As always, all rights to Ranma 1/2 belong to Rumiko Takahashi and
Shougakukan
Genma's Daughter
Chapter 14: Ranko
Original concept and sketch by Steve Pardue
Story by Deborah Goldsmith and Steve Pardue
Deborah Goldsmith <dgoldsmith@mac.com>
Steve Pardue <spardue@zebra.net>
http://www.zebra.net/~spardue/anime
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Akane stood outside her sister's door, biting her lip. Ranko had rushed
upstairs in tears the minute she had arrived home. No sounds had come out of
her room for the past hour, though she was supposed to be practicing her
violin. It didn't take a genius to know that something had happened with
Ryouga. The question was, should she try to help, or give Ranko some
privacy?
It wasn't a hard decision. Akane knocked on the door. "Sis? It's me."
There was a long pause, then, "Come in."
Akane slid the door open, then closed it behind her. Ranko was lying face
down on the bed, her face in her pillow. She hadn't even changed out of her
uniform.
Akane went over to sit next to her. "Do you want to talk about what
happened?"
Ranko stiffened, then relaxed a bit. She spoke, her voice muffled by the
pillow. "I... I freaked out."
"Over what?"
"His parents liked me."
Akane blinked. "Is that a problem?"
Ranko rolled over on her back; there were tears in her eyes, and it was
clear they were not the first to be shed tonight by far. "Yes, it was a
problem. They were just delighted with me. They made it very clear they were
looking forward to having me as a daughter-in-law. They treated me like a
member of the family. His mom told me to call her 'Mother.'" She scrunched
her face up in pain, and the tears flowed more freely. "I... I couldn't take
it, and... and I hurt him! I knew this was going to happen!"
"You hurt him?"
Ranko nodded. "I... I told him I wanted to take a break. That maybe we
should date other people. He... he got this look on his face, this awful
look. I felt like I was stabbing him in the back... He was so hurt..." She
started to sob, and Akane pulled her upright and into an embrace.
After a minute, Ranko calmed down a little. "He... he said something stupid,
because he was upset. It hurt, and I ran away, but... but it didn't hurt
nearly as much as it did to hurt him."
She hugged herself and leaned forward, sitting on the edge of the bed,
staring at the floor. "I've been dreading this since we started dating.
Hurting him."
"Do you know what you want to do?"
"I... I think I do need a break, t-to think. Maybe... maybe I should just
break it off here. If... if we got back together, and I hurt him again, I...
I don't think I could bear it." She started to sniffle again. "But... but
I... Oh, Kami-sama, I hope he's all right. I... I wonder what he's doing
right now?"
Akane stared at Ranko for a long moment, then sighed. "Tomorrow at school
may be rough. I have play practice into the evening, so I can't be here to
help. You come home and talk to Kasumi if you need to, you hear me? Don't go
off and cry by yourself. And your mom is coming for dinner; she should be
able to help too." She took Ranko by the shoulders and shook her a little.
"Don't try to keep this all inside and bear it all yourself, like you did as
Ranma. You don't have to any more. You have a family who loves you."
Ranko nodded, her face still screwed up in pain.
"What are you going to do tonight?"
Ranko's eyes wandered over to her music stand and violin case. "I... I
really ought to practice..."
"Maybe that will help get your mind off things. Besides, you want to wow
them at the recital, right?" Ranko nodded again, and blew out her breath.
Akane stood and went to the door. "I'll come check up on you later." She
went out and closed the door behind her.
She walked down the hall to her room, and went inside, pulling the door
closed. She sat on the bed, put her head in her hands, and let out an
enormous sigh. "Ranko no baka..."
She lifted her head as she heard Ranko begin to practice her recital piece.
The playing seemed lifeless compared to what it had been the other evening
when Ranko had played it for her family. After a minute or so, there was a
mistake, and the playing stopped. It was a full minute before Ranko started
playing again, and Akane pursed her lips in worry. Tuesday was not far off,
and Ranko seemed to be going in the wrong direction...
The next day, Friday, Ranko moved through her school day like a robot. In
class, she stared off into space, and was reprimanded for not paying
attention. She didn't seem to hear when people spoke to her. By lunchtime,
her friends were deeply concerned. As they were collecting their bentos,
Sayuri turned to Ranko, who was still sitting at her desk. "Ranko-chan...
aren't you coming?"
Ranko's eyes focused. "Huh? Oh... oh yeah. I'll be right there." She sat in
the empty classroom for a minute, before she shook herself and headed off.
On the way to the cafeteria, she turned a corner and nearly collided with
Ryouga, whose eyes widened in surprise. They stared at each other for a
moment, and then, with a sad look on his face, he turned and walked away.
She stared after the direction he had gone, and simply dissolved into tears;
she had never felt such a black depression in all her life. She stood there,
sobbing into her hands.
After a time, she collected herself and continued on to the table she
usually shared with her friends. They watched as she sat there, staring at
her bento without taking a bite. Akane had given them the gist of what had
happened, but rather than try to cheer her up with empty platitudes, they
thought it best to avoid the subject. What was there to say?
Shampoo tried to think of something to distract her friend. "Ranko, I'm
really looking forward to hearing you play at the recital. Great-Grandmother
and I enjoyed it when you played for us the other day."
Ranko looked up, and an abortive smile crossed her lips. "Thanks, Shampoo."
She started staring off into space again. Her friends looked at each other.
Just then, Megumi walked up, looking as if she were about a foot off the
ground. She was too preoccupied to notice the funereal air at the table.
"Guys, you will never guess what just happened!" she bubbled. "Matsumoto-kun
finally asked me out for tonight, Christmas Eve!" She sighed. "He's taking
me to a fancy restaurant downtown! He's been planning it for weeks... I
thought the baka had forgotten about it, but he said he wanted it to be a
surprise. It'll be so romantic! I..." She trailed off, as she noticed the
tears running down Ranko's face. Uh oh...
"Ummmm... but... enough about me." She sat down without another word.
Her friends watched as Ranko buried her face in her folded arms, her
shoulders shaking slightly. Akane gently rubbed her back and whispered
soothing words. Ranko never did eat her lunch.
*****
Kasumi heard the front door open and close quickly, and waited for a call of
"Tadaima!" which never came. She was just popping her head out the kitchen
door to see who had come in when she caught sight of a flash of red hair
streaking up the stairs, accompanied by the pounding of petite feet. A door
opened and was slammed shut.
She sighed, and had turned to go back in the kitchen, when her ears caught
the faint sound of sobs drifting down the stairs. She bit her lip; she was
in the middle of making dinner. Her indecision lasted only a moment,
however, and after turning off the stove, covering her pots and pans, and
putting her ingredients back in the refrigerator, she headed upstairs.
