Please don't accuse me of blatant advertising.  This is the REVISED
Namida no Okonomiyaki (errors corrected, story still essentially the same.)
Some tense errors but I can't catch them cuz I'm a dolt when it comes to tenses.

        C&C is most welcome from those who haven't C&C-ed it yet, and C&C is
still welcome from those who have done it.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Namida no Okonomiyaki 
 
     Ukyo flipped another okonomiyaki to Ranma, who began to eat 
it half-heartedly.  He was her only customer in her restaurant at this 
hour, all others having gone home or working night shifts.  She 
checked her watch again.  Only ten minutes to closing.  The only 
sounds in the restaurant were that of another okonomiyaki frying on 
the grill and that of Ranma's munching.  She looked over at her 
fiancee.  His face was downcast and his bangs hid the expression on 
his face.  But his hair couldn't hide the slump of his shoulders.  Or 
the red outline of a hand on his right cheek.   
 
     Ukyo sighed.  No prizes for guessing whose hand it was that 
had slapped him.  Ranma sipped at a glass of water and his right hand 
started to steal towards his cheek, but it stopped halfway and he let it 
fall on the counter with a dull thump.  He looked up uncertainly at 
Ukyo, who forced a smile and flipped the okonomiyaki, to keep it 
from sticking onto the grill.  Then he turned his eyes back to his half- 
eaten okonomiyaki and began to divide it into little pieces with his 
fork.  Ukyo's smile melted away as she saw her childhood friend 
looking so dejected.  An expression of anger replaced her usually 
jovial look as she thought of Akane and her treatment of Ranchan.  
She had no right to slap him around like she did!  Nobody does that 
to her fiancee!  Nobody! 
 
     But Ukyo just couldn't bring herself to go out on a vendetta 
against Akane like Shampoo and Kodachi do.  She just was not that 
kind of person to repeatedly attempt to injure or kill Akane.  She and 
her were.....friends.  Of a sort.  It was only the issue of who gets 
Ranchan first that divided them.  Otherwise, Ukyo would surely have
considered Akane as one of her best friends.  Not that she had very 
many.  After she left her home village to train as an okonomiyaki 
chef, she had dressed as a boy.  That had, in fact, cut off her ties to 
any social standing.  She couldn't associate with the girls because she 
couldn't go on a relationship with them, and she couldn't hang around 
with the guys or else they would find out her secret.   
 
     Besides, she was through with boys - at that time, that is.  She 
blushed and looked at Ranma.  He was cutting the okonomiyaki up 
into little jigsaw shaped pieces and playing with the pieces, not eating 
now.  Somehow it bothered her to see Ranma playing with the 
okonomiyaki as he was doing now.  After all, okonomiyaki was one 
of her loves in life.  In fact, it was, and still is, her life.  The sight
of him playing with the food reminded her of how she felt Ranma had been
treating her - toying with her feelings, dancing around the edges of a
serious relationship,  but never committing himself. 
 
     "Ranchan!  Eat your okonomiyaki.  Don't play with it, okay?", 
she admonished. 
 
     Ranma peered up at Ukyo.  He brought a piece of okonomiyaki 
to his mouth and ate it.  She sighed and checked her watch.  It was 
three minutes to closing.  Close enough.  Ukyo turned the grill off, 
placed the okonomiyaki on a plate, and put it on the counter.  Ranma 
hardly looked at the fresh okonomiyaki as he seemed to lose himself 
in his thoughts, playing with his food again.   
 
     The way she heard it from Ranma, it had all started when he 
was taking a bath and Shampoo, in cat form, had jumped into the 
bath, changed back, and had proceeded to try and seduce him.  
Ranma managed to escape her, dress up, and run to his room but 
Shampoo followed him, naked.  Faced with a dilemma, Ranma 
couldn't throw her out of the house while she had no clothing.  On 
the other hand, he couldn't turn her into a cat because of his phobia, 
and Shampoo had no intention of leaving her beloved's side.  
        
