"How do you feel?" Mitsui asked Kuwata as they packed the brooms back into the closet.

"Better," the junior replied, giving Mitsui a smile for assurance.

After picking up their bags from the locker room, ready to walk home, Kuwata said to Mitsui, "Ne, Mitsui-sempai. I want to show you something."

"Hm? Nani?" Mitsui asked turning to his junior, as they walked across the court to get to the main entrance.

Before Kuwata could reply, Ayako and Miyagi appeared at the gym door, already having changed into clean clothes, and waiting for the two players to approach them. Mitsui looked at their captain and team-manageress in puzzlement. "What are you two doing here? I thought you guys went home already."

"We did," Ayako replied, "But we came back again to pick you up."

"Huh?" Mitsui stared at them blankly. "We're going somewhere?"

"To Anta's house, baka!" Miyagi told him, "We agreed to start revising for our university entrance exams together."

"Err.... oh yeah..." Mitsui mumbled, "I think I changed my mind-"

"Oh no you don't," Ayako said, pulling the scarred-face player back before he could escape, "All of us third years are going to study together."

The 3-P shooter opened his mouth again to protest, "Demo-"

"I heard that no one's cooking for you at home," Ayako said smoothly, "If you come with us, I'll make you some lunch for tomorrow."

Mitsui blinked for a moment before he gave their manageress a grin. "Ok," he said cheerfully before turning to the second-year beside him. "I have to go, Kuwata. See you tomorrow, ne?"

