Daigo smiled embarrassedly and gently wiped his sweat with a handkerchief. Then he turned his attention to Siot next to Kem.

\"So, you're a soldier. Nice to meet you. I'm Daigo. \"

"Nice to meet you. I'm the curator of the Black Gold Gym, Hyota. It's an honor to meet you, Hoenn Regional Champion. ”

"Haha! Good luck, I'm just an employee of Devon Group here, we are the same age, please relax. ”

If Mr. Daigo says so. \"

Despite the age difference, Kota seemed a little nervous when talking to the champion in the Hoenn region.

Hopefully we can be friends

Maybe he was nervous at the end, I thought with a wry smile as I walked with the two of them to the bar. Kem thought as he walked, hoping that he wouldn't be nervous until the end.

I used to think so.

Ten minutes later, Kem was drinking ginger ale, his eyes hollow.

"Look at this vajra bead! Very pure, very transparent! Something like this is rare, so I got excited and took a picture. ”

\"Wow! It's so expensive! Did Hyota dig it up? \"

"Yes. Me and my father, to be exact. ”

"With Daddy! That's great! I've dug for fossils with my dad before, too! ”

The two of them continued to talk about the stone across me, and they chatted very freely. Since both of them have a hobby of stones, as soon as they talk about stones, the two chat. In less than five minutes, they were engrossed in discussing the stones and having a great time.

Cam, who doesn't know much about stones, is drinking ginger ale and eating a golden pilla. Daigo noticed Kem and smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"What's wrong, Kem? You look far away. ”

"I don't understand your stone words, so I'm bored."

"Then let's take this opportunity to learn about the stone!"

"You're so annoying, and you keep saying all sorts of things when I don't listen."

"I want to share my hobby with you, my best friend."

Kem took a deep breath and Daigo said with a funny smile. As someone who has been mining many times, Keim knows the charm of stone. However, you won't be as excited as Daigo.

"All in all, Mr. Daigo is amazing. He is very knowledgeable about the various stones in the world. ”

"I've always loved it. My father reprimanded me for neglecting my studies and focusing only on stones. ”

"You used to be naughty, weren't you?"

When I traveled, I did all sorts of crazy things. He'd go to the gym with a bag full of rocks on his back to test his skills, and he'd hang out around town in a mining suit to get Joey's heart pumping. Because he was naïve in his primitiveness, he repeatedly angered Kaim, who was traveling with him.

"Uh, Daigo-san, too, had such a period. \"

"I think a lot of people were fooled by this guy's appearance and tone, but he really is a weirdo."

"It's horrible. Am I that weird? ”

"It's weird"

"Then you're the weirdo's best friend, and you're also the weirdo."

"Do you think you're going to call your friends? Don't hang out with me, you idiot. ”

Kem frowned as he ate the yakitori. Seeing Kem, Daigo tilted the cup, and the gourd stirred the contents of the cup too.

"Mr. Daigo and Kaimu were good friends from a long time ago, weren't they? \"

"Well, for some reason, I guess he's my longest-standing friend."

"Is it the same with Kem? \"

"yes. I don't have many friends, though. ”

Due to Kem's unfriendly attitude and unmoving expression, he rarely gets along with people. He had a few friends, but none of them were that close, and none of them lasted as long as Daigo. I didn't feel lonely because I had Pokémon, and most importantly, the people around me weren't very lucky at the time. So I used to give the impression that I didn't have many friends.

"That's a lie. You are both a Pokémon and a human. If you're lonely, I'll be lonely too! ”

However, Daigo objected to this. For some reason, Kem always attracts people and Pokémon. It's not as bad as it is now, but it still feels that way. It is true that Kem has no talent for fighting, and he has no talent for learning. However, he has a talent for attracting people and Pokémon. Daigo saw through this, and even if he made a mistake, he didn't want anyone to say that he was alone.

"Then you're alone."

"Ahh That's what I said! ”

"Hahaha! You're really good friends! ”

Seeing the interaction between the two like children, Hyota smiled. Hyunta had never seen Kem so happy, so he was a little surprised to see him show such an expression.

"Kem, you're smiling like that. I was a little surprised. ”

“？ My expression is notoriously unbright, isn't it? ”

"Indeed, although it is not like that now, I have never seen anyone with such an expression except Miss Sirona. \"

"Ah, if it's Miss Sirona, I'll laugh. \"

"I didn't see the two of you together when you were outside, though."

