I don't own Love Live School Idol Project and or any of its characters.
This is a story that has been done on a whim because of alcohol and stress. Just saying that I really like Soulmate AUs and Honoka, so why shouldn't I mix them?
Soulmate AU: Scars appears in the age of fifteen on a person's body that signifies how they, the person and his/her soulmate, died in the previous life. It was only two scars, not all their previous life, as their soul went to the cycle of reincarnation. This trait is also possessed by supernatural beings that have a soul.
Bright blue eyes opened as the plane that she had been riding on landed on her birthplace. It has been a while since she had been in Japan as she had left the country for a really long time. Her previously long ginger hair has been cut short up to her lower back and she wore clothes that would match her age which was a sixteen years old girl.
She had a gray beanie on her head and a bright red hooded jacket pairing it with black slim pants. Her shoes were simple brown boots. A black scarf was wrapped around her neck as she went out of the plane and walked towards the airport to get her suitcase.
Since it was already December, there were snows falling all around the place. The girl looked up, eyes filled with longing and gave a sad smile because her chest was heavy and filled with sadness. The winter season had always made her remember the most precious memories she kept to herself which is also her saddest memories. It was bittersweet for her as it was always with love.
Because it was in this season that she had first met her fated soulmates. Being reminded of that had always given the girl pain throughout the years she had lived with.
The airport had been bustling with people as it was always been in the Christmas season. People wanted to be with their family so they took the time to visit them. The ginger-haired girl went in to collect her a rather small suitcase for someone who had always been in another country. Carrying it in her hand, she dragged it behind her as she went to the receiving area, looking for the reason she went back to the country.
In the receiving area, a man with black hair and brown eyes wearing white clothes accompanied with a woman with brown hair and familiar blue eyes. It was obvious that they were a couple because the girl couldn't help but look at their matching faded scars around their neck.
Their faded scars that appeared on their fifteenth years old were proof that they're soulmates. Those faded scars mean that one of them died previously in their past life with being hanged. Another scar will be found in both of their bodies which tells them about the other pair's death in the past. The concept of soulmates had always been in the passage of history and it repeatedly reminded the ginger-haired girl about her cursed life.
They were waving at her and she came forward to them before she received a hug from the brunette. The ginger-haired girl's eyes widened as she felt the warmth from the woman, it's been a while since she had last felt intimate contact with another person.
"Welcome back!" the woman greeted her with a bright smile as she separated from the ginger haired girl. "You must be Honoka, right? I heard about you from Grandfather and still, I can't believe you are real!"
"You must be Kazuo's grandkid. Sorry, I couldn't attend his funeral, the place where I was from at that time had a hard time receiving communication." Honoka explained to the brunette as she held her hand and gave her a pained smile.
"It's okay! I can understand why you had to do that. Come on, we'll do our introduction in the car. It's very crowded here, it will be hard to understand each other." The brown-haired woman gestured the ginger to follow them out. Her hand still grasped the girl's hand as she pulled her gently towards their pick-up truck. The woman's husband was still silent as he led them out to the parking lot.
Once they are inside the vehicle, the husband placed Honoka's suitcase beside her as she sat on the back seat. The brown-haired woman situated herself in the passenger's seat as her husband took the wheel.
"My name is Hotaru Kousaka and this is my husband, Yukiteru Kousaka. It's nice to meet you, Honoka." The brunette introduced them to the ginger with their eyes meeting each other. The ginger-haired girl's eyes softened at that nostalgic gaze. It seems that Kazuo had really passed his better genes to the younger generation.
"Hm! I go by a lot of names but in this country, I go by Honoka. It's nice to meet you both and I appreciate what you are doing for me right now." Honoka bowed towards the couple in front of her while still seated. Hotaru laughed brightly and waved her hand as it was not a big deal.
"Nonsense, if what was written in my grandfather's will was true, our family owes you a debt of a lifetime," Hotaru said to the girl who looked bothered by the statement. There was silence inside the truck as the only sound to be heard was the husband's driving.
"But I don't need it to be repaid, it's enough for me to learn that Kazuo had a fulfilling life," Honoka muttered to them. The brunette pulled a sad smile knowing that the girl – no, the woman in front of her really cared about her grandfather and she knew it was the same for the late man.
"Not only that, Grandpa wanted you to come back here. For you to know that you have a place here, as our family. "Hotaru told her, assuring. The girl with bright blue eyes looked back teary to the darker blue ones, her cheeks were warm. "A family…? It's been a while since I had that."
"So from now on, your name will be Honoka Kousaka! You will be living with us and we'll introduce you as our adopted daughter." Hotaru decided with great confidence while not even asking her husband's opinion. She knew that he would agree with whatever she wants. He loved her like that, bright and free.
"Wait, so I'll have to call you Mom?" Honoka said to the woman. "That's kind of weird, I mean you are old but I am ol-?!" Honoka's head was bashed down on the front seat of the truck as Hotaru just took it as an insult and pulled the ginger-haired girl's head forward.
"Ara~? Were you saying something?" Hotaru smiled brightly but there was a chilling sensation behind it. Honoka returned the smile weakly and Yukiteru shivered in his seat. "No, I am not saying anything here, Mom."
"Oh, you are such a cute child." Hotaru pat Honoka's cheek who smiled back at her before pulling back and looked away from her. Honoka discreetly pulled her black scarf loose from the heat she was feeling. "Kazuo, you have raised an outrageous granddaughter." She muttered under her breathe before giving a sigh.
"Oh, just a warning, Honoka. You will be having a younger sister. Yukiho, she's our daughter. She is 10 years old and she's in her 4th grade in elementary school." Hotaru informed the girl in their backseat who looked pensive about that information.
