Goku didn't know how long he had been walking.

The world around him blurred into nothing but trees and distant mountains, the morning sky stretching overhead, its colors shifting from deep blues to pale oranges as the sun continued its slow rise.

He barely registered it.

His feet moved on instinct, leading him down the long, winding path toward a place that no longer felt like home.

His chest felt tight, his mind racing through every conversation, every fight, every moment that had led up to this.

He had known something was wrong.

For years, he had felt it. The distance. The resentment. The way Chi-Chi looked at him, not with love but with expectation—with frustration.

But this?

This was worse than anything he could have imagined.

By the time he reached the small house at the edge of the mountain, his body felt heavy.

He stepped inside without thinking.

The air was still, too quiet.

He moved toward the couch and sank onto it, elbows on his knees, burying his face in his hands.

The weight in his chest threatened to crush him.

He didn't move when he heard footsteps approaching.

Didn't react when a familiar voice called his name.

"Goku?"

Chi-Chi's voice was softer than usual, almost hesitant. "Where have you been?"

Silence.

Goku didn't lift his head.

Chi-Chi frowned, stepping closer. "Goku? What's wrong?"

More silence.

Then—

"...Why?"

His voice was barely above a whisper, but the sheer weight behind the word made Chi-Chi's stomach twist.

"Why what?" she asked, confused.

Finally, Goku lifted his head. His dark eyes met hers, and for the first time, Chi-Chi felt something unfamiliar when she looked at him.

Coldness.

Distance.

Goku had always been open, warm, even in the worst situations.

But now?

Now, he looked at her like she was a stranger.

His voice was quiet but firm when he spoke.

"Why have you been seeing Yamcha?"

Chi-Chi's heart stopped.

Her entire body locked up as she stared at him, mouth slightly open, mind scrambling to process what he just said.

"I—"

Goku's eyes didn't waver.

"Why?" he repeated, louder this time.

Chi-Chi swallowed hard. "I—I don't know what you're talking about."

Goku let out a bitter laugh—one that had never come from him before.

"Don't lie to me," he said. His voice was low. Controlled. But there was an edge to it. A sharpness that made the air in the room feel suffocating.

Chi-Chi took a step back, heart hammering. "Goku, I—"

"I trusted you," Goku cut her off, his voice rising. His fists clenched at his sides, his entire body trembling—not with sadness, but with anger. "I put up with everything—you yelling at me, treating me like I was some kind of idiot, making me feel like nothing I did was ever good enough. I stayed! And you—" His breath hitched as his power flickered around him, rattling the walls. "You were sneaking around with Yamcha this whole time?"

Chi-Chi's lips parted, but no words came out.

Goku let out a sharp breath, running both hands through his hair as he stood up. He started pacing, his movements frantic.

"I knew something was wrong! I felt it! But I ignored it, because I—I loved you! I trusted you! But you—you went and did this?!"

His voice cracked, his anger finally spilling over.

In one swift movement, his fist slammed into the nearby wall, cracking the wood.

Chi-Chi flinched.

Goku was breathing heavily now, his body radiating with energy.

"Was it me?!" he demanded, eyes wild. "Was I not enough for you?! Was I not the husband you wanted?! Or was I just—just some guy who gave you a kid and paid the bills?!"

Chi-Chi shook her head rapidly. "It's not like that!"

"Then what is it like?!"

"I—"

"For once in your life, Chi-Chi, tell me the truth!"

Chi-Chi's hands clenched into fists. "You were never here!" she snapped, voice shaking. "You were always gone! Off fighting, off training, off dying! And when you were here, you never cared about anything except fighting and eating and playing with Gohan like we were some perfect little family! You didn't see what I saw! You didn't have to be the one holding everything together while you went off to save the world over and over again! You don't know what that felt like! How lonely it was!"

Goku stared at her.

And for a moment—just a moment—there was something in his eyes.

Understanding.

Regret.

But it vanished as quickly as it came.

His expression hardened.

"So that's your excuse," he muttered. "You felt lonely, so you just—what? Decided I didn't matter anymore? That Gohan didn't matter?"

Chi-Chi shook her head frantically. "That's not—"

"No," Goku cut her off, his voice eerily quiet now. "I don't care anymore."

Chi-Chi blinked. "W-What?"

Goku turned on his heel and walked toward the bedroom.

Chi-Chi hesitated, watching him disappear into the room before following after him.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice uncertain.

Goku didn't answer.

She watched as he moved through their bedroom with purpose, grabbing a bag and stuffing clothes into it.

A pit formed in her stomach.

"...Goku?"

Still, he didn't answer.

Then, without missing a beat, he walked past her into Gohan's room, repeating the process.

