Clumsy at Love
Chapter 34: Just harmony
Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½
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"Akane," Ranma called out while knocking on their hotel suite. "We better get going now, or we're gonna be late,"
"Hold on a sec!" He heard her say, followed by a clattering sound. Then the door flew wide open and revealed a beauty. God, by this time, he should have been immune to this beauty, but really… he's amazed that she still manages to catch him off guard every once in a while.
"Hi," she said, smiling bashfully, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Ranma cleared his throat and then tried to speak with a straight head. "You're stunning." He managed to utter.
"Uh, thanks..." She replied, giving him a sidelong glance.
"Shall we?" he asked, offering her his hand, which she accepted without hesitation, which was a first. "You're quite dashing yourself." She muttered.
"Huh?" She said it so softly that he had barely heard it, but he did.
Catching the blossoming smug smile on his face, Akane rolled her eyes and then turned to close the door behind them.
His mouth fell open as the superb back view of her gown back revealed. "Remind me to give your stylist a bonus later." He couldn't help saying, shaking his head in awe at her enticing back elegantly exposed.
Akane whirled around and caught him ogling at her back. She cocked an eyebrow.
"What?" he asked in a defensive tone.
"Let's walk side by side." She demanded, linking an arm on his, stunning him.
She blushed, realizing her daring move. "What?" she asked in a defensive tone. "I couldn't take another step with you staring at my back."
He smiled. "Then I gladly oblige." He whispered, blushing as well.
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He still couldn't believe that he had lost his mind, ruined his father's birthday party, and messed up the business dealings concurrently because of a petty personal reason. He sighed.
The exquisite gown is a disaster disguised. He was exasperated beyond endurance the whole night with every unnecessary attention Akane's dress was calling. But Kuno's sickening stare and obscene comments pushed him to his limit. He grabbed him by the collar and then punched him straight in the face to shut his mouth for good. It was so wrong, but, God, it felt so good punching that idiot.
Humiliating himself in front of the higher-ups or jeopardizing his future in the company was nothing on him. His only regret was letting his parents down big time. He sighed yet again, looked around, and found Akane sitting not far away from him.
And then he remembered… After his punch landed on Kuno's face earlier, Akane darted to his side and hugged him tightly from behind, and heard her repeatedly pleading.
Stop it, Ranma.
Your parents, they're here.
Please, stop it.
And when he finally released Kuno's collar, she pulled him away and ended up here, in her safe haven.
"Hey," she greeted when she turned and met his eyes. "How are you feeling? Calmer now?"
He looked away at once, ashamed of what had transpired earlier.
"Are you being shy now?" she teased. "You don't have to be shy about it. Everybody loses their cool once in a while, I guess." She added when he didn't respond. "And if it's someone like your friend Kuno, I would gladly lose my cool. Even if it's in front of my ever-loving, supportive parents or significant higher-ups."
God, she's a sadist. But the thought surprisingly made him smile.
"Hey, can I ask you a question? What was your reaction when you first heard the news Shampoo will be marrying someone else?"
"You'll never let that go, do you?"
"Just curious," she countered.
"Well, before the news broke out, she called me and asked me when I would be going to divorce you? I told her that would never happen. She thought I would feel threatened when she told me that a business tycoon had asked to marry her. But I don't. I only felt relief because that'll only mean she'll stop bothering me. I mean, completely."
Akane snorted.
"What? Doesn't that satisfy curiosity yet?"
"What about Ukyo?"
"What about her?"
"Aside from the fact that she was your personal angel, how else do you feel about her?"
The personal angel remark made him smile yet again. "Hmm, I think I said it before, but I guess I'll say it again. Ukyo, for me, was the sister I never had. She's always there for me readily, no matter what, and you know that there was no hidden motive behind it."
"Oh," she uttered.
"Oh?" his brow quirked up, glancing at the girl who had suddenly gone speechless.
"What? Spit it out," he demanded.
