The two stood on opposite sides of the window — one inside, one outside — sharing smiles and conversation in the soft interplay of light and shadow.
"What exactly did you go back to do? Tell me."
Tights blinked curiously.
In the bright light spilling out from the Turtle House, her voice seemed like it came from another radiant world. Yamiru, having sent everyone away to visit Fortuneteller Baba on his own, had clearly sought answers to something personal. In the past, Tights wouldn't have actively asked about such things... Yamiru keenly noticed this subtle change.
He smiled and lowered his voice. "Oh, nothing much. Just asking Baba if I'll ever be as strong as Goku someday."
Tights looked surprised, glancing back at Goku, who was idly sitting inside. "You have pretty high expectations for Goku, huh? You're not confident you can keep up with him?"
Yamiru chuckled softly, narrowing his keen eyes as he stared at Goku for a moment. "You probably didn't notice, but even though I faced far more perilous battles at Baba's, somehow this kid came out of it with much greater growth than me."
Inside, oblivious to being observed, Goku's spiky hair swayed slightly.
Tights gasped, recalling Jaco's descriptions of Saiyans. "A warrior race, huh? They really are that impressive. But you martial artists are surprisingly sensitive to the differences in strength between yourselves and others..." She turned back, meeting Yamiru's golden eyes at close range and smiling. "Ah, I see now. It's not about your instincts being sharp — it's those eyes of yours."
"Yamiru, you're back!"
At that moment, Goku noticed Yamiru standing outside the window, whispering with Tights, and walked over with a cheerful grin.
As he spoke, Bulma, Master Roshi, and even the old turtle all looked over. Roshi, pretending not to have noticed while watching a yoga program on TV, reluctantly turned his attention to the commotion as well.
Bulma walked over to a small box under the table and opened it. Inside were six golden Dragon Balls, glowing softly and harmonizing with one another.
"Well, the seven Dragon Balls are all gathered. Let's get started!" Tights said excitedly.
Bulma smiled and glanced at Goku, who reached into the small pouch tied to his belt and pulled out the Four-Star Ball entrusted to him by his grandfather. His face lit up with joy.
Master Roshi, having lived over 200 years, was curious about the legendary Dragon Balls and the Shenron they could summon. He followed the three youngsters outside to the beach, with the old turtle huffing and puffing along behind him.
Bulma poured the six Dragon Balls onto the sand with a gentle clink, and Goku added the Four-Star Ball to complete the set. Instantly, the seven Dragon Balls began to glow in unison, their light intertwining.
"It wasn't easy…" Yamiru murmured softly.
At that moment, everyone instinctively fell silent, creating an atmosphere of reverence as they all turned their attention to Yamiru. After all, this quest to gather the Dragon Balls had started with him.
Yamiru smiled faintly and stepped forward without hesitation. Standing before the seven glowing orbs, which seemed to pulse like breathing lights, he felt a surge of nervousness. Clearing his throat, he called out, "Rise—" He faltered, his voice cracking slightly, and coughed awkwardly. Taking a moment to compose himself, he shouted solemnly:
"Come forth, Shenron!"
The moment the words left his mouth, a deafening rumble echoed through the sky.
An unseen force seemed to pierce through heaven and earth as the wind howled and clouds began to gather. Though it was nighttime on this side of the world, making it hard to discern the changes, Yamiru knew that on the daylight side of the planet, people would be astonished to see the skies darken. Black clouds now loomed overhead, heralding an impending storm.
Before the group on the beach, the seven Dragon Balls erupted with a dazzling golden light. The brilliance culminated in a bolt of golden lightning that shot skyward, illuminating the darkened skies.
Yamiru gazed at the sight with a deep sense of emotion, his eyes glistening.
It was difficult to put into words the complexity of his feelings at this moment.