        Thinking quickly, he had went to Akane's room and grabbed some 
clothing from her closet, and told Shampoo to dress up in Akane's 
clothes.  Shampoo complied, but immediately after she threw herself 
on Ranma and held him tight.  He had tried to pry her off, and when that
didn't work, he tried to sneak her downstairs and out the door.  But Akane
came home at that moment - she saw Shampoo wearing _her_ clothing and
hugging a thoroughly flustered Ranma.  She had dropped her bags of
newly-bought clothing and had ran to her room, crying.  After telling
Shampoo to go home, Ranma went to Akane's room and had tried to explain it
all to her.  He had left her room with a slap mark burned into his face and
her scathing words seared into his mind.  He had wandered all over Nerima
with his hands in his pockets, or so he told her, and had finally ended up
in her restaurant - trying to work out his feelings. 
 
     Ukyo walked around the counter and put a hand on Ranma's 
shoulder.  He started at her touch and he looked up at Ukyo's face. 
 
     "Ranchan.  It's time to close.  Better go home and get some 
sleep, okay?", she said. 
 
     He stood up, patted Ukyo's hand and began to walk towards the 
door.  He halted in his tracks about halfway to to exit, and slowly 
turned around.  Ukyo waited expectantly for Ranma to bid her 
goodbye.  As always, she would tell him to come back at another 
time and see her.  Ukyo was getting tired of their "just friends" 
relationship.  She sighed and wondered how much longer she had to 
wait until Ranma said those three special words to her, those words 
that would mean the world to her..... 
 
     "Can I stay?" 
 
     Ukyo started, her eyes going wide, and she dropped her spatula.  
Moving almost lazily, Ranma stuck a foot under the spatula and 
flipped it into his hands.  He handed it back to Ukyo, and turned 
around. 
 
     "Sorry, Ucchan.  Don't wanna be imposing on you any more 
than I am already.  Thanks for the food.  Seeya."  He began to walk 
to the door. 
 
     "Ranchan!!  Wait!  Y-you can stay.  But why?", asked Ukyo.  
 
     Ranma whirled around, the expression on his face clearly 
indicating that he was pleasantly surprised by Ukyo's consent to his 
request.  He stuck both hands into his pockets and rocked back and 
forth on his feet. 
 
     "Well, I don't want to go home right now, Ucchan.  Not with 
most of the household angry at me.  Akane wants to tear me apart, 
Mr. Tendo is kinda trigger-happy with that demon head of his, Nabiki 
is just waiting to get her money-grubbing claws into me because she 
sees me as the reason why Akane's crying.  In all the things I've 
done, I have never, ever, made her cry this hard before.  
She...she...ummm....her eyes were red and sore.  She didn't even 
move when I walked into her room.  Her pillow was drenched!  I 
mean, I 've never seen such a thing in my life.....a tear soaked 
pillow.  Then I put my hand on her shoulder.....",  Ranma gestured 
with his right hand, "and...and she....".  Ranma looked on the verge 
of breaking down but he regained control of himself. 
 
     "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, 
Ranchan...", said Ukyo.  So I can get you on the rebound, that's 
why!, she added slyly, inwardly. 
 
     "Anyways, Nabiki sticks up for her family, if little else.  To 
make it worse, my Mom called earlier today to say she would be 
dropping by for a visit, so I would have to go home as a girl."  He 
twiddled his thumbs together, hope written all over his face.  Ukyo 
smiled.   
 
     "Of course you can stay, Ranchan.  You're welcome to stay 
anytime you like.  Can you help me close up the restaurant, please?"  
 
     "Sure, Ucchan.  Anything you say." 
 
     The two make short work of their closing duties, taking in the 
signs, locking the doors, cleaning the restaurant, washing the grill and 
the dishes and putting the cash away into a safe box.  Then Ukyo 
picked up her plate of okonomiyaki, wrapped it in plastic film, and 
led Ranma up the stairs.  Ranma looked at the single door at the top 
of the flight of stairs. 
 
     "Ummm, Ucchan.  Do you have another...um...room?", he 
asked, his face turning red from embarassment. 
 
