The Correction of the Worldline

After eating at that well-reviewed sushi restaurant, Hayato accompanied Kiyoko to a bookstore to buy two review books, then spent some time at a cat café with her. By the time the sun began to set and the evening glow appeared, Hayato's date for the day had come to an end.

On the train home, Kiyoko was exhausted from everything that had happened and fell asleep leaning against Hayato.

She did not wake until they reached their stop and Hayato called to her. Realizing she had fallen asleep, Kiyoko hurriedly wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. Thankfully, she had not drooled.

The two said goodbye at Hayato's front door. The moment Kiyoko entered her house, her mother called her over and asked how the date had gone. Kiyoko told her everything except what had happened at the lingerie store. Hearing that Hayato had taken Kiyoko to the aquarium and that they had even bought matching couple outfits, her mother nodded in satisfaction.

"So, does that mean you two are officially together?"

"Not yet. I'm already in my third year, so I need to focus on studying. And Hayato has to compete with the Volleyball Club too. We decided to talk about it after everything is over."

Hearing her daughter's transparent attempt at concealment, her mother casually exposed it.

"Isn't saying you'll talk about it later basically the same as saying you can be together now? Honestly, you young people always have to make things so complicated. But you're right—you're in your third year already, so it's time to decide things like your future plans. Oh, but you two absolutely need to be careful. It would be bad if you made a baby. It's still too early to have children."

"Mom, what are you even talking about? I'm not talking to you anymore. I'm taking these things back to my room."

Even children had been brought up. Unable to endure the embarrassment any longer, Kiyoko hurriedly cut her mother off, hugged the things in her arms, and ran upstairs. Watching Kiyoko leave, her mother shook her head with an amused smile.

"This child, getting all shy now. I'm not wrong, am I? Young people definitely need to be careful."

Back in her room, Kiyoko put her things on the floor, then threw herself onto the bed and buried her face in her pillow. Remembering the bold things she had done today, she shyly kicked her feet.

Just then, her phone rang. Hayato had sent her a message. Kiyoko opened it and found a picture: a mirror selfie of Hayato wearing their matching outfit.

In the picture, Hayato held his phone in one hand and made a V-sign at the mirror with the other, his face wearing that familiar sunny smile. Seeing how happy he looked, Kiyoko could not help but smile too. She climbed off the bed, found her own T-shirt, took a selfie in front of the full-length mirror in her room, and sent it to Hayato.

"Yeah, Kiyoko-senpai looks good in anything."

Hayato's reply came quickly, praising her as usual. Before Kiyoko could respond, she heard her mother calling her downstairs for dinner. After briefly telling Hayato, she went to eat first.

As the exams drew nearer, after practice ended, the Volleyball Club had to tutor the idiot quartet every evening. Hayato no longer had a chance to go out with Kiyoko, but she did not mind. The training camp was what mattered most right now.

After all the painstaking tutoring, exam day finally arrived. Sitting in his chair, Hayato felt restless. He was not worried about himself, but what about those guys? What if his interference had somehow made their scores even lower?

With that concern hanging over him, Hayato finished his final exam. After the teacher collected the papers and announced the end of the school day, Hayato remained in his seat, clasped his hands in front of his face, and let out a heavy sigh.

"What's wrong, Hayato? Did you mess up the test?"

Having escaped his personal hell, even Tanaka's tone was lighter. Seeing Hayato like that, he came over, patted him on the back, and asked.

"Of course not. I'm worried about you guys. What if you failed?"

"Uh, the test is already over, so worrying won't help now. Stop thinking about it. Come on, it's time for practice. Hurry, hurry."

Tanaka comforted Hayato first, then dragged him toward the door.

"Tch, how did I end up being the one getting comforted? Stop pulling—wait, I haven't grabbed my bag yet."

Helplessly, Hayato was dragged out of the classroom by Tanaka.

By the time they reached the changing room, almost everyone else had arrived. Were they really the volleyball idiot quartet? Hinata, Kageyama, and Nishinoya wore exactly the same expressions Tanaka had worn earlier.

