Always Hard

Darc looked at Bulma now and still let her words go through his brain. After a while, he sighed and looked more serious at her. He waited for a little bit before he said anything and that let Bulma wrinkle her brows in an uneasy way. She probably knew what he was about to say and snorted before he could say it.

"Don't go and overthink things with such a serious face. What I said right now wasn't really meant to be like that. I was just curious how you would like to get your own medicine. With all the teasing you do, its only normal to get a little bit of revenge.", she said and turned around and started walking again.

Darc only closed his mouth and stood upright again. He could see it that she felt hurt at this moment.

It was an awkward situation after all so he also didn't bother to add anything to it. He only scratched his head and looked to the side.

He actually saw Ms. Briefs standing not far away and also turning around and walking away. She didn't bother to come closer this time around. Looks like if he accepted Bulma, she would have come over immediately to congratulate, but seeing something like that probably was also an awkward thing for her.

´Real smooth, you idiot...´, he thought to himself and started walking after her.

Now he actually wondered if Bulma even wanted him to stay right now. The premise was actually to spend some time together but he doubted now that she felt like it anymore. She may have shrugged it off like that but he would be a complete idiot if he didn't notice how she felt right now. Maybe he should let her cool off a little and visit the Professor.

Confirming his decision inside his mind he stopped following Bulma and moved to Dr.Briefs lab to see what he is after. Bulma noticed that and looked back at first but then still walked off.

----

Walking inside the lab he saw a massive telescope built inside it now. The lab became an observatory dome somehow. It surprised Darc and he moved closer to it and looked through it. He saw a planet fixed on its current coordinates and it was even daylight right now. Technology really baffled him sometimes in this world. He thought that one could only observe the stars at night where the sun didn't reflect the light on the lens and hindered people to see anything.

Dr. Briefs saw him looking through the telescope. "That's actually a planet from the west galaxy you are looking right now. From my data, you already visited it.", he said to him.

Darc turned away from the telescope and looked at Hakase now. "Amazing. Those planets are millions of light years away from here and I could see it so clearly through the lens.", said Darc.

"Haha, actually that's not really how it works. This telescope is a digital one. It connects with the drones your ship places at random points in the galaxy. And through them, I can get images and observe planets further. The maximum of this telescopes optical lens is still not good enough to go to such long distances.",he said with a slight chuckle.

"Oh, so that's why it doesn't matter if its daylight or not - clever.", smiled Darc after his words. "Looks like you got your hands full with work as always, huh?", he added and looked at Tama that was in front of his legs again and staring at him. Those eyes always looked like they gaze inside ones, soul.

Letting out a slightly long sigh he picked her up into his arms and started patting her.

"Hmm, you look troubled? Wasnt Bulma supposed to accompany you today? She was after all really happy when you called and all that.", asked Dr.Briefs after seeing him so melancholic.

Darc looked at the Professor and tried to guess what he was thinking right now. Sometimes he wondered what this friendly man had in his head.

"Yeah, I guess that was planned but I think I just screwed up a little and now avoid her for a while. So I thought why not visite you Hakase to let her cool off.", he answered him after thinking about it.

"Is that the right thing to do? You didnt see each other for about what? 2 years now? Even if you are in a fight about that, just talk it out. Even I get distracted a lot in my work and me and my wife still manage to talk it out if anything goes not the way she likes. Bulma may be a little bit spoiled about things she tends to want and so she may react in a selfish manner if something really doesn't go the way she liked it to be. At some points she gets angry or at others, she punishes people with silence. I am already familiar with it so I know how she behaves but I don't think to do that what you are doing right now is such a good idea. But then again it is your choice, boy.", said Dr. Briefs to him and freely said him his opinion.

Darc arched his eyebrows up after his words. Did this man just now give him counseling about his relationship with Bulma? He was right in a way about it. Weirdly enough this old man knew even more about things like that than he ever thought he would.

He nodded to the Professor. "Thanks, then if you will excuse me.", he said and took Tama with him and walked back to Bulma´s room.

After knocking the door he opened it. He knew she was inside so he didn't bother waiting and walked in.

"Now you don't even wait anymore to wait for my answer?", she asked immediately.

Darc came over to her and put Tama into her arms. "We need to talk. I thought about it just now and at first, I wanted to let you be alone for the time being but I guess its necessary to talk it out. Bulma, what do you really think about me? I notice how you are fond of me but you should know that I do not feel that way. At least not in a way where I can be deserving of your love. I am someone who pursues power and will have also only a little time to really maintain my social bonds. Even my parents do bicker about that part of my character. So that we both have an understanding about where we stand we should talk. Its better for both of us." Darc immediately started talking after sitting down on a chair and looking at Bulma.

Bulma on the other side was surprised about him confronting her like that now. She thought about and also sat down on her bed. She patted her cat Tama and it calmed her down. "I like you...No, I love you. You are actually the first person that became my first friend that cared about me just the way I was.", she leaned her head to the right to think about it. "You gave me the feeling to be special when you praised my smarts and you seemed to know me better than most people. I always even thought you teased me because you liked me as well. But seeing you confront me like this right now and thinking about our conversation prior, it seems I was a little bit too optimistic about it and took it for granted. I really actually didn't mind you being gone so long since you chased after something you liked. You said it after all yourself. It's commendable to chase after one's goals with a headstrong will. We had that in common..." Her lips started to quiver after she said her last words. She actually was unwilling to accept this. "...I know how this ends up. So why does it still hurt so much?", she asked that with a now sniffling voice and tears started to roll down her face.

Darc listened attentively to her words and narrowed his eyes after he felt a suffocating feeling inside his heart. Then he saw her start crying and rage filled his heart about his stupid actions. He shouldn't have given her unnecessary thoughts and hopes that he crushed now. Clenching his fists he stood up and approached her. He slowly sat down beside her and placed his arm around her.

Bulma twitched and looked at him while sniffling and holding Tama. After a moment she started to cry out completely now. Darc only pulled her head to his chest and let her cry out her feelings. Even if he couldn't accept her feelings he would still be there as a friend for her.