Haruka POV
(Three Days Later - In class ~ Friday)
"Class, we will be having exams not the following Monday, but next Monday for all the subjects that have been covered so far," Our homeroom teacher announces after finishing her lecture for the day.
"Nooooo!" The class cries out in despair and the pencil in my hand drops.
W-Wait?! E-Exams?!
Right when I thought one problem was solved, another appears and slaps me in the face...But this problem is one that can't be solved so easily.
I facepalm myself.
Exams have always been my weak point. There's a huge amount of material being tested and I always end up procrastinating on it. Sure, I can remember a good portion of the material in my brain when I cram it all in in about a week, yet the moment I'm taking an exam, everything I know disappears and I go blank.
Geh! Why do I have to be so brainless when I'm pressured?!
"Remember class, you must have a passing score or else you will have to take the summer classes to make up for them," My teacher warns and I start sweating bullets as I listen to her.
Last year I barely passed Itachiyama Academy's exams with Komori continuously tutoring me and Sakusa scolding me every time I made a mistake on something, but in the end I barely passed on the borderline. I can't let myself only barely pass again. I'm supposed to be an honor student.
...
More like an honor student in a regular second year's class.
I robotically glance over to Keiji who's just calmly taking his notes and I recall his words when I asked him why he was studying so early a few weeks back.
With all the matches and such, by the time the exams are here, you'll end up cramming the night before.
He's completely right.
Why does he have to right?!
I slightly frown. He was out for the Interhigh Tournament two days ago, but he's already back into school earnestly learning.
Honestly, how does he do it???
"I will post a study guide online on what material you should focus on for your exams, and if you have any questions just ask me. I wish you all the best of good luck!" My teacher says with a smile and I sigh in despair.
There's no hope for me. I'm doomed.
That is...I turn to Keiji. Unless I ask Keiji! Maybe he'll be willing to teach me!
Ring ring ring
The school bell rings and I stand up from my seat.
"Ke--" I hesitate.
Should I ask him for help?
I have a feeling he'll just tease me and tell me that he was right about me cramming it all. The exams are literally coming in about a week and I'm not ready.
I sigh. I have to set aside my pride. He's been helping me all of this time. I'm sure asking him for help on the exams won't be a bad thing. I'll treat him out or something as a way to repay him back, maybe make him some onigiri, he likes that.
"Hey Keij--" I try to call out to him but a loud voice overlaps mine.
"AKAASHI!" Bokuto calls him out and slides the door open.
Bokuto?!
All the second years stare at the third year who suddenly appears out of nowhere with a loaf of bread in his hand. Bokuto looks around the classroom and finds Keiji at his seat. Bokuto walks over to him and grabs him by the arm. "AKAASHI I NEED YOUR HELP!"
"Bokuto-san, can you please not--?" Keiji tries to pry off Bokuto's grip but Bokuto doesn't budge.
"No. Akaashi, you're the only one I can ask," Bokuto says in a serious tone and easily takes him away.
My eye twitches seeing the incident take place while all the second years are dumbfounded by the situation.
There goes my chance of asking Keiji for help...I sigh. Maybe I can ask my team. There has to be someone out there willing to teach me.
Keiji POV
(Meanwhile...)
I stare at Bokuto with a deadpan look. "Bokuto-san, can you please not attract so much attention, everyone was probably--"
"AKAASHI! I'M GONNA FAIL MY EXAMS!" Bokuto exaggerates.
"I know," I bluntly answer.
"I CAN'T FAIL AKAASHI!!! Coach decided yesterday that we've got a joint practice with all these teams including Kuroo's team! I can't miss a second of it! They're all expecting me to be there! You're in the advanced class right?! Teach me!" Bokuto pleads and I slightly frown.
"Figure it out yourself," I tell him with a deadpan look and turn my head away from him. "You have all the third years that can help you. I'm only a second year."
"AKAASHI! Please! You're the only one who can teach me!" Bokuto begs and grabs onto me.
All the students around us start staring and whispering to one another.
"Bokuto-san, stop," I scold him.
"NO! NOT UNTIL YOU HELP ME!" Bokuto begs and blocks me.
"What's going on?" A classmate mumbles.
"Maybe a lover's quarrel?" Another person whispers back and my eye twitches overhearing them.
I look around the hallways just to see everyone's attention on us and sigh.
"Fine, I'll help, but you have to learn how to study at some point. I won't always be there to help you, mostly when you go to college," I tell him and his mood quickly changes.
