A/N: My fanfic has an illustrated cover for each chapter, but since FFN doesn't allow inserting images nor does it accept links within the fanfic itself, please head over to my tumblr (carefreejules) if you'd like to see the covers!

Memory Chapter III - See you later doesn't mean Good-bye

"This isn't what I wanted!"

"But, ma'am, this is the second clean towel that I brought for you-"

The woman swiped the towel from J's hands, wrinkled it up in her fingers, and shoved it in her face. "When I said clean, I mean fresh. Straight from the dryer. Do you understand, little girl?"

It took a lot of will-power to hold back J's scowl. Her service-perfect smile twitched annoyingly, that luckily the woman didn't notice, before bowing her head politely and seeing herself out to go to the laundry room again. When she was sure she was out of earshot, she clicked her tongue and her light steps turned into stomping.

Who did that lady think she was? Her personal maid? Not to mention she hated being called little. She had enough of a complex towards her height and she could do without being reminded of it. Ugh, she dealt with entitled guests before but this lady and her family were on a whole different level. Her son and daughter were loud, her husband kept spilling wine on the futons (meaning she had to be the one to switch the futons out for clean ones), and the wife herself was some sort of discount evil step-mother AND step-sisters combined.

Her stomach growled again. She missed breakfast and lunch because of how busy the unruly guests were keeping her, and she didn't want the other staff members to suffer at the hands of them. She silently told her stomach to hang in there just a bit longer until dinner-time as she retrieved a warm, clean towel from the dryer. J knew she had to get back quick or else the lady was going to whine about how the towel wasn't warm anymore or something-

She sped walked through the halls of the inn, her heart racing from her anxiety and lack of endurance. On top of not having eaten anything so far, she was barely functioning on any fuel at all.

Suddenly, she felt light-headed, and her body grew heavy.

Someone called out to her, making her look up to acknowledge their blurry form that was waving at her in the distance. Nothing came out when she opened her mouth and the last thing she recalled were her legs giving out and falling towards the hardwood floors.

"J...J!"

She winced at the shouting and tiredly opened her eyes. She recognized the glow-in-the-dark stars that were littered across her ceiling, making her realize quickly that she was laying in her room. She looked to her left to see Lee, letting out a relieved sigh.

"Thank Arceus you're OK…"

"What even happened?" J croaked. And that's when she remembered and jolted up from her bed. "The guest-!"

Pain immediately shot through her head, bringing her back down to her bed.

"Easy there! You just woke up from fainting!" Lee scolded, bringing the covers up to her chin. He couldn't help but place the back of his hand against her forehead, something that his mom always did to him and Hop to check if they were sick. "No fever, it seems. That's a relief."

"I fainted…?"

"Yeah, you gave your folks quite a scare too." Leon scratched his cheek and looked to the side sheepishly. "Actually, they might have freaked out by how loud I yelled."

"Why were you yelling?" J asked before pressing her fingers around her head, looking for any notable bumps that she may have gotten after falling because of the migraines that pounded in her head every so often. But there was none.

"Because I'm the one that caught you before you fell! I was waving to you since we had just come back from Fortree City and I wanted to tell you about it! And then it looked like you were swaying, then your legs gave out - I panicked, which caught your uncle's attention thankfully."

"One of his security Beldums must have noticed and alerted him. No wonder I don't feel any bumps on my head. Thanks for catching me Lee, and sorry for the trouble-" That's when her stomach growled again and she became hyper-aware of her persistent hunger that had devolved into hunger pains. "Ugh…"

"Haha, hang on," Lee got up from her bedside and slid open the door of her bedroom, where J could faintly hear what sounded like shouting not too far away. She grimaced, which didn't go unnoticed by Lee, who rolled in a cart of food into her room.

"I'd hate to be the rude guests that are getting an earful from your aunt." He snickered.

Juliet sighed. She was no doubt going to be next, granted it was luckily going to be the caring kind of scolding rather than the rage-filled that her aunt rarely showed unless someone was really testing her patience. "Can't say they don't deserve it, but I wish it didn't escalate to this point."

