All's Fair in Love and Basketball

by nefretiri

“Is this all?” Mitsui asked upon gulping the last drop of liquid down his throat. More. More water.

“Aaa!” The freshman exclaimed. “Chotto matte, Mitsui-san!” then he made his way towards the vending machine.

Mitsui was left with his thoughts, and his fatigue. His stamina had ran out on him. It wasn’t always like this. He was stronger than this once. Until…

Chikuso…

Why did I waste so much time!?

Anzai-sensei…

The young boy appeared at the corner and stopped in his tracks as he saw Mitsui sitting silently with his shoulders shaking. The muscles on his arms tightened as his palms clenched in a fist. The freshman took a deep breath and stepped forward. “Mitsui-sempai…” His voice startled Mitsui from his thoughts.

The boy stepped up, and slowly set two cans of drinks by Mitsui’s foot.

“Arigato.” Mitsui replied. “You should return to the game… they would need your support…”

“Aaa… hai!” the boy exclaimed. “You will return, won’t you, Mitsui-sempai?”

Mitsui looked up at the boy’s question. They were silent for a moment until Mitsui nodded with a faint smile. The boy’s face beamed at Mitsui’s reaction, and he ran off back to where the game was commencing with Kogure now in the field. We will win this game… won’t we Mitsui-sempai? The boy’s hand trembled as he gripped the door that opens towards the game.

Mitsui was left in silence again, until he remembered the still lingering thirst in his throat. He reached out towards the cans of drinks and picked one up. But suddenly it slipped off from his weak fingers, clattered onto the floor and rolled away from him. Stunned, Mitsui looked at his hand. There was practically no strength left in them.

His world fell apart. He had never felt so helpless. And so… angry at himself. Angry for abandoning the one thing he was truly passionate about, angry for wasting his precious youth, angry at… everything. Nothing was right at this moment. And he wished he had someone to hold on to.

 Chie…

~*~*~*~

Chie ran down the steps of the stadium frantically. Her heart felt like it had stopped when she saw Mitsui collapse before her eyes in the middle of the court. When she made it to the Shohoku bench, Mitsui was nowhere to be seen.

“Aya-chan!” she exclaimed to her classmate.

Upon hearing her name being called, Ayako lookedaway from the nerve-wrenching game and turned to who had called her. “Chie…!” she replied in surprise when she saw who it was.

“Mitsui… Mitsui-kun wa… doko…?”

As Ayako pointed towards the door, Chie dashed out without saying anything else to her. At the split second when she had turned around, her eyes locked gaze for a second with Sendoh Akira from across the court.

Akira-kun…

But she shook off the thoughts that were forming in her mind and proceeded out of the court.

She found Mitsui sitting at the bottom of the stairs. As she stepped forward she almost tripped on a can of drink that had rolled away from Mitsui towards her foot. She stopped her steps as she looked at him desperately trying to open a can of drink. Seeing the scene in front of her, suddenly the memories flooded her mind again. The day she first met Mitsui…

Chie yawned. Not much sleep again last night. But then again, how could she amidst all that racket her parents made when they fought? Closing the book that had been open at the same page for the last hour, she looked around.

Empty.

Almost everyone had left the Shohoku compound, except for most probably some of the sports club members. Even the most hectic place on earth could be this peaceful at such an hour. The thought suddenly ran in her mind. *I like it here… if I go home… I’ll just hear the same things over… and over…*

She exhaled.

She was thirsty…

…and tired.

She got up and walked over to the vending machine. The coins she inserted in the slot clinked inside the machine. She pressed the button and a soft rumble was heard, followed by a thud inside the compartment. Chie reached her hand inside and pulled out a can of juice.

As she sat back down, she put her fingers on the top of the can, trying to pull it off. But her fingers slipped off and the can remained unopened. She tried again, and again, but at the end of it, she was just left with a sore finger, and an unopened can.

