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"Will you still kiss me today?"
Midorima swore he heard it wrong.
Of course, this was purely driven by utter denial because the case was the exact opposite. And yet, he could have pretended that it wasn't true and just brushed off the topic if he had reacted more inconspicuously about the matter. Instead, he stood dumbfounded in front of one of many bookshelves, an obvious pause midway sliding a book to its proper place, thus making it hover over the ledge. He carefully processed the words which he wished he ignored, and grimaced.
"Midorima-kun? These books are very heavy," Kuroko spoke when the pile of reading materials he carried was beginning to take a toll on his arms.
Steer clear from an Aquarius at all costs to avoid a disastrous encounter.
Cancer was ranked 6th in Oha-Asa that Friday; a tolerable rank, but still bordering in the middle. His lucky item was a badge in the shape of frog head, proudly pinned on his uniform's chest pocket. It shone a vibrant green, corresponding to his lucky color.
By irony, Aquarius was ranked 2nd on that particular Friday.
As much as Midorima would like to stay out of harm's way as his fortune stated, he missed to see a particular note on his agenda, that he was to offer assistance in the Library Committee that same afternoon. Coincidentally, the one that he and Kuroko shared, and it was too late to request for a change of shifts.
By this time, Midorima had already regained a bit composure and lifted the excess load from Kuroko's arms. He inspected the silent phantom player skeptically, contemplating on his next course of action before setting the stack of books on the cart with a thud. Kuroko had been a good little helper, handing out books and filing papers as he was told. They could have gone without talking for the remainder of the afternoon, but Kuroko decided to be initiative today. Perhaps even he noticed that something wasn't right.
Midorima pushed his glasses up with neatly taped fingers. "I feel wary of fulfilling this request."
"It was only a question." There was caution in his words. "But does this mean you're declining?"
"No." The answer came out before Midorima could even stop it. He let out an exasperated sigh as he resumed with his task, inserting each book in its respective place with a tad more force than usual, a profound expression of his aggravation. "...This is absurd. Today is complicated, Kuroko. Ask me tomorrow."
As much as Kuroko would have liked to understand, Midorima was being too stubbornly incoherent for questions. He stepped back, slid himself up the third platform of the wooden step ladder and sat there, observing Midorima's temper silently flare.
"You seem extremely peeved by this." At that, Midorima finally turned his full attention on Kuroko, a retort prepared on his tongue before the interruption. "And it bothers me that you won't tell me what I did wrong."
Kuroko was unsure of what happened, but footsteps came drawing closer with haste. When he looked up, he was staring straight into piercing emerald eyes boring into his own cerulean ones, intense and somber.
Even with the elevation, Midorima no doubt had incredible height advantage, as the taller of the two leaned his palms on either side of the ladder, trapping Kuroko in place. The distance which Midorima closed in himself was mocking his resolve, but he chose to stay rooted on his spot, inching closer to Kuroko's face.
Kuroko had not blinked since and Midorima's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.
"At a time like this, you close your eyes," said Midorima when a moment's silence passed.
Kuroko faintly picked up on the scent of peppermint in his breath. "I didn't know that I was supposed to."
"As I thought," Midorima chided, pulling back. "My luck with Aquarius is at its worst today. Even now, I am perturbed of being in your presence."
"Then why are you still here?" Kuroko tried his hardest not to sound upset, and judging by how Midorima's face contorted into an expression of horror, this was not going to end well.
"I don't think you understand." Midorima hung his head in defeat. He inhaled a sharp breath to prepare for his long-winded explanation. "The consequences of going against fate today is too grave. I can't risk it if it involves you."
For better understanding of his predicament, he handed Kuroko his cellphone, a press on a button illuminated the screen that was idle on the Oha-Asa page. Cancer's fortune was printed in bold letters for Kuroko to see.
Kuroko read over the contents quietly and spoke, "Despite this, you still attempted to kiss me," was all that he had to comment on for Midorima to refract into a blushing mess. As blunt as Midorima was, intimacy had yet to be one of those he got used to addressing directly.
"Details need not to be discussed," Midorima stressed, toning his voice down halfway when he remembered they were still in the library. "In any case, I have done well to prevent this from happening so far, and if it will involve you, it will only greatly inconvenience me."
"Midorima-kun, do you believe in fairytales?" It was not Kuroko's intention to switch topics so easily, but it seemed relevant at that point. It garnered a look of incredulity from the other, not that he expected any less.
"I believe in luck. Fairytales are a completely different matter."
"What if I can counter the effect?" Kuroko inquired, a hand settling comfortably on the side of Midorima's neck, fingers caressing the hair on his nape. "Reverse the spell like in the books?"
"You say that like I'm cursed." That might as well be the case if this continued. Midorima raised a brow at this notion in a manner of disbelief, but he urged Kuroko to continue. "There is only fate, and you can't fight against fate."
Kuroko's gaze lingered at his breast pocket and said, "But I can kiss a frog to see what kind of prince it can become."
Midorima's cheeks flushed red. He was speechless for the longest time.
"I saw that I was at a favorable rank," he added with pride that caused Midorima to scowl. "Perhaps I'll be lucky if I try." Kuroko did not exactly believe in horoscopes nor luck, but occasionally checking and being aware, of abiding by the rules to coincide with fate, it was a habit that had grown from being with Midorima for this long.
"Ludicrous," Midorima exhaled sharply when he realized he was holding his breath.
Kuroko concealed his blue eyes behind his eyelids; the response alone was enough to boost his confidence. Voice falling into a soft whisper, he added, "At a time like this, you close your eyes." Two of his arms were now wound around the bespectacled teen's neck, the phone forgotten on his lap.
"...You're impossible," Midorima concluded with a shake of the head. He pulled his glasses off by the hinge almost frustratedly, folded it in one hand, and leaned in.
Their lips met and it was like magic.
The green mobile phone on Kuroko's lap fell to the floor at Midorima's advance and was crushed under his foot, but he was far too distracted and far too blind to spare a glance on what it was.
Fate truly was playing tricks today.