"Okay, I'll do my best to become a good sister to her." Honoka gave them her assurance which made her receive back a smile. The truck was silent for the rest of the ride before they pulled over a small Japanese shop with Homura tag on its board on top of the door.
"From now on, this will be your new home!" Hotaru gave her newly adopted daughter a warm grin as she saw Honoka's eyes wonder about their house.
"Yeah, please treat me well. Thank you." Honoka gave back a genuine grin back at the brunette who will be her new 'mother'.
Hotaru's heart was warmed when she saw that grin because the girl in front of her, since the first time they have met, had not smiled without pain or without faking it.
'I will take care of you as you did for my family.' Hotaru thought. She wants to give this girl, who has an unbelievable life if her grandfather wrote the truth in his will, some sort of relief with them before time takes away her happiness again.
It must be unimaginably hard to live as a person cursed with immortality.
It has already been three months since Honoka had been living with the Kousaka family. In those months, she had already made herself a routine. For in the morning, she would help Hotaru cook their breakfast and eat it with them. After that, she would ask Yukiteru to let her help in making the sweets. Honoka realized that he was a man of action rather than words so he only nodded and shown her the ropes. For the ginger-haired girl, it was to have something that she could be busy for.
The past years while she is in another country, Honoka was always on the move. Having some rest time for the present have been like a breather for her very tired soul. Being in the Kousaka household has been like a new beginning for her, she knew that this life is another thing that she would cherish after it was gone.
There were just two problems with living here. One, she could not go out and introduce herself to others as a member of the family until their only daughter has been older. It will seem strange to others that the Kousaka couple has adopted a daughter that doesn't seem to age. Two, her 'supposed' little sister hates her and have always been avoiding hers since they met.
Yukiho is jealous that this new 'sister' has her parent's attention. Honoka could understand why because the little girl had been the only child and now a stranger was living in their home, being doted on by her parents. Hotaru and Yukiteru wanted to make Honoka comfortable with them so they have been giving her clothes and things that could help her be accustomed to her new lifestyle.
She had already told them that they shouldn't have to and but they insisted, so she let them. She only negotiated that she will pay for Yukiho's college tuition in the future for her to accept their kindness. She was already imposing on them so she wants to repay them in any way.
All I could see was destruction. The whole surrounding was filled with specks of dust and rubbles that once belonged to a house. I tugged jacket closer to me as I walked the prohibited area because of the radiation caused by the bomb. Corpses littered everywhere as I walked down the road of this place.
It's just like my luck to have been involved in this incidents. Like I was a god of death or something for which I am not. I was just staying in an inn for a night when this had happened. I have already been in a lot of wars and it's really amazing to see humans create more chaotic weapons to hurt each other.
It's funny to say that supernatural creatures are more peaceful than humans are. I chuckled darkly while taking a stroll in this destroyed city. It was completely silent before I heard a groan. Oh, there was someone alive? I looked for them hurriedly and when I heard it again, I dashed towards that place.
I found the source and it was a child, a young boy covered by two corpses that might have been his parents. It must have protected him from the blast but still, radiation was still evident in his body. I tugged off his parents gently and took the child in my arms. I bit my finger until it bleeds and placed it inside his mouth.
A small amount of blood from me can heal people but they can't possibly be an immortal like me. It is my curse, a price that I had paid for them. If there is a chance, I want to help this child. For someone with an eternal life will always know how precious life is. My time will always be limited with the people I want to be with.
Oh, it looks like my blood work. He opened his eyes and they were dark blue. How unusual but I gave him still a bright smile. "You will be okay, kid." I said to him and towards his dead parents, "I will take care of him in your place, so rest in place."
Honoka's eyes opened when she heard a loud voice outside the other room next to her. She rose up from the bed and just looked at her hands. "Well, that was quite a dream." She chuckled to herself. The dream was actually her memories when she first met Kazuo. The orphan child that she took care of after that bombing.
Her reminiscing had ended when she heard a shout from the other room. "YOU DON'T WANT ME ANYMORE! I HATE YOU, MOM! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU ANYMORE!" It sounds like Yukiho. Silence enveloped the other room as Honoka quietly eavesdropped on them. Sounds of loud footsteps like running came on again and she could hear Hotaru's call to Yukiho who left the house.
Kids these days are really bold now. Honoka briefly remembered that where she came from, if one lives their home, they will be eaten by some monsters or spirits.
The ginger-haired girl came out after a few moments and still saw Hotaru standing in front of Yukiho's room. The brunette turned to her with a helpless look while brushing the small tears dragging down her face. "I didn't want you to hear that, sorry." The mother said in an apologetic and sad voice.
"Don't worry about that, Mom. I just woke up, I didn't hear anything." Honoka said to the older-looking woman. Hotaru just sighed and placed a hand on her cheek. "I just don't know what to do with that girl."
This made Honoka smile and chuckle while thinking that the woman in front of her acted like Kazuo did when he made a confession to his soulmate. "It's not like I don't know where she is coming from. In her eyes, since you introduced me as your daughter, she might be thinking that she wasn't needed anymore. Your actions of doting me also didn't help." She explained to the brunette in front of her.
The mother's eyes widened in realization before sighing. "I should've explained it to her more. What am I going to do?" Suddenly, the brown-haired woman felt something on her shoulders. Honoka had just patted her. "You just need to have a little talk then it would be fine, Mom. I'll go look for her and take her out in town. A sister's date so doesn't worry about it much."
