Jusenkyo Productions Proudly Presents
A Ranma � Fan Fiction
Dilemma

	I saw him again today, he came into my store happy and carefree, or at least until she showed up again. Damn her, why does she always have to come here with him? Can�t she see how unhappy she makes him? It ended the same as normal, she got mad that I gave him some free food and she punched him through the roof. She can�t cook, and at least I don�t charge him anything so he�s saving what little money he has, why can�t she just leave him and me alone?

	He was at school today, actually on time for once, or would have been if that idiot had challenged him to a fight. I wonder how many times it will take before he gets the idea that he isn�t even in the same league as Ranma is. He spent the time starting out the window as Miss. Hinako droned on and on about some English playwright. �To be or not to be� I mean, what kind of question is that? At lunch that Chinese bimbo showed up, I don�t blame him for trying to get away from her, I just wish that he could have taken me with him. He�s just so much fun to watch, the grace that he moves with, and the energy that he has. Being with him is like standing next to a flame. 

	I just wish that he would let me warm myself.

	He came back into my shop today. It was raining outside so he came in asking for some hot water and a place to stay until the rain let up. No matter how many times I�ve seen it, it still amazes me, his transformation from one sex to another. You�d think that being able to see things from both perspectives would make him able to deal with anybody wouldn�t you? Not him. I made him a special okonomiyaki, I even wrote something in the sauce like I used too, and he just ate it without saying anything. Sometimes I think that a brick has a better chance of seeing what�s going on than he does.

	He came into my shop again today, or rather he went through my shop again today. The Lost Boy somehow made his way back here and sure enough attacked him. She was right behind them, yelling at Ranma to stop picking on poor Ryoga. I wish she�d snag a clue. It�s pig-boy who starts all the fights. She doesn�t even realize that her pet �P-chan� is really that idiot Ryoga. How clueless do you have to be to not figure that one out?

	After a while he came back. Ryoga had run off and gotten lost, again. He had come back to apologize about wrecking my restaurant and had offered to pay for the damages. I had asked him how he planed to do that and he said he�d borrow money from Nabiki, in exchange for another favor. I know what Nabiki has done with those favors before. While I�ve enjoyed them sometimes, I want his love for free, not bought. I told him that it would be all right. And it will too, I think I�m actually making more money than Shampoo�s ramen shop. We talked for a long time that night. He complained about her of course, he always seems to be complaining about her. I tried suggesting that he�d be happier with someone else, but that didn�t seem to work. Sometimes I wonder just what is wrong with him, he never seems to see just what�s in front of him.

	There was a parade today, I guess that old pervert made it back from wherever Ranma had hit him too last time. From what I understand after talking to him afterwards, Happosai got him in trouble with Akane, and she started to chase him. Then they ran into Shampoo, Ryoga, Mousse, Kodachi, Pantyhose, Kuno, Cologne, and about ten other people. It sounded like an earthquake was coming down the street. I went along, it seemed like the fun thing to do. All of us ended up getting drenched when Ryoga burst one of the water mains. She of course was so delighted to find �P-chan�. It hurt to see the anger on his face while she cuddled him. I tried to comfort him, but he just pushed past me.

	I haven�t seen him for a month, I was worried as to what was going on when I found out that he and his father had left on another one of those training trips. She went along of course. Mr. Tendo and Mr. Saotome are still trying to get those two together. You would think that they�d have given up by now. I was hanging around when they came back. He said that he'd been poisoned by her cooking all the time and they started fighting again. I couldn't take it any more and I left.

	He came in again today, he said that his mother was back in town and that he needed to hide for a bit. I never really knew my mother so I never really know what to say to him. I think his mother being there hurts him more than anything else in the world. I tried to comfort him, but he was being stubborn about it. I think he takes this �man among men� thing way too seriously sometimes. Not that I really want to change him. Right before he left he said, �Thank you Ucchan, you�re the best friend I ever had.� My heart bled, why can�t he see that I want to be more?

	I can�t believe what happened last night, he came into the shop before closing, and for some reason, we both decided to have a little drink of some sake. We didn�t actually do it, but� I could feel it; he really does care for me. I want him so badly now. I�m scared though, he left late and said that he needed to think about a few things. What is there to think about? I love him and now I know he feels the same way about me.

	I haven�t seen him for a few weeks. This silence is killing me. Why doesn�t he call or come by? I keep on dreaming that he�ll come by any day and tell me that he�s left her and wants to spend the rest of his life with me.

