This is the very first story I translated, so apologize in advance for any mistake/typo.
I hope you like it!
The city lights were beginning to turn on indicating that night was coming. He didn't need to turn on the headlights of his car. They were automatic, it did this as the ambient lighting required. He drove a modern Audi, one of the latest generation which he bought with a lot of effort, with the sweat of his hard work.
He drove slowly down the avenue, in no hurry at all to reach his destination. Maybe because he already knew what he would find there. So, he made his way quite calmly, as if he could postpone his arrival as long as possible.
He knew. He knew she would be there, like at every important meeting between their friends. Thank God they live in a big, very big city, so he didn't have to run the risk of bumping into her at any moment, but on these occasions, it was obvious, he didn't even have to ask. They had been together for so many years, they had known each other since they were kids. His friends were her friends. Her friends were his friends too. Their families knew each other.
He pondered for a moment, wondering if he should even go to this appointment. He stopped the car at the stop light and seriously considered going around the block and leaving.
He sighed deeply.
He couldn't. It was Bulma's birthday, she would kill him if he didn't go. There was no escape. He never had. Not only was he her friend, he was the best man at her wedding with Vegeta, his best friend. He was the godfather of her son, Trunks. And what's worse, she was the godmother of Trunks too and Bulma's best friend.
Of course she would be there, the woman who broke his heart. He knew that. But what he didn't know, was if he would be ready to see her again yet.
It had been a little over a year since the two of them had separated. Since she had walked through his apartment door with her belongings, saying she would never come back.
She meant it. She didn't come back.
After that he saw her three more times. Always at these celebrations. The first one, was also on Bulma's birthday last year. They had broken up a few days ago, maybe not even a month. They still didn't talk to each other, they still had hurt feelings.
The second time was more or less five months after the end of the relationship and he met with her at the engagement dinner of another couple of friends, for a change. He would be Tienshinhan's best man and she would be Launch's bridesmaid. So much time had passed. They didn't speak to each other anymore, but he had hoped to have a chance to talk to her, apologize, tell her how he felt, he missed her, he still hadn't gotten over her.
Such was his surprise when he saw her with someone else, with him. That damned Piccolo, her co-worker, who he had long realized had an interest in his girl.
If he was already dying little by little, that was the fatal blow. It was then that his heart, which was already in tatters, turned to stone, a rock covered with metal, impenetrable, hard and dry. At the time, he drank more than he should've, he embarrassed himself at dinner. He fought with her, shouted, threw out everything he felt. He accused her of cheating on him, with that guy, he said they were having an affair long before they broke up. He said that she never loved him. That she played with him, hurt his feelings.
She cried. And it broke him up some more, if that was even possible.
It was a lie, he knew. She would never do something like that. She was honest, righteous and he never doubted her love for him, but he was hurt, bruised, wounded and drunk.
After that, he decided to block her for good on every social media he had. It seems that their relationship was recent, they hadn't updated anything yet, and he didn't want to have to see that when it happened. It would be too hard. Too painful.
He searched on the arms, the kisses, and the beds of other women the absence she made in his life. He tried to fill the hole in his chest. He tried to make up for the lack of her. Nothing worked. No one was good enough. No one was worthy of his love, of his feelings. She owned it. Always had been.
Worst of all, he saw her smiling beside him, saw her happy, in a way he hadn't seen in a long time.
He martyred himself. He blamed himself. He hated himself.
It was his fault, after all. She had been by his side for so long, he didn't appreciate. They had been together all their lives. They started dating early, as soon as they realized the mutual feeling, they never let go, they never left each other. At least, until now. He couldn't even tell the exact moment they started dating, it was all so natural, it just happened. As it had to be.
She was not only his first love, it was his first kiss and he remembers it like it was yesterday, it happened when he was 16 years old, she was 15. The anxiety he felt in his chest when he found out he was in love and the fear that she wouldn't answer back, but he was brave and decided to put his cards on the table. He had always been brave, determined, obstinate. He met with her, after school, under an apple tree, near where they lived and he declared himself. It was simple, it was silly, and it was quick. The words rushed out of his throat and he froze, realizing how silly it must have seemed at the time. She smiled. She was sweet, always had been. She was kind and caring. A little angry at times, but that was her greatest charm. She hugged him happily and seconds later placed a soft kiss on his lips. He was surprised, he didn't expect this reaction, but he responded, happy to be loved back.
