Slam Dunk Fan Fiction ❯ April 1st - The GIFT ❯ The Promise ( Chapter 12 )

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PART 12: THE PROMISE

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{Rukawa Manor}

"Hana!"

The shout resonated throughout the house and it effectively reached the hearing of a certain distraught redhead who stopped dead on his tracks. Whirling around, chocolate colored eyes that should be lighted with happiness upon hearing his name called by that voice were instead clouded and guilt laden as they searched frantically for a place to hide before the raven head could reach him. Finding one, Sakuragi hid behind an ajarred door and waited till the brunette pass by before coming out.

[Kitsune...] Following the disappearing figure with teary eyes, Sakuragi wished with all his heart to go after his boyfriend but, [I can't be with you right now.] Head bowed low, he closed his eyes and clenched his hands, the ache of wanting to be with his kitsune threatening to break him down. Shaking his head, he took deep breaths to calm himself before glancing again in the direction where Rukawa disappeared and with a sad smile, he ran in the opposite direction. His mind plagued by visions of what he saw in the library.

**** Flashback ****

An excited redhead ran down the stairs two steps at a time, dashed towards the library and did not even bother to knock but walked right in, obviously excited to surprise a certain fox-eyed brunette. However, upon entering, the brown pupils took in the empty library and the cheeky smile faded.

Scowling, the Shohoku forward was about to leave and maybe clobber the butler for lying when he saw a light flicker. Walking forward, he peeked behind the huge bookshelf that he passed and found, to his surprise, a room, and Rukawa.

Smiling broadly again, Sakuragi tiptoed forward, careful not to let his presence known just yet since the other had his back towards him, and was almost near the sliding doors that led to the inner sanctum when Rukawa moved. The movement stopped him in his tracks and shifted his attention to the huge wall-screened TV.

Once... twice... thrice... The redhead blinked more than three times before recognition dawned on him and all color left his face as he looked in horror at the stilled image in front of him.

[No… No… That's not … That's not me…] Sakuragi mentally denied, backing away unconsciously. Then he saw the stilled image moved and his gaze got transfixed on the couple in the video, playing out a scene that triggered a vague memory inside his head, like a dream of sort. Though in his dream, he hazily recalled seeing his boyfriend, not someone else and definitely not Fujima. Confused, he gripped both sides of his head and closed his eyes, shaking it from side to side as if to erase the image of him with Fujima in his mind.

Then suddenly, [Kaede…]

With only a glass door separating them, it would have been easy for Sakuragi to just reach for the handle, slide the door fully open, haul Rukawa to his feet, kiss him to prove his love and then deny, refute, or contradict everything in that video. However, he only got as far as outstretching an arm before retracting it back when the lone figure inside buried his head in-between his hands, obviously in pain, and the sight broke his heart. The urge to comfort his kitsune, to soothe away the latter's pain was too great, but the knowledge that he was the cause of that pain stopped him from barging inside. With tears gathering in his eyes, he slowly made a move to back away again, oblivious now of what was being shown or careless of whatever else that he had done. All he knew was that, he needed to get away, to be away from his significant other. Without further thought, he whirled around and vaguely felt bumping into someone, but since he was heedless of anything anymore, he stormed out of the library without even a backward glance.

**** End Flashback ****

Now, after running away, the redhead stood hesitant at the threshold of the solarium. It was rather fitting, and ironic at the same time, that of all the places he wished to find solace and solitude within the manor, his feet carried him to the only place that reminded him so much of Rukawa's love for him.

Heeding his heart's calling, Sakuragi ventured deeper and unconsciously sighed when he saw the Sakura tree that shades the wooden table and chair where he shared lunch with the Rukawa's earlier that day. Walking around, he touched the tree with one hand then leaned his whole body forward against it, drawing support as well as seeking comfort. Gradually, memories of the time Rukawa first shown affection towards him came drifting back in his mind and it soothed his chaotic nerves somehow. However… Images he saw in the library of him with the former Shoyo captain flashed before his eyes and it immediately chased the happy memories away.

Groaning, he squeezed his eyes shut and moaned, "Fujima..."

Though his head throbbed at the mention of the name, he forced his brain to link what little he remembered happened before he passed out to the damnable contents of the video. But, try as he might, he could not tie the two together. A huge gap was missing and he could not find it.

"What happened to me? What made me do it? Why did I do it?"

Frustrated, Sakuragi banged his head against the trunk of the Sakura tree in hopes that it would knock the images away and knock some sense into him, but to no avail. Spent and emotionally drained, he turned around, leaned against the tree, and then gazed upwards.

