Two girls were sitting in a bedroom.
"What did you want to talk about, Umi-chan?" Honoka asked. The two girls were sitting across from each other, having some tea and manjuu. Umi asked the orange haired girl after idol practice if she could come over and talk.
"It's about…love." Umi cringed at hearing her voice saying something so shameless.
"Love?" Honoka put a finger to her chin. "So, you like someone?"
"Shhh!" Umi hushed as she put a finger to her own lips. "Don't say it out loud!"
Honoka laughed at how flustered Umi was. "Umi-chan! You were the one to say it first."
Umi glared at her friend. "It's embarrassing, okay? I'm not comfortable talking about this stuff…" Umi moved around in her seat, feeling a lot more embarrassed that she expected. "Maybe I asked the wrong person."
"Hey!" Honoka puffed her cheeks. "I can be serious, you know." She stood up and plopped down on her bed. "So, you like someone. We should talk about it." She patted a seat next to her, her eyes asking Umi to sit.
The bluenette got up and sat next to her friend. She exhaled, feeling overwhelmed by this situation she was in.
"Well, you brought it up. Who's the girl you like?" Honoka asked.
Umi opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Her throat was dry, her vision blurry.
She felt a hand rest on her shoulder. She looked over and saw a smile on Honoka's face. She felt a wave of confidence wash over her from seeing her supportive friend.
She took a large breath. "I like Eli."
And immediately, she became an emotional wreck. Just saying it aloud made her blush in embarrassment. She looked over to see Honoka deep in thought. "Honoka-chan?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry." Honoka shook her head. "Eli-chan is a nice person. She a good person to fall for."
Umi nodded. "Yeah. She's so mature and responsible. I can rely on her to do anything I ask her. She's also really nice. She really smart…"
"And she's very pretty." Honoka added.
Umi blushed. "H-Honoka-chan! How could say that?!"
"Umi-chan," Honoka sighed. "You're already gushing about her. I'm just saying what you're too afraid to say." Honoka laughed with how embarrassed Umi looked at her.
"Well, she is. Do you like her too?" Umi asked innocently.
"I do." Umi's eyes widened. "But not the way you do." Umi started to relax from hearing that. "Yeah, Eli-chan is a very good person. But I don't really want to say, 'I like you' or anything." Honoka smirked. She started to poke Umi's sides. "Unlike someone I know."
"Honoka!" Umi crossed her arms, feeling slightly irritated. "I should have asked Kotori-chan."
"Wait, Umi-chan!" Honoka put her hands together. "I'm sorry. I'll be more serious."
Umi sighed. "Thank you." After getting Honoka's assurance, she started to twiddle her thumbs. "W-What should I do?"
Honoka laughed again, still being caused by Umi's nervousness. "I think you're overthinking this, Umi-chan. You like Eli-chan, right?" She saw a nod. "Then, you should tell her."
"WHAT?!" Umi yelled, louder that she anticipated. It made Honoka cower in fear, thinking that she said something wrong. "I should just tell her?! That's crazy!"
Honoka put her hand on her panicked friend's shoulder. "It's not as crazy as you think. Maybe, Eli-chan likes you back!"
Umi released herself from Honoka's grip and started to pace back and forth. "What if she doesn't? How will we still be friends? How will Muse keep going? I'm going to break Muse up!"
Honoka used both of her hands to stop Umi this time. "Umi-chan. Calm. Down." Honoka's eyes brought a sense of comfort to Umi. She was lucky to have Honoka as one of her best friends.
"R-Right. Thank you, Honoka-chan." Umi was put back on the bed by Honoka, who took her seat next to her.
