aaaaaaaand welcome baack to Mizuiro to Beni Koi! I'm so sorry I know I said that I will be updating yesterday from my tweeter but you know, stuffs happerns, for some reason I couldnt seem to log in yesterday night. Whoa~ there's lot of stuffs happening at school lately and with research raining down on me, I'm having difficulties with updating regularly. Anywasy, WHo is ready to meet Midorima's fiance? LOL and yep, that's not a typo. I will be explaining that in this chapter, as well as those who noticed the utter musculinity of Miodirma's first composition. Please tell me i'm not starting to sound like an old man, because I swear the technical writing is rubbing on me too much. There might be a longeeer arc for Midorima and Takao due to soooome plot stuffs I got in my head right now, so yes, this MAAAY become a itsy-bitsy long,maybe as long as LION.

WHO IS EXCITED TO KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT?!

Before we start just a little trivia, looooong ago, the context of marriage are bound with the 'exchange and sharing of wealth between families', basically it has no 'procreation' context blah blah. So some traditional marriages could go between both genders of members of families and this is a chill topic to both parties.

Wow, yeah so I just gave you a clue ahahahaha, anyways I hooope you like it, and...*whispers in your ear* surpirses are aheaad!

Please dont forget to review, or fav or follow! I missed you so much guys!

PS.

asdfghjkl i'm going to see BAOZI and Hana this yeeeaaaar! *faints*

Chapter 22: Darling

Six Years Ago…

Midorima stares at his father blankly after blurting out the news to him. His mother whipped her head at his father with wide eyes.

"I-I wasn't informed of this." Midorima's mother said at her husband. "What do you a fixed marriage—with our son to your colleague's' son. Don't you find that absurd?"

"No." His father said completely complacent. The man calmly took a sip in his tea. "They don't have to like each other, it's just in papers anyways. Later they could take on a mistress."

"Oh god, no!" His mother exclaimed, "That is just…"

"It's good for business, it's good for both our families."

His mother stared at his father with a worried look. Then at Midorima, she sighs and decided to keep quiet.

"Everything is agreed, what do you say Shintaro?"

.

.

.

"It's nice to formally meet you Midorima-san."

Midorima stares at the person sitting in front of him, he looked obviously from an affluent family. Red hair and blue eyes, his bones structure clearly states he isn't a pure-blood Japanese. A sly smile painted his lips, as he quietly took a sip in his drink. There was no one else in the reserved dining room aside from the two and a waiter standing quietly in the corner. The two's family had given them both sometime alone saying it will be good if the two would have some time alone.

"You don't seem very ecstatic as I imagined." Rei said as he quietly placed his glass in the table. Rei Suzuhara is the second son of Suzuhara Fumihiko a doctor and director of the Suzuhara Pharmaceuticals. It is not a surprise that they know each other, after all Miodirma's father is a doctor and the director of a private hospital. "I thought you are finally convinced."

"I am."

"You don't look like that at all."

Midorima sighs, "I am not just comfortable about this."

"Oh about our gender, you mean?"

Midorima looks at Rei, "Why, you aren't?"

"I'm fine." Rei answers shrugging, "Though I must admit I have someone in mind."

Miodirma flinches, his eyes darted towards his own wine glass where he could see the faint mark of his lips in the lid of the glass. Someone…in mind, huh.

"I saw that." Rei said as he leans in the back of his own chair looking Midorima in the eyes. "Don't tell me someone broke your heart and that is why you are here?"

"Do not be stupid."

Rei laughs out loud without reserve, "So what is she like? Your co-worker?"

"That is not your business—"

"Oh, so…it's one-sided, huh?" Rei said with a sad smile, "I somehow….think I understand that."

Midorima blinks at the other, suddenly he sounded serious. His expressions fell, his sly smile faded.

"I don't know if you know the person I like, you probably do, I mean show business is a small world. That person probably doesn't even know I exist but…what would it be like if that person knew me, would that person like me?" Rei laughs humourlessly. "I might never know, but you know what, we can help each other right?"

