Disclaimer:

Don't own Ranma and Kasumi neither Hitomi nor Van of Escaflowne fame as well...they are owned by their respective owners not me...

A/N:

I would like to thank all those of you who have graciously reviewed this little story of mine both the 1st and 2nd chapters...It may not be the best as it can be but I gave it my all in writing it...but I'm glad that you guys liked it as it is with even all its flaws and mistakes...and I'm not too sure how this chapter will flow but I hope it continues the storyline well enough...

Some of you guys even were even gracious enough to give me some ideas of improving it by adding new twists to the story line and such well I appreciated it as they made me shout to myself why didn't I think about that...but I left the storyline untouched and maybe leave the ideas for future additions...

I've heard some of you asking where are the fight scenes and all that but truthfully can't a Ranma fic go by without him having to fight someone?? It might be a rule or something I don't know about but I didn't intend for this fic to have fight scenes...sorry...

Anyway thanks for reading...even though I write mainly for the fun of it reading the reviews I get just makes my day not just the ones saying it's worth reading... I just simply hope that I may exceed the no of reviews I get for my previous RK fics...but that isn't really what I aim for.

I've kept you all long enough so here's the 3rd chapter...enjoy...

H.A

Chapter 3

- -

When Ranma got into work the next Monday morning he was in for quite the shock. Upon entering his office Ranma found Kasumi's desk excruciatingly cleared of her meager possessions bar for a white envelope on it and a post-it note that was stuck on it. Picking up the note it read:

Ranma,

I've decided to resign from my position as your personal assistant and also my previous post. It isn't that I wasn't grateful for the chance you've given me but please understand and don't look for me.

Kasumi

Ranma who all the while was standing up quickly rushed straight away downstairs and ran into her old office. Seeing her old desk cleared as well he hung his head low and leaned sorrowfully on the side partition. Ranma's worst fear was coming true for he had scared her off, "You look as surprised as I was when I saw her note..." said a voice.

Standing beside him looking up at him was Hitomi, when she was trying to study the young man's facial expression. She could see etched on his face emotions ranging from a mix between utter sorrow and absolute disbelief, maybe both. But recovering quickly he smiled weakly to Hitomi and slowly stuffing his hands into his pants pockets he walked up to his office, he had a job to do regretfully.

"Ranma...wait..." Hitomi shouted.

Turning around to focus his attention to the girl, "Meet me on the roof later during lunch I have something to tell you..."

- -

Returning after a full working day at her new job, Kasumi was glad to be back home. Having just walked back into the living room after her shower the phone rang right as she passed by it. The flashing number it showed made Kasumi's face cringe but she knew better then not to answer it. So picking up the phone she prepared herself for a long night...

- -

Ranma now back at his apartment felt weary and restless as he had a rather long day at the office. He would usually remedy this by leaning on his window sill and look up to the night sky above him and then just forget all his troubles but this time he couldn't forget what was troubling him since morning. He was questioning himself and had been doing so since morning why was he acting like this over some girl.

He was asking himself questions he couldn't answer...like why he felt so open with Kasumi the way he did. 'Was it her eyes? Was it her looks?' he kept on dwelling on the question but one thing he did know was that he couldn't get the feeling of heavy lost from inside his heart, it had been a long time back since he felt like this not since that one time.

- -

"Kasumi I don't believe you! You threw away the best chance you're ever going to get not only in your professional life but also personal life. Why? If you'd only seen the look on Ranma's face when he saw your empty desk this morning you'd know how sad he was..." Hitomi's angry voice rang out into her ear.

"I did what I felt was right Hitomi...if you are my friend then you'd understand." Kasumi replied her calmly.

"It is precisely why I am your friend that I'm trying to shake some sense into you! You don't know what you're giving up on Kasumi!!! Ranma is a once in a lifetime find...I don't see why you didn't want to take the chance...you must be one damn picky woman..." snide her friend over the phone.

"Hitomi! I have my own reasons for doing what I did don't try to make me into the one at fault here..."

