Work Text:
"Hey."
A short greeting from behind caught the attention of Ryonan's basketball team captain, making him turn around. He stepped forward along the path, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips as he thought of the younger boy standing not far away.
Rukawa was just the same, just like every time before. Sendoh was familiar with this kind of greeting from Shohoku’s number one player. The expressionless face, the curt words, and usually a basketball tossed his way.
But today, something was different.
There was no basketball in Rukawa’s hands, and they were not at the basketball court.
.
.
.
Looking back to the day before, after finishing basketball practice with the Ryonan high school team, Sendoh quickly packed up and headed to the outdoor court behind the school. For the past several weeks, it had become their usual meeting spot. Even though Rukawa never said a word and Sendoh never asked, he still showed up at the same place, just like always.
It all started on that day when Shohoku’s ace came to challenge him to a one-on-one match. And once there was a first time, there came a second, a third, a fourth, and many more after that. Before he even realized it, it had turned into a daily routine he couldn’t go without.
The sound of the basketball hitting the ground signaled the start of the duel. Rukawa lowered his stance, ready to defend, his eyes locked onto the opponent across from him.
Sendoh liked it when Rukawa looked at him like that. And he liked looking at the other boy's face just as much. That face was so captivating that anyone who saw it would probably have to glance again.
Sharp eyes framed by long, curled lashes that matched well with neatly shaped dark eyebrows. A high, slender nose and jet-black hair contrasting with his skin tone made his face striking and impossible to miss. At the same time, his smooth, flawless skin and the gentle roundness of his cheeks gave him an innocent, boyish charm. And those small, pouty lips that always seemed to sulk a little added even more to that image.
And it wasn't just his looks. The way he acted also gave off the same feeling. He seemed like a kid sometimes. And that was... ‘cute’.
For some reason, lately, every time Sendoh saw Rukawa, that word kept popping into his mind.
And once again, the aces from Ryonan and Shohoku battled it out on the court until the sky gradually turned orange.
As Rukawa bent down to put his things into his bag, he looked up at the shadow of something being lowered from above. Sendoh was handing him an ice cream he had just bought from the vending machine beside the court, along with his trademark smile, the kind of smile that had melted the hearts of countless girls.
"They say cold weather calls for cold treats, right?"
"Idiot..."
Despite the comment, he reached out and took it without hesitation.
Sendoh laughed at the reaction, then took a bite of the other ice cream he was holding. He glanced over at the boy next to him, who was just as focused on his own.
"Rukawa, why do you come here every day?"
The distance between their schools wasn’t exactly short. It was surprising that Shohoku’s star rookie made the effort to come all the way to Ryonan. Just as surprising was how much he himself looked forward to seeing this kid every single time.
"... Playing basketball. Don’t ask such a stupid question."
"Ha ha… That’s such a typical answer from you."
Rukawa was a man of few words… no, he barely spoke at all. And whenever he did, it was usually short and blunt. Ninety percent of the time, it was some kind of curse or insult.
But Sendoh never minded. In fact, he actually enjoyed their time together. In his eyes, this side of Rukawa was... ‘cute’.
Ah… again. He didn’t know how many times he had used the word ‘cute’ to describe his junior, but it felt like way too often.
And for some reason, the more he looked at Rukawa licking his ice cream slowly right in front of him, the more he thought of a cat licking its paw. It made him want to tease him just a little.
He grabbed Rukawa’s hand and pulled it closer, then leaned in to bite at the ice cream. The boy flinched slightly before quickly pulling his hand back, shooting him an annoyed glare. Then he reached out and snatched the ice cream from Sendoh’s hand in retaliation.
What a stubborn kid... Sendoh laughed cheerfully, then leaned down and reached out to grab Rukawa’s ice cream again. The boy immediately moved away, but Sendoh wasn’t ready to give up. He leaned in even closer, forcing the other to step back until he lost his balance and fell.
Now Rukawa was lying on the bench, wide-eyed as he looked up at the older boy straddling him.
The ice creams in both their hands dropped to the ground, but neither of them cared anymore.
Thump thump, thump thump…
Maybe it was because of the ice cream making him cold. His body must have craved warmth and lost control. Sendoh didn’t realize that the space between him and Rukawa had shrunk until there was almost none left. Their skin was pressed close together, separated only by thin fabric. He stared into those sharp eyes that were trembling, then slowly lowered his face until he could feel the warmth of the other’s breath on his nose.
Rukawa quickly pushed Sendoh away before their lips could touch.
Around both of them, there was complete silence. Only the soft sound of the wind blowing and the beating of his heart, which felt like it was about to explode. Zen still stood motionless, watching as Rukawa slowly got up and picked up his bag.
But before Rukawa could turn and walk away, his wrist was grabbed.
“Rukawa… Are you free tomorrow?”
.
.
.
And that was what happened the other day that brought the two of them together at the cafe today.
“Let’s go inside.”
Sendoh walked ahead, then turned back and reached out his hand to pull the other to follow. Rukawa quickly dodged to the side before walking into the cafe with a furrowed brow and the corners of his mouth turned down slightly.
It was a small cafe, but not too cramped. The interior was decorated in light tones, giving a cute and warm atmosphere. The drinks and desserts tasted good, and although it was the weekend with some people coming and going, it wasn’t too crowded.
“My drink is lemonade… What about you?”
“…Fresh milk.”
“Haha, you really are such a kid.”
Sendoh smiled at his conversation partner, who was making a sulky face.
Okay…
[Drink at the café? – Fresh milk]
Saved to memory… First item in the topic ‘Little trivia about Rukawa.’
He couldn’t help but chuckle at himself, thinking he was acting just like Hikoichi.
