Slam Dunk Fan Fiction ❯ Double Standards ❯ Changes in Life ( Chapter 7 )

Hi Seiya, sorry I took so long to update this… had started working and couldn't find the time to update any of my fics lately. I can't tell when I can come up with the sequel of Hope for a Better Future too. I had many feedbacks from readers and they seemed really eager on the sequel but now that I don't have the time. It had been really difficult to start it. Anyways, thanks for supporting my works always… hope u enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 7: Changes in life

Shoyo (Kotori)

"Way to go Kanzaki-san, I hope we will be seeing you for practice after school tomorrow." Botan said when their practice was over.

"Sure," Kotori replied happily.

"What about tennis practice?"

Kotori hesitated for a moment and turned towards the fence to see the group of tennis players standing by the field glaring at her their hands cross in front of them. Kotori gulped. Ruko stood in front of the whole group waiting for her. The look on her face told Kotori she was in big trouble.

"I think I have some things to settle with them." Kotori mumbled and ran towards the trouble which awaits her.

"What the hell do you think you are doing practicing baseball?" Ruko shouted when Kotori reached her. "You are a tennis player!!!! You are supposed to come to our practice."

"Ruko-sempai, you saw how I recently play tennis," Kotori moaned in despair at Ruko overly loud voice. Everyone in the field was staring at them. "I want to play baseball!!!"

"What did you say?" Ruko screamed.

"I say I want to play baseball!!!!" Kotori repeated more loudly this time.

Ruko was speechless as she stared at Kotori thinking that she had lost her mind. She burst out laughing and glared at Kotori.

"You got to be kidding me!!!"

"Iie, I am dead serious. You should have seen how I played baseball a minute ago. I was so much better in it than tennis!!!!"

"Iris, how can u do this to us?!!!!" One of the tennis players said desperately. "We need you!"

"There is no use if I can't play tennis!!!"

"Is that what you want?" Ruko asked seeing that Kotori had made up her mind.

"Yes," Kotori replied firmly.

"Alright, from now on, you are no longer in the tennis club!!!!" Ruko said and walked away.

"How can you throw such a golden opportunity away?!!!!" The tennis player said. "Ruko was planning to put you in the next match. No first years would be able to enter!!!"

Kotori just shrugged.

That player sighed and ran after Ruko and the other players who were all walking away from the field. Kotori watched them leave with a feeling of dread. She had a feeling that when Iris comes back, there will be some major problems.

With a sigh she walked away and headed back into the building to change and get ready to go home. When she was walking out the building too distraught in her thoughts she totally forgotten about being Iris Kanzaki and walked into a mob of reporters.

"Kanzaki-san, please I want to ask you, how do you feel to be the youngest model in Kanagawa?"

"Kanzaki-san, how is it working with Fujima co?"

"Kanzaki-san I heard that you are studying in the same school as Fujima's son!!!!"

"What do you think about that?"

"Kanzaki-san…."

Kotori stared at the reporters dumbstruck. She tried to push her way back into the school building but they had surrounded her and there was no way she could get away.

"Please, I…" Kotori stammered.

"Just give us a minute!!!"

"I need to breathe…." Kotori chocked, there were too many people around her and it was suffocating her. "Please…"

"Excuse me!!!!"

Kotori heard a familiar voice and turned towards it to see Fujima coming into the crowd. She never felt so relieve in her entire life but seeing Fujima pushing his way into the crowd of reporters coming towards her made her think that he was the prince in a shinning armor.

"Iris Kanzaki will answer your question in the press conference!!!!" Fujima said wrapping his arm around her shoulders pulling her close to him.

Kotori nearly melted in his arms as he tried to get her out of the mob of reporters. When they are finally out of the crowd, Kotori took a deep breath and looked up at Fujima who was studying her intently. She smiled slightly.

"Arigatou…"

She is thanking me again. She is sure weird today.

"I thought I was never going to get out of there!"

"You should be more careful." Fujima finally spoke.

Kotori nodded still smiling, that was when she realized that Fujima still had his arm around her shoulders and she was still leaning on him, their faces only inches apart. Immediately she felt her face grew hot and she pulled away from him and turned away.

"I will be more careful next time…" Kotori said in a rush not daring to look at him. "I should be going home!!! See you…"

Before Fujima could answer, Kotori walked away hurriedly to look for Tendo and where he had parked the limo.

Fujima didn't know what to say when he saw Kotori smiling up at him. He knew that he should loosen his embrace around her shoulders but he didn't. To his surprise he actually liked her being close to him like that. He felt slightly disappointed when she moved away, though he didn't say anything. He wanted to ask her to stay when she said she wanted to leave but hesitated. Instead he watched her walked down the corridor and out of sight.

What is wrong with me? Don't tell me I had fallen for Iris Kanzaki!!!! But that can't be…

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Shohoku (Iris)

"So you have any ideas?" Risha asked. "I mean, it is going to be a Cultural Food Competition. We can choose from any culture all around the world. It is just that I have no idea what I want to do?"

