Chapter: Midorima Shintarou

Taped fingers quickly pushed red rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose, trying to hide the embarrassed blush he was currently sporting.

"P-Please stop laughing, nanodayo."

Sakura shook her head in between laughter and wiped a tear that threatened to fall. "I-I'm sorry Shintarou-kun!" She laughed once more. "It's just too funny!"

Midorima Shintarou-kun, blushed even harder and turned away from the laughing doctor. He absentmindedly rubbed the sore spot on his cheek and brought the blanket draped over his shoulders closer to his body seeking warmth. Sakura approached him with a towel and deposited it on his dripping locks, drying it with practiced ease. Midorima bowed his head and allowed the pink haired woman to relieve him of his glasses and continue fussing over his sopping wet state.

"Seriously Shintarou…" Sakura held back her laughter this time, eager to scold the tall green haired shooter of Teikou. "How can you be so careless?"

She withdrew the towel and slung it over her shoulder, waiting for him to explain how he suddenly found himself almost drowning by the school pond. She covered the smile that threatened to come up as she remembered a very distraught Iruka-sensei banging on her door with a barely conscious Midorima by his side, dripping wet with leaves sticking to his ruined uniform. Sakura immediately ushered the two in and instructed Iruka-sensei to change him out of his wet clothes and immediately started brewing some tea to warm the shivering student up.

She waited for him to start talking but gave up when Midorima still refused to meet her gaze and adjusted his PE uniform as he snuggled further into the blanket she provided. Sakura crossed her arms over her chest, scrutinizing him and hid a smirk as he flinched under her harsh gaze. Her eyes traveled to the plastic figurine of Santa Claus holding a red present resting on top of a red handkerchief by the nightstand.

"Could it be…" She laughed, finally understanding the situation. "Did you fall in the pond trying to get that thing?"

Midorima blushed and grabbed the item from the night stand. "Oha-Asa states that cancers are at placed second on this day," He grabbed his glasses from the night stand and placed it on. "Today's lucky item is a Christmas themed charm and the color red promises to bring me great fortune."

Sakura shook her head in good humor. "Not really great fortune if you find yourself drowning in a pond Shintarou-kun,"

Midorima opened his mouth as if to defend his beliefs but quickly shut it, blushing once more. "…It's not that bad." I got a reason to visit you

Sakura sighed and patted his head affectionately. "Next time, try to get the help of someone when you're in a bit of trouble okay?"

Midorima moved away from her touch and frowned. "I don't need anyone's help."

She flicked his forehead. "Don't be like that Shintarou-kun,"

"O-ow!"

"You're friends from the basketball team will get sad if you're always pushing them away,"

Midorima glared. "T-They're not my friends!"

Sakura sighed. This kid…

He turned away from her and glared at the wall, pouting. "I don't have friends and I certainly don't need any."

Sakura laughed and poked his cheek. "Don't pout Shintarou-kun."

He sputtered and touched the spot where she touched his cheek, surprised by the sudden action. "Y-You…!"

"Do you still like your tea with a bit of milk Shintarou-kun?" She headed towards her little kitchen corner, grabbing a cup for her and her student.

"…with a bit of sugar"

Sakura smiled and prepared his order, remembering the old times when he was younger and he would visit her with his father who owned the local Hospital. Despite the green haired boy's mature and harsh demeanor he had a secret love for her special blend of milk tea. She giggled as she spotted him watching her prepare his cup with barely concealed happiness. "Of course."

Midorima gratefully accepted his cup and held it between both hands, enjoying the warmth it brought. Sakura sat in front of him with her own cup and smiled at the nostalgia the scene brought her.

"Ah this sure brings back memories," She murmured as she took a sip of her tea with a fond smile.

Midorima nodded and drank from his of share. He brought the cup down on his lap and stared, as if in deep thought. "Why… never mind."

Sakura tilted her head to the side in confusion. "What is it Shintarou-kun?"

He looked at her, his darker eyes clashing with her own. "Why did you choose to work here?"

I knew it… Sakura sighed and stood up, returning to her little kitchen for a refill.

"Do you want some more Shintarou-kun?"

He ignored her. "Why did you choose to work as a school doctor rather than coming to work for my father? You're clearly overqualified for this job and I know that my father wasn't the only one who offered you a job and yet you choose to…settle as a school doctor. Why?"

