Dream sequence...
Rough hands reached and shoved him against the brick wall.
"What cha doin' here 'dis late boy?" The figure sneered.
"I - I'm s-s-sorry s-sir." The boy stammered out, trying not to wince when the man shoved his
roughly against the wall again.
The man caressed the boy's flawless cheek. "Lil' boys shouldn't be out dat late. You're
a very bad boy."
"I-I'm just go-going home s-sir." The boy's large, brown eyes widened when he felt a rough hand
reaching to a place where, even his naive mind could relate, that this is a bad thing.
"Lil' boy's should be punished 'fer being late..." The voice whispered, silently invading the boy's
sweet mouth with his own.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Ryonan school...
Hanamichi sat up panting, his silent scream still ringing in his ears. //Not again. I don't
want to remember...//
Fuzzily, Hanamichi wondered where he was and where he could find a bathroom to...//No. I can't believe
I'm thinking that way...even if I am a freak. //
"Sakuragi. You finally woke up!" Ayako appeared from the doorway looking irritated and worried
at the same time.
"That was one impressive thud when you fell over. Daijoubu?"
//Of course I'm awake! What do you care about anyway? // Hanamichi forced his usual idiotic grin
on his face.
"I'm the Tensai!!! Of course I'm alright!!! I've got a hard head!!! MUAHHAHAHAAH!!!!" He gave
Ayako a victory sign and leaped out of bed.
Ayako sweatdropped.
"Did we win?" Hanamichi asked impatiently fumbling to tie his shoelaces. //Good, nobody
had moved my wrist guards.//
He have a silent sigh of relief. //I wonder what they would do if they did find out...probably kick
me out of the team and more idiotic names to call me. As if 'baka' and 'do'aho' wasn't enough...//
"Yes, by one point. Rukawa snatched the ball off the floor and shot in a three-pointer just before
the end. Sendoh was shocked when you weren't moving by his feet."
"Smiley actually has more than one expression on his face? That's an improvement!! Of course,
there's nothing to worry about!! The Rebound King never gets hurt!!!" Hanamichi exclaimed. //Well, at least the
game ended. Guess I'll just go home and sleep. Hopefully, I don't have to wake up again.//
"Sakuragi! Where the hell do you think you're going? I have not finished talking to you
yet!" Ayako's fan suddenly made itself known on Hanamichi's head.
Hanamichi shrugged. Ayako's trusty fan, for once, seems to have lost its effectiveness somehow.
"I'm going home."
//Going home to wallow in my own misery. Not that you care.//
Hanamichi opened the door of the infirmary, ignoring Ayako's screeches about a certain red-headed baka
and promptly bumped into a black-haired, drooling kisune.
Rukawa woke up even more annoyed than usual. He had been having a delicious dream of a certain monkey
with whipped cream and strawberries. He was NOT pleased to be woken up so suddenly. Hence, it was only natural
he punched the person in front of him who dared to wake him.
*OOOF*
Hanamichi suddenly found himself looking at the stars again.
Rukawa blinked sleepily. He had been waiting for that do'aho to wake up. Unfortunately,
Gori had managed to watch the last 10 minutes of the game, including the part when his do'aho bashed his head onto the floor.
And it was also Gori's bright idea for him to drag that do'aho home before he actually oversleeps in that pervert's school.
Something about Sakuragi being more lively and hence more movable when he was around...lively, Rukawa supposed
as in wanting-to-head-bash-him lively.
"You stupid kitsune!!" Hanamichi screeched, pointing rudely at Rukawa.
"Do'aho." Rukawa replied automatically.
The two first-years glared at each other furiously, or at least that's what appeared to others.
Rukawa was actually admiring his do'aho's bright, large, brown eyes, drowning in its delicious chocolate warmth. Hanamichi
was trying
hard not to appear abnormal, staring intently back at the kitsune wearing his furious mask on his face.
//Never noticed the kitsune has blue eyes before...Ack! What am I thinking about? I should
get back home before Oyaji comes back...//
Ayako's fan smacked the pair of juniors on the head. "Get on moving! Practice tomorrow and
it's your turn to polish the floor Sakuragi! And if you're late again you'll be doing 20 laps around the court including
basics!"
Hanamichi grumbled something obscene under his breath. //Yes, of course. Bully me around
while you still can, female Gori. I know it's everyone's favorite hobby.//
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
"I'm home now. Get lost kitsune." Hanamichi growled. The whole way home had been filled
with many insults and curses and fistfights and headbutts. Nevertheless, Hanamichi felt revived for a short time.
At least fighting
with the kitsune is something that would never really change.
"Do'aho."
"Teme kitsune!"
"Baka."
"Urasai! Fox-eyes!"
The two stood there glaring at each other.
"Go home stupid fox." Hanamichi snorted finally. //Leave me alone dammit! I don't
need you here!//
Rukawa turned and started back to his own home, not before muttering do'aho under his breath.
"Hey! I heard that!" Hanamichi shouted back, waving his arms in that adorable chibi style.
Rukawa smirked inwardly at the image. //His Hana looked so cute when he's angry. Wait...did
he say his?//
Rukawa huffed in annoyance. //so maybe he did...but the baka did look cute when his face matched with
his hair!//
Rukawa let his instincts direct him back to his house as he sleep-walked and dreamed of a fiery headed
monkey...sitting next to him...in a darkened theatre...
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Hanamichi opened the door cautiously. //Damn. Oyaji's back early today.//
"Where the fuck have you been? Get your ass over here!" A gruff voice slurred. There
was a fumbling sound and Hanamichi's adopted father stood by the doorway, holding a sake bottle in one hand and vodka in the
other.
Hanamichi backed away towards his room slowly, praying that he wouldn't be too badly hurt this time.
//Why should I care? Nobody cares. If pain is inevitable, why not just get it over with?//
"Answer me! Idiot! Where the fuck did you go? Didn't I tell you to quit that fucking
basketball team?"
Hanamichi's eyes widened with fear, and struggled to make his tongue work. "I-I w-w-w-ent t-to
-"
"To where?" Oyaji seethed, gulping down the last drops from his vodka bottle.
"To s-study."
"I don't want your bullshit! I asked you where - have- you- been?" Oyaji took a step closer
to Hanamichi.
"To t-the game..." Hanamichi whispered, lowering his head.
"Why didn't you quit the team you fucking bastard! Ungrateful wretch! I don't want your
lying bullshit around the house!"
Hanamichi closed his eyes and phased out. He had been doing this a lot lately. But it's
a useful skill to have.
Phasing out blinded his mind. It was as if he was a spirit, watching, knowledging what was happening
to his body as his father punched him in the face and kicked his sore ribs. He watched in wonder as the delicate glass
bottle of empty vodka broke over his shoulder, rivets of blood oozed out and stained the white shirt.
An endless rain of blows thundered down on the person's still body.
The spirit gazed in fascination at the crimson liquid dripping slowly down the cheek.
