Slam Dunk Fan Fiction ❯ Just a Little Love Story... ❯ The Date! ( Chapter 13 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Chapter Thirteen: The Date!

As Akiko passed by some fashion shops, she peeked at herself at their mirror-like windows, wondering if she were really that weird-looking. She blushed as she saw some men inside the shop gawk at her. She gave a little run to pass the shop. Then proceeded to look at herself at another window, not having enough of what she saw. Her mother had truly worked her magic on her and Akemi must've been jealous, Aki thought, a small smile peeking on her lips. She saw a graceful and elegant lady reflected on the window, looking almost regal with her hair swept upwards in a loose bun, some hair falling gently onto her neck and face. She had a pair of long diamond eardrops, dangling onto her shoulders and accentuating her long swan neck. She smiled at her reflection and noted at how her lips shone a pearly pink from lip gloss. Her eyelids flashed a light blue and looked deeper with her black eyeliner, a slightly strange combination. She felt like she had turned over a new leaf, and her cheeks turned a soft shade of pink as she blushed with pleasure. The dress her mother made her wear made her feel very feminine what with all it's pink flowers on a sky blue background. It was a spaghetti-strapped summer-dress, but since Aki felt too shy to wear it, her mother had given her a flimsy shawl to wrap around her shoulders. Finally, she reached the Shohoku high school gates, swinging her knit bag around a bit, feeling almost as free and loose as a butterfly.

She felt eyes on her as she entered the high school ground, from some boys who were practicing to improve their baseball skills. Some whistled as she passed by them, pink with embarrassment. “Woh! She's a tall babe!” - Some exclaimed, while another playful and flirty one asked with a smirk - “Looking for me, baby?” And others wondered whether or not she was from Shohoku high, and if so which year she was from. She quickly ran into the open doors of Shohoku basketball stadium, trying hard but unable to brush off their remarks. She looked a little around the entrance, wondering if some of the baseball players had followed her. There were none. She sighed in relief. Almost immediately she heard a deep voice behind her say - “You're five minutes late.” She slowly turned around, and bowing her head softly, apologized - “Sumimasen Mitsui sempai.” When she raised her head, she saw that he was half-naked and only in his sweat stained baggy faded denims but with his shirt tied around his waist. She felt like she was invading his space; and when she saw his muscular body trailing with sweat, so obviously male, she felt heat rising into her cheeks, making her feel hotter than ever. She gulped, and stared straight ahead, unable to leave her eyes off him. Slanting his head, he grinned at her lopsidedly and told her - “But it's alright. I was shooting some hoops.” She nodded and lowered her eyes to her newly polished pink toenails. I'm not keeping my cool, she thought embarrassedly, I have to. I don't want to look like a silly little adolescent girl. She heard Mitsui question her almost teasingly - “Would you like to shoot some hoops too?” Keep your cool!, she warned herself before replying matter-of-factly, twirling around a bit.- “I guess it'd be strange to play basketball in a dress.” She watched Mitsui nod his head, but she continued self-confidently, placing a hand on her hip - “But I want to try. It'd be a new experience for me.” “And in heels too” - she heard him comment. She glanced at him, then giving him a smirk, said - “Watch me sempai.”

Mitsui certainly watched her. He thought that she might've broken down with embarrassment or refuse to play or simply run out of the court with a deep blush like most girly girls did. But Aki didn't. And he respected her for that. He threw her the ball he was holding in his hands and watched her take a graceful hold of it. He observed her as she walked towards the three-pointer line. A small laugh escaped from his lips and he shook his head while he thought: this little girl's really confident of herself. Turning his attention back to her, he saw her holding the ball in her hands. She raised her arms, eyes narrowing to that certain point of the hoop. He saw her take a slow breath before releasing it at the same time she released the ball. The ball gracefully curved into the hoop and with a swish gained her a three-pointer if she had been playing for marks. “Wow!” - Mitsui exclaimed, amazed at her performance - “A rainbow shot!” “That's right” - Aki replied with a wink and a thumbs-up sign, the other hand placed on her hip once more. “Sugoi!” - He praised her with a smile, giving a pat on her shoulder.

