This isn't the original pairing I had in mind when I decided I would give a shot at romance but here it is. There aren't many stories with this pairing without involving all the GoM so I decided to give it a go. It's a bit slow because I want to build it.


Clarity

Chapter One


School was out for the week, the much anticipated break after exams before returning for a new year, was probably the cause of the park being busier than normal. It was a good recreational area with a lot of grassy open space and benches. There were also a few cheap wooden tables on one end.

He startled the green haired pharmaceutical student when he placed the white plastic bag down beside the shogi bored and sat next to him.

"Kuroko," he said. His heated stared not impressed that his deep thoughts on his prior game had been broken.

"Midorima-kun." Kuroko looked around in search of the person who should be across from Midorima. "Akashi-kun isn't here?"

"If you came all this way for Akashi, you just missed him." Midorima looked back at the shogi board determined to replay the game so that he could defeat Akashi next time, not wanting to recall that he's never once defeated the man.

"I bought him a drink," said Kuroko as if the small action was reason enough why Akashi should be there.

"Then drink it yourself." Why was Kuroko still there? It wasn't odd for him to show up during Akashi and his' matches—the two of them usually met up at the park on Wednesdays if the weather permitted it. Kuroko knew and came to watch when he wasn't busy. The only reason Midorima knew Kuroko was through Akashi who had introduced them back in their first year of University when Kuroko intended to meet up with Akashi on their campus; Kuroko attended Komozawa University instead of Tokyo University.

Kuroko ignored the comment and reached into the plastic bag to take out a red bean flavoured drink and placed it on the table next to Midorima's hand. He then took out a sports drink for himself.

A silence passed as Midorima continued to stare at the board in contemplation and Kuroko took out a book.

Midorima should have ignored it. Kuroko was often found with a book in his hand. That or he would blankly stare at people—and he much preferred the former—but the words spilt anyhow. "Another book? Shouldn't you be saving your money for tuition?"

Kuroko looked up from his book and blinked. "I have my employee discount."

Midorima deadpanned expression revealed he wasn't amused at Kuroko's attempt at a joke. They were never funny and it always made him question if he was serious or not. "That's not funny."

"I'm not joking."

"I'm sure that working at a daycare doesn't give you book discounts."

"That's my summer job. I work part time at a bookstore the rest of the year."

"Oh." Because what was he supposed to say to that. "At least being in the literature department will do you some good in that respect nanodayo."

"There's nothing wrong with the literature department."

The silence returned between the two. Midorima cleaning up the pieces of the game and putting them in his bag and taking out his notes to rewrite them. He had one more year of regular studies before two years of clinical practice in the university hospital. After that he had to take a national medical licence examination. It was hard to become a doctor and he wouldn't leave just because Kuroko was there.

He drank the red bean drink Kuroko had bought him but he didn't thank him.

An hour passed before Kuroko closed his book and stood. "I should go."

"Bye." Kuroko didn't move and just continued to stare at Midorima. "What?" The blank stare irritated him and made him tense as always. Three years wasn't enough time to adjust. He probably never will never adjust to it.

"You should get help." It wasn't the first time Kuroko spoke such words and they were only said when they were alone—a rarity but more often then he would like. Both their blood and signs weren't compatible. The man would bring nothing but disaster upon him. "Even if you want to become a doctor, there is no shame in visiting one yourself."

"I don't need a doctor."

"A psychiatrist then."

"I don't need a psychiatrist either nanodayo!"

Kuroko stared but left it at that. "Thank you for keeping me company."

Kuroko finally left.

He was an odd one. He was quiet, was terrible at holding a conversation, was forgettable, and when Midorima once asked Akashi how they became friends the reply he got was 'because he's Kuroko'. Whatever that meant, Akashi wasn't going to expand his response.

Looking at the time on his phone he decided it was time for him to return home too. Dinner would be soon. Thankfully, his University was within a respectable travel distance so he could fully dedicate himself to his studies.

Arriving home he could smell the horrible stench of Nattō. This was probably his luck for being around Kuroko.

"Shintarō, you're home in time for dinner," said his mom coming out into the foyer.

"I already ate; it's fine."

Footsteps echoed down the stairwell as his younger sister stomped down in a rush for food. Naturally, she heard their conversation.

"He's lying," she said in a way that reminded him of Kise. He winced at the comparison. "He just doesn't want to eat your delicious Nattō."

"I did eat already." A bit of a stretch but drinking red bean soup could technically be counted as eating so it meant he wasn't lying.

"So you ate alone? So sad?" He could feel his irritation grow. What kind of person did she think he was? "You're always spend so much time alone."

"Sayuri," scolded their mother. "He's studying hard for school. Something you should be doing too."

Sayuri grumbled under her breath about how this turned on her.

"I'll be going up to my room then."

Midorima went upstairs to his room. He closed the door behind him in a poor attempt to mask the scent from downstairs. He sat on his desk chair which was among his cluttered but neat room—filled with items which had been lucky items in the past; many which were reused. He unwrapped his fingers from the worn tape and rewrapped them from the tape roll on his desk. His piano recital was this coming weekend. He couldn't injure his fingers.

He thought back to Kuroko's words. He didn't need help.

Maybe he should tell Akashi. Surely even Kuroko wouldn't stand against Akashi.