Lost Kitsune

Author's Notes:

Yeehaa! I'm back! Hope you guys like this chapter!

Rukawa sat on a chair while he waited for Hanamichi to return from the grocery. Stupid, redhead! Why on earth does it have to be the milk you forgot?!

He sighed, his stomach is grumbling. It wasn't only the redhead who has a healthy appetite. After all, they are both teenagers. He got up from the chair to go to the refrigerator. Might as well drink water to lessen the hunger…

He opened the refrigerator and got a bottle of water from inside. He took out a cup from the cupboard above the refrigerator and filled the cup to the brim. The ice cold water in the cup was finished with one gulp.

Refreshed, Rukawa wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He put the bottle back inside the refrigerator. He closed the door of the refrigerator. Unfortunately, he slammed it a little too hard and the papers and bills posted on the refrigerator along with the magnets, which were used to pin it to the refrigerator, fell.

"K'so," he cursed to nobody. He placed the cup he was supposed to wash on top of the refrigerator. He bent down to pick up the things that fell. Electric bills, telephone bills, reminders for Hanamichi from his mom, and…

Nani?!

Rukawa saw a picture that made his whole body freeze.

Hanamichi quickly grabbed a container of milk from the stand and rushed to the counter. K'so! I'm starving! His stomach grumbled for affirmation.

"Will that be all, sir?" the girl asked as she punched in the price of the milk in the cash register.

"Hai!" the redhead answered hurriedly.

The girl looked up to him. "NANI! You again!" she searched for the fox-eyed boy which was with the redhead a little while ago. "Where's the cute boy?!"

"In front of you!" bragged Hanamichi.

"I meant the one with the icy blue eyes!"

"He's at home!" an irritated and hungry redhead answered.

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out, "Oi! Sakuragi!"

"Micchy! Megane-kun!" Sakuragi cried surprised as he saw the two seniors approaching him with their own cart. Snatching the chance to get away from the nosy girl, Sakuragi ran… without even paying for the milk.

"OI! You haven't paid that milk! MATTE!" the girl shrieked at the top of her lungs. She was cheated again and this time, there is no cute boy to pay for the loss.

"Eh, Sashi-kun, pay for the milk," Kogure asked his 'secret' boyfriend.

"Demo… Min-kun…" Mitsui stammered until he received a glare from his Min-kun. "All right, all right," he succumbed, avoiding the silent treatment of his koibito, which was bound to happen if he didn't do as he said. Sakuragi! You owe me big time!

"Come, on Sashi-kun, he'll pay you back when we see him at practice tomorrow, anyway," Kogure wrapped his left arm around Mitsui's shoulders.

I doubt it… However, Mitsui kept his thoughts to himself and just smiled at Kogure.

Rukawa had already washed the cup that he used. He has also fixed the things that fell from the refrigerator. However, he still has the photo that he saw with him. He sat down on one of the chairs, still clutching the photo in his hands.

Five guys were in the photo. Three other guys and him and Sakuragi. All were wearing the distinguished red and black uniform of the Shohoku Basketball Club. He and Sakuragi were on opposite ends of the photo. The self-proclaimed Tensai was smiling his wide smile while he, Rukawa Kaede, the Super Rookie, was emotionless as usual.

It all came crashing in…

Rukawa waited patiently for the redhead to finish his shower. He was outside, perfectly hidden between the narrow alley between the gym and the shower room. He leaned on the wall and sighed.

This is THE DAY.

The day that he would tell Hanamichi how much he loves him. That day that he would tell him that it was making him crazy that he, Hanamichi was only noticing him when HE has Haruko's attention. That day that he would tell him that provoking him was the only way to get in contact with that rough brown skin of his that HE longs to caress.

He has a plan formed in his mind. The moment that the Do'aho went on his way home, he will follow him and then confess when they reach his house. It seems like a simple plan, but it wasn't. He knows that the scariest part will be waiting for the redhead's answer.

Will it be the same way I feel for you? Or will it be different? Will you just punch me in the face until I bleed when you hear my confession? Or will you kiss me with the same hunger and passion I feel for you?

I don't know. I'm lost.

#########

Rukawa was twenty paces behind the redhead, in his bicycle. Do'aho, you walk so slow… It surprised the fox-eyed boy that Sakuragi was not singing his usual 'Tensai Song'.

Rukawa's head started to nod off… Until he finally fell asleep on his bicycle.

Then the unexpected happened… He crashed into a post… He crashed really HARD.

Rukawa grimaced at the memory. He closed his eyes. "Hanamichi…" the fox-eyed boy moaned to the empty kitchen.

Sakuragi was rushing home when he heard another familiar voice from behind him. This time it was a girl's voice. "Sakuragi Hanamichi!"

Sakuragi turned, "Ayako-san!". Then he turned chibi form when he saw Miyagi beside Ayako. "Ryochin! What are you doing with Ayako?" he teased the shorter boy.

"I'm going to have breakfast with her," Ryota grinned at the taller boy.

"BREAKFAST!" Sakuragi exclaimed as he remembered his growling stomach. "I have to go!" and with a snap of a finger, Sakuragi was gone and on his way home.

"What was that all about!?" a puzzled Ayako said after all the dust has settled.

"I dunno. Shall we go?" Miyagi answered.

"Hai!"

Miyagi slipped his hands through Ayako's own and they went towards the direction of Danny's.

"Pant, pant," Sakuragi closed the door as he tried to catch his breath. "Oi, Kitsune! I'm back! We can eat!" Sakuragi made his way to the kitchen.

However, Rukawa came out from the direction of the kitchen and confronted Sakuragi with cold blue eyes. Only one word was uttered, "Do'aho."