Slam Dunk Fan Fiction ❯ Miss Match ❯ Christmas Celebration ( Chapter 25 )

Hi Dorina, hope you enjoy is chapter and thanks for your reviews. I'll go check your story again when I steal off some time again… ^_^

Chapter 25

Rukawa, walked down the busy street slowly. Everyone was in a hurry as they rushed to get their last minute presents for Christmas. He walked on, his face expressionless ignoring the crowd. He stopped suddenly when he saw, across the street in the mist of the crowd. A girl with her long brown hair in ponytail bending over her knees looking through a glass window of a gift shop. He crossed the street slowly to get to her.

Yuna couldn't believe that it was still there when she walked pass this shop. She still remembered about it and it was such a long time ago as she stared at the musical porcelain ballerina standing gracefully on a circular platform made of porcelain too decorated in pink ribbons.

Yuna thoughts about the pass…

"Oniisan, look at this!" Yuna exclaimed. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"This is the first time I see you saying something a girl would say." Yuki teased. "Yes it is beautiful."

"I wonder how much is it?" Yuna wondered out loud. "I want it…"

"Here…" Yuki said putting his hand on her shoulders. "Christmas is coming. Would you like it very much if I give this to you as a Christmas present?"

"Honto?" Yuna looked up at her brother happily.

"Hai, I promised."

End of Yuna's thoughts.

Yuna looked at the ballerina sadly; however, he didn't get it for her because he went to China even before Christmas came. Sighing, she straightened up and saw at the glass reflection; Rukawa was standing behind her. She turned around abruptly then looking slightly abashed.

"Rukawa!" She exclaimed, blushing slightly moving her body to block his view from what she was staring at before. She didn't expect to bump into him. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you this question."

"I was just strolling around." Yuna said laughing uneasily. "Well, I better get going, Kasumi-neechan need all the help today to prepare today's Christmas Eve dinner. Be sure to come right."

She turned away from him then, while walking away she turned back to him.

"Don't be late!" She called to him and then turned away walking into the crowd and she was gone.

Rukawa looked at her disappearing into the crowd before he turned back to the shop to look at the porcelain ballerina.

"…" Rukawa stared at it shoving his hands into his pockets.

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Yuna helped her sister in the kitchen getting ready for some friends to come over. Sota was decorating the Christmas tree with ojiisan and Sendoh. He had come early because he volunteered to help.

"Arigatou, Akira-kun for giving us a hand!" Kasumi said as she entered the dining room with a big bowl of soup. "Sota and ojiisan will never get the tree ready by then."

Yuna laughed coming in then. "Well, if that happened I guess it will always be me to come clean up the mess." Yuna was holding on a plate roasted chicken.

"Let me help you with that." Sendoh said coming forward to Yuna.

"It's alright." Yuna said as she walked over to the table. "You take care of the tree. Sota you are going to break that bell!"

Sendoh turned his attention back to them again as Yuna and Kasumi went back into the kitchen. It was almost time when everyone was supposed to arrive. Yuna looked at the clock in the kitchen wondering whether Rukawa would come. After they had taken all the dishes to the dining hall, Yuna and Kasumi joined the rest. They were all arranging their presents for each other under the tree.

Kaede ojiisan had arrived later and so had a few of Sota's friends but Rukawa hadn't arrive at all. Yuna wanted to ask Kaede ojiisan but was too afraid to, so she remained silent as she tried to enjoy her time with Sendoh. Time flew by as all of them had dinner and Sota and his friends played games later on. Sendoh and Yuna watched television with Ojiisan.

"It will be twelve soon," Kasumi said happily.

Yuna looked up the clock, sadly then. Rukawa still hadn't come.

"Excuse me…" Yuna said softly and got up then.

"Yuna…" Sendoh said getting up.

"I'll be right back." Yuna said softly without looking at him as she left the dining hall. Slowly she head upstairs to her room. She shut her door softly to drown the laughter downstairs and leaned on the door.

"Rukawa baka…" She whispered to herself feeling like crying. "Where did he go?"

She went over to her desk and sat down pulling opened one of the drawers she picked up a present she had wrapped so nicely. Taking a deep breath she put it back inside and was about to shut the drawer a photograph she kept in the drawer caught her attention. Slowly she picked it up; it was the photo she had taken with Rukawa with the orphans. While she stared at the photo someone knock on the door.

"Who is it?" She quickly kept the photo back into the drawer.

"It's neechan." Kasumi said and came in. "It's going to be twelve soon. Everyone is waiting for you."

"Hai," Yuna said standing up. "Sumimesen, I thought I forgot something."

"Yuna," Kasumi said softly walking up to her and put one of her hand on her shoulder. "Why don't you speak your heart?"

"I don't understand." Yuna looked at her sister's caring face.

"Don't lie to yourself." Kasumi said gently and smiled. "You will only regret one day if you do."

"Kasumi-neechan," Yuna looked at her sister weirdly. "You never preach before."

"I'm not planning to but you are old enough to make your own decisions Yuna. I know, if mum and dad were here they wouldn't mind and will respect whatever decision you make."

Yuna watched her sister leave the room, before she shut the door she turned to her again smiling.

"You had grown to be a very beautiful young lady Yuna," she said. "Don't forget to look into your heart. What did it actually tell you?"

