This started out like my 'Tributes to Feh' (randomly inspired, hour to an hour and a half
to write) but I got stuck. I realized that I couldn't write it like 'A Tribute to Feh', since
the pairing is such that all the reviews would be along the lines of "What the hell?". It's
going to have to be longer than one part – hopefully I'll actually be able to write the other
ones. I reworked this part and posted it in the hopes of getting myself to start writing
again.

Unfortunately, I have a bad case of writer's block relating to the World Trade Center
attacks. I am horrified at the scope of these attacks, and confused as to what I think
should be done. Usually I am a very confident person, and generally at least seem to
know what I'm doing, but inside sometimes I'm not. I won't go in depth about the
disaster here, though, since I'm sure my feelings are shared by all of you. Basically, when
I tried writing Remnants after the attack, my darker feelings transfered themselves into
the fic. While it has turned into a dark fic, some of the stuff I wrote made it, in my
opinion, too dark to recover from. I'm working on making it a bit less dark.

As for The Feh Squad, I'm afraid it may be a little longer before I recover my sense of
humor enough to finish the next part – plus, I've just been too utterly exhausted by school
to do anything these days.

I apologize for any inconvenience/disappointment. If you like my stories, or have any
ideas on what you want to see next, I'm open to suggestions right now. Now, about this
fic...

Well, recently I've been reading fanfiction to distract me. Although I am a firm believer
in Ranma/Akane, I found some great stories at the Church of Ranma and Kasumi
involving (you guessed it) Ranma – Kasumi matchups. I feel it to be an intriguing
possibility – you never see her character developed, but I think she could fall for a guy
like Ranma. And she's the only one who really treats him well.

Oh yes, disclaimer. *grumble grumble* Me no own Ranma. Me want to, but me don't.
You no sue. Me no have cash if you did sue, so it not do you any good. Me need to stop
writing like this.

So, here goes my shot at R/K...

Lord Iron-Balls Presents:

A Feh Masters Production:




OH, MY



Oh, my.

I finally admitted it to myself today. Who knows how it works, but Ranma's charm has
claimed another victim. Me. That's right. I, Kasumi Tendo, have fallen in love with
Ranma Saotome.

Surprised, aren't you? Thought I was stuck on Dr. Tofu? He's a sweet guy – he really is –
and maybe I could have fallen for him someday, but then Ranma came, and my life
changed forever.

He's like a rogue planet – coming in and turning Nerima upside-down just by being here.
The normal level of craziness in this place – which was, let me tell you, very high – has
gone through the roof since he came. I tried so hard not to get myself caught up in the
whirlwind, but he got even me.

See, now I'm thinking about him again. Just picturing that one time I saw him standing
on the fence, smiling at me when I gave him his lunch, with that charming smile of his.
The smile of a guy who I know has a nice heart, no matter what anyone else sees in him.
Oh, my. Now I'm breathing harder and my pulse is up again. Why does he affect me like
this? No one else ever has.

How long ago did I start to fall for him? I really don't know. I'll admit that I was scared
of the change he brought at first – after Mother's death, I dealt by turning into the perfect
little housewife, and have kept that role to this day. When he showed up with his curse
and all, I was put off by the already present signs of the chaos he would cause. I didn't
want that change in my life. Now I find myself regretting that I didn't take the chance.

I began to realize, watching him and the incredible amounts of chaos that he caused, that
I was not content with my life the way it was. That even I wanted some excitement. And
then that undefinable something about him that attracts all those girls – I would call it the
Saotome charm, but his father lacks it – began to affect me too. For the longest time, I
suppressed it and told myself that I couldn't be falling for him too, that I only liked older
guys, any excuse I could think of, but now I've finally admitted it. It was the little things
that wore me down. The offers to help, his bumbling but adorable efforts to make up with
Akane, those little kindnesses he does so unthinkingly, those eyes, his smile...

Oh, my. I know I shouldn't think about this – me, Kasumi, the proper one – but Ranma-
kun does have quite the body. I'm not really the old maid everyone thinks I am. I just
hide my attractions. And I am very attracted to Ranma Saotome.

I just wish I knew how he felt about me. Oh, who am I kidding. Ranma doesn't see
anything in me but Kasumi the older sister, Kasumi the housewife, Kasumi the... Oh,
kami, I don't even want to think about it. I just wish he would be happy. I've dedicated
my life to making sure other people would be happy, and I want Ranma to be most of all.
Kami-sama knows he deserves it. But I guess there's some selfishness in there too.
Maybe he and Akane could be happy together. The potential is there – I'm not blind. But
it would take a long time and a lot more pain. I don't want to see him in pain. I want to
make him happy, and I think I could give Ranma more happiness than Akane ever could.
I'm sorry, little sister. I love you, but I want to spend my life with your fiance.

And... he would make me so happy. I know it.

Oh, my.

He just came in. I'm trying to calm myself down here, but I don't know if I can talk to
him right now, not after what I've been thinking. I hope he'll just leave me alone.

No such luck. "Kasumi? You okay?" Even the sound of his voice sends shivers down my
spine these days.

