"Another game well played," praised Kogure patting Hanamichi on the back, placating the redhead for that missed 2-point shot at the near end of the second half. But even without that score they still won by a point.

Hanamichi scowled, "I should've gotten that point if wasn't for that stupid frog-face! That damn ref! Why didn't he see that that ugly frog-face obstructed my shot!"

Rukawa rolled his eyes but didn't say anything as he continued to tie his shoe-laces.

"He was good at hiding it, Sakuragi," said Miyagi, "Sometimes players must know how to break a rule without crossing that fine line between it being acceptable or not."

Kogure patted the still-scowling redhead's back and said with a smile, "C'mon, Sakuragi. We won. Why don't we celebrate?"

Mitsui slung his bag over his shoulder as he made to stand up, "Celebrate? Where?"

Kogure thought for a moment before saying, "How about we eat at Danny's?"

"Boring," said Miyagi waving a hand as he walked out of the locker-room with the others following behind him. "How about we crash into a bar? I can get us some fake IDs..."

"What?" came a dangerous voice in front of them. Miyagi looked up with dread from that broad chest in front of him to the tight line of Akagi's mouth to a pair glaring eyes looking straight at him.

"Ano..." said Miyagi who was starting to sweat, "It was just a suggestion."

"A very bad one," said Akagi, crossing his arms in displeasure.

Ayako, with the six year ones and twos who needn't change because they didn't play in that game, were waiting outside with Akagi and Anzai-sensei.

"Then what do we do?" asked Hanamichi impatiently.

"How about we go to a Karaoke lounge?" suggested Ayako.

"Waii! That's a great idea, Ayako!" said Miyagi happily as if the girl's idea would save world hunger instead.

"Yes! Why not? Shall we go Akagi?" asked Kogure.

Akagi 'hmp'hed, "Might as well tag along so that I can keep you all out of trouble."

Hanamichi snickered, "Admit it, Gori! You just want a chance to sing!"

The others laughed while Rukawa scratched his chin, looking at the fuming captain thoughtfully.

"Shut up!" said Akagi giving the redhead a bash on the head with his fist.

"Ouch!" cried Hanamichi.

Kogure turned towards their coach and asked, "Won't you join us, sensei?"

The white-haired man laughed, "Oh no! You youngsters go on ahead. I'll just go home and enjoy dinner with my wife."

"Alright," said Ayako, "Be careful, sensei. I'll give a call when I think you've reached home."

Mitsui sweatdropped, "You sound like his mother, Ayako."

"Hey! Don't say that to Ayako-san!"

"OW! Ryota!"

"Stop fighting!"

WHAP! WHAP!

"OW!"

"Why me?! He started it!"

