a/n: Fixed Sharpener's name from the previous chapter. Read and review, k? Thanks!

disclaimer: The usual spiel, guys. Everybody already knows I won't be here writing this otherwise.

Chapter III

School was the most insignificant part of Gohan's life. It was a boring venture, listening to the professors drawl about things that he'd learned already when he was less than half his age. His social experience with his fellow schoolmates hadn't been pleasant either, but he deemed it a necessary sacrifice. Gohan wasn't attending OSH for the academics anyway, and neither was he seeking connections or—Dende forbid—friendships with his immature and selfishly-driven contemporaries.

He found his current age group particularly petty and puerile, too wrapped up in their own lives that they disregarded the things that mattered most in the end. He supposed it was a normalcy for adolescents to do so, and he was just more of an exception than the rule. After all, after seeing his own father die in front of him twice, traveling across the galaxy and facing off against a space tyrant and his crazy goons, destroying a bio-android from the future, and being an actual half-breed alien, he doubt he was even supposed to know what the word 'normal' meant for these teenagers. When all they worried about was hormones, parties, and dresses, he'd already weighed the world on his shoulders.

His main reason for enrolling in OSH primarilywas that he needed money. He wasn't old enough to work yet, and his upbringing wouldn't allow to commit something criminal. It's not like the bills at home were exceedingly burdensome, considering they barely have electricity and the plumbing system was manually installed by his father, they lived off food from the mountains, and their cable connection was restricted to news networks. However, even when they could live with most of those simple necessities from their natural surroundings, they still needed some things that could only be acquired by money, like the baby's milk and Chi-chi's medications. More importantly, Goten was undoubtedly a growing boy—a half-Saiyan boy, to be exact. His mother's savings and his father's earnings from the past tournaments wherein he participated was already strained to the limit and yet the ends still couldn't meet. Gohan badly needed to have some form of income for the Son household.

So, when the 25th WMAT was announced, he didn't hesitate to sign up for it, with a disguise and a pseudonym, of course. He was mired, however, when he realized that he couldn't enter the Adult's Division; there was a new addition to the traditional tournament that were exclusive for participants under eighteen. It was ridiculous, he thought. He was already feeling guilty to humiliate people twice his age just for money, but beating up snot-nosed, fragile human younglings made him apprehensive, especially when he could crush them without physical contact as he was in his Super Saiyan form when he signed up for the tournament.

Luckily, that was when he ran into a frantic Hercule Satan, the guy who claimed the credit for defeating Cell, and he surprisingly recognized Gohan. The man was beside himself with worry, thinking that Gohan came back for revenge. The young demi-Saiyan assured him that it wasn't so and he came only for the tournament.

Mr. Satan offered to give him millions for saving the world, and Gohan was initially tempted to accept, but he couldn't. If the Son Family had no more pride as to accept that kind of huge amount of money so easily, then his mother would've long since became the princess of her kingdom or allowed the financial assistance of the Briefs. Gohan had to at least retain some modicum of dignity, so he declined; refusing to project his family as nothing more than Mr. Satan's charity case.

Mr. Satan suggested he enrolled to OSH, judging the boy to be in need of an education, and he could help with that indirectly. The institution offered a full scholarship, a generous monthly allowance, and a pocket money for books as long as he passed the required scores for the admission exams and maintained the demanded GPA, which Gohan met with almost effortless efficacy. The exams were almost mockingly easy that he was half-sure even Goten could have a go at them and still pass with flying colors. The hard part came with the socializing.

Gohan had spent most of his life in isolation. The only people he ever actually interacted with was his father's friends, almost all of them a lot older than he was, and they were anything but normal. The only time he'd ever met people his age was when he was four, five years old, when Piccolo was throwing him on mountains, and he's running around the world with a sword on his back, and that one time when he encountered a strange freckled girl in a small village. So, he should have realized that facing a whole classroom of strangers was a little bit too daunting even for him.

His first day in OSH was a disaster. He never thought he'd ever hate a day in his life more than those times when the world was in peril and his friends were at risk while a villain threatened everything he loved. He didn't know how to interact with them; he didn't know how to make friends.