     "No, Ranma.  There's only one room except for the bathroom, which is
inside my room.  Don't worry, Ranchan.  Come on, don't be shy.  It's just a
room."  Ukyo pulled Ranma into her room and shut the door behind her.  Oh
joy!  Ranma, alone with her, in _her_ room! 
 
     Ukyo's room was lushly carpeted, and the carpet had prints of 
okonomiyaki all over it, beautifully illustrated by some master artist.  
The shelf in the corner of her room held many souvenirs from her 
travels, many of them trophies or medals for winning a cooking 
contest, or other.  Her window had a dark blue venetian blind 
covering it.  A small TV with a video game system on top of it sat in 
the next corner.  A stereo system occupied the space next to the shelf, 
with CDs scattered all around it.  A small pile of books and 
magazines detailing vacation spots lay in a heap next to her bed, 
within easy reach if one was lying belly-down on the matress, which 
had a soft, blue comforter covering the double-sized pillow and the 
bolster.  A door leading to the bathroom was set in the wall next to 
her bed.  A calendar was hung next to the door, and a picture of 
Ranma on the wall facing the foot of her bed.  She blushed when 
Ranma's eyes turned to the picture of him. 
 
     In the picture, he was looking off to one side with a smile, his 
eyes wide and bright.  Ranma chuckled and he walked up to the 
photograph.  Ukyo went to her closet and pulled out a futon.  She 
placed it next to her bed and she put her plate on the floor next to it.  
Then she grabbed a fresh change of clothing. 
 
     "Ranma.  I'm going to have a shower now.  You just make 
yourself at home."  She turned about and gave him a wink, her hair 
swirling about her pert body. 
 
     "Alright, Ucchan."  Ranma didn't even notice the wink as he sat 
down heavily on Ukyo's bed and heaved a sigh, his forearms resting 
on his lap.  Ukyo scowled and went to the bath, shutting and locking the
door behind her.   
 
     She undressed and began to shower.  Ukyo felt the stream of hot water
running through her hair and down her body and she sighed in pleasure.  It
always felt good taking a hot shower after a long day.  She finished in
short order, dried herself off, put on her pyjamas and exited the bathroom,
feeling like a new woman.   
 
     Ranma was lying on her bed, reading the magazine she was reading the
night before.  Ranma, upon hearing the door open, immediately got off Ukyo's
bed and onto the futon on the floor, but Ukyo saw him anyways.  Ranma
pretended not to notice Ukyo's amused look and he concentrated on the travel
mag in his hands.  He turned the page and a picture of a vast meadow leapt
out at him.  Ukyo walked over and sat next to him, still drying her hair
with a towel.  <Oh, how beautiful!>, she thought.  She read the heading and
was surprised to find that the meadow was located near her old district.
Ranma evidently read it too and he started to comment on it to Ukyo, but
Ukyo patted his leg and nodded in understanding.   
 
     "Yes, Ranchan.  I know."  She cast her thoughts back over the 
years, to the days she and Ranma spent enjoying the sights and 
sounds of a meadow.  The same meadow in the magazine, in glossy 
color and two dimensional, couldn't even begin to compare to the real 
thing; the heady aroma of summer grasses and clumps of wildflowers 
mixed with the chirp-chirp of crickets and the songs of birds taking 
flight through the air, soaring in the warmth of the streaming sunlight 
unhindered by any clouds in the blue, blue sky.   
 
     Ranma's eyes seemed clouded over as he stared sightlessly at 
the picture of the meadow, his thoughts as far away as Ukyo's.  Ukyo 
giggled and the sound, like the tinkling of bells, brought Ranma back 
to reality.  Ranma sighed, shut the magazine and let it fall to the 
floor.   
 
     "Ukyo, why do things have to be so complicated?  Why can't 
we just become like kids again, and not have to worry about things 
like school, and stuff like fiancees and all that...", he said in a wistful
voice. 
 
     "What do you mean, Ranchan?", she asked as she snuggled a 
little closer to him.  Ranma seemed not to notice, his eyes fixed on 
the small space between his resting hands.   
 
