"Kaede-SAN!"

Rukawa was surprised to see a young girl with chin-lengthed hair come bounding up to him and hug his long legs in delight.

"Ami-chan?" the boy said, looking down at his small cousin which in turn she smiled brightly at him.
"Hai!" she chirped, "I get to stay here today! Isn't that great?"

Rukawa nodded, "Un" and proceeded to walk but then stopped after a few steps when he realised that the girl was still attached to his leg.

"Ami-chan. Let go," said Rukawa.

The girl giggled, "No! This is fun! Move again!"

Rukawa was about to tell the kid to let him go again when he was suddenly interrupted by a voice, "Hey, Kaede! Can you take care of Ami-chan for today? The office called and I need to go there at once. I'll be home pretty late."

The fox-eyed Shohoku rookie turned his head to look into the eyes of his brother, as blue and also as thick lashed as his.
"I..."

"Hey, thanks! Remember to feed her lunch and dinner and keep her away from trouble. Her oniisan will come pick her up before her bed-time," continued the older Rukawa, rushing to put on his tie.

"Where are her parents anyway?" asked Rukawa, ignoring the girl tugging at his throusers to prompt the boy to start walking again.

"They have a family emergency - k'so!" the young man cursed at his tie and tugged it off, "I'll just have to put this on when I reach the office. I'm already late! Ja!"

"But..." Rukawa tried but his brother was already out the door, leaving him alone. Another persistent tug at his throusers reminded him that he was not alone, however, and he looked down again.

The 7 year old girl gave a frown, "C'mon. Move!"

Rukawa sighed and picked up the girl off of his leg and deposited her on the couch, "I'm already tired today , Ami-chan. Why don't you just sit down and play quietly."

Ami pouted but then her exression brightened when she remembered something. Jumping off from the couch, she ran to a small pink bag near the table and took out a video cassette before skipping back up to Rukawa and thrust it in front of the boy's face.

"Otousan bought me this! I wanna see it!" she said.

Rukawa took it out of her grasp and stood up to switch on the video and pop the cassette inside. Showing on the screen was an american cartoon and the main character's antics seemed funny to his cousin because she started squealing and laughing, already forgetting about Rukawa's presence.

It didn't bother the boy one bit because that would mean he could steal some napping time before the cartoon show ends. But it proved difficult because his little cousin would once in a while laugh out loud in her not-so-little voice.

"Do you want some milk and cookies, Ami-chan?" asked Rukawa tapping his fingers on her small head.

"Um... hai!" the girl nodded distractedly before she burst out laughing again for the third time.

Rukawa shook his head and walked away towards the kitchen and in a few minutes he was back and placed the snacks in front of the girl who ignored it for the blonde star on the screen. The boy settled himself comfortably beside his cousin and his eyes was about to drop when Ami tugged at his shirt and said, "Look at him! Isn't he funny!"

Rukawa sighed and nodded, "Hai, Ami-chan."

"You aren't watching it," the girl pouted prettily.

"I am."

"No, you're not," sulked Ami.

Rukawa sighed again, "Maa... alright. I'm watching it now."

Ami beamed and snuggled close to her cousin. "Isn't he cute and silly?! Hehe! Look at that!" the girl giggled, pointing towards the screen.

And Rukawa couldn't do anything else but to sit and watch.

The next day:

At the Shohoku high-school gym, the team was about to start on the practice when some of them noticed the three familiar-looking girls giggling and nudging outside the gym doors.

"Oh dear," sighed Kogure, "I really wish they would stop coming here. Hanamichi always gets riled up about their presence."

"And noise," cut in Mitsui.

"Heh," chuckled Miyagi, "so how does it feel, Rukawa, to be the only guy in the team to have his own cheerleading squad?"

"Man, I feel pretty."

Miyagi, Kogure and Mitsui gaped in disbelief, "WHAT?!"

Rukawa blinked. He nearly choked when he realised what he has said but he quickly regained his (cold) composure and answered, "Nothing."

The group was still looking at him curiously, so he turned his head away to look at the centre of the gym where Akagi was yelling at Hanamichi about the game rules that Hanamichi keeps on breaking. Hanamichi, of course, yelled back giving some - what the redhead thought - were good excuses. From afar, Rukawa could imagine that they looked like two primates banging each other's chest in anger. The fox-eyed boy's lips twitched, "Do the monkey."

"EH?!"

Rukawa turned his head back towards the boys before him. "What?" he asked icily.

"What are you doing?" asked Mitsui pointing at the boy's hands.

