Slam Dunk Fan Fiction ❯ Loving Koshino ❯ When Past's Ghosts Come Haunting ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk. I am not making money out of this, so please don't sue. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's Notes: I apologize to Rukawa fans for what I did to him in this fic and uhm...(hides) I hope people are still reading this...

Loving Koshino
from Kokoro no Kigen (Temper of Heart) Arc
by AJ Maxwell

Chapter Three: When Past's Ghosts Come Haunting

Koshino Hiroaki emerged from the elevator with a positive skip in his steps, his features glowing. His spiky-haired Vice-President-in-training was right behind him, and there was a pleased smile on his lips. This did not go unnoticed by the employees, and most of them were surprised at the sudden turn of events. They used to see their Koshino-san always blowing his top off because of their Sendoh-san, but after a few weeks of relentless cajoling and coercing from the taller executive, Koshino finally relented. It was a good sight for them to see their boss in such a good mood.

Both had just arrived from having lunch that day, and judging from the look on their faces, it would seem that everything had gone perfectly.

They first stopped by Sendoh's office, where his assistant, Aida Hikoichi, greeted both of them. He was just about to tell him something else, when Sendoh just nodded at him, saying "I'll be there in a sec. Go."

"But--"

Sendoh pointedly looked at him, and Hikoichi shut up and went back to his table.

"Well, I'll be going back to my office now," Koshino said, and turned on his heel to go to his office.

"Wait, Hiro-kun."

Koshino stopped, and looked over his shoulder. "Yes, Sendoh?"

The way Koshino's hair moved as he turned around, and the way his eyes looked at him made Sendoh's heart skip a beat. "I--er, would you like to have dinner with me later?"

The other man blinked. "Dinner?"

Sendoh nodded. "H-hai, dinner. We've been having breakfast and lunch together for three weeks now, and I thought, why not have dinner together as well?" He smiled. "My treat."

Koshino smiled tentatively, then replied, "I'll have to check with Jin first. I might have a dinner appointment later. I'll give you my answer later, okay?"

"Okay."

Koshino walked away, and Sendoh was left grinning to himself.

±

Koshino had butterflies fluttering in his stomach as he reached his office. The dreamy smile on his face did not go unnoticed by his personal assistant and friend, Jin Soichiro, and the doe-eyed man followed his boss into the office, and closed it shut. "So? What happened?" he asked a bit excitedly.

Koshino turned to face him, eyes alight with a wonderful secret, and said, "He asked me to dinner!" he said in a suppressed squeal. Then, as if only realizing his out of character behavior, he just shook his head and grinned. "He asked me to dinner!" he absolutely squealed. "What am I going to do?! What am I going to say to him, Soichiro? Oh, I really want to go...! Please don't tell me that I have an appointment later!"

Jin chuckled at his friend's antics. He'd seldom seen Koshino act so uninhibited and so...schoolgirlish. He loved it that his friend was finally in love with someone else. Maybe now that he has Sendoh-san he'd move on and forget Maki Shinichi. Now that relationship is just bound to go nowhere, not that Maki-san is too bad. They're just...they're always on again, off again. I do wonder if either one of them is really tired of it all. "Jin Soichiro?!"

"H-hai? Sorry, I was just thinking of something. What was that?"

"What am I going to do?" the other man continued his nervous ranting. "I really want to say yes, but--"

"But what?"

"I'm...I'm just..."Koshino looked up at him, eyes tainted with insecurity. "What if this is all just a trick? What if he's still the exact same Sendoh Akira from high school?"

"Oh!" Jin scoffed. "That was high school, as you said. People change, Hiro-kun."

At this, Koshino blushed, and his eyes misted over.

Jin looked at him curiously. "What's wrong with you?"

The other man just shook his head, and said, "It's just that he always calls me that."

Jin grinned at his friend. "Kami-sama, you're really in love with him, aren't you?"

Koshino looked as if he was suddenly drenched with cold water. "In love?" he asked incredulously. He blinked, and murmured to himself, as if testing the idea aloud. "Love...?"

Just then, the phone rang. Jin hurried to answer it, and suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"Who is it?" Koshino asked, noting the immediate change in his friend.

