Version #3: Romaji + English dialog [Switch language/version)]
仙流物語 — Senru Monogatari
(Part 4, Final)
Online Japanese dictionary: http://www.freedict.com/onldict/jap.html
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Later that same day just a few minutes before the end of practice for Ryonan…
Hikoichi: Nice dunk, Sendou san!
Sendou smiles: Ou.
Thanks.
Koshino wipes his
forehead with the back of his hand: Sendou
no yatsu, kyou yake ni kiai haittenai?
That Sendou, isn’t he more
energetic than usual today?
Fukuda: Sou ka?
Really?
Sendou: Saa, ippon tomeyou!
Come on, let’s defend this one!
His teammates: Ou!
Koshino: T__T <
T__T <Why do I have to be in the
rival team?>
Fifteen minutes later…
Hikoichi: Haaai! Renshuu shuuryou deeesu! Mina gokurou
sama deshitaa!
Alriiight! End of practiiice!
Thanks everyone for your work!
Sendou is about to walk over to a tap outside when Hikoichi calls him.
Hikoichi: Sendou san, kyou wa zekkouchou desu ne!
Sendou san, you seem to be in great
shape today!
Sendou: ^^ Souka? Sankyu.
^^ Really? Thanks.
Hikoichi: Kore kara wa mata tsuri ni demo ikimasu ka?
Are you going fishing or something
after this?
Sendou: Tsuri ka… <Tashika ni tsuri wa hisashiburi
da…> Iya, kyou wa ie de benkyou shiyou ka to.
Fishing eh… <It has been a
while…> Actually no, I think I’m going home to study a little…
Hikoichi: Benkyou? Unbelievable ya! Sugoi ya, Sendou san! Renshuu de konai ni mo tsukaretoru noni sugu ie de
benkyou nante, sasuga wai ga sonkei suru Sendou san ya!
Study? Unbelievable! You’re so
awesome, Sendou san! Practice’s already so tiring and yet you’re still gonna
study right after that? That’s so expected of the Sendou san I so admire!
Sendou: ^^; Haa…
Taoka appears out
of nowhere: Fun! Sore wa ittai naze darou
na.
Hmph! I
wonder why that is.
Sendou: Taoka sensei… ^^;
Taoka: Sate, kitto Rukawa ga isshoni benkyou
shitekureru kara da na?
Lemme guess, it must be because
Rukawa’s there to study with you, am I right?
Sendou: Sensei, ^^;, Kangaesugi desuyo.
Sensei, ^^;; You’re thinking too much.
(--> liar. We know Taoka’s got it right =P)
Sendou almost gets pulled into a whole other weird conversation regarding Taoka’s awesome prediction about Sendou and Rukawa’s relationship, but he manages to somehow slip out of it. Taoka has not made it very easy for Sendou since the day he misunderstood Rukawa on the phone. And mind you, that’s a very… long… time ago. Sendou even has Hikoichi on his side to persuade him into thinking otherwise but well… it doesn’t seem to work just yet.
At any rate, Sendou fortunately manages to get out of there and waves everyone good bye before he proceeds to walk in the direction of home. Now that he thinks about it, he used to spend most of his weekends after practice at the jetty fishing. It’s only since he started hanging out with Rukawa does he fish less and spend more of his time playing basketball outside, with him of course. Now that he thinks of it again, Rukawa sure has changed his life in a lot of ways he’s never predicted. He sees it as a good change, a blessing or some sort given to him by the gods, if they even truly exist. But what about Rukawa? Did Sendou change his life as much as he has changed his? Furthermore, would it even mean anything to him?
Sendou almost drowns himself in his own train of thoughts when suddenly he hears a beep. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone to see a message from him:
-- Atarashii basshu kawanakya. Omaenchi ni wa okureru.
-- I have
to buy a new pair of shoes. I’ll be over late.
After reading the message, Sendou naturally looks down at his shoes as well. He stares at it for a few seconds before he replies:
--
-- I think I’m gonna buy one too.
Which store are you going? Let’s meet there?
And so a while later, they meet up at the corner of a street.
Sendou: Gomen, mataseta?
Sorry, did
you wait long?
Rukawa: Ima kita tokoro.
I just arrived.
Sendou sighs in
relief: De, doko no mise nanda?
So, where
is it?
Rukawa gestures
to a couple blocks away: Acchi.
That way.
And then the two of them start walking to the store, Rukawa walking his bike his as well. This time, however, they aren’t walking in silence.
Sendou peers over at Rukawa’s shoes: Basshu yabureta no ka?
You broke
your shoes?
Rukawa peers down
as well as he continues to walk: Un.
Renshuu no toki.
Yea. During
practice.
Sendou smiles: Sore hodo gamushara ni basuke yatteta tte koto
da na.
That goes to show just how much you’ve been working yourself.
There’s no response from Rukawa, for it’s the truth and there’s nothing more for him to add. Instead, he peers over at Sendou’s shoes.
Rukawa: Omae no yaburetenai kedo.
Yours look
fine.
Sendou: Ah. *looks down at his shoes* Un. Yaburetenai kedo furui kara chotto jibun ni
amaetemo ii darou tte omotte sa.
Ah *looks
down at his shoes* Yeah, but it’s kinda old. Plus I thought it’s about time I
pamper myself a little.
Rukawa: ……
And then they both reach the store. Rukawa looks up at the signboard to make sure it’s the right one before he parks his bike outside and steps in. The shopkeeper, who looks like he’s in his mid thirties, energetically welcomes them.
Shopkeeper: Irasshaimase~~!
Welcome~~!
Rukawa nods at him quietly while Sendou nods as well as wave in response.
Shopkeeper: Minai kao desu ne. Okyakusan, uchi no mise ja
hajimete desuka ne?
I’ve not seen you boys around. Is
this your first time here?
Rukawa: …Un. Jitenshaya no tenchou ga shoukai
shitekureta.
…Yea. The bicycle store owner
introduced me.
Shopkeeper: Ooo, Kimura ga shoukai shitekureta no ka? Sore
wa ii, sore wa ii!
Ooh, you’re a friend of Kimura? That’s good to hear!
Rukawa sweatdrops a little at the man’s enthusiasm.
Shopkeeper: Dewa, sochira wa otomodachi?
Well then, is that your friend?
Rukawa looks over
at Sendou for a second: Un.
Yea.
Shopkeeper: Sou desuka. Ofutaritomo kyou wa basshu no
kaimono desuka?
I see. So you two are here to shop
for some basketball shoes?
Rukawa: …… --> he thinks that’s only obvious.
Sendou: Ah, hai. *smiles* Osusume wa arimasen ka?
Ah, yes. *smiles* Do you have any
recommendation?
Shopkeeper: Ii koto kiitekuremashita ne. Kimitachi wa un ga
ii yo! *walks around showing the new arrivals on display* Koko ni aru no wa zenbu shinpin. Kyou haitta
bakari desu yo! Kimitachi wa ano Kimura no shiriai dakara, tokubetsu ni
maketeagetemo ii desu yo?
Good question. You boys are lucky. *walks around showing the new arrivals on display* All of these here are new arrivals. They just came in today! But since you’re a friend of Kimura I sure don’t mind giving you a discount. How about it?
Unbeknownst to them, the corner of Rukawa’s lips turn into an invisible smile. (LOL)
Rukawa: Doumo.
Thank you.
Shopkeeper: Hahaha. Saa, saa! Suki ni erandekudasai!
Hahaha. Please, please. Feel free to pick any one!
After looking around the selection for a while, Rukawa ends up picking a black Nike, which happens to be the same one Sendou’s actually considering. But since Rukawa grabs it first, Sendou kindly lets him try it on first. (Auww~ XD)
Shopkeeper: Ara, kimi mo kono model ga ii desuka?
Oh, do you like this model too?
