Kuno was meditating on the floor of his basement dojo. Sitting with his legs crossed, he popped open his eyes to peer at the two larger-than-life portraits in front of him. Alas, I still have not chosen to which I will pledge my heart! he thought. But today I must contemplate on a far greater trial, one which I had never before considered! Yet fear not, my heart, he added. Tatewaki Kuno has not failed a challenge before! Blatantly ignoring the daily beating he got from either one, the other, or both of his loves or from Saotome, Kuno turned back to his dilemma. Which flowers were the favorite of Akane Tendo?
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(flashback)
The captain of the kendo club was sitting at his desk, head in hand. "Why? Why do they always spurn my wooing, my glorious gifts? That foul sorcerer Saotome! If only there were some way I could pluck my loves from his evil grip! Any way!"
About this time Nabiki slithered up. "Hey Kuno-baby, you don't look so hot. What's wrong?"
"Thy beauteous sister threw not a glance at my hand-picked bouquet of precious roses! Innumerable times have I gently approached her with that offering, yet this time she spared not a sniff! Why?" Kuno stood dramatically, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Oh, is that all?" Nabiki drawled. At the same time, she thought, It's about TIME he learns this... "Well, Kuno-baby, it's your lucky day because I'm going to tell you the answer." She blinked as Kuno was suddenly gripping her hand in both of his. "Tell me! Tell me the answer to my troubles! Reveal, oh money-grubbing vixen!" Slightly miffed but choosing to ignore the jab, Nabiki spelled it out: "Akane. Does. Not. Like. Roses." Stunned, Kuno released her hand. "Doesn't...like?" Quickly recovering himself, he continued, "Ah, but now, on to proper courtship! Tell me, sister to my dearest, which are the most appropriate substitute among all the species of flora?"
Nabiki sniffed. "Confidential." Slyly, she added, "Except when ¥10,000 is available, of course." Kuno's eyes bulged out. "Such a price for such easily-found information? Nay, I'll continue in mine own course! Bother me no more, vile seeker of material pleasure! Mine is a truer course of heavenly values!" With that, Nabiki returned to her desk. Kuno ran home to meditate. The teacher rolled his eyes but ignored the departure of his student. Kuno wasn't the easiest kid to teach, after all.
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"Oi, Akane! Wait up!" Ranma darted along the fence to catch up with his short-haired fiancée, of whom he had just caught sight. As she turned, the boy was not surprised to note a slight scowl. "Why were you late today?" she asked. Ranma shrugged nonchalantly. "Kuno sent me a challenge, then didn't show up. Spent an extra half hour waiting for him before I gave up." The scowl cleared. "Ah." And they continued home.
Upon reaching their destination, Ranma and Akane both stopped in shock. For there, in front of the house and dojo (which wasn't visible due to this, by the way) was Kuno, surrounded by every type of flower known to humankind. Then, in unison, the two betrothed sighed. What now?
"Ah, the fair Akane Tendo! Quell thy fears, for I, Tatewaki Kuno, am here to nobly pick up that which I had lacking in our beautiful dance of courtship! Come, tell me which of these fine specimens excites thy eye the most, and bouquets of such shall rain upon thee!"
Akane's left eye twitched. "Ku...no..." Ranma was a bit more eloquent. "What brought this idiotness on?"
Kuno spared a snobby sniff in his general direction. "The proper term is "idiocy", Saotome"—Ranma rolled his eyes in uncaring—"and my elegant maneuver was inspired by the realization that Akane Tendo spurns my bouquets of love not for spite—oh no!—but due to an unusual dislike associated with roses." Under his breath, Ranma muttered, "What, roses are the only thing?" Akane kicked him, then turned to face Kuno. "Kuno..." She was at a loss for words.
Kuno looked at her lovingly. "Which of these is thy favorite? Answer me but that, my sweet one, and you will never want for flowers again!" Fed up, and unsure of how to answer, Akane simply booted him away.
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Kasumi was just disposing of the remnants of Kuno's visit when the family arrived downstairs for dinner. Gathering around the table, conversation quickly turned to Kuno's appearance that day. "By the way, Akane," quoth Soun, "which is your favorite type of flower?" She paused to consider, but before she could reply, Nabiki chimed in. "Oh, any kind Ranma gives her, of course." She winked. Frozen, both teens blushed bright red before starting up a stream of denials. "What? Does that jerk even know what a flower is?" "Who, me? Her? Yeah right!" And dinner ended.
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The next day at school, Kuno was again waiting for their arrival. Ranma and Akane tried to dash right on in to school but before they could pass the kendoist, he cried, "Halt!" He thrust a bouquet at Akane. "Do lilies suit you, dearest?" A resounding "NO!" accompanied the elbow that knocked Kuno out. Ranma and Akane ran in to class while he lay on the ground "resting."
