A/N: "AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!!" Please read the A/N before reading the fic.. !!!
This chapter is dramatic and not romantic at all! If some of you guys want to skip dramas and panicky stuffs, I am humbly requesting you guys to skip this chapter.
Look, at this point, I have no right to tell you guys that, if you don't like the story don't read it! Because you guys have been patiently reading this fic for more then one year! And I thank you for that. I have been telling you guys loads of times that this fic will end with a happy ending! I am a big RanmaXAkane fan, why would I want to separate them? I don't know if there are any other authors like me who would spoil their fics the way I always do. I do it because I don't want you guys to panic and think that you have wasted your precious time.
That's why with all the respect I have for my readers, I want to "ALERT" you guys that this chapter is not sugar coated at all! And if you don't like to read something like this, then please skip this chapter. I will again give another "Alert note" when finally they will get together and that time you can catch up with the story as well :).. Thank you so much, please don't take it otherwise... And whoever decides to read this chapter anyway, I hope you will enjoy the drama that's going on :)..
Ranma slowly tries to sit up on the futon he was resting on. As he sat there, he instantly had to hold his head with both his hands to control the swinging of his head. He closed his eyes tightly as his cold sweats began to dampen his face. His memory was fuzzy and he couldn't think of any possible reason for him to be in this position! He began to breath hard as the pain in his head doubled up in intensity .. He decided to scream to call for any help,but before he could do that, suddenly he heard the sound of a door opening coming from behind him.
Konatsu took a deep breath of surprise as he saw Ranma waking up after a long wait. He quickly ran to his side and asked him in a whisper tone,
"Oh my good Lord, you finally woke up, Ranma-sama!!"
Ranma blinked his eyes in confusion as he tried to concentrate to look at the person who just talked to him. After some moments he slowly recognised the voice as he asked him in a horse tone,
"Konatsu!!? What is.. What's happening here! Why am I lying here like this? And.. and Kami, why my head is feel so heavy? Damn it!!!"
"Shhh..!! Don't talk too loudly please.." Konatsu said in a panicky tone as he quickly checked the door if anyone had heard them or not. He sighs in relief as he tells him in a harsh whisper tone, "Wait, I will bring you something, right away.."
Konatsu went to the closest bed table and took one water bottle for him. He searched for something inside his robe and when he found the medicine he was looking for, he smiled at Ranma and give it to him,
"Quick, have it.."
Ranma scrunched his eyebrows as he asked him in a painful tone,
"Why would I want to have it.."
"Please Ranma-Sama, take it quickly!! I am here to help you. Please, we don't have time.."
Ranma's head was hurting like hell, he closed his eyes tightly and silently obeyed Konatsu as he took the medicine from his hand and took it in one sip of water. Konatsu sighed in relief as he gave him a small smile and whispered to him,
"Thank you for listening to me, Ranma-sama.. And Please listen to me carefully; don't eat anything that my mistress gives you.."
Hearing his urgency, Ranma slowly looked up at him again and asked him carefully,
"What do ya mean by that?"
Konatsu looked a bit frightened as he whispered to him,
"Ranma-sama… The truth is.."
"What are you doing here, Konatsu?!. I told you not to come her until...Ranchan!!!"
Suddenly Ukyo appeared at the entrance of the room and when she found Ranma wide awake, her face became completely pale with fear. She started sweating hard, her mouth wide agape as she stared at him with her wide eyes…
"Ranchan…..!!! You are.. awake!! But.. But how..!"
Ranma frowned at her and asked her in his horse tone,
"Why are ya looking so surprised, huh??"
Ukyo gulped as she tried to give him a small smile with her trembling lips as she said in a hesitant tone,
"Oh no!! No!! I mean.. I.. I am glad that you finally woke up, Ranchan..!!!"
Ranma narrowed his eyes at her and turned to face Konatsu again as he asked him in his horse tone,
"Why am I here anyway? How did I end up here like this? Last time I remember I was having a fight with my pop!! Wait a second, where is my pop!?"
"HE IS NOT HERE!!!" Ukyo blurted out hastily as she said in a shaky tone, "Ranchan, you guys fought pretty badly with each other; you ended up injuring him and at the end you also passed out.. Umm ... that's how you ended up here.. Your father regained consciousness before you and after that he left.. I.. I.. we don't know where he is now..right , Konatsu?!"
Konatsu sighs sadly as he looks at Ukyo. Then turning to Ranma, he plainly nodded his head. Ranma gave Konatsu a suspicious look.. Then he shook his head and slowly began to get up from the futon.
"Ranchan!! Where are you going!?"
