A/N: Kon nichiwa, minna-san!!! This is just a one-shot RuHaru song fic that popped into my mind when I was reading some Samurai X fics that got into me. This is a bit tragic, I suppose. Flames can be accepted.

Disclaimer: I do not own Slam Dunk; it’s owned by Takehiko Inoue. The song, plot and Mikaru are mine. “Goodbye Forever” is taken from my own novel.

Note: The first part is Haruko’s point of view. The second one is Rukawa’s. The ones in Italics is the song itself. Go figure.

Goodbye Forever

Haruko’s POV

I give up. This is hopeless. There’s no chance he’ll ever love me. After all, he ignores me!

Girl: I have tried several times; I have tried a million times

But there was nothing more I could really do

Sitting on the bench after the game, I sighed as I looked desperately at them. Ayako-san was absent that day, so I was in charge. Who I was really looking at? To make it more specific, him.

At least I’m in my right mind for once…I’m not so in love with him now than I used to…and besides, there might be someone else there for me…someone who’ll at least recognize me. I’ve had enough.

I never knew how to say it; I never really had the courage to

I really couldn’t say those three words straight to you

Months of being a love-sick puppy over someone…someone who is almost incapable of loving…

Rukawa-kun…why? Why do you let yourself be run by your mind? Why have you kept your heart in bay? Why do you continue to ignore me? Why?

What could I do? You never really listen

You continue to ignore

I can’t ask you these questions directly…you won’t answer me anyways…wait, is that…is that Mikaru-kun? Isn’t that the guy Sakuragi-kun punched the other day for no good reason (or was it?)? Why is he here? Isn’t he supposed to be in Kendo class now? What’s the—

Kami-sama, he’s carrying a gun! Somebody’s going to get hurt!

What can I do? You never seem to care

You could never understand

Where is he—he’s heading straight for the guys! He might get oniisan! No, wait, oniisan’s having a class…I punch myself on the head. Baka, Haruko! Ugh, never mind! I’ve got to warn the guys!

And now I’m leaving you

There is nothing more I can do

I ran up to them, full speed. I scream at them at what’s happening, and then they all looked at Mikaru-kun. Sakuragi-kun almost reddened in rage and if his gundam hadn’t been there to stop him, he would have crushed him… (Maybe it’s better that way…if I did know what was going to happen to me…)

Kogure-san, Mitsui-san and Miyagi-san ran to Mikaru-kun to get his gun and stop him from creating any trouble. I just stood there, rooted to the basketball floor. I placed my hand over my lips to control its trembling. I looked beside me, and there he was…Rukawa-kun, just looking at what was happening.

For Kami-sama’s sake, why won’t he do anything?!?

If I remain, the more I will have pain

If I leave, the lesser pain it will give

I looked back again. Mikaru-kun had fought his way out of Kogure-kun’s grasp. He fell, screaming for Mikaru-kun to stop. The gun was still with him. I saw Miyagi-san run to get oniisan. Mitsui-san was on the ground, knocked out. I ran to Mitsui-san’s and Kogure-san’s aid. I knelt and looked over; luckily, they were alright. I looked back and I saw Mikaru-kun narrow his eyes and aim…

At first I thought I was the target, since his eyes followed me when I ran to the guys. Then, I blinked. No. I heaved a sigh of relief. He turned. He pointed it to the last person in the basketball court, still standing, not partaking in anything.

No…no…not Rukawa-kun!

You never really cared, that’s what I know

I know the fact that you will never show

Rukawa-kun didn’t seem to notice. Kogure-san, Mitsui-san (who soon woke up), Miyagi-san and oniisan (who soon arrived) screamed at Mikaru-kun to stop. Sakuragi-kun and his gundam stopped. I screamed at Rukawa-kun to run.

Time stopped.

I stood up. I had to do something. I ran to Rukawa-kun.

You won’t have to hear from me, never

So now I’m saying goodbye forever

I fell. It seemed I had blocked the bullet from hitting Rukawa-kun on my way to warn him, but I got myself hurt.

The last thing I heard was a gunshot and the guys’ screaming. The last thing I saw was nerve-wrecking but at the same time, shocking…

Rukawa-kun was crying.

Rukawa’s POV

I dropped the ball I was holding to catch her fall. I never expected that baka Mikaru to actually fire. My attention was in another world. I never expected her to block the bullet heading straight at me. I never expected that time would stop.

I never expected any of this to happen all in just a second.

Boy: The rain slowly pours down as I see you leave

It mixes with the tears on my face

The skies had grown dark. It started to rain lightly. The blood on my hands mixed with the rainwater. It mixed with the tears on my face.

You knew I wouldn’t care if you left

But why do you think I’m crying when you think I shouldn’t be?

Baka, Kaede! Why didn’t you notice it earlier?

