"Don't resist. Close your eyes and do as I say."
"Oh!"
Son Goku trusted Bulma completely,
and let her blindfold him with a strip of cloth.
"What do I do next?"
Son Goku asked.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Son Goku suddenly realized what Bulma was up to, and nearly broke into a cold sweat.
Thinking about it, the full moon was due any day now.
Could Bulma know that seeing the full moon turned him into a Great Ape?
Goku felt a flicker of doubt.
He immediately tried to remember what had happened when he and Bulma left Mount Paozu.
When he and Bulma had left Mount Paozu,
Grandpa had pulled Bulma aside and privately told her all sorts of things.
At first, Goku had assumed he was telling Bulma to take care of him.
But thinking about it now, it might have had something to do with his transformation on the night of the full moon.
He'd spent more than ten years with Grandpa Son Gohan. Even though he'd deliberately avoided the moon,
there had still been times when he'd let his guard down.
A flash of insight crossed Goku's mind.
He remembered that the year his tail grew back after being cut off,
he'd definitely turned into a Great Ape.
He didn't remember what he'd done,
but he remembered waking up to find the house broken
and much of the mountain's terrain destroyed, too.
And the day he woke up, Grandpa had said a storm had wrecked the house the night before,
then taken him to buy a Capsule House that day.
Unfortunately, they hadn't had enough money, so they'd gone back to the mountain and cut down trees to build a house themselves.
Now that he thought about it, it hadn't been a storm at all!
That time, he must have transformed,
and Grandpa must have discovered his secret.
So afterward, besides Goku deliberately avoiding the nights of the full moon,
Grandpa had cooperated, never taking him out to play on those nights.
So when Goku and Bulma left Mount Paozu,
Grandpa had told Bulma the secret, too.
Goku let out a deep breath.
It was as if he'd finally figured out what had happened.
He'd been searching for Dragon Balls these past few days and had forgotten about his transformation. He'd nearly caused a disaster.
Luckily, Bulma was more attentive than he was and had kept it in mind for him.
Just then,
Goku felt a warm, gentle touch on his face.
Son Goku was startled.
His sense of smell was exceptionally sharp. He could clearly smell Bulma's fragrance. It had been Bulma's kiss.
"Bulma, what are you doing?"
Bulma said, "Goku, I just remembered something.
When you fell off the Flying Nimbus just now, you saved my life.
So I want to congratulate you—you've won a kiss from a beautiful girl!"
Chapter 23: Young People Sure Know How to Have Fun
Goku knew that although Bulma's methods were a little clumsy and childish,
she was only trying to help him avoid seeing the moon.
Grandpa had never told him that he could turn into a Great Ape.
He'd only told him that monsters came out on full-moon nights and that he should go to bed early.
Really, Grandpa had wanted to protect his self-esteem and keep him from thinking he was a freak.
Goku knew all along that this was the way they silently cared for him.
In the original story, after Bulma saw Goku transform,
she guessed that Goku had lost control and killed his grandpa while transformed, so she suggested keeping it from him.
But in this world, his grandpa was alive and well,
and although Goku could transform, he hadn't taken anyone's life.
Bulma could simply explain it to him. There was no need to keep it a secret at all.
Whatever Bulma had planned, he'd just go along with it.
Son Goku touched the cheek Bulma had kissed,
and asked, "Bulma, I don't want a beautiful girl's kiss. Can I trade it for something tasty?"
Seeing that Goku hadn't struggled or ripped off his blindfold, Bulma's brow immediately relaxed.
She smiled. "You little brat, you actually don't appreciate a beautiful girl's kiss.
When you're old enough to want one, you might not be able to get one anymore!
But since you saved me, I'll make an exception and trade it for food.
Just keep your eyes covered until we get there,
then give me that kiss back,
and I'll treat you to a super feast. How's that?"
Son Goku pursed his lips.
"Give it back?
Bulma, do you think I'm a little kid you can trick?"
"Uh..."
Bulma was immediately at a loss for words.
This Goku wasn't dumb. He was getting harder to fool!
Who would've thought that the next second, Goku would give her an out?
Goku continued, "Bulma, since you say I can trade it for food,
then I won't hold back. I'm really hungry.
Hmm, let me think...
I want fifty bowls of ramen tonight. How's that?"
Bulma was stunned. "You want ramen?"
"Yeah! With my appetite, I think I need at least fifty bowls!"
During the day, when they'd passed through the town where the Rabbit Mob had been, they'd seen several ramen shops.
It was the nearest place Goku could think of where he could eat his fill without spending too much.
With the Flying Nimbus as their ride, they could get there in just an hour if they hurried. It was a great deal.
Bulma happily nodded. "All right, I'll treat you to ramen tonight.
But will fifty bowls be enough?
If you keep your blindfold on until bedtime tonight,
I'll add a plate of beef to every bowl. How about that?"
Son Goku said happily, "Meat? Of course I want extra meat!!
Don't worry. If you tell me not to take it off, I definitely won't.
A blindfold won't stop me from sleeping, anyway. I won't even take it off when I go to bed tonight."
Bulma smiled faintly. The Flying Nimbus sped up again, turning into a streak of golden light as it disappeared into the night.
An hour later.
Son Goku and Bulma arrived safely at Ichiraku Ramen Shop.
Everyone noticed Goku's unusual getup and stared.
Just then, Bulma bent down,
and Goku gently kissed her cheek.
Then he immediately asked, "Bulma, I gave it back. So can we eat now?"
Bulma smiled. "Sure, sure!"
With that, Bulma pulled out a thick wad of money—
at least several hundred thousand—and casually flung it toward the shopkeeper.
"Boss, bring us lots of ramen. Add a portion of meat to every bowl.
As long as I don't tell you to stop, keep them coming!"
Seeing such a generous customer, the boss replied excitedly, "You got it!"
With that, Bulma led the blindfolded Goku to a seat.
As soon as the first bowl of ramen arrived, Goku began wolfing it down.
Bulma propped her chin on her hand and watched Goku eat with a smile.
The smile never left her face. She looked like a rich woman doting on a young man.
The others watched Goku and Bulma, astonished and deeply shaken.
Goku was just a kid!
He had a kiss mark on his face, a blindfold, and a tail...
So what if you're a rich woman?
Come after me, if you've got the guts...
A little while later, Goku was full.
Nobody was focused on how much he'd eaten.
They were focused on Goku and Bulma.
After Goku and Bulma left, the people in the ramen shop finally dared to speak.
Several of them sucked in a sharp breath.
"Do kids these days really get up to this kind of stuff?"
"Who knows!"