Sakuragi's Frustration

Sakuragi looked around him, glaring at the empty South Beach practice facility. "Hm," he thought to himself, "it looks like I'm the only one here. Again. Why can't my teammates take things more seriously?" In fact, ever since "The Decision," it felt to Sakuragi that things on the Heat weren't working as well as they could. Sure, the championship win a few weeks ago was great, but the off-season was a time to retool your skills, build on what you had accomplished and look forward to more success in the future. His former coach and teammates at Shohoku had taught him that first and foremost. And yet, here in Miami, no one could be bothered to show up when coach Riley had set this time for a voluntary practice, with coach himself going off to find some more pomade for his hair once he figured out no one else would show up.

"It wasn't like this back on the Roar!" Sakuragi yelled in frustration, slamming the ball down on the court. Just then, one of the fire exit doors opened, and a shadow appeared in the doorway. Sakuragi squinted at the figure, and then his eyes widened in recognition as the figure walked onto the court.

"Rukawa! Fox! What are you doing in Miami? Have you come to congratulate this genius on being the first starting player from Japan to win a championship?"

Rukawa looked at Sakuragi as the door snicked shut behind him, shrugged, and picked up the ball Sakuragi had slammed onto the floor, frowning when he noticed how the ball had begun to deflate from the force of Sakuragi's throw. He knew that his friend, Sakuragi, had an immense amount of rage in him still, even after all these years, and apparently, he was feeling angry just now. About what, he had no idea, but rather than enrage him further by doing what he knew Sakuragi hated the most, dismissing or ignoring him, Rukawa decided to be compassionate with his longtime rival and now best friend, to see why Sakuragi was upset. A man of few words for so many years, he appreciated that his rivalry with Sakuragi had made him into a better person, one able to talk with a reasonable amount of calm, measured words. "No, idiot. I've come to say hi to my goddaughter. Where is the little one?"

Nothing could defuse Sakuragi like asking about the apple of his eye, and he walked over, holding out his hand to Rukawa at head level, who promptly slapped it in a high-five. "It's good to see you, fox."

Rukawa smiled slightly, as he knew just how much Sakuragi mellowed at the mention of either Ayako or Haruko. "And, yes, I also came to say congratulations. You would have made Anzai-sensei proud."

Sakuragi sat down on the floor, and Rukawa did the same. After a short silence thinking about their late mentor, Sakuragi said, "Fox, Ayako didn't come with me today because I wanted to practice with my teammates … but I am beginning to wonder: do I expect too much from American basketball players? Are they all this uninterested in improving themselves? I'm here, every day, shooting and dribbling and rebounding by myself, improving for next season, and no one else ever comes, even when the strength coach recommends a workout like he did for today. Then, they all moan at how hard coach is when they actually have to practice for real a week before preseason begins! James with his beer belly, the whiner Bosh and … well, you know about D-Wade …. What would the Old Man have said?"

Rukawa considered this outburst from Sakuragi, thinking back to how he and his late coach had been at loggerheads for a time over his desire to play basketball in America. He knew now that Anzai-sensei had been correct in telling him to wait, and he often wished that he could have said thank you to him while he was alive. But, that's what he got for being selfish and proud about his abilities, and it had been the eye-opener which had allowed him to reach out to his greatest rival, Sakuragi, in their time of grief over their shared mentor and role-model. From that, a true friendship had blossomed, and a healthy respect of each other's abilities. Rukawa finally said, "I don't know about Anzai-sensei, but I feel that we always have to prove ourselves. Americans know they can play basketball, but they also think that only they can play this game, that it is theirs. Sendoh showed them at the Olympics that it was the world's turn … our turn …."

"Sendoh …" Sakuragi looked at Rukawa, grinning. "How is Air Sendoh nowadays? Still thinking about a move to America? The media here couldn't stop talking about the Japanese Jordan, and how much the NBA could gain from a talent like himself."

Rukawa said, "That's why I have come to Miami. I wanted to tell you. It's not a dream this time, or talk. He is coming. Here. And so am I."

Sakuragi looked confused. "What do you mean? He is finally going to play in America? The last time I talked to him, he said yet again that a maestro like himself doesn't want to be forced to play streetball with thugs and D-Leaguers. 'International friendlies and national duty, and the WBL for kicks,' he said. With all of his endorsement deals, the 'spiky one' doesn't need to work for a living like the rest of us."

"Times have changed. Sendoh now wants the one thing that he has not achieved, an NBA championship, and to get it, he has forced the WBL to declare him a free agent, so he could sign with an NBA team. He has chosen Miami."

Sakuragi frowned. "There's no room on this team!"

Rukawa smiled. "There is now. I always wanted to play with Sendoh, even after he showed me that I could never beat him, but that I could be as good as him. Once I heard that he was coming to Miami, I decided to be selfish ..." Sakuragi laughed at this, remembering all the times in high school when Rukawa had thought himself above everyone else. Rukawa glared at Sakuragi, and then continued, "... and so I made it known that I wanted to play for Miami alone in the final year of my contract, and rather than losing the best offensive player in the game …" At this, Sakuragi snickered, earning himself a disdainful look from Rukawa. "Sorry. Old habit, 'Dr. R'."

Rukawa sighed, looked upwards for some help, but finding none forthcoming, looked back at Sakuragi and began again: "… Rather than losing the best offensive player in the game for nothing, the Spurs traded me for Bosh, James and Wade. I am now a Heat player."

Sakuragi jumped up in excitement, laughing maniacally. "Rukawa! With both you and I playing alongside Sendoh, we will be unstoppable!"

Rukawa got up, stretching his arms and legs. Then, he walked over to the ball bin, picked out another basketball, and began bouncing it idly with his right hand. He then slammed the ball forwards, off the court, and began racing forwards. Picking the ball out of the air, he first took two steps, and then began to leap forwards. As he began his leap, the same exit door Rukawa had walked through earlier opened once again, and three new figures appeared in the dim light beyond. Rukawa continued gaining elevation, and began to execute a 360 degree spin with the ball in his right hand. As the two men at the rear of this new group began arguing about who exactly was an old man, with one of them saying, "I chose to stay back to help the team!", the leading figure in the doorway continued to watch as Rukawa finished his spin, transferring the ball into his left hand before dunking the ball with authority.

Sendoh smiled to himself, watching Sakuragi running over to Rukawa to berate him on his dunking shortcomings. "This will be fun," Sendoh thought to himself. "A lot of fun."