Everyone was gone from the dojo. Sasuke had gone off to meet his valentine and so Kasumi sat down on one of the benches they’d set up.
          "Kasumi?" Dr. Tofu focused all his chi into walking up to the 19 year old.
          "Yes Dr. Tofu?"
          "Do you know who my valentine is?"
          "Oh my! Did I forget you? I’m so very sorry."
          "Not to worry. I have a very nice present right here." He put his arm very carefully around her shoulders.
          Kasumi giggled then rested her head on his strong shoulder. His glasses immediately fogged up, and he passed out.
          Kasumi giggled again. This really was turning out to be a splendid holiday. She couldn’t wait until the next one.

          Shampoo sat on the bench in the park near the Cat Café. She set her package next to her and looked up at the sky.
          "Hello?"
          The voice came from behind her and she felt her heart quicken. "Yes?"
          Mousse came around the bench, his hopes raised. Shampoo. His one true love. Who loves Ranma, he reminded himself. "Happy Valentine’s day Shampoo. I’m sorry that you’re stuck with me."
          She shook her head. "No Mousse. Shampoo miss seeing you around."
          "Not used to not having anyone to pick on and insult?"
          Her violet eyes looked hurt. "You think Shampoo only like to insult you?"
          "Have you ever given me reason to think otherwise?" His glasses hid the pain in his turquoise eyes, but he couldn’t keep it from his voice.
          Had she really been as blind as he had? "You look very nice tonight."
          He smiled, wishing he could believe her. "Here’s your gift Shampoo."
          She openned the lavender box and pulled out a set of wooden shelves almost completely filled with small bottles. "A spice rack! Oh Mousse! Now Shampoo have own set of great-grandmother spices." She smiled widely. "I no think I get my own until great-grandmother gone. Shampoo so happy."
          He blushed and stared down at his own gift. She set hers aside and handed him a smaller, matching box.
          He removed the lid and lifted out a spice jar, the only one missing from her rack.
          "Passion spice?" She leaned close to him to read the label. "I no have that spice. What you need for?"
          "The same reason as you Shampoo. To make someone love me." He sighed and decided it was time to make a choice. Akane was right. He could live without her. "I’m leaving I think. Back to China. I’ve come to realize I’m not needed here."
          "Not needed?" She closed her eyes to hid her pain and fear. "We need you at restaurant now Ranma quit."
          "It’s not enough anymore. Maybe at home I can find someone to use this on, or someone willing to use it on me."
          She felt a surge of hope. She took the spice from his hand and placed it in the vacant space of her race. "Spice no belong in box. Belong in rack. You no need it Mousse. You have someone who lo---cares for you." She took a deep breath. "Someone who maybe love you."
          He turned, throwing the box away. "Akane doesn’t love me!"
          "Shampoo hope not. She no want to give kiss of death to violent girl again."
          He whirled around to face her. "What?"
          "Amazon law wrong sometimes. Should no be who win or who strongest. She be who care for." She looked at him. "Will no be easy. No can promise all will change. But Shampoo try if Mousse will."
          Her smile lit up the night for him. "Really Shampoo?"
          "Wo ai ni," she whispered as she leaned closer and kissed him.

