Soooo...it's been a while...
I'm very sorry for leaving this story on hold for as long as I did. I won't make excuses, I should have given some time to this story sometime during the past few months, despite everything that was going on. So I feel like the only thing appropriate to start this chapter with is an apology, especially to those who reached out to me and were left on hold for months.
As a way to partially make it up to you guys for making you wait so long, the next chapter will be up soon. I promise!
He watched himself in the mirror as he combed his hair and fiddled with his tie until he became too frustrated with it and threw his hand up with a growl. He could see light redness coloring his cheeks, and he knew why; he felt ridiculous, getting dressed and looking "nice" (which to him meant his Chinese olive green uniform, but to everyone else meant a stuffy colorless Western suit) for a school dance of all things!
"Stupid principal," he grumbled. "Going off to another country and bringing back stupid things like this stupid dance."
Ranma knew he sounded like a child, but he was too frustrated to care. And he was alone, so who was going to mind his venting?
Gripping the sink and letting out a great sigh, he relaxed himself a bit and took another look at himself in the mirror.
He couldn't deny himself a little smile; he did look good, messed-up tie aside. And he had to look good. He was doing all this for Kasumi, after all, and after all she'd done for him during all the time he'd lived at the Tendo dojo, the least he could do was make himself presentable when he took her out for the night.
"Would I have done the same for Akane, though?"
Those words spilled out of his mouth as soon as he thought them, so quickly that for a moment Ranma thought his reflection had spoken to him. He jumped back startled, then watched his cheeks turn even redder at his embarrassment at his own stupidity.
But the question still lingered in the air, still unanswered.
Would he be putting up with all this if Akane had been the one to ask him?
With another growl, he shook his head as if he could physically shake the image of Akane asking him out his mind. "Doesn't matter. She didn't, and I'm glad she didn't. I could've never gone with a tomboy like her anyway. Hell, she's so tomboyish she probably could only go if someone asked her."
At that exact moment, someone knocked heavily on the door. Ranma shrieked, terrified that Akane had overheard him.
It was a relief when he heard his father shouting, "Hurry up, boy! You're keeping everyone waiting! And more importantly, I have to use the bathroom!"
"Alright, alright, just give me a little bit!" He turned back to the mirror, did some quick last minute fixes, and struggled one last time in vain against his tie before giving up and opening the door for his father. His old man rushed past him without a word, and Ranma scowled.
"Most dads would've at least given their sons a second look before they went to meet their date," grumbled Ranma.
"You say something, boy?" came Genma's muffled voice.
"Nah, nothing. I'm off now."
"They're downstairs waiting for you. Good luck. And don't do anything stupid."
"If only it was ever that easy in my life," said Ranma as he rushed down the stairs.
When his father had told him that "they" were waiting for him downstairs, Ranma naturally expected to see Soun, Nabiki, Akane, and maybe Akane's date if she had managed to get one. What he did not expect was to see Mousse of all people there as well. Even stranger, he was dressed up in a suit just like him. If he didn't know any better, he might've thought that Akane...no, she wouldn't have...
"Hey Mousse, what are you doing here?" asked Ranma cautiously.
"Oh, Akane didn't tell you?" he said with a smirk. He wrapped his arm around the person on his right and said, "I was asked by Miss Akane to the dance."
"Mousse, glasses," said Nabiki.
When he put on his glasses, he found his arm wrapped around an irritated Soun, who he quickly let go off.
If anyone looked more irritated than the groped Soun Tendo, it was his youngest daughter, who was very poorly hiding her distaste for the whole situation. In spite of her unhappy expression, Ranma couldn't deny how good she looked in her soft blue dress and with her lips lightly glossed. She didn't put as much work into how she looked as she could have, Ranma could tell, but that didn't stop her from looking pretty cute.
The pleasant mesmerizing effect she had on him completely faded away when her date obnoxiously announced, "Yes, while I would have liked to gone to this event with Shampoo—"
"Neither you nor Shampoo go to our school, so you wouldn't have been able to go together," Nabiki dryly interjected.
"—I have taken up Akane Tendo's offer to accompany her. I was nothing short of elated when she asked me. I suppose I must have been the most dependable man she could have asked."
That last comment was clearly aimed at Ranma, and duck-boy's wicked smirk only confirmed it. If Ranma wasn't afraid of ripping his expensive suit, he would've started a fight with his enemy right there and then.
He decided to change the topic. "So where's Kasumi?" he said, looking around for her.
"Of course you'd want to know where she is," grumbled Akane coldly.
"Of course I do. She's my partner in this thing, after all. You'd be looking around for Mousse if you couldn't find him, after all."