"Why did you do that? You know, punch Kuno… Given the situation, I found your action highly unlikely. I mean, what happened to "this is the sacred workplace of my parents?" she asked, imitating the way he stated it before, teasing him.
She looked cute, alright. But recalling what Kuno's remarks earlier still infuriates him, and how he reacted made him feel guilty as hell.
"It's not because of me, right?" She insisted when he didn't respond. "Or did you?" she pressed, this time looking frantic.
"What made you think that I did it for you?" He replied, putting on his best poker face. "You're becoming more and more conceited each day."
She heaved a sigh of relief. "I'm glad it's not because of me." And then added, "But you should have let me punch him instead."
"That's what you had in mind all along?" he asked dubiously, shaking his head in disbelief.
But she doesn't seem to hear him. "I worry your action would backfire on you. It might seriously hurt your reputation, your future in the company, and worst, your parents ~."
"You're worried about me." He said, stating the obvious, then chuckled. He couldn't help but feel so lucky and blessed, feeling the warmth spreading inside his heart.
"Who cares about my reputation or my future. Seriously, Kuno deserved it. I figure how I became friends with that idiot."
"Uh, because you used to be the same kind of idiot?" She suggested, taunting him.
"Still am." He agreed bitterly. "I only worried about my parents,"
"You should be."
"So, any more questions, ma'am?"
Akane chuckled and shook her head.
"Should we head home?" He asked, standing up.
"What about your parents?" She asked, confused but standing as well.
"I'll deal with them tomorrow when they're a little less disappointed. But for now, I wanna go home and retire to bed. Ugh, I'm so tired." He groaned while yawning and stretching a bit.
"Want to walk home from here?" she asked.
He was stunned and remained speechless for a long moment.
She then faked a laugh. "I guess that's just silly when you're tired and all ~."
"No. That's actually a good idea. A little bit of walking would clear my head. It's alright. Let's get going." he urged, walking ahead of her. Damn, he gushed inside his head. Does she have an idea that that sounded like a date invitation? And he doesn't mind at all. It's just unexpected.
Once they made it out of the building, he removed his coat and put it over Akane's shoulder. "We don't want you to catch a cold." He explained when Akane looked up at him with a baffled expression.
"Are you sure you'll be okay walking with those heels?" He asked.
"I'll be fine. It's a wedge." She said, smiling. "Let's go this way."
Akane leads him to her newly discovered shortcut. "This is the path I take going home every time we're not together." She said. "I sometimes stopped from shop to shop here." She added.
He chuckled. "You mean hopping from bookshop to food shop to bookshop again?"
Akane's mouth fell open. "I can't believe you!" She complained when she recovered.
Half amused, half frightened. He could tell.
He heaved a sigh of contentment. AHH! He could put this moment on top of his list of the most glorious, unforgettable moment of his life.
Strolling side by side with the woman you love, in a deserted alley in the middle of many bright lights and tall buildings, just laughing and talking casually under the moonless, starless, cloudy blue sky. No arguing, no signs of struggling, nor hate. Just… harmony.
And then he felt it; A raindrop over his head and then on his shoulder. He stopped walking abruptly.
"What's the matter?" She asked, watching him put his palm out into the air. And then she felt and saw it too. Her pretty brown eyes bulged out of its socket again—this time in panic. It's raining.
"Should we make a run for it?" He asked. His suggestion seemed to baffle her.
"Why not." She then agreed. A small smile then slipped from her lips.
He knew he was pushing his luck too much as he stretched his arm and offered her his hand for the second time this evening, ignoring the wild beating heart. But yet again, Akane took it without hesitation, as if holding his hand is a natural thing to do.
"Ready? He asked, choking back his emotion, looking deep into her beautiful brown eyes.
She nodded shyly. Unable to speak another word, he pulled her towards the direction of their home, running. But somehow, it felt like he was flying, soaring up high with their hands entangled so firmly.