Slam Dunk Fan Fiction ❯ Shohoku's Pride ❯ Chapter Ten ( Chapter 10 )

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

CHAPTER TEN:

White light seeped through his eyes, penetrating the darkness. For what seemed like an eternity of blackness, Hanamichi finally opened heavy eyelids to gaze at the pristine white ceiling and the face that was smiling down upon him.

"Megane-kun...." the redhead whispered hoarsely. He tried to move, but the pain in his left shoulder stopped him.

"Thank God you're awake, Hanamichi!" Kogure breathed in visible relief. "You gave all of us quite a scare!"

"What happened? Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital. Takeda shot you. You're lucky the bullet didn't puncture your lung. The doctors had to operate and get it out." The Senior gave his rambunctious teammate a meaningful smile. "Rukawa was worried sick about you. For the three days that you've been here, he never left your side."

"I've been out for three days?" Hanamichi's voice trailed off. Remembering what had opened to the older boy, he gazed at his teammate with deep concern and asked, "Senpai...are you...daijoubu desu ka?"

"I'm fine!" Kogure exclaimed, trying to sound cheerful. But seeing the worry on the redhead's face, he knew he could not lie to his teammate. Breathing in deeply, he admitted, "I've been having nightmares. Sometimes, I feel phantom aches down..." He made a sweeping gesture over his lower belly. "It's hard to get over what Takeda did to me. Body and soul...I feel so filthy. My parents...they couldn't...accept...what had happened to me. They've been lashing out at...people...whom they perceived to be of blame."

"Mit-chin...."

The small forward nodded. "My parents don't approve of our relationship, but Mitsui-san has been very patient, both with them and with me. Mit-chin has been very gentle with me, like I'm a fragile piece of crystal that needs to be handled with the utmost care. Not like Takeda."

Hanamichi squeezed Kogure's hand in understanding.

A tear trickled unbidden from the Senior's right eye. "I want to give Mit-chin more. Oh, you don't know how many times I had wished that I could turn back time and return to that moment when he had first kissed me. It should've been him, Hanamichi. Mit-chin should've been my first. If only I hadn't hurt him that day...."

"Don't you start blaming yourself again, Megane-kun. If you're looking for someone to blame, it should be Takeda. It was he who raped you."

"Hanamichi, how can I get over this? Sometimes, I couldn't bear anyone touching me, including Mitsui. I know he will never hurt me and I want so much to give myself to him. But...but...all I see is Takeda."

"Give yourself time to heal. And you mustn't be afraid that Mit-chin might lose patience with you. Megane-kun, he loves you deeply. He will wait until you're ready, even if it takes forever."

"I hope you're right. But then again, you're always right. You are Tensai Sakuragi after all."

Hanamichi beamed at that last. "Yes, that's what I am. The Tensai."

Wiping away his tears, Kogure declared, "Why are we talking about me anyway? It's Rukawa who is more important."

It was only then that the redhead realized that Shohoku's ace was nowhere to be found. Frowning, he asked, "What do you mean? Where is the Kitsune anyway? Did something happen to him? Did Takeda...."

"Rukawa's fine. Despite the...things...that Takeda and his men did to him, he bounced back quickly. But..." Kogure fell silent, unsure if he should continue.

"But what?"

"Rukawa's going to be facing the school board and the entire student body today," the Senior reluctantly revealed. "Anzai-sensei and the whole team are going to speak in his defense. Mit-chin called up an hour ago and he said that it doesn't look good. The Shinietai were literally screaming for blood and the school board seems determined to expel him."

Hearing this, Hanamichi swiftly sat up, wincing at the pain in his shoulder. Kogure's eyes widened in alarm as the redhead staggered out of bed, grabbing his jacket as he did so.

"Sakuragi, what the hell are you doing?" The small forward stood up as well and grabbed his weaving teammate.

"Get me out of here, Senpai," Hanamichi growled, gritting his teeth against the pain.

"You're in no condition to go anywhere!"

"Megane-kun, please!" Tears of frustration welled up in the redhead's brown eyes. "You can't expect me to just lie here while Rukawa is being set upon by a pack of mad dogs. They'll destroy him! After all the things he's been through, he doesn't deserve this. Please, you must help me get out of this place! Rukawa needs me!"

Kogure thought that he would never see the day when Sakuragi Hanamichi would exhibit such heartbreaking concern for the boy whom he considered his fiercest rival. It was a plea that he could not deny.

Nodding, Shohoku's Vice-Captain answered, "Hai, Hanamichi! I'll see what I can do."

---

With Kogure's assistance, Hanamichi slowly but steadily made his way inside the administrative building, climbing up the stairway one step at a time. When they finally reached the auditorium, however, both boys were crestfallen at the sight that greeted them.

All the members of Team Shohoku stood in the corridor with tears in their eyes. Haruko was weeping inconsolably, held by Fujii, Matsui and Ayako, who were visibly shaken. Akagi couldn't look at the newcomers in shame. Ryota had slumped down on the floor, face buried in his hands. It was Anzai-sensei who gave them the answer to their unspoken question with an all too eloquent shake of his head. Seeing that gesture, Mitsui, who was never known to control his emotions, slammed his fist into the wall, drawing blood, that Kogure hastened to his side.

His voice shaking, the redhead asked, "Where...."

As one, they cleared a straight path for him, leading to the despondent Freshman who was leaning wearily over the railing, staring blankly at the school grounds below. Not trusting his strength, Hanamichi gripped the rail and made his way towards the ace.

When he was standing above that hunched form, Hanamichi whispered, "Kitsune...."

"I was expecting this, Sakuragi-kun," Rukawa answered, his voice seemingly calm and controlled. "No school, after all, would want a...a whore...among their students. It would go against their moral and ethical principles to allow me to stay."

"Is that you talking, Rukawa, or is it them?" the redhead asked accusingly. "Did you even tell them your side of the story?"

"There's no need to. They've already judged me. It's useless to defend myself. Besides, I just don't have the energy to fight back anymore. Everything has been burned out of me since...Takeda...returned into my life."

"And you're just going to give up? Is that it?"

"Just this...dream, this ambition I once had. It's all over for me. Why persist in wishing for something I could never have? I've accepted it. But...but...."

Hanamichi's lips parted, seeing teardrops fall on the ace's white knuckles, fingers tightening painfully around the rail.

With choked sobs, Rukawa admitted in bitterness, "Why does it have to hurt so much? Why, Hanamichi? WHY?"

Everyone heard their teammate's heartbroken queries, causing renewed tears to fall.

Suddenly, a strong hand gripped Rukawa's wrist. Before the ace knew what was happening, Hanamichi was pulling him along, heading toward the main doors of the auditorium.

"Hanamichi! What're you doing?" Rukawa asked in alarm. "I told you it's over! I can't go back in there!"

They paused before the doors. Looking up, Rukawa's breath caught in his throat at the dazzling smile on the redhead's lips.

"It's not over, Kitsune, until the Tensai Sakuragi says it's over," Hanamichi declared firmly.

The ace wanted to weep at his fierce rival's unwavering devotion to him. "Hanamichi, you truly are a doahou. A very brave one, but a doahou just the same."

Winking, Hanamichi gave his teammate the thumbs up. "Just watch this doahou in action!"

Saying this, the redhead flung the doors wide open with a loud bang. Taking Rukawa's hand, the two boys strode into the auditorium, the doors closing behind them.