Before, he thought that the stars were angels or souls of the ones who passed away and whenever he was feeling sad or lonely, he would always look up and think that somehow, somewhere, someone was watching over him, keeping him safe. But now, gazing upwards held a deeper meaning for him because no matter if it were night or day, the clear blue of the sky would always remind him of, "Kaede…"

[I wish someone would tell me that I am just having a nightmare or that that video was a joke. I wish…] . Lowering his head, he slowly slid to the soiled earth then drew his knees to his chest. [I wish that you would just hold me and tell me that everything will be all right.] But… There was no Rukawa to do just that. No Rukawa to pacify his fears because… [I ran away from him.]

Half-burying his face between his knees, "I had to, Kaede. I just had to. I'm sorry." He sobbed, allowing the tears he was holding back to fall freely down his face.

Just a few feet away, a still panting raven head took in the forlorn picture made by the redhead and his heart contracted at the sight.

"Hana," Rukawa called but too soft it seemed since it did not even jar the redhead from his crying.

"Hana!" Rukawa called louder and this time… successful.

Upon hearing his name, Sakuragi's head shot up and turned slightly to stare at the source of that voice then immediately looked away. Finding his kitsune standing not far from him, mixed emotions started welling up and he felt more pained at the thought that he could not bring himself to walk to the other. Longing… Want… Need… Self-disgust… Anger… Sadness… All those emotions were raging rampant inside of him and Rukawa's presence made it even harder to restrain.

Oblivious of what his boyfriend was going through, Rukawa made a move to bridge the gap between them but stopped short when the latter suddenly stood up and held a hand.

Puzzled but waiting, "Please don't come near me, Kaede," Rukawa heard Sakuragi say.

"Why?"

Turning his tear stained face away, "Just don't," the redhead said but Rukawa would hear nothing of it. There was no way that he would stay even a minute away from his 'aho if he could help it. Hence, without saying anything, he walked silently towards Sakuragi and hugged him from behind. "I'm sorry, Hana, but I can't stay away. I don't want to be away from you ever again." After saying that, he felt the other tensed and went rigid within his embrace but he did not give much notice in that. All he knew and cared about was that things would be okay since the redhead was with him again.

If Shohoku's ace basketball player thought that things would be as easy as that then he was greatly mistaken for Sakuragi only allowed himself a moment to savor the feel of those arms around him before breaking away. Without even thinking of what his actions might do to the raven head, he took a hesitant step forward away from the latter and would have continued if not for...

"Wait!" Rukawa called, catching hold of Sakuragi's hand. "Where are you going?"

Without looking back, "Away. If you can't stay away from me then I'll leave," Sakuragi replied, his voice almost breaking as he said those words.

"What? Why?"

Shaking his head, "I need time alone. Time to sort things out and to find out what happened," he explained with tears falling down his face.

[What?] Not letting go of the hand he was holding, Rukawa walked around and stood in front of Sakuragi. Face to face, his breath hitched when he saw the tears and the expression of anguish on his 'aho's face. Instinctively, his free hand reached out and tenderly brushed the tears away. "Hana, I..." He started but stopped when the redhead slapped his hand away.

"Leave me alone, Kitsune, just... just let me be for a while!" Sakuragi half-cried, tugging his hand and whirling around, heading for the exit.

"No, wait!"

Pausing mid-way, the redhead glanced back and his heart ached when he saw confusion and hurt marring his boyfriend's handsome face. Tearing his gaze, [How could I stay when all I could give him now is more pain and sadness?] Clenching his hands, he squeezed his eyes shut and said, "I'm sorry, but I can't stay here much longer." Ignoring the audible gasp, he took deep breaths and opened his teary eyes to stare unseeingly in front of him then said in a firmer tone, "And…I don't think I can marry you either. Not now. Not after what happened," he ended with a choke; bowing his head low as the sobs that came after that statement started rocking his body, gluing him from where he was standing.

As for Rukawa… The raven head felt like he got struck by lightning. His face became deathly pale and all he could hear for a moment were the words...

< I don't think I can marry you… I don't think I can marry you… I don't think I can marry you… >

… echoing in his ears, tearing his heart. He could not move. He could not react. But when Sakuragi made a move to advance further towards the inner solarium's exit, it effectively jarred him back to his senses and his expression became determined. [I won't let you leave me, Hanamichi. Not now… Not ever!] Thus with that in mind, he ran the distance and clamped his hand hard on Sakuragi's shoulder, turning the latter around. "No! You're not leaving this place. You're not leaving me and you are definitely going to marry me," he stated through barely controlled anger, heedless of the other's state of personal distress.

