Slam Dunk Fan Fiction ❯ Miss Match ❯ She Cares... ( Chapter 17 )

Chapter 17

Rukawa, had more to worry about whether he could attend the IH match than Yuna when he found, that he had practically flunk everything for his finals. However, he was not the only one. He found, Sakuragi, Miyagi and Mitsui having the same problem as well.

They all have to go over to Akagi's place after practice, to study that day. Rukawa who wasn't very happy about it had to obey anyway. The thing he dreaded most was that Riko had volunteered to help them that night. He was very pleased when Akagi had disagreed.

Yuna, who had fewer problems to worry about, made her way home after school with Haruko that day. Haruko seemed worried about the problems the basketball team was having looked depressed.

"Are you all right Haruko-chan?" Yuna asked when she saw Haruko looking very down.

"I'm worried, that Rukawa-kun, Sakuragi-kun, Mitsui Senpai and Miyagi Senpai wouldn't be able to attend the IH matches."

"What's wrong?" Yuna asked bewildered. "Why can't they?"

"They failed their exams." Haruko sighed. "It was a lucky thing that the teachers allowed them to re take the exam. So they will be coming over to my house to study tonight."

"Oh?" Yuna whispered.

"That's right Yuna!" Haruko exclaimed. "You can come and help! You did really good in your finals didn't you?"

"I don't know." Yuna said for she had no intentions to see Rukawa. Lately in school Riko had been sticking to him so close like a flea. She felt like smashing something at their faces.

"Well, if you can, please come." Haruko said when they reached the junction where they will be taking different routes. "I guess I'm going this way. I'll see you in school."

"Hai," Yuna waved. "Ja."

Yuna walked back home then thinking whether Rukawa would go to the IH matches. She never she saw him studying before. It was no wonder he failed most of his examination. She sighed; he would be really disappointed if he couldn't.

Trying to get her mind away from Rukawa, Yuna spend most of her time in the Training Hall doing some work out. When a few hours passed Yuna lay on her back flat on the wooden floor looking up the ceiling of the Training Hall. She couldn't move a muscle anymore. She was bathed in sweat feeling very winded. Slowly she got up and wanted to continue but she fell on her knees again.

"Stop thinking about it!" Yuna shook her head.

She stood up again, and tried to practice again, she slip when she did a side kick. Groaning she lay on the floor unable to move. She had never in her life, strained her stamina before. She took a deep breath and stood up gradually, thinking she should better stop before she hurt herself she left the hall and headed for the laundry room. She needed to take a hot bath that may be able to calm her down.

Yuna went back to her room after a long bath; she flopped down her bed and stared up the ceiling. That was when Rukawa's voice echoed in her head again. `I promise I will be the best player in Japan'. Yuna sat up on her bed immediately holding her head with her hand.

"Moh!" She said angrily to herself, knocking her head with her knuckles. "Why can't I forget about that hentai?"

Getting up she grabbed a jacket, slipped it on and left her room. She knew that if she didn't go over to Haruko's place, she will be thinking about it the whole night. She went downstairs swiftly, slipped on her shoes and called to her sister.

"Kasumi neechan, I'll be going out for a moment!" Yuna said. "Bye!"

"Where are you going?" Kasumi asked poking her head out the dining area. She was watching television with Sota and ojiisan, but Yuna had already left.

Yuna made her way to Haruko place then, when she reached her house, the house was still lit with bright lights. They must be still studying then. She went through the gate and pressed the door bell. She heard Haruko's voice and her quick footsteps.

"Hai, hai, coming!" She said.

Haruko opened the door and Yuna smiled.

"Well, I decided to come after all." Yuna said. "How are they doing?"

"Not very good apparently." Haruko said letting Yuna in. "Oniisan is having problems with Sakuragi-kun."

"Hanamichi-kun?" Yuna wondered out loud.

"Hai,"

"Yuna," Akagi said. "Glad you came, please help me with this baka here."

Yuna scratched her head looking at Sakuragi sitting there dumbly staring back at her. It will be a long night, she thought going to them. Rukawa was sitting next to him looking like he was about to fall asleep.

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Rukawa knew Yuna had come, he had wished that she could teach him more than Haruko would but Akagi had asked her to help him with Sakuragi instead. They had been in Akagi's room for long time and she hadn't come out yet. While he had finished his paper and passing it to Haruko, Yuna came out the room looking disconcerted.

For a moment their eyes met, Rukawa knew that Yuna came because she was anxious about him not the others, even she didn't say so, he could see it in her eyes. Soon Rukawa's couldn't hold his eyes open much longer, slowly he put his head down on the table and he was fast asleep.

Yuna smiled slightly when she saw how quickly he had fallen asleep. Haruko was still talking to him and she was upset when she realized that he didn't hear a single thing she had said. Yuna walked up to them.

"This is the Rukawa I know." Ayako said. She was sitting on the dining table next to Haruko.

Haruko was looking at Rukawa's slumbering figure. She then looked up when Yuna stood next to her.

"How's Sakuragi-kun?" She asked Yuna.

"Still trying," Yuna said. "Akagi-Senpai had already fallen asleep too." She looked around the house and found that Miyagi and Mitsui were asleep on the living room sofa. She turned back Haruko then. "I think Hanamichi-kun would be finishing his revision soon."

They waited for Sakuragi then, soon when the whole house was already in darkness and everyone was already asleep, except one. Yuna placed her jacket over Rukawa's shoulders and watched him sleep for a moment. Slowly she turned away and left the house. She turned back and looked at Haruko's house smiling softly.

"Gan batte, Rukawa." Yuna said softly.

She turned away and walked down the lonely lane.

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The next morning when Rukawa woke up he looked around the house dazedly. He blinked and something slipped from his shoulders. He looked down and saw that it was a jacket. He bent over to pick it up, recalling that he saw Yuna wearing it over the last night. Being wider awake than before, he scanned the living room. He saw Mitsui and Miyagi getting ready for school. Akagi hadn't come out his room yet, and Haruko was packing her bag at the dining table opposite him. She then picked up a little note on the table.

"Oh?" Haruko said. "Yuna-chan left last night while we were all sleeping. I was hoping to walk to school with her today."

Rukawa got up from his seat then, holding the jacket in his arm he went to get his bag. He folded the jacket neatly and placed it into his bag before zipping it up again.

Yuna, he thought. So she does care…