Please Friendzone Me!

Chapter 22

Hard Truths

Mr. Satan's face was taut in a deep frown as he paced in his bedroom.

It was going to be okay. Videl just needed some space. She was old enough to understand now. It was going to be okay. After spending the weekend away, surely, Videl would have calmed down when she came home. She couldn't stay mad at him forever, right?

It was going to be okay. It had to.

Mr. Satan was aware that he could have handled their talk better. Even with a full day to prepare what he was going to say, and after practicing possible scenarios in front of the mirror for hours, once it was time to tell everything to his daughter his mind drew a complete blank.

Videl had sat at the other side of his desk with her arms crossed. Her eyes had seemed to shoot daggers at him, a look that felt heart-wrenchingly familiar. It was the exact same way Migeru would glare down at him whenever he was in trouble with her.

Mr. Satan paused his step, his throat tight as his emotions welled up. Videl looked so much like her mother.

He plopped on the sofa, leaning his head back, and let his eyes fall shut.

As it turned out, the boy had already spilled the beans about Cell to Videl. Which didn't even matter because she had figured it all out on her own. She had always been a clever one, that Videl.

She had waited for him to speak, but as he kept bumbling and stumbling on his words, failing to form one coherent sentence, Videl quickly ran out of patience and cut him off mid-stutter.

"Just save it. Gohan told me everything. Well, I forced it out of him. I'd put two and two together already anyway, so he just confirmed that I got everything right."

Mr. Satan remembered how hard he had swallowed then. The noise had seemed to echo off the walls of his office.

"So, you… know?" he had squeaked.

Her mouth pursed, and her eyes appeared to harden even more; it felt as though they were piercing right through him.

The silence dragged on. Videl continued glowering at him, her contempt palpable, her anger transparent.

And Mr. Satan couldn't find anything to say. He forgot everything that he had rehearsed for hours on end. His mind was completely, utterly, hopelessly empty.

Only the suffocating feeling of dread remained.

Then Videl finally spoke.

"Why?"

One word. She only said one word, yet it made his whole world fall apart.

How could he ever answer that? The truth was so disgusting, so despicable. How could he ever admit to her how shallow, selfish and self-absorbed her father was?

"I…" he croaked out, racking his brain to find one thing to say, anything. What was it again? He had a whole speech ready. What had he meant to say? Why couldn't he remember?

"I…" he tried again. "I didn't think… it would go this far," he finally uttered. Was that what he had practiced? The man couldn't be sure. "It was… a spur-of-the-moment thing. Everyone had left and I could barely fathom what had just happened, what I had witnessed with my own eyes… And then the reporter asked me what happened and I… I just went for it."

Yes. That was it. And it was all true too. This was exactly how it went down. He really hadn't thought about what he was actually doing when he decided to lie. He simply saw an opportunity and grabbed it.

Videl had sneered at him.

"So, that's it? That's your excuse?"

"It's the truth!" Mr. Satan sputtered. It was!

"And that makes it okay? Because you "weren't thinking,"" she air-quoted him, "lying to the entire world, robbing a boy of his greatest accomplishment, that makes it okay?"

"Of…" He swallowed thickly. "Of course not… I'm only saying that I didn't plan for it. I actually believed that I… that Cell was just using cheap tricks and he was no match for me. I thought for sure that I was going to win, that I was going to save the world. That was my plan. That's what I thought would happen. But then…"

Mr. Satan shuddered. He still had nightmares of that day, of the fights; how devastating their power had been, how insignificant he felt next to them. The group of fighters. Cell. The kid… Especially the kid.

Mr. Satan could barely reconcile the calm and understanding teenage boy with that merciless, rage-fueled kid who toyed around with Cell like he was nothing. If Mr. Satan hadn't witnessed that boy's black hair turn to golden blond with his own eyes, he never would have believed it. And at first, he hadn't – he had laughed at his face when Gohan revealed who he was. Seeing him transform out of the blue had been quick to shut him up.

