How Could She Have a Boyfriend?

Mount Paozu.

"Grandpa, I'm back!"

Goku rode the Flying Nimbus down to the mountaintop.

Hearing the commotion, Sun Gohan came out, a bundle slung over his back.

"Goku's back! Did you finish finding the Dragon Balls?"

"Yep, all done!"

Goku looked at his grandfather's bundle and asked, "Grandpa, where are you going?"

Sun Gohan looked Goku over, but Son Mirai was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, didn't Son Mirai come back with you?"

"No, he's taking Bulma home. He'll be back later," Goku said.

Suddenly, Sun Gohan noticed the Flying Nimbus beneath Goku's feet.

He couldn't help asking, "That's the Flying Nimbus. Did you see Master Roshi?"

Goku nodded. "Yeah, I did. Master Roshi gave me the Flying Nimbus.

"Oh, and Master Roshi said he'd train us. I'm going to go find him, and Son Mirai's coming too.

"I came back to get my bedding."

Sun Gohan smiled. "Really? The master agreed to teach you? That's wonderful.

"Since you and Son Mirai are both going to train, I'll feel even better about leaving."

"Grandpa, what are you going out to do?"

Sun Gohan smiled. "With neither of you on the mountain, it gets lonely living here by myself.

"As luck would have it, someone invited me to Mount Five Elements to tend the furnace. I hear it pays very well, so I'm planning to go report for work.

"But I hadn't seen either of you come back, so I couldn't stop worrying.

"Now that you're back, I can leave without a care."

As he spoke, he patted Goku on the shoulder. "Up here, we can live well enough on our own,

"but we can't earn much, let alone save any money.

"I'll earn some tending the furnace and save it for you and Son Mirai, so you'll have money when it's time to get married."

Goku suddenly understood.

"Oh, so getting married costs money!"

Sun Gohan smiled. "Of course. What girl's family would let her marry a poor boy?"

Goku suddenly remembered something and blurted out, "Oh, right, Grandpa. I already have a bride!"

Sun Gohan froze.

"What did you say?"

Son Mirai was a little more mature for his age and tall, so it was normal for him to have a girlfriend.

But Goku was still tiny. He didn't look old enough to have a girlfriend at all.

Goku explained, "Grandpa, we met Uncle Ox-King. He has a daughter named Chi-Chi.

"We already agreed that she'd marry me when she grew up."

"Ox-King's daughter?"

Sun Gohan was so surprised his mouth nearly dropped open wide enough to fit an egg.

Goku nodded. "Yeah. You told me about Uncle Ox-King, Grandpa."

"That's right. He was my junior fellow apprentice.

"I never imagined he'd have a daughter..."

Sun Gohan looked at Goku and pictured Chi-Chi, a towering girl built just like Ox-King, with the strength to move mountains and the might to awe the world. A chill crept down his spine.

But looking into Goku's utterly clear eyes, he suddenly realized something.

Goku had different tastes from other people. He couldn't tell which girls were pretty; instead, he liked rough, muscular women.

At that thought, Gohan sighed.

Besides, she was his junior fellow apprentice's daughter. He couldn't very well back out of the engagement now.

"What a doomed match..."

Just then, Goku's stomach growled.

Gohan smiled. "Hungry?"

"Hehe, I'm starving!" Goku grinned.

Gohan set down his bundle. "Then let's eat before you go!"

Goku nodded. "Sure. I'll go hunting. You can start the fire, Grandpa..."

They cooked large portions, so when everything wouldn't fit in the kitchen, they usually made a fire outside.

Sun Gohan nodded and glanced at the sky. "It'd be nice if Son Mirai came back too..."

Just then, Son Mirai came flying in on a pillar.

Sun Gohan was startled.

"What's that?"

Goku looked up at the sky, and his eyes suddenly lit up.

"It's Son Mirai! Grandpa, step back!"

"Speak of the devil!"

