Slam Dunk Fan Fiction ❯ Miss Match ❯ Outing with Sendoh ( Chapter 21 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Thanks Dgirlie for reviewing, glad to know that you like this fic… even though u had never really watch SlamDunk before. I used to be in the basketball team in school. Therefore I started watching this anime n seemed to like it very much. As you can see my fav character is Kaede Rukawa … Well… his actual name is actually Kaede and his surname Rukawa… in this story got it the other way around. Due to a poster I had. Anyways I did some research n got his name right this time. But I'm sticking to Rukawa Kaede in this story because I'm already half way through… enjoy the new chapter.

Chapter 21

"Gomen I'm late," Sendoh said walking up in his cool calm way. "My parents are still in Tokyo so they can't come to see you Yuna. They will be glad to see how you had grown."

Yuna was still gapping at Sendoh didn't answer.

"Well, I guess I will leave you both to get acquainted," Ojiisan said standing up. "But by the look of the both of you, you both had already met before."

"Yes we did." Sendoh answered still smiling.

Yuna was still too stunned to say anything.

"It must be faith." Ojiisan said chuckling slightly.

"Faith?" Yuna blurted out unbelievingly suddenly.

Both Sendoh and her grandfather turned to look at her she still had the `couldn't believe it to be true' expression. Yuna blushed then, when they both stared at her. She quickly turned away from their gaze and looked down the table.

"I'm leaving now Yuna." Ojiisan said. "I have appointment with friends to play chess. Better get going."

Yuna remained silent. Ojiisan nudged Sendoh to talk to her before he leaves. Sendoh took a seat opposite Yuna looking at her. She was still looking down the table.

"It must be a shock to you." Sendoh said. "Well, it came as a shock to me too when I learn of it. But I was glad the girl turned out to be you."

Yuna looked up at Sendoh then. He smiled and continued. "I may not know you well, neither do you about me. But I always wanted to know you better. I always hope you feel the same way about me."

Yuna smiled softly. "I guessed." She said quietly.

"You have really nice smile, you should smile more often you know."

Yuna blushed then. "Arigatou..."

"I was pretty upset when I heard that you went to China last year!" Sendoh said. "I came to visit you as usual, though your grandfather told me that you had already left. You went without telling me that you were leaving. At least I would have still kept in touch with you when you were there."

"Sorry, Sendoh-senpai…" Yuna replied softly looking down the table. "It was a pretty last minute kind of arrangement. So…"

Yuna's voice trailed off. She didn't know what else to say. She was touched that Sendoh cared so much about her but, the person who she wished would care about her this much wasn't meant to be. She sighed inwardly. Why has faith got to be so cruel sometimes?

"Are you doing anything this afternoon?" Sendoh asked interrupting Yuna's thoughts.

Yuna shook her head.

"Come let me bring you somewhere." Sendoh said getting up.

Yuna looked up at him in surprised. He took her hand in his and pulled her up. Without letting her go he walked out Danny's still holding her hand. Yuna too astounded tagged behind him looking at both their hands.

"Where… where are we going?" Yuna stammered after a while later.

"You will see." Sendoh replied. "You will like it there."

After half and hour bus ride they finally reached the town area of Kanagawa. They came down and Yuna gaped at where Sendoh had brought her.

"Carnival?" Yuna said disbelievingly.

"Hadn't you been to a Carnival before?" Sendoh asked. "I thought you might like to come…"

"Well I of course, I love to come." Yuna smiled slightly. "It is just that I had never been to a carnival before…"

"Not once?" Sendoh asked again, this time he was astounded.

She shook her head.

"What do you do when you were younger?" Sendoh asked. "Carnivals are places were children and adults enjoy. I heard that they where here in town this week that was why I thought of bringing you. They are not always here you know."

"When I was younger?" Yuna whispered softly to herself.

The only thing she ever remembered when she was younger was training in combat. She didn't have time to come to the carnival when they come to Kanagawa. She sighed inwardly, even if she did thought of wanting to go.

"Come on, we are wasting time outside." Sendoh said and grabbed her hand in his again. Yuna staggered slightly as they walked in together.

Yuna never thought that the place was filled with all types of rides. She looked around amazed, there were many children with their parents and both parties seemed to be having fun. She smiled slightly watching them.

If papa, mama are still with us… and Yuki… Yuna said inwardly. We would come here together as a family with Kasumi neechan and ojiisan.

"Are you alright, Yuna?" Sendoh asked when Yuna looked sad suddenly.

