Ranma ½ Love at First Bite
- Thread starter ToastedPine
- Start date
Yeah, I forgot Akane had long hair. Rather than do a retcon though, I decided to see what I could do with my miss.
Here we go!
===============
People would be a little surprised to know that Nabiki liked chess. She never played against anyone in real life, but Jyoutei95 possessed a very respectable ranking on the server she frequented. She hadnÆt thought deeply about why she liked the game. Tactics didnÆt interest her much, but the view she got from above the board while watching the pieces move was fascinating.
Nabiki watched from her classroom overlooking the courtyard, idly taking note of her little sisterÆs position. The youngest Tendo was sitting under a tree with Sayuri and Yuka, talking animatedly about something that was turning AkaneÆs face a shade of pink.
She smirked, glad that Akane seemed to be back to her usual self. That thought brought her eyes towards AkaneÆs short hair, and NabikiÆs lips pressed into a thin line.
Not long after the morning challenges had stopped, things had started looking up. Akane had mellowed out to the level before she had first met the kendo crazed upper classman, which was actually par for the course. Sure, her little sister had a quick temper, but she was also quick to forgive.
An outsider may wonder how anyone so violent could be so popular with so many boys. The problem with being an outsider is that things often arenÆt as they seem. AkaneÆs true identity was that of a bright and cheerful girl who used to treat boys and girls alike with friendliness and a never-say-die positive attitude. More than her athletic figure and cute face, sheÆd captured the heart of more than one teenager by virtue of her personality.
So imagine how Akane would feel when suddenly, at the words of a madman, her male friends who she had treated with kindness and trust for years suddenly attacked her? The betrayal had hurt her little sister greatly, and the old Tendo temper eagerly made itself available as an outlet.
The challenges went on until Akane had spent most of her rage, and began to start considering her situation. Knowing that only something drastic would get through to the boys, NabikiÆs little sister went to school one morning with a pair of KasumiÆs sharpest shears.
In front of the collective student body, Akane faced those who would attack her every morning. Nabiki could still hear her little sisterÆs voice, as clear as a bell, and as unstoppable as a rook.
ôI know most of you here from middle school, and I thought you were my friends. But friends donÆt turn on each other just because of some crazy upper classman,ö she said, the youngest TendoÆs shoulders sagging.
ôSo IÆm going to do something to show how much losing all of you hurts, and I hope that after seeing it that youÆll understand.ö
Akane pulled her long hair up and took a breath before the hand with the shears went to work. KasumiÆs shears were indeed sharp, cutting cleanly in one irrevocable pass. Finished, she let the bundle fall from her hand and then looked pleadingly at those gathered. ôItÆll take a while, but my hair will grow back, and I hope that with it, my friends do too.ö
The boys of Furinkan High, even Kuno, were shamed to the point of tears. Nabiki was aware that she should have moved, martialed her pieces on the board to do what she could to alleviate some of her sisterÆs pain, but she had been paralyzed by profit and lost her chance to act. She had misread the game. In the end, it was Akane who had engineered her own checkmate.
Akane had gone home with false cheer that afternoon, and blatantly lied to Kasumi about why her hair was shorter.
A loud voice in the courtyard brought Nabiki back from her musings. Speaking of idiot boys, it looked like Kuno was done giving Akane breathing room again.
She watched --a little bored at how the fight was unfolding, when something unexpected happened. A boy, probably AkaneÆs age had come out from thin air, and Kuno had somehow been sent flying. She recognized him easily as the one who had been vending Hong Kong street food only seconds prior.
There was a pause as the boy took AkaneÆs hand andà
Shocked cries came from the students. Nabiki blinked. She was too far to tell for sure, butà had the boy just LICKED AkaneÆs hand?!
*WHAM*
The boy was now one, face-first, with the school ground. NabikiÆs eyes deadpanned. Well, that figured. She was intrigued though. She had written him off as some performing street vendor. Taking Kuno out in an instant was no mean feat, however. It took some serious martial arts power to pierce that field of absolute ignorance. Who was this food vendor and why had he licked her sister? She had to find out.
A few minutes later, the bell rang. Akane had calmed down enough to be pulled by her two friends towards the classroom, leaving the embedded boy behind.
Nabiki waited until the teacher arrived for class before she asked him if it was okay to go retrieve her classmate. Being used to the drill, the teacher gave his assent quickly, and she was off.
She worked quickly, pulling in Kuno first. She relieved him of half her usual fee because she only dropped him on the floor by the shoe lockers. Nabiki was interested in bringing someone else to the infirmary today.
Jogging over to the unconscious street food vendor, she tried to drag him in like she had the other boy, but was stunned when she discovered that she could barely budge him.
ôKami, why are you so heavy?!ö She asked the boy, not really expecting an answer back. A little bit of inspecting revealed that the culprit was the cape of sorts that was attached to him by heavy leather straps around his neck. With not a small amount of effort and patience, she wiggled and jostled him out from under obscene weight.
Covered in sweat, Nabiki grimaced. æThis guy better have a good story, or IÆm going to squeeze him dry,Æ she thought darkly.
Here we go!
===============
People would be a little surprised to know that Nabiki liked chess. She never played against anyone in real life, but Jyoutei95 possessed a very respectable ranking on the server she frequented. She hadnÆt thought deeply about why she liked the game. Tactics didnÆt interest her much, but the view she got from above the board while watching the pieces move was fascinating.
Nabiki watched from her classroom overlooking the courtyard, idly taking note of her little sisterÆs position. The youngest Tendo was sitting under a tree with Sayuri and Yuka, talking animatedly about something that was turning AkaneÆs face a shade of pink.
She smirked, glad that Akane seemed to be back to her usual self. That thought brought her eyes towards AkaneÆs short hair, and NabikiÆs lips pressed into a thin line.
Not long after the morning challenges had stopped, things had started looking up. Akane had mellowed out to the level before she had first met the kendo crazed upper classman, which was actually par for the course. Sure, her little sister had a quick temper, but she was also quick to forgive.
An outsider may wonder how anyone so violent could be so popular with so many boys. The problem with being an outsider is that things often arenÆt as they seem. AkaneÆs true identity was that of a bright and cheerful girl who used to treat boys and girls alike with friendliness and a never-say-die positive attitude. More than her athletic figure and cute face, sheÆd captured the heart of more than one teenager by virtue of her personality.
So imagine how Akane would feel when suddenly, at the words of a madman, her male friends who she had treated with kindness and trust for years suddenly attacked her? The betrayal had hurt her little sister greatly, and the old Tendo temper eagerly made itself available as an outlet.
