NOTE: As with Her Against the World, this story takes place at the same time Ranma and Akane are having their respective dreams in chapter one of Playing House, so you should read that before you read this.
It was night, a hot and humid one that offered no relief from the relentless summer. Kasumi lay in bed and waited to fall asleep under a window left open in the hope of catching a breeze. It had been a busy day, but not an unpleasant one. True, she'd had to intervene to stop Ranma and Akane from fighting, but that wasn't so hard, and she had a lot of experience handling it by now. She yawned and got comfortable: she was sure tomorrow was going to be another fine day.
Kasumi wiped her brow and smiled as she looked at the fruits of her work on the stove. It wasn't much - roasted sweet potatoes, grilled salmon, fried rice, curry, roasted sweet potatoes, hot pot, fried chicken, crab, sukiyaki, roasted sweet potatoes, creme brulee, gyoza, fried shrimp, omelet rice, roasted sweet potatoes, seaweed salad, cream stew, fried octopus, hamburgers, crepes, kimchi and fried sweet potatoes - but she knew her family appreciated all her hard work and so she tried to do her best to make every meal with love.
Ranma poked her head into the kitchen, an apron tied over her usual silks. "How's everything coming, Kasumi? Do you need any help?" she asked.
"Just about finished here, I think. Would you like to help me bring everything in?"
"Of course!" The two of them loaded dishes onto the serving tray and between them carried it into the dining room, where everyone was waiting as always.
"This looks amazing!" said Akane.
"Thank goodness!" said Genma, nearly salivating. "I'm starving."
"Don't worry," Kasumi said as she sat down, "there's plenty for everyone."
Nabiki watched as more and more food was laid out on the table. "I'll say. This must have taken forever to make."
Soun nodded solemnly. "We're so lucky to have such an excellent chef in the household."
Kasumi couldn't help but blush a little under all that praise. "You don't need to go that far. It was nothing, really."
Happosai sighed and shook his head, gently disapproving. "Now Kasumi, there's no call for jealousy."
Akane frowned at her. "Yeah! Ranma worked really hard to make this happen!"
Kasumi blinked, confused, a hand to her cheek. "Ranma? She was helpful bringing things in, but…"
But Nabiki interrupted her before she could finish. "These sweet potatoes are so good! Nice and crunchy on the outside but still fluffy on the inside. They must have taken forever for you to make, Ranma."
They had taken forever for her to make. Kasumi tried again, "There must be some mistake. Ranma didn't-"
Just then Ryouga stormed his way through the front door and into the dining room. "Tendou Akane, you've run away from me for the last time! Today is the day I defeat you once and for all!"
Ranma smiled cheerfully. "Oh, Ryouga-kun, welcome! Would you like to join us for dinner? We're having salmon."
Genma belched appreciatively in between mouthfuls and reached for another helping. "You'd better hurry if you want any. My boy's really outdone himself this time."
"Of course! Any chance to try Ranma's famous cooking." Ryouga sat down at an empty place and began helping himself, chowing down with vigor.
Kasumi frowned. The salmon had been a new recipe: she wasn't sure if it was going to come out properly. "Excuse me, but actually I'm the one who-"
The wall across from her smashed inward, wood and paper flying everywhere: Shampoo stepped through it, pointing a saber at Akane menacingly. "Violent Girl! Shampoo come to claim what is hers!"
"Shampoo-chan, how lovely to see you again!" Ranma said as she poured tea for everyone. "Won't you come sit down? I made curry and there's enough for everyone."
Akane finished her water, sighing with pure satisfaction. "Yeah, why don't you put that sword away and eat instead? If you're not scared, that is: Ranma makes the spiciest curry I've ever tasted."
Shampoo beamed and casually threw her weapon over her shoulder, sat and watched eagerly as Ranma passed her a plate. "Shampoo know Airen's curry! A feast for warriors: Shampoo bet she can handle it better than Violent Girl can."
"You're on," Akane said with a grin, the two locking eyes and beginning their competition.
Kasumi bit her lip: she'd visited three stores and two markets to find the right spices for that curry, one of them on the other side of town entirely."I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but in fact-"
She was cut off when a sudden gust of wind came in from the porch overlooking the garden, bringing in with it a shower of black rose petals and ringing laughter, and Kodachi nimbly landed at the foot of the table. "Your hour of reckoning is at hand, Tendou Akane! You will not stand between me and my darling Ranma-sama any longer!"
Ranma finished refilling Soun's bowl with stew. "Oh, hello Kodachi-chan! Have you eaten? We're having oden."
Kodachi laughed again and daintily knelt on a cushion. "But of course! Ranma-sama, you have a gift for making even the most plebeian of dishes a divine experience."
Soun wept openly, his tears mingling with the stew. "I haven't had anything this good in years! Truly our family is blessed!"
"But father, this is my stew! Don't you remember? I made it two weeks ago."
"Oh! Y-yes, of course, Kasumi," Soun said, somehow both absently and a little terrified, "and it was, err… very inventive!" he offered, hastily, before directing his attention to his food again.
"Maybe a little too inventive," said Nabiki, handing her bowl to Ranma for seconds. "Next time you should try sticking to the recipe, Kasumi-onee-chan."
" Nabiki! " Kasumi was shocked: what had gotten into her? What had gotten into everyone?
"Now, now, that wasn't very nice." said Ranma, ever serene, always polite, "Kasumi-chan tries her best and was very helpful today."
Kasumi felt her eyelid twitch. "But- but I- you didn't- this was all my work!"
But nobody was listening. More guests arrived: Ukyou, Cologne, the Gambling King, Herb and his two friends, the ghost cat, more and more and more every moment. And Ranma invited them in warmly, sat them down and filled their plates, while Kasumi tried again and again to explain herself, to politely correct the matter, to get anyone to listen.
And Happosai cupped one hand over a pointed, foxy ear. "What was that, Kasumi?" he said, over the increasing din.
Kasumi fumed and the room got louder and louder. She didn't want to cause a fuss. She didn't want anyone to think she was vain. But was a thank you so much to ask for? Was it really rude to want all her hard work to be recognized?
Happosai sipped his tea. "I think you're going to have to speak up if you want anyone in this crowd to listen," he offered, mildly.
Kasumi took a deep breath, one that seemed to go on forever, and one by one everyone stopped their arguing and their boasting and their declarations of love and revenge and turned to look at her, and…
Her alarm went off: it was early enough that it was still dawn outside her window. Kasumi sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes, and something told her that today was going to be a difficult day.