"Eh?" Yuna quickly smiled pushing that thought away. "I'm fine…"

"So what do you what to try first?" Sendoh asked.

Yuna remembered the roller coaster rides that she had watched on television and wondered how it was like always. So she had decided on sitting that. By the end of the ride she was laughing instead of scared. Sendoh looked at her amazed.

"Most girls would be frightened after that." He said smiling at Yuna. "I'm pretty amazed you are laughing."

"Iya, I was scared." Yuna said choking down her laughter. "That was why it seemed funny… I never thought I would be afraid of anything." However she added silently to herself; other than loosing the Judo Hall and our home.

Yuna never had that much fun since, Yuki left for China. They stayed in the carnival for the rest of the day till the sun set and the sky darkens. Sendoh and Yuna then had dinner together. They took a stroll around the park then.

"Why don't we stay for the fire works?" Sendoh said. "They always had it every night. You should see them, they are really nice."

Yuna nodded smiling. She hadn't seen a fire work since she was very young and wanted to see them again. Together they walked around the park to find a spot to sit and wait for the fireworks.

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Rukawa went over to Yuna's house to train Sota as usual hoping he may be able to see Yuna but to his surprised Yuna wasn't in the whole day. He kept wondering where she had gone though he didn't want to ask. He stayed on, in their house then until dinner. Kasumi became when worried Yuna didn't come home for dinner.

"She should have called if she wasn't coming home for dinner." Kasumi said when they were having dinner. Rukawa looked at the clock on the wall too. It showed eight thirty and Yuna was still not home. "I do hope she is alright."

"She is fine!" Ojiisan said happily. "Looks like Yuna is getting along with Sendoh-kun very well now."

Rukawa looked up surprise. Sendoh? Why is Yuna doing with him?

"Sendoh-kun?" Kasumi said wonderingly. "Isn't that the boy who came for dinner a year ago?"

"Hai, hai…" Ojiisan smiled. "He was your father's very good friend's son."

"Oh?" Kasumi raised her eyebrows.

"But why, Yuna is with Sendoh oniisan? She hardly hangs out with anyone usually." Sota said.

"Well, I just met with Sendoh-kun's father in Tokyo." Ojiisan explained. "That was why I went to Tokyo, to discuss about the arrange marriage, your father and him had promised many years ago."

"Ah?" Sota exclaimed. "Don't tell me Yuna neechan is Sendoh oniisan's fiancée!"

"You guessed right Sota." Ojiisan said.

Rukawa broke the wooden chopsticks he was holding then. Everyone turned to look at him. Kasumi put her hands on her cheeks surprised at Rukawa's sudden anger.

"Sumimesen…" Rukawa said softly calming himself down quickly.

"It's alright." Kasumi said standing up. "I'll go get you another one."

Rukawa looked down his bowl of rice. His face remained expressionless but inside he was burning with fire. Sendoh is Yuna's fiancée? What the hell is going on here?

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"This is amazing!" Yuna exclaimed watching the fireworks.

They were sitting under a tree on a tiny slope watching the fireworks that had started not long ago.

"Do you like it?" Sendoh said.

"Hai, Oniisan and I did watch this once many years back." Yuna said. "We were very young then."

"Oniisan?"

"My twin brother, Yuki…" Yuna said softly her smile fading from her face.

"I've never seen him before? Where is he now?"

"He passed away last year, in a car crash." Yuna said quietly looking away from the fireworks. "He was on his way to the airport in China."

"I'm sorry." Sendoh said gently.

Yuna shook her head. "It's in the pass. It is time I forget about it."

Sendoh watched Yuna's sad face feeling upset for her. No wonder she hardly ever smiles. Sendoh thought, such a sad pass that she is trying to forget.

Yuna looked back up the sky again watching the fireworks. Her thoughts drifted as the colourful fireworks exploded and flared in the sky.

Yuna's thoughts…

I hope ended then, when Yuki died. But, a new hope was given to me again. Surprisingly Rukawa was the one who had `a new promise a new hope'. He had given me back a chance to be strong again. Until now I still cannot forget him, even though I am trying because we are not meant to be. Sendoh Senpai is my fiancée now but still I can't forget Rukawa. How can I? He gave me a new hope though I must try…he has a fiancée too. We can always be friends but why does that thought saddens me? I still do not understand- do I care about Rukawa that much? If I do, why?

End of Yuna thoughts.

"Sendoh Senpai…"

"You do not need to call with such title, after all that now that we are engaged." Sendoh said.

