"Oh HONESTLY, Ranma! Would you just stop grumbling? You are annoying me now!"
Ranma growled again and glared down at her from the fence where he was currently walking on to reach school. He pouted angrily at her and turned his face to another direction, mumbling incoherent words to himself..
"OKAY! ENOUGH OF THAT!" Akane stopped walking and looked up at him, feeling irritated at his sudden childlike behavior.. Then she said to him in a hard tone,
"COME DOWN THIS INSTANT AND TALK TO ME.."
Ranma grumbled again and stopped walking as well. He jumped down in front of her and faced her with an annoying way,
"WHAT! Why are you staring at me like this?" she asked him angrily.
Ranma crumbled his nose and asked her, "Why are ya wearing this kimono to go there?"
"Huh! This? Why did you even ask? Do you think I have any other choice now?"
"Well, you could have worn my stuff if ya wanted ta.."
"Your clothes?!"
"Why are ya giving me that surprise look, huh? You wore them last night, didn't ya.."
"Yes, I did.. But it was at night and no one could see me wearing it at that time.."
"What do ya mean by that? What's the problem if people see ya wearing my stuffs?"
Akane blushed slightly and said, "For one thing, I don't want your other cute fiancés to challenge me for a duel for stealing their Ranma-sama's clothes!"
"What! But why would they even think that?!"
"Wouldn't they, Ranma!?" Akane asked as she twirled her one brow at him and dared him to answer her.
Ranma blinked his eyes rapidly in confusion, then the meaning of what she was meaning hits him as he hissed,
"Ups! Damn, I forgot.." He said sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head.
Akane giggled as she shook her head at him and said,
"I thought so, baka.. Anyways, what's the problem with this dress?" She asked as she strengthened her kimono..
"Well, not a big deal, other then its oversized, its slaves are too long for you, it's too girly for a tomboy like you and not to forget, the way you are walking with this, it will take us forever to reach our destination.."
Akane growled in annoyance and said angrily,
"Listen Ranma, I also don't want to wear that, you know very well that I can't retain myself comfortably if I wear kimonos.."
"Duh, I knew it, that's why I asked ya.."
"But do I have any other choice? Either it's your mom's kimono or your fathers robe.. So tell me Ranma, do you prefer me to wear your father's clothes instead, huh?!"
Ranma instantly made a face of disgust, showing how much he dislikes the idea of her wearing his old man's clothes.
Akane sighed and shook her head at him. She gave him a knowing smile and said,
"I know, you won't like it, dummy.. And one more thing, I can't walk or run faster with this, so.. you can go ahead without me Ranma.. It's okay, I won't mind…"
Saying that with a smile on her face, she turned on her heels and started walking at a slow pace. Ranma sighed and understood the fact that there was nothing he could do to help the situation at the moment. Then, he heard the school bell ringing from a distance and he got ready on his heels.
Akane tried to walk a little faster as she tipped and moaned, "Oh great! I don't think I can make it at school on time at this rate!" She sighed defeated, but suddenly she got shocked when she felt herself getting lifted up from the ground..
"What the! RANMA! What are you doing! Put me down..!" She said in a panic, her face becoming red with embarrassment as she gaped at him with surprise in her eyes..
Ranma glanced down and snickers at her wondering face, then tightening his hold on her he said,
"You wanna reach there on time, don't ya?" She silently nodded her head and he beamed,
"Then hold on tight, tomboy.. We both have ta reach there on time.."
Saying that, Ranma didn't waste any time and started leaping from one roof to another, to reach school as fast as he could. Akane clinched to his neck tightly, she is used to this speed of his, that's why she never feels scared of its intensity anymore. She smiled warmly and tightened her hold on his neck as he took them both to their destination….
They reached school almost on time and had to start their class immediately after reaching there.. The day went by smoothly, except for some concerned glances from her classmates and some motivational speeches for her from her teachers, which only worked to make her even more depressed as the second passed.
Ranma noticed how uncomfortable Akane was looking. At first, he was getting irritated by the fact that everyone was giving sympathetic glances to her and then, when their teachers started to give her charitable lectures, it made him even more angry. He slowly peeked at her direction and noticed how stiff and sad she had become.
'Can't they see that it's only making her more upset! Can't they just keep quiet and stop giving her lectures!' He growled inwardly and impatiently waited for the lunch break to begin..
When the lunch break started, Akane was immediately surrounded by her friends, asking her all types of concern-filled questions all at a time.
"Akane, are you hurt anywhere?"
"Did your room break as well?"
"You are staying with Ranma, right?"
"How did you feel when that happened?"
"Did you see it happening?"
"Did your house break too?"
"Guys , guys, I am fine.. Nothing happened to our house, only the Dojo collapsed badly.."
"Then why do ya have to stay at Ranchans house, Akane?"
They all turned as they heard Ukyo's voice coming from behind them as she gave her a mean look. For the very first time, Akane felt loss of words, but all her friends felt angry at her sudden question as they started to give her angry stares..
"How could you even ask her that, Ukyo?" Yuka said in an angry tone.
"Yeah, she can't possibly stay at that house after what happened to their Dojo !" Sayuri intervenes.
"Yes, I know! But she could have just stayed at any other place! Why she had to choose my Ranchans?!"" Ukyo asked bitterly as a matter of fact..
"Like who's place?!" Sayuri asked with greeted teeth.
"Like, Tofu's! He is her sister's fiancé after all! She could have easily chosen to stay there.. So, why did she have to choose Ranma instead?" Ukyo said, giving Akane an accusing look as Akane kept sitting on her bench, silently looking down at her hands.
