A/N: Hiiii!! This is chapter is a little bit sad. Because Sakuragi…Oops, can’t tell you that, you gotta read it for yourself!!

EDIT: Ew, I sound like a teenybopper. lmao.

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--After School—

“BOZU? Are you in here?” Sakuragi called out from behind the gym doors.

He walked into the gym, and he was surprised to see some spectators. “What the hell? What's this?”

“Hanamichi! You’ll be challenging Steve on some two-on-one basketball. You and Kaede are playing together.” Coach Anzai flailed his hands dismissively at some of the protesting players.

“The Wiseass? I'd die first!”

“Then you can sit here and let Kaede play.”

“Fine, I will.” He declared childishly. Wait a minute, the wiseass'll suck all the glory. THERE IS NO WAY THAT’S GONNA HAPPEN. “No chance!” He yelled. “I’M PLAYING, ASSHOLES!” The spectators he directed it to looked at him uneasily.

--

“Ready to lose, Blondie?” Sakuragi smirked.

“No way. Not to you. I’ll be the best in this country, got it?” Steve squinted and licked his lips.

“Not on my life.” Sakuragi grinned lopsidedly, and bent his knees further.

“Shut up. Let's play.” Rukawa interrupted coolly.

“Bring it on, ace.” Rukawa narrowed his eyes.

“Ready... HUP!” Cried the referee, initializing the toss-up.

“HUWAAA!--”

Sakuragi and Steve leaped into the air. Not surprisingly, Sakuragi swatted the ball toward the opposing goal. Rukawa caught the ball and swiftly dribbled toward the goal.

“RU, RU, RUKAWA! RU, RU, RUKAWA!...” The chants of the Rukawa Shinietai filled the room.

Rukawa readied the shot, but Steve jumped up in front of him and blocked his sight.

“What the…?” Was the only thing Rukawa could muster. He was stunned beyond his tact.

“Gotcha.” The fly-swatter. A classic.

Rukawa turned around and stood dumbfounded. In the gap of ten seconds, Steve had already scored a goal. Rukawa took notice of this and was almost awe-struck.

The keyword being almost.

Sakuragi had gotten about halfway with the ball, and he had attempted to shoot from there. He did, but it was unbelievably inaccurate, and Steve took the ball to the other side.

...It was hard to believe, he was playing a lot smoother than Rukawa. Nearly everyone was astonished at this. Why wasn't Rukawa trying?

Rukawa jogged aimlessly around the court, roughly following the destinations of the ball.

“FAST BREAK!” Sakuragi bellowed across the court to Rukawa.

Rukawa's daze was playing shallow, however. And he was too late.

-WHAM-

The ball struck his chest painfully, winding him.

He gasped.

And gave an airless puff before falling onto his knees, clutching his chest tightly.

“How could the wiseass not have caught that!? BAKA KITSUNE! POOR PLAY!” Everyone had rushed to Rukawa. A spectator turned around and roared at him.

“YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!"

"Oi! Did not! YOU WANNA FIGHT?" He shook his fist at the spectator, and he only rolled his eyes and turned back around.

Sakuragi was about to stalk up to the spectator and give him a piece of his fist, until Haruko made her way out of the crowd and walked up to him.

At least someone thinks I'm innocent. "Haruko-sa--"

She twisted and played with the hem of her skirt. "Nobody expects you to play like him. So... I suggest you... back off."

Those were the words Sakuragi had never liked.

--

'A first year that’s challenging Sendo man-to-man..?' Fukuda thought, “He’s not like this one, that’s for sure…” He mumbled, comparing Rukawa and Sakuragi.

“What are you mumbling about!?” Sakuragi overheard. 'Damn it…What am I doing here…?'

There were voices of spectators…

“Hanamichi’s hopeless.”

“He stood out at first, but that was it. He doesn’t seem focused.”

“I think he’s got his mind on the wrong things…Nobody’s expecting him to play like Rukawa… He ought to know his place…”

-- Slam Dunk manga, vol. 19

“No…”

Now what, Hanamichi? Now everyone thinks you’re a sore loser.

“No freaking way, I didn’t even do it on purpose… It was him, he was the one that couldn’t catch it, he’s the idiot.”

No matter what you say, they won’t believe you. They hate you now.

“I didn’t do it.”

…They hate you. Especially Haruko-san.

“I DIDN'T FUCKING DO IT!”

Everyone turned to face Sakuragi. Their faces filled with disgust.

“I don’t believe him…” One of them said.

"Keeping him on the team would be a mistake."

“He was amazing. We should definitely put him on the team! He’s like lightning; fast and powerful!” The team's "council" were conversing in the locker rooms.