"Then! Then! Who's at fault? Ranma? What did he do Kasumi? All he did was show you how much he liked you...alright maybe a little overly but still he was ever so sweet..." interjected Hitomi.

"If you like him that much then why don't you go after him!" bellowed Kasumi frustratingly into the phone.

"You're blind Kasumi...he only has eyes for you..." Hitomi replied her monotonously.

"I've been hurt before by men who think that with their money they can walk over me Hitomi...I don't want that to happen again. I almost lost my family once I don't want to lose them again over some boy who has a lot of money..."

"For Kami's sake! Kasumi when did he flaunt his money...? If he did I'm sure you'd be swimming in gifts right now...and I don't see you carrying tons of designer labels home or jewelry so when did you see that?" Hitomi question her best friend, her tone bordering on disappointment.

"I didn't have to see it...I know it...if he didn't pity me then maybe all he wanted was just to get me into his bed..." replied Kasumi dejectedly.

After a long silence Hitomi replied Kasumi one last time, "Fine Kasumi...if that's what you think then I have nothing to say. But remember this...if you let him pass you by then remember that it was your own choice to let him go...no one else's." with that Hitomi hung up the phone.

- -

One late night two days after the phone call with Hitomi and also two days after Kasumi had resigned while cleaning up around Grandma's Kasumi hearing the small bell hung by the main door ring to life. Knowing fully well that it was almost five minutes to closing time, "Sorry but we're closing..." she said turning around.

Kasumi didn't manage to finish her sentence as standing right there in front of her wearing only a pair of black jeans and a white turtleneck sweater was Ranma.

"Hi there..." he greeted her delicately.

Kasumi didn't even want to look at him for she quickly turned back to the kitchen and started walking. She had hoped to make it pass its doors but as the grip of a very firm yet gentle hand grabbed her left arm. "Why?" requested the familiar male voice of her.

"I have my own reasons." replied Kasumi, her back taking the brunt of his strong gaze.

"Give me one good reason Kasumi...say it to me in front of my face and I'd promise you that I'd leave you alone for good..." Ranma then loosened his grip on Kasumi's arms.

Sitting down on one of the empty tables, Kasumi with Ranma directly opposite of her was trying hard to look up to his face but was finding it hard too even focus on his knotted fingers on the tabletop.

Gathering all the strength she could, "Ranma I don't know why your helping me but I already said I don't want your pity. Yes, you've explained yourself clearly but then when I heard that you never had a personal assistant before I got to thinking why you needed me at all. So when I had given more thought about it, you might just have needed me to be by your side as an ornament, a vase that looked nice beside you during your boardroom meetings and such. All you rich people are all the same just because you have money or distinction you think you can just order us around or fish us along to do you bidding. Or maybe you're just after me so that you can sleep with me then leave me once you're done with me..."

Once finished with what she had to say Kasumi noticed how the once loosely knitted fingers detached and each separate hand balled up callously, the same hands began to pale from the clenching. After a long pause of mute uncomfortable silence between the two Ranma spoke up, "Kasumi...I admit I may have gone this the wrong way and came on to you too strong but I swear on my parents grave that I have no intention of ever using you that way. I just wanted to help you out the best I can...to give you the chance I once had. I'm sorry if I made you think like that but one thing is certain that even though I've only known you for a few days but I really felt something for you deep inside my heart maybe it's because I like you maybe because I love you...but I guess that doesn't matter now. You've stated your reason clearly and now as promised I'd leave you alone..."

Ranma then took out his wallet and removed a small picture from it and placed it face down on the table. He slowly got up and gently said his final goodbye...only once after the echo of the bell died down inside the empty café did Kasumi slowly picked up the picture and turned it around.

It was a very old black and white photograph of three people, two adults and one child. The child looked like a younger version of Ranma and standing behind him were a man and woman wearing very plain looking ordinary clothes. But what were apparent most in the picture were the smiles on each of their faces. Kasumi didn't understand what he meant by this but just then grandma entered and stood beside her.

