Ukyo's Bad Day

Thursday

……

It was a beautiful afternoon. The sky was blue, and the day was warm. A light breeze ruffled the young green leaves of the cherry trees. Ukyo, book bag in hand, was about to cross the street and make for home when she heard someone call her name.

"Ukyo! Hey Ukyo! Wait up!"

It was Ranma. He was running up toward her, waving. Ukyo's heart swelled. It was a friendly gesture, that was all, but it had been over five days since she'd had anything more than eye contact with him.

"Hi, Ranma," she said. "What's up?"

"Can I swing by Ucchan's today?" Ranma said.

"Of course," Ukyo said. "Since when did you need an invitation, Ran-chan?"

"There's something I want to talk to you about," Ranma said, looking into her eyes.

Something about Ranma's tone of voice gave Ukyo butterflies in the pit of her stomach. He was so serious, and Ran-chan was never serious. Was a serious Ranma good thing or a bad thing? Ukyo didn't know, only knew that it made her nervous.

"So, I'll come before you open," Ranma said. "Maybe about 4:30—" He stopped abruptly and stared off to his left.

"What is it?"

Akane was watching them.

The wind ruffled her hair and her skirt, but Akane stood stock-still. Her eyes were wet. She clutched her book bag with white-knuckled intensity, but she didn't look angry. She looked hurt. Deeply hurt.

Ranma sucked in his breath. "Akane."

Why did he have to say her name like that? He never said Ukyo's name like that, so soft and low and full of amazement. Such a little thing shouldn't bother her so much, but it did.

Akane turned on her heel and walked away.

"Akane! Wait!"

Ranma ran after her. As though he'd forgotten Ukyo. He didn't say goodbye. He didn't so much as look at her.

Like with their date.

They'd only been together ten minutes before Ryoga had shown up. Akane came soon after. This isn't a date! Ranma had yelled. Ukyo had been sitting right there. It wasn't a date? If it wasn't a date, what was it?

Akane ran away, and Ranma followed. Ukyo thought about running after him, but it was so pathetic—a girl chasing a boy chasing another girl. She sat back down. On the empty seat beside her was a half eaten bag of popcorn.

Now, Ukyo began to walk home. The thought of the date made her irritable, but it was her own stupid fault it had turned out so badly. She shouldn't have forced Ranma to come. She shouldn't have blackmailed him.

Last Friday, Ukyo had finally plucked up the courage to ask Ranma to the game. His face sort of darkened, and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ah, well, thing is… see, I've already got a date with Akane on Saturday."

"Oh, I see." Ukyo tried to smile, but it felt tight. "Well, maybe next Saturday, then."

"Actually," Ranma said, "I don't think that would work either…."

Ukyo dropped her smile. She couldn't even pretend. Ranma didn't plan his schedule that far in advance. This was something else.

"It's Akane, isn't it?" Ukyo said.

"Yeah, I don't think she'd like it very much, if we went out on a date."

Ukyo kicked a rock. "Why do you care what she thinks, Ran-chan," And then, because she didn't want him to answer, she quickly said, "You don't even like her. You insult her, she hits you, you're always fighting."

"Yeah, but—"

"You let Ryoga sleep in her bed," Ukyo said.

"R-Ryoga?" Ranma said. "W-why are you—what's he got to do with—I don't know what you're talking about."

"Ryoga's P-chan," Ukyo said.

Ranma's eyes went wide. "How did you—?"

"Well, he transformed in my shop, right in front of me," Ukyo said. "I'm not blind, you know, or stupid." She tilted her head. "Akane doesn't know, does she?"

"No," Ranma said. "You can't tell her!"

Ukyo had had no intention of telling her. She felt someone ought to—probably Ryoga—but it wasn't really any of her business. Yet seeing Ranma so desperate and pleading gave Ukyo a squeeze of morose pleasure. It occurred to her that this bit of information gave Ukyo more power over Ranma than she was used to having.

"Akane would be mad if she found out, wouldn't she?" Ukyo said slowly. "And not just at Ryoga. At you. That you let your archrival sleep in her bed whenever he wants." She made a face. "That just sounds perverted. It sounds sick."

"Do you think I'm happy about this?" Ranma said. "I've told him how many times to stop doing that!"

