"I'm afraid of falling in love with you."
"Really? That's your choice of words to turn me down?"
"I'm not turning you down, necessarily. And don't condescend me, Kagami. I'm telling the truth."
"...Oh."
"Yeah."
"Why would you be afraid of it? Are you secretly a jilted lover thats full of scorn and regret?"
"Kagami."
"Sorry, sorry. But really, why are you afraid?"
"Because I don't want to get hurt again. I've been in love before, and it ended with me storming out on a toxic and unhealthy relationship. I wasn't really healed until I met you, Kagami. But it's more than that. I don't want to turn into a sob story you laugh at when you get to drunk. I don't want to be something you regret, I don't want to be turned into an insignificant joke. But mostly I think it's that I don't want to hurt you. You mean too much to me to get hurt by me. And if it just doesn't work out between us, you know it'll affect the team. Undoubtedly. They don't deserve to be at the mercy of our relationship-related whims. You know I put basketball before everything, Kagami. I don't want to put it at risk. You never had to see me when I lost it. If it happened again, now that I'm older, I would probably turn into this alcoholic promiscuous scum you can find at a bar every day of the week. I don't want to even risk being in that position, because thats a really scary thing to consider. I don't want to be that, I don't want to lose my basketball. I'm scared of falling in love with you because I'm afraid I won't be able to pick up the pieces once we finish, because we both know you won't be able to stick with me. Once I lose the air of mystery, I turn boring and bland and you deserve more than that. You want more than that. I don't want to be hurt, and I don't want to hurt you. I'm afraid."
"..."
"Kagami?"
"That was a lot more honest than I was expecting."
"Have I lied to you yet?"
"No."
"Do you understand now?"
"I suppose. I don't accept it, though."
"Throwing my own words back at me?"
"Shut up. And I don't accept it because I'm prepared to take those risks. You think I haven't been hurt by people I love before? My parents, Himuro, I've been hurt before. But I picked myself up, no matter how much it hurts. I'm not convinced that you'll hurt me, though. Honestly, I don't understand where all this insecurity on how our relationship would end up came from. We're great friends. The only difference is that now there'll be more touching and things. More feelings. It's not that big of a step. I'm prepared to take it for you, Kuroko. We could be great."
"Bakagami, we're already great."
"There's the Kuroko I know and love."
"I love you too."
"Does this mean that you will go on a date with me? Because confessing our love then going back to 'just friends' is a little humiliating."
"This Friday?"
"Of course."
"And, Kuroko?"
"Yes?"
"Can I kiss you now?"
"If you wan-mmph!"