*Why can’t I do it myself?!* She was annoyed at herself. ?*I’m such an incapable person! This is exactly why… otoo-san wa… okaa-san…*

She could hear her father’s voice roaring towards her mother again. Both her parents were in the last stage of the divorce process, yet one problem kept tying them together, keeping things unresolved.

Chie.

The unwanted daughter that both her parents kept tossing to one another, each refusing to accept her upon their split.

She was silent now. She stopped trying to open the can. It just sat in her palms, its coldness seeping into her skin. *I am so useless…*   She gritted her teeth. *I’m always counting on others… on everyone… on Akira-san… and when he’s not here… I…*

Suddenly, a shadow descended in front of her. She looked forward and found herself staring at a pair of legs, of which one knee was wrapped in a knee band. Looking up, she saw a towering boy with jet black raven hair staring down at her. Beads of pearly sweat were dripping from the sides of his face, yet he smiled. Then he slowly reached out and touched her hands. No, he took the stubborn can from her yielding hands.

“Here…” he said calmly. “Let me do it.”

Mitsui-kun…

He didn’t even realize Chie was standing in front of him, until he saw her hands close around his struggling ones. Warm…

Mitsui looked up and found himself looking right into her azure eyes.

“Chi… Chie… -chan…” her name escaped his lips in stammered words.

She smiled faintly, saddened on seeing him like this. She silently took the can from his hands, and after two tries, she managed to pop it open. She looked up with a brighter smile as she handed the can back to Mitsui.

He chugged the whole can’s content down in one gulp. And yes, he felt a little more refreshed. Then he felt her soft hand touch the corner of his lip where it had been cut by his fall.

“Yokatta ne…” she said softly. “Mitsui-kun wa daijobu da… I was so worried for a moment…” then her face beamed. “Mitsui-kun… you played so great today! Honto ni sugoi yo!”

Mitsui stared at her, amazed. The girl whom when he first spoke to her, had been struggling to open a silly little can. The freshman girl whom he had felt a strong attraction to since the moment he saw her walking the halls with Akagi Haruko on her first day of transfer into Shohoku. The girl whose heart he had so eagerly pursued to win… only to find out that…

“Shouldn’t you be cheering for Ryonan?” He suddenly found the words escape his mouth impulsively.

… that she was Ryonan’s forward, Sendoh Akira’s girlfriend.

Mitsui had been crushed. But even then, and until now, his affection for her had never faded, not even a bit. Upon looking at her face, he knew that his words had wounded her.

*Why the hell did I say that? Mitsui, you moron!*

He had expected her to turn around and leave, but instead she took a seat on the steps right next to him.

It’s so hard for him to look at her. She had broken his heart. They had become so close, and he had grown to love her more and more, yet he had hidden his feelings so well that she was completely taken by shock when he confessed his love. And her reply… shattered him.

“Gomen nasai, Mitsui-kun…”

Startled by her answer, Mitsui almost didn’t want to know what she had to say next.

“… but I… I’m already in a relationship with someone… for two years now…”

That definitely wasn’t something that he wanted to hear.

“Demo… Mitsui-kun… you’ve always been so kind to me…” she continued with a voice that had died down only to a soft whisper. “You will always be someone precious… to me…”

Her words had sounded like nothing but mere inaudible echoes. And he didn’t want to hear anymore. Slamming his hands onto the wall, locking her in, he stopped her words with a forceful kiss, until…

… a stinging slap landed on his cheek.

He knew it wasn’t her fault. It was nobody’s fault. It’s just the way it is. The way life loves to play games on silly weak humans.

*I’m such a jerk. I was a jerk to her then… I’m still a jerk to her now.*

“I’m sorry…” he finally said softly as he set the can down next to his foot. “I shouldn’t have said that…”

She shook her head silently, as if she was telling him that he shouldn’t worry about it. In her silence, her fingers slowly toyed with the can that was sitting between her and Mitsui’s foot. “Akira and I…” she paused for a moment, then continued softly, “… we ended our relationship last night…”

The magic words.

