I just have to write this cliché story xD
The twilight sky had been painted inky as night fell. A long-standing high school situated in the world's busiest city—Shutoku—was always embedded in silence at such hour, but that fact changed ever since spring came. Some members of the basketball club often practice diligently until late, especially the regulars and some first-years.
"Yo, Midorima." Ootsubo called the taller underclassman as he gave the boy a pass. "Where's Takao?"
Midorima captured the ball easily. He immediately positioned himself into his famous form, the High-Projectile Three. "I am not sure." He aimed and shot as he answered his senior's question. The ball made it into the basket predictably, as always.
"Even you don't know?" Ootsubo was unequivocally astounded.
"What do you mean by that, Captain?" Midorima couldn't help but feel a little bit irked by the upperclassman's tone. His voice sounded like he was implying something.
Miyaji who was silently listening to the two's conversation suddenly participated without notice. "Well…" he began to explain on behalf of Ootsubo while shooting a ball into the hoop. "You two always stay a bit late together to do extra practice. We want to play a two-on-two, but Takao's not here huh. It doesn't matter though."
Now that Miyaji pointed it out, Midorima realised that whenever he did extra practice, Takao was always there with him. Perhaps, this was the first time Takao didn't stay back until night. How unusual, but Midorima decided to not delve deeper.
He simply didn't give a damn.
…
The next day, Midorima and Takao were on their way to their classroom after a short break. Midorima noted that Takao was being his usual self in school, so last night's exchange with the two third-years were not bothering the ace. At all.
As the two first years were walking, the silence was interrupted by Takao.
"Umm… Shin-chan," Takao began in an unimpressed tone, his smile appeared strained and was undoubtedly forced. "What the heck is that?" He pointed his finger on the object in question.
Midorima raised his left hand upwards on Takao's eye-level, as if beckoning the Point Guard to have a closer look at the thing in his hand. "This is today's lucky item; the limited edition Barbara Mariposa doll. It used to be my sister's, how handy."
Takao heaved a very long sigh, which was to be expected. He couldn't say he was happy seeing Midorima being tragically governed by some horoscope show. The thing in the Shooting Guard's possession was dressed in a frilly, fairy-like costume AND it even had fucking wings! As if it wasn't fantasy-looking enough, the dress and the wings also sparkle under the sun's ray, imitating gold dusts. Almost ninety-percent of the doll was decorated in pink, contrasting the doll's long, golden hair. The striking colour was inevitably easy to be noticed that it had effortlessly drawn unwanted attention to the first-year pair. It was too early for him, but Takao had already reminisced the journey he had embarked upon entering high school. Up until today, he could bear with ALL of Midorima's lucky items whether they were totally peculiar or in unimaginable size, but… he didn't like the idea of said items tarnishing his masculinity. Why doesn't Shin-chan feel ashamed holding that girly doll? Takao lamented on his own. He swore that he'd heard far more giggles this day than the total amounted in his sixteen years of life.
"Gross." He mumbled under his breath, to his chagrin.
Midorima must not have heard him since he didn't broach the offence. Instead, the green-haired boy asked, "Are you staying back later?"
"Nah. I've got other things to do." Takao responded without hesitation and then his lips curved into a smirk. "Why? You missed me?" He teased mischievously, imitating a girl's voice. "Sorry Midorima-kun. I can't accept your feelings nanodayo."
"As if." Midorima glared daggers in disgust, ignoring the fact that Takao had also mimicked his way of ending sentences. "If you don't enhance your skill, it will get dull. You'll drag the team down."
"So cruel… in case if it's still not obvious; I do come for practice. I just don't do extra practice."
Midorima summoned the willpower to swallow his pride. "Why is that?" He finally managed to ask, but his voice was as soft as a mouse's squeak. Takao apparently didn't hear him, so Midorima opened his mouth to try again, but then Takao interfered by letting out an abrupt exclamation, "CRAP THAT'S THE BELL! Let's go Shin-chan!" He sprinted in the direction of the classroom, leaving Midorima with no choice other than to discard his initial attempt and follow suit.
Practice had long ended, but as usual, Midorima Shintaro wanted to train more. There were only four people left in the court himself included. The three others were no other than the regulars of Shutoku; Ootsubo Taisuke, Kimura Shinsuke and Miyaji Kiyoshi. All three were dubbed as 'the scary upperclassmen' by almost everyone in his year. For them to gather like this, there must be something really important.
"Hey Midorima, do you have a fight with Takao or something?" Kimura peered at the ace curiously when they had finished tidying up the school gym and was beginning to head home.