The challenges went on until Akane had spent most of her rage, and began to start considering her situation. Knowing that only something drastic would get through to the boys, NabikiÆs little sister went to school one morning with a pair of KasumiÆs sharpest shears.
In front of the collective student body, Akane faced those who would attack her every morning. Nabiki could still hear her little sisterÆs voice, as clear as a bell, and as unstoppable as a rook.
ôI know most of you here from middle school, and I thought you were my friends. But friends donÆt turn on each other just because of some crazy upper classman,ö she said, the youngest TendoÆs shoulders sagging.
ôSo IÆm going to do something to show how much losing all of you hurts, and I hope that after seeing it that youÆll understand.ö
Akane pulled her long hair up and took a breath before the hand with the shears went to work. KasumiÆs shears were indeed sharp, cutting cleanly in one irrevocable pass. Finished, she let the bundle fall from her hand and then looked pleadingly at those gathered. ôItÆll take a while, but my hair will grow back, and I hope that with it, my friends do too.ö
The boys of Furinkan High, even Kuno, were shamed to the point of tears. Nabiki was aware that she should have moved, martialed her pieces on the board to do what she could to alleviate some of her sisterÆs pain, but she had been paralyzed by profit and lost her chance to act. She had misread the game. In the end, it was Akane who had engineered her own checkmate.
Akane had gone home with false cheer that afternoon, and blatantly lied to Kasumi about why her hair was shorter.
A loud voice in the courtyard brought Nabiki back from her musings. Speaking of idiot boys, it looked like Kuno was done giving Akane breathing room again.
She watched --a little bored at how the fight was unfolding, when something unexpected happened. A boy, probably AkaneÆs age had come out from thin air, and Kuno had somehow been sent flying. She recognized him easily as the one who had been vending Hong Kong street food only seconds prior.
There was a pause as the boy took AkaneÆs hand andà
Shocked cries came from the students. Nabiki blinked. She was too far to tell for sure, butà had the boy just LICKED AkaneÆs hand?!
*WHAM*
The boy was now one, face-first, with the school ground. NabikiÆs eyes deadpanned. Well, that figured. She was intrigued though. She had written him off as some performing street vendor. Taking Kuno out in an instant was no mean feat, however. It took some serious martial arts power to pierce that field of absolute ignorance. Who was this food vendor and why had he licked her sister? She had to find out.
A few minutes later, the bell rang. Akane had calmed down enough to be pulled by her two friends towards the classroom, leaving the embedded boy behind.
Nabiki waited until the teacher arrived for class before she asked him if it was okay to go retrieve her classmate. Being used to the drill, the teacher gave his assent quickly, and she was off.
She worked quickly, pulling in Kuno first. She relieved him of half her usual fee because she only dropped him on the floor by the shoe lockers. Nabiki was interested in bringing someone else to the infirmary today.
Jogging over to the unconscious street food vendor, she tried to drag him in like she had the other boy, but was stunned when she discovered that she could barely budge him.
ôKami, why are you so heavy?!ö She asked the boy, not really expecting an answer back. A little bit of inspecting revealed that the culprit was the cape of sorts that was attached to him by heavy leather straps around his neck. With not a small amount of effort and patience, she wiggled and jostled him out from under obscene weight.
Covered in sweat, Nabiki grimaced. æThis guy better have a good story, or IÆm going to squeeze him dry,Æ she thought darkly.
It wasn't a punch. I thought I had left enough context clues for the reader to fill that in. Not sure how to fix that at the moment.
As for the femininity thing, what if I soften the significance like this?
I could do the old Tofu thing, but the time segment would be crowded, and I feel that the character sketch is a little richer if done in this manner. I'm open to suggestions on how to smooth it out though.
As for the femininity thing, what if I soften the significance like this?
I could do the old Tofu thing, but the time segment would be crowded, and I feel that the character sketch is a little richer if done in this manner. I'm open to suggestions on how to smooth it out though.
Feel free to disagree with what I have to say, but that little speech there to the boys really sticks out when I read it. And not in a particularly good way.
Not so much that she says something publicly in that situation, but that the contents of her words itself stops just short of being... corny.
It has a lot of the elements that I would expect to see in a pre-battle speech given to soldiers marching off to war and given the particular occasion and moment it read to me as being over dramatic and comes off kind of silly.
I half expected her to finish off by ordering a march onwards to Mordor or defend Thermopylae against the Persian incursion.
Not so much that she says something publicly in that situation, but that the contents of her words itself stops just short of being... corny.
It has a lot of the elements that I would expect to see in a pre-battle speech given to soldiers marching off to war and given the particular occasion and moment it read to me as being over dramatic and comes off kind of silly.
I half expected her to finish off by ordering a march onwards to Mordor or defend Thermopylae against the Persian incursion.
It's worded okay, but as an old geezer, I have to point out that from my point of view that her speech is far too... deep... for a middle teenager.
Angst? Check!
Melodrama? Check!
Anger? Check!
Self hatred? Check!
Vindictiveness by another girl? Check!
...
Deep introspection and self sacrifice? Uh... Might have to unplug my B.S. meter for that one 'cause it's kinda pegging, especially since it's Akane.
That being said, you could just as easily write it off to a lucky shot by Kuno or a jealous Girlfriend of one of the guys that were trying to court her. If it's so easy for her to cut it, another bitter angry girl could so it in one quick pass. Or, get halfway done, have Akane smack her silly, then have to finish cutting it herself to make it match.
Angst? Check!
Melodrama? Check!
Anger? Check!
Self hatred? Check!
Vindictiveness by another girl? Check!
...
Deep introspection and self sacrifice? Uh... Might have to unplug my B.S. meter for that one 'cause it's kinda pegging, especially since it's Akane.
That being said, you could just as easily write it off to a lucky shot by Kuno or a jealous Girlfriend of one of the guys that were trying to court her. If it's so easy for her to cut it, another bitter angry girl could so it in one quick pass. Or, get halfway done, have Akane smack her silly, then have to finish cutting it herself to make it match.
Those elements were present in the first draft of that scene. I revised it three times to take those elements out....
I think I'll keep the current version of that scene, and make a note to have Akane less mature in the future. For the record, I'm not an Akane fan, but I enjoy readings that don't cast too much negativity on arguably neutral characters.
Anyhow, next scene!
