" Yohei can be a real asshole sometimes but really, he's a great guy!  Don't tell him that I told you that though, Rukawa, cos that head of his might swell if he finds out that the Tensai said that about him."  Pausing to think over what he had just said, Hanamichi snorted, looking at the silent boy walking beside him through the corner of his eyes.  " I guess that I have nothing to worry about with you, though.  Seeing as how you don't talk to anybody."

Rukawa made no comment, perfectly content with just listening to Hanamichi talk and feeling no need to contribute to the boy's aimless chatter.  Another basketball practice had gone by without any fist fights breaking out between the two of them, much to the surprise of the others and to the disappointment of Mitsui, who had made a bet with Miyagi that the two couldn't go for another practice without bashing each other up.  Surprisingly enough, he found that he enjoyed his fellow freshman's company, even though he couldn't keep himself from wondering at the back of his mind what had brought about this sudden change.  He supposed that he should just enjoy it.  He had never thought the do'aho could be such pleasant company.

And such a genuinely nice person at that.  He had always just thought of Hanamichi as a full of himself loud mouth with a too high opinion of himself.  He had never had the opportunity to see the amusing, thoughtful side of him that he was just now beginning to know.

The redhead  had spent the rest of lunch giving him a blow by blow account of the ' Ketchup Eating Speed Challenge' and how he had wanted to have a ' Mustard Eating Speed Challenge' too, with double stakes of course, seeing that mustard would be a lot more difficult to hold down than just plain old ketchup.  Mitsui had been interested, at first.  He had wanted to win his money back, but Kogure had put his foot down and had threatened him with the prospect of many lonely nights by himself if he even thought about taking Hanamichi up on his challenge.  Hanamichi had even walked him to his classroom.

Then, once class was over, he had found the redhead loitering outside his classroom, waiting for him to come out just so that they could walk to practice together.  On the way to the gym, Hanamichi had managed to force some information out of Rukawa about himself and he had found out that they actually lived only a few blocks from each other.  So right then and there he decided that the two of them would walk home together afterwards.  Which was why Rukawa was silently wheeling his bike beside him, listening to Hanamichi recalling how he had first become friends with the Sakuragi Guntai.

"...So then I was innocently walking around, minding my own business, when this kid crashes into me and shoves this ice cream cone right on my face!  Even back then, Yohei already had that stupid hair style of his...You know, the one where he uses lots of gel and sort of combs it back.  It's 'cos his mom thinks it cute.  Anyways, so, I bashed him up real bad for daring to mess up the Tensai's face.  And that was how we met.  We became real close while we were at detention and even until now we're still best friends..."

For the first time since the two of them had left the Shohuku gym, Rukawa spoke.  " Do you always do that?"

Hanamichi was surprised but rather pleased that Rukawa had finally spoken.  After all, it made him feel sort of stupid having to carry on a one sided conversation with himself, although he knew that Rukawa was right there listening.  " Do what all the time, Rukawa?"

The fact that Hanamichi was actually calling him by his name instead of that stupid nickname that he had dubbed him by was also another plus that came with this new and improved Hanamichi Sakuragi.  So, he rewarded the guy by dropping his customary do'aho.  " Do you always bash people up the first time that you meet them?"

Grinning sheepishly, Hanamichi rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.  It made him feel ashamed, looking back on all of the horrible things that he had done to Rukawa.  But anyways, at least he was trying to make up for all those times right now, now that Sendo had told him the truth.  " That...Oh, well...You know.  People make mistakes.  I didn't like you back then..."

" And now?" Rukawa asked quietly, his cold blue eyes meeting with Hanamichi's brown ones.  If he could just get to the bottom of everything then maybe he could finally enjoy his new found friendship with his team mate without worrying every few seconds that something was up.  Because that was what he was doing, even at that moment.

" Now...Well..."  Hanamichi shrugged, trying to come up with some sort of intelligent answer to this.  "Now I guess that you're not really that bad after all, Rukawa."

" What changed your mind?"

" Huh?  Hey!  What do you have to interrogate the Tensai for, huh?"  Hanamichi hid his discomfort at all of Rukawa's questions with a hearty laugh.  He was getting worried.  Obviously, Rukawa found it unusual for him to be so nice to him and everything.  Hanamichi just wanted to get it all out in the open.  He wanted to tell Rukawa that he knew all about his secret and that he didn't have to put on the brave facade for him anymore.

" Just curious."  Rukawa went on doggedly.  He didn't ask many questions from anybody, but when he did, he liked to have them answered to his satisfaction.  " What changed your mind?"

" I...I don't know...Rukawa!"  Hanamichi's face flushed, his fists clenching to his sides.  He reminded himself over and over again that he had a promise to Sendo and the Tensai never broke his promises.  Never ever.  " Look, should it even matter?  We're getting on with each other now.  That's the important thing to remember."

Seeing that Hanamichi had no intention of answering, Rukawa decided to just let the subject go as they walked on towards Rukawa's home.  At least for the moment anyways.
 

~**~

" I thought that you were supposed to meet me and Hiro-kun today!  We were going to watch that great new movie!  I can't believe that you ditched us, Rukawa-kun!  How can you be so inconsiderate!"  Sendo's whiny voice came through loudly from the phone.  From the background, Rukawa heard a groan and Koshino's voice begging Sendo to just shut up.  " What could possibly have been so important that you would forget our plans just like that!  You picked the movie, remember?  You were the one that wanted to watch it!"

" I forgot.  All right?"

" No!  It's not all right!  Tell me, what kept you from meeting me and Hiro-kun."

" Sendo, I am tired."  Rukawa said finally.  He was tempted to just slam the receiver back down onto it's cradle and cut Sendo off but he knew the guy.  Sendo would just keep calling and calling and calling until Rukawa finally broke down from sheer annoyance and told him everything.  " I just got home.  I want to shower.  I want to sleep."

" How come you just got home then?"

" What do you care?" Rukawa demanded, barely suppressing a yawn as his eyes fell on the clock on his bedroom wall.

" Tell me or I won't leave you alone."

Rukawa gritted his teeth.  Sendo had better watch out the next time that the two of them met.  He had just about lost his patience with that guy.  " I was playing one on one."

" With who?"

" Sakuragi."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line.  " You serious?"

" We were walking back to my house and we passed a court.  We decided to play.  I beat him.  Enough info?" Rukawa didn't even wait for his reply.  " Good.  Don't bother me anymore then."

He slammed the receiver back down onto his cradle and yanked the plug off the phone, just to make sure that the persistent Sendo would not be able to reach him again.
 

~**~

" It's working Hiro-kun!"  Sendo yelled happily, throwing the cordless phone carelessly onto the sofa and flinging his arms around a scowling Koshino.  " Hanamichi-kun walked Rukawa home!  He walked Rukawa home!"  From the way that he had said this, you would have thought that Hanamichi had finally proposed to Rukawa or something.  " Everything is working out so perfectly, Hiro-kun!  They're falling in love with each other!"

Koshino just sighed, prying Sendo's hold off him.  Despite of the many times that he had pointed out that it was best that they confront Rukawa with the truth, Sendo still persisted on his stupid theory that true love would prevail over the lies.   " This is all going to end up badly, Kira-kun."  Koshino's prediction still did not manage to wipe the goofy smile off his boyfriend's face.  " Just you wait and see.  I know that you just want to help Rukawa out, but you're just going to end up hurting him with this stunt of yours.  And Hanamichi too..."