She knocked on her little sister's door. "Ranko?" The crying abated, but
there was no other response. Emboldened, Kasumi entered.
Ranko was once again face down on the bed. Kasumi went over, sat down, and
took Ranko's hand. She gave it a tug.
"Ranko, dear..."
"What?" came the muffled voice.
"Don't cry up here by yourself. I want you to come downstairs with me. I'll
make us some tea, and then you can tell me all about it, OK?"
Ranko turned over and slowly sat up. "O-OK..."
Kasumi put an arm around her, and squeezed. "Come on, imouto-chan."
Ranko nodded shakily, and they both stood. "Oneechan?"
"Mmmm?"
"Why don't you call me 'Ranko-chan' any more?"
Kasumi smiled a merry smile. "Now, why would I call you that? I don't call
Akane 'Akane-chan', do I? That's not the way you speak to a member of your
family."
Ranko felt the weight in her heart lessen, just a little bit. A tiny smile
appeared on her face. "No, I guess not..." Kasumi grinned, and squeezed her
again.
A few minutes later, they sat facing each other at the table. Ranko was
sipping a cup of tea, and reflecting on how Kasumi's calm, cheerful demeanor
and sympathetic nature could make any problem seem smaller.
With a little encouragement from her big sister, Ranko related what had
happened. Kasumi listened, nodding and sipping on her tea from time to time.
"So you feel like you need a break because it's too overwhelming, but you
also feel like you're hurting him."
Ranko nodded. "He... he looked so hurt when I told him... and today, at
school, he didn't even want to talk to me! He... he turned away when he saw
me..." Tears were running down her cheeks again.
Kasumi regarded the redhead speculatively, and took another sip of tea,
while Ranko reached over to a box of tissues and took one, dabbing at her
eyes with it. "What exactly is it that you're afraid of? What is it that's
so overwhelming to you?"
Ranko's mouth became a thin line. "He's the first boy I ever dated. We... we
have a rocky history. I... I mean, am I just dating him because he's the
first guy who asked me out? What if we shouldn't get married?"
Kasumi shook her head. "No one is saying you have to get married, even if
people have that expectation."
"But... his parents... my friends..."
Kasumi smiled, but was there a tinge of... sadness? "Ranko, people want a
happy ending, the traditional ending. They look at you two together, and of
course they jump to that conclusion. But if things don't work out between
the two of you, no one will think the worse of you for it. That kind of
thing happens all the time. Relationships get broken off because they don't
work out. It's part of life." She added softly, "Sometimes... they don't
even get started."
She took another sip of tea, and looked unusually serious. "Besides, he's
not the first boy who has asked you out, is he?"
Ranko nodded, surprised. "You're... you're right."
"Did you worry about how hurt Hirota-kun would be when you turned him down?
Or that boy who asked you when you were at the beach?"
"N-no..."
"So why are you so worried about Ryouga-kun being hurt? Why is having hurt
him upsetting you so much?" Kasumi tilted her head in inquiry.
Ranko didn't have an answer, and sat there for a while, lost in thought.
Kasumi studied the embarrassed girl. She upended her teacup to finish it,
and leaned forward slightly. "Ranko, dear, waiting for the other shoe to
drop can be a trap. You put part of your life on hold, waiting for
certainty... and waiting. Sometimes, certainty doesn't come, and opportunity
has slipped by you." She sighed. "And putting your life on hold is a sad
thing; you're only young once. Believe me, I know."
Ranko was shocked. "O-oneechan?!"
Kasumi smiled. "Please, don't mention this to Nabiki or Akane; I wouldn't
want them to feel any more guilty than they already do. I chose to follow
this path with my eyes wide open, and I have no regrets. My family needed
someone, I was the eldest, and I knew Mother would rest easier. And in
another couple of years, I can get back to my own life."
Her expression sobered. "But dear, you don't have my problem. You don't have
an obligation holding you back, only your own doubts and uncertainties.
Don't wait for them to go away on their own.
"You have to find out how you feel about Ryouga-kun. If you love him, then
don't worry about where it will end up. If you do marry him eventually, what
does it matter that there might be another man -- or a hundred or a thousand
-- whom you also could have loved and married, as long as you *do* love
Ryouga-kun?" She poured herself another cup of tea, while Ranko sat there,
deep in thought. Kasumi waited patiently for her, taking a sip from time to
time.
"You know... Oneechan... I... I know I'm scared of the idea of getting
married, especially to the first guy I date... it's such a huge
commitment... but... but I also like the idea. I... I want to be a mother...
I want to be a wife..." she trailed off. "I had a dream about being a bride
while I was sleeping at Ryouga's house yesterday. It... it started off nice,
but it turned into a nightmare..."
Kasumi reached over and patted Ranko's hand. "You've got a weekend coming
up. Try to take it easy. Practice for your recital, and think about things."
"But Ryouga... I hurt him..."
"Ranko, if Ryouga-kun truly loves you, a couple of days is not going to
shake that. A love that can last through a lifetime of marriage can survive
a couple of days after a fight." Kasumi blushed. "But you're right, too. It
would be unkind to make him wait too long for an answer if he cares for you
that much."
Ranko nodded, and smiled gratefully at Kasumi. "Thank you, Oneechan. Talking
with you helped. It always does." She seemed struck by a thought. "You know,
I used to think I was unlucky because my parents are estranged, because I
didn't see my mother for so long. When I was at Ryouga's house, I was
jealous that his family is together again." She blushed. "But I just
realized, I've got something not many people have: I have two families. I
still have my mother and my father, but I've also got three wonderful
sisters in my other family." She beamed. "In some ways, I'm pretty lucky
after all."
Kasumi smiled and nodded, her eyes suddenly a little wet, and squeezed
Ranko's hand.
*****
Ranko lowered her bow and sighed. She wasn't making horrible mistakes like
she had the night of her fight with Ryouga, but the piece was not holding
together like it had before. There was just something missing, and she
couldn't figure out what it was. This had been going on since her talk with
Kasumi yesterday.
Her mother, who had come for dinner the night before and stayed for the
weekend, picked up on her mood. "What is it, dear?"
Ranko shook her head. "I... I'm missing something. It's just not perfect the
way it was before. It's OK, but... but just OK. I... I guess I'm still
distracted about Ryouga..."
Nodoka eyed her daughter carefully. "What are your thoughts about that?"
Ranko pursed her lips. "I... I guess I'm still scared of how fast things
have been going. Suppose... suppose we're not right for each other? Suppose
it's a mistake?"
Nodoka sighed. "There's no way to know that in advance, dear. You have to
try it to see if it works. Have you?"
Ranko realized she was not going to get anywhere on her violin at the
moment, and laid it down so she could join her mother on the sofa. "Well,
yes... but every time marriage rears its head, I... I get spooked."