Akane grumbled as they took their seats. "I hope Kuno doesn't keep this up. Pretty soon I'll hate all kinds of flowers." Ranma muttered in agreement. "That idiot just doesn't know when to stop."
The "lesson" had started and Hinako was flying around as always when the first messenger arrived. "Bouquet for Miss Akane Tendo!" he called, barging right on in and caring naught for the class he interrupted. Little-girl Hinako glared. "What right do you have—ooh, are those daisies? Can I have them?" The deliverer looked slightly confused. "Miss Tendo?" Hinako eagerly lied, "Yes! Lemme have them!" Shrugging, he handed them over and left.
"Well, there goes the lesson for today," Daisuke muttered to Hiroshi as Hinako jumped around, arranging the daisies in different ways. The class easily relaxed into their usual our-teacher-is-a-mutant-child-at-the-moment-so-it's-slack-off-time mode but it wasn't long before they were interrupted by another bouquet-deliverer. "Peonies for a Miss Akane Tendo?" Groaning, Akane put her head to the desk and prayed for the day to end. Ranma yelled out, "She's not here!" and the guy left, but then the next came in.
"Hydrangeas?"
It continued.
"Sweet peas?"
All day long.
"Baby's breath?"
"Jasmine?"
"Orchids?"
"Venus fly trap?"
"AAAAAAAAHHH!" Finally, Akane taped a sign to the door proclaiming, "Akane Tendo no longer attends this school. Please forward all flowers to Kodachi Kuno at St. Hebereke's." Hopefully the Venus fly traps would work their magic on the psycho gymnast.
The rest of the day was rather peaceful. Well, the five minutes that were left, at least, were.
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Ranma knew better than to tease Akane after a day of Kuno's antics. But it seemed to him as if she were more upset than she should be. "I mean, c'mon, it's not like he was actually glomping her all day or anythin'," he mumbled to himself. "What was that!" Akane turned and glared at him. "Nothin', nothin'!" Ranma tried to save himself but it was too late—Akane was upset and had just tipped over into rampage. "Can't you EVER give me a break? Everything I do is wrong! I'm too weak, I'm too ugly, I'm too strong, I'm uncute...EVEN WHEN YOU'VE SEEN ME HAVE A TERRIBLE DAY YOU STILL GO ON ABOUT IT! AAARGH!" She ran off, tears of injustice shining in her eyes.
Ranma stood there stunned for about three seconds, then he got angry too. "What did I do! My days are usually MUCH harder than this! What does she think..." These were his general thoughts as he stomped angrily home.
Akane wasn't home when he got there, but Ranma wasn't surprised at all. Kasumi inquired as to her whereabouts, but Ranma retorted angrily that he didn't know and he didn't care. The eldest Tendo sister retreated, an "Ah." look on her face. It wasn't until after dinner that Ranma started feeling guilty. After all, what if she caught cold? Then she'd blame it on him and he'd be worse off anyways. Better to apologize now and save himself some misery later. Even if she didn't deserve it.
Ranma poked his head around the kitchen door. "Ah, Kasumi? I'll be out for a bit. I'm going for a walk...yeah, just a walk." Kasumi smiled knowingly. "Have a nice time, Ranma!" He grabbed his jacket and shoes and ran out the door. He started for the park where he was almost positive Akane was, but stopped midway and changed his step on a thought. A minute or two wouldn't hurt.
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She had stopped crying hours ago, had even done a little homework, and was now watching the ducks in the small pond in the middle of the park. Akane was feeling a lot better now, after a few hours of no interference, and she was getting ready to go home and apologize to Ranma. "Not that he deserves it, the jerk," she hmmphed. "But it was rude of me to blow up like that, so I'll do it for my conscience's sake." She began to gather up her books. She was reaching to put the last one in her bookbag when a hand, larger than hers, intercepted and put it in for her. Looking up, Akane wasn't very surprised to see her fiancé. He always ended up finding her when she ran off. But she had promised herself, so she opened her mouth to say it. This time, however, she was surprised, for Ranma beat her to the apology.
"Hey Akane...I'm, um, sorry for making you mad. I guess we all...ano...have bad days..." Akane smiled. Not the greatest but for Ranma, it was an achievement. She took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry, too, Ranma. I don't even know what you muttered under your breath back there (here she narrowed her eyes and muttered, "And I'm sure that I would be upset if I did") but I shouldn't have blamed you for it." She stuck out her hand. "Friends?"
Ranma, rather than shake her hand, pressed a flower into it. "Friends."
Akane smiled to herself as she looked at the flower. My favorite...