Midorima furrows his eyebrows at the Rei, "Help each other?"

"I'll make you forget about her, you help me forget too."

Midorima's lips tremble. He stares at Rei and saw the seriousness painting at the other's eyes. His whole body froze for a second.

Did he really want to forget?

Forget Takao.

"I understand."

Rei smiles, "That's good to hear. It's good that we understand each other's motives and—"

"I just hope you're not asking me to find affection on you." Midorima said in dead seriousness. He stares at Rei. Even though normally people would call this kind of person as charming, Midorima did not see much on this person. A beautiful face, yes, but nothing beyond that. It was like taking a sip of water, it was nothing but plain, bland. Though it looks tempting, sparkling and clean it was nothing beyond that.

"We'll see about that."

Midorima stood outside the dining room. He sighs and reached to loosen his tie around his neck. Though it was short, he felt as if the dinner with Suzuhara Rei lasted for a whole year. Though he couldn't deny the fact that he is ultimately the only one to be blamed of his current demise, he couldn't help but want to blame something—or someone. He could feel his chest tighten thinking of a certain brunette. His mind was plagued with his smiles and the brief taste of him.

"You wrote this?"

Midorima stares at his handler, the man's eyebrows were creased as he read through the crumpled sheets of papers. The man came to Midorima's house after the animation staffs called him the night before complaining about Midorima raising his voice at them and coming up with nothing.

"For a shoujo manga?"

"It's no use." Midorima answers. "Just leave i—"

"You've become obsessed." The man said with a frown. Midorima raised his head to meet with the man's eyes. "It's the brunette wasn't it?"

Midorima didn't answer, his mind reeling quickly at the man's words. Obsession. Was he obsessed? He felt his heart skipped a beat when an image of Takao smiling and grinning at him flashed at the back of his mind.

"Obsessed…" Midorima said as he chuckled humourlessly. "Why would I—"

"Then why write a song for him?"

Midorima blinked at his handler.

"I didn't…"

"Don't play dumb." The man said putting the papers in front of Midorima on the coffee table. "Ever since you've met that guy back at the party, you started having this constant concern about their band. You never cared this much before. Don't pretend it's for someone else, you can fool many…but not me, I've seen people write songs about people, I know one when I see one."

Midorima sighs as he run a hand through his hair. He wanted to run away from the drowning feeling of his obsession to Takao. It was right, since then, since he saw him play and sing he had become unconsciously obsessed with Takao, an obsession he tried to supress with his admiration for T. Kazue. He had convinced himself that Takao merely fascinates him as a musician, which is not entirely untrue, he finds him a very talented person, however it really doesn't end there, it was the way he said he believes in Kuroko that day, it was the way he carries himself, it was his laugh, it was his eyes… It was all of him.

He tried to mask it, to deny it, but it was slowly becoming painfully obvious.

Midorima's lips quiver as he remembers the expression of shock and panic in Takao's face when he kissed him. Of course he would be surprised. He respected and looked up at him only to see him like that. He should be thankful that Takao did not say anything in the media about it.

But he needed to get him off, he need to stop, he need to swim and get to the shore before the sea that is him drowns him completely.

"Midorima-kun we need to talk."

Midorima flinched at the ice cold voice. Turning to his side he found Kuroko Tetsuya with his huge blue eyes behind a thick framed eyeglass. Midorima steps back unsure if he is hallucinating or he's really seeing the teal haired musician.

"It's really me."

Midorima suddenly feels the urgency to smite Kuroko for giving him a mini-heart attack.

"What are you doing here?" Midorima asks completely surprise with Kuroko's presence.

"To see you."

"How did you even know I am here?"

Kuroko turns his head towards the hallways, a faint collective noise could be heard.

"There are a bunch of media and news networks outside broadcasting you and your sudden plan of engagement." Kuroko raised his hands in the air and made a quotation mark as he said the last word. "How can I not know? Also Kise-kun said he saw you come here with your family, he said he heard the news."

