Summary:
Hanamiya wasn't always the way he is. Maybe he was born different but definitely not twisted. Kou knows that the best, she knows him the best because just as he changed, so did she. Those of a different kind tend to stick together, or more like Hara used to call them: birds of the same feather flock together, too smart for their own sake, yet too dumb to keep that fact to themselves. Or maybe too vain? Too proud?
But everything changes as he decides to play one game too much, and everything goes down the drain. The only one who can make things right is Kou.
Hiya! I've started writing this a couple of years ago but lately, I've decided it's a good time to finish it. This story will be cross posted on Wattpad (tho as a reader insert since I love reader inserts 3). You can find it on ― blankaspace account.
Disclaimer #1, the characters and the universe belong to Tadatoshi Fujimaki
Disclaimer #2 ― this is Hanamiya centred story so please beware that GoM and people involved with them won't be portrayed all buddy-buddy with Mister Twisted. I absolutely adore both Aomine and Momoi (especially their relationship 3) but since it's not their but Kirasaki Daiichi's story, they won't be all that friendly :/ Especially Aomine :(( But hopefully no bashing! At least I don't intend to make any character bashing :D
Also ― no beta for this story :(
Kou Miho was angrily marching through the Kirasaki Daiichi school library, looking for her friend. The documents she managed to pull on the team Kirasaki was supposed to play with next, were safely stashed in her bag, ready to make proper use of them. It'd been five years since she began helping out with the basketball games, actively supporting the team's coach and two years since she really had gotten good at this. If a player had a weak point, she knew about it, no matter what it might have been. For instance, she scanned his or her files, finding out about every single injury said player suffered. Did it bother her? Not really. She didn't care, it wasn't her problem after all.
Then the question was, what made it different this time around? What made her so angry about that little research? For that certain team, she wasn't supposed to find stuff about the players but also about the people involved with them. She did as requested, the task leaving a taste of disgust rolling on her tongue.
At the very end of the library, at the tables partially hidden behind the bookcases, she spotted six teens. However, she was interested in only one of them. She strode toward the tables and gave a prolonged whistle, pointing her thumb over her shoulder for the boys to leave. They didn't even spare her a glance, feeling that she was too pissed to be picked on; they hastily gathered their stuff and basically run away, fearing the upcoming argument that was hanging in the air, leaving Hanamiya and she alone, glaring at each other. Miho grimaced, seeing his legs lazily stretched out at the table, his fingers laced over his stomach.
As Kou was sure, the two of them wouldn't be disturbed, she pulled out the files and, roughly thumping his limbs from the table, shoved it before him.
"This is the last time I'm doing it, Hanamiya. We're going too far!" The girl hissed, banging her clenched fist over the documents. "I can't believe you're lowering yourself to such methods since you could win this without playing tricks."
"But I don't want to. Where would be fun in it, anyway?" Hanamiya smiled sweetly, pulling the files from under her hand and opening them. "Did you find anything interesting, Miho? I'm in a gossiping mood."
The girl brushed her bangs aside, huffing in annoyance. "You really don't understand, do you? We will get in serious trouble if you use it in the way I think you want to," she pointed at the files. "You and your dolts can win against Töö, without my help."
Hanamiya propped on his elbow, his eyes never leaving the documents. "Funny you said that... dolts... if you think so lowly of us, then why did you agree to do this in the first place, huh? And do tell me, what do I want to do with it." He waved the files in front of her nose. "Because for me you're just groping in the dark. You. Don't. Know. A. Thing."
"Don't treat me like those idiots of yours! I've been helping you since junior high! I know you enough to tell that it's beyond the actual game you want to mess with, Makoto. It's too far..." Kou's eyes softened at the last part. It really seemed as if she was pleading with him not to do this. He didn't as much as spare her a glance.
"Are you done?"
"Excuse me?"
"I asked: are you done?" Hanamiya deadpanned, raising his gaze to see Kou nod. "You say, you've been helping me for so long out of your own generosity. If you really believe that then you're no better than these... dolts or whatever you called my team—"
"Don't you dare compare us—!"