          Nabiki sat on the steps of the Furinkan high school library, her accounts ledger open on her lap. Since Akane’s accident, profits had been down. She sighed and glanced at the gift beside her. Her mind wasn’t really on business or Kasumi’s matchmaking attempts. The only thing that mattered tonight was Sasuke’s potion. Regardless of their romantic state, there was no way Akane could manage not to mallet or hit Ranma. So Cologne’s curse had to be gotten rid of.
          "What lips my lips have kissed and where and why, I have forgotten. All before pale in the glow of the vision before me. I remember none but the sweet taste of thee."
          "Go away Kunou-baby. I don’t have the time or the desire to play games with you."
          "You await me. My gift of love matches thine."
          She looked up to see he held a package wrapped in green paper, identical to hers. "Fine. Set it down, take yours, leave me alone."
          "You hate me now for reasons I cannot change. My method of gratitude was ill chosen."
          "Put gently."
          "And while it is true my sister’s foul machinations hurt us both, I can now say that, free from their odiferous influence, I realize I no longer love your sister or the pig-ta…Ranma."
          Nabiki looked shocked.
          "I love thee Nabiki Tendo, with a heart as sound as your investment strategies. I love thy mercenary ways. I live in rapturous delight of blackmail potential. I thrive knowing your minions observe us all."
          "Minion, hmmm? I like the sound of that."
          "I will never betray thee. I can afford to keep you in a style I’m assured you would grow most accustomed to."
          "I don’t want your money."
          "Then take my warriors heart. Nabiki Tendo…Nabiki. I surrender to your love." He smiled slyly. "You may date with me."
          "Did I say you could call me Nabiki?"
          "Nabi-chan then?"
          "You’re asking for it Kunou-chan."
          He held out his gift as he sat beside her. "That I am."
          She exchanged packages with him and smiled at Kasumi’s foresight. "You first."
          He openned the box and withdrew a thick book. "The Ultimate Romantic’s Book of Nonsensical Poetry." His eyes sparkled with joy. "You are too kind to me."
          *Damn you Kasumi! You’re a sadist. What did I ever do to you?* She openned her gift and mentally apologized to her big sister. Deluxe earplugs for loud music, crying fathers, arguing fiancées, begging debtors and suitors spouting inane poetry, she read silently. "Kasumi is a very smart woman."
          "For recognizing our true heart’s desires?" he asked.
          "No Tatchi. For knowing our weak spots." She put aside her ledger and sat in his lap. "Shall we discover a few ourselves?"

          Ryouga stood absolutely still. Once of Akane’s classmates had guided him here and made him swear a warrior’s oath that he would not move.
          "Ranchan?" Ukyou’s voice was soft in the stillness, but it still had the power to shatter his heart of glass.
          "No. No Ranma," he whispered, tempted to run, but held by his oath.
          "Oh! Ryouga! Ukyou walked around the tree he stood next to, her blush evident even in the darkness. "I…expected…"
          "Ranma. I know. I’m sorry," he sighed. "I’m sorry I’m not him."
          "No. No, that’s not…" she stamped her foot angrily. "Let me start over. I thought Ranma would be here to tell me that I have to give him up for real this time. You’re a surprise true, but a pleasant one."
          "Oh."
          "Don’t get me wrong sugar. I’ll always love Ranchan. Just like you’ll always love Akane. But he doesn’t love me that way, and I’m starting to accept it. And I’m not against the possibility of finding someone new to care for. Maybe even love."
          Ryouga laughed maniacally for a moment until he noticed her strange look.
          "But that someone would have to be completely honest with me."
          His hopes crashed around his ankles. "I’m sorry Ukyou, but I can’t. It would hurt too many people. Besides, there is no honor in telling someone else’s secret I’m so sorry." He turned away, tears in his eyes.
          "Ryouga-honey?" She could feel him slipping away from her. "Do you love me?"
          "I could. I do."
          "Do you think you can maybe tell me eventually?’
          "Someday."
          "Do you promise never to sneak into Akane’s room as P-chan again?"
          "That will never happen again."
          "All right Hibiki." She held out a small blue package. "Here."
          He openned it and laughed. "A compass. A map of Japan and a book of postcards."           His flush delighted her, even though she wasn’t quite sure why.
          "H…here." He handed her a rectangular box and watched while she lifted the lid.
          "An umbrella stand? Why would I need…" she stopped, looked up at Ryouga’s broad shoulders, the red umbrella on his back, then into his eyes. "I guess you’ll need a new place to put that, won’t you?"
          "I guess I will."
          They both turned a bright shade of red. He reached out a hand and took hers. And started for the North Pole.
          "Ryouga-honey?"
          "Yes?"
          She took his bandanna from her hair and tied it around both their wrists. That done, she turned him around and headed back to the dojo. "You should have gotten me a leash."

