Slam Dunk Fan Fiction ❯ Miss Match ❯ Night Duel ( Chapter 8 )

Hello everyone, thanks for reviewing, thank you so much to Kgnadt, Rokawa and SilenceR-Mitsu133 for supporting me. Well, really appreciate it…for telling me about the mistakes Rokawa ^_^…. Well, hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 8

Yuna left the house after the match with the guy who came. She sighed; he was easier than the first guy she had fought with. Just as she turned around the corner, Sota and Sendoh walked by, both parties didn't notice each other as they walked on.

"I'm home!" Sota called as he brought Sendoh into the house. "Kasumi neechan, Yuna neechan?"

"Ah, you came home Sota?" Kasumi said poking her head out the kitchen when she saw Sendoh she came out to greet him. "Kombawa!"

"Kombawa." Sendoh replied smiling.

"Where is Yuna neechan, still at the training hall?" Sota asked.

"Iya, she already went out." Kasumi said still looking at Sendoh. "Ah nor…"

"Oh, this Akira Sendoh Senpai." Sota introduced. "This is my older sister Kasumi neechan. Sendoh accompanied me home when Yuna Neechan ran home to meet her challenger."

"Arigatou, Sendoh kun. That is very kind of you." Kasumi said bowing. "Please stay for dinner."

"I will be please to," Sendoh said bowing too.

"Sendoh Senpai let me show you the house." Sota said. "Yuna neechan will be back for dinner. I guess she just went out for a moment like she always does after a match."

Sendoh nodded.

Rukawa who had just finished practicing was cycling home. When he was reaching a small park that was when he saw a familiar figure walking the opposite direction. Yuna still in her judo outfit made her way to the park slowly. Rukawa watched her walked into the little park though she didn't notice him because she was staring at the ground. He got down his bike then and pushed his bike making his way slowly to the park and looked in.

Yuna was sitting on one of the twin swings, swinging to and fro slowly. She was still looking down the ground deep in her thoughts.

So this is where she always comes after a match. Rukawa thought as he pushed his bike inside. He stood in front of her silently looking down at her.

Yuna looked up then, and was surprised to see Rukawa standing before her. She blinked. Rukawa watched her surprised face turning sour immediately as she looked at him.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

He sighed inwardly. "That should be my question." He said indifferently. "I was just passing by."

"Go ahead and pass by, why bother stopping?" Yuna retorted looking away.

"Kasumi neechan asked me over for dinner." Rukawa said ignoring Yuna's rude statement.

Yuna looked up again looking puzzled. "She asked you?"

"This morning on my way to school, I met her doing her groceries."

Yuna got up the swing then, "Let's go home." She said shortly and walked out the park. Rukawa followed suit.

They walked home together, both of them walking a distance away from each other. Rukawa remained slightly behind her as he watched Yuna walking home slowly. He knew that she had her gymnastic competition today and wondered how she did. However, he was to egoistic to ask, so he just pushed the thought away from his head.

Yuna turned around slightly and saw Rukawa walking several feet behind her. She frowned turning back to the front. Why must Kasumi invite him to dinner? Of all things to do, she sighed.

"I'm home!" Yuna called as she entered the house.

"Yuna neechan, guess who's here." Sota exclaimed excitedly.

Sendoh appeared from the dining hall then smiling. Yuna stared at him astounded. She turned back and saw Rukawa already walking through the front gate pushing his bike through. She turned back to Sendoh stunned with disbelieve that Sendoh was standing in the house and Rukawa was already coming inside.

"You've got to be kidding me?" She cried.

"Kidding what?" Rukawa said coming in and stood next to Yuna. Then he saw, Sendoh standing down the corridor by the dining hall. "Sendoh?"

"Rukawa?" Sendoh smiled slightly amazed to see him too.

"Yuna neechan, I had showed Sendoh Senpai the house." Sota said excitedly not knowing the tension they were having. "He accompanied me home today and Kasumi neechan invited him to dinner."

"Really?" Yuna said uneasily. She looked up at Rukawa who looked ready to explode with anger. "Ru… Ru… Rukawa?"

Rukawa remained silent and stepped into the house ignoring Sendoh then. Yuna blinked watching him. She then turned to Sendoh who looked at Rukawa calmly then turned to Yuna and smiled.

"I didn't know you are that close with Rukawa." He said still smiling.

"Close?" Yuna muttered looking disbelievingly at him. "Excuse me."

Sota shook his head slowly trying to get Sendoh's attention. Sendoh looked at Sota as Yuna turned away and head for the stairs walking up.

