WARNING: Light romance, pure mush and fluff ahead. Don't like this stuff, don't read it. Yaoi content. Comments are welcome, but flames will be used to roast their senders. ^____^

JUST MY IMAGINATION

Self-proclaimed tensai Sakuragi Hanamichi, did his everyday exercises half-heartedly that day. It's two weeks before Christmas and the Japan Winter IH tournament has started. Shohoku, as expected, is doing very well in the preliminaries.

"Hn." He grunted. They were doing very well WITHOUT him! TOO WELL in his opinion. It's almost like they didn't need him at all.

"Sakuragi-kun, that will be enough for today," his doctor informed him.

"Doctor, when will this tensai be able to play basketball again?!"

"Patience, Sakuragi-kun. Patience. It would not be long until you play basketball again," the doctor assured him.

"Patience?! You have been telling me that for months' now!" he protested as his doctor was leading him back to his room.

"Now, now, Sakuragi-kun. Why don't you rest for a while. You have a long way to go tomorrow when you go home."

Hanamichi smiled. After months' of therapy, he was finally going home. For the holidays, that is. He had been under therapy for quite some time now because of his back injury. He remembered how he got the injury. Sure it was painful, but anyway, it was all worth it. They won against Sannoh High! A high school ranked AA in the IH Basketball tournament, and Shohoku, a rated C, defeated them. Too bad they weren't able to make it to the top 8, but for a budding team like Shohoku, it was a huge achievement.

"Oh, and Sakuragi-kun, a letter just arrived for you," the doctor said, handing him an envelope before he closed the door.

"A letter," he beamed, "from Haruko-san!"

A huge grin formed upon his lips. "Do you like basketball?" these words echoed in his mind more often than he wanted to. That day they met by the window while he was busy engorging himself with self-pity had always been imprinted on his mind. The way her voice changed the tense atmosphere of his 50th girl rejection was so extraordinary, each syllable that she uttered that very moment had been etched on his heart. "Do you like basketball?" Yes, he thought, he likes basketball. He likes it very much. No, he does not like it because Haruko likes it, although that's how everything started. Instead, he likes basketball because he IS a basketball player.

"Hn. What do I care if Rukawa is training with the All-Japan Basketball team! He was chosen because I, tensai Sakuragi Hanamichi was injured! Nahahaha!"

He smirked as he thought about his despicable mortal enemy, his archrival, Rukawa Kaede. He remembered how he despises him so much, although now, the sting seems to have lessened. A lot. Akagi Haruko had been keeping in touch with him ever since he started therapy. The girl had occupied his thoughts ever since they met, although she had never reciprocated his feelings, she had always been special to him. So special, actually, he had started to play basketball because of her. But now that he had been secluded from everybody, he felt as though Haruko had never really been his special someone.

"Kuso! Damn that kitsune, getting all the glory again!" he unconsciously crumpled the letter in his fist. What was he thinking? Why the hell is Kaede occupying his thoughts now? No, why has Kaede been occupying his thoughts for months' now?! He thought it was because he hated his guts. But...there was no hate brewing in him whatsoever. Then, he remembered their last game with Sannoh High, how in the end, his hated kitsune passed the ball to him. Maybe Kaede isn't too bad after all? Ah! What was he thinking?! He groaned loudly, this day is definitely NOT going to be good.

*******************************

Akagi growled loudly at the raucous Mitsui and Miyagi were making. He thought that with help from these two, including Kogure, Ayako, Haruko and Ichiro, the preparations for their annual Christmas party would be a breeze. Well, apparently, he thought wrong. The latter four are doing very well, but their efforts to make everything perfect for the party could not match the chaos the first two are making.

"Urusei! Mitsui, Miyagi! Get to work you idiots!" he shouted.

"Na, na, Akagi. Loosen up a bit, it's Christmas." Mitsui snickered as he held up a sprig of mistletoe between Ayako and Miyagi in front of him. Haruko's and Ichiro's wide grins gave away Mitsui as Miyagi looked up and blushed beet-red at the sight of the sprig.

"Bakayaro! What do you think you're doing?!" the new Shohoku captain shouted at his senior.

"Oi! Don't ever shout at your sempai!" Mitsui snickered again.

"Yamero! The rest of the team is going to arrive in a few hours! Get to work!" Akagi was losing patience with the two trouble-makers. He was more than glad, actually, that Sakuragi and Rukawa could not help. He got dizzy just by imagining the self-proclaimed tensai and the arrogant sleepyhead together in one place, just like in basketball practice before, when he was still captain. What a mess they would surely make. In short, Sakuragi plus Rukawa added with Miyagi and Mitsui would mean, yes, an apocalyptic end to their Christmas party.

"Na, Akagi. Don't get too angry, Ichiro-kun might get frightened." Mitsui teased the burly man.