Chi-Chi's breath caught in her throat.

Panic settled in.

"Goku." Her voice was firmer now. "What are you doing?"

He slung the bag over his shoulder and turned toward the door.

"I'm leaving."

Chi-Chi's heart stopped.

Her hands shook as she took a step forward. "Where are you going?"

Goku paused just long enough to glance at her over his shoulder.

His expression was unreadable.

"...It's none of your business."

Chi-Chi's entire body went rigid. "What do you mean it's not my—Goku, this is our home! You can't just—"

"I can," Goku interrupted. "And I am."

Chi-Chi took a shaky breath, trying to keep her composure. "W-What about Gohan? He needs his mother—"

Goku turned fully now, his eyes dark and cold.

"You are not his mother anymore."

Chi-Chi flinched as if she had been slapped.

"You are gonna stay away from him," Goku continued. "From me. You don't get to tell me what to do anymore. You don't get to tell him what to do anymore."

Chi-Chi's breathing hitched. "Goku—"

"It's none of your business," he said again, and before she could argue, before she could say another word, he turned toward the door and stepped outside.

She stood frozen in place, her whole body trembling.

Her chest ached.

Her legs felt weak.

And for the first time in a long, long time...

She had nothing to say.

~~~~

Three hours had passed since Goku left.

The weight in Y/N's chest hadn't lightened.

Gohan had finally calmed down, sitting at the kitchen table with a bowl of food in front of him. He wasn't saying much, just poking at his plate, but at least he was eating. Bulma sat across from him, her arms crossed, a frustrated scowl on her face.

She was still seething.

Every few minutes, she would mutter under her breath about how much of a bitch Chi-Chi was or how she should've decked Yamcha in the face just to make herself feel better.

But Y/N barely heard any of it.

Her mind was elsewhere.

Goku hadn't come back.

And that wasn't like him.

Sure, he needed space. That was understandable. But she knew he wasn't okay. And as much as she respected his need to be alone, she didn't like the idea of him sitting somewhere, alone in his own head, letting this eat at him.

She had to check on him.

With that decision made, she turned to Bulma and Gohan.

"I'm gonna go look for him."

Gohan blinked, looking up. "Do you know where he is?"

"...Not exactly." Y/N scratched the back of her neck. "I haven't learned how to sense ki yet, so I'll have to check a few places. But I have a feeling I'll find him."

Bulma sighed, rubbing her temples. "Be careful. If you find him, make sure he's not beating himself up too much. He doesn't deserve that."

Y/N nodded. "I know."

Gohan hesitated, gripping his spoon tightly. "...If you find him, can you tell him I'm okay?" His voice was quiet. "I don't want him to worry about me too much."

Y/N gave him a small smile and ruffled his hair. "Of course, kid."

With that, she left. Her first stop was the Lookout.

If Goku wasn't home, then maybe he had gone to a place where he could think. A place where he could talk to someone he trusted.

As she touched down on the white stone tiles, Piccolo was already waiting for her, arms crossed.

"You're looking for Goku." It wasn't a question.

Y/N nodded. "Yeah. Have you seen him?"

Piccolo was silent for a moment before nodding toward the horizon. "His energy was heading toward his house. He was there, but he left again a while ago."

Y/N frowned. That wasn't surprising. He probably hadn't wanted to stay long.

Her father stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Want us to come with you? We can help look."

She hesitated, but eventually shook her head. "I appreciate it, but I don't think it'd be a good idea to overcrowd him. He's probably already feeling overwhelmed."

Piccolo grunted in agreement. "That's smart. But be careful. And if he wants to be alone, don't push him."

"I won't," she assured them before turning to leave. "Where's his house?"

Piccolo pointed her in the right direction, and with a quick nod of thanks, she took off toward Mount Paozu.

When she arrived at Goku's house, her stomach twisted.

Even from a distance, she could tell something was off.

The door was wide open.

The house was a mess—furniture knocked over, one of the walls cracked, like someone had punched it.

Goku had been here.

But he wasn't anymore.

Her chest ached.

She was about to turn around and keep searching when she heard footsteps.

A moment later, Chi-Chi stepped out of the house.

Her eyes landed on Y/N, and immediately, her face twisted in rage.

"Oh, great," she snapped. "It's you."

Y/N frowned, already not in the mood for whatever this was about to be. "Yeah, it's me."

Chi-Chi marched toward her, stopping just a few feet away. Her arms were crossed tightly, her expression furious.

"This is your fault," she spat.

Y/N blinked. "What?"

"You ruined everything!" Chi-Chi seethed. "I needed him to stay! We were going to enter the tournament! Do you know how much money I would've had?! But no, you just had to come into his life! You had to poison him against me!"