"Ho! Ho! Ho!"

~~~~~~

"Aren't they the Shohoku team?" asked Kishimoto, a teenager with the long hair, asked his team-mates who were regarding the group with surprise.

Minami, the Toyotama captain nodded.

"What are they doing in Osaka?" wondered Itakura aloud.

"I heard that they have a practice game with Hamada," said Yajima, the third year student.

"So far out from their place?" their centre, Iwata, commented.

Yajima shrugged.
"They sure are a noisy bunch," he said watching the Kanagawa players battle for the right to sing first.

With their pooled money, the Shohoku team managed to attain 4 hours of singing time at a karaoke club in the city of Osaka, including drinks and snacks. As the players were busy scanning through the list of songs, Ayako spied a magazine nearly hidden under the table and picked it up. Leafing through it she became absorbed that she didn't notice Kogure calling her until he looked over her shoulder to see what she was reading.

"Ah," said Kogure grinning, "You like those kind of guys, Ayako?"

"Ayako!" gasped Miyagi, his eyes watering.

Ayako snorted, "Don't be silly - and don't start Ryota! They're nice to watch but you can't like a guy just by his looks."

Miyagi seemed relieved but then began to get worried when Ayako commented, "Even when they look this sexy."

"Ayako!"

"Hey! I can be sexy!" said Hanamichi as usual butting in.

A snort came from behind and Hanamichi automatically whirled around to look at his enemy, Rukawa. He blinked.
The fox-eyed boy was fast asleep, oblivious to his surroundings. Rukawa had planned on skipping the trip to the city, wanting to return to the inn where they were staying instead, had fallen asleep on the bus and the team just steered him to the karaoke club with them amazingly without waking him from his sleep.

Nevertheless, Hanamichi looked at the Rukawa suspiciously as if the fox-eyed boy would wake up any second and prove that he did indeed belittle the redhead just now.

"I can show you guys how sexy I can be," said Hanamichi vainly, before turning around to Miyagi, "C'mon Ryota!"

"What? Why me?" demanded the pierced-ear centre.

Hanamichi slung an arm around the second year and whispered, "Here's your chance to show Ayako how sexy you can be like those models in the magazine."

Determination suddenly appeared on the short boy's face, "I'll do it!"

"Pff," snorted Mitsui.

Hanamichi turned towards the the senior and demanded, "Got anyhting to say, Micchy?"

"Yeah," said the shooter lazily, ignoring the name, "You'll only make yourself look stupid."

"You're just scared that you'll look bad once we get on that stage," taunted the redhead.

Miyagi blinked, "We're going on stage?"

The rest of the team sweatdropped but a vein appeared on Mitsui's forehead, "Alright! I'm gonna to take you on!"

"Yatta!" cheered Hanamichi grabbing two microphones and shoving it into the seniors' hands before taking one for himself.

"Hey, isn't that the redheaded kid from Shohoku?" Okita Mikeru, an ex-player from the Ryokufu team asked the girl beside him. Taking a much needed winter break from the States, Okita came to Japan to visit his old team and have some fun but knowing at the last minute that his ex-team mates couldn't make it to the club, the blonde-haired, baby blue-eyed Japanese fated himself to a less than exciting night at the karaoke lounge with only Eri and her advisor, Ofuna.

Eri Fujisawa peered through the dim lighting in the club and nodded, "I think it is. His hair looks a bit longer now..."

"What are they doing?" asked Ofuna.

"I assume they are starting on a song," said Okita leaning forward with interest as he sipped on his drink.

After informing the DJ on his choice of music, Hanamichi took the stage with Mitsui and Miyagi. In a few seconds, there came a sudden beat of drums before the sound of trumpets joined in signalling the start of the song.

Hanamichi spoke the intro in his gravelly voice, making his friends crack a smile,
"Ow, shake it!
Yeah, oh, you're lookin' sweet, baby"

Already knowing the song Mitsui added without looking at the words from the tv,
"Yes, indeedy"

"Funky," said Miyagi stiffly, reading from the small screen.

"Get down," Mitsui cut in perfectly to the rythm of the song.

Then Hanamichi started rapping,
"We was on a dancefloor shakin' our thing..."

He began dancing, his hips swinging to the momentum of his arms.
"...To a funky beat with a go-go swing..."

Mitsui went along,
"...Everyone was watching, they stared in shock
Amazed at how we boys was rock..."

Quickly Miyagi relaxed when they began to receive loud encouragements from their friends. He followed his team-mates and began dancing freely,
"...In the place with a smile on my face
Some got upset and then tried to base
They called us nasty..."

Mitsui made a mock look of shock and continued the song,
"...said we danced dirty,
Claimed we were freaks..."

Hanamichi posed dramatically as if in sorrow,
"...cheap..."

Mitsui shook his head, also making a face and spoke to the microphone,
"...even flirty..."

Kogure clapped his hands and laughed with the rest of the juniors. Ayako giggled while Akagi's lips seemed to twitch in amusement.

Hanamichi went on,
"...Miyagi got pissed and pulled out a pump
I was all set not to jet but to jump..."

