Author's Note: This is my first Slam Dunk yaoi fanfic. I wrote this for my sister who has been obsessed with SD yaoi fanfics lately. There will be a lot of OOC-ness in Kaede, I hope you don't mind. Thank you in advance for bearing with my craziness.

Unrequitted Love

Chapter One

The Amusement Park

It was a very tiring day for the Shohoku Basketball Team. They had been training all day till all their energy was drained to the bone. But though they were already tired, they really didn't mind for they had one goal in mind: TO BE THE BEST TEAM IN JAPAN. It had been Akagi Takenori's dream since grade school and now, everyone shared that dream. But as of now, their daily training was over and the team was already getting ready to go home and relax.

" I'll be going, Kogure. Haruko needs tutoring today," Akagi said to his vice captain.

His listener smiled at him. Kogure Kiminobu was the vice captain of the team. He wasn't a star player but he had a way in knowing how to formulate a very good strategy for the game.

" It's alright, Akagi. I can tidy up here. No biggie."

Akagi nodded his thanks and opened the door.

"Hey, Akagi! Matte! I'm coming with you."

Both Kogure and Akagi turned around and saw Mitsui Hisashi, the talented three-pointer of the team.

"I'm really needed at home, Kogure. Sorry can't come with you man," he said, waving goodbye to him and rushing to catch up with Akagi.

Kogure shook his head. He opened his locker and took out his towel and toiletries. He was about to head to the shower room when the door opened again by two of his teammates.

"Kogure, can't come with you. Aya-chan has agreed to date with me already. Ja!"

Ryota Miyagi jumped for joy and patted the head of the guy beside him. "Ja mata, Sakuragi! I hope you have better luck with Haruko!"

The read-haired guy smiled and waved at Ryota. The guy was Sakuragi Hanamichi who calls himself the 'Basketball Genius'. He turned to Kogure and looked around the room.

"Has Gori left?"

Kogure nodded. Sakuragi frowned.

"Guess I'll be going, Megane-kun! Wish me luck!"

"Ganbantte, Sakuragi-kun!"

Sakuragi waved and smiled like an idiot before closing the door. Kogure smiled and sighed.

"Finally! Some peace!"

Kogure finally headed to the shower room, whistling "Anata Dake Mitsumete'ru" in a very happy tune. A few minutes later, he came out of the shower fully refreshed, clad only in a towel that hung on his waist. He put on his pants and then opened his locker and pulled out his socks. He sat on the bench near his locker and wiped his face that was now free of the glasses that hide his beautiful eyes. Eyes that captured the heart of the person watching him silently from outside the door.

So beautiful….

Suddenly, Kogure glanced at the door. The person behind it stiffened at the thought that he might have been discovered. He was about to scamper away as quietly as he had came when he heard Kogure's voice from inside.

"Who's there?" he asked.

Finding that he couldn't escape any longer, he sighed and opened the door.

"It's me," he answered, resuming to his usual nonchalant, icy character.

"Rukawa-kun? What were you doing there? Come in!"

Rukawa Kaede, Shohoku's ace player, dropped his gaze to the floor, refusing to meet the other's bright eyes. He stepped inside the room and proceeded to his own locker just across Kogure's. He opened it wide so that he could still see Kogure through the mirror that was plasted on his locker door.

"I thought everyone went home," Kogure said, putting on his socks, "Especially you. I thought you were already practicing somewhere else."

"How did you know?" Rukawa asked, surprised that the other knew where he went.

Kogure reached for his rubber shoes. "Oh, I pass by there every time I go home."

A few minutes ticked by quietly before Kogure turns to face Rukawa, eyes and chest bare of their usual clothing. Rukawa, still looking at Kogure through the mirror, bit his lip.

"Ano, Rukawa-kun, there's an amusement park not really far from here, and I have two tickets for it tonight. And I already asked everyone else demo, they have um, other things to do…"

Rukawa turned around and saw his vice captain fidgeting. He fought an urge to smile at how cute he was, because, well, that would ruin his image.

"I hate coming to the amusement park alone… it doesn't seem really amusing…"

Again, he fought the desire to laugh.

Kogure looked up. "Would you mind coming to the amusement park with me?"

I blinked, once or twice. Or maybe thrice even. Is he asking me out on a date? Or am I just dreaming? Or am I just getting my wish?

