Destined to be - Chapter 7 After the incident in the park, Rukawa and Hontokoi’s friendship blossomed. Though they had became friends, they did not look like it for they barely talked to each other in school. One morning Hontokoi went to school extra early and nobody was there yet. She went to her class. She was surprised to find a brand new flute place on her desk. She went up to her table and picked up the flute. She looked around the classroom; nobody comes so early... So who put this flute on her table? She turned behind at Rukawa’s table and saw Rukawa’s briefcase on his chair. He had already arrived. So did he give me this flute? Hontokoi wondered. There was not a note left behind. There was only one way to find out. With the flute in her right hand she left the class and went to the gym. True enough, he was inside practicing basketball himself. Hontokoi walked into the gym slowly. When Hontokoi entered the gym Rukawa stopped playing and turned to her. “Rukawa, you are early today,” Hontokoi said her right hand behind her back hiding the flute. “That is something unusual.” “Thought of coming here to practice,” Rukawa answered shortly. “What about you?” “Actually, I came here to go to the library. It usually opens very early.” Hontokoi took the flute out from behind her back. “Did you give me this?” Rukawa looked down at the flute in Hontokoi’s hand without reaction and gave a nod. Then he turned back to the basket to shoot in a three-point ball. Hontokoi looked at him with one eyebrow raised. Was that the only thing he was going to say? Hontokoi wondered and he didn’t even say it. “Thank you,” she said but Rukawa did not even acknowledge her. With a sigh she turned away and walked out the gym. No wonder Hontokoi barely liked him. She just could not bare the cold shoulder he was showing her but Rukawa was still her friend so she just took it lightly. Rukawa turned back to Hontokoi just in time to see her walk out the stadium slowly. He shot in another three-pointer and scolded himself for not asking her why that was flute so important to her. That was what he wanted to know, was it not? Damn you Rukawa! He said to himself. Really stupid to be tongue-tied at the most important time. What will Hontokoi think of me now? Hontokoi looked down at the flute in her hand. Why did Rukawa get her this flute? Did he know how important the old flute was to her? She didn’t recall telling anyone the story of that flute. She knew that this new flute would never replace the old one but she was very touched by Rukawa’s thoughtfulness. As days went by, those boys did not disturb Hontokoi anymore. Rukawa was getting even better in his basketball and she could not seem to stop talking about him when she was with her father. Yatsunaga wanted to meet this boy Hontokoi was talking so highly of but they did not have a chance for Yatsunaga was always busy and Rukawa was the same as well, until one day when Yatsunaga came home early from work to bring Hontokoi out for basketball practice. At the same time, Yatsunaga and Hontokoi cycled to the nearest basketball park. Rukawa got on his bike as well and was on his way there. “So how is your three-pointers getting on Hontokoi?” Yatsunaga asked when they were at the park. “Did you practice after I had taught you?” “It’s so-so papa,” Hontokoi answered hesitantly. “What you mean so-so?” Yatsunaga said. “I had taught you that many months ago. It is not like you to learn things so slowly. You should be...” His sentence was cut short when Hontokoi jumped up slightly and shot in a three-pointer. It went swiftly into the basket. That was when Rukawa reached the park and parked his racer bike next to Hontokoi’s and Yatsunaga’s. He took out his ball and looked at those bikes. Damn, there are others that had arrived earlier than he did. He thought unhappily. He went into the park and stood behind the bush just in time to see Hontokoi jump up with a 'whoopee’. “Three points!” she yelled. “So, what have you got to say about that!” “You lied,” Yatsunaga said. “I just wanted to surprise you,” Hontokoi said still grinning away. “So, you wanna challenge now? It has been a long time since we did that.” “Why not?” Hontokoi went over to the ball to pick it up. When she turned around again she saw Rukawa and her face brightened up with a smile and she waved to him. Yatsunaga turned to see who she was waving at. “Rukawa!” Hontokoi cried. “Come and join us. I want you to meet my father!” Rukawa was surprised that Yatsunaga was Hontokoi’s father. He walked up to them slowly. Hontokoi turned to her father then. “Papa, this is Kaede Rukawa! The basketball player in my school I was telling you about. Rukawa meet my father Coach Yatsunaga of the Itaka University. Papa, why don’t you two play and you can even teach Rukawa several things you think he is lacking.” “I'd be glad to,” Yatsunaga said. “So, shall we, Rukawa?” “I am willing to follow your teachings,” Rukawa gave a slight bow and they both started to play. Hontokoi stood aside to watch with a half smile on her face. After the match, Hontokoi joined in with them as well. The three of them had a great time together and when it was time to go home as usual the both father and daughter raced back. That time Hontokoi went off first with a false start. “Hey, that is cheating!” Yatsunaga yelled after her. “You went off twice in a row first!” “No, Papa!” Hontokoi shouted back. “You left me behind this morning in our morning jog. Can’t you remember?” “Well, Rukawa,” Yatsunaga turned to the boy. “If I were you, I wouldn’t let Hontokoi get away with it.” Yatsunaga peddled off as well. Rukawa with a little smile on his face raced off too. Hontokoi reached home first that was for sure and waited for both of them outside the gate of her house. They came back together. They had