The Ballad of the Yesteryears, a ranma fanfic

Summary: Ranma and Akane reflect on the past. A complete songfic. Based on the "Ranma to Akane no Baraado (Ballad of Ranma and Akane)" by Yamaguchi Kappei and Hidaka Noriko.

Rating: T

Genre: Romance/ WAFF / Songfic

Author's Notes: I've started to rewrite almost all of my fanfics. Heck, these stories weren't fanfics originally anyway – they were a short story written for my projects and school paper, to boot! I just posted it because I, well, wanted to. :D Anyway, I'll go on and edit ALL of these just for it to fit into the Ranma-verse. Nevertheless, without further ado, here it is:

The Ballad of the Yesteryears

A Ranma ½ Fanfic

By Kurasuchi

Ranma Saotome is a pure-blooded egotistically-maneuvered person. He constantly brags about everything, from skills to talent, and even to his bust size – even as a girl – he does not lose! He loves to taunt everyone, especially his fiancée, Akane Tendo.

Oh, for the "fiancée matters" as many implies, he was being chased by a number of lunatics constantly. Though, it is a common sight for the townsfolk of Nerima-cho, Tokyo. Townspeople just don't mingle with the likes of them too much. They knew how to keep out of sight, away from the martial artists of Nerima, most especially the Musabetsu Kakuto-ryuu, commonly known in the West as the School of Anything Goes Martial Arts.

One Chinese Amazon bimbo, another for a cross-dresser and okonomiyaki chef, then a gymnast lunatic -- these are the main girls who wished to win his heart, honor-bound or law-bound, or just simply randomized. They chased him constantly, and proved to be "quite a trouble" in his life.

On the other hand, he had his "main fiancée," Akane. She was a very beautiful girl. She was sweet and nice, and was extremely popular – gone to the point where the whole campus boys kept on chasing her every morning. But aside everything, she was something else. She does not keep on chasing him. She does not treat him like his other fiancées do.

She simply doesn't care.

The girl in question simply looked at him while he contemplated atop of a roof. Sakura petals were everywhere, the cool breeze is wiping out the calmness he had left, her hair is still wet after taking a bath, and its short angle simply framed her face. She then smiled at him.

One word can only describe it.

"Cute…"

warau to kawaii yo

dakara sunao ni nare yo

ijippari-na toko wa

sou yo, o-tagai-sama yo ne

Akane did not understand what Ranma has said. "What are you saying?"

"It's nothing. Just… go on. With what you are doing, that is," he replied.

Ranma Saotome was a pushover. He just kept on with the flow. He neglected his fiancée's smile. He did not reply to her normally.

He just told her to leave. What a jerk.

The boy-in-question now laid down himself on the roof. No one can disturb him from this, he swears it! He closed his eyes, and thought of something. Martial arts, kenpo, food, okonomiyaki, ramen, dojo, coconuts to Kuno, he tried to think of. But, he failed.

Only one thing crossed his mind.

That image of gorgeous, young lass who made his world turn upside down. The girl he was supposed to marry and carry on the dojo.

Akane.

He smiled at the memory. He knew that after Jusendou, he admitted to himself that he really was in love with her, even though he was quick to deny it. For him, denials make things easier. Well, what can he say? No early marriages, no angry scumbags and lunatics, and… no rejection.

He was scared of rejection. Would she reject him?

After the failed wedding, how can she proceed into it? Did she really - - ?

"Ranma…"

Ranma shuddered at the call. He looked at his side, only to find the same girl that was haunting him in his dreams.

"Akane…"

Akane faced him, sitting abruptly. "You seem to spacing out. What's wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong," he groaned. "Just thinking of something."

He fell silent when Akane replied with a short "oh." He then went back on reminiscing, this time with Akane.

He remembered the times when she loved to be violent. Heck, her mallet's image is still vivid! He remembered her kicks and uppercuts. He loved their exchange of words. He fell silent when he remembered the smiles she bestowed upon him, her niceness, her warm words of acceptance, and her tiny hands that he held in Ryuugenzawa... all of these, he loved.

And hard as he may try, it is impossible not to love her.

He tried to reach out for her hand. She noticed, and grabbed his shaky hands. He felt warm and fuzzy inside.

She then smiled.

oya no kimeta iinazuke

saishou wa sou demo

shirazu, shirazu aijou wa

mebaete-ita ne

Tendou Akane - - that was a name that is surely famous in the four corners of the school. Well, not just famous, but extremely famous, thanks to her own set of hentai horde.

Every morning, it has been an infuriating routine for Akane to beat up almost all the boys of Furinkan. It was all that Blue Thunder's fault, actually! It's not that she'd ask for it! But, that came to an end when her fiancé, Ranma Saotome, came into her life.

And came with it are all the chaotic experiences she had never experienced before.

Akane Tendo was known to be an all-around tomboy. Hell, even Ranma teases her about it!

She wanted to kick the living hell out of him! But.. whenever she sees him moody, it just… affects her somehow.

She wanted him to be happy. And, she would do whatever she can for his sake. Just like the good 'ol times, where she sacrificed herself for the moxibustion point chart, not to mention on what happened at Jusendou…

Where he told her that he loved her, even if he was quick to deny it. Well, deny it all he want, but she heard what she had heard, and she knows it. And with that, it's enough. She doesn't want to be married while still in high school, anyway.

She remembered the times that their fathers schemed a plan for them to be married. She had been incredibly furious at this! Not to mention, very angry… but, that is, at first. Slowly but surely, she had grown too attached to the idea of having a fiancée that sometimes, her tongue just slips along the lines. She.. she knew that somehow, she loved her stupid fiancé.

From all those times that they had shared..The tears…joy… laughter... sorrow… these, among everything else. And she loved it. And, she knew that time by time, slowly but surely, they had been falling in love. Well, if they weren't, then what would be the best explanation for their intertwined hands?

umaku tsutaerarenai ze

futari koi ni bukiyou

kyou wa kao ga mirenai ze

konna kimochi hajimete

This feeling is new for the both of them. As they both looked at their intertwined hands, they smiled into each other's eyes.

"Ranma?"

Ranma looked at Akane inquisitively. "Thank you," she then said.

Ranma was surprised at this. Sure, he steeled himself against Akane's attacks and other violent tendencies and everything, and he was also used on holding hands, but this.. well, he wasn't prepared for this. "For what?"

"For everything. I really appreciate it, Ranma," Akane said with a sigh. She then smiled her fullest at him, with her cheeks stained red, and with that, Ranma was completely flustered.

"I…uh.. You're welcome. Don't worry, I'd always be here," Ranma replied. Now, now. It was Akane's turn to get flustered!

When did a blank wall and a blank roof tile become so interesting?

They avoided each other's gaze, while still blushing madly. Yet, their hands clasped together tightly. And, it was even tighter than before.

kotoba ni wa mada dasenai kara

sotto te ni fureru yo

Slowly, your hand in mine's enough.

So, that's it! XD

Sorry for the late update.. and oh! Why are there no reviews in any of my story? I mean, all fics here had some, only mine had none! Is it really that bad?

Okay, "sotto te ni fureru yo" means "slowly, your hand in mine's enough," which explains the fic quite well.