A Different Path

Disclaimers: Slam Dunk and all mentioned [Japanese] characters are not mine, they belong to Takehiko Inoue-sama. As for the American cast...er, they're all a figment of my constantly-bashed-on-the-wall head, even I don't know where the names came from. But oh well... ^_^'
Notes and Warnings: Shounen ai warning as usual between Rukawa-sama and Sakuragi-kun. I won't tolerate anti-yaoi comments. I've given the warning, whoever would be the genius enough not to understand that will be completely ignored. Sensible comments will be greatly appreciated! =^.^=

Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Reunion

"Yo, Kaede!"

The dribbling of the orange basketball against the hard floors of the court stopped momentarily. Asian blue eyes that distinctly stood out among the rest looked up to regard the blonde-haired boy, the one that had just called his name. The wince that had come out of his pale features when he heard his first name being uttered so casually was left ignored, as an arm carelessly droop itself on top of his shoulders as if it was the most common thing to do.

Kaede Rukawa rolled his eyes, not even caring if anybody saw his evident lack of interest to what the other boy was going to say. Obviously, these boys he was with had no idea as to what he was back in his old school. Neither did they know that if the 'Ice King' gives you 'the glare', you better start running lest you risk getting beaten to a pulp. So obviously, they also didn't know that 'touching' is not in his vocabulary.

"What do you want?" he crudely asked before starting to dribble the ball again in his side. He wasn't really sure if he had the American accent right, but he had studied the language well enough back in Japan, so he supposed he couldn't have been that bad. And after all, it's not like he's the talking kind anyway. Sometimes he would even regret letting other people know he can understand them, then maybe it would give him enough reason to just be quiet and do his playing the way he wanted to.

Right after he had graduated from highschool, he was given the opportunity to finally go to America. It was a kind of scholarship really. An uncle of his was behind it. He had convinced Kaede's parents to let the boy live with him in the US, even if right now, Kaede was living alone in an apartment near his school. He and his uncle had settled that the school was too far away, and decided to just let him live alone during school days. But the owner of the apartment he was renting had told him that his nephew might be coming to visit, and had asked if it was okay to share the space up until his nephew leaves. Thinking it may not be so long, he decided that it was all right, provided that he gets to keep his business to himself.

His uncle had told his parents that he had found a university that would allow him to study with a minimum amount of tuition fee in exchange for his talents in basketball. He really didn't get how it worked, but what the hell, he was somewhere he wants to be in, and he's already living out his dream. What else must he look for?

But a small sigh did escape him. Yes, he knew he should be grateful. But he couldn't help but feel a little homesick. It was strange thinking about it. Since when had he started growing attached to some place anyway? He didn't even spend his childhood back in Kanagawa after all. As far as he was concerned, he had gone through moving to one place to the next, what's so different with Kanagawa then?

Another sigh. No, not now. Moping around about the past at the very moment when someone he hardly cared about is right in front of him grinning like a lunatic is not very much of a good timing. Kaede decided to push back all his thoughts away lest he becomes obvious that he's deep in thought, and just settled on dribbling the ball continuously in his hand.

The other boy tilted his head to one side to meet Kaede's eyes. "I hope you remember me. Alexander Black, we played together on the last practice match between the freshmen and the sophomores?"

Kaede nodded. "I remember," he said, trying to suppress his impatience. Actually, he didn't remember the guy, but what difference did it make?

The boy grinned wider, if possible. "Great! Call me Alex. Anyway, guess what coach just told me," he said, obviously excited. He was already grinning from ear to ear, as if he just bore the greatest of news, whatever it was supposed to be.

Kaede looked at him. He decided that crushing the boy's enthusiasm wouldn't be very nice, even if it was highly tempting. So he yielded. "What?" he asked, prompting him to continue with his ground-breaking information.

"We'll be having a new member!" he declared, his grin widening so much that Kaede would've sworn his face would tear out.

Too bad it didn't, he thought sardonically.

Unflinching, he continued to stare at the other with no response. "That's it?" he asked, impatience brewing very dangerously inside of him. He was keeping his peace trying to practice and this crazy bloke just prances in and tells him something he wouldn't even give a damn about? Who cares if they'll have a new member? That was not very good news after all, more members means more competition. Not that Kaede didn't believe he can beat them all though, but that was beside the point.

