Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z or any other character in the story. Every character belongs to Toei and Akira Toriyama. The only thing I take credit for is the plot.
Chapter 3
Everything had been complete hell for Goku. Everyone he had a connection with was now aware of the harsh reality he was facing. The separation, the upcoming divorce... Thinking about his current situation was tearing him apart so badly as he could feel the tears running down his cheeks. The only emotions he had been feeling since then were anger and devastation. Krillin and Yamcha were the next ones to find out about this and they wanted to visit him but Bulma decided against it, explaining that the distressed Saiyan needed time to himself.
His eyes glanced over at a cell phone lying at the center of a weakened coffee table. Bulma had given it to him a while back for them to keep in touch and she had shown him how to use it. Since his friends initially wanted to give him his space by not coming over to visit, they would occasionally try and send texts but Goku didn't bother answering any of their messages simply because he didn't feel like talking to anyone. He felt completely defeated and wanted to be alone... like he deserved to be.
One of his hands slowly took hold of the cellphone sitting on the coffee table. After examining it for a while, he could hear it shaking and creaking as a result of him smashing it on the floor. It looked like it could break any second. He sighed as he rested his back against the sofa, not knowing what was going through his head when he did that. It needed a replacement but that could wait until much later. At a slow pace, he began to read through the multiple texts from his friends which were flooding his inbox.
Krillin:
Hey Goku buddy. How are you doing? I'm really sorry about the way things ended between you and Chichi. Why don't you come hang out with us? It'll do you some good.
Krillin:
Goku, please talk to us. We're all here for you. Don't ignore us.
Krillin:
Goku? I know things have been hard on you with Chichi leaving and taking the kids, but it will be a good idea to leave the house for a while. We can spend some time together. Maybe a friendly spar, we can go see a movie or even stop at a food stand. Just don't push us away. Me and the others will be there to support you.
Another tear slid down his cheek and he thought he was going to cry again, but he was fighting hard to resist. He shouldn't show such emotions. Why was this so hard on him? He had been able to fight many enemies invading earth and yet, he couldn't handle the fact that his wife left him and took their sons away from him.
He began to read the next set of texts which were from Yamcha.
Yamcha:
Hey Goku. How are you? Bulma filled me in on what happened with you and Chichi. I'm really sorry about all that. As the others said, we're here for you. Let us help you. If you like, you can come over to my place and we can talk.
Yamcha:
Goku? We're your friends. We can help you through this. Please don't ignore us. You have to come out and talk to us. You shouldn't go through this alone. We want to help you.
Yamcha:
If you ever want to talk, I'm willing to listen. Maybe you and I can spar sometime. Call me whenever you have the opportunity.
He had seen pretty much all the messages from everyone which were telling him the same thing. After Goku continued ignoring their texts, they finally decided to come over and see him. Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, Roshi... everyone he knew had come over to see how he was doing and while Goku appreciated their concerns, he made it clear to them he wanted to be alone.
Goku almost wished this hadn't happened. He wished Chichi was still here with Gohan and Goten. If there was one thing which became clear in his mind, it was that they moved on without him and it was starting to hit him really bad.
He caught a whiff of his own body odor and cringed in disgust. He hadn't taken a shower in days after all his training sessions outside and was starting to smell. On top of that, he hasn't done a very good job of keeping the house tidy. He had been so used to Chichi doing the housework that he often never paid attention to how his wife kept the house clean all by herself.
Maybe he was a shitty person after all. Perhaps it was time to admit that Chichi was right. He will always be this stupid idiot who didn't understand a single thing. The only thing he knew was eating, sleeping and training. 'It's time to start facing the facts. She's telling the truth, and I'm the one who's in the wrong'
A long sigh escaped from his lips, seeing the amount of dishes just laying there in the sink after each and every meal he managed to make. Everything was such a mess. He didn't know how he would replace all of the stuff he broke. Still, he needed to try and do something as he was tired of just sitting on the dusty sofa and wishing for his family back. He stood from the couch, letting out a few sneezes and coughs as he made his way to the filthy kitchen. Once in sight of the whole area, he immediately felt ashamed of himself. He didn't even think about cleaning up in here once after eating. The sink was filled to the brim with dirty dishes, bowls, forks, spoons and other utensils. Once it was full, he left the plates all over the counter and the insects crawling all over them... it made him sick.
He took a sponge and a bottle of dishwashing soap and forced himself to work. He tried pushing away any thoughts about his family as he did his best to thoroughly wash the dishes. It worked... for a little bit. Hours passed and he was still at it. Cleaning everything and putting it back in the cabinets or wherever they were supposed to be. When he didn't feel like he could finish, something kept pushing him to continue. Early afternoon was near by the time he was done. Beads of sweat were trickling down his face and he needed a moment to catch his breath.
His hands gripped the edges of the kitchen counter tightly. When he saw the electrical appliances on the floor, he felt tempted to do something about it. But then he heard a voice in his head... and it sounded like his wife's. Unfortunately for him, what he was hearing wasn't pleasant at all. 'You're useless, you don't know how to do simple stuff. A sad excuse for a husband. You're a disgrace!' One hand left the counter and clutched his head as he was fighting the tears. 'The kids don't need someone like you!'
Goku couldn't take it anymore and hurried out of the kitchen, making his way towards the bedroom he used to share with Chichi. He shut the door loudly behind him, leaning his back against it and taking in the scenery for the first time in a while. This room belonged to him now, but he just couldn't bring himself to sleep in his bed ever since his soon to be ex-wife left him. It brought back too many memories of him and Chichi sleeping in the same bed together. Well, they rarely ever slept together because she often kicked him out of the house for doing something stupid or making a mistake. It happened so many times that he couldn't remember the last time he slept blissfully in his own home.
It was like she just didn't appreciate him at all.
