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Akane arrived at the park, looking around for the person who left the crumpled paper with a place and time written on it. Under the paper was the suspect's name. Her heartbeat thumped excitedly the moment she read it in her room.
She thought it was typical of her fiance to ask her out that way, awkward, indirect, but trying to be “manly” about it. She couldn't bring herself to tease him during lunch, not when she spotted him fidgeting his fingers together as she entered the room. The urge to do so was crawling at her, but she decided not to do what he usually did to her.
Afternoon went by, and it was time. She had never stressed so much about what to wear. Not even for those random dates with Ryoga that Ranma himself had “accidentally” arranged. Those were all misunderstandings. This almost surprised her.
Alleged date. Yes. When it’s Ranma, you don’t know what’s coming next. For all she knew, it could’ve been a trap set by one of his other alleged fiancees just to mess with her. But she was sure. That was her fiance's handwriting. There was fear crawling at her, ready to topple her defense at any moment, but she didn’t let it. She continued head-on, looking from bench to bench, hoping a black pigtail might peek out somewhere.
“Y-Yo… didn’t think you’d really come…”
An awkward voice behind her made her spin around fast. She still marveled at how graceful his footsteps could be, but now wasn’t the time to sneak up on her when her doubts and faith were in the middle of a war.
“Wh-Where were you?! You were like three benches away!” Akane mocked anger, but honestly, she was relieved.
She scanned her fiance, who was wearing a new Chinese top. Or at least it looked new because he looked neat in it, and she’d never seen that color on him before. Who would've thought he’d look fabulous in teal? Perfect cut. Stupidly handsome face in all its glory. He even fixed his braid.
“Ah… I… was… ya know…” Ranma could look anywhere but at his own fiance.
His eyes darted everywhere, but every time they landed on her short, cute, sexy figure, his heart was practically begging to jump out and tell her everything right now. Yet all he could do was gulp it down. He was so nervous he couldn’t sit still while waiting for her. Funny how they were engaged, yet moments like this still felt like secrets.
Seeing Ranma’s face redder than the color of his usual shirt, she decided to let it go. She kept her composure. Barely. He was so fidgety, it was almost cute. It is cute. And that gave her a bit of confidence. He might talk big and tease loud, but when they were alone like this, he always showed his cards without meaning to.
“It’s fine. I’m just glad you’re here.” Akane crossed her arms and stared into the distance.
She tried her best to mask her growing blush, but Ranma’s been watching her since day one. It didn’t escape his sight when his gaze fell on her at the right time, and he felt relieved he wasn’t alone in feeling a bit uptight and nervous.
“Well… me too. Thought you’d ignore the crumpled paper.” He scratched the phantom itch at the back of his neck.
And then she laughed. Not forced. Not polite. Real. Bright. Betraying her composure and everything she’d been holding in.
“W-What?” Ranma’s lips started to pout, but he couldn’t stay mad that long when his fiance looked that cute, smiling like that, laughing like she forgot how.
“Mm. Nothing. We’re both idiots, aren’t we?”
Cautious. Scared. Doubting each other’s intentions. That wasn’t really their tempo, but they were getting there. Ranma smiled along with her, not really getting what she meant, but it felt right.
“I guess so. Where d'ya wanna go?”
Ranma started to loosen up, offering his arm for his fiance to take. Boldness. He could be bold when he wanted to. Rare, but there.
“I don’t know. You asked me out. Don’t you have anything on the list?”
“I just thought maybe there’d be a place you wanted to try first.”
Akane nodded her head like she was agreeing with a panel of judges. “Smart. You know me too well.” She smirked, before accepting his offered arm.
“Of course, tomboy.”