A Good Day

Sunday

……

It was cloudy, but not raining yet. Ryoga walked up to the Tendo dojo. It had been two weeks since he had revealed his curse to Akane, and walking up to the dojo took all the courage he could muster.

Kasumi answered the door.

"Oh Ryoga," Kasumi said. "Are you looking for Ranma?"

"Yes," Ryoga said. "And Akane."

"I'm sorry, you just missed them. They went to the park together."

From deep inside the dojo Ryoga could hear Champaign bottles pop. Soun and Genma were obviously celebrating.

Ryoga smiled tightly. "I see," he said.

Actually, he was glad they weren't home. Ryoga really didn't know what to say to them. He was glad Kasumi, who was kind and sympathetic, had answered the door. He didn't know what would have happened if Nabiki or worse yet Akane herself had answered.

"Kasumi," Ryoga said, "will you please give this to Akane." He held out a small box of rice crackers. "And this one to Ranma." He gave her another similar box. "It's my way of apologizing," he said sheepishly.

"Apologizing?" Kasumi said.

"They'll know what for," he said.

"I'll see that they get them," Kasumi said.

"Thank you."

Ryoga walked away from the dojo. So, Ranma and Akane then. He took a breath. It still hurt, a small, sharp prick deep inside his chest. He'd loved her. He still did. But… the pain wasn't so bad anymore. Ranma and Akane. He might have known. He had known.

Down the street, he noticed the shadow of the wall disappearing, merging grey. It was getting darker. Ryoga looked up. The clouds were thicker than he thought.

A drop of rain splashed. Ryoga had already opened his umbrella. Soon, it began to drizzle lightly. As rain fell against leaves and bush, it made a light patter, a shush, a sigh. Warm mist crept across the street.

The rain was making it harder to see. Ryoga hoped he'd be able to find Ucchan's. He still had one more present to deliver.

……

It was about three in the afternoon when Ukyo ran into Ranma and Akane in the park. Akane had the umbrella up, but apparently she hadn't gotten it over their heads soon enough, because Ranma was in girl form. Even so, they were talking and laughing.

Ukyo smiled, though her eyes stung a little. Really, she was happy for them. She just, well, wasn't very happy for herself.

Ranma and Akane passed without seeing her. Is that how it will be from now on? she wondered. For now, Ukyo didn't mind. It was easier this way, easier to get over him if he wasn't in her life.

For now.

The rain was coming harder now. Ukyo hadn't brought an umbrella. She hadn't planned on stepping out for long, just long enough to get some air and take a break between the busy lunch and busy dinner schedule. She supposed she should be getting back.

"Where the hell am I now?"

She turned and saw Ryoga, plodding through the rain with his enormous umbrella over his head.

"Ryoga," she called.

He turned. "Oh, um, hi Ukyo," Ryoga said.

She smiled. "Hey, sugar, share that umbrella with me and I'll take you where you need to go."

He nodded. "Sure."

Ukyo ducked under his umbrella. "I haven't seen you around lately."

"I tend to get lost," Ryoga said.

She laughed.

He looked much better since the last time she saw him. He was wearing a clean black shirt, and he walked in a straight and even gait. His face was calm. Now that he wasn't angry or afraid or depressed, Ukyo noticed that Ryoga really looked rather handsome, with his dark hair and soft brown eyes.

"I heard that Ranma and Akane are dating now," Ryoga said.

"Yeah. Ranma went around to all his suitors and told them he loved Akane. It turned out I was only the first." Ukyo shook head, remembering Ranma being chased by Shampoo; he was bruised and battered for days after that. "In the end, of course, Akane forgave him."

"Are you all right?" Ryoga said, looking at her with concern.

"Me?" Ukyo said. "I'm fine. Sweet of you to ask, though."

Ryoga turned red. "It's nothing, really."

"So," she said, "where are you heading?"

"Well, actually," Ryoga said. "I was looking for your shop?"

"Really? You hungry?"

"No. Well, yes," he said, "but it's not that."

……

That night, after Ukyo had all but thrown him out, Ryoga wondered what he'd done to make her so upset. Should he go back and apologize, he wondered. But she didn't seem to want him inside. Maybe, he should just leave and write her a note later. Though he didn't know what he'd done wrong exactly, so he wasn't sure what he was supposed to wr—

Was that crying?

Ryoga pressed his ear to the wood. From the other side of the flimsy little door, Ukyo was crying. It wasn't just a soft mewling crying, either. He could hear her breath heave raggedly, catch, and retch again, as if she couldn't control it. It stopped him cold. Ukyo, strong cheerful Ukyo, was sobbing.

Some part of Ryoga wanted to go in there gallantly and let her cry on his shoulder. But he couldn't do that. Some other part of him wanted to go away and give her the privacy to cry. But he couldn't do that either. He was stuck at the door. Like some stupid eavesdropping moron, he just stood there, unable to enter, unable to leave. Unable to do anything but listen to her cry.

He listened for what seemed like a very long time.

"So, why'd you want to come to Ucchan's then?" Ukyo said.

"I wanted to see you," Ryoga said.

"Really?" She smiled, but didn't quite look at him, a little shy. Ukyo looked pretty today. She was wearing a white shirt, her thick brown hair tied low. A slight blush colored her cheeks and her blue eyes were bright.

"I-I wanted to-to give you something," Ryoga said. Suddenly, he was nervous. He took a breath. Settle down, Ryoga. It's only Ukyo. "Um, let me get it."

He handed her the umbrella, and she gripped it in both hands, because it was heavy. Ryoga took off his backpack and fished around. For just a second he thought he lost it, and sweat broke out across his forehead. But then his finger touched the end of a bow. Ryoga breathed a sigh of relief, and he pulled out a small box.

"This," he said. "I wanted to give you this."

Ryoga took the umbrella from her and handed her the present. It was wrapped in white, the blue ribbon a little smashed. Ukyo held the box as gently as if it were a baby bird, and looked it in wonder.

"What's this for?" she said.

Because you tried to cheer me up when you were feeling just as miserable as I was. Because I heard you crying when you thought you were alone. Because Ranma never gave you anything and I think someone should.

"No-no reason," Ryoga said. "Just thought you might like it."

"Thank you," Ukyo said. "That's nice of you."

Holding the present in one hand, Ukyo took the handle of the umbrella with the other. Her fingers were so close to his, Ryoga could almost touch her.

"I'll open it when I get to my shop," Ukyo said. "And afterwards, I'll make you a big batch of okonomiyaki."

Ryoga nodded, not yet able to make a sound. Moving forward a little, Ukyo led him through the rain.

"It's been horrible weather lately," she said. "Nothing but rain or clouds for three straight days. But the weather's supposed to get better soon."

They walked together, and Ryoga was content. The smell of rain was crisp and fresh. A sunbeam was just breaking through the clouds, casing the puddles in light.

THE END