Please Friendzone Me!

Chapter 7

Getting Closer


"And I really, really hope that we'll have the kind of friendship that lasts a lifetime."

It was so simple, so clean, so unmistakably clear. Videl couldn't have come up with a better line herself. Gohan didn't just put her in the friendzone, either: he put her in the best-friends-forever-zone. There was no way out of that one.

To think she actually believed he was about to say he liked her. What an idiot. Of course she got it all wrong. Gohan would never see her that way. It was just as she had always figured: the boy was simply too pure to have any thoughts of romance.

She knew this. It wasn't a surprise. It was expected. Gohan just wasn't interested in anyone – and that was a good thing. It was what she wanted. Gohan affirming that he only saw her as a friend was the only way to get closure over her feelings for him and eventually move on. It was what she wanted.

Videl forced a smile and hoped Gohan wouldn't see through the facade. "I… I've actually had a similar thought," she admitted. Her voice was smaller than she intended. "That I hoped you'd be in my life for a long time."

Gohan beamed at her in response. "Really? That makes me happy."

Her eyes prickled, and Videl mustered all of her might to bottle down the tears threatening to spill out. Why did it hurt so much? Erasa should've warned her. Or had it been so obvious that making the precision had seemed frivolous? Was she supposed to know that in the process of getting over her crush, she would have to break her own heart first?

She hadn't expected this pain to be gripping her so hard it almost suffocated her. Her chest felt so tight – like a balloon that was so full of air, the rubber was extended to its limit and ready to explode at any moment now.

This wasn't part of the plan. She was supposed to feel relieved that Gohan didn't like her back. Had she been hoping, deep down, that he did have feelings for her? Was she really that stupid?

He turned his attention back to the purring cat all stretched out on his lap and continued to pet her. His innocent smile made her chest feel tighter.

Was it maybe a good thing? That it hurt so much? Did it mean it was working? Was that how you were supposed to start moving on?

It wasn't like Gohan would've liked her back even if she had hoped to be more than friends anyway. He just didn't see her that way. Her feelings for him had been doomed from the start. And yes, it hurt – it hurt more than she could have ever imagined – but at least now she knew for sure. That door was closed for good. There was no room for hope or longing or what ifs or what could have beens. It was over for good.

She got what she wanted. And the pain would ease away in time, surely. It would be fine. So what if her heart was in pieces? She would get over it eventually. It would get better. It was all part of the process.

"We should probably head back, huh?" Gohan said softly. He scratched the side of the cat's head. "Sorry, Kitkat, I can't stay with you."

Videl gave a small smile. "You named her?"

He looked over at her and cracked a grin. "It suits her, don't you think?"

Her heart tightened. Why did he have to be so endearing? Things would have been so much easier if Gohan wasn't so damn charming.

He lifted the cat off his lap and put her between them on the low wall. She looked around in confusion, then she spotted Gohan and moved closer to him. She rubbed her head against his thigh and meowed, urging him to keep petting her.

"Aww, I'm sorry, Kitkat, but we really have to go back in and join our class." Gohan ran his hand along her fur nonetheless, unable to resist the cat's plea. "It was really nice meeting you, and thank you for trusting me. I hope I'll cross paths with you again before we leave the island."

Videl looked on with a soft expression. Gohan was just so sweet with that cat. It was no wonder the stray animal craved his affection – who wouldn't?

The boy sighed and got up. The cat meowed at him sadly.

"Aww, I'll miss you too, Kitkat." He patted her head one last time then slowly pulled his hand back. "I guess I'll see you around…" He sighed again. "Let's go back in, Videl."

He turned around and trudged away. Videl got up and went after him. She looked back at the cat who watched the kind young man leave with sad eyes. Poor little thing. Gohan sure was easy to get attached to, huh?

I get it, she said to the cat in her mind. I really like him too.

"Aw, come on, don't give me that look," Gohan sighed. Apparently, he couldn't resist looking back at the cat either. "We really can't stay. I'm sorry, Kitkat."

The cat drooped on the low wall as she kept her gaze trained on Gohan, who didn't seem like he wanted to move. Videl put her hand on his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. He looked over at her with puppy eyes.

