*Ayame's POV*

I glanced at the scoreboard and pursed my lips when the first set is ending.

It's no surprise that Shiratorizawa has the lead.

Giving the first set to Shiratorizawa is to be expected given our current play and how we are fairing against them. Each of their players has their own strength, and it's not just about Ushijima-san.

But the good thing is that, Yuu-senpai finally got used to his left hand spikes. As long as the ball is still up, we can still counter it.

What's making me conscious was, the cameraman and other TV crew next to us.

I'm aware that it's broadcasted live right now but this really feels different compared to our previous matches. I try to think that they are not here but, I feel a little awkward when someone's filming us every time we gather for a timeout and strategize.

Shiratorizawa is strong, that's obvious. Even using their centers shows that they have the upper hand even without using Ushijima-san.

All the details we accumulated and talked about yesterday were on point, but, there were some new things that we weren't able to include.

First set ended almost in a flash and we're starting the second set. Of course, Shiratorizawa got the first set. If my calculations and estimations are correct, we can close the gap by the middle or last half of the second set.

The freak quick was blocked by Shiratorizawa's number 5, Tendo-san. His blocks reminds me of Lev-kun's but Tendo-san's blocks are more solid and more accurate than his. A guess blocker and I heard that people call him Guess Monster. That's really amazing.

Both nickname and skills.

We had to call a timeout now before our spikers get frustrated after he blocked them a couple of times.

When I turned around, Kageyama-kun's face surprised me "What's wrong, Kageyama-kun?"

"Yeah, what's up with your face?" Ryu-senpai next to him sweat dropped.

"Nothing's wrong" he says but his face says otherwise.

"You liar!"

Ah, it's to be expected he'll be irritated. Back when mom used to play setter in her team in the V-League, there were times that when a spike from her set-ups gets blocked and she gets really pissed and starts brooding in the middle of the game.

We can't let that happen.

"Kageyama-kun" I gently slapped his back "It's frustrating but, don't you think this is a nice challenge to you as a setter and to our spikers? Up until now, almost all the blockers we faced are read blockers like Date Tech. Isn't it interesting to think of a play to overcome a guess blocker?"

I saw his lips curl into a smile. I faced Shoyo-kun "A little challenge is nice once in a while, right? Shoyo-kun?"

"Yep!"

It seems that they seem to be over it. Good.

Tendo-san's intuitions are scary accurate but, they are not 100% applicable. The percentage of accuracy of his guess block can range from 0-120% so, we can manage somehow.

Now then, off to the battlefield.

***

Uwoooo!! Tsukishima-kun blocked Tendo-san's time lag attack! As expected from our calculating blocker!!

But... I have a feeling he said something to irritate the other party because Tendo-san looked really mad at him and he's just smiling like a "polite" junior.

Ah...could he be pissed when Tendo-san said something to him after he was back in the court earlier?

***

We decided to put Tadashi-kun in for the serve. While waiting for his turn, we did our usual thing.

Holding hands before he's placed back in.

I guess it became into something as our habit.

"Thank you for this again, Ayame." He smiled at me gratefully and I replied back with the same gesture.

"Of course. You told me before that holding your hand before you are put to serve helps you focus, right? And besides..." I gave his hand a light squeeze "This helps me focus as well and... I like holding your warm hand"

"Please don't flirt next to me" I heard Ukai-san next to me speak. Shimizu-san and Takeda-sensei were stifling their laughs on the side.

"We're not flirting!" Tadashi-kun's face was red as he says so while I just sat there looking confused, as usual.

I mean, how come that holding hands and encouraging each other counts as flirting?

"Yeah, sure. Tell me that while being all lovey-dovey next to me"

Ukai-san's being weird.

We sweat dropped when we saw the depressed face he is making.

***

By the time we are nearing the last part of the second set, I've gotten used to the cameras aiming at us at every timeout we take.

"Tsukishima-kun" I glanced at him as he was pursing his lips "Do you want to say something?"

He didn't answer me at first. "You know, I sometimes hate the fact that you can be perceptive at stuffs like these but dense at almost everything else"

I don't know what he meant by that but somehow it felt like he just stabbed me with his words.

"Tsukki, you don't have to put it like that" Tadashi-kun said next to me.

"It's the truth and we can't deny that"

"Sorry about that, Ayame" he apologized to me and I smiled at him in assurance.

"It's okay. I'm used to Tsukishima-kun's personality"

It was time for them to return back. But, Tsukishima-kun stopped and called their attention.

"Ano..." the rest stopped when they heard him speak "Would you let me set the timing for the three person block?"

Ah.

So that's why.

He somehow managed to get the timing for the block to happen. I'll leave it to him to lead the blockers.

Yosh. They are in position. I tightly gripped my pen as I watched them prepare for the block. Please, let it be a success. Let the ball be guided to our Guardian Deity.

