Archive of Our Own

Call it a peculiar lifestyle but Midorima has his firm reasons on following religiously what Fate dictated to him. He has lifetimes of experience to back up his belief that Fortune favors the obedient and the believer. Midorima has lived as both.

It didn’t start out that way. A century ago, his past self wasn’t so superstitious to bother anything supernatural. Then again, his past selves weren’t the brightest people, and honestly, not the luckiest of the bunch. Midorima sometimes chide himself for his past selves’ stupid mistakes.

But that’s the past and Midorima isn’t stupid to commit the same mistake twice. He made sure that the stars would favor him in this lifetime.

They say Lady Luck shouldn’t be trusted. Midorima begs to differ: those who claims so simply do not know how to handle the capricious lover of Fate.

“This is Oha Asa, bringing you your fortune for the day! Today is a rather special day for Cancer’s as the stars seem to align themselves for the best and worst fortune of the sign. It is a peculiar phenomenon; it seems we cannot rank Cancer’s properly, as it could go perfectly well ranking last or first. All the more reason to have your lucky item in your person to tip Fate in your favor, then! That said, Cancer’s lucky item is an encounter of a person they already met. And now for Gemini’s…”

Midorima turned the tv off and thought about the logic of it all. He personally never encountered that kind of report. What does ranking either first or last mean anyway? Is he given the reins to decide his fortune for the day? It would be a rare opportunity for sure, and the thought of it excited Midorima. This is the day that whatever he proposes, Fate will comply obediently, so long as he carries his lucky item.

Speaking of lucky items… Midorima was sure he had to be creative for this. An encounter means an actual meeting of the person, especially if he wants fate to tip in his favor. Add to the peculiar situation of an unknown luck ranking, he decided to be extra careful and interpreted it that for every stranger he met, it would mean bad fortune for him.

That crosses public transportation out of his list, along with exploring for the day. He didn’t want to run with people he knew, only for the latter to have a stranger in their company to introduce to Midorima. He didn’t need that kind of bad luck to push him last in rank.

Speaking of public transportation…

“Shin-chan? Why are you calling me?”

“I need you to pick me up to school, nanodayo.”

“What?! But we don’t have basketball practice this morning. No way I am getting my butt there–”

“I’ll pedal the rickshaw.”

“… wow, this must be serious. Is this has something to do with your weird tv show?”

“It’s called Oha Asa, nanodayo. And this is none of your business.”

“You just called a guy, me, to get– nevermind. I can’t deal with your tsundere in the morning. I’m coming over.”

Takao ended up pedaling the rickshaw anyway. Midorima pedaled at first, as promised, but Takao didn’t want to die early when Midorima kept his head turned around to look at Takao and failed to see the traffic and the speeding cars.

“I am simply following my lucky item–”

“This is strike one Shin-chan and I am telling Miyaji-senpai about this!”

Takao thought it was the funniest thing yet when Midorima stalked him wherever he goes. It was usually the other way around. Takao started watching Oha Asa a month ago just to check on Cancer’s luck and have a vague idea on his friend’s behavior for the day. It’s been only a month so Takao can’t really claim if today really was special but Midorima boring a hole on his head with his intense staring is proof enough that this is going to be different at the very least.

“Shin-chan, we’re in school. In our year’s hallway. Everyone is a familiar face.”

Midorima only grunted and pushed his glasses up, refusing to look ahead of his way and continued staring at his friend’s back. “I can’t risk it, nanodayo. I only recognize their faces but some of their names escape me. I am thorough in my pursuit and this is no exception, nanodayo.”

Takao laughed, thinking Midorima has taken another level of ridiculous. It wasn’t long before the bickering started again.

Lunch break ended and Midorima’s next class was World History. He knew his classmates, obviously, so he visibly relaxed and let Takao go to mind his own business. Soon enough, the teacher walked in.

“Good afternoon class. Before I start, I want you to meet our transfer student. She’ll be staying here for the rest of the school year as her family recently moved in this area, so I expect you to treat her kindly and welcome her.”

The class voiced their approval politely before spoken whispers were exchanged, curious of who could be their new classmate.

Midorima, however, was not curious. He was everything but curious. He wanted to excuse himself from introducing himself to this new student. This is the worst thing that could happen to him. He was internally panicking that he didn’t caught on his teacher’s next words.

“…rima-san. Will that be ok?”

He almost jumped, earning a held up laughter from Takao (“pffffftt. Oh man, I can’t wait to tell this to the rest of the team. Shin-chan was caught off guard! Puahahaha”) before standing up immediately and stiffly. “Sir..?”

“Thank you for volunteering, Midorima-san,” his teacher replied at his seeming acceptance. “I’m sure (L.name)-san will appreciate the gesture.”

Midorima paled considerably. Did he just accepted to show this new student around? A stranger?! He could literally feel the stars growing dim against his favor. This is exactly what Oha Asa warned about and he was so stupid to be caught off guard despite his precautionary measures. He wanted to berate himself harder until the new student, you, entered the class.

