Title: Never Tell

By: FFNPREZ

Note: Slam Dunk is a manga and anime owned by Takehiko Inoue. I am merely a fan- since I was 10 years old and yes, I'm in love with his masterpiece and other works.

Title: Never Tell

By: FFNPREZ

Chapter 2: Day 1, Shohoku High

Eiri woke up with a yawn on a Sunday morning, stretching in her comfortable bed before pulling her long copper hair in a ponytail. She got up and went to her closet to put on a pair of black yoga pants underneath the oversized white shirt she slept in. She stared at her closet and her heart swelled with joy at seeing the new set of clothes she bought with Reed.

It's been exactly a week since she moved in with her new family. While her new father can't be more perfect, his son could not be more opposite.

Reed was warm and welcoming, easily understood by people and easily understood people, his son Kaede Rukawa had never said a word to her since the bathroom incident, and he acted as if she didn't exist. She didn't mind but it was awkward.

They've been formally introduced the night of the day of their unfortunate meeting. Reed and Eiri got home for dinner after shopping. As Reed said, his son was typically at home during Sunday nights and he was right. They ordered takeaways, which she learned was the norm in that household, and the three of them sat on the dining table with takeaway Sukiyaki, Sushi, Ebi Tempura, rice and soba noodles.

It was uneventful, with Reed just introducing Eiri to Rukawa and Rukawa to Eiri. It was just for formality since according to Reed, Rukawa knew about her case since the moment his father got the idea of adopting her.

She was quite surprised when a year ago, Reed told her the story of how he told his son about his idea of adopting a daughter and all he said was: "I'll be training with the team tonight, I won't be home 'til tomorrow."

But aside from his rude behavior in their accidental meeting, Rukawa was not as rude and hostile at dinner. He didn't talk, he just ate quietly and observed his father, a few times Eiri caught him staring at her with his stoic face and she would acknowledge him with a polite smile.

Reed mostly did all the talking, but when the subject of school came into the conversation, that's when Eiri felt that Rukawa might be just tolerating her because it was his dad's decision.

"Reed, you'll be going to Rukawa's school next semester."

"Isn't she in Jr. High?" that was the first time Rukawa paid acknowledgement to her existence and he wasn't even talking to her.

"No, she graduated early. Amazing isn't it? Even with the case going on she was able to continue her education. She graduated at 14 even though she had to stop a year." Reed was looking at her with pride in his eyes and she tried hiding her red face under her copper hair while taking a bite of sushi, nobody had ever looked at her that way before, "How was that possible?" he asked.

She straightened up and stared straight at Reed, she won't be timid for the one person who felt proud of her, plus, she'll be living with them for a long, long time, or at least until Reed realizes that he made a mistake.

"I skipped two levels in grade school." She said in her clear voice before taking a sip of water.

"I always pegged you as a smart girl." Reed nodded approvingly.

"Arigato. But really, it was boring at home back then so studying was a good distraction." She wanted to say that it was crazy and scary at home even when her mother was alive, and that burying her nose into homework and books was her greatest escape. But she didn't say that.

Then she caught his son's piercing gaze on her, she didn't understand the animosity in his eyes, but she figured it was a normal reaction for any teenage child living the good life and then suddenly saddled with a grown sibling from the worst possible environment and family background ever.

So whenever she caught his gaze she made a point to avert her gaze slowly as to not seem arrogant or daring.

Did he think she was a crook? Did he think she would steal from him or his dad, if not now then in the future? If Reed-san told him about her case and family background, did he think she was dealing drugs too or that she was like those women her stepfather pimped out?

Her brows creased unconsciously, that was a horrible thought, she wouldn't think that was the case unless it came exactly out of his mouth.

The dinner ended and thankfully Reed didn't notice her momentary dark mood.

"Kaede, will you help your sister with the shopping bags?" He asked Rukawa who was just about to get up from his seat.

Eiri's initial reaction was to stand up and run to her shopping bags to scoop them up one by one.

"Don't worry about it, I can manage." She smiled politely until she had all fifteen bags and boxes in her hands and arms, she managed to somehow walk up the stairs without dropping a single box, not until she got to her door then some of the boxes finally fell on the floor.

Eiri's first day at Shohoku High was a blur. The moment she entered the gate every student's eyes were on her, she wished she had tied her copper hair so it was not loose and flying behind her while she rode her black classic bike into the gate of Shohoku. She didn't know that what really got their attention was the fact that she was riding behind Rukawa who was as usual, riding his blue mountain bike with a half-asleep, half-bored look on his face.

They watched as Kaede Rukawa rode straight to his building while the girl rode down the pathway to where majority of the bicycles were parked.

Aside from the weird stares which she credited to her being new, she was oblivious to all the unnecessary attention, her mind was occupied with the event that morning.

