Breakfast at Capsule Corp was… civilized chaos.
Kai sat at a long, polished dining table that looked like it had hosted royalty — or at least Vegeta's ego in the future.
Opposite him sat Bulma's father, Dr. Briefs: a kind-looking man with a thick mustache, a love for cats, and the general air of someone who had built three rocket ships before breakfast.
Next to him was Mrs. Briefs — who had apparently never met a stranger in her life and greeted Kai like he was already part of the family.
And then there was Bulma.
Sitting directly across from him.
Very not smiling.
She stabbed at her eggs with a fork. Her hair was done. Her robe replaced with a blouse. But her eyes… her eyes screamed:
"You saw me in a towel, I haven't forgotten, and you're not getting away with it."
Kai cleared his throat. "So… nice weather today, huh?"
"Sunny skies," said Dr. Briefs, nodding. "Perfect rocket-launching weather."
"I like your shirt, Kai!" Mrs. Briefs chirped.
"Oh, uh—thanks. I found it in a laundry bot that looked angry about it."
Across the table, Bulma sipped her coffee without a word.
Kai turned his eyes to his plate. 'Okay. Cool. Don't mention the bath incident. Just be normal. Eat the eggs. Look apologetic but not guilty. Definitely don't think about how—'
"You still got a nosebleed, by the way," Bulma muttered under her breath, just loud enough for him to hear.
Kai choked on his toast.
Dr. Briefs blinked. "You alright, son?"
"He's fine," Bulma said sweetly. "Just sensitive to… steam."
Kai's soul briefly left his body.
After breakfast, while Dr. Briefs showed off a capsule containing an entire functioning garage, Bulma cornered Kai in the hallway.
Arms crossed. Eyes narrowed.
"Okay, first of all," she said, "you owe me a lifetime supply of privacy and maybe a bottle of wine."
"I knocked!"
"The door was unlocked!"
"I was coming in for a shower! My intentions were pure!"
"My towel wasn't!"
They both stared at each other, red-faced.
Then she sighed. "Whatever. You're lucky I didn't shoot you."
"You own a gun?"
She smirked. "No. I own three."
Kai blinked. "…I believe you."
Later that day, Bulma knocked on his door. Less murder-y this time.
"Suit up," she said. "You're coming with me."
Kai was halfway into a push-up when he looked up. "Suit up for what?"
"There's a corporate social thing. Capsule Corp's on the board, and I'm expected to go smile at people who pretend they know how a microcapacitor works."
"…And me?"
"You're my plus one."
Kai sat up, confused. "Why would I be—"
"Because if you don't come," she said flatly, "I'm telling my mom you're single, shirtless, and emotionally available."
"…That's evil."
"Get dressed."
He showed up twenty minutes later in a capsule suit — one of the extra ones from storage. It fit surprisingly well, despite being designed for "Capsule Corp Intern #4."
Bulma looked him over once.
"…Huh. You clean up okay."
"You sound surprised."
"I am surprised."
She adjusted his collar, then paused mid-fix. "…Still can't believe you walked in on me."
"I also can't believe I'm still alive."
"Don't push it."
The social event was held in West City's fanciest hall — a shining glass dome with a hover-car valet and actual fountains inside the lobby.
Kai walked beside Bulma, trying to look calm, collected, and not like he could vaporize the room with a yawn.
Inside, executives mingled. Scientists chatted over cocktails. A jazz band played in the corner like they'd been hired for three zeros and a shrimp platter.
Bulma snapped her fingers at him.
"Okay. Rule one — don't say anything about space monkeys."
"Got it."
"Rule two — if someone asks who you are, you're a 'freelance tech consultant.'"
"I literally don't know what that means."
"Perfect. You'll blend right in."
As the evening went on, Kai tried his best to behave.
He nodded at scientists.
He shook hands with strangers.
He told someone he worked in "power distribution," which technically wasn't even a lie.
Bulma watched him from a distance, clearly waiting for him to blow it.
But he didn't.
Not until a guy with a perfect suit and perfect teeth approached Bulma and said: "Bulma, good to see you again. And who's your friend?"
Kai stepped in before she could answer. "Freelance toaster. I mean tech guy. I mean—uh—Kai. I'm Kai."
The man blinked.
Bulma coughed into her wine to hide a laugh.
Later that night, after escaping early from the crowd, the two of them walked under the stars along the Capsule Corp landing pad.
"That," Bulma said, "was surprisingly painless."
"Thank you. I trained very hard in the art of pretending I wasn't panicking the entire time."
"You even resisted flexing when the catering tray fell over. I'm proud."
Kai smirked. "Progress."
She bumped his arm lightly with her elbow. "Still owe me for the towel thing."
"Seriously, I knocked!"
"I will haunt you with that moment forever."
They walked in silence for a beat.
Then she added, quieter, "…But thanks. For coming."
Kai looked over. "You're welcome."
'…Still weird being the side character in a world where I know everything. But maybe… not for long.'