Sendou: Ah, maa…
Ah, well…
Shopkeeper: Kono moderu
There’s a white one for this. Would
you like to give it a try?
Sendou: Ah, doumo.
Sure, thanks.
And so Sendou tries on the white one, and he likes it. Satisfied, he looks over at Rukawa’s shoes only to find that they’re a little odd on him.
Rukawa: ……
Sendou: Ki ni iranai?
You don’t like it?
Rukawa stares at
his shoes: …Wakaran.
…I can’t tell.
Shopkeeper: Fuuun… Ano… onamae wa nandeshou ka ne?
Hmmm…Oh…I haven’t asked for your
name.
Rukawa: …Rukawa Kaede.
Shopkeeper: Ah, Rukawa kun. Yappari kuro no wa chotto
iwakan arimasu ne. Shiro no hou wa dou desuka? Haitemimasen ka?
Ah, Rukawa
kun. I must say that the black one looks a little odd on you, aye. How bout you
give the white one a try?
Rukawa looks over
at the pair Sendou’s wearing: …
…I like the black one.
Shopkeeper: Sou desuka. Rukawa kun wa moshikashitara
basukebu no hito desu ka ne?
I see. Are you from the basketball
club by any chance?
Rukawa: …Sou desu kedo.
…Yes I am.
Shopkeeper: Sou desuka. Ja, jersey wa nani iro desu ka ne? Kuro?
I see. What’s the color of your
jersey? Black?
Rukawa: …Aka to shiro ssukedo.
…Red and white.
Shopkeeper: Oo, sore
Ooh, in that case I’m sure the white one will look better on you.
Rukawa stares at
Sendou’s pair: ……
Sendou: ^^; Dou? Haitemiru?
^^; How is it? Wanna give it a try?
In the end, Rukawa does end up getting the white one while Sendou takes the black one. Sendou doesn’t mind exchanging, of course. After all, he is originally going for the black one. And so the two of them stand by the cashier’s to pay for their shoes when the shopkeeper asks eagerly.
Shopkeeper: Ofutari tomo basuke tsuyosou desu ne. Doko no
koukou desu ka?
You both look real strong, aye. Which
school are you from?
Rukawa: Shouhoku.
Sendou: Ryounan.
Shopkeeper: Ooo, onaji chiimu janainda, kimi tachi?
Ooh, you’re not from the same team?
Rukawa pulls out his wallet and digs out a few thousand yen bank notes.
Shopkeeper: Souka. Ja, raibaru doushi?
I see. You’re rivals, then?
Rukawa answers
instantly: Sou desu.
Yes.
Sendou: ^^; <Sassoku da na…>
^^; <That wast fast…>
Shopkeeper: Hahaha. Souka souka. Raibaru wa ii ne. *politely takes the cash with both hands*
Hahaha. I see, I see. It’s good to
have a rival. *politely takes the cash with both hands*
Rukawa: Dakedo, yuujin demo aru.
But, we’re friends too.
Sendou’s eyes widen at Rukawa’s statement. He almost wonders if he’s heard the wrong thing but he knows he hasn’t when the shopkeeper laughs again before he says “Souka, souka!” “I see, I see.” This is definitely the first time he’s ever heard Rukawa talk about them like that. Of course, it’s not like he’s ever talked about them like that himself.
Koshino and Uozumi once asked him before in school if they’re really good friends or something, but all Sendou could ever answer was more of a “Yeah, I guess it’s something like that.” It’s not that he doesn’t think they’re good friends, but Sendou’s definitely unsure of what Rukawa thinks of them and he doesn’t want to complicate things by telling his friends anything uncertain. But now that he’s heard with his own ears what Rukawa really thinks, he can’t help but smile to himself, his heart truly contented.
Shopkeeper: Doumo arigatou gozaimasu! Mata okoshi
kudasaimase!
Thank you very much! Please come again!
The boys nod a thank you at him before they step out, happy to have gotten their new shoes at a good price. Rukawa remembers to get his bike and the two start walking home to Sendou’s place after that when Rukawa notices the odd smile on Sendou’s face.
Rukawa: Nani waratteru?
What are you smiling about?
Sendou: ^^ Nandemo nai.
^^ Nothing.
Rukawa: ……?
Sendou: ^^ Himitsu.
^^ It’s a secret.
Rukawa: -_-; ……
Along the way, Sendou asks Rukawa about how his practice went. It’s pretty much the usual basketball conversion, but neither of them minds anyway until at one point they walk past a takoyaki street stall and both their stomachs growl. They haven’t exactly had lunch after all.
Rukawa: ……
Sendou: ^^;
^^; You hungry too?
Rukawa looks over at the takoyaki stall. The smell is tempting.
Sendou: Ii nioi dane. Kaou ka?
It smells good. Wanna get some?
Rukawa looks at the bag he’s holding with his shoes inside: Okane tarinai.
I don’t have enough cash.
Sendou: Ii yo, ore ga ogoru kara. *smiles*
Don’t worry, I’m buying. *smile*
Rukawa thinks to
himself for a moment: …Ii darou.
…
Sendou smiles:
^_^ Ja, sanjukko kaou ka.
^_^ Well then, shall we buy thirty
of them?
Rukawa sweatdrops
a little: …Oosugiru daro.
…That’s too much.
Sendou: Iindayo. Bangohan no jikan mo chikai shi na. Tsuide
ni sono bun tabetemo ii daro?
It’ll be fine. It’s close to dinner
time anyway, we might as well eat more.
Rukawa: ......
And so Sendou buys thirty of them, which is like a total of five boxes, and they start eating along the way home; Sendou can’t wait for another half hour. Plus, it’s better to eat these things while they’re still hot. He is about to hand a box to Rukawa when he remembers that he can’t hold onto anything while walking his bike.
Sendou: Kore ja omae wa arukinagara taberarenai na.
I guess you can’t eat as we walk.
Rukawa: Omae ga saki ni kue.
You eat first. I’ll eat later.
Sendou:
Want me to feed you?
Rukawa: …… -_-
Sendou knows not
to press any further: ^^; Wakatta. Ja,
ittadakimaaasu~
^^; Got it.
Well then, ittadakimaaasu~
He puts an entire takoyaki ball in his mouth and bites on
it… only to regret it immediately. Instinctively he puts a hand to his mouth as
he struggles with the heat inside,
worried that he may end up spitting the takoyaki out. But that’d be gross.
>_>; And so he opens his mouth instead and tries to fan the heat away
with a hand.
Sendou: >_<!! <Acchiii!>
>_<!! <Hot!>
Rukawa facepalms
and sighs to himself: <Doahou.>
<Idiot.>
Sendou’s embarrassed. He should have known better than to put the whole thing in, especially considering that it’s so fresh. He continues to struggle with himself when he feels a pair of hands on his face, turning him around.
Rukawa: Hora yo.
Here.
While holding onto Sendou’s face, Rukawa blows into his mouth from a distance in his attempt to help. Sendou almost drops the box he has open on his hand. He can only stare at Rukawa blankly, his heart racing again. Luckily, it is only a moment of a few seconds before Rukawa lets go and casually asks.
Rukawa: Daijoubu?
You okay?
It takes Sendou so much to snap himself out of it, and once he does he covers his mouth with his hand again to swallow the food down before he can speak again.
Sendou: A…arigatou.
Ah… Thanks…
Rukawa: Kankaku wa?
You numb?
Sendou puts his
hand down: Ndaijoubu.
No I’m fine.
Rukawa shakes his
head as he resumes walking: Mattaku…
*Sigh*…
Sendou stares at Rukawa’s back as he walks ahead of him, his head full of thoughts. To be honest, he doesn’t know what to think, so the thoughts that are running through his head are in fact quite empty. More importantly, he’s got to slow down his heartbeat before the pounding gets to his ears and he can’t hear a thing. Rukawa pauses to turn around when he senses that Sendou’s far behind. He can tell that Sendou’s in a bit of a shock or something, but it’s not like he can do anything to help it.
