Red Head

Basketball

CHIBA, 8 years ago

It was the year's Golden Week and Rukawa Kaede was finally having a rare family vacation with his family. He remembered the last one, nearly two years prior, where they went to sightsee in Mt. Fuji. Granted, it was one of those days where the clouds covered the iconic mountain, and the temperature was freezing, but the young Rukawa Kaede wanted to do it again, regardless.

This year though, the family opted to go to the beach. Unlike him, his parents seemed to have been traumatized by freezing weather during vacation and opted to do the opposite instead. They rented a huge cottage near the beach, one as big as his classmate's houses and he heard his mother tell his father that they should buy one of their own someday.

Whatever the case, this was a truly rare opportunity for the family—they were barely together—and Kaede (as apathetic as he appeared) was determined to make the full out of it.

Unfortunately, he felt like he was the only one who felt that way. His parents claimed they were too tired and needed to rest for a few hours, dismissing him when he was asking them to go to the beach with him.

"Go ask Maya. We'll follow later."

"Bu—"

"We're tired, kiddo. We promise we'll play later." His father said, patting his head with a weary smile. Rukawa, unsatisfied, opened his mouth to retort, but—

"MAYA!"

"Yes, sir!" The old woman barged into the room and looked softly at him. "Come now, Kaede-kun."

Rukawa didn't move at all even as Maya nudged him. Maya did not give up however and eventually, Rukawa did take a step towards the door. However, not even half way there he couldn't help but look back deeper into the villa—to his father, who was now sitting on the sofa and reading, and his mother on the dining room with her laptop, typing away.

Rukawa's frown worsened and his eyebrows furrowed deeper every step they took towards the beach. He didn't want to go there now.

Soon his trudging allowed Maya to be a few steps in front of him and his feet halted at the sight of her back turned. The young Rukawa stepped back by a bit, a little annoyed with everything, and turned around. He was already a half-a-block away when he heard his nana yell out his name.

Several minutes passed and he was now who-knew-where. He didn't know the place and so he easily got lost, eventually getting tired of running and opting for a casual walk instead. He passed by a major road in favor of smaller streets, allowing his feet to take him wherever they wanted to.

It didn't take long for him to hear the sound of a ball. There was something comforting at the steady rhythm of a dribbling ball, and once again he allowed his feet to lead him to its direction. Slowly, the sound became louder, and his pace hastened as the dribbling took differing tempos. A moment later he saw the precise source of the sounds and his eyes widened slightly at the sight.

It was a girl with bright crimson hair, and for a moment there he thought she was flying. He forced that particular illusion out by blinking to see the reality of a girl playing basketball by herself at court. Still—her movements were so elegant that it really felt like she had wings. His daze, however, was immediately cut by his nana catching up to him.

"Kaede-kun!" she breathed out, panting, the stress making her age an entire year. "WHAT ARE Y—"

BAM!

They whip their heads to the interior of the court. His eyes widened at the fact that the girl was on the floor now, her auburn eyes now clearing and Rukawa realized she had been in a trance, and the noise they made distracted her. He flinched when their eyes met, then frowned when he saw her flinch and look at her legs. Rukawa belatedly realized there was blood.