Love Letters in the Sauce

 is the 89th chapter of the manga and the fifth chapter of the Ukyo Kuonji Intro Arc.

Soun finds out about Ranma's new fiancé and chases Ranma around the house. Ukyo shows up to give Akane a note she wrote on inviting her on a date with Ryoga. Happosai bites off the part that has Ryoga's name, so Akane thinks it's a challenge letter from Ukyo rather than an invitation from Ryoga.

Ukyo's Visit
Ukyo is busily preparing the love letter which she'll give to Akane on behalf of Ryoga. She then begins to think to herself about by having Ryoga hitting it off with Akane, then that'll leave Ranma all to herself. With the Okonomiyaki cooked, Ukyo puts on the sauce to tell Akane to come to her restaurant at 2 o'clock and signs it from Ryoga.

Once she arrives at the Tendo Dojo, Ukyo calls for Akane, who soon lets her into the Dojo. Soun then arrives and asks Akane if this person if a friend of her's (as Soun's never met Ukyo before), but Akane wastes no time in introducing Ukyo as "Ranma's cute fiancé". Meanwhile, upstairs, Ranma if brushing his teeth with Genma, discussing about how to handle the situation with Ukyo. Ranma then notes that should Soun find out he's going to be pretty angry, at that moment the enraged Soun projects his ki into a large version of his face right behind them.

Downstairs, Ukyo asks Akane if things aren't going well with her and Ran-chan, she then asks Akane if she wouldn't mind not being Ranma's fiancé anymore. Akane attempts to argue with Ukyo, but is stopped when Ukyo asks if this means that they really do love each other. This causes Akane to angrily declares that there's no way she's in love with Ranma, who happens to be running past the pair as he tries to escape Soun and adds that there's no way he could love a macho chick like Akane. Akane then throws a kettle at Ranma, which Ukyo takes as a definite sign that they don't love each other.

Ranma turns his attention to his father and demands he fix this mess as he was the one who started it all, however, Genma is in his panda form and refuses to communicate. Soun then asks Ranma if he knows what'll happen if he leaves Akane and subsequently kicks him through the Dojo roof. Ukyo returns her attention to Akane that they can settle this and hands her the love letter Okonomiyaki, Ukyo then proceeds to take her leave whilst telling Akane not to let her down.

Once Ukyo departs, Akane notices the message on the Okonomiyaki, but before she can read it, Happosai appears and takes a bite out of the bottom. After quickly swatting away the old lecher, Akane reads the message, but as Ryoga's name was bitten off by Happosai, Akane believes it to be a challenge from Ukyo.

Later On
A little while later, Ukyo meets up with Ranma somewhere in Furinkan and explains about her plan of setting up Ryoga and Akane. Ranma laughs at this plan as there's no way Akane will show, since she's the biggest "macho dweeb" in the history of Japan! He then imagines Akane being feminine (i.e. getting excited by the date and wondering what she's going to wear etc) and laughs at the idea again, this time telling Ukyo that if she can get Akane acting like that then he'd dress up like a girl and run around the neighbourhood a hundred times.

This description of Akane set Ukyo aback slightly as she never imagined such an unfeminine girl could exist, she then staggers away while noting that this changes everything. Ranma begins to think about how Ryoga can't even ask Akane out on his own and heads off in the opposite direction to Ukyo. As he jumps over several rooftops, Ranma adds that if Ryoga was twice as manly as he is, he'd be half as manly as Akane. Meanwhile, Ryoga has gotten himself and can't even find Tokyo, so has begun asking a horse for directions.

Back at the Dojo and Akane is busy training for what she believes to be her fight against Ukyo, whilst training, Ranma appears and reminds her that it's almost time, he then asks her if she needs to get ready. Akane just tells Ranma that this is none of his business and then demands he just stay out of their way. Ranma notices the plural in Akane's sentence, so believes that she is actually going to go out with Ryoga. Confused and slightly angered, Ranma tries to question Akane, but she just tells him this is what she lives for and that there's nothing else she can do after a note like that.

Akane then tells Ranma that she doesn't care who is or isn't his fiancé, she attempts to explain herself further, but when Akane looks behind her, Ranma has already disappeared. Ranma, meanwhile, has gone to the bathroom and thinks about Akane's comment on not caring. He then imagines Ryoga with Akane and decides that there's no way they're getting away with this, so pours a bucket of water over himself...

The Date Begins
Some time passes and Akane arrives at Okonomiyaki Ucchan's, ready for what she believes to be her fight with Ukyo. Ukyo, however, is overjoyed that Akane came before noting that this means Akane has some feelings for him (Ryoga) after all. Before Akane can ask Ukyo what she's talking about, Ryoga arrives, and collapses from exhaustion shortly afterwards.

The arrival of Ryoga confuses Akane slightly, who turns to Ukyo and asks that this is a duel right, but Ukyo just asks Akane if she's crazy. Ryoga then recovers and gives Akane some flowers, which he said he bought as he left the house, while Akane thanks Ryoga, Ukyo looks at the flowers and wonders how many weeks ago Ryoga bought given how withered they are. A little later, Ukyo prepares a special heart-shaped Okonomiyaki with "Love" written with the sauce. She then tells the pair that it's on her in honour of their first date.

This comment makes Akane finally catch onto Ukyo's plan to set her up with Ryoga so she can have Ranma all of herself. Akane then thinks about Ryoga getting caught in Ukyo's scheme, the pair then join eyes and Akane ends up playing along with the "first date" idea. Meanwhile, Ranma (now in his female form) is rushing towards Ucchan's, determined to make sure that Akane and Ryoga don't have a date once she gets through with them...

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Ukyo Kuonji
 * Ryoga Hibiki (human)
 * Akane Tendo
 * Soun Tendo
 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Genma Saotome (panda)
 * Kasumi Tendo
 * Happosai
 * Ranma Saotome (female)