Y/N's hands clenched into fists. "Are you serious right now?"

Chi-Chi wasn't done.

"He would've stayed obedient if you never met him," she sneered. "He would've done what he was supposed to do!"

Y/N felt her anger rising, but she forced herself to take a breath.

She didn't want to lose her temper.

Not yet.

Instead, she gave Chi-Chi a long, long look.

And then she laughed.

It wasn't a happy laugh. It was cold. Bitter.

Chi-Chi's glare deepened. "What's so funny?"

Y/N's eyes burned. "You really don't get it, do you?"

Chi-Chi huffed. "Get what?"

Y/N shook her head in disbelief. "You lost him, Chi-Chi. You did this. Not me. Not Yamcha. You."

Chi-Chi's expression darkened.

"You had the best man in the world," Y/N continued, voice shaking with anger now. "A man who loved you, who trusted you, and you threw it all away! For what? Because you felt lonely? Because he wasn't around enough? That's your excuse?!"

Chi-Chi's hands curled into fists. "You don't understand—"

"No, you don't understand," Y/N shot back. "He adored you. He would've done anything for you, and instead of talking to him, instead of trying, you betrayed him. You broke him. And now you're pissed because he finally decided he was done putting up with your crap?"

Chi-Chi opened her mouth, but for once, no words came out.

Y/N shook her head. "You know what? It doesn't even matter. You're not worth it."

Chi-Chi's face twisted in fury.

Without another word, she spun on her heel and stomped back inside.

Y/N let out a breath, ready to leave and continue looking for Goku—

But then she heard the sound of bags being zipped.

Her eyes narrowed.

She turned back toward the house just in time to see Chi-Chi stepping out again, carrying a large bag and a stack of cash in her arms.

Y/N's stomach dropped.

"...What are you doing?"

Chi-Chi didn't even look at her. "I'm leaving."

Y/N blinked. "You're what?"

Chi-Chi let out a bitter laugh. "This was the plan anyway. I was gonna let him win the tournament, get my money, and then leave."

Y/N stared at her in disbelief.

She knew Chi-Chi was awful.

But this?

This was low.

Her blood boiled.

"You're seriously just giving up?" she asked, voice sharp.

Chi-Chi scoffed. "What else am I supposed to do? He's done with me. Might as well take what I can and go."

Y/N clenched her fists, shaking her head.

"You're pathetic."

Chi-Chi's glare snapped to her. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Y/N said, voice steady. "You're pathetic. You lost the best man in the world, and you don't even care. You don't care that you hurt him, you don't care that you hurt Gohan—you just care about your damn money."

Chi-Chi rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. What do you know about marriage?"

"I know enough to see that you don't deserve one," Y/N shot back.

Chi-Chi's jaw clenched.

Y/N took a deep breath.

"Just leave," she muttered. "You already gave up. Just go. Goku and Gohan will be better off without you."

Chi-Chi let out a sharp breath before forcing a smile.

"You have fun taking care of that idiot," she sneered.

Y/N's eye twitched.

She took a step forward, her aura sparking—

But Chi-Chi just turned around and walked away, bags in hand, disappearing down the road.

Y/N exhaled, trying to release the tension in her body.

That...

That was a lot.

Her heart was still pounding.

But she wasn't done yet.

Goku was still out there somewhere.

Taking a steadying breath, she turned back toward the mountain and flew off to keep searching.

~~

The wind was cold against Y/N's skin as she hovered over the vast landscape, eyes scanning the ground below. She had been searching for an hour now, flying over mountains, forests, and rivers, hoping to spot that familiar orange and blue gi somewhere in the wilderness.

But there was no sign of him.

Her shoulders slumped slightly.

Goku didn't want to be found.

That much was obvious.

But she wasn't ready to give up just yet.

She wasn't even sure why she was so determined. Maybe because she knew what it was like to feel lost. Maybe because Gohan had been so worried. Maybe because, deep down, she didn't want him to be alone right now.

Even someone as strong as Goku had limits.

She sighed, slowing to a stop in the sky.

Maybe I should head back.

At the very least, she could return to Capsule Corp, check on Gohan again, and figure out where to go from there.

Her eyes flickered toward the distant lights of the city.

She took one last look around before turning in that direction.

She was halfway there when she spotted him.

At first, she thought she was seeing things.

But as she flew a little lower, her heart clenched.

It was Goku.

He was walking near the outskirts of the city, his posture heavier than she had ever seen. His hands were shoved into his pockets, his gaze trained on the ground, his expression blank.

But the worst part?

