Chapter Text
The next morning was surprisingly usual. Both athletes woke up early to eat breakfast together, with Takao dropping his daily joke on Midorima while the ace gave death glares at the other.They had a refreshing morning run with the rest of Shutoku along the shore and even ended up throwing each other in the water. Miyaji had been the first to go down, followed by Takao and eventually Midorima, who despite backing off from Takao ended up being dragged into the water with the others. Although the tension had been there before, Midorima still talked to Takao like they usually did, and Takao decided to not push it.
The exercise had them back where they started, as the dysfunctional pair they always were. After taking a shower and getting ready, they head over to the small town’s market just like they had planned the previous day.
Midorima wore an orange short-sleeve with a pair of brown pants while Takao wore a black tank top with blue shorts. Both of them were walking next to each other, with Midorima carrying a weaved basket and Takao reading a list of ingredients out of a notebook.
“Shin-chan let’s get some shrimp and vegetables, I will cook something special for dinner.”
“I am not in the mood for any seafood…” Midorima pointed out right away.
Takao sighed. “So you are telling me we came to a market next to the coastline, to not buy any seafood?”
“Yes, that is it. You know I am not very fond of seafood. ” Midorima pointed out.
“That’s because you have only eaten the seafood you cooked.” A smug smiled curled up Takao’s lips.
Midorima stopped walking asking for the notebook that Takao held.
“Are you sure you can cook this Takao? This sounds complicated” Midorima questioned with a raised eyebrow.
“I can’t believe it” Takao snatched the notebook back from Midorima. “Admit it, you love my food.”
Midorima looked away. “I guess your food is better than average.”
No matter what, accepting that Takao’s cooking skills were beyond exceptional, along his favorite, was not something that the shooting guard could simply say out loud.
“Look Takao… strawberries.” Midorima said pointing to his right.
“Shin-chan please. Strawberries are expensive here.” Takao whined as he looked at the price tag.
Midorima ignored Takao’s complaints and walked towards the tiny fruit stand. Takao’s favorite fruit were strawberries, maybe he should get a box full of them and prepare a dessert for dinner.
“I will pay for them, don’t worry.” Midorima pointed out as he started to pick the strawberries.
Midorima was usually picky when it came to buying food in general. Considering that these strawberries were for Takao, he decided to take even more time to pick them. Only the juiciest and most plump ones would make it to the final sale, and Midorima was making sure to get every single one inspected.
“You are taking too long Shin-chan, they are just strawberries you know.” Takao leaned forward to look at the strawberries closely.
“K-Kazunari...kun” The sweet voice interrupted the ongoing conversation between Takao and Midorima, making them turn their heads in search of the person calling Takao’s name.
“Ah, Haruka-chan! How are you today?” Takao waved his hand up while approaching the considerably short girl.
“I am very well myself, t-thank you.” Haruka said, her eyes looking down at the ground as her fingers brushed a couple of hair strands behind her ear. “How about you?”
“I am alright. Shin-chan and I are grocery shopping. Somehow he ended up buying strawberries instead of seafood.” Takao pointed at Midorima who was standing behind him.
Midorima had just finalized paying for the two pounds of strawberries and he was giving a dead glare from the corner of his eye at Takao. If only he knew the strawberries were for him…
“Midorima-senpai! S-sorry I forgot to greet you.” Haruka bowed out of embarrassment as well as an attempt to hide her blushing face.
Midorima made a faint sound of disapproval towards the girls poor attempt of a greeting, but instead of actually saying anything to her he decided to let it go. Instead of letting his feelings take over, like he did last night, he was trying to remain logical and not do or say something stupid.
“Do not worry Haruka-chan.” Midorima shook it off with a quick smile.
Takao chuckled next to him. “I guess you are not used to being the shadow, ah Shin-chan.” The black-haired guy joked as he nudged Midorima.
Midorima glared at Takao once more, his eyes sending the message “go die” to Takao.
“The shadow? What do you mean by that?” Haruka said hesitantly, not knowing whether it was acceptable to ask about the pair’s insiders.
“Oh it’s nothing, just a basketball joke that goes around in the team.” Takao said while placing his hands in the back of his neck.
Midorima could not stand they way Takao let go of such information like if it was nothing. Sure, they being the light and shadow of Shutoku was not new, but he still hated that Haruka got to know that. Adding to that, the simple thought of Takao being so natural around the girl made him feel sick to his stomach.
“Oh, I think I read about that somewhere in the internet. Yesterday after you told me about your basketball team I did some research. Both of you appear everywhere.” Haruka pointed out.
“That is because Shin-chan and I are the dynamic duo. Right?” Takao nudged his friend in an attempt to add him to the conversation.
