The Test (Part 4)
Akane and Ranma went t bed and slept very well indeed. Akane got up, combed her soft hair, which she had washed the other day, put on her clean and fresh school uniform, a bit of mascara and went downstairs. She saw Ranma, who seemed to have tried and looked good and healthy as well today. They left the house right on time and arrived at school 5 minutes too early. Ranma got back a B on his test in Math and Akane managed to jump over 8 meters in P.E. class. After school, they both went home and did their homework.
And then he came. The man everyone had been waiting for, for two days. He came in, still smiling, greeting Ranma and Akane ever so nicely. He had big glasses, that were way too big for him, so he kept having to push them back on the nose.
He talked to Akane first.
"So, as you know, I am travelling all around the country to stop marriages were there shouldn't be. I believe people have the right to marry who they love and not who they're supposed to love. That's why I would like you to answer some of my questions. We'll start easy. How old is Ranma?"
"He's 16, nearly 17."
"Oh? And what are you getting him for his birthday?"
"Err...I haven't really considered that yet."
"Aha." He made some notes.
"And...how would you describe Ranma in one word?"
"Macho." The words were out, before Akane could stop them.
"Mhm." More notes.
"And...what are his...not so bright sides?"
"Well, he's very man-like, he never considers anybody else's feelings and he is a real jerk sometimes, when he dates these other girls..."
"Other girls?"
"Oh. Yeah...well, fiancés."
"Fiancés? I thought you were his..."
"Oh, I'm not the only one. There's Shampoo, there's Ukyo...and I guess there's Kodachi, but she is just CRAZY and they're not really engaged, she's just making that up."
"Oh. Right." Very long notes. This wasn't going well. "So tell me...what DO you like about him?"
"About Ranma? Well, he's...he's straight. He's honest, he's himself. And even if it hurts my feelings sometimes, I can always count on him to cheer me up again. He's always there for me. And he's so ambitious. He knows what he wants. And he takes Martial Arts so seriously, I love that, his serious face, when he's concentrating. He works so hard. For me too. Yesterday, I was gone for a little longer and he went looking for me everywhere until late into the night."
The man smiled. "Go on."
"And even though he always wants to protect me, he finds soft sides too. Like being scared of cats. That always makes me laugh so hard! But I think the thing I love most is when we have ice-cream together. We can sit and talk and it feels like it never has to end, we're in no hurry. We could just sit there together forever."
"What's his favourite ice-cream?", the guy asks.
"It's that Strawberry Chocolate Banana Ice-Cream cup with cherries. He orders it every time." Akane smiled. "I think, sitting and watching Ranma eat is the best thing in the world. Even if it's the food one of his fiancés, Ukyo makes. I just hope, that one day, it will be my food he's eating. And I can just watch him. Every day, sit there and watch his happy, satisfied face. I love that face. I love…" Akane stopped. 'Come on, Akane, just give the performance. Just pretend.' Then she continued: "I love him."
Akane stepped out and winked at Ranma when he passed her. Guess that meant the questions were easy.
Ranma sat down and the man smiled at him.
"Hello. I heard your quite the catch. Three fiancés, ey?"
"Yeah, I know, but only one of them is real. The other two I got mixed up in and am trying to get out of.", Ranma replied. It wasn't ALL a lie, he didn't want the engagement with Ukyo and Shampoo, but then again, did he REALLY want the engagement with Akane?
"That's a relief then, isn't it?", the man smiled along. "So, let's start. How old is your fiancé?"
"16. She turns 17 on the 9th of June."
"Okay." Some notes. "And how long have you two been together?"
"Two years ago, y Dad told me...that he wanted to visit an old friend of his. Then I came here and met Akane and…well, it wasn't really love at first sight, but…it was still love." Ranma smiled.
"How nice." The test man smiled back, ever so sweetly. "And how would you describe Akane in one word?"
"Err…tomboy, I guess."
"Right." Notes. Oops. And what are her bad traits?"
"She's naïve, she's stubborn, she's got a really terrible temper and she is the worst cook in the world.", Ranma blurted out. Hm. Maybe he should have mentioned a little less, judging by the many notes.
"What colour are her eyes?", the man suddenly demanded.
'What? Why would he ask that?'
"She's got those amazing hazel eyes, like golden glass in the sun."
The man slightly frowned and made notes again.
Ranma started getting nervous.
"Last question, Ranma: Why are you engaged to Akane?"
"Well, she's…cute?"
"Aha." A LOT of notes.
"And…", Ranma quickly said. "And she's so cute when she's clumsy. When she tumbles over and I catch her…the look on her face is so adorable. Or when she blushes. It makes me wanna always be there to catch her when she falls." 'God, how cheesy. But he's buying it. No notes.' "And she's so good at explaining. The other night, we studied together and I actually understood everything by the end of the night. Sure she's shy and very hard to handle…but she's also my fiancé. So I'll put up with everything. Even the negative things. Because I want all of it. I want her. I need her. I…love her."