Seeing that Rukawa’s waiting for him, Sendou catches up and the two continue their way home, eventually finishing his share of the takoyaki before they even get home.
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At Sendou’s place, Rukawa settles down sitting against the bed and finally proceeds to eat his takoyaki while Sendou goes ahead and takes his shower. Bored, Rukawa grabs the history book that he’s left there this morning to read as he eats. History sure is boring. If only this is NBA history instead. Heh. He can always dream about it.
A few minutes later, Sendou gets out of the shower with his towel over his shoulders. He has his pants on, but his top half is naked. He smiles when he sees Rukawa looking at his textbook on the edge of the bed, his chin rested against the palm of a hand. He looks bored, of course, but then again he looks bored at everything outside of basketball.
Sendou: Shinken ni benkyou shiteru na.
You look
serious.
Rukawa peers over at Sendou for two seconds before he looks back at his book.
Rukawa: Rekishi kirai.
I hate
history.
Sendou smiles again. For some reason Rukawa looks real adorable when he says that.
Sendou: NBA no rekishi dattara omowazu manten nanoni na?
Too bad it
isn’t NBA history. You’d have aced it with your eyes closed.
Rukawa kinda sweatdrops, but he shrugs it off as he gets up to throw the takoyaki boxes away as well as to wash his hands in the bathroom. At the same time, Sendou looks through his wardrobe to find himself something to wear. He’s just found himself a casual t-shirt to wear when suddenly he sneezes. Figuring he may be cold, he quickly wears the shirt only to sneeze again.
As Rukawa step out of the bathroom, Sendou quickly steps in to wash his face again with warm water. Well, it works, sort of. He then dries his face with the towel and tosses it into the laundry basket before he joins Rukawa and sits against the bed.
Sendou: Sukkiri shita…
That feels good…
Rukawa glances at
him: Doushita?
What’s wrong?
Sendou: Nn?
Hm?
Rukawa: Kaze ka.
You caught a cold?
Sendou: Iyaa, tabun chigau daro—
Nah, it’s
probably just—
He is about to finish his sentence when Rukawa leans forward and puts a hand on his forehead and the other hand on his own.
Rukawa: …Atsukunai.
…It’s not
hot.
This is too much. This has been too much. Why has he gotten so friendly? Why does he keep doing things that are misleading, things that give Sendou this false hope that he doesn’t even want. He’s been holding it back so hard and so long, he can’t afford to screw it up now. But he’s had it. He knows he can no longer stop the adrenaline inside.
With that, Sendou grabs the hand on his forehead and pulls Rukawa forward. Rukawa’s surprised, but there is no time for him to react at all before he feels Sendou’s hand on his face, his lips pressed against his.
He is shocked. His whole body tenses up as he stares at Sendou with wide open eyes. Sendou’s still kissing him. Why is that…? Why would anyone do that…? And most of all, why isn’t he resisting…? He has a hand on Sendou’s arm, the arm with the hand that’s around his face. He can pull it away or simply push Sendou anytime but… he doesn’t. Rukawa is still tense from the shock, and he can still feel the other man’s lips against him. It feels strange… He’s never been kissed before. What do people do when they kiss…? As he struggles to think, the grip on Sendou’s arm loosens, and slowly… eventually… he closes his eyes. Though only a few seconds, it feels to him like long, long moment. Perhaps longer than any of those scenes in the movies.
Sendou slowly opens his eyes as he pulls away from Rukawa, his hand still on his face. He’s afraid to look into his eyes, he’s afraid to come face to face with rejection. But he knows he can’t escape it. It’s too late to take anything back at this point; he knows he has to confront it.
Rukawa opens his eyes perhaps a second after Sendou. Unsure, he looks at Sendou in the eyes while Sendou gazes back at him. He tries to breathe but it’s rigid. He doesn’t know how to react. He doesn’t even know what to think. He just continues to look into Sendou’s eyes, wondering if he’s gonna say something.
To be honest, Sendou has expected Rukawa to look at him differently. He has expected a scowl or a frown, or even a punch. In fact, the whole time he kissed him he’s expected to receive a punch in the gut. But instead, right here right now, that man is looking at him straight in the eye. And he’s still not resisted. Not once.
Sendou bites his lip, his expression bitter. He knows Rukawa is indifferent about most things, but right now he’d really much rather that he punches him in the face than to give him that look, the look that’s hard to understand, the look that’s impossible for anyone to guess what he’s really thinking inside.
Eventually, Sendou releases Rukawa’s hand and slowly pulls him into an embrace. He gently wraps his arms around his shoulders and buries his face in his neck.
Sendou: …Nande? …Nande ore wo yuuwaku suru? …Nande
koushite ore wo sosoru?
…Why? …Why are you tempting me?
…Why are you alluring me like this?
Rukawa tenses again when he feels Sendou hold him. He doesn’t know what to do. Neither does he know what to say. He’s unsure of many things himself, things that he’s not even aware of. But at least he’s figured out one thing. He doesn’t mind that Sendou’s holding him. He doesn’t mind that he kissed him.
Sendou continues to hold him that way. He’s not about to let go until Rukawa says something. It’s been awkward enough that it can’t possibly be any more awkward. He’s determined to hear an answer. But soon he realizes that maybe he doesn’t need to hear an answer, for he feels Rukawa returning the embrace.
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Sendou wakes up in the morning to see a familiar scenario. It’s almost like a déjà vu. His left arm is numb and spread out across the bed, but there’s no one sleeping beside him. He stares at the ceiling wondering for two seconds before he remembers what’s happened last night.
He remembers the kiss he shared with Rukawa. It was so surreal but he remembers it, clearly. He also remembers that they end up spending the rest of the night studying quietly after that. All that time he has expected to face every worst possible outcome that he can imagine, but none of that happened. It was almost like a dream, only, it isn’t.
Sendou forces himself up on the bed and looks over at the clock. 6:30am, and it’s Monday. Oh right, there’s school today. He yawns a little and looks around the room to see that Rukawa’s bag is still there. Well, at least that means he didn’t run away while he’s asleep. Sendou has to got to admit, it feels weird that they’ve not spoken another word to each other since the kiss last night. He’s more than glad that Rukawa doesn’t seem to be mad, but now he’s confused as to what exactly went on for him there. He wants to hear him say something, anything, but he knows better than to push it. Rukawa will say something when he wants to. He’s that kind of person. And Sendou should know it better than anyone.
He’s still thinking to himself when Rukawa steps out of the bathroom. He’s wearing his school uniform; he must have brought it with him either yesterday or the day before. They look at each other awkwardly in silence for a moment before Rukawa walks over to grab his bag.
Rukawa: …Saki ni iku.
…I’ll leave
first.
Sendou watches him quietly for a second before he gets up to stop him by the doorway.
Sendou: Matte.
Wait.
Rukawa doesn’t flinch when Sendou grabs him by the wrist. Instead, he stands there looking at him, waiting to hear what he’s going to say. On the other hand, Sendou thought he has something to say, but he forgets the words when he sees Rukawa look at him like that. Not knowing what to say, Sendou decides to just go with his heart and leans over, kissing him softly on the lips. And Rukawa lets him.
A few seconds later after the both of them open their eyes, Sendou finally asks.
Sendou: …Gakkou to renshuu ga owattara… mukae ni ittemo
ii?
…Can I…
pick you up after school and practice?
Rukawa remains quiet. He simply nods his head softly before he hangs his bag over his shoulder and leaves the apartment while Sendou watches him until he disappears on his bike. Rukawa may not have seen it, but he knows that he’s left a smile on Sendou’s face.