"Iye! I'm okay, Mitsui-san," the assistant manager smiled at the famous three-pointer. He became Ayako's assistant manager although he was yet to enter Shohoku next school year.

"Ite!" Mitsui and Miyagi's rough-housing caused Ichiro to fall down on his knees.

"Eh?! Gomen! Ichiro!" Miyagi helped him up and sat him down on the sofa.

"Are you okay, Ichiro?" Mitsui looked at his pained face.

"Ha, hai, Mitsui-san. I'm okay." Ichiro's lips turned a slight hint of purple, but it was nothing compared to his excitement to see his idols again this day. Sakuragi and Rukawa. The two men he greatly esteems.

"You two are going to stop your rough-housing this instant!" Ayako growled. "Look at what you have done with Ichiro! What if he broke down now?!" Ayako examined the junior's knee.

"No, I'm okay, Ayako-sempai." Ichiro forced a smile. He knew that if his former senior classman in Tomigaoka Junior High realizes that he is in terrible pain, he would be sent home. He definitely does NOT want to miss his first Christmas party with the Shohoku basketball team.

"Ich-chan! Don't ever forget to always be careful about your leg!" Ayako scolded her assistant. Everyone on the team knew about Ichiro's permanent leg injury. Mitsui winced as he remembered how well Ichiro played during his last basketball game, wherein he was included in Shohoku's practice game just before their match against Ryonan last Summer IH tournament. Too bad that because of his knee injury he could never play again. That's why Ayako thought it best for him to become her assistant manager. That way, even if he could never play with Shohoku, he could still be a part of their dream of conquering the nationals.

"Un, Ayako-sempai."

"Ayako-san, give the boy some space." Mitsui ushered her away from Ichiro. Miyagi was just about to protest about Mitsui holding Ayako by the shoulders, when the doorbell suddenly rang.

"What the?!" Akagi exclaimed, "it's not eight yet!"

"Anou...it is eight, Onii-chan." Haruko pointed at the wall clock.

"Nani?!" Akagi went on preparing the food grumbling all the while about two big idiots while Kogure stood up to open the door.

"Good evening!" the former vice-captain greeted.

"Good evening, Kogure-san." A girl's voice said.

"Eh?! Mitsui-san! I thought you couldn't come!" Kogure's eyes sparkled at the sight of Mitsui Hisashi's cousin.

"Oh, there was a change of plans," she smiled.

"Well, don't just stand there, you'll freeze to death! Come in!"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

The girl pointed to the doorpost above them. Kogure, utterly bewildered, looked up innocently.

"Wha?! How did a mistle-."

His words were cut off as the girl grabbed his collar and kissed him square on the lips.

"What?! Oi! Kogure! You'll suffocate my cousin to death!" Mitsui shouted.

Kogure reluctantly pulled away from the kiss to glare at Hisashi.

"Why can't you shut up, Hisashi?!"

"Eh?"

"Ne, ne, Min-kun. Don't mind my cousin. Let's just go in."

She pushed Kogure inside the house and stuck her tongue out at Mitsui who in turn, stuck his tongue out at her.

"Well, you're the first guest to come, Nikki-chan," Kogure held her hand tightly.

"mmm...I guess I had to hang up some things first."

"Things? Oh! You mean the mistle-erm" he blushed, "Nikki, what if somebody else opened the door?"

"Well, I would have taken the chances."

"Oh." He grinned at her mischievous ways. That's the main reason why he is nuts about her.

"Hey, what are you all doing staring at me! Let's start the pahhhhh-tay!!!"

* * *

Sakuragi grabbed the microphone from Ayako and started singing.

"Ore wa tensai!" he began. The other guests groaned and covered their ears.

"What?! I thought he isn't healed completely!" Miyagi frowned.

"Hai, hai! But you know Sakuragi, his stamina can never be extinguished." A slightly drunk Mitsui patted him on the head.

"Basketo man, Sakuragi Hanamichi!" The Sakuragi Guntai joined in his song too.

"With me, Shohoku will win! Here goes a slam dunk!" Akagi was just about to punch him on the head when the doorbell rang.

"Who the hell could that be!" the oversized gorilla-looking man growled.

Ichiro stood up and opened the door.

"Rukawa-sempai!!!" he exclaimed, "everybody, it's Rukawa-sempai!" he informed everyone.

"Rukawa!"

The team ushered him in and he received numerous pats on the back and excited greetings as they welcomed him and shot thousands of questions in his direction. As usual, he remained quiet and merely snorted as he sat down. Everybody was glad to see him, everybody except a certain red-haired guy who, by the way, was fuming intensely at the usual popularity of his sworn rival.

"Temee, kitsune!!! It's almost eleven! The party started at eight! Who do you think you are?! Some kind of super star?!"

"Do'aho." Ayako suddenly looked at Rukawa. She wondered, but it seemed like the usual sting when he exchanges insults with Sakuragi had long been gone. Actually, even though she was extremely doubtful of it, Rukawa's eyes looked like, well, it looked like it sparkled the moment he saw the red-head.