"Yuna and Rukawa never, never are in good terms." Sota explained when Yuna disappeared up the steps. "They always quarrel no matter what."

"Really?" Sendoh said softly looking up the stairs where Yuna had gone.

"Dinner is ready!" Kasumi said cheerfully then coming out the kitchen.

During dinner time, there was heavy tension between Rukawa and Sendoh, Yuna was also slightly flustered as she watched Rukawa's usual cold expression burned with anger. Sendoh at the other hand was the usual cool self was unperturbed by Rukawa anger.

After dinner Yuna helped Kasumi to clear up the dishes when she heard the conversation Rukawa and Sendoh was having.

"Do you want a game with me?" Sendoh asked smiling. "A one on one."

Rukawa watched him silently.

"We can still make use of your school basketball court." Sendoh said.

Yuna walked out the kitchen, went up her room, got her basketball and went back downstairs again and walked up to them slowly.

"Ah nor…" She said.

They both looked down at her. She was nervous as she looked at the both of them. She didn't want to disturb their conversation but she had to tell them something.

"You both can make use of the court at the back of my house." Yuna said softly. "There are lights behind bright enough to see even at night."

Rukawa looked at Yuna surprised. That was a piece of information he never knew. Even Sendoh didn't know, and Sota had showed him the house.

"We never use that court for a long time." Yuna explained guarding them there.

The court was actually next to kitchen at the back of the house. Nobody had been out there for many years after Yuki left for China. Yuna switched on the spot lights so that the court was bright enough for them. Kasumi looked at Yuna with surprised.

"Yuna?" Kasumi said bewildered as she watched Yuna showing the boys the court.

Yuna just shook her head and turned to them "Take your time." She threw the ball to Rukawa who caught it daftly.

They both went out through the kitchen back door. Kasumi watched them still stunned. She then turned to Yuna who was looking through the window at them.

"You never let anyone use this court." Kasumi said. "Only Yuki and you…"

"I don't want to see Rukawa upset." Yuna said watching him. "He was about to explode if he doesn't challenge Sendoh Senpai tonight."

Yuna watched both of them through the window. She was speechless when she saw both of them, they were really good but Sendoh… he was even better than anyone she had ever seen. Now she understood why Haruko said that he was the best player there was. She wasn't exaggerating the fact; even Rukawa was the best player in Shohoku High couldn't be as good as he was. After an hour passed they stopped looking at each other breathing hard.

"You had improved Rukawa," Sendoh said with a smiled. "Let's just put the score as it is for now. You did well, I have to catch the last train out of Shohoku back to Ryonan station."

Rukawa wasn't happy but he remained silent. Their match had ended with a draw and he wanted to go on until there is a result. Yuna watched him with sweat appearing from her forehead.

"Amazing…" She whispered.

Sendoh then entered the kitchen again, Yuna turned to him.

"Hope to see you again." Sendoh said. "You don't have to send me out. Ja."

"Ja…" Yuna said softly as she watched Sendoh walked out the kitchen. She then turned back to see Rukawa who still remained at the court. She watched him walking over to the ball picked it up and started bouncing it. "Rukawa…" she whispered.

She went to the refrigerator and took out a can of energy drink and then made her way out to the court. She watched Rukawa threw in a three pointer, and then he turned to her. She walked up to him and passed him the can.

"Keep up the good work," Yuna said to him as he took the can from her.

"I'm staying to practice." Rukawa said looking down at her. "If you don't mind." He added.

Yuna shook her head. "You can come here to practice whenever you want." She smiled softly. "You can stay over if you want. It's Sunday tomorrow."

Rukawa looked away and nodded once. He passed the can back to Yuna and went to pick the ball up again. Yuna went back into the kitchen again while Kasumi walked in. She was surprised to see Rukawa still practicing at the court.

"It's getting late, is Rukawa planning to stay here tonight?" Kasumi asked.

"Hai," Yuna said opening the refrigerator again.

"Oh well, I guess I will go prepare the guest room." Kasumi said. "I think he could fit in father's old clothes. They looked like almost the same size. I'll put them in the laundry room."

"Arigatou Kasumi neechan." Yuna said taking out a few sweet potatoes. "I'm going to make some rice puff and sweet potatoes for Rukawa. I'm sure he will be hungry after practice."

Kasumi smiled as she left the kitchen to get the guest room ready for Rukawa. Yuna watched through the window from time to time as she made supper for him. She had never seen Rukawa so worked up before. Usually he was the cold, expressionless and unemotional person she knew.

