"Tsk, tsk, tsk... Touko, you can be incredibly troublesome at times."

She looked up from her crying fit, honestly shocked at the sound of Cheren's deep voice. She was unaware of the fact that he was still in Nimbasa. She quickly got up from the bench she sat on, staring into the icy blue eyes of her rival. She quickly made sure to wipe away any stray tears so he wouldn't question her. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to sympathize her.

She hastily turned away, taking a deep breath as she did. "I-I'm fine, really. Cheren, you don't have to worry—"

"Touko." he interrupted her, causing her speaking to end.

She found herself sighing again. She couldn't cry, not in front of Cheren. She couldn't even remember the first time she cried in front of him—let alone if she had ever cried in front of him. She found herself slowly, almost tauntingly, fully turning towards Cheren. She gulped as she felt her hand starting to tremble at the idea of what had made her cry in the first place.

"You... remember that guy that... that we met at Accumula? The one that..." she paused to quickly take a moment and brush hair away from her eyes, "... really creeped you out because he was acting so odd?" she spoke with a trembling voice and right after she finished her question, she took in another deep breath.

Cheren felt a troubling feeling escape him. Ideas starting running through his mind, making him shift on his foot. Did he... take advantage of her? Severely hurt one of her Pokemon? Severely hurt her? "Yes. N, right?"

"Yes." she easily retorted. "Well... I was in the Ferris wheel with him just now... and... he... he told me..."

Fear ran through Cheren's mind as her eyes swelled with tears again. Maybe Cheren was right, maybe he really had done something to hurt her or take advantage of her... Her quivering hand reached up and covered her mouth, muffling the sound of her sobs. Even though a jealous rage consumed him, he still found the decency to coil his arms around her waist.

She sobbed violently into his tepid chest, grabbing a fist-full of his shirt in the process. Frustration consumed the two. Touko's loud, painful sobs tore Cheren's heart, making him tighten his grasp on her back. He placed his chin on her head, letting her continue to sob into him. He gulped, feeling shame upon himself for not being there for her when it happened. He would have punched the bastard right in the jaw.

Once she had slightly calmed down, she managed to speak in a light, muffled tone; "H-He told me... he was King of Team Plasma!" she buried her face deeper into his chest, reminded of the awful fear "... then he sent his Pokemon to attack me! I'm... I'm so scared, Cheren..."

"Hey, hey... don't worry, Touko..." even though he felt a madly burning anger boiling within him, he stayed calm—for her.

She took in another deep breath, finding herself heavily shuddering against him. Cheren was almost ready to cry himself, hating the thought of his dear friend getting hurt like that. He pulled her back from the hug, seeing her perfectly rosy cheeks and the red-stained aquamarine eyes that looked up at him with a curious look upon them. He found himself leaning down, his lips lingering above her forehead.

She found herself closing her eyes and blushing when his lips met her forehead. It was afterward that she shyly looked up and smiled with trembling lips.

"... Th-Thank you, Cheren..."