4. Despair

"TELL. ME. HOW. IS. RUKAWA"
Sakuragi shook Kogare by the neck with every word he uttered. Akagi circled his arm around the redhead's neck to get him to release Kogare. Ayako rushed to Kogare patting his back as he struggled to get his breath back.
"Calm down, Sakuragi," commanded Akagi. "Let him get his breath back. We are all as concerned about Rukawa. How is he, Ayako? Can you talk now?"

"Yes, I am sorry but I was so shocked by the news," Ayako looked downcast. "He was already in a coma when they found him"
She was rudely interrupted by Sakuragi who suddenly grabbed Akagi's arm.
"Gori, Gori, I must go and see Rukawa! Lend me the money to buy a plane ticket, please Gori. I promise I will pay you back. I will work everyday to pay you back but please lend me the money now. PLEASE GORI"
Still holding Akagi's arm, Sakuragi sank to his knees in total despair, tears streaming nonstop.

"Sakuragi-kun, I am so sorry ... but it's ... too late," Ayako could barely speak with trembling lips. "By the time they ... rushed him ... to hospital, Rukawa had stopped breathing ... they couldn't ... revive him ... so sorry to tell you ..."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"

An animalistic roar from the Shohoku gym stopped everyone in their tracks around the school. The four members of Sakuragi's army heard the roar and instantly recognised it as coming from their leader. At that moment they were heading for the gym with a cake to celebrate his birthday as it was the first of April. They began to run madly with Youhei leading the way. A horrible sight met them so they rushed into the gym. It was Sakuragi with blood flowing in rivulets down his forehead and a pool of blood as red as his hair on the floor. Akagi, Kogare and Ayako were all struggling to stop him from bashing his head on the floor again.

"What's happening here?" cried Youhei as he rushed to put his arms around his best friend. "What did you guys do to him"
Ayako whispered into his ear and Youhei nodded solemnly with understanding.
"Hanamichi, you need to stay calm. It's no use trying to hurt yourself. It will not bring him back to life"
"Youhei, Youhei," Sakuragi collapsed into his arms. "What am I to do? I want to fly there now. I want to see him. I need to see him"
"Yes, yes, you will get to see him I promise but you must not hurt yourself again"
Youhei took a clean handerchief from his pocket and tenderly wiped the blood on Sakuragi's face. This seemed to calm the boy down but after the grief, Sakuragi began to feel anger.

"Stupid kitsune, why did he give up so easily? If only he told me he was feeling depressed, I would have flown over there to give him a piece of my mind. Did he not think I was depressed too? I thought he was happy with Sawakita, I really did. Even though it ripped a hole in my heart but I was happy that he was happy. Why did he lie to me? Always selfish to the end, that kitsune. Now my heart is all shattered and I can't even say it to his face. Ahhhhhhhhh I want to see that face so bad!"

Sakuragi lowered his head to the floor and his shoulders shook sporadically as he wept bitterly. All the people in the gym were silent after hearing Sakuragi's monologue. Finally he confessed his love for Rukawa but it seemed to have come at an inopportune time. Ayako glanced meaningfully at Kogare and they quietly began to whisper to the others and hustle them out of the gym.

Youhei gently released the boy from his grasp and told him, "I will go and get a plaster for your forehead, Hanamichi. Will you promise not to hurt yourself when I am gone?"

The grieving boy nodded dumbly. He did not care anymore. He just wanted to lie in the Shohoku gym forever trying hard not to think of a beautiful fawnlike creature with the silkiest black hair and gorgeous blue eyes. After a while, he heard the door of the gym sliding open and the soft tread of someone coming in. He thought it was Youhei coming back with a plaster.

"How long does it take to fly to America, Youhei?" he muttered dully. There was no reply and he raised his head slightly and saw a familiar pair of basketball shoes ...