=================
The pigtailed food vendorÆs back hit the clinic bed with an ungraceful flop. Nabiki wiped her brow, and took out a handkerchief to dab on the inside of her uniform. She was actually quite proud that she managed the feat. Even without the heavy cape she had left in the yard, the boy was still heavier than someone his size had any right to be. She didnÆt have her little sisterÆs monstrous strength, but she did keep fit.
After collecting herself, Nabiki inspected her quarry. She cursed inwardly when she saw the large handle sticking up from behind his right shoulder. She couldnÆt believe that she had missed him carrying a sword.
æMaybe I should have stripped him first to make him lighter,Æ she thought, studying his face. He was handsome in a boyish sort of way, and if what she felt of his arms and waist was any indication, she wouldnÆt be disappointed by what sheÆd see.
Shrugging at the missed opportunity, Nabiki decided that if she wasnÆt going to get any fun that way, that she may as well grab her fee. With finely hones senses, Nabiki zeroed in on the pigtailed boyÆs wallet. She had been able to barely touch it when a hand shot our and caught her wrist.
Chocolate brown met ice blue, and seconds of silence passed.
ôThat moneyÆs for ingredients,ö said a voice so dead serious that she felt as though someone had just walked over her grave.
NabikiÆs heart felt like it had lodged in her throat, but she covered admirably. ôSomeoneÆs got to pick you up and make sure you donÆt get trampled. I deserve a little reward, 2000 yen.ö
There was an electric thrill the went across Nabiki when she realized that the boys eyes had changed. ô1000 yen, I would have been fine,ö he countered.
ô1800, you were heavy, you expect a fragile girl like me to get you here without difficultly?ö
ô1500, and thatÆs my final offer. You tried taking my money when I say nothing about giving it to you.ö
ôDeal,ö Nabiki said. The grip on her hand loosened and she grasped it in a shake to seal the deal. She had a grin on. It wasnÆt anything special, but haggling was fun and her clientele were either too stubborn about the process or avoided haggling with her like the plague.
ôRanma Saotome,ö he said, pulling out a bill and some coins from his wallet. ôYou?ö
She took the money, and decided to avoid introducing herself since Akane was involved. ôSo, what happened out there?ö
Ranma blinked. ôAh, that.ö He rubbed the back of his head. ôWhat hit me?ö
ôA giant mallet. You still havenÆt answered the question,ö Nabiki said.
ôI didnÆt even see her carrying one. ThatÆs in interesting moveà.ö
Nabiki had her arms crossed, impatiently tapping a finger on one arm.
ôOkay, okay,ö Ranma slumped. ôItÆs sort of a technique.ö
Nabiki raised an eyebrow. ôsort of a technique?ö
He scratched his cheek, embarrassed. ôIÆm a traveling martial artist, you see-- going around training anÆ stuff. My school is called the Anything Goes School of Indiscriminate Cookingà well, itÆs not really even a school yet. IÆm still workinÆ on it. One of the tenets is to find the best techniques of other schools from the food-based martial arts and work them into my own.ö
ôFood-based martial arts?ö Nabiki considered. ôI suppose itÆs possible.ö SheÆd couldnÆt argue against the speed and power she had witnessed. ôThough it seems a bit silly to me.ö
Ranma stared at her. ôHave you ever been really hungry? I donÆt mean my stomachÆs growling because I missed breakfast. I mean so hungry because you hadnÆt caught anything decent in days, youÆre down to chewing on the leather from your own belt or eating bugs you canÆt identify just to get by.ö
NabikiÆs grossed out expression was more than enough of a reply.
ôThought so,ö he said. ôTake my word for it. Martial arts cooking is more than a job-- itÆs a path to life. Anyways, one day I ran into this girl, she wasnÆt a big deal or nothinÆ, no training to speak of. The important part is that sheÆs the only living heir of the Azusagawa baking arts. She had a collection of scrolls, books and diaries all about her family art, and in one of them, there was their most powerful and their most basic technique called æThe Tasting of HeartsÆ. There were all sorts of poetry and mystical mumbo-jumbo to keep the technique from being cracked easily, but I accidentally pieced a version of it together. IÆm not even sure what the technique is supposed to do for real.ö
ôWait,ö Nabiki was getting impatient. ôIÆm not here to get your life story, I just want to know why you did what you did back there.ö
ôIÆm getting to it!ö Ranma snapped back. ôYou know, you could use some meditation practice or somethinÆö He shrank back at when Nabiki glared.
ôWhen I tasted that riceball--ö
ôYou what?!ö Nabiki asked incredulously. ôWhat kind of deviant takes food from someone elses lunch without asking?ö
ôHey! Like youÆre one to talk? You were gonna take my money!ö
Nabiki was beginning to tire of the whole conversation. ôFine, forget I ever said anything. Just get on with it.ö
ôLike I was saying, I tasted her lunch, and it was likeà heaven. I could have made a riceball myself, easily. Even with the same ingredients though, thereÆs no way I could make it like THAT. So I had to know if the girl made her own lunch, or if it was someone else. I used the technique, which kind of lets me taste what kind of cooking skill a person has. ItÆs hard to describeàö
Ranma gagged sound at the memory. ôWhoever made her lunch, it wasnÆt her. She tasted WRONG. ItÆs like some demon took her cooking talent and twisted it into something sick and nearly unrecognizable.ö An idea struck Ranma and it visibly changed his demeanor.
ôWho is that girl? Do you know who she is? Tell me! Maybe her momùI have to meet whoever made those riceballs!ö
Nabiki held her breath, doing her level best to stop from bursting from laughter. If Akane ever heard thisùoh kami!
With a monumental effort of will, she said, ôCalm down, Saotome. I might have a lead, but IÆll need some time.ö She looked at him slyly, ôAaaand another 1000 yen.ö
Ranma growled, but extracted a coin instead of a bill, then flicked it towards Nabiki's waiting palm. "500, and not a yen more.ö
That's more like it! ôHeh, nice doing business with you.ö
Nabiki strode out of the clinic and headed for class. There might be a fun new piece on the game board, and his name was Ranma Saotome.
I think I'll keep the current version of that scene, and make a note to have Akane less mature in the future. For the record, I'm not an Akane fan, but I enjoy readings that don't cast too much negativity on arguably neutral characters.
Anyhow, next scene!
=================
The pigtailed food vendorÆs back hit the clinic bed with an ungraceful flop. Nabiki wiped her brow, and took out a handkerchief to dab on the inside of her uniform. She was actually quite proud that she managed the feat. Even without the heavy cape she had left in the yard, the boy was still heavier than someone his size had any right to be. She didnÆt have her little sisterÆs monstrous strength, but she did keep fit.