"Thank you, Honoka. I'll leave her to you then. I need to prepare how to apologize to her now." Hotaru said this while hugging the ginger-haired girl who also returned the action.
"Don't worry and do your best. Fight!" Honoka cheered her up with pumping both of her fist up. The brunette gave her a chuckle before imitating the action.
"Okay! I'll be leaving first!" Honoka said as she left the house. The sound of Hotaru saying take care followed her out. It was slightly cloudy and the wind breeze is still cool from the winter.
Honoka placed the hood of her gray sweater over her head as she headed out. It was just the start of spring so it made Honoka wear something to warm her still. She wore black slim pants and black sneakers. Her red hair was not tied so it was flowing down on her shoulders. She also wore glasses just for a disguise. Clearly, she is trying to imitate that comic superhero in America that she had once read to pass the time.
Honoka walked around the town looking for Yukiho. She visited arcades, the shrine, Yukiho's school, malls, and such. She was enjoying herself while searching until she stepped inside a small playground near their place. It has already been two hours passed so the ginger-haired girl sat on one of the benches and looked at the kids playing around.
In her vision, a flash of red was met when it passed by the slide. A little girl was under the slide, hugging her knees and obviously sobbing. Honoka stood and walked towards the girl before stealthily sitting beside her but outside of the slide.
"Hi, there!" Honoka laughed at the surprised look on Yukiho's face. It has been a long time since she gave anyone a genuine laugh. Yukiho quickly turned to angry who looked away.
"What do you want?" Yukiho growled at her. "You already stole my parents from me!"
"You can keep your parents to yourself you know!" Honoka pretended to pout. "I don't even want them. They don't even like to listen to me! They are the worst." The ginger-haired girl said as she crossed her arms, looking very childish.
"WHAT?!" Yukiho looked at Honoka with indignation. "My parents are the best! They are really kind and cared for me! They are even helping you!" She shouted at the older girl. This made Honoka laugh being reminded of a stubborn boy that she took care of once. It is really nice to be around kids.
"So, why did you say that you hate them then?" Honoka gave her a fake innocent look. "Even though you know that?"
The question shocked Yukiho and quickly rose up from her position, resulting in hitting her head on the slide. "Ah! It hurts!" She exclaimed out loud in pain. This made Honoka laugh hard before patting the younger girl on the head. Yukiho's eyes rose up to Honoka's, angry dark blue meeting soft bright blue.
"You know, the pain you have right now can't be equal to how much pain your parents have right now." Honoka smiled at the red hazel haired girl. "Your words had really hurt them inside, Yukiho."
"…They must have hated me now!" the younger girl was silent before tears had fallen from her eyes. She suddenly hugged the ginger-haired girl who took her in her arms. Honoka sighed as she sat on the ground before patting the younger girl on the back.
"No. they do not. You see, a family is weird sometimes. They fight too much but they can't help loving each other." Honoka pulled away from the crying girl and gave her a bright smile. "Even if there were some distance, families are always connected to each other by this." She pointed her forefinger towards Yukiho's heart. "With your heart, you can even make families even without being born from the same mother. As long as you love each other and care for each other, you can increase your family as you increase the love in your heart. That's what your parents did for me."
"My heart…" Yukiho stopped crying, mystified by Honoka's words and smile. "That means we can make you our family even without forgetting about me as long as we love each other?"
"Yep!" Honoka said brightly and she proceeded to hold Yukiho's hand in hers. "Your parents' heart is really big that there is enough space for both of us." The ginger-haired girl looked at the red hazel girl's eyes, holding it with something mysterious.
"Now, Yukiho. The question is this. Is your heart big enough for another sister? Is it big enough for me? If you do say no, I will leave your place if that is what you want." Honoka's face was really serious as she looked at Yukiho.
The little girl was really quiet while she was thinking, hand still within Honoka's. She remembered the times that Honoka helped her in the past three months. She realized that she doesn't want the older girl to leave because their family was livelier with her there. Honoka was warm and yet there was something about her that tugs Yukiho's heart.
"No…" Honoka waited patiently because she can see in Yukiho's eyes that there was still something unsaid. "I…I don't want you to leave…O-onee-chan." After that last words, the red hazel haired girl looked away with a blush on her face. Honoka's eyes were wide before her brain started screaming, 'HOW CUTE!' She embraced on the younger girl in her arms and raised her up.
"From now on, I am your onee-chan and you are my little sister, Yukiho!" She excitedly said before squeezing Yukiho again in her arms. "I promise that I will always take care of you no matter what!"
"Yeah, Onee-chan…" Yukiho shyly said before returning the hug. "Can you let me down now? It's kind of embarrassing." The younger of the two muttered because she can see that the other kids were looking at them.
"Ah! Sorry! Here you go." The ginger-haired girl sheepishly grinned and brought the other back on the ground. "So for now, let's celebrate our sisterhood! Let's eat out, I'll treat you to anything you want." Honoka grasped Yukiho's hand in hers before guiding them out of the park.
"Okay, then! I want some parfait!" Yukiho gave the older girl a smile which made Honoka weak inside. 'Ah, what a really cute kid.' She smiled brightly back at the younger girl with that as her thoughts.
From far away, the strangers around them smiled when they saw two redhead sisters grinning brightly.
From then on, Yukiho had always asked Honoka to play with her. Of course, the older girl agreed once she was done with helping around the shop. She wore her disguise outside and catered to anything that Yukiho wants to do. A clear sign that she was doting on her. This made the Kousaka couple happy because they can see that Honoka makes Yukiho really happy and vice versa.