"Nani Kitsune?!"

"Na, na, you two. It's Christmas! So would you please stop fighting, even this once?" the usual mediator stepped between the two.

"Yare, yare." The fox just said with a tiny smirk on his lips.

"How is the training, Rukawa-sempai?!" Ichiro bugged him.

"Okay."

"When will you come back on the team?"

"Next year."

"Oi! Ichiro! There's no need for that kitsune to come back on the team! Tensai Sakuragi Hanamichi will be back on the team too! Then we will win the IH tournament! Nahahahahaha!"

"Do'aho."

Sakuragi looked at him. His initial intention was to shout insults back at him. But when he saw the kitsune's face. Well, there was a tiny curve visible tugging at the corners of his mouth. Was it a smile? No way...

"I'm gonna let you go for now, kitsune!" Sakuragi turned around to hide the amused look on his face when he saw the ice king smile.

Ayako, the observer that she is, just sat down there, smiling to herself, thinking about the possibilities of Rukawa's sting-free insults and Sakuragi's anxiety over the ice king's sudden show of emotions.

*******************************

"Dammit!" the usually expressionless guy exclaimed as he dropped the spoon he was using to stir his coffee. What was with him today?! He had been anxious these last few days after the party. Why in the world is he thinking about that do'aho?! Suddenly, he looked outside his window.

"Oh shit!" hot coffee spilled on his hands as he watched a certain red-head pass his house on bike.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Each day through my window
I watch him as he passes by
I say to myself
I'm so lucky he's so fly
To have a boy like him
is truly a dream come true
Out of all the people in the world
he belongs to you"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Ne, ne, Rukawa. You should be more careful, you know?"

"What the?!" he whirled around to see Ayako behind him. Strange, he didn't even notice her come in. "Don't you even know how to knock?"

"Sorry, but if you haven't noticed, your front door is wide open, so I let myself in."

"It's open? I haven't opened it."

"Well, then if you haven't opened it, maybe you didn't even close it in the first place."

Rukawa thought about the night before and remembered that because he was busy banging his own head with his basketball for thinking about that do'aho, he actually forgot to close the door. He was extremely lucky he wasn't robbed.

"Rukawa, do you know that Ichiro had to be confined in the hospital? The doctor said his leg's condition is getting worse."

"So?"

"Rukawa, you know very much how he looks up to you! Go visit him in the hospital even just this once."

"Why should I?"

"Rukawa you idiot! The doctor said that his leg has to be amputated! Do you know how that will affect Ichiro? You should know better than I do! You're a basketball player too. You know what this means? This means that he never can really, truly play basketball again." Ayako nearly pleaded for him to go visit Ichiro.

The famous basketball player merely nodded.

"So you will come?" happiness was obviously visible on her face. How she got close to the junior over the months. For her, Ichiro is much like a younger brother now.

Rukawa just nodded again.

"Thanks a lot, Rukawa!" she hugged him before she turned to leave. "Oh, and by the way, Sakuragi would be there too."

"He will?"

"Hai." Ayako smiled knowingly at the short flicker in the kitsune's eyes.

"Why are you smiling at me like that?"

"Like what?" she laughed.

"Hn."

"Well, I gotta go! Ja matta, Rukawa!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"But it was just my imagination
Running away with me
tell you it was just my imagination
running away with me"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Ayako-sempai!" Ichiro exclaimed when he saw his surrogate sister.

"Ich-chan! How's your leg? What did the doctors say about it?" she kissed the boy on his forehead.

"It's not good, Ayako-sempai. The doctor said that amputating it will be inevitable," his eyes were full of sadness as he said this. Ayako knew how much passion he has for basketball.

"Ich-chan, please don't be sad. I'm sure everything will be fine. Besides, only your leg will be gone. You'll live!" she smiled at him in a desperate attempt to cheer the former Tomigaoka junior high basketball captain up.

"Ayako-sempai, the doctor said that the operation isn't one hundred percent sure. They said...they said that I might die of complications." Ichiro smiled at the older woman, seeing the horror on her face.

"Ich...Ich-chan...that..." Ayako took his hand and squeezed it.

"We'll take our chances, Ich-chan. I'm sure God won't forsake you. You have been a terribly good person!"

"Un, Ayako-sempai." He squeezed her hand back.

"Hello!" A loud voice called from the door. Ayako turned around just in time for her to see a red-head stick his head inside the room.

"Sakuragi-kun!" Ichiro exclaimed happily.

"Oi! Ichiro! How's your leg?!" he asked as he placed his gift beside Ichiro's bed.

"Sakuragi-kun! It's a...a basketball!"

"It surely is!" he grinned.

"Thank you!"

They suddenly turned around when they heard a snore to see Rukawa dozing off beside the door.

