DISCLAIMER: Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

Morning Coffee
by pahlee

This is an alternate universe fanfiction.

Chapter 4

The week came and went, each day busier than the next and Ranma never thought it would end. In particular, Saturday afternoon as a patron came in and caused a scene he would never forget. For the weekend of the festival, Ranma worked the entire day's shift, from 5AM to 10PM each day. Not that he was complaining, as soon as 4PM rolled around his entire mood would shift.

In a weeks' time, he found more about Akane and the type of person she was. Usually lost in the smile she'd give the customers, or the roundabout way she'd be with them, Ranma found himself engrossed. And, in those two days' time—he found out, he wasn't the only one to be enamored by her.

"Where is the fair Akane Tendo?" came a loud booming voice, coming forth the doors that opened wide and the customers that were in there could have sworn white rose petals fluttered about the man, "I must dote on the fair lady!"

Ranma, who in the past week took up different accommodations than the office, was sitting up front at the nearest table near the counter when the loud man came into his business. He heard a groan and turned to see Akane put a hand up towards her temple, letting out a groan and muttering under her breath, "Not Kuno…."

For the promotion, Akari had been scheduled to work mid-day to close with Ukyo, so as her friend, Akari put a hand on Akane's back, "He's still giving you trouble?"

At that, Ranma's eyes narrowed as he watched him walk in with an air of novelty, comedic really, as he approached the counter. "Ah! There she is, the fairest Tendo…"

"Kuno," Akane breathed out as she took a professional stance and gave an idyllic, or she tried, smile, "Unless you're ordering something, please, please leave."

"I heard you were giving a demonstration of your skills!" he all-but-roared, "I had to come see my majestic temptress in action!"

"That's tomorrow." Akari hissed, but still maintaining a work ethic attitude, "Today's free hot chocolate day."

"Oh!?" Kuno startled, "Forgive me," he bowed slightly but then immediately he rose and in an attempt to grab Akane's hands to hold, he was cut off by Ranma stepping in.

Akane cringed, knowing full well what her older classmate was going to do, but being at work, her actions were limited, knowing full well her boss was right there.

"I'm sorry sir," Ranma said, as he withdrew his arm, promptly stopping his attempt, "But I have to ask you to leave if you are harassing my employees."

Akane opened her eyes to see the scene unfold before her, beside her Akari was grinning ear-to-ear and Ukyo, who came to see what the commotion was stood back and took in the scene as well.

"Huh," Kuno said, retracting his hands back to himself, "I didn't meant to come off as harassing my Akane…you've got me all wrong! I'm merely here to show my support!"

"Sir," Ranma said, his tone on the edge of threatening, "If that is the case, her presentation is tomorrow and right now, you're bothering my store and my employees."

"But of course," Kuno simply responded, dusting the imaginary dust off, "I mustn't blatantly ignore your request, -" his inquiry was to get his name.

"Ranma Saotome," Ranma responded, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow, "Owner."

"Alas, but of course," Kuno said, making his way to leave, "But! Hear thee, I'll be back tomorrow to see my tigress in action!" And on that note, he turned on his heel and gave a half-grin to Akane before taking his leave.

"Who the hell was that dolt?" Ukyo said as she came up towards the front now, standing next to Ranma and watching the fool walk out the store.

"I'm so sorry," Akane started as she came from behind the counter to stand in front of Ranma and Ukyo, "That's an upperclassman of mine…who won't get the hint."

"Akane-chan gets all the boys," Akari snickered as she was helping the next customer who was talking animatedly about what just unfolded, "He's always trying to pester her at Uni."

"Akari!" Akane chastised. Akari just shrugged as she gave the customer his change and turned to clean the counter, "Well, he's obviously still interested in you if he came clambering here."

"Does he bother you often?" Ranma tried to sound aloof as Ukyo walked to the storefront and looked out to see Kuno board a limousine and drive down the busy main.

"Not often," Akane sighed.

Ukyo gathered herself and went back into the back office, leaving them with Ranma still staring at the door before he realized Akane was ultimately talking to him, "Sir?"

"Sorry," Ranma snapped out of it and looked at the inquisitive girl, "What was it?"

