Tora loved school shopping. She respected how it reminded her every year of pencil sharpeners. She treasured the smell of a newly, hand-sharpened pencil. She smiled brightly to herself as she remember her first year of school.

Tora had received a beautiful pencil sharpener from her beloved father. It was the color of fresh orange juice, her favorite. Tora jumped up into her dad's lap, and squealed, "A present? For me?" She clutched the small thing in her chubby, sticky hands. Tora had sharpened her two pencils until they had long, pointy tips. Whenever the pencils went dull, or broke, she sharpened them again. The small kindergartener appreciated her pencil sharpener with all her heart. But a few days into summer vacation, after school was over, she was horrified to find that the small gizmo did not make the curly shavings that she loved. She was able to press her small fingers against the blade firmly, and not get cut. She ran to her mom, crying.

"Mommy!" She cried. She held out a pencil and the sharpener, tears spilling from her eyes.

Tora's mother smiled brightly, "Daddy's gotten you a new one!" She wiped the tears from Tora's eyes.

Ever since then, Tora recived a pencil sharpener when her small family went school shopping. First, it was the orange, then the green, and purple. All through elementary school, Tora obtained a small manual sharpener. Then, she got into junior high, and still received the petite sharpeners.

--

Kiyoshi hated anything to do with school. But most of all, he loathed the loud sound of school shopping. He groaned every time his mom mentioned it, and the terrible memories rushed into his mind…

Kiyoshi blushed and looked away, "Sorry, sir."

The teacher laughed heartily, "Someone is always late the first day of school!"

Tora held her brother's hand tightly and smiled at the male teacher, "Thanks!"

Kiyoshi tried his best to smile, but did not succeed.

The teacher nodded, "Well, would you care to tell me your names?"

Tora took over as she usually did, "Me? I'm Tora. I am 5 years old!" She showed her teethy smile, "I've already lost three teeth!"

"Wonderful! I am Mr. Yoshida. And who might this young man be?"

"Kiyoshi," Kiyoshi whispered quietly.

"What, son? I can't hear you."

"Kiyoshi."

"Hmm?"

"His name is Kiyoshi!" Tora exclaimed.

All the kindergarten kids laughed, and Kiyoshi frowned and looked away.

Kiyoshi hated it. He was always discriminated against from then on. He was know as 'the quiet one,' or 'shyboy.' He told his mom, "No one likes me…"

She frowned and said sternly, "That's not true! Daddy and I love you vey much, and so does Tora. You grandpa's and Aunts… you have so many wonderful people that love you."

Tears ran from his eyes, "The kids in my class. I am quiet… and they don't like me."

Akane wagged her finger at him, "You're different. And the world would be terrible without people like you." She wiped the tears from his eyes, and picked up her small son.

--

School Shopping with 15 year olds= HAVOC

Tora smiled brightly at the huge assortment of colored pencil sharpeners, "Mom? Can I get one?"

Akane nodded tiredly, and nudged Kiyoshi, "Don't YOU need something? A new school bag, pencils?"

Kiyoshi sighed, and quietly said, "Yes."

Akane nodded, proud to have gotten something out of her son, "Would you like me to get it for you?"

Kiyoshi nodded gratefully.

Tora squealed, "Look at this pink! Kiyoshi! Come help me choose."

Stuffing his hands in his tight pants pockets, Kiyoshi leaned against the isle, making it shake.

Quickly jumping up, Kiyoshi glanced around to see if anyone had seen his clumsiness. When he saw no one looking at him, he flipped his hair and returned to his 'cool state'.

Tora oohed and aahed at the pencil sharpeners for another ten minutes, until she picked out an orange one. She told Kiyoshi, "It's just like the first one I ever had!"

"How do you remember?" Kiyoshi mumbled.

"Excuse me! I never forget ANY of my pencil sharpeners."

"I know." Kiyoshi laughed and walked down the isle toward his mom.

"Kiyoshi? I'm all done. Is Tora?" She glanced past his shoulder, Tora approached with her pencil sharpener.

"Let's go!" She hollered, putting her arms up.

"Shhh!" Kiyoshi and Akane held their hands over her mouth.

Akane dragged her daughter up to the cashier. "Is this all?" The girl asked. She looked like she was in her early 30's.

Akane nodded, and took her wallet out of her purse. The young woman told Akane the price, and Akane opened her wallet.

She pulled out her credit card, flicking out the picture underneath, accidentally. Akane blushed and reached for it, but the cashier picked it up.

"Oh! Is this your family? And these little twerps in the picture are…" she glanced at the twins, "them? Is this your husband? He's very handsome."

Akane nodded and snatched the picture back.

"Is he working?" Akane handed the blabbing cashier her credit card.

"He's a martial artist," Akane said plainly.

The girl ran the credit card through the machine, "Ooh! That's cool. My fiancé is a workaholic, I barely ever see him."

Akane looked up as she took the credit card, "Fiancé?" She looked at the girl's hand, "No ring?"

"He's not a ring person, I guess." She blushed.

"All the problems start there." Akane said, replacing the picture and credit card in her wallet.

"Hm? Are you divorced?"

"No. He's… um… on a 'business trip.' "

"Oh. Well, have a good day, ma'am."

Akane smiled and ushered her twins out of the store.

--

"Oh Ranma." Akane cried quietly into her pillow, "Where are you?"

Akane lay on her bed sobbing. She had told Tora and Kiyoshi she needed a nap.

"'K," Kiyoshi agreed.

"Okey dokey! I'll write my name on all my school stuff!" Tora giggled.

She pulled her sobbing face out of her pillow, and she glanced at the picture on her side table. Ranma, her husband, had his signature black pigtail. He wore laid-back clothes, Akane stood next to him smiling brightly.

She sighed and wiped her eyes. The ceaseless tears kept falling though; no matter how she tried, she could not contain them…

"I'll be back, Akane! I love you!" Ranma called from the driveway.

"No, you won't. You don't love me. If you have to leave thinking that I don't love you the way you are, then you don't know me. You don't love me. It's killing me!" Akane ran to him from the house, bawling.

"Daddy!" 10 year old, Tora ran and embraced her dad.

"I'll be back, love." Her kissed his daughters head. Kiyoshi also ran to his dad. Akane wept as she saw her husband hugging their children.

Ranma set the kids down, and hugged Akane. He kissed her lips lightly, "Don't forget me." He wiped the tears from Akane's eyes.

"I won't." Akane clutched his hands, and gave him one last kiss. She was spinning, "Ranma… I love you."

"I love you, too." He was gone. Kiyoshi and Tora watched as their mom broke down and sobbed on the wet ground. Akane sat in the rain and cried…

Akane wept every night since then, staring at the empty place next to her in their large bed.

Six years later, here she was. She nearly laughed at herself; she still hadn't let it go. Akane had tried to be strong for the kids… but it was almost impossible. She was a pretty good single mom now. Akane had actually ended up going to a single woman help club. Everyone there was very supporting and she would never look down on a club like that again. Her sisters Kasumi and Nabiki also came ever other year during summer to help out.

Akane drifted off to sleep, still crying.