Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½. Rumiko Takashi does. Grr…

Honor or Love?

Ranma tuned out Sayuri as she stood in the front of the class, practicing her English pronunciations. He seemed to noticed that she was too happy for a girl that just lost her friend one month ago. Same with Yuka, he realized. He glanced over at the red-head as she too was watching him from the other end of the class. He quirked a brow, watching her snap her head downwards toward her empty desk. He sighed, if he wanted to, he could easily have gotten her to spill. Yuka was never good at keeping secrets. He'd just ask her after class. He turned his attention toward Sayuri as she finished her test, bowing. She glared at him before rushing back to her desk and scolding Yuka in a hushed tone.

Whatever, he brushed them off his shoulder as his mind unconsciously wandered back to his upcoming wedding. He didn't want to get married in two weeks. Ukyo was already turning into a bridezilla as she wanted her wedding to be perfect. He scoffed, if anything, he would get out of this wedding. Akane was returning in three weeks, not to mention that he could talk her into being his fiancé. Not like he cared, but Akane actually gave him room to breathe and fulfill his desires. She never breathed down his back for a perfect wedding.

Ukyo wasn't here today, she told him that she had to make some more preparations for the wedding. He would have to stay after class to her the missing work she owed. She was his best friend, he though angrily. Why would she want to ruin that with this wedding? She was pretty much his sister. Ranma Saotome was never the friend attracter with all of his training and foot-in-mouth syndrome, but Ukyo was someone he allowed to get close to him. If only he had never called her cute! He banged his head on his, not acknowledging that the whole class was staring at him now.

"Mr. Saotome!" Ms. Hinako shouted his name in a warning tone. This meant he was going to be drained in a few seconds if he didn't stop talking. But it was hard to take a 9 year old seriously.

"What?" He replied just as edgy.

"Okay," she smirked at him creepily. "Get up here and read your English pronunciations from last nights homework."

He tried to look like he knew what he was doing as he ambled to the front of the classroom. But Ranma was known for having no poker face. He took a deep breath and waited for her to tell him the word.

"You're going to say," she skimmed some of her paper work. "Nice to meet you."

He inhaled before giving it a try. "Wice to pheet qu?" The class laughed hysterically as he felt anger begin to boil in his stomach. "Wait, let me say that one more time!" He glanced down at his paper and smiled. Ukyo had left notes on how to say the English word perfectly. "Nice to meet you." He watched as the class shut up and stared at him in awe. Satisfied, he returned to his seat.

"Nicely done," she told him strained. "Didn't even expect you to do your homework."

Ranma crossed his arms and watched as Daisuke went, then Hiroshi, then Gosunkugi, and one by one the class went through the same torture. Ranma tugged at his shirt, finding it hard to breathe. He set his head down on his desk and waited/prayed for the lunch bell to ring.

Briiinnnnnggg!

Ranma stood up, grateful, and went to sit with his companions. He saw them seated in a corner and he pulled up a chair to join them. Ukyo had packed him Okonomiyaki, so he didn't have to go into that war zone they called school store to get lunch.

"So, Ranma," Hiroshi began.

Ranma glanced up as his reply.

"You've been working out lately?" His gaze was set on Ranma's muscles. "You look a little… Smaller."

"Yeah well that's not the only thing that's small," Sayuri chimed in. "Take a look at his brain." She told him hastily, the burning resentment evident in her eyes.

Ranma decided to ignore her until the others joined in laughing. "Look, I haven't been able to work out lately since Ukyo's been doing all that wedding preparations. Plus, did you just see me up there? I was amazing for someone who never studies."

The others shrugged and they continued to eat in silence for awhile. Not that Ranma blamed them, he noticed that he hadn't got one decent work out in days! Studying never mattered so he brushed that comment off his shoulders. The day was going to go by slow, with all of these questions. Why did it matter to them that he doesn't work out or study? They're his friends, people who are suppose to take you away from your stress of daily life. Get a good laugh. Not 100 questions.

"Ranma?"

He looked up to see that he missed half of their conversation. He stood, frustrated, and told them he was getting a drink when he escaped to the rooftop. He breathed in the fresh air, happy to be away from people for awhile. He laid his head into his arms as he watched the clouds, trying to guess what shape they reminded him of. It entertained him for a bit.