"What the?" Ayako can't help but to giggle at Rukawa's position. He was standing up, but he was sleeping nevertheless. "Oi! Rukawa, wake up!" she shook Rukawa.

The blue-eyed fox woke up and walked beside Ichiro's bed. He pulled something out from inside his jacket and handed it to Ichiro.

"Ru...Rukawa-sempai!" Ichiro clutched the kitsune's gift in his hands. It was his jersey when he was captain of Tomigaoka Junior High Basketball team.

"Thank you." The younger boy said with tears in his voice. Rukawa nodded with a slight curve playing on his lips.

Sakuragi looked at Rukawa with utter amazement. He never saw Rukawa care for anybody before. But with Ichiro, he acted like he was his older brother, well, for somebody like Rukawa, it seemed like he really cared about Ichiro. He smiled to himself as he acknowledged that Rukawa isn't so bad after all.

"Sakuragi-kun, thank you for the basketball."

"It's nothing, Ichiro. It's to remind you that even though you could not play basketball anymore, you still are a basketball player by heart."

Rukawa suddenly snapped his eyes open to look at Sakuragi. Did he hear him correctly? If so...Sakuragi may be more sensible than he looked. His thoughts were broken by Ayako's giggles.

"What?" he asked, obviously annoyed.

"Nothing." She lied.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Soon we'll be married
And raise a family (oh yea..)
Have a cozy little crib in the country
with two children maybe three
I tell you I....
can raise your lies down baby
It couldn't be a dream
cause too real it all seems oooohhhh........"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Rukawa where are you going?" Ayako asked when he was about to leave.

"Training." The Shohoku manager remembered that Rukawa is devoted to training himself everyday at this time of the day. Looks like he found better players than himself on his training with the All-Japan Basketball team.

"Why don't I see you out." Ayako offered, Rukawa grunted in reply. "I'll be gone for just a while, Ich-chan, Sakuragi." She waved.

"Hai, Ayako-sempai. Ja, Rukawa-sempai!"

* * *

"Rukawa," she said, awkwardly wanting to start a conversation while they were walking along the corridors of the hospital. Rukawa turned to her.

"Erm...Rukawa, have you heard about the rumor going around?" Rukawa frowned. Ayako pounded herself with her own fan mentally. Rukawa? To hear rumors? Oh please. The world would be ending if Rukawa ever paid attention to rumors.

"I guess you haven't. Well, Rukawa, rumor has it, that if a couple would be together the moment the clock strikes twelve at midnight on New Year's eve, and kiss, of course, and kiss...they would be together and never get separated."

Silence.

"So?" Just as she had expected. Rukawa wanted no part in any rumor going around.

"Well, I just thought you wanted to know."

"Hn."

Silence.

"And...Rukawa, it says that the moment the couple kissed, aside from being together, if they, at the same time, wish for the same thing to happen, that thing they wished for would come true."

"Hn."

"I just wish someone would wish for our Ichiro to get well. The doctor said he might die from complications." For the first time since they started talking, Rukawa showed a tinge of emotion on his eyes. He was about to speak up when Ayako cut in.

"Well, here we are Rukawa. I'm sure you could go out by yourself. I got to go back to Ich-chan. Ja, Rukawa!" she said before she ran back inside the hospital.

* * *

"Where is Sakuragi, Ich-chan?" she asked as soon as she got back.

"He left. Miyagi-san called in to tell him that they have an emergency practice. Ryukufu wanted a practice game with us after New Year."

"I see...well, did you tell him?"

"The rumor? Of course!"

"Ich-chan, are you sure you wanted to do this?"

"What? Bring those two together?"

"Of course! Isn't that what you wanted too, Ayako-sempai?"

"Well, yeah. Hey, how did you find out about them in the first place? I don't recall telling you."

"Oh? Anyone observing them on the party last week could have guessed."

"Yeah, I guess so too."

"Hey, by the way, Ayako-sempai, great rumor." He gave his sempai a thumbs-up sign.

"Yeah? Am I a genius or what?"

"Yeah! Who would've thought of inventing a rumor like that?" he snickered. Ayako hugged him lightly.

"I wonder what they are thinking of right now." She grinned.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"But it was just my imagination (once again yea) Running away with me (running away with me) tell you it was just my imagination running away with me (away with me yea)"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sakuragi!" Mitsui made a pass to him but it just caught him square on the face.

"Bakayaro! What do you think you're doing?!" the senior shouted at him. But instead of throwing back insults at him, Sakuragi just stayed calm, so calm in fact, that he didn't even notice when the ball hit him smack on the face.

"What the?!" Miyagi and Mitsui looked at each other.

"Well, you don't look too well, Sakuragi. Just sit down for a while." The captain said. They were expecting him to get all heated up. He didn't like the idea of warming the benches, but he was too preoccupied to protest, so he obeyed.

"Oi! Mitsui-san, do you know what's wrong with Sakuragi?"

"Iye. I have no idea."