This was his house which he built by himself through his own sweat and blood. He sheltered his family... he gave them a place to live. He was the reason why they had a roof under their heads and yet, he had allowed the short tempered woman to throw him out. Why didn't he ever take a stand against his wife? He was a martial artist and yet, he couldn't stand up to his own wife. Perhaps he was a disgrace after all.
He took a set of clean clothes from wooden drawers and entered the bathroom to take an overdue shower. As he was bathing, he made sure to really clean his hair and scrub it hard using shampoos, conditioners and other hair care products he could find. It took a long while before his hair was feeling good as new. After spending a full hour in the bathtub, he simply just sat on the bed and wondered what to do. His life was in shambles, there was no question about that.
He had to think of something to do to occupy the time as he knew that just sitting in the house and acting depressed over losing his wife and two sons wasn't doing him any good.
Goku remembered the piles of food that Chichi would cook for him. He missed that. He missed wolfing down his wife's delicious food and asking for more. He couldn't help but smile a little bit, recalling their first year of marriage when she was cooking in the kitchen and he would be training outside. When his meals were ready, she would run out and call him. What happened to those times? Why couldn't they have had a healthy relationship? A part of him was wondering if maybe he should go find his wife and beg her to move back in with the boys. He may not love her romantically, but maybe they could try and make things work between them. Perhaps he could afford to reduce his training hours and spend more time with her... he quickly shook his head at that silly thought.
'What was I thinking just now? If things between us didn't work the first time, then there's no way it'll work out a second time. She never accepted me for I was. Even if she were to take me back, it would be disastrous. Besides, I was only putting on a facade for the boys. There's no reason to track her down and pretend that I love her when I don't. I'd rather be lonely than to be with someone who makes me feel like crap every single day. But what about Gohan and Goten? There has to be some way I can see them.'
After hearing his stomach rumble for the umpteenth time today, Goku simply shook his head as food was the last thing on his mind right now. For the last couple of days, he had been eating whatever he could find in the refrigerator and the pantry because he hadn't been in the mood to leave the house to go and hunt for deer, bear and other animals that he could cook.
Hunting for food was easy, but he just didn't want to do it. His family's departure had taken a huge toll on him, killing his motivation to do other things.
The fridge was empty and the pantry was also empty.
There was no food in the kitchen, so Goku's only two options were to go fishing or hunting. Since he spent most of his time training, his father in law had to help out the family with their money problems. The Ox King was very understanding of his need to train and assured him that everything was in control. And it was. With the money provided for them, there was enough to buy whatever was needed as well as paying all the necessary bills to keep the house up and running.
Goku tried his best to ignore his growing hunger as well as not think about his wife's horrific attitude. He needed to move on from her somehow.
'What am I going to do? I've done nothing but mope around since they left me. I've been completely pathetic. I don't even bother myself with taking a shower until today. I'm sure the others noticed how bad I was smelling when all of them were here to visit. How could I allow things to get this bad? I have to get my life back together, but how? Every waking hour, I keep thinking about that night before my family left me. I just don't know what to do anymore. I-I've never felt so... so lonely...'
Goku got up from his seated position on the bed without a thought, opened the wardrobe and looked through his jackets as he began the process of packing his belongings in a large duffel bag. Folding them would waste too much time for him so he stuffed all his clothes inside until the whole thing became cramped. He didn't want to stay in this house. He just couldn't. It brought back too many painful memories for him while he was still with his family. He had to get as far away from here as he possibly could.
The desperate Saiyan eventually picked out a jacket that he really liked. It was the black and orange jacket he wore shortly before the Cell Games. He hurriedly put it on before looking around for anything else he might need. There was nothing in this room which was of any importance to him. He then remembered that he left his cellphone on the coffee table, so he dashed out of the room with his stuff and quickly retrieved it. He hadn't started using it until today but yet, still decided to take it along with him.
Goku opened the front door and instantly felt a huge gust of wind blow against his skin. He was going to miss playing with the wild animals in the woods, listening to the sounds of the river and would certainly miss climbing up and down the mountains, but there was this great need to preserve his sanity. He slowly stepped outside with no clue on where he was going. But as long as he got far away from that house he previously lived in with his family, he didn't care where the road would take him.
He took off into the skies with his belongings, looking below him for an available spot to have his privacy and not be bothered by any passerby on the street.
Unbeknownst to Goku, he was soon going to reunite with an old friend from his past. But how will this reunion turn out? Was he going to accept her help? Would she stay by his side and support him during this difficult moment?
Or could this end in disaster?
Suno had just gotten herself fully dressed and was about to depart from her home to go to West City, realizing that this was a good way to take time off from working so hard and being by herself most of the time due to the extremely cold weather. She stepped into the kitchen and saw her mother cooking up a delicious, mouth watering lunch.
The older gray-haired woman turned to see her lovely daughter standing in the kitchen doorway and gave her a warm smile, seeing that she was ready to leave the village.
"Mom, I'm leaving now." Suno spoke in concern, looking at the boiling pots on the stove and watching her stir them rapidly. "Do you need any help before I leave?"
She noticed that her mother was doing a lot of work and didn't want to leave her overwhelmed while she was away. It just didn't feel right planning a whole day to herself while her mom was in the kitchen, struggling to put food on the table.
The older woman quickly shook her head, not wanting to ruin this day for her daughter. "Don't worry about me, honey. I can handle it. I should be able to finish before your father gets back from work. Go have fun in West City. Alright?"
"I-If you say so."
"Trust me, I'll be alright..."
Suno gave her mother a quick kiss before heading out the door. When she was outside, she looked around and noticed that Eighter hadn't yet returned. Earlier this morning, the android had volunteered to help some struggling elders with work around the village. She smiled as it became clear to her how much the android liked helping people, proving how kind hearted he was.
'Goku... Where are you? Will you ever return?'
Why did she start thinking about him all of a sudden? In her mind, she wasn't going to see her crush ever again. Every night before going to sleep, she would spend time praying that her friend would come back to her once again. It was useless spending minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and even years thinking about the one she truly loved with all of her heart.
