IMPORTANT A/N: Usually I give the author's note at the end of the fic, but today I thought it would be better if I give it at the beginning this time. *Sigh*... Look guys, I know I am taking too long to upload chapters these days and the chapters are not that long like it used to be before.. I mentioned before and telling now again that I really have a reason for that. I am not doing it intentionally. Why am I saying this now? Because of a guest review that I got in the last chapter.

Dear Guest, I am happy to know that you like my stories and thanks for your concern.. But I can't agree with what you accused me of doing!! How could you even think that I am not posting because I am waiting for reviews to come!! I never did it and I will never do it! Honestly, some of my favourite authors whom I follow, they always used to declare clearly at the end that if they don't get at least a certain amount of review they won't post the next chapter. Have I ever said something like that? No, because I don't have the guts to say that!

I am new to writing.. Plus, I have very little knowledge of English. Imagining things is easy , but writing your imagination with a language you are not master with, is way more difficult. This particular fic is getting too tough for me, because there are lots of characters here. When I am writing about aunt Su or Nodoka, I have to think like them.. And when I write about our couple, I have to think as they might think. You guys have always been kind to me and forgive my mistakes, because you said that you guys are connected with what I want to write. That's why, with my busy schedule, I am still trying my level best to bring all the emotions of the character which will touch your heart.

And yeah, I am being honest with you, I really am taking my sweet time this time. Because, I am hurt by some people's behaviour towards this fic. I love this fic..!! This is my hard work, I am spending hours on this! But whatever response I may get for this fic, I will continue writing this wholeheartedly. I don't care what people think about this fic, I think I should avoid negativity or else I might lose the track.. That's why, Either I get a dozen or zero reviews, if everything is well with me, I will post the next chapter. Not as fast as u used to do, but as fairly as I can.

Now with a positive vibe :)!! Let's begin :D!!

"Do you need anymore tea Mrs Ema?" Nodoka asked politely as she offered some more tea to their guests..

Ema gave her a small smile and shook her head,

"Thanks but no thanks, Mrs Saotome.. "

"Excuse me, but when is she returning home?" Taichi asked impatiently as he eyed all of them expectantly.

"She! Do you mean to say... Akane?" Kasumi asked him, giving him a small smile as she looked straight at his eyes.

Taichi also returned her stare and nodded his head …

Kasumi lips curled up in a sly smile as she said in a polite tone,

" Oh my! You are such a nice friend to come here to look for her! But as you can see, she is not here now! And honestly, we don't know how long she would actually take. She is with HER fiance after all!!"

Ema peeked at her grandson and noticed how stiff he had become and how hard he was controlling his temper. Before her grandson completely lost his mind, she tried to take the conversation in her hands. She clears her throat and said in a serious tone,

"But doesn't it bother you guys at all! It's too late to go out with anyone! She is still a young woman after all! Suki…… what are you doing!? You are her guardian!! You should look after these important matters properly, right!"

Suki nervously looked at Ema and began to fumble on her reply,

"Yeah.. I know that… But, I don't know.. I was.. What I mean to say is.."

"What she meant to say is.." Nabiki intervenes and says politely, "She hardly lives with us anymore to know about what we are habituated to do or see all the time!"

" Excuse me, What do you mean by that?" Taichi asked Nabiki, eying her not so politely.

"Oh my!!" Kasumi lays her palm over her lip and says while giggling sweetly, "Ranma and Akane, they are always like this! They would always go out camping for days! They both are martial artists after all!"

"But as her elder sisters, you guys shouldn't allow them to do that! They are not married yet!! Strange!!" Ema said with a bitter tone.

"Yeah! But they are an engaged couple! Not to mention for four long years!!! And now they are complete adults as well! How can we intervene in the middle when our fathers have no problem with them being together!" Nabiki said with a bored tone.

"But still.." Ema tried to intervene, but got interrupted by Kasumi's soft giggles.

"Oh my, I am so sorry!! But please don't worry, Mrs Ema.. My baby sister and my soon to be brother-in- law are responsible enough to take care of things!"

"BUT…" Taichi released a big sigh and clenched his jaw tightly and asked them with a harsh tone, "They are spending the night outside!! This is not a normal thing!"