"Why don't you tell Akane? She's the one who needs to know."

"I can't," Ranma said. "I'm the one who knocked Ryoga into the pool. I created P-chan. I'm bound by a martial artist's honor not to reveal his secret."

"Bullshit," Ukyo said. "If you cared about her, you'd tell her. You wouldn't continue to let some guy crawl into her bed each night, even if it is just Ryoga."

"You don't understand," Ranma muttered.

"Well, I guess I don't," Ukyo said. "Fine, you may be honor bound, but I'm not."

"Don't!" Ranma grabbed her arm. "Please Ukyo, I'm begging you."

Ukyo bit her lip. She really didn't like doing this to him—it was wrong, she knew it was wrong. She almost dropped the issue then. But she looked down at her hands. She was squeezing the tickets she had bought.

"Come to the baseball game with me," she said. Her voice felt very small.

"I can't," Ranma said. "Akane…"

Something in her broke.

"Akane?" Ukyo said. "What, now you're worried about your date with her? If Akane learns about Ryoga's curse, I guarantee you she won't want to date you. You might as well just come with me, Ran-chan, because you won't be going anywhere with Akane."

Even at that time, she'd winced. Had she really said that? Was she really so bitter and jealous and…small.

Ranma's face crumpled and he sighed. "You win," he said. "I'll go."

Ukyo came to her shop. She went upstairs and threw her things on the bed. Ucchan's opened at five, but she had to prep before that and what with Ran-chan coming over and all. No time for a shower. She began to change.

What did he want to talk about she wondered.

The first thing that popped into her head was Akane. They'd had an argument. Maybe Ranma wanted to ask her advice.

Ukyo tied her apron and smoothed it down. Akane. Wasn't sure how she felt about that.

Akane had been giving Ranma the silent treatment since Monday, and it didn't take long before all of Furinkin High was buzzing it. Fortunately Nabiki Tendo was more than willing to fill in the details.

Nabiki had come home from tennis practice at about 1:00 Saturday morning. Ryoga Hibiki was practically knocking down the walls of the house to get away. He was crying. When Nabiki stepped inside it was even worse. Ranma and Akane were standing in front of the bathroom screaming at each other at the top of their lungs.

How could you let that pervert—!

It was your own fault! I warned you! Nobody forced you to take him to bed!

You care more about his feelings than mine!

It's the martial artist's code of honor!

I hate you! There isn't a single man I can trust!

Akane ran to her room and slammed the door.

From this, Nabiki concluded that Ranma and Akane were fighting again.

Ukyo had read the gossipy school article and concluded for herself that Akane had found out about Ryoga's curse. Poor Ryoga. He must be heartbroken.

What disturbed Ukyo more about Nabiki's account, though, was the timing. Saturday at 1:00? It couldn't have been long after Ranma and Ukyo's date.

Did she have something to do with this?

Ukyo had thought that if Ranma and Akane ever really got into a big, messy argument, she would be happy. She wasn't. She thought it would give her a chance to get closer to Ranma. It didn't. Instead, Ranma stopped talking to her altogether. At first, Ukyo thought he was mad at her, but that wasn't it. It was more like he was distracted. He was putting all his time and energy into trying to win back Akane, and he couldn't be bothered with Ukyo.

It was painful.

He spoke to me today.

Ukyo smiled as she set to work chopping cabbage. Ranma was coming over. Even if he was serious, even if he did just want advice about Akane, he would be talking to her again. It was progress.

Anything was better than being ignored.

……

It was 4:45. Ranma was a little late. Ukyo had just fired up the grill and was testing its heat with a few tentative splashes of batter. The batter sizzled nicely. Ukyo looked up as the door slid open.

"Hello, Ran-chan," she said. "Care for some okonomiyaki?"

"Well…" Ranma shook his head. "No, I'd better not."

"Come on, it will be on the house," Ukyo said. She was already pouring more batter onto the grill: large, round, okonomiyaki shapes.

"Hey Ukyo." Ranma leaned over the counter only a few inches from her face. Ukyo blushed. "Step out for a second, I want to show you something."

"But I'm cooking—"

Ranma took her by the wrist. "Come on, I want to show you."