“True, but then we’d have to get rid of one of our other players.” That was Coach Anzai.

“But who?”

“I don't think it's that easy.”

One of them ignored the statement. "How about Kuwata?"

“No, I'm sure he’s getting better.”

“Ishii…?”

“No! Did you even hear what I said? Think about it.”

“I know,” somebody else spoke up, “what about Sakuragi?”

Ayako butt in. “You can't do that! Sakuragi-kun's rebounding is superior! Someone with that kind of skill is essential for the team!”

“No. Sorry, Ayako-san. We can’t afford to keep Sakuragi on the team. He’s arrogant, cocky, his basketball is relatively poor compared to some others, he doesn’t focus and he’s a poor sport. Did you not see what he did to Rukawa? He’s burdening us. With Steve, the team can improve in play and in ranks.”

“Hmm...” The coach stroked his chin.

“It’s a fair trade, Coach."

"It's not fair for Sakuragi-kun." reasoned Ayako.

"Look, we get Sakuragi pushed off the team and we replace him with Steve, who can take power forward! It's his ideal position!”

“...Okay then. Sakuragi is off the team.”

Ayako gawked.

--

Sakuragi got home earlier than everyone else had that night. He was tired.

And betrayed.

He took a long shower, got changed into his nightclothes and went straight to bed. It was 6:17pm.

He laid in bed, deep in thought. Basketball was his life. With no basketball there was no goal, there was no glory, there were no fans… There was no Haruko, and that threw everything down the drain. The reason he joined the basketball team was so he could get close to Haruko. Eventually, he improved, and enjoyed every minute of it.
Maybe not exactly his teammates. But the game was enough to make up for it.

In the midst of his thoughts, he heard the doorbell ring, and he got up to get it.

Surprise, surprise.

Look who it is.

Kogure Kiminobu and Kogure Hideki… and Akagi Takenori.

“Oh.”

“Oh? I haven’t seen you in months and when I do all you say is ‘Oh’?” Asked a mock-offended older Kogure.

“Whatever, come in Megane-kun… And company…”

The three guests took off their shoes at the genkan and stepped up onto the tatami. “Hanamichi, turn on your lights.” Kogure tried feeling around the wall for a switch.

“Yeah, yeah, look for it yourself." After blind sounds of hand slapping wall plaster, the light switched on, and they made their way into the middle of the living space to sit around the tatami table.

“You know, for someone as hot-headed, destructive and simple-minded as you, I wouldn't have thought you'd go for a more traditional furnished apartment.” Akagi stretched back and curiously stroked the shoji screen. "Look, even the rice paper is still intact." The two Kogure snickered.

“Oi! My parents picked the stupid place for me.” He scrunched up his face.

"Ah. But you know you like it, Hanamichi." he said gently.

"Oi, Megane, you shut up." Sakuragi scrunched his nose at him. "You're evil, you know that? Nobody could sound that gentle and be condescending at the same time."

“Oh, Hanamichi, your words have stung my heart.” Kogure displayed a winning smile.

Oh that's pure evil, right there. “Whatever. Look. What the hell are you all doing here? I wanna get some freakin' sleep already. So hurry up and do what you came here for.”

“We came here to talk, actually.”

“Talk? You came here to talk? What the hell for? My Instant Messenger is open, leave a message! I don't need you wasting my time! Now get the hell outta my house, freaking old people.”

Akagi twitched uncomfortably at his insult, but managed to maintain his self-control. “We... heard you were pulled off the team. My sister told me.”

Sakuragi lowered his head and looked down scornfully at the table, seemingly in denial. “...What's it to you?” he mumbled.

“We don't understand though. What right do they have to take you off the team?”

Sakuragi scoffed. "Some hotshot asshole exchange student showed up. It's like, he's American and he can play basketball and they put him straight on the fuckin' team!" He slammed his fist on the table. "I'm sooo way a better player anyway! GYAHAHAHA! Ha..."

“They took you off for no reason? ”

“Poor sport, arrogant, cocky, don’t play well, don’t focus…” He trailed off. "Plus, I winded the kitsune."

"You winded him?"

"It's not my fault! He spaced out on the court!"

"Sorry, Hanamichi, I find that hard to believe." The older Kogure pursed his lips.

“Actually, that’s not right. Poor sport I could understand that as a reason to be pulled off the team. But you didn’t even do it.”

"Akagi-taichou, that's biased." Akagi looked up at Kogure disdainfully. "You just don't like Rukawa."

"That's not the point. And I'm not your captain anymore." Akagi then looked to Sakuragi. "I don't think they'd have a right to take you off the team for something so trivial. What kind of idiots decided this anyway?"