From then on they were never apart again. She was his first everything. And only one, until then. Until she left him, abandoned him, traded him for another.
And unfortunately, she was still the only one. Too bad she couldn't say the same about him. Months after a relationship of so many years, she was there, with that asshole.
The last meeting was on Trunks' birthday exactly three months ago. She looked really beautiful, in a baby pink dress, just wonderful, perfect, as she had always been. And since for Bulma nothing was ever too simple, she threw a kick-ass party. And when it was time for the pictures, he even tried, but he couldn't look away from her the moment she stood at the mural with the little boy on her lap, and a simple smile broke out on her lips. The moment their eyes met, she smiled at him too.
During the rest of the party, he looked for her. She was still with Piccolo, but even so he went, asked her for a dance and she accepted.
He apologized for the last time they had seen each other and she forgave him. She wouldn't hold grudges, she wasn't the grudging type, she never was. She was understanding and welcoming. They talked some more. She laughed, smiled, looked at him tenderly with those beautiful, shimmering black orbs. They ended the dance with her giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek.
He felt it. He felt the current of electricity that ran through his body in that instant and knew that it was the same with her, but she turned her back on him and went back into the arms of her new boyfriend.
Once again he hated himself. He had everything in his hands. He didn't appreciate it and lost her.
The memories of the night she left for good embraced him once again, to increase the bitter taste of his loneliness. Guilt is what he felt.
"This is your last chance, Son Goku. I'm walking out that door and never coming back. Either you make something or I'm gone, forever!". These were her words. He didn't believe it. He couldn't believe it. She never left him. She was always by his side, always supporting him in everything. She was his foundation, his base, his world.
He could have done something, but he didn't. He let her go. He remained silent, mute, unable to say anything. She wouldn't understand, no, no matter how hard he tried to explain, she wouldn't accept. It was his final offer. Either her or the job.
She wanted to get married, she wanted to have children. Her friends were all getting married, starting families, they were the only ones practically left, especially after Launch and Tienshin's engagement. Maybe the last of the lone wolves was still Yamcha, but that was only because he hadn't found his better half yet. And as for her, well... she had already found her new partner. And he was perhaps going to die alone anyway. Without her, without family.
He didn't want to get married or have a family. Not yet, at least. He needed to rank up at work. That was his focus. He wanted to grow professionally, the position he had was no longer enough for him. He was a workaholic. He only worked, worked and worked, and in his spare time he studied, so that he could add more value, bring more results, everything so that he could accelerate his growth. As soon as he reached his dream, he could finally settle down and give her the princess life she always deserved. But it was a lie. He got one promotion, two, three, four... He never stopped. He never settled down. He always wanted more, and her time, as well as her patience was running out, until there was nothing left.
There was no more time for her, his whole life became work and only work. She became a mere tourist in his life. He no longer knew what happened to her, he no longer knew about her life and she no longer knew about his.
She pleaded. She pleaded so much. She cried a lot. She begged him. But it was no use, he would never leave his job, she would always be in second place in his life, that's what she thought, that's what she said, that's what she stated. But not in his perspective. For him it was all for her. To give her a better life, so then she could have everything she always wanted, what she always deserved.
He just hadn't realized yet that, she already had everything she always wanted. Maybe she still lacked some small things to complete, like her own marriage and children, but that was all that was enough. To her it didn't matter a life of luxury, she had no ambitions like his, she didn't care about material possessions, all she cared about was love. But not for him, that couldn't be all, he needed more, he wanted more, he had to get more.
And he did.
He managed it just to realize that none of it mattered if he didn't have her by his side. Nothing.
His perfect life and his achievements were no longer worth anything. They meant nothing. It was all in vain.
And at what price?
It was expensive. Very expensive, and now he regretted it. How he regretted it. So bitterly...
But it was already done. She was already with someone else. Someone who would probably make her happier than he did. Someone who would give her everything she truly deserved. Everything he was never able to give. A family. There was no more way, not for him.
He had already lost everything that was truly important to him one day.