Nodoka shook her head. "Kasumi-chan, Ryouga-kun, and I have all told you
that you don't have to make that decision now."
"I know... but..."
Nodoka waited, and Ranko eventually continued. "But somehow, I just feel
like it *is* an issue. Like I *am* making that decision."
"Dear, you don't need to worry about it until you and he actually get ready
to make a commitment. Why worry about it now?"
Ranko frowned. Why *was* she worrying about this so much now? "I... I guess
you're right, Mother. I mean, I could wind up marrying someone else
entirely..." she trailed off.
Nodoka looked at her curiously. "Is something wrong, dear?"
Ranko looked terribly confused. "Just now... when I thought about marrying
someone else... I..." Why had the idea bothered her so much? It had bothered
her the day before, too, when Kasumi had mentioned it. The very idea filled
her with dread. But she didn't know for certain that she was going to marry
Ryouga, did she, so why...? She tried to imagine marrying someone else,
someone who she would know with *certainty* she loved deeply. All she felt
was an awful emptiness in her heart. If I did that, if I was with someone
else, I... I...
I wouldn't be with *him*. Suddenly her heart just about stopped.
Ryouga, who didn't cry out "You've made my life hell!", but instead called
her his angel. Ryouga, whose face had lit up like a little boy's when he got
his GPS receiver. Ryouga, who said he couldn't imagine a better way to spend
his life than sharing it with her. Ryouga, who had made Miki laugh when
everyone else had failed. Ryouga, who had been willing to spend a whole
evening as a girl, just so he could be near her. Ryouga, in whom anger and
depression had given way to love and caring. Ryouga, with his endearing
fang-toothed grin. Ryouga, whose mere touch was enough to make her feel
safe, like all was right with the world, whose embrace touched her deeply,
whose strong arms had held her as they flew over rooftops...
Ryouga, without whom, she had just realized, she could not imagine spending
her life. Suddenly, she knew why staying with Ryouga felt to her like a
commitment to get married. Why staying with him felt like they already
*were* married.
She became aware of her surroundings again. "Mother... I... I have to go
somewhere."
Nodoka nodded. "If you say so, dear. Call if you're going to be late for
dinner."
Ranko nodded and hurried from the room, not noticing as her mother's face
broke into an affectionate smile behind her.
*****
CRACK!
Ryouga finished letting out his breath and regarded the shattered cinder
block fragments lying on the ground in his family's tiny garden. His gaze
shifted to the remains of the dozen or so he'd destroyed already.
He'd considered using the Bakusai Tenketsu, but he didn't want to risk
breaking a window with the explosion, and... and... damn it, it was too
easy! He wanted to *break* something, and *feel* it break, not hit it with a
finger and watch it explode.
He sighed. First I turn into Kunou, and now I'm turning into Akane-san...
He was getting another cinder block ready to destroy when his instincts
kicked in. He backed up into his ready stance as a shadow flitted across
him: the shadow of an intruder leaping down from above.
His eyes bugged out, and he eased his stance; it was Ranko. Or was it
Ranma-chan?! She was wearing her Chinese clothes, an outfit he hadn't seen
since she had become Ranko again. He looked more closely and relaxed; it was
Ranko after all. Ranma-chan wouldn't have been caught dead with her hair
styled and cute little G-clef studs in her ears.
She was breathing heavily, as if from great exertion. "What's with the
outfit?"
She tried to catch her breath. "I... I wanted to... get here in a hurry...
and... and I didn't have... any other clothes that were... good for
running... over rooftops." She paused a moment, still panting. "I guess I'm
not... in as good shape as I used to be."
"Why were you in such a hurry?"
"I... I had to come here and tell you something."
Ryouga's heart sank. Here it comes... "Yeah? What did you need to hurry to
tell me?"
She didn't answer, but just examined him critically for a while. He was
starting to feel terribly uneasy when suddenly she darted forward and
slammed into him, pinning him against the wall of the house. She was no
longer even close to fast enough to catch him unawares in combat, but his
guard had been down. Wh-what's going on?! Is she attacking me?
But she wasn't attacking him. She was just holding him pinned against the
wall, her face buried in his chest. Ryouga couldn't figure out what was
going on. Finally, just as he noticed that she was trembling, a small,
frightened, slightly muffled voice came out. "Ryouga... I... I... I l-love
you."
No... she couldn't have just said... "Wh-what?"
"I... I love you, Ryouga. I don't want to date anyone else, because I love
*you*. I know you're probably still mad at me for... for suggesting it,
but... URK!" She was cut off by having the breath literally squeezed out of
her. This was no gentle embrace; this was a death grip. I... can't...
breathe...
Luckily, the pneumatic press only lasted a moment; it rapidly faded into
Ryouga's gentle embrace. She sighed and pressed a little closer. They stayed
that way for a minute, until Ranko was startled by the sounds of quiet
sniffling.
She loosened her embrace and looked up; tears were running down Ryouga's
cheeks. "What's wrong?"
He shook his head. "I... I thought I'd lost you. It's something I've been
afraid of since I knew I loved you. I was afraid you wouldn't want to date
me at all, and once you agreed to, I was afraid you wouldn't love me and
would break it off." He took a deep breath. "You know how I told you I'd be
happy having fallen in love with you, even if you didn't choose me?" Ranko
nodded. "I lied. Not just to you, but to myself."
He drew her into his embrace again, and his voice was heavy. "I love you,
too, Ranko. Th-thank you." They didn't say anything for a while.
Finally, her voice drifted up from his chest again, forlorn. "I'm sorry I
hurt you. I'm sorry I made you mad. I... it's been driving me crazy the last
two days. I'm so sorry."
He shook his head and rubbed her back as he held her. "I wasn't mad. What
made you think that? Depressed, yes, but not mad."
She looked up in surprise. "But... at school yesterday..."
"I wasn't mad. You said you needed a break, some time off. I thought it was
upsetting you to see me. I... I could never hurt you."
"Ryouga no baka," she said softly, and snuggled back into his chest.
"What made you realize you loved me?"
She looked up again. "I realized why staying with you felt like such a
commitment. It wasn't because other people were forcing me into it. They
were just making me think about it. It... it was because I already was
committed, in my heart. Like you said, I couldn't imagine loving anyone
else; I couldn't imagine living my life with anyone else. I tried, and...
and I just couldn't.
"I... I felt like we were already married because... because..." she smiled
tremulously, "in the most important way, we... we are." She put a hand
gently over the center of his chest. "We're... we're married here. A
ceremony doesn't tie us together. Our hearts do."
A broad, joyful smile spread over his face. He nodded, and cupped her cheek
with his hand. He tilted his head down, and she tilted hers up, and as their
eyes closed their lips came together. Ranko felt a swirl of emotions, but
she had a name for it now: it was love, her love for Ryouga. She gave her
love to him, and he gave her his love in return, and it tied them together.