Reed was worried about her since he won't be able to drive her to school on her first day, he needed to be at the court early Monday morning for a case. So, he asked Kaede Rukawa to show her how to get to school and since she will be riding a bike anyway, she didn't complain.

She always stayed back a meter away from him and tried to memorize the route which was pretty easy for her to do. As usual, he didn't stare or talk to her, as soon as they entered the gates it was as if they didn't even know each other, much less, live in the same house.

Eiri sighed, it looked like she had to ask someone for directions. She was just finishing up on locking her bike in place when a friendly voice greeted her.

"Hey there, I haven't seen you around here before."

Eiri turned to her right and saw a young man in medium height and built bent on his bike beside her, just finished locking his own bike to the post. He had a friendly face and a smile that gave him that peacemaker look. Her eyes went straight to his collar where the student's year was supposed to be stitched in and saw that he too, was a first year.

"I'm a late transferee so I'm really new to the place. I just moved to Kanagawa."

"I'm Yohei Mito."

"Nice to meet you Mito-san, I'm Tamak—" she stopped herself from saying her old name out of habit and smiled up at the black haired student, "Rukawa Eiri," she smiled but then she noticed the weird expression on Yohei's face.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Yohei seemed to gather himself straight again and now he smiled at her with a hint of amusement but friendly nonetheless. "Now they really have a reason to stare." Yohei said to himself while studying the girl beside him, he was about to say something to her when the bell rang.

"Darn." Eiri took her bag and rushed past Yohei,

"Hey, wait, do you know where you're going?"

"I—Uh, right, no." she stuttered, feeling stupid that she didn't think about asking the freshman who was acting friendly towards her. "I don't know where this room is."

She pulled a paper from her pocket, indicating her class and gave it to Yohei. He read it and nodded, he started walking and Eiri followed him.

"All freshmen are in the same building, if you're related to Rukawa why didn't you go with him? I saw you come in together?" he said staring straight at their destination.

"I forgot to ask." Was all Eiri said.

"Well, your classroom's three rooms from my class I'm impressed that a late enrollee was able to squeeze into the top class."

"I was surprised too, I mean, I applied a month late so, I didn't think I'd be able to get in this quarter." Eiri said honestly. She was relieved that Yohei didn't ask more about Rukawa, apparently he knew her brother, she was also thankful that he avoided asking personal questions, she knew her classmates wouldn't be that accommodating.

Her class will be filled with a bunch of intelligent, nosy, know-it-alls who were bound to be interested in the new girl who was able to get into the A-Class in the middle of the quarter- Eiri needed all the energy and common sense she could get.

They reached the high school building and went up to the floor occupied by the first years. Eiri was surprised that Yohei walked her to her designated classroom.

"Thanks Mito-san."

"Don't worry about it. Well," Yohei smiled at her, hands on his pocket, "Good luck on your first day."

"Thanks." She replied with a polite smile watching Mito turn around to go to his classroom. She turned and opened the door to hers.

Eiri wasn't surprised to see perfectly seated students, since the bell rang a few minutes ago she didn't find it odd that they were all in their designated seats. Before she could take a step inside a big hand rested on her shoulder.

"You're here already. I forgot to tell you to stop by the faculty room." It was her homeroom teacher. He was of average height and quite a bulky built. He looked like he was in his early thirties and he gave Eiri the aura of a gym teacher, yet an intellectual one.

She wasn't sure what he was talking about but then he motioned her to walk with him until the two of them were in front of the classroom.

"Good day everyone, hope you all had a wonderful weekend, we have a new student today. I'm sure I mentioned her a couple of times before." He turned to Eiri who was standing straight and looking ahead at no one in particular, "Please, introduce yourself."

Eiri stared at him before staring back at the class, she gave herself a chance to take a swift glance at the students.

They all looked alert, sharp but in different ways. Some showed boredom, some fit the cliché of a straight A student, with glasses and crisply ironed uniforms, hair gelled and parted in the middle for boys while unbelievably straight black hair for some of the girls. Some boys were cool and relaxed, some looked at her skeptically while others smiled at her with a hint of scrutiny.

She was in front of the crème-of-the-crop in Shohoku Freshman so she had to make a strong first impression, she didn't know how strong an impression she was going to make by just blurting her name.

"Konnichiwa, my name is Rukawa Eiri. I transferred from Shibuya and recently moved here in Kanagawa. I just turned fifteen last month, if there's anything else you would like to know about me feel free to ask." She bowed her head politely, "Please take care of me."

"Shibuya? What Jr. High did you come from?" a thin boy, wearing thick framed glasses asked.

"Eirito Gakuen," she answered, she didn't elaborate that it was the only high school who could accommodate her schedule and was the only reputable school listed under the schools accepted by the child care security.

