A/N: Thank you :)..
"Before I tell you about my engagement with Shinnosuke; I have to tell you some events related to it." Akane paused and looked at Ranma; who decided to stand in front of the window, his hands inside his pockets as he looked out of the window with an expressionless face. Akane sighed and looked down at her balled hands and continued saying,
"After my mother..., you know……., my grandparents from my father's side wanted to take responsibility for us sisters . I was very young at that time. We didn't have any experience with living in a countryside; that's why Kasumi and Nabiki didn't want to go with my grandparents. My both oneechan's were also incapable of taking care of me that time and that's why my grandparents decided to at least take me with them to their village. My father had no experience being a single parent so he let me go with them. I practically lived my childhood with my grandparents and I couldn't be more thankful for that."
Akane gave a happy long sigh, her sight became slightly dreamy as she said, "My grandparents may live in a village; it's a very small village ; but for me, that place is heaven. You know it's that type of place where modern technology still hasn't got any prioritised . Where neighbourhoods become families . Where people gather to help each other selflessly. Where no one sleeps in hunger because your next door would offer food for you. You will get shoulders to cry on, you would get help in no time and honestly, where every day feels like a festival. I… I grew up in that neighbourhood, Ranma. And Shinnosuke is part of that neighbourhood.."
Akane looked at Ranma's side and noticed how hard he was clutching the windowsill. She gave a long sigh and shook her head and said,
"Me and Shinnosuke, we are actually childhood friends. He is one year older than me, but he became my best friend!! We learned everything together! We went to our first school together! We started taking lessons for martial arts together! We used to play all the time when we were free! He was so sweet, even in childhood he was a great gentleman. You know, every day he used to bring my favourite flower for me. He was such an amazing person! My most favourite partner. He was my partner in playing, he was my partner in my martial arts practices, he was even my partner in crime.."
She couldn't help herself as she giggled thinking about some silly events she had spent with Shinnosuke. But her smile didn't last long as suddenly Ranma flopped back sitting in front of her. His face had a serious frustrated look as he glared at her and said,
"Congratulations, Tendo Akane..!!"
The sarcasm in his voice stunned her, "Congratulations? For what?"
Ranma chuckled without any humour as he said in a bitter tone,
"For getting this opportunity to marry a guy who has been your partner throughout your life!! You must be feeling so lucky!! You know, over-the-moon type of feelings?"
Akane rolled her eyes at him and asked, "Are you even serious?"
"OF COURSE I AM SERIOUS!! Do ya want me to burst a confetti to prove my point now!!" Ranma asked, maniacally .
Akane pouted up at him and growled in annoyance.
"I think you are not taking me seriously, Ranma! I am going ho.." Akane tried to stand up to leave, but Ranma grabbed her hand and made her sit again.
"Just SIT PLEASE.. God damn it!" Ranma gave a long frustrated sigh and said, "I am sorry! Please finish what you were saying."
Akane crossed her arms in front of her chest and said, "I forgot what I was saying.."
Ranma whined and said, "Owe, are you planning to torture me while telling me your tale , Akane!! What else is this Shinnosuke guy to you? Partner in playing, partner in crime, partner in.."
Akane placed her one finger over his tensed mouth to stop him from talking. She giggled seeing his devastated state. He was practically acting like a whining kid in front of her now. She looked at him and gave a soft smile;
"Oh God, You are acting like a little baby!! I knew this will make you react like this and thats why I told you all this! Although what I said was true; but still!! Seriously, Ranma! You could be so dumb sometimes! Anyways sorry, I promise I won't make it more hard for you." She sighed sadly and said, "You don't have any idea how hard it is for me to hide this from everyone that I have a fiance secret, Ranma. Imagine yourself in my situation for just a moment, then you can understand how much load I am carrying in my heart."
Her words silenced him fully. As she said all this, suddenly the image of Shampoo played across his mind. He fearfully looked at her face as he started sweating hard in nervousness. He gulped hard and dared to ask her,
"What if I say I know how you might be feeling, Kane?"
