"Mitsui," Kogure called.

The scarred-face boy turned around and waited until his friend caught up with him.

"Yeah, what's up Kogure?" asked Mitsui shifting his bag on his shoulder.

"I'm going to the hospital to see Sakuragi. Wanna come?" invited the boy.

"Uh," said Mitsui uneasily, "I can't. I've got some homework to do."

Kogure arched his eyebrows in surprise, "I see. Anyway, Sakuragi has been asking why you've not come over any more.

"I was busy that's all," Mitsui mumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Ah," was all Kogure said but to Mitsui it relayed Kogure's doubt more than a few words can.

"Um... I'll go and visit Sakuragi tomorrow," Mitsui told Kogure hoping that with that his friend would get off his back.

"Ok, I'll tell Sakuragi that," Kogure said seeming giving a smile.

Mitsui mumbled, "Yeah, you do that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey, Micchy!"

Mitsui walked in the room with a grin, "Hi, Sakuragi."

"Where've you been? Forgotten about the tensai already?" Hanamichi asked with a narrowed look.

"I've been busy," Mitsui said shrugging, throwing the redhead a stick of gum, "Here, catch."

"Gum? Why gum? Now you are getting stingy," the redhead scowled, peeling off the wrapper to get to a piece and pop it into his mouth.

"Complain and I'll never bring you anything again," warned the senior taking out his own stick of gum.
I don't know why I was so worried. Everything is back to normal, thought Mitsui relieved.

"Your back's still hurting, Sakuragi?" Mitsui asked.

"A bit, but it's getting better," Hanamichi answered chewing on his orange-flavoured gum. He blew out a balloon from his gum and when it popped, it stuck to his nose.

Mitsui chuckled as the redhead cursed and tried to pull the sticky gum from his face.

"You missed a spot," Mitsui said pointing to the nose.

"Huh?" said the redhead crossing his eyes to look at the mentioned place, "Where?"

Mitsui sighed. "Here," he said pulling off the bit of gum from the redhead's nose. Then he realised that he has gotten close to the redhead, their faces mere inches from each other with the redhead's scent slowly invading at his awareness, reminding him about that time when Hanamichi held him in his arms. He suddenly felt a familiar quick beating in his heart.

He pulled back quickly and coughed, "I... uh... it's gone."

"Thanks," the redhead said, before he rubbed on his nose to make sure that it's fully gone.

Then the redhead reached back and began rubbing at his back.

"What's the matter?" asked Mitsui.

"There's this small pain that comes once in a while. The doctor said it's normal and that it'll soon go away. But he gave me this stuff to rub on my back when it hurts," said Hanamichi pointing towards the plastic jar of ointment on the desk.

Mitsui picked it up to look, asking, "So who rubs it on you? The nurses?"

"Yeah," said the redhead. Then Hanamichi got an idea, "Hey! Can you rub it on me? The nurses are usually busy this time of day and it'll be a few minutes before they come."

"What?! I..." started Mitsui, feeling nervous as he watched Hanamichi strip off his t-shirt and sat with his back facing the senior.

"Come on," said the redhead, "It's not that difficult."

Mitsui inaudibly gulped as he looked at the redhead's tanned broad back and thought, For me it is!

The scarred-face boy took a deep breath to calm his nerves and told himself, Come on, you've seen him without a shirt before. What's wrong with you?!

When Mitsui sat down behind Hanamichi he knew what it was that was different than normal.

Mitsui remembered that game with Sannoh when he had tried to run after the ball that was about to go out the line. He had panicked when he knew that he wouldn't be able to get to the ball in time but suddenly he heard Hanamichi yell at him before the redhead jumped and slapped the ball towards him. When Hanamichi crashed onto the tables, Mitsui and the rest of the team cried out in horror but then the redhead jumped back up after being provoked by Rukawa. All were relieved and Mitsui felt admiration and a little bit of jealousy towards the redhead's stamina, his own always abandoning him during critical moments.

When he knew of the redhead's back, guilt started eating at his conscience. If only he had been fitter...

Again Mitsui cursed his lack of energy. Hanamichi wouldn't have gotten hurt if I was able to catch the ball in time.

Before he has never felt anything towards Hanamichi other than comradeship but now since he has been spending time with the redhead, he has gotten to know and understand the boy more and slowly he felt care for Hanamichi and that soon turned into affection.
Affection? What kind of affection? Mitsui wondered.

"Hey, are you starting yet?" asked Hanamichi impatiently from over his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, just a moment," Mitsui said, relieved that he has managed to keep his voice steady.

