Slam Dunk - A Basketball Romance: A New Day Begins

Author's Note: Finally! I have, finally, started writing a fic - My FIRST fan-fiction. Do you know what this means? This story is my first BABY! And, hopefully, more are to come. But let's start slow, shall we? =3

Disclaimer: If I'd owned Naruto, I wouldn't have been writing this story. *Sobs*

Summary: A Basketball Genius, a Harmless Crush, a Compromising Situation, Jealousy, Betrayal, Hunger, and Passion. Would this one individual make her own Destiny without making enemies who want her dead? I guess not.

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Slam Dunk - A Basketball Romance

Chapter 1: A New Day Begins

Sunday, 11:45 PM

Someone was in the University's Basketball Court. The loud 'Thump, Thump' of a Basketball was heard, resounding within the walls of the building. Along with that, a slight panting was heard. The panting of someone, clearly, in need of some rest. But that someone was never keen on giving up or quitting until or unless a new goal was achieved. Speaking of goals, tonight that someone was trying to complete a thousand dunks. And out of those thousand dunks, 99 were achieved. It looks like that someone had a lot of work to do.

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Monday, 7:45 AM

Konohagakure's a peaceful little town in the State of Hidden Leaves in the Country of Fire. The town is one of those few places which are blessed with the coming of all four Seasons. Today, in the month of May, is the middle of spring. It's warm, yet soothing, and windy. Flowers have blossomed in every nook & cranny, their faces guided by the morning sun.

At this time of day, grown men are seen rushing to wherever their work awaits them; Children are scampering to their respective Educational Institutions; Some women are preparing to start on their house-hold chores while others are dashing to work, leaving behind their Maids & Nannies to take care of their Darling Bundle of Joys.

Out of all these people, a group of 1st year students are hasting towards their University - Konohagakure University. It is said Konohagakure University is included in the Top 5 Universities among the five countries, which are:

The Fire Country with the Hidden State of the Leaf, Konohagakure;

The Wind country with the Hidden State of the Sand, Sunagakure;

The Earth Country with the Hidden State of the Rock;

The Thunder Country with the Hidden State of the cloud; and

The Water country with the Hidden State of the Mist.

Now, these group of students consisted of boys; Each and every one of them had their own distinct qualities. So to say, none of them were alike. Yet, all of them had plenty of things in common, which would make an average person wonder, 'How in the world do those kids get along?' One of the boys, having hair the color of sunshine and eyes like the deepest Azure crystal, was deep in discussion...

'Hey, Naru, watch that...' a boy with a pineapple-shaped ponytail & a lazy stance was warning before the object of his conversation interrupted him.

...and failed to look out for the lamp-post.

'Damn, Shika! You could've warned me earlier, y'know??' the boy named Naru, whined.

'I was but you never listen. Tch. How troublesome.' Shika exclaimed, lazily.

'It's a wonder how Naruto can turn such an uneventful start of a day into something so...eventful, everyday. Shikamaru, learn from him.' a tall boy, with dark glasses and a long grey jacket, said.

'I agree, Shino-kun! I must confess, it exhilarates me to see Naru-kun so excited and jubilant, everyday! Yosh! The power of youth always prevails!', an eccentric-looking man, wearing green spandex tights and thick eyebrows and a bowl-shaped haircut, bellowed.

'Lee, do you always have to take everything so positively?' wailed a sleepy boy with red tattoos under his eyes.

'Hai, Kiba-kun! Unless one does not take everything positively, how can one look towards the future with high hopes?!' the spandex-clad individual, called Lee, roared.

'All of you are Losers. Fucking idiots.' replied a bored-looking boy with skin as pale as the moon.

'Sai-san, must you be always so pessimistic?' cried Lee.

'Tch. His middle name IS DipShit, remember?', responded an angry-looking boy with gorgeously long, chocolate brown hair, tied-up in a loose & low ponytail.

'Hey, Neji! Don't talk dirty while people are eating!', a chubby young boisterous boy exclaimed with disgust.

'Forgive me, Cho. But I'm under the impression when you're eating, which is all the time, you tend to not listen to anyone. So, it's amazing how you never noticed the fact I call Sai DipShit ... until NOW?' Neji stated matter-of-factly.

'Chouji, how many bags of Bar-B-Q flavored potato chips have you eaten today?' Naruto asked, interested.

'Well, I dunno. I never count. Uhhh, I'm thinking about 14.'

'Fuck face.' someone mumbled.

'What was that?? Sai, I dare you to say that, again!', Shikamaru yelled.

'Alright.', Sai said, shrugging. 'Fuck face.'

'Wow. You really ARE a DipShit.' Shikamaru mused.

