Author's Note: Thank you guys for the reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter! :D *returns to sobbing blood while working on NaNoWriMo*


Two

"Since all club activities have been put on hold until the end of the festival, and your class has already finish their preparations, I was hoping you wouldn't mind assisting Suoh since she injured her hands. I heard you were the one who administered first aid while the nurse was absent."

She sniggers under her breath, if only because the sour look on Midorima's face as he receives this news amuses her greatly. But the moment she catches him glaring at her, Ayame sobers up and lets out a cough. "Actually, I specifically asked if you wouldn't mind helping me out... Midorima-san." She says his name in an almost sugary sweet voice. He knows well enough to see that she is mocking him, but the teacher remains oblivious.

Habitually, he adjusts his glasses while carrying the day's lucky item in his other hand. It appears to be a stuffed rabbit with a green scarf, though Ayame is not entirely keen on the significance other than assuming it must be in line with his Oha Asa horoscope. "Sensei, is this a request?"

"If you're trying to say you would like to refuse, then I'll say it this way, Midorima. I'm not asking."

As soon as they have established that he has been unwillingly roped into being Ayame's lackey for the rest of the week – although "assistant" is the technical term – the two excuse themselves from the teachers' office. Almost the moment they are out in the hallway where prying eyes won't see, Ayame snatches the stuffed bunny from Midorima's hands.

"Stuffed animals? I didn't picture you as the type," she remarks with a grin, examining the adorable child's toy. It appears brand new. Did he just buy it this morning?

He manages to pry it out of her hands and then promptly glowers at her. She is not sure if it is because of her incessant pestering or if he still has that kiss on his mind. Though he has not shown a hint of embarrassment over the act. In fact, he matter-of-factly informs her, "This is today's lucky item – a stuffed rabbit with–"

"Hm, okay. That's nice. So was that your first kiss? Have you kissed before? Do you have a girlfriend?"

His lips freeze. Then he starts to open and close his mouth like a fish swallowing water. It is a rather comical sight that leaves her smirking at him while he struggles to regain his composure. "I do not believe that is any business of yours, Suoh-san."

"I'm making it my business because I'm interested in you."

"Interested..." His brows furrow, and he seems convinced that she is making fun of him again. "Suoh-san, what work needs to be done before the end of the festival?" It seems that he is trying to weasel his way out of the conversation by changing the subject.

"Do you have a cellphone number?"

He breathes a sigh, reaching up to adjust his glasses again. "Suoh-san, there is only–"

"You sound too stiff, Shin-kun, let me help you out." She lifts herself up onto her tiptoes and snatches his glasses right off of his face. As though to be cute, she grins at him before slipping them on herself. "Ohh, you must have pretty bad vision, huh?"

"A-ya-me!" a shrill voice breaks in.

The girl's shoulders slump and she quickly takes the glasses off, only to realize that Midorima seems particularly perturbed. He snatches his spectacles from her and quickly readjusts them on his face. She offers him an apologetic smile that seems all too insincere.

"Ayame, where have you been? The teacher has been asking... wait. Isn't this the guy who...?"

"Ah, Chi-chan, meet Shin-kun. Shin-kun, Chi-chan. Now that the two of you are acquianted, you should know that I already asked permission for Shin-kun to take my place. Since I'm supposed to let my hands heal and all. So feel free to work him to the bone." The look she earns from Midorima seems to indicate that he may be contemplating strangling her at this point. Though perhaps that is only her impression.

"So you must be Midorima-san. I have already heard about you. You're Ayame-chan's latest obsession. For that, I feel like I already owe you an apology." As though she is used to these kind of situations, the short-haired girl gives a brisk bow before reaching toward her friend and grasping her wrist. "Come on, Ayame-chan. I have to keep an eye on you."

"Wait, but I told you that Shin-kun–"

"He can come along, but we have to get working. We don't have much time left. Now let's go."

Much to Ayame's disappointment, she finds herself dragged along and unable to further her harassment of Midorima. Chiharu keeps a close enough eye on her the entire time that she is rendered completely incapable of asking the green-haired man so much as a single question. In fact, she can hardly get a word in edgewise before she finds herself whisked off and put on some new, menial task that requires little more than a few brain cells.

"Chi-chan~" she whines, finally fed-up with the boring legwork.

"Don't start complaining when Midorima-san is doing your half of the work – the work you should have been doing."

"Tch, but this is boooring~"

"It's almost lunch time. You can hold out until then. No breaks before that."

For every complaint that escapes her lips, she is given no reprieve under the dictatorship of Chiharu. Escape proves equally impossible and she dsicovers that there really is no break until the bell finally rings, at which point Midorima seems content to excuse himself without a word. Ayame, on the other hand, is not so easily rebuffed.

"Chi-chan, I'll go get drinks."

"Liar, get back here!" she bellows after the impish girl.

Ayame, in turn, pokes her tongue out before taking flight down the hallway, disappearing amongst a crowd of her peers. Once she has safely put some distance between herself and Chiharu, she figures she should scour the lunch room to locate Midorima. "Green should be pretty easy to spot, right?" she reasons to herself.

Locating him proves more difficult than anticipated but she does eventually find him, occupying a table with one other individual whom she does not recognize. A dark-haired man with a skeevy look on his face. (Granted that is only her one-sided impression.)

"Shin-kun~" she chirps as she plops herself down in the seat immediately beside him. "You ran off so quickly it was hard to find you, you know. So mean~"

"Oh? An upperclassman?"