Videl sneered. "It's just an excuse and you know it. Even if you didn't go there with the intention to lie to the world, you had to know how wrong it was as you were doing it. Even if it was just a whim, that maybe with a clear head you wouldn't have done it – even so – a part of you had to be aware that you were lying to the entire world, that someone else had saved the world and that you were stealing their credit. Don't tell me you didn't know what you were doing – you knew exactly what it meant, even if you "didn't plan for it." You did it because you wanted the world to worship you. That's all you cared about."

His lips quivered. His vision blurred. He was welling up – and, goodness, he had always been terrible at keeping his emotions at bay.

She was right. All of it. It was just an excuse. A pathetic attempt to justify the unforgivable.

He had no excuse. Mr. Satan had always known that. Nothing could ever justify what he had done.

He crumbled; sobbed into his hands, his shoulders convulsing uncontrollably. What had he done? What had he done? If only he could go back in time and smack himself on the head before he sputtered that cursed lie. If only he could do it all over again.

Migeru never looked at him the same after that day. She saw through his facade right away, and that damned lie had almost cost him their marriage.

She even left him for a while. Packed up her things, took their daughter, and walked out on him.

But Videl missed him and kept asking about him, so Migeru eventually agreed to talk to him. And they continued talking for a long time, working on their relationship, trying to save their marriage despite her resentment. And one day, his wife finally said that she would try to forgive him, and she came back to him.

He had almost lost them back then. And now he was losing Videl.

Her chair screeched, and he glanced at her through his fingers and his tears. Videl stood, her gaze averted.

"I can't even look at you. So I think it's best I don't stick around for a while. I'm going away for the weekend; I'll be back in time for school, but don't expect anything from me anymore. I sure as hell won't expect anything from you."

With that, she turned around and walked out. And the man broke down once more, sobbing into his hands.

He had lost her.

In his bedroom, Mr. Satan shook his head sharply. No. That couldn't be true. Videl just needed some time. It was still too fresh. He simply needed to be patient, like he had been with her mother, and, in time, Videl would forgive him too.

He only needed to be patient.

Mr. Satan stood and went over to his bed, grabbing the frame from the nightstand as he sat down. His heart clenched as he gazed at his happy family. Videl was eight, and they were at the amusement park; they had asked a random passerby to take the picture for them.

He traced her cute chubby face on the photo with his fingers, and his vision blurred.

He was so stupid. Why had he lied? Was it even worth it? What did he need all that glory for if it meant losing the most precious thing in the world to him?

He shifted his attention to his wife in the picture. "Did I really lose her?" he asked her image. How he wished she could be with him right now. Migeru could have helped Videl cool off, and maybe even forgive him. She could have made everything better. If only she had never left his side. It wasn't fair. Why did she have to be taken from him?

And now Videl…

Unable to hold it in anymore, the man sobbed, hugging the frame. He really did lose her, huh? Videl would never look at him the same. To think he used to be her hero…

He had really screwed it all up, huh.

There was a knock on the door, probably someone from his staff to let him know dinner was ready.

"Leave me alone!" he shouted with a cracked voice.

Silence met his response; he covered his eyes with his hand and continued sobbing.

And then the door creaked open. Mr. Satan growled. Who dared disturb him when he clearly ordered to be left alone? He whipped around, ready to chew off whoever was at the door.

But it was his daughter's lovely face that greeted him. Mr. Satan froze, barely believing what he was seeing.

"Oh, Dad…" she whispered, her eyes full of empathy.

He must look like a real mess if even Videl felt sorry for him despite how mad she was.

Mr. Satan sniffed and wiped his face.

"You… You're back?" he croaked out, his voice still hoarse and brittle.

She gave a small smile, playing with a pigtail. "I… talked with Gohan. He convinced me to give you another chance in explaining yourself."

"He… did?"

Mr. Satan took back any bad thing he ever said or thought about that kid. That Gohan was a godsend.

Videl walked into the room, closing the door behind her. Mr. Satan watched her wordlessly as she came over and sat on the edge of his bed, motioning to him to sit next to her.

"If… If I could go back," he started, the words suddenly rushing out, "I wouldn't do the same. I wouldn't choose to lie."