Ranma looked at her heatedly and said in a bitter tone,
"It's none of yar business!!"
Ukyo's face faulted immediately as she sadly looked down at her feet. Ranma felt little bit guilty for talking to her like that, he cleared his voice and said,
"I am going home. Ya don't have to worry for nothing.."
Ukyo looked up at him and said,
"But .. at least eat something before you leave, Ranchan.."
Konatsu took a sharp breath , which Ranma noticed but didn't react; he plainly looked at her and firmly said to her,
"I am not hungry.. thanks.."
Saying that, Ranma slowly began to walk out of the room. Ukyo began to follow him down the stairs as Ranma tried to leave her house as fast as he could.
Ukyo stood at the center of the restaurant room with a depressed face, her shoulder slumped as she kept looking at Ranma's departure. Suddenly she felt a presence behind her. It didn't took her time to understand who this person is. She growled angrily and furiously turned to face him,
"HOW DID HE WOKE UP, KONATSU!! WHAT HAVE YOU GIVEN TO HIM!"*
Ranma slowly made his way towards his house. His energy was completely drained, his lips were dry, he was feeling extremely thirsty, his stomach squeezes with the hunger he was feeling at that moment. His body feels dirty, he knows he badly needs a shower. He tried his best to walk as quick as he could to reach his house and soon, with much difficulty, he finally reached his home. He sighs in relief as he slowly opened the door of the entrance.
"I am home!!"
He announced in a cracked tone as he slowly started walking towards their kitchen to find his mother. As expected, he found his mother in the kitchen area, washing some leftover dishes. He clears his throat as he said in a soft tone,
"Mom.. I am back.."
The plate Nodoka was washing fell from her hand. She looked at the cracked plate which fell over her sink. Ranma got worried as he tried to come beside her to help her,
"Mom! Are you alright!"
"STOP!! I am fine!! You don't have to come here! I can take care of this myself.."
Ranma was shocked to hear his mother's cold voice, he knew that she would be angry at him for what he did with Akane and he is more then ready to apologize to her. But the way he was feeling at that moment, all he was earning for is a good bath and some food to gain back his energy. He sighs loudly and said to his mom,
"Sorry mom, I didn't want to scare ya like that.. Umm Mom, I am really hungry .. can you please.."
"I will prepare your food in ten minutes.. Go and take a shower.." she replied to him with the same cold tone, still not turning to look at him.
Ranma tiredly nodded at her and turned to go to the washroom. He took a quick shower and after changing to his blue Chinese shirt, he hastily went to sit in the living area as he waited for his mother to bring food for him. He didn't have to wait for too long as his mother brought food for him . She laid the foods down in front of him on the table as he quickly started to devour his food in a record speed.
Nodoka grimnce looking at him, she sat facing him as she saw him devouring his food like a unmannered child ..
Ranma was confused at his own behavior! He knows that he is eating like a pig and his mother doesn't approve of it if he doesn't follow the table manners; but it was as if he had lost all the control over his hunger. He actually forgot the last time he felt this hungry! It was as if he hadn't eaten for days!! He began to choke on his food in his haste, his mother simply handed him a glass of water as he thanked her and drank the water in a quick motion. After that, he coughed for some time, then regaining his breath again, he continued to eat at a slow pace this time. He noticed the disappointment way his mother was staring at him, he cleared his throat and said to her politely,
"I.. I am sorry , mom!! I don't know why but I am feeling way too hungry.."
His mother didn't answered him and kept staring at him with her cold eyes. Ranma sighs as he laid his bowl down on the table as he started poking the food on the bowl. Then looking down at his food, he said to her in a low voice,
"Mom, I know I have messed things up again; but please try to understand my situation as well."
He sighs tiredly as he began saying,
"I know that I have misbehaved with Akane pretty badly this time. But I did it because I was not prepared for that news at all. The things that've been happening with us for the past few months has made me so insecure of our relationship, mom..! I… I ; I don't want to lose her, mom. It felt to me as if I was living my worst nightmare to see her leaving me alone! And when I heard her aunt telling me that she was working hard so that she could leave with her aunt; it felt as if I have been stabbed with a sword, mom!
That time I also realised a bitter truth, no matter how strong I am as a martial artist, I am not strong enough to tell my love one that .. that.. I can take care of her future and she can count on me!! I.. I felt so powerless , mom and that's why I vented all my frustrations on her like that."
