"Honoka, I challenge you!" little Umi said while pointing her small wooden sword at the ginger.
"Fine! I accept your challenge!" the little Honoka said and grabbed two bamboo sword that she wielded with both hand.
The bluenette charged in first and put all her minuscule strength into one hit that the ginger could easily block. Umi jumped back after seeing that her attack failed. She switched into a more defensive position and wielded the sword at her head's level. Honoka took the opportunity and rushed at her opponent with all her might. The bluenette tried to resist, but fell backward as her small wooden sword broke.
The ginger stood in a heroic pose with her dual bamboo sabers. "The hero has once again won the engagement against the dark knight of the sea!" She bargained as she counted her number of victory. "And that makes it a 10 to 0 on our match with me winning!"
Meanwhile, Umi started crying. "This isn't fair! Dual sword isn't fair! Honoka-chan, you cheater!"
The ginger walked beside her friend and held a hand do the crying girl. "Come on, Umi-chan. You just need more training and someday, you will be able to win too. And when you will be able to win against me, I will make you my bride, and I will be your bride too, and we will be wife and wife!"
The bluenette watched her with teary eyes. She the whipped her own tears away and picked the offering hand as a support to stand up. "Just watch it! I will train harder and someday, I will win!" Honoka nodded at these sentences. She was looking forward for their next duel.
[-x-x-x-]
Umi opened her eyes to see high ceiling. She quickly realized that she was lying on her bed. "A dream, hein?" She stood up and walked toward their family's dojo for her morning ritual. She decided to run two laps as a warming up and then took her bamboo sword. "That was 10 years ago and yet these memories seems like they were just yesterday…" She swung the sword a few times. "I wonder if she still remembers that promise…"
Umi quickly snapped these thought away and placed the sword on the ground. She went down and sat on her knees before meditating, letting her mind wander somewhere and did not realized that someone has entered the dojo while she was pacing away.
"I see that you're a morning person as usual, my daughter!"
The brunette opened her eyes and bowed at the man in front of her. "Good morning, father!"
"Good morning, my daughter." Mr Sonoda watched Umi and saw the troubled expression on her face. He couldn't let it slide. "It seems like something is bothering you. May I know the reason?"
The brunette tried to aver her eyes, but realized it was futile and let out of a sigh before turning to the pair of amber eyes that were glaring at her. "The truth is that there is something troubling me right now. There is an important challenge I am planning to take today, but I don't know yet if I am strong enough to win it…"
"I see…" the father sat on his knees next to his daughter and closed his eyes as a motion to think. "So, is it a kendo, judo or archery challenge?"
"It's a swordsmanship challenge. I never managed to win against that person these past ten years. Today is the day I promised myself to try it all. It is an all-or-nothing."
Mr Sonoda stole a little glance at Umi before standing up. "You can do it! For; you are my daughter. A Sonoda never gives up. We always rise after defeat and we fight until we can win!"
The bluenette finally lifted her head and saw the determination in the man's eyes. She couldn't help a little smile to form on her face. "Understood! I will do my best!"
The man turned at the exit as to try to hide the growing smile on his face. "So, where will this challenge take place?" Umi was taken aback from that question. Was her father interested in seeing her fight? "I mean that I've already seen you in act several times during your kendo, judo, archery and flower arrangement tournament… and I want to see your style when it comes to sword-fighting as well."
"Well… if you insist, it is at the park, near the middle bench at 18:00."
[-x-x-x-]
And the time came. Umi was already sitting on the bench, a wooden sword in hand. She was trying to calm her nerves. "I've lost five times since that promise she made… I wonder if she still remembers it…" The bluenette's parents were already standing near a shelter because the dark clouds gathering on the sky announced rain soon. Not long after, Umi heard footstep approaching. She recognized them and immediately picked her weapon before standing up. "I've been waiting for you!"
The ginger who just arrived smiled and patted the dual wooden swords placed on her belt. "I accept your challenge! I hope that you've prepared well because I am not holding myself today."
Honoka's parents as well as her little sister directly went to the shelter and greeted the Sonoda. Kotori came as well as to be the judge of the meeting. A thunder boomed from afar, that was ignored by the two duelists. Umi wielded her sword with both hand as Honoka used her usual technique: dual wooden saber. The ash-haired girl stepped at the center and gave each participant a look before stepping back and giving the signal.
Honoka didn't wait long before charging full power toward her opponent. She tried an upward slash and Umi managed to evade it by stepping back. The bluenette took the opportunity to attempt a trust, but the other girl only needed to step at her right side to avoid it.
The two of them quickly jumped backward after seeing their attack fail. The ginger however didn't let it intimidate her as she resumed another charge right after her feet met the soil. This time, she tried to tackle Umi's feet first. The amber-eyed girl fell on the ground as her opponent tried to stab her.
