Kisses - Part 04: Sweetest Kiss
Title: Kisses - Part 04: Sweetest Kiss
Author: Viv
Genre: romance/humor/light drama
Rating: PG
Fandom: Slam Dunk [book - manga]
Pairing: HanaRu
Disclaimer: Nyaaaaaaaa, Hisashi-kun, where did you go?
Summary: … You want me to talk about what? [Hanamichi’s POV - multi-parts: (01) (02) (03)]
Author's note: After this part, they will probably only be two more parts or so. Is it just me or do each part just gets longer and longer and much fluffier?
The sweetest one?
No, no, no, no, no, noooooooooooooooooooooo!
But why do I have to talk about it?
Wait, what the hell do you want me to talk about again?
…
NO!
NOOOOOO!
What part of- what?
Of course I’m a tensai!
Yosh!
NYHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Alright, the tensai will tell you about his sweetest kiss, since you admire him so much!
Right, right, sorry.
So anyway, I was turning seventeen when it happened. It was a Saturday afternoon when the kitsune called me to come over to his house.
WHAT?
I went there to study! Or at least, that’s what Gori insisted we did, even though he was no longer our captain. Apparently Ayako-san, Ryochin and Haruko-san had informed him and Megane-kun that Rukawa and me were failing many of our classes yet again and still did not have any will to open a single book. Even Haruko’s insisting on tutoring the both of us proved to be useless since fox-boy would fall asleep the moment his butt came in contact with a chair (or even before!) while me and Haruko would constantly get distracted and start chattering away about everything except our school assignments.
See, Ryochin, Ayako-san, Yasu and the rest of the final year students in our team had went to Gori for advice (in other word, to cry for help) who refused categorically. Now Mitchy, who came to Shohoku regularly to visit us, heard of the situation when Ryochin complained to him about us. So Mitchy took pity of poor captain Myagi and so went to discuss it (or laugh about it) with his ever caring boyfriend (though none of them would admit it) who also happened to be our ex-vice-captain.
So when Akagi went to vent to his best friend (who happened to be, well, who else? Megane-kun!), Kogure, the ever caring, gentle, calm and overly-worried-about-others Kogure, reminded him that it was their duty to help out their former team. Now Mitchy decided to help his boyfriend (and coach Anzai) so he joined too (though he succeeded more in irritating Gori then persuading him to help out).
So our ex-captain hesitated for a few days.
And then firmly declined (to put it gently) when Ayako-san came to him once more.
Which meant then that the entire team (minus me and the kitsune) stomped over to his house and asked again for his help (or rather, begged for it) as Kogure and Mitchy looked on, sweating profusely and pleading along (actually, Mitchy was making fun of everyone until Megane-kun scowled at him).
Yet again, Akagi did not budge from his position until our savior (well that’s what the others called her … was the situation really that bad for the team to be that desperate? WHAT DO YOU MEAN I TEND TO BE MENTALLY CHALLENGED?), in the form of his younger sister, pulled him aside and pulled a perfect Haruko-moment on him - she gave him large puppy eyes and produced tears at the corner of them while clasping her hands together and quietly pleaded for him to do something.
Gori’s answer?
“ALRIGHTI’LLDOITGODAMMIT!”
… heh.
So Akagi tutored (or rather, forced us into doing our homeworks and such) us every Saturday for a little over a month and as a results, our grades improved dramatically. Kitsune and I pretty much went from miserably failing students (who didn’t care) to slightly above average students (who still didn’t care, as long as they could remain on the basketball team), much to the shock of, well, the entire school.
Even my guntai stayed away from me for a few days after they found out my grades for the many quizzes (English, math, Japanese lit) we had one week, wondering what the hell had happened to their friend Hanamichi.
“Who are you and what have you done to Hanamichi Sakuragi?” had they exclaimed once.
To which three of them added: “Your grades are even higher than Youhei!”
Off course, nyhahahahahaha, since I’m the tensai and had simply hidden my mind’s potential very well, nyhahahahahaha!
…
NYHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-
Kaede? ImeanKITSUNE!
My intelligence leaked onto him, so that’s why he got smarter too! Nyhahahaha!
Huh?
Oh, right, right.
So it was a Saturday afternoon when my brand new cellphone (my grandparents, who had come down a few days earlier from Tokyo and had just left to go back, bought it for me) rang and buzzed.
Who was on the other line?
It was- what? How did you know? I already said it? Oh, okay. Hehehe…
What? How he already knew my number when I just got the cell? Errr… Well he happened to be there when I had went to pick up my grandparents at the train station.
Why was he there?
… Just because! So stopping asking the genius so many questions!
Anyway.
… Where was I?
Oh yeah! So I answered my cell and fox-boy, in his usual flat tone, replied: “Gor- Akagi-sempai had been here for half and hour already. Get your ass over here.”
“Well tell Gori that I had to take my gramps back to the train station and see them off first! Family’s important you know!”
“… I know Sakuragi.” Rukawa’s voice was softer.
Other than the guntai and grandparents, only Coach Anzai, his wife and Rukawa knew I was an orphan and had been living on my own for a few years already.
“…”
“Do’ahou.”
“… What?”
“Don’t think about it too much and just come over. We’re waiting for you.”