Kasumi eyed him strongly and said in a warm smiling tone, " Of course it's fine with us!! Because ,It's not the first time that they would be spending the night together! They have done this multiple times before and with our permission as well! And this time they have been way too busy because of my wedding preparations and Akane's studies! That's why when they asked me if they could go out camping, I immediately agreed!! Aww they are so adorable together!! I miss them already!!"

"Oh those love birds!! Always chirping together happily!!!" Akio said with over-excitement…

"That's right! I agree with you guys!!! Come to think of it, ever since they have met each other, it's been really hard to separate them!" Tofu intervenes, while gently smiling at them.

Nodoka was stunned at first, but soon she caught up with their plan.. This Taichi and his family are already causing her too much headache… And this Mrs Ema, the way she kept asking about Ranma and Akane, it started making her more anxious. She always fears of losing Akane… But the way things are happening, she is getting a bad vibe about all this.. That's why she also decided to give a helping hand to the Tendo sisters. So, with newfound determination, she clears her throat to draw their attention towards her.. Giving them a wide smile, with a warm giggling tone, she said,

"Oh I am so proud of them!!! They are totally meant for each other! As a mother of Ranma, I feel so overly concerned for both of them .. Because , I know how manly my son is! And they both are way too strong and energetic too! I always suggest them to take protection with them and thanks to Kami, my Akane always listens to me! Otherwise, I am sure I would have been a grandmother of multiple grandchildren already! But as much as I want to become a grandmother soon, I still want them to enjoy their youthful life vividly!! But I am a little worried now, because in their excitement to make love with each other, they didn't even come to me to ask if they could leave!! I hope that they didn't forget to take protection with them…."

Nabiki chuckled and intervenes in the middle,

"Don't worry Obasama! If they forget to take the protection with them, we would hook them up right away!! Remember, we still have a wedding hall booked!! I will see both my sisters' weddings at the same time!!"

"Oh that's a great idea!!!!" Nodoka said excitedly as she clapped her hands. "What do you say, guys?"

Nodoka turned her questioning eyes towards the crowds, which suddenly became way too quiet. She was surprised to see all of them giving her a stunned stare as they looked at her with their mouths slightly opened.. She started fidgeting as she tried to smile at them, but she didn't receive any response from anyone. They all were still looking at her as if she had grown some horns over her head. Then after a long moment of an awkward pause, Akio clears his voice loudly as he asked them politely,

"Uhh!! I am sorry! But I think Aunt Suki has fainted! Can you guys please check her!!"

All of them hastily turned to look at Suki, who was sitting beside Akio and saw that Akio was right! They saw with their surprised eyes that Suki was leaning her head over Akio's shoulder as he was trying his best to make her stay at his shoulder as she was losing her balance over his shoulder.

"Oh my!!"

"Oh Kami, not again!" Nabiki said as she rushed to Suki's side.

"This is RIDICULOUS!!"

Taichi roared angrily as he slammed his room's door violently.

"What happened there! Why are you looking so disturbed son?" Josh asked as he tired to approach his son, but Taichi ignored him completely and sat over his bed. Josh turned to face his mother with his questioning eyes as he asked her,

"Mom? What happened?"

Ema eyed him heatedly as she ignored answering him and went to talk with her grandson..

"Have control over your needs, son!"

Taichi looked at her and said,

"What do you mean by that!"

"Look son, after what I have witnessed now, I won't bring that girl into this family anymore! Hear me LOUD AND CLEAR!"

Taichi growled loudly and spoke out loudly,

"I WANT HER!"

"I WON'T ALLOW IT, TAICHI!!"

"SO WHAT THAT SHE HAS GONE OUT WITH ANOTHER GUY! I HAVE GONE OUT WITH MULTIPLE WOMEN TOO!"

Ema sighs tiredly and pinched the bridge of her nose to prevent her upcoming headache,

"Look son, I have always listened to you, but now.."

" I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING!! I WILL MARRY AKANE! AND THAT'S FINAL!!" Taichi shouted and furiously stood up to leave the place .

"Where are you going now?" Josh asked in a panicked tone as he saw his son opening the front door to leave.

