Red Head

WARNING: OOC especially for the first chapters.

DISCLAIMER: I WISH I own Slam Dunk

JAPANESE WORDS:

|Baka or Ahou = Idiot | Oyaji = Father (masculine) | Shikuso = Sh*t | Okaa-san = Mother | Teme = Bastard| Urusai = Shut up | Onii-san/ nii-san = Older Brother (Feminine) |Kitsune = fox | Sensei = Teacher/coach| Tadaima = I'm home|

…

PROLOGUE

It was inside a large newly-built gymnasium that was going to be used, for the first time, as the basketball team's practice location. It was built in honor for the team's achievement, anyway, for maintaining their status as one of the best in the nation for more than a decade straight. Squeaks made by expensive basketball shoes against the professionally waxed floor and incessant dribbles engulfed the area.

And yet... they were really just background noise- er, music- in contrast to the coach's big mouth.

"Ora, Ora!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, and the gym (as noisy as it already was) turned silent. "What the hell is with that pace? How do you expect to return to defense at that speed?" she yelled at the flinching point guard. He was a sophomore and the team's top guard. They all had high expectations of him, particularly their 'genius' coach, so he had to work harder than most of his teammates.

She turned to the players who were practicing shootings. They were getting about 1 every 3 shots. Who cared if they were freshmen?

"You two brats! Practice shooting 50 times a day. If you don't get at least 2 every 3 shots by next week than you will drink a pitcher of my very healthy vegetable juice, understand?"

The two paled and immediately ran to practice. The people who heard whispered in incredulity.

The coach was being extremely strict as they had heard, but seeing it for the first time was something else felt like by the time they finished, they would no longer have any energy for class. The coach was already in her late twenties, but the atmosphere made her look older. It was odd that, even when no one admitted it, she was actually pretty good-looking. Her shiny long red-hair was really graceful and she did have distinctively good facial features.

They heard she had replaced Anzai a few years back, but were all aware that she was not short from qualified. She had been famous in the basketball world, and everyone knew her- including her... predispositions, and it was the reason no one was really surprised at all the yelling. Many of the senior players, who already knew her personally very well, were worried though.

Very worried.

A boy with a smile plastered in his face watched their unusual coach with a mixture of curiosity and anxiety. "Don't you think that if she doesn't calm down, she'll undergo miscarriage?"

"Shhh! Don't say that!" His teammate, a meek yet very masterful player, exclaimed in aghast. The two of them shivered when the felt daggers getting thrown at them.

"She's looking here, isn't she?"

"Don't look! Pretend we didn't say any-"

"Busy gossiping, eh?"

Gulp

"Twenty laps in 5 minutes."

"EH?"

"Or do you want to drink the vegetable juice without even trying?"

They flinched. There wasn't much of a choice. Even when they were going to end up drinking it, the words 'I give up' was taboo.

They let out a deep deep breath and gestured for the imminent run.

What a sadistic coach they had...

But they all respected her anyway.

...

Hanamichi watched team with pride. They were working hard weren't they? She chuckled internally.

But then, her hand found her stomach... and she held her growing baby lightly.'You're working hard, too, ne?' she smiled. But then her team suddenly stopped what they were doing and they stared star-struck at the door. She whipped her head semi-irritably to wherever they were looking.

"It's really him!"

"Oh my-"

"He's so cool..."

Hanamichi on the other hand, remained silent. Surprised, but willing herself to hide it. Her husband turned to her and smiled lightly, making her want to run to him.

"Tadaima."

Chapter 1: Hanamichi

SHOHOKU HIGH

A red-headed girl passed by the gates and her presence easily caught everyone's attention. She was tall- very tall- and she wore a very serious look on her face as if she was ready to eat anyone's face off. The fact that she was followed by four gruff-looking boys with a similarly intimidating auras made her delinquent-look even fiercer.

