A young man was jogging along the quiet street, breathing raggedly as he had run a few hundred metres more than he's used to. Finally he stopped and stood in a hunch as he tried to get his breathing to slow down.

If I want to stay in shape, I've got to do this, Mitsui willed his body and began to set out again before he gets too relaxed.

As he jogged, the 3-P shooter cursed his stamina which has dropped during his one year of inactivity.
If I'd been more patient like Kogure said, I would be in my top form like the rest of the guys.

He was then passing by a basketball court when he saw Sakuragi Hanamichi playing inside. Still jogging he went in to greet the junior when Hanamichi, who had just landed onto the ground after doing an easy lay-up, winced and dropped to his knees.

"Sakuragi!" Mitsui cried out, running towards the redhead.

Hanamichi whose mind was clouded with pain did not realise that the senior was there until he felt a hand rubbing gently onto his back near his shoulder-blades.
He turned around and there is Mitsui squating near him with a worried expression on his face.

"M-Mitsui?"

"Take it easy will ya," Mitsui told the redhead, "When did they let you out of the hospital?"

"Uh..." started the redhead sheepishly, "actually they haven't let me out yet. I slipped out."

"Baka!"

"Hey! Who are you calling...ahh!" Hanamichi winced in pain again when he tried to sit up straight.

"See! Told you!" Mitsui said, "Don't force it."

"I can't stand being cooped up in there," Hanamichi growled, "I'm rusting my bones just lying in that hospital bed. If I don't start practicing ..."

"Start practicing after your back is fixed," Mitsui cut in.

"It is cured!" persisted the redhead.

Mitsui casually poked the redhead near the base of the spine none-too-gently.

Hanamichi yelled, "Itee! That hurt, Micchy!"

Mitsui sighed, "Look Hanamichi, you shouldn't strain your back too much. Take it easy."

Hanamichi huffed, "C'mon Mitsui, y'know how it feels to stay stuck in bed for hours with nothing to do. You've been in a hospital right?"

"Yeah, and I know what happens when you force it," Mitsui told him indicating to the injury, "You'll just make it worse and you might even lose something else like your stamina or your jumps." ...or your will to play, Mitsui added mentally, and that's the worst because it'll break you like it did to me.

Mitsui shook out of his thoughts and asked, "Feel better?"

The redhead slowly stood up and carefully bent his back left to right, back to front until he was sure it wasn't hurting him.
"Yeah," said Hanamichi giving a relieved smile but when he checked his watch he swore, "Aw shit! Five more minutes before the nurse makes her rounds! I gotta go!"

"Yeah, sure, c'ya," Mitsui said but then he called out, "Hey! I'll come visit you later this afternoon, ok?"

"Alright, sure! Ja!" the redhead answered giving a quick wave before he sprinted towards the nearby hospital.

Mitsui smiled and resumed his jog, thinking of what to bring for Hanamichi later on.

Mitsui made his way along the corridor heading towards the redhead's room where the nurse pointed out to him a moment ago. Reaching the door he gave a knock before he went in, not waiting for an answer.

There on the bed the tall redhead was sitting up, his legs at the side of the bed, and was about to tie his shoe lace.

Mitsui looked pointedly at the track shoes the redhead has on.
"And where do you think you're going?" asked the senior.

"Eheh... I... ermm..." began the redhead, laughing nervously, "I was just planning to jog around this room before you came."

"Yeah, right," Mitsui said disbelievingly, "Off with those."

"Hmph! Make me."

"I'll tell the nurses that you've been slipping out and they'll put a 24 hours surveillance on you," warned the scarred-face boy.

Hanamichi scowled and reluctantly took of his shoes and slipped them under the bed.

"Anyway," Mitsui said, throwing the redhead an apple, "For you."

Hanamichi caught the apple and eyed it narrowly.
"What? Only one? How stingy can you get?"

"Well, I don't think you'd appreciate it if I threw you the whole bag full," Mitsui grinned pulling out a paper bag from his jacket and dumping it onto the redhead's lap.

"Are you doubting the tensai's abilities?" demanded the redhead, "I would've caught every one of 'em!"

"Bullshit."

"Nani!" was the expected response before the redhead threw the apple towards Mitsui which the senior easily caught before it hit his face.

"Tsk, tsk," Mitsui sighed, polishing the apple on his jacket before he took a bite from it, "Is that how you show gratitude to someone who saved you from boredom? Throw apples to them?"

"You bring me a durian and you'll know," Hanamichi snapped.

Mitsui chuckled and expected Hanamichi to throw another apple but instead the redhead held the apple he just took out from the paper bag and turned it around and around in his big hands, staying silent.

"Hey, Mitsui," Hanamichi said suddenly, "How did you get through it? I mean when you hurt your knee?"

Mitsui stopped munching on his apple and looked at the redhead in surprise.

