Clumsy at Love
Chapter 29: Payback Time
Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½
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Akane gasped upon seeing the fashion news headline.
"What happened?" Ranma asked, noticing her panic-stricken face.
"It's Nabiki." She replied. "I think Nabiki is about to lose the career she dedicated her whole life to because she's being sued."
"Ah, so you've seen it..." he replied. "Isn't it great? That means she'll lay low for some time and will have time to reflect and reinvent herself. Maybe after this, she'll stop being an awful person."
Akane eyed him suspiciously. "Is this you?" she asked.
He hesitated for a moment seeing her agitated face and then sighed. "It's not me who's suing her, though... It's a friend," he confessed.
Her mouth hangs open. "Is this what you mean when you said you'll just shake her? Get her life destroyed by dragging her name into a scandal!"
"Those were not false rumors, Akane. We did not make it up."
"Ranma ~ "
"And these offenses were far more decent than her crimes against us and definitely will not cause your father a heart attack. So, relax."
"Relax? Unbelievable! You want me to relax while watching you destroy my sister?" she asked and then sighed. She realized there was no sense arguing with him now. He's still mad at Nabiki. Very mad.
"Ranma, Nabiki already apologized ~."
"But still did not get the depth of her mistake." he cut in.
" ~ and like you, she's still young back then and blinded by her feelings for you." she tried again.
His eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare compare me to your sister coz we are entirely different. I didn't know what I did wrong until someone made me realize that I was wrong. Your sister knew from the very start that what she was doing was wrong. Another thing, after I realized my mistake, I regret behaving the way I did… Every. Single. Day. That if I have the power to undo the reason I hurt you, I would. But I wasn't asking her to feel the way I did; I just want her to understand the depth of her wickedness or at least feel bad about it."
"It's all a thing in the past, Ranma. And I told you that I already have them with me."
"You have them too late, Akane!" He bellowed.
"Why does receiving your letters and gifts late even matter? Because they were outdated and already lost their meaning? I don't care. The fact that you sincerely apologize and regret your actions a long time ago means a lot to me."
"That doesn't make me feel any better." he laughed wryly. "That's just made me feel even worse! Those words you said mean that you really could have forgiven me a long time ago and might have changed the course of our lives. She deprived us of that possibility! Don't you get it?"
"I get it, okay? I understand what made you so mad, but what you are trying to do is just as low." Tears shimmered in her eyes. "Living in the past, staying mad, seeking revenge will not change anything. It will only make you feel worse. I'm not asking you to forgive her. I just ~ I want you to try and let go of your hatred. You'll get nothing good harboring negative feelings in your heart. Believe me, I've learned it by experience."
But he didn't seem to hear her. "What all of you don't understand was that those letters and gifts were not simple things meant for you to receive. They were my bare heart and soul, and it means the whole damn world to me. And the fact that you didn't one bit resent your sister makes me even angrier." he pointed out, then stormed out of the dining room.
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"Bare heart and soul. What's does that even mean? And how could letters and gifts mean the world? Tsk!" she muttered, annoyed.
"Hearing you asked those questions only proves that you really are insensitive."
She looked over her shoulder and found Ranma standing by the door. "Why are you still up?" He asked, putting down his fishing gear to the side. "Can't sleep?"
Akane hasn't recovered yet from his sudden appearance and couldn't utter a word.
"Hmm, I want to apologize for my outburst earlier." She heard him say. "I won't explain any further, but about Nabiki, you can rest your heart on it. Everything that's been going on about her today will stop tomorrow."
Akane looked up, her skeptical brown eyes locked on him. "I want to drag it a little longer, but you made me realize it's not worth it."
To his surprise, Akane jumped and hugged him tightly. "Oh! Thank you, thank you so, so much." She cried. "I know Nabiki deserves your punishment, but getting right back on her won't make you one bit happier either."
Yeah, seeing you sad and upset makes me feel just miserable and makes me think it's not worth it. "You owe me big time on this one." He told her.
"I know." She replied, letting go of him and taking one step backward, blushing.
"So, are you gonna ask what do I like? Where I wanna go? Or if you can afford what I want in return?" Now, now, Ranma... what are you trying to do?
"Huh?" she uttered, confused.
"It's a big favor. I told you that what I've lost meant the world to me... So, of course, it's not free."
I'm grabbing the opportunity. He retorted to himself.
"What do you want?" She asked.
"Do you mean that?" He tried.
"Do I have a choice?" She countered.
"I want to spend my special day with you. How about being my genie for twenty-four full hours?"
"WHAT?! HELL NO!" she exclaimed.
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"Good morning, sleepyhead!"
"Go away." She groaned, turning her back on Ranma.
"I thought you agreed to spend my birthday with me, my dear Genie?" He teased.
Her eyes opened, and sparkling blue eyes greeted her, making her heartbeat twice as fast in the early morning. "Stop kidding me, Ranma. Let me sleep some more. It's weekend, for goodness' sake."
"I know. And it's my birthday." He told her.
That statement made her very awake. She sat up and checked her phone for the date. It's true! Today is his birth date. "What do you want?"
"I already told you."
Thump, thump... "B~but are you sure you want to spend your special day with me? Me?" she asked, incredulous.
He chuckled. "Yes. I'm sure." He replied, then stood up. "Get ready. We're leaving in 30 minutes."
"Where to?" she asked.
"You'll see... Just get ready." He said, then hurried out of the room.