by Star Mirage
Part 2
"BAM!" Hanamichi executed a powerful slam dunk and heavily landed.
"Oh, Hanamichi-kun! You are such a good player!"
The redhead, smiling proudly, turned to face a girl. "Yeah, I am. I'm the Tensai, Haruko-chan. I'm a professional in basketball."
Hanamichi decided to keep silent about all those misses that he had made before Haruko's arrival. She arrived only five minutes ago and saw one of few successful throws of the redheaded boy. Hanamichi and Haruko simultaneously heard noise and a distinct growl, informing them of the dragon's return.
Akai landed on the large open court, where the redhead was usually practicing. The dragon carefully lowered his strange burden onto the ground. Having counted his mission over, Akai occupied himself with his wing. He pulled out the spear and waved his wing. He then understood that he could not fly long with such trauma . . .
Meantime, Hanamichi approached the strange fur heap that was brought by his dragon.
'It is not an animal,' the redhead thought while suspiciously viewing *the thing*. 'What is it?'
Hanamichi carefully came near and kicked the strange creature with his foot. A dissatisfied sound came out of the heap, and promptly, a pale hand shot out from within, intending to strike the offender.
'A hand?! A human hand?!'
In shock, Hanamichi looked at it. He did not notice that the punch from the hand hit his leg.
"Itai!" He exclaimed and jumped aside from the dangerous heap.
In the next instant, it unwrapped itself and there appeared to be . . . a sleepy man, who has been wrapped up in a black fur cape before. He was a handsome, dark-haired, young man with amazing fox-like blue eyes. He yawned and rose in one fluid motion. The dark-haired boy appeared to have the same height as Hanamichi. Having blinked the sleep away, he looked round and frowned . . .
Hanamichi stared in awe at the stranger. Then glared at the dragon. "What did you bring here?!"
Akai turned aside for a moment from his task and looked at his owner. "Huh . . ? Oh! Um . . . I had no time to be choosey . . . Well . . . Does this animal not suit your purpose?"
Hanamichi saw red. "It is not an animal! This is a human! I asked you to bring an animal!"
Thoroughly perplexed, the dragon looked at what he had brought."Sorry, Master. But at the time he didn’t look like a human. There was a black fur covering him."
Hanamichi sweatdropped.
"This dragon is the same aho as his owner," the stranger uttered with a low prepossessing voice.
"Teme fox!" Hanamichi snapped at him and was surprised at how precisely the nickname "fox" suits this fox-eyed boy.
The stranger sniffed. His face still
emotionless.
"Do'aho."
"Fox!"
Suddenly, Haruko interfered in their quarrel. She lovingly stared at the dark-haired boy, she was oblivious of Hanamichi's existence.
"Oh, hi! Sorry for my friend . . . He's just slightly perplexed with . . . your sudden appearance . . . Umm . . . He is Sakuragi Hanamichi and he is the owner of this castle . . . And I am Akagi Haruko. I live in a nearby castle . . . What is your name?"
The dark-haired boy looked at the girl
from top to toe and then responded coldly.
"Rukawa. My name is Rukawa Kaede."
Haruko flushed and smiled. 'He is sooo handsome!' she thought.
Seeing hearts in his girlfriend's (Haruko hadn't even guessed that she is *his girlfriend*) eyes, Hanamichi become furious. A smoke poured out from his ears. Rukawa looked at the boiling redhead quietly and said. "I don't know where I am now, but send me back."
"Akai, take him back! Right now! Take him back to where you got him!"
The dragon threw an interrogative look at
the redhead then at his own wing.
"Excuse me, Master, but I can't do it. With my trauma I cannot fly for a whole
week."
Hanamichi clenched his teeth with rage, but Haruko smiled brightly.
"Oh, Rukawa-kun! That is so wonderful! It means that you can stay with us, at least, for a whole week! My brother and I will be very glad if you stayed with us in our castle. It's not far from this one."
"No!" Hanamichi exclaimed, frightened with the prospect of having a rival living under one roof with Haruko. "No! He will live here in my castle! Err. . . I think that this fox will want to leave as soon as Akai recovers. So, will you stay here, fox?"
Rukawa swept him with an inexpressive
look and answered.
"Yes. I will."
He noticed a ball, laying on ground. He quickly picked it up and sent the ball into the ring. "Bam!" The ball faultlessly got into the basket. Wow! Perfect three pointer!
Hanamichi's jaw dropped in shock. In Haruko's eyes more intensive hearts begun to sparkle. Both of them, stunned, looked at the retreating dark-haired boy, who went to explore the castle.
'So I have a rival not only in love but in basketball as well,' Hanamichi thought. 'But I am the Tensai! And victory will be mine!'
To be continued . . .
Japanese Words:
"Itai!" - Ouch!
© Star Mirage, 2000
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