Slam Dunk Fan Fiction ❯ Miss Match ❯ Feelings Revealed ( Chapter 13 )

Chapter 13

Rukawa cursed under his breath, as he stayed alone in the basketball court in school after practice. It was after the match with Kainan and it was the first match they had lost. He still remembered Yuna had come to the match. She never did come for any matches before and to think she came to watch the match they lost really pisses him off. He ran to the hoop and jumped up, dunking the ball hard. Rukawa landed on his feet and bent over.

Rukawa's thoughts: A Few Days back Kainan Match…

Everyone was cheering as he shot in the three pointers. He looked up the stand and saw Yuna standing behind the audiences leaning on a pillar watching him. He knew that she had just finished her gymnastic match because she was wearing her gymnastic jacket and shorts over her leotard. On her left hand she was gripping on to her sports bag that slung over her shoulder. He didn't know how long she was standing there but he was slightly pleased that she did.

After the game Rukawa was devastated that they had lost, he looked at where Yuna was standing and managed to catch a glimpse of disappointment on her face before she turned away and walked off.

End of Rukawa's thoughts.

"Damn!" Rukawa said under his breath. "She shouldn't have come."

He didn't want to let her see that they had lost the game. He couldn't forget her upset expression.

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"ACHOO!" Yuna sneezed.

She sighed, am I getting a cold? She wondered straightening up. She had just smashed the pile of bricks in the Judo Hall. She looked around the quiet hall. Rukawa hadn't come over to their place a few days after the match with Kainan High.

Is he still upset? Yuna thought making her way out the hall into the house. I wonder if he is alright?

Yuna's thoughts on the day during the day of Kainan Match and her gymnastic competition…

Yuna watched her gymnastic team sadly as they all sank down the floor crying. They had lost and didn't manage to get to the finals. Yuna clutched her hands in fists feeling very angry.

If only I didn't break my leg. She thought furiously.

However, it was no point crying over spilled milk. She pulled herself together and looked at the time. She realized the match Shohoku High will start soon with Kainan High. She remembered Haruko told her that, it would a difficult match because Kainan basketball team had never lost for 16 years in the row.

Without bothering to take a shower, she wore a pair shorts over her leotard, put on her gymnastic jacket and wore her sneakers, she left the gymnastic stadium. She rushed over to the basketball stadium as quickly as she can. When she entered and realized that she had only missed a few minutes of the game. Glad that she didn't miss much she stood behind the audiences not bothering to find a seat and watch the match.

End of Yuna's thoughts.

"Rukawa's really amazing…" Yuna said softly remembering how he played.

The sun was setting while Yuna stood at the porch looking up the sky. It was the mixture of yellow, red and orange as the sky turned dark slowly. He was really fantastic during that match. She had never seen anyone played like that before. Even she hated to admit it; he had attracted the entire audiences. When she realized her head was filled of Rukawa, and what she had just blurted out earlier, Yuna blushed, turning away from the darkening sky, feeling angry at herself.

"What the hell am I thinking about?" Yuna said to herself. "Jeez, of all things to say. I sounded so much like those Rukawa fan girls…"

Giving her goosebums remembering about them at the match cheering for Rukawa, she shuddered slightly thinking she needed a long hot bath to clear her demented mind.

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It was near mid night as Yuna walked downstairs quietly for the rest of her family had fallen asleep. She couldn't sleep and thought of having ice-cream. She entered the kitchen, didn't bother to on the lights she got what she wanted and sat down on the table.

As she ate, she heard someone coming from the corridor. Yuna looked at the door, whoever it was, he was sure coming into the kitchen. She blinked, did she wake anyone up? She wondered.

The lights switched on and Yuna saw herself staring at Rukawa. She inclined her head when she saw him stand rooted on the floor at the frame of the door. He was the least person she had expected to see.

Rukawa, didn't expect anyone to be still awake, was surprised to see Yuna sitting in the kitchen. He had been avoiding her since the match. Now seeing her sitting in front of him, he was unprepared to talk to her.

Yuna looked at Rukawa slightly surprised. She didn't expect to see him too. However, her surprised turned to concern when she saw Rukawa covered in bruises and scratches.

"Are you alright?" She asked. "What happened?"

"None of your business." Rukawa said shortly turning away from her as he walked into the kitchen.

"Oh really." Yuna frowned getting up and put away the ice-cream. "Be that way."

She left the kitchen then, Rukawa watched her walked out. He cursed himself after that. He didn't mean to chase her away but he was really unprepared to see her. He couldn't forget how happy she was when he shot in that three pointer and he cannot forget the most was the expression she had after the game. He turned away from the door with a sighed then he heard Yuna's voice again.

"However…" Yuna said unenthusiastically reappearing again at the kitchen door. "Let me help you disinfect your wounds."

Rukawa turned back towards the door. Yuna was standing at the frame of the door holding on to a First Aid Box.

"Domo." Rukawa muttered and sat down on the chair.

