Sendoh sat sipping his drink as the girl in front of him kept chatting up a storm about movies, school, parties and - well, anything she can chat about that needed to be talked about for a first date. Sendoh discreetly sighed. He was bored to death. Sure she was cute, sexy and kind of funny...
Sendoh saw the hem of her skirt ride up exposing more of her shapely legs.
*ba-dump* *ba-dump*
...did he already mention sexy?
Well, ANYWAY, even with those points he still felt that there was something missing.
"So, she saw the guy steal the money from the other guy and what should she do? She should go and tell someone, right?"
"Uh-huh," Sendoh nodded, smiling. I wonder how the fish are biting today?
**
Sendoh ran towards the gym hurriedly, breath coming out of his mouth in heavy pants.
"K'so!" the boy cursed, "Sensei's gonna kill me!"
When he reached the door he quickly slid it open and heard a voice say his name before he can focus his sights on the people inside, "Sendoh!"
"Yo!" he greeted them, feeling the sweat dripping down his chin. Nevertheless he kept his smile in place when he saw Taoko walk up to him angrily.
"Sendoh! Where were you?!" demanded the coach in his usual loud voice.
Sendoh scratched his head sheepishly and apologised, "Gomen-nasai sensei, but I woke up late."
The coach looked as if he wanted to yell at him again so Sendoh put on his mega-watt killer smile that nearly always make other people forget about being angry. And to his relief, Taoka sensei did calm down (albeit grumbling can be heard) as his team-mates flocked around him.
"The game is starting," said Uozumi as Sendoh changed his clothes, "You don't have time to do any warm-ups."
"Don't worry," the spikey-haired player assured his friend, "I ran all the way from home."
His team-mates went silent, making him grin. It wasn't such a big deal for him. He ran every week before practicing on his own at the basketball court a few miles from his house. What's a few more?
He stood up and his friends followed and as he was about to meet with his opponents, a person suddenly stepped in front of him. He was tall, not as tall as himself but his built was that of an athelete and with slightly tanned skin and dark brown eyes. But what caught his attention was that messy, flaming red hair gracing his head. Next was the attitude in his baritone voice, "I'm Shohoku's secret weapon, Sakuragi Hanamichi. I'm going to beat you!"
Sendoh grinned and gave out his hand to shake with the redhead, "Nice to meet you."
"Same here," the boy said smiling as well.
*ba-dump* *ba-dump* *ba-dump*
Sendoh has fallen. And fallen hard.
**
Sendoh whistled as he walked along the sidewalk, his hands in his pocket.
The practice match between Shohoku went well - if you didn't count the dramatic outbursts of one Sakuragi Hanamichi. Yes, Sakuragi Hanamichi. The redheaded rookie who managed to attract him with his fiery personality and amusing antics and Sendoh did enjoy riling him up just to see that passion in his eyes.
I wonder if that passion..., Sendoh blushed, scratching his head, embarassed at the images in his mind, I don't even know him and I'm already thinking those thoughts.
But Sendoh wanted to know Sakuragi better. Maybe much, much better...
Again, Sendoh blushed before he shook his head ruefully. Man, he has got it bad.
**
"Other than practicing basketball, he likes to go to the Pachinko arcade with his friends, he gets into trouble once in while, he hates Rukawa, he cuts class a lot..." said Hikoichi flipping through his notepad.
"Aa..." Sendoh sweatdropped. His crush is really a bundle of trouble isn't he?
"...and he likes one Akagi Haruko, Akagi Takenori's younger sister."
Sendoh sat up, "Really?"
"Unh," the younger boy said nodding quickly, "Ne, Sendoh-sempai, why the interest in Sakuragi? Oh! I know! Is it because he is the tensai of Shohoku? He's great! SENDOH-SEMPAI! You should be careful with him! I know that he's full of hidden power that we don't know of!"
Sendoh sweatdropped again, smiling that his eyes crinkled nearly shut, "Maaaa..."
