Neither Goku nor Bulma slept that night.
The next morning, because both of them had much stronger mental powers than ordinary people, neither had dark circles under their eyes or felt tired.
"Let's go, Bulma."
"Okay."
The two of them seemed to have much less to say to each other.
On the plane, Goku watched Bulma as she piloted it.
"Bulma."
"Hmm?"
"I... it's nothing. I just felt like calling your name." In the end, Goku still couldn't say those words: I like you. It was as if he would never be able to say them.
"Okay." Bulma seemed to know what Goku was thinking.
And just like that, an eerie silence settled over them again.
After they found all the Dragon Balls, Bulma arranged them and looked at Goku.
"Goku, you do it."
"Okay."
Goku stepped forward and summoned Shenron.
"You who summoned me, state your wish!"
Goku glanced at Bulma, then said, "Please make me angry enough!"
"Very well, your wish has been granted. Farewell!" Shenron turned into seven Dragon Balls and flew away.
"Wh-where is this?"
Suddenly, the scene before Goku's eyes seemed to change. The world around him looked as though it had come to an end.
"Ho, ho, ho, Mr. Son Goku, this is my true power: a Power Level of 120 million!"
Goku looked toward the familiar voice. Sure enough, it was Frieza in his final form.
Goku thought nothing of it. His base Power Level was ten million, and with a twenty-times Kaioken, he had a full 200 million. But the next second, his expression changed.
He could clearly sense that even with a twenty-times Kaioken, his Power Level was only 60 million.
"Mr. Son Goku, I imagine this woman must be very important to you, isn't she?"
"Goku, run!"
Hearing that familiar voice, Son Goku turned around and saw the sight he least wanted to see. Frieza was holding Bulma in the air from a distance with one hand.
"No, Bulma!"
"Frieza, let her go!"
Goku lost all reason. Releasing all his Ki, he charged at Frieza and drove his right fist viciously toward Frieza's face.
But Frieza kicked Goku in the stomach, sending him crashing into the ground. Goku spat out a mouthful of blood and felt intense pain throughout his body.
"Oh dear, Mr. Son Goku, why are you so weak? You can't even protect your own woman? Didn't Vegeta say you were a Super Saiyan? Is this what a Super Saiyan looks like?" Frieza said mockingly.
"Run, Goku! Forget about me!" Bulma's tearful cries reached Goku's ears.
"Please, Goku, forget about me and run!" Bulma's words were like a sharp dagger, cutting into Goku's heart again and again.
"Shut up, woman. Do you think he can get away? I'll kill you first, then him!"
A laser gathered in Frieza's other hand, the red light on his finger growing more and more intense.
"No!" Goku struggled out of the ground and rushed toward Frieza, but it was too late.
A red laser streaked across the sky, and a spray of blood blossomed in the air. Bulma turned to look at Goku, the light in her eyes growing fainter and fainter.
Bulma's lips moved slightly, as though she wanted to say something but lacked the strength. She closed her eyes in regret, and her slender figure slowly fell from high in the air.
"Bulma!"
"Ah!!!!"
As a roar echoed across the sky, several bolts of golden lightning struck down at once. Fierce winds swept through the surroundings, and an astonishing aura erupted from Goku.
Frieza looked at Goku and saw a golden aura bursting around him, his hair changing back and forth between gold and black.
He remembered the words left behind by his ancestors: he must beware of Saiyans with golden auras and golden hair.
"No, impossible! How could there really be a Super Saiyan? Die!" Frieza quickly formed a red energy blast and hurled it at Goku.
Boom!!
A violent explosion rang out, and smoke spread across half the sky.
"Unforgivable! Unforgivable! Frieza!!!"
"No, no, impossible!"
With a roar, a golden aura streaked through the smoke and slammed toward Frieza's face as he looked on in horror.
But just before the blow landed, the scene before Goku's eyes changed back to Earth.
On Earth, a figure with golden hair, green eyes, and a golden aura stood in the sky. Tears flowed from his eyes and streamed backward with his aura.
"Tch! Damn it!" Goku was furious. Even though it had been an illusion, he was still really furious!
Just you wait, Frieza. I won't let you off easy, Goku decided. Influenced by his transformation into a Super Saiyan, Goku had become somewhat more ruthless, and his once-gentle face now bore a hint of resolve and wickedness.
Frieza was utterly speechless. He had been sitting at home when blame fell on him out of nowhere. Guys, who could understand?
Goku withdrew the aura surrounding him and slowly flew toward Bulma.
"Goku, what happened to you? You suddenly look so much more handsome."
Bulma looked at Goku as he landed in front of her. His golden hair stood tall and swept back, with a few strands falling over his forehead. He had golden eyebrows, emerald-green eyes, and a slightly wicked look on his face. It hit Bulma's exact type.
Goku didn't answer. Instead, he took two steps forward and wrapped Bulma in a tight embrace.
"G-Goku, y-you..." Bulma froze instantly, at a loss for what to do.
Goku buried his face deep in Bulma's hair. A delicate fragrance rose from it, and his agitated heart seemed to gradually grow calm.
"Don't leave me, Bulma."
"Silly, how could I ever leave you?"
Bulma wrapped her arms around Goku's waist and rested her head on his shoulder as she spoke softly.
"That's right. I won't let you leave me. No one can hurt you, no one!"
Bulma seemed to sense that Goku was agitated and gently patted his back.
"All right, don't overthink it. With you here, how could anyone hurt me?"
Under Bulma's soothing, Goku's agitation gradually subsided.
"Bulma! I like you! Will you be my girlfriend? I want to protect you for the rest of my life!"
Bulma froze for a second, then broke into a smile.
"Okay! Then you'd better protect me well."
"Yeah, I will!"
"Goku, let go of me first." Bulma gently patted the arms wrapped tightly around her.
"Okay."
"Lower your head."
Goku lowered his head, and Bulma put her arms around his neck. He felt something soft against his lips. His eyes widened and his pupils contracted, as though everything had been paused. His breathing and his heartbeat stopped at that moment.
The sudden kiss caught him off guard like a storm. Sweet, silky saliva intertwined at the tip of his tongue, and Goku's mind went blank. Without realizing it, he pulled Bulma tightly into his arms.
After about ten seconds, their lips parted. With her arms around Goku's neck, Bulma looked at him with an alluring gaze. Her breath was as fragrant as an orchid, and the warm air from her mouth tickled Goku's face, making him feel hot.
Bulma stared into Goku's eyes and gradually felt that something seemed increasingly off about his gaze. His hands also seemed to be getting restless, so she hurriedly pushed him away.
"D-don't get carried away. We're outside. Whatever it is, we can talk about it when we get back."
Bulma was bold, but not bold enough for that.
"Then let's go home." Bulma's interruption brought Goku back to his senses in an instant. In the end, it was that damn adolescent restlessness.
Puberty: Fine, fine, I'm the one who's damned. You're blaming everything on me, huh?
"Okay!"
Bulma linked her arm with Goku's and rested her head on his shoulder. In the setting sun, the two walked toward the plane not far away.
The light of the setting sun was so gentle, falling on the two of them and stretching their shadows so long.