Noticing Caitlin's reaction, Grey immediately understood. She clearly loved the gift, so he decided not to say anything else.
Everyone knew that a young woman's thoughts were impossible to figure out. It was better to wait for her to say something herself. Blindly guessing would get him nowhere.
Still, Grey could more or less guess what was going through her mind.
After all, his Aura allowed him to perceive the emotions radiating from someone as different colors. At the moment, the color surrounding Caitlin looked just a tiny bit unusual.
How should he put it?
Grey scratched his head. The emotional aura radiating from Caitlin was a shade that matched her eyes and hair. Faced with that, there really was not much he could say.
She would not drag him somewhere secluded and have her way with him on the spot, would she?
Grey coughed and hurriedly pushed that thought aside.
Something like that should obviously wait until tonight, after he left his door unlocked.
"Is something wrong?"
Noticing the strange expression on Grey's face, Caitlin tilted her head.
"Nothing."
Grey returned to his senses and stepped aside to lead the way, a smile in his voice. "The restaurant isn't far. It's right up ahead."
The restaurant he had reserved stood beside the sea, with windows offering a sweeping view of the endless blue waves. Diners could enjoy an excellent meal while watching the tides rise and fall beneath a horizon where the sea seemed to blend into the sky.
It was easily one of the best restaurants in Humilau City for a date.
When they reached the entrance, Grey had barely given his name before the waiting server turned toward the dining room and announced, "Private room on the second floor, two honored guests!"
The server then guided them up a spiral staircase.
The private room was decorated with exceptional elegance. One entire wall facing the ocean consisted of floor-to-ceiling windows. A plain white porcelain vase rested on the carved wooden table, holding several freshly picked flowers arranged at an angle.
After sitting down, Caitlin carefully placed her bouquet beside her. She still had not completely calmed down.
This counted as her third date with Grey. Their first two dates had both been in Nimbasa City. This was their first one in Humilau City.
"What's wrong? We've known each other for so long, and you're still nervous?"
Grey looked at Caitlin with an amused smile. "Or is something bothering you?"
"No, it's just... I just feel... Oh, I don't even know how to describe it!"
Caitlin sounded unusually bashful.
As the daughter of a prestigious Sinnoh family, Caitlin had always presented herself with cool composure. A faint sense of distance naturally lingered between her brows, and most people described her as an aloof beauty.
The nickname "Sleeping Beauty" had not truly spread yet. After all, she only became widely known by that title after joining the Elite Four and receiving challengers while resting in her room.
Sitting across from Grey now, however, her natural reserve quietly began to melt away. She lowered her head slightly and twirled a strand of golden hair around one finger. A rosy hue colored her shifting gaze.
She looked like a young woman experiencing her first love, even her breathing carrying a trace of shy sweetness.
"Grey... what do you think of me?"
Caitlin finally asked the question.
It was the sort of question many girls liked asking the men they cared about.
At that moment, a sea breeze drifted through the open window and gently lifted Caitlin's golden hair. Her long locks fluttered between them, briefly separating their gazes.
Caitlin was about to tuck her hair behind her ear when Grey's gentle voice passed through those golden ripples.
"You're the most remarkable woman I've ever met. You possess a noble elegance, but you also have a warmth that feels close enough to touch."
The moment Grey finished speaking, Caitlin's pale cheeks turned bright red, even more vivid than the blazing midday sun outside.
She hurriedly lowered her eyes. Even the tips of her ears had turned pink.
At the same time, she complained inwardly.
That awful Grey!
Why did he always have to say things so directly?
He even said that her warmth felt close enough to touch...
Awful, awful, awful!
Only after some time did Caitlin slowly raise her eyes and meet Grey's gaze again.
Sunlight streamed through the window and fell across the side of Grey's face, surrounding him with a faint halo. Rather than making Caitlin look away, the brightness only held her attention more firmly.
The scene reminded Caitlin of the first time she had watched one of Grey's livestreams.
He had been just as dazzling then, making it impossible for her to look away.
Thinking back, she had still been an ordinary psychic girl who could not control her emotions or powers. The Sinnoh League had nearly prohibited her from competing.
Even traveling required a local guarantor to take responsibility for her.
At the time, Caitlin had felt suffocated. She had also experienced a deep sense of helplessness toward the Sinnoh League's restrictions.
There had been no helping it. Back then, she truly had been unable to control her psychic powers. It was only natural for the League to impose restrictions on her.
