NOW WHO'S THE MAN?
By nightjade
DISCLAIMER: Again, I do not own Slam Dunk or any of its characters (though I wish I did!) so please don't kill me. I'm just a raving lunatic who's so obsessed with the show that I associate everything I see with hoops, boards, whistles and basketball!! Help me! I'm hallucinating already!!
Chapter 2: Pretenses
He stopped at the park again. He was standing on the very same spot where they first met. It was so fresh in his mind that he could still feel the pressure of the Frisbee on his nose. He could still see the look of concern pasted on her pretty face as she walked up to him to check on the damage. Those dark brown eyes gazing deep into his, the soft red lips trying to suppress an amused smile forming, the honey brown hair gently swaying in the afternoon breeze...
Sendoh suddenly shook his head. It was too soon. It was too short. He surveyed the park further. It was desolate now. People had gone home. Only he remained.
Perhaps I should go home too, he thought ruefully.
He took one more look at the milieu then turned and walked away. Hard as it was for him to admit, he did like Nasumi. It sounded weird for he just met her. Is it possible to like someone you hardly know?
As he walked, he mulled over the questions swirling in his head. There was another thing bothering him. Something he found very difficult to answer. There is no doubt: he had to see her again. He longed to see her again.
Now comes the puzzle: will he definitely win against Rukawa this time?
The foxed-eyed legend looked up as if something... or someone ...was following him.
I must be imagining things. Of course, there's no one near me...
He heard a slight rustle of leaves and he snapped his head to the direction of the sound. It's just the wind. He took a deep breath to calm himself down.
This is nuts! Why am I acting this way? Why am I being so nervous? What have I to be nervous about?
Then, the answer hit him like a wave crashing down. He plopped down on the sidewalk just outside his house. Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to go in. Well, not just yet. He couldn't stop thinking about it. It had been nagging him for the past five hours.
He couldn't stop thinking about her. Her charming smile...her soft red lips...her warm dark brown eyes...
Nasumi Maia.
The first time he met her, he knew something was different. She was not like those other girls at school who would chase after him like a herd of mad cows. Geez! They even have a fan club and...and a cheering squad! Not that he minded, but he wasn't flattered either. He just wished they would leave him alone with his own problems.
But she was different. She didn't care if he was a basketball star. She didn't care if he was the most sought after guy on campus.
All she cared about was making him smile...it is good for the soul, she said.
I know what I should do!
He stood up and dusted his jeans. He did not know why it took him this long to realize what he should have done in the first place. Now everything was clear.
Smiling happily, he strode down the road towards her house. He never felt this good about himself in years. In fact, he was so happy he even found himself whistling as he walked.
He had not gone too far when a very disquieting realization suddenly cut his happy thoughts short and he stopped dead in his tracks. He had been wrapped up in his own pleasure that he completely forgot about his present situation. His heart started beating faster at the realization on who his opponent was on this one.
Will I win against Sendoh on this?The table was heaped with delicious steaming food and Shintaru Maia clapped his hands together in delight.
"Ah! Delicious food! Itedakemasu!" he exclaimed, plunging his spoon into the mountain of vegetables and meat.
Nasumi smiled at her brother's enthusiasm. She was glad that he was home for the weekend. She missed him terribly ever since he started university and she did her best to make up for the lost time. She vowed to cook his favorite food whenever he came home.
"There's a lot more from where that came from. Don't hesitate!" she said, setting the plate of dessert on the table, and then joined her brother.
"Gosh, sis! You really are a superb cook! Your future husband would be very lucky," he said in between bites, obviously enjoying his meal.
She blushed at her brother's statement. Shintaru was too busy eating to notice this.
"Speaking of which.." He drank first before continuing. "Do you have any boyfriends yet? You are already in senior high. Anyone I would like to know?" he asked, grinning playfully at her.
She was too surprised to answer. He had been asking that same question since she started jr. high.
"Well, I --uh--I--."
She was cut off by the sound of the doorbell ringing. Instinctively, Shintaru stood up from the table to answer it.
"I'll get it!" he said disappearing into the living room.
Nasumi was left in the kitchen, contemplating about his question. She HAD been thinking about a certain guy..a very mystifying guy with dark blue eyes and impassive face...
"Hey, sis! Not bad!... You have a visitor!" Shintaru suddenly called from the living room.
She went back to earth with a jolt. A visitor? Who could it be?
She quickly stood up and went to the living room.