The words that had sounded like music to Mitsui’s ears.

*You selfish idiot! How could you be thinking only of yourself at this moment!? She must be feeling like hell right now…*

He stared at her in silence. The words he wanted to say were at the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t get it out.

Then, she smiled as she tilted her head to the side and looked into his eyes. “Daijobu!” she said, trying to pose a cheerful face. “Yappari… Akira-kun wa… never really truly loved me…” then her voice trembled. “I was just a stupid naïve girl…” Then suddenly her face changed. “Aah… gomen! Just listen to me, I sound so pathetic… I didn’t come here to tell you this… or to seek comforting affection from you upon losing Akira-kun’s… I’m such a horrible person…”

“No… not a horrible person…” Mitsui suddenly spoke. “You’re just my stupid naïve girl…” And before she could reply, she was taken by surprise as Mitsui’s palms closed around her face and guided it towards his. He kissed her as if this was the last kiss he’ll ever have on earth. Parting her lips gently, she accepted his affection.

Feeling his lips caress hers gently, she realized now how much she truly adored him. Yes, she had loved him all along, but she felt that she couldn’t betray Sendoh Akira’s love. Maybe it was the hardness of Mitsui’s character that was so attractive, or maybe his dark mysterious eyes, or his deep raspy voice.

Or maybe it was the passion she only felt when she’s with him. The passion that never existed with Sendoh Akira.

Mitsui couldn’t feel the lingering fatigue anymore. He didn’t know what he was feeling. Intoxication, maybe? Holding her in his arms, feeling her arms around him, tasting her sweet lips, they erased all his worries and anger. *She’s finally mine… and I will love her forever…*

Her eyes fluttered open in shock along with her gasp for air as she felt his teeth sink into the flesh at the curve of her neck. “I’m sorry… did I hurt you?” he asked as he slowly touched the crimson mark that slowly became more and more distinct by the minute.

As she shook her head, he took her face again in his hands, but this time, he kissed her forehead gently.

“I love you, Chie.” Mitsui said softly. “You know that, don’t you?”

She leaned on his shoulder and nodded silently. *I know… Mitsui-kun… I’ve always known…* Then, amidst the silence, the noises from the court slowly returned to audibility. “Aaa! Mitsui-kun!” she exclaimed as she pulled away from his arms.

“Nani?”

“The game! The game, Mitsui-kun!!!” she exclaimed as she got up on her feet and started pulling on Mitsui’s arm. “We don’t want to miss any great ‘tensai’ moments, do we?” she winked as she made her way towards the door that led inside the court.

Mitsui smiled. He loved the spirit in this girl. And he loved her seemingly never dying strength in facing the hardest moments in her life. She will be his strength now, and he will try his best to be her strength when she needed it.

He took her hand as she opened the door, and the cheering and the sounds of rubber soles on a wooden floor descended upon them. Mitsui looked at the timer. 10 seconds left. Shohoku is leading by only two points. Where’s the ball? Who has the ball?

“Ike, ike, Akagi-sempaaaaaaiii!!!” he heard Chie’s voice scream.

Mitsui’s face beamed as he saw Akagi with the ball. “Shoot, Akagi!” he yelled out, and watched hopefully as Akagi made his shot, but then he saw a shadow ascend up along with Akagi. It was Uozumi. Yet the shot was made and the ball flew towards the ring…

*Go in… go in… please…!*

But it bounced off the side of the ring and flew back in the opposite direction.

*No!* Mitsui’s eyes widened as he saw Fukuda making his way towards the ball. But then a miracle. A red-headed miracle who flew up so high above Fukuda and grabbed the ball in midair.

Chie held her breath. Time felt as if it had stopped as they watched Sakuragi fly through the air and with a single blow, dunked the ball into the ring.

But it wasn’t over yet. Five seconds left, and the ball was… in Sendoh’s hands.

