my fiancée. I'm serious about the scholarship, Sakuragi-san. You want it or you don't?"
"I can't have it," Hanamichi replied pointblank.
"Why the hell not?"
Hanamichi narrowed his eyes. "Are you not supposed to swear when you're with students?"
"Quit changing the subject, Sakuragi! Why don't you want the scholarship? Your trust fund is obviously not helping you with your finances. Or is it because of what happen to your friends? Or maybe your male pride?"
"I don't play chess."
Makuro shut his trap. "Oh."
"Yeah! Oh." Hanamichi turned his head away again.
"You knew it." Makuro tried to pick up his scattered thoughts. Usually people who didn't play chess didn't know the objects in the board.
Hanamichi looked exasperatedly at his principal. "I knew the objects. I read about it."
"You read?"
"Amazing, isn't it?" Hanamichi glared at Makuro.
Makuro blushed again.
"I knew the moves, the history, the greatest player and the such, but I've never played before," Hanamichi admitted.
Makuro blinked then stared hard at Hanamichi.
Now it Hanamichi's turned to fidget under the scrutiny.
"Do you often read?" Makuro asked carefully.
Hanamichi pouted thoughtfully. "Only if I'm bored."
Makuro studied the boy in front of him closely. The self-proclaimed tensai had never excelled in any subjects except maybe basketball. But maybe, just maybe, the boy might pull it off if he was determined enough. Hanamichi did managed to rock the basketball world with his determination and fast learning abilities.
"I could be called a fool for doing this, but I really want to help you," Makuro disclosed.
Hanamichi shifted nervously in his chair again.
Makuro glared at the boy. "I'm offering you an academic scholarship, Sakuragi-san."
Kaede Rukawa paced agitatedly at the gym. The whole members of the basketball club stared at their star player like he was new or something weirder.
"Miyagi," Hisashi Mitsui called to the new captain. "I think you should talk to the guy."
Ryota Miyagi nodded. He walked cautiously to the ace. But he froze like a cat that got caught in the headlights when Kaede suddenly stopped and walked to the door.
"So much for you as a captain, nee Miyagi?" Hisashi joked.
"Shut up!"
Kaede was oblivious of the scene in the gym. It had been a month since the incident in his house and he had thought nothing more of Hanamichi until last night.
He caught Hanamichi in the gym the other night. Their normal flow of conversation kicked in full time and it caught the attention of the guards patrolling the school. Hanamichi was so angry at him that the redhead was literally frozen in his emotion. It was like a brick was thrown in his head when he saw Hanamichi sleeping on the bench outside the grocery store early in the morning. Now he remembered that the redhead was homeless.
The redhead had been sleeping in the gym for a month.
Kaede wanted to apologize but the redhead ignored him since morning. Kaede wanted to be angry at Hanamichi for he never apologized to anyone lower than him before and the idiot had the gall to ignore him.
But thoughts of angry retributions were forgotten when he saw the redhead exit the principal's office.
Hanamichi looked up when he sensed someone watching. He raised an eyebrow at the kitsune.
"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be practicing?" Hanamichi asked.
"What happened?"
Hanamichi stared at Kaede incredulously. "What do you mean?"
"What happened?" Kaede asked again calmly. His eyes were darting from Hanamichi to the door. He was thinking that the principal had kicked Hanamichi off the school.
Hanamichi shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing," he answered before he started walking away. He gasped in surprised when Kaede suddenly gripped his arm tightly.
"Let go!" Hanamichi tried to shake the hand off but Kaede only tightened his grip. He cursed his injury and medicines for making him weak.
"What happened?" Kaede asked coldly. He looked like he was not making any effort at all in keeping the redhead in place.
Hanamichi raised his chin proudly. He stubbornly kept the helpless tears at bay. He allowed Kaede to see his weakness more than enough already.
Kaede's face softened at the obvious cover up. He still didn't slack in his hold though. "What happened?" he asked gently this time.
"I offered him a scholarship," an unfamiliar voice answered for Hanamichi.