          Ranma looked up from the map that had been taped to his gift. He stood in front of the Tendo dojo. "Who made this map? Ryouga?" He openned the door and glanced into the darkened building. Sighing, he walked to the other side of the yard and leaned against the tree. He wondered which fiancée Kasumi had set him up with and how much money Nabiki had gotten to switch things around.
          He heard a noise and leaned around to see who was on the other side of the tree.
          "Eep!" Akane jumped as Ranma appeared before her.
          "Akane?" He smiled, his thoughts going back to the Christmas he’d ended up alone with her.
          "Sorry, I know you’d rather it be Shampoo or Ukyou."
          "No. No Akane. I’m glad it’s you."
          "Now that the bruises have gone?" She should have expected this. Maybe she had. Although usually Nabiki would have gotten the location and made sure every other fiancée was here by now.
          "I hate myself for the fact that you were hurt. Even if I wasn’t the one to do it, it was still my fault." He looked at the ground. "My job is to protect you Akane. Not harm you."
          "I can protect myself. I did it before you came. I’ll do it after you’re gone."
          "Gone?"
          "The engagement’s over Ranma. We’ve already talked about this." She started to walk away and he reached out to grab her. They both stared at his hand. "What chance do we have? It was small before. It’s nonexistent now. You have three other women who love you Ranma. Go to one of them." Tears glistened in her eyes.
          "But I haven’t given you your present yet." He couldn’t bear to see her walk away from him.
          She turned around. "Fine. But this is it okay? I can’t control my temper. You can’t control your tongue. It has to be over."
          He held out the small red package to her. She stared at it for a few minutes before extending hers. They traded gifts and stood in silence, unmoving for a few moments longer.
          "Together?" she asked.
          He nodded, his sad eyes unable to leave hers. "For the last time," he whispered.
          The lids set aside, they both looked down.
          "It’s a bottle of green goo." He looked up, horrified. "You didn’t cook me a present did you?"
          She pulled a note from hers.

                    Akane and Ranma,
                    Drink up. No charge.
                    This time.
                              Nabiki

          "I’m sorry," he replied.
          "Don’t worry. I won’t be cooking for you anymore." She pulled the stopper from the bottle and drank the foul smelling concoction.
          He quickly followed suit. Finished, they stared at each other.
          "Well, thanks Ranma. Happy Valentine’s day." Akane headed for the dojo, past Ranma. However, a loose rock caught her high heeled shoe and she fell directly towards him.
          They fell together. "You stupid, clumsy tom…" He stopped, staring at Akane in his arms. "Akane."
          She looked down at him, flushed red with embarrassment. "I can feel you."
          The remark, so casual in her soft, husky voice, sent his blood coursing through his veins.
          "Now I can really feel you," she whispered.
          "Oh Akane, I can touch you." He reached up to brush back the hair that obscured her face. So that he could see her smile.
          "Ranma…" she looked down at him. His deep blue eyes held such happiness. "Nothing’s changed." She managed to stand and waited for him.
          "Everything’s changed. We can touch. We can…"
          "What?" She interrupted. "We can fight, insult each other? I’m not who you need for a fiancée Ranma."
          "Shouldn’t I decide that? All your arguments are like Shampoo’s only backwards. Her laws say I have to marry her. In your mind I shouldn’t just because you don’t fit the typical Japanese housewife?" He shook his head. "That’s not right."
          Akane took a deep breath. "Fine. I’ll give you the perfect reason. You. Don’t. Love. Me."
          "Yes. I do. I’ve always loved you." He met her gaze. "I was sure when I saw you in Ryugenzawa. I know because I can’t bear the thought of my life without you."
          "What about Ukyou and Shampoo?"
          "They are my friends. You are my heart."
          She stared at him, afraid of the possibility that it was all a trick. "Why tell me now?"
          "Because I was so afraid I’d lost you. Every other time someone or something has come between us, I’ve beaten it. I couldn’t beat you if you kept us apart. And I can’t bear the thought of losing you when you’re standing right next to me."
          "What about Ryouga?"
          "It never happened. I told you that before. If it wasn’t me, it didn’t happen."
          "I don’t know. You hurt me so badly these past couple of weeks."
          "I’m not promising it will be easy. I’m not promising I’ll suddenly stop being an arrogant, insensitive jerk. And I’m not promising we won’t argue."
          "What are you promising then?"
          "That, in a couple of years, when we’re both ready, I will make you Akane Saotome. And I will love you always and make you happy."
          "That’s quite a promise." She smiled at him. "I challenge you to live up to it."
          Ranma smiled and pulled her close to hug her. After a few moment of holding her tight, he pulled back.
          "What’s wrong?"
          "Nothing. I just want to kiss you." He leaned in again, only to be met by a wall of cold water.
          "What a haul! What a haul!" Happosai followed the water directly onto Ranma-chan’s chest. "Happy Valentine’s Day! TO ME!!!"
          Akane’s mallet sent the pervert flying. "Ranma?"
          Suddenly the entire party was surrounding them, clapping and offering congratulations. The couple blushed and said their thank-yous as Kasumi started the music.
          As they were pulled apart by well-wishers, Ranma squeezed Akane’s hand. "Don’t worry," he whispered. "There’ll be a first time for everything."