Self-proclaimed tensai, Sakuragi Hanamichi, sat down quietly. "If a couple would be together when the clock strikes twelve..." somehow, Ichiro's words seemed to have a huge impact on him. He wanted to imagine himself with Haruko on New Year's Eve. He desperately wanted to imagine her lovely face when they kiss. But, somehow, he could not do it. Instead of Haruko, another figure would materialize in front of him. It would appear like a mist at first, then it would start to take shape until, black hair could be seen, then thin sensual lips would start to form, and then, blue eyes would materialize. Blue eyes?! Arggghhhh! Then out of the blue, the figure would mutter a single word, yes you guessed it right, "Do'aho." He many times, would punch the air to make the figure disappear, much to his teammates amusement. But the image would come back again to haunt him. Why oh why is his subconscious thinking about that kitsune? One moment he would be thinking of his next move in basketball, next he would be daydreaming about a life with that ice king. He didn't want to, but he finds himself wanting to be with him. Dreaming of how it would be like to live with him, to share the rest of his life with him. He even found himself wishing that they'd be a family someday, complete with a perfect little house somewhere in the countryside and with kids, adopted of course, but with kids.

*Blang*

The team suddenly looked at Hanamichi as he repeatedly bumped his head on the wall.

"What?!" The boys immediately restrained him. They held his arms tightly, not daring to let go in case the burning red-head would use his head-butt technique on them.

"Let me go! Let me go!" he shouted furiously, fighting against the people holding him back intensely. Lucky for them, former Shohoku team captain, Akagi Takenori arrived. He, as expected, used his lightning fast fist-on-the-head technique on the raging red-head.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Everynight on my knees I pray
Dear lord hear my plea yea
Don't ever let another
take his love from me
Or I will surely die
Heavenly (heavenly) when your arms unfold me
I hear the tender upsity
But in reality
He doesn't even know me"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The usually perfect shooter, Rukawa Kaede made his fifth attempt of jump shot that day to no avail. His fists curled in frustration at his own lack of concentration. In pure annoyance on himself, he flopped down on his back in the middle of the basketball court.

"Hn." He closed his eyes. The sun was setting already and the sky was a bright hue of reddish orange. Reddish orange. Just like the do'aho's hair.

"Kuso." Why did the thought just popped into his head? He knew even before, that he really missed being with the do'aho while he was away for the training. He already reluctantly admitted that to himself ages ago. But now that they saw each other again, all seemed different. It was like, the longing he felt for the do'aho is much more different than just a friendly longing.

"Kuso." He cursed again. If this is true. If what he is feeling is true. Then...Rukawa looked at the sky again. It seemed so calm and so clear that day. It made him think straight and smoothed out all the cresses forming in the mantle of his mind.

"Kuso." Cursing has actually become a habit whenever he starts to think about that do'aho. He held his basketball in his hands. Suddenly, images began to form in his mind. A certain red-head making a dunk and winning over the Shohoku captain, the same red-head getting the rebounds in their game against Tsukubu, the person he passed to during the last moments in their game against Sannoh High, which is of course, the red-head again, and finally, the red-head who made a clean perfect jump shot sealing their victory against Sannoh.

"Kuso." For the last time, he cursed. He finally realized what his fantasies meant. Everything he has been imagining these last few months is beginning to get clear. He, Rukawa Kaede, fell in love, with that certain red-haired do'aho. He sighed. This will definitely complicate things. A lot.

* * *

"Ayako-san! I'm sorry it took me so long! The train I was riding broke-." Sakuragi stopped talking as soon as he saw Rukawa standing over Ichiro's right side of the bed.

"Sakuragi! It's good that you came on time." Ayako smiled, but her eyes gave her away as it reflected deep worry about Ichiro.

"Sakuragi-kun." Ichiro's lips were violet and his eyes were droopy.

"Ichiro! What happened to you?"

"Oh, it's nothing, Sakuragi-kun, the doctors gave me a boost of pain-killers and anesthesia. It's good you arrived on time. In just a few minutes, I will be dozing off."

"Ichiro! Does your leg hurt?"

The young boy shook his head. He wasn't about to admit to his two greatly esteemed basketball players that he was suffering terribly because of his leg.

Sakuragi went over to the other side of the bed opposite the blue-eyed fox. He nodded to him, and to his surprise, he nodded back in greeting. A small smile played upon Ichiro's lips. Even Ayako's worried look had been replaced with excitement for a while.

"I'm feeling all dizzy now. Happy New Year everyone. I'm sorry you guys have to be here when it is New Year's Eve today. Thank you for coming here. My family can't handle it all by themselves. They'll be back very soon, probably in just about another ten minutes. Then you guys could go home and spend your New Year's eve day with your family..." he yawned. Ayako called Rukawa, Sakuragi and Haruko to tell them that Ichiro wanted to see them. Earlier that day, Ichiro suffered terrible pain on his leg and the doctor said that they had to perform the operation as soon as possible or he would be dealing with a huge amount of pain. His first operation months ago hadn't been a complete success. The boy wanted to see his friends as it may be the last time he could see them. Any complication would mean death for him.