That wasn't what Midorima was expecting. "No." he replied brusquely.
"Really?" Ootsubo chimed in, seeking more confirmation.
"Yes, Captain."
"But he's usually with you until late." Miyaji rebutted.
"Captain, Kimura-san and Miyaji-san do not have to accompany me. I always practice alone."
"It's not like that you fucking retard," Miyaji chided infuriately, smacking his junior's head. "Takao doesn't stay back late for like, a freaking week. It's either you two are in an argument or… he's got himself a girlfriend."
Midorima almost choked on the Oshiruko he drank, heavily affected by the conclusion his upperclassmen had drawn. Firstly, he wasn't that close with Takao to quarrel, and secondly… what the hell did he just hear? Girlfriend? Takao had a girlfriend…?
"Excuse me?" He couldn't believe his ears.
Seeing that they had managed to attain their ace's attention, Kimura outlined a detail just to add some seasonings to the assumption presented, "I saw him on a date yesterday with a cute girl!"
Midorima didn't know what else to say.
Midorima didn't want to do this, but damn—
"Kise...?"
"!?" Kise's voice beamed from the other line. "How rare of you to call me, Midorimachi! Yes-ssu. What do you want to talk about?"
"… How can someone weird possibly get a girlfriend?"
"Whaaa—? Never in my whole life had I expected a question like this comes out of your mouth Midorimacchi! Is there a girl you're interested in or something? Who is she? Waaah Midorimacchi, this makes me fired up; for you to ask me about girl advice! Is this a dream? Well, to get a girlfriend, first you have to—"
Midorima ended the call in aggravation.
Midorima was about to sleep when he noticed his phone buzzing. Without reading the caller ID, he picked it up and was greeted by a feminine voice.
"Midorin?" A girl called his name.
"What is it, Momoi?" Midorima groaned in despise. He wants to sleep darn it!
"Ki-chan told me that you like a girl!"
"Damn that Kise. NO. It is a misunderstanding."
"Oh…" Momoi exhaled. "Can't say that I'm not disappointed hehe…"
Something struck Midorima when he heard Momoi said that; Momoi was a girl in love. It'd be wise to ask her for such matter. "What do girls look in a guy?" he inquired.
There was a short pause before Momoi started laughing. "I can see why Ki-chan misunderstood haha." As usual, Momoi was sharp. "So… Takao-san is dating someone?"
"…" Midorima refused to give any baseless information.
"I don't find it hard to believe though." Momoi continued. "Takao-san is everything a girl looks for in a man. He's handsome, athletic and from my data, pretty okay in academics. He drives you around in that lame cart even though it's embarrassing. So… I guess he's a patient guy?"
"Shameless you mean."
Momoi ignored that. "He is friendly and he gets along with everyone. I find it admirable that he could put up with you, Midorin. Also, I think he's pretty good with children. Hmm… he's a considerate guy. And kind. Just like Tetsu-kun! Kyaaa~! I love Tetsu-kun sooooo much!"
Midorima cut off the line.
In the end, he still couldn't believe it.
It was breakfast when Midorima asked his little sister, "Do you remember some irritating guy I talked about?"
"Which one? Akashi-san?" His sister countered her brother's question with a question.
"No. The other one." The older sibling responded while eating his toast.
"Kise-san?" The younger sister tried again.
"Someone in high school."
"Oh, Takao-san. Why?"
"Based from my past descriptions of him, what do you think of the guy?"
"Isn't he a good friend of yours? The one who has the cart-thing?"
"…" For them to be called good friends was an exaggeration...
"He seems friendly."
"Do girls like that kind of guy?"
"Hmmm… I guess he's okay? He's friendly and nice. Girls are interested in guys who can make conversation fun and interesting."
Even though Midorima had already asked two girls' opinions, he still found it hard to believe.
Their answers seemed like they viewed Takao from a rose-tinted glass, which was highly unconvincing.
"Yo, Midorima." Kimura met him up in his the bespectacled boy's classroom, making sure to not let their conversation to reach Takao's eardrums. "After practice later, we're gonna spy on Takao. Join us." He proposed casually as if it was a normal thing.
"What? No way." Midorima flat-out rejected the idea.
"Admit it, you're curious what kind of girl's attracted to him."
Midorima went silent for a few moments, as if reconsidering the plan.
"No..."
"Midorima," Kimura deadpanned. "You know that shades is not helping your disguise right?"
"!?" Midorima was embarrassed to be utterly busted, but his focus was already shifted on something else more concerning. "Kimura-san, do you have driving license?"