Human teenagers were especially tricky to figure out; he couldn't make sense what went around their adolescent brains even when he tried. His mother raised him with a polite and humble personality, so he knew he was at least a pleasant person to be around, but still, he couldn't fathom why all of his schoolmates treated him as if he had a repulsively contagious disease. The jokes and teasing was terrible. They made fun of his clothes, his accent, and his superior intellect. It was a good thing they didn't realize he was his father's son, lest they ridiculed that fact too, no thanks to Mr. Satan. The man did fervently apologize for the insults and promised to not speak of them anymore in public or anywhere else, but still. He ruined his father's legacy and it grated on Gohan's nerves whenever he thought of it.

His ruined social life in OSH didn't bother Gohan for the most part. He sometimes found himself envious of their companionship, but he guessed that kind of relationship with normal people just wasn't meant for him. They were worlds apart, and he had a lot of responsibility. He had to put his family first before anything else.

Overall, his high school activities was inconsequential in the big picture. It pays the bills, so he had to stay as long as he was allowed although he could've breezed on all of his coursework. When he graduated, he'll get that special piece of paper that could prove he's an educated individual, so it would have to be worth it in the end.

That's what he repeatedly told himself whenever the urge to just blow up the thrice damned institution was most compelling.

Marker Black snickered loudly along with his buddies as Gohan bent down to gather the scattered books on the hallway floor. The busy corridor's bystanders and passersby watched him in amusement, no one making a move to give him a hand, but that was fine. Honestly, he could've avoided the jock's extended foot—or crushed it like the stupid bug he was, but he decided not to, continuing his façade as the spineless nerd to avoid any attention and tripping on the boy's feet intentionally. It was a mere accident that he lost grip on his books while pretending, and he had tried to catch it by reflex, but the irritating brute slapped it from the air and deliberately flung it on the floor.

Let it go. Be cool. They're kids; they are fragile. You'll break their bones and disintegrate their flesh. It'll be messy. And the property damage. Think about the property damage and the hospital bills, Gohan reminded himself.

He was about to take the last book when the boy kicked it across the hall. All the loitering students laughed. Gohan gritted his teeth, his control slipping for a moment. It was a good thing someone intervened, stopping the book's momentum with their foot before it could skid further away and Gohan completely lost his patience.

Everyone quieted, their eyes trained at the interloper.

One glare from Videl Satan and the crowd dispersed.

Videl Satan, as he lived and breathed. She was OSH pride and joy, daughter of the venerated Hercule Satan, the Savior of the World. Gohan knew of her, just as every resident of Satan City did. She was also known as Satan City's teenage hero, a crime fighter helping the police department. If Gohan would form an opinion of her, it was that, she was at least hardworking and brave.

Although she had done nothing but antagonize him since the day he stepped inside OSH's premises, Gohan had no ill will towards Mr. Satan's only daughter. He thought she was as feisty and tenacious as the day they first met.

Gohan's initial acquaintance with the girl was three years ago, during the 25th WMAT. He'd signed up for the Junior Division then, and she was supposed to be his first opponent in the ring, which Gohan never set foot on to, and she won the round by default. She wouldn't recognize him, of course; he was in his ascended form then—his eyes teal and his newly cut hair a shining blonde—and he used a different name.

For the half-breed Saiyan, Videl Satan was as inconsequential as her father was in the whole scale of things. She lived in a different world, so far apart were their realities that whatever she was to her world mattered so little to his. She could belittle him and his lifestyle, his beliefs, and his ideals, and yet, her words wouldn't be able to affect him. He was her bane, in all actuality. He could destroy her entire truth so easily, and he doubt she could do anything when her world crashed beneath her feet with her father's deception. What would she feel, he wondered, when she realized that everything she believed in and stood for were all built on a lie?

Still, Gohan found her fascinating. He would always trace her ki every time she ran out from the school to fight crime. He'd sometimes monitor the fluctuations of her life energy as she fought the criminals and outlaws of Satan City. Gohan was intrigued by the fire in her personality; the arrogance, the pride, and the unwillingness to bow on anyone's whim. Perhaps she reminded him of his mother once, that woman who was so headstrong and fiery that she tamed the strongest and most free-spirited person in the universe.