"Let's talk this out. There is going to be nothing wrong with confessing to Eli-chan." Honoka took one of Umi's hands in hers. "If she says yes, you will be a happy girl. Not much would change, other than Muse having a new couple." Umi felt Honoka's grip tighten, but she ignored it. "If it doesn't, you still will be friends. I'll make sure of it. We're all friends, and nothing should change that. Things may be awkward for a bit, but you'll take some time to get used to it. At least you put your feelings out there. And eventually, you'll find someone else." Honoka put up an assuring smile, bringing even more comfort to Umi. "Whatever happens, you'll be fine. I'm still here."
Honoka was smiling brightly, causing the flustered bluenette to smile. "R-Right. Right!" Umi stood up, the spirit of confidence surging through her. "Thank you Honoka-chan!" She bowed to her friend. "You're right. I'll tell Eli-chan tomorrow. I have to let her know."
Honoka pumped an arm to the ceiling. "Yeah! Things will go well, no matter what!"
"Right!"
"Onee-chan?" Yukiho peered into Honoka's room to see her sister and Umi cheering. "What are you two doing?"
"Yukiho! I just helped Umi with something. Can you show her out?" Honoka asked. "I just need to clean my room first."
"Sure…" Yukiho replied, somewhat confused. She and Umi greeted each other before heading down. "What did onee-chan help you with, Sonoda-san?"
Umi started to blush. "Just about some things."
"Not academics, I assume." Yukiho smirked at her sister, getting a stuck-out tongue in response.
"Umi-chan, just tell her. Remember, we'll be here for you." Honoka smiled at her friend.
"O-Okay. Yukiho-chan, Honoka helped me with…with love issues." Umi immediately buried her face in her palms out of embarrassment.
Yukiho was happy to hear that. "So, have you confessed?"
"No," Umi said to the younger girl. "I'll be telling Eli-chan tomorrow."
"Huh?" Yukiho looked to her sister. She saw the pain on her sister's face, the tears that were starting to form. However, she had a smile on her face and a finger to her lips. She saw Honoka mouth something to her. 'It's okay.'
"Yeah, I'm surprised that Honoka-chan convinced me to do it as well. But, she is a good friend for doing so." Umi turned around to see Honoka smiling back at her.
"Yup! I'll always be here, Umi-chan!" Honoka replied in an energetic tone.
"Anyways, you'll lead me out?" Umi asked the younger girl. "I need to prepare myself for this."
Yukiho took one final look at Honoka. She was about to say that Honoka loved Umi, but she saw her sister shake her head furiously. "Yeah, let's go, Sonoda-san."
The two girls left as Honoka stayed in her room. Her head was down, tears flowing from her eyes.
"She does like her." Honoka said in a low tone. The tears were staining the carpet and her floor.
"DAMN IT!" Honoka slammed her balled-up hand on the hardwood. It stung, but she ignored the pain. The pain in her heart was overtaking her, and it was the only thing she could feel. Heartbreak.
Yukiho peered into the room again, seeing the crying mess that was her sister. She heard her shout after Umi left.
Only she knew about Honoka's crush on Umi. They were sisters, and they could trust in each other. Even if they fought, they always made up and put some time away to talk. When Yukiho picked up on Honoka's feelings, she asked about it and Honoka told her. She knew how much Umi meant to her sister, and seeing Honoka sobbing on the floor…
"Onee-chan?" Yukiho entered the room, concerned for her sobbing sister.
"Why did I tell her to say something?" Honoka was talking to herself, but loud enough for her sister to hear. "I never said anything because I was scared to lose her. Aren't I just the biggest hypocrite." Honoka was trembling, shaking with how angry she was at herself.
Yukiho went and kneeled beside her sister. She was patting her back, trying anything to calm her sister down. "It's going to be okay."
"No." Honoka's voice started to raise. "It won't be. They're going to start dating, and I'll just have an unrequited love. One that I had for so many years."
"Onee-chan…" Yukiho watched her sister lose control.
"NOTHING WILL BE FINE!" Honoka repeatedly slammed her hands against the hardwood floor. Hard thuds were heard, but Honoka's face showed no pain. Just anger.