------------------------------------------
Later in the day, Sendou’s already waiting somewhat anxiously by Shohoku’s gate. Before he left Ryonan after practice, Koshino has asked him why he looks so happy today. Sendou paused to think of how he could answer, but he never did. Koshino sighed and then asked if he’s going to see his ‘girlfriend’ to which Sendou sweatdropped. Sendou couldn’t even remember if Koshino even knew that he had long broken up with Rina and was thinking about what to say in response when Koshino advised him to hurry up and leave in case Taoka sensei catches him and pulls him into another interrogation session.
Sendou does not want to make Rukawa wait in case he’s late and that’s why he has taken a cab. Besides, that way he can get away from his coach as soon as he gets out of the school gate. It’s funny how things turn out this way, so confusing yet not really. Sendou can’t even begin to imagine how hard it would be for him to answer Taoka sensei if he questions him about Rukawa again. After all, Taoka won’t actually be wrong this time.
Sighing to himself, Sendou leans against the school gate wall as he fidgets with his cell phone. He wonders if he should text message Rukawa to tell him that he’s here, but he doesn’t want to give him the impression that he’s impatient. And so he continues to fidget with his phone until someone greets him.
Mitsui: Sendou?
Sendou stops
leaning against the wall: Ah, Mitsui san.
Mitsui smiles: Rukawa wo sagashiteru no ka?
Looking for Rukawa?
Sendou: Maa… *smiles in embarrassment* Un.
Well… *smiles in embarrassment* Yea.
Mitsui: Aitsu wa taiikukan no souji wo shiteru tokoro
da. Jikan kakaru kamoshirenai kara, naka hairanai?
He’s cleaning up the gym at the
moment. Why not you go in? Who knows how long he’ll take.
Sendou: Iya, koko de iindesu.
Actually,
I’ll be fine here.
Mitsui: Fuun, ja ore ga tsutaeteyarou ka, omae ga koko
de matteru tte.
Hmm… How bout I go in and tell him
you’re waiting for him here?
Sendou: Aiya, sono…
Uh…that…
Mitsui: Tereru koto wa nai. Ja, koko de mattero yo.
No need to be shy. Just wait here.
And so Mitsui goes back to the gym to pass the message to Rukawa, leaving Sendou no choice but to wait by the gate. It seems that most everyone assumes that the only reason Sendou would come here to Shohoku is to look for Rukawa, which makes him wonder if they still believe they’re an item or if they think they’re just close friends. Not that it makes much of a difference now that things are starting to get a little more complicated.
Soon enough, Sendou sees Rukawa walking out with his bike. He pauses by the gate where he sees Sendou greet him casually with a smile and wave. Sendou seems to be behaving as per normal, but he knows inside he’s actually pretty nervous, only, he’s trying his best to ignore it. Rukawa greets him back silently and almost invisibly with a very light nod before he continues walking his bike out of the gate with Sendou beside him.
Mitsui: Fuuuun… *he rubs his chin as he peeks
from behind a wall* Kore wa ittai dou iu
kankei nandaro?
Hmmm… *he rubs his chin as he peeks from behind a wall* What kind of relationship do you think this is?
Miyagi rubs his
chin as well: Sendou wa kinchou shiteru
you ni mieru na.
Sendou sure looks nervous.
Sakuragi pokes
his head out above the other two:
You think so too??
Mitsui: Tte koto wa aitsura mou dekiten no ka?
Does that mean they’re finally
together?
Miyagi: Saa? Rukawa no koto dakara wakarinikui.
Who knows? It’s hard to tell with
Rukawa.
Sakuragi: Sendou no yatsu me ga warui ne! Ittai ano
bakagitsune no doko ga iindayo?
That Sendou sure has no taste!
What’s so good about that stupid fox anyway?
Mitsui: Ore wa tsukiatteru koto ni 1000 yen!
I bet a thousand yen on them together!
Ayako looms behind them: Anta tachi…
You boys…
Ayako smacks her deadly harisen at the three of them.
Ayako: Nani kosokoso hito wo nozoiten no yo!
What are you peeking at!
On the other side, Sendou and Rukawa are still walking together in silence. They are already a few blocks away from school but neither of them has started a conversation. In fact, god knows where they’re even heading for at the moment. After walking a few more steps, Sendou decides to give in.
Sendou: …Na.
…Hey.
Rukawa looks a little sideways at Sendou.
Sendou: Oretachi wa ima… nan nandarou.
So uh……What exactly are we now?
Rukawa remains quiet.
Sendou waits to
hear an answer but doesn’t get any: …Kore
tte… “tsukiai” nano ka?
…Is this… what they call “dating”?
Rukawa stares at the ground, still quiet.
Sendou keeps
quiet too, but not for long: …Nanimo
iwanakattara ore wakara—
…If you don’t say anything I won’t
kno—
Rukawa interrupts:
I don’t mind.
Sendou peers over at Rukawa who only looks at him in the eye for a second before he turns back at the ground ahead of him, unsure of what he means by that.
Rukawa: …
…I don’t mind it that way.
Though only for a very brief moment, Sendou is convinced that Rukawa looked shy when he said that. He doesn’t have to look at him straight in the face to tell. And now that Rukawa has given him an answer, he can’t help but smile to himself, a smile so happy and pure.
Sendou: Souka… *smiles* Oretachi wa tsukiatterunda…
I see… *smiles* …So we are dating……
Rukawa: …… *looks away* …Baka.
…… *looks away* …Idiot.
--------------------
Thanks to actually having studied for it (even if it was somewhat half-assed), Rukawa passes his mid-year exams and secures his ticket (more like permission) to go for the nationals. Luckily for Shohoku, the three other mondaiji (problematic kids) also manage to pass with Sakuragi just barely touching the passing grade.
On the other hand, Sendou's doing fine as well, passing all his papers pretty decently. On the last day of their exams, Sendou suggests that they should go out and celebrate a little, and to anticipate and welcome the nationals which are just right around the corner. In fact, it's just the week right after.
Knowing that he'll soon be gone for several days or maybe even a week or two, Rukawa agrees. Well, to be honest that's probably no different to every other day that they've spent together since the day that their relationship began. It was exams period at that time, but the two meet after school to study together and have dinner everyday anyway. If it wasn't for exams, they would have spent hours playing basketball together too.
It amazes Sendou how compromising and honest with himself Rukawa is. For a few days he has troubled himself thinking of how he's ever going to be able to try hold Rukawa's hand, especially when he always has his accursed bike with him. In fact, he's wanted to hold his hand since that very day he confirmed their relationship, but alas Rukawa was walking his bike, leaving Sendou no choice but to wait for the next opportunity. Luckily, that opportunity comes around soon the next day.
In their attempt to prevent themselves from getting distracted, the two originally plan to study at Sendou's place for a few hours before allowing themselves to play some basketball for a while in the evening. However, both of them grow hungry by the time they get home and so they decide to get some take away food nearby. They are walking towards the bentou store side by side while Sendou tries gathering his courage to go for his first attempt when a reckless cyclist zips past them, almost hitting Rukawa.
Out of instinct, Sendou grabs Rukawa’s hand and pulls him towards him to get him out of the bike's way. Rukawa turns his head around to stare at the cyclist's back when he hears some people go “Aah!” and “Doko mitendayo!?” “Watch where you’re going!” behind him. The cyclist hasn't run into anyone as far as they can see, but still he doesn't escape getting internally cursed by Rukawa.
Sendou can't care less about the cyclist or the other street people at this moment and asks Rukawa if he's okay, to which Rukawa simply replies with a soft “Un.” Heaving a sigh of relief, Sendou puts an arm around Rukawa's shoulder while continuing to hold his hand, hugging him for a moment before he lets go. After that, the two continue to walk quietly hand in hand.
