"Gomen nasai," Rika apologized. “I thought you are a rapist or…” She immediately stopped talking when she saw the angry look crossed Sendoh’s face. “Is your arm alright?”
Sendoh let go of a sigh before he said. “It’s okay. Let’s go inside the house. It’s freezing out here.” Rika opened the front door and both of them walked in the dark to the kitchen. Sendoh switched on the lights and was amazed by its cleanliness. “Wow…You cleaned up the whole house by yourself? Everything is still the same since the last time I came here.”
Rika shook her head. “My aunt knew that I will be going for the 5 days camp and school is starting its new semester soon, so she sent some of her servants to clean up the whole house for me a few days ago.” Rika closed the top cabinet after she found the coffee powder and sugar.
Sendoh opened the refrigerator and took out the milk for the coffee. “I also have a 5 days camp starting tomorrow. Basketball?”
Rika nodded while she poured the hot water into 2 mugs. “That’s why I won’t have time to clean up the house. Here is your favorite coffee from Malaysia.” Sendoh poured some milk into their cups, and both of them leaned back against the cabinet table and took a deep drink. His face immediately showed some relaxation that made Rika giggled. “You still love it, don’t you?”
“Oh, yes! I have been waiting for your return since I used up all the coffee powder you sent me last time.”
“So, you only care for the coffee, not me? I won’t give you any coffee powder this time.”
Sendoh immediately put his cup onto the table and trapped Rika with his both arms, forcing her to tilt up her head to look at him. “Come on, Rika. You know that except my mum, the person I care the most is you.”
“Do you always do that?”
Sendoh put on a puzzled face and asked. “Do what?”
“Flirting with girls!” Rika answered back angrily.
“Oh,” Rika didn’t like the way he smiled as if he knew what’s she thinking about. “You are jealous.”
“I’m not~!” Rika immediately bent down and escaped from his arms while he started to lean towards her. “All right, I surrendered. I will give you the coffee powder.”
While she walked to the other side of the kitchen and took out 3 packets of coffee powder from the top cabinet, Sendoh hugged her surprisingly from her back and kissed her right cheek. “Thank you.” He said softly to her right ear.
Rika started to feel her face was getting hotter and her heart was beating faster. She turned around quickly and pushed him as far as she could, but Sendoh’s arms were still around her. “It’s just coffee powder, you don’t have to kiss me.”
“No,” Suddenly, Sendoh’s face became very serious. “I…Never mind, I’m just glad that you are back, Rika.” Sendoh’s hand almost touched her breast when he took the 3 packets of coffee powder at the cabinet table from her back. Finally, Sendoh walked away from her and drank all the coffee in his cup. When he looked back at her, Rika couldn’t breathe. “Are we still meeting next week?” Rika only could give him a small nod before Sendoh said good night to her and left the house by back door.
When Rika heard the closing door, she immediately went to the nearest bathroom, turned on the tap and showered her face with cold water. She used the hand towel to dry her face and walked upstairs to her bedroom.
She laid down on her bed and thought about the days she had with Sendoh. Although she knew Sendoh since they were kids, the Sendoh she saw today was different. There’s something new formed between both of them and she knew it wasn’t friendship.
Her hand moved up and placed on her right cheek, remembering Sendoh’s kiss. It’s the first time he kissed her. What had happen to him? And me? She thought. At first when Rika was trapped in his arms, she thought he might kiss her lips, so she got out quickly. But still, she didn’t expect his kiss. The other point, which made her puzzled, was the way Sendoh made her feel. When he looked at her, her heart kept beating so fast that she could hardly breath and the way she responded to him was like she’s craving for him.
“Oh god~!” Rika groaned while she took her pillow and cover her face. Her face was so hot that an egg might be cooked on it. Maybe because she got off the plane this morning and had to go to her new school for enrolment, she’s so tired that she has fallen asleep.
Rukawa looked at his Casio watch and was surprised that it was 7:30am. It’s the first time Rika was late. He picked up his basketball and continued practicing his shooting.
Six years ago, Rukawa was at his bedroom studying. He used to be the top student in his junior high school. Suddenly, he heard his parents quarrelling again. He didn't know why they kept quarrelling these days.
He went downstairs and heard the quarrel was coming from the kitchen. He went to the kitchen door and opened a few inches to peep at his parents. They were quarrelling about his father keeping a mistress. Of course, his father denied. Finally, his mother couldn't take it anymore and asked for a divorce. Rukawa was shocked to hear this! He couldn't believe that his father also agreed!
He quickly dashed out of the house by the front door and kept running. He didn't care where he was. He just kept on running and running until he was tired. Finally, he took a rest at one of the benches. It was then he realized he had came to the beach. Soon, he kept wiping away the tears from his face, until he heard a voice. “Why are you crying?”
Rukawa turned and looked. It was a little girl who was about the same age as him. She has the most beautiful shiny dark brown eyes, which Rukawa had never seen before. She was wearing a white T-shirt with a cute little bear picture on it and a pair of jeans. She let down her dark hair which made her even more beautiful. She looked like an angel to him. Her face, her eyes, her mouth, was so beautiful. He felt like he could tell her everything about him.
Rukawa looked down and said. “My parents are getting a divorce.”
“I’m sorry.” The little girl said softly.
It was strange that when Rukawa heard these words, he felt warmth in them. He shook his head and said. “It’s not your fault.”
Suddenly, the little girl walked up to him and took his hand. “Come on! I know a place which can makes you feel better.”
“Where are we going?" Rukawa asked.
“Just come with me!" She smiled to him.
