Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ School Days ❯ Enter The Families...Dinner At The Tendo's! ( Chapter 5 )

SCHOOL DAYS

A Ranma fan fiction

By Mitsukai Ashi

 

Summary: Ranma Saotome is a teenaged martial artist attending his third and final year at Furinkan High School. Tall, strong and totally hot, all the girls are in love with him…and he milks it for all it's worth.

Enter Akane Tendo, the new transfer student. Ranma sets his sights on her, but for the first time in his life, he's rejected! Will he ever win over this stubborn girl?

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma, Rumiko Takahashi does and all credits for the existence of Ranma shall go to her. I just write stories about her characters. ^_^

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER FIVE

 

Enter The Families…Dinner At The Tendo's!

 

 

 

Akane opened her house door and called out, “I'm home!”

“Welcome home, Akane!” called her oldest sister Kasumi from the kitchen. “Dinner will be ready soon!”

“Alright,” she replied, slipping off her shoes and humming slightly to herself as she walked up the stairs to her room. Her other sister Nabiki walked past her on the stairs but paused and turned around to watch her little sister open her bedroom door, still humming to herself, and walk into her room with a light little skip in her step. She raised an eyebrow and grinned to herself. Looked like it was time for a little interrogation.

Fifteen minutes later, Kasumi called the family for dinner. Nabiki watched her little sister in amusement; she had a light little smile on her face and seemed bouncy.

“So, Akane, good day today?” asked Nabiki.

“Hmm?” asked Akane, taking a bite of sukiyaki. “What makes you say that?”

“Just tell me. What happened that was so amazing and exciting today?” asked Nabiki, a sly look in her eyes.

“Oh, just…hung out with a friend for a while,” she said.

“A boyfriend, perhaps?” asked Nabiki.

Their father looked up sharply from his food. “A boyfriend?” Soun asked, furrowing his brows.

“Akane, you found a boyfriend?” asked Kasumi, sounding mildly surprised. Akane, on her part, was turning bright red.

“O-of course not!” she protested shakily. “As if I found a boyfriend.”

“It wouldn't happen to be that Ranma boy, would it?” continued Nabiki.

Akane stared at Nabiki, her face turning, if possible, even redder. “What do you know about Ranma?” she asked hesitantly.

“Oh come on, Akane, everyone at school knew about it. You fought him, you refused to date him, and you broke his nose!”

Akane scowled slightly. “So I hung out with him a little today, what's wrong with that?”

“You're ruining your reputation is what,” replied Nabiki.

“Reputation? I just transferred there! And besides, why should you care? You left last year!”

Kasumi and Soun, meanwhile, was just looking between these two as they spoke, looking as though they were watching a tennis game.

“You refused to date him, yet you went out with him today? You're double-crossing yourself! Didn't you say that you would stop his insane dating? I thought you meant by beating him up, not dating him yourself!”

“I am not dating him!” protested Akane, standing up furiously. “We hung out together today completely by accident! Neither of us was planning it! It's not what it looked like, we are NOT dating!!!”

“Methinks the lady doth protest too much,” said Nabiki, smirking. “So it was a date, no matter what you planned. That much is right, right?”

“You know what, Nabiki, you can just shut up and keep your nose out of my business!” snapped Akane, sitting back down abruptly.

“Meaning yes,” said Nabiki. “I'm sure everyone at your school is going to love hearing about this.”

Akane glanced up at her sister, her face draining of all color. “N-Nabiki…?” she asked nervously. “Y-you aren't seriously gonna…”

“Well, why shouldn't I? No one at your school has a life, I'm sure they'd love to hear about this,” said Nabiki, eating lazily.

Akane stared at her, knowing exactly what she was going to have to do. “How much are you asking for?” she asked dejectedly.

“¥2000,” she said. “And considering the enormity of the secret, that's pretty cheap.”

Akane sighed. “Doesn't look like I have a choice, do I?” she asked. “I'll give it to you later.”