And the three third-years left, leaving the second year alone as he watched them walk away from him in the afternoon light.


~~~~

"Ah! I'm exhausted!" Miyagi moaned, rubbing at his temples, "And I think I have a headache."

"I'm still hungry," Mitsui grumbled, "Anta should've made more food for us when we came over."

Ayako rolled her eyes. "I think you nearly cleaned him out of his pantry, Mitsui-sempai," she said, "We were there to study. Not to eat."

Mitsui scowled. "Hmph. Whose house are we going to go to next time?" he asked in case he needed to bully the person for extra snacks when they have to come over for the next revision session.

"Mine," Ayako replied. When she saw the gleam in Mitsui's eyes, she sighed. "Yes, I'll get some food for you ready when you come over, sempai."

Mitsui grinned. "Thanks!" he said, "And remember to bring me that lunch you promised me for tomorrow."

Miyagi pouted. "Ayako-san! How about me?"

Ayako shook her head. "Your mother's not away on honeymoon, Ryota-kun," she reminded him, "You'll have to make do with your own food."

The pierced-ear guard scowled, glaring jealously at the grinning Mitsui. The 3-P shooter was chuckling at his good luck when suddenly he saw something at the corner of his eye. He turned his attention to the building in front of him and stared. Slowly, his eyes narrowed and a frown formed on his lips.
"What's the matter?" Miyagi asked when he saw the change on his friend but the taller boy was already walking away from him towards one of the abandon buildings across the street.

"Mitsui-sempai?" Ayako voiced, walking after him. Miyagi tagged along, getting more surprised when Mitsui suddenly broke into a run.

"Mitsui?"

"Miyagi, come with me! Ayako, stay back!" Mitsui yelled to them speeding quickly into one of the broken down buildings.

The curly-haired girl obediently stopped in her tracks while Miyagi ran past her to follow Mitsui. When the two players finally entered the building, they stopped, looking at a group of older boys surrounding Kuwata. One of them was grabbing Kuwata by the collar while another was busy rummaging in the poor boy's bag.

"Hey you!" Mitsui yelled at them, "Let him go!"

With a snarl one of the older boys ran up to Mitsui and punched the third-year on the face before Mitsui could defend himself. Mitsui fell to the ground painfully.
"Stay out of this boy!" the older boy warned, cracking his knuckles threateningly.

"Mitsui-sempai..." gasped Kuwata, watching the fallen senior sporting a bruise under his lip. Anger flared from within Kuwata and his expression of helplessness was suddenly replaced by a look of deadly anger. A thin film of darkness slid over the boy's brown eyes and his body went still as he glared at the hateful person who was still holding him by the lapels of his shirt.

A few feet away, Mitsui was growling as he lunged upon his attacker with a roundhouse of blows and kicks that would've made Tetsuo proud. Miyagi charged at the rest of the hooligans and after Mitsui was finished with his opponent, the scarred-face boy went up to the one holding Kuwata and pulled the older boy away. With one satisfying punch, he felled the punk to the ground.

"Shit!" the gangster cursed after he got his wits back. Scrambling to his feet he dragged one of his members away before the rest of them followed suit with a threat to Mitsui and Miyagi before they left.

"Ch! Cowards," Mitsui spat before he turned toward Kuwata to check how the boy was faring. To his surprise the boy was standing stiffly, staring ahead at the retreating backs of the gangsters with a cold look in the younger boy's normally cheerful brown eyes.
Thinking that Kuwata has gone in shock, Mitsui grabbed hold of the junior by the arms and shook him. "Hey, Kuwata! Snap out of it!"

With a jerk, Kuwata suddenly seemed to come back to himself and turned to look at Mitsui with a confused look on his face.
"Huh? Mitsui-sempai?"

"Are you alright?" Mitsui asked, looking at the boy over for any signs of injury.

The boy seemed dazed for a moment before his eyes widened at seeing the bruise under his sempai's lip. "Mitsui-sempai... you're the one who's hurt..." Kuwata said worriedly, lifting his hand to touch the green colouring on Mitsui's skin.

Mitsui snorted. "This is nothing," he said though he winced when Kuwata's finger's grazed his bruised flesh.

At that moment, Miyagi came over and from behind the point-guard, Kuwata saw Ayako slowly entering the building carefully to approach them.

"What did they want anyway, Kuwata?" the pierced-ear boy asked in disgruntlement, "Were they harassing you?"

"Umm... they said they wanted to borrow some money..." the junior replied, scratching his head.

"Baka!" cried Mitsui, slapping the boy behind the back of his head, "that's called harrassment!"

Kuwata blinked. "Oh..."
Mitsui groaned and was about to lecture the boy on the proper ways to handle bullies when Kuwata suddenly walked away from them towards one of the rooms of the building.

"Oi!" Mitsui called in irritation, "Where are you going?"
When he saw that Kuwata was rumaging for something from a stack of boxes placed at the end of the room, Mitsui walked over, curious, along with Miyagi and Ayako in tow.
"Hey, Kuwata. What are you doing?" Mitsui asked, walking up to the younger boy.

"This," Kuwata replied, smiling sunnily at the senior.

Mitsui blinked when he found himself face to face with a puppy's chocolate coloured snout. "It's a puppy," he said dead-panned, stepping back before the dog could lick his face.

Kuwata grinned, hugging the little animal to his chest. "Hai!"

Mitsui sighed, running his fingers through his short hair. "I swear that you're not 16. You act as if you're 7 years old!"

Miyagi stepped forward and peered at the puppy cuddled against Kuwata's chest. "So I'm guessing that you gave half of your food to this mutt. What a waste."

Ayako prompty slapped her paper tessen over the guard's head.

"Itee!" Miyagi yelped, "Ayako!"

"Kuwata is sweet to take care of this poor puppy," Ayako said, patting the animal affectionately on it's soft head, "It's so cute!"

Mitsui crossed his arms over his chest. "Even so, it's dangerous for you to keep hanging around here, Kuwata," he told the junior, "Those punks roam this place. If they find you again, they'll kill you for sure."

