Saipan
Chapter 3
By Alessia '79
http://www.akane.it
 
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* A lot of thanks to Anh for the English corrections! *
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* The characters in this story belong to Rumiko *
* Takahashi, while the setting to Banana Yoshimoto, *
* two great authors for a great story? Enjoy it! *
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Nabiki was walking slowly on the seashore, hugging the 
borders of her cardigan. It wasn't a nice day, the wind 
was whistling in her ears and black clouds were running 
over her head. She needed a day like this...moments like 
this...moments to think, to leave behind the mask we all
wear, to be Nabiki. She sat on the damp sand. She felt 
well...not good, not bad, well. She was happy for Akane.
At last she had had her first kiss, and with the boy she
was in love with.
 
Nabiki smiled, remembering her own first kiss. A clumsy 
attempt at the age of 13 when her "boyfriend" had 
brushed his lips upon hers, one night before going 
home...and then, two years later, her first "true" kiss.
Yoichi Takabe. She remembered everything about that 
kiss. The anxiety that had come first, the strange 
sensation of his tongue touching her own and the 
dizziness that had come after...
 
Everybody thought that sooner or later Kuno and her 
would date, but only thinking of it made her 
uncomfortable...he was a good looking boy with a lot
of money, but how about his obsession about her sister 
and the pigtailed girl? And his way of speaking? No, it 
will never happen.
 
<Maybe if I could make him realize that we are almost in
the 21 century...>
 
A smile grew on her lips, and she was smiling when she 
noticed a boy walking on the seashore towards her.
 
<Him! He will be perfect!> she thought absent-mindedly. 
The boy wore a tracksuit but it was evident that he had 
a great body, maybe he was not Ranma, but...
 
<Blue eyes! He can't be japanese!>
 
The boy passed in front of her, smiled and kept on 
walking. Nabiki couldn't help it. Her attention focused 
on his bottom, a habit she had taken at school from her 
friends. (A little autobiographic here! ^_^)
 
<Mmh...not bad...or rather, good...but what are you 
waiting for Nabiki? You're on vacation! Why let him get 
away like this? Think of something! Quick...>
 
She looked at her watch, put it roughly in her pocket of
her jeans and standing up she said, "Excuse me! What 
time is it?"
 
He turned towards her, looked at his watch and said 
"Mmh...9:30."
 
"Thanks, I better to go then!" she said looking in his 
eyes for a long moment before walking towards her hotel,
in the opposite direction.
 
"Hey! Wait a minute!"
 
<Yes! Nabiki, you lucky girl!> she mentally screamed 
while outside she turned, looking genuinely confused.
 
"I think you are forgetting this." he said seriously 
showing her watch "It fell from your pocket."
 
"T-thank you." she took the watch, blushing in an 
interesting shade of red and looked at her feet trying 
to regain a little control. When she looked again in his
direction, she was a little surprised to find him 
looking at her smiling. A smile that gave her the 
courage to say "Usually I don't do things like this to 
talk with a guy."
 
"Maybe you'll be surprised, but I thought that!" he 
answered chuckling. Then he added, "Have you already 
had breakfast?"
 
"No, not yet."
 
"Then may I invite you..."
 
"Nabiki Tendo."
 
"May I invite you Nabiki? I'm Michael Corsini."
 
"Sure." she answered blushing, less than before though.
 
/////\\\\\
 
Akane was sat at a table on the hotel terrace writing 
postcards to her friends, below the waves splitted on 
the rocks. The weather was turning worse and worse. Her 
head was full of thoughts, all with only one subject: 
Ranma.
 
"No beach today, ne?"
 
<You speak of the Devil, and the horns rise!> she 
thought.
 
"This way you won't have the chance to laugh at me 
'cause I can't swim."
 
<How do I act around him?>
 
"Maybe I can teach you." was the surprising answer. 
Then, shyly, he sat down near her.
 
"It would be an idea..."
 
"What are you doing?"
 
"I'm writing postcards to my friends. Do you want to 
sign them?"
 
"Why not?"
 
He signed postcards for a while, frowning at the last 
one.
 
"Hiro Nakata?"
 
"He is very nice. Come on Ranma, are you jealous? He's 
a friend!"
 