"So, Rukawa-kun…"

Rukawa turned back to his own locker. "Sure. I'll come with you," he said, hoping that his platonic voice was enough to cover the excitement that was held deep in his heart.

"Hounto ni? Sugoi!" Kogure exclaimed.

Rukawa shook his head. Kogure turned to face his locker again to get his light blue polo, the one he brought because he really planned to go to the amusement park, with or without someone. He'd hate to see the tickets wasted.

"I'll wait for you under the fire tree on the school grounds, ok?" Kogure told the other as he got his things and closed his locker. (A/N: Let's just presume that there's a fire tree on the school grounds of Shohoku High, ne? I kinda like the fire tree nowadays. Kinda romantic, y'know?)

Rukawa nodded and then Kogure waved at him as he went out of the room. Knowing that nobody would see him, Rukawa smiled.

I'm finally going out with him! Yes!

Rukawa hurriedly ran towards the fire tree. He was very excited by the fact that he was going to spend time with Kogure, which he wished for his birthday and so many times more. He found the apple of his eyes sitting under the tree, sleeping with a book in his hands.

He looks so adorable just like that. So serene… like he has his dreams right in front of him and all he has to do is grab it. And now, he looks so peaceful just sleeping like that… just how I first met him…

~~~~~~

It was the first day on school and he was almost late as usual. He didn't want to be very late as it is the first day of his entire high school life, so he hurried his pace some more. He reached Shohoku High even before the bell rang, thanks to his trusty bicycle. He parked his bike near the basketball court. He was about to proceed to his classroom when he saw someone inside. The person inside the court wasn't that tall, but he had a nice stature. He was wearing a black uniform, so Rukawa presumed that the guy inside was a senior student. He didn't know why, but at that moment, he was somehow attracted to that guy. It was as if he wanted to go inside and make friends with him, and that wasn't his nature. But somehow this guy managed to do that to him.

The bell rang and the guy inside seemed to notice that too. He rushed out and saw Rukawa standing there. Rukawa looked at him, seeing the beauty in the other's eyes that the glasses masked.

"Ano… are you interested in basketball? You're perfect for it y'know? By the way, I'm Kogure Kiminobu, vice captain of the basketball team. And you are?"

Rukawa stood there, stiff as a statue, not a word escaping from his mouth. Until he woke up.

"Rukawa Kaede," he said.

"The Rukawa Kaede-kun of Tomigaoka Secondary School? Sugoi! We really want you for the team! Hope to see you later! Ja!"

And as Kogure left him, he was still stuck on the ground until it came to him that he was once again, going to be late.

A small smile escapes Rukawa's lips as he realized that it was that first meeting with this unsuspecting boy that changed his life forever. He never thought that he could care for someone, trust someone…

Hell, I didn't even know that I could love anyone….

He moved quietly towards Kogure's sleeping figure. He looks so angelic. I wonder if I should wake him up…

Suddenly, one of Kogure's bangs fell on his face. He walked more again towards Kogure, stooped down and reached to shove the bangs off his face, after a moment's hesitation.

"Hm…"

Rukawa quickly withdrew his hand upon realizing that Kogure's eyes were slowly fluttering open. He stood at once and put back his cold front. Kogure's eyes opened wide as he realized that Rukawa was already there, clothed in a cobalt blue polo that matched his eyes. He hurriedly put his book inside his bag and stood up, facing Rukawa.

"Have you been standing here too long? Gomen," he said, smiling awkwardly.

Rukawa turned around. "Iie. Gomen for making you wait."

Kogure laughed softly. Rukawa glanced at him inquisitively.

"Saa, c'mon. We can't stand here all day," Kogure said, taking Rukawa's hand and pulled him into a run.

Rukawa, realizing that he can't do anything but go with the flow, just stared at Kogure and let himself be taken.

The train was packed with people. Unfortunately for Rukawa and Kogure, they didn't find a place to sit. And so they stood, facing each other.