Akane opened her mouth to snap back with something, but closed it when a soft voice drifted down the stairs: "Just a minute, I just finished getting ready."
All heads turned to the stairs.
When Ranma laid his eyes on her, he felt his jaw fall slack.
Kasumi stood at the head of the staircase, the highest angel in Heaven; a beauty envied by the kami of the earth. She glowed with the soft shimmer of a full moon, in her dress of white and her slippers so polished they seemed to be made of glass.
From his lowly distance, Ranma felt the strange nagging sensation that he wasn't worthy to look upon her.
She glided down the stairs, closing the distance between them. Each step she took matched perfectly with each thump in the young man's chest.
Everyone else in the room dissolved away when the two of them came together; they only had eyes for each other.
Smiling gently, Kasumi said, "Sorry to keep you waiting."
Ranma felt like he was swallowing hot lead before he could reply, "It's, uh, no problem."
She giggled lightly.
"Oh, Kasumi!" wailed her father, shattering the fragile peace of the moment. "I can't handle this! My little girl...all dressed up and...and...Genma, hold me!"
"It's alright, old friend," said Genma, appearing suddenly and holding his sobbing friend. "The kids are growing up. It's what they do."
"Oh father," said Kasumi.
"Oh brother," said Nabiki, rolling her eyes.
One of the good things about Nabiki asking out Kuno was that he was able to take them to the school in style; Ranma had never seen a limo as long as this one, and had almost never sat on a seat this comfortable.
Of course, this came with the downside of getting glared down by the man himself, who sat with rigid posture, seemingly having no eyes for his date sitting next to him, preferring to stare daggers at Ranma and look with longing at Akane.
This didn't go unnoticed by Nabiki. "You know, Kuno-baby, I only asked you because I fully expect you to use your money to show me a good night."
"And I only accepted, Nabiki Tendo, because you were unfortunately able to ask me before your sweet sister was able to."
"Who said I was going to?!"
"Ah, but alas, you asked first, and the rules of this strange American ritual forbid me from refusing. Not that I would have anyway, for as a man among men Tatewaki Kuno would never dream to break the heart of a suitor who mustered the courage to ask The Blue Thunder for a dance...even if said heart is a gargoyle's heart made from stone as yours no doubt is, Nabiki Tendo."
"I'm glad we're on the same page," responded Nabiki with a smirk and a nod.
In a twisted way, Ranma felt that the two of them were perfect for each other.
The others were less talkative. Mousse was completely unreadable, sitting with his arms crossed and his face turned in a small frown, like he was deeply contemplating something. Ranma felt sharp spikes of dislike race through him every time he looked at him, and those feelings only became stronger when he noticed how close he was to Akane.
Speaking of Akane...what was her deal? Why did she bring Mousse along? Did she really want to go so badly that she was willing to bring along anyone? No, he doubted she cared that much. It was probably just her getting back at him.
Unless...was he being insecure? He hoped he wasn't.
He sighed. Well, at least she didn't bring Ryoga. That idiot would've taken things too far. He always does.
He felt a light nudging on his arm, and turned and saw Kasumi looking at him with wide eyes of concern. "Are you okay, Ranma?" she asked.
"What? Yeah, I'm good. Why do you ask?"
"You just looked a little upset right now."
He shook his head lightly. "It's nothing, don't worry about it."
The older woman's eyes fell down to the ground, and her hands clasped together.
"Is it because of me?"
Ranma nearly choked on nothing. "Wh-what?!"
"I'm just a little worried I might have been selfish," admitted Kasumi. "I know I've caused some trouble for you and Akane because I wanted to go with you..."
It was clear from her tone that this wasn't something that was occurring to her just now. She had been thinking about this for a while, and knowing Kasumi, she likely had all kinds of other doubts and worries that she wasn't saying out loud right now. Perhaps for his sake more than hers.
That was just who Kasumi was. Selfless to a fault. And it was a fault, because now was one of the few times Ranma could think of that Kasumi had asked something from him for herself, and now a few complications were enough to have her convinced that she shouldn't have asked for even this one night for herself.
She didn't complain once that she was missing her festival...not that night, not any night after it.
Now Ranma was disappointed; not with her, but with himself. It was only now occurring to him how little time he had spent with her between her asking him and now. He thought nothing of it then, but now he was realizing he had been unconsciously keeping his distance from her, from shyness or embarrassment or something else, he didn't know. What he did know was that if he had done her the courtesy of talking to her a little bit before hand, he might've been able to soothe her heart, to reassure her.
Look at her. Look at how nice she looks. She really wanted this. After everything she's done for you, are you really going to say something to her? Do you just plan to let her feel bad over nothing?
