Disclaimer: Fanfiction based on characters created by Takehiko Inoue in Slam Dunk.

1. Soulmate

Sakuragi Hanamichi nervously fingered the printout of Rukawa's email in his pocket. It's now or never, he said to himself, I must tell her cos there is nothing that a tensai cannot do. He looked at his watch for the eighteenth time, assuring himself that he was way too early and that it was not that she wasn't coming. It was ominous that she should chose the rooftop for their last meeting. This was where the three of them had come together for the very first time. Rukawa had insulted her and thus had become his mortal enemy on and off the basketball court. Was this how it was going to end? Trying to prevent her from getting hurt again?

"Sakuragi? You are early," a soft sweet voice behind him asked nervously. Damnit, she was early too, thought Sakuragi as he slowly turned around to face Haruko. Although she looked extremely nervous, her round eyes glistening with a soft light like those of a shy deer. she still managed to give him the angelic smile that she almost always reserved for him. Of course being a tensai deserved nothing less but Sakuragi had no doubts that she was fond of him which made today's meeting a thousand times more difficult.

"Haruko, are you sure you won't change your mind?" he tried for the umpteen time. Her nervous expression grew soft and liquid as she looked at the boy whom it seemed carried a torch for her ever since they first met.

"Sakuragi-kun, you mustn't do this. I'm leaving this afternoon and nothing you say can change my mind. Why are you so worried? I'm just going to America to study"
"In the same city as Rukawa and attending the same university"
"Yes, it was my brother who arranged all that. I already told you that. He just wants to make sure that there is someone familiar I can turn to if there is a need. I probably won't see him all that much."

Sakuragi couldn't take it anymore. "Haruko, I'm begging you. Please don't go. You are too pure. I am afraid you can't handle the truth about Rukawa"
Haruko put both hands to her ears and squeezed her tearing eyes shut, "Sakuragi, please don't do this! Don't try to smear Rukawa. I hate it if you try to do that. You know I really like you but you are just like a brother to me."

"SAKURAGI!"
A angry roar made them turned around in shock disbelief. It was Takenori Akagi, Haruko's brother!
"What are you trying to do to my sister? It's a good thing I met Ayako who told me she was meeting you on the rooftop"
Haruko suddenly burst out crying as she was afraid that these two guys who hold special places in her heart might start to kill each other. Akagi gave her a gentle push towards the exit.
"Go now, Haruko. You need to get ready to leave for the airport soon. Don't worry, I am not going to do anything to Sakuragi."

Haruko wiped her tears like a child, threw Sakuragi one last anguished look and rushed for the escape that she so desperately sought. Sakuragi, heart thumping, turned to Akagi and got ready to fend off his blows with tensai power but surprisingly the ex-captain of Shohoku was looking at him with affection and pity.

"Contrary to the last, eh Sakuragi? But it was all for the love of my sister so I forgive you. But you must learn to let go"
"No, no, no, all of you have got the tensai wrong. I wasn't being jealous and trying to hold on to Haruko. I was just trying to protect her from Rukawa"
"Please," snorted Akagi, "don't be so self-righteous. Rukawa is a thousand times the gentleman that you will never be."

"He is ... how can I say this? Best if you read this, Gori"
Sakuragi held out the printout email from Rukawa with trepidation. Akagi took it from him gingerly and scanned it.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS? WHEN DID YOU BECOME SUCH GOOD FRIENDS WITH RUKAWA?"

Sakuragi cringed,"Ccccalm dddddown Ggggori ... I'll try to explain. It started when he visited me a few times when I was in rehab. Maybe he was lonely at the training camp. Anyway he would usually jog past the beach in front of the hospital and if he saw me, he would stop and sit next to me for a while."

Sakuragi cleared his throat as Akagi frowned, "I don't know but even though we are so different, somehow we got along quite well when we got past all the bickering and rivalry. It was like we became good chums even though we don't understand each other all that well." Akagi understood this as it was the same with his vice-captain last year, Kogore Kiminobu. Even though they were poles apart but somehow they became and remained good companions.

"He started to tell me how his life had changed after Interhigh. You remembered he smiled for the first time during the Sannoh match?" Akagi nodded looking more calm Sakuragi saw with relief.

"He said that it was then that he felt he had met his soulmate, the one whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life"
"SAWAKITA EIJI"
"I was just as shocked but Rukawa was very serious about it. He found out which US university Sawakita was enrolled in and applied for it. Before he left for the US, I asked him to keep in touch as I was curious to see how it all ends, so we exchange emails. A couple of days ago before I even knew Haruko is also going to the very same university as Rukawa, I got the email you just read."

"That he found out Sawakita felt the same as he did and they are now living together"
"Well, people are more liberated in the US I have been told," Sakuragi tried to make light of the situation but Akagi wasn't even listening as he walked over to clutch at the railing for some support. He was berating himself for enrolling Haruko in the same university as Rukawa but how was he to know? He thought he was doing his sister a favour by giving her the opportunity to get close to the guy she had been infatuated for so long.

"Gori, don't you think you should go and tell Haruko that her trip is gonna be cancelled?" Sakuragi asked anxiously as Akagi remained standing hunched at the railing.
"No," Akagi answered shortly without turning.
"WHY, GORI? Haruko will be devastated when she finds out about Rukawa and Sawakita"
"She finds out sooner or later. It's time for Haruko to grow up. She can't live a sheltered life forever."

Sakuragi walked over to the big guy and put an arm around him comfortingly.
"She should have picked you, Sakuragi"
"Nah, I don't think so even though I am a tensai. She will not like it when she comes in second to basketball"
"Why you little punk!"