One day later.
Inside Bulma's spaceship.
Having just finished training and taken a shower, Son Goku was watching TV while casually trimming his nails.
At that moment, Bulma walked in after finishing a phone call.
She plopped down on the sofa and leaned against Goku.
"Goku."
"There's something I need to talk to you about."
Hearing the seriousness in her tone, Goku turned to look at her.
"Why so serious? What is it?"
Bulma asked, "How long has it been since you last went back to Mount Paozu?"
"Mount Paozu?"
Goku's pupils suddenly shrank.
He immediately remembered what had happened during the battle with Frieza—when so many people had been transferred back to Earth.
Bulma hadn't been home at the time.
Could it be that Chi-Chi had settled the Namekians at Mount Paozu… and somehow word got out?
Seeing the obvious change in Goku's expression, a flicker of irritation flashed in Bulma's eyes.
Goku's mind was lightning-fast. Barely two seconds passed before he spoke in an apologetic tone.
"I'm sorry, Bulma.
There's something I never told you.
That year when I went to King Kai's planet, I went back to Mount Paozu.
And that night… I accidentally had that kind of thing happen with Launch.
I'm really sorry.
After that, Launch stayed at Mount Paozu.
But don't worry—I never went to see her again. I swear!"
Goku blurted it all out in one breath, then looked at Bulma with an anxious, guilty expression.
Bulma froze.
She had originally planned to make him explain everything step by step.
Who would've thought Goku would just lay all his cards on the table?
Staring at him—so sincere, so openly asking for forgiveness—Bulma was completely at a loss.
…Wow. You really go all-in on honesty, don't you?
Bulma felt oddly speechless.
Why did it suddenly feel like her dynamic with Goku was… a little strange?
She wanted to say, I'm your wife, not your mom…
But then she thought about it—she really did take care of Goku the way a mother would.
Considering that he'd grown up without one, Bulma decided not to dwell on it.
And seeing how straightforward he was about what happened with Launch—confessing everything in one go—any thought she had of arguing with him completely vanished.
Recalling all the details Chi-Chi had told her over the phone, Bulma carefully replayed everything in her head.
And she seemed to understand.
Given Goku's personality, things could only have unfolded one way.
Yes.
Launch must have been the one who made the first move, and Goku couldn't bring himself to refuse.
He trained every day—when would he ever have the spare brainpower to think about things like that?
Looking at Goku again, still wearing that utterly sincere, apologetic expression, all the anger in Bulma's heart dissolved.
"Forget it, forget it. I'm not blaming you.
Don't look like you've committed some unforgivable crime…
I know what kind of person you are.
This must've been Launch's fault, so I'm not mad at you…"
It felt like throwing a heavy punch into cotton—no impact at all.
Bulma suddenly felt her enthusiasm drain away.
She decided to just let the matter go and move on to talking about Launch and the child.
Launch had given Goku a son. There was no way they could just ignore her and the kid.
A woman, raising a child alone for over six years…
And besides, it was Launch—their old friend.
Sure, she could be violent when blonde, but when blue-haired she was gentle, kind, and caring.
A truly good woman.
They couldn't let her and the child keep living alone.
Chi-Chi had done the right thing… though not entirely.
Where they lived didn't matter.
What really mattered was Launch's situation.
But before Bulma could organize her thoughts, Goku spoke first.
"No, I can't just push all the responsibility away.
Actually… it's not really Launch's fault.
Even though she made the first move,
you know my strength—if I'd really wanted to resist, she wouldn't have been able to touch me.
That night, I went along with it on purpose… I was half-willing.
Afterward, I regretted it deeply. I know I was wrong.
Mount Paozu is still too close. Don't worry—
when we get back, you can handle everything.
We'll give her a large sum of money and have her move to the other side of Earth.
I promise I won't see her again.
Is that okay, Bulma?"
Bulma: "..."
Hearing Goku's answer, Bulma's head was suddenly full of tangled threads.
She raised her hand at once. "Hold on. Let me sort this out…"
They stared at each other for a long moment.
Then Bulma shook her head.
"No—forget who's at fault. That's not what we're talking about right now.
We're talking about something else."
Goku blinked.
"So… that part's over?
I don't have to send her farther away?"
Bulma couldn't help blurting out, "Send your sister!
What's wrong with you? You're heartless!
All these years, you never even went back to Mount Paozu.
Do you know that Launch gave you a son?!"
"What?!"
Hearing that Launch had given him a son, Goku jumped to his feet in shock.