He hoped Videl could see that he was being sincere. He took her hands in his and looked deep into her eyes. He was going to spend the rest of his life trying to prove to his daughter that he was worthy of her trust. He would not rest until he fixed their relationship.

"You really mean that, huh," Videl observed, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I do," he affirmed. "I almost lost your mom because of that damn lie. I don't know what I'd do if I ever were to lose you, Videl. I love you so much, pumpkin."

Videl's breath hitched. "Mom… knew?"

He nodded, letting go of her hands as his back hunched. "Do you remember when she took you on her music tour right after the Cell Games? It took almost a year for her to agree to come back."

Videl's brow furrowed while her eyes shifted sideways. "I… Yeah, I remember that. Mom said you couldn't come with us on her tour because you had other engagements. I had no idea you guys were separated… She never stopped me from calling or seeing you either."

"It was important to your mom to leave you out of our problems. That's something we always agreed on."

"So then… She forgave you?"

"Eventually… But it stained our marriage. Back then, I really started to regret taking the credit for killing Cell."

Videl fell silent, staring at her fists resting on her lap. Mr. Satan observed her, fiddling with his hands. He couldn't tell what was going on in her head. Could she be considering trying to forgive him? At least, she wasn't acting hostile toward him anymore.

Mr. Satan had no idea what her friend had told her to convince her to come back home and try to talk again, but he would be forever grateful to that boy. Heck, he was even okay with them getting together down the line – as long as they waited to be legal, that is. Videl certainly could never do better than the actual savior of the world. Not that he had any say in it seeing as by his own rules, Videl could legitimately date Gohan. Nonetheless, Mr. Satan supposed they would be happy to get his blessing if they ever became more than friends.

Videl let out a deep sigh. "Gohan says you did him a favor, you know," she finally spoke. "He's glad that he didn't have to deal with the world knowing the truth about the Cell Games. He says he could never be the hero the world needs to believe in, but that you've been perfect for the role."

"He's a good kid," Mr. Satan admitted. "I'm sorry I gave you two such a hard time."

Videl blinked at him, clearly not expecting the apology. Mr. Satan chuckled slightly.

"I would like to get to know him better, for that matter," he went on. "Since you two seem pretty close, I suppose it'd be nice if we could get along."

She continued blinking at him. "…Seriously?"

"Maybe you could invite him over for dinner sometime."

"I…uh…" Videl blinked some more, as though she was waking up from a daze. "S… Sure… Yeah. I'll invite him."

"Speaking of dinner, have you eaten yet?" Mr. Satan stood.

She gave a small smile. "Not yet, no."

Videl observed her father, sitting adjacent to her at the dinner table. They hadn't spoken since they sat down, but Videl still had things to say to him. She had been so mad at him. She was still coming to terms with what he had done, still hated that she was forced to live a lie because of him; that the whole reason that pushed her to pursue martial arts and even crime fighting wasn't even real.

But she could tell his remorse was genuine, and after talking to Gohan, she saw her father in a new light. Gohan was right – despite what her dad had done, he was a good man.

Everybody made mistakes, after all. And at the end of the day, her dad loved her more than anything. That should be enough, right?

She looked down at her plate and sighed softly.

"Look, Dad," she started, drawing the man's attention, "I'm not saying I forgive you – you did a very terrible thing, and you've involved me in your deceit. I thought you were a hero… You were my hero – but that's all ruined now."

He stayed silent. Videl looked up at him and her chest tightened. The pure anguish on his face…

Yes, his remorse was genuine.

She closed her eyes and drew out a long breath. It helped. Knowing how much he regretted what he did, it helped a lot.

"But you're still my dad, and you've always made sure I wanted for nothing. You're a good father – even if you're not a hero."

"Oh, Videl…"

His voice was cracking. She looked at him and gave a small smile. His eyes were welling up.

"Gohan said he'd feel really guilty if I stayed mad at you," she went on, "since this could have been avoided if he just told the truth back then. So, even though I'm definitely not over it right now… I'll try to be."

Her father took her hand in both of his, clutching it close to his face as he sobbed.

"Thank you…" he wept. "Oh, thank you so much, Videl…"

The weight in her chest eased off as she felt his relief and gratitude. She cracked a small smile.