"Shut up, Miho, and let me finish!" Hanamiya chided. "You did it all for yourself. You enjoy seeing all of the people you researched suffer. You're no different... smarter, yes, but no different." Seeing her eyes widened, Hanamiya decided to go a little bit further. "Why do you think you're smarter than them? Is that because it takes them more time to realise something obvious to you? Or maybe that the information reaches you faster than the others, and it's painful for you to look at how slow they are, huh?"
Kou dropped her gaze, suddenly finding the tips of her shoes extremely interesting. It was terrifying how easily Hanamiya could read her, and to make it even worse, to do it correctly. She enjoyed the power she had over all their victims, her chest swelling with pride as she managed to dig out every single detail about them. That was true... She could deny it, but she loved it... Kou Miho looked down on numerous people because she felt her brain working at a very different speed from the average; she simply felt superior.
"As I thought..." Hanamiya mused, leaning in his chair. "Do you think I'm smarter than you, Miho?"
"No."
"Is that so?"
She raised her eyes at him, her eyebrows twisting scornfully. "More clever, yes. But not smarter."
The boy chuckled. "I'm still a step ahead of you. But I admit that you're almost a fit match for me." He tapped his temple.
"Excuse me if I don't feel flattered by your compliment..." Miho furrowed her eyebrows and plopped on the table in front of her friend.
"That wasn't a compliment, just a fact... But never mind. We can't really compare our way of thinking," he corrected absentmindedly and flicked the case open. It featured a photo of the Töö basketball team manager, a strawberry-haired girl. "This one, however..." he pointed at the photo, "is a different story. Momoi does the very same thing you do, and during the upcoming game, she'll have everything on Kirasaki's team," Hanamiya informed, slightly leaning over the table as if trying to carefully examine the information on the manager. He gave his friends a sidelong glance, tilting his head. "You are competing with her, and as we all know, Momoi was not just a mascot of the Generation of Miracles."
"Don't make me laugh!" Kou snorted, throwing her head back in a forced laugh. "She's no match for me."
Hanamiya narrowed his eyes at her. "Then what did you find out?"
"It's all in the files. I don't like repeating myself."
"I know but I prefer it when you say it out loud. I like the sound of your voice," he stated, closing his eyes, already focusing his attention on what she was about to say.
Kou found herself baffled by her friend's blunt statement; she crossed her legs, pulling her uniform's skirt over her thighs.
"Where should I start?"
"Maybe from the cute, little manager and her friend?"
Miho shot Hanamiya a confused look, before realizing who had he in mind. "Well, there's not much on him. Long story short... He's the bright star of the Töö team. He's unconventional and fast as hell. No history of past injuries, mental or physical. No social life whatsoever..."
Hanamiya opened one eye.
"That's it?"
She nodded.
"Tough player..." He mused closing his eye, his features relaxing. "Now, the rest, please. I don't have all day."
"Why do you ask if you know it already?" Kou pouted but took the file and opened it on the right page. "It's Momoi. She's either his friend or the love interest. I don't know, I don't care... but she's Aomine's soft spot."
"My oh my, Miho, what a bitter woman you are! Oh, to be young and in love..." Hanamiya sniggered, slowly getting on his feet.
"Oh god... I can't believe you said that..." Kou winced, but Hanamiya's grin only broadened.
"But you're right about the girl."
"Of course I am! I know my job," she exclaimed, trying to swat him over his head with the files but he caught her wrist. "Oi! And I'm not bitter. Just because I'm not interested in the love life of some high school juniors— Ouch!" She called out, as Hanamiya flicked her forehead, suddenly looking very serious.
"Calm down, Miho..."
The girl glared at him, rubbing the sore spot on her head. Hanamiya pulled the file from her hand and released her wrist.
"This will be interesting," he muttered, locking his eyes on the photo of two people, a boy and a girl, talking, attached to the top left corner. "Good, we know where to start."