He went to therapy. He tried to put the pieces of his heart together. It didn't work. This was not the problem. He was sick, sick from his work, sick from the life he led. He already had a hectic pace that only intensified with time, especially after she left his life, since she was the balance he always needed, so he increased his workload even more and focused all possible energies on the only thing he had left: his work. It was what he chose after all, wasn't it? As a bonus, he gained several morbidities: nervous gastritis, stress, anxiety, burnout...
When he finally received the news of his new promotion, to become the CEO of the company where he worked, he could feel nothing. Absolutely nothing. He was neither happy, nor sad. Neither excited nor bored. Neither euphoric nor surprised. Nothing. He expected it, of course. He already knew it was a matter of time, and probably not much time.
With the promotion letter in his hands, his team completely happy and smiling, clapping their hands, his boss proudly greeting him with a pat on the back, he finally took a drastic action. One that he should have taken a long time ago, more precisely a year and a little less than a month ago.
He turned to his boss, handed him back the letter in his hands, and said, loud and clear:
"Thank you, Mr. Bills, but I resign!"
Everyone was dumbfounded, eyes wide, expressions of utter confusion and disbelief. Anyone who knew Goku knew that his greatest dream was that one, and now suddenly he was turning it down. Had he found a better job? One that paid more? A more profitable company?
None of these things.
The cat-faced old man simply did not know what to say. Or what to do. Goku was his best and most profitable employee of all. He could not lose him, just like that, for no reason. He tried to understand, he questioned, he increased the offer, he doubled it, but Goku only told him he had had enough of it all and would leave that very day.
To the hell with his notice. To the hell with his bonus. To the hell with his letter of recommendation.
He was tired of it. Nothing else mattered.
And he wouldn't have to worry so much about money. He had enough savings and investments to live well for some time, a few years even, without much luxury of course, but peaceful.
He laughed as he left the office, feeling free, feeling alive! If only for a little while.
Maybe he would find something to occupy his mind, since he was addicted to work. Maybe a simple job, without too many demands, just so he wouldn't go crazy for good. That was what his therapist suggested.
He was getting better, little by little, but he was. One day, who knows, he would get over her for good.
He doubted it, he doubted very much that that day would come, but he also doubted that one day he would quit his job, and there he was officially unemployed. And since he had left work, in order not to go crazy with the idle time, he continued his routine of physical exercises in the morning, he knew it was good for his health, he was not going to abandon it. During the rest of the day he read a book, something different, not work related, fantastic literature or suspense, Whatever, something that caught his attention. He caught up on all the series he liked and updated his list of 'movies to watch before you die'. He visited his family. He even started to take a risk in the kitchen, although it didn't work out too well anyway. Chichi was always better than him at this.
Anyway…. Anything to occupy his mind, something that could distract him, make him forget about her. An idle brain was the worst of enemies. It's the devil's workshop, as they say. If when she left he focused all his attention on work, now there was nothing left and he would have to be strong if he didn't want to finally unblock her from social medias, investigate her life, find out how she was doing, call, text, suddenly appear at her apartment. Even to his friends he avoided asking, and everyone knew about their situation, so they avoided commenting too.
It was hard not to think about her. Not to remember how much he missed her in his life and in that big, empty apartment.
Suddunly a horn woke him up from his trance. He was finally in front of Bulma's house and from a distance, Krillin saw him coming and honked his horn as he passed by on his motorcycle, on the back, Lazuli gave him a little wave.
He couldn't believe he was on time, even though he was driving like a turtle.
Well, there was no other way, he had to face that reality sooner or later. He was going to see her sooner or later.
He took a deep breath when he parked the car, next to her car, he knew. A charming new beatle that she liked so much.
He pondered one last time if he should start his car again and drive away, but was stopped the moment someone knocks on his car window, making him jumped a little.
"Hey man, how are you?", asked Krillin when Goku finally got out of the car. "It's been a long time!"
"Yes, it's been a long time indeed..." Goku smiled and gave his short friend a side hug. "I'm fine, how about you?"
"I'm all right, I'm all right!"
The two walked into the large mansion of the Briefs family while chatting nonchalantly.
Almost automatically and uncontrollably, his eyes ran all over the internal space, as if searching for something or someone.
Not for her. He already knew she was there. His eyes searched for him. For Piccolo.
He couldn't find him.
Had he gone? Or maybe he was just in the bathroom? Maybe outside? He preferred to keep these doubts to himself.
