Lost Kitsune

Author's Notes:

Hi minna-san! Thanks for the reviews!

Lady Ice Dragon: Thanks for the review! I really appreciate it and yes, I'll continue to email you!

* hugz LID * J

Charon and Hikaru: Yeah… I kinda got the notion that the plot has been done before… Just think of it as my version or something… Hope you continue to read this! J

Yen and Mit-Michan: Here's the second Part! Hope you like it! J

Blah101: Domo Arigatou and I'll try my hardest to do my best! J

"Hey, Ryota!" Mitsui called out to the younger boy after practice was over from under the cool rushing water of the faucet. Although it was Saturday, the Shohoku Basketball Club has practice. It was to prepare them for the upcoming Inter-High competition.

"Nani?" Miyagi replied, drying off his face with his towel.

"Do you notice that it seems quiet today?"

"Yeah! I mean why wouldn't it be? Rukawa's not here. That is one less troublemaker who flares up the King of Rebound," Miyagi chuckled. The other two people who irritate Sakuragi are he and Mitsui.

"I wonder where he is… He's not the type to miss practice," Mitsui mused referring to Rukawa. He was worried about the freshman. They would be in trouble if he doesn't show up for Monday's practice.

"Don't fret about it! Maybe he's just sick," the shorter boy guessed.

A loud voice was heard from inside the gym, which belonged to a certain redhead. The voice interrupted the conversation that the point guard and the shooting guard were having. "Come on, Ayako! Just this once please!" the redhead pleaded as he passed the ball hard to Ayako. He was doing basics again since he was just a newcomer. Mitsui and Miyagi stepped out from the shower room to look at what was happening.

"No, way! The captain said that we have to do 100 passes before you can go home," Ayako answered back as she passed the ball back.

"That's right, Hanamichi! Listen to Aya-chan and don't gove her a hard time!" Miyagi yelled from the other side of the gym.

"Shut, up, Ryochin!" Hanamichi grumbled in defeat. He knows that all his pleading will come to nothing especially with Ayako. He'd just risk being hit by her deadly paper fan. His thoughts traveled to a certain fox-eyed boy alone in his home…

He didn't tell anyone that Rukawa was at his home and that he has amnesia. He just left the others to ponder about why the Kitsune is absent although he desperately wishes that Rukawa will regain his memory by the time Monday rolls around. Good thing there is no practice on Sundays…

He had wanted to go home as soon as practice was over but he was ordered to stay to practice basics. He felt guilty about leaving Rukawa alone in his home with amnesia. Although, he still considers Rukawa his enemy, the redhead was a softie when it comes to people who are sick, helpless and in need, like the state Rukawa is in now.

Meanwhile, at Sakuragi's house, Rukawa was bored. He had watched every possible thing to watch on TV and he felt that if he saw another commercial, he would definitely barf. He had also slept through most of the time that he wasn't watching TV but he couldn't sleep well because Hanamichi's bedroom floor, where he was assigned to sleep, was full of things.

Rukawa sighed as he got up from the couch in the living room where he had spent the last hour watching TV. He headed to Hanamichi's room and looked around the mess the room was in. He decided to clean the place up. Partly because he wanted to do something to thank Hanamichi for his kindness and partly because he figured that if he was to remain a person without memory and have to stay in Hanamichi's house a little longer, he needed a clean floor so he can sleep soundly.

He started with the dirty clothes scattered around the room. He wrinkled his nose in disgust. The things I do so I can sleep… Rukawa picked up the clothes and deposited it into the dirty clothes' bun. He threw the crumpled papers littering the floor in the trashcan near the door. After that, he straightened out the sheets. Suddenly, he saw a bright orange thing from under the bed. He took it out and saw that it was a basketball.

He froze in his position. Out of the blue, a cold feeling crept up into his body when he saw and touched the rough ball in his hands. He couldn't place it but he knows that basketball has something to do with his past. What or why, he has absolutely no clue.

This is crazy! For a guy who has no memory, these things are complicating my life even more. He sighed. I wish I could get my memory back. I need to find out why I felt that way when I touched the ball… And why the name 'Hanamichi' sounds vaguely familiar…

A voice from downstairs calling him snapped him from his reverie. It was Hanamichi. He has arrived. He didn't know where the redhead went to, Hanamichi just told him that he's going out and will be back for dinner.

He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He let the ball roll from his hands unto the floor. He opened his eyes and went to the door to go down to meet Hanamichi.

Sakuragi took a deep breath as he entered the front door. He has decided to tell Rukawa things about Rukawa during dinner. He figured that that was the best way he could help the Kitsune regain his memory. It's not that he pities the Kitsune. He just feels something towards Rukawa that pushes him to help the blue-eyed boy regain his memory.

"Rukawa! Rukawa! I'm home!" he yelled out. When he heard Rukawa's footsteps, he hurried to the kitchen to prepare dinner for the two of them since he was starving and he knows that Rukawa is too.

Rukawa entered the kitchen. "Good evening.:

"Good evening. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes," Sakuragi replied turning towards the darkhaired boy to return his greeting. "Will you please set the table for us?"

Rukawa obliged to the request. He quietly set the table for him and Sakuragi but in his mind were screams so loud that he felt his head would burst. His mind was screaming at him to find a way to find out who exactly Rukawa Kaede is.

"Nyahahaha!" Sakuragi laughed as Rukawa told him about one of the funny scenes he watched on TV that morning. The two were getting along fine, especially because Rukawa has no clue or whatsoever that Hanamichi is supposedly his mortal enemy.

Rukawa smirked at the laughing Hanamichi.

"Who would have thought that the Kitsune knows how to crack a joke even though it's not his own?" Sakuragi stood up from the table as he carried their dishes to the sink.

Rukawa's face fell as he heard Hanamichi's words although the still giggling redhead didn't notice for he had turned his back from him to wash their dishes.

The next thing that Rukawa said, however, took Hanamichi by surprise.

"Sakuragi-kun, tell me what I was like," Rukawa turned his head down, although he didn't need to because Hanamichi's not facing him. He fumbled wordlessly at the checkered tablecloth, ashamed that he has to ask someone that he himself barely remember to tell him what he was like.

Sakuragi's heart thumped loudly in his chest that he thought that Rukawa could hear it. Silence reigned the air as Rukawa waited for his answer. However, he was afraid to give the waiting Kitsune an answer.

The truth is, he had liked the way they acted around each other. Sakuragi and Rukawa miraculously, are becoming friends. He didn't know that the Kitsune was fun to be with once you get to penetrate that cold exterior of his. He was afraid that if he told Rukawa about who he really is and the true relationship between them, he would lose the unexpected friend he gained in an unexpected circumstance. Nevertheless, he knew that he has to comply with Rukawa's request. After all, he promised to himself before he stepped inside his house that he would help Rukawa regain his memory.

Suddenly, an idea formed inside the Tensai's head. He knows that the idea is a dishonest and deceitful idea not to mention a dirty trick to keep Rukawa's friendship but…

I know that either way, if I tell him who he really is or if I go ahead with my plan, I'll definitely lose his friendship. Better lose him later and go ahead with the plan than tell him now and lose him too…

He took a deep breath and turned towards Rukawa, smiling. His chocolate brown eyes, twinkling but with a hint of sadness that you would miss if you don't look carefully.