"Oh, hey'a, Videl," Marker said with a wolfish grin, his complete attention now on the newcomer. "You look smashing as always."

"Not interested," the girl replied dismissively, her brows meeting in a frown.

"So, I have this party this weekend, babes. It'll be a blast if you come," Marker persisted, his beady eyes roaming over Videl's form; it was disturbing, to say the least.

"I don't have time to waste on you, Marker. Turn around and walk away, and maybe I won't have to break every bone in your body," the petite girl threatened.

The group of bullies were taken aback. "What, you're standing up for mountain boy now?" asked the football jock. "When did you become so noble, babes?"

"Skedaddle now, asshole. I have business with the nerd," Videl growled, her temper flaring with irritation.

Marker was fortunately smart enough to refrain from peeving the girl any longer and his crew of stooges retreated, laughing among themselves and throwing Videl a leery look. Videl narrowed her eyes at them, and the stupid buffoons all but scuttled with their tails between their legs.

Gohan stood from where he crouched, smiling meekly at the raven-haired daughter of Mr. Satan when she bent down and picked up the book she stepped on, handing it back to him. Gohan was surprised at the nice gesture but he didn't show it.

"Thanks," he said curtly, his gratitude genuine.

Videl's blue eyes trained at him strangely, as if peering into his soul. Gohan looked away first, his spine tingling.

"You're so weird," she muttered to herself. Gohan's face warmed.

"What, what business were you talking about? With me? What business do you have with me?" the demi-Saiyan asked awkwardly.

Videl thrusted a folder on him. Gohan shifted the hold of his books to open the aggressively proffered file, shuffling through the documents inside and involuntarily raising a brow. The folder contained the girl's test papers, marked with an overall average of D; hardly appropriate for a student who had most of her classes with his. Some of the scores even flunked to a flat F, and the highest were barely Bs. The last paper was a signed note from Headmistress Palma Steele addressed to Videl, declaring that if she did not work to improve her grades, she would have to attend remedial classes all throughout the semester break.

"You," Gohan said, choosing his words wisely. Videl was uncomfortable, fidgeting from foot to foot as she avoided eye contact. "I guess… you want me to tutor you?"

Videl clenched and unclenched her fist, veiling her embarrassment with her patented arrogance. "That's right," she answered, crossing her arms on her chest and her nose sticking up the air in a petulant manner. "We'll meet every after school at the library," she ordained, not at all concerned about his say on the matter. "You better hope I get an outstanding grade at the end of the semester or I'll make your life a living hell."

Gohan frowned at the girl, lingering on her determined face and to the folder on his hand. He tried to think of a more polite way to construct his sentence, and then just gave up.

"I can't," he finally said.

"Good, then it's—" she paused, processing his words. "Excuse me?" she demanded, backtracking immediately.

"I said I can't," Gohan repeated. "Look, why don't you ask Pen Paige. I'm sure he'll be more than willing to help you." Pen would be more than willing, all right. He might actually hyperventilate and trigger his asthma with excitement at the thought of spending after school with the raven-haired girl.

"Wait a minute, are you seriously saying you're refusing me?" Videl asked, still flabbergasted. Gohan thought she was overreacting; it's not like he's rejecting her love confession, or something.

"I am," the half-Saiyan granted, almost sympathetically. "I have more important priorities and responsibilities. I have no time for other things right now." He was thinking about Chi-chi and Goten at home. He didn't want to trouble Nana Dahlia any more than he had to.

Videl glared at him, Gohan tried not to flinch. "Did you rehearse that in your head, huh?" she said with an intense glower. "Are you paying me back for all the terrorizing I did back in freshman year?"

Oh, yeah, that. Gohan wouldn't lie that he didn't feel annoyed at her for making his school life unpleasant, but this wasn't about her, or even about his life. He seriously just wanted to get home early every day to look after his mother and little brother. Taking the time to tutor her would take away his time considerably. If the circumstances were different, maybe he could've given it a chance.