Suno started off towards the direction of West City, completely unaware of what this journey was going to bring.
Goku was still flying in the air, not caring about where he was going. He had spent a couple of hours trying to find a place where he could just sit down, gather his thoughts once more and acknowledge that he was a horrible person who didn't deserve to exist on this earth after all the mistakes he made.
He had long since fled his house in the mountains, not bothering to take anything else beside his clothing and toiletries. As of right now, it was unknown whether or not a safe return would even be possible with his whole world crashing down on him.
He missed his two precious sons and he wished they would come back to him, but they never did. They hadn't come to visit him once ever since they left. His sons meant a lot to him and he would do anything in his power to make them return to Mount Paozu. He would even fight his soon to be former wife if placed in the position to do so but Chichi can easily prove her 'superiority' over him.
A wave of relief crossed his features when he saw an empty, wooden bench situated away from the large crowd. It seemed as if he was in a park as there was a water fountain, a set of swings, a playground, some trees, flowers, bushes and even a small pond. It wasn't anything fancy, but it appeared to be the perfect place to just sit down and relax. There were even some food stands around and a long line of people at the sushi stand. As beautiful as the scenery was, he couldn't bring himself to enjoy it as he was here for one reason. All those people were far away from him so nobody could possibly disturb him while he was here. Now he could finally be alone with some peace and quiet. Or so he thought?
Goku took a seat on the wooden bench as he placed his bag on the ground, letting out a tired sigh while looking down in complete distress. His stomach was screaming at him for some food, but what could be done about it? His hands dug around in his pockets for a while, and there was nothing in them. Even if he wanted something to eat from this simple park, he didn't have any money to pay for it. 'What am I going to do with myself?'
All he could think about was the clear fact that a failure like him existed. He had so many regrets. There were too many, but he regretted not pushing his wife into letting him spend more time with his youngest son after he returned to earth for good. There were so many chances to prove that he could be a good father but never took any of them.
Even though Goku was in so much pain from all of this, there was a part of him that was relieved. He was happy that he no longer had to put up with that woman's nagging. He was relieved that he no longer had to hear Chichi's insults or hateful words towards him or the other Z fighters. It was all over. He was sick and tired of all the times she made him feel like he wasn't good enough for the family.
But the downside? His sons were no longer with him. They moved on without him.
'On the other hand, maybe this is a good thing. Never again will I have to deal with that naggy and selfish woman I had for a wife!'
He wished he had taken a more active role in his son's life than just being his training mentor. He should have encouraged him to go out and make friends with kids who were his age. Why hadn't he noticed before that his son never liked fighting? His older son never had a peaceful childhood and had to bare witness to horrifying things in his early days. Starting from when Raditz kidnapped him.
The hard truth was that he didn't really know anything about being a parent, nor did he know about the responsibilities which would come with being married to Chichi. He didn't know a single thing and his wife never bothered to explain anything to him. She just expected him to be perfect from the get-go. But despite his flaws, he tried his best at everything. Too bad his wife could never see it.
All he could do was just keep his head down in shame. If anything, it's his fault for not being able to take a stand against that woman. As idiotic as Goku thought he was, there were a few things he did understand.
Him and his wife are separated, but they were still legally married. Getting divorced meant he had to sign some papers and knew Chichi was going to be the one who would file for the divorce since he didn't know the process of doing so. He didn't know when he had to show up in court and was already dreading that day.
Goku was brought out of his thoughts when he sensed an energy level approaching him. He silently sighed, thinking earlier that nobody would bother him if he came to this spot but he was wrong about that.
'Why can't I be alone for once? I really don't want to talk to any random stranger on the street, but I guess I don't have any choice. Damn these people. I should have picked a more secluded spot!'
Raising his head, he looked up to see a red haired woman standing in front of him. He stared at her blankly for a few moments. A frown came upon his face as he could have sworn that he had seen this lady around somewhere. Her ki signal was vaguely familiar. If he had seen her before, he couldn't remember where they met and how they met. He still had to be on his guard since he couldn't figure out who she was.
'Who is this lady? I have this strong feeling that we've met before but there's something I'm not certain of. When and how did we cross paths? Was she an old acquaintance or something?'
"Excuse me sir, do you know where the-" The woman began to speak but stopped midway, noticing that this man looked familiar to her.
Looking at his face, she tried her hardest to identify him and remember where they met. She looked at his exhausted face and then suddenly, her eyes widened as she took a step back in complete and utter shock. Was he really the one she had been thinking about for so many years? Was it really him?
'Oh my goodness. It really is him. I recognize that black, spiky hair he had when we first met. This is the same person whose body I dragged through the rough snow and straight to my house. He's the one who I laid down on that chair next to the fireplace. Mother and I laid a blanket over him and waited until he regained consciousness. We gave him a cup of hot cocoa and he loved it. He's the same person who rescued the mayor from Muscle Tower and protected my family and I as well as everyone else after we were enslaved by the Red Ribbon Army. He is that boy who defeated the entire army! But... he isn't a boy anymore. He's a full grown man. I-I didn't think I would ever see him again since our last encounter.'
Goku began to get uncomfortable when he realized that the woman was staring at him intently. He then looked at her in annoyance. "Ma'am, is everything alright? Listen, I don't want to be bothered right now. There's too much stuff on my mind and I would appreciate it if you would just leave me alone!"
"Oh my goodness... Goku, is that really you!?"
He began to get defensive as he seemingly had no idea who this woman was. "How do you know my- Wait a minute.."
His voice stopped in it's tracks as he began to scrutinize her more closely. Goku's eyes widened as he began to put two and two together. It took him a moment for him to realize that he knew who this woman was. It had been years since they last saw each other, but he now recognized her.