The train was rather quiet, considering that it was, yes, packed with people who were probably going to the amusement park like Kogure and Rukawa. Rukawa was really quiet (and blushing) because of the fact that he wasn't used to standing near Kogure. The latter, in the meantime, was comfortably reading the book (A/N: The book is entitled: "Duty Comes First" by Yumehime Yana Hossuru. *LoLz*) he had been reading before he fell asleep under the fire tree.

The train suddenly pulled to a stop. Kogure, not really in a state of equilibrium having been absorbed in reading the wonderful story (A/N: Hehehehehehe J), fell towards Rukawa.

"Eek!"

Rukawa, his reflexes intact, caught Kogure. "Kogure-sempai!"

"Arigato, Rukawa-kun," Kogure told his savior as he stood straight after picking up his book.

"Daijoubu ka, Kogure-sempai?" he asked, showing concern for the first time.

"Daijoubu, daijoubu," the other answered, smiling. " Maa, maa, Rukawa. Don't call me 'Kogure-sempai' anymore. After all, we're teammates and friends, aren't we? And it makes me feel that I'm really older than you, so don't address me as 'sempai' again, ne?"

Rukawa nodded silently as he took the lead out of the train.

The amusement park was in full force when they arrived. Kogure looked like a kid who had just convinced his mom in going to the carnival for the fist time. Rukawa was still dead silent to the naked eye, but he was already enjoying himself. They presented their passes at the gate and went inside, Kogure almost bursting with happiness.

"Have you ever been to an amusement park before, Rukawa-kun?" he asked, looking at his surroundings with utmost amazement.

Rukawa, though amused by the way Kogure acted like a child: so full of life, managed to reply in platonic tone, "Yes. But I haven't been here in a long while."

"Sou ka, Rukawa-kun?"

He nodded. Kogure noticed that his companion has been quite silent and didn't like it one bit.

"Ano, Rukawa-kun… would you mind being a bit cheerful? I mean, we're here at the amusement park to AMUSE ourselves, aren't we?"

Rukawa didn't answer.

"C'mon, Rukawa-kun! Even just a little smile? Please?"

Still, Rukawa remained as cold as ever. But Kogure, not really giving up on his friend, looked straight at Rukawa's eyes and pouted, too cutely for Rukawa.

"I'll get you to smile if it's the last thing I do tonight!"

Rukawa raised his eyebrow.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah! And to perk up your spirits, we'll ride in the roller coaster of doom!" Kogure exclaimed, pointing at the said ride.

Rukawa eyed the roller coaster curiously. Well, it seems like a fun ride… He laughed to himself. Any ride with Kogure in it would be fun.

"Alright. But that's not enough to perk up my spirits."

Kogure looked at him cynically. "And what would? A game of basketball with Sendoh Akira and you at the winning side?"

Rukawa smirked. "Maybe."

"You're impossible, Rukawa-kun!" Kogure said, shaking his head.

"Many say so. So, are we going to ride or stay here talking to each other forever?" Although I like the latter better…

Kogure shook his head once more before taking Rukawa's hand and pulling him towards the roller coaster. Rukawa smiled. Here we go again…

And so they went to ride the dreaded roller coaster of doom. The roller coaster was in a shape of a space shuttle. The loops were twenty stories high, and were designed to make you scream your lungs out.

The line for the ride was very long, but Kogure insisted on staying there. Rukawa was just quiet as always. Finally, after an hour and a half of waiting in line hearing the riders scream their insides out, it was their turn.

Kogure was super excited, him being so much a child at heart. Rukawa, being himself and all, didn't show how excited he was to ride a roller coaster this high.

"So, are you ready, Kaede-kun?"

Rukawa looked at him, shock written all over his face. Did he just call me by my first name?

Kogure smiled at him. "You don't mind me calling you by your first name, don't you?"

Rukawa shook his head. "So, you wouldn't mind me calling you by yours, ne sempai?"

"As a matter of fact, no. Oh, the ride is starting! WEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" he exclaimed with the other passengers.

Rukawa smiled to himself. This is really going to be a fun ride…

The ride started to ascend slowly. The passengers, except Rukawa, started screaming eventhough they weren't exactly afraid. Kogure would once in a while glance at Rukawa and see his face, as cold as ever, though he could've sworn he saw his companion's eyes spark with excitement. Kogure sighed. For him, it was fun riding on such a dangerous ride. A really dangerous ride especially for my glasses… MY GLASSES! Remembering that his glasses were in immediate danger, he slipped it off his face and put it in his pocket. He was glad that he remembered to do that. A new pair of glasses wasn't in his budget as of now. Realizing that he had been silent for too long, he turned to his companion, only to catch him staring at him.