"Really?! Thanks Akaashi! Yay! I'll tell everyone that you're willing to teach us again! Yay, study buddies!" Bokuto grins.
Huh? Everyone???
"Wait--Bokuto-san, I never said everybo--" I try to correct him but his overpowering voice covers mine.
"THANKS AKAASHI!" Bokuto cheerfully thanks me again and leaves.
"Urghhh..." I facepalm myself.
I hope I didn't get myself into something big, but knowing this team, I probably did.
Haruka POV
(In the gym)
Exams are coming and I have no idea what's going on. Information comes into my head and immediately comes out. If only my brain could work like a sponge and actually retain everything.
What am I going to do?!
"Haruka has been scrunching her face the entire day today. Maybe she's deep in thought about something," Emiko worryingly says and Airi tilts her head.
"Maybe today's just not her day,"Airi suggests and Chika sighs.
"I just hope we're not going to run more laps today. My calves are still sore from our last run when we decided to prank her," Chika complains.
"You right," Emiko sweatdrops after being reminded of her sore calves.
Airi snaps her fingers. "Well, since we all want to know, let's ask," she says with a cocky grin. "Haruka! Oh, Haruka! Are you there? Are you alive?" Airi calls out to me and starts waving her hand in front of my face.
"Huh?" I turn around and all three girls flinch.
"Haruka! Are you okay??? You look dead!" Emiko cries.
"Hahaha, I'm fine, it's just that time in life where I start to self reflect on my life," I answer completely exhausted just thinking about the exams.
"Eh? So you're on your period then?" Airi questions and the other two first years sniffle in a laugh.
"W-What the hell?! No!" I angrily shout at her sudden accusation and Airi starts sweating bullets.
"Sorry!" Airi apologizes and cowers in fear.
I look at her and sigh. "No, it's not like that at all," I awkwardly scratch the back of my neck. "Rather, I'm just worried about--"
"Young ones! We have come with great news!!!" Mai shouts as she enters the gym with the third years and the coach. "So sit down and gather around us!"
"Huh?" We question hearing Mai's sudden outburst.
We all sit down with the coach and third years standing proudly.
"So, this year we're lucky to get invited to a girls' volleyball training camp with the top volleyball teams in the nation," Mai squeals as she pumps her fists.
"Niiyama Joshi, Itachiyama, Nohebi, Tamana, and Inarizaki," Kata names as she counts on her fingers. "Those are the teams invited and the ones we will practice with at the camp."
"A-Amazing!" The first years awe in amazement and my eyes widen in surprise.
So Itachiyama and Nohebi got invited as well...
Coach Kaneko clears her throat. "This summer training camp is going to be a long trip, so we will need your parent's permission for you to go," she says as she hands out the paperwork.
I look down the permission form and my eyes stop.
"What do you mean by long trip?" Emiko questions.
"It's going to be in Kyushu~" Minako winks, "so like a road trip."
"Woah!!! Road trip! Road trip! Road trip!" The first years chant.
My face pales. "Is...Is this for real...?" I point to the sentence bolded.
Coach Kaneko takes a look and nods her head. "Well, in order to get the school's consent for going on such a far distance trip, they said you have to get a passing grade of at least 70 in all your exams to go. If you don't, you have to take the supplementary lessons," she points out and my spirit leaves me.
Passing score of 70...All of them?!
"What's wrong?" Chika asks me and I sweatdrop.
"A-Aren't you guys worried about failing???" I ask.
"Hahaha, what do you mean as fail?" Airi questions. "For me, anything below an 80 is a fail."
Airi's typical score - 90
"Don't worry about me Haruka," Emiko pats me on the back. "If I give myself some time to study, anything is possible."
Emiko's typical score - 86
"I'm in college prep and it's surprisingly not that bad," Chika says with a shrug. "Most of the people in my class do surprisingly well too."
Chika's typical score - 94
"That's true, but I heard teachers fail students in college prep classes too," Minako states, shaking her head. "It does also depend on the teacher. I'm lucky I have a good teacher this year."
Minako's typical score - 88
"It's not just the teacher, it depends on your work ethic and how much effort you put to school," Kata states.
"Words of wisdom from one of the top five students, huh? " Minako mumbles.
Kata's typical score - 98
I start sweating bullets. Is everyone here smart??? I turn to Mai hoping that we can study together.
"Mai, how about you? Are you afraid you'll fail--?"
"No, I never study anyways. I just guess and get lucky," Mai grins. "All I do is spin a pencil and it will point to the answer," Mai proudly says, "but Kata always scolds me for the special technique I use."
