Slam Dunk Fan Fiction ❯ Shohoku's Pride ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

CHAPTER THREE:

Ryonan High Captain Akira Sendoh had no idea why he was walking the city streets of Yokohama at such an unholy hour. The red light district was not a good place to be in at night. In just thirty minutes alone, he was propositioned by fifteen people, most of them middle-aged men. One of them, to his horror, even turned out to be his history teacher, Mr. Yamazaki. Thankfully, they both came to an agreement not to breathe a word of their encounter to anyone at Ryonan High.

Although seemingly calm on the outside, Sendoh was seething on the inside. "This had better be good, Fujima," he muttered between gritted teeth, remembering the Captain of Shoyo High who had gotten him into this predicament. "A person could get raped in a place like this."

Then again, hadn't Kenji Fujima reluctantly admitted to him that something untoward almost did happen to him three nights ago if it were not for the rather timely arrival of his Shoyo Vice-Captain, Toru Hanagata.

Sendoh had kidded the blushing Captain then, "You'd better be careful, Fujima-san. It might be Hanagata-san who would have his wicked way with you." He seriously doubted though if Fujima would mind.

Which led to his sudden incursion into the seedy district of the city. In truth, it all began with a rumor or, more precise, an unconfirmed sighting by Ryonan's intrepid spy, Aida Hikoichi. Fujima happened to be the first to whom Hikoichi told it to, and he had threatened the Freshman to keep silent at pain of death. In turn, the Shoyo Captain had told it to him. Fujima had been extremely delicate about it, but Sendoh immediately understood what the flustered Shoyo Captain was trying to say. That somewhere within this stinking cesspool of vice, a star High School basketball player was walking the streets, selling his body and soul for the right price. Apparently, as Sendoh found out, his services didn't come cheap, especially since his pimp was a crime lord who dealt exclusively in white slavery.

It was out of curiosity that Sendoh had come. Like Fujima, so far, he had been unsuccessful in finding out the identity of this elusive basketball player-turned- whore. But unlike the Shoyo Captain, he could take care of himself. Sendoh had to smile at that. Somehow, Sakuragi Hanamichi's aggressiveness seemed to have rubbed off on him. Funny he should think about Sakuragi. Behind his rambunctiousness, Sendoh knew that there lay a noble heart within. He couldn't bring himself to dislike the redhead. If the situation had been different, he would've wanted Hanamichi to be in his team. Team Shohoku was lucky to have such a well-spring of talent that had yet to be tapped of its full potential.

Sendoh wished he could say the same about Kaede Rukawa. Rukawa was different. He didn't have to boast about his skills on the court. It was there for all to see. It was as if Rukawa was one beautiful, perfect basketball-playing machine. That air of mystery surrounding him only added to his allure. Sendoh, of course, knew this to be a fact; he was, after all, a man of mystery himself. So it seemed only natural that it would be he and Rukawa who would face off on the hard court.

The Captain of Ryonan often likened their encounters on the basketball court with sex. During the practice game, he dominated the soon-to-be-dubbed 'Super Rookie' of Shohoku High. With the notable exception of Hanamichi's infuriating banter, it was he who could get a reaction from the Ice Prince of the hard court, whether it be through a swift elude or an unexpected steal of the ball. Oh, how he loved to see Rukawa with his dark blue eyes wide, stunned, and his pouty lips briefly parted! It was worth startling the Freshman just to see that look on his face. Too bad he didn't have the guts to steal a kiss from those lips. He heard that Rukawa packed a mean punch.

Of course, as he expected, Rukawa had taken the team's defeat at the practice game as a personal affront to his talents. Sendoh mused that Rukawa would definitely make a bad uke. Still, he had to admit that Shohoku's ace had certainly pulled the wool over his eyes by not showing his usual form during the first half of their elimination game. The second half, however, was different as Rukawa scored point after point after point. Sendoh nearly came close to being overwhelmed...until he saw the dare in the Freshman's eyes. Be damned if Ryonan's ace was going to allow himself to play uke to Rukawa's seme on the hard court. He had almost succeeded in that, but his duel with the Freshman had distracted him from the other players, namely Sakuragi and Kogure, that they lost the ticket to the Inter High. It was a mistake he did not intend to make again.

Some day, Rukawa Kaede, Sendoh vowed strongly, you'll get what's coming to you.

Glancing down at his watch, the Ryonan Captain saw that it was half past midnight. He had no intention of staying any longer, just to confirm a stupid rumor. Besides, they still had basketball practice tomorrow. Hikoichi would have his head if he were late.

Just as Sendoh was about to cross the street to the safer part of the city, it was then that he saw whom he was looking for. This time, it was he who was floored by his startling discovery, that his jaw dropped in shock.

Kaede Rukawa was leaning against a black Mercedes Benz, caught in a tight lip lock with a burly American. The Freshman's arms were stiff at his sides, hands clenched into fists, as the gaijin hiked up his blue T-shirt to play with a tiny nipple. Standing behind them were three men, grinning at the scene before them. The man in the middle, obviously the crime lord himself, looked very pleased. When the American released Rukawa, the teenager's lips were bruised.

"I like him, Takeda-san," the American declared in fluent Japanese. "He is indeed very sweet. A bit stiff, but very luscious. That could be remedied though."

"I am sure you and your associates will enjoy him, Davis-san," the man named Takeda bowed to the gaijin, as the American handed him a small briefcase.

Davis turned to the teenager once more. "I heard that you want to go to America to play basketball. If you behave, boy, I could help you fulfill your dreams. I do have connections, you know."

Sendoh saw the Freshman's jaw harden. No, Rukawa! Don't say anything stupid!

In English, Rukawa hissed, "I do not need your connections to make my dreams come true! You may have paid for the use of my body this evening, Davis-san, but I will never allow you to corrupt my dream with your lust!"

The Ryonan Captain winced as the crime lord backhanded Rukawa in the face. His features dark with rage, he told Davis, "Sumimasen, Davis-san. I thought I had this whelp disciplined."

But Davis smiled reassuringly. "There is nothing to apologize for, Takeda-san. I love a feisty spirit." He leered lasciviously at Rukawa, who was wiping away the blood from his mouth. "It will only make the conquest so much sweeter." Gripping Rukawa's arm tightly, he jerked the teen inside the Benz, saying, "Let's go, Ru-chan!"

Sendoh hid in the shadows as the Mercedes Benz drove away, to be followed by Takeda's black limo. When they were gone, he emerged from his hiding place, still disbelieving what he had just witnessed.

Fujima's last words to him echoed in his ears.

"We must do something about this, Sendoh-san," the Shouyo Captain had told him. "Whoever he is, even if he belongs to a different team, he is still one of us by virtue of the honored game we all play. We cannot allow his life and his future to be ruined by this."

"That would be difficult, Fujima-san, especially since I too would want to have a piece of him myself," mumbled Sendoh, recalling that steamy kiss and a glimpse of a pink nipple being rolled between two fingers. "But you're right in that something must be done about this, and I think I know the right person who could help us." Gazing at the moon, Sendoh smiled enigmatically. "I'm a very patient man, Rukawa. I'll wait until you are free from this mess. Our time will come, I promise you that."