"Who is it, oneechan?" she asked as she came in, and then stopped dead in her tracks.
She was surprised to see Kaede Rukawa standing there and he greeted her with a tentative smile.
"Konbanwa." The greeting made her hesitations disappear. It did sound good on him and she was glad to have influenced him even a little.
"Hello, Kaede. Would you like to join us for dinner?" she invited with a sincere smile.
Kaede was hesitant at first. Then he felt his stomach growl slightly and realized he had not yet eaten.
"Domo. I would love to."
Shintaru patted him on the back and steered him towards the kitchen.
"Wonderful! Now you can tell me all about yourself while we eat. It's nice to get to know my sister's suit...er, friends for once. I don't get to be around all the time, you know!" he said jovially as they walked.
Nasumi sighed in defeat. There was no point in stopping her brother. He would always find a way to pair her up with someone. She followed them to the kitchen, only to be stopped by the doorbell ringing..again!
"I'll get it!" She crossed the living room and reached for the doorknob. Now who could this one be?
She found her self face to face with a spiky haired guy as she opened the door.
"Sendoh?" She was not quite sure if she remembered the name correctly. He nodded in affirmation.
"Hai. Konbanwa. I hope I'm not disturbing you." he replied with a sheepish grin.
"Iie. We were just about to have dinner. Would you care to join us?" she said, holding the door open so he could come in.
"Gomen! I didn't know...uhm, thanks." he said as he walked in, then closed the door behind him.
She led him to the kitchen where Shintaru and Rukawa were having a friendly conversation.
"..so you see it's nice to have someone who appreciates basketball for once. My sister doesn't really know anything about it so...Kaede? Kaede are you listening?"
Shintaru stopped babbling when he saw the startled look on the younger boy's face. He turned around to see what made him react.
Nasumi was standing in the kitchen doorway with a spiky haired boy behind her. He also had the same look on his face as he stared straight at Rukawa.
"Oh!--Two of them! Nice going sis!" Shintaru quipped.
She glowered at him, then she turned to Sendoh, who still continued to stare. She looked at the two and suddenly it dawned on her.
"You know each other?"
Both men did not answer. The doorbell rang again and Shintaru laughed out loud.
"This house is starting to sound like a train station. Will we be hearing this all night?" he exclaimed as he stood up to answer the door.
Nasumi still could not understand what was going on between her two guests. If they are acquainted or even friends, then why are they so surprised..no, SHOCKED to see each other?
She was about to ask when her brother's voice echoed from the living room.
"Another one! Boy, you're very popular, sis!"
She looked up to see her brother enter the kitchen with another guest. She remembered this one well for she sees him everyday in school. She was quite surprised at his sudden visit.
"Good evening, Nasumi-kun."
She was about to return the greeting when his expression suddenly changed into shock as his eyes darted to the left. She followed his gaze and saw Rukawa and Sendoh both staring at him with the same expression.
"You--!"
"What are you doing here?"
Nasumi felt as if the world was suddenly spinning around her. She was so confused!
"Now, what's going on? Do you all know each other or what?" she demanded, placing her hands on her hips.
She was getting irritated. This was very unlike her but she could not help it. She was getting lost!
"You know Shini-chi Maki?!" Sendoh finally asked, not able to contain himself any longer.
Nasumi looked at the taller boy and saw him frown at Sendoh. The question sounded like an insult and he did not like it one bit.
"Of course! I see him everyday in school and he's the captain of the basketball team and.."
"School?!" Sendoh interjected unbelievingly.
She stopped mid-sentence and nodded. Rukawa felt his cheeks drain of color.
"You're from..you're from...Kainan?!"
..to be continued...
A/N: sniff! Okay! Okay! I know this is supposed to be a yaoi fic...well, I had a change of heart (thanks to my anti-yaoi friends! ) Anyway, I wasn't exactly sure on how to end it if it did continue as planned.but I do hope you enjoy this anyway...Also, my apologies for all the Senru/Rusen fans out there...sorry for splitting them up! I promise to do a yaoi fic about them soon...And finally, I know this Nasumi Maia character sounds so gorgeous that everyone wants to know her or be with her...well, this is just to make their lives and rivalry more interesting. Like they say, may the best man win (?)..I'll explain everything in the final chapter, who she really is, why she is so popular in school and who she ends up with...Thanks also to the people who reviewed this fic. I hope you enjoy reading this too!