"Kasumi dear it's time to close up now...oh do you know them?" she asked her noting the picture in her hand.

"You know these people?" Kasumi brought up the picture for grandma to see clearer.

"Ya...I remember these two...Grandma pointing out to the two figures in the background they used to live around here years ago...I forgot their names but this young man used to come by here everyday early in the mornings to get his breakfast before going to work at the nearby construction yard. I think his wife worked somewhere in a high class restaurant I think. He always did say he had a boy and how he was working hard to earn enough money to send him to go to good school so he'd be someone useful."

Grandma then sat down in front of Kasumi and continued on with her story, "Sad thing was if I remember correctly the man passed away later in a construction accident it was all over the papers and the mother together with the boy sometime after that just disappeared ..."

Kasumi couldn't believe that the boy in the picture is the same Ranma she know but then the whole few days before today didn't make any sense to her either, if this boy is Ranma and the two behind him his parents then how did he end up with the Saotomes who to her best knowledge were one of the most powerful corporate families in Japan and currently both of them were very much alive.

- -

"Kasumi tell me again why am I here again...in the city library shifting through old newspapers at 8.30am on a Sunday?" moaned Hitomi beside her.

"Well you wanted to help me right ..." Kasumi was shifting through old newspapers articles dating back to16 years ago. She had stared at the photograph for the entire night and that lead her to here. She roughly estimated the year to look for as Ranma was no bigger then 7 in the photo. She was trying to see if what grandma had told her was true.

After about an hour later, Hitomi having fallen asleep beside her Kasumi was about to give up when an article unexpectedly caught her eye.

==Construction worker dies crushed under fallen concrete slabs. Wife and son tragically there to witness horrific accident!!!==

There below the article in black and white was a picture of a crying Ranma being held in his mother's arms being lead away from the construction yard. "So it is true then..." Kasumi whispered sadly to herself.

Kasumi didn't know what she was feeling right there and then, she had accused Ranma of being haughty and pompous not knowing that he too probably suffered as much she did all those years ago.

Kasumi didn't have a very pleasant time at Grandma's all day long after that while she worked. Kasumi looked forlorn and distant while she manned the cash register. All Kasumi could remember was Ranma's back walking out of the door, the very same door that she now stared blankly at.

Even back at home Akane and Nabiki noticed that their oldest sister was looking rather a bit off and when she went back into her room Kasumi couldn't help but recall Hitomi's words 'if you let him pass you by then remember that it was your own choice to let him go...no one else's'

Yes it was Kasumi's own decision to push Ranma away but now she was trying her best to try and get him back. She only prayed that she would get that chance once more.

The very next day a Monday, Kasumi had taken a day off and during lunch time had paid Hitomi a visit by arranging to meet at the nearby coffee shop.

"Did you see Ranma during work today?" Kasumi asked rather hoping for a positive reply.

"He didn't report to work today as I know of...heard that he'd taken a business trip to China..." Hitomi replied her.

"Oh..." Kasumi sighed feeling smaller and smaller as each second past the two friends by. Their lunch was a rather quiet affair and saying goodbye the two friends left on for work and one for home.

Upon returning to her apartment Kasumi noticed a rather thick envelope had been slotted through her mail slot and picking it up she found it was addressed to her from the Tokyo Open University.

Opening the envelope it was an entry form for its part-time degree courses with the applicant's name and payment form already filled in, all she needed to do was to choose which course she wanted to pursue.

Looking at the method of payment form, the course fees were charged to a credit account under the department store via Ranma's name. Kasumi then remembered back to when she had just moved into her office and remembering the offer which Ranma was willing to pay for her further education.

As if being punished for her idiocy Kasumi drew the envelope into her chest hugging it and then her eyes began to slowly weep. She felt like it was being clouted to her face that she had pushed away a man who was willing to do anything for her without ever wanting anything in return for he had given his heart to her and she foolishly threw it back to him.

- -

Weeks turned into months and months into a year, a full year had gone by now and things were slowly turning out for the better. Kasumi had found a new job with a small advertising firm as an accounts clerk while she undertook a part-time degree in Business Management.