Hinata was even excitedly looking forward to the upcoming training camp.

"Training camp! I wonder if there'll be any really amazing people there. Ohh, I want to go already!"

"Idiot, Hinata, idiot. Instead of worrying about that, you should practice your skills. You still haven't mastered the tip Kuroba-senpai just taught you."

The Karasuno Volleyball Club boys' changing room was as lively as ever today.

Hitoka-chan officially joined the Volleyball Club as a manager that day. After receiving a black tracksuit printed with Karasuno High Volleyball Club, everyone in the Volleyball Club except Tsukishima turned around, pointed both thumbs at the names on their backs, and loudly welcomed Hitoka.

"Welcome to Karasuno High Volleyball Club."

Standing among the crowd, Hayato happily copied the gesture. Hitoka gave them a bow as well.

"Please take care of me."

After the new manager's joining ceremony ended, their usual practice began. Tanaka and Nishinoya chatted while playing.

"With two managers and Hayato joining us, Karasuno is finally starting to look like a powerhouse, Ryu."

"You said it."

Then Coach Ukai gave the two of them a fierce scolding.

"Focus on your training, kora!"

They immediately shut up and obediently returned to training.

The next day, the exam results came out. The moment that would decide the fate of the Volleyball Club's four idiots had arrived.

To Hayato's relief, with his help, that idiot Ryu had scored above fifty, far better than in the original story. If Ryu was fine, then the others should be fine too, right?

During club time, in the changing room, Tanaka and Nishinoya, both of whom had scored in the fifties, smugly took out their test papers and boasted that this was the strength of upperclassmen. Sugawara happily added,

"Good job, you two. You're usually right around the passing line. Oh, right, Hayato, what did you get?"

"Huh? Me? Ninety-seven."

When Sugawara asked him, Hayato pulled his test papers from his bag. Ninety-seven was actually his lowest score, and he had even gotten perfect marks in two subjects.

"Whoa, how is your brain even built?"

"Sugawara, that doesn't sound like a compliment at all."

"Sorry, sorry."

Sugawara took off his shirt while making an apologetic gesture with one hand, then noticed the test paper in Tsukishima's hand beside him.

"Huh, Hinata failed English? Weren't you really confident before?"

"I only noticed while they were collecting the papers that I'd shifted my answers over by one space."

Tsukishima explained weakly and helplessly. As Asahi took his tracksuit out of his bag, he heard that and spoke up.

"No way. Ono-sensei, who teaches English, won't let an error like that slide."

"Hinata, idiot. Didn't I specifically tell you to watch out for something like that?"

Hearing those familiar words, Hayato could not help scolding him in Kageyama's tone.

"Because the more you say that, the more nervous I get."

Hinata explained with a deeply aggrieved look. Nearby, Daichi held Kageyama's test paper.

"Kageyama, it's modern Japanese."

"There were especially many reading questions this time. Before, I focused all my effort on memorization."

Ennoshita also looked helpless. Asahi leaned over and looked at Kageyama's test paper.

"But he got full marks on the kanji. That's impressive."

"Kageyama, are you an idiot too?"

Hayato slapped his forehead, completely speechless. He had clearly reminded those two already, so why had they still made the same mistakes? Is this the correction of the worldline, kora?

"Ah, but Hayato, you sounded like Kageyama when you were scolding him just now."

"Did I?"

Hayato pressed his hands against his cheeks and arranged his hair to resemble Kageyama's.

"Idiot, Hinata, idiot."

"Haha, that really does sound like him."

After they finished fooling around, Hayato walked over to the two of them and placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Don't be discouraged, you two. There'll be another training camp next time..."

But it was as if neither of them had heard him.

"How can we get to Tokyo? Run there?"

"Definitely by bicycle."

Watching the two of them burn with fighting spirit, Sugawara broke out in a cold sweat.

"You two are really determined to go, huh?"

At that moment, their savior Tanaka spoke up at just the right time, saying that his sister could take the two who had to make up classes to Tokyo. The two immediately thanked Tanaka profusely.