"It'll be okay," she said. "I'm sure we'll see her again while we're on the trip."

"I guess." He gave the stray one last look and offered her a wave. "See you, Kitkat…"

They went back into the gallery. Gohan heaved a long sigh, his back hunched, digging his hands deep in his pockets.

"You okay?" Videl asked.

He gave a small, half-hearted smile. "Yeah. It's the hard part about befriending strays and wild animals – when I have to leave them."

Videl nodded in sympathy and patted his back. "There, there."

He let out yet another sigh. "Thanks…"

And then the girl perked up. "Oh, I think I know what will cheer you up."

Gohan arched his eyebrows at her. "You do?"

"Come on." Videl grabbed his wrist and picked up the pace.

"Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see soon enough."

They passed many rooms on their way, getting to the part of the exhibition that was dedicated to the older runs of the Tenkaichi Budokai. Videl looked over her shoulder at Gohan, who had a slight frown on his brow as he observed his surroundings, as though to try and guess why she was bringing him here.

They finally stopped at the archway to the room that was their destination. Videl let go of his wrist.

"Why the eleventh world tournament?" Gohan inquired, his head tilted to the side.

"I've done some research after our spar the other day," Videl said cryptically. "You'll get what I mean once you see him. Come on."

"Him…?" he repeated as he followed her into the room.

ooOoo

Gohan frowned in confusion when they stopped before a black and white photograph of a young man, maybe a teenager or barely older, standing proudly on the ring while the crowd around him was going wild. He was wearing Chinese-styled clothes – his attire looked a lot like what Gohan used to wear as a kid, for that matter.

His face didn't ring any bells, however. Well, there had to be a reason for Videl to show him this photograph in particular. He stepped in to get a closer look at the caption by the frame.

And his jaw dropped.

It read: Son Gohan, Champion of the 11th Tenkaichi Budokai. It was dated from over seventy years ago.

"You mentioned him that time, that you were named after him," Videl explained. "So I looked him up, and that's how I found out that he's won the world tournament several times. This was when he first became the world champion, at the eleventh Budokai. I thought it'd be nice for you to see what he was like back then."

Gohan slowly walked over to the next frame. He stared at the picture of the young fighter in a kung-fu stance, facing off an unknown opponent. These were the very first pictures he ever saw of the kind man who found and adopted his father as an infant – "Grandpa Gohan," Son Goku would recall with a gentle smile.

"I can't believe I never heard of him before," Videl went on saying. "He was huge back then. He was considered to be the strongest man that ever was, even above the Turtle Hermit himself. He was unbeatable."

The boy turned his head to look at her; he opened his mouth to say something, but no word seemed good enough to express his gratitude for this priceless gift.

He shifted his attention back to the picture on the wall once more. He was still wrapping his mind around the fact that this was Grandpa Gohan. If not for this man, who knew what would have become of his father? He wouldn't have had the same name, that was for sure – provided that he would have been born at all.

His eyes welled up, and his lips curved upward. "Thank you, Videl…" He looked over at her, and a tear slipped past his eyelashes and rolled down his cheek. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

She gave him a sheepish smile and his chest glowed. He rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hand and sniffled.

"Aww, I hope those are happy tears at least?"

Gohan chuckled and sniffled again. "Yeah. Definitely."

Videl grinned. "I told you I knew how to cheer you up."

"Well, you certainly delivered."

He gazed at her lovely face. An irrepressible urge suddenly overtook him, and before he knew what he was doing, Gohan was pulling the unsuspecting girl in for a hug.

"Thank you so much for this, Videl. You're the best."

Hesitant arms moved around his back. Gohan closed his eyes and leaned in, his nose brushing her silky raven locks. God, she smelled just so amazing. He loved hugging Videl. His heart was the most content when this girl was in his arms.

"…You're welcome," she mumbled against his chest.

ooOoo

Videl didn't allow herself to let go completely, not this time. Yet, still, she couldn't help melting into Gohan's warm embrace. Here, in his arms, it was hard to remember that Gohan only saw her as a friend or why she was supposed to be relieved about that. It was hard to think of anything but how heavenly hugging him felt, and how she never wanted to let go of this boy.