Rukawa must really hate to lose, Yuna final thought came to that.

She hated to lose too. She could never ever lose to anyone. Yuna smiled softly to herself. She understood how Rukawa felt. She looked out at him again, he seemed really determined as he practiced outside. Yuna sighed inwardly, at that moment Kasumi walked into the kitchen again.

"The guest room is ready," Kasumi said. "The clothes I left are in the basket in the laundry room. Do you need any help?"

"Thanks Kasumi neechan but no." Yuna said. "It's almost done."

"If so I'll be going to bed then, and try not to quarrel with Rukawa-kun." Kasumi said turning away. "Oyasumi. (Good Night)"

"Oyasumi." Yuna said softly.

I guess I'll try not to, Yuna thought.

After Rukawa stopped practicing, it was near mid night as he walked into the kitchen again. He was surprised to see some rice puffs and sweat potatoes on the table. Just as he entered Yuna walked into the kitchen too, she smiled when she saw Rukawa. She was trying not to quarrel with Rukawa like her sister advised her.

"Ah?" She said. "Finished practice? I thought you would be hungry so I made supper. I hope what I made will do."

Rukawa sat down then, without answering her, he was slightly bemused to see Yuna being nice to him. The truth was he was really hungry so he didn't say anything as he ate.

"Kasumi neechan had gotten the guest room ready." Yuna continued when Rukawa remained silent. "Er… there is clean clothes in the laundry room… and if you want a bath, I can draw one for you."

Rukawa was really bemused now looked up at her though not showing his surprise. He had never seen Yuna this nice before. "Thanks." He said shortly and looked away again.

Yuna blinked and left the kitchen. So far so good, Yuna thought to herself as she walked into the bathroom. She drew the bath for him then. Checked the water whether it was warm enough and walked out just as Rukawa entered the laundry room.

"Er… the bath is ready." Yuna muttered and left the room quickly.

She went back to the kitchen and to clean up the dishes. She sighed with relieve, glad she had not utter any biting remark. Rukawa was also amazed that they had stayed together without snapping each other's head off. This time it was longer than the time Yuna had dinner with him at his house the other day.

After his bath, he changed into the clothes Yuna left for him. The sweater was slightly bigger and the pants slightly longer so he folded the pants up slightly and pushed the sleeves up. He left the laundry room then and saw Yuna waiting for him, at the foot of the stairs. She was sitting there staring straight ahead as her chin rested on both her hands and her elbows resting on her knees. She turned slightly to look at him when he came up.

"I'll show you where you will be sleeping." Yuna said getting up and walked upstairs.

Rukawa followed suit. He had never been upstairs before and was surprise that it looked more westernized upstairs with wooden oak doors instead of traditional Japanese sliding doors. Yuna lead Rukawa to a door next to her room.

"This is the guest room." Yuna said opening the door and switched on the lights. "You would be sleeping here when you stay over whenever you want." After saying all she needed to say she turned away and head for her door. "Oyasumi." She said flatly as she opened her room door.

"Yuna." Rukawa called.

Yuna turned around slightly. "Yes?"

"You are weird today," Rukawa said

"Huh?" Yuna looked taken aback from the question. What kind of statement is that? She thought angrily.

"You are extremely nice today." Rukawa said.

"What is that suppose to mean?" Yuna asked slightly aghast.

"I mean for a tomboy like you, you could be nice." Rukawa continued.

Yuna gritted her teeth then. "A tomboy like me?" She said under her breath in anger. "Of course! Why should I care about what you do? If this is the treatment I get all the time."

She then turned away from him sharply. "You are the hentai here and you dare to comment about me? Next time I won't bother." She said stiffly. "O-ya-su-mi!" she said again slowly and firmly before she went into her room and slammed the door shut so loudly that the fake sunflower with her name written in the middle hanging at the door dropped down to the floor.

Rukawa looked at the closed door feeling slightly annoyed. "Hentai?" He whispered. "She is still angry about that time." He didn't understand why she was angry at him when he was trying to compliment her.

Yuna, she really is a tomboy. Rukawa thought going to the guest room shutting the door behind him. Baka, he concluded.

Yuna stood in her room leaning on the shut door, still fuming. She was staring down the floor breathing heavily.

"Rukawa no baka!" She said to herself softly.

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You all must be wondering why they always end up this way…. If they get along so well so soon, there won't be anymore story to write, right. ;)

I'll update as soon as possible… the story is already in my head, is the matter of typing it out… :D thanks to everyone who had review… and of course to those that don't review but read my story… ^_^