"STOP!" Yukiho grabbed Honoka's wrists before she caused more damage to her hands. She hit the floor four times, each causing her hands to swell. "Don't…hurt yourself…" Yukiho said with watery eyes. "I'm here for you. Please…stop…"
Honoka embraced her sister and cried into her shoulder. She let all of her tears out onto Yukiho, who didn't move an inch. She was going to be there for her sister, never leaving her side.
"I've loved her for so long," Honoka said softly, still being cradled by her sister.
"I know." Yukiho was stroking Honoka's hair, as it comforted the two of them when they were scared.
"Honoka-chan? What happened?" Kotori asked. She, Honoka, and Umi were in class before it started for the day. They looked at Honoka's taped up hands, very curious as to why she was bandaged up.
"This?" She held her hands up. "I just slammed my hands against the wall. I can't really do much, but just go on without me. I'll just go home early, no practice for me today!" Honoka said, sounding somewhat dejected.
"Well, I hope you feel better," Umi said. "I don't like to see you hurt."
Well, it's a good thing you didn't see me after you left.
"Thanks, Umi-chan." The teacher came into the room, and class started.
…
The bell rang to signify lunch.
"I'm going to get some fresh air." Umi stood up and stretched. "Anyone coming with me?" She saw her two friends shake their heads. "Well, I'm going to prepare myself. Again, thanks for the advice, Honoka-chan."
Umi turned around with her lunch and went out the door, leaving Kotori and Honoka by themselves.
"So, what should we do, Kotori-chan?" Honoka asked.
"What really happened?"
Honoka looked at her desk, not wanting to meet her friend eye-to-eye. "W-What do you mean? I tripped and hit my hands," Honoka lied, even having a small laugh.
"I would believe it if it was only one hand, Honoka-chan." Kotori put a finger on Honoka's forehead and pushed it so that their faces were in front of each other. "What happened yesterday?"
Using her wrist, she swatted the finger away. Honoka nicked her hand on part of Kotori's hand, causing pain to the girl. Kotori went over to her and took a glance at the hand.
"It was nothing!" Honoka said loudly, attracting some of the students. Kotori jumped at Honoka's outburst, but she quickly recovered and stayed strong.
"Don't lie to me, Honoka-chan!" Kotori held her friend's hands tenderly. "I don't want to see you like this." Her eyes pleaded Honoka to confess.
"It's…It's about Umi-chan." Honoka finally caved and started to pour her feelings out.
Kotori pulled up her friend from the chair. "We should go to the clubroom. We can talk there."
Honoka nodded, and the two of them walked to the room.
…
The two girls were sitting against a wall, Kotori's legs were out while Honoka pulled her knees to her chest.
"So, what about Umi-chan?" Kotori finally said.
Honoka took a deep breath. "You remember when she said she had to prepare herself, right?" Honoka looked to her ash-haired friend, who was nodding. "Well, we talked yesterday. She had feelings for Eli-chan, and she was going to confess today. She asked about what she should do, and I told her to tell her."
Kotori knew where this was going. But she had to be sure. "So, what happened after?"
"Yukiho came home, and Umi-chan left after. I was angry at myself. I told Umi-chan to confess to Eli-chan, and that everything would be okay. But I shouldn't be telling her that."
"Because you like Umi-chan?" Kotori said, Honoka's head turning to her. "That you love Umi-chan?"
"H-How…you knew?" Honoka thought that she kept her feelings well hidden.
"I've known you for years, Honoka-chan." Kotori looked at her friend. "I don't know when you started to love Umi-chan, but I knew."
"Oh…" Honoka was trembling.
"I'm sorry Honoka-chan. I'm sorry that I didn't do anything." Kotori took one of Honoka's hands with both of hers. "I've been a bad friend."
Honoka shook her head. "No, you are one of my best friends. Don't think like that." Honoka buried her head into Kotori's chest, her tears starting to fall again. "I love her, Kotori-chan!"