As for being prohibited from competing, it had not been a complete ban. She simply had not been allowed to challenge people whenever she pleased. Battling Cynthia or the other members of the Unova Elite Four had never been a problem.
Knock, knock, knock.
Just as the intimate silence continued flowing between them, someone gently knocked on the private room's door.
"Your meal is ready."
The server entered at the perfect moment carrying several elegant dishes, then began placing them neatly on the table.
Caitlin felt as though her heart were beating hard enough to panic her, pounding like a drum inside her chest.
The room was so quiet that they could hear each other's soft breathing and the faint sounds of chewing. Grey continued smiling without saying anything, while Caitlin was even less willing to speak first. As she ate, she kept her eyes lowered toward the tablecloth, her fingers quietly tightening.
The wordless intimacy lingered in the air until the final main course had been properly placed on the table.
Grey picked up his napkin and finally spoke in a gentle voice at just the right moment.
"What do you think about what comes next?"
Caitlin froze slightly. "Are you talking about what we're doing later today, or...?"
"I mean after we return from Alola," Grey clarified.
"Huh?!"
The unexpected answer left Caitlin flustered.
She had assumed he was asking about their plans for tonight. She had never expected him to be asking about something much further in the future, especially what would happen after they returned from Alola.
Caitlin gently set down her silver spoon and replied with a trace of restraint in her voice.
"According to the arrangement, I should remain in Unova and continue fulfilling my duties as a member of the Elite Four. I signed an agreement with the Unova League, so until Rosa is truly capable of taking over as a member of the Elite Four, I still hold that position."
Grey watched her lowered eyelashes before suddenly leaning forward.
"Then have you considered moving somewhere else?"
He paused briefly before continuing.
"For example, returning to Kanto with me?"
"What?!"
Caitlin completely lost her composure.
Return to Kanto with Grey?
Was this not happening much too quickly?
Could Grey be planning to make her break her agreement, then use force to carry her back to Kanto?
Were that truly the case...
Caitlin's face gradually grew hotter, and even her gaze became slightly unfocused.
"G-Grey... that's..."
Caitlin had no idea how to answer.
"According to my calculations, Rosa should reach Elite Four level before long. Once that happens, returning to Kanto with me wouldn't cause much of a problem, and it wouldn't count as breaking your agreement. What do you think? Would you be interested?"
Grey looked at Caitlin expectantly.
"Yes!"
Caitlin nodded firmly.
Since Grey had said that Rosa could quickly reach Elite Four level, Caitlin chose to agree without hesitation. She could not possibly disappoint him after he had gone to such trouble for her.
This was Grey's sincere invitation. She absolutely could not let his kindness go to waste.
After receiving Caitlin's answer, Grey nodded lightly.
Neither of them said much afterward, focusing instead on the food in front of them.
The restaurant's cooking really was quite good.
When they finished their meal and prepared to leave, the server waiting in the corridor approached with a smile and bowed respectfully.
"Please forgive the interruption, but would the two of you be interested in a Double Battle? Our restaurant is currently holding a special event. Anyone who participates will have the entire cost of their meal waived and receive a carefully prepared commemorative gift."
Grey and Caitlin exchanged glances before agreeing to participate.
A little exercise after eating would help them digest their meal.
The blazing sun hung overhead, coating the entire beach in brilliant gold.
Grey and Caitlin followed the server through a covered walkway and arrived at an outdoor battlefield. A wave of heat mixed with the salty sea breeze immediately washed over them.
Two figures were already waiting on the field, which shone beneath the noon sunlight.
The young man standing on the left had pale skin and wore a perfectly pressed white chef's uniform. His light golden hair had been combed neatly into place without a single strand out of order.
He was Siebold, a Water-type Elite Four member and celebrated chef.
The Trainer on the right looked as though he had soaked up the sunlight itself. His broad, tanned arms were exposed, and his entire body radiated the energy of the ocean breeze.
This was Marlon, the local Gym Leader of Humilau City.
"A pleasure to meet you."
Siebold bowed elegantly.
"For the four of us to meet beneath a clear sky beside this beautiful sea must surely be the will of the god of gastronomy."
Marlon flashed a wide grin, revealing a row of white teeth. Heat seemed to rise from his bronze skin.
"This is the perfect weather for an exciting battle! Once we're finished, how about we all go surfing?"
Grey was momentarily surprised upon seeing them.
He had not expected such an unusual combination.
One was a celebrated Kalos chef who also served as a member of the Elite Four. The other was a Unova surfer who also served as a Gym Leader.
