"It's way too cold out here," she mumbled, sweeping her long, blue hair down over her ears. After checking her phone that morning, Bulma Briefs concluded that she would need to wear warm clothes. Unfortunately, she could not locate her toboggain nor her earmuffs. Figuring that they were still packed away from the past winter, she had shrugged it off and decided on just wearing her hood up. That, however, didn't prevent the cold air from blowing in and freezing her ears.

She looked at her boyfriend of seven years, Yamcha, out of the corner of her crystal blue eyes. He had his hands stuffed in the pockets of his flannel jacket, and a goofy grin on his face. He laughed and replied to Bulma's complaint, "Should have worn something else, babe. This winter is gonna be a bad one, from what I hear."

"Yeah, yeah," she sighed. Winter vacation at her last year of college was something she had looked forward to; Getting to go home and visit with her parents, her friends, and of course her boyfriend. As luck would have it, everyone had been at her father's lab when she arrived home. A welcome home party had commenced, and everyone had a blast; everyone except Bulma. After chalking it up to jet lag, she had brushed it off and let herself be asborbed in the joy.

A week had passed, and in exactly one week's time, she would be back on her plane to travel back to America. That was a whole other issue in itself. Glancing at Yamcha again, Bulma felt her eyes prickle. Yamcha was sweet, funny, caring, and all of the things that a girl would typically want in a guy. For a while, that had been exciting for her; being treated like a queen. They had been in high school when they'd started dating; Sophomores to be exact. He was her first and only serious boyfriend. They had broken and made up more times than she could count.

That wasn't the issue, though. As they had grown older, Bulma had come to the realization that their relationship was a strained one. Long gone were the days of feeling delighted over each kiss, or a fluttering in her belly when he showed up with flowers. It made her feel wanted, true, but in her heart she knew they were drifting apart. He had done nothing wrong, as far as she knew. He had remained faithful to her the entire time she was in America. He was the perfect boyfriend, and it had taken her seven whole years to realize that was the problem.

They had grown apart. She loved him; that she was sure of, but it wasn't that kind of love. Not anymore. Nerves twisted into an uncomfortable knot in her stomach as Yamcha slung his arm over her shoulder. Bulma knew that she had to end things between them, and it made her heart ache. Knowing that if she stayed with him, she would be unhappy, she barely spoke above a whisper, "Yamcha...I need to talk with you."

"Sure, babe," he smiled, taking her hand into his as they approached the grounds of Capsule Corp., her family's business, "What's up?"

Looking into those smiling eyes made Bulma's heart twist in many impossible angles at once, and the tears threatened to well up. Fighting them back, Bulma looked away from his eyes, and started to speak, "Yamcha...I don't know how to put this. We..we've been together for seven years now. We have been through so much together. We helped one another to be better people, and for that, I will always be greatful."

"Well, gee thanks, B!", he grinned sheepishly, "I'd like to think I make my girl happy."

Those words of his sent another pang of hurt through Bulma's very core, and before the tears could begin, she blurted it out. "Yamcha, I can't be with you anymore!"

The look on his face made the tears fall, and Bulma ripped her hand from his, "It's not you, and I honestly don't know what it is. You've been such an amazing boyfriend, and I do love you, but not like I did. I love you more as a friend than anything, and that is why I can't be with you. We don't have that chemistry that we used to have. I know you love me, and that's why I can't do this anymore. If I stay with you only to see you happy, I'll be miserable in the long run. You deserve someone who you will make happy. That's why I'm breaking this off now, because you don't deserve that future pain, and neither do I. It may hurt now, but if we stayed together...it would hurt worse in the future. I'm so sorry..."

The pain was evident on his face, but Yamcha surprised her when he gave her a sad smile, "Y'know, B, that's why I love you. You put others before yourself. You're so honest, even if it hurts. I'm not angry with you, but I do have a question.."

She looked up at his face, sparkles of question dancing in her blue orbs.

"Is there someone else? In America?"

Bulma laughed genuinely, "Oh gosh, no. The only people I associate with are my friends, Chi Chi and Eighteen. You remember me talking about them?"

He nodded and smiled, "I'm glad we can part on good terms, at least. Promise me we will stay friends, at least?"

"Yes, silly!", she laughed, "Now I really need to go visit with my family for the next week. I know they want to see me before I go."

She watched as he walked back toward his apartment, and a small, sad smile lined her face. He had waited seven years for her. He'd never touched her in an intimate way, other than the kisses that they shared. He respected her wishes for when she was ready, and that hadn't happened. She knew that it wouldn't, for Bulma had lost that type of attraction years ago. Her heart had only then realized it.