"Kaede-kun? Is there something wrong?"

Rukawa blinked, once or twice before realizing that his sempai caught him staring at him.

"Gomen," he managed to say, "It's just that you look quite different without them."

"Oh, you mean the glasses? I kept them because they might fall any minute NOOOOOOOWWW!!!!"

Kogure hadn't been paying attention to the ride. He didn't see that the coaster was on the track's summit, and now, they were descending very, very fast.

A strong wing gushed through them as they descended faster. Kogure kept on screaming as if he was afraid that he would fall of his seat. Rukawa, though already enjoying the ride because it was nearing the loop, remained silent. Seeing that his friend was still silent, Kogure nudged Rukawa.

"Hey, enjoy the ride! Scream! It makes the ride more enjoyable!" he chided loudly.

Rukawa shook his head. "No. I won't shout. It's really not that EXCIIIIIITTTTIIIIINNGG!!!!!!!!"

Kogure laughed as he succeeded in making the stoic Rukawa shout, thanks to the coaster that was already in the loop. Rukawa continued shouting as Kogure repressed his laughter to join in the screaming.

The coaster went from one twenty-story high loop to another, and another, and another. Rukawa and Kogure shouted as loud as they could; now totally enjoying the ride. After four spins, the ride, sadly, came to a stop.

Both Kogure and Rukawa were breathing hard as they came down from the ride. Kogure was a bit dizzy. He almost slipped if not for Rukawa's support.

"Kimi-kun! Be careful!" Rukawa exclaimed.

Kogure, though dizzy, raised his eyebrow. "Kimi-kun?'

Rukawa nodded. "Hai. 'Kiminobu' is too long. I decided to shorten it. Put on your glasses, Kimi-kun. You need them to see clearly."

Kogure looked at him awkwardly for a moment, then retrieved his glasses from his pocket.

"Alright, Kaede-kun. I'll let you call me that. And thanks for saving me. I think I can stand straight now, " he said, fixing his polo.

Rukawa looked around. There were shooting stands all around him. Kogure noticed him looking at the shooting stands. He had to admit that the shooting stands were one of his favorite pastimes in an amusement park. Especially when he won a prize.

"I think we should take a walk first before riding any of the rides again," Rukawa said.

"Yeah. Why don't we try those shooting stands?" Kogure suggested.

They slowly walked towards one of the stands. Suddenly, Kogure broke into a run. Puzzled, Rukawa followed in suit.

"Why did you run? There are lots of shooting stands back there, why this one? Kimi-kun?"

Out of breathe, he replied, " I want that bear!"

"Na…ni?'

"You see, Kaede-kun - I'll take a shot please - I love bears. Especially big ones. In fact, I haven't got one like that yet."

"You really look like a child, Kimi-kun," Rukawa said, shaking his head.

"And so, many say. Oh, I didn't get it. Well, I'll try again."

Kogure tried his luck two more times. But, unfortunately, he lost.

"Sorry, sir. Try your luck next time."

Seeing how disappointed his Kimi-kun was, he patted his back. "Daijoubu, Kimi-kun. I'll get that bear for you."

Rukawa gestured to the keeper there that he would like to try. He smiled at Kogure and positioned himself.

*BANG!*

Rukawa smiled to himself. Bull's eye.

*BANG!*

Another bull's eye. Just another one…. This last one's for you, Kimi-kun…

*BANG!*

"SUGOI, KAEDE-KUN! THAT WAS GREAT! THREE BULL'S EYE IN A ROW! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" Kogure exclaimed, hugging Rukawa tightly.

Rukawa's always-pale face tuned downright red as his brain registered that the one he loved was hugging him in front of so many people. His lips spread in a wide smile, not even bothering if Kogure saw his it. He didn't care now. He was in heaven.

"Here's your prize, sir," the keeper said, handing Rukawa the very big bear, the same bear Kogure wanted earlier.

Rukawa nodded his thanks, got the bear and then turned to Kogure.

"This is for you, Kimi-kun."

"Are you sure, Kaede-kun? You won it…"

"I won it for you."

"This is for you, Kiminobu-kun. I won it for you," he said, placing the bear in Kogure's hands.