His hand was warm, and his touch excited her. Ukyo let herself be led out the front door. Maybe, she thought, maybe this isn't about Akane after all. Maybe Ranma just wanted to be with me.

Outside was a large wooden…thing.

"Well?" Ranma said proudly.

"Uh, what is it?" Ukyo said.

Ranma's face fell. "You don't recognize it?"

Ukyo crossed her arms into her chest and bent down to inspect the thing. It had wheels. Ukyo pushed it tentatively with one finger and it squeaked. There was what appeared to be a roof, although some of the boards were too long and some were too short and others were put on crisscross diagonal and there were so many bent nails and jagged edges that the effect was more like a ratty bird's nest. There was a large flat slab of rust, which she supposed had once been a usable metal grill—suddenly she knew what it was.

"It's my dad's old Okonomiyaki cart," Ukyo said.

"Yeah," Ranma said. "I found out where Pops dumped it. I fixed it up. It's good, right?"

"It's, um…. Well, it's the thought that counts, Ran-chan."

"Exactly." Ranma looked relieved. "So, since you have your cart back now, I guess it means we don't have to be engaged anymore."

It hit her then, like a ton of bricks.

"You're-you're breaking up with me?"

"We can still be friends—hey!"

Ukyo took out her giant spatula. Ranma jumped into the air as Ukyo swung at him with all her might.

"Why? Why are you breaking up with me?" She swung again. She missed and hit the cart. It rang like a clapper, loose boards clattering.

"I never wanted to be engaged to you," Ranma said.

"I did everything for you!" Ukyo said. It hurt, his words hurt her. Didn't he know that, the jackass, the damn idiot. "I would have given up my career for you! I would have given up okonomiyaki! How can you do this to me?" She swung. "Why don't you like me?"

This time, when she missed, her spatula dug into wall at the front of her restaurant. It left an ugly white gash.

"This isn't about you," Ranma said, jumping back in front of her. "I like you, Ukyo, but not like that."

She stared into his eyes. He was telling the truth. He was anxious, like he wanted to make her feel better, but not… but not like his world would fall apart if he couldn't. Not like with Akane. Not like with Akane….

"Oh God," Ukyo said. "This is all about Akane, isn't it? You want to win her back."

Her spatula slipped from her fingers and fell to the dirt.

"You're choosing her over me."

Ukyo hung down and pressed her arms around her stomach. Suddenly, she felt like throwing up.

"Ukyo?"

Ukyo squeezed her eyes shut. She wouldn't cry. Not in front of him.

"Aren't... aren't I cute enough for you Ranma?" she said softly. "You said I was… I was your cute fiancé. You said she….Akane…was uncute. Why her? Why…?"

She flinched as his hand touched her shoulder.

"When I said that…you were upset, Ukyo," Ranma said. "I wanted to make you feel better. I wanted to be your friend, but I didn't want to marry you."

"Just a friend…" He doesn't love me.

Ukyo swallowed the lump in her throat. Her chest felt stuffy and her stomach was on fire, but she straightened herself. She opened her eyes.

"Fine… I understand," Ukyo said. "We'll be friends then… I…It's almost five, so… I'm gonna go back… inside…"

"Are you all right?" Ranma said.

"Yeah." Ukyo drew a shaky breath. "Hey, business calls."

"Well, if you're sure you're okay… Hey, Ukyo, thanks for understanding."

Ukyo nodded. She picked up her spatula and stumbled into her shop.

She leaned against the door, burying her face in the smooth, cold wood. He doesn't love me. She tried to make her breath come evenly. It's Akane. But I should have known. I should have known.

The okonomiyaki she'd left on the grill was burning. "Damn it." She hopped over the counter and began scraping off the burnt bits with a smaller spatula. "Look at me, just standing there. Customers coming any minute."

The spatula grated against the metal. You should have known you should have known you should have—

It was already five. Ukyo quickly washed her face and put up her sign. It was Thursday, one of her busiest nights. She would stay open until 10:00. Therefore, for the next five hours she wouldn't think about Ranma at all. What would her customers think to see her sniffing and moaning, gazing into out into to space, and letting their food burn? She was a professional. Okonomiyaki was her life.

Especially now that there's nothing else in it….

The door slid open.

"Welcome to Ucchan's," Ukyo said. "Please, make yourself comfortable."