Chapter 04 - Riko's Thought
In contrast to the serious yet relaxed situation in the senpai team, there is a heated argument among the first year's players. You might think that with the successful play before, the situation will be good enough. However, that is not the case here. And it was triggered by none other than Furihata and Kagami.
It started with a question from Kagami.
"Oi," Kagami grabbed Furihata's shoulder right after Hyuga-senpai asked for a timeout, gaining the attention of the point guard.
"Why didn't you pass the ball to me?" Fukuda and Kawahara backed down nervously, clearly intimidated by Kagami. However, Furihata just sneered, showing an annoyed face.
"Well, in case you didn't notice, you were getting double and even triple-teamed by our senpai. It would be great if you are willing to pass the ball, but it seems that passing is not in your head. You cost us one missed shot and a turnover in your last two possession. So, Mr. 'Japan's basketball is too weak', tell me why should I pass the ball to you?"
There is silence for a moment before Kagami exploded in rage.
"HAAH?! CARE TO SAY THAT AGAIN, BASTARD?!" Kagami grabbed Furihata's shirt and eyed him in fury. However, even with an almost 20 cm difference in height, Furihata didn't seem intimidated at all. In fact, he glares back at Kagami, making the other gulp nervously.
Fortunately for them, before things get escalated, someone suddenly knocked Kagami's knee from behind, making the red hair bend down to the floor.
"Please calm down, you two." A small voice came from behind Kagami as the red hair fell down to the floor.
"YOU BASTARD!" As expected, Kagami is not amused at what whoever they are doing to him earlier. He turned around just to see Kuroko in front of him.
"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM, YOU BASTARD!" He grabbed Kuroko's shirt and raised the boy almost 5 cm from the ground, making the other look at them nervously. However, much to Kagami's irks, Like Furihata, Kuroko is not even intimidated by his glare.
"I say, you need to calm down, Kagami-san," Kuroko said with a straight face, only fueling Kagami's rage.
"YOU WEAKLING BASTARD!" Kagami roared, gaining the attention of everyone in the gym.
Meanwhile, Furihata who was just escaped from Kagami's fury sighed tiredly. He knows this would happen from the first time he saw the red hair, but it didn't make it easier to deal with.
"Are you okay?" Fukuda and Kawahara asked with a concerned tone while still looking at Kagami cautiously, getting ready for whenever Kagami does something overboard.
"Yeah, I am okay." Furihata nodded while observing Kagami and Kuroko's interaction. By their interaction, Furihata could draw a conclusion that today is not the first time both of them exchanging words. Well, considering Kuroko's alma mater, it bounds to attract the most troublesome people like Kagami, so it is no surprise at all.
"Alright, enough all of you!" Riko-senpai glares at the first-year team. "The game will be resumed again, prepare yourself. And if I hear one more time any of you create another ruckus, I will not hesitate to give you a technical foul, and it will definitely affect my evaluation of you, understand?" She narrowed her eyes at Kagami.
"Tch, whatever. Just give me the ball and I will make this team win even with weaklings like all of you." Kagami walked back to the court, leaving his teammates in anger.
"Bastard," Fukuda muttered under his breath.
"I am sorry, but can you leave him to me?" Kuroko suddenly popped out of nowhere, startling Fukuda and Kawahara.
"Woah! Don't scare me like that! Since when did you get here?"
"I have been here since the beginning," Kuroko replied with a straight face, resulting in disbelieving faces from Fukuda and Kawahara.
Meanwhile, Furihata who knows about Kuroko's lack of presence and his true ability didn't even surprise at all. Instead, he threw another question to Kuroko.
"You know that Red over there has a massive ego, right? It is probably the only thing he has that could rival your former teammates. So, how do you want to handle it?" Kuroko showed a surprised face for a moment at the mention of his former teammates, but his expression is back to his poker face again.
"Don't worry, just pass the ball to me." Furihata stares into Kuroko's eyes for a while, looking for any sign of hesitation. After finding none of it, he sighed.
"If you are sure about what you are doing. But make sure it works, because if it doesn't, you will be the one responsible. You got it?"
"Sure."
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Aida Riko feels like she is on a roller coaster.
Before the game, she was excited to see the capability of the first year's monster, Taiga Kagami. His physical ability is exceeding all of her expectations, and she couldn't wait to see how he would play.