Akane's smiling face instantly turned into a frown. She gave him a deadly narrow look and asked him,
"What do you mean by that?"
Ranma couldn't say anything more as he kept looking at her nervously.
"Are you hiding anything from me, Ranma?"
"Huh?" Ranma asked, fearfully.
Akane looked at him with wide angry eyes. She clutched his collars softly and asked him in a warning tone,
"Do you have a fiance too?"
"Huh?!"
"What HUH?! DO YOU have a fiance, Ranma?!" This time her hold on his collars got a little bit tighter.
Ranma wildly shook his head saying no to her. But she was not satisfied with his answer; she drew him close to her face and asked him in a serious whispered tone,
"Ranma, tell me the truth. Or else.."
"I… I swear.."
Akane moaned and asked impatiently,
"What are you swearing for, baka!!?"
Ranma took a deep breath and grabbed her hands which was clutching his collar way too tightly as he said,
"I swear I haven't considered anyone as my fiance..I promise!" Ranma replied in a shaky tone, hoping that she would believe his half-life. Because in a way he told her the truth. He would never ever accept Shampoo as his fiance!!
Akane seemed to take his answer this time. She hummed and losend her hold on him as she said, "Good, then.."
She smiled at him and when she was about to release his collars , he tightly grabbed her hands and pulled her close to him again and asked her with a playful smirk on his face,
"How come you can get away with acting this violently with me after only this assumption that I might have a fiance too. And you dare to call me childish because of the way I am reacting to your REAL fiance stories ?!" His voice got bitter slightly as he said, "You are driving me crazy with your sweet cozy types explanations, tomboy! I bet you don't even care how I feel.." Saying the last part with a disappointing tone, he let go of her hand and looked away from her with an angry huff.
Akane smiled at him. For a few moments, she kept looking at him with a soft expression on her face. How can she make him understand what he is doing to her? Can she ever get the courage to tell him how she really feels about him? She sighed and shook her head. Then taking a deep breath she said with a whisper tone,
"You think I don't care, Ranma!?"
Ranma slowly turned and looked at her as she continued saying in a whispering tone,
"If I didn't care, then why I am sharing this secret only with you? Why would I ask you for help than , Ranma?"
Ranma blinked his eyes in confusion as he asked,
"Help? Help for what?"
Akane bites her lower lip in worry and said,
"Help me to get out of this fiance mess, Ranma. I want to cancel my engagement with Shinnosuke as soon as possible."
Ranma's face immediately lights up with a bright smile as he asks her again, "Really?! You want to break your engagement with him!"
Akane nodded happily.
Ranma tried to compose his wide grin. He cleared his voice and asked her a little bit more seriously , "But why? The way you talked about him, it seemed to me as if you like this guy."
Akane shrugged her shoulders and casually replied to him,
"Because I don't have any romantic feelings for him, Ranma. I do like him; no I actually love him as my best friend. But I never thought of him as my fiance.. I can never think about him that way! It's impossible!!"
Ranma greeted his teeth in irritation and said,
"You are making me confused right now, tomboy. Can you please explain clearly?"
Akane nodded her head and said, "Then stop interfering me when I am talking, okay? And sit where you are; don't you dare to move!"