Kaede barely moved his head as he glared at the principal. "Who are you?"
Makuro looked surprise. "I just happened to be your principal," he answered as calmly as he could muster under such condition. 'Am I that unpopular?' he thought.
Kaede narrowed his eyes dangerously. He had heard of fetish old men taking advantage of the weak and young.
Hanamichi easily read the unspoken thoughts and jumped to save the helpful man.
"He offered me a place among the academic scholars," the redhead explained in one breath.
"Really?" Kaede didn't even look at Hanamichi as he continued to glare at the now nervous and scared principal.
"Oh, for God's sakes! He's engaged to be married," Hanamichi insisted. He smiled beguilingly when Kaede finally looked at him. "It's just an academic scholarship."
"You don't have the brains," Kaede retorted bluntly.
Hanamichi flushed beet red and Makuro sweat-dropped.
"Oh yeah!" Hanamichi cried out furiously after a moment of silence. "What makes you say so!"
Kaede stared at Hanamichi blankly.
Hanamichi shook Kaede's hand off and to his surprise, Kaede let him.
"I'm an academic scholar now, kitsune," Hanamichi said softly. He stared at his feet like they're so not old. Then he raised his chin proudly again and said with determination. "I'm gonna be a great one too."
Makuro smiled at the redhead's unbending spirit. Then he looked at the silent raven-haired boy. He was surprise to see a small smile at the face of the prince of stoicism.
"Prove it," Kaede challenged.
Hanamichi's face broke into a wide smile. "Yeah! I'll show you!"
"Where will you be sleeping from now on?"
The redhead's smile faded.
Makuro frowned with worry. "I chased you up because I can't allow you to use the gym as sleeping quarters, Sakuragi-san."
"He's staying with me," Kaede answered for the redhead.
Makuro blinked before nodding.
Kaede walked calmly beside a silent redhead. He didn't go back to practice and instead accompany Hanamichi to his new home.
Finally, the redhead couldn't take it anymore.
"I'm not going back to your mansion," Hanamichi cried out in frustration. He had tried to imagine living in the huge house but didn't like it as minutes ticked away.
Kaede ignored the redhead.
Hanamichi was not surprised at the reaction but hated it nevertheless.
"I SAID…"
"We're here," Kaede interrupted the outburst.
Hanamichi froze and looked at the building. It was a small one, only a couple of storey high. It was painted in old, crusted yellow paint that had turned into brown because of age. The surroundings were worst than the building. It was just a pile of tumbledown weeds and broken fence.
"Here?" Hanamichi's eyes had doubled in sizes at the thought of the great rich Kaede owing such a trash.
Kaede nodded. He motioned for Hanamichi to follow him. The redhead followed carefully.
Kaede produced a key out of his pocket and opened a hidden door. He wordlessly walked inside and waited in the door until Hanamichi was inside the room. He immediately switched on the lights as he closed the door behind the redhead.
"Wow! What is this? A hide-out?" Hanamichi asked. He was a little doubtful if he should stay in a tumbledown building but it was wipe away when he saw the interior.
Never read the book by its covers as the saying goes. This time, it applies to the building.
The whole interior of the tumbledown building was a simple yet stylish warehouse. A floor-to-ceiling television was the center of attention for it was the only visible electronic appliance. The rest of the warehouse was filled up with a cute blue sofa, a center table, lots of space, and a bamboo screen.
Hanamichi walked around the screen and saw a king-sized bed with white sheets. Two pillows completed the bed design.
"You own this place?" Hanamichi asked the kitsune, who had made himself comfortable in front of the television. The redhead sat beside Kaede in the cute blue sofa. "And you chose this?"
Kaede hung back his head on the sofa.
"Oi!"
"No, I don't own this place. A friend of my mom does," Kaede replied. He was beginning to doze off but it was ruined when Hanamichi rocked the sofa.
"Then why did you bring me here?" Hanamichi inquired. A gasped escaped him making the kitsune looked up in curiosity.
Kaede's vein ticked in his head when he saw the redhead curled in a protective virginal position on the floor.