They shared that feeling as they kissed.
After a while, they separated, and just looked into each other's eyes.
"I'm sorry we missed Christmas Eve..."
She shook her head. "It's OK." Suddenly a mischievous look appeared in her
eye. "I've got an idea. I want you to take me somewhere."
He nodded. "Name it. Where?"
She grinned. "It doesn't matter. I want you to do it with your GPS receiver
turned off. Let's get lost together for a while." He grinned, too.
"Just bring him back by tonight, dear."
They both shrieked and jumped, and suddenly they were five feet apart and
turning bright red.
"Mom! Dad! How long have you been standing there watching?!"
Ryouga's father snorted. "Ever since the house shook when she slammed you
into the wall, Son. It kinda grabbed our attention."
"Oh..." said Ranko in a small voice.
Ryouga grinned, and took her by the hand. "Come on, Ranma-chan." She pouted
at the name. "I like your idea."
She followed him into the house, and he grabbed his coat and borrowed one of
his mother's for her. They headed for the door.
"Children, will you be back for dinner?"
Ranko turned back to Aneha and smiled. "Yes, we will, Mother."
*****
Ryouga held his head in his hands, his elbows on his desk and his fingers
gripping his unruly black hair. He stared at the equations in his math
textbook for the hundredth time. I'm never going to get this... Kami-sama,
making up for a couple of lost years is hard...
He didn't notice that the music had stopped until he felt two slim arms wrap
around his neck and a chin on his shoulder; her hair tickled his ear. "What
are you working on now?" Ranko asked as she hugged him from behind, peering
at his textbook. "Trigonometry? Hmmm."
He took a brief moment to savor her embrace. "Yeah. Still struggling with
it."
"It took me a while to get that, too."
He turned his head and they shared a quick kiss. "How about you? Done
practicing?"
She let go and straightened up, and he swiveled his desk chair around to
face her. She shook her head. "No, I just wanted to take a break, and see
what you were doing." She smiled.
Ryouga smiled, too. This was about the tenth time in the last two hours that
she had stopped practicing to see what he was doing. Not to mention the
couple of times he had looked around and found her just watching him
quietly, her chin propped up on her palms and a dreamy smile on her face.
He had loved her for so long in the face of her uncertainty and nervousness
about her own feelings that having her show her love so unambiguously was
exhilarating. He felt practically intoxicated. They were both having a
little trouble focusing on what they were supposed to be doing.
"Are you going to be OK for your recital? It's the day after tomorrow."
She stuck her tongue out. "Slave driver." She smiled. "I think I'll be OK.
Tell me what you think." She walked back over to his bed and picked up her
violin and bow, closed her eyes for a long moment, then began to play.
He watched her, mesmerized. He knew she had years of training ahead of her,
but at that moment she seemed ready to walk on stage right then and there.
There was something about her playing that he couldn't put his finger on,
but which clearly spoke of great things to come.
When she was done, he swallowed. "It... it sounded perfect to me."
She laughed. "Not quite yet. But I'm getting there." She blushed. "It's more
than good enough for the recital already. What I'm doing right now is just
for me, and... and for Kobayakawa-sensei and Murata-sensei. I want to see
just how good I can make it."
He smiled. "You're working really hard. Have you decided to be a violinist?"
"I... I think so. There's one more thing I need to know." He looked at her
quizzically. "I want to see how I feel trying to play this standing in front
of eight hundred people." He turned a little pale, and nodded.
There was a knock at the door, and Aneha's voice. "Ranko-chan? There's a
phone call for you. It's your mother."
Ranko put her violin down and hurried over to the door. She opened it, and
Ryouga's mother was on the other side, holding a cordless phone. The older
woman handed it to her with a smile. "Thank you, Mother." Ranko closed the
door.
"Hello, Mother?... Oh, she did?... All right, I'll call her back... Yes...
yes, we will. Bye."
Ranko hung up. "Kobuchizawa Noriko called. Oh, and Mother wanted to
double-check that we would be at the Tendous for dinner tonight." Ryouga
nodded.
She dialed a number, and waited. "Hello... it's Saotome Ranko... I'm fine,
thank you, how are you?... She did?" Ranko smiled. She listened for a while,
then her face fell. "Oh, Noriko-san, I'm so sorry. I would love to, but I
have to practice for my recital Tuesday night... Yes... yes, after the
recital is fine... When? The talent show starts at 7:30, but I don't know
yet when my part will be... Yes, it's going to be long, there are lots of
students participating... Yes, I think it would be too late for Miki-chan...
Really?! I'd be so happy if you could... I know... Yes, I'll come by after
Tuesday... OK... I hope so... Goodbye."
She hung up and turned to Ryouga, who was trying to puzzle out what was
going on. "She wanted to know if I could come over and play with Miki today.
It seems Miki saw a picture of a redhead in one of Noriko's fashion
magazines and got all excited." She giggled. "She said she's going to try to
make it to my recital by herself, if her husband can make it home from work
on time Tuesday night and take care of Miki."
Her face turned thoughtful. "I think everyone I know is going to be
there..."
Ryouga got up and walked over to her, and wrapped his arms around her from
behind. "Nervous?"
She sighed and leaned against him, and turned her face up to smile at him.
"Right now, with you holding me? Impossible." He grinned.
Her smile turned sheepish. "We'll see how I feel when I'm standing up there
on stage..."
*****
Murata-sensei slowly plowed through the crowd collected outside the
Fuurinkan auditorium, making his way towards the doors. It was going to be a
long night, and the students and parents were waiting as long as possible
before taking their seats. Murata-sensei wanted to get a good seat so that
he could get some sense of how Ranko-chan was holding up during her
performance. If that meant sitting through an evening of student talent
productions, so be it.
He finally made it to the doors, and surveyed the auditorium. There! Eight
rows back, a single seat. He started making his way down the aisle.
He was just passing row 15 when he heard a voice. "Sensei!" He stopped, and
swiveled his head about in an attempt to track down whoever had called out
to him -- assuming it wasn't another teacher who had been the target.
His eyes stopped on a man waving from about ten seats in, and his face lit
up in a grin. "Sada-san!" Sada-san pointed at an empty seat next to him.
Murata-sensei took a brief look at the stage; this was close enough. He
started working his way past the people who were already seated, earning
looks of resigned irritation. The whole time, he had a somewhat manic grin
on his face, which served to irritate the people even more.
He was grinning because Sada-san was a music critic for the Asahi
newspapers. A somewhat stuffy music critic. Tonight was definitely going to
be fun.
He slid into the seat next to Sada-san and his wife, whom he had met once at
a party. "Good evening, Sada-san, Ma'am." he nodded to the two of them.
