A/N: So glad to know people are reading right along with me and review every step of the way!! ^_^ Anyway, people are curious about Perfume and that's good, probably because she is my second favorite (next to Natsuko, but heck I just love her!) and most complex character. Anyway, please review!! ::throws out Perfume plushies to the reviewers::
Natsuko was dragging Hotaka down the street. No, literally, she was _dragging_ him by the bandana down the street. Of course, he was none too happy about this. He had struggled to get away from his blue haired 'friend,' but after finding the note taped to Nekohanten that the three Chinese residents had gone back to visit China for a week, Natsuko was a force to reckon with. After their little squabble (which wasn't very little, considering the building they half-blew up), Natsuko prevailed and Hotaka didn't dare tempt fate (or her temper) again.
"Remind me why we're about to do this again," he said, turning his head so he could see Natsuko's back. She didn't bother to look at him.
"Did you actually _think_ we were going to stay at the Tendo's for _free_?"
"Yes, actually, they never said anything about paying them back, and Kasumi said we're always welcome there."
"That's Kasumi, she's just trying to be hospitable."
"Then I say we let her be hospitable and go back to the dojo."
Natsuko said nothing, just continued dragging him down the street.
"Come _on_ Natsuko, this is the first time in a long time that we're not tied down to anything. Not one single thing. No school, no family businesses, no madness, why can't we just relax for once?"
Natsuko didn't respond again, but only quickened her pace. Hotaka knew that instance she was nervous. When Natsuko sped up outside of training, it either meant she was late, or she was nervous (and sometimes she was nervous _because_ she was late). The little spitfire was fast, but not fast enough to pull one over Hotaka's eyes.
"Nats, listen, I know you don't like freeloading and I know you want to go home, but isn't this a little, well, extreme?"
"How so?" she said, still not looking back.
"Getting a job for both of us, for one. I still don't understand _why_ we're paying them back when we don't have anything to do with this Nerima. Besides, no one said anything so I don't understand why we have to make it such a big deal."
"Then you don't know Nabiki very well…" Natsuko grumbled under her breath, eyes still fixed straight ahead, but her mind wandering to the conversation she had had that morning…
***
Earlier that morning…
"Natsuko, may I talk to you in private please?"
"Um, sure. What's up Nabiki?"
"This, Natsuko. I've been doing some research, and there are no family run dojos in Kyoto."
"R-really? Then, um…"
"And I bet if I looked further, there'd be no Natsuko either."
"W-what?"
"The jig is up. Game over. I win."
"Huh?"
"I know what's going on, Natsuko S. You and Hotaka H. over there better watch your step, because I'm in control now."
"Nabiki--?!"
"To start, you can pay back my family for hospitality. We already have _two_ freeloaders, and I'll be damned if we take on two more. But you already know that, am I right?"
*Gulp*
"Here's how much you owe us, with interest of course."
"Bloody hel--"
"Uh uh uh, cursing is going to get you no where. Of course, you still owe me a lot more for keeping this little 'secret' of yours under wraps."
"How much more?"
"I'll be in touch."
***
If Hotaka knew why we had to get these jobs I'd be dead! Of course, I'm still dead considering how much Nabiki is still the same from how I remember her. Bloody hell, how'd I get myself into this mess?
"Erm, Natsuko?"
"What?" Natsuko snapped, annoyed at having her train of thought broken. Hotaka simply pointed at the building in front of them.
"What are we doing at Ucchan's Natsuko?"
"Well…"
"Oh Kami, you're kidding."
"…"
"…You're not kidding. No, no, no! We can't get jobs here! I refuse!"
Hotaka crossed his arms over his chest defiantly to prove his point. Too bad Natsuko wasn't paying attention, and dragged him inside the restaurant none the less. When Ukyo heard the jingle of the bell above her door go off, she turned to face the two familiar faces from the day before.
"Well, hey there, sugar. What can I do for you?"
"Actually, Ukyo, we're--"
"How come you're not in school?" Hotaka blurted out, finally getting up from the position Natsuko was dragging him in.
"I only go in the morning after the breakfast crowd, get my work for the after noon, then leave to open the restaurant for lunch," she replied coolly. Hotaka opened his mouth to say something more, but Natsuko jabbed him in the rib.
"I know a way you could go to school full time, at least for a week or so," Natsuko said.
"Oh yeah? How?" Ukyo asked, laughing. She didn't bother to look up from her grill. What a stupid idea, how could I go to school full time with a restaurant to run?
"Well, you could hire us."
Everyone looked at Natsuko. Ukyo looked intrigued. Hotaka looked like a cross between wanting to strangle Natsuko and wanting run out of the restaurant and never ever come back.
"You're serious? You want to work for _me?_"
Natsuko nodded. "We're going to be here a while, for, um, personal reasons--"
A.k.a. we can't get home, Hotaka mentally translated.
"--so we wanted to get some part-time jobs, at least so we can pay back the Tendos."
Ukyo, mulling this over, automatically flipped over the okonomiyaki on the grill before it burned. After she put it on a plate, she looked at Natsuko.
"What are your qualifications?"
"Well, Hotaka's family owns a restaurant, so he knows how to cook," Natsuko pointed out. "And, I well… I can't cook very well--"
"At all," Hotaka corrected. In any other circumstance, Natsuko would have shot him a glare or hit him with a table or something, but since they were in an interview, she didn't.