Seven months have passed since Honoka had come back to Japan. She had already been accustomed to living with the Kousaka household helping her. Sometimes though she got lost in the middle of Akihabara when she went there with Yukiho. The ginger-haired girl also found a lot of interesting things like anime and manga which she is now starting to collect in her room.
The world had really changed once again without Honoka even noticing it. Another era had come and fallen without her.
Still, she knew for a fact that her fate would still be the same. She was always shackled by the curse that she constricts her body and soul.
With a melon bread in hand, Honoka went to a different park to get Yukiho who went to play there with some of her school friends. That day, she was still wearing a light red sweater and some blue sweatpants paired with flip-flops. Even though the season is already summer, Honoka was covered from top to bottom. She needs to hide this secret of hers. She was sweating from the heat but she doesn't care.
Still, it couldn't be compared to Egypt when she was traveling there. It was like every day was summer at that place. She had once thought that it was hell on earth when she got lost in the desert.
Once the ginger-haired girl reached the park, she went looking for the red hazel haired little sister of hers. She found her playing with other kids so she made a decision with a shrug, and went to lie down on one of the benches of that playground. Honoka had waved first to Yukiho and signaled her that she will be sleeping on the bench. Her younger sister sighed and nodded in agreement that she would wake the older girl once they were done.
A few minutes have passed and Honoka was feeling something was coming towards her. She was lying on her right side position with her eyes closed. The person coming towards Honoka had stopped in front of her from what the ginger-haired girl could hear. Slowly, she opened her eyes and it widened in shock. Her heart had raced when her blue eyes have met very familiar amber eyes looking at her with curiosity.
It was a girl with ash brown hair with the age of being slightly older than Yukiho but is still a child. She was wearing a simple white dress with her ribbon tied on her right side. She was very beautiful and her face was like an angel's. Honoka could guess that would be the same with her personality as she stared, surprised, at the little girl in front of her.
When the girl saw that Honoka was actually awake, she blushed in embarrassment for being caught. She looked down and held her hands behind her in a shy manner. The ginger-haired girl rose up from her lying down position and went to sit on the bench. She was still very stupefied but for a good reason.
She never thought that she would find one of her soulmates in front of her in the form of a child.
"Umm…Err. W-what?" Honoka stammered in front of the ash brown-haired girl who looked down at the ground while brushing her foot on an imaginary something on the dirt. Her hair was swaying with the wind as so was her green ribbon. The little girl shyly glimpses at Honoka before going back on a stare-off on the mother earth.
"I… Do you want to… play with me?" The ash brown haired girl muttered as she looked at Honoka with a shy expression. An arrow struck Honoka's heart on how cute her soulmate was. She leaned on the bench for a moment of strength. She keeps telling herself that she is not a lolicon. Her blue eyes went back on the little girl in front of her and her heart had skipped a beat. 'I am not!' She screamed in her mind.
"Umm… Sure!" Honoka leaned forward to face the girl and smiled brightly, "But first, we should introduce ourselves to each other." The older one had said to the little girl while thinking, 'why does this sound like an engagement in my mind.' She chuckled, amused by her train of thoughts. The younger girl tilted her head in curiosity.
"So, who are you?" Honoka leaned forward and stared at the girl's amber ones. Her right hand was placed on her face. "Are you a friend of Yukiho? She questions the ash brown haired girl.
"Um… I don't know who any Yukiho." The little girl answered earnestly before adding, "Oh, My name is Kotori! Kotori Minami!" Kotori blushed and hid her hands behind her back. Honoka smiled at her brightly and genuinely, something that only Yukiho had really achieved for the past few months.
"Nice to meet you, Kotori-chan. I am Honoka Kousaka." She introduced herself to the younger girl and looked towards the gang of kids tagging. Finding a redhead, Honoka pointed towards her little sister. "That's Yukiho, my little sister. You don't want to play with her?"
Kotori just shook her head in refusal and pointed at the older redhead. "I want to play with you." She said meekly. Honoka's heart was squeezed with cuteness, she might've died of a heart attack if only she couldn't die.
"Okay, I'll play with you, Kotori-chan! Let's play with them, though. The more the merrier, I say!" Honoka stood up from the bench and held out her hand to the ash brown haired girl. Kotori looked at the shine inside Honoka's blue eyes and instantly felt safe. It led to her hold hands with the ginger-haired girl and they went to play with the other kids.
It was the most fun Kotori had since she finally went out of their house. She had been sick in the past years and she finally had a surgery for her sickness. It left a scar though that she is very shy to show to other people. This was the first day that she was finally given the permission to go outside without someone monitoring her.
Kotori was looking with jealousy at the other kids playing happily until her eyes met a ginger-haired teen who was lying down on the bench. She cautiously walked towards the older girl and saw that she was very beautiful. Her ginger hair shone brightly under the sun and when the teen opened her eyes, Kotori felt like she met the sky.
When the ginger-haired teen gave her a smile, it was like the sun. Kotori felt that her chest was warming up as so was her face. She had this unexplainable feeling that she doesn't want to be away from this older girl.
Honoka Kousaka was her name. Kotori whispered it under her breathe, "Honoka-oneechan." The ginger-haired girl turned towards her with a gentle look on her face. "What is it, Kotori-chan?" She was asked by Honoka and she felt embarrassed because she was just trying to say the older girl's name. "N-nothing!" Kotori bravely held Honoka's larger hand in hers and pulled her towards the waving Yukiho. "Let's play more! I want to ride on your shoulder!"
Honoka grinned widely and raised Kotori on her shoulders which made the girl gasped at the sudden height. "Don't worry! I won't let you fall!" With that Kotori just felt comfortable, like everything was all right.
She missed Honoka's next word that was in a mumble. "I will never do that on both of you."