After some more of Aki's rainbow shots, Mitsui decided to challenge her, wanting to further his tests on her skills. “Aki-chan” - he asked, looking at her face which was starting to turn pink with her exertion - “Would you mind if I challenged you to a game of basketball before we go somewhere else?” “Sure. Challenge me if you want to” - Aki replied, as confident as before. Wiping off the sweat beading on her forehead, she went to get a basketball while Mitsui took his position as a guard. Walking towards him, she slowly lowered her body, and started to dribble the ball in her right hand, extending her left arm for defense. Mitsui noticed that there would not be much height difference between them if he bent his knees; he did it anyway. But to scare her off a bit he mischievously stepped forward, closer to her. However, she did not back away, and instead grinned back just as mischievously. She continued dribbling, staring into his eyes as if to scare him back. He stared back. He saw her eyes move from one side to the other, just the same as the movement of her agile body. Left. Right. Left. Right. Suddenly, with a burst of energy, she bent her body low enough to evade Mitsui's tight guard. “What the…!” - he heard himself exclaim, realizing her swift evasion before sprinting quickly to catch up with her. By the time he reached her and moved directly in front of her, she was already preparing for a rainbow shot. “Ii-e!” - He yelled, jumping into the air and extending his arms. She had recomposed herself so quickly that it almost seemed like a fake move. “Hai!” - She murmured back with an almost teasing smile, evading him for a second time, then jumping for a jump shot while he fell back to ground. He jumped with all his might a second time, and thought that he had caught her, but in fact he was the one who was caught in another fake move. She smoothly curved her body to her left before throwing the ball in with a loud swish. Both of them fell back to the ground at the same time, but Mitsui saw Aki's smiling face cringe a little. She groaned before commenting with a grimace - “I forgot about my flip flops.” Before Mitsui could even ask if she was okay, both heard resounding claps echo in the stadium. They turned to look at their audience and saw the rest of the Shohoku team members with smiles on their faces.

Akiko grinned back at them, waving her hand as a hello. She heard Mitsui mutter beside her - “I can't believe I lost to a girl in front of everyone.” She turned her face to her side and smirked at him. She gave another thumbs-up sign, while he patted her head softly and said - “I'm impressed.” “Nyah ha ha ha!” - Came a loud snicker, and both of them immediately knew who it was; it was almost a trademark laugh. “Ohayo Sakuragi-kun” - Aki greeted whereas Mitsui just nodded. “You beat Mitchy!” - He remarked loudly, meanwhile patting Mitsui's back as if to comfort his sempai - “You could almost be called the Tensai's little sister!” Aki giggled back, covering her lips with a hand. “She's a Tensai herself!” - Mitsui replied to his remark, laughing at Sakuragi's expression. Sakuragi turned towards Aki before telling her almost regretfully - “Sorry Aki-chan, but there can only be one Tensai in Shohoku.” He continued with a wide grin, and an energetic yell - “And for that, I challenge you to a game!” Before Aki could even reply, Mitsui cut in while taking Aki towards the door - “Sorry Sakuragi, but we're on a date. We're going to Shonan beach now.” “Shonan beach?!” - Haruko and Ayako screamed at the same time, hands clasped to their cheeks - “That's so romantic!” Akiko blushed at their comment, and felt acutely aware of Mitsui's large hand on the small of her back. “I should've guessed” - Miyagi said with a smile - “Aki looks stunning today.” Immediately, Ayako's fan struck his head, as she asked him menacingly, her eyebrows twitching - “Oh really?” “Aya-chan” - Miyagi groaned back, feeling a bump rise on his head - “I was only commenting.” “Whatever…” - she muttered in reply, eyebrows still twitching. She changed her attitude soon after and waved them off smilingly with Haruko - “Have fun!” Mitsui and Aki were almost out of the door when Rukawa quickly followed behind them and delivered Aki's shawl and handbag with an -“Aki, you almost forgot these…” “Arigato” - she whispered to her brother, and gave a tiny smile before leaving the stadium with Mitsui.

In the school grounds, Mitsui removed the white shirt he had tied around his waist and wore it quickly. Aki watched him, feeling warm as the muscles rippled and the remaining sweat slid off them. Wow, she thought once again; it was just the way she felt whenever she saw him. “Oh no” - she heard someone moan from the open baseball field, she turned back and saw another guy wave dreamily at her while the first continued - “She's taken.” She smiled at the pair of them, and waved back. “Damn you Mitsui!” - A different person yelled before hitting a baseball in his direction. Aki stepped back and nearly tripped over with the high-heeled flip flops that she wasn't used to… If Mitsui hadn't caught her. The baseball hit neither of them, and plummeted somewhere else. “Careful dude!” - Mitsui yelled at the baseball players, holding Aki by the side of her arms - “You almost hit her!” Aki blushed with pleasure and shyness as she felt her back pressed against Mitsui's muscular chest and her dress soaking some sweat from his shirt. Then to her, he said - “Your flip flops aren't really for you.” She nodded. He continued - “We should get you some sneakers before we go to Shonan.” “Okay” - Aki whispered back, and she felt Mitsui's strong hands steady her before letting her go. “Iko?” - He asked her, and placed a hand on the small of her back once again, leading the way.