Chapter:14
After hearing the happening news and taking leave from yoshio, the first person whom soun went to see was nabiki.
Reaching nabiki's door, soun gulped and then called her name.
"Nabiki………".
"Yes father, come inside…….the door's open".
Hearing her daughter's careless voice, soun at once reached for the bolt and turned it. Seconds later he found himself standing in front of her daughter who was sitting on her study chair and nibbling a pen.
"So father……what's the matter?". Nabiki asked , still with the pen in her mouth.
"Nabiki…..I wanted to talk to you about ranma". Soun said wiping away the tension sweat from his face.
"Ranma ?". Nabiki said confused, nearly dropping the pen out of her mouth.
"Yes….I was thinking….umm…how about you marrying him". Soun said still thinking about the accuracy of the statement he had made.
"What……me and ranma……together…". This was the first time she was getting a real shock. She stood up, giving soun a panic attack.
"……………Wait a sec. father, how can you say this, you know clearly that akane is already engaged to him".
"She was… but now… she's not". Soun replied surprised and relaxed over the fact that his daughter did nothing serious that could make him dead.
"What do you mean she is not?". Nabiki said, trying to figure out a reason behind the statement her father made.
"I mean…that akane have now accepted yoshio as her fiancée and is now ready to marry him".
"What………alright, but what's my fault daddy, why are you pushing me in such a relationship that will not satisfy either of us". Nabiki took a deep breath in order to relax .
"Atleast give it a chance nabiki". Nabiki's not-so-rude behaviour gave soun the confidence to do his fatherly job nicely.
"But father, I am like a free bird…… I am not like akane and I will not let anybody come in my life without my permission………….not even ranma". She said, still confident over her thoughts.
"Listen nabiki……you'll have to do this for me…for your own father, I had promised genma that ranma will marry one of my daughters. You are the only perfect choice for him….you already know that kasumi is not fit for his age".
Soun tried to melt her with his emotional fatherly talks.
"But…………". Nabiki said, only half-melted.
"Don't say 'no' nabiki……..think bout it, if not you then who'll marry him".
"Me….". A familiar voice rang their ears. Both father & daughter looked towards the sound-coming direction and noticed it was ukyo!
"You………but…?". Soun tried to say more, still shocked but was cut short in between by ukyo.
"But what Mr. tendo……. Now when akane is not in ranma's fiancée list anymore, why not me……..why to burden nabiki like that…..".
Nabiki smiled a hopeful smile.
"She is right father". Nabiki said quickly, trying to wrap up the whole situation as soon as possible, knowing this was her only last chance to come out of this mess.
Dreaming his daughters happy faces, soun was more than happy to say "yes" to the spatula girl who was waiting eagerly for a positive response.
The clock showed 8:45 p.m. Ranma returned home.
"Oh… here you are……". Kasumi said tenderly yet excited to give the news.
"Yes". Ranma replied sadly without making any eye contact with her, his head bowed down.
Ranma was about to leave towards his room when kasumi said-
"Ranma just go and meet Mr. saotome first. He along with others is waiting for you in nabiki's room.
"But kasumi……I don't want to…..I am not in a mood right now". Ranma said irritatedly.
"You'll have to ranma…..it's important, now leave". Kasumi gave him a small push making him climb the stairs. She too accompanied him.
There, in nabiki's room everyone was present- from genma and soun to ukyo and nabiki even yoshio except akane.
Entering the room and seeing the crowd, the first person whom ranma desperately wanted to see was akane who was nowhere to be seen. His eyes were still scanning the room when his father's voice reached his ears.
"Ranma".
"Pops….you called me". Ranma said now looking straight into genma's eyes.
"Yes…..I want to give you a good news". Genma said in his usual strict cum happy tone.
"A good news…….about what?". Ranma was confused yet worried thinking what had happened between him and akane in the morning.
The insecureness and the terror that he was undergoing through at that time got the whole of him when genma said-
"Yes….the news is that we have decided to make ukyo your bride".
"What………….ukyo you reached here also". Ranma said looking her with glare in his eyes.
Ukyo opened her mouth to explain but before she could do so genma took a stand for her saying-
"Its not her fault ranma…….we have decided this for you".
"But pops…..akane ………".
"You need not worry about her my son……….akane had called off the engagement with you………..she now wants to wed yoshio". Soun said surprised to see the unexpected attitude of ranma towards his daughter.
"What……………called off the engagement…..". That made him dumbfound , unable to speak anything.
'How can you do this akane?' were his only thoughts at that time. He was completely shattered.
When after few minutes he came back to his senses he at once took the bold step saying-
"Ok…..then if that's the case, then I am ready to marry ukyo".
He then turned around and left the room with a thud.
There, the couple in their own rooms were sad and confused thinking what had happened to their relationship that had just started to grow. Nobody knows the answer.