Mitsui pointed with his thumb to his spectacled team-mate and rapped,
"...Kogure broke it up and asked not to break..."

The vice-captain grinned.

Miyagi sang his part,
"...Said, 'They don't understand the way you...'"

That was when Hanamichi began showing off his moves. While gyrating with what he knew was a sexy move, he sang the chorus,
"Shake your thang, owww
Do what you wanna do
I can't tell you how to catch a groove
It's your thang..."

Miyagi made a thumbs up sign,
"...It's your thing..."

Mitsui didn't want to be outdone and also began dancing for what he hoped was a seductive twist,
"...Do what you wanna do I won't tell you who to sock it to..."

It worked because nearly everyone in the lounge were giving wolf-whistles and hoots of enjoyment.

With that amount of noise no one can ignore, it was not surprising that Rukawa woke up with a start. When he opened his bleary eyes trying to find the source of that riot who dared to disturb his sleep, Hanamichi, Mitsui and Miyagi were strutting their stuff like a model-cum-stripper.
Rukawa blinked incredulously and watched.

Hanamichi rapped again,
"...Shake that thing, c'mon, y'all, shake it We could get loose..."

"... but we can't get naked..."
Miyagi cut in with a shake of his finger.

Ayako laughed making Miyagi momentarily forget where he was.

Mitsui shrugged lazily and rapped,
"...It's not a crime, it's legal, we answered Look again - see?..."
He pointed this time towards the redhead who was slowly and playfully releasing two buttons from his shirt before Hanamichi sang making an innocent but sultry face,
"...We're just dancin'..."

Miyagi walked over to Ayako and lifted his hands to daringly pull the rubber band from the girl's hair to release the soft curly mass. He said huskily through the mike,
"...Relax a bit, now ain't that better?..."

Ayako giggled and blushed. Ryota felt that he was in heaven.

Hanamichi wiggled his eyebrows and said,
"...I think it's time for you to get a..."

Mitsui rapped waving towards the other patrons who were looking at them,
"...Partner, doe-see, gather in closely
I wanna see the ones that mostly
Front on a cutie, hope you're not fruity
Do your duty and..."

Again the three began on the chorus,
"Shake your thang, owww
Do what you wanna do
I can't tell you how to catch a groove It's your thang..."

"...It's your thing..."

"...Do what you wanna do
I won't tell you who to sock it to..."

Then their song began to take in a more forceful tone and Hanamichi let out a whoop and taking the chance to slap Rukawa's shoulder on the way, he walked past the team to sing to the crowd while still dancing, his 1/3 undone shirt flapping open to show his broad tanned chest,
"...Come on, y'all, shake that thing!
You got to just show no shame!
I want you to shake that thing!
Come on, y'all, show no shame!"

Okita laughed and clapped his hands, "Go Red!"

The Toyotama players turned their head towards the blonde-haired teenager and wondered who he was.

"He's..." began Iwata.

"Okita Mikeru," Minami finished for him, "I thought he's in US."

"Well, looks like he came back to have some fun," said Kishimoto lifting his hands to smooth the strands of his hair which escaped from the pony-tail.

Mitsui jumped off the stage and sang, not breaking his rythm,
"Shake your thang, yeah yeah!"

"...Oh, you're lookin' sweet, baby..."
Miyagi sang playfully, winking towards Ayako.

Mitsui continued for him,
"...Owww, I won't tell you how to catch a groove..."

Hanamichi haugtily walked backwards back to the stage, managing not to trip into anything along the way and sang,
"...It's my thing, and I'll swing it the way that I feel..."

Kogure was enjoying the performance when suddenly a 100 yen was thrust in his hand. The third year was puzzled when suddenly Mitsui landed heavily on his lap and pulled the waist band of his jeans, motioning for Kogure to slip it in.

The scarred-face player grinned rakishly and sang,
"With a little seduction and ummm...some sex appeal..."

Kogure blushed and hastily slipped the note in Mitsui's jeans halfway, very grateful that his friend finally stood up to sing,
"...It's Friday night, and I just got paid..."

Hanamichi turned to his team-mates and his eyes glinted for a moment when they alighted upon Rukawa. Suddenly the fox-eyed boy felt cold when the redhead approached him with an evil grin.

"I'm checking out the fella with the high-top fade
Moving in closely, ready for the kill..."
sang Hanamichi when he suddenly stopped his advance, his face just a few inches away from
Rukawa and made a show of nearly touching the raven-haired boy's lips with his.

Rukawa's fist was about to fly when the redhead knowingly stepped back and grinned in satisfaction at the panicked look on his enemy's face.

Then Hanamichi walked away from his team-mates again and scanned the room. When he saw the Ryokufu manageress, he sauntered towards her.

"...Ehh..." Eri began to sweat when she saw the tall redhead walking to their table.

Hanamichi continued rapping, leaning towards the short-haired girl,
"...Steppin' on a dancefloor, think you're ill..."

"Mikeru... save me..." begged Eri.

Okita just laughed and pulled out 500 yen to show to the redhead. Hanamichi grinned and grabbed the money with his teeth. The blonde-haired player laughed in amusement. The girl beside him just steamed but relieved that the redhead's attention was diverted away from her.