Honoka had already predicted who was coming next. Meeting those two had never been so far apart even from the start.
So the ginger-haired girl wasn't surprised when she saw a blue haired girl hiding behind a tree watching others play. She was in the same age as Kotori and she was wearing a faded blue shirt with a blue striped skirt. The girl hadn't noticed Honoka yet because she was just entering the park. The ginger-haired girl smiled with mischief as she sneaked in behind the girl.
"You're it!" Honoka gave a small tap on the girl's shoulder and the girl was so shocked and she fell on her knees. Her face was so red like a tomato that almost made Honoka laugh. "Hey, are you okay? Sorry didn't mean to startle you that much!" The older girl kneeled in front of the blue haired girl and gave the girl an apologetic smile.
The girl stayed quiet and was just staring at Honoka with wide brown eyes. The ginger-haired girl's heart was tight when she saw that familiar brown eyes. It is the one that had always possessed the love for her in the past as was the amber eyes of a certain ash brown haired girl. "Are you okay?" Honoka held the girl's hand as she asked her worriedly.
She gave a sigh of relief when she saw the blue haired girl nodded and proceeded to ask her another question. "Can you stand?" When again Honoka saw the younger girl nod, she pulled her up to her body and held her by the shoulders to assist her. "Sorry about that. Didn't mean to surprise you that much." Honoka scratched the back of her head while saying this apologetically.
The quiet blushing girl nodded as she held Honoka's hand tightly. The ginger-haired girl asked the younger one. "What's your name then? I am Honoka Kousaka." She then proceeded to introduce herself to make the girl more comfortable.
"U-U-Umi Sonoda." The blue haired girl mumbled quietly and Honoka gave her a nod. "Nice to meet you, Umi-chan!" Suddenly, Kotori called out to the ginger-haired girl and ran towards her. Umi had hidden behind Honoka much to her amusement. Still, their hands were interlocked throughout this.
"Kotori-chan, meet Umi-chan! She wants to play with us!" Honoka introduced the two as she noticed that they were staring at each other. The brown eyes met the amber ones and both had immediately relaxed as they felt something that was similar to seeing the blue eyes of the teen accompanying them.
"Hi, there! My name is Kotori Minami! I'm twelve years old! Nice to meet you, Umi-chan!" The ash brown haired girl held out a hand towards the blue-haired shy girl who was hiding behind Honoka. There was a silence before Umi had grabbed Kotori's hand and shake it. "U-Umi Sonoda. T-t-twelve like you."
The ginger-haired girl that was watching the two had warmth in her heart. She then remembered the last time she had seen her two soulmates. There was a war in the country was she in and the two girls belonged in the medical team. Honoka, at that time, impersonated a soldier and pretended to be a man. It may have been already fifty years ago or so since she decided to hide from them.
But as usual, fate was cruel and so were the gods. Now, she had met them again at this age. Though it's not like they met every era. Sometimes, there was the relief when she hadn't met the two of them or maybe just one of them. Having a soulmate die was very painful, like thousands of barb wires inside a person's organs and left them with a gaping hole in their heart.
Honoka has always experienced this every time she met her two soulmates and lose them for a time. She had gone insane many times already because of the loss but being an immortal, she can have all the time in the world to be rehabilitated.
A hand had suddenly held her other free hand that made Honoka snap out of her daze. She looked down and saw Kotori holding it. She had a worried expression on her face which made Honoka's heart tight. "Honoka-oneechan?" Kotori asked in her small voice. "Are you okay?" Honoka smiled brightly at her and lied, "I was just thinking about bread. Don't worry." She wanted to pat the younger girl but both of her hands were held by her two soulmates.
"Come on, let's play! Umi-chan is 'it'!" Honoka dragged the two towards the other kids and they were happy to have someone volunteer to be 'it'.
That day, Umi and Kotori had already been incredibly close with each other as Honoka expected. It was the bond of soulmates though they don't know it yet because they don't have their scars yet. After their playing, it was time to go home but the two girls were reluctant to leave Honoka. She patted both of their heads and said to come around their shop to play around sometimes. The two nodded and finally left to their homes. Yukiho was sleeping on Honoka's back, as they went home.
"So that means, the others will be coming in the near future too." The ginger-haired girl uttered as she walked towards their shop.
Since that day, Umi and Kotori have come to visit Honoka in the Homura shop. They would sometimes play in the garden with Yukiho but Honoka never left the house once again. It can be dangerous if people could recognize her and realize that she isn't getting older throughout the years. She scarcely left the house and instead surrounded herself with animes and mangas. Yukiho buys them for her so that she doesn't have to go out.
When the girls visit her, Honoka would sometimes tell them incredible stories and sometimes help them in their studies except for math. Being an immortal doesn't mean it can increase someone's logical thinking, especially if that immortal deals with the supernatural creatures at times.
2 years have passed since the three of them have met. They got closer and the two younger girls considered her as their best friend. Honoka would sometimes visit Umi's archery competition and Kotori would be by her side, cheering. One time, Umi had lost in the competition and Honoka wanted to cheer her up. So she dragged the other two to climb a really tall and old tree.
Once they were up there, the tree branch had snapped from their weight and good thing two girls had been able to grasp the trunk for safety. Honoka swings on another branch and saw the scenery that awed the two younger girls. She grinned and let go of the branch before looking up at the two most precious people in her whole lifetime.
"Jump." The two looked at the ginger-haired girl whose hair shone like the sun under the sunset's rays. Her bright blue eyes were looking at them. "Don't worry! I won't let you fall." She declared to the two young girls with a wide smile. Much to her surprise, they both jumped into her arms. She, not really a full human, strongly caught them and hugged the two excitedly. The two blushed unknowingly why as their heartbeats raised a bit before calming down like saying they found their home.
