I don't own Ranma Nibun no ichi. Belongs to Rumiko Takahash.

Five: Ryoga and Ranma… entering "Plan B"

Female Ranma stood with her hand clenched on her chest and her mouth opened, staring at Akane. Her fiancée was looking back at her, eyes filled with expectation…
"Akane, the truth is…"
"What, Ranma?..." she felt as if her heart was going to explode.
"The truth is… I think you're with this guy for the wrong reason!"
Akane's hopes turned to dust "And who said you know anything about my feelings!?"
"I know that you're pursuing an ideal of man, but you're not really interested in him for who he is!! You're interested in him for who he reminds you of!!"
Akane slapped the redheaded. Tears begun to appear in her eyes.
"Who do you think you are… How dare you talk about me like that! You know nothing about me!! You're the worst Ranma I hate you!!" and she left running and weeping.
Ranma stroked her cheek "Stupid girl… she reacted like this 'cause she knows I'm right… at least now I know the flaw in this whole relationship…"
Yuki was looking at his watch when he felt a bite on his ankle "Ouch!! What the…" and his gaze found a little black pig, scratching his leg and biting him effusively. He grabbed the piglet and put him right in front of his face "Now, what's the problem with you? Aren't you Akane's pet, P-Chan?? You never liked me, didn't you? We could get along if you give me the chance, I like animals very much"
"Who do you think you're calling an animal!!! I'll kill you!!" and he bit Yuki's nose, which caused him to free the pig.
P-Chan charged against the guy's face and scratched him several times, until Yuki had enough and threw him against the floor. Akane arrived at that precise moment, wiping her tears.
"YUKI!!! What are you doing'!!!! My P-Chan!!!" and the piglet jumped onto her chest, acting hurt; "Puiiigg…puiiiiiiiig…" as he stroked her with his head.
"Shame on you!! Why are you attacking a defenseless little animal!?"
"Akane I'm so sorry, I really love animals, but I couldn't make him stop scratching and biting me!"
Tendou looked at his face… "Well… I imagine you're telling the truth, your face is covered with scratches and paws… But still!! That's not the way to treat my P-Chan! If you don't mind, I'd like to finish this date. I'll see you at school next Monday. Thanks for everything, but I need to calm down."
"Oh…O-Ok." He looked down, feeling very guilty; then quickly looked up again "Wait... W-Would you let me walk you home?"
Ranma appeared on the scene in his original form, leaning on a tree with his arms crossed, and haughtily exclaimed: "She said the date was over dude, back off would ya?"
The long haired guy clenched his right fist and gave Saotome a menacing look. "I'm really tired of you getting in the way and treating me like this, do you have any problem with me? 'Cause I'm really upset right now."
The pigtailed guy erected, and glared at his enemy "I'm warnin' ya… You wouldn't want me to have any problem with you. If you even dare to…"
Akane interrupted "Now hold on you two! Don't start any stupid fight! Ranma, I'm tired of you getting in my business, go away! I don't want you anywhere near me! And Yuki…Thanks, but no. I don't want anyone walking me home. I wanna be alone right now. I need to think some things over..."
Both guys followed her with their gaze as she walked away. Then glared at each other, and left too.

That night, Kasumi went to the movies with Nabiki, their father and uncle Genma. The family thought she spent too much time at home, and decided to arrange a Saturday night out.
Akane didn't feel like going, because of the whole situation she'd been through that afternoon, and asked to stay home. And Ranma... well… he was nowhere to be seen.
The house was dark and quiet. The young girl watched some TV, but everything that was on was very boring.
She started to look around, and thinking. She went over everything that happened on her last date, and buried her head on her arms. "Everything is so confusing… Why can't I understand what Ranma's doing! Is it truth, that he wants to sabotage the whole thing because of our parents… or is he doing this because he's jealous? And how did he find out that Yuki reminds me that much of Dr. Tofu? Although he didn't specify, it was clear who he was referring to… This is a mess… And Yuki… he's so nice… but…" and she felt a tear running down her cheek.

Two figures could be distinguished in one corner of the Nerima's central park. Two tall guys, talking nervously, almost arguing… At times they looked thoughtful; at times they were grabbin' their heads angrily…
"You think you're so smart! Your plan for spoiling her date was just to become a girl and harass him!! It was so obvious that she'd find out!!"
"Well I don't see you coming out with any good ideas!!! What did you do?! You just scratched that jerk like a girl!!"
"Don't you dare calling me a girl! That'd be yourself you're talking about! Besides, I was the one that got the date suspended! Akane hates when someone hurts me, and you know that extremely well"
"Be serious Ryoga, d'ya think that'll be enough to keep him away? He'll be all over her again in no time!"
Ryoga crossed his arms "And what's your glooooorious plan this time?"
Ranma threw a punch that the lost boy dodged easily "Don't tease me Ryoga or you'll get hurt! Let me think…" and he started scratching the back of his head and stroking his chin alternately. He spent half an hour doing this.
His mate was getting impatient "Well??"
"A-haaa!!" Ranma punched his left palm with his right fist "I've got it!!" and smiled a teeth-filled smile. He proceeded to tell the plan to Ryoga, who grinned as he heard carefully.

Akane got herself a glass of milk and sat down at the stairs in front of the koi pond. She yawned. "Where could Ranma be?"
She felt a tap on her left shoulder, and found him right behind her. "Hello there… mind if I sit here?"
The girl tried to look mean, she was still a little upset… but the possibility of her fiancée being jealous comforted her… "Sure…"
"Where's everybody?" he asked, looking at the sky.
"At the movies... I didn't feel like going"
"Yeah? Well… me either."
And they remained silent for a little bit.
"Ranma… about today…" he gulped loudly "What… Akane"
"You acted quite stupidly… Did you do it because of our parents?"
"In part…yeah" Akane looked at him slowly "In part? And what's the other part?"
"I've already told you" he said annoyed.
Akane looked down at the pond "Do you think it's wrong for me to be with Yuki because he looks like the doctor and his personalities are similar? Or because…"
Ranma looked at her "Or because what?"
She smiled "Because you're afraid I might like him"
The boy was surprised by the question. He coughed.