After collecting herself, Nabiki inspected her quarry. She cursed inwardly when she saw the large handle sticking up from behind his right shoulder. She couldnÆt believe that she had missed him carrying a sword.
æMaybe I should have stripped him first to make him lighter,Æ she thought, studying his face. He was handsome in a boyish sort of way, and if what she felt of his arms and waist was any indication, she wouldnÆt be disappointed by what sheÆd see.
Shrugging at the missed opportunity, Nabiki decided that if she wasnÆt going to get any fun that way, that she may as well grab her fee. With finely hones senses, Nabiki zeroed in on the pigtailed boyÆs wallet. She had been able to barely touch it when a hand shot our and caught her wrist.
Chocolate brown met ice blue, and seconds of silence passed.
ôThat moneyÆs for ingredients,ö said a voice so dead serious that she felt as though someone had just walked over her grave.
NabikiÆs heart felt like it had lodged in her throat, but she covered admirably. ôSomeoneÆs got to pick you up and make sure you donÆt get trampled. I deserve a little reward, 2000 yen.ö
There was an electric thrill the went across Nabiki when she realized that the boys eyes had changed. ô1000 yen, I would have been fine,ö he countered.
ô1800, you were heavy, you expect a fragile girl like me to get you here without difficultly?ö
ô1500, and thatÆs my final offer. You tried taking my money when I say nothing about giving it to you.ö
ôDeal,ö Nabiki said. The grip on her hand loosened and she grasped it in a shake to seal the deal. She had a grin on. It wasnÆt anything special, but haggling was fun and her clientele were either too stubborn about the process or avoided haggling with her like the plague.
ôRanma Saotome,ö he said, pulling out a bill and some coins from his wallet. ôYou?ö
She took the money, and decided to avoid introducing herself since Akane was involved. ôSo, what happened out there?ö
Ranma blinked. ôAh, that.ö He rubbed the back of his head. ôWhat hit me?ö
ôA giant mallet. You still havenÆt answered the question,ö Nabiki said.
ôI didnÆt even see her carrying one. ThatÆs in interesting moveà.ö
Nabiki had her arms crossed, impatiently tapping a finger on one arm.
ôOkay, okay,ö Ranma slumped. ôItÆs sort of a technique.ö
Nabiki raised an eyebrow. ôsort of a technique?ö
He scratched his cheek, embarrassed. ôIÆm a traveling martial artist, you see-- going around training anÆ stuff. My school is called the Anything Goes School of Indiscriminate Cookingà well, itÆs not really even a school yet. IÆm still workinÆ on it. One of the tenets is to find the best techniques of other schools from the food-based martial arts and work them into my own.ö
ôFood-based martial arts?ö Nabiki considered. ôI suppose itÆs possible.ö SheÆd couldnÆt argue against the speed and power she had witnessed. ôThough it seems a bit silly to me.ö
Ranma stared at her. ôHave you ever been really hungry? I donÆt mean my stomachÆs growling because I missed breakfast. I mean so hungry because you hadnÆt caught anything decent in days, youÆre down to chewing on the leather from your own belt or eating bugs you canÆt identify just to get by.ö
NabikiÆs grossed out expression was more than enough of a reply.
ôThought so,ö he said. ôTake my word for it. Martial arts cooking is more than a job-- itÆs a path to life. Anyways, one day I ran into this girl, she wasnÆt a big deal or nothinÆ, no training to speak of. The important part is that sheÆs the only living heir of the Azusagawa baking arts. She had a collection of scrolls, books and diaries all about her family art, and in one of them, there was their most powerful and their most basic technique called æThe Tasting of HeartsÆ. There were all sorts of poetry and mystical mumbo-jumbo to keep the technique from being cracked easily, but I accidentally pieced a version of it together. IÆm not even sure what the technique is supposed to do for real.ö
ôWait,ö Nabiki was getting impatient. ôIÆm not here to get your life story, I just want to know why you did what you did back there.ö
ôIÆm getting to it!ö Ranma snapped back. ôYou know, you could use some meditation practice or somethinÆö He shrank back at when Nabiki glared.
ôWhen I tasted that riceball--ö
ôYou what?!ö Nabiki asked incredulously. ôWhat kind of deviant takes food from someone elses lunch without asking?ö
ôHey! Like youÆre one to talk? You were gonna take my money!ö
Nabiki was beginning to tire of the whole conversation. ôFine, forget I ever said anything. Just get on with it.ö
ôLike I was saying, I tasted her lunch, and it was likeà heaven. I could have made a riceball myself, easily. Even with the same ingredients though, thereÆs no way I could make it like THAT. So I had to know if the girl made her own lunch, or if it was someone else. I used the technique, which kind of lets me taste what kind of cooking skill a person has. ItÆs hard to describeàö
Ranma gagged sound at the memory. ôWhoever made her lunch, it wasnÆt her. She tasted WRONG. ItÆs like some demon took her cooking talent and twisted it into something sick and nearly unrecognizable.ö An idea struck Ranma and it visibly changed his demeanor.
ôWho is that girl? Do you know who she is? Tell me! Maybe her momùI have to meet whoever made those riceballs!ö
Nabiki held her breath, doing her level best to stop from bursting from laughter. If Akane ever heard thisùoh kami!
With a monumental effort of will, she said, ôCalm down, Saotome. I might have a lead, but IÆll need some time.ö She looked at him slyly, ôAaaand another 1000 yen.ö
Ranma growled, but extracted a coin instead of a bill, then flicked it towards Nabiki's waiting palm. "500, and not a yen more.ö
That's more like it! ôHeh, nice doing business with you.ö
Nabiki strode out of the clinic and headed for class. There might be a fun new piece on the game board, and his name was Ranma Saotome.
I hope no one minds that I avoided using the commonplace interpretation of Nabiki as the questionable breadwinner.
Anyways, there's a reading I do prefer for her that I'll sketch out as the story progresses. This is why I've been keeping the amounts low but respectable.
============
Ranma yawned as joined the stream of Furinkan High students heading home. He hadnÆt been sure when he was going to get another chance at a clean bed so he had decided to take a long nap at the infirmary.
Genma had told him earlier that Ranma would have to come over to a place called the Tendo Dojo to meet his friendÆs three daughters. They were supposed to be around RanmaÆs age. Figuring that at least one of the daughters was attending school, Ranma decided that he could wait until the final bell rang before setting off. He may as well meet them in one go.