"Well, she is your aunt, and finding out that some people were giving a dear family member a hard time, I'd be pretty upset too." Lee sifted through the various dishes on the cart and carefully handed her a bowl of miso soup. "Anyway, your aunt loaded all of his food for you since the paramedics said you likely fainted from pushing yourself too hard-"

J looked between the soup on her lap and back to the cart, then back to her soup. "Wait, all of this is for me?!"

Lee snorted. "Hope you're hungry."

"I am, but this is a bit overboard! Did you eat yet? Think you can give me a hand?"

"Don't mind if I do. By the way, thanks for not kicking me out of your room."

"I wouldn't do that unless I had a reason to. But since you helped me, I think you earned it. Although, I don't have anything special in here." Juliet chuckled.

Lee looked around, his eyes following the shelves lined with various books, video games, and other trinkets like shells and beach glass. "My childhood-friend Sonia would burn me at the stake if she caught me going into her room. But, you room reminds me of my mentor's house, Master Mus-"

He caught himself before he finished, but at the cost of him choking on yam tempura he was in the middle of eating. J quickly poured him a glass of water from a pitcher on her night stand and handed it to him, which he proceeded to down in one go.

Holy crap, that was a close call.

"I-I mean…"

"Geez, you scared me. I won't make you say anything if you accidentally let it slip. But, you have a mentor huh? No wonder you're so good at battling."

"Something like that. When he's not training me or his other students, he's playing video games." Lee laughed nervously.

"Huh, so a powerful Pokemon trainer even has time for hobbies, huh? That sounds nice." J commented wistfully. That was probably what she would have wanted for herself - to be strong and confident, yet being able to live peacefully without constantly being watched by cameras and scrutinized. Whoever this mentor was, he must live a pretty comfortable life.

"You don't think strong trainers have hobbies?"

"No, no, it's not that. I just...being a powerful trainer and under the spotlight seems more trouble than it's worth. I mean, strong trainers are just people who made it. Constantly being on guard for fans and paparazzi - I don't know if I'd be able to relax with that kind of pressure."

Lee tensed up, and he couldn't help it. She unknowingly struck a nerve at his status and part of him wondered if she was actually insinuating something about him because she knew. But if she did, she wasn't going to bring it up or make a big deal out of it, which was what he wanted, honestly. "It does seem like it'd be hard to deal with. Not having time for your family, friends, or even yourself at times…"

J noticed how dejected he became and frowned. "Sorry, Lee. Did I stir up something that made you think of unpleasant memories?"

"Not to that extent, but I am feeling a bit sentimental by what you said. It's nothing you need to apologize for, though! If anything, it makes me happy that you're so...perceptive to that kind of thing and empathetic about it." Lee grinned gently.

"Well, just as you're hiding a lot of things, I am too. At the end of the day, we're all going through our own troubles in our lives that makes it hard to be happy. But, something that I've learned is that there are people out there who feel just like me and knowing that, I don't feel so alone. No one is. Even during moments where it feels like the whole world has their back turned towards you, there will always be someone who accepts you for you." J couldn't help but giggle at the end of that little tangent. Now she was the one getting a bit sentimental. "So, no matter who you are or who you become, there will be someone who will look at you and see you. Because there's no one else anyone should try to be, than themselves. It's OK if you're hiding things from me Lee, but I want you to know that I accept you, Lee. You could tell me tomorrow that you're the son of the royal family and I'd still accept you!"

Arceus, why was his face burning up so much and why was his heart pounding against his chest. Lee couldn't pinpoint what it was he was feeling, but he knew there was something unfamiliar stirring in his chest. It wasn't unpleasant or painful - it...it honestly tickled a little. Was he the one getting sick now? He didn't feel ill. If anything, he felt the complete opposite.

The things she said made him feel stronger, recognized, but not just for his battle prowess, but as himself. The idea of him being the son of the royal family sounded more shocking than him being Champion, and the fact that she admitted to him that she would accept him if that was the case? That melted away all of his fears that he would only be seen for his accomplishments for the rest of his life.

Because she was here to tell him that she was someone who would look at him for who he was. That warm confirmation made him...it made him happy.

"...Are you OK, Lee? Are you the one coming down with a fever now?"

"It's nothing!" He squeaked. "I think there was something spicy in this dish just now."

J looked at his food and raised an eyebrow. "You're eating ice cream."

"O-Oh, am I? Then, you should have some too! There's plenty to go around!"