It is a blessing in disguise, perhaps. Rukawa may have cursed for the man to crash into a tree or something out of a moment's annoyance, but Sendou is secretly grateful about it. His good mood continues when Rukawa surprises him by asking him for one of the purikura stickers they previously took. Sendou's curious as to what Rukawa's planning to do with it, but he smiles when he sees him paste it on his wallet, though on the inside.
Before they know it, the nationals have arrived and it's time for Shohoku to resume their quest of conquer. Sendou wants to send Rukawa off at the train station, but he knows that it'll be awkward considering the whole team's presence. So instead he gives him his best wishes the previous night before Rukawa bikes home from his place. It's a shame that he cannot be there to watch him, but he promises that he'll be there waiting at the train station when they come back.
It isn't long before Shohoku successfully defeats Toyotama in round one of the nationals, and then followed by Sannoh. While the team celebrates their victory streak, Rukawa would text message Sendou informing him of their results. Sendou isn't surprised, of course, for he knows of Shohoku's strength and believe that they can pull through the nationals. However, he certainly does not underestimate the nationals’ level and prays for Shohoku's continued success, only to be at a loss soon after when he receives Rukawa's message that they've lost to Aiwa Gakuin in the third round.
(Note: I actually have not finished reading the Slam Dunk manga when I wrote this. So please forgive me if there are any inconsistenties.)
It is a tough moment of reality for Shohoku to swallow. They have put their everything, practically betting all of which they have on this nationals only to fail near the end. While the experience they've gained is invaluable, it is still a high price to pay considering that two out of five of Shohoku's starting members are in their third year and they won't be around again for next year.
Worried about how Rukawa may be doing, Sendou gives him a call that night.
Sendou: Rukawa…?
Rukawa: ……Un.
……Yea.
Sendou: …Yuushou dekinakute… zannen da…
…I’m sorry to hear Shohoku didn’t
win…
Rukawa: ……
Sendou can tell that Rukawa is still bitter about their loss.
Sendou: …Kuyashii darou kedo, hito ni mono wo
butsuketai to nareba, ore ga iru kara.
…I know you
must be upset but if you need someone to vent to, you’ve always got me.
Rukawa doesn't actually know how he can help himself at this moment either.
Sendou: Shouhoku wa itsu Kanagawa ni modoru?
When are you coming back?
Rukawa: …Ashita, gogo juuni ji ni shuppatsu suru.
…Tomorrow. We leave at noon.
Sendou: Souka. Wakatta. Eki no deguchi de matteru kara.
I see. Alright. I’ll be waiting for
you then.
------------------------
It's 1:30 in the afternoon and Sendou's waiting by the exit near the checkout point. It takes about an hour to get from Hiroshima back to town by the bullet train, so it's right about time Shohoku arrives. Of course, Sendou has to skip practice for this and Taoka’s probably fuming again at this very moment but Sendou has got a plan, sort of. Instead of just skipping practice, he’s actually skipped the whole day of school pretending that he’s sick. It’s not like Taoka will believe him anyway, but at least it’s still more convincing.
It’s now 1:45pm and Sendou starts to get a little worried; he's tempted to message Rukawa and ask if everything is okay but he resists it. As he paces back and forth a little, he finally notices a group of people in school uniform walking over, along with their coach.
Rukawa walks near the back, looking as solemn as the rest of them. This defeat has sure hit them hard, and Sendou can understand their pain, for his team has lost the chance to enter the nationals itself this year. He softly smiles at Rukawa when he finally looks up to see him, a smile of comfort and understanding.
Rukawa: <Sendou…>
Rukawa walks up to him quietly, the rest of his team quiet as well; even Sakuragi is too devastated to be his usual self at this point. Sendou watches Rukawa as he approaches and stops in front of him, his eyes looking down at the floor. He wants to comfort him somehow; he has to, for he has no intention of letting him stay down forever.
With that, he steps one foot forward and gently pulls him into an embrace, one arm around his shoulder, a hand on his head. They continue to stay that way for perhaps half a minute before Sendou finally says something.
Sendou: Donmai. Mada… rainen ga aru kara. Dakara…
Don’t worry. …There’s always next
year. That’s why…
Rukawa looks into Sendou's eyes, searching for assurance.
Sendou: Mina de ganbarou. Shouhoku mo. Ryounan mo.
Let’s continue to do our best. Both
Shohoku and Ryonan.
It is a shame that that cannot be applied to Akagi, Mitsui and Kogure, but they have now come to terms with it. They have done their best and they have no regrets. Though they truly wish to continue on with this team, they know that eventually they'll have to move on. At the very least, they also know that this is not the end of their basketball life, for there's always the university and better yet, a true professional basketball career ahead of them to look forward to.
After separating ways with the team, Rukawa walks home (his place) with Sendou, hand in hand. However, he's no longer quiet as he starts telling Sendou everything that has happened, every bit of his experience along with the opponents that he's faced. It is a rare sight to hear him talk this much, but Sendou understands that he needs to let it out somehow and he's more than happy to be his listening ear.
They continue to walk home for a while talking and listening when suddenly Rukawa feels a tap on his shoulder, along with a voice in a foreign language he's familiar, yet not so familiar, with.
A very tall man: (In true English) Excuse me, could you please tell us how to get to the train station from here?
The two turn around only to be shocked to see who it is standing in front of them. Michael Jordan is with his wife, both of them
carrying a large backpack each along with a huge map in their hands. As far as
the boys can tell, they’re probably backpack-traveling. Unfortunately, Rukawa
is too stunned to react, and so Sendou tries his best to answer their question
with his limited English.
Sendou: Ano, koko kara sutoreeto *points
to his front* fifutiin minitto uokingu. *He does a ‘15’ with his fingers, then points to his watch before he does the ‘walking’
finger motion* Sono ato, berii tooru burakku tatemono *does another hand motion* ga mietara, migi ni *does a turn hand
signal* taan shimasu. Torein suteeshon wa sugu soko ni
arimasu.
(Note that the
italicized words are katakana English, aka Japlish. Also, his grammar’s
obviously messed up.)
Um, from
here go sutoreeto *points to his
front* Fifutiin minitto uokingu. *He
does a ‘15’ with his fingers, then points to his watch before he does the ‘walking’
finger motion* And then, when you see berii
tooru burakku building *does another hand motion* taan right. *does a turn hand signal* Torein suteeshon is right there.
Wife: ^^; Um, Michael, did you get that?
Michael: Uh… I think? ^^; *turns to Sendou* Well thank you very much for your help.
We really appreciate it.
The two are about to
go off in the direction Sendou points at when Rukawa finally wakes up to say
his first words to the man.
Rukawa: Cho-chotto matte kudasai!
Wai- Please
wait!
Michael and wife pause
and look back at the boy, wondering if he has something to ask. They may not
understand Japanese, but they remembering hearing this one several times
before. And though they may be tourists in a foreign country, they are aware
that there are people who are likely to recognize them all over the world. Namely
the husband. After holding them back, Rukawa hastily asks Sendou for help.
Rukawa: Sendou, shaapu pen motteru?
Sendou,
please tell me you have a marker.
Sendou: Eh? Wakaranai. Chotto sasgasu.
Huh? I
don’t know. Lemme look.
Luckily for Rukawa, Sendou
finds a marker in his bag; he has brought his bag with him to keep his
basketball in for a short self-practice before he picks Rukawa up. He now
remembers that they’ve recently used the marker as a little game of punishment
for the losing team during practice. At the same time, Rukawa digs out for his
red Shohoku jersey (as there’s nothing else he can find) in his bag and pulls
it out when Sendou’s found his pen. Holding the jersey and the pen with both
hands, Rukawa bows over formally and asks the basketball professional for the
biggest favor he’s ever asked anyone.
Rukawa: Koko de sign onegai shimasu. Puriizu.
I’d like an
autograph. Puriizu.