"Launch had my son? Really?!"
Seeing Goku's eyes widened like copper bells, Bulma could only shrug helplessly.
"How could that be fake?"
She stood up, reached for a cigarette case on the table, and took out a cigarette.
At that moment, Goku was unexpectedly attentive.
He immediately picked up a lighter and lit it for her.
Even Bulma was taken aback by the gesture.
She didn't refuse, naturally accepting a Super Saiyan lighting her cigarette.
After a moment, Bulma exhaled a ring of smoke.
"The child is already six. He should be in school.
You can't just let him grow up as some wild mountain kid…"
Goku nodded, waiting for her to continue.
At that, Bulma suddenly recalled her own past.
Back when she first met Goku, he couldn't even tell men from women.
He judged by… patting that area.
He had been a complete little wild child.
And now—if Chi-Chi hadn't needed to settle Vegeta, she might never have discovered Launch and Son Xiaokong.
Heh. What a name… so empty.
In a few more years, Son Xiaokong would grow a bit older.
If he happened to meet a girl who wandered up the mountain…
Wouldn't he end up retracing her own path with Goku?
From a little wild child, stepping out of the mountains and into the world.
Bulma's gaze grew distant.
Did this world… really have reincarnation?
"Bulma, keep going.
So what happened next?" Goku asked, snapping her out of it.
Bulma came back to her senses.
"Chi-Chi brought Launch and the child to Capsule Corporation.
From now on, Launch will live in our house.
As for your son—next summer I'll arrange for him to attend elementary school in West City."
Goku stared at her blankly.
"Launch is living with us… you're not jealous?"
Bulma took another drag, then looked at him.
"She's had a hard life. Every time she sneezes she turns into a violent maniac—that's why she could never get married.
Thinking about it that way, she's really pitiful. So we'll take her in."
She stepped closer and looked straight into Goku's eyes.
"At least blue-haired Launch is gentle and kind—a good woman.
From now on, she'll live with us. You… be more considerate."
Goku, however, objected.
"Bulma… I think you're better than her."
"Huh?"
Bulma froze.
"I said, you're better than Launch."
Goku said it seriously.
Meeting his earnest gaze and processing what he'd just said, Bulma realized—
She had just been complimented.
Caught completely off guard, a faint blush rose on her face.
She lowered her head, mumbling shyly,
"W-What's so good about me?
I… I get angry pretty easily sometimes…"
Yet no matter how she tried, she couldn't hide the curve of her smile.
She tugged at her tight-fitting clothes and fanned herself with her hand.
"It feels like we still haven't left the radiation range of Namek's three suns—it's so hot.
Even with the air conditioning on, I keep sweating.
I'm going to take a shower.
Come to the room and wait for me…"
With that, Bulma stubbed out her cigarette, cast Goku a sultry glance, and swayed her hips toward the bathroom.
Watching her like that, the last of Goku's unease finally disappeared.
Not long after, Bulma's voice came from the bathroom.
"Hey, Goku—help me out!"
"I'm coming!"
"Today was really tiring…
The front too… I'll leave that to you…"
A few days later, the two arrived at their next destination.
There was only one other person here—the Grand Supreme Elder.
Son Goku began learning Spirit Control and Ki manipulation under his guidance.
This was far from simple training.
By mastering Ki control, one could unleash far greater power.
Energy that was once the size of a lightbulb could be expanded to the size of a house.
And if one's learning and understanding went far enough,
they could even grasp techniques like Instant Transmission and Forced Spirit Fission.
In the blink of an eye, more than half a year passed.
Goku's training still wasn't complete, but Bulma was bored out of her mind.
Though it was just the two of them here—and every night was blissful—
during the day, Goku did nothing but train.
No socializing, no shopping, no entertainment, no games. It was unbearable.
She wanted to drag Goku away and return to Earth.
But then Bulma suddenly thought of the Androids that would appear in the future.
Existences even more terrifying than Frieza.
She looked toward the mountains, a solemn glint in her eyes.
"No.
Goku's training can't stop.
I'm useless staying here anyway… I might as well return to Earth on my own.
If I can find Dr. Gero's lab ahead of time, we can deal with it.
If that happens, the Android crisis will vanish before it even begins.
I can come back for Goku later."
Once she made up her mind, after Goku finished training that day,
Bulma told him directly that she was too bored and wanted to return to Earth, promising to come back for him later.
Goku readily agreed.
And so, Bulma piloted the spaceship alone and returned to Earth.