"H-hai, Ranma. I'm fine." I avert my eyes. Why does my voice have to waver? Can't I
keep even a little control? Unfortunately, Ranma, while usually being about as sensative
and tactful as a brick wall (not to mention harder to damage) notices. He puts his hand on
my shoulder and tilts my head up. I'm losing myself in his eyes. Control... I need control.
He just said something, but I didn't catch it.

"What was that, Ranma-kun?"

"I said you looked like you might be coming down with something. Are you really sure
you're ok?"

No, Ranma, I'm not. Not while I'm not with you. "I – I suppose I'm feeling a little under
the weather..."

Unfortunately, at this moment the usual Nerima antics break loose. Daddy heard my last
comment.

"WAAAAAAAAAH!!!! MY LITTLE BABY IS DYING!!! WAAAAAAH!!!"

"Honestly, Daddy, I'm fine, I'm just feeling a little tired and..."

"Are you sure that's all, sis? You were looking kind of... red a moment ago when you
were talking to Ranma." She says this with a smirk on her face. Leave it to Nabiki to be
the only one to see what I feel for Ranma. I give her a desperate look. Please don't say
anything, little sister...

Oh, my. Akane has taken this the wrong way. Again. "Ranma you pervert! How dare you
hit on my sister!"

Ranma goes into denial mode. I can see where this is headed. "A-Akane! I didn't do
anything! Honest!"

"Like I'm going to believe a pervert like you!" She pulls out her mallet and Ranma is
sent on yet another one way trip courtesy Akane Airlines. I'm sick of it. Even if I can't
have him, I can at least try to make his life less miserable. I disengage from Daddy, who
is still sobbing into my apron.

"AKANE! How dare you do that to Ranma! He did absolutely nothing of the kind – he
was just being nice and seeing if I was ok! If this is the way you're going to treat him for
being concerned with your own family then you don't deserve him!" With that, I turn and
head to my room, leaving a stunned Akane, Nabiki and Daddy staring after me.

Oh, my. I said a bit too much there. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be hearing from Nabiki
soon...


Sure enough, later that evening my younger sister knocks on the door, then pokes her
head in. "So, sis, you want to explain that little scene back there? Why did you yell at
Akane? And what is going on between you and Ranma?"

She leans against the wall in a pose that I can see is the same one that she uses when
she's getting money out of people. I sigh. I can't get out of this one now.

"I'm not going to get by with an easy denial on this one, I can tell." She nods. "Well, if
you want anything out of me, you're not going to tell it to anyone else, even for money.
And I mean that." I look at her with the desperation of someone who is trying to protect
her greatest secret. Which I suppose I am. Nabiki looks like she's having a struggle, but
I've been so nice to her over the years that she accepts pretty quickly.

"Alright, Kasumi. This being you, I promise you that there is absolutely no way I'll tell
anyone this unless you want me to. So what's your secret, huh? You falling in love with
the macho jerk too or something?" She snorts, not actually taking it as a possibility.

Until, that is, I nod my head silently.

If this situation were switched, I'm pretty sure I'd respond as I usually do, with 'Oh, my'.
Nabiki, on the other hand, starts forward and nearly falls on her face, sputtering to get
words out.

"WHAT! You've gotta be kidding me! I thought for sure you'd end up with the Doc once
you managed to get yourself out of housewife mode!"

I shake my head again. "So did I, once. But then I fell in love with Ranma. I don't really
know why it happened – but love is like that. Unexplainable. And... hopeless." I bow my
head so she won't see the tear slip down my cheek.

Nabiki whistles. She can see that I mean it. "Well, well, well. Who would'a thought,
huh? You were always the only one who managed to keep yourself out of the chaos – and
all the time you were falling for the guy in the center of it."

I nod again, my shoulders starting to shake. I really can't keep in control anymore when I
think about this, and since this is the first time I've talked about it, I'm really beginning
to lose it. I sniff and try to get out words around the lump in my throat. "Kind of ironic,
isn't it? Not that I'll ever have him." Somehow, being around Nabiki is forcing me to
think about this rationally. And that's the conclusion I'm coming up with every time.

Nabiki is known as the 'Ice Queen' here in Nerima for her moneymaking schemes. And
there are times when even I think she deserves it – but for the most part it's only to
support us. Keeping the Dojo in good shape is a lot more expensive than it seems, and
Nabiki is the one who keeps us in the black. The other thing about her that almost no-one
really knows is how much she cares about her family.

She wraps her arms around me. "Hey, Kasumi, it's not as bad as that. Don't give up hope
yet."

"Please... just leave me alone right now..."

"All right. I'll go. Cheer up, big sister. He's not as out of reach as you think." With that,
she leaves.

Oh, Nabiki. Why did you have to say that? Are you just saying it to make me feel better?
I know you want me to cheer up, but that's the most painful thing you could have said. If
you'd told me that it really was hopeless, maybe I could have gotten over it eventually.
But now there's a little part of me that keeps hoping it's not. If anyone knows Ranma, it's
you.

Did you really mean it, Nabiki? Is there hope for me and Ranma?

Or am I just another girl chasing after an impossible dream?




AN: Well, there's chapter 1. There will probably be three chapters in this if I ever
manage to finish it. Please review/send me email/yell at me to work on my other stuff
before I collapse from exhaustion. Junior year of high school is not fun.