Ranma wanted to walk back infront of the window, because he know if he sits in front of her, she would see through him and see how irritated he was feeling at that moment. But now he can't move because of her. He grumbled and nodded his head. Akane took a deep breath and started talking again,
"My fathermg and sisters used to visit me every year. When I was ten years old, my father came and took me home with him. Because he was worried about my studies. I was doing great on martial arts because of my grandfather but I was lacking behind on my studies. My father always wanted us sisters to carry on our mother's dream. Kasumi oneechan didn't want to study business, so my father had no choice but to include me. It was very hard for me in the beginning, but I somehow got used to it. I used to visit my grandparents every year. On my holidays, for a month or weeks. It became my regular rule to visit them. Kasumi sometimes used to come with me but Nabiki, she was not used to the countryside life so she always used to avoid it. Shinnosuke used to wait for me every year and when we met, we used to enjoy a lot toge.." Akane noticed Ranma's stern look. She paused talking, cleared her voice and said,
"Umm.. Sorry. Anyways, after Kasumi oneechan got married, I used to go there alone. But then, the incident happened with her and I couldn't go there anymore. Then everything became so messed up in our life. Kasumi oneechan's rescue, Nabiki marrying Kuno, Father leaving us behind; it all happened all at once that I had no time to visit my grandparents anymore! A few months later, after Kasumi oneechan got divorced, I got a call from my grandfather that I had to come to the village urgently because grandmother was sick and she wanted to see me. Oneechan didn't want come with me because she became distant from everyone after what happened with her. That's why leaving her behind with Akio, I went to meet grandma for a few days.
But when I reached there, I was supposed to find that she was completely fine and I found out that they lied to me to make me come to the village. My grandmother had no idea about that, it was all my grandfather's doing. And when we asked why he lied to me like that, he said because he wanted to engage me with a trusted person. And the trusted person was his friends grandson, Shinnosuke.
I was so angry to hear that. My grandmother opposed it as well. We had a great fight that day with my grandfather. But then my grandfather got emotional and told us why he wanted to do that. He was scared that the way our father had destroyed both our sisters' lives, he would try to destroy my life too. He can't see me suffer like my sisters, that's why he wanted to make sure my future is in the right hands. My grandmother couldn't argue with him after that, because in a way she also agreed with him.
After that my both grandparents started to convince me. They were practically begging me to agree! I told them I am not ready for any marriage or any type of commitments. Shinnosuke came that time and I asked him to help me to convince my grandparents. But instead of helping me, he directly asked me for marriage in front of everyone..! I was alone there; I felt helpless and bonded with the duty to make a proper decision at that very moment."
Akane gave a shaky sigh as suddenly her eyes began to shimmer with tears,
"I was completely trapped there at that time. I didn't want to hurt my grandparents. They were worried about me and that's why they were doing that. Anyway, after what happened to oneechan, I thought I would never be able to trust any guys. And honestly, I didn't even care about having any romantic life in my life. But still I tried to make them back off from their idea. I gave them some conditions, I thought maybe after they hear me they will rethink their decision.
First I warned them that they can't tell this to my family now; because I didn't want to worry Kasumi and Akio.Then I told them I will stay there only for a week and I don't know when the next time I will visit again. I told them, if I don't come to the village after the engagement no one from the village, even Shinnosuke won't come to Nerima to visit me. I also warned them that I can't promise Shinnosuke when I will marry him. It may take years and they can't pressure me for any quick marriage. I thought Shanussuke wouldn't agree with me and change his mind. But he assured me in front of everyone that he would not force anything upon me. If getting engaged with each other would make our grandparents happy, then he was ready to wait for the marriage, no matter if he had to wait five or ten years, he would wait for me.. "
Akane sighed sadly, she looked down and said,
"They all accept my every demand without any hesitation. I had no way to go. With no way out and to at least give my grandparents some peace of mind, I agreed to go with the engagement. I was feeling suffocated standing there as I saw the mini-celebration between them. I just wanted to get it over with and return home as soon as possible. But they had another plan in their mind. They told me beforeI leave they would hold a ceremony where they would announce this news and Shinnosuke would put a ring in my hand to seal the deal in front of everyone."
Ranma instantly took hold of her hands and started to inspect them. Akane got shocked to see that as she asked him,
"Ranma? What are you doing?"
Ranma didn't find what he was looking for. He gave her a wondering look and asked, "Where is the ring?"
"Ring? What ring?"
Ranma snorted and said, "Your engagement ring!"
Akane moaned and bumped her head over their interlocked hands as she said, "Please Ranma! Stop assuming nonsense.."
"But you just said.."
"Please!! Now keep quiet and listen to me.." Akane gave him a stern look and said, "So, where was I?"
"Your engagement ceremony.."
"Oh yes.. Aww I hate this part.."
