"What...happened to Kageyama-kun and Shoyo-kun?" Ayame asked after noticing a determined aura around the two "Did something happen?"

"I'm not quite sure but Hinata said that they accidentally met Ushiwaka on a running. I don't know what happened after that" Yamaguchi explained to her.

"The Ushiwaka? Ushijima Wakatoshi? Shiratorizawa's ace?!" she asked, jumping up and down like a five year old "That's insane! But..." she stopped and looked at the oddball duo "Judging from their expressions, I guess that Ushiwaka-san said something that fired them up"

"Knowing those two simple minded idiots, every minor word from Ushiwaka would fire them up" Tsukishima said.

"You got a point"

The players sat and gathered around their teacher for a short announcement. Ayame noted that the teacher has a different air around him and it's making her uneasy.

"Ahem...as for our series of away games in Tokyo, for the time being, it's planned for next month. Because they are away games, we will need permissions from your parents or guardians, so I'll hand out those forms later. We also have tentative consent from the school, as well" Mr. Takeda explained to them.

Everyone grinned to each other upon hearing it but the teacher added in a serious voice "However, as you are aware, you have final exams starting next month"

"I have a bad feeling about this..." Ayame thought. Even Coach Ukai flinched at the news.

"Right?" Mr. Takeda looked at Hinata, Kageyama, Nishinoya and Tanaka, who quickly looked away, their faces grim and pale "So, you think you know what I'm getting at, but if you fail any subjects, you won't be able to go to the Tokyo away games"

"NOOOO!!!" the four of them screamed in horror. Nishinoya and Tanaka ran, trying to escape their doom.

"Hey! There's nowhere to run! Ennoshita, catch them!" the captain ordered.

"Got it!" and the second year blocked their way, stopping them from escaping.

"Fail...Fail...what counts as a failing grade?" Hinata asked, completely lost.

"That's your question?!" Sugawara shockingly asked.

"Kageyama's not breathing!" Yamaguchi exclaimed, horrified that the black haired setter is not moving at all.

Ayame sighed and pitied them "You guys know that we're participating club activities, so you should already know that we should make decent grades"

"You guys shouldn't fail" Tsukishima smirked at their sorry state.

"Nope" Ennoshita nodded, carrying Nishinoya and Tanaka by their collars.

"M-maybe if we beg the vice principal, h-he might understand!" Hinata desperately asked the teacher.

"Why don't you try really hard and pass the exams?" the megane told him.

"Even if we get the vice principal's permission, if you have to take supplementary classes, those will take priority" the teacher explained.

Ayame could practically see his dreams of going to Tokyo shatter into pieces. Hinata used to ask her what was life in Tokyo all about and she answered him that it was okay and there were huge gymnasium holding volleyball matches and she mentioned the Tokyo Skytree to him. The boy was starry eyed and he wished that he could go to Tokyo so she's pretty sure he desperately wanted to go.

"Coach!" Hinata tried to beg, but the coach looked away.

"W-well, this isn't something you're gonna be able to avoid as a student" he said. The shorter teen tried to ask again but the coach tried to encourage him "You need willpower! You need to believe you can do it!"

"Ano...you can't pass a test by willpower" Ayame stated. The others nodded in agreement. The coach silenced them to give the boy some hope.

"Mind over matter?!" Hinata asked but he shook his head and bowed in front of him "No, that's fine. Please teach me!"

"Hinata, I didn't really want to bring this up, but..." Coach Ukai stared down at him "Do I look like someone who got good grades?"

Hinata stared at him in shock before slumping down in defeat. Sugawara approached the younger boy and tried to assure him "Hinata, I'm sure you don't have to worry this much about it"

"Yeah, it's not like you never had a double digit score on your tests, right?" Ayame added.

"But, honestly, I've never had a double-digit score on any of my quizzes" Hinata said "Will I be okay?"

"Eh?" Sugawara deadpanned.

"Eh?" Ayame was shocked at Hinata's answer "Shoyo-kun, are you...serious?!"

"No way..." Yamaguchi blinked.

"Not a single one..." the captain muttered.

The boy nodded and others could only stare at him in shock while he sulked. She turned around, only to find Nishinoya and Tanaka in bodhisattva mode, their hands making a praying gesture.

"Hey! Stop the bodhisattva faces, you two!" Sugawara told them, completely creep out at their faces.

"They lost it..." Ayame stared at the four.

