𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 | 𝐤.𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐨

twenty-three

"i'm not doing this anymore, it's so dumb...!"

tutoring hinata and kageyama was way harder than the girl had expected.

yes, she knew they were horrible at their academics, but she didn't think it would be that hard for them to understand such simple science concepts.

letting out yet another sigh, she leaned over to help kageyama with the question he was currently stuck on.

"what this time, kageyama-kun?"

the raven boy gestured at the question he was stuck at. "i don't understand the whole thing."

she read through the question, and figured out why he barely could even read it.

"you don't know what the words mean, right?"

the boy shook his head. "don't they both mean the same thing?"

"so for you to understand how to do english questions, you've got to understand the meanings of the words," she explained, pulling her english notes over.

"here-illegible means something that is not clear enough to be read. illegal is something not allowed in the country. they're completely different."

"illegible...something not clear enough to be read...like our quick sets?" kageyama repeated.

ayako shook her head. "nope. it's slightly different, since illegible describes being unable to read unclear words, or handwriting. while your quick sets are more like...unreadable or unpredictable? since they're so fast, and they can pop out from anywhere on the court."

the latter slowly nodded.

"so, do you get it now?"

however, kageyama was still frowning at the question. "how am i going to remember the meanings of all these english words...?"

ayako patted him on a shoulder reassuringly. "it won't be that hard."

"no...it will," he sweat-dropped.

just then, an idea sparked into her head.

"hinata-kun, can you flash all the volleyball signs one by one? kageyama-kun, i want you to name all of them."

"hai!"

the ginger began flashing up the various signs the volleyball team used on court, and the setter was able to shoot out the answers immediately.

"you see, if you had no problem memorizing all these volleyball signs, i'm sure memorizing the meanings of the words wouldn't be that bad, right?" she told him.

he shrugged, and let out another sigh before going back to his assignment.

after around three hours of tutoring, ayako decided to call it a day.

she stifled a yawn, and when she checked the time, she realized it was already five-thirty in the evening.

no wonder my stomach's grumbling. she thought.

"are you guys going anywhere to eat dinner?" hinata perked up.

the girl shook her head. "nope, why...?"

kageyama gave the ginger the same response as her.

"we should eat dinner together, then!" he exclaimed.

the three found themselves seated at a table in a curry rice store, after kageyama said that he wanted to eat pork curry.

"gwahh! i'm so excited for the training camp-just thinking of all the strong teams we'll be facing gets me so hyped up! i can't wait for finals to be over!" hinata exclaimed in between mouthfuls of rice.

"we'll beat every single one of them," kageyama added, voice full of determination.

"sorry to burst your bubble-again, but if you fail any of your final exam papers you guys won't be able to go for it..." ayako trailed off.

"that's why you're tutoring us, miyazaki-san! i already feel so full of knowledge after today!" the ginger replied, eyes shining.

"i'm sure nothing went into your brain..." kageyama muttered from beside him.

"shutup, kageyama-kun! quit talking like you're any better than me, you're failing too!" the smaller boy huffed.

"the both of you, better work hard if you guys want to attend that training camp," ayako scolded, clucking her tongue.

"hai..."

-

after a weekend of tutoring the two boys', ayako was glad to be back in school.

tutoring hinata and kageyama hadn't been an easy feat, but since they were able to absorb some sort of information from the two days of tutoring sessions, she didn't really mind.

the whole point of tutoring them was so they could pass and go to that training camp, anyway.

however, it still had been pretty hectic.

her track practice had just ended, and she was headed to the volleyball gym, as usual.

she pulled open the door to see the boys cleaning up, and headed to the bench where shimizu was seated.

it was then when she noticed a new face. there, talking to shimizu, was a petite, yellow-haired girl.

the manager looked up just as ayako approached the bench, smiling brightly as usual.

"this is yachi hitoka, she's a temporary member who'll serve as a manager," shimizu told ayako, upon noticing the girl's curious gaze lingering on yachi.

then, she turned back to yachi.

"hitoka-chan, this is ayako miyazaki. she helps the volleyball team out with taking photos."

"hajimemashite, yachi-san," ayako said with a smile.

"a-ah hajimemashite, miyazaki-san!" yachi replied, flustered.

"what class are you in, yachi-san?" ayako asked as she sat down next to the girl, hoping to make conversation.

she'd noticed the girl looked extremely stiff. was she nervous?

"class 1-5...what about you?"

woah, one of the advance classes. she must be smart.

"i'm in class 1-3."

soon after a couple more minutes of getting to know the new manager, the boys had finished cleaning up the gym, and were leaving for the store.

"would you like to join us, yachi-san?" ayako asked while she picked up her bag from the ground.

"c-can i?" the blonde girl looked from ayako to shimizu.

"i usually don't join them, but miyazaki-chan does, so you could follow her if you'd like," shimizu told her.

"yeah. but it's fine if you don't want to though...! i don't mean to be imposing on you..." the raven-haired girl added.

"i-if it's okay, then i'll join you, miyazaki-san..." yachi said.

"seeyou tomorrow, miyazaki-chan, hitoka-chan," shimizu bid the two first-years goodbye, before making her way home.

"shimizu's been smiling so much lately~ my eyes can't take it~!" nishinoya and tanaka swooned from behind.

ayako cast them a questioning look, before heading towards kageyama and hinata, yachi following behind her.

"ooh yachi-san's coming along!" the ginger exclaimed, and had soon engaged in a conversation with the smaller girl, while ayako walked next to kageyama, the usual silence between the two raven-haired teenagers.

a/n i'm sososo sorry for this super short and crappy chapter bc it was meant to be a filler but it's such a bad one!