Two weeks. Fourteen days. Ten school days. What was his life going to be like? Would he have to carry on the okonomiyaki shop for the rest of his life? He wanted to train and be free to fight demons, ghosts, even perverts! But his options were numbered. He decided to take it out on his ex-fiancée. He began insulting her in his head for leaving all of this package on his back. But was it his own fault? If he had just gotten rid of all his other fiancées like Akane had suggested, maybe he wouldn't be in this situation. His eyes fluttered close, his lips idle, as he tried to remember what life was with Akane.

Akane stared at herself in the mirror as she admired how the wedding dress flowed so effortlessly around her feminine curves. She smiled and tried to comb through her hair, she wanted to look nice for her fiancé- err husband. Nabiki and Kasumi popped in here and there to help adjust certain out-of-place things. She smacked her lips together as she finished applying chap stick. She didn't want to wear lipstick. It was too womanly, she was still sixteen. Lip gloss just didn't fit this moment perfectly. So she decided to just put on regular chap stick, which, in her defense, still made her lips sparkle. Did she look good enough? Would Ranma like the way she looked? She suddenly became critical, analyzing every little detail of her dress. Sure, it was white as snow, and it complimented her luscious brown eyes. Plus, the trail the dress left after her made her feel like a princess. She grinned, no matter what Ranma said, she looked beautiful.

"Akane," Nabiki told her, cracking open the door to her room slightly. " Ranma is waiting for you outside, he wants to talk to you about something before the ceremony starts."

"Thanks, Nabiki," Akane, feeling this odd sensation of love, wrapped her sister in a hug. "You're amazing, you know that?"

"Yeah, yeah," Nabiki smirked. "This wedding costs a lot so don't you dare try to ruin it with your mallet. You look nice."

Akane stifled a laugh before heading downstairs to find her 'husband'. She looked into the Dojo, then up on the roof, but found him outside near the Koi pond- with Shampoo? She inhaled and exhaled before approaching him. This was her day, she wasn't going to let some Amazon bimbo ruin that. "Ranma?"

"Airen too funny," Shampoo laughed. "Is true?"

Ranma nodded before joining in laughter with Shampoo.

"Ranma," she repeated loudly. "What is she doing here?"

"Airen invite Shampoo personally!"

Akane glared.

…...

Ranma woke to someone pushing him forcefully. He re-opened his eyes to find Daisuke yelling in his ear to wake up. "Ranma! Ranma, dude!" Ranma finally sat up, pushing Daisuke away from his drowsy body. "You're finally awake! Ms. Hinako was looking for you! Class is over."

"Over?" Ranma repeated. He remembered he had to get Ukyo's work and charged down the steps, leaving a confused Daisuke behind. By the time Ranma had arrived, Sayuri and Yuka were in the class, asking for some work for an 'absent' student. He leaned on the wall outside the door, giving them some privacy.

"Girls, why do you need work? Everyone was here in class today." Ms. Hinako was now in her older age, which meant someone in the vicinity must have gotten their energy drained.

"Well, you see, um," Yuka fidgeted slightly. "We just need it!"

"She's on vacation, and won't be back for a long, long, long, time." Sayuri told her, confident in her excuse.

"You said that last week. The only people absent are Ukyo and Akane, and Ranma can get that for his fiancé. As for Akane, well, she's gone," She ushered them toward the door. "Please, don't waste my time."

Ranma cringed at the use of his ex-fiancé's name. He felt suspicion grow as he realized that Sayuri and Yuka were getting work for a girl who's 'absent', on 'vacation', and won't be back for a 'long' time. Now his suspicion was a hunch.

"You don't understand!" They cried in unison. "She doesn't want to fall behind in her classes."

Now it was a fact.

Ranma entered the room. On cue, the girl's gave him daggers. "Ms. Hinako, I fell asleep on the roof and couldn't get Ukyo's work, but can I have it now?"

Ms. Hinako nodded. "Sure Ranma, here." She handed him the class work as he pointed a thumb at Sayuri.

"Oh, and they need to get Akane's work for her," he gave them a menacing glare. "Don't you?"

Both girls faltered under his gaze.

…...

A/N: So, it is shorter, but don't kill me! I figured that, the shorter the chapters, the more chapters! Yay! J Plus, I added a little piece of why Akane left! Aren't we happy! I am :D

Please review, I'd love to hear what you guys have to say. No flames though, I have a mallet and I'm not afraid to use it!

Oh, and about Akane and Ryoga. The little P-chan problem, just wait to find out next chapter! Thanks for reading, bye!