Disclaimer:

I am not in anyway connected with the wonderful creators of Slam Dunk. * Sniff * Uwaah, I don't own any of the SD's especially Hana-kun. He he, but I do own the OCs in this fic. R & R ppl. I need to hear your lovely comments or suggestions. No flames please. This is my first fanfic ever so be gentle ok minna.

Hidden Side

Chapter 1: What's with Hanamichi and Yohei?

//thoughts//

~^Flashbacks ^~

* Actions *

"Japanese"

'English'

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//Urgh. Note to self. Stop thinking intelligently and be the do'aho everyone thinks you are.//

…

*Sigh*

//Easier said than done.//

Forcing himself to open his eye, he eyed his alarm clock sleepy.

//Oh how nice. It's 7.30am.//

After that little piece of fact finally entered his sleepy and barely functioning brain.

"AAAARGH!!! K'SO!!! I'M LATE"

With speed that defies logic, he took a shower, changed into his uniform, gobble up a bowl of cereal, wear his socks and shoes, grabbed his school bag, and then ran all the way to school. If one where to pass the area nearby, all that could be seen was a blurry figure blowing smokes of dust heading towards Shohoku High School. All that could be seen of the boy was a red head among the speeding smoke.

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At Shohoku

"Oi, Youhei! Why are you so quiet?"

"Don't mind him being quiet, he he. What have you been doing last night eh? Seems like he didn't sleep"

"…nothing. Just tired. Wonder where's Hanami-?"

BANG!

"Itai," moaned five figures that compromised of the Sakuragi Gundam.

"Oi Hanamichi. We are not bowling pins you know," moaned Ookusu.

Yohei shook his head to clear the haze in his mind. After doing so, he glanced at Hanamichi. At the same moment, Hanamichi lifted his head and met Youhei's glance. Wordlessly he just nodded at Youhei's hidden question. The 'others' of the Sakuragi Gundam started their usual teasing of Sakuragi but to Sakuragi, all it sounded was a constant buzzing sound.

Without a word, both Youhei and Sakuragi went to their class leaving behind three very irritated and confused Gundam.

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At Sakuragi's Class

//How the HELL did he know me? I thought I covered my tracks so flawlessly. * Sigh* Just when I feel I belong.//

~^Flashback^~

'Hey... Long time no see, wiz,' said the stranger. With that, he stepped out of the shadows to give a clear view of his face.

Hanamichi froze. With his heart thumping so fast that it feels like it was going to burst any second, he slowly turned to face the stranger. Once he saw the stranger, unconsciously he moved a step back in shock. His body now rigid and eyes showing shock, he whispered softly, 'You…'

What happened next was like a haze for him. All he remembered was staring at the stranger for what seemed like an eternity before a gasp came from behind him. Swiftly he turned and saw Youhei with a shocked expression that was most likely the exact replica of his own.

In the dark night, both he and Youhei just stared in shock at the stranger as if by staring at him for a long time he would eventually disappear. [a/n: no way! I'm not making this easy for both Hana-kun and Youhei-kun]. Finally, not withstanding the deafening silence. Hanamichi whispered a name that was usually spoken with hate in the past. A past both of them wanted to forget and lock away.

'Eric.'

~^End flashback^~

Lost in thought, our dear red head didn't notice the BIG nerve throbbing on his sensei. [a/n: not to mention the smokes that's coming out of his ear. :P]

"SAKURAGI HANAMICHI!!!"

* prack * [a/n: there goes another chalk]

"Answer this question correctly or else you are staying back for detention young man!!!" shouted his math sensei in irritation and anger at the red head.

//Hah, not only will he stay in detention and not play basketball. I'll make sure that no good punk suffers for daydreaming in my class AGAIN.//

With those evil…uh…not so nice thoughts, the sensei waited for a response from the targeted red head. Then, to the surprise of everyone (a/n: except Youhei who was busy thinking of last nights events), Sakuragi just glanced at the question on the board, stood up respectfully and answered in a distracted tone, "Solve the 2 equations, x - 2y = 7 and x² + 4y² = 37, simultaneously by using the substitution method where the first equation is inserted into the second equation. From that, the values of Y will be -1/2 and -3. X will be 6 and 1."

With that said, he just sat down mechanically with his thoughts still buzzing on last night. Without knowing what he was doing, Sakuragi's body has responded instinctively and answered his sensei's question with ease. After that, all thoughts that was present was somewhere along these lines.

OH. MY. GOD

SAKURAGI HANAMICHI ANSWERING A QUESTION WITHOUT HIS USUAL LAUGH

HE DIDN'T HEADBUTT SENSEI FOR INTERRUPTING HIS DAYDREAM???