“…”
“I’m waiting for you.” he added quietly.
I smiled over the phone.
“… I’ll be over in fifteen.”
“Alright… Do’ahou.”
“STUPID FOX!”
So about fourteen minutes later I was standing in front of a large house, ringing the bell.
A man with grey hair and laughing brown eyes, one of Rukawa’s family servants, came to open the door and grinned when he saw me.
“Sakuragi-kun! Pleasure to see you here again, young man. Young master Rukawa-kun and your friend Akagi-kun are waiting for you in the living room.”
“Thank you!”
I lazily made my way to the spacious living room but before I had even got there, I bumped - practically slammed - into the kitsune himself. He blinked at me repeatedly before giving me a small smile.
“Do’ahou. Not a moment too late.”
“Umpf.”
“Gori was about ready to throw his books out the windows. The gardener would’ve had a fit if he found books and pencils in the rose bushes.”
“Heh.”
“Come on, before sempai explodes.” He gently grabbed my elbow and pulled me along with him.
“Kitsune! Why is it so dark?”
The moment I had stepped into the living room, I had noticed that the curtains were drawn down (they never were during the day) and that no lights were turned on. I could only make out some dark blurry forms and frowned at the strange scene before me.
“Oi! Kitsune, why is it so dark? What are you up too? And where’s Gori?”
Thump!
“OW! WHAT THE F-”
“STOP CALLING ME THAT, IDIOT!”
“… Akagi?”
Someone cleared their throat at my left. “Yes.”
“What’s going on here?”
…
“SURPRISE!”
When the lights were turned on, I was found crouched and quivering behind Rukawa. One of my hands was gripping the back of the kitsune’s right leg’s pant while the other was on my chest, trying to keep my heart from leaping out.
It took me a few seconds for my eyes to get used to the sudden brightness of the room and when they did, I slowly remembered where I was and noticed the small groups of persons scattered over various places in the room.
My guntai and Haruko-san and her friends behind a couch. Ayako-san, Ryochin, Megane-kun and Mitchy behind another couch. Some Ryonan, Kainan and Shoyo players came stumbling out of a closet (and in the process all piled over one another beside its door when Kiyota had tripped on the carpet and ended sprawled on the floor, triggering Fuku-chan to collapse on him as Megane followed suit and soon the rest fell too, the last ones being Hikoichi and Jin). Ojayi-Anzai and his wife were seated on a small couch under a window. The rest of the Shohoku team had their heads poking out from behind curtains and such. Even Mitchy’s gang was there, their heads sticking out form under the couches.
I stood up, embarrassed, and my gaze swept across the room before ending on fox-boy, who was facing me, his face as expressionless as always and I stared at him in bewilderment for a moment.
And then I finally settled on roaring at the other occupants of the room.
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO DO FUCKING GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK OR JUST KILL ME GODAMMIT?”
Everyone blinked at me before finally sweatdropping. Those who had stumbled out of the closet picked themselves, grunting and huffing, and Youhei laughed, breaking the short silence.
“Hanamichi… did you forget your birthday?”
“What? Of course not! I’m the tensai, I know when my birth- wait… oh!”
I had completely forgotten my seventeenth birthday.
‘So that’s why grandpa and grandma came to spend a few days with me and gave me a cellphone.’
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”
Everyone finally erupted in guffaws and I did the first thing I had only done twice in the last four years, since my father’s death, except when Coach Anzai had an attack the previous year, triggering back those painful memories, and when I had hurt my back during our match against Sannoh the year before.
I cried.
I started bawling like a kid and before I knew it, found myself in a warm embrace and strong arms wrapped around my shoulders and waist, a hand soothingly rubbing my back as the tears I tried to hold back came spilling, uncontrollable and unstoppable. I cried, my nose buried in the crook of a neck, and tightened my grasp on the shirt covering the firm chest I was leaning against.
I cried and sobbed and bawled and mumbled incoherently into a familiar neck, releasing a torrent of emotions that I had never realized I had kept in for so long.
With those unbidden tears I thought of the mother I had never gotten the chance to know but who had loved me for the first two years of my life. An energetic, cheerful and beautiful redhead who had been the first to hug me in her tender embrace, had been there to see my first step, heard my first word, nursed my first scratches and sang me lullabies to sleep before leaving this world.
I thought of the father who had watched me grow up until I was thirteen, who had been amused at my sudden growth spurt when I turned twelve. The man who was proud of me despite my failing grades and constant fighting, but would never have the pride of knowing that his only son was now a rising high school basketball player.
I thought of the parents of my mother who had watched over me until I was eleven, who had seen their only daughter pass away, who did everything to keep her memory alive in their grandson, who watched over me for her, who would never get the chance to come encourage me to my games.
I thought of my father’s parents, who despite the pain of losing their only child, their daughter-in-law and some of their closest friends and living so far away from me, still loved me so much despite the distance that separated us.
And most of all, I cried when I realized that my parents and my maternal grandparents would never get to meet them, these amazing people that had been teasing, mocking, and yet supporting me throughout the last year. These persons that had always been there for me, always finding some times to make sure that I was fine, these persons who always worried about me and yet trusted me enough to take care of myself, even if they would never admit it out loud.