Under the tree, they sat around for a while and finally, one of them asked a question that had been bugging their minds. "Honoka-oneechan? Can I ask you a question?" The blue-haired girl was sitting on Honoka's right side as Kotori was on her left. "Sure. Go ahead." The ginger-haired girl responded with a grin. She was having fun being with her two soulmates, they were close to getting their scars now.
"Do you have a soulmate?" Umi looked at the older girl with blushing expression. Kotori was also silent clearly curious at the answer as she stared at Honoka who was stunned by the question. The ginger-haired girl pondered on how to answer this to the two by her side. She had shown a sad smile that made Umi and Kotori's heart plunge down to the ground.
"I am going to tell you two a secret, okay? Promise me to never tell this to anyone, not in my family. Of course, they already know this." Honoka leaned back on the tree. She waited to the two to promise which she knows they will. She had known them for a while in this time and so was their previous life.
"Of course, we promise!" Honoka smiled at them appreciating their determination. "So what I am going to tell you is something that's very unbelievable but trust me that it's the truth. Okay?" When she received a nod from the two girls beside her. "The supernatural creatures that you have been seeing in fiction books and movies a lot are pretty much real. And I actually belong in that group, you see?" Honoka gave them a nervous smile while all two were just staring at her in shock and contemplation.
The ginger-haired girl got more nervous as the silence goes on longer. Her heartbeat was racing as she thinks that the two girls will never go near her ever again. Finally, Kotori ended her suffering by asking a question. "So, what are you, Honoka-oneechan?" The soft voice of the ash brown haired girl was filled with curiosity.
"Ah eh!" Honoka was flustered in surprise at the question. "I am an immortal by a curse, okay? It means I can't die and will always stay in this world." She informed the two girls beside her. Umi was looking at her intensely before asking, "Why were you cursed, Honoka?"
"Err. You see, in the past. Long long looong ago, my friends and I were chosen to become sacrifices to the Gods. Since I don't want them to die, I made a deal with the Gods. They gave me a challenge and I accepted it for them to be free." Honoka told them her past but she never explained it in detail. She doesn't want to scar their young minds. "I succeeded and they were free but I didn't go away without changing. My body became like this as you see."
"I'll just ask this once, Honoka. Are you telling us the truth?" Umi seriously faced her and her brown eyes met the blue ones that Honoka owns. They were silently staring as Kotori watched them too. "Yes, I am telling you the truth."
"Okay, I'll believe you then." Umi leaned on Honoka's shoulder as did Kotori who also took the ginger-haired girl's hand in hers. "Is that why you don't have any soulmate, Honoka-oneechan?"
'Forgive me but this time I'll have to lie to you two.' Honoka thought as she laced her fingers with the younger ones. "Yes, that's the reason why." She said to the two girls with a sad smile.
'Sorry, I just don't want you two to suffer because of my fate anymore.' The ginger haired girl thought this as she sat in peace with the two younger girls.
"Onee-chan!?" Yukiho had exclaimed from what she saw on the ginger haired girl's body. She was tired from the first day of school and went to take a bath. She didn't know someone was already there and when she went inside, she saw Honoka's body.
It was probably the first time anyone had ever seen her body without wearing those long sweaters and pants. There was a good reason why as her body was full of faded scars. Scars that should only be seen in soulmates.
Since Honoka's back was turned to her, she can see a large scar from her right shoulder down to her hips. There were also bullet wounds scars and scars that came from stab wounds. There were also scars that were on her arms and legs like an amputation. As Yukiho had surprised her, Honoka also turned to her younger sister. The red hazel haired girl saw a real deep red circular scar on her chest part where the heart could be found. It was like someone had pierced their hand in her chest.
"Yukiho…" Honoka looked at her younger sister whose teal eyes was wide in shock. "I thought I already taught you how to knock." The ginger-haired girl placed a towel all over her body as she pouts at the younger girl. Other scars were still visible even if she covered her body like that.
"Onee-chan…What are those?" Yukiho can't be deterred though as she walked deeper in the bathroom. The ginger-haired girl looked away and laughed nervously. "Aren't those soulmate marks?" The younger one asked obviously knowing what it was because their parents have a visible pair of it.
"Yeah. It is. I know you already know that I am not a normal human as Mom had already told you." Honoka faced Yukiho and patted her on the head. "This is just a consequence of immortality. Because my body can't be renewed, the scars from all of the lives of my soulmates were carved on my body."
"So you do have a soulmate? I asked Kotori-neechan about it. She said you don't have any." Yukiho was confused then had the realization that Honoka might've lied to her two friends. "Did you lie to them?" She had only received silence from the older girl. "Why did you do that?" Yukiho could only ask.
"Because I don't want to give them any more pain." Honoka looked at Yukiho's eyes, bright blue eyes full of determination but there was intense pain behind.
"Is one of them possibly your-?!" Honoka smiled at the question. 'This little sister of mine is just too smart. Is she really twelve?' The ginger-haired girl thought as she looked at the younger redhead.
"Shhh." Honoka placed her forefinger on her lips as a sign of a secret. "You'll definitely know in the near future. So just wait for that okay, Yukiho?" There was something in Honoka's voice that seemed like pleading and Yukiho had looked down on the bathroom floor.
"Mou, you're too unfair, Onee-chan." The red hazel haired girl crossed her arms. Honoka hugged the younger girl gently. "I will be fine, Yukiho. Thanks for caring for me." There was silence between them before finally, Honoka spoke again in an upbeat tone.
