After I was introduced to her family and Ranma and his father, we decided to wander the town. With Akane showing me around, and Ranma tagging along, I knew we’d all be great friends. After Akane helped me do some clothes shopping (Both guy and girl clothes because of guests I’d have over at my place just in case), she asked me about school.
“Well, I already graduated. But I could always ask to take some electives and be there a couple days a week…” I thought out loud.
We returned to the dojo hours later.
“Wow! What a day!” Akane and I both exclaim at the same time. We look at each other, then share a laugh.
“You two are starting to scare me.” Ranma mumbled.
“Yeah, well who asked you?” We both stated. I said it more playfully, but Akane said it in a snippy kind of way.
“Wow. This is getting weird, even for me.” I stated, walking with Akane to her room.
“I hope you don’t mind sharing my bed. I couldn’t find any extra mattresses.”
“It’s no problem. Thanks again for going through so much trouble.” We spent hours just talking, like we had known each other for years. It felt nice to have a friend. I had a lot growing up, but after my mother died, my father kind of cut me off from the rest of the world.
It was around dinner time and I decided to ask Kasumi if she needed any help cooking.
“You’re a guest. So you shouldn’t have to help-”
“But I want to.. That is, if you don’t mind.” She smiled.
“Not at all.”
I helped her chop veggies, de bone the huge fish then chop it up into enough servings for everyone then slices on a bigger plate so everyone could grab more. While she was making the fish and boiling the vegetables and cooking the rice, I made dough and made salmon flavored dumplings. While those were steaming, I asked if she had anything planned for desert.
“Not tonight. It slipped my mind when I was at the supermarket this evening.” I thought for a moment, then a light bulb lit up above my head.
“I could bake something if you’d like.”
“Are you sure?” I nodded happily.
“Of coarse. It’s the least I could do.”
“Well Alright. Let me know if you need any help. Feel free to raid the fridge for anything you need. ”
“Ok.” She turned her back to me to continue cooking, while I got started. I decided to bake a cake. I worked quick and brought it out of the oven just as Kasumi finished cooking.
“I’m going to set the table. I’ll be right back.” I nodded, finishing the cake as quickly as possible. It was a strawberry cake, with cream cheese filling and raspberry frosting. The filling had bits of raspberries and strawberries in it, the frosting was pink and smooth. I added cut up strawberries to the top, then rimmed the edges of the cake with white frosting. Once I was done, I cut it into pieces. Once Kasumi returned, I helped bring the food to the dining room.
NO ONE’S POV
Akane took it upon herself to tell everyone listening about her new friend’s hard life.
“It’s strange how a girl her age has been through so much.” Mr. Tendo stated. His friend nodded. “Yes it is Tendo. It’s amazing how, even though she has a hard life, she manages to smile so freely about it all.”
“I like her. She’s not crazy in love with Ranma like most girls we meet are. It’s kind of like having another little sister.” Nabiki chimed in to no one in particular.
“Yeah. The last thing I need is another ‘fiancé.’” Ranma added, leaning back with his hands behind his head and laying on the floor.
RITORU’S POV
Once Kasumi yelled to tell everyone dinner was ready, it was like a stampede. Once everyone was there, I sat in between Nabiki and Kasumi, and across from Ranma and Akane.
“This is all simply delicious Kasumi! I think you’ve outdone yourself this time!” Mr. Tendo exclaimed.
“I really love the dumplings!” Genma added.
“Dad, she probably bought the dumplings. Just look at ‘em!” Ranma blurted out in between scarffing sessions. Kasumi smiled a closed eyed smile.
“Well, Ritoru helped me in the kitchen. She helped season and cook the fish. And she also made the dumplings.”
Now all eyes were on me.
“What? I wanted to help. It’s the least I can do.”
“She also made desert. Since I forgot to buy something tonight.” Once everyone was finished eating, Kasumi Brought out small plates, and the bigger plate with the pre cut cake slices on them (Still a lot of cake left.) Everyone was served a piece, while there was one slice left on the plate which now rested in the middle of the dining table. Everyone took a bite at the very same moment. And time seemed to freeze.
“Um… Does it.. Taste-” I was cut off by the sounds of everyone around me, even Kasumi, eating the cake as fast as they could.
“Um.. Slow down… I don’t want you guys getting sick…”
Once they all finished their cake, Ranma and his father began squabbling over the extra piece in the middle.
“Um guys? There’s more in the-”
“Shh!” Nabiki nudged me playfully. I just laughed, watching the funny scene take place in front of me.
Ranma ended up throwing Genma into the pond out back, and he came out as…
“OMIGOD! I LOVE PANDAS!!” Not the reaction any of them were expecting.
“What?” I blinked innocently. Panda Genma threw Ranma into the pond before he could eat the cake. Ranma came out as a girl. I laugh.
“Looks like you two have been to Jusenkyo before.”
“You know of it?” Genma asked.
“Of coarse I do. I just moved from China after all. I had a friend growing up who fell in and turned into a duck…” I trailed off thinking.
“I also knew someone who came out as a monkey… It was fun teasing them.”
After a lot of squabbling, Genma got the last piece of cake.
________________________________________________________________________
YAY!!