"Got into another fight?" Yuna asked sitting down next to his chair and took out the things in the box. "With Sakuragi-kun?"

Rukawa remained silent.

Yuna sighed and gently disinfect his wounds. She put the plaster on the scratches around his face when Rukawa spoke.

"Why did you come?"

"Huh?"

"Why did you come to watch the match we had with Kainan?"

"I was curious, Haruko-chan told me that Kainan was a very strong team."

"So you really think we would lose?" Rukawa said furiously.

"No!" Yuna snapped slightly annoyed. "I came because I was worried about you!"

There was ringing silence after what Yuna had said. Yuna quickly clasped her hand to her mouth after saying it. What made her say that? She thought. Trying to look normal she turned back to face Rukawa holding her head high. She put another plaster on the last scratch on his face and quickly turned away from him packing away the things.

"Kasumi had actually left something for you." Yuna said changing the subject. "It is in the microwave."

Rukawa was speechless after Yuna's outburst. Yuna said she was worried about me? He thought disbelievingly.

"Rukawa…I know I never come to your matches but…" Yuna said heading to the door. She stopped by the door and turned her head slightly around. "You played really well in the match. Gan batte!"

After saying that she left the kitchen and never went back in again, leaving Rukawa even more mystified. Yuna never utter a word of praise before even if he as playing liked the best player in the world. Rukawa couldn't believe that Yuna had just told him he was good! Rukawa didn't understand at all.

Rukawa felt something for Yuna; that feeling had been creeping in on him from time to time. Even though, he had pushed it away as soon as he felt it. However, this time he never bothered too as he stared at the door where Yuna had gone through not long ago.

"Is it true that she really cares…?" He said to himself softly.

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The next morning, Yuna woke up and got ready quickly. She grabbed her briefcase and ran out her room when she heard Kasumi called her.

"Yuna, please wake Rukawa-kun!" Kasumi cried from the foot of the stairs.

"He will wake by himself!" Yuna replied dashing down the stairs. "Don't bother to wake him Kasumi neechan. I'm leaving now!"

Yuna ran out the house then. She has got to be kidding me, she thought to herself. She had heard from many of her friends from school how Rukawa bashed the teacher who woke him up. To wake him up was really out of the question. Yuna raced all the way to school, hoping Kasumi wouldn't bother to wake him as well.

"Oh my," Kasumi said holding two boxes of lunch in her hand as she came out the kitchen. "Yuna ran out in such a hurry!"

Just then Rukawa came down the stairs still looking tired.

"Ohayo gozaimasu!" Kasumi greeted cheerfully.

"Ohayo." Rukawa mumbled back heading for the door.

"Rukawa-kun here is your lunch!" Kasumi said passing him two boxes. "The other is Yuna's. She ran out today forgetting about it. Could you please pass it to her in school?"

Rukawa nodded and took them, yawning.

"Arigatou Rukawa-kun." Kasumi smiled. "Ride safely."

Rukawa cycled out still half asleep. Just as Rukawa was on his way, Yuna reached the school front gate. She stopped short when she saw most of the basketball players at the front entrance of the school.

"Huh?" She said softly to herself when she saw Sakuragi's hair, her mouth dropped opened. "What the…?"

His had shaved his head bald!

"It's because of me we lost the match with Kainan." He said. "This is my punishment."

"He had got to be kidding me?" Yuna gaped at him still stunned. Mitsui and Miyagi were laughing their head off on the floor. Yuna heard a soft bicycle bell rang behind her and she looked back. Seeing Rukawa riding up to her his eyes close, she quickly dodged away, and shouted "What out!"

Sakuragi who was less fortunately got knocked by Rukawa hard on his butt. He then turned to Rukawa looking like he was about to kill him.

"Hanamichi-kun!" Yuna cried running forward to him. "Wait…"

Before she could reach him, Akagi reached him first giving him a knock on his head so hard he nearly fell down. Yuna stopped on the spot immediately, sweat drop appearing on her head.

"Lunch..." She then heard the cool expressionless voice said next to her.

Yuna turned to see Rukawa handing her a lunch box. "Eh?" She looked at Rukawa bewildered.

"You forgot your lunch." Rukawa said. "Kasumi neechan told me to hand it to you."

"Arigatou." Yuna said softly, and surprised as she took the box from him with both her hands.

Rukawa headed into the building then. Yuna still slightly flabbergasted at what had happened, she stared down the box. She came back to her senses when she heard a group of girls shouted at her direction.

"Our Rukawa- sama giving her lunch box!" The girls screamed.

"Huh?" Yuna looked up and her face paled when she saw Rukawa's fan girls glaring at her angrily.

"That is unforgivable!" They shouted angrily advancing to her.

"What are you all talking about?" Yuna exclaimed taking her step back. "Eck!"

She then turned around and ran into the building in top speed when the girls made threatening moves towards her. She ran all the way to class hoping she got away for good.

It is only the beginning of the day! She groaned inwardly as she settled down in her seat feeling flustered.