"Takao," Midorima states suddenly as she sets his chopsticks down and abruptly takes to his feet. There seems to be something of a warning in the glare he gives the other man before he starts to leave, as though purposefully avoiding Ayame.

She sulks for a moment, bottom lip protruding in a child-like pout as she peers over at his friend. "Is he always like this? So cold..."

"Hmm, Midorima is a tsundere, after all. Good luck, Senpai." He offers her a grin that seems to say 'this is none of my business' before returning to his curry.

It seems quite clear that further communication with this person will not be conducive to her aim. Better to tail after Midorima, she figures. Ayame gives him a hearty wave before taking off after the green-haired basketball player, whose brisk pace proves difficult to match. Eventually she finds herself forced to jog to keep up with him.

"Shiiiiin-kun~ what's the hurry? Where are you trying to go?"

He finally halts, at which point she nearly plows right into the back of him. The scowl he gives her when he turns to face her is a little startling, but she beams up at him all the same. Midorima, in turn, adjusts his glasses with a single finger. "Suoh-san, we have an association only because of the teacher."

"Aw, that's boring. I want to get to know you. Let's be friends."

"No," he answers all too quickly. "You are annoying. Stop clinging to me. I have no desire to be friends with you."

"Rude~" she says, lips puckered in a frown. "It's okay if you don't like me right now. Even if you think I'm annoying, I don't mind. Just let me hang around you for a little bit then you'll see. I can make you like me."

"Refrain from following me any further, Suoh-san," he says in a clipped voice, as though entirely ignoring her request.

Although appearing outwardly dejected, Ayame does not seem to be particularly dissuaded by his prickly exterior. In fact, even as she watches him traipse off, she just lingers behind with a contemplative look on her face. "Hm, he is going to be a tough one to crack, huh? How fun!"

"Can you take this to the storeroom outside, Midorima-kun? Sorry for the inconvenience." Contrary to her best friend, Chiharu looks genuinely apologetic as she passes over the heavy box. "Ah, also, there's something I need you to bring back from there. Ayame-chan can make herself useful for once by going with you and showing you what to get."

Upon hearing that, Ayame is quick to peel herself away from the other work that Chiharu has kept her occupied with. "Yes, Sir!" she coos, giving Chiharu a military salute before marching toward the hallway, pausing only to make sure that Midorima is following her.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Chiharu mumbles to herself as she watches the two.

It does not take long for them to make their way to the storeroom. Putting the one box away proves easy enough as well, but despite Chiharu's assurance of how "helpful" Ayame will be, Midorima ends up being the one rummaging through various materials trying to find exactly what has been requested.

"Ohh, the wind is blowing really hard. Is there going to be a storm? Ah, it would be really unlucky if the door just happened to slam and–"

As though her words are a hex, a furious gust manages to hit the open door with enough pressure to knock it free from the wooden block that had been propping it open. Noisily, it slams on the two, and suddenly the entire storage room is bathed in darkness with only dim light spilling in from a high-up, narrow window.

"Hm. So I guess we are unlucky."

"..."

"Shin-kun? Is something wrong?"

"Your horoscope for the day," he mutters.

"Ah, that. I did read it this morning. It was supposed to be kind of bad. Haha, I guess I kind of rubbed off on you, huh?" Although it is too dark to see, she can easily guess that he is glowering at her from wherever he is standing. "Maybe I should have brought a lucky item, too?"

There is a long, drawn-out sigh from Midorima before he commands, "Open the door."

"Ahaha, even if you say that... it's locked."

"Suoh-san."

"Yup?"

"Do you mean to say... you only propped it open with that wooden block, while knowing the speed of the wind, knowing it would lock on us if it closed?"

"Well, I wouldn't put it like that, but... I can't exactly say I didn't know, either."

"I should have paid more attention to my horoscope. It said to avoid..." he mumbles to himself through the darkness. She cannot really hear exactly everything he is saying, although it obviously has to do with some forewarning from Oha Asa. Considering that Ayame has never really bought into the whole horoscope nonsense, she largely ignores what he is saying.

The dark-haired girl drums her bandaged fingers together as she studies the door through the darkness. Being trapped with Midorima is not necessarily a bad thing, granted, but she will end up with an earful from Chiharu if they don't make it back quickly. "Ah, I know! I can just use my – waaaah!" Considering the cramped state of the room, moving is probably the least advisible course of action, and when she steps forward she finds her path blocked by boxes. Moments later she tumbles to the ground, having lost her footing. "Ow, ow, ow."

There is some rustling elsewhere in the storeroom, though she hardly pays it any attention, at least until she feels two strong hands that help lift her from the ground. "You're not hurt?" he asks gruffly.

Ayame blinks slowly. It is only through the dim illumination in the room that she can narrowly make out the expression on his face. He seems annoyed and most likely begrudging his negligence with Oha Asa in regards to the situation, but she finds herself grinning. "You're unexpectedly sweet after all, Shin-kun, I knew I was a good judge of character. You're definitely the one for me, after all."

"Idiot. Stop spouting nonsense. We need to get out of here."

"Mmhmm~" Although he is scolding her again in that harsh voice of his, she can't help but grin. At first her interest had been mostly superficial but she is beginning to be genuinely interested in the curiosity that is Midorima Shintaro. "Ah, I think I can call Chiharu on my cellphone and she can open it for us."

"You should have done that in the first place," he remarks with a sigh of frustration.