A.N.: Open brackets, insert standard disclaimer here, close brackets. This song belongs to the Backstreet Boys.
How Did I Fall In Love with You
Remember when
We never needed each other
[A young Ranma and Akane are seen sticking out their tongues and beating up on each other, and then sitting side by side on a bench, covered in bandages and sulking.]
The best of friends like
Sister and brother
[Ranma and Akane (still about five years old) are playing tag in the yard. Akane trips and falls and Ranma stumbles on top of her. Both of them sit up, laughing, leaves and grass in their hair.]
We understood
We'd never be
Alone
[Akane and Ranma have hands clasped in a deal, each grinning at each other. The scene fades out to show an older Akane, staring out her window on a gray, calm, rainy day. She sighs.]
Those days are gone
Now I want you so much
[The camera moves outside, and a soaked Ranma-chan is seen, training in the rain. She pauses and looks up at Akane's window, then sighs and goes inside.]
The night is long
And I need your touch
[Ranma walks into his room, tossing a towel to the side and flopping down on his bed. He rolls onto his stomach and drapes one arm over and one arm under his pillow, burying his face in it and trying to go to sleep.]
Don't know what to say
Never meant to feel this way
[Ranma tosses a few times, then reaches out and pulls a drawer in his night table. He pulls out a picture of Akane, clipped from a group photograph. He stares at it, then groans softly and rolls on his back, tossing an arm over his eyes.
"What is wrong with me?"]
Don't wanna be
Alone tonight
[He sighs and gets up, walking quietly down the hallway. He pauses by Akane's door, which is open a crack, then shakes his head and continues down the hall.]
What can I do to make you mine?
Falling so hard, so fast, this time
[Akane continues staring blankly out the window, despite the fact that it is now dark out. She jumps as Ranma runs back into the training yard. It's stopped raining, and her eyes follow him around the yard, his body highlighted by streetlights and the floodlights outside the dojo.]
What did I say, what did you do?
How did I fall in love with you?
[She shakes her head and flops on her bed in a position similar to Ranma's, clutching her pillow tightly. After a moment she returns to the window, still hugging her pillow and chewing on her lower lip. She turns again, as if unsure whether to watch Ranma or sleep, then sighs and sits down in the chair by the window again, picking up a brush as she does so.]
I hear your voice
And I start to tremble
[Ranma hears something and looks up. Akane has opened her window and is standing in front of it, brushing her hair, staring at the moon, and singing softly. Ranma pauses in his training to listen, and a shiver runs down his back.]
Brings back the child that
I resemble
[He turns away angrily and attacks a training post savagely, as if he were having a temper tantrum like when he was little. The target is reduced to splinters and he stops, panting.]
I can not pretend
That we can still be friends
[Akane finally turns away from her window, laying on her back on her bed, hands behind her head, staring at the ceiling.
"How can I keep living with him like this?"]
Don't wanna be
Alone tonight
[Akane looks at her partially open door to the hallway, considering, then sighs and turns away, her back to her door, lying on her side.]
What can I do to make you mine?
Falling so hard, so fast, this time
[Ranma looks at the post he has just destroyed, then to Akane's window, then back to the post, tightening his grip on the towel in his hand. Then he turns and somewhat angrily begins to clean up the training area.]
What did I say, what did you do?
How did I fall in love with you?
[Akane suddenly gets up, full of resolution. She dresses quickly and tosses on a coat, snatching a pair of shoes from her closet and leaving her room, the door swinging shut behind her.]
Ooh, I wanna say this right
And it has to be tonight
Just need you to know
[Akane quietly but rapidly pads down the stairs and out the door, scrabbling to pull her shoes on as she half-runs, half-walks.]
I don't wanna live this life
I don't wanna say goodbye
With you I wanna spend
[Ranma tosses the towel aside as he finishes cleaning up and tugs his shirt on over his head, moving quickly towards the house and not noticing the figure leaving it at the same moment.]
The rest of my life
[Akane and Ranma meet halfway, nearly running into one another. Akane stops and stares into Ranma's eyes, who stares back, neither knowing what to say or do.]
What can I do to make you mine?
Falling so hard, so fast, this time
[Akane hesitantly moves forward and places a light hand on Ranma's chest. He doesn't move, so she continues and wraps her arms around him.]
What did I say, what did you do?
How did I fall in love with you?
[Ranma wraps his arms around Akane as well and hugs her tightly, burying his face in her hair. After a moment he grasps her chin and tilts her head up, kissing her deeply.]
What can I do to make you mine?
Falling so hard, so fast, this time
[The scene zooms out to the training yard and the couple fades. An older Ranma is seen standing in the doorway, staring at the spot and reminiscing. He starts as a little girl with blue-black hair in a pigtail bounds up to him and clamps onto his leg. Ranma smiles and tousles the girl's hair, telling his daughter to go play in the yard.]
Everything's changed the man I knew
How did I fall—
[Akane comes up from behind him and wraps her arms around his waist. He turns around and embraces her tightly.]
—in love—
[He leans forward until their foreheads are touching, and smiles into her eyes.]
—with—
["Ai shiteru, Akane."]
—you?
[Akane smiles, tears in her eyes, and kisses him. The scene begins to fade, but before it turns completely black, Akane whispers, "I love you too, Ranma."]
~*~ Owari ~*~