"No, not at all," he answered truthfully. "What happened then is water under the bridge now, it doesn't matter to me anymore. I really just don't have the time."

"Don't have the time?" the girl growled. "Don't have the time, my ass. What the heck mountain boys even do? I bet you just laze around all day in your countryside backyard, if I didn't know better!"

Gohan sighed, resigned and a bit offended. "You're right, you didn't know better so I'll just let that comment slide," he said. Before she could say any more, he quickly looked at his wristwatch and added sarcastically, "I have to go. I have some lazing around to do in my countryside backyard."

With that, the demi-Saiyan walked away, leaving a livid Videl in his wake.

.oOo.

After that confrontation with Satan City's beloved crime fighter, Gohan did his best to avoid the girl. Videl Satan's glare never left his form every time he was in her sight's vicinity. Even her ever-present posse, Sharpener and Erasa, noticed and teased her about it. Gohan eavesdropped one time out of curiosity, and he regretted it. Sharpener called him names, while Erasa's comments made his ears burn. The three of them could be rarely seen without each other, and it seemed Videl told them every little thing about her life.

Sharpener is a well-known jock in OSH. Gohan thought the boy was a very insecure guy. Often times, his words weren't at all insulting, if anything, it was self-depreciating on his part. Some people might mistake his personality as vain and superfluous, but in truth, he was just trying to fit in with the crowd. Obviously, the jock cared so much for his two female friends, he protected them in any way he could and did his best to indulge them, even agreeing to be the pack mule when the girls went to a shopping spree.

Erasa was a complicated one. She kept a lot of secrets, the expressions on her face rarely genuine. Gohan thought he saw shadows of himself in her although she hid it skillfully. It seemed as if her friendship with Videl and Sharpener was all she had; her only lifeline, just like how his mother and Goten was his whole world. It wasn't his business, so he just eschewed from the sultry blonde's way in general.

The three of them were always inseparable. They might keep some facets of their truths to themselves, but their companionship was real. Gohan had no doubt that any of them would gladly give their life for their friend if it was demanded, and he envied them.

Except the raven-haired teenage heroine snooping around about him, Gohan's life had remained mostly the same. He flew to school every weekdays and went home just in time to say his good-byes to Nana Dahlia, clean up after Goten, and take care of his mother. He hunted or fished in the early mornings, cooked most of it before he left for OSH, and the rest were left for dinner. His spent most of his time in the weekends tending things at home; training Goten, cultivating the back garden, look after his Mom, and do the weekend chores like the laundry and grocery shopping. Everything was routine that sometimes months blended together and he couldn't tell that time passed by without his notice. He was okay with that, he supposed; he'd never trade this peaceful life his father sacrificed for. Perhaps things would've been different if his father had not refused to be brought back to life, but not worrying every other day about the world ending was nice, too.

It was the reason he was absolutely astonished when he came home one time and Goten and Dahlia surprised him with a birthday party. He had completely forgotten, as he always did when it comes to himself. Dahlia baked him a round cake cinnamon cake, his name delicately curved on top with the words "Happy Birthday!". Dahlia couldn't sing, but her smile was so wide it was enough. His mother was also seated on the table in her wheelchair; Goten had put a red party hat on her head and she almost looked festive.

When Gohan opened his simple presents, his mind couldn't help but go down memory lane and remember the last time he celebrated his birthday. It was seven years ago, several days before the Cell Games. Krillin had visited, his Grandpa Mau was there, too, Piccolo hovering above the roof, and Bulma sent him impressive gifts. Chi-chi prepared him a feast worthy of a Kai, and his father cheered beside him as if the party was meant for him. He should have known that those ten days of peace was his father's own way of saying goodbye.

When Dahlia finally left and he'd tucked the hyperactive mini-Goku in bed, Gohan stared at the framed pictures in the living room. His mother was already asleep, he'd waited for her to close her eyes and lose herself to unconsciousness before he went down. He fixed his eyes on the picture taken seven years ago, on his last birthday with his father, their identical blonde hair and teal eyes with his father's arm around his mother's shoulders and the yellow humble Son home in the backdrop.

And for the first time for seven years, Gohan cried silent tears.

.oOo.