Alex frowned. "What do you mean 'that's it'? Aren't you even excited?" he asked, disappointed.

Kaede turned away. "No."

Alex snorted. "You really are the cold one, Kaede. Anyway, I decided to tell you that because I also heard that he came from the same country as you did. Great isn't it? We have two Japanese members already!"

But just before Alex noticed that he was deliberately ignored once again, another player came in. Anthony Edwards, a boy who bore the same features like Alex's, approached them, looking over at Alex from behind his shoulders. "Hey! You mean that new guy? He's my classmate in Economics, really funny fellow," he said, his face reflecting amusement as he thought about the mentioned guy.

Alex raised his eyebrows, mildly interested. "Yeah? Did you get his name?"

"Er," Anthony stuttered, tapping his temple, trying to remember. "I know Mr. Matthews had mentioned it at the start of the class. Agh, Clarissa and May were being so loud I wasn't even able to catch it. Let's see..."

Kaede half-consciously listened to all these words. He wasn't really interested, but what else could he do? Like he had a chance to stay away from his teammates' boisterous conversations anyway.

"Ah, I remember! Quite a strange name, why don't you Chinese guys change your names to something more American anyway?"

"They're Japanese, you idiot," retorted Alex.

"Whatever! What's the difference, Chinese, Japanese, they all have the '-ese' anyway! Now shut up, I'm getting the name back," said Anthony, who was still trying to form the name of his classmate in his head.

Alex rolled his eyes, not knowing that Kaede had just done the same behind his back. He tapped his foot. "Well?"

Anthony's face scrunched up in a look of ungraceful concentration. "Sa...something 'Sa'," he said, scratching his head.

Alex rolled his eyes again. "Big help, genius," he said sarcastically.

"Hey, at least I was able to remember something!"

"Yeah right. You just made me even more tense, bozo!"

Kaede sighed exasperatedly, trying to shut out the loud voices of his teammates. His eyes then scanned the whole team, realizing that the group had grown in size and was near to being complete.

The loud clapping of hands interrupted Kaede's line of thought.

"All right, people, settle down! Are we all here?" It was Meynard Page, the basketball team captain.

Another boy holding a clipboard raised his hand. "We have a new member, captain. He's not here yet though," he said, glancing back at the list on the clipboard, then back at the team to confirm his announcement.

But as if on cue, the gym doors burst open to reveal a tall, red-haired young man, panting and obviously tired. He looked like he had just ran around the whole school. "I'm here!" he declared, his loud voice thundering around the covered court. "Sorry I'm late, I got lost."

Kaede's eyes widened. Why did that voice just seem familiar? He felt nervous, feeling the fast beating of his heart inside his chest just by the sheer recognition of that voice. Of all things to imagine when he was thinking about Kanagawa, it just had to be that idiot, isn't it?

Not trusting his ears alone, he yielded to his curiosity and looked back. It didn't help. It just confirmed his doubts.

He took a sharp breath. "Sa--"

"Sakuragi Hanamichi!" came the captain's equally loud voice. "For your information, tardiness is not tolerated in this team. But since this is your first day, I suppose we could let you go this once," he said, stepping back to welcome the new-comer.

Everyone except a certain young, raven-haired young man welcomed the new member as well. Not even noticing that even his tongue was getting homesick, he muttered, "N-Nanda?"

The red-haired new member's eyes shot open upon hearing a very familiar word. His eyes quickly found the other one's own even without a moment's difficulty. He seemed just as surprised. "Kitsune!"

The whole team, now conscious of the two's exchange of 'greeting', looked at them alternately. But it was Alex who spoke. "You two know each other?" he asked, looking at Kaede. "You didn't tell me you've already met, Kaede!"

But Kaede shook his head. "Same highschool," he said, deciding that it was enough to explain the situation.

A loud laughter rang through after Kaede's words though. "K-Kaede? Hounto ni? Hahahahaha, Kaede!" came Hanamichi's response. Not many members got why he was laughing, but Kaede sure did. All his life, he had been known as 'Rukawa', no one would even dare call him by his first name back in Japan unless he or she was a family member. So it wasn't a surprise that Hanamichi had found it weird hearing it out.