"He's right," she agreed with a sigh. Then she looked at Ukyo, her confidence renewed. "_But_ I can wash dishes and wipe tables and serve the customers… So, will you hire us Ukyo?"
It would be nice to have some help around here, Ukyo thought, looking the two over. They look trust worthy enough, and they said they're staying at the Tendos so Ranchan must be okay with them. If Ranchan says they're okay, they're fine in my book! I'll have to ask him about it when he comes over later. So, they want to pay back the Tendos, do they? Well, that's a first, if they don't want to freeload, then I think they must be good people. I hope Nabiki's not steeping them on the interest rate…
Natsuko and Hotaka watched Ukyo intently as she thought. Finally, Ukyo looked up, and walked into the back room. Natsuko looked crest fallen while Hotaka looked relive, until Ukyo came back and threw them both an apron.
"You two can start now," she said with a smile. Natsuko beamed at her; Hotaka looked shocked.
"_YES!!_" Natsuko screamed as she hugged her new employer. "You won't regret it, I promise!!"
I hope not… Ukyo thought as she gave Natsuko a semi-forced smile.
***
At the Tendo's, Kazuma knocked on the door hesitantly. When no one had answered, he let himself in.
"Hello? Is anyone he--"
"HOTACHAN!!" Banna yelled as she ran over Kazuma and dashed into the house. "I'M HEEERE, HOTACHAN!! WE CAN GO HOME NOW!!"
She promptly ran into a broom closet. Perfume sighed and went to go get their excited little friend. Kazuma gave an exasperated smile at the two girls he was traveling with, and wondered for a second how his twin was handling all this. Suddenly, he heard a--
"Ranma!!" Nodoka cried from behind Nodoka. Kazuma spun around just in time for Nodoka to hug him. "Oh, Ranma! What a man you've become!"
"Um… excuse me…" Kazuma hesitantly poked Nodoka on the shoulder. She looked up at him, happy tears in her eyes.
"I just knew I'd see you if I kept coming, Ranma, I just knew it! And here you are!"
"But, um, I'm _not_ Ranma…"
"…You're not?"
"Um, no."
Nodoka immediately let go of Kazuma and bowed to him.
"I'm so sorry! It's just, I thought you were my…"
"It's okay," Kazuma said, putting a hand on Nodoka's shoulder. She looked up at him to see a gentle, understanding smile on his lips. "I have a twin, so I'm used to being mistaken for other people."
Nodoka stood up right and picked her katana up from where she had dropped it on the doorstep. She smiled apologetically at Kazuma.
"I'm sorry. My son is Ranma Saotome and I came to see if he was here, it's just, you look so much like him that I…"
Kazuma raised his hand.
"Say no more, you don't have to explain yourself to me, Mrs. Saotome. Actually, you and I are pretty much in the same boat; I'm here looking for my twin sister, Natsuko."
"Who isn't here," Perfume said from in the hall. Nodoka and Kazuma turned to see her, Banna holding her hand tightly. "I checked the house while you two had you're little incident…" Nodoka blushed sheepishly. Perfume directed her words to Kazuma. "I found Hotaka's backpack in one of the rooms, but no sign of Natsuko."
Kazuma sighed. "Well, at least we know Hotaka's here. We might as well wait it out for them to come home. I'm sure the Tendos won't mind."
"They won't," Perfume said as she led everyone else, including Nodoka into the living room. The four of them sat down. "I'll go get us something to eat," Perfume said, and walked into the kitchen. The first thing she noticed was a note taped to the fridge. It read:
'Dear Nabiki, Akane, Ranma, Natsuko, and Hotaka,
I'm running out to do some errands out of town. Father and Mr. Saotome are coming with me.'
In a much larger, messier scrawl under that, it said:
'I don't wanna go!!'
The normal, neat handwriting resumed.
'We're taking the eight-thirty train out, and catching the two-thirty train back, so we should be home at about three-thirty. There are some snacks in the fridge. Take care until we get back.
Love,
Kasumi'
Perfume finished reading the note, and opened the fridge door to find everything as Kasumi had said: a small cake frosted with chocolate frosted sat, waiting to be sliced and eaten. A pitcher of lemonade was on the shelf above it. Perfume took out the lemonade and set it on the counter, closing the fridge door.
Wow, that Kasumi's good.
She took out four glasses, filled them, and put them on a serving tray. She picked up the tray and walked back into the living room. On her way out, she glanced quickly at the clock on the wall. It read nine-thirty.
Well, at least that buys us some time. I hope Natsuko and Hotaka come back soon.
A/N: Okay, so I lied. There is absolutely _nothing_ in this chapter about how anyone got here, BUT I did put in how Hotaka and Natsuko are going to pay back the Tendos (well, mainly Nabiki) AND I brought Nodoka into the story and Ukyo back. Actually, I hadn't thought much about Nodoka coming yet, but this just worked. Since I feel like doing this, here's a quote from the next chapter…
Next time on 'Stop Living in the Past'
Nodoka: "And why is Hotaka here?"
Hotaka: "Because…uh…"
Kazuma: "He and Natsuko are engaged and they're having a trail marriage by living together outside of home!"
Natsuko and Hotaka: "WHAT?!"
This shall be interesting…
By the way, I will get to the karaoke bar, eventually.
By the way by the way, I PASSED ALGEBRA!! WHOOHOO!! ::dances around::
Genma-panda: ::holds up a sign:: #Please review!!#