My server is up and running again.  People can hit my web page for parts
of this fic, as well as snippets of the stuff I've been working on.

Four new pics used to help generate inspiration for this fic have been
added to the site.

You can get the parts or read the entire thing at:

public.carleton.edu/~tsaie/fanfic.html

As usual, this is a work of fiction by a fan for fans.  This is done
purely for entertainment.  It is in no way meant to infringe on copyrights
or offend any of the parties owning distribution rights to the series or
the creator, Rumiko Takahashi.

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Chapter Twelve

	"So you just hugged him?  That's it?"
	Ukyou nodded.
	"I don't think either of us were going to make things better by
doing anything rash."
	Nabiki smirked.
	"I would have."
	Ukyou rolled her eyes.
	"I know you would have, Nabiki, but we didn't.  Look, I just want
to know about Ranma and Akane."
	"It'll cost you."
	"I'm giving you a free lunch."
	Nabiki pondered the plate of okonomiyaki in front of her.
	"Do I get a date with Ken-chan?"
	Ukyou glared at her.  Nabiki out up her hands defensively and
laughed.
	"Hey, it was just a joke!  Calm down.  It's no big deal.  My silly
high school crush on your waiter is over.  I'm above those things now."
	Ukyou snickered.
	"Sure you are.  So spill the beans.  What's with Ranma and Akane."
	"Well, what I can tell you in exchange for the lunch is that
they're definitely going to get married.  Mrs. Saotome knows it, I know
it, even Kasumi knows it; but Ranma's mother made us promise not to tell
my dad or Ranma's father.  Ranma wanted to keep it hush-hush until they
felt both of them were ready for it."
	"And?" Ukyou asked expectantly.
	"And what?"
	"Did Ranma break the news to Shampoo?"
	"Yup.  She left without saying a word.  Cologne was there too,
actually.  She popped up from nowhere as usual and said Ranma was going to
marry Shampoo.  The usual routine."
	"You seem worried."
	"Moi?" Nabiki asked incredulously.
	"Who else am I talking to?  You're not the only one who can tell
if people are nervous about something."  Ukyou shoved another plate of
okonomiyaki forward.  "So talk."
	Nabiki worked on another okonomiyaki as she spoke.
	"Well, when Cologne said that Ranma would marry Shampoo, she
didn't really mention anything about Amazon laws like she usually does."
Nabiki managed through bites of her food.  "This time it was more like she
was stating an ultimatum, without really saying the 'or else' part of it.
It just felt really strange.  Real unsettling, if you know what I mean."
	"What do you think it means?"
	"I have no idea, but I'm sure it's nothing good.  You know Cologne
will do almost anything to get Shampoo and Ranma hitched."
	"Yeah.  Tell me about it."
	"So let me ask you a few questions." Nabiki said after finishing
her food.
	Ukyou looked at Nabiki quizzically.
	"I thought you'd still be bawling your eyes out.  Ucchan's was
closed all of yesterday, but today at school, you're as chipper as usual.
You even said hello to Ranma.  I was expecting you to rip his head off or
something."
	"What's the big deal?  I'm over him now."
	"Oh really?"
	Ukyou looked away
	"Well, not exactly, but I'm having a much easier time than I
expected."
	"Two specials and one pork, no onions."
	Ukyou looked over to Ken placing two slips of paper on the counter
in front of her.  He gave her a wink and a smile; and when she reached out
for the slips, he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.  Ukyou blushed and
smiled.  Nabiki looked on with a very interested air.
	"I see." she said after Ken left.  "A regular culinary Casanova,
is he?"
	Ukyou blushed furiously.
	"Would you pipe down?"
	"This is very interesting, if I might say so myself."
	Ukyou glared at her.
	"You are not going to sell this information to anyone, you hear
me?  This is strictly between Ken-chan and myself.  Nobody else.  Got it?"
	"That'll cost you."
	"How about I don't tell Ran-chan about those extra pictures you
sold behind his back.  Or better yet, how about I tell Ken-chan you're
welching on your promises?"
	"That's blackmail." Nabiki shot at her.
	Ukyou grinned.
	"Touch." she said to Nabiki.
	Nabiki groaned.
	"Fine.  It's a deal."
	Ukyou grinned, and pushed another plate of food across the
counter.  Nabiki simply accepted it in resigned fashion and kept to
herself.

