A/N: Thank you for reading my fanfiction ^^
Feel free to leave your reviews and comments!
I do not own Pokemon, this fanficiton is only written for personal interest and English practice only.

In this story, Haruka is 18, and Daigo is 25.
To match with my other fanfictions, main characters will be using Japanese names, but Pokemon and location names will be using the English translation.
Therefore:

Steven Stone: Daigo Tsuwabuki
May: Haruka
Brendan:Yuuki

Story takes place after the event of the Delta Episode.
It's been a while since Haruka and Daigo have seem each other.
Then one day, Daigo left her a message, and asks her to meet him.
And mention that he has something to tell her.
With curiosity, Haruka went to meet him.

Happy reading!

Chapter 1: Him

When she closes her eyes, his face appears in her mind.
His short steel blue hair is always forms so perfectly.
They are straight, and feels silky.
He always dresses classy, in his purple suits along with small red puffy scarf tie in between his collars.
This classy gentleman style, really suits his looks.
His behavior and manners, it's like a real gentlemen.
He appears older and much more mature in front of her, yet there's always that childish side where he runs to the destination whenever there's a situation, especially anything involve with rare rocks. Rock is his thing, any discovery of the rare rocks he will be there with a magnify glass, and a note book. Often when he asks her, is he like a rock maniac to her?

During her Pokémon journey, he rushes through any places when he knows she's in danger, protects her, and directs her when she's in trouble. He even battle alongside with her against the enemies like Team Magma.
After success of victory, he would gently pats on her head, and smiles: "Good job."
She likes that… she likes that very much.
Her heart feels warm and fluffy.
As she gazes to him who stands beside her, if he always have his right hand hold under his chin, and his left arm supports his right elbow. Displays the steels rings on his fingers, dips and tilts his head slightly, his eyebrows furrows. That's when she knows, he's in his deep thinking mode. He's a smart man after all.
For some reason, she always like that side of him. She enjoys watching this signature pose.
He's an analytical man, after all.
As his gentle voice calling her name echoes inside her: "Haruka-chan." When she thinks of that voice, her heart would skip a beat, and opens her eyes.

The teen girl is sitting at a cafe in Mauville City.
A city that's located in the heart of Hoen region, with one large building surround the entire city, but leaves a large open roof in the center where the natural lighting shine through. Almost like an indoor city.
The teen girl looks at her small stand up mirror she placed on the circular cafe table, turns left and right at her reflection on the mirror. Her arm reaches out to her forehead, and fixes her bangs and the two long curve hair in front that looks like a boomerang, Then she reaches to the top of her head, tightens up her two pieces red bow with a single white line stripe pattern that ties behind her ear and around the head.
She smiles at the mirror, folds it up, puts it back to her bag. She carefully holds the handle of the cup and takes a sip of the cup with Hot Cocoa that she purchased in this cafe.

Today is a nice day, despite the occasion chilly wind that brushes against her perfectly shape hair.
She's sitting on a two chairs table that's placed parallel against the wall outside of the cafe.
She looks up to the sky, where's the open roof in Mauville City, the sun shines through the clock tower that stands in the middle, brighten up the big city.
Kids, families and couples are sitting near the fountain around the clock tower, splash water with Pokemon and playing around.
Laughing and joy sounds are filling all over the city.
She kicks her legs in and out, looks to the clock on the Pokenav on her hand.
It's already pass noon.
She glances at the people who are sitting on the table in the opposite side of her are happily chatting with friends, and have some Pokemon beside them. Either sitting on the table, or on the ground playing.
She tilts her head and supports her chin with her left palm, impatiently taps on the table with her index finger.
"…" She twists her mouth left and right.

