Part 9: Goten-kun, R U OK? 

        "Hey Bra, wanna go for a swim?" Pan asked. 
        "Well…nope.  I don't want to get my hair wet." 
        "But the water looks GREAT!" 
        "I don't want to!" 
        "Aw, c'mon, Bra!  We have to do SOMEthing besides sitting here!" 
        "If you want to go, it's fine with me, I just don't want to." Bra laid back with both of her hands under her head, facing the clear blue sky.  She took a deep breath and relaxed, the sun warming her. 
        Pan glared at her sulkily. 
        Bra just stared at the blue ceiling above her ignoring Pan.  She closed her eyes and sighed in relief.  She hadn't felt such comfort since the last time she came her.  The sea breeze blew in her face, bringing the sweet scent of the ocean.  It just made the circumstances around her seem more magnificent. 
        She opened her eyes slowly, thinking about the day, the reunion, the surroundings, the food, the people she hadn't seen for such a long time…and him. 
        Goten came into her mind. 
        She sighed.  The warmth of sun just reminded her of Goten's bare muscular body wrapped around her not so long ago.  She couldn't resist it.  She turned her head over to where Goten was.  She and Pan were quite far away from him.  She watched him talk to her brother.  Maybe it's a man-to-man talk, she thought. 
But why did Goten-kun look so sad? 
        She looked back at the sky, and that's where Goten's figure started to appear, smiling at her, and she was dancing somewhere in a daze… 
        "Hey, Bra!" 
        Bra's view was blocked by Marron, who seemed to pop out of nowhere. 
        "Marron-chan!" Bra stood up and gave her friend a hug. "I didn't see you come!" 
        "I was left behind, so I drove myself.  I was over there talking to your brother and Goten…" Marron 
smiled. "Hey, Pan!" 
        "Hey!  Wow!  What happened to your ponytails?" Pan's eyes widened as she pointed at Marron's hair. 
        "Hahaha.  Your uncle asked me the very same question!" Marron giggled. 
        "But you look so kawaii!  Trunks told me once that he thought you might look better with your hair down," 
Bra said. 
        "Um, well, thanks, Bra." Marron flushed slightly. "So, what are you girls doing now?" 
        "Sitting here like statues for the rest of the day," Pan said. 
        Marron looked puzzled. "Why don't you go swim?  The water looks?" 
        "No swimming," said Bra. 
        They sat there in silence. 
        Marron sighed and smiled.  Those two, such good friends, but so different!  What a relationship, she 
thought. "Very well," she said. "Let me join you in this 'sitting' game." She sat next to Bra and they were silent again. "Look." Marron pointed to the group of men happily playing some water games. "They're such little boys at heart, all of them." 
        "Except my dad," Bra said.  Vegeta was just sitting under a tree. "He's nowhere near them." 
        "And Goten and Trunks…poor Goten," Marron said suddenly. 
        "Why do you say that?  What's wrong?" Bra looked at her friend. 
        "Oh, it's just that he's disappointed that Paris couldn't come. 
        "Paris?" 
        "Goten-jisan has been quite upset about her lately," Pan agreed. 
        "Upset?  Why?" Bra grew more curious. 
        "I don't know…I didn't ask," Pan replied.  She looked over at Goten and Trunks who were still talking. 
        Goten?  Upset? Bra thought.  She didn't know if she should be happy or not.  Paris not coming, that was a good thing.  But Goten upset, that was wasn't. 
        Marron shrugged. "I bet Paris is busy with her crew.  She's a--" 
        "A model.  I know, Marron.  But she promised Goten-jisan she'd be here.  He told me that--he was so 
excited, too." 
        Marron sighed.  She didn't know how to reply to that. 
        "Pan!  Come join us!" Gohan called. 
        Pan stood up excitedly. "Yes, Tousan!" She looked down at Bra and Marron. "Marron-chan, Bra-chan!  Let's 
go!" 
        Bra shook her head. "Nah.  You two go ahead." 
        Pan shrugged. "Marron?" 
        "Sure!  Count me in. You sure you won't come, Bra?" 
        "You two go." 
        "Okay, see ya!" They left, running towards the sea, screaming and laughing.  The sound of the voices of all the others was carried clearly.  Bra sat alone, not sure what to do.  She couldn't help thinking about Goten.  How could she have fun if he's so unhappy?" 
*********************************** 
        "Hey, Goten, wanna go?" Trunks asked. 
        "No…why don't you go, though." 
        "Are you sure?" 
        "Yeah, get out of here." 
        "Okay then." Trunks joined the group in the water as well, making huge waves that could possibly kill 
people.  The guys were doing water wrestling while the girls watched and shrieked in excitement. 
        Goten was about to shut his eyes and go to sleep when someone appeared, blocking the sun. "Oh, hi, B-chan." 
He sat up. 
        "Uh, hi, Goten-kun." She tried not to sound nervous. "I saw you here…alone… you looked upset, so I--so I thought I might come over.  Maybe you need someone to talk to?" 
        Goten blinked. "How thoughtful." He smiled. "Please, sit." 
        Bra sat next to him and they watched their families have fun. 
        "So why aren't you joining them?" Goten asked. 
        She grinned at him. "Don't want to get my hair wet." 
        Goten chuckled. 
        "Goten-kun…" 
        "Yes?" 
        "I…oh, it's nothing." She felt like an idiot. 
        "I'm glad you came over," he told her. 
        She looked up at him. "Why?" she asked. 
        "I dunno.I just...like you." He looked deep into Bra's eyes.  She forced herself to look away.  She knew Goten was still upset about Paris. She wanted to talk about it, but she just couldn't.  She looked far, far away. 
        Something brushed against her hand.  She looked down and saw her hand under Goten's.  She felt an electric 
shock run through her at that realization.  She pulled away and looked at him.  He must have fallen asleep.  His face was so close to hers.  Bra smiled at him.  She sat there, enjoying not only the view, but his company as well. 

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"Mirai E.." by Kiroro