"Ayako-sempai, I hope our plan would work..." he said before he finally dozed off.

"What plan?" Sakuragi asked.

"Nothing." She lied.

"Yare, yare. I have to go." Rukawa turned to leave.

"Ma-matte! Where are you going kitsune?!" ('Kuso! Why did I ask that?)

"The coach called. They want me back in Tokyo tomorrow." (Why the hell did I answer this do'aho?!)

"But it's New Year's eve today! You can't go back to Tokyo on New Year's eve!" Ayako protested, "I mean, are stations open today? How will you go to Tokyo? By foot?!"

"I have a car remember?"

"Yeah! But don't tell me you're driving all the way to Tokyo! Alone! And Rukawa Kaede, do you have a license?" Ayako put her hands on her hips, trying to put sense into Rukawa's mind is not as easy as she imagined.

"Nani?" ('Kuso! I'd do anything to get away from that do'aho. He's like a ghost that haunts me. I have to clear my head. That's why I'm going back to Tokyo today. I'm afraid...afraid that I might...')

"Temee Rukawa! Aren't you even going to wait until Ichiro's operation is finished?"

"No."

"Fine. Go then, you selfish fox!" he snarled at Rukawa.

"Do'aho." He said before he left.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"But it was just my imagination
Running away with me
tell you it was just my imagination
running away with me"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakuragi, Ayako, Haruko and Ichiro's family was outside the ICU keeping watch of Ichiro's condition. After the operation hours ago, the doctor said that he should be fine. However his condition is still delicate, and any complications would manifest itself later on. They were all extremely worried about him, but the most they could do is wait. They didn't know what they were waiting for. Whether it be good or bad, they just wanted to be with Ichiro. The three teenagers, of course, had to call their families to explain why they couldn't be with them for New Year's Eve.

Sakuragi looked at his watch. Forty-five minutes until New Year. He wasn't the type who would care so much for someone, but Ichiro was different. He is special. In a way, Ichiro reflected his and Rukawa's personality. Arrrggghhh...why did that selfish kitsune cross his mind again?! He left Ichiro in time of need! That selfish, arrogant, anti-social, handsome, kind, giving, delicate, blue-eyed fox...Arggghhhh! What the hell was he thinking?! He was about to bang his head on the wall when he suddenly heard the nurse inside the ICU call the doctor through the intercom.

They all stood up in horror when they saw Ichiro's heart beat rate drop steadily. The observation on his heart monitor is going berserk. Ichiro's family together with Haruko rushed inside the ICU to see to Ichiro's condition. Ayako however, remained standing there, as rigid as a rock.

"Ayako-san, are you okay?" Hanamichi asked her quietly. She didn't reply, but suddenly, she burst out crying.

"Ichiro!" Ayako wailed his name over and over again. She dropped to her knees and Sakuragi tried to lift her up, but found that he himself is also too weak with worry.

"No! If only! Oh gods! Oh please! I wish that Ichiro would be okay!" she wailed. When Sakuragi heard this, he stood up straight.

"If a couple would kiss..." he remembered Ichiro's voice saying that over and over again. Maybe...maybe if he...it's now or never. He ran off as fast as he could despite Ayako's wails of protest.

"Sakuragi-kun! Where are you going?!" Haruko called after him.

"There's somewhere I must be!" he shouted back.

"Ayako-san!"

"Don't worry about Sakuragi, Haruko-chan," she said in between sobs, "there's somewhere he has to be." Ayako wiped her tears and smiled. ('Ganbatte, Sakuragi! ')

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"But it was just my imagination (ohh, so fly look out my window)
Running away with me (It's running away with me baby)
Just my imagination (runnin away)
running away with me (my baby, my sugar, my sweetie, look at my baby)"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thirty minutes before New Year's eve, a red-head could be seen running out of the hospital top-speed, pushing everyone out of his way.

"Chikusho!" he shouted as soon as he got out. He just realized that his destination is quite far from the hospital. And he might...he might have been gone hours ago. He pushed all these thoughts aside as he thought of a way to get there.

"Shit." The streets are littered with children and there were no vehicles traveling. He was so desperate, he started running towards his destination.

"Kuso, kuso, kuso!" he was known as the stamina player, but even he could not endure the miles he has to go. He wasn't tired yet, but he knew he would be soon. Besides, running won't get him there on time. He looked around, willing to take any desperate measure.

"Yes!" he saw a motorbike parked around the corner and rode it. When he realized that it has no key in it, he simply asked the owner to give him the key. As simple as that. With a man as big as Sakuragi, one would easily get frightened.