Fortunately, speaking with one of the lunch ladies had netted him a free spot to quickly park his yattai for safe-keeping.
Pulling out a sheet of paper to follow the surprisingly well-drawn map that his father had provided, Ranma began navigating his way through the streets of Nerima.
He wondered why his father seemed to stress that he was going to meet three daughters, then decided not to try understanding anything that was going on in that crazy old manÆs head. As far as he was concerned, this was only another stop in their training.
Anyways, there's a reading I do prefer for her that I'll sketch out as the story progresses. This is why I've been keeping the amounts low but respectable.
============
Ranma yawned as joined the stream of Furinkan High students heading home. He hadnÆt been sure when he was going to get another chance at a clean bed so he had decided to take a long nap at the infirmary.
Genma had told him earlier that Ranma would have to come over to a place called the Tendo Dojo to meet his friendÆs three daughters. They were supposed to be around RanmaÆs age. Figuring that at least one of the daughters was attending school, Ranma decided that he could wait until the final bell rang before setting off. He may as well meet them in one go.
Fortunately, speaking with one of the lunch ladies had netted him a free spot to quickly park his yattai for safe-keeping.
Pulling out a sheet of paper to follow the surprisingly well-drawn map that his father had provided, Ranma began navigating his way through the streets of Nerima.
He wondered why his father seemed to stress that he was going to meet three daughters, then decided not to try understanding anything that was going on in that crazy old manÆs head. As far as he was concerned, this was only another stop in their training.
Thanks! Oh, off topic but I just read your Not 15 IBRC for the first time, and thought it was a really fun read!
Anyways, here's spreading the love~~
=============
ôIÆm home,ö Nabiki called while taking her shoes off at the foyer.
ôWelcome back, Nabiki,ö Kasumi said, peeking from behind the two futon she was carrying.
ôWould you mind guiding me up the stairs?ö
Nabiki tilted her head to the side. ôWe having guests, Sis?ö
ôYes!ö Kasumi confirmed happily. ôAn old friend of FatherÆs has come to visit with his son. I havenÆt seen him this excited in ages.ö
Nabiki nodded and put a guiding hand on the futons, ôAlright, IÆve got it.ö
123123
The middle Tendo daughter watched thoughtfully as her eldest sister tucked futons into the guestroom closet. Seeing Kasumi had reminded her of her encounter with the weird pigtailed boy. What would happen if he knew that it was Kasumi who made her and AkaneÆs lunches?
ôIs something the matter, Nabiki?ö Kasumi seemed to have noticed her staring.
Nabiki shook her head. ôNothing. Lunch was good today by the way, Sis. Thanks.ö
Kasumi put on a puzzled look for a moment before she beamed. ôYouÆre welcome! I donÆt think I did anything all that special today. Are you fond of riceballs? I could make them for you more often.ö
ôNo, itÆs not that, sis IÆll be happy with whatever you make. Say, how do you feel about younger men?ö
Her big sister giggled. ôYouÆre so silly, today, Nabiki. You know I prefer older men. Are you sure nothingÆs the matter?ö
ôYeah. Just thought IÆd check,ö Nabiki winked. ôYou can never tell what the future holds.ö
Nabiki wasnÆt sure whether or not to feel relieved. Today had reminded her how fortunate she and the rest of the family were for having Kasumi around, and wanted to do something to repay her elder sisterÆs kindness. On the other hand, Nabiki also saw potential in being involved with the pigtailed boy herself.
ôHey Kasumi, Is Akane home yet?ö she asked.
ôSheÆs in her room, doing homework.ö
ôOkay,ö said Nabiki, turning to leave.
SheÆd have to evaluate how to handle the pigtailed vendor tomorrow. Should she point him in the right direction, or stall for time? If he loses patience, then heÆd ask Akane, and knowing her little sister, sheÆd give Ranma a straight answer. Maybe Nabiki could try distracting the boy herself. That might be entertaining.
æYou sure got a deal, Saotome,Æ she thought. æAll this trouble is worth way more than 500 yen.Æ
There was a knock on the door.
ôIÆll get it, Kasumi!ö Soun yelled excitedly from downstairs.
123123
Ranma sighed as he knocked on the door. It was a nice looking place, and pretty darn big to boot if the size of the gate and surrounding stone walls were any indication. He really wanted it to be tomorrow already. Then he could focus on tracking down that greedy chick so she could lead him to whoever made those riceballsà.
æCrap!Æ he internally cursed, realizing that he hadnÆt gotten her name. Now finding her again was going to be a pain.
The door opened, and he was greeted by a healthy looking older man who wore a thick, bristly, mustache and had a head of long, black hair that reached to his shoulders.
ôHello, IÆm Ranma Sao--!ö
ôRanma, my boy! YouÆve come at last!ö The man said, catching him off guard in a bone crushing hug.
ôUgh,ö he patted the back of the manÆs shoulder rapidly in the universal sign of tapping out.
The older man finally came to his senses and pulled away. ôI must apologize, Ranma. IÆm so happy to see you that I couldnÆt help myself. YouÆre such a fine, strapping, young lad!ö
Ranma could only smile awkwardly while he dipped his head in slight embarrassment.
ôWhat are we doing? Standing out here? Come in! Come in! Your father is in the family room,ö he said, welcoming Ranma inside.
Putting a hand to his mouth, he called up the stairs, ôKasumi! Nabiki! Akane! RanmaÆs arrived! Come to the family room!ö
123123
Nabiki was on her way to AkaneÆs room when she heard what her father had said. ôRanma?ö It couldnÆt beà could it?
What were the chances? The odds calculated in an instant, Nabiki raced down the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her. She was in such a hurry that she had forgotten her sense of caution. It was only when she reached the middle of the hallway where the pigtailed boy spotted her that she realized her mistake.
Ranma blinked in recognition. ôYouà.ö
Nabiki breathed, and stood up straight. Everything was fine. She could handle a little slip up.
ôAh, hey Saotome,ö she said, in her best nonchalant voice.
ôHey Nabiki, whatÆs the hurry?ö Akane peaked passed her.
ôYou!ö The youngest Tendo daughter pointed an angry finger at at Ranma.
Nabiki put a hand up to cover her ringing ear. ôGeez, Little Sis, loud much?ö
ôàsorry,ö Akane mumbled, but kept a glare at the pigtailed boy.