	"I finished cleaning the back room up.  Everything's more or less
in order."
	Ukyou watched Ken make his way to the counter where she was
cleaning the grill again.  As he pulled up a seat, Ukyou smiled and
returned to scraping off the stuck bits of food from the grill.
	"Anything else you need me to do?"
	"No, I just need to clean up here and then it's all finished."
	"Want to do anything afterwards?"
	Ukyou looked up surprised.
	"Are you asking me out on a date?" she asked with a grin.
	Ken colored quickly.
	"Well, not if you don't want it.  I mean, it doesn't have to be a
date if you don't want it to be one, but it could if you wanted, but if
you don't then you don't have to." he stumbled.
	Ukyou laughed.
	"I know you're just getting over Ranma, but I hate seeing you so
sad.  It really hurts to see you like that.  I just want you to be happy,
that's all." Ken said quietly.
	Ukyou's eyes darkened briefly at the mention of Ranma's name, but
lit up again at Ken's intentions.
	"That's very sweet of you, but I think I'll get over Ranma sooner
than people expect."  Ukyou winked and smiled.  "It looks like I have my
own Ran-chan anyway."
	Ken looked puzzled.  The expression on his face set Ukyou into
another fit of laughter.	
	"Don't look so depressed all the time." Ukyou admonished.  She
covered his hand with hers and look at him evenly.  "I appreciate
everything you're doing to help me.  It means a lot to me."
	Ken smiled sheepishly as Ukyou finished scraping off the grill.
She watched him move from his seat and walk up the stairs.  After wiping
everything down a final time, Ukyou straightened herself up and walked up
to Ken's room.  She leaned in the doorframe and simply looked at him as he
sat on his bed, back against the wall, reading a book.  Ken looked up from
his reading and raised an eyebrow.
	"Penny for your thoughts?"
	"In that case, I'd be rich." Ukyou said with a smile.  She
casually walked into the room and sat on the edge of his futon.  Ken
creased the corner of the page he was on, and put his book down.
	"So what do you need?"
	"I just wanted to know if you wanted to go for a little walk or
something.  It gets a little stuffy in here.  What do you say, Ken-chan?"
	Ken smiled.
	"Sure.  I can go for some fresh air."
	When the two of them left the restaurant, the sun was on its last
leg, and the rose of the sunset was only a bare sliver against the
skyline.  Stars could be seen as the rose from the setting sun graded to a
deep purple and blue.  Ukyou felt it seemed to mirror the way she was
feeling.  First her rather abrupt end with Ranma, followed by a
realization that the clean break from Ranma would allow her to explore how
she felt about Ken.  A feeling, she had decided, was as genuine as
anything she every felt for Ranma.  Yet, when she thought of it, there was
a sense of guilt.  Ukyou wondered whether she was simply using Ken as a
substitute Ranma for her own purposes, or whether she truly felt attracted
to him.  It was obvious that she found him attractive in the same sense as
Ranma, but a deeper more melancholy side of him attracted her as well.
She felt unbelievably wonderful whenever he smiled at her and changed from
a sad wistful demeanor to that of complete joy and happiness.  Ken always
made her feel important and it was something that Ranma seemed to forget.
Ukyou couldn't explain it, but she cared about Ken in all the same ways
she cared about Ranma; but at the same time, she felt differently about
the whole thing.  Ukyou looked at the hand that gently held hers, and then
to the face as it looked forward.  It was serene and content, a feeling
she shared when he was around and opening himself to her.
	"Something on your mind?"
	Ukyou blinked and found Ken looking at her with a bemused
expression.
	"Sorry, I was just thinking."
	"I could tell.  We stopped here a minute or two ago, and you
almost kept on walking." Ken said with a wry grin.
	As she looked about, Ukyou noticed that they were at a small park;
one that Ranma visited frequently during his absences after fights with
Akane.  It brought back memories of how he would come to the restaurant to
talk and unburden himself of a feeling of guilt.  It made her feel
important, but important as a friend, not as a fiance.
	"Ken-chan, when you say that you want to be more than friends, why
do you say that?" she asked seriously.
	Ken sat down on one of the swings they stood by.  Ukyou took a
seat in an adjoining one.
	"To be serious, I don't know why.  I just know that it's something
I want.  I really can't explain it.  I know you think we're just friends,
but I feel like it isn't enough.  I'm sorry if that's not what you wanted
to hear."
	"You know," Ukyou began, "I can tell you all about Ran-chan.  I
can tell you the exact moment I fell in love with him.  I can tell you the
exact moment I knew I wanted to marry him.  I can tell you a lot about how
I feel about Ran-chan."
	Ken looked away and sighed.
	"You really were certain that he was the one, weren't you?"
	Ukyou nodded solemnly.
	"If anyone ever asked why I loved him, there was a whole list of
reasons why.  I could list them for hours if I had to.  Everything from
the cute way he ties his hair to the way he shows that he cares about your
safety and well-being." she replied.
	"You don't feel the same way about me, do you?" Ken asked
bitterly.
	"Please don't say that." Ukyou admonished.  "It's so different
