Chapter 345

Chapter 345
Name
Japanese	愛の特効薬
Romanized	Ai no tokkoyaku
English	Love Medicine
Information
Chapter	345
Volume	31 (Viz Media) 33 (Tankōbon/Shinsoban)
Chronology
Previous:	← Chapter 344
Next:	Chapter 346 →

Love Medicine (愛の特効薬, Ai no tokkoyaku^?) is the 345th chapter of the Ranma ½ manga and only chapter of the Densuke Arc.

Synopsis

A dying boy named Densuke lays in his hospital bed, watching the persimmons falling from the tree outside his window. He vows that when the last persimmon falls he will die. Female Ranma shows up outside and starts picking all the fruit from the tree, prompting Densuke to toss a chair at her. When Ranma goes inside to investigate, she finds out about Densuke's situation.

Plot Overview

One Autumn day, a sickly boy in Tachisoai Hospital is lying in bed and looking at the fruit tree outside. The boy thinks to himself about how when the last Persimmon falls he will die. At that moment, Ranma (in his female form) appears and begins to pick all the fruit from the tree. This prompts the boy to throw a chair at Ranma, which causes Ranma to kick the boy in the face whilst asking what he did that for.

The boy's mother rushes in (revealing the boy to be called Densuke) and begs her son to hang on and not die. Despite seeming very weak, Densuke refuses to die in his mother's arms and continuously jumps out of the way to avoid her grasp. Densuke then goes to Ranma and begs her to help him by allowing him to die in the arms of a pretty girl. He then proceeds to collapse on Ranma's chest and die, however, after a few moments of silence, Densuke gropes Ranma's breast and is subsequently sent flying by Ranma.

Ranma learns about Densuke's situation from his mother and the hospital staff.

Later on outside the hospital, Ranma talks to Densuke's mother and learns that Densuke is very ill and refuses to take his medicine. The Doctor and some nurses then explain that if Densuke doesn't take his medicine soon he'll die and they've tried to make him take it, but to no avail. Ranma then quickly changes the subject and notes how Densuke's mother doesn't resemble her son at all and asks if she's sure they're related, but Densuke's mother simply tells Ranma that that isn't funny.

Back in Densuke's room and Densuke apologises for not being able to overcome his fear of taking medicine. He continues by stating that as a 16 year-old boy, if a young, good-looking, nurse with a great body asked him to take it... his mother, meanwhile, sobs at her son being such a pervert. Just then Ranma walks in dressed in a nurse's outfit and tells Densuke it's time to take his medicine. Densuke's mother is delighted with Ranma's help, to which Ranma tells her it's no trouble as helping people is her speciality.

Ranma then walks over to Densuke and asks him if he'll take his medicine. Densuke agrees he will, but only if administers it mouth-to-mouth. After hitting being hit with a injection needle, Densuke decides to just lie in his bed and die. Ranma tries again and asks Densuke to open his mouth, when Densuke refuses, Ranma pinches his noise and reminds him if he doesn't open his mouth he'll suffocate, but Densuke's mouth remains firmly shut and he nearly dies.

After the Doctor uses an oxygen mask and manages to save Densuke, he (Densuke) explains that he would if he could. Densuke continues by expelling he's never gone out with a girl and adds that if he could experience the joys of youth it would give him a reason to live. Ranma is against this idea, but after some persuasion from Densuke's mother she reluctantly agrees. Almost immediately afterwards, Densuke tells Ranma to put on an outfit on for him, which turns out to be a rather revealing school uniform. Ranma then kicks Densuke for his perversion while Densuke exclaims that it was only an idea.

Whilst on their date, Ranma puts Densuke's medicine in his drink as Densuke puts sleeping potion in Ranma's.

Some time passes and Ranma goes out on a date with Densuke to try and make him take his medicine. The pair first go to a Café, where Ranma almost immediately gets Densuke to open his mouth to eat some food. However, Densuke then performs a magic trick and pulls out the food he just consumed along with some small flags on a string. They then head off to a karaoke bar, where Ranma reminds Densuke to open his mouth wide and sing as loud as he can, but all Densuke does it hum to the tune.

Later into the evening, Ranma takes Densuke to the theatre to watch a comedy show, waiting for when Densuke will laugh to put in his medicine. Densuke, however, just chuckles throughout the performance, much to Ranma's annoyance. The date then moves to a restaurant where both Densuke and Ranma enjoy some drinks whilst admiring the view. Ranma suddenly shouts and points at something out of the window, and both her and Densuke use the distraction to place something in the other's drink.

Ranma tries to punch Densuke when he suddenly collapses.

When Ranma comes to, she finds herself in a different outfit with Densuke about to have his way with her. Ranma quickly hits Densuke into the air for his sick idea. A little later in the park, Densuke notes what a wonderful night it's been and suddenly blurts out that he guesses he should take his medicine, much to Ranma's surprise. Densuke then declares how alive he feels around Ranma, which Ranma takes as meaning Densuke will take his medicine right now. However, Densuke puts the medicine into Ranma's mouth and reiterates he'll take it when she kisses him. This infuriates Ranma, who attempts to punch Densuke, however, when she moves in he suddenly collapses and Ranma panics.

Once Densuke is returned to his room in the hospital, the Doctor exclaims that if Densuke doesn't take his medicine tonight he'll die. Densuke's mother begins to sob whilst Ranma struggles to decide whether or not she can bring herself to kiss Densuke.

The next morning, Densuke awakes and notes how he hasn't felt this good for a long time and begins to wonder if he took his medicine. Densuke then sees Ranma asleep at his bedside and decides that she must've given it to him. He then decides to repay Ranma with a kiss from him, but Ranma awakes and quickly punches Densuke along with several items in the room into the air. Densuke proceeds to question Ranma if she gave him his medicine, to which Ranma asks him if that's what he wanted.

Ranma tells Akane about Densuke, whilst Densuke leaves the hospital without knowing who really gave him the medicine.

Unfortunately a pot of hot water which Ranma had sent into the air earlier lands on Ranma and reveals his male form to Densuke, much to his shock. Ranma tells Densuke he'd hoped to leave without telling him this, but at least he's alive and healthy. As Ranma pats Densuke's shoulder, Densuke calls Ranma a pervert and is subsequently punched into the air whilst asking him who he's calling a pervert.

Some time later, Ranma explains what happened to Akane, who is shocked and asks Ranma if he really kissed Densuke to give him the medicine. Ranma reveals that he didn't and if Densuke knew who did it, it would probably make him sick. Two weeks later, Densuke leaves the hospital and wishfully tells himself that Ranma was a girl when he kissed him. Meanwhile, Densuke's mother thanks the Doctor for giving her son the medicine.

Characters in Order of Appearance

• Densuke
• Ranma Saotome
• Densuke's mother
• Densuke's Doctor
• Akane Tendo

Quotes

To be added

Trivia

• The comedy Ranma and Densuke go to see together is an example of Manzai.
• This chapter is published out of sequence in the Tankōbon release to how it was in Shōnen Sunday. It was original published in Shōnen Sunday 1994, Vol. 44, placing it between the White Lilly and Battle Dogi arcs (as opposed to after the Battle Dogi Arc).
• The opening scene is based on O. Henry's short story The Last Leaf