Nishinoya and Tanaka were crying their eyes out, Hinata was sulking, still thinking of his possible score, and worst of all, Kageyama's not breathing and he's frozen white "Rest in peace, Kageyama-kun..."

"They can do it if they try...they can do it if they try..." Takeda mumbled, his soul leaving his body.

"Sensei! Pull yourself together!" Ukai panicked, shaking the teacher.

"Even sensei lost it..." she sighed.

"Ah, the sound of anguish..." Tsukishima snickered, enjoying their sufferings.

"Shall we make some graves now?" Ayame asked and Yamaguchi snickered "The first one is for Kageyama-kun"

"Get a hold of yourselves!" Daichi stopped their drama "We still have time until the exams starts. There's no way Karasuno could bring our best without these four idiots. Not a chance!"

"I'm not sure if I'm flattered or insulted..." Tanaka noted. Hinata grabbed Kageyama's collar and shook him, as if trying to return the setter's lost life.

"I'll go with insulted..." Ayame muttered, earning a snicker from Tsukishima and Yamaguchi.

"We're gonna do this..."Daichi stated, his face grim "We're all gonna go to Tokyo..."

"He's desperate too..." the violet eyed girl thought.

***

"We're heading out" Tsukishima said, exiting the club room.

"Nii-chan, I'm going with them. Bye!" Ayame waved and the captain waved back.

"Yeah, be careful on your way home, you three. Especially Ayame-chan" Daichi patted her head and looked at the two boys "Hey, Yamaguchi, Tsukishima, escort her safely, all right?"

"Hai~"

"Ano...Shoyo-kun, Kageyama-kun, Yuu-senpai, Ryu-senpai..." she said, facing the four "You can survive the test...I think"

"You think?!" the four fallen students thought.

"Just think of the positive, okay? You'll do fine!" she assured them but silently added "I hope..."

"Ayame-chan~" they sniffled, staring up at her with some hope in their eyes. The third years and the second years grabbed their heads and forced them to focus on what the captain's saying. Ayame bowed and left the club room with Tsukishima and Yamaguchi.

"I'm really surprised that Kageyama's grades are bad. He seems pretty smart" Yamaguchi said while walking.

"He's smart all right...when it comes to volleyball, that is..."Ayame added "I can't believe that Shoyo-kun never had a double digit score in his tests..."

"I'm sure that all in his head is volleyball" Tsukishima said.

"Tsukihima!"a loud voice yelled, surprising them. The three of them turned and saw Hinata walking with his bike with Kageyama trailing behind him.

"...san" Hinata added, his "san" obviously forced "Teach us how to study...please"

Tsukishima was surprised and answered "What? No, I don't want to"

"How cold..." she thought, looking at him in disbelief.

Hinata was forcing himself not to cry from the blonde's answer and he tried asking again out of desperation "Please teach us! Even just for an hour each day or if you would tell us how to study..."

Ayame could hear the desperation coming from the orange haired boy and pitied them "I'll help you guys. Just go see me in our room if we have a free time"

"Ayame~! Thank you~! You're a lifesaver~!!" Hinata hugged the shorter girl while crying comically. Yamaguchi felt a pang of jealousy to the shorter teen.

"I-I guess it wouldn't hurt teaching them..." the freckled teen said, looking away slightly. The megane saw this and smirked as he noticed his jealousy.

"Wait a minute, I think it's not fair you're having the shrimp ask for the both of you. What do you have to say, big guy?" Tsukishima suddenly said, making Kageyama grit his teeth in anger and embarrassment. Hinata elbowed him, urging him to ask, making the setter grit his teeth harder.

"Please teach us..." he mumbled, barely audible. However, Tsukishima pretended not hear it to embarrass him more.

"What?" the tall blonde asked, stepping closer.

"Please...teach us how to study" he muttered a little louder. Ayame could tell he's on the verge on exploding but the megane was still riling him.

"I don't think I quite heard you" Tsukishima smirked, clearly enjoying the situation.

"He doesn't know when to stop..." she noted, staring at Tsukishima and Kageyama.

"There's nothing you can do about that, Ayame..." Yamaguchi told her.

Kageyama, who had enough of the blonde's teasing, yelled at the top of his voice "Please teach us how to study, damn it!"

"Hey!"

A pissed looking Coach Ukai opened his shop's door and yelled at them "Shut the hell up! You're disturbing the neighbors!"

"S-Sorry..." Ayame, Hinata and Yamaguchi bowed as an apology to the older man.

"Why am I getting yelled at?"