The other man pushed the Hold button, and mumbled, "It's Maki. Are you going to talk to him? I can just tell him that you're busy..."

"No, it's okay. I can handle it." Koshino took the receiver and pressed a button. "Shinichi? Hi. How are you?"

Jin grimaced at the way his friend addressed his ex-boyfriend. Still way too friendly for greeting an ex. What if Hiroaki gets all confused again and gets back with Maki? What if--

"Dinner tonight?" Koshino looked at his friend right then, and saw Jin frantically shaking his head and mouthing a vehement "NO". He smiled. "I'm sorry, Shinichi. I'm......yes. Okay. Ja ne." He put the phone down, and said, "I think I'm going to give Sendoh's answer now."

±

Sendoh was still smiling to himself when he walked toward his office. Almost instantly, Hikoichi was right by his side, as if to report something of grave importance. He waved his assistant's words off even before they were uttered, and said, "I'm in a really good mood today, Hikoichi. Please tell me whatever it is later. I still have to plan the most romantic dinner one could ever imagine."

"B-but--"

"Later." And then he opened the door, only to find his ex-boyfriend waiting for him inside. The man was seated comfortably on his plush leather couch, fox eyes regarding him with a watchful stare. Sendoh just stood like a statue by the door, his smile gone. "Aren't you going to welcome your boyfriend back, Akira?"

±

Koshino felt like skipping his way to Sendoh's office, but restrained himself from doing anything that would be degrading. It would just be horrible for his employees to think that their boss had finally gone nuts. Must still keep appearances, even though I do think that I've finally gone nuts. Why the hell is Sendoh making me feel this way?

Sendoh's assistant was not at his table when the President-CEO reached his destination. Oh well. I'll just surprise him. I wonder how he will react. He opened the door, and froze. The scene that he was witnessing felt surreal, but there was no mistaking the torrid kiss that Sendoh Akira was engaging with...Rukawa Kaede? his memory supplied.

Koshino felt nothing then. Contrary to what other people thought of him, he did not throw a fit, nor did he feel angry and mentally utter all available expletives to man, plus more. Instead, he calmly stepped out, and left the door slightly ajar.

He passed by Jin, who was looking at him inquiringly. Why the sudden change? Jin was just about to follow Koshino into the office, when he heard the distinct click of the lock. This is bad. I'll ask Sendoh-san. He made his way to his other boss' office, and saw the answer through the gap of the door. He was deflated.

±

Maki Shinichi sat gazing at the phone on his desk. His Hiroaki had said no. He sighed to himself, and ran his fingers through his rich coffee-brown hair. Am I too late? Has he found someone else? God, I hope not. Not now that things are going my way.

He leaned back in his chair, just staring at nothing. It seemed to him as if eternity was passing him by, not doing anything. It was then that his mobile phone rang. "Moshi moshi..." he greeted dryly, forgetting to check who was calling. Then, like a light switch, his mood changed from dejected to thrilled. A chuckle escaped his full lips as he replied, "Oh it's okay, Hiroaki. I understand. I'm glad that you called me up when you found out that you're not busy...Nani? You want me to come pick you up right now? Iie. I don't have any appointment right now...yes until later... You're shocked that I'm not laden with work? ...Hai. I have good news, but I prefer to tell you after dinner. Be there in fifteen, at the latest....Don't you know? I'd beat every traffic light for you. Oh, Hiroaki?...ai shiteiru."

±

Sendoh broke free of Rukawa's stifling embrace, and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. A glare found its place on his usually smiling face, but the other man ignored it.

"Why do you have to pretend, Akira? You know you want me back."

"You're wrong, Rukawa--"

"So, it's Rukawa now..."

"--I have a new life now, and it doesn't include you, or your precious basketball."

"I can see that," Rukawa answered, his eyes appraising the tastefully decorated office. "Nice place you got here," he said offhandedly, and tilted his head to one side. "I bet you must feel caged in. And look at you. You hate suits, but you're trapped in one. Let's go back, Akira. You don't belong here."

"I don't want to go back," he snapped. "And if ever I want to go back, it certainly won't be with you."

Rukawa snorted at this. "You're making a terrible mistake."