He greeted the rest of his friends he encountered along the way and headed for the lounge outside the large mansion. His analytical gaze was still searching for the presence of that person who wasn't there either, but his vision stopped, fixating on the figure that was highlighted when he finally sat down at one of the tables, next to Vegeta. His breathing seemed to have failed at that instant.
She was beautiful. As she had always been.
Her black hair was loose and free, in a huge cascade of damnation. Her small body was wearing a simple and delicate summer outfit, just the way she was. Not much adornment, nothing gaudy or exuberant. Just a loose-fitting tank top and jeans shorts. Beautiful. She was always beautiful, just the way she was, natural. She didn't need anything else. She never needed anything else.
It didn't take too long before her gaze meets with his and she smiles sympathetically. He felt his face heat up and his cheeks redden. No one needed to tell him that. He felt it. He knew he was as red as a bell pepper.
"Go talk to her!" encouraged Vegeta, who from where he stood could observed everything that happened.
"Nah... And say what? There's nothing between us anymore..."
"Pff! Bullshit, Kakarot. You're obviously still in love with her!"
"It doesn't matter what I feel anymore, Vegeta..." Goku lowered his face, looking away from her who was now busy with something else. She was near to Bulma who was holding Trunks on her lap, talking about something random. She smiled. She seemed happy.
Bulma then approached the table where they were and Chichi followed her.
"Son-Kun!" She handed Trunks over to Chichi to hold and hugged Goku with the chair and all. "I missed you! Where is my present?"
Vegeta shook his head, his wife really knew how to be inconvenient sometimes. Chichi just laughed.
"Haaaammm..."
"Don't tell me you forgot? I can't believe it!"
"Of course not, Bulma dear!" He smiled, amused, and pulled out a small bag from the back of his chair. "Happy Birthday!"
"Ooooh! Goku!" She hugged him tighter this time and then opened the little bag. There was a small box and, inside the box, a pair of small earrings. Nothing to do with the style of the blue-haired woman, it probably had much more to do with the black-haired woman next to her.
Goku never knew how to choose female gifts, or male ones. It was always Chichi who helped him in this mission, and, well, now that they were no longer together, he had to do it on his own. He had clearly made a mistake.
"Erm... Thank you!" Bulma frowned and muttered with no intention at all of hiding her disappointment. Chichi peeked over her shoulder and saw: two little bright stones, beautiful, in her humble opinion.
"There's an exchange stamp on it, okay?!" He had expected this to happen, so he took precautions. He just didn't give her a gift card all at once, because as far as he knew Bulma, she would've complained a lot more.
"I expected nothing less from you! Thanks!" The birthday woman smiled and turned around, walking over to her husband.
Then he approached the person with the little boy on her lap.
"Hi…" he sounded shy and silly, as if it was the first time he was seeing this woman.
"Hi!" she replied, as shy and silly as he.
Goku was already standing very close to the woman who was holding the purple-haired child in her arms. He then began to talk to the little boy, who was not even three years old yet, but was already able to understand a few words.
"Hello Trunks!" He repeated his hello at least three times, with his typical goofy uncle's face. "Say hello to your uncle here!"
Chichi smiled tenderly.
Goku got along so well with children. He always had. She couldn't understand why he himself didn't want to have one.
He took the little boy on his lap and started talking and playing with him. He loved his godson.
But before the conversation could move forward in any way, someone called out to the women from inside the house and the two enter, leaving the boys and the child behind.
Goku didn't want to ask, but he needed to know. Vegeta noticed his friend's uneasiness and shot up. "She came alone, okay!"
The tall men stared at the short one, amazed and surprised at the same time. His heart raced, but he preferred not to say anything else. What difference would it make to his miserable life? He had already lost her.
And the hours has passed, the night went on and people began to leave. In the end, only the hosts, Goku and Chichi were left. They were there, outside, talking and drinking, nibbling on a few pieces of grilled meat that had been left. Baby Trunks was already rolled over in his godfather's lap and Bulma decided to take him to bed. Vegeta accompanied her, even though he didn't need to, he just wanted to leave the other couple alone.