Kem's facial expression rarely moves in the first place, but in front of people who are close to him and Pokémon, his expression moves slightly. Of course, Huruta is also a target, but not as serious as Daigo and Sirona. Sure enough, Kem has been in a relationship with the two for a long time, and although the carriers are different, he is very open to them. Hyunta thought that this was probably reflected in his expression as well.

"We've been dating for almost a year?"

Umiki answered Hugota's question while biting on the pickled cucumber.

"It's been almost a year since the last Pokémon League. \"

"I see, so there are only a few months left, is everything going well?"

"Oh dear"

"I can't imagine that Cam and Miss Sirona would fight. Will they fight? \"

"I've done it before. We'll figure it out shortly. ”

Most of the battles with Shirona were trivial. It's nothing more than eating the puffin prototype I made and cooking with my favorite wine. Because of this, the two never had a big quarrel. The biggest reason is probably because it allows for discussion before arguments.

"We love each other so much. Moreover, none of us are the kind of people who are easily emotional. ”

"We lived together even before we started dating. I don't think there will be any major misunderstandings. ”

"I'm sorry, Nanban chicken, pork soup, ginger ale."

"Oh, he ran away."

Kem noticed that he was starting to be ridiculed and forced a conversation by order, but when Kem was told that he had escaped, he frowned. Seeing this scene, Daigo smiled again.

"It's very easy to show on the face. Especially when it comes to the negatives. ”

"Use"

"It's much better than when I first came to Sinnoh."

When he first arrived in Sinnoh, Kem's expression didn't change in any way compared to what he was now. Of course, he still didn't move that much, but the time spent with Shirona made him feel much better.

"Is this also a credit to Miss Sirona?" \"

"Isn't it? When I traveled with you, it wasn't so easy to understand. ”

“？ Is it my hanging party today? ”

"No, it's just easy to get into trouble."

Kem turned his gaze to Daigo as he sipped the ginger ale handed to him. However, Daigo gently dodges and asks Kem a question.

"By the way, how is Miss Sirona today? What is your food doing? \"

Daigo is also in charge of Sirona's housework. It's hard to imagine that Kaim would entrust the housework to Sirona because he'd heard how cruel it was. Of course, I didn't see it with my own eyes, but I'm sure it was, because I could see every part of Kem's words being brutal and merciless.

Umiki nibbles into the yakitori while answering Daigo's questions.

"I'm on a business trip today, don't go home."

"On a business trip? Since Kem is here, it has nothing to do with academics, so, is it related to champions? ”

Kem nodded in response to Hyota's question as he stuffed his face with fried chicken.

"Ah, it's a meeting with the league management."

"Meet? What about the Pokémon League? ”

"It seems possible, but the favorite is different."

"Or else? Does the alliance sponsor any events? ”

The Gym Curator is a Pokémon Alliance certified trainer. So, at most events sponsored by the Pokémon League, you'll be notified as soon as you get a call. However, the captain of the Black Gold Gym, Bingta, did not receive such a notice from the Alliance.

"Okay? I didn't come anyway, and I don't know, but it looks like the league will sponsor something. ”

"So I guess we'll hear from you too?"

"It depends on the content of the event, right? If you don't have enough manpower, you may be asked to manage it. ”

\"But why is Miss Sirona in such trouble? Was it Miss Sirona's idea? \"

Even in Pokémon League, champions don't go out of their way to attend meetings. This is because the league management simply decides on the specifications and then contacts them. Therefore, Bai Nai went to the trouble to go to the alliance headquarters for a meeting, and even Daigo felt a little strange.

"It seems that the gym leaders can't tell us anything because no decisions have been made yet."

"That is, the details have not yet been decided."

"Perhaps."

Since he hadn't heard anything, Kem could only say maybe. I didn't know what kind of event it would be, but when I said it was a meeting, Sirona's smile made sense. Maybe he's up to something, but there's no way to know. All we can do is wait for Shirona's announcement.

"I'm looking forward to it."

"So? Will Hyota enter the alliance this year? ”

The Gyms that play roles in Pokémon League are rotated. The Black Gold Gym, which set up a venue last year, will no longer be on duty this year. As a result, the gym curator Bingta was also able to participate in the league.

"Yes. I plan to show up this year. What about Kem? ”

"I can't get out. Before I became the director of the gym, I was a supporter of Sirona. I can't afford it. ”

"Are you in a relationship?"