“Akane, Nabiki, who is this Ranma?” asked Soun.

“He's a playboy that goes to Furinkan,” said Nabiki. “He's dated anywhere from twelve to fifteen girls in the last year alone. He's been hitting on Akane recently, but she's been fighting him tooth and nail…literally, too. Even us college students have heard of it…those of us that went to Furinkan, anyway.”

“Was that the fight that Akane had a few weeks ago, when we had all those guests watching a fight in the dojo?” asked Kasumi curiously. “It was far too crowded for me to get a good look, but I heard Akane was fighting a boy from another dojo.”

“That was it,” nodded Akane. “It ended up being a draw, though, so our bet never was finished.”

“And apparently now, Akane's actually falling for the little pervert,” said Nabiki teasingly.

“I AM NOT FALLING FOR RANMA SAOTOME!” yelled Akane.

Soun looked at Akane. “Did you say Saotome?” he asked.

“Yeah, why?” asked Akane. “Do you know him or something?”

“He's your age, right?”

“Yes…”

Soun rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “He may very well be the son of my old friend, Genma Saotome,” he said. “I haven't spoken to him in almost seventeen years…he sent me a letter after his son was born saying that he was to take his son on a sixteen-year-long training journey. I haven't spoken to him since.”

“Genma and…Ranma,” said Akane thoughtfully. “Now that I think about it, the names seem far too similar. And Ranma is from a dojo, after all; he's to inherit his family's dojo right after graduation.”

“Was the name of his school the Saotome School of Indiscriminate—”

“—Grappling? Yeah,” finished Akane. “So he must be your friend's son. How weird is that?”

“Perhaps we could have them over for dinner sometime,” suggested Kasumi. “After all, Mr. Saotome is a friend of father's, and his son is your boyfriend, right, Akane?”

“I told you, he is absolutely not my boyfriend!!!” snapped Akane.

“Nonetheless, why not invite him to dinner with us tomorrow night, Akane?” asked Soun. “Tell him to bring Genma and his wife, Nodoka. It's been forever since I've seen them.”

Akane shook her head with a mumbled agreement. Why was everyone so determined to couple her and Ranma? Even her own family…geez!

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, in another martial household a few miles away, another teenaged martial artist was having problems with his family as well.

“So I take it things are going well with your current girlfriend?” asked Genma.

“She ain't my girlfriend, Pop!” snapped Ranma. “She refuses to date me, and last I checked, that's a rejection, not a girlfriend.”

“But you two went out today, didn't you, Ranma?” asked Nodoka gently, handing him a bowl of rice.

“Our friends set us up,” grumbled Ranma. “She didn't do it willingly. I think she might've agreed to it just cuz she feels sorry for me.”

“How do you mean?” asked Nodoka.

“She was the one that broke my nose three weeks ago, Mom,” he said. “Since then, everyone's been sort of ignoring me, a lot more so than they used to. Akane's nice, so she probably felt guilty about it, and I think that's why she agreed to our little `date' today.”

“Are you sure she holds no feelings for—”

“What does it matter, Pop?!” he snapped. “At this rate, there's no way I could date her and observe her before graduation.”

“Then why keep after—”

“I don't know!” he shouted. “Because I feel like it, does it matter? I have to find a girl to marry before graduation, or have you forgotten? If Akane hates me so much, I'm just going to have give up on her and move on.”

Nodoka watched her son in surprise. Never had she seen him so distressed over one particular girl. She placed a calming hand on her son's shoulder and asked gently, “Ranma, who are you trying to convince…us? Or yourself?”

He glanced up at her, looking a little nervous. “W-what do you mean?”

“You seem to genuinely like this Akane,” said Genma.

“You all keep saying that, but how would any of you know how I feel?” asked Ranma sharply. “First Ryoga and Mousse, then Hiroshi and Daisuke, and now you guys! Geez!” He stood up and made to leave the room.