"Ok...ok...if you say so!" he said. "You're pretty good 
at writing different sentences for everybody."
 
"This way it is more personal."
 
"What will your friends think reading my signature? Now 
it seems we're getting along a lot better."
 
"And...it's not true?" she answered blushing.
 
"Well, maybe it's because nobody has shown up, yet...
look! Behind you!"
 
"What?" she asked, turning to look where he said. Seeing
nothing, she looked at Ranma saying, "There's not...
umph!" but she couldn't say more because his lips were 
pressed against hers.
 
At the beginning it was like their previous kiss, light,
just a brushing of their lips, then Ranma hugged his 
fiancèe by the waist and decided to deepen the kiss 
expecting to be hit by her...but it would be worth it. 
 
To his surprise, Akane put her arms around his neck. The
intensity of the kiss grew, her hand played with his 
hair. Then taking him by the nape of his neck, she 
pulled him closer.
 
When they broke the kiss she spoke first. "Wow...I 
should let you sign my postcards more often!"
 
He hugged her again and whispered in her ear, "There are
mine to write now..."
 
After a while he noticed that she was trembling and he 
asked "Are you cold? Do you want to go inside?"
 
"I don't know if it's the cold or my emotions, but I 
want to stay here a little longer, ok?"
 
"Ok, but not for too long 'cause it's going to rain and 
I haven't used the special soap today."
 
"Ok...look! Your dad!"
 
Ranma turned, letting the hug to end, looking for his 
parent, when he felt a hand that took his chin, made him
turn back around, and before he had time to blink, Akane
was kissing him passionately.
 
But when they parted, Ranma was a she. In fact, the rain
has started to fall, but they were so intent in the kiss
that neither Ranma nor Akane had noticed.
 
Akane blushed furiously and by instinct put a hand over 
her mouth. Seeing the hurt look of her fiancè's face, 
she hugged him tightly whispering "I'm sorry. I didn't 
expect something like this to happen so suddenly...I...I
think I need time. I will learn Ranma, I will learn 
to...I know it's always you."
 
He took her hands and kissed her saying, "It's ok Akane,
it's ok. Both of us need time for this..."
 
/////\\\\\
 
Nabiki was having the time of her life. Akane was right:
she liked _boys_ (do you remember the first episode?), 
expecially _this_ boy. Michael was special.
His mother was Japanese while his father was Italian. He
was studying Economy in Tokyo and he was in Saipan on 
holiday, like her. Time flew away with him. Now it was 
almost dark, but it occured to her to call Kasumi, to 
tell her she would stay out, a few minutes ago.
 
"And what do you want to do after high school?"
 
"I want to study Economy, too. I would like to study in 
another city, to be independent and all, but we don't 
have enough money so..."
 
"...you'll study Economy in Tokyo."
 
"Yeah...at least I've heard that the Tokyo University 
has a good program."
 
"Yes, a real good one and...oh! It's starting to rain!" 
Michael said looking at the black clouds. "Come on, 
let's find a dry place to talk." he took her hand and he
started running under the rain.
 
Nabiki felt a shiver through her body when Michael took 
her hand.
 
<What's happening to the old, cold and familiar Nabiki? 
I even offered to pay for lunch earlier!> She mentally 
slapped herself at the thought <Nobody's made me feel 
this way before...>
 
Then she started giggling.
 
"What are you giggling for?" he asked.
 
"It's only that I expect you to change with the rain, 
but you are still yourself!"
 
"What?"
 
"Nevermind. I'll tell you later."
 
After almost 100 m she stopped suddenly and she said 
"Let's go over there!"
 
They walked towards a house, and she leaned against a 
wall under a terrace. She was very surprised when 
Michael, rather than leaning against the wall beside 
her, stopped in front of her and cupping her face with 
his hands, he kissed her sweetly.
 
"You don't waste time, do you?" she said giggling when 
they parted.
 
"We don't have time to waste! The day after tomorrow 
you'll return in Tokyo, while I return a week later...
and you wake my latin half, the one with the
'sangue bollente'."
 
"And what is that?"
 
"Boiling blood." he answered kissing her passionately. 
Then, tracing her profile with a finger he asked, 
"Don't you want me to do that?"
 
