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Pay Attention Please
by Annie D

Dedication: This finale is dedicated to Nina. Because you’re such a wonderful person and friend. ::hug:: And also because you still make me feel nervous and inadequate when it comes to my writings, but somehow you're the reason I'm posting this up so quickly.

Epilogue: A Short Closing

On one hand, I’m relieved that they finally got things straightened out properly.

On the other hand, even my fan-slapping cannot stop them when they start making out in public.

Sakuragi Hanamichi and Rukawa Kaede, who fell in hate at first sight, are now the most nauseatingly sweet couple I’ve ever seen, and I don’t know whether to laugh at them or throw a bucket of water on them. Haruko has settled for squealing "They’re so sweet!", Akagi has settled for roaring at them (okay, so not much change there) and Ryota has settled for giving them dirty glares before turning to me with a terribly hopeful look in his eyes.

I had thought it had been fun watching them bicker. But it’s even more fun to take them places and see everyone’s reaction to their newfound coupledom. Hanamichi's enjoying it, too, as he has accosted quite a number of people (schoolmates or innocent bystanders) to point at Rukawa while announcing giddily, "That's my boyfriend! Aren't you jealous? Yes, you are! My boyfriend is Rukawa Kaede! Hahahahahaha!" (I think he gave quite a number of Shohoku girls a heart attack with that one.)

And yeah, I know what I did counts as getting involved, but that’s because I finally realised that although I’m the team manager, I’m also their friend. And I want to see my friends happy.

People can say whatever they like, but Rukawa and Hanamichi really are perfect for one another. I’ve never seen two happier people in my life. They used to drive each other nuts - and they still do, actually, but now in a different way. So opposite, yet so alike, balancing each other out ridiculously well.

Don’t think just because they’re an item (whoa, that gives me goosebumps) means they’ve changed much. Rukawa is still Mr Monosyllabic, and Hanamichi is still Mr Tensai Super Ego. But as everyone can see, they’re more alive. Especially Rukawa, if you can imagine such a thing. He smiles now, although I do note that they're only reserved for Hanamichi. Amazing.

And, although people don’t really notice this, quite often I've seen them bend their heads toward one another, talking softly. Nobody knows what they talk about, and I don't think it's anything mushy, more like just... talking. They way a couple should talk - about anything and everything, learning things about each other that no one else in the world could have the right to know. I even get a little jealous sometimes, but it's hard not to be happy for them.

They still do fight occasionally, but I think that’s just an excuse to have make-up sessions. (cough)

And of course Hanamichi’s own training has intensified for the oncoming IH, although I don’t think that would be a problem since he’s playing terribly good now that he has Rukawa to cheer him on. (Although ‘cheer’ would be too strong a word. He more like just stands there and nods every once in a while. Occasionally he smiles, and that makes Hanamichi blush the colour of his hair.)

So the future isn’t certain for them. Rukawa still hasn’t decided whether he wants to continue in the All-Japan or return to Shohoku, and although Hanamichi hasn’t said it out right, he doesn’t want Rukawa to throw his professional career away. There’s still school to attend, games to play, growing up to do.

But for now, they have each other, and that’s enough. The rest of us of course are supportive of whatever decision they make, and I think that the right decisions will be the easiest.

So wish them luck.

Ja ne!

Author's Note: It’s finished! ::happy dance:: Oh all right, so it wasn’t original and I didn’t "have a cunning plan" when it came to the plot, but that’s okay because I just wanted them to end up together! And it’s my first shounen ai! … Oh wow, I wrote slash. I WROTE SLASH! NINA, THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! But still… It’s Rukawa and Sakuragi. Heeheehee. ::runs off into the sunset a happy RuHana shipper:: Wheeeeeeeeeeee!

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