Thanks, Gohan…

It was hours after he had said goodbye to Videl, and as Gohan lay on his futon and was supposed to go to sleep, he still couldn't stop smiling. Listening to his little brother's soft snoring and mumbling from the mattress next to his, the teenage boy distractedly wondered if his mother had picked up on what was going on with him since he got back home. He was way too giddy and gleeful to dwell much on the possibility though; he had barely taken notice of the way Chichi's eyes would squint and linger every time she would glance his way over the dinner table earlier.

After the day he'd just had, Videl was all he could think of. His heart felt so full. If only every day could be like this – enjoying this wonderful girl's company, training together, hanging out, joking around… and even just sitting together without feeling the need to say anything. Simply having Videl by his side was so comforting, so soothing, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. They spent such an amazing day together, and Gohan wished he never had to go home.

It was late September and the water had been a bit chilly, but that didn't stop them from going for a swim in the lake. It didn't take them long to get used to the temperature, and once they did, they had a lot of fun, playing water games or just relaxing on the surface.

Not to mention, he got to admire Videl in a new set of swimwear – and that was one sight that would never not be a treat for him. Still unable to wipe the grin off his face, Gohan rolled over on his stomach and hugged his pillow where he buried his flushed face as the enchanting recollection formed in his mind. This time, she had worn a yellow two-piece, with a ruffle top that came down to her mid-waist and an assorted pair of briefs.

The color yellow suited Videl so beautifully; it brought out her natural glow, making her shine like the first sunflower blooming at the start of spring. As for the style she chose to sport, it wasn't as revealing as what Gohan had seen at the beach during the field trip, and it was somewhat modest as far as bathing suits went. It looked more like a summer's outfit, but it was still highly flattering to her figure – and Videl looked absolutely stunning wearing the ensemble.

Gohan had done his best not to stare, but he couldn't help sneaking peeks at the girl and checking her out every now and then. He was just so madly attracted to Videl – and to top it off, he was now completely aware of the full extent of his feelings for her. Gohan sure was glad that he got sort of used to seeing her wearing so little during the field trip, or the teen doubted he could have kept his cool today.

They also got to cruise on Videl's yacht. Well, he shouldn't have been surprised that the only daughter of the most famous man on the planet had her own yacht. He did feel a little bit uneasy at the extent of her wealth, and how normal it was for her to own such luxuries, but Gohan soon forgot all about it while Videl taught him how to sail.

He thought he might have seen her blush whenever she leaned close to him or their skin brushed. She seemed to grow a little nervous too, at times clearing her throat, looking away, touching her neck, playing with her hair, or shooting him a sheepish smile… Gohan didn't use to notice these things, but he supposed that until now he hadn't been looking. That certainly wasn't an issue whenever Videl was concerned.

He didn't want to get his hopes up, and he really, really shouldn't – but maybe, just maybe, Videl wasn't actually indifferent to him. Maybe it wasn't solely the physiological reaction of a teenage girl in close proximity to an age-appropriate boy who happened to only be sporting swimming trunks.

Maybe it was because the guy was him, and maybe, possibly, perchance, Videl did feel a little something for him… something that might be more than platonic affection.

Rolling on his back, Gohan turned his head and stared wistfully out the window, letting out a dreamy sigh. If only that could be true…

They also got to have a friendly spar once Videl felt rested enough. That girl sure was a quick study, and her sharp mind made training with her all the more entertaining.

This time however was more about helping Videl improve her technique and her use of ki in a fight. Gohan quite enjoyed his role as her teacher. Videl was an excellent student: attentive, focused, keen to learn, and he never had to explain anything to her twice… At the rate she was improving, she was going to be shooting ki-blasts in no time.

… Which was crazy to think about when you knew that a martial arts legend like Master Roshi took fifty years to develop the Kamehameha. Granted, the technique was a lot more complicated than gathering your ki for a simple attack, but, seriously, Videl's natural talent was spectacular.

It made Gohan curious as to whether she got it from her dad and, if so, if Mr. Satan might show the same potential for ki-learning. After all, Videl told him her mother hadn't been a fighter, and Mr. Satan was indeed the world champion. That couldn't have been all luck.