Fortunately for her, she managed to block the attack by raising her sword and hit as hard as she could at the dual menace. Honoka quickly stepped back as Umi managed to stand up and charged directly. She jumped one meter from the ginger and attempted to slash, but Honoka evaded by stepping forward. The ginger quickly turned back, but was greeted by the bluenette's kick right on her arm. Honoka's left saber flew at the other end of the battlefield as Umi was pointing her weapon at the weakened opponent.
"Not bad!" Honoka grinned. Right at that moment, the rain started pouring heavily on the two challengers while the spectators were happily cheering for them.
"Onee-chan, do your best!"
"Don't give up yet, Honoka!"
"Honoka-chan, Umi-chan, do your best!"
Another thunder roared, this one closer, but no one cared about it as the two fighters charged at each other once again. This time, instead of pointing her sword first, Umi decided to aim her opponent's saber with a kick. However, the ginger saw through her plan and withdrew her weapon and held her left hand forward to block the kick. Honoka had to admit one thing though; the impact was painful as she blinked after the choc. However, she didn't let go of the foot and instead used it at her advantage as she pushed the opponent on the ground.
"Hey, that's not fair!" Umi cried out as Honoka held her weapon.
Instead of replying, the ginger wielded her weapon high and was ready to give the final blow. The bluenette watched her in fear. The idea of loosing again frightened her. She thought back on their first meeting, first duel… and she imagined what she would get if she win.
Umi's thought wandered, seeing a saw flash of the future in front of her eyes. She was wearing a white wedding dress and was walking toward the altar where Honoka was standing, wearing a white dress as well. She felt like in heaven. She wanted it to happen.
With a renew determination, she watched as the ginger's saber was about to land on her. She held both hand on front of her head and joined them as soon as the saber passed between them. She learned that technique to stop the enemy's sword in these films of samurai. She never thought that it would work, though. To her biggest surprise, she was strong enough to stop the saber and quickly took the opportunity to throw the menacing sword at the side before picking Honoka by the waist and pushing her backward. She quickly crawled over the younger girl held her sword at her opponent's neck.
Honoka who was still confused just watched between her friend's pair of amber orbs and the sword that was menacing her neck. She finally snapped out of confusion and realized what happened. "I see… So, you used that Samurai's technique to stop my attack and then took the opportunity to counter." Honoka smiled. "I have to admit that it was a really good idea. I admit my defeat."
A smile formed on the bluenette's face as the rain weakened and finally stopped after a couple of second. The clouds degage and revealed a sun that was settling. Umi stood up and held a hand to help her friend standing up. "I am glad to be able to win at least once…" Umi smiled. She didn't care about the promise right now. All she knew is that she was happy because her friend complimented her. She did not care if Honoka has forgotten their promise. She decided that she will find a way to gain her love one day or another.
"You won, so…" Honoka snapped her out of her thought. "I guess that I have to honor my promise of 10 years ago!"
The bluenette was confused as her face went from stoic to red. "W-what are you talking about?" she tried to keep calm, but her voice was betraying her. "Could it be that she remembers? I am happy, but doing that in front of so many people is… is… shameless…"
"What? Don't you remember? I promised that I am going to make you my bride when you will win against me." Honoka honestly replied.
Umi's face turned redder. She heard some gossiping behind. Maybe some spectators were talking about something. However, she shook her head. "No Umi!" She has dreamt about this moment for half of her life. "This is not time for hesitation!" With that, she stepped forward and gave her soon-to-be-wife a gentle smile, even though her face was still pink. "I accept your offer in that case. I shall make thou my bride as well as we promised to each other one decade earlier."
No more word was shared as Honoka quickly took her friend in an embrace and engaged them in a gentle and passionate kiss, ignoring the passenger's comment and cheers.
Sure, Umi knew that she will have to explain this to her parent later and will have to fight hare to not pass out from embarrassment, but right now, she didn't care. Right now, all she knew and cared for is that Honoka loved her and the two will eventually get together sooner or later.
[-x-x-x-]
A/N: I really liked how they portrayed HonoUmi interaction in the manga by the way! I started shipping them after reading the second volume!
Honoka: Silly Umi-chan!
Umi: *blushes* T-that's not…
Talking about which, we get to see an in-screen kiss of you two, with Umi initiating it!
All the HonoUmi fans out there: Kyaaaaaaaaa! *fangirling*
Umi: *sighs*
Honoka: Hehe… *rubs the back of her head*
W-well… I guess that all… So, who want to conclude this?
Honoka, Umi & HonoUmi fans: See you next time!