And I cried as it hit me how much they cared, how much of an important place they held in my heart, and how I’d never find myself grateful and worthy enough of calling them my friends.
And so I just kept crying and crying an crying.
When my sobs subsided a few minutes later, I looked up to find everyone staring at me. The guntai were grinning at me while the rest looked on worriedly. I felt something nuzzle my cheek and turned my head to find myself gazing in soft blue pools.
The corner of Rukawa’s lips curled up slightly and he gently turned me around, slightly urging me to move forward.
“I- I… I didn’t think…”
I smiled (according to Haruko-san, I looked like a small child, with my lower lips slightly quivering and my blushing cheeks), warmth filling my heart. Wiping away the few stray tears that remained and a few hiccups, I finally managed to whisper something out.
“… Thank you.”
When I realized that the others were still frowning, my grin widened.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
The guntai instantly swarmed around, laughing loudly and giving me pats and light punches on the back and shoulders.
“Hanamichi, you big baby! We made you cry! Didn’t think we’d live to see this day!”
I joined in their laugh and soon everyone also followed suit when they understood that my tears were not of pain, but that I was indeed crying in happiness, grateful and touched that I had friends who cared enough to go through all this trouble just for me. It had been years since anyone but the guntai and my grandparents had shown me any real signs of affection.
Akagi ruffled my red hair (though they had drastically naturally darkened by then from when I had started at Shohoku) and smiled in a way that was almost akin to how he smiled at his sister.
“Youhei and Rukawa told us it was your birthday. Why didn’t you tell us? We wouldn’t want one of Shohoku’s star players to spend such a sad and boring birthday! And after all the hard work you’ve done and those good grades, you deserved a break, you know.”
Around five hours later we were all tired (from so much dancing and playing games - except for Oyaji and his wife Anzai-san who just sat there watching us like an old couple watching over their grandchildren) and nursing full bellies and I was busy unwrapping the many gifts I had received.
While everyone was scrambling to drag or carry in their gifts though, Anzai-san gave me a scarf she had knitted, tenderly wrapping it around my neck like a mother taking care of her young son and smiling proudly when she stepped back to let Ojayi step closer to me. Coach looked at me for a long moment before gently chuckling, his usual ‘ho ho ho’ resonating in my ears through the music playing in the room was not exactly at the lowest volume. No one really paid us any attention. He slowly lifted a hand and dropped it on my shoulder before giving it a light squeeze. Then he simply stared at me a while longer, his small eyes twinkling behind his glasses.
“Sakuragi-kun… they know. You don’t have to hide them your family situation, for they care about you enough to look over you and look out for you.”
I blinked at him.
“But- how?”
“Ho ho ho. Kogure-kun suspected something and asked me. Your guntai eventually told the rest of the team. The moment their heard about your birthday and about your… situation, everyone had instantly agreed on doing something for you. I don’t know how that got to Hikoichi-kun’s ears, ho ho ho, bless that boy, but he quickly spread out the news and as you can see, many of those considered or were considered to be your rivals had been more than willing to join in and help out.”
“…”
“They care about you very much, Sakuragi-kun. So do I, and not just as players and a coach. Do you see that?”
“…” I could already feel the tears slowly forming in my eyes again.
“… Hmmm, that scarf looks very good on you, Sakuragi-kun. Ho ho ho… yes, very nice, very nice, hmmm, I have such a talented little wife, ho ho ho…”
And with that, he gave my shoulder a few pats and turned around.
“And Sakuragi-kun?”
I looked up to stare at the back of his head.
“I am sure that your parents are watching over you somewhere. And they must be very proud of their son.”
He paused, ‘ho ho ho’-ed once more and then slowly trudged back to his seat beside his wife.
‘Thank you so much.’
I kept blinking for a couple of times, until Takamiya threw an empty can at the back of my head to which I instantly responded by shrieking and turning around to give him a good headbutt. I then cheerfully started unwrapping all the large colorful boxes and the envelopes waiting for me.
The Ryonan and Kainan members had bought together a large flat screen television for me. The Shoyo members there gave me seasonal double passes to a new amusement park that were to open in a few weeks not too far from Kanegawa. The guntai and Haruko-san and her friends had put money together for a DVD player. The Shohoku team and Ayako-san got me a new CD player. Mitchy and his friends gave me some gift certificates to a music store and Gori and Megane-kun gave me some gift certificates to (what the hell?) a bookstore. The kitsune, much to the surprise of the others, bought me a bike (and he later slipped in my jacket a CD he had burned for me - isn’t that swee- just freaking corny! Tche! The tensai is not a girl!).
When that was done and that I was as happy as a child in a pool of chocolates, marshmellows and candies, one of the Rukawas maids appeared in the living with a large cake.
A large chocolate-vanilla cheesecake with a thin layer of custard and many strawberries on top.
…
Even fox-boy had to at least chuckle at the expression on my face, because goddamn it looked good and I was droooooling.
Of course, then came the usual let’s-smash-a-piece-in-Hanamichi’s-face-since-it’s-his-birthday.
So I found myself with a handful of cake in my face but quickly retaliated against the person that had been assigned send that piece flying into my face (who also happened to be the one person who feared my headbutts the least).