His energy felt... small.

Not physically, of course. Goku was still the strongest person she knew. But there was something about the way he carried himself now—like the weight of the world had finally become too much, like something in him had finally cracked.

Y/N hesitated, hovering above him for a moment.

Should she call out to him?

Would he even want to talk?

But before she could second-guess herself, she took a breath and flew down.

She landed softly beside him.

He didn't react.

Not at first.

Then, after a moment, he blinked and glanced sideways.

"...Hey," she said quietly.

Goku stared at her for a second before turning his gaze forward again. "Hey."

Silence.

Y/N studied him carefully.

There were no fresh tears on his face. No signs that he had been crying.

But that didn't mean he wasn't hurting.

She crossed her arms, shifting slightly. "I've been looking for you."

"...Yeah?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Gohan was worried."

That got a reaction.

Goku inhaled sharply, his fists clenching slightly before he relaxed them again.

"How's he doin'?"

"He's okay," Y/N said honestly. "He was upset for a while, but Bulma's taking care of him. He told me to tell you he's not mad."

Goku stopped walking.

Y/N stopped too, turning toward him.

His head was bowed slightly, hair casting a shadow over his face.

"...He said that?"

She nodded. "Yeah. He's worried about you, though."

Goku exhaled through his nose. "I'm worried about him too."

Y/N gave him a small, reassuring smile. "He'll be alright. He's tough. Like you."

Goku let out a quiet, bitter laugh. "Yeah. Maybe."

Y/N bit her lip.

This wasn't like him.

Goku was always so full of life, so carefree, so himself.

But now?

He looked tired.

Not just physically, but mentally.

"...What are you gonna do now?" she asked after a moment.

Goku sighed.

For a while, he didn't answer.

Then, finally, he looked up at the city lights in the distance.

"I've been thinkin'," he admitted. "Bout a lotta stuff."

Y/N stayed quiet, letting him talk.

Goku ran a hand through his hair. "I gotta find a place for me an' Gohan to stay. I don't wanna take up space at Capsule Corp forever."

"You know Bulma wouldn't care," Y/N pointed out.

"I know," he said. "But I gotta figure somethin' out long-term. I can't just keep relyin' on her."

Y/N tilted her head. "You got any ideas?"

Goku hesitated.

"...There's this place, not too far from here. In the mountains. I used to train there when I was younger. It's quiet. Peaceful."

Y/N nodded slowly. "Sounds nice."

Goku hummed in agreement. "I think Gohan'd like it. It's not too far from West City, so he'd still be able to visit Bulma an' the others."

Y/N raised an eyebrow. "And you?"

Goku blinked at her.

She crossed her arms. "You said Gohan would like it. What about you? Do you actually want to live there?"

Goku opened his mouth.

Then closed it.

"...I dunno," he admitted. "I just wanna do what's best for him."

Y/N sighed. "You know, it's okay to think about yourself too."

Goku rubbed the back of his neck. "I ain't really used to that."

"No kidding," she muttered.

Goku huffed out a quiet laugh.

It was small.

But it was something.

Y/N hesitated, then reached out, resting a hand on his shoulder.

He looked at her in surprise.

She offered him a small smile.

"You're gonna be okay, Goku," she said gently. "You and Gohan. You're strong. You'll get through this."

He stared at her for a moment.

Then, finally, he gave her a soft smile in return.

"...Thanks, Y/N."

She nodded.

Silence stretched between them.

The wind blew softly, ruffling Goku's hair.

Finally, he spoke again.

"I don't regret it."

Y/N blinked. "Huh?"

Goku exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Leavin'. I don't regret it."

His voice was steady. Sure.

"...I should've done it sooner," he admitted.

Y/N felt something in her chest ache.

He meant it.

She knew Goku. Knew how much he loved his family.

So for him to say something like that...

She took a slow breath.

"...What now?" she asked.

Goku's eyes darkened.

"...I dunno."

He lifted his head, gazing out at the horizon.

For the first time since she found him, his expression changed.

It wasn't pain. It wasn't anger.

It was something else.

Determination.

"...I'm gonna figure it out."

Goku glanced at her, lips pressing together in thought.

Then, surprisingly, he gave a small smile.

It wasn't his usual, wide grin.

But it was something.

They stood there for a while, neither of them saying anything.

The wind rustled the trees, and the sky darkened with the coming evening.

Finally, Goku sighed.

"...We should head back."

Y/N raised a brow. "You sure?"

Goku nodded.

"Yeah," he murmured. "I think I've been alone long enough."

Y/N's chest ached, but she smiled.

"Alright," she said. "Let's go."

And with that, the two of them took off into the sky, flying back toward Capsule Corp.

Toward whatever came next.

~~~

A/n- and the cat is out of the bag