"So, when will you get out of here so I can take a bath?"
A sound of a slap was heard from the outside before the younger of the two went out with a blush on their face and laughter was following her.
Umi and Kotori had finally graduated from middle school and now was starting their first day of their high school in Otonokizaka High School.
This school was headed by Principal Minami who is Kotori's mother. It was famous for being traditional and for being a supernatural hotspot. That is why there's a decline in the students enrolling. The people don't think that it was safe anymore. As of now, there were only two classes of first years in the school.
"Umi-chan, let's go show, Honoka-oneechan our uniforms first before going to school," Kotori suggested to her childhood friend when the blue haired girl finally got out of their house.
"Sure, we still have time." Umi agreed easily to the request as she was also excited to see the ginger-haired girl. They walked towards the shop and entered after their greetings.
"Miss Kousaka, good morning. Please excuse us." The two had greeted the matriarch of the Kousaka household who returned a bright smile at them.
"Oh, good morning you two. You look very beautiful today. Are you here for Honoka? I am afraid she's still sleeping." The brunette informed the two high school girls. "Could you wake her up for me?"
The two nodded and bowed as they headed towards the stairs. Hotaru's blue eyes were filled with mischief. "Grandpa, you forgot to tell us that your savior was a sinful woman." She muttered under her breath.
As the two girls went up, they greeted and complimented Yukiho who was going to the Otonokizaka Middle School as it was also her first day.
"Oh, yeah. Umi-neechan. Have you got your scars yet?" The red hazel haired teen asked the blue-haired of the two older girls. She was really curious about what Honoka had said to her the year before.
"Yes. I already have thought I want to keep it a secret." Umi had said with her face flustered at the thought of having her soulmate. Yukiho, though, also noticed that she was sneaking a look towards Kotori who smiled at her.
'Maybe, it's not her.' Yukiho thought as she waved a goodbye to the other two.
Kotori knocked on Honoka's room while calling to her but there was no answer. Umi had sighed and said that won't ever wake Honoka up so she went to enter the room.
Inside the room, there was a lump on the bed with a steady breathing. The two high school girls walked towards it and saw the ginger-haired girl sleeping peacefully. Her hair was shining from the sun which endeared the ginger-haired girl to Umi and Kotori.
Kotori had even cooed at Honoka's cuteness which raised both of the girl's heart rate.
"C-come on, let's wake her up so we can reach school in time." Umi's cheeks were a little flushed and said this in an embarrassed tone. The ash brown haired girl just giggled before they shake the sleeping redhead.
"Hn. Five more minutes, Mom." Honoka uttered while her face was scrunched, clearly from disturbing from her sleep. Umi sighed while Kotori just smiled at the redhead.
"We are not your mother, Honoka so wake up!" Honoka was pulled up from the bed and saw that the two most important people for her were watching her.
"Umi-chan! Kotori-chan!" The ginger-haired girl jumped from the bed and hugged the other two. "Good morning! What are you doing here?" She asked the other two with an excited face like a puppy's face. The redhead might also be one because Kotori and Umi felt like she was wagging her tail.
The other two were also slightly taller than Honoka now so Umi was finding it hard in her to call her onee-chan, unlike Kotori who isn't even ashamed of it.
"Oh, we just want to see you before we head to school, Honoka-oneechan," Kotori informed the ginger-haired who had finally pulled away. She finally noticed the two were wearing their high school uniforms.
"Oh, you two looked very beautiful in that!" Honoka complimented the two with a bright grin.
It made the two high school girls blush as their hearts had raised their beats. Both girls looked away from Honoka, clearly embarrassed but were still happy from the compliment.
"Honoka-oneec-!" Kotori started to say but the ginger-haired girl placed a finger on her lips which made her redder in the face.
"You don't need to call me onee-chan, Kotori-chan. Appearance wise, we looked like we have the same age so I prefer if you just call me Honoka from now on." Honoka informed the ash brown-haired girl who responded with a nod.
"Okay, Honoka-chan." Kotori agreed and Honoka said this to Umi as well who agreed easily. The three were talking for a little while before Umi finally saw the time. "Oh, no! We have to go now, Kotori. See you later, Honoka!"
The blue haired girl dragged their childhood friend out and Honoka's blue eyes followed the two of them. She yawned for a little more before she had this mischievous smile on her face.
"School, huh? Yosh! I know what I will do!" Honoka walked down to the kitchen and discussed a few things with Hotaru.
Next day, in the first years class 1-A, their teacher had another announcement. "Today, we have another student who will be joining us. She was just late for enrollment because her body had a severe sickness. So let's welcome her properly, class. You may come in."
Kotori was very curious as to who would it be while Umi was looking at door anticipating the entrance of their new classmate.
Both of their eyes widened when they saw a familiar ginger haired girl with bright blue eyes entered. She was wearing the navy blue uniform of Otonokizaka High School though it was accompanied with a thin red sweater and thigh high black socks.
With her sun-like smile, the ginger-haired girl introduced herself with childlike energy. "Hello to you all! I am Honoka Kousaka! I live with the Japanese shop, Homura as their adopted daughter. I have been sick since I was young so I was homeschooled in the past. Let's get along everyone." She bowed to the class of girls while her eyes peeked at the shocked look on her two friends' faces.
"Honoka-chan?!" Kotori just exclaimed while Umi just stared at Honoka who was smiling impishly at them. The teacher made the redhead sit beside the ash brown haired girl which was a seat near the window.
"Hi, there! You two!" Honoka just waved at them and smiled which made the two more flustered.
