Minutes
Chapter 14
kissing booth

Akane sat at one of the three booths with her head hung low and her eyes hidden from view. The small wooden stool she sat on was all but comfortable and the cool night air was far from refreshing. Her hands sat, folded in her lap as she twisted a small piece of paper as tightly as she could.

Anyone seeing a cute girl sitting in such a way at a kissing booth would conclude she was nervous but Akane wasn't nervous...

She glanced up slightly, peering through her bangs as she watched the other two kissing booths, both with long lines of boys. She bit her lip as her heart sank.

Ukyo giggled as she pecked her next customer on the lips, giving him a wink as she spoke,
"why thank you sugar. Feel free to join the queue again!" Akane heard some passer bys say how cute Ukyo was in the short skirt and cute top she wore.

Shampoo delivered some quick yet rather impressive pecks as the boys quickly slapped the money down in front of her one after the other. Akane lowered her head again as boys talked about how exotic and beautiful Shampoo was.

Akane didn't bother looking at her own line...There was no one in it. No one at all stood before her booth, no boys talked about why they felt she was beautiful and no money sat in her jar.

At first all Akane could think about was how she would lose the bet. That stupid bet... If only Ranma hadn't tried to stop her she probably wouldn't have accepted it. The dojo needed money and low and behold Nabiki had the answer. The town festival was coming up and with 4 martial arts goddesses always around they would surely rack in a pretty penny.

The fourth goddess was not too happy with the idea. Not only wouldn't he use his girl form in such a way but he was resolute that Akane would be no good at it. Reminding her of her hot temper, her tomboyish attitude and how un-cute she was only caused her to put her foot down, she had to prove him wrong. That and her two rivals decided to bet a date with Ranma.

Now though...It wasn't about the bet or proving Ranma wrong... It was the fact he was right. She was an un-cute tomboy that no one was interested in kissing. In fact they even looked scared and diverted their gaze when they walked past her. Not even Kuno was here, sprouting ridiculous poetry. Surely even Ryoga wouldn't mind helping her out? But he must still be travelling.

"Yo!" Ranma's voice caused Akane to flinch but her head remained low and her grip on the paper grew tighter.

Ranma leaned on her booth with a delighted smile. If Akane looked up she would probably have blushed, his smile and the mask that sat crooked on the side of his head was incredibly cute. Ukyo and Shampoo would be going crazy if they weren't presently distracted with the bombarding boys that pushed their way to their booths.

Ranma's smile slowly faded as he watched Akane remain perfectly still. Slowly he tilted his head to look under her fringe. When her voice quietly emerged from her two red lips Ranma froze,

"I'm sorry Ranma."

Ranma raised an eyebrow in confusion as he finally straightened his posture.

"What are you apologising for?" He asked as he stretched casually.

"For hitting you every time you told me I was un-cute...or that I was a tomboy. You were only telling the truth..." Ranma felt a pain in his chest and a knot in his stomach as one eye twitched. Did she really feel all that was true?

He mentally slapped himself. This was not how it was meant to turn out. He groaned slightly as he fought the sudden urge to slam his head against a brick wall.

The only reason he told her no one would want to kiss her was because HE didn't want to stand there WATCHING guys kiss HIS fiancé! He was hoping to discourage her and just enjoy the night eating and playing stupid games with her.

To be honest the only reason there was no one in her line was because he had pulled aside every guy that tried to line up at her booth and threatened horrible bodily harm on them if they even considered it! He even broke a few wrists to prove a point to the real determined ones!

He even made sure to tie up Ryoga, Kuno and Happosai in order to keep her lips undefiled by another mans. He had done everything humanly possible so that her lips could only be his and his alone!

He never considered it would tear down any confidence she had in her looks!

Ranma leaned one elbow on the counter and his head on his hand as he watched Akane silently tear the piece of paper to shreds. With his free hand he gently took hold of her chin and forced her head up so he could look in her large brown eyes.

Her hair had been curled slightly so it fell in gentle waves; two bows finished the look, a pale baby pink just like her mini Yukata.

Her small delicate red lips pouted in such a way that Ranma had to use all his self control not to make out with her right there and then.

Her big brown eyes were wet with unshed tears and he instantly felt himself drowning in the sadness they conveyed.

Ranma smiled gently, removing his elbow from the counter and dropping in a few hundred yen into the jar beside him. Akane's eyes blinked in surprise at the sound they made when they hit the glass.

But she didn't even have time to open her mouth and ask what he was doing, because at that moment Ranma took hold of his mask and leaned toward her, using it to shield his kiss from prying eyes.

Her eyes slowly closed and a single tear slid down her now heated cheeks as she kissed him back. He kissed her gently, sweetly. Her heart that had hurt so badly before seemed as light as a feather and beat as fast as hummingbirds wings.

Ranma was glad he brought that silly mask, not only did it hide their kiss from the looks he was sure they were receiving but it was hiding the blush that was quickly spreading across his face as well. His heart beat so hard he was surprised it didn't jump out of his chest.

Finally he pulled away, pausing only to lick her lips quickly, tasting the strawberry lip balm she had feverishly applied before sitting down at the booth.

Setting the mask back in place he looked down on the beautiful girl before him and almost lost all strength in his knees. The look on her face as she just stared at him was so amazingly adorable he couldn't stand it! He coughed quietly, elbow again on the counter as he rested his head in his hand. Akane watched silently as Ranma took her closed sign and slid it in between them as he quietly whispered,

"What say we continue this conversation on the Ferris wheel?" Akane nodded, unable to form any words as he walked around the booth and took her hand, pulling her gently from her stool.

Ranma mentally decided he will tell her exactly how beautiful she was once they were away from the shocked eyes of Ukyo, Shampoo and the many boys lined up at their booths.

It took only a minute for Ukyo and Shampoo to realise, no matter who won the bet, they both had lost.
It took Ranma three minutes to reassure Akane that she was the most beautiful thing his eyes had ever fallen upon.
It took Akane 5 seconds in the ferris wheel to suggest that the kissing booth could still be open when they were sitting IN the ferris wheel.
It took not even a second for Ranma to agree.

Authors note: Did you like? Just the image of Ranma holding a festival mask as they kiss behind it makes me fan girl squeal! How cute would that be!

Now the next chapter is meant to be the last one...However the amazingly awesome shadowalker666 suggested that I don't have a last chapter. Whenever I have an idea I just add it. This sounds pretty good to me, however...

I just wanted to see if anyone else agreed to this. I don't want to have a never ending fanfic if it means the majority of my readers are trying to find ways to kill me for not ending the fanfic.

I hope you all enjoy my fanfic no matter what is decided and thankyou to everyone that has reviewed and kept my heart feeling all warm and fuzzy:

PiNkBuN17
SagomeKitsune
Shadowalker666
James Birdsong
jd
jiggly33
outcast
gort420
Ms Grey
emma Boulivier

You have all encouraged me to keep on writing and have made me very Happy! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! Big virtual hug for you

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