Kasumi, walked past the both of them and stopped in surprise. ôMr. Food Vendor, what are you doing here?ö
Their father looked dazedly between them and the boy. ôW-whatÆs going on?ö
123123
After Soun had gotten his bearings, he managed to calm everyone down enough that they could head to the family room. He and his daughters were seated across the table, facing the koi pond. At the other side of the table were the Saotome patriarch and son.
ôSeems youÆve already met my daughters,ö he said, trying to get the ball rolling.
Beside him, Akane was red faced and looked like rumbling volcano about to erupt. Nabiki had on a carefree maskùthough he could tell something his middle daughter was heavy in thought over something. Out of his daughters, only Kasumi was her usual self, smiling serenely while pouring another round of cold barley tea.
He really hoped that this meeting would go well. Soun had many associates and acquaintances. He had polished his generally friendly demeanor to a fine art form. However, as much as he could as after how someoneÆs son was doing or whether or not someoneÆs bad back needed tending to, he was always aware that he was pretending. A significant portion of his role in the neighborhood council was the well-honed act of a stoic and respectable man. Genma, for all his faults was a rare friend indeed to have accepted him despite his cowardice.
Thankfully, his daughters all inherited the quality that had so enchanted Soun about his dearly departed wife. They all demonstrated the ability to create and maintain genuine connections with those around them.
He knew that it was selfish of him to wish that his plans go through so that he could spend even more time with his true friend, but if Ranma was anything like his father, then he would be leaving one of his daughters in good hands anyway.
123123
Nabiki gauged the heat that was starting to radiate from beside her. æI canÆt let Akane blow up here. HeÆs cute and it would be a waste to scare him off.Æ
ôHe was selling food at Furinkan today,ö she volunteered to her father, incidentally cutting off whatever Akane was about to say. Ranma was looking between her and her little sister. She could almost see the gears in his head turning slowly, but determinately towards their inevitable conclusion.
She placed a hand on AkaneÆs lap beneath the table, hoping that her little sister would take that as a sign to hold her temper. Miraculously, her little sister did seem to understand, and managed to turn herself down from a rolling boil to a simmer.
ôYes, I bought a small snack from him and Mr. Panda this morning, Father,ö Kasumi chimed in.
ôMr. Panda?ö Soun questioned, but shook the strange words off, before latching onto the part of Kasumi statement that he could comprehend. ôSo this is what you meant when you said that the boy was busy pursuing his art,ö he said to the bandana clad man across the table.
The man wiped the back of his neck with a towel. Nabiki wondered what had been said to make the bandana-clad man suddenly so nervous. ôUmmà yes, Tendo.ö
Her father clapped his hands happily. ôWhat an industrious young man!ö
She internally cursed as her mind scrambled for any sort of plan, but seemed only to slip and fall on its metaphorical rear. What was it about the boy that had her miscalculating at every step? Ranma had already stopped paying attention to the room, and was staring fixedly at Kasumi.
æI think heÆs figured it outÆ Nabiki was out of time. She had hoped for at least some more time to sort out her own feelings and talk to Kasumi.
ôEnough of that, letÆs get on with the business at hand,ö Soun continued. ôThis is Genma and his son Ranma Saotome.ö
ôGenma is an old training partner, and we studied the same school together before branching out in our own respective styles.ö
ôRanma here is the heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Indiscriminate Grappling. More recently, heÆs also been working to create his own school, the Anything Goes School of Indiscriminate cooking.ö
Soun brought one hand up and gestured to his daughters. ôRanma, these are my daughters: Kasumi, nineteen; Nabiki, seventeen, and Akane, sixteen. For the sake of joining the Schools of Anything Goes Indiscriminate grappling, pick one, and sheÆll be youÆre fiancÚe.ö
ôWHAAAATT?! YouÆre going to let that licking pervert marry one of us?!ö
æLooks like Akane couldnÆt hold it in anymore,Æ a detached part of NabikiÆs brain quipped. The rest of her was stunned speechless at the news, her own anger at not being informed about such an important event mixing with other less definable ones, creating a murky mess.
ôFather!ö Kasumi protested, ôThis is too sudden!ö
ôLicking pervert? What happened at school?ö Soun asked, taken aback. Her father then rounded on the party in question. ôRanma! Explain yourself, young man! You shouldnÆt lick just any stranger off the street. What if she werenÆt your fiancÚe?!ö
ôæOtoosan no baka!ö Akane punched Soun in the face. Nabiki watched in morbid fascination how she seemed to see her fatherÆs face contort in comedic ways before he hit the floor.
ôTendo! Are you alright?!ö Genma moved with a speed Nabiki wouldnÆt have credited him with.
ôAkane! Oh My!ö Kasumi said when their father hit the floor.
A strange silence fell upon the room. Nabiki noticed that the key party in question had also been quiet-- his eyes having not strayed from her elder sister.
123123
After seeing the girl who had brought him to the infirmary, RanmaÆs mind began furiously trying to connect the dots. He was lead to the family room and sat next to his father.
æGreedy Girl is living in the same house as the Angry Girl,Æ he thought. He had come up with his own nicknames for the two girls.
Somewhere in a remote warriorÆs village in China, a certain purple-haired amazon inexplicably felt like someone too too cute had encroached on her turf, which made her happy, but not enough to stop bashing the boy who had been hounding her with an oversized mace colored like a beach ball.
æThey must be sisters, and I donÆt feel anyone else in the house.Æ He was tangentially aware that there was talking going on, but he ignored it in favor of continuing his quest to solve the mystery before him. æWhich meansà!Æ
The last Tendo sister that he had yet to account for came into view, smiled radiantly, and asked him a question. He remembered vaguely nodding, and seeing his tall glass filled with a golden brown liquid. His eyes fell on the moisture condensing on the glass, and with slightly trembling hands, he took the cup and put it to his lips.
To his ki-enhanced sense of taste, it was like he had been submerged in an ocean, but instead of salt water, the ocean was made of a refreshing draft that drew a fountain of nourishment from the very earth itself!
He heard screaming and felt hostile intent being directed at him, but they all seemed muted compared to the woman before him. He was almost completely sure, but he couldnÆt leave this to even the smallest chance!
123123
Kasumi looked down at her father, unsure of how to act. On one hand, she was worried. On the other, she was still upset. Her father knew her preferences as well as Nabiki did! How could he not give her the option of bowing out of the selection? She was going to be quite cross with him for the foreseeable future!
What had Akane called the boy? Licking pervert? That didnÆt sound proper or very enjoyable! This was why she didnÆt like younger men. They were always so impulsiveù
Kasumi stiffened when she realized that the boy in question was undeniably invading her personal space.
