Stupid, stupid, stupid Takashi! Kaori's hands clenched together in her lap, heart permanently stuck in her throat as she mentally cursed the love of her life. Stupid, traditional, honorable, decent, noble, utterly perfect idiot!
"Pinned! Winner, Morinozuka Takashi." The eleventh champion rose up and walked from the ring, rubbing his right shoulder.
She'd been happy enough that he knew of her feelings, she didn't need anything more. Did he realize how guilty it made her feel that he was putting his position, his future, on the line for her? She simply wasn't worth it and she couldn't understand why he was doing this. It couldn't be that he returned her feelings; she had seen the shock and instinctive rejection on his face that night on the terrace. Even if he felt something for her, it had been years since they had really talked; one month couldn't be enough time to go from 'little cousin' to 'bride' in his eyes.
"Pinned! Winner, Morinozuka Takashi" - sixteen was quickly dispatched - "Out of bounds! Winner, Morinozuka Takashi" - and followed almost immediately by seventeen.
Surely it couldn't be…? No, she wouldn't even think that about him. He was really very kind, but surely he was wise enough to realize that some kindnesses would cut worse than any cruelty. Kaori absent-mindedly rubbed her leg, feeling weighed down by the stares of over a hundred Morinozukas. She knew that for the rest of her life they would see her as the damaged creature that had almost caused them to lose their scion.
"Pinned! Winner, Morinozuka Takashi." Twenty-two had barely even looked like he was even trying.
And it would be the rest of her life, because it was clear now that he would win. After her family, most of those who had stepped forward to accept the challenge could only be considered middle-ranked. Kaori didn't understand why, but the experienced warriors were holding back. Maybe it was out of respect for Morinozuka-sama, who was both the head's first-cousin and well-liked, or maybe it was because they feared losing and revealing weakness in front of their peers.
The unsteady flow of champions had been reduced to the barest trickle. The facilitator stepped forward to issue another call for someone to take up the challenge.
She looked at the still unhappy faces of the amassed Morinozukas and twisted her hands together to keep from giving in to tears. This challenge was older than any record of either family and its outcomes were viewed as so final they were almost sacred. Once he succeeded, there would be no backing out of the engagement for either of them. She loved him, she would be so honored to be his wife, but she knew the disapproval of his family would one day cause him to resent this choice.
The third and final call was given; the challenge was nearly at an end and Kaori prepared herself for the formalities to come. Then, a bright cheerful voice called out "I accept" and her heart plunged.
The murmuring of the crowd stilled as the diminutive man stepped into the challenge ring. When this had started, nobody except two people could have anticipated it would come to this.
"I won't let it happen this way, Takashi."
The challenger nodded, he had hoped to avoid meeting his friend this way, but it was not a surprise. The facilitator cried "Start!" and the fight was on.
Honey immediately launched into a quick series of blows that pushed Mori almost out to the edge of the ring. Thigh, stomach, shoulder, then a full-split kick to the chin that snapped his head back. He narrowly dodged a flying kick towards the head as he ducked and shoulder-rolled back out towards the center. Honey landed at the edge of the circle, delicately balanced on one foot. In a soft voice that no one but the two of them could here he said "I told you to do your best, Takashi."
Shooting forward, Honey whirred around like a miniature cyclone tossing lighting quick punches and kicks that connected as often as they were blocked. The next few minutes passed in a blur as the two travelled back and forth across the challenge area in a ballet of speed and flexibility against strength and stamina. Strikes, blocks, flips, and turns all passed too quickly for the naked eye to see until Mori aimed a kick at his cousin's torso. Nimbly spinning into a one-armed handstand Honey used both his legs to capture Mori's in a vise grip; turning him over and causing both men to slam into the ground and quickly scramble back to their feet before time could be called.
Wind knocked out from the fall, Mori went on the offensive; executing a sequence of attacks that forced Honey towards the edge. Long armed punches were avoided by acrobatic tricks. As he closed on the painted line Honey jumped and, with cat-like agility, twisted and flipped over Mori's head using one hand to spring off the larger man's shoulder. He turned as soon as he landed and quickly flicked something at the challenger. Mori barely avoided the rabbit-headed knife that flew past him, ripping a line in his sleeve and drawing blood.
Mori's endurance, already taxed by two hours of fighting in the heat of the afternoon with no rest or water, was rapidly failing under his cousin's furious onslaught. Each strike further sapped his energy and brought them one step closer to the inevitable conclusion. Honey had always been the better fighter, the longer the bout went on the greater the odds of him losing became. His only hope had been in ending it quickly, but that opportunity had already passed.
Nearing the end of his capability, Mori was once again driven towards the edge with sharp jabs landing everywhere from shoulder to thigh. Almost out of the ring, he made a last defiant stand and refused to yield a single centimeter despite the punishing blows to his torso. In a finishing move, Honey leaped and launched a flying kick whose force, when it connected, would be enough to end the match.
Summoning reserves he had never drawn on, Mori intercepted the foot with both hands and threw Honey back and over his head. The dexterous man easily landed on his feet, but now their positions in the circle were reversed. Mori swept his left leg at his opponent's feet while crouching down with his right. Honey leapt to avoid the attack only to be intercepted mid-air as Mori used every ounce of the coiled energy in his body to strike right in the center of his diaphragm. Temporarily out of breath, Honey flew back before recovering and landing in a crouch.