**
With his fishing rod in hand and a can of bait in his small bucket he made his way to that spot he has in his mind. It was just yesterday that Hikoichi gave him the details of one Sakuragi Hanamichi so now he was thinking of how he could get closer to the redhead who is a Shohoku player and one of their main rivals. Maybe a chance visit to the Pachinko arcade? Nah.
Cut class? Nu-uh.
Sendoh scratched his head. They were too different from each other. How can he go about this?
The spikey-haired boy stopped in his tracks when he reached the fishing spot near the river - a place with luscious green trees offering cool shades and a carpet of clean grass on the ground. A haven for fishermen like himself especially when fresh-water fish are abundant this season. But what made his heart start beating fast was the sight of a redheaded Shohoku player lying on the grass fast asleep. This must be a dream, Sendoh thought, or someone up there likes me!
Slowly, he made his way towards the other player and knelt down, watching and admiring the redhead's features. Sakuragi's usually expressive face slackened to an unshielded look that bordered on innocence and naivette. He ran his gaze from the redhead's unruly hair over his body, knowing and appreciating the strength hidden under the clothes and how he wished he could feel, just feel, the skin under his fingers.
Sendoh shook his head and blushed, Shit, runaway thoughts again, Akira. If he knows you're thinking like that about him, he'll be out of here faster than you could say...
"Sendoh?"
Sendoh lifted his eyes and saw Sakuragi looking at him with those dark brown eyes.
*ba-dump* *ba-dump* *ba-dump*
Sendoh managed a smile after getting his wits back and greeted the redhead, "Ohayo, Sakuragi-san."
Sakuragi sat up and did a big yawn, scratching his head sleepily. He looked so endearing that Sendoh wanted to take the redhead in his arms and nuzzle those messy red locks.
"What are you doing here?" asked Sakuragi leaning against the tree he was sleeping under.
"Fishing," said Sendoh showing his gear, "I haven't seen you here before. Why are you here?"
Not that I mind.
"Eh, I was jogging, and 'didn't realise that I was going too far away so I stopped here to rest," Sakuragi told him, grinning.
"Ah," Sendoh nodded, "I hope you let yourself cool down before taking a nap, Sakuragi."
Sakuragi bristled, "Of course! The tensai knows that!"
Sendoh smiled, "Of course, of course."
The Ryonan player stood up to find a good spot (near Sakuragi of course) and sat down before placing the bait on the hook. He then threw the line and settled himself comfortably on the soft grass.
"You always fish here?" asked Sakuragi curiously.
"Aa," said Sendoh, "Hey, we could meet here every week and talk and get to know each other. I'd really like the company."
"Why? Oh! I KNOW! You want to know everything about the tensai so that means you also acknowledge my abilities, don't you?" said the redhead laughing out loud.
Sendoh laughed with him. At this rate they'll scare all the fish away but, damn, that laugh is just contagious.
"It'll only be for this few weeks though, coz the season for the fish here ends by the end of this month," Sendoh explained to the Shohoku junior.
"Oh," said Sakuragi shrugging, "That's cool. Well, what do you wanna talk about?"
"Anything," said Sendoh his smile widening, "Anything at all."
**
Today is the last week that he and Sakuragi will meet in this fishing spot since the day Sakuragi unknowingly ran that extra mile from his home. Sendoh shifted his eyes from the river to the dozing redhead beside him and wondered what has gotten him so smitten with the redhead so much that all he can think about is the boy lying next to him. These past weeks he and Sakuragi did nothing but talk and joke and sometimes Sendoh took his opportunity to brush his fingers over the redhead hair, pretending to pick out a fallen leaf or some sort of flying insect. Sakuragi didn't seem to mind. In fact the redhead would do the same to Sendoh's own hair, curiously testing the reliability of the Ryonan player's hair-style.
Sendoh thought Sakuragi as amusing, funny, adorable at times and naive but he has that mouse-trap mind that instantly catches up to whatever conversation Sendoh strikes up about basket-ball...
Suddenly the redhead woke up and gave a stretch, unconciously letting his shirt ride up further up showing his strong abdomen from his position on the ground.