"Lee! Let's ride the ferris wheel!" Hop exclaimed, clutching the large Wooloo stuffed animal that his brother won for him. Courtney bounded after him, carrying a Swablu stuffed animal of her own that Juliet won for her.

"I wanna ride too! Wait for me!"

"Slow down, Hop. The ferris wheel isn't going anywhere." Lee chuckled. He turned to J, who was walking next to him while nibbling away on a candy apple. After their battle a week ago, J was like a whole different person. She smiled more, there was an extra spring in her step, and showed more of her playful side to him. It was like...a burden had been lifted from her shoulders, giving her the freedom to act more carefree.

And what she told him recently...it stirred up a different feeling inside of him.

Something about her new-found cheer made him feel a different kind of happiness. Every smile and every laugh that she sent his way, made his heart hammer in his chest. It wasn't the same kind of heart-pumping adrenaline he got from battling, nor was it the same as when his heart would pound from stress during an important meeting with his sponsors under the watchful eyes of Chairman Rose.

It was a different kind of exhilaration.

Warm, but exciting.

"Lee, are you staring at me because you want a bite?" J asked, offering her half-eaten caramel apple to him.

Damn, he wasn't subtle at all.

"No, it's not that. You have caramel all over your mouth."

"Oh!" J giggled sheepishly and fished for a napkin from her handbag. Even her little quirks sent a pleasant tingle through his heart.

...She was cute.

"By the way, are you really OK after what happened the other day?" Lee asked with concern.

"I told you, I'm fine now! I made sure to eat all my meals and not overwork myself." J laughed off lightly. "Thanks for catching me. That must have freaked you out though, so I'm sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you didn't hit your head or anything-"

"Lee! You and J are taking too long so Courtney and I are going first!" Hop huffed as he helped Courtney into the cart, tossing their Pokemon stuffed animals after her before getting in himself. Once the ferris wheel attendant closed their cart and moved to allow them into the following cart, Lee made a bowing gesture towards the opening.

"Ladies first."

J snorted and rolled her eyes at his chivalrous behaviour, but played along with him anyway by offering him a small curtsy. Finally, the ferris wheel hummed to life, slowly beginning to rotate and lighting up the night sky with its strobe lights.

The two sat in a comfortable silence, simply enjoying each other's company while they marvelled at the fireworks that started exploding in the sky. Lee's eyes then wandered back to J. Her smile was relaxed but her cobalt blue eyes reflected the sparks of colour and life that exploded in the sky.

He couldn't tell if the rumbling of the fireworks were shaking through his core or if his heart was exploding as well.

"Lee."

He jolted out of his dreamy daze. "Y-Yeah?"

"...Thank you." She turned away from the window and stared down at her lap thoughtfully. "I went through a lot of things that made me insecure and depressed about who I was. I thought that if I couldn't keep my parents proud of me, then that was it. I was basically nothing. But..." Closing her eyes, she recalled fondly of her travels with her aunt, and of the past week.

"I was taking for granted the support that I did have. My aunt, uncle, and even Courtney, always looked at me for what I could do. Not for what they wished I could do, like my parents." Then, her head raised to look at him with all the gratitude swimming in her gaze. "And after battling you, I felt like I was myself again. I found the courage to do things my way again instead of just being bossed around by the people who looked down on me."

"J..."

She gently took his hands and clasped them between hers. "Thank you for reigniting my passion and believing in me."

"...I want to thank you too." Lee pulled his hands away from her grasp, only to lace their fingers together. J's eyes widened and her cheeks flushed heavily from the warmth radiating from his hands.

"You do? For what?"

"For seeing me as, well, me. Back home, people see me as their hero and there's so much that's expected of me that sometimes it feels like I can't even breathe. I didn't get to grow up making stupid mistakes or experience things everyone else my age was doing. I'm glad that so many people rely and adore me but..." He sighed heavily. "It makes it hard to connect with anyone when everyone is looking at me with starry eyes. I'm just a trainer from a small town. I'm not anyone special."

"Lee..."

"I'm still hiding that part of myself to you but...only because I don't want you to remember me as who I am in the Galar region. I want you to remember me for what you see here. I promise to tell you one day but for now, can you promise me that you'll remember the Lee you see right now?"