"I know." Kotori stroked her friend's hair.
Honoka was so grateful to have a friend like Kotori. And a sister like Yukiho. They both knew how to be another mother to her, and always knew how to comfort her.
"Thank you, Kotori." Honoka looked up to see the soothing amber eyes.
"It's nothing. Just being a friend."
As she told her friends, Honoka went home after school. She had to rest her hands.
"Good luck, Umi-chan." Honoka put up her fake smile, trying to be the comforting friend that Umi needed.
Umi bowed. "Thank you, Honoka-chan. I have all of this confidence thanks to you." Umi smiled at Honoka, who almost shed a tear before forcing it back.
Umi turned around with a hop in her step, walking through the exit.
Honoka felt a hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure about this, Honoka-chan?" Kotori looked to her friend. "You aren't going to say anything?"
The orange-haired girl put up a smile, but there were already tears falling from her face. "Of course not. It's Umi-chan's choice, not mine." Before Kotori could say anything else, Honoka dashed away as her tears fell.
"Honoka-chan…"
…
Idol practice was finishing up, and the girls decided to end it then. They were somewhat down since they didn't have one of their members there, so they didn't have too much motivation. Something Honoka had in spades.
"E-Eli-chan. Can-Can I talk to you?" Umi found her courage to say to her blonde senior.
"Umi? Sure, give me a minute." Eli packed up a bit more of her things. Nozomi asked her something, but Eli looked liked she told the purple-haired girl to wait. She was thankful that she was given a chance. "Okay, what is it, Umi?"
Umi noticed that the couples in Muse didn't leave. They most likely thought that this would be important. Technically, it was. However, it was making her extremely more nervous than before. Kotori and Hanayo, and Nico, Maki, and Rin were all together. They were watching the two girls that were talking.
"I…I…I like you, Eli-chan!" Umi looked down, embarrassed when she finally confessed. "Would you please go out with me?!"
It was silent. It was unnerving. Umi kept her head down, waiting for the response.
"I'm sorry, Umi." Eli's words made Umi's heart sink. "Nozomi asked me out over the weekend, and I accepted. I guess we forgot to tell everyone."
"It's okay," Umi said, somewhat dejectedly. "I told myself that this wouldn't change anything. We can still be friends."
"Umi," Eli said. Umi perked her head up. "I'm sorry I couldn't return your feelings, but there's no way we still won't be friends."
Umi smiled. "Thank you, Eli-chan."
"Sorry, Umi-chan." Nozomi walked up to her girlfriend and the bluenette. "I guess I took her from you."
"Nozomi!" Eli said sternly.
"No, Eli-chan. It's okay." Umi stopped Eli from continuing. "I'm glad too see you two so happy."
"Thank you," Eli said.
"But, what about Honoka-chan?" Nozomi asked to Umi.
"Huh?" Umi didn't expect her friend's name to appear in this confession. "What about her?"
"You really don't know?" Nozomi said.
"Know about what?"
"How much she loves you." The blonde finished her girlfriend's sentence.
"W-What?" Umi didn't believe the words she was hearing. "Love as a friend, right?"
Kotori walked up behind the flustered girl and put a hand on her shoulder. "No, Umi-chan. She really loves you."
"H-Honoka…loves me…" Umi's mind was a whirlwind. All this new information was crushing her. "H-How can you be so sure?"
"She's loved you for years, Umi-chan. I've noticed since we started high school. To be honest, I think everyone here knew it too." Umi looked around to see nods coming from every direction.
"That's why I was surprised that you confessed to me." The blunette's head turned to her blonde senior. "I thought that Honoka would have already told you."
She shook her head. "No, she told me that I should tell you about my feelings. There wouldn't be anything wrong, I could just get my feelings out there. And she promised that…Eli-chan and I…would be friends…" Umi's eyes widened at the realization.