She had her hands inside her pockets and her skirt was a little below the knee- much longer than average, and her pony tailed red hair followed her movements with grace that did not suit her reputation. Everyone stared guardedly at the group, with many just getting out of her way.

She did have an above-average face, though, but was covered up by her easily-irritated aura, quantified by her deep auburn eyes that inherently emitted killing intent.

Murmurs were heard. Most of the new students there did not know her, but those who did certainly couldn't react calmly.

"T-That's Sakuragi Hanamichi!"

"That's her!"

"Why is she going here? It could be nothing but trouble."

"Why? She doesn't look that... deadly."

"I've heard of her before- and her group. They supposedly had never been defeated in a gangster fight even when they were outnumber 5-to-one"

"No way!"

And with that, three of the gang's members tried their best to stifle their proud grins.

"Pfft- we're famous." The smallest and chubbiest one with glasses, Takamiya Nozomi, grinned. His smirk was replaced by a frown when someone pounded his head. It was the tall self-imposing blonde Ohkusu Yuji who cost him the pain, and they quickly entered a glaring contest. Noma Chuichiro, on the other hand, was admiring his sports mustache and surprisingly rationalized Ohkusu's actions. He stared at their chubbiest member.

"Baka. Don't look happy- it would diminish the 'cool' aura our group has." Ohkusu nodded in agreement, and Nozomi blinked in realization.

"Ah." Nozomi nodded in assent. "That's right. Sorry."

And the three's 'walk of pride' continued for a little while longer.

But Mito Youhei, Hanamichi's best friend, on one hand… sighed at his friends' stupidity. How could they call themselves 'cool' when everyone was looking at them in fear and distaste? He looked at the indifferent Hanamichi, and somehow entered a hopeful daze. They were in High School now, a new era in their lives… hopefully. He wondered what would happen in their three years at the new school? Would Hanamichi finally grow up?

Thankfully, even with her boredom and current lack of purpose she didn't go around looking for romance like most people her age did. She focused on her fighting- especially since she was a girl, the physical differences got more and more pronounced as they grew up. Mito wondered how she'd feed her boredom if she was a guy, though...

Mito was, in reality, waiting for her to stop wasting her epic perseverance on useless things. Like, say, convincing herself that she hated something when it was the total opposite.

Anyway, they continued their so-called 'cool' walk towards their respective classrooms. He and Hanamichi were in class 1-A, while the other three on who-cares-where. They entered a dramatic goodbye scene that placed bumps on all of their foreheads, after getting head-butted by the annoyed Hanamichi.

"What was that for?"

"Urusai." She said and stomped to a random chair beside the window, she aimed for the farthest seat.

Her minions looked over the door sill with interest. "Doesn't she seem to be in an even worse mood than usual?" Nozomi whispered to no one in particular. It was Mito, as always, who answered their questions.

"Yuko-basan delayed her flight home again."

"D'aww…" Yuji smiled and stifled a smug chuckle. "Hana-chan really has a soft spot doesn't she?"

Hanamichi's ears twitched- hearing the statement, and she robotically whipped her head towards her minions making them lose all blood in their faces. Her eyes glowed in anger and she stomped towards them to beat them up.

"EEEK!"

"Yuji, you idiot!"

"I'm so sorry!"

"If I die and you don't I am so going to haunt you."

Yuji cried. "I SAID I'M SORRY DIDN'T I! ?"

But then when the monster was just a few steps away from them, she paused her steps and glared back at her target seat. She only turned her back for a second and it was already taken. Freaking TAKEN.

And her eyes widened in annoyance when the bastard leaned down to sleep.

"Teme- don't put saliva on my desk!"

The boy lifted his head and uttered lazily, "Hn?"

Her eyes twitched. Even if he did have a gorgeous… somewhat familiar, face- he annoyed her to no end.

"Get off my seat."

"It's not like your name is writt- zzzzzz…"

Steam exited from her ears and she gritted his teeth. "Why you-"

Nozomi started eating his emergency popcorn as Hanamichi attempted to overturn the table. But then a wall of girls suddenly went between her and the guy. "Don't touch Rukawa-sama ,you witch!"

