Let's Go on a Journey [HonoUmi]

Ch 9 - Let's Have a Talk

Inside the movie theater, Umi looked up at the screen but wasn't engrossed in the film. Instead, she kept taking glances at Honoka and Kotori whispering to each other in the seats in front of her. While those two conversated, Rin and Hanayo were having a grand time sitting next to them. Even Maki and Nico were enjoying the movie. Eli, who was sitting with Nozomi, nudged Umi with her elbow.

"Umi, are you ok? You seem a bit distracted." Eli whispered.

"Yea, it looks like you're not into this. If this is about earlier, I'm really sorry. I truly thought I was helping." Nozomi sincerely apologized.

"Thanks for your concern but I'm okay. I'm just a tad bit tired...that's all." Umi reassured them with a contrived smile.

When they left the theater, everyone was still chatting yet, Umi remained quiet.

"Hey Nico-cchi, can you come over here for a second?" Nozomi said with an impish grin.

"If you even think about lifting me up like Simba, I. Will. End. You." Nico warned.

Rin was hopping up and down. "Ooh lift me up Nozomi-chan! I wanna be Simba nya!"

Honoka's laughter at their antics faded as she noticed Umi wasn't participating. "Umi-chan, did you like the movie?"

"Mhm."

"Umm do you need any help with your bags?"

"I'm good."

Honoka was baffled by Umi's curt responses. "Alrighty then."

Once the group split into their respective vehicles, Honoka decided to help Tsuki carry Kotori's and Nozomi's bag. Unlike the silence between her and Umi on their car ride over to the mall, the silence on their way back was stifling.

They managed to make it back to the hotel twenty minutes before Hamilton started. Umi immediately got out of the SUV and took her bags back to the room with Honoka hot on her tail.

"Umi-chan, wait a minute!" Honoka puffed.

"Play is about to start. We need to get a move on." Umi stored her bags on the side of the bed and swiftly walked past Honoka out of the room.

Honoka sighed and chased down Umi again. She caught up with her when the rest of the group were waiting by the hotel entrance. "Umi-chan, we didn't have to rush. Remember, the theater is less than five minutes from here."

"Quite contrary Honoka, you actually want to have time to get to your seats comfortably." Nico smugly schooled.

"Plus, I hate long lines." Maki chimed in.

As soon as the group made it inside the theater, Umi took her seat and Honoka plopped down in the seat next to her.

"Wha...aren't you going to sit with Kotori?" Umi snarked.

Honoka baffled, probed, "What does Kotori-chan have to do with me sitting here? I want to watch the play with you, Umi-chan."

"Ok." Umi turned her head to face a serious Honoka.

"Listen, I don't know what is going on, but I would like for us to have a talk when we get back to our room, ok?" Honoka placed her hand on top of Umi's.

Umi briefly glanced down at their hands and her shoulders momentarily untensed. "Sure."

"That play was amazing! From the songs to the choreography, it certainly had a way to tell a story." Umi commended as she walked through the hotel room door.

"I know right! Those rap battles after the intermission were awesome! I'm pretty sure Rin-chan is going to have "My Shot" playing on repeat." Honoka laughed as she collapsed onto the bed. She lifted her head and witnessed Umi smiling. Relieved, Honoka reached for the hotel room phone. "Hey, I'm going to order room service, what do you want Umi-chan?"

"I don't want anything."

"Are you sure? You barely ate a thing when we were at the mall."

Umi's smile dissipated and she glanced down at her feet. "Oh, I didn't know you noticed."

"Of course, I did." Honoka hopped off the bed, walked towards Umi and hugged her. "Why wouldn't I?"

Umi didn't hug Honoka back. She slightly pushed her off and scoffed, "Maybe because whatever this is, keeps on happening."

"Huh?" Honoka's confused face exasperated Umi.

"That! You act like you don't know what you've been doing then proceed to dig the knife a little bit deeper every time!"

Honoka was alarmed, "Umi-chan, you're not making any sense."

"Really? Let me make it clear then. You've been toying with my emotions since we got to this city! You went in heavy with your comments, your charming behavior, and your compliments, like what was that moment we were having in the dressing room? Then you immediately went right back to practically flirting with Kotori. Yet, the second Kotori stop bending to your whims and paid any attention to Tsuki, you doubled down on the affection towards her." Umi slowly exhaled as she finished her rant.

"I was just joking around with Kotori-chan and Kotori-chan is my best friend – "

"Then what am I Honoka!? Chopped liver?" Umi seethed.

"No! It's not like that!"

"Oh, no? Kotori-chan this, Kotori-chan that. If you like Kotori sooo much, why don't you go sleep with her instead!" Umi fumed.

"Fine." Honoka marched to the exit. With sorrow etched into her eyes, she took one last look back at Umi before she slammed the door behind her.

Umi broke into tears as she slid down the side of the bed, clutching onto her pillow. Consequently, she accidentally knocked over a bag. It was Honoka's bag from the M&M store. A single pink container with a red cover decorated with hearts and arrows rolled out. Umi picked it up when she saw there was a note attached addressed to her. She read it out loud. "To Umi.... Love, Honoka."

Umi sniffled and lifted the container cover to reveal one side of it read 'You stole my heart' and inside that container was a jar. The jar was filled with blue and orange M&M's. Each M&M had a heart on it with 'Honoka x Umi' scribed in the middle of it. Umi tears fell harder as she screamed into the pillow.