"Out of bounds! Winner, Morinozuka Takashi" cried the alert facilitator the instant the heel of Honey's back foot touched the ground a scant one centimeter outside the proscribed area.
Exhausted, Mori slowly fell down to his knees gulping in deep breaths of air. He had no more adrenaline to carry him through, no more reserves, nothing left to give for another round. He bent over and braced himself on his hands to keep from falling, head hanging low, silently acknowledging his impending defeat. The crowd was united in perfect silence as the facilitator stepped forward to issue the call for what would be the final champion.
Haninozuka-sama stood up and five hundred pairs of silent eyes turned toward him. "The challenge is over," he declared. Searching over to the left, his eyes met those of his cousin and life-long friend and both men broke out in broad smiles. "Morinozuka Takashi has shown himself to be worthy to align with the Haninozuka family."
The crowd on all sides erupted in cheers at the news; both families still exhilarated from watching a battle that would end up being told and retold until it passed into legend. Honey's father reached down towards Kaori and helped her rise from her stool.
"I… I don't understand," she whispered; reeling in shock from the fight and its conclusion, "why did Mitus-chan do that?"
The older man patted her hand as he led her towards the edge of the platform. "The value of anything is in how much you're willing to pay for it," he replied enigmatically. He helped her down to the ground and gave her a wink. "Now, go greet your groom."
Kaori flew across the arena until she stood before the kneeling man who, for whatever reason, had exerted himself to his limit for her sake. Discarding her cane to the side she lovingly cupped his cheeks in her hands, tilting his head towards her and looking into his exhausted eyes and impulsively moved to touch her lips to his.
It was not a great kiss. It wasn't even a very good kiss. She had no idea what to do so had simply mashed closed-lips up against his. Almost instantly she felt awkward and pulled back in embarrassment. Then a large hand reached up and gently grasped the base of her head, bringing her back down.
The second kiss? The second kiss was….amazing.
Hands on her arm pulled her backwards and woke her up from her daze. She blinked confusedly for a minute, then felt her whole face grow hotter than the sun up above. She'd just had her first kiss in front of nearly five hundred people. Her father kept a firm hold on her arm as if afraid she might launch herself back at Mori should he let go. A smile, though, was playing on his lips and on those of Haninozuka-sama next to him and Mori's father and brother, who had come up to stand behind the victor. The group was soon joined in the center of the ring by Honey, her aunt and brothers, and all the defeated champions.
She was unable to focus on the remaining formalities – Mori asking formally to marry her and her father's reply, bows between competitors and families and every other possible combination, the formal invitation to the crowd to join in a celebration to follow – she was too busy wishing she could sink beneath the earth to hide herself from knowing grins. Finally it was over and she was led away to change for the official engagement ceremony.
Mori watched as Kaori headed off the grounds, her face was beet red and she kept shooting him shy glances over her shoulder as she walked away. So cute. He blinked, wavering a bit on unsteady feet while Satoshi tried to prop him up. He was on the borderline between tired and fatigued, not quite yet at the stage where he would do or say things he never remembered.
"Yaaay Takashi, I knew you could do it!" Honey cried, flinging himself around his cousin's neck with a force that almost brought Mori back down to his knees. No matter how happy with the outcome, Honey didn't like to lose and was a master at extracting subtle vengeance.
Honey dropped down and rested his hand gently against Mori's arm. Looking up at him with the most sincere and innocent of expressions he gravely stated, "Takashi, I think you need a doctor." Go ahead, rub it in Mitsukuni. Both of them knew who had come off the worse in that fight and who the eventual loser would have been. Mori shook his head, he must be more tired than he thought; he had better use what little break he had to take a nap.
"I think you and Kaori are gonna be really happy!" Honey continued chirping, skipping along by his side as Satoshi helped him stagger off to have his wounds treated. Suddenly, his face fell and his eyes filled with sympathy. "Oh! But, she's still in high school. I guess you better not do anything 'til she graduates – 'kay!?"
A/N: This was originally going to be the ending, except for a 'future' epilogue. As I started writing I realized that Kaori and Takashi still had some unresolved issues between them that I wanted to explore. So, consider this the end of Act 2. Act 3 will feature drama, personal growth, host club antics, and kissing! Lots and lots of kissing! All coming up next time on Love! Is! A! Battlefield!
Thanks again to all reviewers/followers/and favoriters. Please drop me a note to let me know how I'm doing. I feel my style is slowly changing as I get more immersed in the story - how do you find it good/bad/indifferent?
Comments from my beloved beta reader who I was able to bribe into reading this chapter:
Beta Reader: I liked the fight, but it needs to be longer. And maybe have swords. And like parts where they level up really fast and gain new powers.
Me: Ummmm… it's really not that kind of manga. I'm not doing an Ouran/Bleach crossover here.
BR: Too bad, it would only make it a hundred times more AWESOME! This guy you keep going on about reminds me of Chad. Wish I could wash my brain out after all the kissing though.
M: You'll feel different about kissing in a couple years
BR: Maybe, but that doesn't mean I'll want to read about it. I don't get that last part, though, what can't they do before she graduates.
M: (blink) Hey, let's see if daddy will take us out for some ice cream.
BR: Yaaaay! Ice Cream!
M: (muttering) okay, you win. You are banned from reading the rest of the story.