"Haruka-chan." The voice of a male, soft and friendly.
The familiar voice that always trembles her heart slightly, her face blushes a little as she reacts to it. She sits still, turns to the direction where the shadow of this person is covering over her, as her palm let go of her chin with her turns to him.
"…" She opens her mouth, blinks twice. As she was going to say something, but she's not sure what to say. It's been a while since they saw each other… These words echo in her mind, she tries resists to show how happy she is to see him.
He apologizes with grin: "Sorry I was late, did you wait long?"
The familiar cologne smell, gives her the slight rapid heartbeat.
As usual, he's wearing his purple suits with white blouse tugs in with red scarf tie on the collar. The metal colour fabric at the edge of the sleeve, and steel rings wears on his index and ring finger on both of his hands. The delicate keystone that's pinned to his collar is shining its rainbow colour under the sun light.
His short silver hair is perfectly form and as usual.
He greets and smiles so kindly, his handsome look has captured many female's heart, just like hers.
Standing beside him, she notices he catches attention from people.
It's either because of his handsome looks, or because he's the famous Hoen Champion which his picture often shows up on the news, newspaper or the BuzzNav trainers wears.
On top of that…
He's a rock researcher, and the son of the Devon Co-operation, the biggest cooperation in the Hoen region.
He's the face of Hoen.
When she discovered he's the champion as she arrived to the champion hall in the Pokémon League, she was really surprised. A champion at such young age… It got her thinking, if she can become a champion someday.
But he's in different level…

"No… not really…" She have her palm supports her chin again, and takes a sip from her Hot coca cup after she answers. The drink isn't too hot anymore, is it because of the chilly weather? It's almost winter afterall.
He lifts up the chair carefully, quietly places it on the floor. He's trying to not make a loud scratching sound by prevent the bottom of the chair to scrap the floor.
He sits down.
As usual, he always keeps his manner and appearances in front of people.
She quietly watches him with the hot cocoa cup still remain in front of her lips, but not sipping any to her mouth.

He places both of his hands on the table, fingers overlapping on each other, and forms a circular shape.
He straights up his back, looks at this girl teen in front of him. Almost like a professional meeting or some sort.
Such handsome face… She thought, as she's also looks to this adult man in front of her.
Sometimes it makes her nervous when she makes eye contact with him.
Her heart wound pound rapidly, the temperature on her body would rises.
"What… what is it?" She stammers, "You left in a message said there's something you want to talk to me about."
why is she nervous? She asks herself. This isn't the first time they both sit together alone. Plus this is a public place, not a private meeting… like in an karaoke room or…
What is she expecting anyways, she feels embarrassed having these thoughts.
It's not a date… or anything… right? The message sounded like he has a task for her or some sort…
There are people walking pass them.
But she's still feeling nervous around him. She stops making eye contact with him, and looks onto the surface of the table.

After the incident with Rayquaza and meteor with Deoxys, it's been weeks.
Both of them haven't seen each other since.
However…
When he left her a message on her Pokenav, ask her out for a meet, she was shocked. She had the biggest smile across her face upon hearing his voice again.
She has no form of communication with him, except the communicator: PokeNav Plus, which he's the only one that can only communicate with her, but she can't reply back with that machine.
Or her only way to find him, it's to go to Pokemon League…

"Ah…" He opens his mouth, "Well…"
A waitress stops in front of their table.
"Would you like to order anything?" She smiles.
"… Oh…" He takes a quick glances on the flat piece of laminated menu that he didn't realized it's under his hands , "I'll have a black coffee please."
What an adult. She thought.
She takes another sip of her Hot Cocoa.
As she tastes the sweetness of her Hot cocoa.
She's already 18… But she doesn't have the habit to drink coffee. She doesn't like the taste of it much…
She puts her cup down.

After the waitress walks away, he turns to her once again.
"Thank you for coming out today. I was worried if my messaged have delivered to you." He smiles, "Wouldn't it be great if we send message to each other with instant replies?"
"… That would be helpful." She shifts her eyes away, refuses to make eye contact with him.
"You look upset," The look of concern is all over his face, "You must be mad that I was late. I'm very sorry."
"…" She still refuses to make eye contact with him.
She isn't as mad as he thinks, she's just frustrated by trying to figure out the reason behind her current awkward feeling to make straight eye contact with him.