After thinking about it, however, Grey realized that their pairing made perfect sense. Their personalities and styles were completely different, but both Trainers shared an inseparable connection with Water-type Pokémon.
There could hardly be a more appropriate place for them to meet than a restaurant built beside the sea.
"Elite Four Siebold, Gym Leader Marlon, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Grey, the Gym Leader of the Fighting Dojo in Kanto."
Grey extended his hand and shook hands with both of them.
Caitlin, standing beside him, gave a slight bow.
"I'm Caitlin, a Psychic-type member of the Unova Elite Four."
Both sides happened to consist of one Elite Four member and one Gym Leader. It was an amusing coincidence.
There was no need for further small talk. The four of them went straight to the main event.
"The format will be a two-on-two Double Battle. Each Trainer may use only one Pokémon. The battle will end once both Pokémon on one side are unable to continue. Does that sound acceptable?"
Siebold was the owner of the restaurant. He might have been a chef, but he also happened to run restaurants.
He had come to Unova on business and planned to battle several powerful Trainers along the way to see whether the experience would provide him with fresh inspiration.
When a server informed him that Caitlin of the Unova Elite Four and Grey, a Kanto Gym Leader, were dining there, Siebold had immediately asked someone to invite them.
A smile appeared in Siebold's eyes as he decided to give them a generous gift after the battle.
Judging by the situation...
They were probably a couple.
Siebold noticed the way Caitlin stared at Grey, her affectionate gaze practically stretching between them like threads, and nodded inwardly.
It seemed his assumption was correct.
What should he give them afterward?
Perhaps one of the restaurant's special couples' cards. Whenever the two of them came together, they would receive a free meal.
Wait...
Siebold suddenly remembered that Grey appeared to have some sort of relationship with Sabrina, the Gym Leader of Saffron City.
He could not give Grey only one card. What would happen if that set his entire love life on fire?
After considering the problem, Siebold came up with a solution.
He would give Grey a special privilege allowing him to bring any woman he wanted to the restaurant and eat for free.
Perfectly reasonable.
In only a few moments, Siebold had settled on the gift.
Grey had no objections after hearing the rules.
"That sounds good to me. Thank you both for arranging this."
"It's no trouble. I want to battle strong Trainers too."
Marlon looked at Grey and gave him an awkward but polite smile.
"Gym Leader Grey, how about using a Pokémon around the same strength as ours this time?"
"No problem."
For an ordinary battle like this, Grey had no intention of bringing out Reshiram or Koraidon and crushing everyone.
Battles were meant to be enjoyed.
With that in mind, Grey took out Sirfetch'd's Poké Ball.
Sirfetch'd had already reached Elite Four level, making it perfectly suited to display its strength in this battle.
Before the match officially began, Grey started a livestream.
Title: Outdoor Battle, First Meeting with a Kalos Elite Four Member and a Unova Gym Leader
Tags: Outdoor, Battle, Restaurant, Seaside
[The moment I saw "outdoor," I clicked so fast my mouse practically exploded. And this is all we get?]
[Shouldn't a seaside stream have a swimsuit episode?]
[It does. Isn't Marlon over there wearing nothing but a pair of huge shorts?]
[I want bikinis!]
[Wait, isn't that blonde the stream's top donor? Whoa, she's even holding the streamer's arm!]
[???]
Back in Sinnoh, Cynthia had assumed that Caitlin and Grey would behave themselves for a while and stop causing trouble.
Instead, the moment Grey started streaming today, Caitlin was already clinging to his arm and acting incredibly intimate with him.
So they had been preparing something big for her all along?
At that moment, Cynthia felt like the clueless husband sleeping through everything in some trashy adult movie, utterly powerless to stop what was happening.
It was true that she believed Caitlin and Grey suited each other.
But still...
Cynthia sighed.
That Kanto playboy!
If you ever treat Caitlin badly, don't blame her best friend for showing no mercy!
That thought suddenly gave Cynthia an idea for their future wedding gift.
She would give them a small jar. The moment that jar became filled with Caitlin's tears, Cynthia would bring Garchomp to the Fighting Dojo, tear the place apart, and set things right for Caitlin!
"Isn't that Caitlin? Cynthia, those two look really affectionate!"
"They certainly do."
Aaron and Lucian happened to be working overtime in the office. When they saw Cynthia take out her phone to watch the livestream, both leaned over and pointed at the screen.
Cynthia fell silent.
Damn it!
//Check out my P@tre0n for 30 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810.