Goodness, she liked him so much… Why didn't he like her back?

Her eyes burned. Videl closed them tightly, her fists clutching the fabric of Gohan's shirt as she mustered all of her might to keep it together. She hated herself for hurting so much over her unrequited feelings. Wasn't it what she wanted? Did she really think that there would be no consequences for carrying out her plan? Did her stupid crush mess up with her brain and turn her into an idiot? Seriously, what did she expect? That Gohan would friendzone her and she would finally be at peace and stop being so affected by his mere presence? That she would just stop liking him because he didn't share her feelings?

Gohan gently pulled away; Videl avoided his gaze as she took a step back, raising a hand over the lower part of her face, hoping to hide how flustered she was.

"Did I make you uncomfortable again…?" he asked, and she could see him rubbing the back of his neck in her peripheral vision. He shuffled his feet. "Sorry… I just, um… I really like hugging you. It's really, I don't know… soothing."

The lump in her throat thickened. Videl tried to swallow it down, to no avail.

She knew he only hugged her as a friend, but when Gohan said things like that, it was hard not to get confused by the mixed signals he seemed to give her. No wonder she misunderstood earlier and even started to believe that he was about to tell her he was falling for her.

Ha! As if.

"It's… okay," she uttered out. "I mean, there's nothing weird about hugging a friend…"

"That's right."

She glanced his way; he was beaming at her. Her heart clenched painfully, reminding her yet again that her crush had zero romantic interest in her.

"And you give really great hugs, too," Gohan went on saying, a playful glint in his coal eyes. "You're almost as good as my little brother."

Videl quirked an eyebrow at him, letting his banter distract her from her gloomy thoughts. "Almost?"

"Well, I mean, have you ever gotten a big hug from the sweetest, most precious little boy in the world? That's kinda hard to beat." He gave an adorable laugh. "But you're almost up there with him – that's really high praise, you know?"

She smiled fondly at him. Gohan was just too cute.

"Is that so?"

The twinkle in his eyes softened as he gazed back at her, his head tilting slightly. "I feel like we've gotten closer today. It's been really nice."

Blood rushed to her face without her consent, and Videl cast her eyes onto the floor, unable to handle Gohan's gentle smile. That boy was just so effortlessly charming. It was rattling. And draining.

Seriously, the way Gohan affected her was getting old real fast. Videl hoped she would get over him quickly now that he had properly friendzoned her. She was tired of feeling this way, of being overly aware of him, and of the tightness in her chest as she found herself longing for him even though she knew she was being stupid.

She needed to reclaim control over her own life – the sooner the better.

"Yeah…" she said softly.

ooOoo

They continued looking around the rooms. Gohan took many photos with his phone, eager to show his family what his great-grandfather had been like when he was young.

"I wish my dad were here," he said. He was swiping through the shots on his phone while they got on their way to the room dedicated to the fourteenth Tenkaichi Budokai. "He would've been thrilled to see his grandpa at his peak. Whenever he would talk about him, I could always tell how much he missed him." Gohan looked up at her, a soft, melancholic smile playing on his lips. "Well, at least now he gets to see his grandpa whenever he wants in heaven."

"Maybe my mom's having tea with them," Videl added, playing along. She wasn't sure if she believed in heaven, but it was a nice thought regardless.

Gohan gave a small laugh. "Yeah, that would be pretty cool, them becoming friends in the afterlife."

They shared fond smiles as they walked together. Passing through the archway to the next room, the two fell silent as they admired the many photographs hanging on the walls. Videl stole glances at Gohan now and then, watching him marvel at the pictures of his great-grandfather.

Then Gohan stopped dead in his tracks and blinked at the frame in front of him. Videl followed his gaze in curiosity. Son Gohan Sr. was going against a big, burly man wearing a sort of hat with bull horns attached to it.

His face lit up with a grin. "Grandpa Ox! He looks so young!" Gohan chuckled while shaking his head. "I should've known he'd be here too."

"That's your grandpa? The one with the horns?" Videl asked for confirmation. Gohan looked at her and nodded.

"Yeah. On my mom's side."

"Huh." She blinked. "Is there anyone in your family tree that isn't a martial arts expert?"

