Clumsy at Love
Chapter 21: So Many Questions
Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2
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"Let's go," Ranma said as he passed by her desk. Akane stood up and collected her tablet and cell phone from the desk, and followed her boss.
"Ms. Akane, do you have a moment?" Somebody spoke up as they were about to exit their department.
Akane stopped and turned. "How can I help you?" she asked politely.
The lady tentatively chewed her lower lips before proceeding. "I'm having the same trouble Yuka had experienced yesterday. Um, she said you fixed hers. Can you fix mine as well? By the way, my name is Sayuri." Sayuri said, extending a hand towards her.
Akane accepted her hand and shook it. "Hi, Sayuri." She said, smiling. "But, Um... I think its best if you'll report it to the service desk," Akane said, eyeing Ranma, who walked back to see what was going on.
Sayuri picked up her message. "Reporting it to the service desk and waiting for the IT to arrive will take a longer time, and there's no guaranteeing that it would be fixed by noon." She said, then turned to their boss. "I have to submit the RFC before noon today for us to get the approval within the week so we can launch our project in target time." She explained then turned again to Akane. "So, please? Ms. Akane?"
Akane then turned to Ranma. "It will take less than ten minutes. You can go on ahead. I'll follow as soon as I can." She told him then went off without waiting for her boss's reply. "Come on, where's your workstation?"
Ranma rolled his eyes but followed them, taking his precious time with every step that he took. He stopped at the area where Akane was trying to be a hero and tried to watch from a fair distance.
It seemed like she knew what she was doing. The thought made him smile. She was touching cables and physical connections connected to the desktop. After a while, she ran a network troubleshooter, tried pinging and tracing the route... and then moments later, she restarted the desktop. Then just like that, the trouble has been fixed.
Everyone in the area was praising her while the lady who approached her keeps thanking her. He had to take her away for them to make it in time for the meeting.
"You keep surprising me." He remarked as they walked outside the hallway. "You're not just a capable assistant, but also a reliable colleague. I'm quite impressed with your computer efficiency."
"Well, I think I should be... I'm an IT graduate after all."
"Yeah, you are!" He chuckled. "I'm sorry, I forgot."
"Speaking of IT graduate... I remember you used to dream of becoming a landscape architect. How come you ended up taking IT instead?"
Her answer was very prompt. "Because I realized that landscape architecture was so outdated, that's why I choose the futuristic IT instead."
"You took IT and graduated with honors. Why did you not work for your father's company or other big companies that badly needed a skill set like yours? I thought you also said that you'd be going to be a part of the country's most prestigious company if not an architect."
Her eyes flashed at him, and she stopped walking at once. "You go in first." she snarled.
"Where are you going?" Ranma asked, alarmed.
"Washroom. Why? Wanna come with me?" she snapped, then turned her back on him.
Ranma followed Akane's retreating form. He couldn't help but notice that he had made her uncomfortable with his questions.
Did she get into any company? His curious mind asked. The answer is yes. They said that she'd been accepted at The Shangri-La Hotel.
But what happened after she got in? That, he doesn't know. Nobody can tell him either whether she quit on her own or if she has been fired... Like how she has been kicked out of their school.
Why she was kicked out of the school? They said she started a fight and injured someone, but WHY?
Why does she still wear her hair short? Why she remains working solo at home for a very long time? Why does she seem to hate the crowd even more? Yes, she used to hate the crowd before, but not to the extent that she'd isolate herself inside their home for too long.
There are so many questions in his head that are dying to have the answers. But the answers to those questions somehow frightens him.
Because what if he causes her to be like that?
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Akane walked into the restroom and washed her face as if the water could wash her discomfort away.
7 years ago…
A week after Ranma had left to study abroad, when she returned to school, her school life turned miserable. This was caused by Ranma's fan clubs, who have badmouthed and persecuted her for confessing to Ranma, and they've done it in many creative ways.
They vandalized her desk and locker. They pushed or pulled her when they met her in the hallways. Even her friends have turned their back on her. It seemed they had befriended her because she was close to Ranma. But now that he's gone, they don't need her anymore.
Then the incident at the school canteen happened. She was eating alone at the farthest side of the room when somebody deliberately poured a drink over her head, putting her patience to its limit. She stood up and pushed the girl. The girl then stumbled backward and injured an arm as she supported her fall. Akane was then expelled from school.
The consequence of her impulsive action didn't just end there. It also resulted in her missing the chance of going into her dream university, failing to get the course of her dream, and causing her dream profession to be impossible. Leaving her with no choice but to enroll in a technical school and get whatever course is available.
And it's all because of Ranma Saotome and his crazy stupid fan clubs.
And now he had the nerve to ask her questions, of all people, shouldn't ask. "That guy really pisses me off." She fumed. "Seriously, so annoying!"
Moments later, Akane felt her nerve calm down. She decided to fix herself and was about to walk out when she found behind her back. She turned and screamed. "My God, Ranma! What do you think you're doing here?! This is WOMEN'S RESTROOM!"
"I thought you're not gonna come out so, I have come to fetch you." He told her coolly.
She groaned, looked around, and then dragged him out by the arm.
"Are you crazy?" she scolded as soon as they stepped outside. "I know you're a pervert, but still, how could you walk into the women's restroom?!"
"Excuse me?! Me? A p~pervert?"
"Yes, you... a pervert! What? Are you going to deny that fact? You could have been sued for action!" she fumed.
"I see… You panic because you're scared that my action might get me in trouble."
Akane stared at him, disbelieving what she just heard. "You're really not sane," she commented.
"Ah!" She exclaimed, suddenly in a panic again. "The meeting! What about the meeting? We're late!"
"And whose fault do you think it is?" He asked. "Don't worry. They're not going to start without me, anyway. Come on." He said, then started walking ahead of her.
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"What a surprise! What brought you here to my office?" Asked Kuno as he walked into his office.
"Are you busy?" he asked, plopping down on the black leather couch. "Wow! You got a luxurious office here for yourself," he commented while looking around and found a collection of fine works of art.
"I thought you were busy." replied skeptical Kuno, who stood up from his swivel chair and approached him.
"I am." He exhaled.
"Then what are you doing down here in my office?" Kuno couldn't help but ask, but Ranma did not speak. "What? Is this an emergency? Because really, this is your first time dropping into my office since you started working at the company, to think that we're working at the same building and you were my best friend, an idea that people here were having a hard time believing because they never saw us together."
"Kuno, what happened to Akane? Why was she expelled out of the school?"
"Ah, that… I didn't know the exact details, but I heard she got into a fight and injured someone. She was expelled because she had an advantage, you know, she knew Kendo and knew how to fight. And no matter how beautiful your wife is, I think it's only right."
"Do you have any idea why she would get into a fight? Worst injured someone? You know how she was in school way back then. She never had an enemy. She only got into a fight with me."
"I don't know… I was never interested in Akane till recently. I never knew she could grow into a freaking hot swan and would leave me drooling."
Ranma glared at his friend. "This is my wife we are talking about."
Kuno laughs. "I know, and I think you are one lucky bastard."
Ranma stood up abruptly.
"What? Why? You're leaving already?" Kuno asked as he walked towards the door. "You can ask Kodachi for the full details. She's around the vicinity when that famous incident had happened," he added, but Ranma never looked back.
Though seething with rage, he heard what Kuno had said and immediately contacted Kodachi.