Chapter 7

Thankfully, after their conversation last night, Akane went back to normal. She was still a bit ashamed of herself, because it still was her fault, in her opinion, since she didn't notice the bomb.

Nodoka, in an attempt to make her feel better, said that they would return to the training, because, while the house blew up, they still did everything right, and she wasn't one to give up so lightly. At this Akane smiled, and ate her breakfast with more apetite.

In school she was her old self and nobody knew of what had happened last Friday.

But... how come nobody knew of that incident?

"Hey Akane. Is it true that your sister is preparing to go away?", asked Akanes friend, Sayuri.

Akane nodded and added, "Yeah. She got the chance to study abroad in America. She took it without hesitation."

"But won't you miss her? And what about...?", Sayuri didn't know how to continue and so just waved with her hand.

Akane gave a little smile. She knew what she was talking about, and didn't have a problem to answer the question.

"I guess I will miss her, but if that is what she wants, then I wish her good luck. And about money... well, the most of what she earned, she will need it for America. And we still get money from the insurance, and she made sure that we have enough money, if we would really need it. Nobody knows of that account beside Nabiki. She arranged it so, that Kasumi gets monthly money for food and other things, and also a bit for her. I also will get some money monthly, pocket money, as will my father. If there are any damages on the house, she will see to it herself, so that she can get the money from whoever it was. So this shouldn't be any problem."

§°°§°°§°°§°°§

Meanwhile somewhere else.

"Hey Ranma! Must be your lucky day today, huh?", said Daisuke, Ranmas friend.

"Huh? What are you talking about?", was his answer.

"Don't tell me that you didn't hear of it?", said Daisuke incredously.

Ranma just looked at him, clearly expecting some explanations.

Daisuke rolled his eyes, but proceeded with telling him anyway.

"I'm sure that you heard that Nabiki is going to study abroad."

Ranma just nodded, indicating that he knew that already and that Daisuke should continue.

"Well, this means that she can't make any pictures of you anymore."

Now Ranma got a bit irritated. "I already know all of this. Get to the point, will ya?"

Daisuke, seeing that Ranma was getting irritated, continued.

"Well, it seems that Kuno is going with her. His father thought that Japan made him weak, and since he knows of Nabiki and how she is, he made a deal with her. She gets monthly paid, if she watches out for Kuno, and makes him, characterly, stronger."

Ranma just gaped. He didn't know what to say. But then suddenly, he began to jump around like a madman, with a silly smile and chanting:

"No more Nabiki, no more Kuno, no more Nabiki, no more Kuno..."

Daisuke just sighed.

§°°§°°§°°§°°§

When lunchtime arrived, Ranma barely managed to flee from the Amazon and his best friend.

He went to the tree, where he said he would meet Akane, only to see her standing at the foot of it, and looking frustrated at the branches.

"Uh, Akane, what's the matter?"

She eeped, and turned around. She looked him in the eyes, and Ranma could see the uncertainity in hers. Then she sighed and turned once again around.

"And don't you dare tell me that it's nothing."

She still didn't look at him, but finally said,

"I...My training was no good Ranma. While I am stronger, and could easily reach the branch by jumping, I can't jump on it. I always become unbalanced."

Ranma just stared. That was it? But... something felt off, normally Akane would never tell him such a thing. Why now? Was this a result from her training trip. Ranma decided to think about that later, and decided to instead help her.

"Show me."

"Wh...what?", said a startled Akane.

"Show me.", he repeated calmly.

"But I will fall Ranma!", said an exasperated Akane.

At this, Ranma gave her a small smile, and told her softly,

"I will catch you."

Akane just looked at him. He had a feeling that she was trying to read him, when she finally nodded and gave him a small smile in return and turned around, ready to jump.

Ranma didn't know what had happened. What had she learned on that training trip? How to hypnotisize him? When she had smiled at him... he had got that weird feeling in his belly.

However, he didn't have any more time to contemplate this.

Akane had jumped, and as she had predicted it, after being on the branch for three seconds, she fell. And Ranma, as promised, catched her.

She opened her eyes, and when she looked at him, she gave him one of her smiles again.

Ranma was mesmerized. He completely forgot that he was holding her.

Then she started to giggle, and he got out of his stupor.

He put her down, and told her that she should try to work more with her hands, to regain her balance, and that it wouldn't be a crime if she tried to hold onto a branch as not to fall.

She giggled a bit sheepishly at the comment about her pride, nodded and then tried it once again. And she did it this time.

Ranma jumped after her, with their bento boxes in his hands, and once he had landed, Akane gave him a very quick hug and a soft 'thanks'.

Ranma just looked at her, not sure if he had dreamed it, when he noticed her blush.

He blushed too, gave her her bento box, and sat down beside her.

They ate in comfortable silence, when he finally said.

"You know, I'm curious about your training trip."

She startled and then looked at him. Then she finally said.

"It might take some time, to tell you everything I learned."

At this, Ranma smiled, and said.

"Well, I have time, how about you?"

She smiled once again and nodded. But then she got a pensive look and told him

"But first, would you mind telling me, why you suddenly read that much?"

Ranma got a shocked expression.

He wasn't sure if he could tell her...

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½. It does belong to Rumiko Takahashi.