Gohan laughed good-naturedly. "I guess not! Even my dad's biological parents were fighters."

Videl raised her eyebrows. "He was adopted?"

"Yeah." Gohan gazed at the picture on the wall with a fond smile. "Grandpa Gohan found him as a baby and raised him as his own. He died when my dad was really young though, so my dad was on his own for a while, then he went on to travel the world."

Her features softened as she observed the young man standing beside her. "I like hearing about your family."

He glanced at her and gave her one of his effortlessly charming smiles. "I like telling you about them."

Videl let herself drown in his pitch-black eyes and gave a soft, dreamy sigh. She just never stood a chance, did she? How could anyone not fall for this sweet, kind, adorable, and all-around perfect boy?

But he didn't like her that way. Videl turned away, rubbing the back of her neck, letting her eyes wander about the room. Even if it was what she wanted, it was hard to accept that the door was closed for good. But, still, she was slowly coming to terms with it. It was probably going to be a while until she was fully over her crush, but Videl supposed that she was getting there, little by little, step by step. She just needed to take this one day at a time.

And it would be worth it. Once she moved on from her broken heart, Gohan and she could truly become best friends, without any hidden agenda.

A small, half-hearted smile formed on her lips at the thought. Yes, it would be worth it.

ooOoo

The martial arts world was presented like a franchise on Papaya Island. The bustling streets around the tournament grounds were full of shops selling anything and everything related to the noble sport or to the most famous fighters to have ever competed in the Tenkaichi Budokai. Goodies, figures, books, magazines, accessories, weapons, gi replicas… If it could be marketed, you'd likely find it there. The island was a tourist attraction all year long, not just on the day of the tournament.

Gohan wished he could buy everything that he found related to his family and friends. He was with Sharpner, Videl, and Erasa in a goodies store, and the figures of his eighteen-year-old mom and dad as well as of a young Piccolo were extremely tempting. Their price tags, however, were enough to stop him from indulging in the impulse. Gohan sighed with longing as he stared at clay replicas of his parents and his mentor. He should've brought more cash with him for the field trip.

"Oh, let me get that for you."

Gohan turned to Erasa and shook his head with a smile. "Thanks for offering, but it's okay. I'll come back with my family and friends and get the figures then. Besides, you already bought me ice cream."

The blonde pouted. "I still feel guilty for making you sad, all thanks to my big mouth. Please, Gohan? Let me buy these figures for you."

"It's really okay, Erasa. And you honestly have nothing to feel guilty about. You didn't know because I didn't tell you. You couldn't have guessed it. If anything, that was on me."

"But I still feel so bad," she muttered and kicked the floor. "And I can afford this much, it's really no trouble." She gave him a pleading look, joining her hands in front of her. "Please, Gohan? I really want to get them for you."

He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "But they're pretty pricey… I wouldn't feel right asking you to buy them for me."

"I'm asking you, Gohan. To alleviate my guilt," she said with a sweet smile. She reached over to the shelf and picked up the figure of his father. "This is what you wanted, right? What else were you eying?"

"Really, Erasa, you don't need to go that far…" he insisted.

"I'm buying it for you either way. You're not gonna refuse my gift to you, are you?"

He sighed in defeat. How could he say no to her puppy eyes? "Alright… But just this one is more than enough. You really don't need to buy me anything else."

Erasa ignored his protest and observed the figures aligned on the metallic surface, her eyebrows scrunched up. She glided her hand over them, back and forth, then stopped on the figure of his mother.

"You wanted this one too, right? Isn't that your mom?"

"Y-Yeah," he confirmed, scratching his hair. "But you really don't have to…"

"I want to, Gohan. Did you have your sight on any other figure? Maybe the green guy one?"

Gohan followed her motion, her finger pointing at the super cool Piccolo figure crossing his arms in his trademark pose, complete with turban and cape, and he gulped. "You… You're already giving me too much, Erasa. I can't ask for more…"

A knowing smile formed on her lips. "Well, I like it, so I'm buying this one for you too. If you wanted a different one, you can always come back and exchange it in the next two days."