Mai's typical score - 75
W-Why is everyone here smart??? I didn't even expect this!!!
"Thanks for caring about us Haruka, but it seems like we're all set to go once we take our exams," Emiko grins.
"Right, we don't want you to get angry at us for not passing and going with you," Chika says and everyone nods their head.
I start sweating bullets. "O-Of course," I awkwardly answer. "You know what? Since exams are coming, how about two laps around the outside of the gym today and that will be it."
"Really?!" Everyone's eyes light up in joy. "Thanks Haruka!" They shout.
They start their run, leaving only the coach and I in the gym.
"Isn't this a great opportunity for the girls though?" Coach Kaneko smiles. "I was surprised that we were invited. There are teams above our level coming together, inside and outside our prefecture that we'll be getting the chance to compete with and--"
"Coach!" I call out to her and she flinches.
"H-Haruka?! What's wrong?" Coach Kaneko asks me completely startled by my outburst.
I clear my throat. "Coach...You seem like a diligent student...How...How did you do when it came to your exams? ...Please, I need your wisdom!!! I'm gonna fail!!!" I beg and she sweatdrops.
Coach Kaneko pushes her glasses up. "Haruka, having glasses does not automatically mean you're smart," she states and I stare at her with a deadpan look.
The one person I try to confide to and she doesn't know either.
Her face suddenly gets dark. "Don't tell me you--"
"Yes, you're right..." I awkwardly scratch the back of my neck.
"The joint practice starts right after your exams, and if you fail any of the subjects you have to take the supplementary classes," she states. "If that's the case, then you will have to take those supplementary lessons while the--"
"Haruka? Are you okay?! Are you with me?!?!" Coach Kaneko panics.
This is crazy! If I fail, then everyone is going to leave without me?!
"Haruka, weren't you told to balance your club activities with your studies before joining the team?" Coach Kaneko asks me and I grab her shoulders.
"No, I was asked to be captain! So is there a way to make any exceptions?!" I beg.
"E-Even if we get the principal's permission, if you have to take supplementary lessons, then it takes priority! Volleyball is only an extracurricular activity!" Coach Kaneko firmly says and I fall to the floor.
"Hahaha...Then I've failed as captain for the team," I mutter with fading hope. "My whole team can probably get into the training practice without me."
"Don't say that Haruka! I know you, so show some spirit! What's important is thinking positively!" Coach Kaneko encourages me. "Just study and work at it from this point on, and then you can go with everyone!"
"You think so...?" I ask and coach nods her head.
"That's right Haruka, you'll be alright if you don't agonize all over it," Coach Kaneko winks. "How do you normally do in your classes?"
"I normally do good on my homework and quizzes, like around 80-100 depending on the subject, but when it comes to exams, I get 60s if I'm really lucky," I tell her.
"...Great! Find someone in the team to tutor--" Coach Kaneko says and I interrupt her.
"I...I can't. It's embarrassing..." I facepalm myself with slightly red cheeks. "It's not just that, but I'll be taking up everyone's time from studying if they all focus on me. I can study on my own."
"I see...Are you sure there's no one you can ask? Like a classmate in the same class?" Coach Kaneko asks me.
"...There might be one person willing to help me..." I answer as I think about Keiji.
"I see. Then you should ask that friend of yours," Coach Kaneko tells me with a smile and I nod my head.
"I will!" I tell her. "Thanks Coach, maybe I do have some hope. I'll take my run with the girls now."
I run off and once I'm out of sight, Coach Kaneko claps her hands together.
"She can do it if she tries. It'll be fine. It'll be fine," Coach Kaneko repetitively prays to reassure herself.
Haruka POV
(At home - Saturday)
I stare at my textbook and then back to Keiji who's studying his own class material with earbuds in listening to music.
I should ask him the questions I don't understand, but how?
It's been a couple hours, and I've been thinking of asking him but I don't have the guts to say anything. I wish mom or dad would say something about us and make us study together, but they already left for dad's company party.
Urghh...Just be casual.
"Hey, Kei--"
Ding dong
"Hey Keiji, the doorbell rang," I tell him instead of asking for help, but he doesn't respond.
"Tch. I'll get it," I mumble.
I walk over to the door.
Who would be here now?
Mom and dad aren't going to be home anytime soon, and they wouldn't use the front door. Probably just a package of some sort.
I open the door. "You just need a signature right--?"
"Akaashi! What took you so long to---? Eh? Haruka?" I hear a familiar voice and my eyes widen.
"Eh?" My face pales.
You've got to be kidding me!