Kimura didn't get to say anything as someone had already answered for him. "Quit your shit. Just get on if you don't want to get caught spying dumbass," Miyaji growled angrily in the passenger's seat. At the van's backseat was Ootsubo, surrounded by various greengrocers. Midorima was intimidated by Miyaji's harsh tone that he hurriedly went in and sit next to the Captain of Shutoku's basketball team, not a hint of care surfaced in his mind regarding the traffic law as of yet.
"It's Kimura's old man's," Ootsubo clarified proudly, picking up a strawberry from a box and popped it inside his mouth without care as if that information really helped.
"That'd be ¥1000, Captain." Kimura sternly said when the image of Ootsubo consuming the sweet fruit got reflected in the front mirror.
"What the hell Kimura?!" Ootsubo exclaimed, bewildered.
"Don't go stealing people's business product then," Miyaji rebuked, defending his friend. "Kimura's old man didn't know we're borrowing this van."
Midorima had never felt so severely groggy in his life until then.
Even though it was right infront of him, Midorima was so flabbergasted to the point that he could only stare hopelessly.
"Woah… what a cute girl." Ootsubo was the first to recover from shock. "That uniform is… I think it's Minami Daichi Middle School."
"He dates a younger girl? How lucky…" Miyaji clenched his teeth in envy.
"I refuse to believe this." Midorima contributed, moving his slipping glasses up.
"T-they went into Festyvidie! We should go in too!" Kimura stopped the van's engine and tailed the couple to said restaurant. The other three followed him in cautious steps to avoid being marked as suspicious.
"I wonder what they're talking about…" Ootsubo stuck his neck out a little bit to see the table a few metres across them.
"Dear costumer, are you ready to place an order?"
"Uhhh… yes, please." Ootsubo was ashamed to be caught spying and turned excessively polite all of a sudden. Without looking at the menu, he took an order. "I'll just get a drink. Coffee, please."
"Same as him." Miyaji, gesturing towards their captain. The waitress jot that down.
Kimura asked for a pineapple juice.
"Oshiruko," Midorima stated.
"Sorry, but we don't serve that here," The waitress reluctantly said.
"This is a fucking Italian restaurant you git," Miyaji hissed exasperatedly towards the green-haired boy.
"Flriugh ninoli."
"Pardon?"
"It is an Italian food."
"S-sorry… we also don't serve that…"
"CAN YOU STOP BEING DIFFICULT FOR ONCE!?" Miyaji bellowed after he had reached his limit; it couldn't be denied that being around Midorima pissed him off. But then again, he couldn't really despise their eccentric ace.
"Just get him water," Kimura instructed in a panic-stricken voice as he pulled the angry brown-haired guy back to his seat. His intention wasn't to safe Midorima from Miyaji's rage fits, but to prevent themselves from further embarrassment or worse, getting found out by Takao. Miyaji was TOO loud for God's sake.
The waitress left their table as quickly as possible before coming back with four drinks.
The teenage boys drank in silence until they saw Takao settling the bill and then he led the girl towards the exit.
"Whoa Takao's paying for the food. Never knew he's such a gentleman."
Midorima knew that. Takao wasn't ungenerous when it comes to money and help. He never failed to lend a hand and even Midorima himself had to admit, a sort of considerate guy. But he was too laidback and loud, often comparable to a monkey (not that anyone ever agree with him).
So maybe—just maybe—Takao really deserved a girlfriend…
They left the van there since Takao was walking with his girl into a residential area. Maybe he walked her home.
The lane was dark, the only source of light was from streetlamps. The wind blew gently, as if serenading a melody in the serenity of the night. The only sound was from the couple's footsteps. The sound which was initially in a perfect harmony ended suddenly as the girl was standing still, tugging Takao's sleeve as if signaling the teenage boy to stop. With the air suddenly turned heavy, Takao spun around, listening to her. It appeared that she had said something to him.
"W-why're they so serious? My heart can't stop thumping like crazy," Shutoku's captain complained. No one said anything other than watching the scene unfolding before their eyes.
Takao had his shoulders slightly slouched as he grasped the girl's slender frame. He leaned down, his eyes wandered on the girl's features before bringing his face closer to hers. The girl let Takao to get so close until both of them didn't move an inch. The two souls stayed in that position…
"T-they kissed!?" Miyaji blushed at the sight that he even stammered. His throat felt dry, he could hear his heart thumping a hundred beats per second. "I-I know it's d-dark, but they should do that in a private place sheesh." He grumbled.