"Haa?" she uttered, and then frowned. She did not look those misplaced haughty expressions on their faces. She glared at them, making every one of them shiver. But their wall did not budge. A wall made by a pack of fan girls hand-in-hand were next to indestructible, after all.

"Retreat, Hanamichi! Retreat!" One of the idiots yelled from behind the door, using it as some sort of shield.

She glared at them, but winced slightly at an old man right behind them making them lose their footings in surprise. The students all went back to their seats and she begrudgingly settled with the second to the last seat. This would have to do.

For now.

The class was basically an introduction session and she fell asleep on most of them, with Mito throwing paper balls at her when the teacher was close to noticing. She just woke up and batted all the lethargy away when the teacher approached her direction.

For a moment there she was going to glare him off, when he took out his fan and hit the person behind her.

"Itte…" he muttered massaging his head. "What the hell old man?"

A vein popped the teacher's head, but flinched in fear immediately- probably getting glared off himself. He quickly pointed out the door as sternly as he could. "S-STAND OUT THE DOOR RUKAWA KAEDE!"

She heard a soft screech of the chair and a yawn. She could see from her peripheral view that the teacher shook, and the boy nonchalantly headed to the door. It was odd, she thought he'd actually beat the teacher up. She certainly felt that atmosphere, but in the end, she shrugged. She stood up and took the seat that she wanted.

"Weirdo." She whispered, twitching at the fact that the seat was still warm. The teacher whipped his head to her.

"I didn't mean you." She added and the teacher stomped back to the front, she looked at Yohei who was stifling a laugh. "You certainly are though."

Silence

"SAKURAGI HANAMICHI - GET OUT!"

…

SLAM!

"Che." She muttered and looked at her side. Rukawa was there standing outside, sleeping alone on the vast corridor. She sighed and knew she'd be bored so she decided to walk around- and maybe go to her favorite spot in buildings: the rooftop.

She walked and walked farther and farther away from the classroom.

So it didn't explain why she ended back to where she came from.

"You've been passing by here four times, now, Baka."

Her eyes twitched. "Urusai. Go back to sleep, ahou."

"Whatever." And he did just that.

Her eyes twitched, and out of anger she decided to jump out the window. They were just in the second floor, anyway, and fortunately there was a tree she could hang out on.

"Eh…"

"Nani?"

"That looks like a good spot to sleep on."

"Oi, oi. You could sleep anywhere. This is my territory now." She frowned. "And aren't you supposed to be sleeping?"

He jerked for an instant, and something told her he was hiding something. But she forgot that she could think when he started insulting her. "It's interesting to see you break your bones out of stupidity."

Her eyes jerked (again) and she instinctively climbed up higher in a vain attempt to ignore him when Rukawa jumped to the tree from the window as well. He yawned and lay back down making her growl. She was not in a good mood that day, and he certainly wasn't making anything feel better.

But as she planned on jumping to his branch and injure him deeply, the bell rang and she looked up by reflex. She saw the rooftop. But considering her accursed sense of direction, she needed to take a shortcut so she decided to climb up the tree.

"KYYYYAAAAAAAA!"

Soon enough, she heard screams of terror from below. She scoffed and continued her way up.

"R-Rukawa-sama! Wake up you might fall!"

"KYAA! Rukawa-sama!"

"Stay safe!"

"KYAAAA!"

More and more screams resounded all the way to her, and she groaned irritably at the noise. She quickly jumped to the window sill of the highest floor. It wasn't hard since there was a branch nicely placed so that the transfer to cement was effortless. But the moment she looked at the floor, she stiffened. There was two boys who was rudely gaping at her.

"Wha-" a boy with honey-colored hair and glasses shivered, while his gigantic companion caught his composure immediately and begun to nag her.

"Didn't you know that was dangerous, girl? And are you a freshman?"

"Hai."