Akane smiled, "I was saying thank-you…"

"Uh," a blush started to creep up on his features, fighting it back he aloofly brushed her off and went back to the table, "He was bothering you, it's no problem." From behind the counter Akari smirked at them.

o-o-o-o-o

After hours, Akane stood outside the door as Ranma locked the door to the store. Akari stood next to her, zipping her jacket up and internally grinning as she watched Ranma take his time. She knew that he was doing this deliberately and knew she could close the store herself, but Ranma had made excuses up until the moment he had to leave Akane.

"Ready for tomorrow?" Akari tried to set the mood for the conversation, "I know your presentation is going to be killer, Mr. Tendo was gushing about how good it'll be for business."

Akane blushed, Ranma took notice, "Business?"

Akane turned her head as the three of them started walking in the same direction, "Oh, yeah…papa's dojo, we're hoping to get new students from this..."

"They got a bit of a crowd," Akari chided, elbowing Ranma and raising an eyebrow, "But it's mostly young men on the weekends, when Akane-chan teaches."

"You teach?" Ranma asked, ignoring Akari who was taking delight in her jibes and Ranma saw Akane smile softly, "Yeah, only on the weekends though when I go home… so our business isn't striving as it should. Papa teaches a self-defense class to young women on Tuesdays…but our normal classes are," she licked her lips, which Ranma watched interested, "Lacking…for a better word."

"Oh," was Ranma's only answer.

Akari rolled her eyes as she reached out and grabbed Akane's shoulder, gaining her attention and on Ranma's to get them to both look at her, turning her head to Akane, Akari grinned, "Ranma here also does martial arts, I think he studies kenpo too!"

"You do?" Akane asked, her eyes glistening with admiralty.

Ranma was so engrossed in her, he hadn't noticed that Akari slipped away from the two of them, leaving them to get closer and stand next to each other as she stood to the side. "I-I do." He breathed.

But before anything could transpire between them, a voice carried out and snapped them out of their trance.

o-o-o-o-o

Akane felt her cheeks blush, she knew what Akari was doing and she wasn't having any of it. Ever since the week started, she noticed Ranma more and more and Akari's little gossiping wasn't helping any. Akane figured that he was just doing his dutiful job as the store manager but Akari's conversation kept creeping it's ugly head back into her thoughts.

"I think Ranma likes you," Akari teased during lunch one day at University.

"Shut up," Akane giggled, "He's just being nice."

"Oh, I don't know…" Akari reasoned, lifting her hands up in the air to signify a what-do-I-know attitude, "You haven't noticed he's always around you at the shop? He never used to leave the office…that is until he met you."

"It's a coincidence," Akane reasoned, "The promotion is coming up and he's needed there…"

"Sure," Akari rolled her eyes, "But that doesn't change the fact that he's always on the floor when you're there…he's in the office until you clock in and then all of a sudden," she clapped her hands to make a point, "He's out there at the table, where he has a clear view of you."

"He could be watching the entire crew!" Akane replied.

"He could be," Akari shrugged, "But you and I know both know it ain't true."

"He asked about you," she egged on, Akari placed her arms on the table and rested her head in the palms of her hands, smiling, "The first day he saw you."

"So?" Akane tried to brush it off.

"I told him you were single."

"Akari!"

"What, you are."

"What's that got to do with anything—he's our boss!"

"He's also our age, single and totally interested in you."

Akari's antics just kept coming, and their walk home was even more evident in it, and she tried to keep her thoughts away from that. She knew that after this promotion, she'd be quitting the coffee shop job and focusing on finishing the last bit of her schooling before taking over the dojo. She didn't need those kind of thoughts in her head.

o-o-o-o

"Ran~ma!" came a sickly sweet voice, attached to a very voluptuous girl clad in a red dress that left little to the imagination, "Been too too long!"


Author's Note: Look! I updated! I'm really getting into this story, kinda…it's just honestly a stress reliever for me to write and get some story moving! Yeah! Lots of things going on, ooh – introducing Kuno and Shampoo! My oh my, and those reviews keep me going! Thank you sjofnj, James Birdsong, ShapeOfDespair, and Akane-chan!