Rukawa looked down and saw that his arms were outstretched to the front, his fists clenched and his knees were a bit bent. What was I doing?! Rukawa thought in horror, The last thing I thought about was Hanamichi and Akagi doing a monkey dance... I WAS DOING THE MONKEY DANCE?!

Inside, those panic thoughts swirled in Rukawa's mind, but on the outside the seniors could only see the stony mask they always see on Rukawa everyday in every week.

"I... I needed to stretch," Rukawa lied.

The three boys seemed to accept this and he was about to walk quickly away when Ayako appeared, holding her clipboard in one hand.

"Good afternoon, boys," Ayako greeted, "How are you today?"

"Fine, thanks," Kogure answered.

"S'kay," said Mitsui.

"You look pretty today, Ayako-san," Miyagi said, a blush spreading on his tanned cheeks.

"You smell kinda pretty. Wanna smell me?"

The seniors, including Ayako stared at the blue-eyed junior.

"What did you say?" Ayako asked, her eyes wide in shock.

"Are you flirting with Ayako-san?!" demanded Miyagi, pulling at Rukawa's collar to bring the boy's face down to his level.

Rukawa's eyes also grew wide, cursing his waylaid mouth.

"It wasn't me..." Rukawa wanted to explain but Miyagi only tugged at his shirt harder.

"Like hell, it wasn't!" growled Miyagi angrily, "Explain yourself!"

Rukawa's eyes narrowed and pushed the short senior's hands off of him, "I will."

"What is the matter?" came a soft voice and they saw Haruko walking up to them with worry on her sweet face.

"It's nothing, Haruko," said Ayako.

Miyagi was about to make an angry retort when Rukawa spoke up, "Hi there, sweet thing."

Haruko gasped when she realised that Rukawa was talking to her. Ayako arched her eyebrows while the others stared at Rukawa again and this time they were already certain that the boy has struck his head onto something hard on his way here.

Suddenly a dark shadow fell over them and Ayako winced when she heard a low ominious voice of one angry gorilla... I mean, boy, "What did you call my sister?"

Miyagi started to say, "He called her..."

"Shut up, Ryota," Ayako hissed.

"Hey, what are you guys doing over here?" asked an arrogant voice in curiousity.

They turned to see Hanamichi stride up to them with a disgruntled look. Anyone can guess that he has the right to look disgruntled with a red bump on his forhead courtesy from one gorilla - I mean, captain.

Rukawa's eyes strayed onto the redhead's body, appreciating the fine-muscled curves under that new sleeveless shirt. Hanamichi looks mighty fine today...

"Hey there, hot stuff. Wanna go up to my place and play a little game of twister?"

There was a shock of silence before laughter errupted. Rukawa cursed.

"Oh my god!" laughed Mitsui, "You flirting with the girls I can understand, Rukawa, but hitting on Hanamichi?!"

"Oh...dear..." wheezed Kogure, "I'm sorry.. but....". Then he started laughing again.

"If you've took something strong on your way here I can forgive you," gasped Miyagi, clutching his cramped stomach.

Hanamichi was blushing furiously but he managed to ask through gritted teeth, "He flirted with who else?"

Mitsui arched an eyebrow and asked cheekily, "Did I detect a note of jealousy?"

"I-Iie!" denied the redhead.

Able to compose herself quicker than the others, Ayako went up to Rukawa and asked, "What happened Rukawa?"

Rukawa clamped his mouth tightly, refusing to tell them but how else can he explain his odd behaviour?

Then Kogure spoke up, "You know, the way you're talking reminds me of an american cartoon character my neighbour's son likes to watch called Johnny Bravo. Don't tell me you've also caught up on that trend of talking?"

Rukawa hesitated a moment before he nodded stiffly. He just couldn't trust his mouth to talk right now. Not that he talks much anyway.

"How many times did you watch this programme?" asked Ayako.

"Once," Rukawa answered. And once is not enough to bask in my manly beauty
Rukawa bit his lip.

Kogure pushed his spectacles up, "Just once and you're already talking like that?"

Rukawa nodded again. I can do more than talk, babe.

Miyagi cocked his head, "Just out of curiousity - what programmes do you normally watch?"

"The NBA," said Rukawa.

"And?"

"The weather."

"And?"

"...the NBA."

Mitsui sighed, "No wonder you're a stiff bastard."

"Rukawa-san is not stiff," defended Haruko, blushing shyly, "He just doesn't express his feelings as much as we do."

"Well, he does now," said Akagi, crossing his arms over his chest, "But he needs to go back to his usual self before he starts disrupting the team."