"You're only 15?"

"I skipped a few grades." She said, omitting the part where if she hadn't stopped school a few times and also during the trial she would've gotten into high school at a younger age, she'd probably be their senior by now if that happened.

"I want to ask," her attention went to the foxy looking girl in front of her, "How are you related to Kaede Rukawa?"

All eyes were now on her. They obviously meant to ask the question earlier but played polite and asked questions about her background first. She could see that their interest in her answer was similar to that of hungry wolves. Why? She had no idea.

"He's my brother. Our father thought it would be practical if I went to the same high school as him. I enrolled late because I had a few matters to attend to back in Shibuya where my mom lived."

"Your mom? You referred to your father as 'our' father while your mom was just 'your' mom, you mean to say you have different mothers?"

Her introduction was getting more and more complicated but they're part of the drill. They wont accept a newcomer without having an idea of who she was and where she came from.

"Yes, we do have different mothers, mine passed away—"

"Ah, so that's why your father decided to take you in. Makes more sense."

"I guess."

"So you're Kaede Rukawa's half sister."

"You can say that."

"That explains why you look nothing like him." The bored-looking boy at the back of the class drawled and Eiri met his brown eyes studying her from head to toe which made her a little uncomfortable.

"Okay," the homeroom teacher cut in, "now that we're done with the introductions, why don't you take the sit next to Mr. Kagami." He pointed at the empty seat next to the same dark-haired boy who looked like the world couldn't be more boring.

"Hai. Arigato." She said and walked toward the empty seat in the middle of the last row. The seat was nice, since she could see the teacher and the board, although, Kagami made her extremely uncomfortable.

He had that silent schemer vibe she knew perfectly well but she didn't want to pass judgment to someone she just met, but she would have to keep an eye on him.

Eiri had no idea about Kaede Rukawa's huge reputation, until lunch time when half the female in her class huddled around her. First they asked about her and the basic things like interests, clubs she planned on joining but it didn't even take a minute before Rukawa's name was brought up.

"So, you want to have lunch with us?" Reyna, one of the most beautiful girls she'd ever seen since she entered the campus, asked her.

"Uh—sure," she said, getting up from her seat and joining the group of four girls as they walked out of the classroom.

Eiri was feeling very self conscious walking with such a large group, about ten or more girls were with her, then one began to day, "So, where are you meeting him?" another girl asked her, this time with the light brown hair, she remembered the name being Riko.

"Him?" Eiri asked, perplexed.

"Your brother. Don't you have to eat with him since it's your first day and all? We thought we'd all sit together." The girl with short black hair said this time,

Eiri was caught off guard by the comment but quickly replied, "You're Yumi right? Well… I, I don't plan on sitting with him, he has his own group of friends."

"Your brother doesn't have any friends, well, except for the basketball team, but since you're here we thought he'd, I don't know, care about how you're doing," Reyna said, her face masked with concern.

"Ah, I, I have to go back to the classroom, I just remembered that I brought a bento with me. Thanks for the offer though." She smiled apologetically, stopping midway to the cafeteria and bowing before going back to the classroom.

Eiri walked up the stairs thinking about those girls and how they were so friendly to her all of a sudden. She wasn't naïve and she wasn't an idiot. She didn't know much about Kaede Rukawa but for smart students they sure are transparent in their desperation. It was clear that they were dying to see or meet Kaede Rukawa because apparently, they didn't know him and they thought Eiri would be their Kaede Rukawa Ticket.

Sadly, both for them and Eiri, they couldn't be more wrong.

Eiri would bet her life that Kaede Rukawa wouldn't move a muscle to help her out even if all their lives depended on it and it made the girls' attempt to befriend her more pathetic because they would have befriended her for nothing.

She was so deep in thought that she didn't realize someone was walking beside her.

Yohei Mito saw the copper haired new girl walking up the stairs seemingly deep in thought that he decided to poke fun at her by walking beside her but then she didn't seem to notice him so he decided to change tactics and step right in front of her where she finally bumped solidly into his chest.

"Ow!" she groaned holding her nose, "Sorry, I wasn't—" she stopped when she looked up and saw Yohei who was standing with arms over his chest, grinning at her. "Hey! You did that on purpose."

"I couldn't resist." Yohei tilted his head on the side, "Bad first day huh?"

Eiri stared up at him and shook her head, "Not exactly." She sighed, "I was about to eat with some girls but then, they couldn't stop talking about my brother."

"Heh, couldn't say I'm surprised. So?"

Golden eyes looked up at Mito curiously, why was he asking her uninteresting questions? Why was he even hanging out with her?

Eiri decided to just go with the flow, Mito seemed to be a spontaneous person and she had no other better choice for company at the moment, the two of them continued to walk up the stairs to their floor.

