Ranma 1/2 is the property of the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi. All rights reserved.

*****Ranma Romance*****
*Love's Not For Nabiki*

I am looking down at Kunou Tatewaki. Literally. My Kunou-chan...He had been in yet another fight with Ranma. This one has left him a little worse for wear. We are in the nurses office. This is the second time in as many days that we have occupied this room due to his being beaten up by Ranma. I am beginning to get worried. Even his hard head can't take this kind of abuse.
He opens his eyes. I quickly sit back down and try to pretend that I wasn't worried. Looking at him? Of course not. Worried? Ridiculous notion. He's just a valued customer. It isn't difficult to pretend it's true. I have been acting around him since we were little kids. I think I've have loved him that long.
"Kunou-chan, you really need to work on your technique," I say.
He sits up. I take a good look at him, as I do every time I see him. Discretely of course, but still. He isn't the most handsome guy in Nerima, but he is fairly attractive. He isn't weak, but I'd never bet on him in a fight against Ranma or even Ryouga. Maybe if he was fighting Mousse. Since the Saotome's came to Nerima, Kunou has gotten lower on the list of fighters.
He looks back, his gaze strong and unwavering as it always is. Seeing his brown eyes stare back into mine...My breath catches faintly. Too faintly for him to notice, but I notice it. Damn. I've been trying for years to get rid of this crush. My thoughts are abruptly interrupted as I realize he is speaking.
"Thank you, Tendou Nabiki-san," he says.
"For what?" I say, keeping my voice neutral. No one can know how I feel. I barely let myself know. But its so hard sometimes. I get the irresistible urge to just hold him and bury my face in his chest. Its almost as if something is pulling me down towards him, and it takes all my strength not to obey.
"For treating my wounds. Thank you," he repeats.
"Hmm. Well, if you were really thankful, you would give me 1500 yen for my troubles. I'm missing class, you know," I add slyly.
Kunou pauses to think. I can almost hear the rusty wheels spinning as he attempts thought, something I assume to be beyond him. Then he shrugs. He reaches into his shirt and withdraws the exact amount. I don't know how he does it, but he pulls out the exact amount every time.
He swipes his hair back. He is adorably egotistical. There are times when I would giggle, were I a lesser girl, just watching him. So ridiculous. And such a baka for not knowing about Ranma. I sigh mentally. My baka-chan...

I spend the next hour trying to think of a tiny detail about Kunou's 'pig-tailed goddess' that I could offer to let slip for a price. Just to talk to him. I think part of the reason I love yen so much is that Kunou has a lot of it. Extorting money from Kunou is better than not talking to him at all. I do so all the time. Not just for the yen, which I've become addicted to in the mean time. But to be near him.
Ah hah! Inspiration strikes! I prepare for the big one. I pass Kunou a note, telling him to meet me by the pool after school, as I have something very important to talk to discuss with him. Then I raise my hand.
"Tendou-san?" calls the teacher. "Do *you* know the answer to the question?"
"Not a clue, but can I go to the bathroom anyway?" I ask.
A sweat drop appears on the sensei's brow. He appears to be trying not to facefault. "Go...go ahead, Tendou-san," he says, wearily.
Flashing a victory sign, I make my way out of the classroom. I leave the giggling students and the facefaulted teacher behind as I enter the ladies room. I quickly check to make sure no one is in. Then I remove my bra and put it in my bag that I had taken with me from the room.
I return to the classroom and sink in my seat with a satisfied sigh. Not only am I going to make a lot of money, but having removed the bra is relieving.
"Feel better, Tendou-san?" the teacher asks, attempting and miserably failing to cover his recent embarrassment.
"Much better, thank you, sensei."
The final bell rings and we all rush out of the room.

"What is it, Tendou Nabiki?" he says, in the usual cold manner he uses to deal with me. His tone hurts. It always does.
"Kunou-chan, I have something you might want." I smile up at him, pracitcing my innocent act. "Something belonging to the 'pig-tailed girl.'"
"Really?!" Kunou says excitedly. "Hand it over!!"
"But..." I do my best to look disturbed. "It would violate my moral code. After all, even though it was more like I found it, I guess I sorta did steal it..."
Kunou is breathing rapidly. I worry briefly that he may hyperventilate, then I remember. He's too stupid to die. "Enough of this torture! I must have it!"
I take a breath. Time to start brining money into it. "Well since you put it that way...5000 yen would soothe my suffering conscience."
He quickly hands over 5000 yen and I smile. I slowly pulled the bra out of my bag. "This is hers."
Kunou pauses before he is able to touch it. I suppose he must be thinking of it more as a holy relic than an object forced upon women by media to supposedly keep our breasts from sagging in old age. Like anyone will look when we're old crones anyway.
Kunou grabs the bra and holds it close to him. I smile inwardly. Love you, too. "Ahh! It is a gift from the gods indeed!"
I clear my throat. Kunou looks up. "Are you still here?" he asks, dazed.
"I should probably take the bra back to her. As I said, I kinda just found it and..."
"Name your price." Gotcha! He has just said the magic words I have been waiting for.
"100.000 yen," I say. Kunou facefaults. Hmm. He was cute even when he was lying on the ground in an unnatural position. He slowly reaches into his shirt and pulls out 100,000 yen. I smile down at him.
"Thank you, come again."

That evening, after dinner, I sit up in my room doing the things I always do. I count my yen and think about Kunou. Sure, I feel kind of bad for practically stealing from him. But how else can I talk to him? Sometimes I really hate my sister. She doesn't understand how great it was that Kunou loved her.
Oh, the things I would do to have him say the things he says to her to *me* instead. He even loves Ranma. Ranma! Sure, he doesn't know it's Ranma that he's in love with. But that still doesn't change the fact in my mind.
I remember us growing up together. Kunou was always in love with Akane. 'The strong and lovely Akane.' His hormones must have kicked in pretty early. I don't think I recall a day when Kunou didn't love Akane, or a day when he didn't unknowingly break my heart.
I love him. I wish it could be me he loves, and not Akane. It's not like she appreciates his love. But I would.
I make my way downstairs. My life is so ironic. Akane is just at this moment bitching about how Kunou was hitting on her this morning.
"It's not that big of a deal, Akane," I say. Yep.
Sometimes I could really hate her.

*the end*

Authors notes:
This, obviously, takes place right after 'Tatewaki's True Love.' I reworked part one a while ago and it's been accumulating dust on my website ever since. And this one will be joining it. =) Since not many changes were made in either, I waited until I had two parts done to repost.

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