     "I mean, Ukyo...why does she have to overreact to everything I 
do?"   
 
     Ukyo grimaced.  Akane.  It always kept on coming back to 
Akane.  She let out a little sigh.  The mood isn't right yet.  He's 
still moping on about Akane. Ukyo pulled the towel off her hair and let it
cascade down her shoulders, still slightly damp from the shower.   
                                   * * * 
     Ranma gulped and tried to look anywhere but at her.  Her 
pyjamas were decorated with small triangles and little pink hearts 
against a blue background, and the way that her long hair framed her 
cute face made him shiver with excitement.   
                                   * * * 
     "I don't know, Ranma.  Maybe it's just her." 
 
     "You're probably right.  I mean, it's not REALLY my fault that 
Shampoo runs after me day and night, right?  I mean, if she would 
just see MY side for once..." 
 
     "Ranchan.  Let's just _forget_ about Akane and the whole thing, 
alright?  Come on.  Play cards with me.  Cheer you up."  Ukyo 
produced a pack of cards from under her bed. 
 
     "I dunno, Ucchan.  I'm not really all that good at cards."  Ranma said
as he slid across to the other side of her bed. 

        "Let's see...do you know how to play Gin?", she asked as she
shuffled the cards.

        "Nope.  Isn't it some kinda drink, or something?"

        Ukyo grimaced and replied, "No.  Well, what about....Crazy Eights?"

        "Nope."  Ranma wasn't even looking at Ukyo as he replied, his gaze
fixated on the print of the okonomiyaki on the carpet below, his fingers
twiddling with the fibres.

        "Slapjack?"  Ukyo was getting a little desperate.  Doesn't he know
anything?

        "Nope."

        "Blackjack?!"

        "Reminds me too much of Nabiki."
        
        "That's `blackmail', not `blackjack'!"  Ukyo bent the cards in her
hands, frustration emanating from her.  "How about poker?"

        "Poker?  Well...alright.  Beats sitting around doing nothing", he
said as he sat up on the bed.

        "Let's make this interesting....let's bet on something."

        Ranma, always a sucker for a challenge, nodded his head and said,
"What can we bet on?"

     Ukyo smiled.  He is so naive sometimes. "Oh, I don't know.  I'd bet on
money, but you don't have any, right?"  He shook his head.  Well...what do
you think?" 

        "Ummm....it's up to you, Ucchan.  Whatever you say, goes."  He
sighed and his right hand reached up to his throbbing cheek, but, again, it
fell away before it could touch the tender skin.

     "Alright, Ranchan.  Let's bet on clothing."

     "Clothes?!  But...", he spluttered. 
 
     "Don't worry, Ranma!  I won't take advantage of you if you 
don't take advantage of me, right?  Besides, I can trust you, right?  
Right?"  She made a cute moue with her mouth at him, and he burst 
out laughing.  <Good.  He's finally loosening up.>, she thought.  
"Let's make a deal.  The loser won't have to take off his, or her, last 
piece of clothing.  He, or she, will have to eat this okonomiyaki."  
        
        Ukyo grabbed the plate and put it between the both of them, on the 
bed.   
 
     "But it's cold!", exclaimed Ranma. 
 
     "That's because you never ate it, idiot!  It was for you!", she 
retorted.   
 
     "It...it was?  Sorry, Ucchan." 
 
     "Forget it.  Let's play." 
 
     Ranma nodded and the contest began.  The next hour or so was 
spent playing strip poker, with neither side really gaining much of an 
advantage.  Ranma was down to his pants and Ukyo clutched a hand 
across the bra covering her breasts.  The teeter-totter balance was 
paused for a moment as Ukyo turned her stereo system on, popping 
in a CD titled "Romantic Theme Songs", and equalizing the tune until 
it was a perfect background music.  <Just stacking the odds in my 
favor, sweetie.>, she thought as she looked at him. 
 