"Wouldn't it be easier if we just stick to our own culture?" Iris said softly not able to come up with any idea.

"No, that will be too common!!!! I mean we should think of a culture that would interest the judges!"

Iris remained silent as she looked around the cooking class that looked like a science lab except that there are stove on the white long tables instead of tubes and burners.

"I was thinking of some kind of strange cultural food so that the judges had never seen before but of course it has to taste good too…" Risha continued talking.

Iris sighed inwardly.

"Can you go back to ask your parents and see if she could come up with anything?"

"Huh?"

"Please, I am counting on you to win this competition."

"Uh… oh… well alright."

"Yata," Risha clapped her hands together. "Great, tell me about it as soon as possible. Why don't you check out the Thai food culture for me neh?!!!"

This is not my day… Iris thought leaving the school building unenthusiastically. There was no way she could help in cooking because she doesn't cook. She can't help in Bio because she never liked science and was really bad at it. There was nothing she could do in Kotori's place!!!!

She stopped not far from the school gate when she heard some shouts somewhere near the other side of the school building. She blinked and walked over to the voices curiously. Wonderingly what had happened. Soon a tennis court came to her view. She blinked and watched the players inside and realized there was a slight competition going on inside the court. She stood outside the fence and watched the girls played and realized one of the players was Chiro.

Crossing her arms in front of her she stood outside the court and watched them. The other girl Chiro was challenging was already breaking down into tears even before the match had ended. Chiro smiled maliciously at the fallen girl and swung her racket over her shoulder.

"See if you dare to cross my path again, Ayo." She said spitefully.

Iris blinked pushing her glasses up her nose and smirked. She walked into the court slowly and stood next to the fallen girl who sobbed uncontrollably.

"You know Chiro, sometimes you should be a kinder to others." Iris said mockingly. "If not, there will not be any boys that will like you."

"NANI!!!!! HOW DARE YOU!!!!" Chiro screamed.

Ayo stopped crying and looked up. Iris knelt down to Ayo and smiled holding out her hand. Ayo smiled slightly and placed her hand in Iris's. She pulled Ayo up onto her feet. When they are both on their feet Iris turned back to Chiro swiftly with full force.

"Let see how well you play tennis." Iris scorned.

"You challenge me?"

"Why can't I challenge you?" Iris smirked. "Are you afraid?"

"Over my dead body!!!! You are going down Kotori Sumire. It's pay back time for how you humiliate me in front of Rukawa-kun."

"Uh, I'm scared." Iris raised an eyebrow sarcastically taking the racket Ayo was holding. "I'll borrow this.

Chiro smirked. "You are going to regret this."

"We will see who will regret."

Ayo ran out the court and towards the basketball court to look for her cousin, Ayako. When she entered the courts, she saw her cousin looking at her stop watch as she watched the team doing some basic warm-ups. She ran inside and towards her.

"Ayako-chan!!!!"

"Ayo, what's up?" Ayako turned to her cousin with surprised. "Aren't you having tennis practice now? And what is with the bruises and scratches? Is Chiro bullying you again? Are you alright?"

"Hai, I am fine but Kotori…"

"What about Kotori?" Ayako asked bewilderedly.

"She is challenging Chiro in tennis."

Ayako nearly drop her stop watch. Even those in the basketball team who knows who Chiro is stopped their practicing and walked over to Ayako and Ayo.

Sakuragi who didn't who they were talking about stood at the spot with question marks all over his head. Rukawa who knew who Chiro was though didn't want to get involve began to shoot hoops.

"You mean the famous klutz in the school Kotori is challenging Chiro in tennis?" Miyagi said.

"Don't be rude Miyagi…" Ayako snapped.

"Hai, Aya-chan…" Miyagi blushed.

"I didn't even have the time to stop her!" Ayo cried in dismay. "She just took my racket and mocked Chiro!!!"

"Kotori mocked Chiro?" Mitsui said with amazement. "That is something I would like to see. You should have come get us sooner!!!!"

"By the way, where are Akagi and Kogure?" Ayo asked looking around the court to see both captain and co-captain not around.

"They had extra classes today." Ayako said. "They will join in later."

A loud up roar outside coming from the tennis court made everyone in the basketball hall turned towards the direction.

"Oh no!!!!" Ayo moaned. "I hope Kotori is alright!!!!"

With that she ran towards the exit door, the other curious at what was happening and why there was such a racket followed her. Sakuragi, who didn't understand what was going on, followed along. Rukawa frowned slightly when he was the only one left in the court.

"Kotori?" Rukawa whispered.

Where did he hear that name before? An image of a girl with glasses came into his head.

"I Kotori Sumire, need to flirt with boys?" Her voice echoed in his head.

Rukawa turned towards the door where his teammates had disappeared through and gradually he walked towards the exit. He was curious at how that girl, Kotori was going to beat Chiro the girl he dreaded most.

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Well, a light cliffy here… I will try to update soon.

Please review mina!!!! Thank you.