Most people on the team wouldn't have noticed.
Not how Takao was always be done dressing before anyone else entered the changing room or how he would be the last to enter after training.
Nobody would notice how he sometimes bend forward and cringed while doing running exercises, in practice games or during an actual match.
Nobody would notice how he avoided showering while others were nearby or, if they did they didn't say anything. They probably chalked it up to teenage insecurity.
If he was in a hurry he would skip the shower completely.
But after Takao declared his rivalry to a certain miracle someone started notecing, bit by bit.
When the team entered the gymnasium Takao was already shooting hoops. It had always puzzled Midorima how Takao could be changed and warmed up in such a short time. They were in the same class afterall. But, without fail, Takao was always there before the rest of the team could even enter the building.
The team quickly entered the changing room. Midorima undressed and redressed himself in exercise clothes before grabbing his lucky item, a working replica of the ocarina of time from the legend of Zelda, and making his way over to Takao.
As soon as 'shin-chan' was withing his passing-range he shot the ball to him.
Midorima, ofcourse, caught it and sank a perfect 3.
"oi, stop screwing around and get over here!" Miyaji-senpai shouted as soon as the ball touched the net.
The trainig comenced as usual: stamina training, technique refinement and a practice match. After the initial training everyone exept the regulars was send home.
Ootsubo-senpai rouded every one up and anounced:
"Midorima has someting to say. Please pay close attention since this is related to our match against Rakuzan."
The declaration was made seriously with an underlying tone of proudness.
"I have been thinking about a stratagy to defeat Rakuzan an Akashi. The plan will require perfect coördination between Takao and me, but the rest of the team will need to block out all the other Rakuzan players before we can attempt this technique." Midorima had launched into the explaination full force, while the rest waited in anticipation.
"I will enter my shooting motion without the ball. At my highest point Takao will pass it into my hands and I will atempt to make the shot."
This is were everyones jas hit the floor. The past Midorima only took shots he was sure he would make. Everything about this was a risk, from timing to aiming to shooting, nothing was sure.
Miyaji fell in before the rest could ask questions.
"Takao, are you up for this? Can you do it?"
Silence...
"If Shin-chan thinks I can do it 'I will do anything in my power to make sure it happens'" The Hawk-eye responded, imitating Midorima with the last part of his sentence.
"Bakao! Take this seriously!" Thundered a very upset tsundere while delivering a hit on Takao's head.
"Ow! Seriouly, it was only a joke." He said as he brought a hand up to rub the new sore spot on his head.
"Ofcourse I'm serious about this, no need to hit me."
Without further explanaition he walked over to the 3-point line and said "Get ready, Shin-chan."
The ball he'd held troughout the explaination started bouncing.
Midorima walked closer to the goal while making sure there was still a decent amount of space between Takao and himself.
The room was silent exept for Takao's dribbeling.
An eerie anticipation fell over the gymnasium.
Then, Midorima moved.
Takao imidiatly reacted, the ball left his hands.
Midorima caught it and shot.
The ball spun on the ring a few times before falling in.
"Takao, that was too soon. Again."
And they took their postions.
The rest of the regulars left them to it and started to refine their defending moves.
~timeskip~
Training had been intense, even Midorima didn't stay behind today.
Like always, Takao entered the changing room last. Everybody exept Takao had started udressing and headed for the showers. Instead of doing the same Takao fiddled with his phone for a while before heading to the toilet.
Some had already left when he re-entered, but everyone was already redressed.
Takaoshot Miyaji and Ootsubo a look before finaly getting his shower stuff ready.
It was clear that Midorima was going to wait on Takao inside the changing room.
The lightest of nods came from the senpai and Ootsubo called out to Midorima, then he basicly dragged him out under the premis of wanting to talk to him privatly.
Miyaji said one last thing before also taking his leave.
"You know you can always talk to me, please do so if you need it."
Just before Miyaji was out of hearing range Takao said a soft but definitely hearable 'thank you'.
After that Takao hurried to pull off his shirt, revealing a skin colored binder that covered the upper part of his chest and ended just below his ribs.
Then he ripped that off too, finaly happy to be able to breathe.
Sometimes he forgot that wearing a binder for 12 hour a day had side effects.
He accidentaly sucked in too much air and triggered a coughing fit.
After it passed he quickly showered while keeping his mind occupied with useless stuff to distract him from his body.
Withing minutes he was wearing thebalck binder he used for daily life. It was the same model but easily be passed off as a thank top, unlike something that looks like your trying to hide something: the skin colored binder.
With another minute het was dressed and walked out to the parkingspot of the rickshaw where Sin-chan was waiting on him.
"let's do this Shin-chan, This time I'll definitely win!" Takao shouted as he aproached the green haired miracle.
"As if that would be possible, I've got fate on my side." Midorima said as he adjusted his glasses.
"Rock paper Scissors!" Both shouted, well... Takao shouted as Midorima calmly recited.
As Takao started pedaling he stated "Shin-chan your fate is cruel!"
Midorima only huffed and stared at the ocarina.
'Fate is indeed cruel...' Takao thougth as silence befell the two.
~timeskip~
"Here is your stop, Shin-chan"
They had stopped infront of a spacious stand-alone family home.
"Takao, don't forget that we'll be studying afterschool tomorrow." Shin-chan reminded him as he got out of the rickshaw.
"yes, Yes. I'll see you tomorrow morning" He said over his shoulder as he kicked off.
"Good night, Takao."
"Good night, Shin-chan."
And with that Takao directed the rickshaw to a neighbourhood close by, but of a different social standing.