“Yeah, I will be going off. Takao you should stay here with Haruka.” Midorima started walking away without looking at the other in the eye.
“Shin-chan where…” Before Takao could stop the green-haired shooter, Midorima was gone with only a hand up as if he was waving goodbye.
“Did I say something wrong?” Haruka asked in a hushed tone, asking herself rather than referring to Takao.
Takao scratched the back of his head as he saw the green head disappear in the mass of people.
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Midorima kept walking, his eyes fixated on the heads of people right in front of him. He had done it again, he did not even give a fight against his nonsense feelings. There was just something about Haruka and Takao together that made him cringe. He still could not put his finger on the exact reason why, but he was determined to make it stop one way or another.
“Well, look what the sea waves brought to us.”
“Oi, Midorimachii, what are you doing here.”
Midorima snapped out of his thoughts, turning around to find the pair whose voices he already knew they belonged to.
“Aomine and Kise, what a surprise.” Midorima said with a non-amused expression. “The same goes for you. Don’t tell me both Too and Kaijo are also having a training camp in this area.”
Kise smiled and shook his head. “No, Aominechii and I are just here to vacation. Right Aominechii?”
Aomine shrugged with his hands in his shorts pockets. “Yeah, Kise wouldn’t shut up so I brought him here.” A smug grin on his face.
“Aominechii! That’s so rude.” Kise said with a scowl on his face.
“Please you two, get a room.” Midorima said out of annoyance.
Ever since Seirin had defeated Too on the Winter Cup and Aomine had gone back to his normal self, Kise started to approach Aomine with more frequency. Each time the two of them would become closer than before, even more than back when they were in middle school. After Kise suffered his injury during the Winter Cup, Aomine made a promise that until he recovered he would come to his house and take care of him. At first he argued he only wanted to help Kise recover properly so they could have a one-on-one math. Kise’s recovery went better than expected, and the day of the match Aomine betted a date if he won. Ever since then you cannot see one without the other.
“Hm, where is that point guard. What is his name, Takao?” Aomine pointed out. “Aren’t you always together?”
Midorima sighed and closed his eyes. “I left him behind. He was annoying me.”
Kise looked at Midorima, the slightest of concern showing on his eyes. “Well Takaochii is the clingy type, but I never see you walk away from him. Did he break your lucky item?”
Midorima shook his head. “No, he is with another person at the time.”
Both Aomine and Kise looked at each other. Something was definitely wrong, and they were starting to understand what.
“What do you mean another person. Is he with the upperclassmen?” Kise asked tilting his head.
“No, we came here by ourselves. He is with Haruka.” Midorima never talked in a disrespectful manner, yet it was almost like he spat those last words out.
“Who is that?” Aomine said raising an eyebrow.
“They met yesterday. Who cares.” Midorima took his glasses off to clean them with the hem of his shirt. “He can go and do whatever he wants. He annoys me after all.”
Aomine exchange a quick look with Kise, just before the blond started to walk in the direction Midorima had come from.
“Sorry guys I think I left my wallet in one of the stands near by. I will be right back.” Kise winked at Aomine before he took off.
“Kise is always forgetful.” Midorima noted.
Instead of replying, Aomine observed Midorima in silence. This kept going for a couple of seconds, which to Midorima felt like minutes, until Midorima could not take it anymore.
“Aomine Daiki, it is rude to stare so openly at someone.” Midorima said while squinting his eyes.
“Really? Well, you do it all the time you know. That guy Takao, it almost seems like he is one of your precious lucky items.” Aomine said as a matter of fact.
Midorima stood silent. “I don’t see where you are going with this.”
Aomine sighed loudly and started to walk in front of Midorima, hoping that the other would just follow him.
“And I always thought you were the smart one Midorima. Use that smart head of yours.”
“I still cannot see your point.” Midorima said from behind Aomine.
“Heck you will understand. You are acting like a teenage girl who is jealous because she suddenly has competition. You are acting out of possessiveness, that is why seeing Takao with that girl annoys you so much.”
Midorima stopped abruptly. He knew Aomine’s words made total sense, he had even thought of that before.
“I could care less about someone as annoying and clingy as Takao.” Midorima crossed him arms in front of him.
“Sure you do…” Aomine eyed the green-head. He knew that knocking some sense into that tsunedere’s head would not be easy. “How about we go get some tea?”
Midorima was surprised by the sudden change of topic and simply nodded.
“Don’t we have to wait for Kise?”
Aomine shook his head and grinned. “Believe me, it’s probably going to take him some time before he comes back.”
