Love is...(On hold)

Chapter 4: His Empress, My Princess Part 1

A/N: I would like to warn the readers of this chapter to brace yourselves and probably prepare a tissue or handkerchief. The feels are coming.

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Midorima Shintaro's POV

Oha Asa

Cancers be cautious. For today you will encounter someone who will bring you misfortune and pain in the future. It is best to avoid them. Your lucky item today is a pink flower.

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"Yaaaaaa~ I'm finally have a whole week to myself." She hummed as she sat beside me. For once, she was wearing her brown hair down instead of her usual messy ponytail and for once she seemed relaxed.

"You've been working hard, nanodayo." I simply said as I continued pretending to read.

She really has been working hard lately. Being Akashi's Vice President and Secretary in the Student Council, the basketball club's co-manager, and the Music Club's main star... it must have been taking a toll on her.

Come to think of it, she was in the music room that day. That day when I first realized that I had fallen in love with her... the very same day I had felt the fear of losing to someone... and the very same day that I realized that I was going to lose her to him.

---Flash Back----

I stormed through the corridors of Teiko looking for Akashi. He was late for practice. Which was odd since he's always been on time, if not earlier, never was he ever late for a day until today.

I was already at the third floor where the Music Room was located when I heard someone playing the piano to a familiar tune. It was the song that she I've found her listening to since Twilight became a thing. Not that she was a fan of the saga though. She said it was on of the most overrated romance novels that she had ever read and that Edward Cullen was sorta gay which still made me laugh.

Unknowingly, I made my way to the said room and, as I've expected, she was there... with him.

He was the one playing the piano and she was standing, as always, by his side, singing without looking at her copy of the lyrics. She knew the song by heart after all... A song that I would dedicate to her now if I could.

Right from the start,
I knew that I found a home for my
Heart beats fast colors and promises
How to be brave?
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubts, suddenly goes away somehow...

I sang along as I listened to and watched her sing her favorite song. Her voice was as angelic as it has always been. But when the next stanza was about to be sung, her voice wasn't that one that penetrated my ears. It was Akashi's.

Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath
Every hour has come to this...

He sang as he looked at her. The way he looked at her with this dichromic eyes of his says it all. He was, in a way, in love with her.

I didn't know why... But I felt something liquid slid down my cheek and my eyesight was beginning to get blurry... And for some reason my heart felt heavy and constricted. For a moment, I couldn't breathe and fell to my knees with a loud thud.

"Shintaro?!" I heard her voice cry out in alarm. Her naturally pale face was painted with panic and worry as she hurriedly made her way to my side. "Shintaro? Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? Why are you crying?" She bombarded me with those questions as soon as she had gotten to me, her gray eyes looking at me and only me.

It was then that I realized that I, myself, was in love with the very same woman that he does, and she was kneeling beside me. Comforting me. Caring about me like she always had... as her childhood friend.

I felt her hands cup my face, her storm gray eyes boring onto my green ones with worry. Her gentle fingers grazed my cheeks, wiping away, what I have discovered were, my tears.

"Shintaro?" she called out my name in a soft whisper.

Why? Why does it have to be her?

The question echoed in my mind as I did nothing but stare at her. How was I supposed to tell her what was wrong? How was I supposed to tell her that I was suddenly so afraid of losing her? How was I supposed to tell her to stay away from him when I know her responsibilities? How was I supposed to tell her that I-

-----end-----

"Shintaro?!" Her voice, laced with panic, called out, bringing me back to the present.

She was sitting on my lap. Her face was inches away from mine that I could feel her breath on my face. Her soft hands were cupping my face like that day and I could feel her thumbs wiping away my tears that I wasn't aware of.

"Huh?" Was all I could manage to mutter on my confused state.

"Shintaro... What's wrong?" she asked, her eyes holding a great deal worry in them. "You just suddenly started crying out of nowhere..." she whispered.

At first, I was planning to just brush it off by lying. That it was just because there was something my eyes or because of the book I was reading but I knew her well enough not to go through with it. She knows how bad I was at lying. She had always pointed that out to me since we were children.

'I'll just have to tell her the truth then...' I thought as I averted my gaze from her. If I don't tell her soon they I'll lose her.

Breathing a lungful of air, I steeled my nerves and took hold of her small hands in my larger ones and looked into straight into her eyes.

"(First name)... I have to tell you something important, nanodayo." I whispered.

Her eyes were on me. I had her full attention and she was waiting for me patiently to say whatever I was going to say. It was really now or never. Even if there is a chance that she might ignore me for a while... It was better than not being able to tell her.

"I-" I opened my mouth to tell her the words that I've been meaning to say back then. Back when all I could do was stare at her and cry like an idiot. I was about to confess my feelings to her only to be cut off by him.

A/N: ok... I'm gonna stop here. Reason being I feel like crying because of Shintaro's dilema. >< hope you guys liked it.