Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Ranma Nibun no Ichi ❯ Volume 38½: From what Weddings may come ( Prologue )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Legal Disclaimer: Characters copyright Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan, Kitty, Viz, RTL and many others. I'll return them... Nabiki can be quite persuasive, you know.

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I hate my life! Still in her wedding dress, Akane sat at her desk, sighing sadly. She had come so close to marrying Ranma today, but it just went downhill after he had asked her why she had agreed. Why can't I just admit it? He wo-- Her thoughts were interrupted by a faint knock at her door.

The raven-haired girl stood up and walked over to the door, easily guessing who it was. Of course, Ranma would feel it was all his fault! But while that may hold some truth, she realized she was just as guilty as he was. She opened the door, and as expected, Ranma stood there, still wearing his tuxedo and twiddling his fingers.

“Uh, Akane... I--” Ranma didn't come farther, Akane yanking him inside her room and shutting the door. His girl shoving him against the door made him scrunch his eyes closed and wait for the blow that didn't come. He cracked one eye open, again.

Her hands pressing his shoulders firmly against the door, Akane looked sternly into his eyes. “We need to talk.”

The pigtailed boy nodded his head. When she had handed him the kettle to change back, Kasumi had told him to think about his life as it was, before talking to his fiancée. Man, was she right or what? This has to end. “Roof?” he asked.

“Roof.” Akane answered, already opening her window.

Watching his fiancée's idle grace as she jumped up in her dress, Ranma wondered why he had never before recognized her for the powerful martial artist he knew she was.

Quietly touching down on the roof, Akane settled on the gable and motioned for Ranma to do the same. “Ranma...” she started when he sat down beside her, “What is wrong with us?”

“Huh?” her fiancé asked intelligently. She sighed.

“Look, I just know you love me, an-- No, let me finish!” She raised a hand. “And I... I-I lo-love you, Ranma.” My hair should catch fire any moment now!

“Eh?” Ranma reacted with shock. “You're not wearing the reversal jewel, are you?

Although a little miffed, Akane smiled. “No, Ranma. Not this time.” She sighed wistfully. “Though it would have been very helpful this afternoon. I wanted the whole world to know when I wore it. Now...” Snort! “Now I'm having trouble admitting my feelings even to you! I'm so pathetic.” She sighed.

Ranma, not knowing how to answer her, kept his mouth shut.

“You know...” Looking up into the night sky, the Tendô girl let the light breeze caress her face. “It's a small miracle. You and ” she added, correctly guessing the confused look on her fiancé's face.

“...Yeah.” Ranma, for once in his life passing the chance for a wisecrack, looked up, too. “Funny thing is, I can't imagine life without you, anymore.” He grinned at her sidelong. “This is all your fault, Akane.”

“Baka.” Akane said fondly.

“Tomboy.” came the soft retort.

“We'll always be at that, it seems.” Akane grinned. “But I wouldn't have it any other way.” She frowned. “Assuming we survive, that is.” A thoughtful look passed her features.

“Tell me about it.” Ranma closed his eyes, his head again turned to the skies. “I... I-I really thought I'd lost you, there.” His voice cracked nervously.

“Me, too.” Thinking back, Akane shuddered, and hugged her knees. If only you knew...

“Say...” Ranma looked at her. “How come we can talk about that, but not about anything...” He felt his tongue knot itself, and sighed. “You know what I mean.”

Akane just nodded, and laid her head onto her knees. “Because we're stupid, I suppose.”

“You got that right.” Ranma let himself fall back onto the roof. “I'm sorry. I'm so awkward with words.

Akane smiled at him. “I know that, Ranma.” Then she lay down beside him.

Down in her room, Nabiki grinned as she removed her headphones. “Typical.” She took the tape out of her video recorder and ripped it out of its plastic cover, then binned it.

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Next morning, after breakfast, Soûn Tendô explained the extent of the wedding fiasco and the implications: “...So we have arranged for the wedding to be delayed until you can sort out your personal affairs.” He took a long puff off his cigarette and blew out a little smoke.

Akane turned to her fiancé. “Pay attention! All this mostly applies to you, Ranma.”

“It was as much your fault, Akane.” retorted Ranma.

The two teens both sighed in unison. Who are we kidding?

“We better get going or we'll be late for school.” the Tendô girl finally said.

Waiting for Ranma to don his shoes, Akane smiled fondly. Catching her gaze, Ranma looked a little uncomfortable.

“Itte kimasu!”

Ranma and Akane took off towards school, the pigtailed boy running beside her for a change, rather than on the fence.

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Author's Notes: This is just something that came to me when I was trying to type down a totally different approach. I'll continue it; I have some ideas, but they aren't solidified, as of yet. The basic idea itself came from the narrative text at the end of the manga: “And so, the wedding was postponed... but only for a little while.” Go figure my intentions. :P