Kaede glared at him. "Urusai, do'ahou," he growled. Now why did that just sound right? Kaede had to kick himself mentally lest he go through those homesick moments again.

Hanamichi returned the challenge in his glare. "Iya! Tensai Hanamichi desu, nyahahahahaha!!!"

Somehow, Kaede expected that response. He turned his back. "Yare yare..."

"Teme...baka yarou, Rukawa!"

"Hn."

"Tch, yakimochi no ka, kitsune?"

"Iie."

"Dai kirai da yo!"

"Do'ahou."

"Kitsune!"

By now, the whole team was either gravely confused with the unfamiliar words or watching unblinkingly at the show that was just ensuing. Here was Kaede Rukawa, their ever-so-wordless teammate, obviously welcoming a fight. With a new student they hardly knew no doubt.

"All right, enough! Snap out of it already!" came Meynard, taking a hold of his whistle and blowing at it full force. That got the two players' attention. He sighed. "I won't bother asking you what you two were talking about because they seem to be as senseless as they sounded," he said, casting the two a glare. "BUT, aside from tardiness, Mr. Sakuragi, we also do not tolerate members picking fights with other members."

Hanamichi stuttered. "But--!"

"Now now, let's not get defensive. Who had just recently argued, may I ask? Oh, and the use of other languages, especially Japanese, is not allowed. That's a new rule from now on, clear?"

Hanamichi frowned, but kept quiet. But not for long.

Unable to restrain himself, Kaede spoke before he realized it. "Do'ahou." Call it instinct.

Brown eyes shot back to glare at the other's blue ones as if he was made to kill. "Urusai!" he hissed, cracking his knuckles just for emphasis. A low cough sounded from the captain's throat, warning them both for breaking the new rule. Hanamichi cursed under his breath, but just to be sure, he turned back to Kaede. "Shut up," he hissed, once again.

But Kaede wasn't taunted. He had three years practice for this, and even if a year had passed since he last saw Hanamichi, he still had it in him. To pick fights that is. "Hn, as if I'll listen to a moron like you..." and he started to walk away.

A nerve popped. To hell with rules. "Temeee...kitsune!!!"

* * * * * * * * * *

"I can't believe I'm suspended from the team! For two days! On the first day of my entry no doubt!" complained a frustrated Hanamichi as he fixed his things in his gym bag.

Anthony laughed. "Well that's what you get when you anger our captain. Imagine, you just had to pounce on Kaede when you're both right in front of him!" he said, laughter filling him again before he turned to Kaede. "And you just had to fight back, don't you?"

"..." the raven-haired boy just turned away, ignoring Anthony completely with only a last scowl at Hanamichi.

Another team member replied. "But you can't blame Hanamichi, Kaede did start the fight," he said, casting a worried glance at the other boy. He yipped and hid behind Hanamichi when, as expected, Kaede cast him a death glare.

Hanamichi laughed. "Unlike in Shohoku, it seems that I'll be treated fairly here, nyahahahaha!!!"

Anthony turned back to Hanamichi. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Hanamichi snorted. "Hmph! Even if I'm a genius there, and most probably the ace--"

Kaede snorted. And was rewarded with a glare. He and Hanamichi know fully well just who was the real ace between the two of them. Fortunately for Hanamichi, Kaede's ego isn't as big as his. Obvious bragging is not his style.

"As I was saying," continued Hanamichi, "people there tend to take me for granted. Like during my first year, there was Micchy and Ryochin. They were always on Rukawa's side for some reason, I bet he's their favorite. Like the captain's favorite now is Rukawa."

"I'm not," defended Kaede. "If you're not the moron that you obviously are, you'll know I'm also suspended."

"Yeah, but he likes you more than he likes me, so what's the difference?"

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not."

"Guys!" cried another member, an uneasy smile on his face. "Let's quit the arguing okay? Were you always like this back in highschool?"

Without hesitation, the two replied, "Yes." Then cast a glare at the other.