Taichi looked at him and said bitterly,

"I will be in the lobby.. I will check when she is returning! I won't let her leave me this easily, dad.."

Saying that he left the place while closing the door loudly behind him. Ema looked at the closed door and shook her head in complete disappointment..

"Ohhh!!! Why that IDIOT!!! I WISH I could use my katana on him!!"

Ranma smirked looking at his furious looking tomboy and said while chuckling down at her,

"Calm down, tomboy! Now don't break the branch on yar over excitement!"

Akane narrowed her eyes at him and said while pouting,

"So what do you want me to do,huh?! I mean this is so disturbing to hear all this! I feel so angry right now!"

Ranma felt sorry for her as he looked at her vulnerable expression. They had been enjoying a quiet precious time together… Not caring about the hour or the chilled weather; only focusing on the warm sensation they were acquiring just by sitting closely and holding each other. Then, suddenly, Akane began to ask him various questions. Including what he saw and heard at Tachi's house. She got rigid when he told her all the details of the scenario.. After he finished his long tale, he saw her getting furious as well as helpless. He sighs and rubbed her shoulder in an up and down motion and said,.

"I understand ya clearly, 'Kane; because I am feeling the same as you.. But.. I think we should not act on our impulse right now…"

Akane started up at him and asked him,

"You are saying that ,Ranma!!? But why?"

Ranma also looked at her and said,

"Because of Kasumi.. Day after tomorrow is her wedding, Akane! If we act as we wish to and teach that guy some lesson, that would mean that we will risk Kasumi's wedding; because it's happening here, at his damn hotel after all!"

"So that's it? Are we going to just keep quiet about this ?"

"I am not saying that.."

"Then what are you trying to say?"

"Umm, What I am tryin ta say is, let's just try an' ignore that stubborn psychotic guy for two more days, then we will return home anyway.."

"Yeah, I understand.. But still..."

Ranma breathed heavily and said in a harsh whisper tone,

"Look Kane... I don't want ta witness any more weddings getting ruined!!! And I definitely don't want Kasumi to go through the pain that I have to…"

Ranma immediately stopped his babbling; he gulped hard as he realised that he had said more than he should have said.. He sighs and turns his bushing face to look down at his balled fist. Akane warmly smiled at his reaction, her face became red as well; she bit her lower lip as she looked at his balled fist and his nervous feature. She gently wrapped her warm hand over his hand as she whispers back to him,

"Did you mean to say the pain that we had to go through, Ranma?"

Ranma was not expecting to hear that. He thought that she would make fun of his situation after hearing that. But when he heard her soft warm tone, he smiled softly as he shook his head. He loosened his tightly fisted hand and turned his hand, so that he could hold her hand tightly. He looked at her smiling face and gradually nodded his head. Akane's eyes wailed up with happy tears; she slowly laid his head over his shoulder as her heart began to thump with excitement. She closed her eyes in complete satisfaction. Her lips pulls up with a gorgeous smile as she whispered to him with a warm tone,

"That means a lot to me, Ranma.. Thank you.."*

"Where are we going, Nabiki?!"

Akio asked with an impatient voice as he kept following Nabiki in the endless road.

Nabiki stopped on her tracks and sighed tiredly, then checking her surrounding, she turned to face him and replied with a bored tone,

"To look for our missing couple! Where else?!"

"You mean to say Ranma and Akane?"

"Is there anyone else in your eyes?!"

"No… But.. Why are we searching for them? They would definitely come back whenever they will finish whatever umm they want to finish first.."

Nabiki chuckled at his words and said,

"I know that babe.. And that's why I am looking for them.. Because… before they could return home, we need to make sure of something important.."

"Made sure of what, really?" He asked with a confused tone.

"You will soon find out dear.. Now come on.." She said and started walking again.

"But do you even know where are they now?" Akio asked as he ran up to her side and began to walk beside her.

"I….. I don't know exactly where they are...; But… I think I may find them in one particular place.."

"So…. you are sure of it or guessing it...?"