"Me too.."
Akane giggled and shook her head,
"Now listen. I was very disturbed by the thought of getting engaged with Shinnosuke. I never saw him that way before! After that night, Shinnosuke's behaviour had totally changed. He began to escort me differently. Like romantically. And honestly, it only made me more uncomfortable. That moment I realized that I had lost my childhood friend. The man who was escorting me, had different intentions with me.. His motive was not innocent at all.."
"Why? What did he do to you? Did he touch you?!" Ranma asked in a frustrated tone.
Akane rolled her eyes and asked, "Why do you wanna know? What would you do?"
Ranma gave a low growl and said in a hissing tone, "Don't forget, I am a martial artist now!"
Akane chuckled and said while narrowing her eyes, "Maybe you are forgetting who your Sensei is, Ranma!"
Ranma smirked and shook his head. Then he asked her in a concern-filled tone,
"No really, Kane. Did he.. he tried to.. ya know."
Akane thought about it for some moment and then said,
"Yes, he tried. Not once, but many times he tried to get close to me.." She paused when she felt him getting agitated. She looked at his intense eyes as she said with a soft smile, "But I didn't let him go further. I rarely gave him chance to touch my hands! I am not that comfortable with any guy touching me, Ranma. I only get comfortable with those whom I trust the most." She squeezed his hand to make her point clear to him.
He seemed to get the clue. He gave a long sigh and nodded his head. Akane also smiled back at him and said,
"Anyway.. I should come to the last part, it's getting late, I have to go home.." She rubbed her eyes triedly and began saying again, "An incident that happened two days before the ceremony changed everything, Ranma. That night for some reason my sleep broke in the middle of the night. I went to the kitchen to get some water, but when I went there I heard some noise from outside. I followed the noise and saw that Yuri left the house. It looked suspicious to me because it was in the middle of the night."
"Yuri? Who is Yuri?"
"She is my cousin. My grandparents' house is huge. Some of my relatives also stay there. She also stays with my grandparents. We all used to live together when we were kids. Anyways, I followed her closely to see what she was doing. But I was not ready to find the truth. Thinking about it still gives me goosebumps. I saw that she was in a devastated state! She was crying and was planning to jump on a river. I knew this was not normal, because she didn't know how to swim, just like me. I hastily ran towards her and pulled her to safety."
"Jeez!! This is stupid!! But why did she do that?"
"Because she loves Shinnosuke and she can't see him marrying someone else."
Ranma looked at her with his mouth open. He shook his head and asked her, "Really? Then why she didn't talk to Shinnosuke about it?"
"She said she did! But that idiot told her that he loves me and he would only marry me. Poor Yuri, I actually saw her trying her best to look indifferent since the day of the announcement; but at the end she couldn't take it anymore. She told me she had been in love with him since her childhood and seeing him marrying me would kill him more viciously. And that's the reason why she made this decision.
Yuri is my younger sister. I love her so much. Me, Yuri and Shinnosuke always used to hang around together whenever I came to the village. But I never imagined that she had developed feelings for Shinnosuke this badly. Well, I am very lame at this, ain't I, Ranma? First Yuri and then Kasumi! I never saw the obvious happening in front of my eyes. I am so stupid!"
Ranma patted her shoulder and said, "At least you caught her on time."
Akane gave a long sigh and said, "Tell me about it, Ranma. I was so scared. After that I had made up my mind, that I needed to so something before its too late. I also knew that talking to my grandfather about this will mess this situation more badly. And if I tell them about what Yuri did, they would made it hard for her to live peacefully. My grandfather is a very stubborn and angry person. He wouldn't listen to anyone. Talking to him would have been fruitless. But I was stubborn too. I don't love Shinnosuke in that way, maybe he loves me; but I don't! But Yuri loves him more than he can imagine. That's why I decided to take a step back and escape."
Ranma fully drowned into her story. He looked at her eyes as if he could actually see the scene happening. He gulped hard and asked her fearfully,
"What did you do then?"