Yuna turned to him blushing slightly. "But…"

"You don't have to be so formal with me…" Sendoh smiled. "Why don't you call me Akira?"

"Akira-kun then…" Yuna smiled too.

"OK, that sounded better."

Yuna laughed then. "I had a very nice day with you today."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"I hadn't had this much fun for a long time actually." Yuna said keeping a small smile on her face. "I'm glad that we got along fine."

"I'm happy too…"

"It's getting late…" Yuna said slowly.

"I'll send you home."

"Arigatou."

They both left then. Sendoh sent Yuna back to the front gates of her house. They stood outside for a moment silently.

"Well, domo…" Yuna said softly looking down the ground. "I'll see you soon."

"Sooner than you think." Sendoh replied. "What about tomorrow?"

"It's fine with me!" Yuna answered.

"Let's try meeting each other more often, Yuna…" Sendoh held her cheek with his hand gently. "What do you think?"

Yuna smiled and nodded. "Oyasumi." Yuna said.

"Oyasumi." Sendoh took his hand away from her reluctantly and watched her turned away.

Yuna entered the house, and was surprised that the house was already in darkness. Yuna blinked, they went to bed very early today she thought entering the house. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw someone sitting on the last three steps of the stairs. She switched on the lights and realized it was Rukawa.

"Ru…Rukawa?" Yuna stammered and immediately she got angry at him. "Why have you got to scare me like that? Can't you at least switch on the lights or something?"

"You don't have to jump down my throat every time you see me!" Rukawa retorted standing up.

Yuna sighed looking away. She didn't want to quarrel with him but she just lost herself for a moment.

"Gomen…" Yuna said then turning back to him. "I didn't mean to shout at you. You took me by surprised."

Rukawa remained silent.

"Oyasumi…" Yuna said walking passed him to get upstairs.

"Is Sendoh your fiancée?"

Yuna stopped after taking a step up. She turned around to look at Rukawa. He looked slightly perturbed. Yuna could only stare; she wasn't sure how Rukawa was feeling at the moment though his slight emotions told her that he probably didn't like the idea about her having Sendoh as a fiancée.

"Hai…" Yuna replied softly.

"Do you want it?" Rukawa asked then turning his gaze away from her.

"What about you?" Yuna asked.

"Why can't you answer the question?" He asked angrily turning back to her.

"You never told me whether you wanted Riko as your fiancée." Yuna retorted. "So do you expect me to answer your question?"

"I told you it was my parent's idea! You sure are a tomboy!"

"Yeah sure, this was my parents' idea too…" Yuna cried getting annoyed then. "Hentai!"

"So you really don't care!"

"You are the one that didn't care; you dare to say that to me?" Yuna exclaimed pointing her finger at him. Her whole body was shaking then, as tears burn her eyelids. Quickly she turned away from him.

Rukawa remained silent.

"I wanted you to tell me to stay," Yuna said softly. "I really wanted to hear you tell me to go to Hiroshima with you…"

"But you wanted to go to China…" Rukawa said.

Yuna turned to look at him angrily. Rukawa could see she was crying.

"Oh really…" She stammered sarcastically. "That is all you can say to me?"

With that she turned away and ran upstairs, into her room and slammed her room door shut. Rukawa stared after her feeling slightly confused.

Rukawa baka…; wiping the tears away from her eyes angrily. She leaned back on the door and slid down the floor cuddling her legs to her chess, lowering her head to her knees and started to sob. After all this time… why does it still hurts? Yuna thought.

It is that important that I ask her? Rukawa wondered. He sighed and went up stairs then to the guest room to get some sleep. He had already made up his mind that he will talk to his parents about Riko. He really never wanted her as his fiancée. He just didn't know when was the right time to discuss this matter with his parents, for once he was going to go against his parents' wishes, which he had never done before. But now everything seemed so different.

Even though, I will find a time to tell them, Rukawa thought firmly and stopped outside the door of the guest room when he heard sobs from Yuna's room, he turned to the direction. He had never heard or saw Yuna cry like that before except for the death for her twin brother. Ignoring it, he entered the room trying to push aside the aching feeling he felt in his heart. He hated to see Yuna upset or hurt.

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Uh oh, now Rukawa had finally made up his mind to call off the engagement but now Yuna have a fiancée… well, things isn't going that well for them isn't it? Rukawa doesn't sound like Rukawa when he broke his chopsticks right? I find it rather dramatic but I kidda liked the idea … :D please review wanna know feedbacks!!!!

Thank you!!!!