One-Shot
Rumiko Takahashi owns Ranma 1/2.
"So, I went there and said, 'I love you'. Actually I said it with more intensity, I said 'I LOVE YOU!'. There, I said it, Ukyo. I said it to Akane two months ago and to remember what happened after still hurts. She just looked at me and said 'Oh, Ryouga'. There I knew she didn't love me back. Maybe you'll think I'm crazy, but I'm not, I knew the way the words came out of her mouth she didn't love me back. And then I tried to get out of Nerima, but always manage to get here again someway", Ryouga stopped to talk and drank more sake.
Ukyo watched him carefully. This was not the first time the lost boy was there to tell her the same story. She couldn't blame him; Ukyo herself was dealing with feelings she didn't like. Ranma and Akane were closer, having civil conversations and even when Akane got pissed with Ranma they managed to be in peace again minutes later. And Ranma talking about Akane, everytime he paid a visit, wasn't helping.
"Sugar, I think you drank too much", Ukyo said and helped Ryouga to get to the bathroom where he put his insides out. Ukyo sighed from the door outside waiting until Ryouga got better. Five minutes later, Ryouga looked at her and sighed, "I did it again. Sorry, Ukyo". The young chef just looked at him and put a hand on his shoulder, "Let's just say I was where you are now. I... kind of understand you"
Ryouga looked at Ukyo and smiled. He didn't know why, but since when he began to talk to Ukyo, smiling wasn't so hard. Actually smiling to her wasn't hard. He closed his eyes for a moment, "Maybe it's time to go. I'm just bothering you staying here", he said.
"It's ok, sugar. You are my only company left since I understood I had no chance. My life was just to wait until Ranma walked inside and asked a special. Now I don't have it anymore"
"But Ranma still comes here, right?", Ryouga asked and Ukyo sighed.
"Well, not as a fiancé anymore. He comes here as a friend, but it's still hard to accept it. I think he always came here as a friend, I just dreamed that maybe... just maybe...", she sobbed and stopped to walk. Ryouga, two steps ahead of her, turned to see his friend crying trying to hide the obvious.
'Still now, she tries to play the strong one', Ryouga thought. He opened his mouth to say something, but thought that maybe it was a bad idea. He decided to hug her, deciding she would accept this better than any word.
Ukyo, surprised because of his action, opened her eyes, slightly red from crying. She hugged him back and when she looked at his face again he was smiling with a rosy blush on his cheeks. He put a hand on his head and waited until she walked in front again so he could follow her.
Downstairs, Ryouga got his things and thought about his destination. 'I got nowhere to go', he concluded and then looked at Ukyo who was probably thinking the same thing.
"So, where are you going?", she asked.
Ryouga looked outside and then at her, "I don't really know", he answered and tried to find anything more to say.
"Are you... coming back someday?", she asked hesitantly.
Ryouga noticed the nervousness in her voice. 'It is like... goodbye', he thought and for some reason he couldn't name he didn't want say goodbye to her. "It depends", he said.
Ukyo was slightly surprised by the answer, "Depends? Depends on what?", she asked and he looked at her. His face was calm, like he already knew the answer for her question.
"If you promise me to be here, I'll come back. If you don't, I don't see any reason to be here again", he said it calmly, but when he studied the sentence again, he looked away for a second and then back to her, 'I have to be strong', he thought.
Still absorbing all the information, Ukyo smiled, a shy smile that Ryouga failed to notice, "When will you come back?", she asked.
"In a month or even less, I promise", he said.
"Ok", was her short answer. Ryouga smiled and hugged her again. Ukyo hugged him back, 'I think I'll like to get used to it', she thought trying to remember the last time someone hugged her with such kindness like Ryouga was doing.
The lost boy looked at her once more and walked to the front door, "I'll see you", he said and left. Ukyo just waved her hand and said an inaudible 'So long'. She went to her grill and looked outside. Ryouga was out of sight. "A month", she said aloud. Ukyo smiled, "If you are not here in a month I'll chase you, jackass". Then she closed her shop and went upstairs.