"I won't allow you to take advantage of me, you pervert!"
"IDIOT!"
Hanamichi nearly ran when he was suddenly hauled back at the sofa. He fought off the hands and tried to claw the blue eyes when he realized that he's not strong enough.
"QUIT IT, IDIOT! You're overreacting!" Kaede twisted his head away as he kept the redhead in place.
"Oh yeah?" Hanamichi was desperate not be raped.
"Do'aho, I prefer a girl." Kaede sighed as the redhead stopped squirming.
"I don't believe you."
Kaede looked down and raised an eyebrow at their position. Due to their struggles, Hanamichi was moved beneath Kaede.
Hanamichi breathed easier when Kaede shifted to the floor.
"Sorry."
The redhead smiled. "Is it okay for me to stay here?"
"Yeah." Kaede nodded as he switched the television on. "Here's the key."
Hanamichi wordlessly took the offered key.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Hanamichi whistled as he walked carefully around the overgrown buses. Kaede had told him to let the outside of the house as it is so he didn't fix the backyard. It was hard to walk around it though since the bushes were filled with thorns. And the snow that had started fallen a couple of days ago was not helping either.
But Hanamichi adapted. He had stayed in the house for a week now. The house had neither kitchen nor a laundry room so the redhead had to eat outside and his clothes were always taken by Kaede and brought back clean.
It was a blissful week. He even managed to pass the academic scholarship test that the district had prepared. Makuro was very happy and proudly informed the school of the new scholar. Everyone, except for Kaede, was shocked when they heard the name Hanamichi Sakuragi. But Hanamichi had only nodded humbly. He had begun to change drastically.
Hanamichi smiled as he opened the door.
"I'm home," he shouted as a habit not as a necessity. He froze in shock when he saw a man with spiky hair and a naked chick on the cute blue sofa.
"SHIT!"
"Eeeeekkkkkk!" a naked girl shrieked loudly. She pushed the man off her and scampered to the bamboo screen.
Hanamichi stood rooted to the ground. He looked at Akira Sendoh with huge eyes.
"What the hell are you doing?" he asked in shocked.
"I…" Akira sat on the sofa with his mouth open in the shock as well.
The two boys looked at the girl as she ran out of the room.
"Now look at what you did! You scared away my date," Akira said accusingly at the still dumbfounded Hanamichi.
"EXXCCUUUSEE MEEE! But this is my house. You have no right to just enter and soil my sofa!"
"You're house? When did that happen? My mom owns this place, for your information." Akira uncaring that he was stark naked stood up angrily and walked towards the redhead in big strides.
Hanamichi blushed at the exhibition but forgot it all when the words sunk in.
'His mom?' he thought. It was then that he remembered Kaede telling him that the house was owned by his mother's best friend.
"SHIT!"
"Yeah shit!" Akira stopped in front of Hanamichi and crossed his arms across his chest. "Please explain, Sakuragi-kun."
Hanamichi opened his mouth but no words came out.
Akira smirked. "Should I get dress first?"
"Huh?" Hanamichi blinked then blushed. "No. No, you look fine. I mean…" The redhead's face flamed in embarrassment when Akira chuckled.
"I'd better be going," Hanamichi murmured as he made a quick turnabout and exit the room before Akira could even voiced a word of protest.
Hanamichi marched back to Shohoku High as fast as the fallen snow would allow. He was so angry that his breath came in short gasped. He faintly heard the familiar sounds of the basketball team practicing. He had avoided this part of the school since his injury but his anger had made him forgot everything but pummeling Kaede into a pulp.
Everyone in the gym fell silent when the door suddenly opened to reveal a panting redhead.
"Anou…I think you'd better close the door, Sakuragi-kun," Haruko requested as she tried not to shiver.
Hanamichi didn't even look at Haruko but closed the door anyway. He spotted Kaede near the hoop and scowled angry as he marched closer.
The freshmen cried as they saw the floor being covered with mud and melting snow. Another round of overnight scrubbing for them.