"What are you doing here?"
Sada-san looked him over carefully. "I could ask the same of you."
Murata-sensei grinned. "I asked first."
Sada-san rolled his eyes. Murata-sensei could be a little trying at times.
"Our eldest son attends this school, and he's in the show tonight." He waved
his hands. "Normally I wouldn't come to something like this, but..." his
wife glared at him, "ummm, of course I wanted to see our boy on stage." His
wife seemed mollified. Murata-sensei got the distinct impression that
attending had been a subject of somewhat emotional debate.
"What will your son be doing?"
Sada-san shifted uncomfortably in the metal auditorium seat, and his wife
glared at him again. "He and some of his friends have a... a rock band."
Murata-sensei nodded sagely. Things were becoming clearer.
"How about you, Sensei? You don't live in this area, do you? Do you have a
child attending here?"
The professor shook his head. "I live close to the University. I'm here to
watch a student perform."
You could almost hear the little beep... beep... beep as Sada-san's radar
locked on. "Oh? A student?"
Murata-sensei grinned. "Yes. She's a student of one my own students, who
teaches here."
"What instrument does she play?"
"Violin."
"Is she good?"
Murata-sensei studied his fingernails. "I think so."
Sada-san sat up a little straighter. "How long has she been studying?"
"About three and a half months."
Click. The radar turned off and retracted. Sada-san relaxed into his seat
again. "Oh, a beginner, and high school age at that." He laughed. "You had
me going there for a moment." He shook his head. "I have to say, Sensei, I'm
surprised you would attend something like this for a beginning student." He
turned back to face the stage.
Murata-sensei shrugged elaborately. "Oh, I don't know. I think she has some
potential. Let me know what you think after you hear her."
"Mmm." Sada-san stifled a yawn.
Murata-sensei tried hard not to laugh.
*****
Kobayakawa-sensei sighed and looked at her watch again. "Where is that
girl?"
Hiroshi and Sayuri fidgeted nervously. Sayuri spoke up diffidently. "I'm
sure she'll be here, Sensei. There's still a few minutes until the show
starts, and we're not on for a while, right?"
Kobayakawa-sensei tried to relax. "You're right, Sayuri-chan, of course. I
guess I'm just nervous." She turned away from the stage door to her two
pupils, who were dressed smartly in rented gown and tuxedo. "How about you
two? How are you feeling?"
Sayuri and Hiroshi looked at each other. Hiroshi shrugged. "I have low
expectations, so I know I won't be disappointed."
Sensei chided him, "Hiroshi-kun!"
He chuckled. "Sorry, just kidding. I'm doing OK, I guess. I think I'm
ready."
Sayuri nodded. "Me too, Sensei."
Kobayakawa-sensei opened her mouth to respond, but the stage door opened,
and she swung about to look. Ranko was coming in with her mother. The older
woman was carrying a garment bag, while Ranko carried her violin. Akane,
already in costume as Juliet and standing with the other members of the
drama club, excused herself and came over.
"Ranko-chan! Where have you been?" asked Sensei.
"At the salon."
Sensei looked a little closer. "Oh, you got your hair done!" Ranko's hair
had been styled very nicely. Her red hair practically shone as it flowed
over her shoulders, and it had been given a slight wave that made it seem
fuller and more luxurious.
Ranko nodded, blushing. "It was Mother's idea. I'm sorry, it took longer
than we thought."
Sensei laughed. "Doesn't it always?"
Akane added, "Your hair looks great, Sis!"
Nodoka inclined her head. "I'm sorry for the delay, Sensei."
Sensei shook her head. "It's all right. Do hurry up and get dressed, though,
OK?" Ranko nodded, and she and her mother headed for the dressing rooms.
A few minutes later, Kimura-sensei, who had been pressed into service as the
show director, came over to talk to Kobayakawa-sensei. "Sensei, you wanted
to speak to me?"
Kobayakawa-sensei nodded. "I know you have us near the middle now, but I
think it would be best if we were the last act."
Kimura-sensei looked surprised. "Usually people ask to be moved up, but if
that's the way you want it, then there's certainly no problem. You're sure?"
Kobayakawa-sensei nodded. "All right." Kimura-sensei made some scribbles on
her clipboard. "Do you need more time to practice?"
"Errr... something like that, yes." Sayuri and Hiroshi looked at each other
and grinned, and Akane smiled quietly.
Kimura-sensei nodded, and hurried off to deal with her next crisis.
Just then, the door to the dressing room opened, and Hiroshi's jaw dropped.
Ranko was wearing a simple but elegant dark green formal gown that was
nothing short of stunning on her. She was also wearing the green jade
earrings Sayuri had given her, and they both offset the beautiful color of
her hair. She was wearing just a trace of makeup.
She looked ready for a social function at the Imperial Palace. Or a photo
shoot. Heads turned everywhere among the students waiting for their turn on
stage. There were a couple of wolf-whistles, causing Ranko's cheeks to turn
red.
Sensei beamed. "Ranko-chan, that gown looks absolutely wonderful on you."
The redhead smiled and said "Thank you, Sensei," while Nodoka and Akane
glowed with quiet pride.
Sayuri nodded. "It must have cost you a fortune, Ranko-chan!"
Ranko and Akane looked at each other and laughed. "The only thing it cost me
was my dignity." Sayuri looked at her curiously. "I was trying it on, just
window shopping, really, and the saleslady dumped a cup of tea all over me.
The store owner insisted on giving it to me." She shook her head. "I never
dreamed I'd actually find an occasion to wear it."
Hiroshi was still standing there with his mouth open. Sayuri bopped him on
the head. "You can reel in your tongue now!" Everyone laughed.
Hiroshi moaned and put his head in his hands. "Why didn't I ask her on a
date when I had the chance?" Ranko lowered her eyes.
Sayuri bopped him on the head again. "Behave yourself! You're embarrassing
her."
Sensei was grinning at the shenanigans; it would help the students relax.
"Hiroshi-kun, where's your clarinet?"
He looked around. "Ummm... I just put it down somewhere around here... Oh,
over there." He walked over to a chair by the side of the wings, and picked
it up, waving it like a baton. "Here."
Suddenly the lights on the stage went up, and Ranko clutched her violin a
little tighter. "I guess we're finally getting started. Sensei, when are we
on?"
Sensei smiled at her. "Our recital will be the last part of the program,
Ranko-chan. Don't be nervous, I'm sure you'll do fine." The redhead nodded
uncertainly.
Ranko looked around. "I wonder where Ryouga is? He said he'd meet me
backstage before the show started."
Akane nodded. "He's usually pretty prompt these days."