"I'm sorry, is there anything I can make it up to you?"
"No… That's not what… you think… " She lowers her head, and tries cover her mouth by sipping her hot cocoa.
"…" She peeks over at him, he looks concerned.
The rings on his fingers are reflecting the sun light above, reflection lights from the ring are shining on the wall beside them.
His hands and fingers are so large, she exchanges looks between his hand and her hand, they are so much smaller…
In his eyes…
She's probably just a child…
Is this what grown men's hand look like?
Even when Yuuki grows up too?
Seven years age gap apart between him and her… will someone change this much?
Does he prefer… a girl who's… older?

The waitress came back, and places a cup holds hot black coffee with a plate under: "Here's your black coffee sir."
"Thank you." He turns to the waitress and smiles.
The waitress blushes: "Cou… could you be the champion, Daigo Tsuwabuki-san?"
"Yes." He grins friendly at her.
Haruka looks to the waitress who widen her eyes, and covers her mouth with her right hand after a huge gasp, "Oh my! It's nice to meet you, Tsuwabuki-san! It's a honor to talk to you in person! I'm your biggest fan!"
He chuckles: "Hahaha, Thank you. Please, I'm just a regular person just like everyone else." He modestly says.

After a few conversations, the waitress left with big smiles on her, with both side of her cheeks blushes, and took another glance at him while she walks away with giggles.
Daigo remains who he is, grids the handle of the white coffee mug, blow at the hot coffee, closes his eyes as he tilts the mug to his mouth, display his beautiful long eye lashes.
A thought of if Daigo is a "Pretty face sleeper" like in every anime/shojo manga.
After taking a sip, he exhales as he distances the cup away from his lips, with his eyes half open.
Daigo notices she's watching him, he smiles gently.
Haruka reacts to that smile, she turns away pouts: "She was totally into you." She blurted out.
Daigo looks to Haruka with a surprised look.
"Oh yah?"
"Must be a lot of work, to be popular." She says with mischievous smirk across her face, "Pokemon champion, and also lady's man."
"Are you jealous?" She expects an argue or denying, but instead he remains calm and grins at her.
Those got to her, as she tenses up, her face flushes: "…No… Why… Why should I be jealous?" Haruka leans forward as she shouts.
Daigo chuckles holds coffee cups in his hands.
"Haruka-chan, you beat me in the Pokemon League, didn't you? Perhaps you are potential to be Pokemon Champion and famous in the nearest future."
"…" She turns her head away, and shrugs, "No… I still got a long way…"
It's true, even she managed to beat Daigo, but it was a really tough battle.
"Plus, you are really cute." Daigo closes his eyes as he takes another sip of coffee from his cup.
Haruka reacts to his words, instantly silent. How can he say these words so calmly? Is the coffee, it's the coffee isn't it? She glances at the coffee mug on his hand really hard.
"I'm sure you are popular as well. I mean so many people knows your name wherever we go."
Haruka flushes: "…No… Not at all…"

"So you finally look at me." A relief is across from his face, "Were you still mad?"
"No, I uh…" She looks to him, as she tries to come up something to explain to him.
"Oh that's right." He reaches his arm to his pocket, and takes out a small pokeball and places it on the table and slide in front of her with his index and middle finger on top.
"Err?" She pauses, glances down at this Pokeball, and looks over at Daigo with confusion, "This is?"
"It's for you."
"…" She takes the small Pokeball on the table, she presses the center white button in the middle of this sphere shape ball.
The Pokeball changes from the small size to hold with her index and her thumb, stretches out to the size of her palm.

"What is it?"
"Why don't you open and check?"
Haruka points the Pokeball in the mid-air, the Pokeball opens in her hand, a red laser shoots out.
A big eyes, blue robotic Pokemon with long body and a claw at the back appears.
It makes a sound of metal, as it greets at Haruka, with a smiling face.
"Whoaaa?!" Haruka is shocked, she leans her face close: "It's a Beldum!" She's so excited, she hugs Beldum tightly.
Beldum is a hard Pokemon to capture, she's even more excited to be able to receive one as a gift specially from Daigo.
"Thank you Daigo!" She turns to Daigo with the happiest smile on her as she tightly hugs her newly Bedum.