	I finally saw him again today. He came by on his way back from school. I can�t believe it; he acts like nothing happened! That jerk! I admit that it was when we were both somewhat drunk, but he said he loved me, and now�

	He seems so distant now, I can�t really understand why. Every time I try to talk to him about it, he keeps pushing me away. We�re still friends, but� I�m wondering if he�s ashamed about what happened. I�ve tried to talk to him about it, tried to explain that it�s ok. He just acts like I didn�t say anything or changes the subject. The only thing that�s even weirder is that he never mentions her any more. Well at least not any more fights between the two.

	I finally found out what�s going on, I think. I had to bribe Nabiki, but at least I now know. Nabiki said that he and Akane are actually going out now. After that one night between us, he went home and ran into her. I can�t be sure of what they talked about, but Nabiki said that afterwards, they stopped fighting and seemed to be getting along. I don�t understand it, how could he? How could he share that with me and then go to her?

	He told me something today. �Ucchan,� he said, �I want you to know that you�re my best friend. I know that I can always count on you.� I�m not quite sure what that means. I tried to tell him that I loved him, and that I wanted to be more to him, but he just turned a deaf ear. I felt like hitting him with something. If I had my spatula with me I would have.

	My world was shattered today. He came in late last night, if I didn�t know any better I would have said that he had been crying. It took me a long time to get it out of him, and about 4 okonomiyakis. He finally said, �Ucchan, I need to tell someone about this, and I have no one to turn to.� I said that I would listen to anything he had to say. He responded that he didn�t want to hurt me and that he thought I�d get mad. I reminded him that I was his best friend and that I would always help him. He sighed and told me that he loved her.

	Her, not me.

	I was crushed, but I could hear the pain in his voice. I asked him to tell me all about it. It turned out that after he had gotten home from my shop that one night; he did run into Akane. They had talked, and he realized that while he was with me, he felt friendship, not love. The one he loved was her. They started hanging out more and more, even working out in the dojo. He said that one night they both were alone in the house and that, and that�

	He said, �Ucchan, I slept with her.�

	He took a deep shutting breath and went on. They had slept together a few more times. He now loves her more than anything. I was in shock; I just couldn�t say anything. In my heart, all my dreams about him and me, us, shriveled up and died. I was about to break down when I looked into his eyes. I couldn�t believe it. I�ve seen him beat up things most people would have run in terror from. I�ve seen him being beaten up. I�ve never seen him in so much pain and so afraid. 

	I pushed down my pain, I knew that he needed a friend right now, not a jealous fianc�e. Looking miserable he went on telling me that while he loves her, she doesn�t love him. He can tell, she likes him, and enjoys his affections and everything. (My mind shuttered back from the word �lovemaking�) but she doesn�t love him.
	I sat with him for hours trying to help him. Trying to cheer him up. Finally he went back home. Back to her.

	After he left I sat in my shop weeping. I screamed out my rage at this. I begged the kami as to why this had to happen. Was this some kind of joke that our feelings should be this way?

	The next day in school I looked at him, how he acts everything. I almost cried. He does love her. I can see that. Everything he does now is for her. But I could also see the pain, the knowledge that she doesn�t love him is in every movement. I feel like I�m in some kind of anime. You know the ones; it sounds like one of those love triangles that keep on showing up. The worse part is, he told me everything as a friend. He didn�t come to me as someone looking for someone else after a nasty breakup, but as someone who needed a friend, any friend.

	All that I could hear in school was his words, �I slept with her.� I know he needs someone to be there, to help him, but now I�m not sure if I can. I mean, how do I know that any advice I give to him is what is good for him, or what I want? Oh God, I still love him.

End.

Any c&c would be appreciated. 

JG    

	              

---
Here sir we come to famous training ground of accursed springs
--------------------------------------------------------------
|Guide of the training grounds|Ranma 1/2, Tenchi Muyo, BGC,  |
|of accursed springs, 8th     |AMG, Tank Police, Gall Force, |
|Disciple of Eriond, and proud|YUA, GitS, ADP, Evangelion    |
| member of the #SkAS#        |Project A-ko, UY, VPM, BGC!   |
|--------http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/6549 ----------------|
|Akane, Linna, Washu, Nene,   |Nene showed Mackie just how   |
|Skuld, Belldandy, Kiyone     |much she knew. Winter Blossoms|
---------------------------Jusenkyo---------------------------


Get your FREE, private e-mail
account at http://www.mailcity.com