{Kanagawa University - inside one of the dorms}

Something or someone is caressing his face, causing him to rouse up from his sated slumber. His classmates have known of his habit of knocking anyone senseless with his punch, whenever he is woken from his precious sleep. But this time it's different; it's not like other times, where he would automatically carry his punishment for those who disturb his precious habit. It was the feeling that emitted from that caress that stopped him, the love and tenderness he felt, and he knew too well what would be waiting for him when he opened his eyes. Slowly as if in a dream, his gaze is met with a pair of the most beautiful and expressive brown eyes he has ever seen. "Good Morning Hana". Rukawa greeted with a slight smile grazing his normally stoic and cold expressionless face.

"Good morning Kaede" Sakuragi said, leaning forward and kissing the fox-eyed boy on his lips. It was suppose to be a chaste kiss but soon turned passionate. Rukawa wound his arms around Sakuragi's neck and kissed him passionately until they both parted for air. Rukawa would have liked to continue kissing his redhead but the latter is slowly unwinding his arms around his neck and with a smirk said "You better get up Kaede or we'll be late for school." Sakuragi remained sitting beside his raven head lover and stared as the other is grumpily trying to haul himself off from a lying position.

The redhead caught his breath as the blanket that covered his lover, slowly slid down his torso in a provocative manner, thus exposing the skin that he so dearly love to kiss and torment. Pushing those thoughts away, Sakuragi studied the guy before him, still sleepy and disheveled but even then, Sakuragi is still in awe at how the kitsune could look so handsome and beautiful at the same time, even from just waking up. He wondered how he has ever missed it. [But not now, he's here and I can stare all I want.] Smiling inwardly, he resisted the urge to kiss those red lips once again.

"Can't we just skip school even for just today?" questioned Rukawa while stifling a yawn.

Shaking his head in amazement, "Nope we can't. You know we can't afford to be lax with our studies. This is college. Besides Gori will have our hides if we flunk it. So get up already."

Rukawa, still yawning, slowly shifted on the bed to reach and hug Sakuragi by the waist. Nuzzling the side of his Hana's neck, he muttered, "You smell good. Hmmnnnn, You've already showered?! Why didn't you wake me up earlier so I could join you?" questioned the still sleepy guy.

"Then we would definitely be late for school", chuckled the redhead.

"Hmmnnn, wanna join me then?" Rukawa asked, while slowly trailing kisses all over his face. At this rate he would need to take that shower again, just to clean himself.

"Gosh kitsune you're insatiable!"

Resisting the urge to agree, Sakuragi hugged his lover closer to him and with a calculated move, heaved himself off the bed along with Rukawa. Dragging someone who is tenderly nuzzling and biting the tender flesh on your neck, not to mention naked above the waist, is not an easy task to do. Thus, Sakuragi is having a hard time ignoring a portion of his body that is slowly responding to that provocative display of affection. Rukawa slightly chuckled upon noticing the redhead's growing state; he then gently sucked a portion of Sakuragi's neck, which left a mark. "My mark of possession", he muttered.

Upon reaching the bathroom door, Sakuragi slowly disentangled himself from Rukawa, turned the guy and shoved him inside the bathroom. Peering through the mirror just beside the bathroom's door, Sakuragi exclaimed, "Kitsune, I told you a thousand times never to leave a mark where people can see! You know how I hate being teased. Especially by Mitchy and Ryochin." The only answer he received inside was of the shower tapped being slowly turned. "Stupid Kitsune!" [Now how am I suppose to cover this up?]

He went out of Rukawa's bedroom and headed to his room to look for something suitable to cover it. [Hmnn, maybe a scarf would do?] Wounding a scarf around his neck, he inspected himself through the mirror, "Yup that'll do." Satisfied. He went to the living room and waited for Rukawa to finish preparing.

Minutes later, Rukawa emerged from his bedroom all fresh and yummy to look at. He is slightly surprised to see Sakuragi wearing a scarf. A scarf that was given by Haruko, nonetheless. Frowning, "Why are you wearing that `aho?"

"Isn't it neat? It covered that mark that you just gave me." Sakuragi replied with a grin.

"And why would you wanna cover it up? Are you ashamed or embarrassed to let the others know who did it or that you have it?" Rukawa probed, slowly feeling irritated.

"No it's not that, but Mitchy and Ryochin will tease me again!"

"So?"

"So? Aarghh, there's no reasoning with you. Ok, lemme explain things clearer to you. I don't want the others to tease me coz' I know it will just lead to bickering and fights, which might probably earn me a gorilla punch on my head again. Then, I'd get all hyper and mad that I will loose my concentration. I need not to loose my concentration today, Kaede. Today, we play our practice game against the other University and I don't want to mess up. I want to show Ken-san that he could trust me to fill Gori's or Hanagata's shoes."

Hearing how his Hana-kun has called their captain, he can't help the rush of blood sky rocketing to his brain, "Don't call him that".