*****
At that moment, Hibiki Ryouga was engaged in an uncomfortably familiar
activity: looking around and trying to figure out where he was. His GPS
receiver had been silent for an awfully long time, this farm didn't look
much like someplace in Tokyo, and he should have been at Fuurinkan by now.
He pulled the unit out of his pocket to look at it. The display was blank.
"What the...?" He experimentally tried pushing a few buttons. Nothing.
Finally, he tried pushing the power button again. The unit came on, and the
display flickered briefly with the words "low battery," then went out again.
"Oh, shit..."
*****
A particularly bad rock band had just finished their act, when Ranko glanced
nervously at the clock on the wall. There was still a good hour to go before
the recital portion of the program, but she was starting to get nervous.
Ryouga was quite late. Where could he be?
Kimura-sensei spoke from a microphone at center stage. "Everyone, next will
be the Fuurinkan High School drama club, performing Act I, Scene V from
'Romeo and Juliet' by William Shakespeare." There was polite applause.
"That's us!" said Akane. "Wish me luck, Sis."
Ranko hugged her sister and beamed. "You'll be great, I'm sure."
Akane held up two crossed fingers, and Ranko laughed. Akane went off to join
the other actors who were waiting to go on stage.
Ranko scanned the throng of students in costume, wondering who was going to
be Romeo. Ah, that looked like him... oh, her, that's right, they had
decided Romeo would be played by a girl, to avoid the problems from the last
attempt. The girl looked awfully familiar...
Suddenly, her jaw dropped. The girl wearing the Romeo costume... was
Shampoo! Her hair was tied up tight in a bun. She and the other guests at
the ball in this scene filed out and took their places, while the
"Capulets," Akane included, waited for their cue.
The scene began, as one of the students, a servant, spoke: "Where's Potpan,
that he helps not to take away?" Ranko watched, entranced. Shampoo, acting
Shakespeare? The scene soon reached the encounter between Romeo and Juliet.
"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." said Juliet.
"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take." answered Romeo, and they
kissed.
Ranko had to admit this was going a lot better than the last time, and,
Amazon warrior or not, Shampoo was doing a very credible Romeo. Her diction
was flawless, and she wasn't a bad actress, either. The audience seemed to
agree; there was an air of careful attention that hung over them as the
scene progressed.
And Akane... Akane was finally doing something she had wanted to do for
years: play Juliet. It might be only one scene, it might mean kissing
Shampoo, but it was going very well, with no crazy disruptions. Akane glided
gracefully around the stage and effortlessly through her lines. Ranko smiled
for her sister.
*****
Ryouga looked down the main street of the small village. There! A general
store. They should have batteries.
An older man was just locking up when Ryouga walked up. A woman who looked
to be his wife was washing down the sidewalk. "Excuse me, sir, I need to buy
some batteries..."
The man turned around. "Sorry, son. I just closed."
Ryouga's voice took on a pleading tone. "Please, I need batteries for my GPS
receiver. I'm lost, and I need it to get to my girlfriend's violin recital.
I'm late already."
The man tsked and looked irritated. "Look, son, save the tall tales for
someone else. I told you, I'm closed."
"It's not a tall tale!"
The man eyed him skeptically. "Yeah, right."
Just then, Ryouga was caught by a stray splash from the hose the man's wife
was using. She hurried over. "Oh, I'm so sorry..." her voice trailed off.
The couple's eyes bugged out as the young man they were talking to grew half
a head shorter and somewhat more curvaceous.
Ryouga batted her eyelashes. "Please, sir?" she asked, using female speech
in the cutest voice she could muster. "I would be ever so grateful!"
The couple stared at her for a moment. The man swallowed. "What size d'ya
need?"
Well, what do you know, it *does* work, Ryouga thought. She smiled prettily.
"Thank you *so* much! I need triple-A's. And do you have any hot water?"
*****
Ranko watched nervously as Kimura-sensei announced, "And finally, as our
last portion of tonight's program, three students from Kobayakawa-sensei's
music class will be performing in recital. Kobayakawa-sensei?" Ranko's
teacher walked on stage, and took the microphone.
"Good evening, everyone. First will be Kobayashi Sayuri on the piano,
playing 'Fur Elise' by Ludwig van Beethoven."
Sayuri flashed a nervous smile at Ranko, who whispered "Ganbatte, ne..."
Sayuri nodded and walked out on stage.
She bowed, and was just sitting down at the piano when the stage door
opened, and Ryouga rushed in. He hurried over to where Ranko was standing.
She turned to face him. "There you are! You're just barely in time! What
happened?"
He held up his GPS receiver. "Batteries died." He grinned sheepishly. She
giggled, and some of her tension left her.
He did a double-take as he looked her over more carefully. "Wow. You look
incredible." He put his hands on her shoulders. "You're so beautiful..." And
I'm so lucky....
Suddenly her impending performance seemed far, far away. The feel of
Ryouga's hands on her bare shoulders was doing things to her, and she looked
up into his eyes with a tremulous smile. They just stood there for a while,
looking at each other.
The sound of Sayuri's piano playing caught their attention, and they turned
to watch. Akane emerged from the dressing rooms and joined them. She had
removed her makeup and costume and was back in street clothes.
Ranko whispered "You were great, Sis!" They hugged briefly, then turned back
to watch Sayuri play.
She soon finished, to a round of enthusiastic applause, and came back into
the wings as Hiroshi was announced.
Sayuri found herself being embraced from either side, and gladly returned
it. "That was beautiful, Sayuri-chan!" whispered Akane. Ranko nodded
enthusiastically.
Sayuri was grinning; she was pleased she had been able to keep her cool, and
hadn't made any serious mistakes. "Thanks, guys." Even though I know
everyone is going to forget about my performance in about five minutes...
As Hiroshi played his clarinet, Ranko started to fidget nervously. Ryouga
put an arm around her. "Hey. You can do it."
Akane nodded. "Think about everything you've done, all your talents, all the
battles you've fought. You fought Cologne, who's over a century older than
you, and held your own. You learned this piece in less than two months. You
*can* do it. It's just like a battle: you have to keep your control, stay
focused. I know you have that control." She took Ranko's hand and squeezed
it. "Remember, self-confidence, not arrogance." Ranko nodded slowly.
Ryouga leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Anyone who could kick my ass
in a fight like you could can walk out on that stage and play in front of
that crowd. Remember, Saotome Ranko doesn't lose." She grinned, and looked
back up at him in gratitude. As Hiroshi took his bow, they shared a quick
kiss.
Meanwhile, Sada-san shifted in his seat yet again. It seemed he was finally
going to hear this beginning violin student -- if he could stay awake.