“Ranma, what about dinner?” asked Nodoka.

“Not hungry,” he muttered, closing the door and walking away to his room. His parents looked at one another in confusion.

“Why must you do this to him, dear?” asked Nodoka. “Why can't you let our son decide when and why he wants to marry?”

“Nodoka, you know as well as I that when there is a tradition to be upheld in a family such as ours, it must be followed through, no matter the heir's feelings.”

“But this is our son—”

“And the heir to our school,” finished Genma. “I may be flexible in some situations, Nodoka, but when it comes to the future of both our son and our school, I will not yield.”

Nodoka sighed heavily and served her husband his dinner. She hoped dearly that this girl that was troubling Ranma so much was worth her son's temporary depression. She was certain she would be, but with Ranma's taste, well…you never knew.

 

* * *

 

The next day, Akane dragged Ukyo and Shampoo to the roof during lunch. She had not forgotten the little…situation…her friends had put her though the day before.

“What the hell were you thinking, sending us out on a blind date like that?!” demanded Akane. “That just wasn't fair. You guys realize that if this gets out, my life is ruined!”

“Well…I mean, don't you like him, Akane?” asked Ukyo.

“And whatever gave you that impression?!” demanded Akane. “I felt sorry for him because I broke his nose just because I was PMSing and in a bad mood! Since when does that qualify as `liking' someone?”

“But Akane watch Ranma during class,” said Shampoo. “Shampoo see you watch Ranma all times.”

“I…I do not watch him!” spluttered Akane.

“You do so!” said Ukyo. “Yuka and Sayuri noticed it too.”

“Well, then, you guys all need your eyes checked,” said Akane. “Let me get one thing straight. I do not like Ranma. At the very most, he's a friend. That's it! And apparently, his dad is my dad's best friend. So when I ask him to dinner with my family later, do not mention anything like this, alright?”

The other two just nodded. They knew when to back off when it came to Akane. She may be mild-mannered most of the time, but if you got her pissed you were in trouble. So they knew that right now, they should just lay off.

“Thank you,” said Akane, relaxing a bit. “And no more planning blind dates with Mousse and Ryoga! Cuz the next time, I guarantee that someone will get hurt for it.”

“Yes, Akane,” they said sheepishly.

“Good. Now let's get back to the classroom, I'm starving.”

 

* * *

 

Ranma's reaction to his friends was quite different from Akane's.

“God, guys, I can't thank you enough,” said Ranma. “Maybe now she'll stop seeing me as a perverted bastard and start actually seeing me.”

“But…you are a perverted bastard,” said Ryoga. “So what's the difference?”

Ranma kicked Ryoga's shin. “Oh, shut up,” he said. “You know that girl-chasing isn't the only thing in my life. Just half of it!” he finished matter-of-factly.

The other four boys rolled their eyes. Leave it to Ranma to work out a logical-sounding but completely stupid explanation like that.

“In any case, she's starting to thaw a little,” said Ranma. “I don't think she totally hates me anymore.”

“She just hates you a little then?” asked Daisuke sarcastically.

“Yup,” answered Ranma with complete seriousness. The others just exchanged annoyed glances. (a/n: I really make it seem like they really don't like Ranma, don't I? But they love him. How could they not? LOL on with the story, sorry for the interruption.) “I really owe you guys one for yesterday.”

“Why not set me up with Shampoo, then, Ranma?” asked Mousse eagerly.

“Mousse, I know I said I owe you one, but I'm not a miracle worker,” said Ranma. “If you want my advice on that one-which you probably don't, but I'll tell you anyway—stop stalking her and just talk to her. It's not as if you guys are complete strangers, right? You came from the same village, for crying out loud!”

“That's the problem, Ranma, our ways are different than yours!” said Mousse. “You see, years ago, when we were three, Shampoo knocked me out in a mock-fight. That disqualified me as a potential suitor, even if it was just when we were toddlers. So my only chance is to get Shampoo to forget about the Amazonian laws and like me for real, not because of some dumb law.”