He stared at the ceiling, tucking his arms under his head. Videl said she would be going home in the end instead of staying the night at her lake house. She decided to try talking with her dad once more, and Gohan hoped with all of his heart that things went well between them and that his discussion with Videl about her father had helped, even just a little bit.

He sighed and closed his eyes; he still couldn't stop smiling, and his cheeks were sore from the constant stretch of his lips. They made plans to meet up tomorrow as well, to continue Videl's ki lessons, and the boy seriously couldn't wait to spend another day with her. They agreed on the same time and the same place, as it was quite convenient to train at Videl's lake house. It was near Satan City so a short commute away for her, but it was also remote enough in the rural area that they didn't have to worry about anyone disturbing their training. Or their alone time.

He grabbed his pillow again and hugged it, squirming with excitement. Tomorrow could not come quickly enough.

Offering to train Videl had definitely been his best idea ever.

It wasn't in Gohan's nature to be wary or doubt a person's seemingly good intentions, but as he shook hands with Mr. Satan, he couldn't help squinting slightly as he observed the man before him.

Granted, Mr. Satan had finally met him halfway regarding Videl after he turned Super Saiyan in front of him. Gohan wished he hadn't needed to resort to that, but the Champ had left him no choice. Still, his change of heart had been in bad faith, and it had been obvious that if Mr. Satan had the power to stop him from approaching his daughter, he would've done just that without a second thought.

When Videl told him her father wished to have him over for dinner, Gohan hadn't known what to expect. Videl had assured him that there was nothing to worry about and that her dad even seemed more accepting of their friendship.

Now that they were face-to-face, Gohan was still unsure as to what to expect from this dinner. Mr. Satan's welcoming smile didn't feel forced, then again the man was an excellent liar. So how could he know for sure?

Nonetheless, Gohan tried to keep an open mind. Maybe Mr. Satan really did change his mind about him, or at the very least he was making the effort for Videl's sake.

But how could Gohan not doubt his sincerity after he had so fiercely protested his friendship with Videl? How could he trust that man's smile when only a few days ago he had been so adamant to keep him away from his daughter that he even went so far as to challenge him to a fight? If Gohan had been a regular guy, the idea of going against the world champion should have been frightening enough to make him back off, and Videl's father would have gotten what he wanted.

And yet here he was, welcoming him into his home. As Gohan still didn't know what to make of the situation, he proceeded with caution as he followed his host to a parlor for drinks before dinner.

He sat in an armchair adjacent to a sofa where Videl had settled in while her father went over to a trolley to make their drinks. The man served them what they asked, then chose to sit across from Gohan.

Mr. Satan sipped from his glass of brown liquor as he trained his eyes on his guest.

"You, um… You have a lovely home, sir," Gohan fumbled, hoping some small talk would help him feel less uneasy.

"Thank you," Mr. Satan replied in a polite tone. "And where do you live?"

"Out in the mountains." Gohan cracked an awkward smile. "It's actually quite far from Satan City, in the 439th mountain area."

Videl whipped her head toward him, her eyes wide. "Wait, that's where you live? No wonder you never said where you lived exactly. Even with my jet copter, it would take me four hours for one trip!"

Gohan scratched his cheek and let out a chuckle. "Good thing I'm much faster than your jet copter then."

Videl relaxed back into the cushions and gave a sheepish smile. "Right."

Gohan held her gaze, and the world around her faded away. He breathed a soft, dreamy sigh, getting lost in her beautiful eyes. His heart glowed.

A throaty sound brought him out of it, but it wasn't the loud fake cough he had come to expect from Mr. Satan. Gohan blinked out of his daze and turned to the man. Mr. Satan had a thoughtful frown on his face, his head slightly tilted to the side as he considered the boy.

"Um… Yes?" Gohan inquired weakly, uncertain as to what Mr. Satan's scrutiny meant.

"Videl, would you mind leaving us for a moment, please?" he eventually spoke, addressing his daughter without breaking eye contact with his guest. "There's something I would like to talk to with your friend in private."