She had asked Hitomi if Ranma had retuned from China for a while but seems like he never did. The department store hired a new Operations Manager a week after Ranma had left. Kasumi still never forgot about Ranma for she kept the picture which he gave her that day long ago framed and stood it beside her own parents photograph.

While walking home late one night from an office party, Kasumi was shocked to see her in front of her apartment block was being surrounded by fire engines and police officers. As she looked up to the night sky she could see the dark columns of smoke rising up.

Running to the front of the police barricade Kasumi looked over it to see if her sisters were anyway inside. Bordering on hysteria she shouted loudly for her sisters, "Nabiki!!! Akane!!!"

She continued shouting until her heard a reply which sounded like Nabiki's voice. Turning around she was so glad to see a rather blacken but otherwise fine looking Nabiki and Akane huddled under a large blanket.

Running to them and hastily enveloping them into a hug Kasumi thanked the Kami's for protecting her family from harm.

"I'm sorry Kasumi but we couldn't save much...all we managed to take out were the important documents the rest we couldn't save..." uttered Nabiki her voice still shaking.

"It's okay...as long as you two are safe..." she replied her while still hugging the two of them close to her.

- -

After the fire had been extinguished the few families which had been affected by the blaze were relocated to a nearby community hall to spend the night.

The next morning after the fire department had declared it safe to reenter the burnt homes for the families to salvage what they can. Akane, Nabiki and Kasumi went into their blackened apartment to see what had been spared or saved.

Akane found other then a few of her textbooks and a few cds she had kept inside her wooden desk her side of the room was pretty much burnt. Nabiki fared a little better she managed to find her little safety deposit box intact and a few of her mementos in pretty good condition.

Kasumi's room was the worst hit as she looked inside it and virtually found it covered in soot and left in cinders. Looking around what used to be her dresser she managed to make out a shiny bit of silver and picking it up she was relived beyond any words.

The photo frame holding the picture of her parents managed to survive the fire albeit slightly melted but the picture was still intact but as she wondered if Ranma's picture was in the same condition. She soon found it lying next to her bed or what remained of it.

The frame had melted through and as she wiped the soot from the broken glass covering she managed to save from the burnt mass rather oddly enough the part of the picture which only had Ranma in it. The parts of his parents were charred off leaving just Ranma's figure standing with his boyish smile visible.

"Why? Even when I lose most of my possessions I still manage to keep your memory alive?" she asked herself.

- -

It took the three sisters a week to relocate to another apartment which by all means was even smaller then theirs originally. It was only a one room apartment and having just enough money to buy the basic necessities it would be a little tight for the three sisters for a while.

Kasumi had given precedence of the only room to her siblings while she gladly slept out in the livingroom. Except for a few small pieces of furniture the whole apartment was pretty bare.

With the bulk of her savings gone into the apartment's deposit and also re-buying of Nabiki's and Akane's textbooks not much was left in the way to buy luxuries. Except for a small hi-fi set and an equally small TV not much less was there for the three to spend their time on.

Kasumi, Nabiki and Akane even had to take a longer period of time to get to their work and place of study collectively as this apartment was a good half an hour further away then their old home.

Hitomi had paid them a visit last night to check on how they were settling in but most importantly she was just glad that they were all safe. Hitomi had actually come over to speak to Kasumi about something she had heard over in the office.

- -

In their small kitchen last night, Hitomi and Kasumi sat down on the small dining table. "Kasumi...I don't know if I should tell you this but I heard something about Ranma in the office a few days back..."

Looking at Kasumi and seeing her eyes flash with a little hope but remaining quiet she continued, "From what I gather he had went back to China to take over the post of Regional Manager of his father's flagship company which is headquartered in China."

"That's nice to hear..." smiled Kasumi weakly up to her best friend.

"You still miss him don't you...?" Hitomi asked her softly, patting Kasumi's hands.

"It was my mistake right..." she whispered sadly.