"Who said I did?" she answered, taking him by the jacket
of the tracksuit and pulled him closer for another kiss.
 
Later, when he was walking her to the hotel, holding 
hands under the rain, he said "I don't know why I feel 
so close to you Nabiki, I think they call it a
'thunder stroke'."
 
"I don't know what it is, but I like it. I like _you_." 
she said, making him blush lightly.
 
In front of the hotel he asked "I see you tomorrow?"
 
"If you want..."
 
"Sure I want! At 10 here?"
 
"Ok! I'll see you tomorrow!" and she kissed him lightly 
on the lips before running in the hotel.
 
<Nabiki...> Michael thought watching her through the 
glass door. Then walked towards his hotel whistling.
 
/////\\\\\
 
Kasumi closed the curtains of the window of her room.
 
<I know I shouldn't be, but I'm a little envious of my 
sisters' happiness. They have a lot of fun here, while 
Ono-chan is at home working...I wonder what the surprise

he was talking about on the phone is...>

 
Chapter 4
 
"Ok guys, we'll go!" Soun said straightening his 
smoking (pipe? cigarette?).
 
"You'll see Tendo, we'll empty that Casino!" Genma said
patting his friend's shoulder.
 
"Remember daddy, you can spend only the sum you have in
your pocket, I have given instructions to not grant a
request of credit from you two, understood?"
 
"Nabiki, it's not fair! I'm your father, don't you know
me?"
 
"It's because I know you that I've given those 
instructions! Now, go and have fun!"
 
"Ok, see you tomorrow night guys!" the older men said
before taking their taxi.
 
"Well, they are gone! Now we can do what we want!" 
Nabiki said winking to Akane, who blushed almost
immediately.
 
"I'll buy something for Ono-chan!" Kasumi said 
casually. "I can't go home with nothing for him and 
Betty-chan!"
 
"I have to meet...someone, and you?"
 
"We have a swimming lesson!" Ranma answered, taking 
Akane's hand. "It's gonna be a long day!"
 
"Good luck Ranma!" Nabiki said before leaving.
 
"Good luck Akane!" Kasumi said instead.
 
/////\\\\\
 
"Ranma, I don't think it's a good idea teaching me how
to swim." Akane said following him in the water.
 
"Oh, Akane, no excuses!" Ranma said pulling her closer.
"First of all, relax! Don't you trust me?"
 
Akane watched him, considered for a moment the 
waist-deep water and sighing she answered,
"Sure I trust you."
 
"Good, give me a hug then and close your eyes. Yeah, 
like this. Now, don't worry. Bend your knees, the water 
isn't deep, remember?"
 
Akane was quiet in her fiancé's arms and she followed 
his instructions without objections.
 
"Ok Akane, now relax your legs and let your nice bottom
reach the surface. Perfect. Now move your legs slowly 
up and down without hurry."
 
After a while they decided to stop and even if Akane 
couldn't swim yet, she had taken some steps in that 
direction.
 
They layed down on the towel, tired but happy.
 
"You know what, Ranma? I hate to say it, but you are a
very good teacher." she said.
 
"Really? Do you think...do you think I could teach in 
the dojo?"
 
"Yes, of course! I could teach children's classes, 
while you could teach more advanced classes."
 
"Hey! It seems you have thought about it a lot!" he said
touching her nose with his finger.
 
"So?" she answered blushing and turning around giving 
her back to him. After a moment she felt his arms around
her waist and his body against her's.
 
"You know what? I've started not minding so much about 
spending the rest of my life with you."
 
"Ranma..." was all she could manage to say, her voice 
broken by the emotion and something else due to the 
closeness of his body.
 
/////\\\\\
 
<It was a long time since I've felt so good!> Nabiki
thought watching Michael buying them an ice cream.
 
"Thanks." she said when he gave her hers.
 
"Do you want to go to the beach?" he asked.
 
"Ok. Maybe we'll meet my sister and her fiancé."
 
"Fiancé? How old is she?"
 
"Seventeen."
 
"What?"
 
"It's a long story."
 
/////\\\\\
 
Akane was sunbathing lying on a towel when a familiar
voice called her:
 
"Hey Akane!"
 
"Yes?" she said trying to figure out the owner of the 
voice.
 