with you.  You came from nowhere, with no history and a past that seems
like a grim fairy tale.  When I first met you, it was like I met someone
that hated who they were.  I really could sympathize with that.  You know
how it was for me when Ran-chan ran off with the cart.
	"But it was different too.  I felt something different with you.
You were just like Ran-chan when we met." Ukyou chuckled at the thought.
"You were a little bashful when we talked and I know that you're pretty
shy when you want to say something to women; but when it comes down to it,
you speak your mind and you're completely honest.  It's something I wished
Ran-chan would do, but he doesn't.  He really can't help it I guess."
	"So what are you trying to tell me?"
	Ukyou swallowed.
	"I think that when you came here and made a little commotion by
worming your way into our lives, it really set off a few things.  It made
me realize that Ran-chan wasn't perfect.  I always thought that there
couldn't be anyone like Ran-chan because he was so wonderfully perfect.
Even when he acted silly, he did it perfectly.  But then you came along
and you were just like Ran-chan.  It really shook me up, to tell you the
truth.  It was like having two of him around.  One for Akane and one for
me." she said with a smile.
	Ken looked at Ukyou evenly.  He couldn't believe what he was
hearing.
	"I didn't know how to feel when you came along.  I-I think I
started liking you when we started talking in the restaurant.  There was
something about you that I really wanted to know better.  I guess this is
coming out all messed up." she said lamely.
	Ken got up from his seat and walked away from the swings and
stared into the sky.  The moon was coming out, and the sky was dimming
into a deep blue-black.  Stars were beginning to twinkle and it seemed
like the peace and silence of the surroundings was setting him up for
something that would make or break him.  He could hear Ukyou get up from
her seat and walk up behind him.  Ken turned slowly to face her in the dim
light.  The light from the moon reflected off her face, and he thought it
made her look like an angel.
	"Ken-chan, I can't explain why I feel the way I do.  I can't give
you a great big list of reasons why I like you.  I suppose if you gave me
a while, I could tell you," Ukyou said with a soft chuckle, "but it
wouldn't be the same.  Whenever I'm with you like this, it just feels so
awkward and perfect at the same time.  I care about Ran-chan a lot, but
it's times like this that make me forget all about it."
	Ken steeled himself.
	"I hope you feel the same way about me." Ukyou said quietly.  She
closed her eyes, moved her face forward and raised herself on her toes to
kiss him.  She felt his lips remain unresponsive.  When she broke the kiss
and looked up at him, Ken was simply looking at her stoically, as if he
were trying to look through her.  She quickly turned her head away, but
was stopped short when his hands came to cup her face.  She looked into
his face again to see him smiling at her warmly and there was a
mischievous twinkle in his eyes.  Ukyou was about to smile, but was cut
off when Ken bent forward and kissed her.  It was a gentle, featherlight
kiss that surprised Ukyou, but she found herself wanting more.   Ken was
pleasantly surprised when she hungrily returned the kiss and deepened it
enormously.
	Ukyou reveled in the feeling.  It was something she'd wanted from
Ranma, but never received.  Now she was experiencing everything she'd
dreamed Ranma would do for her.  The kiss was long and sweet, and Ukyou
drowned herself in the feeling.  She wrapped her arms around his neck and
felt him move his hands to wrap his arms around her waist.  They kissed
there in the park for what seemed like hours to Ukyou.  When they broke
apart, Ukyou buried herself in his chest and shed light tears of
happiness.  She closed her eyes and rejoiced that she finally received
what she always dreamed of getting.  It was a dream come true, and just as
she did in her previous dreams, she sighed his name quietly in bliss.
	"Oh, Ranma." she breathed quietly.  
Ukyou suddenly felt the warm body she nestled against freeze.  Warmth,
love and protection melted away in a sudden chill.  Arms slowly disengaged
themselves from around her and slowly removed her arms from their grip.
Ukyou remained where she was, frozen by the sudden turn of events.  She
felt the man of her dreams slowly move away from her until she felt the
cool breeze from the night blow between them.  As she looked up from where
she stood, Ukyou felt her dreams shatter into a million pieces.  Ukyou
could see the pain in his eyes, the feeling of betrayal that stabbed deep
in his heart.  The damage was done and Ukyou could only stand helplessly
frozen as she watched Ken slowly turn away and melt into the darkness that
slowly enveloped her.
	Ukyou called his name softly as she tried desperately to grasp at
the shattered pieces of her dream come true, only to find herself
clutching splinters and staring into a nightmare.



*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Ethan Tsai
1 N. College Street
Northfield, MN 55057

Member of SAUCE (it's what should* go on the okonomiyaki)
Civilian Advisor to the Warehouse, Chemical Superfreak
	Free Consultation on a Referral Basis
Member of USSRTFW:SR

TSAIE@Gridley.ACNS.Carleton.edu
http://public.carleton.edu/~tsaie/ethan.html