"Cheer up Kasumi...I'm sure you'd meet him again. And Kasumi...Van proposed to me last week and I agreed...he's also been reassigned back to his hometown...I guess I should be following him but I don't want to leave..."

Kasumi interrupted her friend, "Hitomi...go if you're happy following Van then please do. Don't make the mistake I did...I want you to be happy so just remember to invite me to your wedding and I'd be fine..." Kasumi then leaned in and gave her best friend a warm hug.

Having seen Hitomi off by the bus station Kasumi walked backed to her apartment and just as she reached to unlocked her front door she thought she saw a figure going into the apartment directly next to hers. Kasumi had previously thought it to be empty for she seldom saw any light coming out from it.

Making not much fuss about it Kasumi opened her door and went in with her futon laid out behind her and looking out of livingroom window to the skies above she could distinctly hear a male voice being carried through the still air.

"If they are resolute about not selling it to us at that price then stand down for a while. I'm sure if we wait for a while they'd sell it to us at our price...from the market as I see it they cannot possibly expect us to buy it from them at that price. Yes...just contact me if anything changes." said the voice outside.

Kasumi must be hearing things as she thought for a moment that the voice almost sounded like Ranma's, "Kasumi you're imagining things..." she told herself before closing the window and settling in for the night.

- -

Next morning as Kasumi went to work she couldn't get the voice out of her head. It had kept on replaying itself inside her head the whole night before as if a ghost was haunting her and it was Ranma's ghost that was haunting her.

Not a day goes by that Kasumi isn't reminded of Ranma in some small way. From being reminded of him in the food they ate before to the situations they shared briefly all of them somewhat made her think back to him.

As her day ended as usual a rather tired looking Kasumi slowly walked back up to her apartment and after changing into her home clothes she entered the kitchen to prepare their dinner. But as soon as she walked in she noticed a rather thick wallet placed on top of their dining table.

"Nabiki...Akane whose wallet is this?" Kasumi asked the two girls who were doing their assignments outside on the livingroom table.

"I don't know Kasumi when I came back home from my morning jog I saw it lying outside on the floor a few steps after our door. I must have totally forgotten about it after I placed it on the table..." responded Akane while scratching her head.

"Well let's just see who it belongs to..." Kasumi then slowly unfolded the wallet and looking inside...

Kasumi's knees instantly buckled from under her as if her body had suddenly turned to lead, falling to the floor in a heap with the said wallet slipping out of her hands in midair landing beside her.

"Kasumi!!!" shouted the two younger girls as they quickly rushed over to her aid.

Kasumi felt faint, she couldn't believe this was happening or was this just a dream of hers...for inside the wallet was the ID card of one Saotome Ranma even his picture was there for her to see. 'It is him...has to be him right?' she thought.

After six longs months of trying to find him in vain and another six time-consuming months of agony trying to forget him it had to happen now...she finally had found him, if fate was cruel then irony was murder.

Akane picked up the wallet and looking inside, "Hey I know him...I've seen him a few times walking down the stairs going past me in the mornings. Kinda cute don't you think..." said Akane passing the wallet over to Nabiki.

Nabiki took the wallet looked inside as well and agreed with her, "Cute..." Taking the wallet back from Nabiki, Kasumi took a long look at it just to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

As the three girls huddled on the floor a sudden strong knocking came onto the door, "I'd see who that is..." Akane then got up and opened the door.

"Er...Hi...just wanted to ask if you've seen a wallet lying somewhere around here I must have dropped it sometime this morning..." asked a voice.

Kasumi's heartbeat inexplicably began to speed up...she didn't have to see to know who was at the door, "Sure come on in...I found it by..." chirped Akane to the stranger.

As the figure walked in he was a little surprised to see two girls sitting somewhat oddly on the floor. And as Akane pointed out that her eldest sister had his wallet he knelt down behind her and extended his hand out.

"Thanks...I thought I lost it...would have made this the worst day of my life if I hadn't found it..."

Slowly turning around Kasumi saw his face once more and as two pairs of eyes widened and finished in a clash of russet and sky blue orbs the two stared deep past each other.