She smiled warmly and pressed her forehead against his. "Only if you do the same for me."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Ahem." Their heads whipped to the front of the cart where Hop was watching them with suspicious eyes while Courtney was sleepily clinging on his back. Their faces erupted in a bright shade of red in recognition of their sudden closeness, making them tear away from each other quickly.

"Were you two gonna-"

"Hop! Thanks for taking care of my little cousin but let me carry her back home." J stumbled out of the ferris wheel cart to carry Courtney on her back instead. She didn't catch the sly smirk that Hop wore on his face, but based on how he protested from being suddenly carried by his older brother, she knew he had seen too much.

The journey back was just as awkward, unlike the comfortable silence they were used to in each other's company. Anytime their shy glances met, they turned their heads away from each other, unable to verbalize or comprehend the torrent of unfamiliar feelings inside of their chests. When they made it back to the inn, they didn't even properly bid each other good night and instead passed the care of Hop and Courtney to their respective guardians before hurrying to their own rooms.

J leaned back against the door of her room and buried her face in her knees. "Get it together, Juliet. Don't get attached to a boy who's going to be gone in a few days." But she couldn't shake the lingering warmth of his hands laced with hers, or the way he looked at her with such sincerity and adoration.

Recognizing that what she was feeling was a crush, she was surely drowning in embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Lee had buried himself under the covers, pretending to be asleep to avoid being questioned by his mom in regards to the sudden shift in his behaviour. He lifted his face up from the pillow and couldn't help but fondly recall J's warm smiles and earnest eyes – a look that made him feel like he could do anything, be anything. "I've...never fallen in love with anyone before..."

He wished this vacation could last forever.

On the final night before his departure back to Galar, Lee quietly turned over on his bed to look at the time display on the digital clock by his bedside. 3 AM. Still way too early to get up, but just the right time for what he wanted to see. He carefully got out of his bed, shoving extra pillows under the sheets to make it look like he hadn't snuck out, and tip-toed his way out the door. The inn was completely quiet, save for the sounds of night life that came from open windows to let in the cool summer breeze.

He quietly moved through the inn, miraculously finding his way in the direction of J's room. He opened it gently, peering into the dark room carefully, before crouching down to her bedside and shaking her awake.

"Nnnng...? Go back to sleep Courtney. I'm not going with you to the bathroom..." J grumbled.

"I'm not Courtney." Lee snorted. Sleepily opening her eyes and letting her eyes adjust to the darkness, she glared at him lightly for waking her up.

"Lee? What do you want at this hour?"

"Come with me. I want to show you something."

"Huh...? This early in the morning?"

"It'll be worth it – I promise."

"...It better be." J pushed away her blanket and threw on a light sweater before following him out of the inn. He led her up a nearby hill, where a blanket was laid out on the grass with two canisters sitting on top of it. J raised an eyebrow.

"What's all this for?"

He plopped down on the blanket and patted the empty space next to him. "Take a seat and you'll find out."

She eyed him suspiciously before sitting beside him. He poured tea from one of the canisters and offered it to her. "So, when my family and I visited Mossdeep City, a scientist at the space centre told me something interesting."

"And that is?" J took the offered tea and sipped it carefully. It was her favourite. Pecha berry tea.

"Look up at the sky and you'll see. It should be starting soon."

As if on cue, streaks of light whisked through the night sky one after the other until the sky was blanketed in raining stars. J's eyes twinkled at the phenomenon and her jaw was dropped in complete awe. She had never witnessed a meteor shower before and seeing one for the first time was nothing short of magical.

"Isn't this amazing?"

"It's incredible! I've never seen a meteor shower before! I didn't think it was worth it to wake up early to watch one but I'm so glad you convinced me!" As the sky poured with shooting stars, she felt a sense of sentimentality at the display. Shooting stars, captivating but gone so quickly. But even in its fleeting moments, the beauty of it sticks with you forever.

It reminded her of Lee. A fiery presence, like the sun. Radiating warmth and guiding the way with its light. But, unlike the sun, a constant in everyone's lives, he had to go back to where he was needed. Back in his own region.

She was going to be OK, though.

She wasn't going to say 'good bye'.

She was going to say 'see you later!"

That's how she wanted to see him off. Whatever burdens and responsibilities were waiting for him, she wanted to give him strength to keep moving forward.