The girl eyed her father with a suspicious look, before turning to Gohan and silently asking him if that was okay with him. Gohan gave a nod – whatever Mr. Satan wanted from him, it was probably best to just rip off the band-aid now and get it over with.

"Okay, I guess…" Videl said slowly, setting her glass on the coffee table and getting to her feet. She shot her father another wary look as she walked out. When she reached the archway, she paused and looked over at Gohan, a glint of worry in her eyes. The boy did his best to reassure her with a smile. After all, what could her father do to him at this point? Even if he indeed still disapproved of him, his hands were tied. Of course, Gohan hoped they could get along, but he wasn't holding his breath. Though Mr. Satan had been hospitable and courteous to him so far, Gohan preferred to keep his guard up for now.

"I have a question for you," Mr. Satan stated after a moment of silence, his expression serious, "and I would like you to answer me honestly. Do you think you can do that?"

"Uh… sure?"

What was that about?

Mr. Satan observed him intently. Gohan squirmed in his seat, wishing the man could hurry up and get to his point already.

He finally spoke.

"Videl… You have feelings for her, don't you?"

Before he could even try to control his reaction, Gohan turned completely red. His wide eyes dropped to his lap where his fingers were gripping his pants.

"Hm. I thought so," Mr. Satan grumbled.

"I… It's not… I don't…" Gohan tried to protest nonetheless, but he supposed his blubbers weren't very helpful.

"You said you would answer me honestly," Mr. Satan reminded him.

Gohan gulped. His face seared with heat. He stayed silent.

"What are your intentions toward my daughter?" Mr. Satan went on.

"I… I'm happy to be her friend. Videl… She doesn't see me that way anyway."

"And if she did?"

"It wouldn't change anything. Videl says she doesn't want to be with anyone, not even someone she likes."

"Is that so…? And how do you know that? Did you… ask her out?" The suspicion was thick in his tone.

"No," Gohan replied. "We were just talking and it came up in the conversation."

"And Videl told you she didn't want to be with anyone, correct?"

Gohan nodded, still staring at his fists.

"Did she say why?"

He nodded once more. "But I can't share what she said with you. Videl told me that in confidence."

"Fair enough. Could you give me a clue?"

Gohan took a moment to choose his answer. "She… She said that you're right and she's too young to start dating."

Mr. Satan chuckled. "That's my girl. I'm glad to hear that. And you're really okay just being friends with her?"

Gohan sighed deeply, dejectedly. "I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"So if it turns out Videl likes you and wants to be with you…" And the suspicion was back in Mr. Satan's tone.

"Well, I… I wouldn't reject her if that's what you're asking…" Gohan answered in a small voice.

"In that case, I have a favor to ask of you."

At that, Gohan finally looked up at Mr. Satan, a questioning look in his eyes.

"Wait. Until you're both eighteen."

The teen considered the man. His request wasn't unreasonable, but at the same time… if Videl confessed to him tomorrow, Gohan wasn't sure he could wait almost two years to be with her.

He looked away, running a hand over the nape of his neck. He didn't want to antagonize Videl's father when he had finally mellowed down, but Gohan also couldn't make a promise he wasn't sure he could keep.

He sighed in discouragement, slumping in his chair.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I could do that. I can't imagine having that kind of patience if Videl ever returns my feelings. I just… I like her so much."

Gohan winced when Mr. Satan huffed.

"I'm sorry," he said again.

"I suppose… I appreciate your honesty," Mr. Satan admitted gruffly. "You could've easily lied to get on my good side."

"Videl doesn't see me that way anyway," Gohan muttered. "So it's not like anything is going to happen between us."

Mr. Satan huffed again, as though he was finding that hard to believe.

Well, Gohan knew better. He shouldn't get his hopes up with Videl, even if Mr. Satan did figure out that he liked her. What were the odds of the man being correct to assume Videl liked him back? He was biased as her father, and most likely paranoid about any boy in Videl's life. His getting it right about Gohan was probably just a lucky guess.

After all, he couldn't be that obvious… right?

Sorry for the wait, and I hope this chapter was worth it! Thank you for reading. Please don't forget to review! :)

July 10, 2023