Daigo chuckles.
"Beldum is my favorite Pokemon, please take good care of this little guy, alright?"
"Yes!" She nods, holds Beldum tighter.

Haruka sits down, with Beldum flowing beside her, it often turns to her, and smiles with how excited and happy it is to meet her.
Currently she's only carrying three Pokemon with her, if she has six Pokemon on her, she would need to send one Pokemon back.
"This is a thank you gift for everything you have done so far. You have saved Hoen region multiple times, and even acquire many powerful legendry Pokemon. You really are something, Haruka-chan. I have never doubt your ability since our first meet six years ago." He tilts his head and smiles kindly.
"Thank you…"
That's right, they have known each other for six years now… Time surely passes fast.

She Just move to Hoen, and she already set her journey to the Hoen region right after the move.
It's been six years…
When they first met, it was inside Granite Cave.
At that time, she was about to turn 13.
When she first encounter this stranger man in purple suit, she was already attracted by his good looks.
Since them, they became good friends.

"Did you enjoy the Meteor shower with Yuuki-kun?" He friendly asks.
"…" She nods while blushing both side of her cheeks, "Yes, it was romantic."
She feels the sudden pauses before he answers: "…That's great to hear." She's wonder if it was her misconception.
"You and Yuki-kun have such close relationship, I'm a little bit jealous."
"…" Even he says that with a friendly smile, Haruka is feels slightly indifferent, "… We are around the age and all…We get along… that's all."" She slowly mutters as she speaks. She takes another sip of her coca.
"That's true." He chuckles.

Her hear trembles slightly by his voice
"Daigo-san…Once again, thank you." She tightly grids against the handle of her cup with her hot cocoa: "I will treasure Beldum." She changes the topic, "Perhaps one day, we'll challenge you again." She turns to Beldum, Beldum nods with confident look.
"…" Daigo widens his eyes, he quickly tries to composes himself to chuckles, "That's great. I can't wait."
Judging by Daigo's expression, he seems to be a little bit out of it today.
She wonders if he's been busy with Pokemon League.
But who is she kidding, she's also acting strange herself. At least she thinks she is.

"Haruka-chan…"
"Yes?"
"Do you have any romantic feelings for him?"
Romantic feelings… It's true that she's always happy to see Yuuki… they get along really well. They always laughs about everything together, and do a lot of things together. The meteor shower, it was her who invited him to watch.
But romantic feelings…
She quickly remembers after the Meteor Shower, the back silhouette of Yuuki running home with the blushing face. Which left her confused about her relationship with Yuuki for a short moment.
"I didn't put much thoughts into it. But yes we do get along well." She nods and smiles, "And we are best friends. I think that's all…" She remains looking at the surface of the table, as she answers.
Why is Daigo asking about this? Is he trying to make conversation?
She glances up at Daigo, who has his deep thinking face, she doesn't understand what's in his mind. She didn't think he would be interested in that kind of topic.
"Is that so?" He lightly grins.
He puts his empty coffee cup down after drinking: "Do you have any plans today?
Haruka shakes her head.
"Why don't we go for a walk?" He stands up from his chair.
"Where to?" Haruka looks up to Daigo who is already stood up, and puts his chair back, with money on the table.
"A refreshing place." He smiles with his teeth.
Her heart skips a beat.
She notices he has already covered her hot cocoa with the money he placed on the table.
She stands up along: "The money…"
"Common, let's go." As he turns his back facing her, she immediately puts Beldum back to the Pokeball, and follows him along.
"Thank you…" She mutters with her face lightly blushes.
As she's walking beside him, she takes another glance to him, Daigo once again smiles at her.

Not fair at all…
His smile is so perky and gleams under the sun.
Her heart is beating rapidly as she looks to him, and even just by walking beside him.
He's a head taller and half tall her than her...
Their shoulders do not line up with each other when they talk.
Such high and age difference...
She wonders, when they walk beside each other…
Do they seem like a couple in other people's eyes?