Slam Dunk Fan Fiction ❯ Just a Little Love Story... ❯ Shonan Beach ( Chapter 15 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Chapter Fifteen: Shonan Beach

Inside the train, he asked her coolly - “Where did you learn to play basketball so well?” Taking a bite of her left-over donut, she replied dreamily, remembering her junior high school days - “Well, I was in my American junior high school.” “Did you join the team?” - Mitsui continued asking, looking at her. Aki nodded her head enthusiastically before replying - “I did. It was one of the most wonderful days of my life.” Mitsui nodded, and looked as dreamy as her; obviously also recalling his own days of being in a junior high basketball team. “I was a captain of the girls' team” - she boasted, patting her shoulder proudly, a huge smirk painted all over her face. “You deserve it” - he replied, a small smile playing on his lips. He shot her another question - “What position did you play?” Aki took her another bite before answering - “Oh… All sorts.” At Mitsui's raised eyebrows, she explained to him - “I was a centre, a guard and a shooter all at the same time.” With a little giggle, she continued - “…Although my junior high basketball records say that I was a CG.” He nodded, and both of them became lost in their thoughts once again. Only when the train gave a sudden lurch, they were reawakened from their memoirs. “So, have you opened the present?” - Aki asked, remembering that Mitsui hadn't told her anything about it yet. “Not yet” - he replied, himself also remembering about the gift. Aki watched him as he slowly opened the present, careful to keep the scotch tape on the bag. “Kewl” - he muttered as he pulled out the knee band, and with an almost fake tone said - “Thanks, kiddo. I needed one.” Aki sat still in her seat. She knew how to read interpretations like this. She was no longer sure if he was interested in her. She thought that he might've had a small amount of interest in her to ask her out, but this was just… It's too early to say something about this date, she reminded herself, and settled in her seat, trying to avoid all negative thoughts.

An hour later, they finally arrived to Shonan beach, without anymore conversations going on. He was so adventurous and exciting at first, Akiko thought, but now he's seems devoid of all that. But then, suddenly from her immediate side came a loud shout of - “Here we are!” It was Mitsui. “Sorry if I was boring just now” - he apologized, scratching his head - “I have to admit that I was a little sleepy.” Aki smiled; the energetic Mitsui was back. “But the smooth smell of the Beach has waked me up!” - He yelled, at the same time taking in a very deep breath. “Watashi mo” - Aki replied, patting herself on her chest, nodding all the while. “Iko!” - Mitsui shouted, before bounding off towards the waves, stripping himself of his shirt and jeans. “Oh, my god…” - Aki murmured with wide eyes, looking at him rushing right into the water. “Hey kiddo!” - He yelled at her, waving his arms around wildly - “Come on and join in on the fun!” He patted the waves surrounding him and continued - “The water's just fine; just slightly chilly.” She considered his suggestion. Why did she come to a beach if she didn't want to thrash about in the waves? Yep, she surely did want to have fun. But, she didn't bring any extra clothes, although she vaguely remembered her mother stuffing something into her bag. She nodded her head. Maybe it was extra clothes. She peeked into her bag, and saw some clothes in a smaller bag, underneath her flip flops. A huge smile beamed on her face. “Hey!” - Another shout from Mitsui - “Aren't you coming yet?” “I will!” - She yelled back, her grin still present - “I have some extra clothes!” He bobbed up and down together with the waves while he told her - “Sugoi.” The sound of the waves was like music to her ears as she trustingly ran into the cold water, with a wide grin, kicking off her brand new Asics.

Aki changed into her extra clothes behind some thick bushes, and in addition Mitsui played her body guard, literally. “Is anybody around?” - She called out nervously as she pulled off her dress. “Nope” - Was Mitsui's reassuring reply, then with a laugh - “Just me and you.” She nodded to herself, and reminded herself that she should be faster… In case somebody did come… “I'm done!” - Aki yelled, as she jumped out of the bushes in an extra large t-shirt and a pair of shorts. “Nice legs” - Mitsui complimented her as he passed by her to change inside the bushes that she had just occupied. “Arigato” - she murmured blushingly, then took the Asics to pull it on quickly. “Lady long legs” - a passing teenager on a bike teased - “You alone on this lovely beach? How sad…” “Not really” - Mitsui replied instead as he emerged from the bushes, buttoning up his shirt. “Okay“- the same teen replied as he grinned and waved back at the two of them.