Ranma looked so miserable as he whispered to her,
"I had no right to do that to her, mom! You were right, she can't just wait ideally for me to choose one of the women. If I had been clear with her about my feelings ; this day wouldn't even come. But .. I was a coward and selfish ! I foolishly dragged all my relationships along with me, I never imagined how that might affect her. After what I have been doing with her feelings, I can't blame her for anything, mom! I want to apologize to her! Please help me face her, mom... I need your help to reach to her.. I want to assure her that I will be with her in every decision she makes! And if she.. if she decides to leave then.. then I will wait for her to return to me. I will wait for her , mom!!"
"I can't help you with anything, Ranma. You are late.."
Ranma looked up at her with surprise as he saw her mom silently gathering his finished plates as she took them to the kitchen to wash them. Ranma quickly followed after her as he asked her in a panicked tone,
"Mom! Why are you saying that..?"
Nodoka kept washing the dishes as she replied to him in a plain tone,
"I see you have enough guts to ask me that, son! And after what you did .."
"What are you talking about..?!" He whispers in disbelief.
Nodoka closed the tab and held the kitchen counter to support her arms as she said in a heated tone,
"She wanted to stay with you. She worked so hard for that. Days and nights we both saw how hard she was studying. You used to come to me and complain about the fact that she is not giving you enough time! But did you ever try to find out why she had been so busy? My Akane, she has been working day and night because she wanted to stay with you, Ranma!! Yes, she did go with her aunt's wish to give an exam for the college Suki wanted her to study at; but she also gave exams in Nerima too, so that she could study here and live with you at the same time!!"
"Mom!"
Nodoka turned to face him with angry tears in her eyes as she said to him heatedly,
"She tried to explain it to you; but you didn't let her!! You cruelly pushed her away from you.. But let me tell you one thing , after this humiliation, she still came back to you at night to tell you news that her hard work has paid off and she can now stay with you in Nerima! And what you did to her?….How could you, my son..!! How could you betray her like that!!! HOW COULD YOU?"
Ranma was still in shock when he heard the truth about Akane. When he heard that Akane didn't need to leave him anymore, a hope of happiness lit up in his heart; but when he heard what his mother said to him next; his body became completely cold. He became clueless as he asked her in a panicked tone,
"What are ya talking 'bout ,mom!! I don't understand!! Why would I betray her!?"
Nodoka gave him a look of disgust as she said,
"Suki was right! You all Saotomes are same! You shameless man, YOU DARE TO ASK YOUR MOTHER ABOUT YOUR SIN!! SO WHAT YOU WANT YOUR MOTHER TO EXPLAIN TO YOU, HUH!! DO YOU WANT ME TO EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING AT YOUR OTHER FIANCE'S HOUSE FOR THE LAST TWO DAYS!!"
Ranma got totally speechless as he whispers to her in utter disbelief,
"Two days!! But that's impossible!! Mom, I just went there last night.."
"SAVE IT!!" Nodoka held her hand up to stop him as she continued to say in a disgust filled tone, "You dared to lie to me again!! After all you did!! After the way my poor child and Akio had seen you?!"
"Akane and Akio saw me? But when?!"
"Have you left no shame at all!! How dare you ask your mother such a question!!"
"But if ya don't answer me, how would I know, mom! And why are you saying that it's been two days!!"
"Because you have returned home after two days , Ranma!! And I am not here to explain the dirty truth to you, you hear me!! And let me tell you one thing clearly Ranma, my Akane has choose a great life for her, I have forced her to chose to leave this insane place! Don't you dare interrupt her happiness again!! You have chosen what you want in your life and now Akane also choose what is good for her! DON'T YOU DARE play with her life anymore…!!"
Ranma began to sweat hard as his mind began to swirl in multiple thoughts at once. He tried to take some slow breaths as he told his mom in a shaky tone,
"Mom, please believe me, I am innocent! I .. I haven't done anything to betray , Akane!! Please mom , you have to tell where she is now.. Mom , I haven't done anything, please tell me where Akane is.. I want to bring her back, please.."
Nodoka began to sob silently as she said to Ranma,
"I won't tell you where my Akane is!! Let her leave Ranma!! Don't ruin her life anymore!!"
Saying that, she ran away from the kitchen to her room. Ranma was still standing there with a stunned look on his face, his body became cold, his hands shaking , as his mother's words began to roam in his brain again and again.
'I came home after two days!! I was in Ukyo's house for two days!! Akane and Akio saw me!! She chose to leave me because of what she saw!! What is going on here? Why is my mom crying like that!! What have I done?! Why would Akane leave me? What did she see there ?'
Lots of questions were roaming on his brain as he started contemplating what is the right thing to do next.All he knows is he needs some straight answers. And he also knows that he won't get any straight answer from Ukyo as well! So the next person left is,
"Akio…."*
Konatsu gulped as he looked at Ukyo's outrageous eyes, he begins to sweat hard as he explained to her in a shaky tone,
"I.. I did nothing, mistress!! I just went there to check on him and I found him wide awake.."