"You see it now, Umi-chan?" The ash-haired girl started to speak again. "She told you that, but she was afraid. Just like you were. Afraid that she would lose one of her best friends because of this. So, she buried her feelings and told you to go for Eli-chan."
Umi was feeling a sense of guilt overcome her.
"After you left Honoka-chan's house yesterday, she hurt her hands," Kotori said. Umi's face scrunched up hearing about it, how she made Honoka hurt. "She really does love you."
Umi's sight was blurred from the tears. Her mouth was dry. But she had to do one thing.
"I've got to go to her."
Umi made a dash to head to Honoka's house.
As she ran, her mind was stuck on replay, repeating the words that Kotori and Eli told her.
Every step she took, she was reminded of how much Honoka has affected her life.
She wouldn't have any friends. She wouldn't have talked to many people, and would be a closed-off, academically gifted student. But one that had no one to talk to. Without her best friend, she wouldn't have been able to save their school. She wouldn't have anyone to confide her love with.
Sure, Honoka is hard to work with. She can have crazy ideas that embarrass her and their friends. She thinks too much about being an idol that it can almost kill her. But it's what makes her Honoka.
And who is someone that Umi can learn to love.
Someone that Umi does loves.
"I love Honoka-chan."
She finally said it out loud. Instead of feeling embarrassed like when she said it before, this confession was filled with passion. Desire. Love.
…
Reaching the Kousaka household, Umi was dead tired. Her legs wobbled, her breaths sharp and quick. However, none of that was on her mind.
It was only Honoka.
"Hello? Sonoda-san?" Yukiho answered the door. "Why are you here?"
"I…need…to see…Honoka-chan…" Umi said in short breaths.
"O-Okay…" Yukiho stepped aside to let Umi in, but the bluenette quickly ran to the room.
She knocked. "Come in!"
Opening the door, she saw her orange-haired friend lying on her bed reading a manga. "Yukiho! I th- Umi-chan?" Honoka's eyes peered from her book to look at the door. "Did you tell Eli-chan?" A nod. "So, she rejected you?" Another nod. "And you're still friends, right?"
"How long have you loved me?"
The orange-haired girl froze. "I'm…I'm not sure what you mean, Umi-chan."
"When I confessed to Eli-chan, and she rejected me…she, Nozomi-chan, and Kotori-chan told me. I want to know how long you've loved me for."
"Why should you know that?" Honoka replied. There was an edge in her voice, but the pain of having the one you love asking how long that they have been loved. And from someone who already confessed to someone else. The pain, it added a harsh attitude to the orange-haired girl. "Don't you like Eli-chan?"
"Not anymore." Umi shut the door and inched closer to the bed. "I didn't know how much I hurt you. I couldn't see your love when everyone else could."
"AND WHY WOULD YOU NOW!" Honoka yelled at her. Tears started to form and started to stain her face. "If you say you love me, how do I know I'm actually loved?! What if I'm just a rebound?! Because your heart was broken, you are just going to use me. Make ME believe that this love is something more than just a fling."
Umi was scared. She's seen a sad Honoka, and she's always been around the happy one. But her friend was angry, and she was the target of all of it. "H-Honoka-chan…You wouldn't be a rebound. I see now that I do love you! More than ever!"
"Just now?!" Honoka angrily said. "I'VE BEEN IN LOVE WITH YOU FOR FIVE YEARS! DO YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST CONVINCE ME?!"
"M-Maybe…"
"FINE!" Honoka took a hold of her friend's shoulders and made them face each other. "Convince me."
When Umi looked into Honoka's eyes, she saw pain. Regret. Anger. Sadness. But, one thing stuck out to her. Hope.
All her friend wanted was a chance that they could be together.
And she wanted it too.
Honoka felt lips on hers, almost melting into it. Almost.
Umi was surprised with herself. She never expected herself to kiss someone. Especially someone so close to her. However, it was all she wanted. To be with Honoka.