Rukawa Kaede.
But of course, right after I succeeded in shoving a fistful of cake into his mouth (and on his cheeks and on his chin and on- you get the point? Alright, alright!), I tripped over my own feet (curse you, you clumsy feet!) and found myself in his arms again.
Rukawa caught me quite easily and straightened me before lifting a hand and running it through my hair, dark blue orbs almost glaring intently at my red face.
And then he did something none of us had ever seen him done (even myself, when I was already his- eeerrr, never mind!) before.
The kitsune grinned. (!!!)
And then laughed. (!!!!!!!)
All of the room’s occupants gaped at him - even Ojayi and Sendoh - and many servants’ heads popped up into the living room, eyes as wide as saucers.
Eventually Rukawa’s laugh turned into low chuckles and I kept staring at him, blinking in surprise.
‘C- cute. So cute. He looks so cute like this.’
When he finally stopped laughing, he looked up at me and gave me that soft smile he kept only for me and when no one else was around. A gentle finger swiped away a piece of chocolate cheesecake on my cheek.
“You’re so cute, Hana-kun.”
I heard everyone gasp around me as I finally gave in and did what I had wanted to do since I had bumped into the kitsune earlier.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and quickly pulled him closer, tongue peeking out to lick that spot of custard at the corner of his lips and then met my lips with his parted ones, my eyes slipping shut as I forgot that we were in a crowded room.
Kaede replied by tightened his hold on me, deepening the kiss and I could taste chocolate-vanilla cheesecake and custard and strawberry in his hot, wicked mouth and something else distinctively him, sweet - like… like fudge, and butterscotch, and coffee, and maybe even mint - and so damn delicious and so addictive.
And then someone coughed and cleared their throat.
Our eyes snapped open and we stood still for a while, our lips still connected, before slowly separating and letting our breaths slow down. Our arms were still around each other when we noticed the rest of the room still gaping, jaws hanging and arms dangling by their sides. Coach Anzai and his wife seemed to be the only ones unfazed, smiling gently at us and nodding in amusement, as if to tell us that they had known all along. We both blanched.
Then Haruko-san and Ayako-san started giggling and squealing and giddily skipped over, fussing over us, claiming they “knew it, we knew it all along! Ah ha!” and how adorable we were together while we remained frozen, rooted to our spot. My guntai, by then, were rolling on the floor and laughing their asses off, tears streaming down their faces. Sendoh grinned and practically draped himself over a scowling and blushing Koshino. Megane-kun smiled before letting out a squeak as Mitchy came up behind him and dropped his hands on his shoulders before giving him a peck on his temple. Ryochin blinked at us a few times before directing a hopeful gaze at his beloved Ayako-san, his cheeks suspiciously red and giant pink hearts appearing in his eyes.
The rest of the room, however, kept staring at us. Finally Gori, eyes closed, rubbed his temples, an irritated expression on his face. Kiyota, on the other hand, started cackling hysterically and pointed at us.
“NAHAHAHAHAHAHA! TWO IDIOTS! NAHAHAHA, A PERFECT MATCH!”
And obviously Uozumi, being the ape-king that he is, promptly calmed him down by dropping his fist on the monkey-butt’s empty head much to Maki’s relief. Behind the wild monkey, Jin and the old man shook their heads at their (current or former) teammate’s antics while the other players grimaced, exasperated, and decided to ignore monkey-ass. Hikoichi, eyes wide, was juggling a videocam and a notepad and pen before a frowning Hanagata finally grabbed the camera.
The “Mi-chaaaaaaaan!” group and Fuji and Matsui, on the other hand, merely shrugged at each other after the initial shock were off.
Finally, Rukawa and me relaxed and I smiled in relief - fox-boy had immediately slipped back on his expressionless mask. Despite his face, however, his eyes seemed to contain warmth and glee and the way he bumped our foreheads together after he had wiped my face clean hinted at the feelings we had hidden from others for quite a while.
And so that was it happened.
… My sweetest kiss.
It happened on my birthday.
…
What? What do you mean, when? You should know that I was born on April 1rst!
Tche! I’m expecting some good birthday gifts from you from now on. I need a new discman. Or maybe an mp3 player. Or how about new basketb-
…
That was how my sweetest kiss happened, and in the process unwittingly revealed our relationship to our closest friends. Actually, I knew right then that they were more than friends. I came to realize that they were all tied to me when they had all accepted Kaede and me together, despite the various reactions. They simply each had their own way of showing us they were alright with the idea of the Golden Pair being a couple. And that they even approved of it, actually. Oyaji-Anzai’s words came back to me and I finally understood them.
I guess I said that it was my sweetest kiss, because I was thinking about sugar and candies and desserts… but not that I think of it more, I realize that that it wasn’t the real reason why this kiss was the first one that came to mind when you asked me to talk about it.
The fact was that I had shared it with Kaede, and that it was that moment that it finally dawned on me that those that I considered to be my closest friends cared about me, really cared about me - about us - and would always be there for me.
I realized that I had a real family that extended over my grandparents.
And that, that simple knowledge, only made that kiss so much sweeter.
…
… My real first kiss?
I- I…
I don’t know.
…
Maybe another time, alright? I think-
I think I want to go see Kaede right now…
Later.