HUH???

As for the sensei, he fainted. After all, it is a big shock for him. The student who always failed in the subject actually managed to answer the question with just a glance (a/n: in other words, it didn't take our dear Hana-kun a long time to answer it. Oh and he didn't work it out on paper too. He he)

The rest of the lesson was passed with the whole class staring at Sakuragi with jaws on the floor. Oh and the sensei was still lying on the floor with twirling eyes. Since that class was the last class for the day, Sakuragi automatically stood up and walked out of the class with Youhei once the school bell rang. Both of them stopped walking halfway on the way to the gym.

Sakuragi leaned against the wall and tilted his head upward with his eyes closed. Youhei just stood in silence looking at the ground as if it is the most fascinating thing in the world. Both just stayed that way for a few minutes before Yohei finally spoke hesitantly.

"So what now?"

//What now??? What now???//

Those words. Words that were spoken so quietly rang a few times in his head and adding more confusion in his already throbbing head.

Sakuragi sighed. Not knowing what to say to that simple question. If anyone who knows them were to pass by at that moment, they would have seen two boys who looked totally opposite the two boys they knew.

"…I don't know."

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Near the end of basketball practice at the gym

"WHERE IS THAT BAKA?" roared Akagi a.k.a Gori.

"Ma ma Akagi. I'm sure he'll be here," said a very nervous looking Kogure a.k.a Megane-kun.

"Well that baka better be here. We need to practice hard. The game against Kainan is coming soon and we cannot afford to slack off," said a very irritated looking Ayako a.k.a. Lady Gori or Master of the ever-ready paper fan of steel.

"THAT'S RIGHT!!! WHEN I SEE THAT BAKA, HE'LL REGRET SLACKING OFF," roared a very furious Akagi.

At the moment, the basketball team were having their usual INTENSE practice under the supervision of their ever ho ho-ing coach. Not to mention having a gorilla shouting of instructions/orders/comments…(a/n: let's just put it this way. Akagi is shouting throughout the practice. Gomen to all Akagi fans. Ehe ehe. It's just that he was always shouting when he's angry right? Aargh. Don't kill me. * author running away from Akagi fans*. Chibi Hana: Oi, Gori's fans. He has fans??? Chibi Gori: What do you mean by that? * POW * Chibi Hana: Itai. * with tears in his eyes * mean gori.)

The practice was quiet without the usual sound of "Nyahaha" or "I'm tensai" or even "Baka kitsune". Most of all, one member of the basketball team is quieter than usual without the presence of a certain red head. No " do'aho" can be heard.

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At the end of practice

"Ano. Do you think something happened to Sakuragi?" asked a concerned Kogure.

"Humph! That baka is probably slacking off somewhere," said Mitsui, lazily. He then sat down and leaned against the gym wall with a towel draped on his neck.

"Ha Kogure-san. If you are so worried maybe the guntai there can tell you eh," said Miyagi. He drank from a bottle and continued, "I have to admit though. It's weird that Hanamichi and Youhei is not around."

"Eh? Youhei is not here?" asked a frowning Ayako. "Aren't those misfits always together? Why are those three here without the other two? Hmmm. I'm going to get to the bottom of this" With that, Ayako accidentally slapped her lethal fan on poor Miyagi's head. (a/n: well who told him to stand so near his aya-chan)

"Itai…Aya-chan. Don't you * sniff * love me * sniff * anymore * sniff *" sniffed a very puppy looking Miyagi a.k.a Ryocchin.

Ayako not noticing her lethal fan claiming another victim for that day, just went on her way towards a very disgruntled looking guntai and leaving behind a wailing Ryocchin.

"Oi. Where's Sakuragi?" asked Ayako, looking at the guntai daring them to answer her quickly. All three glanced at her fan and then glanced at each other. Finally, Takamiya answered with a slightly peeved voice. "Dunno. We couldn't find him and Youhei. They didn't tell us a thing." Ookusu then said, "We were hoping to find them here. But - ," "They're not here," interrupted Noma. "Yeah, probably having some fun somewhere and not inviting us." "Yeah!"

Thus, the three continued with their self-pitying while Ayako frowned again. //Where are you Sakuragi Hanamichi//. Somehow, she has a bad feeling about this. Ayako wasn't the only one to think so. Sitting nearby, a pair of ice blue eyes had a thoughtful look as he heard the conversation.

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A/n: ok ok. I know this fic is a tad confusing neh. Ummm… this is my first fan fiction story. Usually I write my own stories so the characters are a bit OOC. Hope you'll like it and please R & R ok.