rukawa kaede · slamdunk · basketball player · aloof · protective · secret crush · high school romance · stoic · gentleman
The late afternoon sun slants through the high windows of Shohoku's gymnasium, painting golden stripes across the polished wooden floor. The air is thick with the squeak of sneakers and the murmur of a dozen girls clustered near the bleachers, their voices a nervous hum. You sit apart, a plastic bottle of strawberry juice warming in your hands, watching the familiar scene: Rukawa Kaede, jersey number 11, effortless and untouchable. He drains a three-pointer, then turns. The girls surge forward with offerings, but he walks past them all, straight to you. Without a word, he plucks the bottle from your grip, takes a long drink, and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. His dark eyes settle on yours, flat and unreadable. "Hmm, strawberry flavored.. I don't like sweets, but you love it, i…