“Mousse, aren't you an Amazonian too?” asked Daisuke. “So no matter what, you have to follow the laws as well.”

“I'm willing to leave the Amazonian tribe if it means that I can be with Shampoo,” said Mousse quietly. “I love her way more than that village anyway.”

None of them noticed the girls walking back into the classroom from their little discussion, and Shampoo nearly froze upon overhearing these words. Ukyo and Akane paused as well, but decided not to say anything to her while they were still by the boys. They continued across the room to where Yuka and Sayuri were waiting for them.

“What's wrong, Shampoo?” asked Yuka immediately. “You look pale as a ghost.”

“Shampoo overhear Mousse say he love me,” said Shampoo quietly.

“You mean you didn't know?” asked Sayuri in surprise. “I heard that the whole reason he came here to Japan was because he followed you.”

“Mousse…always like Shampoo,” admitted Shampoo. “Shampoo no can be with Mousse, though.”

“Why?” asked Sayuri.

“Mousse and Shampoo are both Amazonians,” said Ukyo. “They have laws they have to follow. For instance, any man Shampoo has defeated in any manner whatsoever is disqualified as a potential husband, but the first man that manages to defeat her must become her husband.”

“You've already defeated Mousse?” asked Yuka.

“Mousse and Shampoo were three year old,” said Shampoo. “We play-fight, but Shampoo accidentally knock Mousse out. Cannot marry now unless he defeat me…and there no chance of that.”

“Why not?” asked Sayuri.

“Sayuri, can you seriously see Mousse having the heart to defeat Shampoo?” asked Akane. “Mousse is really nice; even if it meant being able to marry the woman he loves, he doesn't want to force her into marriage like that.”

“Oh…” said both girls sympathetically, looking at the Chinese girl.

“Do you like Mousse, Shampoo?” asked Ukyo kindly.

“Shampoo…Shampoo no know,” sighed the poor young girl. “No know anything right now…”

The rest of the girls exchanged looks, silently agreeing not to pressure her anymore, so they began talking about lighter topics. Akane had a niggling feeling that she knew how Shampoo really felt, though, and made a mental note to talk to her about it later.

At the moment, though, Akane had her own boy problems to deal with, she noted, as she glanced up at the clock, which was slowly ticking away the seconds to the end of the school day, when she'd have to invite the Saotomes to dinner with her family…

 

* * *

 

As soon as the bell rang at the end of the day, Akane went over to Ranma, grabbed him by his pigtail, and began dragging him through the school hallways, ignoring his cries of pain and annoyance. She knew that their friends were following them, but she didn't particularly care. She didn't release him until they were outside the gates of the school.

“What the hell, Akane?” he snapped, rubbing his head vigorously.

“My family wants yours to come to dinner with us tonight,” she said, deciding to just get to the point. “Be there or I'll kill you.”

He blinked down at her in confusion. “Um…what?” he asked, trying to figure out what was going on.

“Are you deaf?” she asked, crossing her arms. “I'll try to make it simpler. Dinner, tonight, my place, bring your family.”

“No, I got that part, just…why?” he asked.

“Because my dad wants you guys to, that's why,” she said. “Apparently our fathers were best friends years ago. That is, assuming that your father's name is Genma.”

“Yeah, it is…but…”

“So it's settled. Be there by five,” she said, motioning to her friends as she turned to leave. The other girls quickly followed her while the boys approached Ranma, who was still wondering what the hell just happened.

“What was that about, Ranma?” asked Daisuke.

“Hell if I know,” he said. “C'mon, let's get going.”

 

* * *

 

That evening, the Saotomes did indeed come to the Tendo dojo for dinner. Kasumi was sweeping in the front gate when the three of them walked up, but as they approached, she paused and glanced up.

“Oh, hello,” she said pleasantly. “You must be the Saotomes. Please, do come in.”

