[Slam Dunk] Undefended heart

It was night, and Rukawa's house was brightly lit.

Cigarettes were curling up in the hall, and a monk was sitting on his knees at the side of the mourning hall, concentrating on chanting sutras, and one after another, people came in to offer incense and worship.

Until now, Rukawa has not recovered from the blow of Hiiragi's death. Looking at the portrait of Hiiragi placed in the mourning hall, it is one of the few photos of Hiiragi, and it was taken before going to the hospital some time ago.At that time, Hiiragi probably knew that this was to be taken as a posthumous photo in the future. I don’t know what kind of mood he had at that time to complete the photo shoot as if nothing had happened.

Because they are twins, people often couldn't tell the two of them apart when they were young, but now, he is the only one left...

Recalling all the past, Rukawa couldn't help thinking, if he and Hiiragi's situations were switched, would he be as open as Hiiragi?Maybe not, so he will never be able to surpass Hiiragi, his only brother...

Just when Rukawa fell into memory, the chanting ended.

Chiyo got up and saw that his son was still in a daze, so he leaned forward and reminded him in a low voice, "Xiaofeng, come in and help me carry the lunch box together."

Rukawa followed Chiyo into the kitchen, and delivered the pre-prepared meals to the mourners one by one.

Serving meals to guests is an all-night custom in Japan.

After eating a few mouthfuls indiscriminately, Rukawa still had no appetite, so he said to Chiyo beside him, "Mother, I'm going out for a walk."

Seeing that the food in Rukawa's lunch box had hardly been touched, Chiyo couldn't help worrying about his body. Xiaofeng ate very little these days. Although he understood his mood, if this continues, even his iron-clad body will suffer. Can't live.

"Eat more." Chiyo couldn't help persuading.

In order to keep his mother from worrying about him, Rukawa continued to eat a few more mouthfuls, and it felt like chewing wax...

After the meal was over, the guests left one after another. Rukawa got up and went to the courtyard to breathe. As he walked, he looked up and realized that he had unknowingly come to the door of Hiiragi's room.

Looking at the dark room, Rukawa slightly lowered his eyelids, the lights in this room will never turn on...

Hand hesitated in mid-air, Rukawa finally pushed open the door.

Even with the lights on, the room was still apparently deserted, perhaps because the owner had left.

After Hiiragi passed away, the room has been rearranged, and many things have been dug out. It may be exaggerated to say a lot, because there are really very few things in Hiiragi, and they will be sent to be cremated together, and only a small part is left in the end. That's all.

Rukawa carefully inspected these relics one by one, and memories flooded into his mind like a flood.Just then, Rukawa noticed a photo frame at the bottom of the bag.

Out of curiosity, Rukawa reached out and took out the photo frame to have a look.

This is……

In the photo, a little boy is sitting on the promenade, and another little boy with the same appearance is holding a basketball in the courtyard. The two seem to have heard someone calling, and they are looking at the camera at the same time.

Rukawa remembered that it was the summer vacation of the first grade of elementary school. When he and Hiiragi went to play at grandma's house, his uncle took photos for them. It turned out that Hiiragi had always kept them.

Looking back now, he should have been obsessed with basketball since then...

Boom!

Just when Rukawa was in a trance, a pile of rolled papers standing beside him suddenly fell to the ground. Seeing this, Rukawa hurriedly put down the photo frame in his hand and went over to sort it out.

Spreading out a roll of paper casually, it turned out to be Hiiragi's drawing.

This painting depicts a street scene in winter. Although it is covered with snow, it does not make people feel cold. Even Rukawa, who has never been able to appreciate these things, thinks Hiiragi's paintings are very good.

Speaking of it, he seems to have never paid much attention to Hiiragi's paintings... Thinking of this, Rukawa simply sat down on the ground, admiring Hiiragi's drawings by himself.

Opening a picture album, Rukawa was surprised to find that Hiiragi also drew figure paintings. He thought that Hiiragi only painted landscapes, but why does the little girl in this painting have an inexplicable sense of familiarity...

When Rukawa discovered that only one person was drawn in this full album, the answer seemed to be ready, and when he turned to the last page and saw the little girl growing up, the guess in his heart also It was finally confirmed.

It really is Kaoru...

In the painting, Kaoru smiles heartlessly as usual, but if you look closely, it is not difficult to find the tenderness in her eyes... Rukawa couldn't help stretching out his hand to gently describe her facial features, and his heart suddenly had mixed feelings.

Rukawa took out a silver necklace from his pocket, which he found from his pocket when he was changing clothes for Hiiragi. He opened the necklace, and inside was a photo of Hiiragi and Kaoru. The two in the photo are very close , like a couple.

He remembered that there had been a silver necklace hanging around Kaoru's neck for some time, and it was only now that he suddenly understood...

'Hiragi...you don't want to die, I don't want you to die, I haven't answered your question yet...I'm telling you now, if I met you first, I would definitely choose you...No, if You wake up now, and I will always be by your side!So wake up... wake up...'

For some reason, Rukawa's mind suddenly recalled what Kaoru said to Hiiragi the day Hiiragi left. She...is the person she really wants to be with Hiiragi?

It was raining heavily that day, and he followed Kaoru all the time, watching her silently push Hiiragi back home, and he also followed silently all the way, but he never asked that sentence.

"So you are here, Xiaofeng."

The appearance of Chiyo pulled Rukawa back from his thoughts. Rukawa quickly sorted out the drawing, then stood up from the ground, and put the necklace back into his pocket.