This was the first time Rukawa seen her smile. Her smile was so bright that it had lighted up his spirit. Since then, Rukawa knew then that she had became the Angel of his heart. With her little right hand, holding Rukawa's left hand, they began to run to the little girl's destination.
She had taken him to a basketball court. Before Rukawa could ask her why she took him to this place, she told him to wait for her a few minutes. By the time she's back, she was holding a basketball.
“I don't know how to play basketball.” Rukawa told her.
“You don't have to know how to play. You just have to shoot.” She aimed at the basket and said. “Aim at the basket, imagine that you are putting all your problems into this ball and shoot!” She shot and the ball went into the basket. “Then you will felt that all the problems are gone forever as the basket eats them up!”
She passed the ball to him. Rukawa looked at it, then nodded his head. He walked next to her and did what she had just taught. The first ball hit the rim and bounced off, but she told him that it was a good shot if you were new to basketball. He tried again and it got in!
“It's in!” Rukawa shouted happily.
Rukawa turned and looked at the little girl. She smiled happily and clapped. “Do you know that you are good? Maybe you have the potential of playing basketball."
She looked so beautiful, Rukawa thought.
Suddenly, they heard someone calling them. There was a guy who was older than them for about 4 to 5 years. He was speaking a kind of language, which Rukawa didn't understand. Rukawa looked back to the little girl who was answering back to him.
She turned back to Rukawa and said. “It's my brother. I have to go back home for dinner.”
Before she could leave, Rukawa stopped her. “Will we meet again?”
“Sure! Oh . . . My name is Rika.”
She stretched out her hand to Rukawa and he shook it. Her hand was soft and warm that Rukawa didn't want to let go. “Ar . . . My name is Rukawa Kaede.”
“Rukawa . . . I will remember that. Oh yeah. Before I forget, it's not your fault that your parents are going to get a divorce. It's just that they can't get together anymore as in the past. But no matter what, they still love you.”
Rukawa was shocked to hear this~! She actually knew that he's blaming himself for his parent's divorce~!
Rika's brother started to be impatient and called her again. "I have to go now. Bye!”
As she ran to her brother who was waiting at the entrance, Rukawa shouted to her. “When will we meet again?”
She turned around and shouted back. “Tomorrow at here! 9am!”
Rukawa watched them slowly walked away. Rika looked over her shoulder and found out that he was still at the court. She stopped and shouted to him again. “You better go back home! Your parents will be worried about you!” After that, she ran back to her brother's side.
But Rukawa still didn't go back until the figures of Rika and her brother were gone.
The next day, Rukawa woke up very early to meet Rika. Rukawa went to the basketball court and waited for her. At first, Rukawa was wondering would she come and meet him. Soon, Rika really turned up.
As days passed by, they were getting closer and closer. Under the influence from Rika, Rukawa started to like to play basketball. So Rika taught him the basic, and after that they would had a little chat before they went back home. They started to meet each other everyday early in the morning, as both of them had to go to school.
Until one day, Rika was not concentrating on their match. Rukawa asked her what happened, but she didn't tell. A few weeks later, Rukawa didn't see her again. He tried to contact her but he didn't ask for her phone number or where she lived before. So, he began lost contact of her.
Soon, his parents got a divorce, but they were still friends. At the same time, Rukawa's results were begun to deteriorating. He also became very cold to people and quiet. At first, his parents thought it was the influence of their divorce, but Rukawa told them it wasn't. They asked him what was the problem then, but he just kept silence.
He started to join his junior high school basketball team to improve his skills. Soon, he became popular with his skills, looks and height. Although he has changed from the time Rika disappeared, the only thing that remains the same was he would wait for Rika at the backetball court everyday, regardless of rain or shine.
“Gomen~!” Rukawa turned his head and saw Rika ran towards him. She put on an apology smile before she said. “Sorry that I’m overslept. Did you wait very long?”
When she saw Rukawa shook his head, she let out a sigh of relief. “I don’t think we have time for a game or else we will be late for training.” Rukawa agreed. They took their small travelling bags and walked to Shohoku High School for about 20 to 30 minutes. Starting from today, they would have their 5 days training camp.
When Rukawa and Rika walked into the gym, some of the team members were already there. Finally, about 10 minutes later when Anzai-sensei and all of the members have arrived, Anzai-sensei cleared his throat and announced the training plan he had in mind. “Usually, our training camp will be at our school, but this time we will be training at Kainan University High School.”
“What?” “Kainan?” “Why?” and many whispering words could be heard from the basketball team members.
“Do you know why?” Rukawa asked softly to Rika who was standing beside him.
Rika could only shake her head. “I didn’t know about it until today.”
“Not only that,” Anzai-sensei’s words stopped the mumblings of the team members. “Shoyo, Ryonan and Kainan basketball teams will be joining us for the training.” This announcement created much louder mumblings from the members. “I will talked more about the training plan when we are in Kainan University High School.”
“All right!” Miyagi’s shout gained the attention of the members. “Everyone take your bags and we will walked to the train station.” Some of the members were told to bring some basketballs to Anzai-sensei’s car, as Kainan might not have enough of them for 4 teams.
On the train to Kainan University High School, Rika kept thinking about Sendoh. Ryonan High School, the place where Sendoh was studying and she knew Sendoh was the basketball team captain. If Ryonan is going, Sendoh would surely be there. She did want to see Sendoh again, but on the other hand she was embarrassed by yesterday night.
Rukawa, who was sitting beside her, saw her worried expression and asked. “Are you alright?”
Rika seem to be waken up by Rukawa’s words and smiled to him. “I’m fine.” Rukawa knew she lied. There’s something bothering her and he wished that he could share the burden with her.