They seemed to be getting along, like they hadn't in a long time. They talked about some things, trivial and random things. No one dared to touch on sensitive subjects. He didn't dare ask about her relationship and she didn't dare ask about his work. They didn't want to know. They didn't need to know. You don't poke at a wound that is already healing.
But as soon as their friends left, tension hovered in the air. They looked like two strangers again, but strangers with complicated pasts.
"Well, I'll get these dishes to the kitchen." She started to collect the plates and cutlery from the table and Goku helped her, without saying a word. She didn't object, but she didn't say anything either.
The two of them took all the dishes into the kitchen inside the house, and Chichi, organized as she was, wasted no time in starting to clean up, throwing the leftover food in the garbage, the leftover drink in the sink drain and putting crockery in the dishwasher. Goku helped her, still mute.
An awkward and uncomfortable silence hovered in the air, super tense. It seemed that any false move would be catastrophic. The lighting was dim. Neither of them turned on the kitchen lights, they just let the light from outside brighten the house inside, it was enough to see what they needed to see.
As she finished putting the crockery in the dishwasher, he decided to break the silence at once. "I... I quit my job..." He tried to sound as casual as possible, while rolling a dishcloth between his fingers. He didn't dare to look at her. "It's been about... three months..."
She raised her eyebrows and stared at him, somewhat surprised.
"Is it serious? " He nodded. "What happened?"
"I got tired!" He stated simply. "I got the promotion I wanted so badly, but... I realized it didn't mean anything. I turned it down to Mr. Bills' face... He got super pissed!"
Chichi smiled graciously, after all, she knew her ex-boyfriend's boss temper.
"And what are you doing now?" Asked the young woman, curious.
"Oh, nothing for the moment. I'm allowing myself to enjoy the life a little. It's been good, I'm liking it..."
"I see." She smiled, but this time with a hint of sadness.
She'd waited so long to hear this from him. She'd waited so long for the day when he would finally leave that damn job, that freaky need to move up in rank and position more and more, that shitty life. That brought her a certain relief for sure, because she believed that he would certainly have a much better quality of life from now on, if only it wasn't too late for her... If only he had done it when she asked. So many times she asked.
And now he would finally enjoy the life he truly deserved to have, but it wouldn't be next to her.
The woman swallowed hard.
"Glad to hear it, I'm glad you're doing well and enjoying it. You deserve to be happy!"
The heart squeezed once more, for both of them.
"And how are things with Piccolo?" His voice had a note of disgust in it.
"Haaaam..." She murmured, not quite knowing how to continue. "We're not together anymore. We broke up about three months ago."
He stared at her, surprised, confused. His heart was beating fast, his mind was racing. He would have known this if he hadn't blocked her on all social networks.
Three months.
That's exactly the time they had seen each other for the last time, that they had danced one last song, not coincidentally it was the same period when he decided to make that drastic decision to quit his job, after all, his last contact with her seemed to have been the catalyst for this decision, an idea he had been working on in therapy for some time, but when he had that last moment with his sweetheart, it finally hit him and he realized what a mistake he had made and the hole his life was heading to.
Chichi remained silent with her head down, picking at her perfectly manicured fingernails.
"Why?" was the only thing he could say, or rather, ask. He asked without filter and without thinking. That was none of his business, none of his concern, not anymore.
"Because I was naive."
"Naive?"
He didn't understand and the woman lets out a long sigh.
"It's just... I thought..." mentally she searched for the best words. "Over time, I realized that... that..." she hesitated for a moment. "...it's bullshit to try to forget someone with someone else. It's no good for either of them."
She felt Goku's eyes on her, but she didn't dare look at them. He was leaning on the sink beside her, not too far away and not too close. Goku, for his part, didn't dare to say anything neither. He didn't know what to say.
The silence was absolute.
The Briefs' large mansion was practically empty. The couple and their son were in their rooms upstairs and Chichi and Goku were in the kitchen downstairs, where it was so silent that was possible to hear the sound of a pin falling on the floor at that moment.
She decided to look at him. The sensation of those pair of onix on her was burning her, she needed to see his expression, his face.
Goku displayed an enigmatic countenance, one she could not decipher – and she had always been very good at this, at understanding him with just a look, just a word, a touch. Maybe time had changed that. Now they are two different people, two complete strangers.
That's what she thought.
"Forgive me, Chi." Goku murmured low, regretfully.