-----
October 23, 2005
Author: Viv
Genre: romance/humor/light drama
Rating: PG
Fandom: Slam Dunk [book - manga]
Pairing: HanaRu
Disclaimer: Nyaaaaaaaa, Hisashi-kun, where did you go?
Summary: … You want me to talk about what? [Hanamichi’s POV - multi-parts: (01) (02) (03)]
Author's note: After this part, they will probably only be two more parts or so. Is it just me or do each part just gets longer and longer and much fluffier?
The sweetest one?
No, no, no, no, no, noooooooooooooooooooooo!
But why do I have to talk about it?
Wait, what the hell do you want me to talk about again?
…
NO!
NOOOOOO!
What part of- what?
Of course I’m a tensai!
Yosh!
NYHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Alright, the tensai will tell you about his sweetest kiss, since you admire him so much!
Right, right, sorry.
So anyway, I was turning seventeen when it happened. It was a Saturday afternoon when the kitsune called me to come over to his house.
WHAT?
I went there to study! Or at least, that’s what Gori insisted we did, even though he was no longer our captain. Apparently Ayako-san, Ryochin and Haruko-san had informed him and Megane-kun that Rukawa and me were failing many of our classes yet again and still did not have any will to open a single book. Even Haruko’s insisting on tutoring the both of us proved to be useless since fox-boy would fall asleep the moment his butt came in contact with a chair (or even before!) while me and Haruko would constantly get distracted and start chattering away about everything except our school assignments.
See, Ryochin, Ayako-san, Yasu and the rest of the final year students in our team had went to Gori for advice (in other word, to cry for help) who refused categorically. Now Mitchy, who came to Shohoku regularly to visit us, heard of the situation when Ryochin complained to him about us. So Mitchy took pity of poor captain Myagi and so went to discuss it (or laugh about it) with his ever caring boyfriend (though none of them would admit it) who also happened to be our ex-vice-captain.
So when Akagi went to vent to his best friend (who happened to be, well, who else? Megane-kun!), Kogure, the ever caring, gentle, calm and overly-worried-about-others Kogure, reminded him that it was their duty to help out their former team. Now Mitchy decided to help his boyfriend (and coach Anzai) so he joined too (though he succeeded more in irritating Gori then persuading him to help out).
So our ex-captain hesitated for a few days.
And then firmly declined (to put it gently) when Ayako-san came to him once more.
Which meant then that the entire team (minus me and the kitsune) stomped over to his house and asked again for his help (or rather, begged for it) as Kogure and Mitchy looked on, sweating profusely and pleading along (actually, Mitchy was making fun of everyone until Megane-kun scowled at him).
Yet again, Akagi did not budge from his position until our savior (well that’s what the others called her … was the situation really that bad for the team to be that desperate? WHAT DO YOU MEAN I TEND TO BE MENTALLY CHALLENGED?), in the form of his younger sister, pulled him aside and pulled a perfect Haruko-moment on him - she gave him large puppy eyes and produced tears at the corner of them while clasping her hands together and quietly pleaded for him to do something.
Gori’s answer?
“ALRIGHTI’LLDOITGODAMMIT!”
… heh.
So Akagi tutored (or rather, forced us into doing our homeworks and such) us every Saturday for a little over a month and as a results, our grades improved dramatically. Kitsune and I pretty much went from miserably failing students (who didn’t care) to slightly above average students (who still didn’t care, as long as they could remain on the basketball team), much to the shock of, well, the entire school.
Even my guntai stayed away from me for a few days after they found out my grades for the many quizzes (English, math, Japanese lit) we had one week, wondering what the hell had happened to their friend Hanamichi.
“Who are you and what have you done to Hanamichi Sakuragi?” had they exclaimed once.
To which three of them added: “Your grades are even higher than Youhei!”
Off course, nyhahahahahaha, since I’m the tensai and had simply hidden my mind’s potential very well, nyhahahahahaha!
…
NYHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-
Kaede? ImeanKITSUNE!
My intelligence leaked onto him, so that’s why he got smarter too! Nyhahahaha!
Huh?
Oh, right, right.
So it was a Saturday afternoon when my brand new cellphone (my grandparents, who had come down a few days earlier from Tokyo and had just left to go back, bought it for me) rang and buzzed.
Who was on the other line?
It was- what? How did you know? I already said it? Oh, okay. Hehehe…
What? How he already knew my number when I just got the cell? Errr… Well he happened to be there when I had went to pick up my grandparents at the train station.
Why was he there?
… Just because! So stopping asking the genius so many questions!
Anyway.
… Where was I?
Oh yeah! So I answered my cell and fox-boy, in his usual flat tone, replied: “Gor- Akagi-sempai had been here for half and hour already. Get your ass over here.”
“Well tell Gori that I had to take my gramps back to the train station and see them off first! Family’s important you know!”
“… I know Sakuragi.” Rukawa’s voice was softer.
Other than the guntai and grandparents, only Coach Anzai, his wife and Rukawa knew I was an orphan and had been living on my own for a few years already.
“…”
“Do’ahou.”
“… What?”
“Don’t think about it too much and just come over. We’re waiting for you.”
“…”
“I’m waiting for you.” he added quietly.