'The last thing I remember was that years ago, some members of the Red Ribbon Army were trying to capture me since they wanted the dragonballs which were in my possession. I managed to escape after stealing one of their airplanes and then I was heading towards a snowy area in search of the four star ball. I do remember the plane malfunctioning and then I crashed into the snow. When I woke up, I was in a highchair near a warm fireplace with an orange blanket wrapped around me and then that girl gave me a cup of hot cocoa while leaning against the armrest in worry. This girl is the one who saved my life. If it wasn't for her, I would have been dead. But she isn't a little girl anymore. She's a full grown woman and... a beautiful one at that!'
"S-Suno?" He stuttered over his words in shock.
Goku stood up from the bench he was sitting on and got a full look at her. It was indeed his caring and selfless friend. He was completely stunned as he didn't think he'd ever see her again after all these years of being apart.
The last time he had seen her, they were just kids. This is the first time he's seeing her as a full grown lady. He looked at her and couldn't help but notice that she looked so cute and adorable as an adult, just like she was as a little girl. She looked so pretty, dazzling, stunning... there were so many words he could use to describe her physical appearance. He was happy to see her again. So much that he momentarily forgot about his own problems.
For Suno, there were so many emotions going through her head. Just when she was starting to lose hope of ever seeing him again, he was right here in front of her. Fate really did have a way of bringing them back together.
The two of them looked at each other in shock. Suno then wrapped her arms around her friend in a hug, with him doing the same. Neither of them had expected to see each other again at this very moment.
"I can't believe this, Goku!" Suno cried out as she was embracing her friend tightly. Tears were at the corners of her eyes, but she held them back. "I didn't think I would ever see you again..."
"Me neither." Goku responded back as he tightened their hug, lifting her from the floor and spinning her around. When he finally put her down, he couldn't help but look her up and down once more. "You've grown into quite the beauty!"
"Thanks." She beamed at the compliment as she smiled brightly at him. "Look at you... you're all grown up and you look pretty handsome!"
Goku wasn't sure why, but a tinge of red appeared on his cheeks when his friend complimented him like that. "I do? T-Thanks a lot."
She laughed at his expression. "Oh Goku... do you realize you're blushing?"
"I am?" He chuckled as he scratched the back of his head, making his female friend laugh even harder.
There was silence lingering in the air after that. Neither of them knew what to say until the Saiyan decided to break the silence with his next words, having not seen the other inhabitants in such a long time.
"So, ummm... how's everything and everyone at Jingle Village? What are you doing here in West City?"
Suno smiled at her friend and began to give him an account of what had been happening since he left there as a kid. She told her friend about how Eighter and herself had been doing so much volunteer jobs to help elderly people in the village who were struggling to survive on their own.
From what she was telling him, things seemed to be alright for her. He was glad that everything was okay and nobody had been harmed since he departed from the village.
"I planned an entire day to myself to take a break from the almost unbearable weather and all the hard work I had been doing lately. I've just been hopping from place to place and was heading somewhere when I got lost. I ended up in this park and was going to ask someone for directions when I saw you."
"That's great to hear. You really did deserve a break!" Goku smiled at her. "I'm glad you and Eighter have been helping struggling elders in the village. It's pretty impressive seeing how far you've come since our previous meeting."
Tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear, Suno smiled at the acknowledgement from him. "Thanks a lot. I always try my hardest to help out!"
That smile began to fade from Goku's lips when he remembered the reason why he was here by himself. He knew he had to give an explanation to his longtime friend about why he was here and not anywhere else, especially his home.
Suno took notice of the fact that there was a large bag underneath the bench which contained her friend's clothing and toiletries. She looked confused, having not seen it earlier. "What's with those belongings? Are you traveling somewhere?"
As soon as she asked about his stuff, she could see a flicker of hurt, anger and betrayal flash through his face.
He took a deep breath, knowing that she would ask that question. Feeling the pain come back to him once more, he slowly sat back down on the wooden bench. Suno took a seat beside him and put a hand on his shoulder for comfort.
"Hey, are you okay?" She gently asked, looking into his sad and depressed eyes.
Goku didn't know how to answer the question. He just remained silent and still, not knowing how to respond to her right now.
"Don't worry, you can take all the time that you need." Suno spoke in a soothing voice.
"I-I'll be divorcing my wife.." Goku finally responded. He felt a bit of heaviness in his voice and he felt as if he was going to burst into tears but he didn't want to do that in front of his childhood friend.
The red haired woman gasped when she heard that, but she didn't interrupt Goku as she wanted to allow him to let out his emotions first before asking him any questions.
'He got married? I had no idea. C-Could that be the reason why he never came to visit?'
"T-Two weeks ago, we had a massive argument in front of our two sons. After that, she left me and took the children with her. I have no idea where they are right now." Goku was having a hard time holding back his tears and having to face Suno while recollecting these painful events.
Suno could tell she wasn't being told the whole story, but she didn't want to pressure him into revealing any more if he wasn't ready. Not being able to stand her friend's anguish any longer, she pulled him into another hug. He couldn't help but find comfort in this. He held her tight like she was something valuable he didn't want to lose again.
"I'm so sorry to hear that." Her voice was in a whisper. She may not be told the entire story, but she could tell that Goku had been having a hard time.
"I couldn't stand being in the house I used to live in with my family. The memories there are just too much for me to bare with, so I decided to pack my bags and get away from it all. I just had to. The memories are too painful..." Goku muttered sadly, finding it more and more difficult to resist the urge to burst into tears right in front of her.
Suno patted his back while looking at him. "Have you decided on where you're going to stay now?"
Goku shook his head. "No. Getting away from my house was the only thing on my mind. I haven't yet decided where I'm going to live, now that I'm far away from my home. I don't know if I'll ever go back."
He should have made that decision before leaving, but he was too desperate. Now he was sitting here in the middle of some random park with no money and only had a bag full of his stuff.
Neither of them said anything for a few minutes. A small breeze began to blow past them and Suno was deep in thought, trying to think of a solution for her friend. She now felt determined to help him in every way possible.
Her eyes began to light up as an idea came to mind. "Why don't you come back with me to Jingle Village? It'll be a great way to get your mind off of things."
