well somewhat AU.
Houki suddenly remembers her childhood when she was training kendo. All the other kids didn't like her because she was so good even though they were all the same age. She was even good enough to beat adults. But Ichika always challenged her and didn't have any problems spending time with her or her tomboyish attitude. So she started liking him without knowing it. One day, her bottled up feelings got out of hand and she questioned him why he always hung around her, she was always beating him up during his challenges and she wasn't girly at all. Ichika just says that he doesn't see what's wrong with that. Ichika tells Houki that Chifuyu is strong and he likes Chifuyu a lot.
That inconsequential memory makes Houki have a small epiphany and she says. "Ichika likes strong women?"
Turns out she was with the other girls and they heard her.
*the rest is easy enough to imagine*
