DISCLAIMER : Following the word itself "fanfiction", I do not own anything in this fiction and credits belong to the rightful creators of the manga: Inoue Takehiko, the publisher, the broadcasting company of the anime and etc.

"Haha... of course we always win...!"

Inside a phone booth.

Sawakita bragged upon as he was talking on the phone to his mom on the other line back to Akita.

"..."

"It wasn't much of an easy match though... It almost couldve been another buzzer beater like the one we had before with Shohoku..."

"..."

"HAHAHA! Of course of course!" He chuckled. "AH! By the way... is dad back yet from his business trip?"

"..."

"Really? Here in Kanagawa!? Wow... I might be able to see him anytime anywhere here then haha!"

"..."

"NO IM NOOOT?!" He utterly protested. "I was doing great! Masashi was just always picking on me!" Sawakita pouted, rolling his eyes like a little child. "AH! Anyways... Did you receive any mail yet in regards to my cancellation of enrollment?"

"..."

"I see..." Sawakita nodded as he looked back at the door noticing someone waiting for him to finish his call. "OH! I just gotta call you next time, maybe later or tomorrow morning... I'm on the phone booth..." "Yeah... bye mom! Take care!"

He hung up and made his way out of the door, bowing to the next person as an apology for taking so long.

"I didn't notice we have been talking for like 30 minutes already... I probably have used my card up..." He thought to himself as he glanced at his watch while walking along the bright night streets of downtown Kanagawa.

7:30 pm...

"Sensei..."

Before Doumoto-sensei could close the door shut called Sawakita who was standing behind him.

"Yeah?"

"Well... I had to call mom and ask her some matters in regards to my cancellation of enrollment in America. I need to buy some stuff too... If it's okay.. can I...?"

"Look... I dont have problems about any of you guys going out... all I needed you guys to do is ask for permission and an assurance that you'll be coming back on time..."

"Really?" Sawakita grinning like a child asked.

"Sure! Go on..." Doumoto-sensei with a smile shook a hand forward.

"Just make sure you'll be back at 8:30..."

"I still have an hour at least..." Sawakita thought. "I have some free time to stroll around... teehee!"

He slid his hands on the pockets of his hoodie and proceeded on walking.

DRIBBLE DRIBBLE...

SCREECH... SCREECH

SWOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSH

SLAAAAAAMMMM!

The typical noise a basketball game makes. Specially a Slam Dunk.

Only that this time without the cheering of the crowd as it's a solo practice. Other than those sounds mentioned, was only sheer silence.

"(Gasp)... (Wheeze)... (Gasp)... (Wheeze)... "

Rukawa was panting really hard as he bent down, with his hands on his knees. "Not enough..." He muttered breathlessly to himself as he watched the ball bounce towards the fence.

Thud thud thud...

After their rehearsal at the school gym, he even decided to drop by this outdoor basketball court by the seaside. It was pretty dark, and he had a hard time getting a perfect view of what he really has been doing. He can't even see the ring clearly. All he knew was that, he must not set himself to any limitations.

"Being the best is setting oneself to limitations..."

That very sentence kept on ringing on his head. "I'm not the fucking best...!" He uttered as he picked the ball up, then dashing towards the court, raising the ball high up then jumping to shoot it.

SHOOOOOT!

The ball went down the hoop smoothly, ring-less.

SLAP!~

Instead of a thud, the ball landed to someone's hands who caught the ball as it fell down, stepping forward to the court.

"Nice shot! Considering it's pretty dark right now..." The person spoke as he started spinning the ball on his finger, marching forward to Rukawa.

"Sawakita...!" Rukawa uttered.

"Go home now!" Sawakita threw the ball back to Rukawa who caught it accurately one handed. "It's already late..."

"Don't tell me what to do..." Rukawa once again dashed to the court, dribbling the ball.

SLLLAAAAAAPPP!

"Your dribbling is still weak!" Sawakita slapped the ball away from Rukawa's hands then dashing to it, dribbling it forward to the goal, throwing it up high...

SHOOOOT!

The ball bounced back to the ground before Sawakita bent down to pick it up. "I remember when I was still a kid..." He uttered. "My dad have always told me to think about how and why I always lost to him..."

"Huh?"

"I always have challenged him daily one-on-one even until it was dark, at the same time losing to him daily as well. It took me until I was 13 till I defeated him for the first time... I was really happy about myself" Sawakita still held the ball in his hands, looking at it as he continued telling his story. "But eversince then, I never have found an opponent that gave me such excitement as whenever I used to play with my dad and finally beating him for the first time..."

"Braggart..." Rukawa uttered under his breath as he scoffed.

"And you know what?" Sawakita continued anyway. "Joining Sannoh did not help in anyway... I sort of felt stuck..." He then threw the ball back to Rukawa again, who nonchalantly caught it with both hands.

Rukawa started to dribble the ball from where he is standing. "I don't think I needed to listen to all of those shit about your life that I dont even care about..."

Sawakita smirked, bent his body down, spreading both arms to the side. "Don't you care about being the #1 Highschool Player in Japan? I'm still here..."

"Your reign is almost over..." Rukawa changing his dribbling pace in a blink of an eye spun to the left breaking through Sawakita's defense, then raising an arm, aiming to shoot the ball.

"Too hasty!" Sawakita thought as he slapped the ball away from him. "You still don't protect the ball well when you fake..." He retorted as he ran towards the ball catching it.

"I'm already giving you the hints as to why you lose to me. You just refuse to listen." Sawakita stopped running, with the ball still in his hands, tossing it around.

"I don't need to receive any lectures from someone like you..."

Sawakita just smiled, shaking his head. "Youre stubborn as usual. I should congratulate you for firing up such excitement in me once again..."

"Then start burning now..." Rukawa retorted as he approached Sawakita, snatching the ball away from his hands. "Cuz you haven't even tried Sendoh..."

"Huh?"

Rukawa then turned his back and walked to the benches where he left his bag, putting the ball inside it. "You're so called title being the National's #1 Highschool Player would never be justified without being able to beat him..." Rukawa after putting on his Nike Air Hoodie, made his way to his bike that he parked besides the fence, and then mounted himself to it.

"Se-... Sendoh?" Sawakita asked to himself as he watched Rukawa rolled down the street with his bike.

"You're already the 'Best'... You've already set yourself to a ceiling... and I, the unnamed one will defeat you soon and gain your title..."

Rukawa thought to himself as he sped up his bike.

"Sendoh who?..." Sawakita as well started to move along, once again putting his hands back to his hoodie's pockets.

"AAAH! The time!" Sawakita then siwftly shifted his hand up to check the time.

"IT'S 9:15~~~~! SENSEI WOULD SURELY KILL ME!"

END OF CHAPTER 18