Michael blinks at the
boy for a few times, but then he gets it and gladly takes the jersey and pen in
his hand, smiling at his enthusiasm.
Michael: Sure thing, but I’d have to borrow your back to sign this if you don’t
mind.
Rukawa doesn’t
understand what he said, and neither does Sendou, but body language and hand
gestures often work wonders. In a few seconds, Rukawa finds himself holding
onto and looking at what could just be his most invaluable possession. Michael Jordan
has signed a giant signature over the front of his jersey to the bottom right
of the number “11”. After staring at it deeply for a few seconds, Rukawa bows
at them.
Rukawa: Sankyu berii macchi.
Seeing that Rukawa got
himself a signature, Sendou decides that he may as well do the same just as a
sort of souvenir, a memento. He ends up having Michael Jordan sign on the
basketball he has in his bag and thanks him for it. The two are finally about
to proceed to the train station again when Rukawa gathers all his courage to say
one last thing to them.
Rukawa: Wan dei, ai uiru join za NBA.
(Note: It means “One day I will join the
NBA”)
Michael looks at him,
somewhat taken aback. But then he starts to smile.
Michael: That’s a very bold statement. I like that.
Rukawa: <…? Rikai dekinai…>
<…? I
can’t understand…>
Michael: Well, good luck to you
boys. I sure look forward to seeing you again on the same court some day.
And that’s when they
finally leave, and the two boys continue to stare at their backs until they
disappear around the corner. Sendou then looks over at Rukawa. He’s still
staring off into the distance, holding tightly onto his jersey. He knows what
he’s thinking. He knows what’s running through his head. And to be honest, he’s
a little worried. The goal of his life has just appeared in front of him
manifested in the form of a man, Michael Jordan. And he has just lost in the
nationals. He understands the frustration he must be feeling to have gotten so
close to his goal, but which is yet
so far in reality. Sometimes, in a way, he almost feels glad to think that
while he may be a skilled player with expectations from people all over the
nation, he doesn’t have the same kind of fire in him that Rukawa has. The fire
with a desire, an ambition, to burn as bright and tall as possible regardless of
wind and rain. After all, he doesn’t remember ever thinking of joining the NBA.
Dismissing these
thoughts, Sendou reaches over to hold Rukawa’s hand again before he smiles at
him, proud.
Sendou: Sugoi sengen da ne. Ano kata ga amerika ni modottemo omae no koto wo
oboetekureru daro.
That’s one
hell of a statement. I’m sure he’ll remember you even after he goes back to the
states.
Rukawa quietly looks down at his jersey: ……
Sendou: Demo yo, yappari sono mae ni, eigo wo ganbaranai to na.
But before
that, I guess we really gotta brush up on our English… ^^;
Rukawa: -_-## Eigo hetakuso no wa socchi daro.
-_-##
You’re the one who suck.
Sendou laughs and
apologizes. He has been worried if it’ll be a gloomy day for Rukawa all day
today considering Shohoku’s defeat. He has thought that maybe the only way to help
him is to let him vent everything at him. But here they are now, their spirits
lightened thanks to heaven’s little blessing. It makes Sendou happy to see the
light back in Rukawa’s eyes. And it gives Rukawa hope that the future is full
of possibilities, and that time is still on his side for him to change things,
for him to realize his dream.
--------------------------
A few days later (they have been given a few days' break)
during Shohoku's first practice after the nationals...
Rukawa: Senpai.
Ayako: Ara, doushita no? <Atashi ni koe kakeru
nante mezurashii wa.>
Oh, what’s
wrong? <This is rare of him to talk to me.>
Rukawa:
It’s about
my number eleven jersey…
Ayako: Un. *continues to listen*
Uh huh? *continues to listen*
Rukawa: …Senjitsu yogoreteshimatta kara atarashii no chuumon shitemo ii ssuka?
…I dirtied
it the other day and I was thinking if I could order a new one.
Ayako: Ara, yogoreta?
You dirtied
it?
Sakuragi's ears
perk up immediately: <Hoo??
Yo.go.re.ta. da to??>
<OoO? He dirtied it??>
Sakuragi slinks over to Rukawa's side and elbows him in the ribs, wiggling his
eyebrows. It's actually not a surprise to many of them that he's managed to
stand back up on his feet and return to his normal self again so soon after
their defeat. He may be stubborn, and
he may be clumsy. But at the same time, he's also unbelievably optimistic,
coupled with a ton of determination.
They may have lost this time, but he's sworn to himself that they will just
have to return their opponents the favor next time, without fail.
Sakuragi (still elbowing Rukawa): Are…??
OooO? You dirtied your jersey, you say? *an extremely wide grin shows up on his face* I wonder what got on it???
All of those who know what he's getting at grow red in their cheeks, especially
Miyagi.
Ayako: Yogoretara araeba iinjanai?
Can’t you
just wash it?
Rukawa: Sore ga…
About that…
Ayako: ……?
Rukawa: …Araccha dame desu…
I can’t.
Ayako: Ara, doushite?
Oh? Why
not?
Rukawa: ……
Everyone else eavesdrops.
Rukawa: …
…I got someone to sign on it.
Everyone looks even more curious.
Ayako: Sign…? *tilts her head* Dare no?
Sign? *tilts her head* Who
signed it?
She can't ever imagine Rukawa having an idol. The image alone of him running
after some celebrity is enough to give her goose bumps.
Rukawa: ……
All: ……? *ultra curious*
Rukawa: ……Maikeru Joodan.
Ayako: ._. ...Are？
._. …What?
Everyone else but
Sakuragi: EEEEH?!
Sakuragi: ._. Haa? Nani? Nani nani??
._. Huh?
What? What, what??
Miyagi: U-uso daro??
You’re
kidding!
Mitsui: Maji kayo??
You can’t
be serious!
Akagi: Maikeru Joodan… *is still surprised*
Seeing that everyone else seems to be in shock, Sakuragi wonders to himself
what big star it could have been for everyone to react so greatly.
Sakuragi: Mai keru joudan…?
My…Girl…
Jaw…Den…?
Miyagi: Masaka omae, ano hito wo shiranai toka iunjanai
yo ne.
Oh come on, don’t tell me you don’t know him.
Sakuragi thinks
for a moment: Fun! Kono tensai ni
shiranai mono nante nai wai!
Hmph! A
tensai like me knows everything!
Mitsui: Hoo, ja ittemiro?
Oh yeah?
Let’s hear it.
Sakuragi: Ou! Itteyarou janee ka! Mai Keru Joudan
wa… ano itsumo “Au! Au!” utatteru kokujin no koto daro??
Fine, I’ll
tell you! My Girl Jaw Den is… that black dude who keeps going “Ow! Ow!” when he
sings, right??
Everyone: ._______. .................
And then they burst into laughter, except Miyagi, who actually feels embarrassed
that he's actually going out with someone
of such incomparable stupidity.
Miyagi: Kono BAKA! *whacks him
in the head* Are wa Maikeru Jakkuson da!
You stupid
IDIOT! *whacks him in the head* That’s
Sakuragi puts his hands to his head: T__T Nande ore wo nagurundayo?? Onaji hito nandaro?
T__T Why do
you have to hit me?? Isn’t that the same guy?
Miyagi: -_-# Chigau wai!
-_-# Course not!
In the end, Ayako agrees to get a
At the end of practice, sadly, Akagi announces that he will be leaving the
team, along with Kogure, and that this will be their last practice with
Shohoku's team. Mitsui, however, states that he will continue to stay with the
team until the end of the winter tournament as he wishes to stay with them and basketball for as long as he can in his
attempt to fill in the blank from
the past two years which he greatly regrets.
