Indoors.
Bulma picked up the receiver.
“Hello, hi, this is Bulma.”
“Wow, it actually went through — it’s really you, Bulma.”
Bulma’s expression brightened, and she asked curiously, “That voice sounds so familiar… wait, is that you, Krillin?”
“Yeah, it’s me. You still remember me — that’s great.”
A small smile curled at the corners of Bulma’s mouth.
“So, Krillin, what’s up? Why are you calling?”
Krillin chuckled.
“Heh, it’s nothing much, really. Come to think of it, it’s been about five years since we last saw each other, hasn’t it?”
Bulma thought it over and nodded.
“Yeah, that’s right — five years already. I miss everyone so much!”
Krillin laughed.
“I miss everyone too. Master Roshi just told me Goku’s bringing his kid over today. Why don’t you bring Yamcha along too? Oh, and have you two had a kid yet?”
Bulma shook her head at once.
“Him? He’s way too much of a flirt — carrying on with a bunch of girls from our school. I already dumped him!”
On the other end of the line, Krillin froze.
“What? You two actually broke up? That’s such a shame!”
Bulma sniffed, feigning indifference.
“Tch, nothing to be a shame about. I’m the young lady of the almighty Capsule Corporation — finding a boyfriend is nothing.”
“Heh, fair enough. So, are you coming to the get-together today…?”
“Of course I’m going!” Bulma said with a laugh.
“And what’s more, I already have a new boyfriend. He’s not only more handsome than Yamcha and taller than him — he might even be stronger than Goku…”
Krillin blinked.
“Really? How is that even possible? No one could be stronger than Goku. Have you forgotten? Five years ago he beat Piccolo Jr. again!”
Bulma laughed.
“Heh, I knew you wouldn’t believe me. Anyway, when exactly are we meeting up? I’ll bring him along so you can all see for yourselves.”
Krillin agreed.
“If it works for you, let’s make it noon today!”
“Sure!” Bulma glanced back at the clock and went on, “It’s only ten in the morning now — there’s plenty of time to make it by noon. Once you all get there, just wait for me. I’ll bring my boyfriend over.”
“Got it — see you there, no bailing!”
Beside him, another woman’s voice piped up.
“Bulma, it’s Lunch! You’d better bring your new boyfriend, okay?”
“Oh, it’s Lunch! Are you at Kame House too? How are things with Tien Shinhan?”
Lunch sighed.
“Ugh, don’t even get me started. That guy only cares about Chiaotzu and training. He’s always so cold to me. I liked him one-sidedly and never got anything back, so I cut things off with him ages ago.”
Bulma’s expression froze for a moment, and she nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, that’s true. Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu — neither of them has any interest in women. I noticed that a long time ago…”
“All right, enough talk. Don’t you still need to fly your plane over to Kame House? See you at noon!”
“Okay, Lunch, see you at noon!”
Bulma hung up the phone and turned to look out the door.
Oryon was walking toward her.
Sword-cut brows, bright eyes, features that were fine yet sunny, a tall straight posture, broad shoulders…
He was simply too perfect.
Bulma’s mind raced ahead: “Showing up with a boyfriend this handsome is going to blow everyone away!”
Soon, Oryon reached Bulma.
“Bulma, I’ve been thinking, and there’s something I need to make clear to you…”
Bulma looked at Oryon with a beaming smile.
“Not only are you handsome, your voice is so nice too. I’m just so happy I could die. Oh, what were you about to tell me?”
Oryon said, “Bulma, I might not be the right fit to be your boyfriend.”
Bulma froze.
“Why?”
People, like animals, tend to strike their most alluring pose to attract the opposite sex.
Without thinking, Bulma pushed her chest out to make her cleavage more prominent, then dipped her waist slightly to make her hips look perkier.
She looked at Oryon, biting her lower lip, and said pitifully, “Is it that my face isn’t pretty enough, or my figure isn’t good enough? You don’t like me?”
Watching Bulma put on her coy, affected little act, a thought crossed Oryon’s mind: marrying her would definitely be fun — he could try all sorts of positions…
Too bad…
Out of a whole ocean of possibilities, settle for just one ladle?
Then what was the point of crossing worlds at all?
Oryon took half a step back and said, “Bulma, anyone can tell at a glance you’re the devoted, pure-hearted type. You’re not just good-looking — you’re rich, and you’ve got brains too. But me, I’m just a scumbag. I don’t think I deserve you!”
Bulma’s smile froze instantly.
“What?”
Oryon went on, “Bulma, I can see it in your eyes — what you want is a love that’s one of a kind. But me… My heart is more like a vast ocean. Before I ever came here, I was already seeing several girlfriends at once. Bottom line, we’re not a good match.”
Hearing this, the light in Bulma’s eyes slowly faded, and she began pounding her chest and stamping her feet.
“Oh my god, how could this happen? My life is just so bitter…”
Back when she’d met Yamcha and brought him home, his handsome looks got him swept away almost at once by other girls at school.
It left Bulma feeling like a complete joke.
Then there was Goku — when she’d seen him all grown up, he’d fit her taste too.
Back then, she’d just been scheming to cut Yamcha loose and make Goku her boyfriend instead.
Only for Goku to get dragged off and married by Chi-Chi on the very day of the martial arts tournament.
In the blink of an eye, another five years had passed, and Yamcha had wandered off who-knows-where.
Just now on the phone, Krillin had said Goku already had a kid.
And here she was — Bulma, the proud young lady of Capsule Corporation.
A woman who’d been dreaming of marriage since she was sixteen, and now at twenty-nine she was still single.
Twenty-nine, and already a leftover woman!
The more she thought about it, the more Bulma clutched her chest and sobbed her heart out.
“Waaah, my life is so bitter. Is this world really this unfair, even to a beautiful genius like me?”
Watching her pound her chest and stamp her feet, Oryon found himself at a total loss for what to do.
A moment later, Bulma’s crying stopped.
She turned to look at Oryon and said, “Sorry, I guess I was just fooling myself. But can you do me a favor?”
“What favor?”
Bulma bit her lip and said, “That call just now — some old friends I haven’t seen in years invited me to a get-together. I bragged to them that I had an even more handsome boyfriend now, and said I’d bring him to show off. So…”
Bulma looked at Oryon.
“So, you want me to play your boyfriend for a bit?”
“Would that be okay?”
Oryon nodded.
“Sure, no problem at all!”
“Thanks. Go change into something more presentable first, then come with me!”
Soon, Oryon had changed into a decent set of clothes — a bit small, but since it was a sporty cut, it fit well enough.
Bulma said she’d bought it for Yamcha, but since he hadn’t come back in years, it had never even been worn.
After he’d changed, Bulma looked at Oryon’s handsome appearance and felt a sudden pang of bitterness.
Why can’t I ever hold onto a guy this good-looking…
Could it be that a genius girl like her is just fated to be alone?