After a few seconds, their lips parted. Umi had a smile on her face, while Honoka was struggling to keep a straight one.
"I-Is that it? That's…That's all you can do to show that you love me?" The orange-haired girl said. She loved every second of the kiss, but she still felt a bit empty. Maybe Umi still had lingering feelings for Eli. Was she still a rebound partner?
Umi was getting frustrated. How else could she show her love for her friend? It was all she could think of.
Until a shameless thought crossed her mind.
She pushed Honoka onto the bed. She straddled her friend's hips and put her arms down, one on each side of Honoka's head.
"U-Umi-chan?"
The bluenette began to unbutton her shirt. "I-I love you, Honoka. I can't think of another way to show it."
"No. No, Umi-chan!" Honoka tried to put her arms up to stop Umi from kissing her. "I love you. You don't have to go this far. I'm sorry."
"But I want to!" Umi shouted. "I feel awful for making you feel that way. I don't want you to be like that with me anymore. I really do love you, Honoka." She started to choke up at the end of her sentence. "I just couldn't see it before. But just thinking about the past, I knew that I always had feelings for you. In the future, there isn't anyone I want by my side than you." She brought a hand to Honoka's cheek.
The girl who was lying down brought a hand to the warm one she felt on her cheek. She used her thumb to rub circles on the back of it. "I feel the same way." Honoka brought a hand to the back of Umi's head and pulled it down. She made their lips meet in the sweetest kiss they shared today.
An awkward silence passed for a few moments as Umi and Honoka began to blush.
"We don't have to do…that," Honoka hesitantly said.
Umi blushed harder knowing what position she was in and what Honoka implied. She buttoned up her shirt and tried to slowly get off of Honoka. "R-Right…I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to get weird. I just- WAH!"
She was interrupted as Honoka pulled her into an embrace. Umi was still on top of Honoka, but now their noses were touching. "Honoka-chan! This is so…embarrassing…"
Honoka laughed. "We just kissed, Umi-chan!" Umi laughed with her. After their laughter died down, Umi's smile grew even larger. "Umi-chan?"
"It's just…now that I see you smiling and laughing, I can see how genuine it is compared to yesterday." Umi brought a hand to Honoka's cheek and cupped it. "I'm so sorry," Umi said as her newly formed tears fell on Honoka's face.
Honoka brought Umi closer with a tighter hug. "It's okay now." As Honoka's head turned to her door, she saw Yukiho standing outside the doorframe. Her sister smiled and Honoka smiled back.
"You two better not do anything weird!" Yukiho said loudly as she went to her room.
Umi jolted from the hug and bundled up by herself. Honoka giggled and brought Umi back down to lay on the bed, this time beside rather than on top of herself. Umi could only giggle back in embarrassment and happiness.
Umi saw Honoka tearing up while they laughed. "Honoka-chan?"
"I'm so happy," Honoka said as she sobbed. "But my hands hurt so much again!"
Umi, and now she learned Honoka, forgot about Honoka's injured hands because of their love confessions. She slowly got up trying to avoid Honoka's hands. Umi sighed. "I can't believe we both forgot you're hurt. We're so dumb."
Honoka giggled. "At least we know our feelings."
Umi looked at Honoka and smiled. "Yeah, we do."
Author's Note: Hello again! This was a spur of the moment thing, but I made this alternative to Confessions as I wanted to make it less sexual and more Umi and Honoka finding their way together. I've posted this on Ao3 quite a bit ago (if you want to find it there, name is SPTofumon) and it's pretty much the same on there but with even smaller tweaks on this version.
I've been in the process of writing something, but I don't have a clear idea of when it will be finished. But I am enjoying writing again a bit more. Hopefully, I can put out something I'm satisfied with for you all to read.
If you liked this rewrite, leave your favourites and maybe visit my page for other stories if you are interested. Also, leave reviews about what you like/dislike or how I can improve my writing. I'd really appreciate it!
Thanks for Reading!