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On the other side of town a group of girls, also belonging to Konohagakure University, were rushing to their morning classes and chattering aimlessly. These ladies plan to meet up at IchiRaku's Ramen Shop every morning. Hence, they go through a similar routine every single day. Call it a ritual, if you may.

'Ooooh! Guess what!? Tropic Thunder's showing today on Cinepax!' a pretty girl with buns on both sides of her head, practically, screamed excitedly.

'Really, TenTen?! Oh, my God! I read in the gossip column Robert Downey Jr.'s looking hot in it! But I wanna see Ben Stiller.', a tall, attractive, blond with long hair and a bang covering one side of her face, screamed equally exuberantly.

'Ano, Ino. We can go watch it tonight, ne? TenTen?' asked a small individual wearing a baggy hooded sweatshirt and identically baggy cargos. It was difficult to distinguish that figure from a male or a female underneath all that...Baggy-ness. Also, the individual's head was covered by a, well, hood.

'YES! Hina, you're wonderful! Adorable!', jumped Ino, huddling a shy Hina.

'Aww, Hinata, stop being so shy, already!' said TenTen all the while hugging a delirious Hinata.

'Also, what's up with your wardrobe??! Don't you have anything feminine to wear, Hina?' asked an annoyed Ino.

'Ano...Umm...Well...' Hinata, poking her index fingers together, nervously.

'Ino, let's leave her today. We'll do our stuff with her tonight, before we go to the Cinema.' sighed an exasperated TenTen.

'Awesome plan!' Ino grinned evilly.

And I just HAD to open my big mouth. Hinata, inwardly, groaned at the thought of a Make-Over.

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Monday, 8:00 AM

Reaching the gates of the University, the boys started off towards their respective classes.

'So, Ummm... what classes do we have?' asked Naruto, scratching his head, ashamed to be asking such an obvious question.

'Wha? Naruto, don't tell you don't even know your class schedule?!', Shikamaru asked, bewildered.

'Why am I NOT surprised?' smirked Kiba.

'Alright, alright! Will you, please, tell me, already?!', wailed Naruto before something, or someone, with a head of Bubble-Gum Pink caught his eye. 'Oh, whoa! There she is! Sakuraaaa-chaaaan!'

All the guys turned around to see Miss Popular, Haruno Sakura, emerging from the Coffee Shop opposite the University.

Ugh, why HIM of all people? Dumb blond, Sakura's Alter-Ego grumbled.

Lee, excitedly, jumped to where Sakura was standing. 'YOSH! It is I, Sakura-chan! The Green Handsome Devil of Konoha! How is my Sweet Lily Blossom today?'

Sakura, who had thought Naruto was her worst nightmare, was off to a bad start. So bad that her left eye started twitching.

Damn, just when i thought i almost made it to University before these freaks, Sakura's Alter-Ego wailed.

'So, Sakura-chan...'

'Naruto, your conversation skills are extremely impressive. Actually, they're growing impressive with each passing day.' said a sarcastic Neji.

Sakura scanned all the boys standing in front of her and realized almost the whole Basketball team was there. Except for the one her eyes were always searching for. She sighed and greeted them quite tersely,

'Uzumaki Naruto, Sai, Nara Shikamaru, Akamichi Chouji, Hyuuga Neji, Rock Lee, Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba. How nice to meet you all...again'

'Save it, bitch.' said a quite-predictable Sai giving a quite predictable retaliation.

Sakura's right eye started twitching.

The boys snickered & smirked except for Naruto & Lee.

'What did you call my Sakura-chan?!' screamed a furious Naruto whose balled fists were hanging by his sides.

'Yes, you mean man with a bad mouth, what did you call my Sakura-chan?' yelled Lee. Then he realized something. 'YOUR Sakura-chan? She's MINE as she prefers her men more Youthful!'

For 10 minutes the boys bawled & lashed out at each other - verbally, of course. The entire time, Sakura's eyes were going haywire.

'Shut. The. Fuck. UP!' screamed the Green-Eyed Witch. A pretty witch, if i may say so myself.

Naruto and Lee stopped arguing, looking at Sakura with a bewildered expression on their faces, while the rest of the guys, who expected this kind of reaction, stayed looking indifferent.

'Give me my 10 Rio. I told you she was gonna pop in 10 minutes.' whispered Kiba to Sai.

Sai put on his signature creepy smile, which was, actually (to him), a defeated look, on his face and jammed the 10 Rio into Kiba's waiting palm.

That did it. Sakura turned and entered the University gates, not even once looking back, her fists balled up in rage.