______________________________________________________________________
Takao was still not sure of why Midorima had left without saying much. This was meant to be their time together, buying groceries in the cute market and go back to prepare dinner. The day before he thought that Midorima’s reason for doing so was the terrible luck he had encountered since they had arrived, including the damage inflicted to his lucky item. Today, however, he could not find an explanation to why Midorima was repeating the same behavior. Takao had been joking around as always, and he tried to not touch a nerve of Midorima’s. Perhaps the other was finally getting tired of Takao, and maybe he was starting to give up on their friendship.
“How is your ice-cream Kazunari-kun.” Haruka asked from across the table.
“Ah, it’s delicious. I had never tried this flavor before. What did you say it is called Haruka-chan?”
Haruka let out a soft laugh. “It’s called lucky star. Is a combination of raspberries and vanilla.”
“Ah, is that so.” Takao kept picking at the ice cream after that. He had been so immersed in his thoughts about Midorima that he completely did not recognize the taste of raspberries and vanilla in his ice cream.
Takao loved almost every single fruit in the world, with the one exception of raspberries. The fruit left an aftertaste and a dry sensation in his mouth he simply could not stand. Strawberries, on the other hand, were his favorite. The bittersweet combination was just right for Takao, but only a few people knew that.
“What flavor did you pick Haruka-chan?” Takao asked in an attempt to start a conversation. That way he could allow some time for the ice cream to melt away.
“Chocolate-chips, it is my favorite. I was debating between getting that or oranges, but I prefer chocolate.” Haruka said with a bright smile on her lips.
“Chocolate is a must. How funny though… ” Takao looked at the already melting ice cream. “Shin-chan’s favorite ice cream flavor is oranges.”
“Oh, is it really?” Haruka tilted her head, the smile slowly fading.
A sudden knock on the window next to them made them turn their heads just to meet eyes with a smiling blonde.
“Oi, is that Kise…?” Takao blinked in disbelief.
“Takaochii!” Before Takao could finish his question Kise was already entering the ice cream shop. “I knew I recognize you from somewhere, I just thought it was strange to see you without Midorimachii.”
“Ah, yeah. He was with me until a while ago. I guess he needed to go do something.” Takao rubbed the back of his neck.
“I see.” Kise noticed the way Takao seemed just as concerned as he had been about Midorima walking away from him. It was then that he noticed the brunette sitting across from Takao. She had her eyes looking down at her ice cream.
“I am sorry, did I interrupt something?” He offered an apologetic smile as he spoke to Haruka.
“N-no at all. Kazunari and I were just eating some ice cream.” The nervous girl stuttered. “Here, p-please have a seat.”
“Thank you.” Kise took a seat next to the girl. Looking at her up-close he was able to notice the delicacy of her features. “Kise Ryouta, nice to meet you…”
“Haruka, Nakamura.” She said, finally looking at the stranger sitting next to him. “Nice to meet you too… wait, K-Kise?!”
Haruka suddenly covered her mouth with both hands and stared at Kise with wide eyes. “K-Kise Ryouta, the model?”
Kise smiled, he was somewhat amused by the cute reaction from the other. “The one and only.”
Takao placed his elbow against the table and held his face with one hand.
“Kise is also a basketball player. He was part of a group called the Generation of Miracles. Both him and Shin-chan were in it.”
“I-I … I’m going to go get more ice cream. I’ll be right back” Haruka almost tripped as she walked past Kise. In no time she had disappeared inside the bathroom.
Haruka was barely able to control her nervousness. It was clear that she had not expected to see someone as popular as Kise while hanging out with Takao. Suddenly Takao was reminded of something he had been thinking about.
“By the way, Kise, why are you here? Is Kaijo also on their training camp?”
Kise cleared his throat and shook his head. “Personal reasons. Aominechii and I came here to vacation.”
Takao knew right away what he meant. A few days before coming to the camp he had seen Aomine go inside an adult’s toy shop. He always knew Aomine was a pervert, but he was unaware that Kise and him were actually together.
A mischievous grin appeared on Takao’s lips. “Is that so? No wonder I saw Aomine buy some interesting supplies.”
Kise instantly froze, his face turning red in no time. “Did he?! A-Aominechii!”
Takao laughed at how easy it was to tease the blonde.
“I always knew you guys had a thing going on. Watching you compete against each other in that final match gave me a feeling.”
Kise blinked and smiled, the blush on his face starting to go down “I guess so…”
At that moment Kise’s phone started ringing. Reading the name of who had messaged him his eyes lit up and he stood up abruptly.
“Hey Takaochii, I need you to come with me, Aomine and Midorima are waiting for us.” Kise grabbed Takao’s arm and started to walk out of the ice cream shop. “I hope you don’t mind leaving your ice cream behind.”
Takao looked back at the watery form of what was once his ice cream and shook his head.
“Not at all.”