She looked at him and said, "I eloped from there the same night."
"You did!! Really!!"
"Yes, I did. I had no other choice, Ranma. I left them a note saying that I left because I didn't want this forced engagement. I also wrote to them not to contact me, because Kasumi is going through a bad situation. I also wrote there that I have a boyfriend in Nerima and our relationship is serious so.."
"YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND?!"
Akane's whole body shirked in surprise as she was not prepared for the sudden outburst from Ranma. She whined and laid her hand over her wildly beating heart. Then pouting up at him she said,
"You are such a BAKA!! I made up that story to make Shinnosuke understand that I am not interested in him! In a way I told him to move on without me!!"
"Ohh!! Is that so? Then that's a brilliant idea!! Wow, Akane!" Ranma said with a wide grin.
Akane shook her head and softly slapped his face to show him her disappointment.
"Don't you dare shout like that again."
Ranma gave a sheepish smile and said, "I am sorry. So… the ceremony didn't happen then?"
Akane shook her head, "And thankfully they didn't call me after that. Even though I was missing my grandparents so much, but I couldn't meet them, only because of this fiance mess. Anyway, I was happy that I had made a good choice and maybe because of me, Yuri and Shinnosuke could be together now. Until ... I got this letter from Yuri.."
"Letter?" Ranma asked, then he remembered, "The thing I caught you reading that day?"
Akane felt guilty remembering that day. She held his hand again and said, "I am so sorry, Ranma. I was so troubled that day. I misbehaved with you and.."
"It's okay!" Ranma smiled at her and said, "I knew something was bothering you. I am just thankful that you decided to trust me."
Akane gave him a warm smile. She put her hand inside her shirt side pocket and pulled out one note and handed it to Ranma.
He took the note and opened it. He realized that it was the letter she had mentioned to him about. Ranma again looked at her to make sure, she just nodded her head and he started reading it quickly. It didn't take him long to finish reading the whole thing. At the end he gave a long frustrated sigh and cursed under his breath,
"That damn idiotic MORON!! Ya told him ya have a boyfriend but he is still!! I really feel bad for Yuri. What are you planning to do now?"
"What else? I have to go there and face them.."
Ranma got tensed after hearing that, "But you cant go there! If you go there alone then they will force you to marry that guy this time .. You are not going there!! I WON'T LET YOU GO!"
"THEN WHAT SHOULD I DO, DAMN IT!!" Akane asked, finally letting loose of her temper, "Ranma, can't you see Yuri needs my help! If I don't go then.."
"THIS IS SO MESSED UP, DAMN IT!! Why these parents always EXPECTS so much from their kids?! WHAT'S WRONG THESE OLD PEOPLE?! WHY DON'T THEY WANT TO CONSIDER WHAT THEIR KIDS WANT? ALWAYS BEHAVING AS IF THEY OWN US!! WHY CANT THEY GIVE US A DAMN BREAK!!" Ranma pinched the bridge of his nose. His whole body was shaking with agony as he was trying his best to calm himself.
"Ranma. Calm down, please.." Akane grabbed his arm softly and went close to him, their bent legs touching each other. She was surprised to see him react so violently at first, but then she decided to give him some time, knowing his breaking point very well. She began to rub his arm softly as she asked again, "Ranma? Are you okay?"
Ranma seemed to calm down by her soft touch. He took a deep breath and said, "I am fine. I am sorry, I just got carried away. You know I can understand what you are going through, Akane. I … I saw.. I saw how those Saotome's are troubling him to marry someone he dislikes. He hates it when she gets near to him. But they won't listen to him, all they care about is their damn business. This feels so unfair, Akane. I hate this! I really really hate this."
"Aww Ranma, you are such a softy. You are such a good friend to Ryoga." Akane bent close to him and gave him a quick friendly hug. Then looking into his eyes she said, "Don't worry; we will think of a way to get him out of his mess."
Ranma looked at her with his soft eyes as he smirked hearing her say that. He put both his hands on her cheeks and said with a playful tone, "But for now, it's YOU we should be worrying about.."