The boys, minus two, took a breath of relief which they didn't even know they were holding. The Minus-Two boys kept on bickering, unaware of their surroundings.

Just then, the Trio appeared, talking animatedly.

'Hina, that's not fair!', TenTen pouted. 'I never knew you could be so funny. And why tease ME? Why don't you do Stand-Ups while your at It.', TenTen's statement dripped with sarcasm.

Hinata's eyes grew wide and her lips started quivering (not that anyone could see, of course); she was THE one to do THE Puppy Dog Look and THE pout. What a surprise. Then, surprisingly, all three starting giggling which turned into full-fledged, heartfelt laughing.

'Y'know, Hina IS right. Your name...' Ino burst into a fit of giggles, again. 'Say it, again. Hina-Hime!'

Hinata nodded, 'Well, I saw this video on YouTube last night. It was a pretty old Japanese Game Show.', Hinata stifled newly-aroused giggles. 'One player from both teams had to translate Japanese into English and vice versa. So this one guy from a team had to do counting from 0 to 100. He was going perfectly until 20 showed up. Then 30. Then 40. Then 50. Then 60. Then 70. Then 80. Then 90. And, Finally, came 100.'

Ino nodded hysterically, nudging Hinata to go on. TenTen groaned.

'Well, whenever those numbers came up he would say TEN that number of time. For instance, when 20 came up, he said TenTen.' Hinata started giggling.

TenTen dropped her head in shame. Ino, who was enjoying too much, consoled Tenten, 'Hey, Ten, sweets, no worries. I'm sure if it wasn't your name you'd be laughing with us, now.'

TenTen growled. The other two laughed and pecked TenTen, a cheek each.

The boys, who were watching with evident fascination, wondered at the same time, 'What is UP with girls? And that weird guy with the hood?'

The girls, sensing stares, looked up and saw this group of eight tall, good-looking guys and realized, at the same time, 'Oh. My. GOD. The Konohagakure University Basketball Team, the team on the Top 3 of the country's Basketball Association, is STARING at US.'

Then, something happened.

'Hi! Do you girls study here?'

Ino, TenTen, and Hinata shifted their eyesight to the bubbling blonde who posed that question.

Ino was exasperated, to say the least. TenTen was depressed. Hinata, Being Hinata, was relieved.

'Excuse ME? No, make that, Excuse US? We've been studying in this University since last semester!' Ino fumed.

TenTen didn't even bother to open her mouth.

Sai was interested, 'Really? But I've never seen you around here. Also, who's the freak in the hood? And what's a guy doing acting so casual around you girls?'

Hinata cringed.

Ino and TenTen backed Hinata up and defended her.

'You have a problem, Mime?' TenTen growled.

'Hah. That the best you can do?' All guys tried shushing Sai but he wasn't giving up.

'This', Ino pointing at Hinata's now-stiff figure, 'is Hyuuga Hinata. And don't you DARE say anything about her, FluFace. '

'Fluface? Not as good as DipShit but funny as hell.' snickered Kiba.

'THAT's a GIRL?' Sai was enjoying this.

'Hyuuga?' Shino mused and looked towards Neji.

'Hinata-sama?'

Everyone swiveled towards where the voice came from. 'Neji? You know that poor excuse of a ... GIRL?' Sai asked.

Neji turned towards Sai and nodded, saying 'She's my cousin. But it's been a few years since I'd last seen her. About 4-5 years. I never knew...'

Naruto interjected, 'Ohhh! So she must be pretty ugly to hide under all that...hood!'

Lee gasped. Chouji stopped munching on his chips. Shikamaru Face-Palmed and shook his head, 'Naruto, why do you have to be such an insensitive knucklehead with no brain or ability to think, whatsoever?'

'Ehhh? Nani?' Naruto couldn't comprehend all the English Mumbo-Jumbo & Technical Jargon. 'Damn, Shikamaru why'd you have to...Shit! Now my head hurts!'

The girls weren't able to look away from the scene unraveling before them. Other than that, Hinata was dumb-founded. Ugly? Did everyone think she was ugly?

Ino and TenTen could feel Hinata's discomfort and thought of standing up, again, just for their Hina-Hime.

'Well, if she doesn't look like that Pink-Haired, Dim-Witted Cheerleader of yours, then, she isn't ugly at ALL.' huffed Ino.

And with that, they stalked off towards their first class leaving a google-eyed bunch behind them.

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Author's After Note: OK, People! I hope to get Reviews - Constructive Criticism will be much appreciated as it will warm my feeble heart. Marshmallows for you all who took the time to make me a better writer and, also, to give you what you deserve - A good, old-fashioned, heart-wrenching, fluff-bunny, and sensual story.