     At long last, after a full half hour of sparring, Ukyo finally 
scored the winning point in the game.  She looked at Ranma, who 
was sweating profusely and staring at his losing hand.  <Usually he 
plays better than this...>, she thought, <Could it be...that he was 
distracted?  But what?>  She knew the answer even before she had 
asked herself that question, and Ukyo resolved to net Ranma.  
Tonight.  Ukyo threw her hand down, slowly stood up and walked 
around the bed, to Ranma.  He looked up with some trepidation, 
dressed in his boxers and nothing else. 
 
     "U-Ucchan?  What....what?", he asked.  Ukyo gave him an evil 
grin and she knelt down beside Ranma. 
 
     "Now.  Ranma.  Take off your boxers." 
 
     "WHAT?  No way!"  He started to edge away from Ukyo.  
Ukyo merely matched his pace and she put her right hand on his 
shoulder.  While Ranma looked at her right hand, trembling ever so 
slightly on his body, her left hand snaked down and grabbed the top 
of his boxers.  Ranma yelped in fright and held onto his boxers for 
his dear life.  Then Ukyo was on top of him, growling and wrestling 
with Ranma, half-heartedly trying to pull his boxers off, laughing 
good-naturedly as she did so.  The two disappeared, in a tangle of 
limbs, into a mock battle in which they let out all their cares and 
worries with giggles and heartfelt laughter.   
  
     The song on the CD floated through the room and the two could 
still hear it despite the ruckus they were causing with their struggle. 
 
<"We run hand in hand through meadows of green  
     Feeling the summer sky above us  
     And the earth beneath our feet......"> 
 
     Ukyo manages to get Ranma's boxers an inch down, but Ranma 
pulls it back up just as quickly. 
  
<"We share a secret among the tall grasses  
    And swear our friendship for all eternity  
    Breathing the sweet summer air  
    And laughing out our love of life....."> 
 
                                   * * * 
     Ranma gets a mouthful of Ukyo's hair, and he spits it back out.  
However he can't help but _wonder_ at how soft, and silky, her hair 
was.  Not to mention her skin..... 
                                   * * * 
     Ukyo was on top of Ranma, having too much fun to stop and 
think about _what_ she was doing with Ranma, straddling him and 
touching him like this.  To her, there was nothing but the thought of 
playing with her childhood friend, like they used to so long ago..... 
  
<"The years pass and we grow apart  
    Time has not been kind to us  
    I wish I could live forever, dream forever  
    and relive the moments of childhood again..."> 
 
     For moments, just moments, they forgot their ingrained, adult 
roles and became, once again, the Ranchan and Ucchan of a decade 
ago, rolling about in a good-humoured wrestling match in a 
meadow.... 
  
 <"Then one day you and I meet  
   In the meadow of greenery, amidst the dandelions  
   Which release their fluffs and  
   We both watch them spiral to the heavens in  
   A dance that only we can understand........"> 
  
<"Come, take my hand...."> 
      
     Ranma grabs Ukyo's hands in his own and immobilizes them.  
The two of them are still laughing like a couple of idiots.  Ranma 
rolls over so that he is on top.  Ukyo didn't notice, or didn't care. 
 
<"Even though reality pulls our hopes back to earth....."> 
 
     Ranma and Ukyo stilled their laughter for a moment, and the 
hauntingly sweet melodies of the song permeated the atmosphere 
about them, enveloping them in its music.  Suddenly, Ukyo realized 
that Ranma was....was.... 
                                   * * * 
     Ranma looked down with wonder at Ukyo beneath him, their 
faces only inches away.  Ukyo looked so....beautiful, with her long 
hair splayed out beneath her, her sparkling eyes meeting his own, 
their breath and heartbeats quickening as one. 
                                   * * *  
<"Let us run once more through our memories...
Feeling the summer sky above us......"> 
 
     Ukyo unclenched her hands from Ranma's and she put them 
behind Ranma's head.  Ranma didn't resist as she pulled his head 
closer...and closer, her lips reaching up to meet his own, desire 
lighting the fires in both their eyes.... 
 
<"And the earth beneath.....our feet...."> 
 
     Ranma's nose touched the tip of Ukyo's own.  In breathless 
wonder at the beauty beneath him, Ranma turned his head slightly and 
began to touch his lips to hers..... 
 