Midorima raised an eyebrow, Kise is in the same hotel as him, what is he doing there anyways? Also he thought they had kept it private, he doesn't remember telling anyone aside from his handler.

"We need to talk." Kuroko said before taking Midorima's wrist and dragging the taller male out of the hallways.

.

.

.

Midorima raises an eyebrow as he watches Kuroko lock the hotel room's door with a keycard. He doesn't strike him as someone who would be spending a day in a hotel suite. Also with his current clothes he doesn't seem like he came from this room. He looks like he ran from somewhere else to there, but then why would he have a keycard to the room.

Midorima turns around checking the room. In the middle of the room is a single king size bed, a black and navy blue sports brand duffel bag lays on the chair of one of the corner close to the window, and a white knitted scarf folded neatly on top of the coffee table.

"Whose room is this?" Midorima asked as he turns to face Kuroko.

Kuroko calmly slips the keycard in his pocket as he walks towards the taller male, "It's Aomine and Kise-kun's."

Midorima's mouth gaped at the information and quickly raised a hand to wave dismissal at Kuroko, "No, don't even say a word, I don't want to know what happens here and why they are here."

"They were kind enough to lend this room for a while." Kuroko said simply, "Also it was Kise-kun who informed me."

"That blonde sticking his nose to other's business like always."

Kuroko frowns, "I want to speak with you privately."

"We don't need to talk about anything."

"We actually do." Kuroko answers back firmly. Midorima felt an invisible hold in those eyes, the sudden fierceness reminds Midorima of a certain red haired musician, he felt small at those piercing gaze. "What happened?"

"What do you mean what happened?"

"Why did you decide to agree with the engagement set by your parents?" Kuroko asked. Back when the Miracles were still together it was not a secret that Midorima's parents, especially his father is very persistent on the matter but Midorima turned it down every time. He would reason that it would affect his career. "You said the thought disturbs you, though you agreed you never let it progress and subtly you kept turning them down, why now, what changed?"

"It is not of your busine—"

"As much I usually hate you and your pride you are still my friend." Kuroko cuts him, "Why are you forcing yourself in this when it's clearly stated in your face right now that this is not what you want?"

Kuroko omitted to tell Midorima his true intentions, currently he could care less about Midorima's personal affairs but his concern for Takao. Takao is becoming clearly close to Midorima in the past few days, faster than anyone could and should and surprisingly it wasn't just Takao. Anyone who would know the fact that Midorima is merely forcing himself to do this would be upset. And for some reason Kuroko is not convinced that it was merely something he thought out of the blue, there is a very strong reason.

Kuroko watches Midorima in silence, every twitches and blinks, every movement. What is Midorima Shintaro hiding?

"A person." Kuroko concluded. "It is…someone, did someone force you?"

Midoirma's eyes widen. Someone…did Takao force him to? His mind's instant reaction to the thought was to scream in retaliation—no, it wasn't him. It was…all his own fault. Takao had nothing to do with it.

"No one forced me to—"

"But it's because of someone, you didn't deny that."

Midorima didn't say anything again.

"I don't know what you intend to do." Kuroko said, "But I hope you know that by doing that you are not the only one you're hurting. Kise-kun is concern of you, so is Aomine-kun and me. And Takao-kun too. You can deny that all you want but the fact will remain the same. If you chose not to recognize that you are only proving how prideful and egoist you are."

"I don't care about that."

"No." Kuroko answers him, "What Midorima-kun doesn't care about is how we perceive you…" Kuroko looks at Midorima's clenched fist, "But you care when people around you are hurt…that is why you came to see Takao-kun when you can, that is why you went with him during Aomine-kun's live…you didn't want him to see it if I were to choose Aomine-kun over them. You always tell us you don't care but you really do."

Midorima looked away lips purse in a thin line.

"Leave me."

Kuroko sighs, "If that is what you wish. If I cannot change your mind perhaps I am not the right person to convince you."

Kuroko quietly walked towards the door and took out the keycard to open the door.