And sure, all of her expectations paid off. Kagami dominated the senpai team from the first ball, gaining the first two points easily with a dunk. And right after the second possession when Kagami bodied Koganei to the floor, Riko figures out what type of player he is.
'He is an explosive player who wouldn't hesitate to use his physical advantage to dominate his opponent, a player that I can definitely use to fill Teppei's position.'
Her mind is running fast, thinking about how she could use a player like him in the game.
However, all of her thought was snapped away when she heard Kagami ask for the ball one more time.
She frowned.
'He is trying to use the same play again? He thinks that we are that weak huh?' She muttered before she turned around and took a glance at her captain.
'You better stop him before he grows more arrogant, Junpei.'
And right after her thought, she could see the change in her team's eyes. They are no longer treating Kagami as a rookie.
'Good.' Riko nodded, satisfied with her team's attitude.
When she observed closely at the next play, her frown deepened. Kagami bodying Koganei is a borderline offensive foul play. Although she could see that it is not, she would have to reprimand Kagami about that kind of play.
But all of her excitement vanished after the third play when her team managed to stop Kagami forcefully with the triple team. She couldn't help but be disappointed with Kagami who had almost three chances to pass the ball but didn't even bat his eyes into it.
'I guess that is what growing up in America did for him. If he didn't show his domination from the start, he is probably afraid of becoming a stepping stone for more talented players to shine.' She thought inwardly, trying to think of a reason for Kagami's attitude before sighing.
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Author note:
This is based on MY OWN experience. If you grew up in the street basketball (and not joining a proper basketball team), you will have to fight for the dominance, because nobody will notice you if you are just an ordinary player. And from what I see in the manga, Kagami has never joined a proper team before Seirin, so I guess this part makes sense a bit. What do you think?
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'Well, I guess it's not possible to get everything I want. Here I have a player with a monstrous body but didn't know how to play as a proper team player. No matter, it can be fixed in time.'
But after she focused back on the game, she was in for another surprise. The first-year team who she thought would depend on Kagami surprisingly managed to stunt her team with a simple play. She narrowed her eyes at the instigator, Kouki Furihata.
'If I remember correctly, his body is well-trained. Not as monstrous as Kagami, but still above average. But the last play showed he is more brain than muscle. He knew Kagami's position would attract Junpei, Koganei, and Mitobe, so he ran in the opposite direction of them, dragging Izuki away from the play, and creating space for the other player to fill in. But seeing as no one was in a good position, he gave the ball back to the center without hesitation, resulting in a wide-open position. Well played, rookie.. Well played, indeed.'
And in the next play, what she saw really surprised her once again. Instead of giving the ball to Kagami like in their first three plays, now they let Furihata handle the ball.
'Isolation against Izuki, eh? Let's see what this rookie can do.' She leaned forward, observing Furihata's move closely.
And when Furihata pulled up a shoot right in front of Izuki, a hint of a smile could be seen on her face, satisfied with what she saw.
'He took advantage of the fact that Izuki underestimated him, and the shoot itself is also a good one. Wait! What is he doing?'
Her face shifted from satisfied to confused after seeing Furihata didn't go back to the defense position. But it changed again in a second after Mitobe pass the ball to Izuki, as Furihata managed to steal the ball from the point guard.
'WHAT! What happened?! Did he just steal the ball from Izuki's eagle eyes?!'
Not only her, but all of the players on the court also have the same stunned expression, couldn't believe what they have just seen.
But what happened next shocked them to the core. The rookie, Kouki Furihata, bumped into Mitobe before sending the ball to the rim with a reverse layup. A well-played three-point play.
'Ooh.. I found a diamond here..' Riko's eyes gleamed as her brain simultaneously replayed the last play while thinking about how to use this rookie for the team.
Between Kagami and Furihata, with the addition of Teppei when he is healthy, she cannot wait for the competition to start again.
'This year will be a good year.' She muttered excitedly, not knowing that the surprise from the first year is not finished, as there is one who still doesn't show his claw. Yes, he is Kuroko, the phantom of the Generation of Miracles.
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Author note:
Wow, I really make Kagami looks like a bad guy. But don't worry, though. I think it fits Kagami's personality.
Next chapter, you will see the combination between Furihata, Kuroko, and Kagami! I hope that I can post the new chapter on Monday (my expectation is a new chapter every two days), but anything can happen. So, please be patient with me.
Thank you :)