Ryuuske stood silently on the shore, his throat bobbing as he caught glimpses of her flawless silhouette beneath the shimmering water.
"You..."
His lips parted slightly, and he instinctively averted his gaze, his heart pounding unreasonably fast. As a seasoned veteran who had studied under countless "teachers" and even had practical experience, he shouldn't have been acting like some blushing virgin. But the girl before him was simply too radiant, too pure—it left him utterly disarmed.
Sabrina didn't count. Daisy and Caitlin had at least been clothed. But Erika? This was quite possibly the most breathtaking sight Ryuuske had ever seen in both his lifetimes. Such overwhelming beauty was enough to reduce even the most hardened playboy to a stammering mess.
Years of ingrained decency made him turn his head away, but the primal instincts of man kept the angle just slight enough that his peripheral vision still drank in the scene. The contradiction made his actions almost comical.
Still, Ryuuske quickly steadied himself. He took a deep breath and boldly turned back, meeting Erika's gaze head-on as she stood in the stream.
And in that moment, he saw it—the faint blush blooming on her cheeks. She wasn't as composed as she pretended. Beneath that serene exterior, her heart must have been trembling with shyness.
"What are you doing?"
The question slipped out before he could stop it, so absurd it was almost laughable. His pulse roared in his ears, a primal urge screaming at him to just pounce already. But human reason held him back.
Erika was far more cunning than she let on. After nearly two months together, Ryuuske knew her well enough to suspect that if he lunged at her now, she might just sidestep with a smirk and call him a pervert.
Not that it mattered. If a girl took the initiative, societal double standards meant she could get away with things a guy never could.
"Someone as clever as you, Ryuuske—do you really need me to spell it out?"
Erika tilted her head slightly, lifting a slender wrist to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Rivulets of water traced down her skin, only amplifying the allure.
She had noticed his earlier struggle—the way he turned away only to sneak glances. It amused her, though she misinterpreted it as the bashful curiosity of a boy seeing a girl's body for the first time.
If Ryuuske knew what she was thinking, he'd probably laugh out loud.
"Why go this far?"
Confusion laced his voice. With her status and beauty, Erika could have any man she wanted. Shouldn't someone like her be more reserved, rather than resorting to such bold temptation?
Had he pursued her, it would've made sense. But these past two months, Ryuuske had been wholly focused on training, pushing himself and his Pokémon to their limits. Even living side by side with a girl this stunning, he'd never crossed the line—at most, offering the occasional compliment.
"Does liking someone need a reason?"
Erika fought to keep her voice steady, her skin prickling under his gaze.
"Liking someone doesn't. But this still feels… sudden. You were forward from the very beginning. I'll admit I'm decent-looking and somewhat capable, but surely not enough to warrant this."
Ryuuske wasn't like those dense protagonists from light novels, oblivious to a girl's advances. He'd sensed Erika's intentions early on—the way she'd dragged him into crowded places, flaunting their closeness, or the subtle hints laced into their conversations.
When a girl shed her inhibitions, her boldness could outstrip any man's expectations, leaving most utterly defenseless.
Of course, the risk was real. If she'd misjudged him as a scoundrel, this would've been like offering herself to a wolf.
"It's precisely because of my status that I had to."
Erika's smile wavered, a sigh escaping her lips.
"...I'm not outgoing. I don't enjoy socializing much. And being a Gym Leader only earns respect—it pushes people away. If I didn't take the initiative, I'd miss my chance entirely."
Her words laid bare her character—brilliant, decisive, acutely self-aware. She knew her flaws but refused to let them define her. That alone would've drawn admirers, even without her beauty or pedigree.
But combined? It made her seem untouchable.
"Then why me?"
Ryuuske countered.
Erika shot him an exasperated glare.
"...Has no one ever told you how infuriating you can be? What kind of man asks a girl something so embarrassing?"
Ryuuske shrugged. Plenty of people—men and women alike—had said as much. He wasn't just blunt; he enjoyed poking the bear.
"You're an exceptional man. Well, boy, I suppose… Don't sell yourself short. In my admittedly limited experience, you're the most remarkable person I've ever met. Just as boys chase pretty girls, why shouldn't I pursue a man who stirs my heart—when I have the means to do so?"
Her confidence was unmistakable, and rightly earned.
"You're not thinking I'm that kind of woman, are you? I—I've never been in a relationship. Never even had a boyfriend. Barely interacted with boys at all. So you don't need to worry."
Heat flooded Erika's cheeks. What was she even saying? This was mortifying! Was she coming off as desperate? Would he think less of her? They had all the time in the world to nurture this gradually!
But something gnawed at her—a fear that if she hesitated now, she might lose him forever. Ryuuske was too unpredictable.
Sigh. Clueless boys are such a handful. I guess this big sister has to take charge.
By appearances, Erika was two years his senior.
Of course, if she realized Ryuuske was deliberately teasing her into spouting these embarrassing confessions, she might just strangle him.
To be continued…
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