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bloodsong1"I'm home!" Akane called as she kicked off her shoes. Tossing her schoolbag up the stairs, where it landed in front of her bedroom door, she strolled into the main room. "Hey, Kasumi, is there..." She trailed off in shock. Nabiki, Kasumi and Dr. Tofu were sitting at the table. Not only that, but Dr. Tofu was holding Kasumi's hand and his glasses were clear.
"Oh, Akane! Thank you for coming straight home. Please, come sit down," Kasumi said, letting go of Tofu's hand to pour a mug of tea and shove a plate of cookies in Akane's direction. Feeling a little numb, Akane sat down at her normal spot. She looked at Nabiki, who promptly buried her face in her own cup. Ice slid down Akane's spine. Something Big was going on.
"Now that everyone's here, I can do what I came for," Dr. Tofu said, rising to his feet. The three sisters watched as he walked to the other end of the table and knelt. "Nabiki, Akane. As you probably already know, I love your sister Kasumi very, very much. I want to marry her, but she will not give me an answer unless you two agree. I came here tonight to beg your permission to marry Kasumi. I would not take her away from you, as I know how close you are. Rather, I offer myself instead. I would happily move in with you until such time as you both have a place of your own to live or marry. Please, Nabiki, Akane. May I marry Kasumi and join your familiy?" Tofu bowed deeply, face nearly in the carpet. Nabiki and Akane exchanged glances, then looked at Kasumi. The eldest sister sipped her tea, the appearance of calm, but both her siblings noticed how tightly she was holding the mug.
"Do you...love him, Kasumi?" Akane choked out, her throat closing off. She breathed deeply, forcing her raging emotions back.
"Yes, Akane. Very much."
"How long has this been going on?" Nabiki asked, shock fading into cool calculation. Kasumi blushed.
"For over two years."
"What???" Akane jumped to her feet, startling everyone. Tofu looked up in confusion. "You've been in love since before Dad....and you never SAID anything???"
"What was there to say, Akane?" Kasumi responded calmly. "You two needed me much more and Mamoru understood. He agreed to wait until you were old enough. You've almost finished high school, Akane, and Nabiki has a good job."
"This isn't about me!" Akane's fists were clenched and she was panting. "This is about you! As it should be!" She whirled on Mamoru Tofu, who now looked a little scared. "You better take good care of her, Tofu-san, or I will personally make you regret it."
"Believe me, Akane. If I do anything to hurt her, I will gladly turn myself over to you."
"Nabiki?" Kasumi asked hopefully. The middle sister shrugged.
"Hey, as long as he adds his income to the family budget, I've got no problem," Nabiki grinned. "It's about damn time, you two."
"Then, my suit is accepted?" Mamoru asked eagerly. Akane and Nabiki exchanged mischievious glances.
"Well...it does depend on Kasumi," Nabiki said.
"You betcha. If she doesn't want you, then I'll have to kick you out for disturbing us. What do you say, Kasumi? You want this doctor?" Akane asked, hands on her hips.
"Oh my, yes! Yes I do!"
"Welcome to the family, Doc," Nabiki leaned over and punched Mamoru playfully on the shoulder. The poor doctor was trembling, glasses fogged over as he stared at the happily crying Kasumi.
"Oh, for pity's sake! Go over there and kiss her!" Akane cried, grabbing the doctor by his collar and dragging him over to Kasumi. It took a few tries, but the newly engaged couple finally managed to share a kiss. The sisters cheered and Nabiki insisted Mamoru take them all out to dinner to celebrate.
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Akane sat on her bed, listening carefully. Nabiki and Kasumi were still up, standing in the hall and talking quietly. After several minutes, they finally said goodnight and went to their respective bedrooms. Akane waited another ten minutes before picking up her gear and tiptoeing out of the house. Sitting next to the still-camoflauged Beaker, she pulled on her boots, gloves and helmet, taking a moment to wipe her eyes. Flinging off the cover, she grabbed the handlebars and walked the yellow GSRX 1000 out to the street. Once she was several feet away, she got on and started up. The engine roared and she rode off, blinking hard. Kasumi and Tofu! No, Mamoru, or she would call him that after they were married. Kasumi and Tofu! Engaged! In love for years! The tears continued to well up and she blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision. She drove on autopilot, following well-known streets in a seeming random pattern. Kasumi and Tofu! They could have been married years ago! Damn her father! DAMN HIM!! She opened the throttle and the engine screamed. So focused was she on outracing her pain she failed to notice a startled Ryu watch her rush past.