Leaving Yuna flabbergasted in the middle of her room Kasumi shut the door. Yuna stared at the door for a moment before she walked over to it and left her room too. It didn't matter to her anymore, she told herself. He isn't here anyway; she made her way downstairs slowly.

She was greeted by Sendoh at the foot of the steps. She smiled gradually; she could hear the grandfather clock in the dining hall chimed. It was already mid-night and it was Christmas. Yuna reached the foot of the steps looking up at Sendoh.

"Merry Christmas, Yuna." Sendoh said bending over to kiss her forehead.

"Merry Christmas…" Yuna replied.

Both of them went back to the dining hall, to unwrap their presents. Sendoh had given her a white dress, Yuna hold up the dress astounded. For she never wear dress before except black dresses when she visits the cemetery. It was very beautiful off white, long flowing dress and the back was bare and two ribbons to tie around the neck.

"Domo…" Yuna said softly still stunned.

"I'm sure you would look nice in that." Sendoh said. "I never seen you wear dresses, though I think you will look really nice in a dress."

Yuna laughed uneasily and her brother snickered next to her. She turned to glare at him and he quickly stop.

"That is very nice of you Akira-kun…" Kasumi said smiling. "That is right Yuna never wear dresses before, though she looked nice in one."

"The only dress I ever see her wear is black dress." Sota mumbled and Yuna glared at him again.

"Stop it Sota…" She whispered to him angrily.

"I was hoping you would come to Tokyo with me in the summer holidays to meet my parents." Sendoh said then. "I was wishing you would wear this while we have dinner with my parents."

Yuna raised her eyebrows so high it had danger of shooting off her head.

"Parents?" She stammered.

"Hai, they are eager to meet you, unfortunately they are busy with work they couldn't come back to Kanagawa so they had invited you to go meet them in Tokyo."

Yuna's eyes widened with surprise at the invitation and she was unable to answer Sendoh.

"Yuna would love that," ojiisan answered for Yuna cheerfully.

Yuna turned to stare at her grandfather disbelievingly. Why is he doing this? She thought dreadfully. It is too soon to meet his parents!

"That would be Yuna's decision ojiisan," Kasumi said mildly coming to her rescue. "You can still think about it Yuna."

Giving her sister a thank you smile she turned back to Sendoh.

"Well, it seemed to be like a short notice, Akira-kun…"

"Take your time." Sendoh smiled understanding. "Meeting parents is a big step but you have to remember you are my fiancée, my parents are pretty anxious to meet you."

Yuna laughed uneasily then. "Soh…" She whispered.

When it was really late, and everyone had left Yuna went into the judo hall and sank down the floor in front of the calligraphy. She had brought Rukawa's present down from her room and she placed it on the floor in front of her staring at it. She sighed, not knowing what to do anymore. She never what to disappoint anyone but, this arrangement had been made by her father and she never want to be any part of it. Her thoughts were however interrupted by someone, clearing his throat. Yuna turned to look and saw Rukawa leaning on the frame of the door.

"Rukawa?" Yuna whispered standing up to her feet slowly.

"Merry Christmas." Rukawa said then walking towards her. "I know it's late but…"

Yuna remained silent as she was stunned. Rukawa was holding a brown paper bag in his hand and he passed it to her when he stood in front of her.

"I didn't have it wrap because there wasn't much time." Rukawa said as Yuna took the bag looking bewildered. "It was pretty last minute, when I finally knew what to get for you."

Yuna opened the bag and gently took out the porcelain ballerina in the brown bag and gasped. She looked up at Rukawa again too flabbergasted to say anything.

"For a tomboy I never thought you would like something like that." Rukawa teased smiling slightly.

Something clicked in Yuna's memory as she stared at Rukawa.

`This is the first time I see you saying something a girl would say.' She heard her brother's voice echoed in her head. Suddenly tears appeared in her eyes and she quickly looked away from Rukawa.

"What about you," Yuna said trying to sound furious. "Hentai!"

Quickly drying her tears away she looked up at Rukawa who was smiling down at her. She inclined her head.

"Arigatou…" She said bending down to pick up the present. "I have something for you too."

"Here," She sat down next to her passing him a nicely wrapped present.

Rukawa took it, sat down and unwrap it. Yuna sat down next to him smiling. Inside was a box, he lifted the lit slowly and saw a black coloured leather jacket inside. He looked back up at Yuna who was watching him, the smile still on her face.

"Well," Yuna said trying to keep her face straight. "I think girls' jacket doesn't suit boys much."

Rukawa eyes widened with shock then. It took him a moment to understand what Yuna was trying to tell him. Glad that he wasn't the type who blushed easily, turned to look at Yuna his face straight.

"I was thinking of giving it back to you…" Rukawa said.

"But you didn't," Yuna said softly. "May I know why?"

Rukawa remained silent.

"It's ok if you don't want to tell me." Yuna said looking away from him then and sighed. "It's getting late. We better turned in. Oyasumi."

Yuna got up and left the judo hall then leaving Rukawa sitting there staring down at the jacket she had given him. He couldn't make himself to tell her how important she was to him. He touched the jacket gently looking at it with a slight smile. If only Yuna understands even without him saying anything.

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Well, it was pretty last minute Rukawa turned up. But better than not turning up at all. Anyways… I hope everyone fine this chapter … :) Please review!!!! Thank you so much.