Taken aback with the irritated tone, Sakuragi could only mutter, "Huh? Call who what?"

"Don't call Fujima that way." He snapped.

"What..." stammered the redhead. Confused by his lover's rather vehement reaction. He looked up to peek at Rukawa's expression and found that he has that cold front back in full gear. "But Ken-san insisted that I call him that. No need to ire our new captain by not following his requests. I don't want another Gori in college you know."

Sakuragi resisted the urge to laugh when he saw his lover's face show the familiar signs of jealousy. Chuckling to himself at how he could make the kitsune jealous, he slowly turned and was reaching for the door when suddenly... a hand is firmly clamped on his shoulder, turned him around and was shocked to find blue eyes so near his own and familiar lips fused tightly into his.

Rukawa is kissing the redhead with fervor, fueled by the knowledge that his Hana is deliberately trying to provoke something in him. Sensing Sakuragi's response, Rukawa left his lips, unwound the scarf, and continued the assault along his jaw towards his neck and gently bit the mark he left earlier and licked the same spot. "Kaede, stop, I .... We ...mmmmm.... need to go. It's getting late". Sakuragi softly pleaded. Already moaning and getting slowly aroused under Rukawa's actions. Rukawa's hands are now roaming the redhead's back with familiar ease.

Rukawa lifted his head, looked straight into chocolate brown hazy eyes and said, "You're mine Hanamichi, remember that. Stay away from Fujima!"

Shocked. Sakuragi was rooted to the spot. He has never before heard such a serious possessive tone coming from the ice prince himself. He has suspicions that his lover might indeed be slightly jealous of the attention he was getting from their captain, but not to the extent of Rukawa staking his claim on him this way. Smiling softly to his dark haired lover, he leaned forward and softly kissed Rukawa before saying, "How about you Kaede, are you mine?"

Sakuragi, eyes closed with his forehead against the other, waited for an answer. When none came, he wriggled out from the embrace and went past Rukawa to stride purposely into his room, muttering that he forgot to get something.

Locking the door behind him, Sakuragi let out a sigh and was surprised to feel tears gathering around his eyes. "I love you Kaede". How he wished he could say it out loud. How he wished that he could hear the same coming from his lover. But it is not so, not now maybe but someday. Maybe when both of them are ready to face each other truthfully, maybe then. Something is holding both of them back from committing to each other fully. [I guess, all I can ask is for you to understand me for now, Kaede, I need time. Someday I'll make you understand.] With that in mind, he brushed away the tears and went back to the living room.

Rukawa is still standing on the same spot. He did not move. He couldn't. He was shocked that he could say those words out loud. He is jealous, insanely so. He has this feeling that in some weird way, their new captain has acquired a liking towards his redhead. Yes HIS redhead. He knows that he has no right to demand such a commitment from Hana, [not yet anyway]. But he can't help the fear, which grips his heart every time he thinks that his Hana will be taken away from him. Forcefully or otherwise. Hearing the door clicked shut, he knew that Hanamichi did not want him to follow. Yet he couldn't, even if he wanted to. He's not ready, yet. Not ready to tell him, to explain. Thus, he still can't say those words. Yet they are there, deep inside his heart. Always have, always will be. "Hana, please wait." He softly prayed. "One day, I will. When I have gathered enough courage to tell you the truth."

Hearing the bedroom door opened, Rukawa hastily schooled himself. Gathered his things and followed the redhead when he went past him to open the door.

{Inside an Airplane}

Akira Sendoh, former star player of Ryonan high, is coming back to Kanagawa after undergoing special basketball training for 6 months in the US. In his hand is a letter from his former teammate, Hikoichi Aida.

< Sendoh-san,

How have you been? Hope basketball training is going well... Us here at the university are doing fine also. Our team is scheduled to have a practice game against the team from Kanagawa University next week. Coach is training us well and Maki-senpai is anxious that we do well in this training or else we might loose the game. Their team is strong Sendoh-san, especially now that they have Kaede Rukawa and Hanamichi Sakuragi joining their team. After you left those two seemed to be working well together and their bickerings stopped. I heard from a former Shohoku student that they might be going out together. I saw them one time and would you believe that Rukawa Kaede actually smiled? He did! We were surprised, Koshino-senpai and I. I guess all it took for the ice to break is fire like Sakuragi-san, ne? Anyway, Koshino-senpai sends his regards and hope that after you finish training you'll join our university and we could be together again. Just like old times.

Hikoichi >

Folding the letter, Sendoh looked outside the window with a determined glint in his deep blue eyes. His normally smiling face holds no mirth; instead it is replaced by a scowl. His heart is being torn into pieces, remembering what Hikoichi wrote;

< Rukawa Kaede actually smiled >

< All it took for the ice to break is fire like Sakuragi-san >

[Smiled. Kaede smiled. You have never smiled for me Kaede. Was it always for him? I know that you said it's over, but I never take things lying down. I'll get you back Kaede; I'll make you forget your obsession, once and for all. I'll take you with me, back in America.]