"Lee."

He looked at her curiously.

"These two weeks went by so quickly but...Just like shooting stars, I'll never forget a single moment I've spent with you. Whatever comes your way, I know you can get through it." J put her hands together and wished from the bottom of her heart. "And just in case, I'll keep wishing for your happiness."

His hands came around her clasped hands, giving them a comforting squeeze. Their eyes met, both of them filled with longing for the other. Lee's hand came up to caress her cheek tenderly. She did the same, reaching out to hold his face and rub her thumb against his cheek. Their heads leaned further towards each other, their foreheads coming together and their breaths close enough to feel on each other's lips. Their lips barely grazed each other, as if to gauge the others' reaction.

Finally their lips came together in a gentle kiss. Under the shower of stars, it was like they were sealing a silent promise. To treasure the time that they had and to work hard towards their dreams so they could see each other again.

And when they did meet again, they would ask for their real names.

Long after they pulled away, they remained in each other's arms, even when the last shooting stars had streaked across the sky and in came the dawn over the horizon. Their respective parents and guardians eventually found them, lying fast asleep next to each other with their hands laced together.

But, all good things must come to an end.

Once they were woken up, they pulled away knowingly.

It was time.

Lee looked up at the front of the inn with his suitcase in hand. He never imagined he would have grown attached to the place and the people living in it. Leaving felt like leaving behind a part of himself.

But, one day, he will come back.

And he knew he would be welcomed with open arms.

"Lee, I want you to keep this." J handed him her Heart Scale; the one they had gotten from helping the baby Luvdisc find his family.

"Why? I already got one so you should keep it." He protested. She blushed heavily and shifted nervously, eyes transfixed to the ground.

"I...I thought, you know, it will keep you company. Like, I'll be there with you in spirit. And, you can give it back to me when we meet again. Please?"

"I'll take good care of it. Actually, to make this fair," He reached into his duffel bag and pulled out a polaroid camera. "I have one more picture left so let's take a photo together so you have something to hang on to."

"Lee…" J sniffled, trying to wipe away her tears but more kept streaming down her face.

"Come on, let me see one of your smiles. This is 'see you later' not 'good-bye'." Lee comforted as he slid his arm around her shoulder, holding up his Heart Scale by her head while he held his other arm out with camera in hand. J wrapped her own arm around his shoulder and held up her Heart Scale by his head while giving a peace sign with the other.

"Are you sure this is going to turn out good?"

"My friend Raihan is a pro at taking selfies so I learned a thing or two from him. It'll turn out perfect, trust me." Lee beamed. "Ready?"

J smiled brightly at the camera. "Ready!"

"Say 'cheese'!"

"Cheese!"

Click.

The photo came out of the camera instantly, and J looked over to see how the photo turned out, only to see that it was completely black. "Huh? Did we mess up?"

Lee chuckled. "Just give it a few seconds."

Surely enough, the photo faded into clarity and both of them were perfectly in frame, making J giggle excitedly. "It looks great! Thank you, Lee."

"You're welcome." He handed her the photo, while she handed him her Heart Scale in return. They both held their memento from each other close to their chests, basking in the tender moment for just a bit longer.

J was the first to break the silence and with a tearful smile, she held out a closed fist to him. "See you later, Lee. Good luck with everything back home!"

Lee choked back tears and pulled her into a tight hug instead. J couldn't hold back anymore. She sobbed into his shoulder and clutched on the back of his shirt. He gingerly stroked her black hair, letting his fingers weave through smooth strands, before finally pulling away and giving her one last cheerful smile.

It wasn't forced like the ones where cameras were in his face.

This time it was real.

"See you later, J. I hope you find what you're looking for."

She nodded wordlessly, throat too tight to utter another word. Slowly, he turned his back to her and made his way to the bus, where his mom and brother were already boarded on. When the bus started moving, he stuck his head out of the open window, wanting to cherish the sight of the inn and his first love for as long as he could.

When J couldn't see the bus anymore, she didn't move from her spot, choosing to linger in her moment of solitude as fond memories of the last two weeks flash through her mind nostalgically.

Finally, when her aunt called out to her, J confidently walked up to her.

"Auntie. I'm ready to go on another journey."