"What are you doing here, Honoka?" Umi whispered loudly as she leaned towards the ginger-haired girl's direction.
"Oh, I didn't tell you yet? I am going here for high school." Honoka with an innocent look on her face like she was more confused why they were questioning her.
"No, you didn't mention anything, Honoka-chan. But I am happy you're here with us!" Kotori said with a gentle smile on her lips. Umi just sighed and said to the ginger-haired girl, "We are going to talk about this later, Honoka."
The ginger-haired girl just smiled back at her and looked towards the front of the class. After a while, she fell asleep on her desk, she clearly had no intention to study.
After class for the morning ended, Umi and Kotori went to the sleeping redhead. The ash brown haired girl shook Honoka who had a drool on her lips. "Honoka-chan. Wake up, it's lunchtime already. We could have bread in the cafeteria."
Once the word 'bread' came out, the ginger-haired girl raised her head in a very fast motion. "Did someone say bread?!" Her blue eyes were sparkling while searching for the aforementioned food.
This made Umi sigh and look at Honoka with exasperation. "If only you are this fast in the morning. Come on, let's go to the cafeteria because we definitely need to talk." The blue haired girl said to her two childhood friends.
The three of them had done that exactly and went out to one of the benches under the trees. After they ate their lunch, Umi made the older girl sitting on her knees while Kotori was rubbing her back to calm her down. Honoka has cold sweat pouring down her face as Umi looked at her with a cold stare.
"So, Honoka, what do you have to say for yourself?" Brown eyes stared at the person averting her gaze away to the ground. The soothing rub of the ash brown haired girl behind Umi was slightly calming her down though also possibly exciting her.
"Err…What?" Honoka questioned back with nervousness in her voice. "What might you mean, Umi-chan?" She finished it with an awkward smile.
"I am talking about what are you doing in our school and why did you keep it a secret." Umi's tone was still no-nonsense as she answered the ginger-haired girl.
"Well, I was offered a job here and since you studying here, I accepted it to be with you two," Honoka explained with a blush on her cheeks. The result given by that expression was two girls blushing back and their hearts beating fast.
"I also wanted to see your expressions when I surprised you. So that's that." The ginger-haired girl finished it with a smile. Umi looked away and crossed her arms, cheeks still flushed.
"I'll let you get away with this time but there better be no next. We are helping you hide your identity too, you know. It would be less burdening if we know what you could be doing." The blue haired girl said to Honoka who just nodded seriously.
"So, what is that job you'll be doing here, Honoka-chan?" Kotori asked curiously. "Is it a request from my mother? Is that why you were accepted easily...Does she know?"
"…Yes, she does. She probably even knew it before you two did since your grandmother knows me personally, Kotori-chan." Honoka smiled at the younger girl in front of her. The girls in front of her were stunned. "Your grandmother was best friends with Kazuo's wife and we went out in groups too. Maybe your mother found one of my pictures there."
Kotori was amazed that her family had already some connections with Honoka in the past. From what she learned from the older girl, the ginger-haired girl had left the country after Kazuo, her adopted son, had married his wife.
"Oh, that is probably the reason why she approached me in the first place." Honoka obliviously talked while the two girls had taken a seat beside her on the bench.
"What do you mean by that, Honoka?" Umi questioned her as she found out that it was the principal who first came to Honoka.
"Do you know about the rumors involving strange things happening here in the school?" Honoka looked at her two soulmates. She had received a nod from Kotori and Umi had answered her. "You mean about the ghost incidents and the monsters or youkai attacking people at night?"
"Yes, that!" Honoka confirmed energetically then her blue eyes get all serious. "Apparently, this high school has a small hellmouth. That is why all of these creatures are popping out. Good thing that the nearby shrine had placed a barrier around the school's property so that they wouldn't be able to escape."
"So, what will you be doing? Could it be that you'll be exorcizing them?" Umi had looked at the ginger-haired girl and it made her freeze.
There was a smile on Honoka's face but it made the blue haired girl have shivers ran through her spine. It was her first time seeing the older girl have a cold smile and steel-like gaze.
"I don't have any exorcizing abilities though, simply I'm going to eradicate them." Honoka had said with the same smile.
"Won't it be dangerous, Honoka-chan?" Their ash brown haired friend had suddenly spoken up. There were worries in her amber eyes as she looked at Honoka.
The ginger-haired girl looked at her silently before smiling brightly. "Probably, but I do want to protect the two of you and give you a peaceful school life." She finished it with a very warm look in her eyes. It was saying that the two girls beside her still remained as the most important people in her heart.
"But who will protect you while doing so? I want to help, Honoka-chan!" Kotori was pleading the older girl. She had even grabbed Honoka's hand tightly in both of her hands.
Umi had also spoken up while also grabbing the other free hand. "I also won't allow you to do this alone, Honoka. Even though you cannot…, I still don't want to see you get hurt."
Honoka looked at the both of them and sighed before giving a reluctant nod. "Fine but you both need the principal's permission. If she said no, then that will be it."
The two younger girls had squealed and hugged the ginger one tightly. Of course, they were happy to be of help to their best friend who is also secretly their beloved.
Umi looked at Kotori's amber eyes who had softened too at the sight of her brown eyes. The two had already talked about their feelings without Honoka around. They reached the conclusion that they were in love with each other but also hid the secret that they were in love with the ginger haired girl.
For now, the two of them were waiting for the ash brown-haired girl's birthday to see her scars. To see if they are really for each other, before announcing their relationship to their other best friend and also crush.
Still, fate had a plan of its own for the three of them. It will certainly change their life and the others that were tied to them even in the past.