Hideki slowly raised his hand. When the others noticed this, they shot glares at him. "Um, can I get a chance to say something?" They said nothing, and Hideki noticeably stiffened. "I... was a part of the operation. Er, getting rid of Hanamichi, I mean." He sweatdropped when their frowns grew deeper. "B-but! To be honest, I couldn't do anything... They'd stop anyone from giving Sakuragi credit... Even Aya-san."

Kogure whistled impressedly. "I never though I'd see the day. Someone must've been in full power that day, it takes the force of a tractor to bring her down." Hanamichi cackled at the 'Lady Gori' implication. "Or she was half-dying."

Hideki hesitated to say it... But he gathered the courage. "Actually... it was the coach."

Akagi and Kogure gawked uncharacteristically. "The coach? Our coach? Coach Anzai?"

Hideki nodded submissively.

"Bastard!" Sakuragi hissed.

"Hanamichi..."

“They told me that nobody expected me to play like him. I know that. They’ve told me before. Wiseass doesn’t know what he did to me. I’M GONNA KILL HIM! AND SELL HIS BODY TO STARVING DESERT FOLK! GYAHAHAHA.” He yelled with his fist in the air.

“Hanamichi. My sister is a little... clueless. Kaede doesn't really take much interest in her... I don't actually know why he... You kno+w.” Akagi shook his head in his sister’s shame.

“Sakuragi, you’re a good basketball player.” Hideki said, “But I can’t really do anything. Even as the team’s vice-captain,” the older Kogure ruffled his little brother’s hair.

“Runs in the family.” He smiled proudly.

Hideki rolled his eyes. “As I was saying, as the team’s vice-captain, I'm still outruled by Coach Anzai. Miyagi was the only important body they didn't invite to participate in the vote. My guess is they knew he'd put up a fight to keep you on the team though... And Aya-san isn't exactly ironed up when it comes to her seniors. Especially someone as high up as the Coach.”

“Isn’t there a way they could get me back on the team? It'll never survive without this genius!” He pointed to his chest with his thumb.

Hideki sweatdropped. “We can vote you back in…But the votes have to be unanimous, and at the moment, that’s not quite possible."

“Shit…” He mumbled.

“Well, we have to go. We came here to give you this.” Kogure handed Sakuragi a box. “It’s from Haruko-san… We got this a few months ago, before the new spring…" He then said, "I think I forgot to give it to you at that time.” he finished sheepishly.

“Ahou…” Akagi muttered. "That Kaede isn't exactly pace-changing for her either."

Kogure chuckled at Akagi's remark. “Anyway, hopefully we'll see you soon, Hana-kun!"

Akagi simply waved a hand at Sakuragi, and the younger Kogure muttered a timid goodbye.

"Wait." Hideki abruptly turned around and they all froze. "Don't you have a date right now?"

Akagi and Kogure cackled uncontrollably. "SAKURAGI!? ON A DATE!? That's something new."

Sakuragi ignored them scornfully and glanced at the clock. 7:13. "Oh shit. I'm already late!" Sakuragi bounced into an unstable stance and zoomed passed everyone into the space enclosed by the shoji screens, where the main cabinet was. "OUTTA MY WAY, LOSERS. I'VE GOT AN OUTFIT TO PICK AND A GIRL TO WOO."

And so the fiasco began.

--

A/N: Sakuragi is a little OOC, but for this fic, he needs to get serious once in a while. BTW, I changed my mind. I WILL pair up Rukawa with someone. NATALIE!! Yes, well for all you people that didn’t find out before, which is pretty obvious to spot, he is going to be paired up with Natalie. Michelle WILL lighten up a little later on in the fic, and will be paired up with Steve (yes you guessed it, another obvious fact).

Thank you SO MUCH J.G.!! For being my FIRST reviewer!! I’m trying to figure out your ‘prize’ …Or something. Anyway, thanks J.G., to you I owe a lot. Peace out everyone!!

EDIT: LOL BEFORE I MADE SAKURAGI EMO LOL. omg I'm glad I edited it D: I was gonna give it such an arlequin ending. Gross. Anyway, I’ll have to alter things, pretend Sakuragi’s rehabilitation is finished, and Rukawa never went to the All-Japan training, he will at the end though. And my hate for Rukawa is just starting to die. So never fear! All those biased comments towards him will end (hopefully) soon.

BTW, translations:

Baka kitsune – stupid fox

Tensai – genius (I actually edited out the part where he used 'tensai' and replaced it with just 'genius' because the first copy didn't have a nice ring to it)

Bozu – squirt/kid