"Damn it!!! This shouldn't have happened!!" Ukyo murmured to herself as she looked up at Konatsu and asked him again, "You did feed him the broth that I made for him for lunch, or you didn't?!"
Konatsu smiles at her nervously as he said,
"I have been giving him food all the time, you saw it right?"
Ukyo growled at him and said furiously,
"THEN HOW DID HE MANAGE TO WOKE UP?"
Konatsu plainly looked at her and asked her in a soft tone,
"My sleeping powder was meant to make them sleep for a few hours, Mistress! I don't understand how they kept sleeping for such a long time!"
That made her flinch as she replied hesitantly,
"How do I know that, huh? It's you who made them fall asleep! So it's your fault!!"
"Using sleeping pills on their food, is it my fault too, mistress?"
Ukyo took a sharp breath of surprise as she asked him in a whisper tone,
"How… how did you?"
"I saw you.."
Ukyo furiously looked at him and screamed at him saying,
"You fool!! You are good for nothing!! How dare you interfere in my personal matters!! Don't forget, I saved you from your worst nightmare and this is how you are repaying me for my kindness?"
Konatsu looked down in shame and asked her,
"I am sorry, mistress.. But.. but whatever you did was unfair! Why did you do that to him..?"
"Because ... because I love him, Konatsu!!! DO YOU HEAR ME CLEARLY!!"
Still looking down he said,
"If you love him then why did you give him sleeping pills? How many days were you planning to make him sleep in here?"
Ukyo smirks as she shook her head and said,
"DON'T talk like a dumb, Konatsu!! I was not planing to make him sleep all the time!!"
"Then why?"
Ukyo smiled at him and said,
"Because I know something that you don't know, honey.. Akane is leaving today!" She quickly checked her wrist watch as she slyly smiled and said, "Guess what sugar, she left already!! Anyway, I was not planning to give him any pills today, because I wanted him to wake up tomorrow anyway!! I wanted to see him awake and lively again, I missed him so much!!"
Konatsu didn't have any idea about all this.. He was extremely shocked to hear this news as he dumbfoundedly stared at her. Then taking some slow breaths he asked her as politely as he could,
"I don't understand.. How will this benefit you, mistress?"
Ukyo smirks as she said in a maniac tone,
"After he will see that his precious Akane has betrayed him and left him; my Ranchan will be totally broken and valuable!! I will take that opportunity to sympathize with him! I will show him how much I love him and care for him and soon he will fall in love with me too.."
"Mistress, truth always comes out one way or another!! What will you do when Ranma finds out about your betrayals?!"
Ukyo sneakers as she said to him in a warning tone,
"Who will tell him! You? I doubt it , Konatsu! Because one word out from you and I will send you straight to your step sisters house! You understand..?"
Konatsu began to sweat hard as he gulped in fear as he said in a trembling tone,
"Please don't do that to me.."
Ukyo slyly smiled at him and said,
"Then seal your mouth shut!!" Ukyo laughed slightly as she looked at Konatsu's fearful face, then she said to him,
"As long as you obey me, I won't let you go anywhere.. don't worry.."
Konatsu bowed at her and said,
"Oh Mistress, you are so kind! I am sorry that I doubted you! I should have guessed why you did that! I shouldn't have questioned your motives!! I am with you in every step you take!!"
"I am not worried about you, Konatsu! Because I know if I had shared my plan with you in the beginning why I am giving Ranma the pills, you wouldn't have interrupted me!! But I lied to you, I am sorry for that!! I am glad that you understand why I had to do that to him.. But the thing that's making me worried now is that Dr Tofu's brother. I just hope he won't blurt out to Ranma anything about that night.."
"That night?! What happened that time, mistress! Please share with me so that I can give you a solution! You know I have all the solutions in my sleeves."
Ukyo sighs happily and decides to share the incident that happened that night. After hearing her ,Konatsu left completely speechless. It was like, the puzzles he was struggling to match for past few days, suddenly all became clearer to him. That night when he saw her wearing Ranma's shirt on a improper way , the way she left the house and the way he found some red marks over Ranma's bare back, these all clues were troubling him day and night. But now he has all the answers for his questions.. He smiled at her and said,
"You went this far for him, mistress!! You love him this much!! I am so proud of you, mistress!!"
"Oh Konatsu, thank goodness you understand me.. Now please give me some suggestions. What should I do with this Akio guy?"