"Ahhhhh!!!" he forgot. He had never driven a motorbike before. The bike swerved at his unpracticed maneuvering, but he manages to hold on. He has to. HAS to get there on time. Before it's to late. When he approached a corner, he knew that in just about ten more minutes, he would be arriving at his destination. When he turned around the curve, children greeted him with tiny explosives. It wasn't enough to hurt him badly, but it was enough to burn parts of his clothes and leave tiny bruises here and there on his body.

"Get away from me, you children!!!" he shouted as he dodged the last explosive. One more street and he would be there. When he turned around the corner at top speed, his breath caught on his throat. The street had been paved earlier that week! A loud screech could be heard as he dreadfully tried to swerve the motorbike out of danger, when he saw that he was heading straight for the hole.

* * *

Rukawa looked at his watch, thirty minutes before twelve. Before he drove off for Tokyo, he made a resolution that whatever happens, he would not turn back. But now, receiving a call on his mobile phone from Ayako, telling him that Ichiro is in a bad condition, he is having second thoughts about his resolution. Out of the blue, a car came beside him. He was distracted by the driver's red hair. Red hair? He looked at the driver carefully. No, much to his disappointment, it wasn't Sakuragi. He groaned, he can't believe that he actually decided to believe a silly rumor.

"Dammit!" he couldn't take it anymore. He pounded his fist on the steering wheel, before reversing the car so suddenly, that a number of other vehicles hit the ditch. When he approached the highway back home, he was caught, in the biggest, most terrible traffic jam he had ever encountered.

* * *

"Another!" The doctor ordered the nurse. They were trying to revive Ichiro through CPR. But he wasn't responding and his heart rate is going tremendously berserk now. If this continues, all of them knew that they could never hear their beloved Ichiro's voice again.

* * *

"Chikusho!!!" Sakuragi cursed the moment that he was out of danger. Because he was extremely inexperienced with motorbikes, he swerved the bike too much it hit the wall. Now, he looked at the remnants of the bike and the wall, feeling tremendously miserable. But when he remembered what he has to do, it suddenly gave him strength. He started to run as fast as he could around an alley. He knew the alley was dangerous, but he could not care less. He ran like there was no tomorrow, he ran like it was his mission in life, which maybe it is, but all he cared about is to get there, and to get there on time. His bruises from the explosives and the accident started to sting due to the cold winter air, but he could not care less too. He wanted to...needed to get there on time. Before everything is too late.

* * *

Rukawa Kaede looked at his watch. Fifteen minutes until midnight?! How the hell is he going to arrive on time?! With a quick decision, he opened the car's door and started off in a run. He was, at that moment, extremely thankful for all the training he had endured. After a while, his legs began to burn, and his heart started to palpitate hard. The winter air isn't doing any help either, it just kept on blowing against his face until he was so sure he already caught a cold. That was it. He could not take it anymore. Kaede fell on his knees, feeling numb all over.

* * *

Sakuragi's eyes are starting to droop. It was freezing and his senses are starting to leave him. But with a quick shake, he would rid of it. Unfortunately, the numbing of his senses would come back again. He just kept on running without realizing that he is very near his destination. When he looked up, he saw that he was but a block away from where he was going. Only a block away. And with renewed strength, he dragged his feet as quickly as he could.

* * *

No...Kaede protested. He should get up and get going. He looked at his watch again. Only seven minutes left! He stood up weakly and made a miserable attempt to run again. But the mixture of extreme cold and exhaustion proved to be a very unfriendly one. He merely stumbled all the way back to his house. Yes, his house is only but a few blocks away. He braced himself against the wall, gathered all the strength he has left and braved all the agony he felt at that very moment, as he made an attempt to walk again, this time with success.

* * *

Sakuragi placed his hands on his knees. His back is hurting badly. But he arrived. He finally arrived. When he was recovered, he pounded on the door of the house before him. He pounded until his fists hurt. No one came to answer the door. He pounded until the door almost fell off. Still, no one answered the door. No...is it...too late? His eyes went wide with horror. What if it IS too late? He was about to give up, when he saw a figure slowly approaching. The vision started as a mere misty apparition to him, then black hair began to be visible, sensual lips began to form, and finally that blue eyes that made him weak-kneed materialized.

"Kitsune!" he ran to meet the weak blue-eyed fox. When he was but a mere two feet away from him, he suddenly stopped dead on his tracks, so did Rukawa. The two just stared at each other for quite some time, making the air around them tense, as sparks of electricity seemed to exchange with their stares. No, it wasn't the same spark as when they were fighting, it was, a different kind of spark.

"Do'aho," Rukawa finally said.

* * *

Ayako was clutching her hand near her heart, when suddenly Ichiro's heartbeat went flat. No...she trembled all over as the doctor ordered for him to be shocked with electricity to revive him. For Ayako, everything around her went hazy. Everything seemed to be but a mere oblivion. She was rooted to the spot, unable to move or to say anything. She could just pray...pray for Ichiro's safety.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Just my imagination (ohh, soo fly look out my window)
Running away with me (It's runnin away with me)"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Kitsune," he started, "Ichiro-."