As if God heard my prayers, the ball went to Yuu-senpai and it was a clean pick up.

And so...upon arriving on the last half of the second set, our total defense play was finally put to play.

"Nice receive, Yuu-senpai!!" I cheered "Nice timing, you guys!"

They turned around and grinned at me with a thumbs-up, minus Tsukishima-kun who just nodded at me.

"You nailed it again, Ayame." Ukai-san grinned at me "Just as what you said, the last half of the second set is the start of the real battle"

"Hai. From here, things will be much more intense."

***

"Haah?!"

Shirabu-san looked so bewildered.

It was only after that point I realized that I love the expression Shiratorizawa's setter, Shirabu-san, made when Hinata-kun and Kageyama-kun performed a quick when the receive nii-chan made was short.

It's so satisfying to see them so shocked at the oddball duo's unpredictability.

"Ayame, you're grinning evilly. It's scary" Ukai-san told me and I saw him shudder "You remind me of your delinquent mother..."

"Well, I like seeing the opponent's shocked face when they didn't expect a freak quick with that short receive" I admitted bashfully.

But wait... Does that mean I'm a sadist?

*Third Person POV*

The second set is still ongoing and neither side is backing down. It came to a point until Karasuno has the set point. Nishinoya received Ushijima's spike and was followed up by Tanaka and Daichi. When it was returned to the other side and the toss was made, Ayame's violet eyes widened.

"He flubbed the toss!"

She was not mistaken and it was proved when she saw the setter's face.

Asahi and Tsukishima were there to stop Shiratorizawa's cannon. When he did the spike, the megane shifted his arms to the gap between them, ultimately shutting down the Ushiwaka.

Not a single sound was made until the referee blew the whistle and the crowd went wild.

"He stopped Ushiwaka!!"

"Who is that guy?!"

"No idea!"

"They took back the second set!"

Nobody cheered from Karasuno's players, until Tsukishima shocked them when he pumped his fist and expressed his satisfaction and triumph out loud.

"SHAAAAAAAAA!!!"

.

.

.

.

.

.

"UWAAAAAAA!!" Yamaguchi, Sugawara, and Hinata were screaming in a mix of surprise and cheer.

"UWAAAAAAAA!!" Ayame, Shimizu and Mr. Takeda could barely hold down their surprise as they even stood up from their seats. Coach Ukai was screaming with them as well.

"UWAAAAAAAA!!" Even Shimada, Takinoue, Saeko and Yachi were screaming above in disbelief.

Akiteru looked like he's about to burst into tears, feeling so proud for his little brother.

Kazumi just looked down below the court with wide eyes while having an internal screaming inside.

I mean, nobody expected that the ever uninterested, aloof, and sarcastic Tsukishima would cheer for his success and yell in a middle of a game.

"Tsukishimaaa!!" Nishinoya and Tanaka came running to him and pounced on him as the baldy punched his sides while the libero was biting his arm, much to the blonde's discomfort and pain.

Once mostly everyone has calmed down, Ayame's arms went slack after thinking it over.

"Uwaaa... that seriously surprised me..."

Coach Ukai asked her "Which one?"

"Both of Tsukishima-kun's block and his expressiveness" she replied "He changed, and it makes me happy seeing him love volleyball even more. But, that block he did was something. It was something he planned right at the start of the second set. I commend him that"

"How?" Mr. Takeda asked.

"He placed a pressure on Shiratorizawa's setter." She explained "All those continuous receives, those persistent one-touches, and also our aggressive attacks... I think those factors made him frustrated and pressured that he messed up his toss to Ushijima-san. And by chance, it happened when it was our set point. I realized this when I saw him flub his toss."

She added "Given the way how Tsukishima-kun thinks, I think this was his plan all along. As expected of him"

The two adults stared at her "I'm amazed you can tell this much..."

While preparing for the start of the third set, Hinata approached the megane with a grin.

"Tsukishima!" He raised a thumbs-up "That one was worth 100 points!"

Tsukishima looked taken aback for a moment before smirking back "Thanks"

However, the words behind him contradicted his reply.

"For some reason, I can practically read what's behind him..." Ayame sweat dropped as they watched the interaction of the riling blonde and the pissed shorty.

"Yeah..." Yamaguchi nodded and looked at each other before stifling their laughs.

It was refreshing to see that their fellow classmate and friend is so expressive in volleyball now.

"Please stop making such a fuss" Tsukishima told them with his back on them "That was just a point. The game's just getting started"

Ayame grinned and slapped his back "Someone's finally serious~"

"I'm always serious"

She laughed "But, really... great job for thinking that far ahead with that planned block of yours"

"As expected of our sharpest observer, you can tell. Thanks for the compliment, I guess, strategist"

His voice was in monotone, but the corner of his lips tugged in a small smile as he ruffled her hair. Yamaguchi smiled widely upon seeing his best friend express his feelings more while trying not to be a smartass.