     "HELLO!?  IS ANYBODY HOME?!  UKYO?!" 
 
     Ranma's fevered brained registered those words quicker than 
Ukyo's did.  Akane!  He practically teleported off Ukyo and had his 
clothing on in seconds.  Ukyo lay on the floor, wondering what in 
hell she did wrong.  Then, those five words made their way to the 
forefront of her mind, and she finally realized why Ranma looked so 
panicked.  Horrified, she sat up and had her clothing on in record 
time.  Ranma was almost gibbering in fear, hiding under the bed.  
Ukyo smoothed her hair and stomped out the door.  <Akane, 
you...you....hussy!!!>, she thought furiously as she leapt down the 
stairs three steps at a time. 
      
     She saw Akane's shape in the darkened dining area, silhouetted 
against the moonlight streaming in through a glass window.  Seething 
with fury, Ukyo slapped the light switch several times before finally 
turning the lights on.  Her face resembling Soun's demon head, with 
bared fangs and dilated pupils, she whirled on Akane, ready to give 
her a piece of her mind.  What she saw was not what she had 
expected to see in Akane. 
 
     Akane didn't even have matching clothing on, a clear indication 
that she had hurriedly put her current ensemble together.  Her hair 
was mussed up and uncombed, her eyes bloodshot and red around the 
edges.  She had been crying.  Badly.  And she looked like she was 
about to break down.  Upon seeing Ukyo's angry face, Akane yelped 
in fright and took a step back. 
 
     Ukyo softened her expression.  <Oh, Akane...>, she thought 
as she looked at the disconsolate girl before her, looking so lost and 
forlorn.  And frightened.   
 
     "U-Ukyo!  You scared me!"  Akane blinked her eyes rapidly, 
trying to adjust her eyes to the sudden light. 
 
     "S'all right, sweetie.  Now you just go and take a seat and I'll 
bring you a drink.  Or something."  Ukyo put her arms around Akane 
and guided her to a seat.  Akane grabbed Ukyo's hand as she left to 
get Akane a drink, looking up at Ukyo with a pleading expression. 
 
     "Ukyo!  D-Do you know where Ranma is?!  I couldn't find him, 
and I've been searching, and searching!  I even went to Nekohanten 
but he wasn't there!" 
 
     "You went to Nekohanten?  After what Shampoo did?  That must have taken
some serious guts, girl", said Ukyo in an effort to comfort her.
 
     "How did you know about...about that?  Did Ranma tell you?  
Was he here?  Where did he go?  Oh, Ukyo!"  She started to cry 
again, but Ukyo patted her hand and stilled her tears. 
 
     "He...he was here."  Ukyo hated to lie to Akane, especially 
now, but she would only be aggravating the wound by telling her that 
Ranma _is_ here.  In her room, to boot.  And they were all 
alone....and they were about to....Ukyo brushed that thought away.  
Now was not the time to think of such things.  She looked at Akane, 
who looked on the verge of another breakdown, and she smiled 
inwardly, wistfully.  <How I wish I were you, Akane>, Ukyo 
thought, <How I...how I wish I had Ranchan's....Ranchan's...>.  
She stopped her thought, unable to even finish her thought. 
 
     "Ukyo.  I...I said some terrible things to him.  And I hit him.  
Really hard this time.   I just want to say...say that I'm sorry.  Sorry 
for...for all the things I said to him today.  I know it's not his fault 
that Shampoo tries to get to him, but.....but....I'm the je-jealous type, 
Ukyo.  I got too angry this time.  I should have trusted in him, Ukyo. 
I should have trusted in him....I 've been searching for the whole 
day, Ukyo!", she said disjointedly, punctuating her monologue with a 
sniffle every now and then. 
 