"Ranma..."

"Kasumi..."

Swiftly taking the wallet from Kasumi's hands, "Thanks...I'd be going now." Uttered Ranma in a rush then he quickly got up and left their home.

Kasumi figuring out what had just happened hurriedly scrambled to her feet and rushed out of the just about closing front door, she didn't even bother to wear any slippers as she stepped outside. She was determined not to let the young man slip pass her once more not this time.

As she turned to the left to the other apartment she saw nothing, turning to the right she caught sight of the young man running down along the hallway.

Ranma turned back for a while and catching Kasumi's figure looking at him he ran a little faster but he didn't see the small pot which was in front of him.

Crash

In a tumble Ranma tripped over the pot and did a roll onto the floor. Kasumi barefoot and all run out straight up to him.

"Ranma...are you alright?" she asked him, her voice full of concern as she looked him over for any signs of injury.

"I'm fine..." he replied up to her, his tone rather flat.

He quickly stood up and started to leave again but as if déjà vu this time he was held back by a pair of delicate hands firmly grasping around each one of his arms, "I thought you didn't want to see a rich spoiled person like me again..." he hissed coldly back towards her.

"I..." Kasumi suddenly found her throat dry, her emotions uncontrollable and lastly she couldn't find the words she so wanted to say to him.

"I thought you didn't want to be ordered around or maybe used for my own lust only then to leave you out in the cold..." Ranma was right there and then using the same words Kasumi had accused him of doing right back at her.

"I..." No matter how hard she tried Kasumi couldn't find her voice at all, she then started to tremble ever so frivolously.

"Look if I despise you that much let me go already...no use keeping me here right?" he yelled back at her.

"Ranma...please listen to me...please..." she whispered up to him trying desperately to hold back the tears, Kasumi slowly rested her face onto Ranma's back just to feel his presence for she could not longer see anything through her watery eyes.

"Listen...I've listened enough. I've listened to your voice going on inside my head accusing me of wanting to just use you for my own pleasure for the past year now. Just when I forgot about you I have to see you again... How cruel can the Kami's be?" Ranma stated coldly.

"I didn't know...you were a..." Kasumi said softly.

"Yeah...you didn't know a single thing about me...you didn't want to know, remember...? Yeah I was coming on too strong, my fault...my mistake! Heck if I was a girl I would have been damn sacred of myself..." he continued his voice booming over her figure as if the Kami's themselves were trying to condemn her.

By now the few residence of the floor were staring at them and shouting at them to quiet down. Looking beside him to the ruckus Ranma quickly turned and led the still tearful Kasumi back inside to her apartment and into the arms of the two now confused looking siblings. "Here...take your sister and take care of her..." with that he hurriedly walked out of the front door.

Kasumi quickly broke out from her sister's hold and chased after him once more, seeing him walking away from her she yelled to him, her voice shivering as she shouted. "Ranma...don't go please...I...I love you for Kami's sake!!"

Hearing those words flying though the air and reaching him, Ranma froze in his mid step. He then scratched the back of his head and looked up to the ceiling above him as if wondering what to do next.

Kasumi stood a few steps behind him eagerly staring only at his back waiting to see what would Ranma do next and as she saw his head slowly turning back to face her.

"Now you tell me...sure took you long enough..." he replied brandishing a genuine smile.

- -

Kasumi seeing him smiling at her like that for the first time since she could remember quickly ran up to the young man and enveloped him into a ferocious hug that she didn't want to let go fearing that he'd run off again.

Akane's and Nabiki's mouths instantly flew wide open at the sight and as they blankly stared at the two hugging figures not fully knowing what to expect next as their normally reserved sister was now happily hugging a total stranger.

"Err...why don't we find someplace to talk I think the neighbors wouldn't appreciate seeing us like this..." Ranma said awkwardly.

Kasumi released her hug on him and walking back to her apartment she asked the still dazed Akane and Nabiki to get back into their apartment and wait for her to come back.

Ranma slowly opened his apartment door and led Kasumi in for the first time.