Sakura filled her cup to the brim, sighing as she set down the kettle. "Shintarou-kun… Are you mad at me?"

"W-What…!?" He blushed and stood up, the blanket falling from his body as he did so. "I-I'm not mad at you!"

She shook her head. "You are mad at me." She walked over to him and held both his hand with her own. "I'm sorry for breaking my promise to you."

He blushed at the contact, but didn't pull away. He was as tall as her and Sakura had a found it endearing that the little boy she used to play with now stood eye-to-eye with her. Midorima refused to meet her eyes but his hands stayed in hers.

"I'm sorry for breaking my promise," she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. "I had originally indented to enter your father's hospital—"

"Then why!?"

"But I had to take care of someone very important to me." She squeezed his hands. "I had to break my promise to make a new one… and I'm sorry for that."

Midorima shook his head. The dust from the infirmary was getting to him, and his eyes were beginning to itch.

Sakura noticed his eyes getting watery and fished out a gray handkerchief from her coat's pocket. She wiped his teary eyes with practiced ease and smiled that irritating smile of hers. Midorima turned away, a blush blooming on his features, but his eyes were drawn to the handkerchief clutched into her dainty hand.

"…Gray,"

Sakura blinked. "Gray..?" She looked at him a bit confused before finally understanding what he meant. She grinned sheepishly and hid the object behind her back with a blush. "Ah, don't laugh at me Shintarou-kun! I was placed third to last! Oha-Asa has never been wrong in my predictions!"

And for the first time in what felt like a long time, Midorima Shintarou laughed.

"Here," Sakura handed him his wet clothes that were wrapped inside a sealed plastic bag. "Go home and take a warm bath."

"Thank you," He bowed and turned to leave, his plastic Santa Claus and red handkerchief safely tucked inside her PE uniform's pocket. He sighed a deep troubled sigh as he walked through the empty corridor. He couldn't believe that his lucky item actually worked. The year was almost ending and this was the first time he had the courage (reason) to actually come and visit the pink haired doctor he adored as a child. He was excited to know that the woman would soon be working at his Father's hospital and the idea of being able to see her whenever he came around was like a dream come true. But then he went and found out that she declined his father's offer and was now working at a middle school that had no use for her over achiever credentials was like a slap to the face. So he decided to attend Teikou Middle school and confront the older woman why she did so. But whenever he wanted to get close, the woman was either busy with a patient or occupied in some other way.

He reached his shoe locker and pulled out his phone with a faint smile and re-read his fortune.

Water is you're lucky element for today! Christmas is drawing near so you won't go wrong with a little Santa-san being you're companion for the day and be true to the holiday spirit because you're lucky color is: dundundun RED! A special encounter with an Aries will make your day even more special! Could it be—

"Shintarou-kun!"

Midorima shoved his phone back into his locker and turned to see Sakura-sensei running up to him. "S-Sensei?"

"S-Shintarou-kun!" She panted. "I-I'm glad I broke my promise with you!"

"…What!?"

Sakura shook her head and held onto his shoulder, trying to catch her breath. "L-Let me finish!"

He blushed and nodded, patiently waiting for her to straighten up.

"I'm glad I broke my promise," She repeated. "Because if I had gone to work for your father's hospital rather than Teikou then I wouldn't be able to see how you grew up to be a wonderful basketball player!" She smiled and reached for his green head, "I always come by the basketball gym when I'm doing my rounds and I always get excited when I see you doing your amazing three pointers!"

He blushed even harder.

"I think that Teikou's basketball team is good but with Shintarou-kun's help, I know that you guys can become better!"

"S-Sak—"

She placed both hands on his cheeks and bumped their foreheads together, an act she did when he was much younger. "I'm glad I chose to go here because I am much closer to Shin-chan that way," She grinned. "I get to see you every day and that's better than waiting for you in some office at the other side of town."

"S-Sensei…"

Sakura pinched his cheeks. "So don't be sad anymore, ne?"

Could it be the beginning of love?

A few block away from Teikou Middle school, a certain bluenette sat outside a convenience store.

Tetsuya bit off the rest of his frozen treat and glanced at the setting sun.

"She's late."

It was a tie between Atsu-chin and Shin-chan.

I flipped a coin.

Next: Atsu-chin

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