Soon the last paper submitted towards the teacher, it was a call of their final exam finally came to its end. Ayumu instantly flopped her head her table and low groan left her lips. Her eyes were wondering at not particular direction outside the window but her brain was sure focus on this one thing.

What if her marks will make Kita mad again?

Ayumu closed her eyes, pursing her lips and clenched her fist under the table tightly. Then, another round of groan could hear coming from her. She didn't want Kita to be mad at her again. If her examination mark this time had no big change than her past exam, Kita wasn't the only one who got disappointed because she would too. Kita and her were working hard together, double their work than before. Almost every weekend, they had mentor mentee session; sometime at Kita's and sometime at Miya's.

"Ya still overthinking, aren't ya?"

By listen to the voice, Ayumu knew who was that. She didn't bother to look at the guy as she kept on her position.

"What if I made Kita disappointed again, Riseki?"

"Ya wouldn't." He said, fixing his bag strap over his shoulder.

"How come ya be so sure?" She continued asking, with eyes closed, facing the window still and not to Riseki. Her voice even sounded distant. Riseki shrugged his shoulder and saying; " Hardwork will never betray. Kim Namjoon from BTS once said that."

It enough made Ayumu to smile. One of their similarity, stanning BTS. She straightened up her back and looked at the guy who had a grin on his face. He knew he just boost her energy and he proud of that.

"Ya watch that episode?" Riseki asked.

"Of course! That what made my brothers got all grumpy because I ignored them." Ayumu giggled. She gathered her things and put inside her bag. Then, she stood up and joined Riseki to leave the class for their club. Since the final exam just over so Ayumu had no mentor mentee session with Kita that day.

Soon, their practise started like usual after had meeting with their coaches. It was nothing new as they just reminded them that the prelims would be one week from now, on Saturday. Ayumu got her neck hairs up as she could feel the electrifying of excitement ran through her all vines without skipping a line. She was excited for real, at last after so long she waited, she finally could attend the official game as the team manager.

Standing near the net pole, she threw some balls towards her Atsumu brother for him to toss at his teammate to spike. They already practice their serve just now so it's time for their spiking ball. Whenever Osamu's turn to spike the ball, her smile grew wider as the twins combination was a great succeed. She almost forget that her twin brothers got the title of "The best twin in high school volleyball scene."

Everyone seemed like in good mood and condition. None of them seemed out of spirit. Perhaps, all hyped up with the prelims next week. As they took a break in the middle, Ayumu started to give water bottle to everyone and congratulated them for their hard work. She be on the court side, taking her manager book and had a look over the pages.

"Yer hair." Kita suddenly crooked out, taking her attention. The captain was standing not so far from her with his water bottle in his grasp. As confusion look displayed on Ayumu's face, Kita sighed. He put down his bottle on the floor court and went at Ayumu's back. He slid down Ayumu's hair tie as the tie was loosing enough.

"Ya are too work up. Even yer ponytail about to loose." He said and held her hair.

"Ouh, really let meㅡ"

"It's fine, let me do it." Kita said, smoothened her hair first.

"Ey, did ya even know how to?" Ayumu teased.

"I have sister remember?"

Ayumu just nodded her head, listening to him. Actually, she almost forgot about that. Kita's grandma told her during the day of Ayumu and her brothers came over. Not forgetting too that his grandma even took out Kita's photo album just to show her.

Put that aside, bold you guys assumed the scene not getting eyes from other team members. Of course it had those cunning eyes. Atsumu and Osamu already had smirk on their faces. The third year members had soft smile on their lips. Knowing the captain had feelings on their one and only manager. Suna by the other hand, regretting for not having his phone with him. This scene was worth to be in his phone gallery.

Kita raked her hair softly, smoothened the spiky hair that everywhere before he grasp the long dark hair. To say how comfortable the situation was among them, none of the two bothered with the cunning eyes from the team. Ayumu even had her eyes focused again on her book as Kita did her hair.

"High ponytail or low?" He asked.

"Middle." Ayumu giggled as her request was out of the suggestion-that giggles of hers made the corner at Kita's lips stretched upwards, softly smiling before he continued to tie her hair just like how she requested.

The team members from afar got jaw dropped when they saw Kita was smiling but the third years seemed natural with that. The first and second years instantly exchanged gaze with one another.

"Did we just witness Kita-san's smile?" Gin gasped, making sure his voice didn't reach the captain.

"Actually, he usual smiles when it comes to Ayumu. I thought ya guys noticed that already." Omimi utterer and getting his fellow third years nods.

"I don't wanna saying this but still wanna." Suna said. "He's simp."

"A simp for Ayumu. Yes. He is." Both Atsumu and Osamu said.