You bowed politely. “Nice to meet you. I’m (L.name) (F.name) and I’ll be staying here for the rest of my education. Please treat me well.” There was a polite chorus of reply before it was silenced by the teacher.

“(L.name)-san, our class president, Midorima-san, volunteered to show you around campus to familiarize yourself.”

Midorima reluctantly stood up and bowed politely, carefully avoiding eye contact as subtle as he could manage.

“If it’s no trouble, please sit beside Midorima-san,” the teacher instructed before going back on the blackboard to start his lecture. You quietly made your way to the spare seat.

It was awkward. Midorima knew it was stupid to defy the inevitable fate but he couldn’t help himself. He refused to look in your direction and greet you properly. You kept giving him a curious and nervous glance, wondering what made him so agitated. Maybe he didn’t like socializing with people? He did seem like the aloof type.

World History went by without a hitch and the class was given a ten minute break before Chemistry. You were packing your stuff when a shadow loomed over you. You looked up and saw a boy with a friendly grin. “Hi, I’m Takao! I’m Shin-chan’s best friend!”

“No, you are not, nanodayo!” Midorima’s complain went unnoticed.

“(L.name). Nice to meet you Takao-san,” you returned his smile before looking at your apparent tour guide. Midorima was putting his things away and kept pushing his glasses up. He still refused to look at you for some reason and it’s making you uncomfortable. You couldn’t help but wander what you did wrong as a first impression.

“Don’t worry about Shin-chan, (L.name)-chan! He’s a tsundere!” Takao laughed as he explain, dodging automatically when Midorima’s hand shot to try and punch him.

“I’m not a tsundere! Furthermore, this has nothing to do with my personality, nanodayo.”

“Ah, forgive him (L.name)-chan. Our Shin-chan is just weird like that. He follows horoscopes religiously and his sign said he should stay away from meeting new people today,” Takao explained offhandedly, trying to be as laconic as possible.

“I see..” you nodded, and Takao had to do a double take when you didn’t find his friend’s tick weird at all. “He must be a Cancer, considering that was what Oha Asa said… or does he follow Astro Asa, instead? That also sounds like a Virgo’s fortune today.”

“What..?” the disbelief came from both men, although for completely different reasons. It got Midorima’s attention though, and he found himself looking at you and meeting your eyes.

Something clicked.

Midorima had an inkling and as he watched you converse with Takao again, the latter laughing uncontrollably (“Oh God, I can’t believe it! Puahahahaha! It’s a female Shin-chan! What’s your sign, (L.name)-chan? Does that mean you also bring a lucky item?! Oh man, this is too much for me!”), he felt memories that he was sure not his own coming back in hazy images.

You were familiar to him. At the very least, he already met you at least once. He found himself staring at your eyes and somewhere at the back of his mind, he finally understood what Oha Asa meant by a peculiar phenomenon.

“…dorima-san, if it’s not too much trouble, I’d be honored to be shown around Shuutoku.” Your voice seemed to snap him back. He suddenly stood up, making you and Takao yelp in surprise.

“We’re the same age!” Midorima exclaimed, as if it was the greatest revelation he discovered.

“Huh..?”

“Oh man, what?!” Takao finally lost it and laughed uncontrollably. “What does that even mean?! Puahahaha!”

Midorima seemed to understand what he just said and coughed to compose himself. He cheeks were tinged in pink. “I was thinking of something else, nanodayo.. it wasn’t.. I would never..”

“Of course,” you replied smoothly, as if Midorima’s outburst was the most normal thing. “Thank you for volunteering, Midorima-san. I owe you this one.” You merely smiled as Takao looked at you amusedly, admiring how you could handle his friend’s weird antics.

Of course you’d know. It’s always him in every lifetime, even if you two never end up in the end. It didn’t matter meeting him as an unreasonable toddler, a senile old man, or a middle aged gentlemen when you were only a teenager;
It would definitely not matter now… not when Fate finally favored you both at the same time.

'This time, I remembered too…’

“Midorima-san, your debt is finally settled.”

“Huh? Debt? Shin-chan, what’s (L.name)-chan talking about? Have you two already met for some reason?”

Midorima looked at you and took in your cryptic words. Well, it wasn’t cryptic to him. He owed you a favor the last (life)time. He remembered that vaguely. “Yes,” he answered Takao slowly, deliberating on his words. He looked at you again and this time, his resolve is there.

'An encounter of a person you already met. Heh, fate really does have a funny way of working, nanodayo.’

Midorima closed his eyes and in that moment, multiple lifetimes flashed before his eyes. All of them never worked. Someone is always too young, too old, too great in the gap. It’s nothing to expect as well. What really are the chances of soulmates being born at the same generation? Minuscule to none. Among the infinite possibilities, it was close to a miracle.

But maybe it was exactly that. A miracle. And Midorima Shintarou is not the type to back down when given a fighting chance, no matter how small. Unyielding tenacity, the school’s coda would say.

He has a slightly different way of putting it though.

'Man proposes. God disposes. I am a man that proposes; I always act with everything within my power to have Fate look in favor upon me. That’s why this time, I will not fail.’