A sweatdrop ran down everyone's heads. "Well, we better should be going now before you two kill each other," said Alex, who was amusedly watching the two from one corner of the shower room. He distinctly reminded both Kaede and Hanamichi of Akira Sendoh, but of course, that was another story.

Everybody nodded their heads and started picking up their things. After a few minutes, the room was cleared of any player, the sound click of the light switch signaling the lights off.

* * * * * * * * * *

[30 minutes later, in a dark street at about 7:30 in the evening...]

"Quit following me, Rukawa!"

"Do'ahou. I'm not following you," retorted Kaede, irately walking a few feet behind Hanamichi. He was supposed to shut up after that, but for some reason, he couldn't resist adding the next statement. "Little do I know that you're the one doing the following."

Hanamichi snorted. "Me? Follow you? Why would I want to do that?!"

Kaede rolled his eyes. "And what makes you think I want to do the same with you?" he asked back.

Hanamichi 'hmphed'. "Well as far as I'm concerned, I'm on my way home!" he said, resting his head on his hands.

Kaede could feel his brow twitching. "Where the hell do you think I'm going?"

A few minutes later, they entered the same subdivision. Then, brown and blue stared at the remaining street corner that featured a dead end right at the tip of its street.

They blinked.

"Don't tell me you're my neighbor!" cried Hanamichi pointing a hand at his just as pale, ebony-haired companion.

Kaede scowled. "Who wants to be your neighbor anyway?" he snapped back at the other.

They continued walking, glaring at each other, but just before they could engage into another cursing frenzy, eventually a fist fight, a third voice sounded from ahead of them.

"Hanamichi! Hanamichi, is that you?" the voice asked.

"Yes! Be right there, uncle!" Hanamichi turned his head, obviously recognizing the voice. Unfortunately, he's not the only one who did.

If Kaede grew paler than he was when they rounded the same street, no one would even dare describe his color now that he knew that Hanamichi knew the keeper of his apartment. And he called him his 'uncle' too no doubt.

"Aah! So you've met Mr. Rukawa, I see!"

That can only mean...

"Huh? You know this guy, unc'?"

Kami-sama...please don't...

"Of course, Hanamichi. By the way, Kaede, remember the deal we had about your space in the apartment?"

It was tempting to say no. Actually, it was tempting to snap and say no. But unfortunately, Kaede chose this moment to be polite. "Yes," he replied with a small nod, dreading the upcoming announcement.

"Huh? What deal? Hey uncle, what does that supposed to mean?"

The old man smiled good-naturedly. "Hanamichi, I guess I need not introduce Kaede to you?" he asked with a smile and continued. "He'll be your housemate from now on."

Silence.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

End of Chapter 1

A/N:
Agh! I give up! My stupid brain has finally snapped and whatever inspiration I have of Study Partners is now long gone out to the seven seas *sulks in her corner*. But I figured that just because I can't continue making that messed up fanfic doesn't mean I have stopped making them all in all. I'm into a lot of animes lately (Gensomaden Saiyuki is bloody brilliant!) and I'm doing a bunch of other fanfics here, but what the hell, I won't betray my beloved Rukawa-sama ^_^ And I'm a Hanamichi fan too, yay! ^0^ So er...not really much of a brilliant excuse, but I hope this fanfic can make up for my other dead fanfic. I still wish I can continue that one though, that was a complete waste of a rarely sensible plot from a not-so-sensible brain *points at her head* ^_^;;; And with this brain of mine, I doubt I'll be able to come up with another one. So to anybody who can suggest a good continuation for it, please email me and I'll be magnanimous in gratitude! *bows down gratefully*

This is my first time calling Rukawa-sama 'Kaede' and Sakuragi-kun 'Hanamichi' in fanfics, so bear with me ^_^ I guess I'm still not used to it. But since my setting is on America, I supposed that maybe I really should just use their names. What do you guys think? Did it turn out well? Ehe...criticize me in your reviews, I want to know your opinion on this one ^-^' Thank you for your time!

Oh, and about the Japanese argument between the two, don't mind that. Like the captain had said, they're as senseless as they had sounded ^_^

- Cherrie ([email protected])