Akira Sendoh thinks of the aftermath following Haruko's confession to Rukawa... and rejection.

AKIRA SENDOH

I met the Akagi siblings when I was seven. Haruko was six, and Takenori was eight. When I figured they liked basketball as much as I did, we were inseparable. Except of course that time when I chose Ryonan over Shohoku during high school. My grandparents liked that school, and not to mention, closer to where I now live. Plus, I'm always late so it just kind of worked for me.

"Akira Sendoh!"

I immediately drop my gym bag upon my entry and turn to face the source. "Yes, coach?"

As always, he slaps his paper fan on my head and motions his hand across the gym. "Give me ten laps around the gym!"

"Yes, coach!"

"NOW!"

I immediately break into a run while the other members continued to warm up. Coach's voice become distant as Haruko's image come into my mind. I still couldn't shake the way her face must have fallen when Rukawa turned down her confession. The way she looked when she came to me… it was the first time I've seen her so down.

And the warmth when she cried on my chest… the way my heart skipped a beat. It shouldn't be a big deal because that's what friends do, but the way she felt against my shirt still burn on my skin.

Unconsciously, I slow down after my third lap and find myself rummaging through my gym bag. I am aware that coach is yelling at me, and that he's probably coming towards me, but I just had to do this. Finally I find my phone and press her number on speed dial. She picks up at the second ring. "Akira?" she seemed disoriented that I should call at a time like this. She knows I'm in practice. Knowing this, I can't help the smile on my face. "What's the matter?"

"Are you… are you all right now?"

"Oh. Yeah, I'm okay," she hesitates. "But what about you? Shouldn't you be practicing?"

Always the concerned one. How could Rukawa even reject someone like her? "I am, actually. I just thought maybe you wanted someone to talk to.

"Thank you," she says and I hear a smile. "I'll talk to you later. You should go. Your coach is probably going to-"

"CONFISCATED."

Uzumi's deep voice comes from behind me. I flash him a grin before I run around the gym for my life. Instead, he adds me another eight laps for my disobedience and lack of focus. But right now I couldn't care less. At least I know Haruko's fine.