Goku looked at her in shock. "Listen, I really appreciate the concern you've shown me, but I don't want to be a burden on your family. I'll be fine on my own."
Suno shook her head in disagreement. "Nonsense. There's no way you'll be a burden. I know that my parents and Eighter will be happy to see you again. We now have an extra room in the house, and I would love it if you come stay with us. It's been so long!"
He thought about it for a moment and he couldn't help but feel as if she was right. Her family were kind hearted people so they wouldn't refuse to take him in, but why is it that he refused to let the others help him when he was contemplating on Suno's offer to come stay with her? And with no trouble at all.
He shook his head to rid himself of any unnecessary thoughts. A small smile crossed his features once more. "Okay, if you insist. I'll come stay with you and your family."
Suno clapped her hands together excitedly. "That's wonderful. In that case, we can get going!"
Goku stood up from the bench and took his bag, hoisting it over his shoulder. He watched as his friend also rose up and placed a hand on his arm, smiling at him softly to reassure him that nothing would go wrong.
"Thank you so much. For caring about me."
She held his hand as they were preparing to leave the park. "Don't worry about that. What I do know is that you're going to be okay."
The two of them are walking side by side together as they leave through the park's exit. They begin walking through towns, cities and other buildings while holding hands and swiftly avoiding the large crowd in their path.
At the back of her mind, Suno was contemplating. There were so many things she didn't understand. She didn't know anything about what happened between Goku and his wife, nor did she really know of what occurred before and after their separation. But right now, she wanted to be a good friend to him and help him get through this. She wanted him to open up to her about his current situation, but she knew that pestering him for information was wrong.
The right thing to do was to be patient with Goku and give him time to figure things out for himself. No matter what happened, she would be there for him.
'I'm going to help him in every way I can!'
On their journey to Jingle Village, Goku had been quiet almost the entire time. Both him and his friend would occasionally pick topics to discuss, but his mind wasn't really focused on them and it led to him staring off into space. Suno understood the reason for this, so she didn't say anything else to him.
They were getting closer to the house as the duo were now walking through rough snow. Goku was beginning to shiver as he placed his arms around himself, mentally cursing himself for not wearing a proper jacket before leaving West City.
"Holy crap, you're freezing..." Suno said in absolute worry.
Goku let out a smile despite the almost unbearable cold. "I do have some jackets in my bag and I should have worn one before we took off, but don't worry about me. This isn't something I can't handle. We're almost at the house, aren't we?"
Suno shook her head at that and removed her own jacket, handing it to her shivering friend so he could wear it.
"T-That's not necessary at all. I-I can make it to the house without one..."
He was cut off as Suno helped him put it on. "It's okay, just wear it. I don't want you to get sick from the cold. Okay?"
The level of kindness she was showing right now was surprising to Goku. Sure, she was shown to be so caring when they first met, but she just removed her jacket and handed it to him when she knew she was going to expose herself to the cold weather.
"Thanks, I appreciate that." He said graciously.
"No problem at all." That response was followed up with a friendly smile.
The two continued their journey to the house with the atmosphere more positive than before. Goku's stomach began to growl, causing him to look away in embarrassment. Much to his surprise, his female friend wasn't embarrassed by that but she assured him that her mom would have lunch ready by the time they arrived home.
"Don't worry, there'll be food on the dining table when we get back. Don't you give out on me!" She laughed, nudging his shoulder teasingly.
"Haha. Very funny, but there's no way that's going to happen."
Followed by that was more laughter. He didn't care that he was being teased, but he was just happy to be having fun with a friend after many, many years.
Suno's mother had just finished cooking lunch and she was almost done with setting the table. Her husband was back home from work and was taking a shower. Eighter had also returned from his usual duties and was helping her with everything else in the kitchen. He had just set the last freshly cooked dish on the table.
"That's the last one." The android said to her.
"Thank you so much, Eighter." The gray-haired woman replied. "It was quite a lot of work and I didn't want Suno to cancel her day off."
The two of them were startled when the door knocked rapidly. Suno's mother quickly hurried over and opened it to find her red haired daughter placing her arms around herself as she was shivering terribly.
"Mom!"
Suno enveloped her mother in a bone crushing hug, happy to see her again after a long day. "I'm back home!"
"Honey, how was your trip to West City?" Her mom asked as she returned the embrace, happy to find her daughter had safely returned.
"It was great." Suno beamed at her, letting go of the tight hug. "I explored so many wonderful places. It's too bad I don't have a camera, otherwise I could have taken some pictures!"
It was then that the older woman took notice of someone at the door. "I can see that you've brought a friend with you. Come on in you two, before you start freezing to death. You both don't want to become severely ill in the morning, do you?"
Suno and the unknown person stepped inside while her mother closed the door. The younger woman made a gesture towards the black, spiky haired man. "Mom, do you remember Goku? He protected us from the Red Ribbon Army, rescued the mayor from Muscle Tower and he defeated every single member!"
The gray haired woman scrutinized him more closely. It took her a few moments before she finally recognized the man in front of her, pulling him into a welcoming hug. "Yes, I remember you. You're that boy who saved us and brought peace to the village once again!"
"It's nice to see you again, ma'am." Goku replied politely as he responded to the woman's hug.
"The first time we met, I don't think I ever gave you my name." The frail woman said. "You can call me, Kaiyo."
He nodded his head in response.
"Please come to the dining room. I've prepared some lunch." She gestured towards the direction of the dining room, and almost immediately Goku could smell food coming from there. It reminded him of the fact that he hadn't eaten anything since early this morning and the reassurance from his friend that there would be food when they got back.
The three of them made their way to the dining room, where they all took seats at the table. Goku almost wanted to dig in as soon as he saw the food but over the years, he had developed better manners and so he opted to wait until he was told to do so.