"Care to show a little more skin for that?" said Okita cheekily. Eri's eyes went wide but Hanamichi's grin went wider than ever before the redhead swiftly tugged the collar of his shirt to show-off a bare shoulder before pulling it back to cover himself.

Eri blushed furiously while Okita clapped his hand and cheered with the rest of the crowd.

Mitsui sang, taking the crowd's attention from the redhead. Somehow he felt an evil need to tease his shy friend, Kogure,
"...But if I guy touch my body I just put him in check
I said, 'We just met', 'We can't do that yet'..."

Kogure laughed weakly when Rukawa sitting beside him slanted him one of his 'look'.

Reluctantly, pulling himself away from Ayako he rapped with his two friends,
"...I'm not a pick-up..."

"...no..."
Hanamichi added, shaking his arm to the air,

"...this ain't a stick up..." Miyagi continued.

"...boy..."
said Mitsui as he mimicking Hanamichi's act.

"...I'm not stuck up..."
Miyagi sang, giving a warning look to the crowd.

"...yeah..."
Hanamichi agreed, nodding,

"...and turn to kick up..."
sang Miyagi as he kicked his legs in the air, showing off how quick his movements can be.

Then the three rapped together while dancing crazily when they reached the small stage,
"...And just rock, baby-pop, don't stop
Stick out your butt, and shake what you got..."

More hoots and whistles sounded as the three swayed their butts playfully to the audience, each striking a saucy pose.

The chorus began again and this time even some of the people in the lounge sang along,
"Shake your thang, owww
Do what you wanna do
I can't tell you how to catch a groove It's your thang..."

"...It's your thing..."

"...Do what you wanna do
I won't tell you who to sock it to..."

"...Oooo, I like hip-hop mixin' with go-go, baby..." rapped Hanamichi.

"...It's my thing, and I shake it crazy..." sang Miyagi, doing a twist type dance.

Mitsui pointed to the crowd and sang powerfully,
"...Don't try and tell me how to party..."

Hanamichi sang in turn while running his fingers seductively down his neck to his chest,
"...It's my dance, yup, and it's my body..."

Minami arched an eyebrow while Kishimoto felt his lips twist in a one-sided grin.

Miyagi teasingly pulled up the edge of his shirt to show off a small area of his muscled-abdomen and rapped,
"...The shirt I wear may be low cut..."

Mitsui turned around and slapped his jean encased behind and smirked,
"...My jeans fit nice, it shows off my butt..."

Hanamichi rapped as he pointed to his clothes,
"...Designer down from head to toe..."

"...Oooo, my hair, neck, and fingers is crazy-glow..." sang Mitsui, making a lady-like act in inspecting his nails.

Hanamichi again decided to irritate Rukawa by singing to the fox-eyed boy,
"...Now please stop blushin', we're just dancing, dummy..."

Rukawa glared.

Then the redhead turned towards Okita and rapped,
"...C'mon, we both know I don't want you for your money..."

Okita beamed and waved. Eri began to join in the fun and smiled. Ofuna laughed and tapped his feet to the beat.

The three rapped the line together,
"...Cuz we like to rap so we always rhyme..."

Then Miyagi danced a short number and sang,
"...I like to dance..."

Mitsui made a gyration motion and grinned,
"...oooo, and I like to grind..."

Hanamichi:
"I like this song..."

Miyagi:
"...I like this beat..."

Mitsui waved,
"...I'll see you later, where shall we..."

Then the chorus started for the third and final time,
"Shake your thang, owww
Do what you wanna do
I can't tell you how to catch a groove
It's your thang..."

"...It's your thing..."

"...Do what you wanna do
I won't tell you who to sock it to..."

The song ended with the fading music and the lounge became noisier with claps and shouts of encore. The three Shohoku players bowed in gratitude before joining their friends in their booths. After the team praised the three on their impromptu performance, they settled down to drink and sing the next song.

"So Kitsune? Are you stunned that you were able to see the tensai look that great on stage?" asked the redhead to the stoic pale-faced boy.

Rukawa snorted, "You didn't look great at all. The opposite in fact."

"Temme?!! You're just jealous of the tensai's abilities!"

"Do'aho."

"Stupid kitsune! Take that!"

PUNCH!

PUNCH! KICK!

"OW! I'll get you for that Rukawa!"

"Stop it!" roared Akagi while Ayako got her trusty fan ready. Kogure stood up in alarm.

"For people who work great as a team in court and singing don't seem to do well in normal things," commented Eri, propping her chin on her palm.

"True," agreed Ofuna.

"But they're so fun," grinned Okita as they watched the main players from Shohoku get into a small fight. By now even Miyagi and Mitsui were joining in the argument.

"C'mon, let's go guys. It's late," said Minami standing up.

"Aren't we going to see who'll win the fight?" asked Yajima, grinning.

Kishimoto rolled his eyes, "You can see them fight nearly all the time they're together, Yajima. We need to rest now for our practice tomorrow."
Then the Toyotama PF player turned back to look at the Kanagawa players and smiled before shaking his head as he turned and joined Minami and the rest out of the club.

~The End~