I looked at the dying girl in my arms. The sight was nerve-wrecking. Blood was all over her blouse from where the bullet had hit. Her hair was wet and tousled all over from the rain.

I wonder what she’ll think if ever she saw me cry.

I don’t need to know, and I don’t need to care. All I know is that I was a complete do’aho for not noticing it earlier.

What could I do? I’m too nervous

You never seem to notice

Akagi-sempai screamed at Kogure and Mitsui to get a doctor. The do’aho’s gundam and Miyagi restrained that do’aho Mikaru and his gun. The do’aho (Sakuragi) ran up to me. No, to her. At least he wasn’t asking for a fight.

“Haruko-chan, are you alright? Please, speak to me…don’t die…don’t leave us…don’t leave me…” he said, holding her hands. I saw her smile up at him. A prick of jealousy and guilt poked my heart, even if she was in my arms.

What can I do? I don’t know what to say

You could never see

“Gomen nasai, Sakuragi-kun. I don’t know if I can make it…” she answered. No…no!

“Don’t say that!”

And now you’re leaving me

There is nothing more I can do

They all looked at me. Well, it was the first time they heard me in that voice.

“You still have a chance, Haruko…never give up…don’t say those things…”

If you remain, I will have no more pain

If I leave, the more it will give

She looked at me, smiling faintly. Apparently, she was hoping to hear my voice, but not in this situation.

“I know you’re right Rukawa-kun, but the bullet’s hit me hard, and this bleeding’s not going to stop anytime now, that’s what I know…”

I care too much, that’s what I know

I know the fact that I can never show

More tears flowed down. I don’t remember the last time I cried like this. I shook my head, never believing that this was happening. I refused to the fact that this was happening…

A flash of thunder cracked the skies. More rain tumbled down on us.

I want you to never leave me, never

So please don’t say goodbye forever

I held her tightly around me. That do’aho wouldn’t mind. I don’t care. I just don’t want to lose her, plain and simple. I heard her gasp.

“Rukawa-kun…”

G: I care for you too much, that’s why my heart is in pieces

I still don’t know why

I closed my eyes. I heard more people surrounding us, the sound of an ambulance and police cars in the air.

They were all too late. And I was also too late in realizing what I felt for her. Apparently, that do’aho was (although I refuse to admit it) better than me at something for once: showing feelings. I knew about her affection on me, and I ignored it. I passed it off as a girlish infatuation.

But it all comes to me now.

B: Will you still be in my heart, I hope so

Because I tried to return what you gave me

I ignored everything that was all around me. I had to tell her now. Now may be my last chance.

“…Ha-Haruko, I have…s-something to tell you…” My voice was barely audible, but it was only for her to hear. The next thing I was going to say were only for her.

G: And now I’m leaving you

There is nothing more I can do

Memories of my past with her flashed before my very eyes as I pulled her back. I gazed at her chocolate brown eyes. She was trembling. She was paling by the second. I had to tell her.

If I remain, the more I will have pain

If I leave, the lesser pain it will give

“Before anything else Rukawa-kun, I want to…apologize for everything I’ve done…if I did anything that annoyed you…I’m sorry. Even in this predicament, I even got your uniform dirtied with blood.”

She smiled. It was the smile she always used, the smile I always looked for, but it wasn’t in the brightness it usually was.

B: I care too much, that’s what I know

I know the fact that I can never show

“Don’t talk about that. What do you need to apologize for?”

I had begun to talk in full sentences. Everyone looked at me in a way a person looked at a ghost. Hooray for me. But now wasn’t really the time for such idiocies.

I want you to never leave me, never

So please don’t say goodbye forever

She smiled once more. I knew that she was happy finally hearing me talk this way. It took some effort, but I soon got used to it.

B: I love you; please don’t say you’re leaving

Then she suddenly spoke before any more words fell on my lips.

“Ai shiteru, Rukawa-kun. I have always been. Arigato, for caring.”

My eyes widened. She did really love me. But did I really deserve all that love?

I took one deep breath. I bent down to place a kiss on those lips I had always wanted to touch with mine.

“Ai shiteru, Haruko…I should be the one apologize…” I smiled at her.

G: I love you but I’m giving up on you; goodbye forever

And with one final look, those eyes that gazed in mine, closed…forever.

I know, I know…it’s OOC. But that’s all I could think of! Read and review please! By the way, this is my first one-shot in Slam Dunk. If you want this to continue, I’ll concoct some way to make Haruko live!!! Wahahaha!!! Kidding…

Thanks for your time! Please review!!!

Hey, did anyone notice that Rukawa and Aoshi (if you guys don’t know who this guy is, I don’t know which planet you came from) have almost the same personalities and, um, features? (I mean, color of hair, eyes, you’ll get it.)

- Brie21 :)