"I know."

"You, see, it's so silly of me to believe, but...there is this rumor that if a couple would be together on New Year's eve when the clock strikes twelve, they would...they would share their lives together. And if they kiss-."

"If they kiss and wish for the same thing at the same time, their wish would come true, right?" Kaede finished his sentence for him.

Sakuragi gaped at him in astonishment.

"You...you knew!"

Rukawa nodded.

"Then...then you-."

A small curve played on Rukawa's lips as he nodded again. Sakuragi Hanamichi grinned widely. This is like a dream come true!

"Let's wish for Ichiro's fast recovery then." A glint of affection sparks in Rukawa's eyes.

"You mean...we...you and I..." the red head felt cold and clammy all over. He wasn't sure if it was from the cold breeze, or if it was his body replying to the new sensations the blue-eyed fox was giving him. Rukawa walked over and closed the distance between them.

"Ka...Kaede...you should smile more often. Do you have any idea how beautiful your smile is?" he didn't realize that he was saying the words out loud until he heard Kaede reply, "I'll smile for you then, Hanamichi."

Silence.

"Kaede, is...is this all just my imagination?" he said fearing the worst. Fearing that the apparition before him would disappear suddenly just like the apparitions of Kaede he had before.

Rukawa touched his face with his thumb. He was very happy, very happy that he decided to listen to rumors this time. The ice king smiled at the object of his affections and softly said, "Do'aho."

"Huh?"

"My Do'aho. This isn't your imagination...it's real." He said quietly before he brought his lips down to HIS do'aho and kissed him deeply.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"But it was just my imagination (once again yea)
Running away with me (running away with me)
tell you it was just my imagination
running away with me (away with me yea)"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ayako's ears suddenly perked up. Was she hearing right? Ichiro's heartbeat started to beat at a normal rate again! She blinked several times before she realized that it was true. Ichiro is finally safe. She closed her eyes and thanked God for answering her prayers. But she silently thanked somebody else too, 'Sakuragi, Rukawa, Arigatou gozaimas,' she thought, before she went forward and hugged Haruko. There is no doubt that this is going to be the BEST year of their lives.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"But it was just my imagination Running away with me tell you it was just my imagination running away with me"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~OWARI~

**************************

Author's Notes: Okay, I know it's all mushy and stuff, but that's the way it's gotta be. Just My Imagination is a song by Gwyneth Paltrow and Babyface. For those of you wondering, Mizusawa Ichiro is an SD character too, although he never made an appearance in the series. He appeared in Slam Dunk Movie 4 as Rukawa's junior student in Tomigaoka Junior High. In the movie, he played basketball real well, almost like Rukawa, but he had a permanent leg injury which inhibited him from playing basketball. So, Shohoku invited him to play with them in their practice game one last time because he idolizes Rukawa very much. After that, he is shown as Ayako's assistant manager. Ryukufu is a newly formed basketball team with superb players. The team appeared in Slam Dunk Movie 3. Mitsui Nikki is my own character in my first fic, The Theater. By the way, I have no idea as to what age a person can get a license in Japan. But I do know that in the US, one could get a license when he's/she's 16 (after all, Tenoh Haruko from Sailormoon drives her own car and she's only 16, why not Kaede?). So I'm assuming here that Rukawa already has his license. Also, since I have no idea where Kanagawa is, I'm also assuming that one can reach Tokyo from Kanagawa through land transportation. There ^___^ another RuHana/HanaRu fic finished! I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. It took a huge amount of my time and effort, but it was all worth it. Sukina, this is for you! Until next Slam Dunk fic! Ja minna! And a Happy New Year to you all!

Selphie waves RuHana/HanaRu banner ^___^

Happy New Year! 2002

Date written: December 26, 2001 (2PM to 10 PM)

OMAKE:

Rukawa pulled away from the kiss reluctantly. He surveyed Sakuragi's almost shredded clothes.

"What happened to you?"

"Oh? I have been in a war." He laughed.

"Your back."

"huh?"

"Your back is it all right?"

"Kaede, you REALLY should learn when to keep quiet." He said, grabbing his collar and kissing him passionately.

Rukawa pushed him away gently.

"Don't you think we should get a room?" he asked.

Sakuragi blushed at his suggestion.

"But Ichiro-."

"He's all right. We kissed and we wished remember?"

"Huh, oh yeah..." Kaede pecked him on the lips. It was but a mere peck, but it was enough to send butterflies up his spine.

"Okay, let's go." Sakuragi said as he dragged the blue-eyed fox into his house. He was about to open the door, when he suddenly stopped.

"Kaede..."

"Hn."

"Kaede...I really, really do love you..."

Silence.

"Me too, Hanamichi...me too."

END!