"We will soon find out about it, hun! Now keep your mouth shut and come with me.."*

"Now what?!" Akane yawned sleepily as she pouted up at Ranma, who was stiffly sitting beside her. She whined like a kid and said, "My back is starting to hurt now.. How long are we going to stay up here?"

"Do ya want to leave now?"

He asked her with an uncertain voice. This is true that they have been sitting over this branch for countless hours. Yes; this branch is wide enough to sit on , but still, it's a formidable place to seek comfort from. And as much as they are leaning onto each other and trying to forget the hard surface under them, they can't ignore the uncomfortable position they are in.. As time passed by, he also started to feel the stiffness coming to his body as well. If it was only him feeling this, he could have ignored it and continued to sit here, by her side day after day, without any objections . But, it's not about him.. She is also feeling the ache on her body, which he can't take normally at all. But he is still unsure if this would be a wise idea to return back to the hotel or not. They don't even know for how long they have been here! Her warm presence completely made him lose the track of time, because he was vastly enjoying her company after such a long wait...

"Ranma? Anything wrong?"

Ranma sighs as he shook his head and decided to give her a honest answer,

"I don't know…"

"You don't know what Ranma?"

"I am not sure if we should return or not.. But if ya want we can .."

"It's not about what I want,Ranma.. If it's not safe now then we should stay here.."

"But for how long , Kane!? This won't take us anywhere! Damn it!" Ranma said helplessly while giving an angry sigh. He slowly removed his hands from her shoulder and laid them over the branch; he looked at the distance of the sea with great concentration; as if he were thinking deeply about something very disturbing. Then suddenly he heard her moaning in annoyance as he turned to face her again. She was trying to stretch her body to realise some tension. Then when she notice the stare that Ranma was giving her, she also turned to face him with an annoyed face as she said while pouting at him,

"This is all your fault, Mr Saotome!"

Ranma was fully taken aback by what she just said. He scrunched his brows and asked her,

"And why is it my fault, mind tell?"

Akane huffed and said while pouting at him,

"If that day, you had told Taichi that he can't take me on a date with him, then this day wouldn't even come, Baka!!"

Ranma growled in irritation as the truth hits him hard, but he was not ready to admit it to her, so he replied with a heated tone,

"Look who's talkin'!! You are the main offender here, tomboy!! And you dare to blame me!!?"

"What!!"

"What, what, tomboy? Who's the one who send me to date Ukyo first? Huh?! "

Akane was humming with anger as she heatedly looked at him.. All the things that happened since the day he went to date his other fiance, those days frustrations and sorrow has suddenly turned into anger. She gripped the branch tightly and greeted her teeths. She was feeling extremely tired and frustrated about their constant misunderstandings and stupidity. Her endless tears, misery filled days; and why; just because he was upset at her about something he should have taken care of long ago.. And now again, he is daring to blame her again! She tries to control her anger and said in a tightly steady tone,

"Don't mix things up, Ranma Saotome! I had a reason to send you to date Ukyo! But you did it out of REVENGE!"

"Well., duhhh.. of course I did it out of revenge, Baka! Why else would I do that!!"

"And that's why we are now hanging over a tree, not knowing what to do next! You are such a baka, baka!! And to think that I had set that date for you guys to settle things up between each other!"

"Excuse me!! What help are you talking about!"

Akane growled at him and said,

"Your tangled-up relationships, Ranma! I wanted you to settle things up with a woman who thinks that I am the only reason why her Ranchan is not with her anymore …!!"

"But that doesn't mean that you had ta settle a date between us! Yea could have done it in another way!"

"But why do I have to interfere in your personal matters, Ranma? It's you, who should have fix this problem, not me..!"

Akane's voice cracked as she snapped at him. She gulped and turned to look in front of her while she ignored the stunned look that Ranma was giving her.