"Please allow me to give you my opinion, miss Ukyo.."
Ukyo's eyes went wide with fear when she heard the hard tone from behind her. She hesitantly turned to face the person as she whispered in fear,
"Mr Saotome…… You are awake!"
Ranma ran with all his might to reach Akio's house as fast as he could. He knows it's not the proper way to disturb any person at this late hour, but his very life depends on it , that's why he can't wait until morning to ask him the questions which answers he needs so badly. He quickly reached his house as he began to bang on his door.
"Akio!! Open the damn door , man!!"
He banged for a long moment, but didn't get any answer from inside. Then suddenly he noticed something, that the door was locked and no one seemed to be inside the home . He banged his hand on the ceiling in frustration as he helplessly laid his head over it. After a long moment of waiting there, a car suddenly stopped on the road. He looked up at the scene and saw Akio getting out of a taxi. Akio stopped walking when he saw that Ranma was waiting for him outside his house. He grumbled in annoyance and asked him,
"What are you doing here?"
"Akio, I am here to ask you something.."
"And I don't want to give you any answers; so just LEAVE!!"
"Hey!! What's this attitude about, buddy!!" Ranma asked him, getting pissed off at his behavior.
Akio laid his hand infront of him and said,
"I am no one's buddy!! So get out of my way.."
Akio ignored him and tried to get pass him ; but Ranma asked him in dangerously low tone,
"Where is Akane?"
Akio also stopped moving as he asked him,
"And why would I tell you that? So that you could ruin her life again!!"
Ranma couldn't take the pressure anymore, he turned to face him and forced him to face him as he told him in a heated tone,
"YOU GUYS HAVE TO STOP IT, DAMN IT!! TELL ME WHERE MY FIANCÉ IS.."
Akio smirks humoroulessly as he asked him,
"Why you need Akane now, Ranma? Have you finished having fun with your other fiancé?"
Ranma growled furiously as he grabbed Akio's collars tightly. Then he warned him in a tightly controlled tone,
"You are SICK of you think I would do something like that, man!"
Akio laid his hand over Ranma's hand and pushed him away from him as he furiously said,
"I am not sick, Ranma!! ITS YOU WHO ARE SICK!! ME AND AKANE, WE BOTH SAW YOU HAVING FUN WITH UKYO!! WE CAUGHT YOU RED HANDED , RANMA!! AND NOW AFTER TWO DAYS YOU CAME HERE TO ASK ME WHERE AKANE IS!! YOU SHAMELESS JERK!!"
"That's WHAT I WANT TO KNOW, AKIO!! WHAT HAVE I DONE!! I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT YOU AND MY MOTHER IS ACCUSING ME OF DOING!! AND PLEASE TRUST ME, ALL I KNOW IS , LAST NIGHT I WAS HAVING A FIGHT WITH MY POP ON HER HOUSE, BECAUSE I CAUGHT THEM MAKING A PLOT AGAINST US. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU GUYS ARE TELLING ME ITS BEEN TWO FREAKING DAYS ALREADY!!"
Akio made a look of disgust as he shook his head at him. Then he spats at him saying,
"You are so pathetic, Ranma Saotome!! You don't even know how to lie!! Go back to the fiancé whom you choose to have fun with. Leave Akane alone!!"
Ranma was breathing hard as he helplessly looked at Akio with his miserable eyes, then he told him in a pleading tone,
"Please Akio, believe me!! I am not lying to you, man! I don't know what is going on here!! All I know is, if I can't meet Akane today, I will.. I will die! Because I can't take this pressure anymore.. I love her, Akio. Please buddy help me.."
Akio growled in frustration as he snapped at him, asking,
"If you love her this much, why did you betray her, Ranma??"
"I didn't betray her, Akio! I would rather die then to do that to her!! This is nothing but misunderstanding.. Please believe me!!"
Akio ignored him again and said,
"I don't believe you anymore, Ranma.. You can leave now.."
"YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE HIM, MR... RANMA IS INNOCENT !! HE DIDN'T BETRAY AKANE!!!"
Suddenly they heard another person's breathless tone, who stood by the gate and holding the ceiling to control his breathing. Ranma looked at him with disbelief as he whispered his name in surprised tone,
"Ko... Konatsu…!!!"
A/N: The amount of positive reviews I am getting in this fic is so overwhelming for me! I never thought that I would get this many followers and favorites as well!! It's too good to be true for me!! This place is a place where I find mental peace!! And your love and supports works like magic on me!! I really really appreciate all of you who have reviewed this fic, followed it and chose this fic on their favorite list! Please don't forget to leave a review my dear readers.. I will try to post soon..