Now, I know I have nice legs; Aki told herself smilingly as she bit into the warm crisply fried prawns that Mitsui had bought from a nearby restaurant. It was just beautiful. If only I had a little chili sauce, Aki thought as she licked her lips and fingers. “Oishi desu ne?” - came a voice in front of her, belonging to someone she had almost forgot while she ate her small prawns. “Hai” - she replied, snatching the last prawn from its little plate and gobbling the small morsel up. “Aaah…” - she sighed, patting her tummy and leaning back against her chair. She almost fell asleep, nodding off slowly… But when she heard a strangers' voice talking to Mitsui, she quickly sat up straight.

She heard him say - “You guys looked real good, so I couldn't help but take several shots on my camera. I'm a novice photographer, and I love taking photos of people.” “Nice to meet you” - replied Mitsui - “Mitsui Hisashi. I'm a third year high school student at Shohoku High. I play basketball.” In her sleepy and blurry vision, she saw her crush and a slightly older looking person shake hands. “I know. I just wanted to give you two these Polaroid's” - the stranger continued, thrusting some dried photos into Mitsui's hands, while his professional Nikon swinged on his neck “You didn't have to…” - Mitsui muttered back, pushing the photos back. The other man refused it and motioning his head towards her said - “Now that the lady's awake, maybe you should ask her too.” Immediately, Mitsui turned towards her and asked - “Aki, do you want these?” “She'll definitely say `yes'.” - The older person told him, with a smile. And she did. “Good” - the older man replied smilingly as he admitted sheepishly - “I kept some for the restaurant.” “Nani?” - Aki asked, with a quizzical look on her face, looking directly at the man. An old man at the counter replied - “You two good-looking youngsters would make my restaurant a popular hang-out for other kids like yourselves.” The other man added with a smirk - “Included that we hang a huge poster saying `Mitsui Hisashi eats here'.” Mitsui blushed as he replied in an embarrassed but honored voice - “Heh heh; Am I that popular?”

But you are good-looking, thought Aki as she followed Mitsui for the last time on the beach for the day; knowing that they would be returning to Shohoku soon. “Oi! Do you know what time it is now?” - Mitsui asked her, turning around himself. She looked at her watch before replying formally - “A quarter to five thirty.” He raised a brow and told her - “Talk in the usual way. What's with the formality?” She giggled, and then repeated the time - “It's five fifteen pm.” “That's better” - he replied, nodding his head and circled her a few times before reaching his hands towards her waist. Aki froze while he pulled up her t-shirt a bit and tied a knot at the waist. “There” - he said, patting her back after he admired his work - “You look better that way.” She blushed slightly as she played around with the knot that slightly exposed her well-toned waist and wondered: If I stretch myself, I'll definitely show my whole waist. I'd better not, she told herself as she pulled down the knotted shirt a bit. “Come on kid” - Mitsui said as he pulled her down beside him - “Let's look at those Polaroid's while we wait for the sun to set.”

Sunset… Sunset… It was beautiful… Being with Mitsui felt like that. Beautiful… Beautiful… Nothing would compare to it… They lay back on the sand and slowly watched the sun sink over the horizon, followed by colors that slowly got darker and darker, vanishing together with some of the light that was left. “Purple… My favorite color is purple…” - she murmured to herself, reaching out a finger, as if she could touch that receding line. Her finger followed the line while Mitsui told her - “Mine's white; in case you didn't notice.” “And you can't find a trace of them in the horizon” - he continued, taking her finger and pointing it towards the receding line her finger had followed - “Even the clouds look grey.” He's holding my hand… Aki thought, her face heating up. Then, she felt herself being pulled up and through the loud pumping of her heart, she heard him say - “Okay. It's time to go home.”

She related the whole story to her mother and to her best friend, by phone, when she was back in Shohoku. Somehow, she knew that it would be hard to forget today… Especially when she and Mitsui watched the sunset together… It would always be one of her best memories…