     Ukyo looked long and hard at Akane, the girl who was her 
friend, yet wasn't.  She thought of how fast Ranma had jumped off 
her the moment Akane came into the restaurant.  She thought of how 
much Akane figured in Ranma's life, and vice versa.  It must have 
taken one hell of alot of determination, and resolve, for her to search 
all over town for Ranma in that getup she was wearing.  And for her 
to walk into Nekohanten and ask Cologne, or even Shampoo, where 
Ranma was......Ranma, the one who always teases her.  Ranma, the 
one who always makes her angry with all the thoughtless and senseless 
things he did.   
 
     Ranma.  Akane's fiancee.  <Fiancee....>, Ukyo thought. 
 
     Ukyo squeezed Akane's hand.  Ukyo did the one thing she felt 
she had to do, the one thing that her heart told her was the only thing 
to do.  Akane looked up at Ukyo, wiping her eyes with the other 
hand.   
 
     "Akane, Ranma is probably home by now, waiting for you.  Go 
home, Akane.  Make up to him.  You know that he...he wouldn't 
betray you, Akane.  You knew it before and you know it now.  Go 
home and get some sleep. You look a mess.  Then the both of 
you come back tommorow and have some okonomiyaki on me, alright?" 
 
     Akane looked up at Ukyo, tears beginning to flow again. 
 
     "Th-thanks, Ukyo.  Yours was the last place I looked for 
him...because I felt that you wouldn't take advantage of....of this 
situation to get him.  You're not like Shampoo or Kodachi.  Thank you, 
Ukyo." 
 
     Akane got up and bowed to Ukyo.  Ukyo escorted her to the 
door and gave her one of her jackets, for the night was cool.  Akane 
turned about and waved goodbye to Ukyo.  Then she turned around 
and started to walk home.  Ukyo shut the door and ran up to her 
room.  Ranma was crouching behind the bathroom door, fearfully 
peeking out.  He quickly ducked behind the door as soon as Ukyo ran 
in, but he realized his mistake and came back out, tentatively. 
 
     "Is she...is she gone, Ukyo?" 
 
     "Quick, Ranma!  She's going home down the street!  If you 
hurry, you can still catch her!  Go!"  Ukyo opened her window and 
pointed outside.  A breeze blew in and ruffled her long hair. 
 
     "U-Ucchan.  But...but what about...?" 
 
     "About what, stupid?!  Just go and get Akane!  She's walking 
home alone, you know!" 
 
     "Alone?!  That idiot!  Doesn't she know that it's dangerous to 
walk alone at this...."  His voice trailed off as he saw Ukyo looking 
at him, her gaze inscrutable and unreadable.  "Ucchan....I'm..." 
 
     "Go, Ranma.  I won't repeat it again." 
 
     Ranma got on the window sill and looked back at Ukyo.  Ukyo 
pointed out the window again.  On an impulse, Ranma stepped back 
and gave Ukyo a hug.  Then he got back on the window sill. 
 
     "Ukyo.  Thank you."  With that, Ranma leapt off into the night. 
 
     Ukyo shut the window and locked it.  She drew the blind across 
it, then she ran downstairs and shut the unlocked window that Akane 
used to gain entrance to her restaurant.  Then she made sure that all 
the windows and doors were locked securely before she headed back 
upstairs and fell on her bed.   
      
     She had let Ranma go.  Her best friend and fiancee was 
_within_ her grasp!  And she let him go.  To Akane.  She started to 
shake with the effort of holding in all the tears, but she refused to let 
herself have a breakdown.  She refused to cry her eyes out in lamentation of
her missed chance at Ranma!

        She lay like that for a full half hour, fighting against that urge
to weep.  And shout.  And break various things. 
 
     When the flood of emotions had subsided in her heart, Ukyo got up on
her bed, shivering uncontrollably, and she was surprised to find that she
had fallen upon her okonomiyaki.  Luckily it was wrapped in plastic film so
it didn't stain her clothing.  She read her own writing on the okonomiyaki.
"For my darling Ranchan", it read, in slightly mushed characters.
 
     She unwrapped the okonomiyaki.   
 
     And she took a bite of it, tasting of her defeat. 

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Notes : Story is still repugnant to Anti-Ukyo fanatics.  Too bad, cuz I like
Ucchan.