Tears of a Pink Balloon Part 3: I Can't Believe It's Not Love!
By: Kei Arisugawa

The next morning was a wonderful morning, just like the day before it. The sun was bright and the grass still hadn't been mowed yet, so it was relatively long. The only thing that made this day a little different then the one before was that the *Thuds* were replaced by loud snores coming from an open window near the top of the mansion. The birds fled from trees near the window because of the deafening noise coming out of the room.

Down in the kitchen, Videl was having her morning coffee while Buu munched on a piece of unbuttered toast. Videl glanced worriedly at her father's bodyguard. His lack of appetite was an extreme that she never thought she'd live to see and it worried her. What had been bothering him yesterday was probably still bothering him. She set her "I Fought in the World Martial Arts Championships and All I Got was This Lousy Mug" mug and looked at Buu, who was currently staring off into space and idly chewing on the corner of the browned bread in his hand.

"Buu." She said, seriously, folding her hands in a professional way. "I know this may seem a little foreword but I'd like to know what's been on your mind? You're becoming so quiet and dist-…." She sweatdropped when she saw he wasn't even listening to her. She leaned over the table and poked the demon's chubby cheek.

No response.

Videl decided that the simple methods would take too long with Buu. Leaning over the table again she slapped the demon across the same cheek she had poked and screamed. "BUU! WAKE UP!"

The screaming or slapping separately was easy enough for the fat creature to ignore, but a combination of the two managed to yank him back to the real world. He dropped his toast in surprise and stared at Videl for a minute, in shock. Then he blinked and rubbed his slightly red cheek.

"Ow! That hurt! Why did you hit me?" he gave Videl a wounded puppy look that made her roll her eyes.

"Because you're ignoring me when I'm asking you a question!" she fumed. "Now, what is wrong with you?? You've been distant and quiet since yesterday! It's not like you! What's wrong??"

Buu winced at the outburst. He never knew that Videl's voice could become that shrill. He rubbed the back of his bald head and chuckled sheepishly at Videl's piercing stare.

"Well?" she asked, tapping her fingers impatiently on the table. Buu flashed her a childish grin.

"I was just thinking about Mr. Satan." He replied, cheerfully. Videl raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised at the response.

"Ok…" she said, slowly, picking up a piece of jammed toast. "Hey Buu…just for shits and giggles, why exactly were you thinking about my father?" she asked, taking a bite of toast.

"I was just thinking about how much I love him and how I can't wait until he wakes up so I can try that 'kiss' thing you did with Gohan yester-.." Buu stopped and clamped his hands over his mouth.

It occurred to Videl that chewed toast and jam could fly really far when you spit it out. She turned to Buu and stared at him like he had just grown another head.

"Uh-oh…" he said when he finally removed his hands from his face. "I…" Buu wrung his hands nervously. "I'm really sorry, Miss Videl! I didn't mean to be out that late but I was thinking and you and Gohan came out of the house and there was no way I could get back in without being seen. I didn't hear all that talk about how nice the sky looked! Honest! And you kissed him and I thinking that if you did it with Gohan, then maybe I can do it with Mr. Satan to show him how much I love him." When Buu stopped babbling, he looked at his feet, expecting Videl to be angry that he had spied on her and Gohan.

Videl was staring past Buu, not really looking at anything. She was mildly annoyed that Buu was spying on her and Gohan, but that didn't compare to what Buu had said before that.

"You...love...my dad.." she said slowly, practically forcing herself to say it.

Buu gave her a puzzled look and nodded. "Uh-huh..."

"You love.....my dad..." she repeated with a tone that suggested she thought the very idea to be ludicrous. Buu frowned.

"What's wrong?" he asked, poking the side of Videl's head to get her attention.

Slowly she turned and faced him, her face holding no expression. "You love my dad..."

Videl's behavior was seriously annoying Buu. Hands on his chubby hips, he frowned at her. "I know that!" he said, matter-a-factly, "Why are you imitating a broken record?"

Folding her hands infront of her on the table, she took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself. "And…" she almost choked out. "…when did you realize this?"

"That you were imitating a broken record? A few seconds ago."

"NO! When did you decide that you loved my father!" Videl yelled at him, standing up and slamming her fist down on the table.

Buu stared at her as if the news of his interest in Mr. Satan was as normal as hearing who had won the football game. "Since yesterday…I did some serious thinking about it and then I talked to you about what love was and that gave me even more to think about and it just popped into my head."

Videl pushed her bangs, which were hanging in her eyes, back. "Just 'popped' into you head?" she asked in a calm voice that was laced with sarcasm and obviously forced. Buu nodded, happily.

"And the more I think about it…the happier it makes me feel." The pink demon sighed and stared off into space, drawing little hearts in some jam on an extra piece of toast.

A hand quickly swiped and smacked him across the cheek. Buu, clutching his newly reddened other cheek and looked Videl, questioningly. Her face seemed twisted with suppressed fury and her eyes showed that it was aimed directly at him. Unnerved, Buu got up and scooted away from Videl, who had lowered her face so that all Buu could see was the top of her head.

"Miss Videl…?" The chubby demon asked, nervously.

"It won't work," she said, quietly.

Buu was surprised by the response and rubbed his sore cheek a little. "What won't work…?" he asked, hesitantly. Videl lifted her head and looked at him, seriously. She looked a little more normal and relaxed then before, but something in her eyes made Buu feel uneasy.

"Your efforts for my father's affection. They won't work." She answered.

Buu was taken aback. How could she just say something like that so easily? "How can you be so sure?" he asked, frowning at her callus attitude toward his feelings.

"Because it's true. I'm only telling you this so neither of you will get hurt. My father is not about to turn gay just because you think you're inlove with him." She said, coolly.

"What do you mean 'I think'? I know I'm inlove with Mr. Satan!" Buu protested, not believing what he was hearing from Videl.

Videl calmly shook her head, "No you don't. You've obviously mistaken loyalty and friendship for love, but it's not what you think it is. Love is very different."

Buu couldn't think of anything to answer. Was she right? Was what he felt for Mr. Satan nothing more then mere friendship?

*No!* his mind yelled at him. *How can you be so sure of something and let someone else tell you it wasn't what you thought? It's not right!*

"No.." Buu said, feebly. "I can't…I won't believe you."

Videl frowned, her eyes barely hiding anger and fury. "I just told you that it wouldn't work! What is so difficult to understand about that?!?"

"When I tell Mr. Satan how I truly feel and he rejects me is when I will believe you." Buu said back, feeling his confidence grow. "Until then, I will continue to believe that I have a chance and if he does reject me, I will continue to love him until I die!"

Videl was silent when Buu finished. *He's got a lot of guts, I'll give him that…* "Well then.." she said, pitilessly, "…I warned you. Go and make an idiot out of yourself! See if I care! I hope my father rejects you because even if you still think you love him his rejection will hurt!" she finished on a venomous note and stormed out of the room.

Buu watched her leave with the suspicious feeling that she didn't like the fact that he was inlove with Mr. Satan.

TBC