He slowly gulped down what he has in his mouth and threw the core at the nearby wastebasket, feeling pleased at the little victory.

"Coach Anzai," Mitsui said simply, "He's the reason I want to play my very best. Everytime I go on to court I want him to see me and be proud of me. That's what made me get through it, to want him to smile to me as if he says that I'm the best player he's ever seen."

"So he came over to visit often, eh?" guessed Hanamichi.

Mitsui scratched his head, "Nah, once or twice, I can't remember. Actually Kogure came by more often than the others. He's a life-saver."

"Yeah, Megane-kun came over yesterday and told me about Gori and Miyagi playing a 1-on-1. Miyagi can be such a cry-baby," snickered Hanamichi, imagining the senior in tears when Ayako began cheering on their captain instead of him.

"You would too if Haruko cheered on Rukawa," Mitsui pointed out.

The redhead sat up and demanded, "When did she do that?!"

"It's just an example Sakuragi," sighed Mitsui.

"Well, if that did happen," said Hanamichi, "I'd pound the fox down with my great slamdunk skill!"

Mitsui snorted, "Uh-huh, most probably right on the head."

"Hey!"

Mitsui laughed.



~~~~~~~~~~

Mitsui packed his gym bag quickly before he stood up to head towards the doors, when he bumped into Kogure.

"Mitsui, where are you off to in such a hurry?" the spectacled boy asked.

"To see Hanamichi," the scarred-face boy said, "The nurses said that he can be such a pain when noone comes to visit."

"You're going there? Wait a second," Kogure said going to his bag to pull out a rolled-up magazine.

"Give this to him, will you? I want to go today but I just remembered that I have to tutor a friend later," said Kogure handing the magazine over to Mitsui.

"Sure," Mitsui answered stuffing the magazine inside his gym bag.

Then Kogure said, "You've been going over there a lot."

"Yeah, I guess so," Mitsui answered as he zipped his bag.

"That's good," Kogure said, "He needs someone to look over him once in a while, especially someone who has been in his position before."

Mitsui looked at his friend and smiled, "Yeah. I guess you're right."

Mitsui was entering the room at the same time two nurses and a doctor was leaving.

When he asked, the doctor told him that Hanamichi was given a sedative to ease the redhead's pain which had come suddenly during his therapy.

"He's a bit unaware of his surroundings at the moment. He's sleeping right now," the doctor said.

"Can I see him?" asked Mitsui.

"Sure, just don't disturb his rest," warned the doctor.

"Yes, of course. Thanks," Mitsui answered.

Mitsui silently entered, though he didn't make a noise with his sport shoes on the smooth floor.

The redhead was lying in bed, his eyes closed and his breathing steady.

Mitsui quietly set his bag down and opened it to take out Kogure's magazine and laid it on the desk beside the bed. When Hanamichi sighed, he turned to look at the sleeping boy who has just turned over slightly facing him.

The senior smiled as he watched the redhead continue to sleep peacefully and sat down on the seat next to the bed. Watching the redhead, the 3-P shooter was surprised that someone so loud and so full of himself could look so innocent and serene in his sleep.

Then the redhead opened his bleary eyes and spoke softly, "Mitsui?"

"Yeah?" Mitsui answered standing up to lean towards the redhead.

"Y'know what?" the redhead said in a slur, "I miss my teddy-bear."

Mitsui choked a laughter, "Y-your what?"

"My ted... Oh, Look! Here it is!" Hanamichi exclaimed with a giggle suddenly grabbing the senior to pull the stunned boy on top of him.

"Sakuragi! Leggo!" Mitsui cried out, trying to pull away but the redhead was stronger.

Mitsui started to panic when the junior started to nuzzle on his neck.

"Mmmm... soft..."

"S-Sakuragi..." tried the scarred-face boy again.

"Don't go. I'm so alone here."

Mitsui instantly stopped his struggles.
"What?"

But the redhead was already fast asleep, his arms still around Mitsui.

Mitsui stayed there in Hanamichi's arms for a few minutes, unconciously rubbing soothing circles on the redhead's shoulder and when he felt the boy's grip loosen, Mitsui carefully slipped out and sat back down on the chair, still speechless at what had happened.

Looking back at Hanamichi, he lifted his hand to brush back a lock of soft hair away from the redhead's eyes, wondering when it had started growing. Hanamichi's hair was not as thick and as long as before he had it shaved but it has begun to grow, showing that it will soon be unruly and luxurious again.

Hanamichi sighed again and Mitsui's eyes were automatically riveted towards the redhead's lips. Without thinking his fingers went to touch the slightly parted mouth and when he realised what he was doing, he jumped up, aghast at what he was feeling at the moment.

Mitsui suddenly grabbed his bag and ran out of the room and far away from the hospital as fast as he can.

It was more than a week later before Hanamichi saw Mitsui again.

~to be continued~