Ranma was stunned to see her getting angry like this.. But he was more concerned when he heard her broken voice. Like she was holding a lot of pain in her heart and for some reason she couldn't unload her loads. Then the meaning of what she meant to say clicked on his brain as he remembers what Akio had told him that night..

~~~~~~~.

"Look buddy! Akane sure act dumb sometimes, but please don't question her morality, buddy! That girl never ever went to study at my place, fearing what you might think of it! We always used to meet in public places and what we only used to do is pure STUDIES, that's it! And about sending you on that date, honestly, I can not give all the blames on her Ranma, because I am the only person who saw how Ukyo had treated her that day! It was really bad ,Ranma! That Ukyo had put all the allegations on her! Telling her that she is the one who is taking advantage of you, Ranma! It was your damn duty to fix all this mess up relationship first thing! But you choose to be silent and walk away like you are doing now! Believe me, that will never ever solve your problems,Ranma! It will not only harm you, but your loved ones also! That's what had happened with Akane on that day! Because of your constant ignorance on this matter, Ukyo choosed to vent out all her frustrations on her. Ranma, I know you are a good guy, but you have NO RIGHT to play with any woman's emotions! Either it's Akane or Ukyo, you can't just play with their hearts, man!"~~~~

Ranma sighs sadly as he sadly looks down at his balled hands. He felt miserable now that he knew how Ukyo had behaved with her.. And it's all because of him; because of his constant ignorance to this matter. She is right, he is the one who should have taken all the responsibility on his back, it's not her duty to take care of his messed-up relationships. She was already devastated by her destroyed dojo and her uncertain future. Plus the marriage of her sister is also making her upset, because she would be separated from Kasumi pretty soon .Now it seems like it doesn't even matter how he might have confronted her and told her that he would always be by her side. Because in reality, he wasn't by her side when she might have needed him the most… He knew that she was mentally struggling a lot and needed his help.. She also pleaded him to cooperate with her when her aunt Suki would come back to her. But what he did!….Now he is ashamed of himself ! Now can he ever assure her that she will always find him by her side whenever she needs him! He sighs feeling too devastated for his dumb actions.

'I am such a jerk! How could I push her like that! And not only that, I blamed her for nothin'.. I .. I have to fix this..'

He cleared his voice and said in a low tone,

"I uhh.. I … I am sorry, Kane.."

Akane's anger immediately died down as she blinked her eyes in confusion and turned to face him again.. Then she asked him in a confused tone,

"Huh!! Are you alright, Ranma?"

"No!" He whispers truthfully as he shakes his head. Then sighing again , he quickly said, "You are right that it's my responsibility to deal with those other girls, not yours.. And because of me Ukyo got the chance ta rudely behave with ya.. I am really sorry for that.."

"You don't have to feel sorry for anything, Ranma.. It's not a.."

He didn't let her finish as he blurted out quickly,

"I called our engagement off.."

Akane paused for some moment as she looked at him with shock in her hazel eyes. Her mouth agape as after some moment of silent she whispers to him in disbelief,

"What did you just say?"

Ranma turned to look at her and said in a serious deep tone,

"I cleared my feelings to her.. That I am never going to marry her.."

"And she was okay with that?!" She asked in a whisper tone, still in disbelief..

Ranma smirked humorlessly and turned to face in front of him,

"Are ya kidding with me! She was definitely not okay with that..! She started acting so weird and clingy after that…And for that I kinda had ta break our friendship with her.."

Akane's eyes went even wider as she asked him in a panicked tone,

"Oh no! But why did you break your friendship with her, Ranma? She is your childhood friend!!"

Ranma greeted his teeth in irritation and replied colly,

"She was constantly accusing ya, Kane!! I asked her to stop but she kept babbling nonsense about ya.."

"So what!! This shouldn't be the reason why you would break your friendship with your childhood friend , Ranma..!! Of course she would be angry after what you said to her! You should have understood her mental situation at that time! How could you do that to her, my God!! Poor Ukyo... You are so heartless, dummy!!"

Ranma was silent at first.. Then after hearing all of Akane's complaints, he started laughing softly. He shook his head in absolute disbelief and again turned to face Akane while smirking at her blushing face .

