West City's night skyline was the crowning jewel of human civilization.
At the top of Capsule Corporation's headquarters, nearly five hundred meters above the ground.
The wind was strong.
Yet it couldn't sweep away the quiet intimacy that lingered between them.
Lazuli leaned against the railing, holding an ice-cold can of beer, a drink Krillin had enthusiastically introduced as "an adult beverage."
She gazed down at the endless stream of headlights below, flowing through the city like a river of stars.
"It's incredible..."
she murmured softly, her voice nearly carried away by the wind.
"In my world..."
"At this hour, the only things moving are rats crawling through the ruins."
"But here..."
"It's so bright."
Krillin stood beside her with a bottle of soda in hand.
"This..."
"is peace."
"Lazuli."
"You used to believe strength existed to destroy."
"But to me..."
"Strength exists to protect these lights."
He pointed toward the city below.
"See that amusement park?"
"The children are laughing."
"And over there..."
"Couples are enjoying dinner together."
"That's why I keep pushing myself to become stronger."
"I want the people I care about..."
"To sleep peacefully beneath these lights."
Lazuli fell silent.
She looked at the countless lights scattered across the city.
For the first time...
She realized that the peaceful world she had always dismissed as boring...
Could be breathtakingly beautiful.
"The people you care about..."
She turned to face him, resting her back against the railing.
Her blue eyes were filled with complicated emotions.
"Does that..."
"Include me?"
It was a dangerous question.
A question carefully testing his heart.
Krillin didn't answer immediately.
He set down his drink.
Then slowly walked toward her.
Lazuli instinctively stepped backward.
One step.
Then another.
Until her back pressed against the cold metal railing.
There was nowhere left to retreat.
Thunk.
Krillin placed one hand on the railing beside her head.
His tall frame completely enclosed her.
She was trapped.
His warm masculine presence surrounded her.
A faint scent of cologne lingered around him, something he had intentionally put on before leaving the house.
Lazuli's mind instantly went blank.
Less than two inches separated them.
She could even count his eyelashes.
"Wh... What are you doing..."
Her voice trembled.
Her face flushed as red as a ripe tomato.
Her heartbeat thundered so loudly it nearly drowned out the wind.
As Android 18...
She had never experienced love.
Even before Dr. Gero kidnapped and transformed her, she had only been a rebellious teenage girl.
She had never been given the chance to understand romance.
This overwhelming closeness...
Made her more nervous than facing a Super Saiyan.
"Yes."
Krillin looked directly into her eyes.
"You are."
"From the moment I brought you home..."
"You became someone I care about."
Under normal circumstances...
Lazuli would have kicked him into orbit.
But tonight...
On this rooftop overlooking a city glowing with endless lights...
Beneath his unwavering gaze...
Those simple words became a bomb that shattered the final wall around her heart.
Krillin slowly lowered his head.
Lazuli nervously closed her eyes.
Her long eyelashes trembled softly.
Her lips parted ever so slightly...
As if waiting for something.
Just as the distance between them vanished...
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Krillin's communicator rang at the absolute worst possible moment.
"Damn it..."
he cursed under his breath.
Lazuli's eyes flew open.
Flustered, she shoved Krillin away before hurriedly fixing her hair and turning her face aside, too embarrassed to look at him.
"Who is it?"
Krillin answered with obvious irritation.
"Hey, baldy!"
"What are you doing up there freezing in the wind?!"
Bulma's voice exploded through the communicator.
"Are we running Lazuli's analysis or not?"
"And I picked out a complete skincare set for her."
"Come downstairs and get it!"
"Oh, and one more thing!"
"Launch and Aki are back."
"They're asking where the hell you've disappeared to."
Krillin froze.
A domestic battlefield...
Incoming.
...
Ten minutes later.
Krillin's bedroom.
Lazuli had just stepped out of the shower.
Steam drifted through the room.
She wore nothing except one of Krillin's oversized white dress shirts.
The loose shirt hung over her petite frame, barely covering the tops of her thighs.
Her long, slender legs were completely exposed.
Wet golden hair clung softly to her cheeks.
The sight was irresistibly alluring.
"Um..."
"Krillin..."
"Where's your hair dryer?"
She wiped her damp hair with a towel as she pushed open the bedroom door.
Then...
She froze.
Krillin wasn't alone.
Two women were sitting on the bed.
One had fluffy blonde hair, wore a revealing crop top, and casually spun an assault rifle in her hands.
Her fierce eyes instantly locked onto Lazuli.
Launch.
The blonde personality.
The other woman had long violet hair.
She wore an elegant battle outfit with an exotic design.
Her expression remained calm and dignified, yet carried unmistakable authority.
Aki.
The two women sat on either side of Krillin...
Like detectives interrogating a criminal.
The moment the door opened...
Three pairs of eyes turned toward Lazuli simultaneously.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Launch slowly narrowed her eyes.
Click.
The assault rifle in her hands was loaded.
The barrel gradually rose...
Pointing directly at the unfamiliar blonde beauty wearing her husband's shirt.
"Oh?"
Launch smiled.
It was the kind of smile that made everyone's scalp tingle.
"So, Krillin..."
"This is the..."
"'Local specialty' you mentioned?"
She slowly looked Lazuli up and down.
"Quite a premium souvenir."
Aki said nothing.
But the ki radiating from her body quietly spread through the room.
Several decorative vases developed fine cracks.
Sitting between them...
Cold sweat instantly soaked Krillin's back.
He looked toward the bewildered Lazuli standing in the doorway, whose body had already begun radiating an icy aura.
Then he glanced at the two women beside him, both seemingly one second away from attacking.
Krillin took a deep breath.
A smile uglier than crying appeared on his face.
"Well..."
"Everyone..."
"Please let me explain."
"This..."
"It was all..."
"For science."
--------------------------------
Unlock exclusive early access to 20 advanced chapters on my P@treon. Join today and dive into the story before anyone else!
DAILY CHAPTER HERE
[email protected]/_tey
Change @ to a