"No… No… No…" The redhead kept saying, shaking his head vigorously from side to side, as he tried to push Rukawa away but the other just would not let go of his arm. However, after a while, "No!" He shouted, pushing with all his might and finally succeeding. "I said leave me alone! Can't you understand that I can't be with you anymore?" Backing away, his expression was one of self-loathing and anger as he ranted, "I've betrayed you! I have been with another man. Aren't you even mad with that? Don't you even feel jealous or disgusted?"

With tears streaming down his face, he shoved Rukawa aside and ran back towards the Sakura tree. However, as luck would have it, a fallen tree branch tripped him before he could reach the exit on the other side. Furious with himself and with the situation, he slammed his fist hard on the ground and stayed down till he was hauled to his feet. "I said leave…" he tried saying but a fist connected painfully to his jaw, making him land hard on his butt on the soiled ground.

Eyeing his fallen beloved, "Did you think that I loved watching that video or even having witnessed it myself?" Rukawa fumed, hands clenched on his sides. "I was hurt, yes, and I have been feeling like hell ever since Hanagata told me about Fujima's feelings for you!" He half-shouted and disregarded the look of aghast that replaced the surprise on Sakuragi's face.

"Kaede, I…"

"Shut up!" Rukawa interjected, blue eyes glinting with naked pain and anger. Raking his fingers through his tousled dark tresses, "You don't know half of what I went through the minute I found out that he took you and since I knew of his feelings for you…" Shaking his head, "I was scared, frantic, desperate, and almost went out of my mind with worry and dread. Then… When I finally caught up with you…" Exhaling, he crouched beside Sakuragi, leveling their gazes, and encased one basketball callous hand into his as he softly said, "… you were there on the bed, with him."

Seeing the blue pupils glistening with unshed tears and add the pain and sadness shrouding the handsome face, Sakuragi threw his earlier resolutions to the wind and followed what his heart had been telling him to do ever since Rukawa found him. Without anymore hesitation or qualms on his part, he leaned towards the other's chest and cried, "I'm sorry, Kaede. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Wrapping his arms around the other, Rukawa held the crying redhead in his arms and his face softened to one of tenderness. "Shh… I know, Hana, I know," he cajoled, stroking Sakuragi's back and kissing the latter's forehead. "Please don't cry anymore. You know that I can't bear to see you cry."

Controlling the sobs, "I can't help it. Just thinking that I have hurt you… that I have caused you pain… I… I don't want to think about it anymore, Kaede. Please make it stop." Sakuragi mumbled, burrowing deeper within the warmth of the embrace.

Realizing the uncomfortable position that they were in, Rukawa moved close to the Sakura tree and leaned his back against it, pulling the redhead with him. Once comfortable, he drew Sakuragi close to his chest, just like what he did in the car, and wrapped his arms tightly around the other.

Placing his chin on top of the crimson mane, "It will, Hana-kun, I promise. But before that, I want you to swear that you'd never try and leave me again."

"But what if I hurt you again?"

Laughing softly, "You might. But as long as I know that I have your love, I could handle it. However… If you leave me," Tightening his arms around the other, "I don't think I could handle that, Hana-kun. Please… Please promise me that you'll always be with me. No matter what. No matter what happens. Promise me!"

Sakuragi was speechless and for a moment, thoughts of Fujima and of what he did vanished entirely from his mind. All he could think of were Rukawa's words and something with the way he said them made him remember a rather similar conversation they had not so long ago.

*** Flashback ***

{Rooftop - Shohoku High School}

After finishing their shared lunch, Rukawa moved to sit in-between his legs and leaned against his chest. Making out on school grounds was never their thing so he knew that the other simply wanted to cuddle, a loving habit that his kitsune had grown accustomed to, much to his delight. Thus, with a slight chuckle, he wrapped his arms around the other and he himself leaned against the railing to support both their weights.

As he was enjoying the companionable silence, his mind drifted to a pressing problem of what to give his kitsune on Valentine's day when the latter suddenly spoke, breaking his thoughts as well as surprising him for he thought that the other had fallen asleep, as always.

"See that Sakura tree Hana-kun?" Rukawa pointed to the lone tree standing near the school grounds. "Its petals may wilt and die and the tree's magnificence might be lost for some time but as long as the tree itself is kept alive, the petals would again bloom and give the tree back its famed beauty and grandeur."

After hearing such remark from his usually tight-lipped and rarely romantic boyfriend, he laughed.

"I'm sorry, Kaede, but I am just not used to hear such words from you. Go on, continue," he urged after planting an apologetic kiss on Rukawa's lips when the latter turned to glare at him.