The others couldn't even say anything. Perhaps it was the first time for all of them to witness a kiss in real life. They were suffering from secondhand embarrassment.
Takao and his alleged girlfriend remained unmoving for a few moments before Takao pulled back. He said something with a smile plastered on his face before the couple continued walking.
"I have a feeling that we shouldn't have seen that. It hurts me—a junior having a girlfriend and does this sweet, cavity-causing stuff." Kimura was clearly devastated.
"Wait… isn't this direction Takao's house?" Ootsubo asked suddenly.
Midorima recognized it immediately. "Now that Captain mentioned it, yes. It's his house."
Takao's house was dark when he unlocked the main door with the girl following him inside.
"Wait… his parents aren't home?"
"No way! He brings a girl home whenhisparentsarentaround!?" Miyaji spluttered quickly, red-faced.
"Is it like… bedroom activities…?" Kimura murmured softly.
The entire team sans Midorima gasped in terror from Kimura's suggestion.
"T-Takao is not that kind of guy!" Midorima blushed whilst defending his partner, but the stutter didn't coincide with his true feelings.
Miyaji quirked an eyebrow, provoking Midorima's resolve. "You never know... Girls flock around friendly-easy-to-talk-to guys like him after all."
"Did you mean to say annoyingly loud?" Midorima bravely retorted.
"What're you guys up to?"
The spying squad shrieked from that sudden interruption. When all four realised it, they were trapped.
"Y-you knew?" Ootsubo, as the Captain, asked on behalf of the others.
"It's obvious. With the commotion in the restaurant, who wouldn't?" Takao snickered. "Well… care to explain?"
Ootsubo explained the situation from A-to-Z without gaps. Takao had a hard time listening since his body was trembling non-stop before he let out what he had been suppressing.
"BWAHAHAHAHA OH MY GOD I NEED OXYGEN!" Takao doubled over, clutching his stomach in the process. He wheezed a couple of times and he kept on wiping the tears that formed in the corner of his eyes. It was painful for him to catch even a single breath. "HOW THE HELL DID IT COME TO THAT? HAHAHA."
Miyaji scowled from Takao's rude reaction. "Stop laughing and start explaining you dumbass."
Takao was still wheezing. "She's my SISTER! She just entered middle school recently. My parents are out of town, so I have to take care of her. We both can't cook so we agree to eat out everyday until my parents are back. Shin-chan, I did tell you that I have a little sister."
"You kissed your sister!?"
"What the fuck Shin-chan that's sick! When did I ever…?" Takao looked extremely alarmed before a light bulb shone through his eyes.
"Oh! Seriously…" He chewed his cheek until it bled to prevent himself from laughing again. "Something got into her eyes, so I just had a look on it that's all."
The regulars were humiliated by the revelation. To cover it up, Miyaji sniggered. "We can't help it. You guys look too different. Your face is shit, but your sister's an angel."
"So mean…" Takao narrowed his eyes and sighed. It was no use to argue with the senpais because they ALWAYS win. But then Takao's expression took a 180 degrees change. "By the way, did you guys think of something dirty just now?" He smirked.
"…" The seniors and Midorima refused to say anything.
"HAHAHAHA." The Point Guard took their silence as and admittance. "As if I'd get serious with girls under fifteen!"
After the stupid misunderstanding, no one bothered to bring it up. Takao was nice enough to forget the embarrassing mishap, though he enjoyed laughs from time-to-time when he remembered the whole thing. After his parents were back, Takao practiced with Midorima as frequently as the Shooting Guard stayed late.
"Have you ever thought about dating?" Midorima asked him once, when they were on the way to a practice match against Seirin. Takao chuckled at the question as he pedaled the bicycle, the cart with Midorima towed behind it.
"Of course! I love girls." He shamelessly admitted. "But, I prefer basketball more than dating."
"…" Midorima processed Takao's statement by repeating it again in his mind. He scoffed. "That is why I am highly convinced that you will NEVER get a girlfriend."
"Huh? Did you just insult me?" Takao grimaced, braking the bicycle abruptly that the Oshiruko in Midorima's hand splashed the ex-Generation of Miracle's face.
Takao laughed so hard and Midorima was about to murder him.
A/N: I can't imagine the boys having a girlfriend. They're TOO fixated on basketball! (Or they're actually gay? Idk) Sometimes I wonder how Tsucchida has time to spend with his girlfriend. But then again, we never see Tsucchida staying late to practice. So yeah.
Ignore the random names that I made up (The middle school and Italian restaurant+food). And PLEASE DRIVE ONLY IF YOU HAVE LICENSE.
~2Hoshi3~