"You're making the wrong assumption," he shot back, then gestured to the door. "Leave, Rukawa."

The other man just shrugged, and made his way to the door. As he was about to pull it further open, he turned around to face Sendoh. "By the way, your...friend saw us. You should see what it was that he needed."

"N-nani?" He felt cold all of a sudden. Was it Hiro-kun? I hope it was only Hikoichi...

Seeing the question in his eyes, Rukawa leveled his hand in an approximation of Koshino's height. Sendoh's eyes widened in distress, and cursed. He charged out of the room, intent on finding out if it was really Koshino who saw them, and Rukawa wordlessly opened the door wider for him.

±

Jin was canceling all of Koshino's appointments for that day and the next, as per his boss' orders, when he saw the spiky-haired man stalking towards his direction. He couldn't help his visage turning sour at the sight of the cheating...bastard...jerk who hurt his friend. I've changed my mind. My vote is on Maki-san. At least he never went behind Hiroaki's back whenever they were together...it's just that he's too much like Hiroaki. He's too work-driven like my friend. I hope both of them will change. They could be so perfect together.

He saw Sendoh trying to open Koshino's door, and cleared his throat. "Koshino-san is busy tonight," he informed his other boss, his face devoid of its usual friendly expression.

Sendoh's face fell. "Honto? Can't he cancel it or something?"

"Iie." Jin busied himself with arranging his things.

"But I need to talk to him right now. Why's he locking himself in there?"

"Excuse me," came a smooth, self-assured voice. "Jin. Could you please tell your boss that I'm already here?"

Jin smiled up at Maki Shinichi, and nodded. "Sure thing."

±

Sendoh shot his Hiro-kun's assistant a dubious look. I can't believe this guy. He almost froze me with his attitude earlier, and now he's almost falling over himself to call Hiro-kun for this guy? And who's this new guy, anyway? I've never seen him around here before...must be a client. He mustbe a client. Maybe I can talk him into rescheduling? I really need to talk to Hiro-kun.

He faced the shorter, yet more well-built man who carried himself like an emperor in his double-breasted suit. He suddenly felt like he was twelve again. "Uh, excuse me. Are you Koshino-san's client? You see--"

"Shinichi."

Sendoh whirled around at the sound of Koshino's voice, and he was mesmerized by the wide smile on his Hiro-kun's lips. Are we okay? I hope it wasn't him who saw me with that Rukawa. I love seeing him smile like that...

"Hiro," Maki greeted simply, his hand enclosing Koshino's.

The very informal greeting and the familiar gesture did not get past Sendoh, and he was scowling in confusion. Okay. Maybe they've done transactions before. Maybe they're friends...close friends. Fine. I can take that...He's not a boyfriend, is he...? Hiro-kun has never mentioned anything about a boyfriend...

"Let's go, Shinichi."

"Wait!" Sendoh blurted out. "Aren't you going to introduce me to him, Hiro-kun?" There. Now he'll think of my association with Hiro-kun.

"Oh," was the disinterested comment, and this made Sendoh all the more frantic. What's wrong? Maybe he did see us!

"Shinichi, that's Sendoh Akira. He's Uncle Hiroaki's son. Sendoh, this is Maki Shinichi, my--" Koshino slightly flushed, to which Maki smiled indulgently. "Boyfriend?" he supplied hopefully, his thumb gently smoothing over Koshino's knuckles. One of the corners of Koshino's mouth curled up a bit. He answered with a quick nod, and Maki grinned at him blissfully. "You just made my life perfect, Hiro."

"Oh?"

"I'll tell you after dinner..." Maki regarded Sendoh, and slightly raised an eyebrow at the other man's facial expression. "So you're the famous Sendoh Akira. Hiro told me a lot about you. Nice meeting you."

They walked away as if they were the only people in the world, and this vexed Sendoh to no end.

"Oh, by the way, Sendoh."

He looked up eagerly, finding that Koshino had stopped and was looking over his shoulder.

His heart skipped a beat, still daring to hope, "Hai?" but the other man's next words were like sobering iced water to him.

"Please send my regards to Rukawa-kun."

Finished January 11, 2003