"Your grandma and uncle are going back. You go to the door to see them off." Compared with a few days ago, Chiyo has lost a lot of weight, and the dark circles under her eyes can't even be covered by makeup. Not only Chiyo, but also the Rukawa family Everyone looked haggard, even Daisuke Rukawa, who had always been in good health, seemed to have aged ten years suddenly.

When Rukawa walked over, Chiyo suddenly remembered something and asked, "Have you contacted Kaoru?"

Rukawa froze for a moment, then shook his head.

After sending Hiiragi back, Kaoru disappeared, and no one knew where she went, as if she had suddenly evaporated from the world, and she didn't show up for the whole night.

"Hey, the relationship between that child and Hiiragi is very good. It seems that I have been hit. I wonder if tomorrow's farewell ceremony will happen..." For Kaoru, Chiyo really loves her like a daughter. Now Such a sudden disappearance, Chiyo was naturally very worried.

"..." Will she show up tomorrow?Rukawa didn't know, he found that Kaoru could always find her easily, but when she disappeared, he had no clue...

On the second day of the farewell ceremony, Hiiragi's classmates and teachers, as well as everyone from the Shonhoku basketball team came to see him off for the last time, but Kaoru did not show up from the beginning to the end.

At the time of the burial, Rukawa returned the necklace that Hiiragi had always cherished to him. Watching a cup of soil bury Hiiragi in the ground, Rukawa looked up at the blue sky.

This time I really want to say goodbye, brother...

At the same time, Kaoru, who has never shown up, appears in Hokkaido thousands of miles away.

"Hiragi, we've arrived in Hokkaido. Although we can't see snow this season, we can see lavender all over the mountains and plains." Kaoru caressed the necklace on her neck, slightly raised the corners of her mouth.

From Kanagawa to Shizuoka, and then from Shizuoka to Hokkaido, Kaoru continued his journey alone, fulfilling two people's wishes...

It has been nearly a week since Hiiragi's funeral, and the life of Rukawa's family has returned to peace, and Rukawa also began to train while continuing to apply to study in the United States.

The ringing of the special alarm clock woke Rukawa up from his nap, and then Rukawa realized that he had fallen asleep listening to English again, and couldn't help sweating in his heart. Learning was indeed the most hypnotic thing.

After sorting out the application materials on the table, Rukawa got up and changed his clothes before going to school for summer training. When he opened the door, he saw a person standing outside.

"Suzuki?" Rukawa felt a little strange about Suzuki's appearance.

Suzuki seemed to be thinking about something, Rukawa's sudden appearance made her startled, "Mr. Rukawa!"

Seemingly reading doubts from Rukawa's eyes, Suzuki calmed down and said, "Oh, I happen to be going to school too, so I thought of going with Rukawa-senpai along the way."

"..." If he remembered correctly, Suzuki's home should be in the opposite direction, right?Although he was clear in his heart, Rukawa didn't point out or ask, anyway, Suzuki would naturally say what he wanted to say.

Just as Rukawa pushed the bicycle and took a few steps, Suzuki really spoke, "Mr. Rukawa, I heard that you are going to study in the United States next semester. Is it true?"

"Yeah." Regarding this matter, Rukawa didn't deliberately conceal it, but he didn't spread it around.

"That..." Suzuki hesitated, and asked awkwardly, "Is Nanase-senpai going with you too?"

"..." Will she go?Rukawa didn't know either, "Shouldn't you ask her this question?"

Suzuki vaguely noticed that Rukawa's originally calm mood had suddenly fluctuated, and he couldn't help asking cautiously, "I heard that you and Nanase-senpai are dating..."

"You seem to talk a lot today." Rukawa looked back at Suzuki impatiently. He couldn't help being surprised by his bad attitude. What's wrong with him? Why did he lose his composure when Kaoru was involved? ...

Suzuki lowered his eyes aggrievedly, Rukawa suddenly felt a little embarrassed, just when Rukawa was thinking about what to say to ease the awkward atmosphere, Suzuki suddenly dropped a bomb!

"Rukawa-senpai, I like you."

Seeing Rukawa's stunned expression, Suzuki immediately explained, "The liking I'm talking about isn't the kind of liking a junior girl has for a senior, but the kind of liking a girl has for a boy!"

"..." Rukawa was a little speechless, was he so stupid in her heart?

Rukawa sighed and said, "I'm sorry."

He can consider her a friend, but cannot accept her affection.

It seemed that Rukawa's rejection had been expected long ago. Although Suzuki was disappointed, he was still calm, "Is it because of Nanase-senpai?"

In fact, Suzuki knew that Rukawa's relationship with Rukawa was likely to be fruitless, but she still wanted to tell him that she did not deny that she had a little fluke mentality, but she was more afraid that after he went to the United States, her feelings would not be able to survive. conveyed.She has never liked any boy, and Rukawa can be said to be her first love. As for how she fell in love with this taciturn senior, Suzuki himself doesn't know. body removed...

Rukawa didn't answer, and Suzuki didn't ask again, the two walked quietly on the way to school one after the other, neither of them spoke in tacit agreement.

Behind the wall at the side, an exotic girl with brown hair and blue eyes showed a sly smile...

At this time, in a cemetery in the suburbs, a girl with black hair in a black dress was standing in front of a newly erected tombstone with a large bouquet of lavender in her hands, and said with a smile, "Hiragi, I'm back."

The author has something to say: So, a new story is about to start. It feels so refreshing not to write about the competition. I have already released the copy for the next article. I want to bid farewell to the competition and take revenge on the society. La la la ~~~