In a move perhaps bolder than he was used to, he scooped up her hands in his own, drawing a squeak of surprise from her. She didn't pull them back from him, though, and Ranma noted how warm her hands were.
Almost as warm as his face was becoming. Ah, damn it all, why did he grab her hands? Why was he questioning it now? Why did he have to be like this?!
Calm down, Ranma, you're getting hysterical.
"Look, uh, don't worry it about, okay?" His face became hotter, and he had to look away from her. For the first time in his life, he wished he could be as flowery with his words as Kuno. But then, he knew from experience that confidence mattered more than smooth speeches, so he forced himself to look back at her, look into her sparkling doe eyes
. "You deserve a night for yourself more than anyone, Kasumi," he continued. "You're always looking out for the rest of us, and working so hard for our sakes...let me look out for you and work for your sake tonight. And not because I feel like I have to, but because I want to. I want you to have a great time tonight."
She smiled, and let out a sigh that might have been a sigh of relief.
"You're too sweet." Then, after a pause, she said, "You've really grown, you know?"
"Y-you think so?"
Kasumi nodded. "Do you remember when we first met? It was such a strange and funny scene...a panda dragging a red-haired girl kicking and screaming into our home." She laughed lightly. "And Father fainted, and we learned about your curses..."
"Yeah, I guess that was pretty funny..."
"Back then, I thought you were little more than an immature kid," admitted Kasumi. "Young, loud, angry...I have to admit, I didn't think too highly of you then."
"Gee, thanks."
"But I think I misjudged you, Ranma. You're much more mature than I had thought. If only I had known back then...maybe I would've asked Father to let me be your fiancee..."
"What? Oh, come on, you're just teasing me..."
Kasumi neither confirmed nor denied, just giving Ranma an uncharacteristically sly smile.
The young man couldn't deny that it sent a shiver down his spine, and the image of him being betrothed to Kasumi lingered in his mind a little longer than it should have...
"Ah, we've finally arrived!" announced Kuno in a booming voice. In his excitement he forgot the small size of his limousine's interior, rising up and hitting his head on the top. Nabiki fell on him, dramatically wailing how she was too young to have become a widow and could only wipe her tears with bills from Kuno's wallet.
Ranma was more cautious as he rose, but that didn't spare him from injury. "Ouch!" he shouted as he felt someone stomp hard on his foot. He looked over and it was, unsurprisingly, Akane, who walked past him with a haughty hmmph!
Despite her visible anger, he thought he saw some sadness and hurt in her expression.
Shaking it off, he got out of the vehicle and took Kasumi's hand and helped her to her feet. "Thank you, Ranma," she said sweetly, which he responded to with the most dignified, most eloquent of sounds: an affirmative grunt.
The three pairs went to the entrance together, where they found Miss Hinako sitting at a little desk with red tickets scattered messily on top of, as if a child had been playing with them. Which made sense...
"Surprised you're here," said Ranma. "A high school dance ain't exactly a place for little kids."
"How rude," responded the young teacher. "Don't make me use my hammer on you, Ranma Saotome."
"No needa for de violence," came a Hawaiian-flavored voice that made Kuno groan. The Principal emerged from the shadows, his eyes glued on Nabiki like he had never seen her before in his life. His grin was longer than the Great Wall of China. "Especially nota in front of mah little keiki's love of his life. Eh, wahine, wanna see little Tatewaki's baby pictures?"
"No, no, she most certainly must not obtain any compromising pictures of me!" protested Kuno. "I know she would somehow find use for them in mercantile ways. I would know; I'm her best customer!"
"Oh, Kuno, do you really think so lowly of me?" said Nabiki with a frown. "Do you really think I would use your most embarrassing childhood memories as blackmail material for financial extortion? I would never..."
"Listen to her, little keiki. Now, here's one photo of de boy crying cuz he lost his trunks in de pool..."
"It's not my fault, it got caught on the railing!"
"This could take a while for them," said Akane as Kuno's father and date laughed at his childhood memories. "Let's just get four tickets please."
Once they had the tickets, they went inside, and joined the rest of the school in the gym, which had been completely redesigned for the dance. There were streamers and banners and balloons everywhere, a multicolored dance floor, and a few long tables stacked against the wall for drinks and snacks.
"So who was this Sadie Hawkins person anyway?" said Ranma, reading the name in bold English letters on one of the banners. "Was she the one with the airplane?"
"No, that was Marie Curie, you idiot," said Mousse smugly.
"I'm just happy that because of her, we'll be able to have a wonderful night that we'll never forget," said Kasumi happily.
Ranma and Akane just grumbled, but Mousse seemed to agree.
"Yes," he said, nodding and smiling. "It will be a night none of us will forget..."