Four…

“Everyone get back!” Sakuragi’s voice roared to everyone’s astonishment.

Three…

In just a second, all of Shohoku has made it back across the court, guarding its base defensively.

Two…

Chie took Mitsui’s hand and squeezed it in suspense. *We can win… we will win…!* The thought was almost hard to believe for Mitsui. If they won this, Shohoku will compete in the Inter-High. Something that is a first for the basketball club.

One…

Then came the sound of the buzzer, followed by what can only be the deafening shrieks and screams from the Shohoku side. Time seemed to have stopped for all of Shohoku. Pats on backs and hugs were exchanged, while the earth-shattering roar came from the audience who shouting “Shohoku!” and the players’ names.

From across the court, Sendoh Akira’s eyes faintly watched the celebration of his rival team that had won the game. His hands suddenly lost their grip on the ball he was holding as his eyes caught sight of Mitsui taking Chie in his arms and locked their lips amidst the Shohoku crowd. The ball bounced off the wooden floor and rolled away silently.

*Chie…*

*Look at how happy she looks now…* Sendoh’s lips curved into a bitter smile as he saw her face beaming with happiness. An expression that he had never seen before in her. Only when she is with Mitsui.

“The truth is, Chie…” Sendoh said softly as he stood in front of the teary-eyed girl. “I never really loved you. It’s pointless for us to continue our dead-end relationship. You have become no more than an obstacle in achieving my goals…”

“Sonna…!” Chie muttered in shock. “Chigau! Akira-kun…! Don’t tell lies, please!”

“Why would I tell lies?” Sendoh gritted his teeth in frustration. His fists clenched hard as he forced himself to say the words. “I don’t love you anymore. It’s over…”

Sendoh exhaled and forced a smile. *Yes, I did lie. I loved you the first time I saw you, I’ve loved you for the two years we were together, and even now I still love you.*

*But they say when you love something, set it free…

If it doesn’t come back…

…then it’s just not meant to be.*

And unconsciously, he started walking forward, away from his Ryonan teammates, towards the Shohoku side of the court. Still quite involved with their victorious celebration, none of the Shohoku students noticed the Ryonan forward making his way through the crowd.

“Mitsui,” Sendoh’s voice called out flatly as he put a hand on Mitsui’s shoulder.

Mitsui was overtaken by shock, lapsing into a moment of silence as he stood face to face with Sendoh Akira. *What now…?* Mitsui saw Sendoh’s gaze float away from him for a moment to the side. And Mitsui realized he was watching Chie who had made her way amidst the Shohoku players to congratulate Sakuragi.

*Sou ka…* Mitsui now understood what was going on in Sendoh’s mind.

Then his eyes returned to Mitsui. They were blank, almost emotionless, just like Rukawa’s. No one could really tell what he’s thinking. But Mitsui knew. Mitsui knew how Sendoh felt towards Chie. Then, to his surprise, Sendoh held out his hand to Mitsui.

“Omedetou.” The word that came out of Sendoh’s mouth shocked Mitsui even more.

Unsure at first, Mitsui slowly extended his hand and accepted Sendoh’s in a firm handshake. “You played well today. As always.” Mitsui finally said.

Sendoh was silent for a moment. He kept gazing into Mitsui’s eyes intently, as if searching for something. Some answers.

“All is fair in love and basketball, Sendoh.” Mitsui said. “Rest assured, she is in good hands.”

Sendoh smiled. “Sou desu ne.” he replied calmly as he nodded. “Good luck in the Inter-High.” He continued, then turned around to make his way back to his teammates.

“Arigato, Sendoh.” Mitsui’s last words brought a stop to Sendoh’s steps. He was silent for a moment, then a smile broke into his face as he started his steps again.

*Yes. I suppose she’ll be all right now…*

~Owari

Main | Updates | My Fics | Other Fics | Links | Info | Email Me!