"I will be going now," Kuroko said quietly, "I have unfortunately left without telling Kagami-kun. I will leave the door open, I'll return the keycard to Kise-kun."

Midorima watches Kuroko leave the room and silence fell on him again. He pauses remembering the teal haired musician's words. Did he mean to hurt Takao, perhaps he did without thinking very deeply. He had wanted to pull himself out of him, out of Takao's grasp but at the same time his own methods is thrusting a knife at him so that he could be free.

Two days passed after Kuroko's confrontation with Midorima, the word about Midorima's engagement did not quickly progressed. Kuroko decided not to say anything about it anymore. Midorima's family perhaps wanted to keep the engagement quietly as they can, though they all knew it is bound to get out one day. Kuroko just prays that it would before everything is too late.

Kagami scolded Kuroko for disappearing without telling anyone, however after telling the other that Kise asked for him for a favour, the other let him slide. The good thing about Kagami is that he understood him and his inability to resist the call of his friends. The other explained later on that the interview went on without him and Aida just made an excuse that he suddenly contacted a stomach ache. Kuroko is thankful for that and politely apologized for his sudden absence.

It has been two days and it felt like the calm before the storm.

"I have an announcement to make." Aida said holding some papers in her hand. "You guys have an offer."

The four boys all sat in Aida's office that day completely oblivious in the following events.

"The studio that is in charge for the animation of a certain manga series wants you guys to sing the opening song for it." Aida said quietly, "You probably are familiar with the anime."

Aida hands over the papers to Kuroko. The three all compress to look at the papers. The three were all surprised to read the details, especially Takao.

"What?" Takao muttered as he stood up and look at Aida with a questioning look, "W-What I-I don't understand, wasn't Midorima already been casted for this?"

Aida sighs, "He quit."

"Quit?!" Takao exclaimed causing the three to look at him, "H-He already made a composi—"

Takao's words were caught in his throat as his mind was suddenly filled with images of their last meeting. Was it because of that? Is he…avoiding him?

"He quit to focus on his personal life." Aida said crossing her arms over her chest, "It's not confirmed yet, but people are speculating he's engaged."

Takao's eyes widen in disbelief. Suddenly the world stopped. Midorima Shintaro is going to get married. Midorima Shintaro with…someone, then why…why did he—

"I think it's best to take this offer."

Furihata's words slice through Takao's thickening reverie as Aida hums at the brunette's answer.

"I agree with Furihata-kun." Kuroko answers as he holds out the papers in his hand, "Right now it is best to take advantage of every offer we get."

Takao is still frozen in his spot shock to take in all the information at once. Kuroko noticed this and stood from his seat before walking beside the other and placing a hand over Takao's shoulder. "We can't let Midorima-kun down, doesn't he recognize us as his rival, to turn down this challenge is the same as giving up. It will give him shame."

Takao nodded.

"I…I understand."

Kuroko smiles as he nods, however he couldn't help but fear the look in Takao's eyes. Even without the other saying it, it was obvious how much he looked up at Midorima, he had considered him a friend and to suddenly hear that he had given up on something he knew he wanted probably made the other sad. And there were his personal reasons too.

Taking a deep breathe, Takao raised his head to meet Aida's gaze—

"We accept."

"Rei-san."

The ginger haired young man turned to look at one of the house maids as she stood there, with head bowed politely to the other.

"What is it?" he asked as he reached for the remote of his flat-screen TV to pause the show.

"Suzuhara-sama suggests you to arrange a dinner tonight with your fiancé, should I arrange a reservation?"

Rei laughs and turns his head back to the screen before raising his hand in dismissal, "Maybe tomorrow, I'm very busy tonight I can't let this pass." He said as he click the play button of the remote, the screen quickly shift to play a very familiar music video.

His eyes focus on the raven haired bassist, a smile spread across his lips as he watch him play his guitar with his sparkling silver-blue eyes. He couldn't help but admire his figure, not too bulky, or too skinny, his dark clothing seems to portray his personality.

How can he ever get tired of looking at Takao Kazunari?