"Awww!! Don't remind me about that.." Saying that she flopped back and slumped her body back on the bed rail. She lazily laid her arm above her forehead and said while yawing, "I don't know what to do anymore..I didn't have a decent sleep since I got this piece of dumb! I just want to take a heavy nap and forget this ever happened.."
Ranma kept looking at her with a warm expression on his face. She looked as if she would fall asleep anytime soon. He gave a long tired sigh and looked down on deep thinking.
An hour later
Ranma carefully got out of his room and softly closed his door. He dialed the Tendo residence and waited for someone to answer him,
"Hello? Tendo resistance.."
"Kasumi Oneechan, this is Ranma."
"Oh my, Ranma! How are you? You didn't came today and we missed you.."
Ranma smiled hearing that, "Thank you, Oneechan. I missed you guys too."
"Akane is there, isn't it? She left in haste, I couldn't send the cookies I baked for you."
"Its okay, Oneechan. I will eat it tomorrow. Ummm, actually I want to tell ya something about Akane."
"What happened? Is she okay?"
"Yeah, ummm she actually fell into a deep sleep."
"Huh? What do you mean by that, Ranma?"
"Uhh.. We were just talking about… about something and she fell asleep suddenly saying that she was tired."
"Oh, is she? Poor Akane, I don't know why she was so troubled lately! I often found her wide awake at nights for the last few days. Maybe she was feeling much lighter after talking with you. That's why maybe she fell asleep."
"Yes, that could be the reason.." He paused for a moment, then said with a hesitating tone, "Oneechan, Could you or Akio can come here to stay here for the night?"
"Oh my, but why?"
"Umm, me and Mr Hiro are here. And I really don't want to wake her up. She is in a deep sleep. Ryoga won't be back tonight, so you or Akio could use his room to stay. Or.. do you want me to wake Akane up and bring her home?"
"No! No! Dont do that. Let her sleep there.."
"Then are you coming?"
"Why would we?" She giggled and said, "You will be there with her, won't you? I know you will take care of her. But if it's bothering you then.."
"No No No!! Never!! I was just.. worried that you guys would be angry that she is staying here at night.."
"You also stay with us at night, don't you, Ranma. So, why are you so worried about it?" Kasumi sighed and said with a soft tone, "We trust you, Ranma. Now let her sleep soundly and you also take some rest, okay?"
Ranma's heart melted upon hearing what Kasumi just told him. He gave a soft sigh and said,
"Alright, Oneechan. Thank you.."
Ranma put aside his cellphone and looked at his closed-door. He didn't want to disturb Akane and decided to spend the night on the living room couch. He laid down on the couch, and began to think and rethink about what Akane had told him. He was still having trouble believing what a big mess she was in.
The night turned into midnight, midnight turned into dawn. He kept on thinking about a solution, unable to sleep a blink. Morning came way too quickly that day. When Mr Hiro came and gave him his morning tea, he realized it was time to get ready for university. He stood up and got fresh in Ryoga's washroom. Then he quickly came in front of his own room.
He knocked on his door to check if she had woken up or not. When no noise came, he carefully opened his door and looked inside. She was still sleeping peacefully. Tucked in inside his blanket, hugging one of his pillows tightly. He didn't want to wake her up, but he had no other choice. He sat beside her lying body and slowly laid his hand on her hair as he called out to her,
"Akane? Kane?! Wake up please.. We have to go now.. Kane?"
Akane moaned and turned on her sleep. She unconsciously grabbed his hand which was on her hair and hugged his hand tightly to her chest.
Ranma blushed slightly as he called her again, "Akane? Its Ranma.. We have to go.."
"Hmmm?! Ranma?!" Akane lazily opened her eyes and blinked softly and smiled while yawning, "Oh Ranma!!" She then snapped open her eyes widely and said in a panicked tone, "Ranma!!? What are you doing here!!?"
She got up hastily, releasing his hand as she began to look around in a panic state,
"What the! What is going on here? Why am I in your… Oh wait!! Did I fall asleep here last night?"
