A young man with spiky hair was walking aimlessly alone in the middle of the rain. He had been drinking at the bar that he usually went to whenever he was feeling down just a minute ago. Recently, the drinking has been more and more often. It seems like he couldn’t stop himself from drinking. Maybe because of him…

          The image of a tall boy with raven hair floated into his mind again and again. As if not leaving until he’s satisfied with his suffering. The ace player of Ryonan High School clutched the can of beer in his hand and throws it away with all his might. That is if he had any energy left in him. After a few minutes, rain started to pour down. Sendoh, half-drunk and half-awake looked up to the sky and swears. Realizing that swearing would not do any good to the weather, he sat down on the sidewalk with his back leaning against a lamp post. His was soaking wet and yet he couldn’t care less. He felt worthless and low. Then he laughed at himself. Imagining what his friends would say about him in that condition if they’d ever see him. Tired of laughing and after a few people walked by him and toss him some coins, he cried. He was like a beggar waiting for someone to feed him with love. Then he felt asleep with the image of Rukawa Kaede full in his head.

* * * * *

            “Sendoh-san? Oii… Sendoh!”

            Sendoh stirred a little in his sleep. He could hear someone calling him and the voice sounds somehow too familiar. He stirred again as he felt someone shoving him. He was too tired to care. But his eyes flew open when his body is being kicked by a foot. Ouch, that hurts. He was fumed for being awaken in the middle of his sweet dream, which of course, involves Rukawa Kaede. He was ready to strike back the person whom kicked him when suddenly, his eyes focused on the person in front of him. He saw a boy with black hair and blue eyes like his staring down at him expressionless. Then the person gave him a look that says ‘do’aho’ which he usually says. And the person was Rukawa Kaede! Sendoh jumped a little when he realize it was the ace of Shohoku Basketball Club looking back at him and nearly knock on the freshman. Rukawa dodge and manage to save himself from falling. Sendoh still had the surprised and embarrassed look on his handsome but tired face. Rukawa muttered ‘do’aho’ under his breath and looked at the Ryonan player with an unreadable expression on his face.

            “Rukawa-kun? Umm…why are you here?” asked Sendoh, a bit trembling from the cold. Then he sneezed.

            “Then /why/ are you /here/?” countered back Rukawa, not looking at the spiky hair.

            “Umm…”

            “Sleeping on the sidewalk like a drunkard…” mutters Rukawa inaudibly.

            “I-I-I was just taking a nap…yeah, a nap!” explained Sendoh hurriedly with his face red from the cold and blushing.

            Rukawa snorted. He was looking at Sendoh as if the spiky hair had just grown another head on his broad shoulder. “Nap huh? In the cold morning with just a layer of clothes? Yeah right…” said Rukawa still looking at the street in front of him. “Whatever…”

            Sendoh blushed again, hoping that his face was not /that/ red. What could he say? Explain the truth to Rukawa. That he went to the bar last night and got drunk and swears at the sky because of him? Because he was madly in love with him and still couldn’t tell him about it? Because he was fear of rejection and because he wasn’t so sure? No. He couldn’t tell Rukawa all those. Rukawa will think that he’s mad. Rukawa looked at the streets and sighed. Then he looked at Sendoh, expression still unreadable. Sendoh could feel the piercing blue eyes on him. He tried to met those eyes but couldn’t. He heard Rukawa mumbled something to himself then saw the raven hair turned around, starting to leave. Sendoh watches as he saw the raven hair leaving. His mind was battling on its own as if it has the will of its own. He could almost see two little being on his shoulder. An angel like chibi Sendoh and the other was devil like of him.

            Baka! Say something so that he won’t go! Or you’ll forever be like this! *sitting on Sendoh’s right shoulder*

            Let him leave Akira. You couldn’t leave him here. *leaning lazily on Sendoh’s left shoulder*

            Duh. Are you giving up? It’s not like you at all! You loved him right? Then show him! Do something about it! * smacking his head*

            No no no Akira. You shouldn’t love him. He’s not worth your love. What do you see him a person like him anyway? Cold, uncaring, quiet, inexpressive…ump! *sound of his mouth being zipped*

            Just shut up. *waving around his magic harp* Akira, listen to me. Just go and catch up with him. You shouldn’t have let the person you love just walk away like that, should you? Now go boy……! *his halo was shining brightly*

            Las hoo ff eon! (translation: let go of me!) *has his hands tied together by the wave of angel’s magic harp*

            Shut up! *whooping the devil on his head* Let’s go!

            Whhhoosss! The two disappeared. Sendoh smiled. He quickly ran toward Rukawa whom was crossing the road on the street. The traffic signal was green when Rukawa crossed. Just as Sendoh was about to cross, the signal has already turned red. Damn! Too late! If only he was a little earlier, just one second would do. Sendoh watched helplessly from across the street and stared until the figure of Rukawa disappeared amongst the huge crowd.