Kogure smiled, looking at Rukawa first then at the bear. It was only then that he realized that the bear was cuter than he expected. Oh, all bears were cute, but this one was cuter in his opinion. The bear wore a costume: a fox costume. Instead of bear ears, it had white fox ears, silver skin and five tails. The legendary Youko Kurama…one of my favorite legendary demons.

"What will you call him?" Rukawa asked.

Kogure thought about it for a moment then his eyes suddenly lit up. "I'll call him Kaeru."

"Kaeru?"

"Kae is like Kaede, while Ru stands for Rukawa! Rukawa Kaede!" he said happily.

Rukawa blushed slightly. "You're naming the bear after me?"

Kogure smiled happily at Rukawa. " Yeah! You gave it to me, and it should be named after you so that every time I look at it, I'll remember you."

Rukawa cocked his eyebrow. "But, it looks like Youko Kurama. Is it better to name it after him?"

"You know Youko Kurama? Well, he is a kitsune and I'm sorry if it insults you, but your eyes… it looks like a lot like a kitsune's. That's why I'll name it after you!"

Rukawa looked at his senior incredulously then shook his head.

"Very well. Maybe it's better if we eat first."

"Yup! I'm starved!"

It was already nine in the evening. Rukawa and Kogure were still in the amusement park and it was still buzzing with excitement. Kogure was still carrying his Kaeru in his hands, happily walking side by side with Rukawa, chatting continuously.

"Man, I'm stuffed," Rukawa said, holding his tummy.

Kogure shook his head. "The way you stuffed those meals into your mouth, who wouldn't be? I thought only Sakuragi-kun could be able to do that!"

Rukawa frowned. "Hey! I was hungry!"

"Hungry as a pig, then?"

"I'm not a pig!"

"A fox, I forgot."

"And you are the great Megane-kun."

"I despise that."

"As I hate being called a fox."

Kogure looked sternly at his companion and held his gaze. Rukawa, not used to staring into Kogure's wonderful eyes, swallowed hard. After a second or so, a smile crept into Kogure's face.

"Ha! You're nervous!"

"Am not!" Rukawa said indignantly.

"Are too."

"Am not! I'm just stuffed!"

"Usotski."

"How dare you…"

"I just did."

"Kimi-kun…" Rukawa said, readying himself to strangle Kogure.

"Look, Kaede-kun!" Kogure said, pointing at the other's back, " A Ferris wheel! C'mon!"

Kogure practically ran towards the ride, purposely running away from the enraged Rukawa. Rukawa, on the other hand, finding no way to escape from the clutches of his love, ran towards Kogure, deciding he could strangle the latter later.

"Hayakun, Kaede-kun!" Kogure exclaimed, gesturing to Rukawa to hurry up.

Rukawa ran and in a few moments, the balloon was closed and the Ferris wheel was already moving. Kogure was staring outside, sitting beside the over-stuffed bear, while Rukawa was staring at Kogure, sitting across him.

"How long do you plan to stare at me like that, Kaede-kun?" Kogure said, not taking his gaze off the skies.

Rukawa, shocked that he was caught in the act, fidgetted his polo. "Gomen. It was… It's just that I've never been this close to someone, y'know?" Especially someone I love…

"Well, from this day on, be used to it, ne?"

Rukawa smiled, as his gaze fell on the bear that was sitting beside Kogure.

"…It should be named after you so that every time I look at it, I'll remember you."

"Sempai…"

"Hai."

"Will you always remember me because of that bear?"

"Yes, Kaede-kun. Especially because you're my friend."

Rukawa smiled again as he reached for Kogure's hand and clasped it in his own. The latter, taken by surprise, looked at Rukawa.

"Kaede-kun, I never knew that you had cobalt blue eyes… just like…"

Rukawa placed a finger on Kogure's lips. "Shh… Don't say a word."

Kogure nodded, still confused as Rukawa slipped his finger off Kogure's lips.

"Thank you, Kimi-kun. Can we do this again next time?"

Kogure smiled at him. "Sure, Kaede-kun. Sure."

Rukawa smiled at him. Then I will wait until next time to tell you how I really feel about you. As for now, I'll savor every moment that I'm with you. It might not come again.

Author's Notes: *shakes her head vigorously* I actually planned this to be a one-shot fic but looks like it will be longer than I expect it to be. Hmmm…. And that's because of my sister! Anyway, please review for my sake! Thank you for bearing with me. The next chapter will be out soon!

Disclaimers: And oh, Slam Dunk isn't mine… sadly it isn't. It's Inoue-sama's. Lucky guy…

yyh2116

5June2k2

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