The Son boy sighed in defeat. "No, it's… it's actually the one I wanted…"

Erasa beamed at him. "Great!" She put the figures on the handbasket that she carried on her arm. "Let's keep looking around. This store has so many interesting goodies!"

"Th… Thank you, Erasa," Gohan said quietly, fiddling with his hands. "It's… really kind of you."

She gave him a wink. "The pleasure's all mine, cutie."

He chuckled awkwardly and scratched his cheek. Erasa took his free hand and tugged him along, urging him to follow her.

They found Videl and Sharpner on another aisle further down, browsing customized mugs and cutlery. The pigtailed girl started to smile seeing her friends walk over, but her lips pursed when her gaze dropped to the space between the two. Gohan followed her line of vision and noticed that Erasa was still holding his hand.

The blonde let him go to get a closer look at the items behind Videl and Sharpner. Gohan glanced at Videl again, but the girl quickly looked away. Huh. What was that about?

"Those are so nice!" Erasa squealed. "Look, Gohan, this mug has your dad's face on it. He was such a cute kid!"

Gohan arched his eyebrows at the ceramic cup Erasa was showing him. "I didn't realize there would be so much merchandise about him."

"Shouldn't your family get royalties or something?" Sharpner pointed out, crossing his arms.

"They wouldn't," Videl stated. "We sign a waiver giving away the rights to use our image for profit when we sign up for the Tenkaichi Budokai."

"That's a damn shame," Sharpner said. "There's a lot of money in this. It doesn't feel right that you don't get anything out of it."

"Well, the prize money has to come from somewhere," Videl reasoned.

"My dad did get a decent amount when he won," Gohan agreed. "It helped my parents settle down after they got married."

"Oh, that's right!" Erasa chirped. "Your parents met at the tournament, didn't they?"

"Ah, not exactly." Gohan blushed slightly and scratched his hair, feeling a little self-conscious of being the center of attention, even if it was just with these three. "My parents met as kids and promised each other they'll get married when they grow up."

"Oh, how romantic!" Erasa cupped her cheeks and stared off into space, her eyes twinkling. "So they met again at the tournament and got married after your dad became the world champion?"

Gohan gave an awkward smile. "Well…"

"Didn't you tell me your dad misunderstood what he was promising your mom?" Videl recalled with a smirk.

The Son boy blushed and chuckled nervously. "Yeah… He assumed marriage meant food and made the promise thoughtlessly…"

"Wait, he thought marriage meant food?" Videl cracked up. "You forgot to give me that detail! Oh, man, that's too good!"

Meanwhile, Erasa and Sharpner stared at Gohan, still processing. The spiky-haired boy continued to titter, scratching the back of his head. He turned his gaze to his laughing friend and his features softened.

He was noticing it more and more – how beautiful Videl was. Seeing her laugh so heartily was making his chest glow. That was one sight he could sure get used to.

ooOoo

Unknown to Gohan, Erasa's astonished stare had turned into one of puzzlement as she picked up the subtle shift in the boy while he gazed at her best friend.

Her brow furrowed as she observed the handsome young man. Could it be…? Did Gohan…?

Well, he did gawk at Videl when they went shopping for clothes earlier today, yet he had remained impassive no matter what the blonde had tried on. She had assumed he just wasn't used to seeing Videl in flattering outfits, but what if there was more to it? What if Gohan was developing feelings for Videl?

"Like… food? For real?" Sharpner bumbled, still getting over how clueless Gohan's dad had been.

The black-haired boy slowly tore his eyes from Videl, who was calming down, and smiled at the blond. "Well, in his defense, he was just starting to discover the world outside of the jungle on the mountain that he grew up on, so he didn't know much about people's customs back then."

"I guess… that's fair," Sharpner conceded. He ran a hand through his long locks and chuckled. "Still, geez. And I thought you were clueless."

At that, Videl started snickering again, and she and Gohan shared a look. The grin on Gohan's face gave Erasa the impression that they were thinking of an inside joke between them.

When did these two get so close, for that matter? It was already rare enough for Videl to make a new friend since her dad saved the world, if not unprecedented, yet Gohan seemed to have weaved himself into their little circle seamlessly. He was especially close to Videl too – she even knew about his dad when Gohan didn't tell anyone else about who he was and what happened to him.