"Well Ucchan, that's because it would feel to her as if she is changing her room and not the house, that's why.." Ranma said with a venom-filled voice, tightly controlling his anger and trying his best not to yell at her. The thought alone of Akane going and living with Tofu and his brother was making him furious. He looked at Akane, who was still looking down at her balled hands, not saying or reacting at anything at all.. That made him even more irritated as he hastily passed the small crowded students and went to Akane. He gripped his wrist tightly and pulled her to stand up quickly. Then he started to drag her with him, while he started scolding her, making sure others hears him clearly,
"And why are you sitting there like a statue? Don't ya wanna take yar lunch? Don't just sit quietly and move yar lazy butt.. Ya are looking even more uncute sitting there like this, baka!"
Yuka and Sayuri were surprised to see Ranma reacting like this. But soon they both understood and they gave each other a knowing smile.
Ukyo also followed their retreating form with her rage-filled eyes.. She balled her fists tightly and growled inwardly as she bits her tongue to control her fury.
Ranma kept dragging her with him and took her to an isolated place, where he hoped no one would bother them. He stopped when he reached under the shadow of a big tree and slowly turned to her. He saw her still looking down at her feet while her face wore a blank expression. He growled at her and asked her irritably,
"What's the matter with ya, tomboy?" No answers came from her. He got worried by looking at her, he gently puts his hands on her shoulder and shook her to make her look at him, "Akane! Kane! You 'kay?"
Hearing his troubled voice, she looked up at him with panicky eyes. Then suddenly her breathing become uneven as she asked him,
"Why did you bring me here , Ranma?! What would everyone think of this?"
"What! And why should we even care?! And by the way, we were supposed ta have lunch together today, weren't we?" He asked her in a confused state.
"Yes, but… Oh Kami! You shouldn't have dragged me here like this! Anyways, we are living together again, right? So, you don't have to have lunch with me today, Ranma!"
"Look, promise is a promise.. We promised yesterday and we are here now.. That's it! And why the hell are you panicking like this? Have ya gone crazy or somethin'?" He asked, getting more frustrated at her reactions.
"WHAT! ME, CRAZY! IT'S YOU WHO IS ACTING CRAZY HERE!" Akane snapped and then stopped, she sighed with uncertainty and closed her eyes. Then taking a deep breath she told him,
"Look, I am sorry, Ranma.. But, I think.. I think that we made a mistake.. I mean to say, it would have been better if.. if we would have gone to Tofu's house, then nobody would question it as they are doing now, right? I mean.. I mean she has the right to question it! Today Ukyo questioned me then Kodachi would come and then the whole Amazon tribe would want to know! I don't think you made the right decision to take us with you.. Ranma I think we should.. "
She opened her eyes to look at him eye to eye and she instantly stopped her babbling. She took a sharp breath when she saw how heartbroken he was looking. She gulped and tried to approach him again,
"Ranma, It's not what you think it is.. I was just trying to... What I mean to say is.."
"Ya have said enough, Kane.. It's kay, you don't need ta say anymore!" Ranma said with a broken tone as he turned from her and started walking ahead without her..
Akane looked at his retreating form with horrific eyes as she saw him leaving her behind.
'Oh Kami! How stupid I am! How could I say this to him after he went through so much for me..'
Thinking that to herself miserably, she hurriedly ran after him and grabbed his arms forcefully to stop him..
"Ranma! I am sorry.. It's not what I mean to say! I was just trying to…"
"WHAT WERE YA TRYIN TA SAY, KANE! HUH!" He turned towards her and snapped at her. Then, when he saw her giving him a helpless look as her lower lips trembled, he closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down. Then he looked at her and said while sighing..
"I just can't believe that you let her get to you this easily!" Akane looked ashamed and looked down.. Ranma laid his hands over her shoulder as he tells her in a soft tone,
"The last person you should listen to now is them, Kane.. Please, ignore them, don't listen to what she is saying.. You know very well that they are always like this.! Why are you stressing about what she said ? I don't understand.."
Akane sighs and said while still looking at her feet,
"I am sorry.. I just.. I just got carried away.."
Ranma released a breath and said, "Look, they would never understand, okay? They would always presume negative things because that is what they always think about.. So, forget about them, ignore them.. Is it too much to ask from you? Or do ya want me ta talk to Ukyo about this?"
At that she looked up at him and said in a haste,
"No! No! Please don't! It's okay, Ranma.. It's my fault.. I should have expected this to happen.. I shouldn't have gotten carried away.."
"EXACTLY!" He beamed brightly at her and saw her shaking her head as she also gave him a bright smile. Then he said,
"Now that everything is settled.. Let's have lunch then!"
She laughed hearing that and nodded her head at him while saying,
"Oh yes, please! I am starving now!" Then suddenly she noticed something. She gave Ranma a worried look then she asked him slowly while gulping,
"Where.. Where are our Bentos, Ranma?!"
Ranma eyes went wide with sudden realization, he gulped as his face faulted, then he said with a defeated tone,
"Oh no! Did... did we forget to bring our lunch today?!"
"Awwww!" Akane whined loudly as she slapped his arm in annoyance.
A/N: Hello my dear readers :).. I hope you all are doing fine :).. Today I want to thank a very special person, "Kaysachan", who gave me the most precious gift of my life.. Thank you so much my dear friend for what you did for my 'Love you again' fic.. I also want to thank "Mundo fanfics" for showing my fic On their page.. I was so shocked and became so happy when I saw it on screen! And on top of that, when I saw they made a cute poster for it, I felt so happy that all day I kept looking at it and giggled like a kid, ( to be honest, I am still giggling) :p.. Hehe! Oh my God, I can't be thankful enough to Ranma for giving me the chance to meet so many wonderful people's! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU SO SO SOOOOO MUCH! Please read and let me know if you liked it or not :) :).. See you soon!