"Nope."

"No, that's a crush."

"Nope."

Ignoring Kem's rebuttal, Daigo turns his attention to Hyota as he pours beer over the oil of the fried chicken.

"No, you're sexy. Don't you think so? Bing Taijun. \"

"Yes, Daigo-san. If you think you can make a difference in this year's league, it looks like you'll need to get some coffee. \"

Kaiki glared at Kota as he put kimchi in his mouth, and for some reason, Kota agreed with him. Houta took a bite of the yakitori and happily raised his glass and poured a glass with highball whiskey.

"Gym Master, are you used to it?"

Hearing Daigo's question, Kem smiled bitterly.

"It's a pity that I'm a substitute, and relatively speaking, things are going well."

"I see, you're a good fit to be a leader, so I think it should be fine."

He's a very caring person, and because he's a guy who can't do it on his own, he understands what the other person's weaknesses are. He is also good at teaching because he is a person who can benefit from the knowledge gained from the path he has walked. As a result, he seems to have a good reputation as a leader, regardless of his abilities.

\"Xiao Taijun, when did you become the director of the gym? \"

"I started working before Kem came to Sinnoh. In the parent?? At the urging of my family, I took the entrance examination for the director of the gym. ”

"Hah! That's a long time. ”

"After graduating from high school, I worked in the Black Gold Coal Mine and honed my skills at the Black Gold Gym. After some time, my ex and father asked me to become the director of the gym, so I took the exam. ”

Hyota is a relatively old gym director. The only gym leaders before Huta were Togan (Active), Maxi (Max I) and Denji (Worthy). By the way, Somo and Hyota became the director of the gym at the same time, so they are synchronous. Melissa, Suzuna, and Natarn will be third-year students as gymnastics curators.

I see. That's a long time. \"

"Yes. There are a lot of young gym leaders out there these days. ”

"At the moment, Max is the oldest stock."

"So Kem will be the first recruit."

"He's older than me, though."

Currently, the only gym leaders older than Keim are Maxi and Melissa. Chuanzhi is the same age, and filial piety is one year younger. Since everyone else was much younger than him, he was also a late entry for his age.

Of course, considering his abilities when he was in the Hoenn region, it can be said that he has advanced enough to become a gym owner.

"I'm very touched, every time you lose, you look like you give up, I can't believe you're the leader of the gym."

"Hello parents."

"During that time, I will pay more attention to you than your parents."

"What kind of kid was Kem before?"

"I don't think it's any different from Kem now, he's more expressive than he used to be, but it's not that different."

He has always been a loving and caring child, loved by Pokémon, and a servile and reluctant child. The flattering part is much better, but the rest hasn't changed much. However, the expression has become much richer. What is nostalgic now is that Kem used to be a child with no expression at all, so Daigo thought he was a little difficult to get along with at first.

"Then you're not a cute kid."

"Hey"

"That's right"

“A？”

"Isn't that true? And, you know that, right? ”

"Shut up"

Knowing that he wasn't really a cute child, Kem took a sip of ginger ale and looked away in embarrassment. Seeing Kaimeng like this, Daigo and Bingta glanced at each other and laughed.

*

Lily Island of the Valley

"It seems that Daigo-kun and Bingtai-kun have become good friends. \"

"It's too much. "Two people team up and play with each other. I shouldn't have let you meet me. ”

Sirona was on the balcony of her hotel room looking out to sea while talking to Kem on the phone. I came to Lily of the Valley to discuss the Pokémon League and new events, and after dinner, I called Kem. Umiki had just returned with Daigo and was listening to the party.

It seems that Daigo and Hyota have similar hobbies and have a fairly close relationship. Not only does Daigo have hobbies such as stones, but Kota's hobby is mining, and the personalities of the two seem to be very compatible, and they hit it off. Before leaving, they exchanged personal contact details, and Daigo seemed happy to meet a new friend.

However, there is a part where Kem takes advantage of Daigo to tease him, and Kem complains about it, but in a louder voice. I could tell from every part of his voice that he was having a great time.

"Looks like you're having a great time."

\"That's right. "I was drinking with two. It will also be interesting. ”

Kem hesitated at Shirona's question, but nodded anyway. If she had to admit it eventually, she should have admitted it from the beginning, Sirona laughed. Hearing this, Kem let out a slightly dissatisfied voice.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Hehehehehe, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I think if you have to admit it eventually, you should say that you were happy from the beginning. I can hear it in your voice, you're happy. ”

“… Please don't bother me. It's easy to change. ”

"It's okay, that's fine."