Was it because a dream was becoming real? too melodramatic. Was it because the fortune teller's predictions filled him with endless hope? It wasn't that exaggerated; Yamiru, always self-doubting, had long since abandoned such thoughts back in the small house in the Southern city. Otherwise, his main goal for leaving his retreat would have been to seek the fortune teller's guidance, not to find the seven Dragon Balls.
But perhaps Yamiru was just that shallow; merely witnessing this miraculous scene stirred up a flood of memories. The old television from his childhood, the pirated Dragon Ball comics that were passed around during school days, the countless hours spent searching for Dragon Ball episodes online... Bit by bit, all the emotions built up and, at that moment when the Shenron emerged from the Dragon Balls, everything rushed to the surface.
"I'm doing well. I hope you all…" Yamiru whispered softly, bidding farewell to his past. "Live in peace, and may everything go smoothly."
A hand reached over and gently wiped away a tear that had almost fallen.
"What's wrong? Getting so emotional?" Tights leaned in and whispered, teasing him.
Yamiru blushed slightly. "It's the setting; the scene got to me. Maybe I'm just a dreamer. Seeing such a miraculous scene moved me to tears."
The brilliant golden light shot upward without the slow motion or lingering close-ups of an anime scene. It soon faded, revealing a green Shenron coiled in the shape of an "∞".
"Wow..." Bulma tilted her head back to get a better view.
"So this is Shenron…" Goku marveled.
Master Roshi's sunglasses glittered in the light, and he couldn't help but praise, "Truly magnificent!"
Shenron's eyes glowed a fiery red as he slowly descended, gazing down at the five humans and one turtle standing in front of the small house.
"Tights,"
Yamiru suddenly took the hand Tights had used to wipe his tears and held it tightly.
"Hm?"
"Be my girlfriend." Yamiru held Tights' hand, his gaze fixed on Shenron.
"…" Tights looked at his side profile for a while, the golden light from the Dragon Balls casting reflections on her face. She felt his hand grow tense and stiff with nervousness, so she smiled and looked up at Shenron. "Why does this feel like a marriage proposal? Is Shenron the officiant?"
"Tights," this time, Yamiru stared intently at her, his eyes flickering in the changing golden light. She turned her head to face him, their eyes meeting.
Her other hand gently covered their joined hands, and with a smile, she said, "Alright. Do you want to be my boyfriend?"
Yamiru couldn't help but laugh. "You need to speak a little softer, or Shenron might think that's your wish." He leaned in and kissed Tights on the forehead. "Alright."
"The one who has gathered all seven Dragon Balls..." Shenron's powerful voice boomed. "Speak your wish. No matter what it is, I can grant you one…"
Shenron, it seemed, was deeply sentient. Only after Yamiru and Tights finished their conversation did he begin to speak.
Everyone was curious about what wish Yamiru, who had gathered the Dragon Balls, would ask for.
Yamiru tilted his head back, opening his mouth, seemingly hesitating.
Suddenly, he felt Tights squeeze his hand, and when he turned his head in confusion, he heard Tights whisper in his ear, "I warn you, even you can't use the Dragon Balls to decide my sister's happiness. Bulma is still too young."
"What are you talking about?" Yamiru was even more confused.
Tights muttered a few things in his ear, and only then did Yamiru understand.
It turned out that when he had brought Bulma and Goku to Tights' small island to meet her, she had decided to join their journey because she remembered a conversation from over two years ago on Mount Paozu. Back then, Yamiru had mentioned the Dragon Balls, which could grant any wish. Tights had asked what he would wish for if they truly existed, and Yamiru had pointed at Goku and Bulma and jokingly said he would wish for them to get married.
At the time, Tights had assumed it was just a joke and didn't take it seriously. But now, it seemed that the joke was becoming a reality.
Though Goku was indeed a good person, the real issue was that Bulma hadn't yet developed any notions of love or marriage, and Tights didn't want any external forces to interfere with Bulma's natural growth. Not even from her newly acquired boyfriend.
"You must be joking, right?"
Yamiru gestured for her not to worry and then turned his gaze back to the waiting Shenron.