Back to where Kita and Ayumu, Kita finally done with it as he gave the ponytail one last touch. Ayumu had her hand to caress her hair and looked at him with a smug.

"Not bad. Thank you." She grinned.

"My pleasure."

And soon, Ayumu's phone ringing which the ringtone echoed in the gym. She instantly fished out her phone from her jacket pocket and took a look over the caller. Kita who stood beside her now, noticed who was that. His eyes instantly looked up to look at Ayumu's reaction. Of course she was smiling, it was her Iwa nii-chan after all.

"I need to take this yeah!" She said, putting down her book nearby. "Will come back soon." She told Kita and went out from the gym.

It was video call from Iwaizumi so there was no way she declined that. However, since they were still having break, why not pick the call up. Ayumu took a seat by nearby shade. There was no bench around. She leaned against a pole and picked up the call. Her eyes grew big so did her lips. It wasn't Iwaizumi's face on the screen but it was Hanamaki. By his side, there was Matsun. Kindaichi and Kunimi were there too. Yahaba too. Among them, the owner of the phone was nowhere to be seen.

"Hye!!!" Ayumu greeted em with her big smile.

"Heyyyy Miya!! It's been while didn't it?" Matssun took the lead of conversation.

"Yes I guess. After the practice match between Inarizaki and Seijoh." She grinned.

For the first minutes, they were catching up with one another. As they ask her, how she was doing and she asked the same thing. Practically, Seijoh team also was in break right now.

"Hajime told us that he and Oikawa planned to call you by today. But, they take too long to call you. So, we call you first. We aren't in your way right?" Hanamaki said as Ayumu shook her head. "Not at all. Just like you are, we at the middle of break. So, its fine."

The conversation between the guys and Ayumu turned to halt whenever Iwaizumi's voice erupted from Seijoh's side.

"Where's my phone? Anyone sees it?" Poor guy, he was looking for his phone. Hanamaki who happened to hold the device turned towards him who stood few feet away behind them.

"Here Hajime! You guys take so long to call her so we call her first." Hanamaki innocently smiled while rose up Iwaizumi's phone in the air. Thanks to that, Ayumu could see her Iwa nii chan face. She grinned at him through the screen.

"Jezz, guys! Permission first at least!" Iwaizumi strode towards them, walking through those guys so he could hold his own phone.

"You're out of reach, so yeah." Matssun added only made Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. Before Iwaizumi spare his eyes on Ayumu, he turned backwards to look for Oikawa. The latter just entered the gym perhaps after got his face a little splash of water.

"Oikawa! Yumu on phone now!!"

It didn't take long for Oikawa to registered what the guy was talking about. Just by mentioned "Yumu", his ears were sharps like wolves'.

"Give way! Give way for me so I can meet my little girl!!" Oikawa sang, excitedly. The team members not even disobey him though. Then, both Iwaizumi and Oikawa's face on screen. As they were the closest; the front. Hanamaki, Matssun, Yahaba, Kindaichi and Kunimi huddled up over the two men as they also wanted to have a look on Ayumu by the screen.

"How my little girl's doing?" Oikawa smiled, jumping up his brows. Ayumu let out some giggles before she answered him. "Your little girl is doing fine."

Iwaizumi by Oikawa's side could only roll his eyes and silently scoffing by the way Oikawa behaving. Acting all sort superstar he was. Not like it was new side of him anyway. And Iwaizumi knew that more than anyone.

"Nii-chan, the other guys said, you guys wanna share a good news. So what the good news is?" Ayumu asked, tilting her head asideㅡcurious. Oikawa smiled to her which she could not tell what was it. Even his brows, he started to wriggle them but that expression soon gone when Iwaizumi bonk his head.

"If you keep doing that, she will not get the real idea, godd." Iwaizumi groaned as Oikawa rubbed his head before Oikawa paid attention towards Ayumu again. Her eyes were shining in curiosity and wanting to know what the good news was. Oikawa held up one of his finger which the other teammate seemed knew what was it. Then, another finger was upㅡtwo fingers now. Oikawa was counting the time. And then, the third fingers.

"WE GOT TO THE PRELIMS!!" cheered all the team mate made Ayumu bulged her eyes out. It wasn't that surprise since Aoba Johsai always got to the prelims but still, she felt the joy inside her when the team told her that. Her eyes sparkled in excitement as well as her lips stretched to a big happy smile.

"Oh my god!! Congrats!!" Her face was deny how happy she was for the team. "So, tell me when the game is? How many days you guys going to play? I need the detail so I can schedule up everything."

"Relax Miya...." Kunimi laughed so did it made everyone laughed too. She barely realised how fast she was talking just now.