Wait a minute… Videl mentioned that she didn't know her crush all that well yet, implying that it hadn't been long since she met him. Gohan got into their class only a few weeks ago. Erasa's eyes widened in realization, and she resisted the urge to gasp.

Oh, my gosh! she squealed in her head. Of course!

Gohan was Videl's crush!

He had to be! It made perfect sense. What other guy would have gotten close enough to Videl for her to develop feelings? Sure, it might have been someone from her gym, or maybe an upperclassman she only knew from afar, but the timing was too perfect with Gohan, it couldn't just be a coincidence. It had to be him.

Erasa turned her attention to her best friend and observed her intently. How could she have missed it? She was usually so good at recognizing these things. Was Videl that good an actress that even Erasa's sharp eye didn't pick up that she was crushing on their new friend?

Or maybe she was wrong about this… Besides, Videl's plan was to get friendzoned so she could move on, so it wasn't like figuring out who the mystery guy was would get them anywhere.

But if Gohan was indeed Videl's crush and liked her back, wasn't her plan going to backfire?

Erasa was starting to get a headache. She massaged the bridge of her nose.

"Are you alright, Erasa?" Videl asked.

The blonde lowered her hand and gave her a tired smile. "Yeah, just a bit tired."

"Are you thirsty?" Gohan turned his satchel over to the front of his pelvis and shuffled around inside before fishing out a canteen. "I've got mint tea if you'd like some."

She cracked a smile. What an adorable boy. "That does sound nice, thanks."

Gohan then got out a carton cup from his bag and poured the lukewarm beverage in it. He had even planned on sharing. His kindness was heartwarming.

It was no wonder Videl fell for him – well, if Erasa did indeed guess right. She wasn't sure one hundred percent. And she didn't know if she should look further into it, either, not when Videl rejected her own feelings and wasn't planning to ever act on them.

Sipping on the nice minty drink, she looked on as Gohan offered Videl and Sharpner some tea as well. Videl declined, but Sharpner shrugged and said, "Sure, why not."

"Are you sure you don't want some, Videl?" Gohan asked again as he poured a cup for Sharpner. "It's not like I can't make more, you know."

Her lips twitched for a smile. "Alright, if you insist. I'm not sure we're supposed to have a tea party back here though."

"Oh, well, we're just staying hydrated," Gohan said with a playful grin as he handed the cup to Sharpner. "There's no harm in that, is there?"

Videl chuckled. Erasa frowned slightly as she observed her once more, keeping the ridge of her carton cup against her lips. That glint in Videl's eyes… Did it mean what she thought it meant, or was her new theory making her see things that weren't there? It was so subtle, the way Videl's eyes shone as she gazed at Gohan – there was that special kind of affection, and maybe a little bit of yearning and melancholy too. But Erasa couldn't tell for sure.

She blew a breath on the liquid in her cup, creating little waves. Her head hurt again. This was all so complicated. If only Videl could just confess to her crush like a normal teenage girl, instead of repressing how she felt and hoping she could just get over it. Erasa got why Videl recoiled at the very idea of feeling weak and helpless, she really did, but there had to be a better way to go about dealing with her trauma, surely. Trying to avoid any reminder of that time, pushing it all down like that… That couldn't be healthy.

And if Gohan really was Videl's crush… Erasa's gaze glided over to him as she took another sip of her cup. She sighed again. He was so handsome, and cute, and charming, and kind, and smart, and fun to be with. Gohan was definitely high-class boyfriend material; he was the ideal guy, really. How could Videl waste such a perfect first crush?

Erasa decided to wait and see for now. Soon enough, Videl should update her about her plan to get her crush to friendzone her, and if she succeeded, then maybe Gohan wasn't the guy after all. Or he was but didn't actually like Videl that way, although he might just see her as a friend and so did she and Videl's crush was someone else entirely and Erasa was just making it all up in her head.

It was such a big, tangled mess. She needed an aspirin.

ooOoo

It was already past five o'clock, and the sun wasn't that high in the sky anymore. Sharpner pointed out that it was the best time to go to the beach to avoid getting sunburned without needing to put on sunscreen, and his friends agreed. Well, two out of three anyway. Gohan insisted they should still be careful even if the sunrays were indeed weaker at this time of the day.

