Hanamichi lay on the ground bruised, physically and mentally (his ego that is). Rukawa had again invaded his dreams destroying his chance to woe Haruko. He stood up and ran over to the boy on the bicycle, screaming, "Rukawa! Come here and fight like a man! Tell me what you're doing here!"

Rukawa turned to the angry redhead and this time the dream didn't stop to allow the dark-haired boy to opened his mouth to say, "I like you, Hanamichi."

Hanamichi screeched to a halt, turning pale. The other boy jumped off his bicycle and walked towards the red-head, keeping eye contact with him. Hanamichi wanted to back away but his feet refused to move! When he was near he held Hanamichi by the shoulders and said again, "I like you...."

"ARGHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Hanamichi woke up, his heart hammering wildly in his chest. He wiped his brow and then felt that his sheets were soaked with sweat. Looking at the clock it was six-thirty in the morning.

"Damn! That was one bad dream!" he declared. Kicking off the covers, he tried to settle back down to sleep. After a few minutes of tossing and turning around he realised that he couldn't sleep, so he decided to get ready for school early.

School was uneventful. Hours passed by and soon Hanamichi found himself heading towards the gym, his bag over his shoulder. Reaching the gym, he saw Rukawa already inside, dribbling a ball.

Hanamichi stood there rooted on the spot until Rukawa turned to look at him . Only then did the redhead move - very fast - towards the locker room.

Once inside his mind was whirled with frantic thoughts.
Shit! He's out there! He's out there! What do I do?!

Calm down! You're not afraid of that fox are you?!

No, of course not!! But...

But?

He KISSED me!

"Arghhh!!"
Suddenly the door slid open. Miyagi and Mitsui walked in, finding the redhead clutching at his hair.

"Hanamichi?"

Hanamichi turned around quickly and was relieved to see that it was not a certain fox-eyed boy who had entered unexpectedly.

"What are you doing?" Miyagi asked curiously as he put down his bag.

"Uh... nothing... it's just... uh... ahah... ummm... nothing!" Hanamichi stuttered attacking his bag to search for his gym clothes. Inconspicuously, he waited his team-mates to finish changing before going outside to the court together. He was determined to avoid Rukawa all afternoon.

Everyone was supposed to notice that there was something lacking in that session - let's say, the usual noisy squabble between Hanamichi and Rukawa but of course, there's Akagi...

"Idiot! Bend your knees further! NO! Not like that!"

BAM!

"Ouch!!"

"Bend it more!"

"I'm trying you ugly gorilla!"

"You're not trying hard enough, baka! And who are you calling a gorilla!!"

BAM!

So everybody thought nothing was amiss, except the observant Ayako that is. What is it? What is it? thought Ayako hard, tapping her paper fan lightly on her temple, Something's not right here...

Then she suddenly saw Hanamichi accidentally let the ball slip from his fingers. The boy chased after it, but when the ball stopped near Rukawa, he stopped. Seeming to be debating with himself for a few seconds, he creeped towards the ball, while looking suspiciously at Rukawa, then snatching it he turned and scampered away. Rukawa looked at the odd-acting redhead without an expression on his face before he resumed with his practice.

Ayako's eyes widened. What on earth....! What's going on here?

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

"Ah," Hanamichi sighed massaging his shoulder, "time to go..."

Suddenly a broom was thrust in front of his face.
"Your turn to clean the gym, Sakuragi," Mitsui said, smiling smugly at him.

"Huh? What do you mean, baka! I already cleaned the gym yesterday!" the redhead protested.

"You remember, do you, that I took over your shift when you were sick last week? Well, now it's your turn to do my shift," the other boy explained shoving the broom in the redhead's hands before walking away without a glance back.

"Nuts! Oh well, at least Miyagi..." he stopped when he saw the said boy hand over another broom to Rukawa.

"MIYAGI! What are you doing?!!" Hanamichi cried out to the surprised boy.

"What? Rukawa is going to take over my shift for today coz I have a date right now," Miyagi said surprised at Hanamichi's outburst.

"With who?!"

Miyagi blushed, "Ayako, of course!"

"B-but, you can go out with her any other time! You see her everday!" tried Hanamichi frantically, clutching at Miyagi's shirt.

"What's the matter with you?! L-LET GO, BAKA!" Miyagi cried trying to pull Hanamichi's hand away.

"No! - OW!"

Hanamichi suddenly released his hold on Miyagi to clutch on his knee. Miyagi, who had given him the kick, took the chance to run away.

"I'll get you for this Ryota!!" Hanamichi screamed to the back of his fleeing senior.

"Hmphh, do'aho," said a low voice.

Hanamichi reflexifly went for that source of voice. But then realising that it was Rukawa who said it he tried to stop himself. With the contradictions of his sudden actions and together with his hurt knee, he upset his balance and fell down.

"Itee..."

Rukawa rolled his eyes and started to clean the floors. Hanamichi, however, made no move to stand up.

"I'm not going to clean the gym all by myself, do'aho," said the dark-haired boy stopping with his chore.