Seeing his grandfather's bundle, Son Mirai couldn't help asking, "Grandpa, where are you going?"

"Grandpa's going to tend the furnace!" Goku said.

"Tend the furnace?"

As Gohan gathered firewood, he said, "Let's eat first. I'll tell you about it while we're eating."

Before long, Sun Gohan had explained everything to Son Mirai as well.

And so, the three of them finished their meal together before finally going their separate ways.

Goku headed straight for Kame House, while Sun Gohan went down the mountain.

Son Mirai left last. Before heading out, he found the aircraft he'd arrived in and carried it as he flew toward West City.

With the spaceship as its foundation, the Gravity Chamber's development had no more bottlenecks, and Dr. Brief smoothly began its research and construction.

Son Mirai didn't leave either. Bulma was still on summer vacation, and he was going on dates with her.

The next day, on a bustling shopping street.

Bulma linked arms with Son Mirai as they strolled leisurely along the shopping street.

She wore her hair in a high ponytail, had put on light makeup, and was dressed in fashionable clothes.

She'd made sure Son Mirai was dressed especially handsomely too.

His casual outfit was simple but far from cheap, accentuating his tall, broad-shouldered, sunny good looks.

As they walked down the street, they were the most eye-catching couple around.

Their carefree mood didn't last long, though. After all their shopping, they soon had their hands full of bags.

"This one! And this one! Oh, this color looks great on you!"

Bulma took Son Mirai through several boutiques, buying up a storm.

Son Mirai looked great in everything he tried on, and Bulma had a good eye. She bought him lots of clothes he liked.

Shopping wasn't exactly Son Mirai's idea of fun,

but at least she was buying clothes for him. He'd have more to wear while training,

and with more clothes, he wouldn't have to do laundry so often, which would save time.

But although they were shopping for Son Mirai, Bulma was the one enjoying herself most.

It wasn't just the shopping she enjoyed; she also loved the admiring, envious looks from the shop assistants and other customers.

See? This is my boyfriend, Bulma's boyfriend—handsome and tall...

You're all jealous, aren't you?

After they finished shopping, Bulma put all the clothes into Hoi-Poi Capsules.

Son Mirai thought they were going home, but Bulma took him to the movie theater instead.

As she put it, "Can you even call it a date if you don't see a movie?"

Son Mirai could only quietly endure it.

It was the first time he'd realized that shopping was so exhausting!

Even more exhausting than training!

While Bulma bought the tickets, he hurried to sit down and rest.

A moment later, Bulma came back with two tickets.

"I bought the movie tickets, and popcorn, chips, and cola too. Let's go in!"

Son Mirai stood up. He'd already decided he'd take a nap during the movie. Today had been exhausting.

Just as they were heading inside, someone exclaimed, "Bulma?"

They turned around. It was a few of Bulma's classmates.

Son Mirai gave them a look.

The girls were dressed fashionably. They were clearly there to see a movie too.

Bulma immediately wrapped her arm around Son Mirai's, leaning against him so closely that nearly her whole body was pressed to his.

Son Mirai felt her soft body and caught her scent, letting her "do as she pleased."

In an instant, all the girls' eyes were on Son Mirai.

Sunny, tall, handsome.

He was incredibly good-looking.

The girls immediately wore expressions of envy and jealousy, each one different.

Bulma's lips curved into a sweet smile, and she leaned even closer to Son Mirai.

In a coy voice, she said, "Oh, right, let me introduce you. This is my boyfriend, Son Mirai."

Then she added pointedly, "We were just out shopping.

"I was planning to go home and do my homework afterward, since I haven't even started my summer assignments yet!

"But he insisted I come see a movie with him. I just can't do anything about him, can I?"

Son Mirai nodded politely to the girls, but without much warmth.

That only made them think he had an even more distinctive air about him.

Their gazes shifted between Bulma and Son Mirai, and their envy practically turned into tangible bitterness.

She was really showing off!

How could she have such a handsome boyfriend?