"But if I don't come back, who'll take care of Shi-kun?" Kuwata said plaintively.

Mitsui thought a moment before he spoke up, "I live in an apartment. I can't have animals in my place. How about you bring that dog to your house?"

Kuwata's eyes dropped in disappointment. "Okaasan won't let me."

"Honto?" Ayako asked in surprise, "Are you sure?"

"Aa," Kuwata replied dejectedly.

Mitsui persisted, "You still can't hang around here anymore-"
He suddenly blinked. Kuwata was sporting the saddest expression on his face and together with the puppy whinning and nuzzling against the boy's face, Mitsui's toughness crumbled to dust.

"Alright, alright!" huffed Mitsui, embarassed at knowing how weak he was when it came to helpless, cute things, "I'll go with you to talk with your mum. I'm sure she'll cave in with both of us talking to her."

Kuwata's expression suddenly brightened and he gave Mitsui one of his happiest smiles that Mitsui had to smile back in return. Kuwata went to pick up his bag and as the four Shohoku students walked to Kuwata house, Mitsui suddenly remembered something. "Chotto. What did you call that dog of yours?"

"Shi-kun," Kuwata replied cheerfully.

"Sh- Shi-kun?"

"Un," Kuwata nodded, rubbing his face against the puppy's velvet-soft head, "After Mitsui-sempai's name."

Mitsui glared at Kuwata before he turned his icy blue eyes to the snickering point guard.

"Cute," Miyagi commented grinning at Mitsui. Ayako giggled as she stroked the puppy's surprisingly clean coat.

A few minutes later, Mitsui found himself entering Kuwata's house with the second-year while Miyagi and Ayako waited for him outside.

"Tadaima!" Kuwata called out to his mother.

"Okaeri nasai," a woman's voice replied from the kitchen. A second later, Kuwata's mother appeared with a dish rag in her hand.
"Ah, Hisashi-kun," the woman said, smiling at the third-year, "I haven't seen you since last month. How are you-?"
She stopped, staring at the puppy in her son's arms with question in her eyes.

"I'm fine obasan," Mitsui said hurriedly before he pushed Kuwata forward, "Toki said he wants to take care of the dog. Can he?"

"Please, okaasan," pleaded Kuwata softly.

Kuwata's mother sighed. "Toki-kun. I told you before. You can't."

"But he really likes this dog, obasan," Mitsui cut in, "He fought real hard when a couple of bullies tried to hurt it."
Kuwata looked at Mitsui in surprise but the third year maintained the serious mask on his face. The 3-P shooter knew that he was lying but he pushed the guilt away with hope that Kuwata's mother would reconsider her decision. But instead of being proud at Kuwata's 'bravery' the woman looked aghast.

"No! Throw that dog away, Toki-kun!" cried Kuwata's mother.

"But okaasan-" began Kuwata.

"TOKI!!" A hint of panic began appearing in the woman's eyes and her rising tone made Mitsui step back in surprise. He has never heard Kuwata's mother raise her tone before and her anger shocked him, especially when all the argument was only about a small puppy.

"Obasan..." began Mitsui when Kuwata's low voice stopped him.

"Why do you always do this?" the boy said, making Mitsui turn his attention towards him.

The woman before them gasped when Kuwata lifted his head to show narrowed eyes, anger dulling the light in the brown orbs . His cold voice surprised Mitsui even more as he has never heard the normally gentle boy speak so chillingly before.
"Why.... do you always... make me... s-so... "

The air around Mitsui felt suddenly heavy and he nearly could not think as he stared at the tableau in front of him. The mother and son stood still, looking at each other as if their fight was taking place in their minds. No more furious words were spoken from either of them but the sharp look in their eyes was enough to make Mitsui cringe in uneasiness.

Just as Mitsui felt as if he was about to run away from the tension eminating from both mother and son, Kuwata's harsh look suddenly disappeared to be replaced by utter submissiveness - too submissive even for a person like Kuwata. The boy's body seemed to relax from it's erect posture and immedietly the arms that held the puppy opened, releasing the stray animal from it's safe perch.

When Mitsui heard the dog give a painful yelp as it was dropped down to the floor, the third-year was instantly in motion, picking up the animal to attempt to sooth its fright.

"Kuwata no baka! Be careful-" Mitsui began to admonish but when he looked up he saw the boy walking away, not sparing Mitsui or the puppy a glance even when Mitsui was calling out to him in worry.

"Oi, Kuwata-"

"Hisashi-kun."

"Huh?" Before Mitsui knew what was happening he was pushed out of the house and as he stood outside the door, Kuwata's mother bowed to him with a weak smile on her lips.

"Thank you for sending Toki-kun home," the woman murmured, "Goodbye."

Even after the door was shut in front of him, Mitsui was still left wondering what had happened in the house a few seconds ago. When he felt a hand drop on his shoulder only then did he realise that Ayako and Miyagi were looking at him in puzzlement.

"You failed?" Ayako guessed, looking pointedly at the puppy in Mitsui's arms.

The scarred-face player blinked, looking down at the animal sniffing at his shirt. "Uh... yeah..."

"Well, I'm not taking care of him," Miyagi told them.

"Let me then," Ayako said, picking up the dog from Mitsui, "I think my parents would say yes."

Mitsui huffed in annoyance. "Irresponsible brat. His mother says to throw it away and he did it. I thought he cares for it more than that."

"He threw it away?" the manageress asked in disbelief.

Mitsui nodded grimly.

Miyagi's eyebrows arched in surprise. "I didn't know his mother hates dogs that much."

"Neither did I," Mitsui said, "I've never seen her look so angry before."

"How about Kuwata's dad?" Ayako asked.

"He died when Kuwata was three years old," Mitsui replied, "I heard that it was sudden. I'm not sure what happened."

Miyagi peered closely at Mitsui who was beginning to frown as they started to walk home.
"What's the matter?"

"Huh? Oh... it's Kuwata..." Mitsui began trying to form an explanation on the change he saw in the second-year, "Just now... he was..."

"What?" Ayako prompted.

The scarred-face player changed his mind and shook his head. "Huh. Nothing."





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