Ranma sighed and said, "Akane.. Now calm down first!"
"Calm down!! How can you ask me to calm down!! What would Oneechan say!! Oh Kami!!"
"Don't worry! I asked her last night, she said you can stay here."
Akane gave him an unsure look and asked, "Are you sure?"
Ranma rolled his eyes and said, "Do ya think I want to face the same consequences as that night?"
Akane gave him a pity smile as she shook her head. Then she remembered something, "Oh no! If I slept here, where did you.."
"I slept on the living room.."
"Honestly Ranma, you should have just called me.."
"Yeah right! How could I wake you up, Akane!! The way you were snoring last night while in a deep sleep.."
"HEY!! I don't snore at all!!" Akane whined blushing hard.
Ranma started laughing, making her blush even more. She moaned and pulled the blanket over her head and said from inside it, "Fine!! I do snore sometimes when I am tired! So what!! You also snore like a bear!!"
"I do?" Ranma asked, laughing even harder. "So you are saying you sneak at night to check on me!"
Akane dropped the blanket and playfully slapped his chest and said, "You are so rude!! Stop teasing me! It's still too early for this.."
"Really?! So Akane, is it also too early for listening to the solution I made for your problem?" Ranma asked, smirking at her.
Akane forgot to move for a moment . Then looking him smirking at her, she shook her head and asked him,
"You have a plan?"
"Full-proof!"
"Really?"
"Yap.."
Akane got overly excited to hear that, she clapped her hands once and asked, "Tell me what is it?"
This time Ranma got a little bit nervous about sharing his plan. He gulped hard and said,
"Ya wrote to them that you have a boyfriend here that's why you don't want this engagement, right?"
"Yes, I had to lie to them.."
"But still they are not convinced that you are serious about this, aren't they?"
Akane gave a sad sigh and said, "Maybe they are not. That's why I think they want to hear it from me face to face.."
Ranma took a deep breath and said,
"That's it then. You will face Shinnosuke and your grandparents; but not alone this time."
"Not alone?" She asked, confused, "Ranma, I can't take Kasumi or Akio.."
"I am talking about your boyfriend, Akane."
"Huh?!" Akane's mouth opened and shut like a fish out of water. She shook her head and asked in disbelief. "My boyfriend? I don't have a boyfriend, dummy!"
Ranma smirked and said, "But you have a friend like me.."
"Huh?" She still looked confused.
Ranma held her hand and said, "You lied to them about having a boyfriend, right? Now, it's time for you to take your boyfriend to them, so that they would understand that you are serious about your decision. That you don't want to marry Shinnosuke."
"Ranma.. But.."
"I will go there with you. I will pretend to be your boyfriend. I will make sure that they take you seriously this time. So… Akane, now tell me, would you let me be your fake boyfriend so that I can help you to get out of that mess?"
Ranma gave her a serious look as he waited for her reply. She seemed to become completely speechless as she still kept looking at him with wide, disbelief eyes. After some moments of silence, she took a long breath in and let out in a surprised whispered tone,
"You want to be my fake boyfriend??"
A/N: I really really hope you like this episode and I hope you already got a glimpse what is coming ;p. I am so excited to write the next chapters.. Cant wait to write them all :).
I want to thank all of my readers who had send me reviews for the last episode. I was so stressed and down, but your kind words really helped me and look, I have posted this chapter very quickly! I believe that, to make a big fic successful both readers and authors should work together. Like you can't clap with one hand, you can't succeed in writing alone.
I would like to thank, Bayby face, pinklover, Sandy,Oboro, Lulu, Orcistia, Guest reader. Thank you for understanding me and showing me your kind support. I really really appreciate it. Thanks a lot.
I hope whoever reading this fic would leave a review as a love. Your one word of encouragement would be enough to support this fic. Please don't be a part of invisible readers, let's do this together guys. Hopefully I would be encouraged enough to post the next chapter sooner as well. Thank you. Lots of love.