On the wooden table were bowls of vegetable fried rice, grilled chicken, fried salmon, sushi rolls, beef ramen, egg rolls, fried pork, a hot pan of beanstew and a medium sized bowl of tuna salad. There was even a large chocolate cake which he knew was going to be for dessert.
"Eighter!" Suno shouted. "Come and meet Goku!"
When the android heard his name being called from inside the kitchen, he immediately appeared in the dining room.
"Goku, long time no see!"
"Eighter! How are you doing?" Goku greeted the android with a smile as he held out his hand for him to shake.
The android gave a wide smile as he shook Goku's hand. "I'm doing great. We have a lot to catch up on!"
"Definitely." Goku agreed as he let go of Eighter's hand.
Suno looked around and asked, "Where's Dad?"
In response to her question, an old moustached man could be seen emerging from the bedroom he shared with his wife. "I'm here, honey."
"Dad, this is Goku." Suno said as she pointed a finger towards her friend. "Do you remember him?"
"Oh my, it's been a while hasn't it?" Suno's father commented as he scrutinized the Saiyan very closely. "Of course, I remember him very well. We could say he's the saviour of the village!"
"My name is Hiroshi. My wife and I never gave you our names the last time you were here." He said, holding out his hand for the Saiyan to shake.
"No worries at all. It's been a while since we've seen each other." Goku said as cheerfully as possible.
The older man returned the smile. "It sure has."
"Well, let's not wait any further. Feel free to dig in!" Kaiyo spoke up as she once again made a gesture towards the food sitting on the dining table.
That was the end of their conversation as all people at the table began to dig into their lunch.
They all forgot how much food Goku could actually eat as they watched with shocked faces how he wolfed down a bowl of vegetable fried rice, grilled chicken, beef ramen and egg rolls at the same time. Had they known that he was coming, they would have thrown a 'welcome back' party for him with more meals than what had been prepared. At some point during their lunch, everyone was talking and sharing stories of their own. Everything was going swell and they were all having a wonderful time until Eighter decided to ask a particular question.
"Has everything been going good for you during the time of your absence, Goku?"
At first his eyes were twitching before he eventually gave a strained smile. "E-Everything's alright, Eighter. Things have been tough along the way, but I've managed to pull through each and every time."
Goku didn't want to tell them about the divorce as he wasn't yet ready to reveal the information. The weight hasn't been lifted off his shoulders yet and it was really taking a toll on him. He may look happy right now, but the pain was still there and he didn't know if he would ever get over his family leaving him.
Things went quiet after that. Suno placed a hand on Goku's knee under the table and patted it a few times, being the only one in the room who was aware of what was going on with him.
She noticed that her friend had tensed up when Eighter asked him the question. To ease the tension in the air, Suno's mother pointed towards the chocolate cake sitting on the table and asked, "Who's up for dessert?"
Goku being the food eating guy that he is, never turned down dessert and so he readily accepted. Once again, everyone was baffled at how much food he could eat as they watched him gobble up a few slices of chocolate cake in just a few minutes.
Lunch was over as Suno, her mom and Eighter were at work gathering the used dishes and placing them back in the sink. Goku had offered to help but Kaiyo insisted that he should rest, saying that he had a long journey from West City. They told him where the guest room was and all he could do was give a forced smile in response. He returned his friend's jacket to her before leaving the kitchen in complete silence, worrying them even more. There was whispering among them about his strange behaviour, but he paid no attention to it as he continued on his way to the guest room.
Goku walked inside the room and put his belongings on the floor. Deciding to unpack his things later, he just sat down on his bed. He didn't feel all that tired, really. He felt like a nobody. Something that he had already convinced himself of ever since he and Chichi separated. He couldn't help but wonder from time to time what his soon to be ex-wife and their sons were up to.
He had been lost in his own thoughts when all of a sudden, the door began to slide open silently. Goku saw that his female friend popped her head though the door. He did his best to look cheerful but despite his fruitless attempts, she could see the pain and sadness reflecting off him. It shattered her heart just imagining herself in that same situation. His spirit was broken and she wanted to cheer him up but at the same time, she also wanted to respect his need for privacy if necessary.
"Did I disturb you?" She asked in concern. "I can come back later if you want."
Goku made a gesture with his hand, signalling her to come in. "No, you didn't. Is something up?"
Suno opened the door and stepped inside holding a cup of hot cocoa, being careful not to spill it. She slowly handed the cup to him and winced when she felt the hot drink burn her hand.
"I thought you might want some hot cocoa."
"Thanks." He mumbled.
Goku gratefully accepted the cup and took a sip. Suno took a seat beside him on the bed as he was drinking the cocoa. "You don't have to stay, I'll be fine." He was trying to reassure her, even though he knew he wasn't going to be okay.
"My parents and I could tell that something was wrong when Eighter asked you that question at the dining table. Are you sure you're alright?" She asked, her voice showing worry.
Taking another sip of hot cocoa, Goku turned to face his friend. "To be honest, I don't know." He took a deep breath and began to speak, feeling a huge lump in his throat.
"I-I didn't always like my marriage. When Chichi and I got married, I'd always thought that we would have a perfect life together. But after we had our first son Gohan who we named after my adoptive grandfather, she completely changed. That woman would whine about every single thing that went wrong. She would kick me out of the house every time I ended up making a mistake or doing something stupid. She was never a real wife to me during our years of this shit marriage!"
Goku clenched his fists, trying as hard as he could to hold back his tears while Suno remained quiet, wanting him to let it all out. He finally spoke once more, his voice showing a bit of anger.
"I remember expressing interest in wanting to train my son to become a martial artist, but Chichi refused because she believed that she knew what Gohan's best interests were. In her delusional mind, he had to become a scholar. Not once did she allow him to make his own decisions even though he's old enough to do so."
Goku closed his eyes, trying to prevent the tears from falling.
"She got all sorts of books for him and almost never let him leave the room unless it was for food. Whenever I tried to argue against it, she always got angry. It wasn't the happy marriage that I would have wanted. It wasn't the marriage that I envisioned.." He said, his voice quivering as he spoke.