Akane was shocked to see him laughing at her. She began to blush hard in embarrassment as she tried to recall what she might have said to him in her haste; which gave him the right to laugh at her face like this. When she recalled clearly that she hadn't said anything wrong to him, she growled angrily and asked him in an annoyed tone,

"Honestly Ranma!! Why are you laughing at me like this!!"

He paused for a moment and when he looked at her trouble-looking face, he started laughing again. Then composing himself a bit he said in between his laughs,

"Seriously tomboy!! What are ya made of!? Ya are such a baka.."

"Huh! Why would you even say that?"

Ranma stopped laughing and looked at her with a big smile on his face. Then he said in a warm tone,

"After how Ukyo behaved with you.. Ya are still supporting her! What is wrong with you tomboy!"

Akane blushed a little and said while looking down at her hanging feet,

"I… Ummm.. What do you want me to do then? Hate her? I can't do that , Ranma.."

Ranma sighs as he looks up at the beautiful full moon.. Then he says in a deep tone,

"Yeah.. I know that.. You are not like others.. And that's what makes ya more special ..."

Akane bites her lower lip while smiling sweetly; feeling skittish by his sudden confession.

"Ranma…… You really mean it?"

Hearing her soft shy tone, Ranma turned to look at her with surprise, as if realizing what he had split out just now. He gulped in nervousness, because whatever came out of his mouth was not intentional ; it just happened on its own.. She was looking at him with hope in her eyes. He couldn't back down down, he knows he has to be honest with her.. Not because he has to, it's because she deserves to know the truth. He blinked his eyes rapidly and nodded his head in his reply. He earned a bright smile from her side, which made him giddy with happiness. He wanted to stretch this magical moment between them furthermore.. But old habits die hard, as his foot-in-the-mouth habit took action on his next word,

"Special indeed but with a extraordinary dopey thick headed brain!"

Forcefully pulled out from her happy mood to a sour one, she gives him a heated look and asked him with her greeted teeth,

"EXCUSE ME!!"

"No excuse, tomboy! I mean what were ya thinking when ya dressed up like that for going out with that Taichi guy!!" He asked her in a irriked heated tone.

"Like WHAT exactly!"

"Like…like.. Like ya know… Yeah... like.. Like that.." he finished while showing her symbols with his wandering hands.

"What are you…" Akane stopped talking as the realization hit her brain.. She blushed again and tried hard not to laugh at his struggling face. She cleared her voice and asked him instead,

"So what should I have worn then? You sent me to date a guy after all, didn't you?"

Ranma growled furiously and said,

"Ya could have worn a gi if ya wanted ta.."

Akane burst out laughing as she asked him in complete disbelief,

"Gi!! What is this, a tournament!? Yes It's my hidden desire to hit that guy.. But you know very well that right now I can't act as I wish to!!"

Hearing her laughing at him like this he got offended. He pouted at her and tried to make his point,

"So what, if you had wore that yellow gi of yours at that dumb date! You had worn it when you went to date Ryoga, haven't ya? And then where else!? Let me think…"

Akane keep laughing as Ranma one by one tried to make his points.. She wanted to answer all his silly queries but it was as if she had lost all the ability to give him any answers. Ranma got more annoyed by her reaction as he said while trying hard not to start laughing alongside with her,

"Jeez, you are so thick-headed.."

Akane stopped laughing and asked him,

"You really are a baka, Ranma.. But tell me honestly, did I look pretty on that day!"

Ranma smirked and tells her in an arrogant tone,

"Huh! Who are ya kidding!! I don't even remember how ya looked at that day!! Why would I wanna look at an uncute clumsy tomboy like you."

"Uhhhaa? So you never notice me, is that so, Ranma?"

Ranma turned his face to the other side to hide his smiling face from her. Then he heard her saying,

"Oh that's so sad.. And today, I dressed up only for you.. It's so unfortunate that you haven't even noticed this new black dress I wore for you.."

"Black?! Wait a minute, It's red, ain't it?"

He asked in a confused tone as he turned to face her to see for himself. And when he turned he noticed a wide sly smile plastered on his toyboy's face as she blushed and laughed at the same time. Then he heard her saying,

"Gotcha!!"

Ranma immediately understood what this tomboy has done. He smirked and shakes his head as he heard her soft giggles. He turned to face the sea with a warm smile on his face and heard her saying,

"So.. You noticed it after all!!" She giggles when she saw his stiffness, but she doesn't want to tease him anymore. In fact, she wants them to be comfortable with each other in this type of random moments they share with each other.. She sighs and whispers to him,

