Summary:

Three days left.

"Nico-san, Okinawa is Karate!" said Umi, out of nowhere. They were shepherding the Kendo club members until they joined up with the faculty advisor, who was currently sightseeing with the advisor to the Tea Ceremony Club, who were going to learn the ways of Okinawan moai, because their advisor felt that a Sado without "heart" was not a proper ceremony.

At Nico's blank expression, Umi laughed for a while, then said, "Nico-chan and I clearly don't watch the same films."

When they returned to the mainland, Umi promised they'd watch at least the second film in a series that seemed to be about a young American boy learning karate. Luckily, Nico's commitment to going with the flow was going strong.

Because they knew they would soon be alone together to enjoy Izena, there was no temptation to have any un-Japanese displays of affection - not that Umi would be caught dead doing that, anyway. For that reason, she clapped Nico on the back like a boy as she laughed again. And again, Nico went with the flow.

Umi had explained beforehand that Nico hadn't gone on any school trips before and that she, Umi, was training her fellow school idol in kendo. It turns out that Umi, Honoka, Kotori and Nozomi had all chipped in for Nico's ticket, so it was just a matter of allowing her to travel with Nico. Nico actually had a good reputation supervising students - her leading her own group was well known. Her caring for her younger siblings had come up several times when it caused her to have to miss school and make up work.

Nico had mostly cried out her budget of grateful tears, but one had still slipped out when Umi told her about the ticket at the airport.

All of which explained how Nico and Umi were learning to fall, to dodge, and to strike objects with their hands without breaking a finger (which would impact them both in different ways: Nico was still playing piano - her interest had been revived lately - and Umi needed her fingers intact for archery and to do her best at kendo, though she could fight with bandaged fingers if they had a metal splint).

"Hoa!" Nico found herself crying out. Her kiai was rather pitiful stacked up against Umi's. Umi was very pleased, as she regarded this as excellent training for the "not fearing pain" part of kendo. When she said that, it reminded Nico of losing badly to Honoka in the race up the stairs. I wonder if I will ever get past that? she thought to herself in exasperation. Why she was so competitive about that contretemps with their group leader - where she had also had a moral defeat by cheating - wasn't something she wanted to over-think.

She was, honestly, grateful to Honoka. Her heart was catching up with her head there. But Umi had said martial arts was like chopping wood (not that Nico knew what that particular chore was like, so maybe rug beating was a better example). You could let your frustrations out.

Did Nico have them? No kidding!

So, what was she truly mad about? Her father was dead, her mother was overworked, it was hard to prevent her siblings from being neglected, her own idol group had crashed and burnt. True love had failed. She was probably seen as a slut by many people that otherwise respected her new group - or was that projection based on fear? She was already a senior in high school but hadn't nailed down any prospects for her future, really. Pinning her hopes on a music career that was entirely phantom at this point.

She wasn't going to think happy thoughts or about things that ameliorated her frustrations until she had gotten all the negative feelings out, out out!

...

"HOA!"

Izena was paradise, and it had put the kendo students in a good mood. They were in awe when they found out Umi-sempai and school actress Yazawa-san had actually been practicing Okinawan karate!

That it was the beginnings of an introductory class wasn't mentioned. Umi never bragged, but she also felt no need to give more details than were required at any given time.

At any rate, in the ensuing discussion, Nico did yet another unprecedented brave thing.

She expressed admiration for the kendo club, and to Umi's quiet astonishment, she brought up losing a race up the temple steps to Honoka Kousaka. This was after Nico'd spent her first year at Otonokizaka doing about forty practices and five shows. She'd admittedly been more than a year fallow at the time of the impromptu race, but so had ex-kendo member Honoka. Despite appearances to outsiders, kendo did more than just strengthen the practitioners' arms - it kept them very fit!

"Well," interjected one of the members, "I think you are leaving out that this is basically Umi-sempai's club, and it was mainly her club back in middle school when Kousaka-senpai was a member."

The implication that Umi was a slave-driver didn't need to be voiced by anyone, including Nico, who just laughed.

"Well," she finally said, "that girl has had me doing archery, kendo and karate, lately, and I am a better woman for it."

"Still," she added, "when I was running my group, I drove them and myself very hard, too. It's not just the effort, it's the efficiency, I think."

They had gotten a cheap and tiny room at a nearby inn for Nico, who was, after all, both impoverished and tiny, so she didn't mind at all. Umi couldn't stay the night, as she was due back by curfew where the faculty advisors, Tea Ceremony president, and various students were staying.

After they - still red-faced and shy - made love, and had a light dinner together, Umi left. She kissed Nico and told her to have a good sleep free of any obligations. She suggested she do stretching the next morning to keep herself limber, which Nico thought was a good idea.

She didn't think much of anything before falling asleep almost when her head hit the pillow.