“Kasumi?” asked Genma, peering at her. “Is that you?”

She blinked and tilted her head slightly. “Yes…I'm sorry, have we met?” she asked.

“Well, I'm not surprised you don't remember us,” said Nodoka. “You were only three years old the last time we saw you. And dear Nabiki was only a year old.”

“I see,” said Kasumi, smiling. “That would explain a few things, then. Please, come in. My father and sisters are eagerly awaiting your presence. I'm afraid dinner is not ready just yet, you'll just have to wait a little while.”

“Of course,” said Genma, bowing. “Thank you for having us.”

“Oh, no, thank you for coming,” replied Kasumi, also bowing. Ranma rolled his eyes. He never did get that whole bowing thing when someone invited you over. Kasumi stepped aside and showed them the way to the house. They walked into the house and Soun came into the entrance hall.

“Saotome, my old friend!” exclaimed Soun. “How nice to see you again!”

“Likewise, Tendo!” said Genma excitedly. They ran at one another as though they were going to (and Ranma cringed at this thought) hug, but at the last second, they turned slightly and attacked one another simultaneously. Ranma just stared at them as they started laughing their heads off, as though this was nothing new.

“Ranma, please, your shoes,” said Nodoka, completely ignoring the two men.

“Uh…right,” he said, slipping off his shoes. He looked around, wondering if Akane was here. As he wondered, another Tendo sister walked into the room…but unfortunately for Ranma, she wasn't Akane.

“Oh, hello, Ranma,” said Nabiki. “You may not know me, but…”

“You're Nabiki Tendo,” said Ranma. “The famous sociopathic, money-loving girl that graduated last year.”

“I see my reputation reached my old underclassmen as well,” she said with a sly smile. “Now, I have a deal for you…”

“No way,” said Ranma.

“But you don't know what it is yet!”

“I said no way,” he said. “Making deals with you is asking for trouble. Even I know that.”

“Fine then,” she said, turning away. “Guess Akane's not gonna be very happy with me then.”

He meant to ignore her, but those words caught his attention…as Nabiki knew they would.

“W-what do you mean?” he asked.

“Well, Akane asked me to not tell anyone about your little date the yesterday,” she said. “Said it would ruin her reputation. But if you're not going to make the deal, I guess I'm just going to have to—”

“Wait,” said Ranma. “If Akane doesn't want anyone to know…then fine, what's the deal?”

“¥3000,” she said. “That's all, and you can keep Akane happy.”

He scowled for a moment but said reluctantly, “Fine, whatever. I'll bring the money over tomorrow.”

“Nabiki!” yelled a voice from up the stairs. Ranma and Nabiki looked up to find Akane descending the stairs, a look of anger on her face. Ranma felt rather surprised as he noticed that she was wearing jeans. Depsite her tomboyish nature, for some reason, he had never been able to hold the thought of her wearing pants, just skirts or dresses. That may have had to do with the fact that he'd only ever seen her in her school uniform or her gi, but still, it was a surprise. She, meanwhile, stormed up to her sister and snapped, “You already promised you wouldn't tell about that! How dare you try to cheat Ranma out of money?”

“Can't blame a girl for trying to make a little cash,” shrugged Nabiki. “Guess you're off the hook, then, Ranma,” she added, leaving the room. Ranma stared after her, as did Akane.

“I can't believe how different you and your sisters are,” he stated. “A mother-like one, a greedy one, and a tomboy.”

“Hey, who're you calling a tomboy?” she asked furiously. “I just saved you ¥3000! You'd better be grateful for it, because I'm not doing it again if you're going to call me a tomboy!”

“I was teasing!” he said. “Geez, what the hell is your problem?”

Akane opened her mouth to say something, but then Kasumi called from the kitchen that dinner was ready. She closed her mouth and just turned resolutely away, leaving him to stare after her. When she left the room, though, he couldn't help but laugh a little. She was so cute when she was angry!

