Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. It would be nice though...

The Last Second

By: Ky Hakubi

Akane.

That's her name, the girl who means everything to me.

It's funny that I can finally admit that now.

That's right. I, Ranma Saotome, am in love with Akane Tendo.

I've known it for quite some time now. I just tried my best to ingore it.

It was that first time she smiled at me, and asked if I wanted to be friends. I thought I was looking at an angel.

Then after her friendly challenge, she said she was glad that I wasn't a boy.

How would she reacted had she known about my curse from the beginning? I know I shouldn't have hidden it from her, but it was still too fresh. Every change clawed at my mind. Every splash of cold water and it felt like I lost a piece of who I was.

That was something I was sure Akane couldn't understand.

I realize now how wrong that assumption was.

She had built her identity on being a high caliber martial artist and retaining her femininity. She was, is, a strong and beautiful woman. She has the strength to crush stone, and her smile is enough to make my heart race, yet I tore it away from her with every insult.

Every time she would do something nice for me, I threw it back in her face and crushed her self image. And through it all, not once did I stop to consider the effort she put into her gifts.

Even now, I wonder if she ever looked at me and wished for the shy, lost girl who needed a friend. The same girl whose face she saw every time I transformed...

Instead she is stuck with an egotstical and childish boy for a fiance.

I wish I could go back and change things, to be the man she needed me to be. I've done my best to keep her safe, but that's so small a thing compared to how often it was my fault that she was in danger to begin with.

Damn Kuno and his magic swords...

I'm babbling now... Getting dizzy too.

I love Akane, but I know I'll never have a chance to tell her.

I'm dissappointed with the course my life has run, but that's the only real regret I have. All those wasted chances to tell her. All those chances to hold her in my arms and keep the world at bay.

All those chances to be what we should have been.

How long have I been falling now?

Looking at my life, I can see every time I should have told her. Every kiss I should have given.

I feel cold.

Will Akane be sad? I hope not. I hope she hates me, just like she always says she does.

As much as I want her to love me, to see that smile that filled my soul with warmth, I hope she doesn't. Things will be easier for her then.

At least I can't feel that sharp pain in my chest anymore. My vision has faded too.

So, this the price of my overconfidence.

It's strange, thinking of all this now that it's too late.

I guess everything really is explained in your last second of life.

End