"Where's Ranma?" Nabiki asked sitting next to her 
sister.
 
"He went buying something to drink." Akane answered, but
her mind was totally busy trying to recall who was the
boy that had sat so near her older sister.
 
Following her sister glare Nabiki said, "Akane, this is 
Michael, a...dear friend." she said winking at him. 
"Michael, this is Akane, my youngest sister."
 
"Nice to meet you, Michael."
 
"The pleasure is all mine. I see beauty is a family 
trait," he said, making Akane blush.
 
"He is very gallant, isn't he?" Nabiki said.
 
"Nabiki, you haven't told me a friend of yours was going
to spend his holiday here!"
 
"Well, how could I know? I've met him only yesterday!"
 
"But..."
 
"Hello all!" Ranma said sitting next to Akane and giving
her a Coke after kissing her cheek, then noticing the
other boy he offered his hand and trying to understand
the other's intentions he said, "I'm Ranma Saotome...
Akane's fiancé."
 
"I'm Michael Corsini...and I'm interested in Nabiki."
 
Both girls flushed a little hearing this exchange and 
instinctively neared their own man.
 
Ranma put an arm around Akane's shoulders whispering, 
"Better be sure, on this beach I hear only: 'Have you 
seen the three sisters from Tokyo? They are so cute, 
especially the youngest!'"
 
"My pride has never let me tell you this but...I love it
when you are jealous, it makes me feel...important." she
whispered back.
 
"You are important. Maybe the most important thing in 
my life."
 
"Ahem..." Nabiki interrupted. "We'll walk a little, see
you tonight after dinner, ok?"
 
"Ok, have fun!"
 
/////\\\\\
 
"So he is the strange fellow that turns into a girl, 
huh?"
 
"If he hears you, he'll kill you!" Nabiki answered 
giggling.
 
"He seemed to get along well with your sister, it's 
hard to believe that they had denied being in love for
a full year!"
 
"But it's true. They kissed for the first time two
days ago!"
 
"No, really?!"
 
"It's true!"
 
"I might be materialistic, but I prefer how things have
gone between us." he said stopping their walk to look 
at her.
 
"Me too. They wasted a lot of time." and after 
saying so she kissed him.
 
/////\\\\\
 
"Who was that fellow?" Ranma asked.
 
"As I've understood it my sister met him yesterday
and now she is going out with him."
 
"So she was with him yesterday."
 
"Yeah. He mustn't be an ordinary guy, I've never 
seen Nabiki looking to a boy that way."
 
"Which way?"
 
"The way I look at you." she answered before kissing 
him. Then she asked, "Tell me why we waited so long 
for this. It feels so good!"
 
"For a thousand reasons?"
 
"Yeah, the same reasons that are waiting for us at 
home."
 
"This time it will be different, I'll talk with Ukyo,
Shampoo and Kodachi."
 
"And our fathers?"
 
"Can we think about it at home? I want to enjoy my 
vacation!"
 
"Ok...do you want to go out tonight?"
 
"Sure! Where do you want to go?"
 
"You choose. Tell me how I have to dress!"
 
"I want you as cute as possible!"
 
"Wow! It's a serious thing, then!"
 
He watched her for a while before saying
"Yeah...it sure is."
 
Akane hugged him tightly while her heart was beating 
very fast in her chest, fully aware of the deep meaning
of the boy's words.
 
"Ranma I care for you so much."
 
"I know, Akane. I know." he answered stroking her hair.
 
"And you know we won't be on vacation forever? That 
sooner or later we'll have to return home and face our
problems?"
 
"Yes." he answered sighing.
 
"Will you face them with me?"
 
"Yes, Akane. I promise."
 
"Will you stop calling me names and making fun of me?"
 
"Never." he said grinning.
 
"Good. This is my Ranma, the stupid sex-changing freak,
I'll always want by my side."
 
The two hugged for a while then Ranma backed away a 
little.
 
"Something wrong?" Akane asked.
 
"No, but...we haven't fought for three days now and I 
was wondering if it will last."
 
"As long as you keep your mouth shut."
 
"Or as long as you don't act like a tomboy!"
 
"What?" and then she started running behind him along 
the seashore, wooden mallet in hand, laughing and 
pretending to be mad at her fiancé.
 
To be continued…