At this moment, I looked at the clock. It was only 5 pm? But then, as customers came in, there was still light outside.

"Welcome!" I greeted with a smiling face.

"I guess today's just been a really busy day," I comment to myself while cooking and administering to everyone.

"How are you doing today, Ukyou-san?" one of the students from the high schools nearby asked.

"Fine," I answered while wiping some sweat with a small hand towel.

"So, when are we ever going on our date?"

I gave him a smile. "You're too young for me, sugar. Besides, I already have a fiancée."

"Ranma Saotome, isn't it? From what I've heard, it's like everyone's his fiancée." He laughed a little.

I just smiled at him. No counter attack, or I'll lose a customer. I needed the money and keep up the good reputation that every single customer who entered my door left with nothing but compliments for my services.

Besides, I was used to this type of conversation. And so it didn't bother me anymore. Well, just a little.

I took down the sign of my restaurant and locked the door. Then, I just collapsed on the nearest stool and put my head down. "So tired..."

Well, what else was I supposed to do? A working girl had to do something and I might as well do this because I specialized in it. It made good money, but it took so much out of me.

I sighed and leaned to one side. There, I began staring at a wall with the menu upon it. Aimlessly, I looked around tiredly. "I came here just for Ranma, after all."

Didn't think I'd ever find him. Those two Saotomes were known to me as the best people who could ever run away. They ran away without me didn't they? They left me alone in the dust after I had slipped on the dirt road.

Why was I even thinking of this? Because it was brought up again. "I have a fiancée," I always say.

Ha. That fiancée of mine didn't even know I was a girl in the first place. Thought I was a boy all these years, sheesh. My arm reflexed at the thought by hitting my forehead with the palm of my hand.

But all was forgiven in the end. He called me cute. I am even his best friend, the 'cute' fiancée.

I got up shakily and began to wipe the counter and tidy up the place. "Yeah, his best friend."

He talked to me whenever he was able to do it and when he felt comfortable. I was glad he had that kind of trust in me. Then again, I never whacked him with a hammer like Akane did when he wanted to explain something...

"But we're different, Ranma. And you and I are different." My voice echoed from the walls. Different...

Akane is the uncute fiancée. She hits you, but she worries about you too. Sure, you complain about her and always insult her, but...but you are really like her.

Me. I am the cute fiancée. I don't hit you for the same reasons she does, but I know I do. I worry about you, but you only see me as someone you can talk to. Someone you can actually communicate with.

And the way I would like to be with you is not the way you see our relationship.

"Heh. But of all the people I know, I think Kasumi and I are the most normal." I laughed. "Sure, I have a spatula, but that's nothing compared to everyone else."

I smiled to myself and put my hands to my sides. "Finished."

All my vengeance on Ranma had melted away. He had taken away my childhood. I practiced and trained for that one day. I wanted to kill him for ruining my life. But in the end, everything melted away.

Knock, knock. "Ucchan? Ucchan?"

I opened the door to find Ranma standing there.

"Can I have some okonomiyaki? Akane cooked dinner tonight-"

I interrupted by holding my hand out. "No need to explain further, I get it, Ran-chan."

I began to cook. And though I was tired, I pretended I wasn't by smiling and listening attentively.

He smiled and sat down on a stool. "Thanks! I thought I was going to die because this time..."

I had everything I needed and more. I had nothing else to lose in life.

But why must I always be reminded of this? I knew already...I already knew that.

I had already lost Ranma years ago.

And I accepted that in my strong mind, though my heart would never let me.

My warrior's heart just could never accept defeat.

--

Author's comments: Ukyou had never been one of my all-time favorite characters, but I had learned to like her as time wore on. And when I made this chapter, I had no idea what to write about. I wanted to write about leaving her father and things of that sort, but then I thought, that wasn't a strong point. Ukyou was strong because of the way she presented herself, which was unique from all the other females, imho.

Yea! I'm almost done! ^_^ I can't get onto my own 'original stories' because I

wanted to finish this first...