Even though Shohoku is sad to lose two important figures, they know that they
will continue to strive for this year has been a good stepping stone. A great
one in fact. Everyone is excited to anticipate exactly how much more Sakuragi
will grow before he even closes in on his potential. On the other hand, Rukawa
can't wait to challenge himself even further. He has to improve himself by a giant leap
soon if he were to realize his goal and that desire has only grown larger and
stronger since the day he met that man.
In a way, he has almost forgotten about their defeat in the nationals. Cause at
this moment, all he's thinking about, all he's ever looking at, is to go beyond
himself. It's no longer a competition with other people; it's a competition
with the self. He knows he has to get past himself before he should even think
of getting past others, be it the nationals or the NBA. For that very reason,
Rukawa now dedicates himself even more to basketball, even though the way most
people see it, he's already dedicated himself fully to basketball since the very beginning. But Sendou can tell.
Sendou can tell the difference in Rukawa.
He can see the extra two hundred percent that he's giving in to his first love.
It may be invisible to most people but it shows. It shows in the way he plays
his game, it shows in the way he refuses to waste any single hour of the day on
anything else. Sendou understands him. He knows what it is that defines Rukawa
itself. This is what he is, who he is. He can't make him change his very own
essence just because he's starting to feel somewhat lonely.
Rukawa has asked him to play one-on-one again one afternoon. He's determined to beat him this time while Sendou's
determined to keep his winning streak. After all, he doesn't quite wish to
think of how things may just change between them if he loses. It's the only
thing Sendou's got to keep as a trump card, a way of keeping Rukawa by his side.
It's cowardly, he knows, but he also knows that it's the only practical way.
It is so close. 9 points to 9. Rukawa's got the ball and he's dribbling it at
an unpredictable pace between his legs. Sendou remembers this move. Rukawa
rarely uses it, but he remembers as it’s the first technique he used against
him to enter his first ball in the second half of the game during the final
Ryonan Vs Shohoku match.
He watches Rukawa closely, prepared to block him no matter which way he intends to go. That’s when Rukawa goes for a sudden offense and penetrates through his defense, immediately dashing for the goal. Sendou has anticipated this; he catches up swiftly and leaps to block Rukawa’s dunk. But he hasn’t expected Rukawa to feign that and successfully score his final goal with a double clutch dunk.
Both of them land on the ground panting, their backs bent with their hands on their knees. Rukawa hasn’t said a word, and Sendou waits to see if he’d say something, but he remains quiet as he continues to take a breather. After a minute’s rest, Sendou quietly walks over and puts a hand on Rukawa’s shoulder, smiling.
Sendou:
Congratulations.
Rukawa straightens his
back and looks back at Sendou, quiet.
Sendou: Mata tsuyokunatta na.
You got stronger
again.
Rukawa looks back down
at the ground, his expression serious.
Rukawa: Mada da. Mada tarinai.
Not yet.
This is not enough.
The smile slowly
disappears from Sendou’s face. He’s getting this feeling that is hard to
describe, a feeling he doesn’t like.
Rukawa: Motto… Motto tsuyokunaritai.
I want… I
want to be stronger.
And then, he turns
around to pick up the ball by the fence before throwing it back at Sendou.
Rukawa: Mou ikkai yarou.
One more
round.
-----------------------------------
It’s night time and Rukawa’s
staying over at Sendou’s place. He may not have shown it on his face, but he remembers
that he has just beaten Sendou for the first time that evening. He can’t deny
that he’s pleased, but at the same time he knows that that is nothing compared
to the level that he has to eventually reach to fulfill his dream. Still,
thanks to that he’s in a decently good mood, and he prefers to have some company
in a mood like this.
The two have had
dinner, along with shower, an hour or two ago. At the moment, they’re just
relaxing on the bed, flipping through a few magazines. Well, to put it
accurately, both of them are lying on the bed on their sides, but Rukawa’s the
one flipping through an NBA magazine, and Sendou’s just reading along behind
him, one arm over his head and the other over his hip.
Well okay, that’s not
true. Sendou isn’t reading. His eyes are staring at the magazine but his mind
definitely isn’t there. It feels so odd. Rukawa’s right here so close beside
him, yet at the same time he feels so distant. That feeling he’s been getting
recently is also getting to his head, frustrating him yet he doesn’t know what
he can do about it. Rukawa hasn’t done anything wrong. He’s just being himself,
and it’s not like Sendou doesn’t know how he’s like.
But there is something
he doesn’t know. Or rather, something that he didn’t know. And now he thinks he’s beginning to understand it. For
the first time ever, he thinks he’s starting to understand how Rina must have
felt. How hard and ironic it must have been… to realize that you’re jealous of
basketball.
Sendou: Rukawa.
Rukawa looks at him over his shoulder: ……?
Sendou:
I lost…
Rukawa keeps quiet but continues to listen: ……
Sendou: …Maketara…… mou ore wo oikaketekonai no ka.
Now that
I’ve lost… does it mean you won’t come after me anymore?
Rukawa furrows his
eyebrows a little, surprised to hear Sendou say such a thing. He shifts his
body a little so that he can look at his face properly.
Rukawa: Nani itteru.
What are
you talking about? Just because I defeated you once doesn’t mean I’ve truly
defeated you as a player.
Sendou is quiet. He
continues to look into Rukawa’s eyes, but his expression is solemn.
Sendou: Ja, moshi ore ga kanpai shitara…… mou ore wa hitsuyou janakunaru no ka.
Then what if I completely lose…? Would you not need me anymore…
Rukawa blinks in surprise.
He doesn’t know what to say to him. To be honest, he doesn’t even quite
understand what he means by that. He can only stare back into his eyes,
wondering why they look so sad. On the other hand, Sendou feels a lump in his
throat. It’s making him somewhat hard to breathe and it’s even harder for him
to find the next words to say.
Why isn’t Rukawa
answering him? Is that his way of avoiding the question? Or is he still trying
to figure out the answer for himself? Sendou doesn’t know. At this point his
mind isn’t exactly rational. He’s realized just how much he loves this man and
he’s not even sure how it all began. All he knows is that he doesn’t want them
to end up the way he and Rina did.
As he runs these thoughts
through his head, Sendou leans over to kiss Rukawa on his lips. Rukawa is surprised,
but he lets him and kisses back softly. They continue to kiss ever so gently
until Rukawa flinches when he feels Sendou’s hand slide under his shirt. Breaking
the kiss, he automatically stops Sendou’s hand with his own as he stares into
the man’s eyes, his breathing slightly rigid.
Both men remain quiet
for a while. It is an awkward situation but they know that they can’t just
escape it. Finally, Sendou moves a hand up to brush his fingers across Rukawa’s
face.
Sendou: Motto omae ni chikazukitai…… Omae no zenbu wo mitai…… Kanjitai……
I want to
get closer to you…… I want to see all of you… feel all of you……
Rukawa continues to look into his eyes, nervous when he comes to realize what Sendou is asking
from him.
Sendou: Omae ga iya
I won’t do
it if you say no…… So please…… say something……
Slowly, Rukawa moves
his other hand up to hold Sendou’s in his by his cheek. It takes him a few
seconds, but he does say it.
Rukawa: Kamawanai……
I don’t
mind……
For a moment it looks
almost as if a tear’s going to trickle down Sendou’s face but it didn’t. Touched,
he smiles at Rukawa and tightens the grip on his hand before he leans over to
kiss him again. Rukawa can’t deny that he’s scared, cause he is. His body’s
tense and his fingers tremble as they intertwine with Sendou’s, but he knows
that it’ll be alright. He knows that he won’t regret it. Not with Sendou.
---------------------------
Sendou wakes up the
next morning to the noise of shower in the bathroom. He stares at the bathroom
door for a moment before he remembers what happened last night. He looks to his
side to see the bed sheets ruffled. No, it wasn’t a dream. His heart races a little
from the thought as he sits up on the bed, the blanket sliding down to his hip.