As Suno listened to him talk about his married life, she started to feel his pain and sadness. She slowly put a hand on his shoulder and he accepted the contact, not making any attempt to refuse it.
"Me and my wife... we met back when we were kids. I made a promise to marry her but at the time, I didn't actually know what marriage was. I thought it was some kind of food. Considering that I never had an education as a child, I couldn't even understand a lot of things unless my friends spelled it out for me. I feel so terrible... they had to spend hours explaining one simple thing to me. I got myself in sticky situations and I was the cause of so many misunderstandings. I'm just an idiot!"
The more he continued to talk, the more cracked his voice became and she could tell that he was about to break down.
"Hey, Goku... you don't have to say anything else if this is too hard on you." She gave his arm long and soothing rubs, seeing that he was in so much emotional pain from his separation plus the fact that a divorce was coming up soon.
The melancholy showed in his eyes. "No, it's fine. I can continue." He appreciated the physical contact he was getting from his friend and it was just fuelling him to say what was on his mind.
Suno just nodded as she waited for him to finish.
"Anyway, umm... we met again years later at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. I didn't recognize Chichi when I first saw her as an adult so she got mad and stormed off but after I defeated her in the tournament, she told me who she was. I confessed to her that I didn't know what marriage was. She was upset because she thought I wasn't going to marry her. I felt terrible for misleading her so in the end, I proposed to her right in front of everyone at the tournament."
It really seemed as if Goku was about to shed tears. Drinking the last sip of his hot cocoa, he placed it down on the ground next to his feet and turned to face his friend.
It took a great deal of courage for her to ask this next question. "Did you love her?" Although she was a little sad to learn that he moved on, it wasn't going to stop her from being there for him.
"I tried to love my wife, but her temper and constant complaining made it difficult. I cared about her a lot but I wasn't truly in love with her. I can't... I can't believe that I was married to someone who I really didn't love for so long."
"It'll be okay." Suno said, desperately wanting to embrace him and shield him from all the pain.
"For almost the entirety of our marriage, it was just her yelling and me just cowering at her rage because I couldn't even stand up to her. She almost never let our children have fun. I was barely even able to convince her to let me spend time with them in the past as she always wanted them to hit the books. Chichi accused me of not caring about the children when I really did. The selfish woman always used to tell me that I never supported her in trying to get our children to study, but I also thought that they should have had fun as kids."
He was blinking back his tears but at this point, he couldn't hold it in any longer.
"T-That's what she never understood. I did my best to spend time with my youngest son in spite of my wife's temper tantrums. Chichi made me feel miserable. Her constant insults hurt me each and every day. I just tried to put on a brave façade for the sake of our children. I suppressed my true feelings towards my wife for the sake of our sons because I wanted them to believe that we were happy. That we would always be this joyful and flawless couple.."
Goku trailed off as he could no longer contain his feelings. The tears were streaming down his face before he could stop them. "Things just didn't work out in the end. I lost my wife and my sons. Now I'm all alone and I don't know how or if I'll ever get past this.."
The Saiyan looked at his own two hands as they were shaking uncontrollably. He couldn't say anything more as he began to cry even harder, his vision blurred by his tears.
"Goku... I'm so sorry about this. I'm terribly sorry you lost your family like that." Suno whispered in a pained voice as she pulled her friend into a comforting embrace.
He buried his head into her shoulder as he cried. No words could describe how furious Suno was. Rage began to build up inside her after hearing every single word that was said. It made her angry that he was treated that way by his own wife. It made her want to track that woman down and teach her a lesson.
The only thing she could do was to provide comfort for him as he cried, her hands managing to rub his back gently.
Suno could feel part of her clothing become soaking wet from his tears but that didn't matter to her. The fact that her friend had been through so much... his cries became muffled by their strong embrace.
The village resident didn't say anything to him but she rather allowed him to let out his emotions. The tears continued to fall freely down Goku's face while she removed her hand from his head and kept a secure hold on him, pressing her hands into his back and whispering into his ear to calm him.
"It's okay. You can let out all your emotions, let it all out. I'm here with you. Okay?"
"My children... I never got to see them even once since that day... My friends... They wanted to help me but I kept pushing them away. I would receive texts from them expressing their concern for me, but I wouldn't give a response. All of them would come and visit me but I always told them that I wanted to be alone. I really am a total f-failure... a dumbass.." He managed to choke out, tightening his hold on her. The Saiyan could feel her fingers brushing through his hair as his crying was slowly reduced to sniffling.
"I... I don't know anything about maintaining a family. This is what happened to me in the end."
"Goku, please look at me."
He did what he was told as he looked at Suno with a tear stained face and red eyes. She couldn't stand to see her best friend in this rough situation.
"I know things have been tough, but I know you'll get through it. Believe me. You'll see your sons again, I'm sure of it. I'll be there for you through this long journey so don't even think for a second that you're alone in this." She raised a thumb to wipe away his remaining tears. "Everything's going to be okay. And you're not an idiot or a dumbass!"
Goku felt too embarrassed since he just cried in front of her. "Suno... I-I don't know what to say."
"We're here too."
Both people turned to the source of the voices. Eighter, Kaiyo and Hiroshi stood in the doorway. On their way back to their bedrooms after cleaning up, they heard sobbing and stopped by to find out what was happening and they couldn't believe what had been revealed.
"Goku, my daughter is right on this one." Kaiyo spoke, not wanting to see him like this. "Things have been difficult for you but we believe that you'll pull through. We're sorry about what happened with your family, but there's no reason for you to go through this alone. We'll be here for you. You need people to lean on for support." The woman stepped in the room and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile.
Eighter was the next one to speak. "Whatever you need, you can just ask. You can come to us whenever something's on your mind."
"I can agree on that. We give you our full support." Hiroshi spoke up, determined to help in any way he could.
Goku looked at all the people in the room. Eighter, Kaiyo, Hiroshi and Suno. They were all willing to support him through this. Their kindness was truly immeasurable.