"So, 1. I don't want to waste their efforts, 2. I decided to stay away from loud and dramatic scenes while I'm here."

"Why are you going to waste their efforts?" they finally reached their floor and Mito continued to walk with her to her classroom which was at the end corner of the hallway, away from the stairs and his own class room.

Eiri shrugged, "My relationship with my bother, isn't all that special, if anything, it's non-existent. To him, I'm just someone occupying an extra space in his household." Eiri stared at Yohei who didn't seem to be at all surprised by her story, "It doesn't really bother me, I think it's for the better, I don't want to be a bother, I don't want my moving in to be a big deal and for things to change at home just because of it."

Her attention was zeroed in on Mito that she didn't miss the exact moment his expression changed from curious and engaged to vigilant and amused, she followed his gaze and was surprised to see her brother standing by the door frame of her classroom.

She quickly walked towards him, thinking that he wouldn't be there if it wasn't important. Yohei walked leisurely behind her.

"What's up Rukawa-kun." Yohei greeted with the same cheerful voice he used with her, Rukawa just glanced at him without an expression on his face then stared at Eiri again who was standing in front of him now just outside the doorway.

"Konnichiwa." Eiri said carefully. Rukawa didn't waste any time and held up a key in front of her, "Father told me to give this to you." Eiri stared at the key which was dangling five centimeters away from her face. She took it and before she could say her thanks he was already walking away.

From the corner of her eye she saw Yohei's smile widen, "Man, I guess he treats everybody the same way. He's a jerk even to his own sister."

Yohei's statement was a revelation to her. She got the idea that Kaede Rukawa wasn't being rude to her, well not entirely, but as Yohei put it, being a jerk was part of his personality so she shouldn't take it personally.

"Aren't you going to have lunch?" she asked,

"I'm waiting for Hanamichi, he's been called to the principal's office." He looked at his watch and flinched, "Well, I better get going. Enjoy the rest of your first day."

"Yeah, bye." Eiri waved off before going in for lunch.

Despite Yohei Mito's wishes, it was hard enjoying the rest of the day.

Being in the top section was not a joke. Everyone was highly competitive. Reyna's crowd was the 'it' crowd and despite her leaving their group to have lunch by herself, Reyna didn't take offense and still acted friendly towards her.

Aside from Kagami, who continued to give her a bad feeling, she was seated beside Megumi. The petite girl who had raven hair and two braids hanging on each shoulder, her huge clear rimmed glasses gave Eiri the impression that she was a major bookworm. Eiri was sketching idly between periods while waiting for the teacher to come in when Megumi spoke to her for the first time the entire day. "You have talent." Were her first words.

"Thanks," Eiri replied, extending her hand politely, "We haven't been introduced yet," before Megumi could reach out Reyna interrupted, without saying anything important she dragged Eiri with her to where the rest of her friends were.

"So have you thought about what club you'll be joining?" Reyna dragged her to her seat by the window on the front row, Eiri sat on the seat Reyna pushed her in which was between her and Yumi who was busy retouching her make-up.

"Club? Are we required to have one?" Eiri asked, waiting for them to expand, she didn't know about Shohoku's rules when it came to extra curricular activities and since she came in late, she missed the orientation.

Yumi turned her face from her hand mirror to Eiri after tapping the pink tip of a pink wand on her lips, "It's not required for freshman, but for us it is."

"For us?"

"Class I. We're the leaders of the freshman year. Classes beneath us can slack off, but we can't look bad. It's a rule written in stone." Yumi smiled at her sweetly, "We're the crème of the crop, more than half of us are already officers and star members of certain clubs." Yumi stated smugly, "Come on, what are you good at?"

For the sake of it, Eiri racked her brains out for an answer, "I don't really know what clubs Shohoku has, but I'm good at sports mainly basketball, volleyball, swimming, track—"

"Track?" Yumi's eyes widened as if she just won the lottery, "Reyna's the star player of the track team, she can schedule you for try outs, right Reyna?" Yumi smiled, her eyes darting on the opposite side at Reyna, Eiri slowly looked at Reyna who appeared calm and genuinely pleased,

"Sure, I bet captain wont mind having her on the team. She has long legs, I bet you can run fast. How tall are you?"

"5'9," Eiri answered no longer paying attention to the words Reyna was saying. How can things escalate this quickly? She hadn't even thought things through. But she did like running and looking at Reyna's face, the club didn't seem like it was a horrible idea, she'd just have to wait and see how things would turn out.

TBC

Hi everyone. As you might have noticed, there's a change in the story title. Hanky Panky has been debunked and the story will now be known as "Never Tell".

Thanks!

EXTRA NOTE: All characters belong to him except for: Eiri, Reed Rukawa, Reyna, Yumi and Kagami which are completely mine.