She felt the boy lift up her hand, his grip tender, as though she were the most delicate thing in the world. His eyes gave off soft cerulean glow that hadnÆt been there before, pinning her where she stood.
ôExcuse me,ö she heard him say.
æExcuse him? Excuse him for what?!Æ a voice in her head asked urgently.
ôAaaahnàö he said before gently inserting her fingers into his mouth with an oddly cute *paku* noise.
Her entire being became focused on the tips of the three fingers in the pigtailed boyÆs mouth. He had nibbled her a little. She felt the blood rush to color her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. æThis doesnÆt feel good. This doesnÆt feel good at all!Æ she forcefully convinced herself.
The boy released her fingers, and Kasumi almost fainted at what she saw in his eyesùa burning possessiveness that threatened to consume her everything to ash.
Anyways, here's spreading the love~~
=============
ôIÆm home,ö Nabiki called while taking her shoes off at the foyer.
ôWelcome back, Nabiki,ö Kasumi said, peeking from behind the two futon she was carrying.
ôWould you mind guiding me up the stairs?ö
Nabiki tilted her head to the side. ôWe having guests, Sis?ö
ôYes!ö Kasumi confirmed happily. ôAn old friend of FatherÆs has come to visit with his son. I havenÆt seen him this excited in ages.ö
Nabiki nodded and put a guiding hand on the futons, ôAlright, IÆve got it.ö
123123
The middle Tendo daughter watched thoughtfully as her eldest sister tucked futons into the guestroom closet. Seeing Kasumi had reminded her of her encounter with the weird pigtailed boy. What would happen if he knew that it was Kasumi who made her and AkaneÆs lunches?
ôIs something the matter, Nabiki?ö Kasumi seemed to have noticed her staring.
Nabiki shook her head. ôNothing. Lunch was good today by the way, Sis. Thanks.ö
Kasumi put on a puzzled look for a moment before she beamed. ôYouÆre welcome! I donÆt think I did anything all that special today. Are you fond of riceballs? I could make them for you more often.ö
ôNo, itÆs not that, sis IÆll be happy with whatever you make. Say, how do you feel about younger men?ö
Her big sister giggled. ôYouÆre so silly, today, Nabiki. You know I prefer older men. Are you sure nothingÆs the matter?ö
ôYeah. Just thought IÆd check,ö Nabiki winked. ôYou can never tell what the future holds.ö
Nabiki wasnÆt sure whether or not to feel relieved. Today had reminded her how fortunate she and the rest of the family were for having Kasumi around, and wanted to do something to repay her elder sisterÆs kindness. On the other hand, Nabiki also saw potential in being involved with the pigtailed boy herself.
ôHey Kasumi, Is Akane home yet?ö she asked.
ôSheÆs in her room, doing homework.ö
ôOkay,ö said Nabiki, turning to leave.
SheÆd have to evaluate how to handle the pigtailed vendor tomorrow. Should she point him in the right direction, or stall for time? If he loses patience, then heÆd ask Akane, and knowing her little sister, sheÆd give Ranma a straight answer. Maybe Nabiki could try distracting the boy herself. That might be entertaining.
æYou sure got a deal, Saotome,Æ she thought. æAll this trouble is worth way more than 500 yen.Æ
There was a knock on the door.
ôIÆll get it, Kasumi!ö Soun yelled excitedly from downstairs.
123123
Ranma sighed as he knocked on the door. It was a nice looking place, and pretty darn big to boot if the size of the gate and surrounding stone walls were any indication. He really wanted it to be tomorrow already. Then he could focus on tracking down that greedy chick so she could lead him to whoever made those riceballsà.
æCrap!Æ he internally cursed, realizing that he hadnÆt gotten her name. Now finding her again was going to be a pain.
The door opened, and he was greeted by a healthy looking older man who wore a thick, bristly, mustache and had a head of long, black hair that reached to his shoulders.
ôHello, IÆm Ranma Sao--!ö
ôRanma, my boy! YouÆve come at last!ö The man said, catching him off guard in a bone crushing hug.
ôUgh,ö he patted the back of the manÆs shoulder rapidly in the universal sign of tapping out.
The older man finally came to his senses and pulled away. ôI must apologize, Ranma. IÆm so happy to see you that I couldnÆt help myself. YouÆre such a fine, strapping, young lad!ö
Ranma could only smile awkwardly while he dipped his head in slight embarrassment.
ôWhat are we doing? Standing out here? Come in! Come in! Your father is in the family room,ö he said, welcoming Ranma inside.
Putting a hand to his mouth, he called up the stairs, ôKasumi! Nabiki! Akane! RanmaÆs arrived! Come to the family room!ö
123123
Nabiki was on her way to AkaneÆs room when she heard what her father had said. ôRanma?ö It couldnÆt beà could it?
What were the chances? The odds calculated in an instant, Nabiki raced down the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her. She was in such a hurry that she had forgotten her sense of caution. It was only when she reached the middle of the hallway where the pigtailed boy spotted her that she realized her mistake.
Ranma blinked in recognition. ôYouà.ö
Nabiki breathed, and stood up straight. Everything was fine. She could handle a little slip up.
ôAh, hey Saotome,ö she said, in her best nonchalant voice.
ôHey Nabiki, whatÆs the hurry?ö Akane peaked passed her.
ôYou!ö The youngest Tendo daughter pointed an angry finger at at Ranma.
Nabiki put a hand up to cover her ringing ear. ôGeez, Little Sis, loud much?ö
ôàsorry,ö Akane mumbled, but kept a glare at the pigtailed boy.
Kasumi, walked past the both of them and stopped in surprise. ôMr. Food Vendor, what are you doing here?ö
Their father looked dazedly between them and the boy. ôW-whatÆs going on?ö
123123
After Soun had gotten his bearings, he managed to calm everyone down enough that they could head to the family room. He and his daughters were seated across the table, facing the koi pond. At the other side of the table were the Saotome patriarch and son.
ôSeems youÆve already met my daughters,ö he said, trying to get the ball rolling.
Beside him, Akane was red faced and looked like rumbling volcano about to erupt. Nabiki had on a carefree maskùthough he could tell something his middle daughter was heavy in thought over something. Out of his daughters, only Kasumi was her usual self, smiling serenely while pouring another round of cold barley tea.
He really hoped that this meeting would go well. Soun had many associates and acquaintances. He had polished his generally friendly demeanor to a fine art form. However, as much as he could as after how someoneÆs son was doing or whether or not someoneÆs bad back needed tending to, he was always aware that he was pretending. A significant portion of his role in the neighborhood council was the well-honed act of a stoic and respectable man. Genma, for all his faults was a rare friend indeed to have accepted him despite his cowardice.
