After that wedding fiasco, everything became worse. I still cannot forgive them for what they did to Akane. She was hurt. Not physically, but I know she was wounded emotionally. She was brutally hurt by her family. She still could not accept it.
After that incident, she was never the same. She avoided everyone but most especially me. Then I knew that we had to talk.
She was sitting by the porch. Sipping her tea while looking at the koi pond, I decided that this was the perfect time for the talk. For once, I felt all my confidence was drained of me. She was still hurt.
"Hey 'kane! Whatcha doin out here? Aren't you cold?" I asked
"Just thinking" she replied. I felt even more afraid now that her tone was very serious.
"Bout what?"
"About what would it be like to be free from it all?"
What the hell, I thought she felt the same way. She might not have said it to me directly but I felt it. Was I wrong?
"It is your own choice, Akane. I will respect your decision just don't keep it to yourself"
She finally looked at me for the first time since that incident. I did not like what I saw. It was blank and I can't stand it.
"Since my mother died, I had no one. When she died everything else died with her. I had Father, Kasumi and Nabiki. They were with me but they were never there when I needed to talk. But I didn't want to complain. The fact that we are together was enough to make me content." I sat down next to her. I was drowned by her voice.
"Then you came Ranma. Until now I cannot tell whether you are my friend or a nuisance. You are the one who dug my grave. You together with your other fiancé have pushed me down into that grave. But what was worst was that you, Ranma, were the one who buried me and imprisoned me with earth."
I did not notice that she stopped talking. I just sat there, digesting all the things that she said. My mouth was probably open because I felt her fingers touching them. She was silent.
I didn't know what to think. My mind was completely blank except from the words that kept on ringing inside my head. It was all my...
"Funny was that you were also the one who got me out."
"Akane..."
And she whispered to me, "I choose...to be free"
I heard voices. I opened my eyes to look around. Everyone looked fine. I realized that I was in the hospital. I looked to my left and saw Akane. She was sleeping peacefully and I noticed that she was smiling.
Everyone left the room after Doctor Tofu removed some of the wire stuff on me and cleaned my wounds. I went towards Akane's bed. She was recovering and I was glad. I just can't believe that it was a dream. I began to stroke Akane's hair and reveling on the feeling of this closeness. She started to open her eyes. She smiled at me and said:
"You should not keep your mouth open" It didn't make sense because my mouth was closed for sure then I remembered my dream. I bowed my head in shame.
"It might have hurt you. I know it was rude of me nut I just needed to get it out, you said it yourself. Don't blame yourself because after all you are still my knight."
"But I was the one who dug your grave Akane, I almost killed you with my insensitivity..."
"Not to mention your rudeness"
"Yeah, so how could I be your knight Akane? Hell, I'm not even fit to be your fiancé."
"You freed me" With those three words, things became clear. I was her strength and she was mine. With those three words, both of us were freed.