Mitsui took a dallop of the ointment and slowly rubbed it on the redhead's back. He felt the skin jump a bit from the coldness before he started rubbing it along the redhead's spine and the area around it.
That was when he realised just how big the redhead is as he continued massagging the broad expanse.
Now I understand why Tetsuo was knocked out cold by him, Mitsui mused, feeling the coiled muscles underneath the soft skin.
When he felt that he was enjoying touching Hanamichi too much he stopped and stood up, rubbing the ointment off of his hands with the bedsheets.

"There, done," Mitsui said gruffly.

"Arigato," Hanamichi said pulling his shirt back on.

"Yeah, s'kay," Mitsui answered, "Hey, I gotta go. I have some errands to do."

"Oh," Hanamichi answered a bit disappointed as he watched the senior start to walk towards the door, "Sure. Ja."

"Ja," Mitsui replied before he shut the door behind him.

This time it took Mitsui two weeks to decide to go and visit Hanamichi again.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Mitsui sat silently on the bus, deep in thought as his fingers twisted the top of the paper bag holding five Chinese pears he had bought for Hanamichi.

For the past few days he has been thoroughly confused at the new feelings assaulting his mind that he is barely aware of his environment. His three points shoots have been going way off that the team has started to worry.

~flashback~

After practice, Kogure had come to talk to him.
"Mitsui? Is anything the matter?"

"Huh?" Mitsui asked puzzled, "No. Why do you ask?"

His friend took a seat beside him and told him, "You don't seem to be concentrating these few days. Akagi was busy grinding his teeth getting you to stay focused but you either don't want to listen or you did not hear him."

Kogure waited for Mitsui to speak but seeing that the scarred-face boy wasn't about to do so he patted Mitsui's shoulder, "Well, if you need anyone to talk to..."

"Yeah," Mitsui replied understanding, "Thanks."

~end flashback~

Mitsui snapped his thoughts back to the present. The bus has arrived at a stop and it was only a few metres away before he reaches the hospital.

Maybe if I see Hanamichi again, I can figure out what's wrong with me, Mitsui thought stepping in front of the door to Hanamichi's room.

Mitsui knocked once and as usual, he didn't wait for an answer before he opened the door. Upon opening it he was presented with a rather mind-blowing scene.

There sitting on the bed beside Hanamichi was Rukawa. They didn't seem to have heard him knock because the two juniors were still holding each other, kissing so lovingly that Mitsui thought that it was a sin to watch something this private.

Mitsui quietly closed the door and walked away. Along the way he met Kogure who was bearing a packet of sweets and another basketball magazine.

"Mitsui," Kogure greeted him, "Just visiting Sakuragi?"

"Actually I didn't talk to him..." Mitsui said smiling wryly, "You might want to wait a bit before you visit him yourself."

"Oh?" Kogure tilted his head puzzled.

The two Shohoku seniors were sitting outside the park across the road, watching the people enjoying the day with their family or with their loved-ones or by themselves.

"Rukawa and Sakuragi, huh?" Kogure said, an amused look on his face.

"Yeah," answered Mitsui, "Hard to believe, eh?"

"I guess," chuckled Kogure pushing his glasses up.

Mitsui stayed silent for a moment before he spoke up, "Kogure, how do you feel about Sakuragi?"

Kogure thought a bit before he answered, "Well, Sakuragi-kun is a refreshing addition to the team. He's still naive in some things but it's amazing at how fast he can catch up. Yes, he often makes troubles but after you think about it it's kinda amusing to the spectator."

"Do you... admire him?" asked Mitsui.

"Yeah...," Kogure replied slowly, "... I do admire him and probably care for him more than I should as a friend."

"You do?" Mitsui said in surprise, "Why?"

"I don't know," pondered Kogure, "I guess he's just one guy noone can help but care for even the tiniest bit. He's like some precious gem with different kinds of wonderful shades of colour that enchants you..."
Kogure blushed, "Uh... do you know what I mean?"

Mitsui smiled, "Yeah, he's one of a kind in Shohoku."

"Yeah," Kogure said, giving Mitsui a gentle smile.

Then Mitsui took out a pear from the paper bag and gave it to Kogure, "Here, while we wait, we eat."

Kogure looked at the small yellow fruit and asked, "But isn't this for Sakuragi?"

"His loss," said Mitsui, grinning, before bitting into the juicy fruit he took out for himself, "We'll leave him three."

The two boys ate their pears in peace, enjoying the scenery as they waited for a while before they went back to the hospital to visit the person whom they both cared for more than the boy realise.

~The End~

Ok, so I'm unable to make a real MitHana. I can't help it! I can't find any plausible plot to make them TRULY get together ^^;;