He’s all naked; he’d better find something to wear before things get more
awkward than it already is.
Sendou has just put on
his pants that he finds on the floor when Rukawa steps out of the bathroom. He’s
changed into his school uniform and looks all ready for school. The two of them
clumsily stare at each other in silence for a moment, not knowing what to say. Eventually,
Rukawa breaks the eye contact and picks up his bag.
Rukawa: Saki ni iku…
I’m leaving
first.
Sendou: Rukawa!
Quickly, Sendou walks
over to hold him back by his hand. There’s still one more question he’s been
meaning to ask for a while, only, he’s too afraid. But he’s not going to run
away from it this time. Not anymore. He gazes at Rukawa intently and in a low
voice, he asks.
Sendou: Kore wo kiku no mo nandakedo, sunao ni kotaete kureru?
I know I
shouldn’t ask this but can you please answer me honestly?
Rukawa continues to
look at him without averting his eyes.
Sendou:
Who would
you choose? …Basketball or me…?
Rukawa stares at him for a long time as Sendou patiently waits for an answer. He remembers where he’s
once heard this before. He also remembers what the answer has been. But he will
not lie to himself. Not to anyone. Especially not to Sendou.
Rukawa: Ryouhou to mo……
I choose……
His gaze grows soft as
he continues.
Rukawa: Erabu.
…both of
you.
Sendou’s expression remains more or less unchanged. Is
he reaction-less because of
disappointment? Or is he reaction-less
because he’s expected that answer?
Rukawa:
And you?
That’s when Sendou
reacts. He blinks as he continues to look at Rukawa in the eyes.
Rukawa: Omae wa docchi wo erabu?
Who would
you choose?
Sendou has thought
about the possible answers he may get. He has also thought about the possible
reactions Rukawa may give. But he has never thought for him to return him that
very question. Perhaps it’s a minute, or maybe it’s more than that, but
eventually Sendou pulls Rukawa into an embrace as he whispers into his ear.
Sendou: Ryouhou tomo……
I……
Feeling Rukawa return
the embrace, he tightens his arms around him passionately.
Sendou: Ai shiteru.
I love both
of you.
Somewhere in his
heart, a voice is telling him.
<Omae mo Rukawa no
naka de…… basuke to onajiku taisetsu ni nattandane……>
<It
seems like… you’re now as important as basketball to Rukawa after all…>
---------------------------
A few days later, Shohoku
is having their usual practice when Anzai makes an announcement.
Anzai: Mina san, ikinari desu ga, kyou wa korekara ichijikan go, Ryounan to
renshuujiai wo suru koto ni narimashita.
Everyone, I
know this is sudden but we’ll be having a practice match with Ryonan in an hour.
All of them: Eeeeh??!
Two them: Mata ikinari desukaa??
No way!
The second year students: Ryounan??
Anzai: Hoh hoh hoh……
Miyagi, who is now
appointed as captain steps forward to ask in curiosity.
Miyagi: Ano, Anzai sensei, doushite kondo mo mata ikinari desuka?
Um, Anzai
sensei. Why is it so sudden again this time?
Anzai: Hoh hoh hoh… Mukou no kantoku ga wazawaza—
Hoh hoh
hoh… Their coach came all the way here and—
Everyone interrupts out of reflex: Mata ka yo?!
Not again??
Miyagi: Dewa, doushite sensei wa imagoro ni oshietekuretan ssuka?
In that
case, why did you tell us only now?
Anzai: Hoh hoh hoh……
Everyone awaits his
reply.
Anzai: Sumimasen, wasuremashita node.
I’m sorry,
I forgot.
A few of the boys fall
over.
Sakuragi: Ooo!! Joutou janee ka! Ryounan demo nandemo
kakattekoi ya! Kocchi date aitebusoku de iraira shitendakarana!
Oooh!! Ain’t
that just great! I don’t care if it’s Ryonan or whatever, just bring it all on!
I’ve been itching to finally get some real challenge around here.
Miyagi: OI! *whacks him in the head* Aitebusoku tte nandayo, aitebusoku??
OI! *whacks
him in the head* What do you mean “finally get some real challenge”??
Soon enough, team Ryonan
arrives along with their coach Taoka, who
repeatedly bows and thanks Anzai for agreeing to his request despite the short
notice. As both teams warm up and
prepare for the match, Ayako sits by her manager desk and readies her pen and
notebook. She believes that this will be a good practice match for both teams
and that it may help them regain their morale and to reevaluate the team’s
strengths and weaknesses for the upcoming year. She is about to shout to both
teams telling them that they have three more minutes to warm up when Anzai says
something to her and all the people at the bench.
Anzai: Rainen wa kono chiimu de zenkoku wo mezasu no de, chiimu no chikara wo
hakarinaosu hitsuyou ga arimasu. Rainen de wa, Akagi kun to Mitsui kun ga inai
no desukeredomo, mada Miyagi kun, Sakuragi kun, soshite Rukawa kun ga imasu.
Soshite rainen nimo mata atarashii jidai no buin ga arawareru deshou.
Hatashite, Ryounan to Shouhoku, rainen wa dochira no chiimu ga ue ni iku deshou
ka. Hoh hoh hoh…
Since we
will be going to the nationals next year with this team, it will be necessary
to reevaluate the team’s strength. We may not have Akagi kun and Mitsui kun
with us next year, but we still have Miyagi kun, Sakuragi kun and Rukawa kun. Also,
I very much look forward to the new members who may be joining us next year. In
the end, I wonder which team between Shohoku and Ryonan will rise to the top.
Hoh hoh hoh…
Ayako and all the boys
on the bench sweatdrop at their coach’s unexpected sarcasm. On the other side,
Hikoichi prepares his pen and notebook as well as he asks his coach in curiosity.
Hikoichi: Kantoku, Shouhoku to renshuujiai wo suru cchuu no wa ii idea yakedo, doushite konna ni mo
ikinari desu ka?
Coach, it’s
a good idea to have a practice match with Shohoku but why did you decide this
all of a sudden?
Taoka, however, is not
exactly listening to him as he’s busy mumbling to himself.
Taoka: Fufufu… Mattero yo, Sendou. Mou uso tsukenaiyou, kondo koso shippo wo
tsukamaeteyaru kara na! --> he sure hasn’t caught up with old news… LOL
Hehehe…
Just you wait, Sendou. This time I will find out the truth for sure and then you can’t ever lie to me again! ! -->
he sure hasn’t caught up with old news… LOL
Koshino sighs: Kantoku wa nani butsubutsu itteru yara…
What on
earth is he mumbling about?
It feels somewhat awkward for Rukawa and Sendou to meet on the same court again under such a
circumstance, but at the same time, they know
that they are in fact excited
to be able to play against each other in a real team match. After all, this would be the first time both
teams have played against each other again since the inter-high preliminaries.
The match is about to begin
and both teams get ready around the court. Akagi is no longer around with the
team but Mitsui still is, and he can see the aura of rivalry coming from the
aces of both schools. It is almost the same as the aura he’s seen from them
during the preliminaries, but he can tell that there’s a tinge of difference. Smiling
to himself, he watches them as they declare their statement of challenge in
front of everyone.
Rukawa:
I won’t
lose.
Sendou smiles: Kochira koso. Isshou oikakesaseru tsumori
dakara.
Neither will I. After all, I intend to make you run after me for life.
—— The End ——
Author's notes:
Thank you so much for reading Senru Monogatari. I hope all you readers enjoyed the story.
Personally I am very satisfied with it, despite it being my first fanfic in 4-7 years. As the writer I highly look forward to your comments and feedback, so if you have any please feel free to email me at cat.wesker@gmail.com
I'd really, really appreciate it. ^__^!! *bows*
Cat Wesker
Copyright 2008 © Cat Wesker