*ba-dump* *ba-dump* *ba-dump*
...oh, and he's sexy as hell.
*ba-dump* *ba-dump* *ba-dump*
"Ohayo," said Sakuragi smiling, making his face appear beautiful.
"Ohayo," Sendoh croaked out, his hand tightening on his fishing rod.
Sakuragi blinked, "What's the matter?"
"What- what do you mean?" Sendoh asked back.
"You're staring," said the younger boy and Sendoh could've sworn that he thought he saw a hint of red on the boy's cheeks.
"I...just..." Sendoh felt his mind grow foggy, his attention riveted to the redhead's kissable lips. At the back of his mind he knew that he should not be doing this but he wanted to feel. Just to feel. So he inched closer and leaned...
*BA-DUMP* *BA-DUMP* *BA-DUMP*
The river water rushed past, the bubbling sound of the current and the sound of the chirping birds clear in the air but for the two boys time stood at a standstill. It took Sakuragi nearly 3 minutes to react and that reaction was to only lift his fingers to clench on Sendoh's shirt as the spikey-haired boy continued to kiss him.
When Sendoh lifted his mouth from Sakuragi, the redhead still couldn't get himself to move but only stare at the other, making Sendoh worry that he has probably traumatised the redhead for good.
"S-Sakuragi..." Sendoh tried shaking the redhead by the shoulder. When the redhead did snap out of his shock, Sakuragi's reaction was to take a swing at the offender who dared to molest him and the next was to hit his head to the nearest hard object - a tree.
"Sakuragi! Matte!" Sendoh cried out forgetting about the paniful bruise on his cheek, "What's wrong?!"
The redhead stopped his attack on the poor piece of vegetation and let his body slide down to the ground and pant in exertion.
"Sakuragi..."
Suddenly the redhead lashed out, "What's wrong?! I'll tell you what's wrong! You kissed me, that's what's wrong!"
"I can see that, Sakuragi..."
"And I liked it."
"...so I promise that I won't do that again-but what did you say?"
Sakuragi shook his head furiously before he began another round with the now slightly dented tree. Sendoh quickly grabbed the redhead by the arm and swung the boy around, holding the strong body tightly in his arms. Sakuragi struggled making Sendoh realise that by the end of the day his arms will be sporting bruises but he still kept his tight embrace on the redhead.
Sakuragi finally did stop and Sendoh had to catch the redhead when Sakuragi slumped against him, defeated.
"Why..." asked the redhead in a whisper. He sounded confused, afraid.
Sendoh was suddenly at a loss of words. His speech that he had in his mind in case this question came up was gone. Feeling the redhead's trembling body in his arms he answered with what came up from inside. Taking Sakuragi's hand in his, he placed the boy's palm against his chest and asked, "Do you feel that?"
Sakuragi eyes dropped to where his palm was resting and asked in puzzlement, "What?"
*ba-dump* *ba-dump* *ba-dump*
"My heart," Sendoh said.
"Your heart?" Sakuragi blinked curiously.
"Yeah," said Sendoh, smiling softly, "My heart. And it beats fast whenever you're near or whenever I think of you."
The redhead blushed, grabbing his hand away from Sendoh and scooted away from him.
"You're crazy," mumbled Sakuragi, refusing to look at the Ryonan player.
Sendoh smiled and leaned towards the redhead to catch the firm chin in his hand, "Yeah, I guess I am."
The second kiss was gentler and Sendoh was more than delighted when Sakuragi slowly responded - even if it was done akwardly and hesitantly. When their kiss turned more passionate, Sendoh held Sakuragi's body flush against his own, knowing that his heartbeat can be felt by the redhead through their clothes and he was ecstatic that he could feel the redhead's own erratic heartbeat against his own.
After a few moments, Sendoh broke the kiss and asked the other boy huskily, "Can you feel that?"
"Mmm..." the redhead murmured, pulling Sendoh's face down again for another kiss.
Sendoh smiled as his tongue traced it's way along the redhead's neck where another pulse beats fast, Right, just feel.
~The End~