"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?" Hanamichi demanded as he stopped in front of the kitsune.
An eyebrow rose haughtily.
"ANSWER ME, DAMN IT!"
"What's the question?" Kaede asked calmly. He frowned in worry when he saw Hanamichi breathed in short gasps.
Hanamichi tried to inhale deeply but it was shortened as his back screamed in pain. He hissed as his knees gave way. He didn't know if he should be grateful or be angry at Kaede as the guy caught him and effortlessly carried him to the side of the gym.
Kaede's scowl deepened when Hanamichi was still gasping. "Are you okay?"
Hanamichi shook his head. He hated it when he heard that worry note in the other boy's voice, but he couldn't lie either.
"Can't breathe," he admitted in another wheeze. He tried to stop Kaede as the boy immediately opened his coat and shirt and loosen his fly.
"Better?"
Hanamichi shook his head. He's still trying to breath easier but it felt like his throat was being constricted by an anaconda. He smiled through his pain when he saw Kaede frowning in worry.
"I'm fine.." another wheeze. "Just (gasp) asthma (gasp) attack."
"You have asthma?" Kaede sounded incredulous.
Hanamichi nodded. He felt so tired and decided to sleep it off. He leaned closer at Kaede and closed his eyes. He was gone the second the darkness consumed him.
Kaede nearly panicked when the do'aho slacked. He stomped it down when he saw Hanamichi was breathing easier as he sleeps. He carefully rearranged Hanamichi's clothing in place and gently laid the redhead on the floor.
"Wow! I never thought the day would come where the two of you would be so cozy," Hisashi exclaimed in surprise. He wasn't alone; the rest of the team had their mouths open at the sudden display of affection.
Kaede ignored them all as he walked to Coach Anzai.
"I presume you wanted to leave early," the wise old man said before Kaede could ask for permission. He looked at the unconscious redhead and then nodded at Kaede. "Take good care of him."
"Hai," Kaede replied before bowing respectfully. He immediately went into the locker.
"You didn't tell me that you're family is close with Akira Sendoh's family," Hanamichi disclosed as he lay in Kaede's bed in the Rukawa mansion. He had woken up just as Kaede entered the room with a late dinner.
"I didn't know he was the son of my parents' best friends." Kaede carefully pulled Hanamichi into sitting position and placed the tray on his lap. He offered the redhead a spoon and fork before he settled beside him and ate in the same tray.
Hanamichi nodded. He had fallen into deep slumber when his asthma had weakened him. It surprised him that Kaede had waited for him to wake up before eating dinner, but as usual, he shrugged it off.
"Mom saw you as I carried you here," Kaede said. "I told her you'd be here for a long while."
"You shouldn't have lied."
"I'm not lying," Kaede pointed out.
"May be," Hanamichi replied. "But I told you already that I don't like it here."
"You don't like big places?"
"No. I just don't like it when I'm in such a luxurious place," Hanamichi admitted.
Kaede blinked. "Something to do with you being poor?"
"A little." Hanamichi pouted. He had no appetite but he knew that Kaede would not take the food away until he had eaten enough.
"Dumb."
"I know."
"You should get use to it."
"But I don't want to," Hanamichi insisted. He stared helplessly at Kaede.
Kaede shook his head and resumed eating.
Hanamichi took a bite and chewed slowly. The food was good but he found it hard to swallow.
"You have asthma."
"Huh?" Hanamichi looked up and stared at the ocean-blue eyes.
"How come you have asthma?"
"I've had it since a baby," Hanamichi said. He bent his head again and took a small bite.
"You didn't have it last year." Kaede also took another bite.
"No, I'd had it," Hanamichi replied. "But I was exercising a lot so my body kinda gotten use to the pressure."
"And it came back in full blasts since you didn't play sports anymore."
"In a way, yeah." Hanamichi shrugged his shoulders carelessly. "It was hard to breath at first but if I go to sleep, it would be gone when I woke up."
"You don't take medication?"
Hanamichi chuckled. "Don't worry, kitsune. I'm fine."
Kaede frowned as he chewed.