Through the tears, Goku smiled his first real smile in a long time as he looked at them graciously. "Thank you guys. It.. It means a lot to me, knowing that I have your full support."
Suno pulled Goku into another hug and gave him a smile. He responded by placing an arm around her shoulder while looking at her with a happy face. Kaiyo, Hiroshi and Eighter watched as the two of them were embracing each other and smiled at the sight.
This was going to be a new start. A new beginning where people will provide help if needed.
Goku sat on the front porch outside during this frigid evening, feeling almost better after his breakdown. He wasn't entirely better but his mood showed that he was going through a remarkable recovery. He was so lucky to have Suno, her parents and Eighter for support. Luck was on his side on this very day. The Saiyan didn't know what he would have done with himself if he hadn't met them again. Having support was something he appreciated. A chunk of snow lay in his gloved hand and he stared down at it, the memories of this place returning to him.
The front door opened and Suno stepped outside wearing a hand-made sweater since the weather was becoming colder and colder.
"I was wondering where you were. You weren't in your bedroom." She gently spoke, observing the snowmen in their path before facing him again. "Do you mind if I sit next to you?"
Goku whipped his head around and looked up at her, the chunk of snow falling from his fingers. "Of course not."
The red haired woman took a seat next to her friend on the stairs.
"What were you thinking about?" Suno couldn't help but ask, noticing that he was lost in his thoughts.
"Nothing much." Goku smiled at her. For once, he was being sincere with his feelings since this all happened. "I realized today that I shouldn't be pushing help away when I need it the most. I shouldn't have been pushing my friends away in the first place. They only wanted to help me. But at the same time, I feel happy that this happened. After everything that I've endured from my wife for the past couple of years, I finally have my freedom back. Every single time I was with Chichi, I just felt trapped... like I was suffocating."
It was at this moment that she noticed a flicker of guilt flash through Goku's face, even if it lasted for only a second.
Suno scooted closer to her friend and said, "Don't worry. Remember that we're all here for you. Whenever you're feeling dejected, you can always come talk to us. And I don't mind teaching you a few things from time to time. If there's something you don't understand or find confusing, you're free to ask me." Finding out that her friend never went to school like she did made her want to teach him everything he needed to know.
Hearing that almost made him want to cry again. "Thank you, you're awesome." Now he knew that he really did belong on this planet and greater things awaited him out there.
She put her hand on top of his and intertwined their fingers together which seemed to cheer him up.
"Do you remember when I dragged your feet through the snow?"
Goku smiled at that memory. "Yeah, I remember. My plane crashed here in Jingle Village and I was suffering from the intense cold. You gave me a blanket to keep myself warm and even gave me a cup of hot cocoa just like you did earlier. Despite the fact that we had only met, you cared about me a lot. You were worried about my safety when I was fighting against the Red Ribbon Army and when I went to rescue the mayor from Muscle Tower. Defeating an army of men was a piece of cake. Those were times I'll never forget."
Suno began to pout at him. "I remember when you rushed straight to the baked bread I was holding. I was so happy to see that you were okay and instead of saying a word to me, you just started eating everything!"
A small chuckle escaped from his lips. "Yeah, sorry about that. After everything that happened in Muscle Tower, I worked up quite the appetite.."
"It's okay. It was such a long time ago and besides, I think I love that part of you."
"Really?"
"Of course."
"Well, thanks.."
He sighed lightly before continuing. "It sucks that I had to leave right after, because I really enjoyed your company."
A sad smile crossed her face before she decided to change the subject.
"Hey Goku..." Suno began to wonder. "If you're up to it tomorrow, how about we do something together?"
"I would like that. For now, I really have to get my mind off of things and I think we can start off by doing something together." Goku gave her a grin and she was glad that he was starting to cheer up.
He surprised Suno by putting an arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him. She didn't seem to mind that much and just enjoyed sitting next to her friend. She unconsciously rested her head against his shoulder, making him smile lightly at her. Realizing what she had just done, Suno immediately sat up as she was clearly embarrassed by her own actions. "I-I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."
"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad that you're keeping me company. I don't think I would stand being alone at this time of the night." Goku shrugged this off as he kept an arm around her shoulder which caused her to blush. He laughed when he noticed the shade of red on her cheeks.
Suno felt relieved after realizing that he didn't really mind the contact. "Are you sure? I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
"I'm absolutely sure." Goku smiled at her after seeing how peaceful his friend was looking. She was seated on his lap, but at the moment neither of them really cared. "Are you up for hearing stories about my childhood?"
"Of course. I'm up for hearing about what you've been up to since we last saw each other." Suno answered with enthusiasm as she found herself cuddling with her best friend.
Goku gave her a warm smile before talking about how he met Bulma for the first time and how she was the reason why he was able to learn about the outside world. He talked about her highly and the crazy adventures they had together. She was amazed that her best friend was capable of things she never thought possible. He had told her about some embarrassing things he did back in the day, and she laughed and teased him. He felt a little embarrassed by it, but what was really important to him was that he was sitting outside and spending time with one of his dearest friends.
Deep down, he was glad that he had come back to Jingle Village. Suno and her family had helped him realize that he shouldn't go through his pain alone. He needed to have people to lean on and would have probably kept on ignoring his friends. The more he thought about it, the more he began to realize it was something he didn't want to continue doing because his friends meant everything to him just like his sons did.
For truth be told, he didn't know what he would have done with himself if he pushed them away and he was all alone. But right now, he wasn't alone. He now has people he can communicate with.
Goku was happy. He was glad that he could put his trust in everyone, especially Suno.
(End of Third Chapter)
Author's Note: Another chapter done! I had a lot of fun writing it. Suno's parents were never named in the anime, so I searched through some Japanese names online and I settled for Kaiyo and Hiroshi. Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Goku and Suno's relationship is only going to get stronger from here on out. Until the next chapter...