            Then the little angelic chibi Sendoh reappeared and said “Baka!” before it disappeared again. Sendoh sighed.

* * * * *

            Thump thump thump thump…

            The sound of a basketball hitting on the court echoed through the basketball gym of Ryonan High School. It was very early in the morning and Sendoh has been practicing alone since four in the morning. He couldn’t sleep. Thinking about Rukawa again. The only thing that can tear his mind of Rukawa was basketball. He ran quickly across the court and jump high in the air from half-court and dunked with all his might into the ring. He stayed on the ring with his hand clenching onto it for a while before he let go. Landing gracefully on the floor like a cat. Then he wipe of the sweat that is dripping from his face and blurring his vision. His eyes darted from the ring to the clock that was hanging on the wall of the court. 6:30a.m. it read. He sighed a little before continuing his practice, thinking of an excuse to skip his first class.

            Sendoh was taking a break from his practice when Koshino, his best friend came in. Sendoh was sitting on the center of the court and drinking from his water bottle, his gaze fixed on the ceiling of the gym. His mind had seems to wander to another space of its own. When the image of Rukawa came to mind, he just shook his head to drive it away. After he was done quenching his thirst, he picked up the ball next to him and shot it through the ring. It went right in perfectly. He sighed again. He did everything perfectly but why he couldn’t when it comes to Rukawa?

            “Akira?”

            Sendoh turned around and saw that Koshino was standing right beside him with a sulking look on his face. Sendoh smiled at his best friend, knowing the purpose for Koshino to come to him. “What’s up?” asked Sendoh cheerfully.

            “Nothing. Just that Mizuho-sensei is fuming back there because you skipped her class. She sent me to look for /you/. I knew you’d be here.”

            Sendoh grinned. He was imagining the funny angry face of his math teacher because /he/, the best student didn’t show up for her /boring/ class. Then he looked at Koshino and said, “Just tell her you couldn’t find me.”

            Koshino looked at Sendoh worriedly. “Aki, you all right? You’ve never skipped class before you know…”

            “There’s /always/ a first time.” Came the reply. “You better get back or else she’s gonna be mad at you too…”

            “Aki?”

            “Huh?”

            “………..”

            “What?”

            “I know what’s bothering you.”

            “…………….”

            “It’s Rukawa isn’t it?”

            Sendoh was surprised by Koshino’s statement. His wide eyes were fixed on Koshino. His best friend was looking back at him with a knowing look on his face. The ball in his hand slipped and fell rolling on the floor. “How did you know?”

            Koshino sighed. “Duh. Everyone could tell. You /weren’t/ paying attention during practice recently and you always had the /foolish/ look on your face whenever Rukawa-kun is around. Take for example, the friendly match between us and Shohoku. Your face light up whenever Rukawa was around challenging you. You were happy aren’t you? Hikoichi told me once that he /saw/ you trying to /kiss/ Rukawa-kun when he was tiredly asleep in the locker room during you one-on-one match with him…” Koshino smirk when he said the word ‘kiss’. Sendoh was blushing a little. He sat on the floor again and stared at the ball that was rolled across the court.

            “Am I that obvious?” he asked Koshino.

            “As your best friend, I shouldn’t lie so I’ll just tell you that it’s a yes.”

            Sendoh groaned. Koshino smirked. Then Sendoh got up and walked towards the ball. He picked it up and shot it. This time, it missed.

            “How many knew?” asked Sendoh while he walked over to pick up the ball. He saw Koshino smirked again from the corner of his eye.

            “Oh…a lot. If Hikoichi knew then what do you say?”

            Sendoh groaned again. If it’s Aida Hikoichi, then most probably the whole world has already knew about it. He knew very well the attitude of the loud and blabbering junior of his. “Remind me to kill Hikoichi…”

            Koshino smirked again. Then he got up from his place and ran his finger across his hair. He walked over to Sendoh slowly and put his arm around the spiky hair. “Let me kiss you.”

Sendoh looked at his best friend and shrugged. “Okay.”

            Koshino smirked again and plant a long kiss on Sendoh’s lips. After they parted, he said “Yummy, I haven’t have that in a while.”

            Sendoh looked at Koshino and grinned. “You better have them while they’re available. By the way Kosh, how long has it been since we’ve last done it?”

            “A month I think,” Koshino smirked before continue, “Since my Aki baby is too distracted by Rukawa Kaede to remember it…”

            Sendoh blushed a little and threw his ball towards his best friend. “Shut up.” Koshino dodged and the ball missed its target.

            “I better go. Mizuho-sensei is probably too angry to teach anyway. Her class is /way/ boring… I’ll tell her that you’re found absent today. Don’t come in to her class of she’ll bit both our heads off,” said Koshino while leaning in for a quick kiss on Sendoh’s salty lips.

            Sendoh grinned and said thanks before Koshino exited the gym. Then he continued with his practice.

* * * * *