"Are you saying that I'm slacking off .... OUCH!" Hanamichi winced. He had tried to stand up but the pain in his knee kept him from doing so.
"I ... I sprained my ankle..."

"Careless as always," Rukawa snorted.

"Why you!!" Hanamichi again tried to lunge at the kitsune's throat but ended up falling flat face on the floor - that is if Rukawa had not made a grab at him and held him steady.

Hanamichi was suddenly aware of the broad chest his face was pressed against and the strong arm that circled his waist to keep him up.

"Let me go," Hanamichi said pushing himself away from Rukawa, his face flushing. He nearly fell again if not for Rukawa catching him for the second time.

"Will you stop being stubborn, do'aho," Rukawa said coldly, bringing the redhead up and dragging him towards the locker room.

"Where are you taking me!" demanded Hanamichi.

"To get your feet bandaged"

"Oh" Hanamichi could only say as he let the other boy lead him away.

At the locker room, Rukawa placed the redhead on a bench before he went to a first aid cabinet to get a roll of bandage and a small jar of salve. He proceeded to take Hanamichi's shoe and sock off and then rubbed the salve around the redhead's ankle slowly. Hanamichi winced a bit at the first contact but relaxed as the massage began to ease the pain bit by bit.

After a few minutes, Rukawa stopped and began to wrap Hanamichi's ankle tightly with the peach-coloured cloth before he stood up.
"Come, I'm taking you home," he said tonelessly.

"What..." Hanamichi blinked, " B-but we haven't finished cleaning the gym yet."

Rukawa thought for a moment. Then he said, "I'll clean this place up first, and then we'll go."

Hanamichi didn't have time to say anything else before the dark-haired boy turned away and walked out of the locker room. The redhead stayed in his seat, trying to understand the kitsune's actions. At first he really thought that the kitsune would take advantage of him (that's his ego thinking together with paranoia) but it seems that the dark-haired boy was acting like the usual Rukawa - cold and distant. But then again, there was that side of caring personality that Hanamichi had not seen before in the other boy.

As he waited inside the locker room for Rukawa, he carefully changed, avoiding hurting his ankle as much as he can and packed up his gym bag. Nearly twenty-minutes later Rukawa came in, looking tired and sleepy.

"That was fast," said Hanamichi trying to strike up a conversation as at that moment he was feeling very uncomfortable.

"It's clean enough," Rukawa replied, walking past Hanamichi to go his locker. He swiftly changed and packed his bag as well before turning to the redhead.

"Ready?"

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

Rukawa looked deep into Hanamichi's eyes with his dark blue eyes asking, "Do you like me, Hanamichi?"

Hanamichi was stunned, trying to think of something to say. Seeming to be misinterpreting his silence Rukawa let Hanamichi go, his eyes grown cold. "I see," he said before he turned around and walked away.

"No! What I want to say is... WAIT! KITSUNE!" cried out Hanamichi.

"WAIT!"

Hanamichi woke up with a start. He felt and heard his heart beat fast as he tried to calm himself down, taking deep gulps of air. Later he let his head fall, his feelings muddled up with strong emotions evoked by that dream. Hanamichi remembered the afternoon before, when Rukawa brought him back to his house.

~flashback~

The dark-haired boy was very careful, leading the redhead slowly towards his house as he tried to keep from jostling the redhead's ankle too much that Hanamichi was humbled to silence.

Reaching their destination, Rukawa leaned Hanamichi on the door before stepping back.

"Uh... th-thanks... I"

Rukawa held up his hand and said, "Forget it. You don't have to be afraid of me."

Hanamichi bristled, "I am not afraid of a stupid fox like you!"

Rukawa gave him the usual bored look before saying, "Whatever" as he turned around to walk away.

Then he stopped and spoke from over his shoulder, "Hanamichi, I mean what I said. Forget about yesterday afternoon. I'm not going to force myself on you. I'm not that kind of person."

Hanamichi blushed, immensely thankful that the kitsune had not turned around to see him. Then Rukawa started to walk away, leaving the red-haired boy staring at his retreating back.

~end of flashback~

Hanamichi laid back on the pillows, feeling depressed.

Damn! I'm not supposed to feel this way! I'm supposed to feel relieved that the kitsune said that he won't make a move on me.... And... and he said to forget about yesterday afternoon...
To his surprise, that statement made him even more depressed.

Shit! What's happening to me!

You like him...

That's nuts! He's a crazy fox! Plus, he's a guy!!

A very desirable guy

Hanamichi remembered the warm strong body that was pressed at him as Rukawa held him to guide him to his house. And also that firm lips which had kissed him that day in the court, now only realising that it had felt ... nice - no, wonderful - even if he was conscious at the last moment to feel it.

"Yeah..." Hanamichi said to himself, a dreamy look on his face.

After thinking for a few more minutes, he sat up, clutching his fist, "Alright then! I'll see if the kitsune still likes me or not! And then... and then...". Hanamichi frowned trying to think on what to do.
"Ah hell!" he cursed, "I'll think of something when the time comes."

And with that he cuddled back into the covers and went back to sleep.


to be continued.....