And so, the group of four arrived at their next stop. Unsurprisingly, they weren't the only ones in their class who thought of enjoying the beautiful beach by their hotel. Familiar teenagers were scattered about, some sunbathing, others jumping waves, or playing beach games.

"Oh, there's a volleyball net," Videl perked up. "That should be fun."

Gohan quirked an eyebrow at her. "Really? With your ankle? Being on your feet all day is bad enough, and now you want to jump around and put more pressure on your ankle when it's still not done healing?"

She grumbled. "You're such a worrywart."

"Hey, I didn't say anything all day, did I? I figured you'd be fine since your ankle should be almost all healed by now, but I can't sit back and say nothing when you're suggesting a game of volleyball, of all things."

Videl let out an aggravated sigh, but she had to admit he had a point. "Fine, fine. Can I still play in the sea, Mom?"

Gohan laughed good-naturedly, clearly not affected by the jab. "Of course. In fact, the lack of gravity will be good for your ankle. Just be careful if the waves get too strong, okay?"

She rolled her eyes and waved him off, and as she walked closer to the shore, she started to lift off her shirt – her bathing suit was underneath. "Yeah, yeah."

Sharpner and Erasa had already gone ahead and picked out a nice spot on the sand for them. Videl set her shirt on the lounge chair and went on to lower her leggings. She was wearing a two-piece, blue with black streaks, but the top was more like a sports bra and the bottom consisted of a pair of boxers. She never would've been comfortable wearing an actual bikini, and she wasn't too fond of getting tan lines on her stomach with a one-piece suit either. This kind of ensemble was the better choice for her.

She turned around, expecting to see Gohan right behind her – but he hadn't moved an inch from the spot where she had left him.

Videl's breath hitched and her whole body heated up. Gohan's eyes were roaming all over her figure, and not very subtly either. His lips were parted and a very obvious blush was streaked across his face. His chest was even visibly heaving.

Their gazes met then and Videl felt herself falter. That look again. That intensity. His eyes bore into hers – screaming that he wanted her.

She forcefully turned away from him. It was only attraction, Videl reminded herself. She had already established that Gohan was indeed attracted to her, as confirmed by his numerous physiologic reactions to her looks, and that was all this was. Just chemicals and hormones, exacerbated by puberty. Attraction didn't mean feelings – and Gohan made it very clear that he did not like her that way.

"I'm going in," she mumbled to her blond friends, heading straight for the shore.

ooOoo

Gohan ran a hand through his spiky hair as he gazed at the sky, and let out a sigh. His face was still burning, and his heartbeat wouldn't calm down.

He didn't think he would just freeze like that at the sight of Videl in her swimsuit, but the teen supposed he shouldn't be that surprised given his track record. He let his eyes meander across the beach; there were many pretty girls showing far more skin than Videl was, yet none of them elicited any kind of reaction out of him. They were just nice to look at, like one would appreciate a pretty drawing. But other than that – nothing.

He saw Videl walking further through the waves, the water at her knee level. His throat tightened at the sight of her exposed back, her shoulders, her thighs… and he couldn't help his gaze from pausing on her perfectly heart-shaped butt. It took forcing his hand to cover his eyes to stop staring.

It was undeniable: Videl was… incredibly hot. It wasn't a term Gohan would normally use, but in this case, nothing else seemed appropriate.

But that couldn't be all of it, right? As attractive as Videl was, she wasn't the only hot girl he had ever come across – that would be unrealistic. But then, why was she the only one who made him react in any way? And so strongly, too. Was it maybe just physical or…?

Could there be… more to it, somehow?


What's this? Is Gohan finally gonna get a clue? No way! :O Lol, guess you'll have to wait to find out! xD

Finished this chapter much faster than I thought I would, and I even got it properly beta read! I finally found a new beta! Yay! A big shoutout to Nosdda who kindly looked over the chapter for me. Thank you so much!

Well, I hope you enjoyed reading this update as much as I enjoy writing it! Some feedback would be great. See you soon! :D


February 10, 2022