"For what?"
"For... everything! I'm sorry for the times I made you cry, for the times I made you suffer, for all the shit and nonsense I ever said to you, for everything I ever did." his look was sad, melancholic, but firm and sincere. "I was stupid and... I just hope you can forgive me, I never meant to make you suffer. I'm sorry!"
"There's nothing to apologize for, Goku... It's over... It doesn't matter anymore... I know you never meant it and I know that nothing you did was on purpose. There's no need to apologize."
"Even so." he insisted.
"I'm the one who should apologize!"
"You don't owe me anything. You did the right thing. I understand. Now I understand... I should have quit that fucking job a long time ago. I should have appreciated you, given you what you always wanted. Married you, had a child with you. Not one, but several! I always wanted that too, Chichi, I always wanted a family with you, but I was stupid, dumb, I thought I needed to conquer the world before all this. I was fool. I didn't see that I had already conquered the world, the universe. You were my world. My everything." The words come out uncontrolled and unfiltered. It's like the day he declared himself to her, 15 years ago, under an apple tree.
Chichi already knew that he had changed, that he was more mature. That very night, that very dance, she realized this. Just as she realized that she had never loved Piccolo, that he had only served as a backup, a crutch for her wounded and battered heart, and after the party, she was honest with him. She opened up, told the whole truth, and they broke up. She couldn't go on with this farce, she couldn't love another man and stay with Piccolo. But she didn't know if one day, Goku would be able to forgive her, to take her back, she also knew that she had broken his heart when she started dating Piccolo so right after they broken up.
She brought her hand to his face, in a clear attitude of comfort. Her touch made him shudder. How long had it been since he had felt that touch?
He took a deep breath. Her heart raced.
Then he reached up and brushed the back of his fingers across one of her cheeks in a gentle, caressing motion. She clenched her jaw when she felt it. Her legs began to tremble.
They both come closer, slowly, gently and softly. Now they were face to face. Mouths ajar and breaths mingling, contaminating each other.
His gaze was compenetrated, deep. Hers was equally intense. It varied between eyes and lips.
Goku opened his palm, fits it between her neck and the nape of her neck, gently running his fingers through her loose strands. He moved closer and she offered no resistance, her left hand still on the woman's soft face.
"I never forgot you, Chichi." he finally revealed, still looking straight into her dark eyes. "I never could. You are the owner of my thoughts, my heart and my soul. I am yours. Always have been. Always will be! No one will be able to make me forget you. Never. I love you! I love you so much..."
And with this revelation he moved forward, sticking his lips to hers, sealing a desperately passionate, intense and urgent kiss.
Chichi responded. She accepted the onslaught and hugged him tightly by the neck, wrapping her thin arms around his large, manly body. He missed so much those lips, that mouth, that woman. She missed him too. It was foolish to try to find in someone else what she only had with him. It was useless. She loved him. It had always been this way and would be this way forever.
The kiss seemed endless. It was not delicate, it was not simple, it was not modest. It was strong, powerful and breathtaking, so much so that they only broke apart when there was no more air to breathe.
He touched his forehead to hers. Her legs were wobbly and he kept holding her by the neck, preventing her from pulling away, he wouldn't allow her to pull away again. Never again. But she wouldn't. She didn't want to.
The statement made her certain, the only certainty she had ever had in her life, in her entire life. If when she arrived at that party, she still had doubts about whether or not she should look for him to talk to and settle down, now there were no more doubts. She was convinced. Goku was the man of her life. Her man and she would never let him escape again.
"I haven't forgotten you either, my Goku. I love you too, as I always have and as I always will. I love you so much that it's painful because It can't fit it all inside of me."
Upon hearing those words, the man's heart, which long ago seemed to have stopped working, seemed dead, lifeless and colorless, now pulsated at full speed, with vigor, with energy.
'She said my Goku', he thought.
And he smiled, in a way he hadn't smiled in a long time. For a long time he didn't feel like smiling.
"Your Goku?" he asked.
"Are you still mine?" She looked at him worried.
"Yes, I am! I am yours Chi. I will forever be yours!"
She smiled, relieved, in love, happy and content. That smile he loved so much.
"And how about you… are you still mine?"
"Yes, I am yours, Goku. I am now. I will be tomorrow. I will be forever."