I smiled over the phone.
“… I’ll be over in fifteen.”
“Alright… Do’ahou.”
“STUPID FOX!”
So about fourteen minutes later I was standing in front of a large house, ringing the bell.
A man with grey hair and laughing brown eyes, one of Rukawa’s family servants, came to open the door and grinned when he saw me.
“Sakuragi-kun! Pleasure to see you here again, young man. Young master Rukawa-kun and your friend Akagi-kun are waiting for you in the living room.”
“Thank you!”
I lazily made my way to the spacious living room but before I had even got there, I bumped - practically slammed - into the kitsune himself. He blinked at me repeatedly before giving me a small smile.
“Do’ahou. Not a moment too late.”
“Umpf.”
“Gori was about ready to throw his books out the windows. The gardener would’ve had a fit if he found books and pencils in the rose bushes.”
“Heh.”
“Come on, before sempai explodes.” He gently grabbed my elbow and pulled me along with him.
“Kitsune! Why is it so dark?”
The moment I had stepped into the living room, I had noticed that the curtains were drawn down (they never were during the day) and that no lights were turned on. I could only make out some dark blurry forms and frowned at the strange scene before me.
“Oi! Kitsune, why is it so dark? What are you up too? And where’s Gori?”
Thump!
“OW! WHAT THE F-”
“STOP CALLING ME THAT, IDIOT!”
“… Akagi?”
Someone cleared their throat at my left. “Yes.”
“What’s going on here?”
…
“SURPRISE!”
When the lights were turned on, I was found crouched and quivering behind Rukawa. One of my hands was gripping the back of the kitsune’s right leg’s pant while the other was on my chest, trying to keep my heart from leaping out.
It took me a few seconds for my eyes to get used to the sudden brightness of the room and when they did, I slowly remembered where I was and noticed the small groups of persons scattered over various places in the room.
My guntai and Haruko-san and her friends behind a couch. Ayako-san, Ryochin, Megane-kun and Mitchy behind another couch. Some Ryonan, Kainan and Shoyo players came stumbling out of a closet (and in the process all piled over one another beside its door when Kiyota had tripped on the carpet and ended sprawled on the floor, triggering Fuku-chan to collapse on him as Megane followed suit and soon the rest fell too, the last ones being Hikoichi and Jin). Ojayi-Anzai and his wife were seated on a small couch under a window. The rest of the Shohoku team had their heads poking out from behind curtains and such. Even Mitchy’s gang was there, their heads sticking out form under the couches.
I stood up, embarrassed, and my gaze swept across the room before ending on fox-boy, who was facing me, his face as expressionless as always and I stared at him in bewilderment for a moment.
And then I finally settled on roaring at the other occupants of the room.
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO DO FUCKING GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK OR JUST KILL ME GODAMMIT?”
Everyone blinked at me before finally sweatdropping. Those who had stumbled out of the closet picked themselves, grunting and huffing, and Youhei laughed, breaking the short silence.
“Hanamichi… did you forget your birthday?”
“What? Of course not! I’m the tensai, I know when my birth- wait… oh!”
I had completely forgotten my seventeenth birthday.
‘So that’s why grandpa and grandma came to spend a few days with me and gave me a cellphone.’
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”
Everyone finally erupted in guffaws and I did the first thing I had only done twice in the last four years, since my father’s death, except when Coach Anzai had an attack the previous year, triggering back those painful memories, and when I had hurt my back during our match against Sannoh the year before.
I cried.
I started bawling like a kid and before I knew it, found myself in a warm embrace and strong arms wrapped around my shoulders and waist, a hand soothingly rubbing my back as the tears I tried to hold back came spilling, uncontrollable and unstoppable. I cried, my nose buried in the crook of a neck, and tightened my grasp on the shirt covering the firm chest I was leaning against.
I cried and sobbed and bawled and mumbled incoherently into a familiar neck, releasing a torrent of emotions that I had never realized I had kept in for so long.
With those unbidden tears I thought of the mother I had never gotten the chance to know but who had loved me for the first two years of my life. An energetic, cheerful and beautiful redhead who had been the first to hug me in her tender embrace, had been there to see my first step, heard my first word, nursed my first scratches and sang me lullabies to sleep before leaving this world.
I thought of the father who had watched me grow up until I was thirteen, who had been amused at my sudden growth spurt when I turned twelve. The man who was proud of me despite my failing grades and constant fighting, but would never have the pride of knowing that his only son was now a rising high school basketball player.
I thought of the parents of my mother who had watched over me until I was eleven, who had seen their only daughter pass away, who did everything to keep her memory alive in their grandson, who watched over me for her, who would never get the chance to come encourage me to my games.
I thought of my father’s parents, who despite the pain of losing their only child, their daughter-in-law and some of their closest friends and living so far away from me, still loved me so much despite the distance that separated us.
And most of all, I cried when I realized that my parents and my maternal grandparents would never get to meet them, these amazing people that had been teasing, mocking, and yet supporting me throughout the last year. These persons that had always been there for me, always finding some times to make sure that I was fine, these persons who always worried about me and yet trusted me enough to take care of myself, even if they would never admit it out loud.