Yesterday’s events made Sendoh understand his own feelings for the first time. Until now, he had thought of Rukawa only as a rival who made basketball fun, a junior he cared for, and a pleasant sight he liked to look at… He had just realized that he wanted more than that.
He wanted to be together, to walk holding hands, to kiss… or even more… to do the things that lovers do.
But it was probably too soon to confess his feelings, because up until now, basketball had been the only thing between him and Rukawa. He decided that he wanted to get to know Rukawa in other ways, and also wanted Rukawa to get to know him beyond basketball.
“What about sweets? Do you want to eat anything?”
Rukawa scanned the cakes lined up in the glass display, looking thoughtful. The boy placed his thumb and index finger at a right angle on his chin for a moment before pointing to a bright red cake.
“Red velvet?”
“Yeah, red. Shohoku.”
Sendoh smiled again… Adding a new entry…
[Dessert at the cafe? – Red velvet cake, Reason – Red, Shohoku]
After ordering food and drinks, Rukawa took out his wallet and handed money to the cashier, but Sendoh grabbed his hand and pushed it back.
“No need. I’ll pay.”
“I don’t like owing anyone.”
Sendoh shook his head softly and tightened his grip on the hand he was holding.
“You can pay me back next time, okay?”
“...”
The younger boy sighed softly, then pulled his hand free before nodding slightly in response.
.
.
.
Sendoh deliberately chose a seat by the window because he wanted to talk with Rukawa in private and soak in the relaxed atmosphere from outside… but he was wrong.
Before long, every seat in the cafe was taken. Even outside the shop, people crowded as if there was an event going on. Almost every pair of eyes was focused on the two of them, who were known as the hottest guys in their schools. This was something Sendoh had forgotten to consider.
Not only did their appearances act like magnets attracting attention, but their height also stood out so much it was as if an arrow was pointing, ‘Over here.’
It was nearly impossible from the start to have any privacy.
Sendoh didn't hate being the center of attention, and sometimes he even enjoyed the many gazes directed at him. But not now.
Because to him, this was a date… a date he didn’t want anyone to interrupt.
So he decided to take Rukawa to a park not far from the cafe. He searched for a quiet corner to get away from the crowds and eventually stopped by the water in the middle of the park.
It was a spot with a beautiful view in the background, surrounded by large trees decorated with leaves in various colors. Some had fallen, scattering vibrant tones across the lush green grass. The place was gently enclosed by the faint scent of flowing water.
"Rukawa, can I have your number?"
"..."
"It’ll make it easier to set up basketball games."
Sendoh handed his phone to the other boy. Rukawa hesitated for a moment before taking the phone, entering his number, and calling.
When Rukawa's ringtone rang from his own phone, Sendoh smiled again, feeling completely content. Today, he had learned quite a few new things about Rukawa.
A new entry for 'Little trivia about Rukawa':
[Phone number? – xxx]
[Ringtone? – New Power Generation]
Sendoh wasn’t exactly naive when it came to love. He had dated plenty of people before. But this was the first time he was genuinely interested in someone’s details like this.
“Do you have any pets?”
“Hmm… a cat.”
“Hahaha… Looks like the owner picked up some habits from their pet.”
Sendoh laughed out loud. He always thought Rukawa was like a cat, and now, with that slightly defensive expression, the resemblance was even stronger.
Another entry added to the list:
[Pet? – Cat, Reason – Similar personality]
He gazed at the person in front of him with quiet admiration. The boy’s hair swayed gently in the breeze, revealing his delicate features and smooth skin more clearly than ever before.
"What’s your type? Upperclassmen, underclassmen, or someone your age?"
"Basketball."
"Haha... I like basketball too. And I like juniors. Especially a junior who is good at basketball."
This wasn’t a love confession, and he had no idea whether this emotionally unreadable boy would even catch the meaning. He just wanted to say it, that was all.
Rukawa frowned slightly as he turned to look at Sendoh. Their eyes met, and the conversation came to a halt.
Sendoh turned his face away, letting his gaze drift out toward the water in front of them. His heart was losing control. He wasn’t ready to look Rukawa in the eye just yet.
Time passed slowly, until Sendoh felt a gentle weight resting on his shoulder.
"Rukawa?"
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly as he glanced at the boy, who had his eyes closed peacefully. His gaze was full of quiet affection.
Carefully, he supported Rukawa’s head and upper body, gently adjusting his position so he could lean against the large tree beside them. Using the back of his hand, he brushed aside the strands of hair falling over Rukawa’s face. Then he pressed his thumb softly against the smooth cheek, slowly tracing along the delicate jawline to the ear, and then down the elegant curve of the face, stopping at the tip of the chin.
Rukawa’s long lashes fluttered slightly, but it seemed the sleeping prince of Shohoku hadn’t yet stirred. Sendoh’s fingertip moved across Rukawa’s upper lip, then shifted to gently brush over the full lower one, back and forth.
He began to lower his face, slowly... feeling the distance between them shrinking.
But just before their lips could meet, he paused and pulled away with a quiet sigh.
His thumb moved to his own lips. He pressed the tip against them, holding it there for a moment, before gently placing it on the soft, tempting lips in front of him. It stayed there, lingering... for a long time.
"I want to do more than this... but I don’t want to take advantage of you while you're asleep."
Sendoh wanted to respect the person he longed to cherish. He gazed at Rukawa with a heart full to the brim with feeling.
As a cool breeze swept through the tall trees, it carried vibrant red and orange leaves down like falling rain. Gently, Sendō reached out and picked one of the maple-shaped leaves that had landed on the sleeping boy. He brought it to his lips and kissed it softly.
"I like you so much... Kaede."