invited Rukawa for dinner that night and he had agreed for his mother would not be home early anyway, and he always had to take left-overs for his dinner. The three of them pushed their bikes inside the garden. When they were in the garden, Yatsunaga turned to her daughter and carried her up on his shoulders making her scream which she hardly ever did. “This is to teach you to cheat on us,” Yatsunaga said. “Right, Rukawa?” “Papa!” Hontokoi cried Rukawa stood aside speechless. “Put me down at once. You cheated on me this morning! Rukawa ,you better help me!” “No, he won’t. Boy’s world,” Yatsunaga said. “So we rule.” “Not fair!” Hontokoi wailed. “Two against one!” Rukawa smiled just seeing that comical scene. This was the first time he smiled in a long time. He couldn’t even remember when was the last time he did. Finally he felt like he was home, like he belonged with them. He had finally found friends that he could bond with. It was near the end of the third semester and Hontokoi and Rukawa would be studying for their finals really soon. Then it will be the holidays. Rukawa had a little problem with his work and so Hontokoi had to help him before their exam but usually he fell asleep, which made Hontokoi really mad until she used a long folded paper fan to hit Rukawa’s head. (She learned that from her cousin Ayako) Only Hontokoi dared to wake Rukawa; for the first few times, Rukawa nearly hit her but she stood her ground and actually was able to stop Rukawa from hitting her. So everytime when Hontokoi woke him Rukawa could only glare at her. Besides, Rukawa knew he would never hurt Hontokoi. Slowly Hontokoi started to like Rukawa as a very close friend of hers. When both of them were either in school or surrounded with people he would not even talk much to Hontokoi and she accepted that, but still Hontokoi thought that Rukawa did not really care about her or anybody. When their finals came and went, Hontokoi did very well again as the top student and Rukawa passed his finals much to Hontokoi’s relief. She had spent so much time helping him and tutoring him. It did not go to a waste. As the holidays came nearer, it was also the time when the Itaka University would be going to their All-Country Match; Hontokoi always had the chance to go and this time, Yatsunaga had asked Hontokoi to ask whether Rukawa wanted to come along. So during break two days before the holiday, Hontokoi turned to talk to Rukawa when the bell rang to indicate the end of a lesson. Something she rarely did. Rukawa was also a little surprised Hontokoi turned around to talk to him. “Rukawa, will you be free during the holidays?” Hontokoi asked and Rukawa just stared at her. When he did not answer, she continued. “Well, Papa will be going to Hiroshima this holiday season with his team to play in the All-Country match and he asked you to come along as well. If you want... it’s up to you to decide, all right? It will be great if you will be able to come along.” “Hontokoi, you ready?” Yuko shouted at the front door. “I’m starving!” “Coming!” Hontokoi turned to her and then back at him. “So think about it!” Rukawa watched her run out the class with Yuko, his mind wondering. He had nothing really nice to do during the holidays usually except play basketball, of course. Besides, the All-Country match at the university level sounded really interesting. So he made up his mind to go. Besides, he was hardly able to see Hontokoi during the holidays. So this would be an opportunity to be able to be with her now. After the All-Country match in Hiroshima, Rukawa and Hontokoi got to know each another even better and Hontokoi actually saw Rukawa smile for the first time when they were alone one night during the stay in Hiroshima. They had been having a night walk together talking. Rukawa told her about his father and how he had felt with his mother crying on the floor and his father didn’t even bother; when his mother tried to commit suicide and was saved again in a nick of time. Rukawa was sent to the children's home until his mother was well again. He told her that he would never forgive his father. Hontokoi consoled him; after all, he was still Rukawa’s father. Hontokoi did not tell much about her past but Rukawa knew about it already because he overheard her talking to Yuko the other day in the class. So he asked her about her flute instead. Hontokoi did not answer him immediately. After a long pause she finally told him. “That flute belonged to my mother,” Hontokoi said softly. “That was the only present she ever gave me and also the last thing I have left of her.” Rukawa stared at Hontokoi’s face. He could not read her face in the dark but when she turned to him he was surprise to see hatred deep in her eyes. That was the thing he saw when he met her for the first time at the park and also when Yusagi and his company broke her flute. He wondered where that look came from. How did she store so much hate in herself while still pretending nothing happened at all. Hontokoi always tried to control her feelings but somehow Rukawa could see right through her. Rukawa just kept quiet about it. He knew he had to give more time to Hontokoi to forget her pass though it had already been such a long time. After the holidays and the matches had ended, Itaka university came out first for the All-Country Tournament. Yatsunaga came home really worn out and tired much to Hontokoi’s surprise. He hardly tired that easily and it was only a short trip to Hiroshima. Hontokoi began to worry about Yatsunaga’s health then. When holidays ended, Yatsunaga hardly went out jogging in the morning with Hontokoi anymore. She knew it was his heart for this happened the year before. Yatsunaga, however, kept insisting that he was fine, so Hontokoi just kept quiet. To be Continued... **Previous ** Next**