Thankfully, his daughters all inherited the quality that had so enchanted Soun about his dearly departed wife. They all demonstrated the ability to create and maintain genuine connections with those around them.
He knew that it was selfish of him to wish that his plans go through so that he could spend even more time with his true friend, but if Ranma was anything like his father, then he would be leaving one of his daughters in good hands anyway.
123123
Nabiki gauged the heat that was starting to radiate from beside her. æI canÆt let Akane blow up here. HeÆs cute and it would be a waste to scare him off.Æ
ôHe was selling food at Furinkan today,ö she volunteered to her father, incidentally cutting off whatever Akane was about to say. Ranma was looking between her and her little sister. She could almost see the gears in his head turning slowly, but determinately towards their inevitable conclusion.
She placed a hand on AkaneÆs lap beneath the table, hoping that her little sister would take that as a sign to hold her temper. Miraculously, her little sister did seem to understand, and managed to turn herself down from a rolling boil to a simmer.
ôYes, I bought a small snack from him and Mr. Panda this morning, Father,ö Kasumi chimed in.
ôMr. Panda?ö Soun questioned, but shook the strange words off, before latching onto the part of Kasumi statement that he could comprehend. ôSo this is what you meant when you said that the boy was busy pursuing his art,ö he said to the bandana clad man across the table.
The man wiped the back of his neck with a towel. Nabiki wondered what had been said to make the bandana-clad man suddenly so nervous. ôUmmà yes, Tendo.ö
Her father clapped his hands happily. ôWhat an industrious young man!ö
She internally cursed as her mind scrambled for any sort of plan, but seemed only to slip and fall on its metaphorical rear. What was it about the boy that had her miscalculating at every step? Ranma had already stopped paying attention to the room, and was staring fixedly at Kasumi.
æI think heÆs figured it outÆ Nabiki was out of time. She had hoped for at least some more time to sort out her own feelings and talk to Kasumi.
ôEnough of that, letÆs get on with the business at hand,ö Soun continued. ôThis is Genma and his son Ranma Saotome.ö
ôGenma is an old training partner, and we studied the same school together before branching out in our own respective styles.ö
ôRanma here is the heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Indiscriminate Grappling. More recently, heÆs also been working to create his own school, the Anything Goes School of Indiscriminate cooking.ö
Soun brought one hand up and gestured to his daughters. ôRanma, these are my daughters: Kasumi, nineteen; Nabiki, seventeen, and Akane, sixteen. For the sake of joining the Schools of Anything Goes Indiscriminate grappling, pick one, and sheÆll be youÆre fiancÚe.ö
ôWHAAAATT?! YouÆre going to let that licking pervert marry one of us?!ö
æLooks like Akane couldnÆt hold it in anymore,Æ a detached part of NabikiÆs brain quipped. The rest of her was stunned speechless at the news, her own anger at not being informed about such an important event mixing with other less definable ones, creating a murky mess.
ôFather!ö Kasumi protested, ôThis is too sudden!ö
ôLicking pervert? What happened at school?ö Soun asked, taken aback. Her father then rounded on the party in question. ôRanma! Explain yourself, young man! You shouldnÆt lick just any stranger off the street. What if she werenÆt your fiancÚe?!ö
ôæOtoosan no baka!ö Akane punched Soun in the face. Nabiki watched in morbid fascination how she seemed to see her fatherÆs face contort in comedic ways before he hit the floor.
ôTendo! Are you alright?!ö Genma moved with a speed Nabiki wouldnÆt have credited him with.
ôAkane! Oh My!ö Kasumi said when their father hit the floor.
A strange silence fell upon the room. Nabiki noticed that the key party in question had also been quiet-- his eyes having not strayed from her elder sister.
123123
After seeing the girl who had brought him to the infirmary, RanmaÆs mind began furiously trying to connect the dots. He was lead to the family room and sat next to his father.
æGreedy Girl is living in the same house as the Angry Girl,Æ he thought. He had come up with his own nicknames for the two girls.
Somewhere in a remote warriorÆs village in China, a certain purple-haired amazon inexplicably felt like someone too too cute had encroached on her turf, which made her happy, but not enough to stop bashing the boy who had been hounding her with an oversized mace colored like a beach ball.
æThey must be sisters, and I donÆt feel anyone else in the house.Æ He was tangentially aware that there was talking going on, but he ignored it in favor of continuing his quest to solve the mystery before him. æWhich meansà!Æ
The last Tendo sister that he had yet to account for came into view, smiled radiantly, and asked him a question. He remembered vaguely nodding, and seeing his tall glass filled with a golden brown liquid. His eyes fell on the moisture condensing on the glass, and with slightly trembling hands, he took the cup and put it to his lips.
To his ki-enhanced sense of taste, it was like he had been submerged in an ocean, but instead of salt water, the ocean was made of a refreshing draft that drew a fountain of nourishment from the very earth itself!
He heard screaming and felt hostile intent being directed at him, but they all seemed muted compared to the woman before him. He was almost completely sure, but he couldnÆt leave this to even the smallest chance!
123123
Kasumi looked down at her father, unsure of how to act. On one hand, she was worried. On the other, she was still upset. Her father knew her preferences as well as Nabiki did! How could he not give her the option of bowing out of the selection? She was going to be quite cross with him for the foreseeable future!
What had Akane called the boy? Licking pervert? That didnÆt sound proper or very enjoyable! This was why she didnÆt like younger men. They were always so impulsiveù
Kasumi stiffened when she realized that the boy in question was undeniably invading her personal space.
She felt the boy lift up her hand, his grip tender, as though she were the most delicate thing in the world. His eyes gave off soft cerulean glow that hadnÆt been there before, pinning her where she stood.
ôExcuse me,ö she heard him say.
æExcuse him? Excuse him for what?!Æ a voice in her head asked urgently.
ôAaaahnàö he said before gently inserting her fingers into his mouth with an oddly cute *paku* noise.
Her entire being became focused on the tips of the three fingers in the pigtailed boyÆs mouth. He had nibbled her a little. She felt the blood rush to color her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. æThis doesnÆt feel good. This doesnÆt feel good at all!Æ she forcefully convinced herself.
The boy released her fingers, and Kasumi almost fainted at what she saw in his eyesùa burning possessiveness that threatened to consume her everything to ash.