“Ranma, come on!” called Genma, and Ranma followed, still laughing to himself.

His smile quickly faded, however, when he entered the room and took in the seating arrangement. Apparently, their families already thought of them as a couple, because the only place left to sit was by Akane. Cursing his parents, he sat down lightly beside Akane, in case he had to get up in a hurry should she decide to attack him during dinner.

“So, Genma, how's life been?” asked Soun.

“Well, Soun…”

And soon they were off, talking about random stuff, leaving the women and Ranma to themselves. Nabiki and Kasumi quickly engaged Nodoka in a conversation, leaving Ranma and Akane to talk to each other…which Akane, apparently, was not very willing to do.

“So, Akane…um…how did Nabiki find out about yesterday?” he asked.

Akane blushed as she remembered how happily she had been acting the previous night, all because of a stupid date with a stupid boy that she didn't even like. Not even she could explain why she had felt so happy after that little excursion, but it was not because she liked him. No, she did NOT like Ranma! Nope. No way. And he did not look totally hot in those Chinese clothes of his. And she wasn't going to talk to him, either. So there!

“Because I was so late getting home yesterday,” she lied, damning her very weak willpower on this matter.

“Oh…I'm…sorry about that,” he said quietly. “If I wasn't so afraid of cats…”

“Oh, no, that's no problem!” she said also quietly so the others souldn't hear, suddenly looking at him, no traces of anger to be found. “That wasn't your fault. I mean, you can't help it if you're afraid of cats!”

“Yeah, but still…”

“There is one thing I wanted to ask, though…why are you afraid of cats?”

He coughed, almost choking on the tea he had been in the process of drinking. He coughed a few times before finally settling down, a look of dread on his face.

“I, uh…I'd rather not say,” he mumbled finally.

“C'mon, Ranma, tell me,” she said. “I won't tell, I promise.”

“I know that, but…”

“Please?”

He couldn't resist, not with her looking up at him with those brown eyes sparkling with interest. Damn her and her big brown eyes!

“Alright…but promise you won't laugh?” he asked.

“Promise.”

“Well…um…when I was a kid, Dad tried teaching me something he called Cat-Fu.”

“Oh, I've heard of that,” she broke in. “The method of the legendary Cat-Fist, a technique that only the truly powerful can master.”

“Right, well…that's a lie. It's possible for even a coward to learn.”

She raised an eyebrow. This sounded interesting.

“That is, assuming the coward's trainer is stupid enough to wrap the trainee in meat and throw him into a pit of starving cats.”

She stared at him. “You're joking, right?”

“Do I look like I'm joking?” he asked. The thing was, he didn't. He looked dead serious. “Dad did that to me too many times to count, wrapping me in all sorts of meats, throwing me into pits of hungry cats. Those cats loved me cuz I technically fed them; they terrified me because they were so hungry they tore at me over and over and over again. That was about ten years ago…and I've been scared of cats ever since. I learned the technique but…”

She felt the strong urge to laugh, but she had promised that she wouldn't. So she just pursed her lips and said, “Well…yes, that would explain a few things.”

He watched her in amazement. He could see that she wanted to laugh, but she refused to just because she said she wouldn't. This girl just continued to surprise him more and more the more he got to know her. Maybe…maybe he would be able to…

He shook his head mentally. No. I can't tell her that, he thought. Even she wouldn't be able to accept something like…like that. If I have any say in it, she'll never learn what a freak I truly am.

“…Ranma? Are you listening to me?”

“Huh?” he replied smartly, mentally hitting himself for dazing off.

“I asked if you want to spar after dinner,” said Akane. “A little workout, you know?”

“Um…sure, why not?” he said. He smiled that cocky smile he was so known for. “I'll try to take it easy on you.”

“Don't give me that, Ranma,” she said. “You should know better than to underestimate me by now, if your nose is any indication.”

“Hey, that's not fair!” he said. “I was off guard that day. I was asking you out, for god's sake, why should I have been prepared for a fight?”