"Two days for game if we made it to semi final for prelims. If we defeat Karasuno and gonna face Shiratorizawa, so, it will be two days." Yahaba informed. And Ayumu mentally notted that.

"And it gonna be one week from now. On Saturday if I'm not mistaken." Oikawa added. "How about Inarizaki, whenㅡ"

His word hung to the air when he realised Ayumu's big smile slowly flattered away. The team knew something was off.

"I-Inarizaki. . ." Her voice slow as her eyes looked away. "Have match on the same day."

It was heavy to Ayumu uttered the last sentence. This was what she got bug these days. And now, the thing she hope not to happen, really happened. The same day of matchㅡ

"Ayumuㅡ"

"I'll talk with Kita about that." She quickly cut off Iwaizumi's word.

"No." Oikawa stated. His voice was firm yet gentle. "No, Yumu. You have team now. So, be with your team. You cannot leave your team just like that, don't you?"

Ayumu's eyes already got all glassy and it just took a little time for the tears to cascade on her face. The team got their face smoothened with concern. Iwaizumi and Oikawa softly smiled towards her. Both guys even the whole team wanted Ayumu came to their game just like how she used to, but like Oikawa mentioned just now, Ayumu already had her own team. They could not be selfish just by wanting Ayumu on their side.

"But, Too nii-chan, Iwa nii-chanㅡ" tears down, making her voice cracking. "I promise y-you to watch your g-game as m-much as I c-can. A-and this year will b-be your guys f-final year. Nii-chan, H-hanamaki-san, Matssun-sanㅡ"

"Let's meet at National." Iwaizumi said. As Ayumu wiped her tears, the members nodded their head, agreed with him.

B"Yeah, let's meet at National. So, make sure, Inarizaki will attend National too. Okay?" Oikawa softly said and Ayumu sniffled.

They ended call not too soon after that. They would make sure to make Ayumu laughed first or at least to make her smile even a little. So, they could hang up the call without having unsettle feeling or worried about it anymore. Even there would be a slight of the emotion left to their heart. With she was away and out of their reach, that was the only thing they could do for her. If she was a few meter from them, they would come and meet her. Give her hugs, bring her chocolates and having evening walks together. Usually, it was Iwaizumi and Oikawa to be in the role.

Ayumu put her phone into her jacket again and went to water tap nearby. She splashed the cold water against her skin, hoping the trace of she cried just now disappeared. When she felt a little better, she got back into the gym. She acted like usual as if she wasn't cry a few moment ago. She joined the conversation with others just like how she used, laughed together with them and all. But, the fake emotion could not stay longer. She grew quieter after that. She still smile and talk but when the members had no eyes on her or she turned around, her face expression dropped.

With Ayumu being Inarizaki's manager, the team members were quick to realize her changes of mood. But no one take step to ask her what made her looks so sad and so on. They noticed that Ayumu eyes slightly swollen and redden. She even kept sniffling as if she got runny nose or something. The team was hoping might be Kita or Miya twins could go check up for her but they didn't.

"Let's give her some space." Atsumu said to others, no wanting to rush on anything. Kita somehow he could connect the dots what made she suddenly changed out of blue. But, he hoped it wasn't about it. Neither he confirm was it true or not. After the club ended, the boys went to changing room for taking their bags and their uniform. They slid on their jacket and brushed off invisible dust here and there.

"Aran, do you know when Miyagi prefecture prelims start?" Kita lowly asked the guy, who stood by his locker which beside Kita's. Aran was bewildered at first but Kita wasn't even gave a slight reaction to repeat his question or said that it was a wrong question either.

"If I not mistaken, it the same day as us." Aran said, trying to recall the memory. Kita's eyes slowly closed before he heaved out a sigh.

Told yaㅡwhispered Kita's heart.

Ayumu walked towards the school compound, thinking about to wait for her brothers there. She lazily kicked little pebbles on the ground as she was walking. Her hands deep inside her jacket pocket. Her head even had no energy to head up. Her mind was heavy so did her heart. Then, she heard Kita's voice echoed at the back which snapping her from her own world. The sentence that left from Kita's lips made she spun towards him instantly.

"Just go for Seijoh, if that will make you feel better." He said, hand tightly gripping his bag strap. " I will tell sensei that ya have urgent comes up. Not like we gonna mess our game jut because ya not there."

There was something about Kita's voice which Ayumu could not tell. Pain? Longing? Hoping? Disappointment? Encouraging?

" Not like it is our first time thoughㅡ" He said, walking passed her "ㅡ playing without manager by our side."

Then, he left without looking back at Ayumu, leaving her behindㅡlips pursing tight. Tears once again rolled on face. Few meter away, there was the teammate witnessed everything and listen to every words.

🏐

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