And I cried as it hit me how much they cared, how much of an important place they held in my heart, and how I’d never find myself grateful and worthy enough of calling them my friends.
And so I just kept crying and crying an crying.
When my sobs subsided a few minutes later, I looked up to find everyone staring at me. The guntai were grinning at me while the rest looked on worriedly. I felt something nuzzle my cheek and turned my head to find myself gazing in soft blue pools.
The corner of Rukawa’s lips curled up slightly and he gently turned me around, slightly urging me to move forward.
“I- I… I didn’t think…”
I smiled (according to Haruko-san, I looked like a small child, with my lower lips slightly quivering and my blushing cheeks), warmth filling my heart. Wiping away the few stray tears that remained and a few hiccups, I finally managed to whisper something out.
“… Thank you.”
When I realized that the others were still frowning, my grin widened.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
The guntai instantly swarmed around, laughing loudly and giving me pats and light punches on the back and shoulders.
“Hanamichi, you big baby! We made you cry! Didn’t think we’d live to see this day!”
I joined in their laugh and soon everyone also followed suit when they understood that my tears were not of pain, but that I was indeed crying in happiness, grateful and touched that I had friends who cared enough to go through all this trouble just for me. It had been years since anyone but the guntai and my grandparents had shown me any real signs of affection.
Akagi ruffled my red hair (though they had drastically naturally darkened by then from when I had started at Shohoku) and smiled in a way that was almost akin to how he smiled at his sister.
“Youhei and Rukawa told us it was your birthday. Why didn’t you tell us? We wouldn’t want one of Shohoku’s star players to spend such a sad and boring birthday! And after all the hard work you’ve done and those good grades, you deserved a break, you know.”
Around five hours later we were all tired (from so much dancing and playing games - except for Oyaji and his wife Anzai-san who just sat there watching us like an old couple watching over their grandchildren) and nursing full bellies and I was busy unwrapping the many gifts I had received.
While everyone was scrambling to drag or carry in their gifts though, Anzai-san gave me a scarf she had knitted, tenderly wrapping it around my neck like a mother taking care of her young son and smiling proudly when she stepped back to let Ojayi step closer to me. Coach looked at me for a long moment before gently chuckling, his usual ‘ho ho ho’ resonating in my ears through the music playing in the room was not exactly at the lowest volume. No one really paid us any attention. He slowly lifted a hand and dropped it on my shoulder before giving it a light squeeze. Then he simply stared at me a while longer, his small eyes twinkling behind his glasses.
“Sakuragi-kun… they know. You don’t have to hide them your family situation, for they care about you enough to look over you and look out for you.”
I blinked at him.
“But- how?”
“Ho ho ho. Kogure-kun suspected something and asked me. Your guntai eventually told the rest of the team. The moment their heard about your birthday and about your… situation, everyone had instantly agreed on doing something for you. I don’t know how that got to Hikoichi-kun’s ears, ho ho ho, bless that boy, but he quickly spread out the news and as you can see, many of those considered or were considered to be your rivals had been more than willing to join in and help out.”
“…”
“They care about you very much, Sakuragi-kun. So do I, and not just as players and a coach. Do you see that?”
“…” I could already feel the tears slowly forming in my eyes again.
“… Hmmm, that scarf looks very good on you, Sakuragi-kun. Ho ho ho… yes, very nice, very nice, hmmm, I have such a talented little wife, ho ho ho…”
And with that, he gave my shoulder a few pats and turned around.
“And Sakuragi-kun?”
I looked up to stare at the back of his head.
“I am sure that your parents are watching over you somewhere. And they must be very proud of their son.”
He paused, ‘ho ho ho’-ed once more and then slowly trudged back to his seat beside his wife.
‘Thank you so much.’
I kept blinking for a couple of times, until Takamiya threw an empty can at the back of my head to which I instantly responded by shrieking and turning around to give him a good headbutt. I then cheerfully started unwrapping all the large colorful boxes and the envelopes waiting for me.
The Ryonan and Kainan members had bought together a large flat screen television for me. The Shoyo members there gave me seasonal double passes to a new amusement park that were to open in a few weeks not too far from Kanegawa. The guntai and Haruko-san and her friends had put money together for a DVD player. The Shohoku team and Ayako-san got me a new CD player. Mitchy and his friends gave me some gift certificates to a music store and Gori and Megane-kun gave me some gift certificates to (what the hell?) a bookstore. The kitsune, much to the surprise of the others, bought me a bike (and he later slipped in my jacket a CD he had burned for me - isn’t that swee- just freaking corny! Tche! The tensai is not a girl!).
When that was done and that I was as happy as a child in a pool of chocolates, marshmellows and candies, one of the Rukawas maids appeared in the living with a large cake.
A large chocolate-vanilla cheesecake with a thin layer of custard and many strawberries on top.
…
Even fox-boy had to at least chuckle at the expression on my face, because goddamn it looked good and I was droooooling.
Of course, then came the usual let’s-smash-a-piece-in-Hanamichi’s-face-since-it’s-his-birthday.
So I found myself with a handful of cake in my face but quickly retaliated against the person that had been assigned send that piece flying into my face (who also happened to be the one person who feared my headbutts the least).
Rukawa Kaede.