"Do you like it?"

Ranma slowly looked at her direction and answered truthfully,

"No.."

This one word was enough to break her heart into pieces. She lost her voice for some moment as a lump formed on her throat. She gulped in absolute rejection and looked down at her balled hands. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ears, she whispers to him,

"Oh!.. Uhh.. It's fine.. I was not expecting anything anyways.."

Ranma knew she would jump to conclusions as she always does. He smiled fondly at her reaction.. He slowly laid his trembling hand over her jaw and gently made her turned to him. She turned her face towards him, but she was still avoiding looking at him, fearing he might see the hidden tears on her eyes and make fun of her weakness..

"Look at me.." he asked her politely..

Akane hastily shakes her head saying no to him..

Ranma smiled again and said in a warm tone,

"I don't know this Akane at all. I am used to seeing my Akane always in a messy state or wearing tomboyish clothes.. This Akane may look gorgeous to the outer world, but for me, I always want to see her with her usual self. Like, wearing a gi, or the uncute girly clothes or her yellow pajama.. And ya know what makes her look so dazzling in my eyes.?"

Akane looked up at him with tears in her eyes, her lips trembling. He smiled again and wiped her tears clean and began saying,

"When she wears my clothes, that's when I feel like I am seeing the most amazing girl standing in front of me.. And I really miss her these days.. I hardly see her anymore!! I think she has changed a lot lately.."

Akane hastily shook her head to say no, still unable to voice her feelings. Ranma smirked and scrunched his eyebrows together and said as if contemplating something important,

"Wait a second.. I think I can try to find her here.."

Akane became confused by his sudden declaration. Then she was shocked when she saw that he gently puts his hand over her hair clip and let her hair fall. He dropped the hair clip and smirked at her surprised expression.. Then without saying any word, he began to ruffle her hair playfully.

"Here ya go!! My tomboy is back again!!" he said while looking at her face with emotions on his eyes..

"Oh Ranma.."

Akane became way too emotional to care anymore. She hastily wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. She gave a happy sigh when she felt him returning her hug as well with the same force as hers. She bites her lower lips hard and starts contemplating the unfair situation they are in. She would have yelled to him right here and now about how deeply she loves him, if she hadn't promised her aunt Suki and her sisters that she won't confess to him before he does.. She began to feel distressed, she wanted so badly to confess to him and hear him say those words to her.. But she knows… She can't cross the limits.. Then suddenly she felt his body getting rigid for some reason.. She wondered what had happened to him, but before she could ask him anything, she heard him asking her with a trembling tone,

"Kane... Can I uhhh.. Can I …. Can we kiss now…"

Akane giggled softly as she buried her burning red face into the crook of his neck and nodded her head to indicate her answer to him..*

"Where are you taking me, Nabiki? It's an endless road!!"

Nabiki stopped walking, feeling frustrated with herself and her winning companion. This place was her last hope.. She was hoping beyond hope that they would find her sister here. Because she followed her here whenever she saw her getting upset. She used to spend hours here, looking after her depressed baby sister and never let her know about this. Today she thought that her sister might have brought Ranma here to spend quality time with him. This place is the great hiding spot after all and not to mention utterly beautiful.. They looked for her everywhere but to her dismay she couldn't see them anywhere..

"OUCH!!"

"What happened!"Nabiki rushed to Akio's side when she heard his painful voice..

"Oh God! I was just removing sand from my slipper and I think I stepped onto something sharp.." He kicked of that object in anger and Nabiki noticed something familiar.

"Wait a second!!"

She rushes to grab the object and observes it closely.. Her face instantly lifted up with a sly smile as she recognized the hair clip that she gave to her baby sister.

"Oh well, !! Thiefs always leaves some evidence behind them.. !!"

A/N: Hope to see you guys soon!! A big Happy birthday to my kind friend Oyobass, who never gets tired to encourage me! Thank you for being such a good friend to me :) ... Hope to see you guys soon.. Please see all the mistakes with forgiveness .. If you want to catch a sneak peek of the next chapter, you can check it on my new FB page, " Mrs Impatience". :) :) :) Take care!!!!