"Well...fancy meeting you here eh..." Kasumi may have not seen Ranma for a year but his wit was still there.

Kasumi had been taking a long look around Ranma's apartment it was as basic as her own was. It had very few furnishings at all and most of the things inside looked as if they belonged in a museum.

Bringing out two bottles of cold water from the kitchen, "Sorry I don't keep any tea...I just came back and this was all I have..." commented Ranma. Kasumi replied saying that it was okay so as Ranma and Kasumi sat themselves down on the livingroom tatami floor.

"Surprised that I'd be living here?" he asked her.

Kasumi simply nodded her head.

"This used to be my childhood home...still is when I came back to Nerima. See that spot over there...Ranma pointed to a spot under the livingroom window I used to sleep under that window looking up at the stars when I was a kid. My mom would sometimes sleep beside me or my dad...even though it was a small apartment my family and I were happy. Sure we didn't have a lot of money but we were happy in our own way..."

"I'm sorry about your father..." whispered Kasumi she was still unsure of what to say fearing that she'd make the same mistake she did that year ago.

"Like I say I've gone on with my life...after the day my dad died my mother worked even harder as she could to support me, keep me in school and feed me. She then died six months later and having no other family I was put into an orphanage. Guess I was one of the lucky ones...huh? For after a week the Saotomes came in and adopted me. I was given another chance in life and I took it with both hands. My real father told me once that he wanted me to study hard and then when I was grown up to work hard and become a good man. And I did I studied my socks off to get my degree and when I started to work for my stepfather I worked my butt off..." Ranma paused for a moment to twist open the two bottles of water one for him and one for Kasumi his first house guest.

"I didn't once tried to show my status even though I was rich it wasn't my mine. It was my stepparents fortune not mine, I was just given the opportunity to live with them. My stepfather never made it easy for me either, I had to work for everything I own and the first thing I bought with my money was this apartment. I even tried to find back everything which we owned before in some form or another as respect to my real parents."

Kasumi wanted to say something but stopped when Ranma continued.

"When I bumped into you that day I was as surprised as you were and seeing your wallet on the floor I honestly intended to just give it back to you and walk away but as I talked with you more I found you to be so much like my mother. No matter how hard it got for her she would always look at the positive side of things. Even on her death bed she was smiling to cheer me up and that was what honestly drew me to you your smile and never waning cheerfulness." Ranma honestly confessed to her.

"Ranma...I'm sorry for calling you all those things before...I didn't mean..."

"I know Hitomi told me about you previous boyfriend on the day you left, we all got hurt before even me...I had thought that after my ex-fiancée every girl wanted to know me just for my money. That was also why I never worked with anyone for I couldn't know if they wanted to work with me because of my own skills or because I am a Saotome. I don't blame you Kasumi really I've been alone for so long to not even know that I was being rude by pushing you with all things."

"Ranma...I understand now that you were trying to help me...You want to know something..." Kasumi glanced over to Ranma and seeing him remain silent she continued for it was her turn now to share with Ranma her past.

"My parents died in a car accident one night returning home from my cousin's wedding when I was 18, I had just graduated high-school and had been accepted into university. We weren't rich but we managed but after their deaths I had to give it all up to support my sisters. I was in love at the time with this boy and I foolishly thought that with him helping me financially my life and my sister's lives might be a little easier. I almost lost my sisters because I was about to sign off on a bank loan to pay for their high-school tuitions and then depend on him for the payments but when that relationship failed I was lost. I had to work hard for my sisters and sort of gave up hope on ever trying to find love again. When you came into my life trying to make it all uncomplicated again I went all protective...I didn't want to lose my sisters again to a man's empty promises..." Kasumi trailed off as tears began to slowly stream down her cheeks.

The two continued to talk until late into the night telling each other stories of what happened and how things came to be in each others lives and the two of them began to find out more about each other and by that began to find out just how much they had in common.

Intermission for final chapter...Hoped the story flowed smoothly...and hoped it was enjoyable...

H.A