Who Loves Who?

Kokuhaku no yukue (告白の行方) is the 233rd chapter of the manga. It is also the forth and last chapter of the Reversal Jewel Arc.

Cologne and Shampoo await in Cat Café for Ranma's confession.

Continuing from Previous Chapter
Ranma remembers the words of Cologne that the only way for Shampoo to love him again is to confess his love for her, at which point she will reciprocate. As he jumps from rooftop to rooftop, the guests go under the table to prepare for the surprise. Cologne and Shampoo await in anticipation.

Akane meanwhile, is still trapped away from the party with Mousse. She has a dream where Ranma is lured into the trap and ends up marrying Shampoo, pressured in part by the hidden witnesses. She wakes up just before they kiss to see herself and Mousse tied up next to some gym equipment. Akane remembers what happened to them earlier, but also remembers Ranma's determination in making Shampoo love him. Mousse is frantic for Akane to help, but she is irate and doesn't want to intervene, to Mousse's shock.

Eyes Like Desert
Meanwhile, Ranma arrives at the Cat Café to see Shampoo sitting on a bench suspended in air. He leaps to the bench and sits next to her, then begins his attack, not knowing that he is being lured into the trap. Shampoo can hardly contain herself as Ranma slowly proceeds with his confession when he notices a string above him. He pulls it, opening a ball above him releasing confetti and message of congratulation. Cologne swoops in and collects it before Ranma can even notice.

Ranma beats around the bush as he hesitates in getting the words out. He looks to Shampoo and makes eye contact, noticing the sparkle in her eyes that he likens to a hot desert. Shampoo leans toward Ranma in anticipation and he leans back, causing them to both fall from the bench. They land on one of the table, scattering the witnesses that were hiding under it. The witnesses manage to find other tables to hide behind and Ranma and Shampoo are quiet for a moment until a blade swoops around Ranma. He dodges it to find Soun, fully clad in samurai armor and holding a. He begins swinging the polearm to prevent Ranma from going through with this until he is stopped by Cologne, who hits him on the head hard enough for the to split in two. She tells him to continue with his confession as she deals with Soun.

Turn of Emotion
Back in the storage, Mousse continues in vain to make Akane intervene, but she's not having any of it. When Mousse is told that there is nothing he can do, he takes out the Reversal Jewel he still had in his pocket. With the brooch in his mouth, Mousse zooms toward Akane.

Meanwhile at the restaurant, the surprise has stalled extensively, as Hiroshi notes that 57 minutes have passed since they started waiting. As Ranma finally starts saying the magic words, he is interrupted by someone else's voice proclaiming their love for him. Akane then slips between him and Shampoo and tells him again that she loves him, and the tired witnesses assume that this was the surprise they were anticipating and pulls the party poppers. Akane embraces Ranma as the students begin crawling back out from the tables and start eating. Cologne wonders how everything could have gone so wrong when she realizes the brooch on Akane placed right side up, amplifying her love for Ranma.

Shampoo loses control of her temper and breaks her silence, telling Akane that she loves him much more. She realizes what she has done, thus losing the love battle. Cologne comes in to remove the brooch from Akane, and she comes to her senses just as Ranma hints that she should lose some weight. She grabs him by his shirt and punches him out of the Cat Café, even putting a spin in the punch.

Later, Ranma is being treated in the hospital while being watched over by all three of his fianceés and Cologne. All three are understandably bothered by the events that have transpired, and Hiroshi comments that even in hospitals Ranma gets all the girls.

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Shampoo (human)
 * Cologne
 * Hiroshi and Daisuke
 * Akane Tendo
 * Mousse (duck)
 * Soun Tendo
 * Ukyo Kuonji