Kobayakawa-sensei cleared her throat. "And now, our last student," -- there
was a smattering of cheers from some of the students in the audience,
quickly hushed by a disapproving murmur around them -- "As I was saying, our
last student, Saotome Ranko, will play the Gavotte en Rondeau of the Bach
Partita for Solo Violin in E Major." Ranko gathered her violin and her
courage, and started to walk out onto the stage. She passed Hiroshi on the
way, and he winked and gave her a thumbs up. She smiled and winked back.
Sada-san suddenly sat up straight in his chair. "She's going to play
*what*?" He turned to Murata-sensei. "You said she's only been studying the
violin for three and a half months, didn't you?"
Murata-sensei grinned. "I did say that, yes."
Sada-san was about to start interrogating him in earnest when a hush fell
over the room, and he turned his eyes to the stage. A stunning young
red-headed woman in a beautiful gown was walking gracefully to the center.
All eyes followed her in rapt attention; there was something about her that
telegraphed that she belonged someplace other than a high school talent
show. She reached the center, turned to face the audience, and bowed deeply.
Sada-san was sitting straight up in his seat, and the hairs on the back of
his neck stood up. He didn't know if she could play worth a damn, but she
sure had stage presence.
In the wings, Ryouga felt an eerie sense of deja vu; this was
preternaturally parallel to the scene he had imagined for her New York
debut. He could almost hear his nonexistent daughter sighing "Mommy is so
pretty, isn't she, Daddy?" He nodded and whispered "She sure is...", and
Akane, standing next to him, wondered why.
Ranko looked out over the sea of people. She wrenched her attention away
from their expectant faces, and closed her eyes. Slowly, using a dozen years
of training, she found her center, and her calm. When she was at peace, her
music was there waiting for her; she raised her violin to her chin, and
began.
With the first few notes, the room descended from a hush into total silence;
everyone was focused on the girl, her violin, and the music she was playing.
They watched her arms fly and her body sway, they watched her emotions play
across her face, but most of all they listened. There were a few present who
could tell just how talented Ranko was, but everyone in the room knew
something special was happening.
Sada-san sat on the edge of his seat, electrified, the torpor of a few
moments earlier completely forgotten. His jaw hung slightly open.
Murata-sensei wished briefly that he could see the expression on Sada-san's
face, then turned his full attention back to Ranko's performance.
While everyone's attention was focused on her, Ranko had no thought for
anything but her music. This music was so beautiful... and she, she had the
ability to see that beauty and bring it forth: a profound gift. She was
beyond merely getting the notes right; now, she was striving to bring the
piece to life, to express her own emotions and those of the long-dead
composer to the fullest, to make this performance as moving and as beautiful
as it could possibly be.
When, after three minutes or so, she came to the end, she stood there, her
bow still raised to her violin. Slowly, she came back to the world, and
finally lowered her instrument.
Only then was she jolted back to full awareness, as a wave of applause swept
the room like a sudden thunderstorm, crashing over her. Ranko stared in
shock as row after row of people surged to their feet, clapping furiously.
Cries of "Brava!" could be heard coming from here and there. Their faces
were filled with joy and appreciation. She gazed in wonder over all of these
people, who were applauding... her.
They... they heard it, too, she thought. They heard the beauty that I
heard... They felt what I felt. A wonderful feeling started to spread
throughout her. And... and I didn't even remember they were there... I
wasn't nervous. As long as I love the music and see the beauty in it, having
an audience won't bother me; it just makes it even better, because they can
love it and see the beauty, too... The Art her father had taught her was a
solitary art; this Art was an art she could share with everyone.
Ranko would always remember that moment, the moment she knew she was going
to be a violinist.
Kobayakawa-sensei came up behind her and whispered in her ear. "You need to
acknowledge the audience, dear." Ranko bowed, which sent the audience into
even greater paroxysms of applause.
Yuka came up to the stage with a bouquet of flowers and a huge smile on her
face. Ranko came to the edge of the stage and leaned down to accept it,
tears in her eyes, grasping Yuka's hand and squeezing it for a few seconds.
She stood up, holding her violin and bow in one hand and the bouquet cradled
in the other arm, looking more than a little lost.
Again at Sensei's prodding, she left the stage, only to return at the
audience's insistence for a curtain call, where she bowed again. After she
left for the second time, the applause finally started to die down, and the
audience started to move towards the exits, buzzing with excitement.
Sada-san turned to Murata-sensei. "Sensei... you... you have to introduce me
to her!"
Murata-sensei was looking like the cat who ate the canary. "Oh, I don't
know, Sada-san. She's just a beginner, after all. She's only been playing
for three and a half months. Are you sure you want to meet her?"
Sada-san's wife started to snicker, and a sour look came over his face. "You
enjoyed this, didn't you?"
Murata-sensei put his hand to his chest, all injured innocence. "Who, me?
Would I do something like that?"
"Yes," replied Sada-san, crossly.
*****
In the wings, Ranko was feeling slightly overwhelmed by the mob of
well-wishers who had gathered around her. Not just the students who had
already been there, but members of the audience who had come backstage to
compliment her. Kobuchizawa Noriko had been among them, apologizing that she
couldn't stay because she had to rush back home; her husband was having
trouble getting Miki to sleep. Cologne and Shampoo had come and gone, the
two girls trading compliments. Cologne had said nothing, but hadn't needed
to; the look on her face was enough.
Ranko had had a few scant moments of congratulation with her friends and
family before the crowd had started to grow. Still, at the moment, she was
very, very happy. She had an arm each from Akane and her mother around her,
with Ryouga smiling proudly at her and waiting his turn. As the crowd began
to disperse, they were joined by her father, Souun, Kasumi, and Nabiki,
followed shortly by Murata-sensei, and a man whom she didn't know. Ryouga
had spotted his parents in the audience, but it was understandable that it
was taking them a while to find their way backstage.
Kasumi was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. "Ranko, that was so
wonderful. I'm so happy for you." She sniffled. "You too, Akane. I'm so glad
your dream finally came true the way you wanted it to." Akane nodded, all
smiles.
Nabiki just stood there, smiling quietly. She seldom admitted it, but she
was fiercely loyal to her family, and seeing them happy made her happy. And
that was not the only reason she was smiling...
Ranko's eyes found her father's, and she bit her lip. He had a serious,
enigmatic expression on his face. They regarded each other for a long
moment.
Finally, he spoke. "Well, child? Have you decided which Art you will
follow?"
Ranko paled, and looked down. She nodded her head. "Yes, Father. I want to
be a violinist. I... I'm sorry..."
She felt his hand on her shoulder, and his other hand gently lifted her chin
to look at him. She was shocked to find that he was smiling.
"Don't be sorry. You made me very proud tonight." His smile faded. "I'm only
sad that I can no longer be the one to train you. I will have to leave that
to others, now."
She wrapped her arms around him. "I'll never forget what you taught me,
Father. I'll enjoy working with Kobayakawa-sensei, but I'll miss training
with you."