The third set, however, was taken back by Shiratorizawa.

"This is bad..." she bit her lower lip out of habit "Their setter recovered from the second set. Add that their #8, Goshiki-kun, is really good at straights..."

"Calm down... Think of a way for our team to take the fourth set...observe..."

*Up on the bleachers*

"Although there is a possibility for Karasuno to do an attack from the right, the chances are low of them forcefully pulling the attack from there" Kazumi explained to the girls.

"Yeah" Shimada agreed.

"Well said, Kazumi. Now, if only you boys thought about all that in the past" an old voice spoke and they turned around to see who it is.

It was Ukai Ikkei, the original infamous Coach Ukai of Karasuno.

Takinoue, Shimada and Akiteru instantly bowed in respect (and fear) to the old coach "Hello!"

Only Kazumi nodded respectfully to the man while waving nonchalantly "Hey, old man"

The three stared at her in shock.

I mean, you cannot just call Karasuno's Spartan of a coach "old man" without getting thrown fifty meters away.

"You never change, eh? Kazumi" he chuckled before facing the three males "You guys always seemed to go for the ball without giving it any thought. Well, I suppose Kazumi does that most of the time as well"

"A-Ahaha! Kazumi-san is different from the rest of us! W-We were doing what we could!" Takinoue nervously rubbed the back of his head.

Akiteru and Shimada could only sweat bullets from the presence of the old coach.

Kazumi was the only one unfazed by his presence.

Why?

They have a pretty good trainer and student relationship when she was still a player. Of course, their first interactions were terrible since it involves Ukai angrily chasing her with whatever he has on his hands (e.g. ball or shoes), throwing the other like a sack of potatoes, swearing and taunting each other like there's no tomorrow.

By the time Kazumi was a second year, the two were practically acting like the best of friends after bonding some time.

"Ano... this person is...?" Yachi asked in confusion why the males were being nervous all of a sudden.

"That's their old, super scary coach. It's Ukai-kun's grandpa" Saeko replied in a whisper. Yachi's jaw dropped as she looked at the coach than back at her for confirmation.

"There we go" Ukai Sr. sat on one of the chairs and observed the match "Looks like Washio-sensei's got a pretty good lineup, as usual. Oh? Isn't that your daughter, Kazumi? Next to that grandson of mine"

"That's right" she nodded with a proud grin on her face "The first ever in the history of high school volleyball. My Aya-chan's going to make a name for herself as the student assistant coach and strategist of Karasuno!"

"Quite the proud mother, aren't you?" he laughed.

"Of course! It's my daughter. Kaito and I's daughter" she smiled "As her mother, I couldn't be even prouder than that"

"Hmm... like what you told me, your daughter is pretty tactical and sharp. She's good-no, a genius in making plays. I watched the preliminaries before and I've seen the early parts of the game before meeting you guys" he grins as he watched the game commence "Not to mention, she's calm and collected"

*On the bench area*

Ayame quickly covered her face's lower half with her sketchpad before sneezing lightly.

"Ah... Is it because it's nearly the cold season? Never mind that" she thought before maintaining her focus on court. Before Nishinoya's about to be switched in, Ayame called him.

"Yuu-senpai, please relay this to Shoyo-kun and to Kageyama-kun and Ryu-senpai" she started "The ideal jump is to jump straight up, but for now, he can go to the sides too. In return, two will support both sides"

He understood what she meant and nodded "Got it, Ayame-chan"

***

Hinata took a seat next to Coach Ukai and Ayame after he was switched out with Yamaguchi.

"Rest. We know that your stamina is the highest but, we can't afford to burn your body out right on the fifth set" Ayame told him.

"Osu!"

Yamaguchi made a short eye contact with the violet eyed girl and took a deep breath.

"Imagery... Imagery..."

He opened his eyes and did his jump float serve. The ball went to Ohira, and followed up by Ushijima, sending the last ball to Goshiki. It hit the blocker's hand and Tanaka picked it up. Kageyama and Tsukishima did a time lag attack and tricked the blocker, earning them a point.

"Kuuuuh!! I'm pretty sure he learned this from Kuroo-san and Akaashi-san during the summer training camp!! He didn't tell me he learned a new move there!" the girl thought as Shiratorizawa called a timeout.

***

Coach Ukai was sweat dropping next to Ayame and she asked him out of concern "Is there something wrong, Ukai-san?"

"No... It's just... You know that most of us feel like we're being cornered on the edge of a cliff when Shiratorizawa's on their match point and yet you... you're way too calm at this..."

During the last point, Ayame was keeping a composed face while watching the whole rally.

"Ah... It's because... I have faith in those two to stop Ohira-san" she gestured to bickering Kageyama and Tsukishima when they bumped each other to block the spiker "Right~? Kageyama-kun and Tsukishima-kun~?"

The two stiffened when she sent off a warning aura to them, which prompted them to shut up and stop arguing.