"Tensai knows how!" Hanamichi said excitedly, "C'mon fox! Let's go to my place!"

Before Akagi could remind the juniors about the practice session, the two have already disappeared.

Mitsui scratched his chin and said out loud, "Y'know, I'm starting to wonder about those two..."

The day after:

All the members of the team have assembled - except for one fox-eyed no.1 rookie and a redhaired self-proclaimed tensai.

"Where are they?" grumbled Akagi, "When they come I'm going to bash their heads..."

Suddenly the gym door slid open with a bang and in walked Hanamichi with Rukawa behind him.

The team looked at Rukawa, waiting for him to speak but instead he just looked back at them coldly. They all sighed. All is back to normal.

"You're late!" barked Akagi. Before the juniors could explain themselves, he gave them a bash on their heads, as everyone expected - except for the two juniors that is.

Hanamichi winced, rubbing at the appearing bump but Rukawa cursed, "Omae o korosu."

The team paled and Hanamichi groaned.

"What did you say?" demanded Akagi, a vein appearing on his forehead.

"Omae o korosu," repeated Rukawa, glaring with intensity.

Akagi glared back and commanded Rukawa in an angry voice, "For that you run around the gym 100 times."

To the team's relief, Rukawa nodded, "Ninmu Ryoukai," he intoned before setting off on his punishment.

"That is still NOT Rukawa," Ayako said, "Close, but it's still not him." Turning towards the redhead, she saw the boy's sheepish expression.
"What did you do to him, baka?!" demanded the manageress, slapping her paper fan onto Hanamichi's head.

Hanamichi rubbed his newly acquired bump and scowled, "I made him watch a few animes."

"Which one?"

"Gundam Wing," the redhead said.

"You mean he's..." Mitsui began pointing towards the running boy, "Oh man! He's like Heero Yuy?! A suicidal psychopath?!"

"At least he's better than a girl-chasing blonde Elvis wannabe," Hanamichi shot back, defending himself.

Akagi sighed, rubbing his temples and said, "Alright, let's just start on practice. Rukawa will join us after he has finished his rounds. Hopefully, he'll be back to normal by then."

Suddenly Kogure groaned, "Oh no. It's those girl's again."

True enough the trio of Rukawa's devoted fangirls were standing outside the open doors, waving to Rukawa whenever he ran past them. Ayako was about to tell Hanamichi who was red with anger to ingore them when she suddenly noticed Rukawa's fist clenching everytime the girls opened their mouth to cheer.

"Rukawa!" Ayako called out, "Don't mind them! Concentrate!"

"Injustice, onna! They are distracting the practice!" Rukawa called back.

Half of the team gaped while others laughed.

"He sounds like Chang Wufei!" giggled a junior, nearly dropping the ball in his mirth.

Miyagi, however, was not amused.
"Hey, Rukawa! Don't talk to Ayako-san like that!"

Rukawa stopped his run and yelled back, "And what are ya gonna do about it, shrimp?" (1)

Kogure panicked, "Please, don't fight guys!"

"I can handle this, Kogure-sempai no da (2)," said Rukawa, putting up a hand to stop the spectacled-boy's advance.
Ayako looked at Hanamichi wearily and asked, "Gundam Wing is not all that you made him watch, is it, Hanamichi?"

"Well... ummm..." the redhead mumbled, "There's Yu Yu Hakusho, Fushigi Yuugi..."

"...With the power of the Moon I will punish you!" Rukawa said punching Miyagi on the face.

"Sailormoon?!" choked Mitsui.

Hanamichi blushed, "My sister wanted to use the video first and she made us sit and watch with her!"

The team sweatdropped as they watched Miyagi and Rukawa continue fighting.

Rukawa continued on with his tirade, "I will not be easily defeated by you! My fate overlaps with Hanamichi's. I was born for his sake! Together we will see the end of the world!"(3)

"When you think that you're ready to tell someone about Rukawa and yourself, you can come to me," said Ayako, patting the redhead arm.

The shocked redhead could only yell angrily at the boy who has embarrassed him in front of the others, "RUKAWA!"

"HANAMICHI!" Rukawa yelled back.

"RUKAWA!"

"HANAMICHI!"

"RUKAWA!"

"HANAMICHI!"(4)

Akagi rubbed his temples again and sighed, "I think I'm going to have a migrane."

~The End

(1) That's what Kuwabara always calls Hiei in the YYH fics.
(2) That's Chichiri from FY ^^
(3) I got that from X/1999- the manga. I wish I've got the anime...
(4) Of course, that's Miaka & Tamahome's love call ^^ (FY)