Kobayakawa-sensei shook her head. "Ranko-chan, I'm afraid you won't be
working with me much longer, either. Very soon, you'll reach the point where
I won't have much left to teach you. I work with beginning students. You'll
need to work with someone who can take you beyond that."
Ranko's eyes turned to Murata-sensei. "Sensei? I... I want to come study
under you, but... but I want to finish high school, first. What should I
do?"
Murata-sensei grinned. "I'm sure we can work something out. If you can
manage to come to the University one afternoon a week, I can arrange
instruction for you. It would be better if you could spend more time on it,
but I think it's wise of you to finish high school."
Kobayakawa-sensei added, "I'll speak to the Fuurinkan administration about
it, Ranko-chan. It shouldn't be a problem. I might even talk them into two
afternoons a week."
Genma turned to Murata-sensei, and bowed formally and deeply. "In that case,
Sensei, I entrust her to your hands. Please, train her well."
Murata-sensei's face became uncharacteristically serious, and he bowed as
well. "I will, Sensei. You may rest easy." He straightened up. "Thank you
for training her and bringing her to me. You should be very proud."
Ranko felt something she hadn't felt in a long time: pride in her father. It
was a good feeling. She smiled up at him. "Yes, thank you, Father." He
smiled back at her, and they embraced again. Souun was nodding and smiling.
Nodoka bit her lip and looked down, tears in her eyes, and thought, Genma,
sometimes you remind me why I married you...
They released each other, and Ryouga sidled up. "My turn. I've waited long
enough." He wrapped an arm around her, and she gladly leaned into him.
Sada-san nudged Murata-sensei. "Oh, that's right. Ranko-chan, there's
someone I'd like to introduce to you. This is Sada Toshihiro."
Ranko extracted herself from Ryouga's embrace momentarily and bowed
politely. "Pleased to meet you, Sada-san. My name is Saotome Ranko."
"Sada-san writes about music for the Asahi newspapers," added Murata-sensei.
Ranko paled.
"It's a real pleasure to meet you, Saotome-san. I was here as a parent
tonight, but I must say I feel very lucky that I got to hear you play. I'm
looking forward to writing about you."
Ranko boggled. "But... but Sada-san... I... I mean, I'm just starting
out..."
Sada-san laughed. "I don't mean now, Saotome-san. In a few years, when you
start to perform professionally. I was glad to hear that you've decided to
pursue the violin." He grinned. "Years from now, I'll be able to say I heard
your first public performance." He shook his head. "I wish I had a recording
of it."
There was the sound of someone's throat being cleared, and all eyes turned
to Nabiki. "Actually, Sada-san... I'm Ranko's older sister, and I think I
may be able to help."
Ranko blinked at Nabiki in curiosity. "Oneechan?"
Sada-san raised an eyebrow. "I see, Miss...?"
"Tendou Nabiki."
Sada-san looked confused. "Tendou? I thought you said you were her older
sister?"
Ranko spoke up. "Well... our families are very close..."
Sada-san smiled. "I think I understand. So how can you help, Tendou-san?"
Nabiki smiled, reached into a pocket, and pulled out a cassette tape, which
she held out to Sada-san. "10,000 yen, and it's yours."
Everyone in the family stared at her in shock. "O... Oneechan?! Did... did
you have a cassette recorder or something?"
Nabiki looked aghast. "A *cassette recorder*? Of *course* not! What do you
take me for?" She shook her head and tsked. "I had the auditorium
multi-miked, and I have all the tracks on reel-to-reel tape." She snorted.
"A cassette recorder, indeed." She sighed. "I tried to get it recorded
digitally, but I couldn't swing the equipment... And it would have been
better in a studio..."
Ranko's head was spinning. "But Oneechan, why?"
"You're going to be attending Murata-sensei's university in a couple of
years, and we're going to have to pay tuition. I thought I might be able to
start saving up for it by selling tapes and discs of your performance to the
people who attended tonight, and maybe to others through word of mouth. You
have to admit it's better than selling photos of you and Akane." Ranko
couldn't disagree with that.
Sada-san was eyeing the cassette tape. "And why should I pay 10,000 yen for
three minutes of music? That's outrageous!"
Nabiki smiled. "Because it's the first copy of Saotome Ranko's first
recording. It might be worth something in a few years. Do you want it or
not?"
Sada-san stared for a few moments more, then shook his head and pulled out
his wallet. "Still a student, and she already has an agent. Incredible."
Everyone laughed. Sada-san handed a bill to Nabiki, and she handed him the
tape.
Nabiki inclined her head. "Thank you, Sada-san. It's been a pleasure doing
business with you."
Sada-san shook his head in wonder, and excused himself for the evening.
Murata-sensei was chuckling and shaking his head as well. He hadn't enjoyed
himself this much in a long time. Sada-san needed more of a sense of humor;
he was far too easy to tease. He regained his composure.
"So, Ranko-chan, you've decided to become a violinist, but are you going to
be a fox or a hedgehog?" Everyone else looked confused.
Ranko smiled. "Maybe it will be too hard, Sensei, but I want both. I want a
family, but I also want to be the best violinist I can possibly be." She
hugged Ryouga, and smiled up at him, and Ryouga smiled back. "I have some
people who are willing to help me try."
Murata-sensei shook his head. "It *is* hard, Ranko-chan. Like I said, I
haven't figured that one out myself. But some people do manage it."
"Then maybe I can, too." She looked up at Ryouga again and grinned a
mischievous grin. "After all, Saotome Ranko doesn't lose."
It was Murata-sensei's turn to look confused, as Ranko's family burst into
laughter.
Genma felt his spirits lift, as he watched his daughter and the boy she
loved share a kiss. When he had returned to the Tendou Dojo, he had felt
that his daughter's resurrection had come at a heavy price: the loss of
Ranma. Ranko had seemed a different person to him; it was as if Ranma had
died and been replaced by someone else. He had grieved for his son.
Now, he saw things differently. It had been the shock of seeing her behave
like a girl, seeing that she had a girl's feelings and cared about the
things most girls cared about, that had made him think she wasn't Ranma. But
how could Ranma possibly have shown any of that part of himself when he was
trying so hard to be a boy?
It had been so many years, he was ashamed to admit, that he had forgotten
his daughter, and had mistaken her acting at being a boy for who she really
was. Ranko had not replaced Ranma; Ranma had been Ranko all along. She had
never stopped being his daughter, no matter what she looked like.
He mused briefly on how things might have been had he had a son, a real son
named Ranma. It could have been nice, but he didn't want to dwell on what
might have been. He was happy he had a daughter, and that is what he wanted
her to be: herself, and not anyone else. And she seemed well on the way, he
noted with deep satisfaction, to being exactly that.
THE END