"Sugoi." the boy with glasses said, staring at her. "You sure are tall…"

"That's beside the point, Kogure."

He smiled. "Hai, Akagi. But isn't it true?"

"Who are you two anyway? Megane and Gorilla?"

Twitch

"That is no way to speak to upperclassmen!" Gorilla clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. Kogure jumped back in surprise before attempting to get ahold of the situation.

"A-Akagi, calm dow-" he said, but he was cut off by the arrival of a familiar girl.

"Nii-san?"

They all whipped their head towards the sweet voice, and Hanamichi's eyes widened. She was a small and very pretty girl of deep auburn hair. She had a demure air to her and she looked like a really nice girl. Hanamichi didn't even notice the two girls she was with.

She looked at Gori (who the girl seemed to be talking to), and Hanamichi could not believe what she was hearing. She scratched her ears to check her hearing.

"Eh… it's the first time I saw nii-san speak with a girl so friendly."

"We are not friends!" they yelled in simultaneity, making the girl step back and chuckle awkwardly.

"G-Gomen."

Hanamichi calmed down and embarrassedly scratched her head. "I'm sorry for yelling."

And the girl smiled, making Hanamichi blink. She had never met a girl that wasn't scared of her from the get-go, and now even when she yelled at her... the girl seemed to still be fine with her. For some reason, she turned on her chibi-mode and stiffened in seriousness.

"Ne." she said and the girl stared at her in innocent anticipation. "I like you. Wanna be friends?"

Silence

The girl beamed. "Okay!"

And with that- everyone paled.

"EHHHH?"

…

Everyone stared at Akagi Haruko. One of her two friends, one with the big mouth looked at them alternatively in fear. She ran to Haruko's side and started whispering.

"She's a famous delinquent Haruko! D-Don-" she squeaked when she caught Hanamichi, who had a strong sense of hearing, glaring her to death. The girl stepped back and hid behind their other meek-looking friend, while Akagi (the brother) massaged his forehead and started speaking with his sister like the mother-hen that he could be.

"Haruko." He said. "Don't befriend these types of idiots! It could be contagious."

Hanamichi sighed, and looked alternatively at the Akagis. "I still can't believe she's your sister. Are you two really related? Pfft-" She snickered a laugh. "Maybe you got adopted from the zoo."

Akagi's eye twitched. "Why you-"

Kogure quickly went in between. He had never seen Akagi get so easily annoyed, this girl really had the talent in getting to people's nerves. "Ahahaha. Akagi…"

"Stay away from this Kogure."

"But be patient." He said and walked towards the bulky man to whisper something. Hanamichi frowned, and sharpened her hearing a bit more.

"She could be a great addition to the female basketball team." Her eyes widened, and as if on cue- Haruko walked near hear and started awing her height.

"Sugoi. You're so tall. Are you going to be a basketball player?" Haruko asked innocently, and all of them flinched at the darkening of her expression.

"H-Hanamichi-san?" the girl stuttered and Hanamichi swiftly let out a deep breath in order to calm herself. She did not want to appear scary in front of her. But... this is basketball.

The thing that she hated the most.

She shifted her intensifying gaze towards the boys and pointed at them rudely. "Let me get this straight, you two are basketball players?"

Kogure nodded, while Akagi 'hmped' in annoyance.

"I hate you two already."

She quickly turned to Haruko, thinking that maybe she would hate her too since she was related to Gori, whom she disliked. "I don't hate you though." She corrected, but Haruko did not look relieved. In fact, she looked guiltier than ever.

"But…" she whispered. "I'm a basketball player, too."

CRACK!

Something shattered, and Hanamichi felt her legs give in in despair.

And there she thought she finally earned a female friend...

"Noooooooooooooo!"

.

.

END OF CHAPTER 1

Coming Soon:

CHAPTER 2: Lethargy

Would Hanamichi choose his stubborness over a friend? Why was Rukawa being odder than usual?

Or was it that they had met before...?

...