But of course, right after I succeeded in shoving a fistful of cake into his mouth (and on his cheeks and on his chin and on- you get the point? Alright, alright!), I tripped over my own feet (curse you, you clumsy feet!) and found myself in his arms again.
Rukawa caught me quite easily and straightened me before lifting a hand and running it through my hair, dark blue orbs almost glaring intently at my red face.
And then he did something none of us had ever seen him done (even myself, when I was already his- eeerrr, never mind!) before.
The kitsune grinned. (!!!)
And then laughed. (!!!!!!!)
All of the room’s occupants gaped at him - even Ojayi and Sendoh - and many servants’ heads popped up into the living room, eyes as wide as saucers.
Eventually Rukawa’s laugh turned into low chuckles and I kept staring at him, blinking in surprise.
‘C- cute. So cute. He looks so cute like this.’
When he finally stopped laughing, he looked up at me and gave me that soft smile he kept only for me and when no one else was around. A gentle finger swiped away a piece of chocolate cheesecake on my cheek.
“You’re so cute, Hana-kun.”
I heard everyone gasp around me as I finally gave in and did what I had wanted to do since I had bumped into the kitsune earlier.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and quickly pulled him closer, tongue peeking out to lick that spot of custard at the corner of his lips and then met my lips with his parted ones, my eyes slipping shut as I forgot that we were in a crowded room.
Kaede replied by tightened his hold on me, deepening the kiss and I could taste chocolate-vanilla cheesecake and custard and strawberry in his hot, wicked mouth and something else distinctively him, sweet - like… like fudge, and butterscotch, and coffee, and maybe even mint - and so damn delicious and so addictive.
And then someone coughed and cleared their throat.
Our eyes snapped open and we stood still for a while, our lips still connected, before slowly separating and letting our breaths slow down. Our arms were still around each other when we noticed the rest of the room still gaping, jaws hanging and arms dangling by their sides. Coach Anzai and his wife seemed to be the only ones unfazed, smiling gently at us and nodding in amusement, as if to tell us that they had known all along. We both blanched.
Then Haruko-san and Ayako-san started giggling and squealing and giddily skipped over, fussing over us, claiming they “knew it, we knew it all along! Ah ha!” and how adorable we were together while we remained frozen, rooted to our spot. My guntai, by then, were rolling on the floor and laughing their asses off, tears streaming down their faces. Sendoh grinned and practically draped himself over a scowling and blushing Koshino. Megane-kun smiled before letting out a squeak as Mitchy came up behind him and dropped his hands on his shoulders before giving him a peck on his temple. Ryochin blinked at us a few times before directing a hopeful gaze at his beloved Ayako-san, his cheeks suspiciously red and giant pink hearts appearing in his eyes.
The rest of the room, however, kept staring at us. Finally Gori, eyes closed, rubbed his temples, an irritated expression on his face. Kiyota, on the other hand, started cackling hysterically and pointed at us.
“NAHAHAHAHAHAHA! TWO IDIOTS! NAHAHAHA, A PERFECT MATCH!”
And obviously Uozumi, being the ape-king that he is, promptly calmed him down by dropping his fist on the monkey-butt’s empty head much to Maki’s relief. Behind the wild monkey, Jin and the old man shook their heads at their (current or former) teammate’s antics while the other players grimaced, exasperated, and decided to ignore monkey-ass. Hikoichi, eyes wide, was juggling a videocam and a notepad and pen before a frowning Hanagata finally grabbed the camera.
The “Mi-chaaaaaaaan!” group and Fuji and Matsui, on the other hand, merely shrugged at each other after the initial shock were off.
Finally, Rukawa and me relaxed and I smiled in relief - fox-boy had immediately slipped back on his expressionless mask. Despite his face, however, his eyes seemed to contain warmth and glee and the way he bumped our foreheads together after he had wiped my face clean hinted at the feelings we had hidden from others for quite a while.
And so that was it happened.
… My sweetest kiss.
It happened on my birthday.
…
What? What do you mean, when? You should know that I was born on April 1rst!
Tche! I’m expecting some good birthday gifts from you from now on. I need a new discman. Or maybe an mp3 player. Or how about new basketb-
…
That was how my sweetest kiss happened, and in the process unwittingly revealed our relationship to our closest friends. Actually, I knew right then that they were more than friends. I came to realize that they were all tied to me when they had all accepted Kaede and me together, despite the various reactions. They simply each had their own way of showing us they were alright with the idea of the Golden Pair being a couple. And that they even approved of it, actually. Oyaji-Anzai’s words came back to me and I finally understood them.
I guess I said that it was my sweetest kiss, because I was thinking about sugar and candies and desserts… but not that I think of it more, I realize that that it wasn’t the real reason why this kiss was the first one that came to mind when you asked me to talk about it.
The fact was that I had shared it with Kaede, and that it was that moment that it finally dawned on me that those that I considered to be my closest friends cared about me, really cared about me - about us - and would always be there for me.
I realized that I had a real family that extended over my grandparents.
And that, that simple knowledge, only made that kiss so much sweeter.
…
… My real first kiss?
I- I…
I don’t know.
…
Maybe another time, alright? I think-
I think I want to go see Kaede right now…
Later.
-----
October 23, 2005