“Cause this is me we're talking about,” she said.

“…Good point,” he muttered.

“Oh, and no stakes tonight, alright?” she said. “Just a normal spar.”

“Whatever you say, Akane,” he said.

 

* * *

 

So, after dinner and Akane changing into her gi, the two of them went off to the dojo for a little practice spar. Everyone else stayed in the house to watch T.V. (although they were really just trying to get the two of them alone…heh heh heh). They stood in the same spots they did last time they had fought, though they both were pretty happy that there weren't any people on the sidelines to worry about.

“Don't you dare go easy on me or I'll kill you,” said Akane as she bowed.

“Don't worry,” he promised, also bowing. Under his breath, he added, “I have…other plans, Akane.”

She charged him, and he ducked as she threw a punch. Over and over, she punched or kicked while he just ducked each and every one of them.

“What's your problem?” she said. “Hit me back!”

Ranma, however, did nothing except continue to dodge each move she made. He felt rather annoyed because he could tell she was holding back, but for his plans, it would do just fine. Eventually, they began working their way around the dojo, going in circles as she attacked while he evaded. He was beginning to have a hard time of it; his fighting spirit screamed at him to join in the spar, but his mind said don't do anything if you want this to work. Finally, when they had circled the dojo for about the 5th time, he finally made a motion other than a duck. As she reached out to punch, her reactions slightly slower than before from her constant attacks, he jumped, using her fist for support, and landed behind her. She, taken by surprise, wasn't quick enough to move away as he kicked his foot at hers, causing her to trip backwards—right into his arms.

She froze as she realized what had just happened. He was holding her half-bridal style, supporting her and preventing her from hitting the ground. And all she could do was stare up at him like an idiot.

“I win,” he murmured, and Akane became very aware of the fact that their faces were just a little too close to one another's.

“R-Ranma?” she asked, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

He lowered his head closer, and she felt her face heat up as his lips came in so very, very close to hers. She couldn't help but lean up in anticipation, pretty certain of what was coming. But at the last second, his mouth veered away from hers to whisper in her ear, “By the way, Akane…no girl says no to me and gets away with it for very long.”

She shivered, for more than one reason. He then proceeded to help her back on her feet, looking as though nothing had happened. She, on the other hand, felt like a fool. He could've kissed her—she thought he was going to kiss her—and what does she go and do? She was going to let him! Even worse, she was not only expecting it, but also wanting it. She even tried to help him do it! What was wrong with her? Why had she done such a stupid, foolish thing, when she didn't even like him? And worst of all, why did it feel like her heart was being crushed?

She didn't like it, these feelings coursing through her. So she released them in the only way she knew how: she lost her temper and attacked Ranma.

“RANMA SAOTOME!!!” she screamed, launching herself at him, fists flailing wildly. He, however, grabbed both her wrists and stopped her in her path. She made to kick him in the groin, but he stopped her with his leg.

“Why so angry, Akane?” he asked innocently, looking down at her. “Did you want me to do anything? Were you expecting me to say or do something else?”

She hated him sooooo much right now. Obviously he knew what she was angry about, but she couldn't say it herself without making it sound as though she wanted him to kiss her. And even if she had, she was not about to admit that.

“Ranma! Time to go home!”

“Coming, Pop!” Ranma called back to the voice calling from the house. He released Akane and made to leave. She just stared after him, hate written on every line of her face while he just whistled nonchalantly, hands folded behind his head as he walked to the exit.

“See you tomorrow, tomboy,” he called behind him as he left the training hall.

“Damn you, you stupid pervert!” she yelled after him. He made no reaction and soon, he had vanished into the falling darkness outside. She cursed him a few more times before she dashed off to the house to lock herself in her room and fume over this. He was not going to get away with this!!!

 

 

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(A/N):

 

Hmm…this chapter was a little longer than the others, but oh well.

 

As you may have noticed, I plan on setting the other Ranma