Though pacified, Rukawa did not return to his previous position but instead leaned sideways. Instinctively, he raised his leg left up and let his kitsune use his left leg and arm as headrest.

Seeing the seriousness that suddenly beset his boyfriend's blue eyes, he refrained from further saying anything and just waited as he trail his forefinger along the other's jaw. With blue gaze locked onto his, "Hana... You... You do love me, right?"

Of all the possible things that Rukawa might say, he did not expect that one. Smiling, "Why ask me when you already know the answer?" He baited, tapping the other's nose, and waited.

Rising to the bait, "Just answer me, 'aho," Rukawa snapped and he grinned before swooping to claim the brunette's lips for a searing kiss that could easily be answer enough. However, knowing his boyfriend's tendency to be obstinate... "Yes, I do love you, Kaede Rukawa, with all my heart," he said after he broke their kiss. "Satisfied?" Seeing a nod and a small smile, "Now, what does loving you have to do with all that thing you said about that tree?" He asked.

At that, Rukawa sat up straight and faced him with a somber expression. "Nothing much but, I want to ask you something." When he nodded his head, Rukawa continued and stared solemnly into his eyes. "You're thinking of a Valentine's gift for me, right?"

Taken aback, he looked away, sheepish, and started stammering, "Er... yeah well..."

Rukawa shook his head and immediately cut him off by saying, "I don't need anything from you but a promise." Feeling his hands gripped, he turned to look at Rukawa and heard him say, "A promise that whatever happens we make our relationship as strong as that Sakura tree, withstanding the tides as long as we keep our love for each other alive. Can you do that?"

Tongue-tied, he could only stare dumbly at first and then chuckled as he said, "You worry too much."

Rukawa shook his head again and said, "Just promise me, Hana!"

Seeing that his boyfriend would not let the matter drop... He unclasped his hands from the other and tenderly cupped the face before him then said, "I promise that whatever happens, we stick together. You and I. Ok?"

With that, Rukawa nodded his head and sighed then returned to his earlier position of leaning against his chest, sleeping the afternoon away in his arms till its time for them to conveniently return to their respective classes.

*** End Flashback ***

[A promise… I've promised him before and I almost broke that promise by running away.]

Feeling a surprising calm settling inside of him, Sakuragi broke free from the tight embrace and looked straight into cobalt blue eyes then said, "I promise that whatever happens, we stick together. You and I." It was a repeat of what he said that other time and by the look of the smile that transformed his kitsune's face with one of sheer beauty and perfection, he knew that Rukawa remembered.

Overflowing with happiness, the raven head cupped the tear stained face and kissed his beloved 'aho, making the remnants of whatever pain, sadness, or anything negative that he had felt fade into nothingness.

Breaking apart, "I love you, Hanamichi."

Leaning his forehead against the other, "I love you too, Kaede."

Locked in each other's embrace, the couple savored each other's presence for a while before Rukawa broke it by saying, "I think it's time that you know everything and by everything I mean watching the whole video. Are you ready for that?"

"I'm not but, if it means knowing everything then I don't have a choice now, do I?"

Nodding, "No. You don't. But there's really nothing to be worried about." Stroking the redhead's face, "You didn't betray me, Hana," he softly revealed, whispering against the other's ear.

Baffled, "Huh? But I saw…"

Standing up, Rukawa offered his hand and hauled the redhead to his feet. "You'll know soon enough. Now come."

While dusting the fallen leaves from their clothes, Sakuragi noticed Rukawa's left arm. "Kitsune! What happened? Why are you hurt?" He asked in succession, already checking the said arm for its injury.

"It's nothing. It's just a minor cut that I got after breaking through Fujima's window."

"What?"

"I'll explain later. Now, come on," Rukawa urged, leaving the solarium hand-in-hand as they head straight for the library.

Once at the threshold, Sakuragi stopped and tugged at the hand that was holding his. "Will you stay with me?"

Though the raven head knew that his boyfriend was referring to the watching of the video, his smile of assurance and promise was for eternity as he said, "Always, Hanamichi. I'll always stay with you."

With that, Sakuragi followed Rukawa into the library and thought that whatever happens or whatever he may see, [everything would be okay as long as I have Kaede with me.]

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THE END

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Epilogue to be posted soon.....................

Minna... Thank you very much for reading and supporting this fic... I can't thank you all enough. I hope you guys liked the ending though. and as always.. Please read and review. If you find anything wrong with the way I write please tell me so I would know. I'm not saying that I would do it but... who knows? winks