Clumsy and dishonest in speech. However, emotion and kindness seeped out from his voice and words. Sirona was also drawn to this. Normally he might just be troublesome, but Sirona thinks that when he is genuine, this kind of kindness is easy to see, and this is one of the charms of Kem.

''Enough about me. How's that? It's a meeting about an event. ”

"Yes, everything is going well. I think tomorrow we'll have a rough idea. ”

Since it was an event hosted by the Pokémon League, the discussion went quite smoothly. I don't know when the chairman of the league management committee started thinking about it, but most of the details have been completed.

However, since this is a new activity, a lot of adjustments need to be made. The meeting starts in the morning but ends after sunset.

"Uh, so? What kind of event is it? ”

"Hehe, this is still a secret, I have to announce it officially."

"No way. Anyway, I'll go as a supporter of Sirona, so that's okay. ”

"Hehe, I also ask you to do your best"

"Well, I can't help it. Please notify me when the decision is made. ”

"Yes, of course"

Bai Nai replied while smiling happily in her heart. Just thinking about how his expression became even more interesting when he learned the details of the events. But in order not to make him realize, I kept this feeling in my heart for the time being.

Then he remembered that Kem was now at home with Daigo. Daigo doesn't answer the phone, but he wants to know what he's doing and asks Kem about it.

\"By the way, what about Daigo-kun? I can't hear you. \"

"He's taking a shower right now. He was drinking in a suit and he was running when I came, so I guessed he wanted to sweat first. ”

"Ah, I see."

From today, Daigo will live at the Shirona house. Unfortunately, Shirona has a date, but she's looking forward to seeing her tomorrow as well.

"Daigo-kun, you've worked hard too. You've come all the way to Sinnoh to study. \"

"He's a presidential candidate. Running a company means being responsible for the lives of your employees. Half-baked knowledge and experience are not enough. ”

"If you think of these words as the head of the same organization, they carry different weights."

"Although the director and the president of the gym are the same high-level, they are too different. I'm at the level of a store manager at most. ”

"Although the scale is different, they are all the same, and the knowledge and mentality required by people with high status should be the same, but the degree may be different, right?"

"I see, it is. \"

Kem paused and exhaled softly.

\"No matter how much time passes, I don't think I'll be able to compete with Sirona. \"

"Hehe, I'm just a little older and a little more knowledgeable."

Even so. No matter how far you go, Shirona is stunning. The more you research, the more you realize it. Of course, so is Daigo. ”

No matter how hard I tried, Shirona and Daigo were still ahead of me. Even though they were only a year or two apart, Keim realized once again how amazing they could be, as they were both way ahead.

"Maybe. But you see a lot of things in your own way and take them as your sustenance. That's what I don't have, so please cherish it. ”

\"Ah, I see. \"

"We're different people, so what we see and feel is different, and those 'differences' are never wasted, you understand now, right?"

"Oh, I understand. Even if I've made mistakes, or taken long detours, I now understand that nothing is wasted. ”

I tried to follow in my sister's footsteps, but gave up, thinking it was impossible. However, all my walking time was not wasted. If it was me before, I would humbly think it was a waste, but now it is. I think so. Being aware of this change may be the best proof of growth.

There was one person who made me realize this. I am deeply grateful not only to Sirona, but also to the Pokémon, and I will continue to cherish them. It looks like that.

"Ugh"

"What's wrong? Sigh. ”

\"I'm calm without hearing Sirona's voice. \"

"Really? That's a nice thing to say. ”

It makes me want to see you more than it calms me down. However, although Kem didn't say anything, he tried to parry Sirona's words, but his eyes involuntarily widened when he heard Sirona's next words.

"You're starting to want to see me, aren't you?"

I could feel Kem's frustration on the other end of the line. It's funny, Sirona laughed happily again.

\"Ah, it's an ancestor, right? \"

"Haha, how do you know?"

"I understand. It's easy for you to understand. And, Kem called me, so I guess so. ”

Calls from Kem were rare, so Sirona expected this, but the results were unexpected. This is not surprising because Kem's personality has always been lonely, but I felt a hint of superiority in his position as a girlfriend, which is hard to imagine for his usually calm self.