(Mina's POV)
I spent the whole night thinking about what Tzuyu's metaphor means.
Geez, Tzuyu could've put it simpler!
We decided to settle the matter in the garden just outside the temple; almost all the gods were there, apart from Hestia. Nayeon was there as well, trying her best to hide her concern.
"Remember that you are sisters," my father told me gravely before the beginning. "No matter how this match ends, I wish you to respect each other."
"Yes, Father." I answered him politely. I don't actually hate Jeongyeon even if I can't say that I love her either; I just want to hold councils in peace.
Jeongyeon appeared soon, wearing a tight dark red tunic that was just long enough to cover her butt cracks. Lol. She was probably trying to scare the heck out of me by showing me her lean body, her long legs and arms.
The match begun; for the first few minutes we just studied each other, throwing some tentative punches here and there. She was strong, but sensibly slower than me and she found it difficult to react when I did something unexpected.
Then she tried to throw an uppercut to me but I whirled around and jabbed her in the stomach; the hit was not hard enough because she backed for just a moment but she didn't even fall.
"Are you going to beat me up like this, little one?" she mocked.
"How are you going to beat me up if you hardly ever touch me?" I mocked her back. She threw herself at my throat, enraged, and she tightened her hands so much that she really hurt me. But then I kneed her in the groin, right in the center core and she let go of me with a muffled cry.
"What the... You dirty little --!" she cried out, seething.
I know that was a low blow but damn, she was breaking my neck!
Finally, she tried to punch me in the stomach but before she could even reach me, I had grabbed her wrist. She looked at my hand with a hint of surprise and I, remembering Tzuyu's words, took the chance to punch her on her nose. She didn't even see my fist coming; she just fell on the ground.
I took just a moment to congratulate myself before bending over her:
"Now, you will be a good girl for the next century. And dear sister, you should improve your skills." Actually, she had beaten me up and my body was aching but of course, I couldn't let her know.
Jeongyeon didn't even answer to me. She just stood up and left without a word.
"Enchanting!" Jihyo commented with that excited expression of her. "You still have marks on your neck but I will take care of that." She slowly ran her hand on my neck and the red marks disappeared.
Nayeon hugged me tightly and kissed me on the cheek, while the other gods just looked at me, some pleased and some bewildered. I noticed Hera's hostile look when I passed her way; she is probably still pissed about her daughter being knocked out by one of Zeus' bastards.
And Tzuyu winked at me!
The thought still makes me laugh...
-------------------------------------------------
(Tzuyu's POV)
I was laughing so much that my legs were shaking. The newly appointed one was great, and apparently, she has listened to my advice too.
I approached her as she was about to leave with her fiancée. "You fought well," I told her with a smile, "but don't think that problems are over now. There are many wrathful gods you will have to calm down in the future – and they're not all like Jeongyeon."
"Oh, well, I'll plan something for them too." She answered with her sweet smile. "I understood what you meant about the head," she added.
I laughed, winking at her, and hugged her briefly before going to our father.
"I know I shouldn't favor a daughter over another," he started, "but I'm pleased. Jeongyeon is really hard to endure sometimes. And Mina is quite a tough cookie, despite the appearance.
"I had told you so," Jihyo cut in, smiling proudly.
"I am not surprised though. She is my daughter after all."
"Tough and cunning as she is, should there be some delicate mission to carry on, we can count on her." I told our father.
"If you believe that punching and kneeing my daughter is tough and cunning, so be it." Hera interrupted us. She was slightly paler than usual and her lips were thin.
"Her behavior during the council was unforgivable, Hera, you can't deny it." My father answered.
"It was, but it wasn't necessary to beat her up. She's not a child." She told him bitterly.
"Actually, Jeongyeon accepted to settle the disagreement with a boxing match," I said, "and she lost it. No one beat her up."
You're being irrational because Mina is not your daughter, I thought. But that would've been a petty thing to say.
I think it's safe to say that our sister, Mina, has just started to surprise us.
And this is only the beginning.
Much more is yet to come.
