For those who are wondering, I don't have a beta reader for any of my stories. That's why it takes some time for me to publish a chapter.
Hau is not the jealous type, yet her girlfriend's match against Sun left quite an impression on him. He was focused on cheering for Lillie but not too focused to miss how that Sun guy acted around her. He asked her if she could fight before the battle, gave her a few battle tips, and even showed sportsmanship after the match that he did not do during his match with Plumeria.
Soft.
That is right. That is how Hau would describe Sun around Lillie. Though he did not hold back in the battle, he was definitely considerate of her like a brother would to his little sister. Is that how it is or…?
The memory of Lillie blushing when Sun held her hand came rushing back to him. The guy must have seen his face when he was staring at them. Hau swore he saw Sun smirked when he turned away from Lillie. Oh, Tapu Koko, no! Do not tell him he is flirting with her?
Hau's reaction was instantaneous. He hit his knee against the underside of the coffee table and almost spilled his cup of Tapu Cocoa from the Pokémon Center Café. The pile of investigative reports from Molayne might have escaped the hot chocolate, but it did not dodge his flailing arm. It got knocked off and scattered into individual documents across the table and the floor. Hau held back the scream at the back of his throat and simply slammed his head against the tabletop.
The door opened, and Gladion stepped inside his office, only to pause at the seemingly lifeless body of the Champion. He stared for a moment before deciding not to get involved with the 'murder'. He brushed past him, picked a few of the scattered papers, and settled down on his desk. The quarterfinals ended hours ago, but he could not take a break yet. He still has work to do – from reviewing the Aether employees' daily reports, scheduling meetings with their advocacy partners, and, most importantly, investigating Sun.
He had asked Molayne last night to give him all he has found so far about Sun. Most of them were records of his movement across the region – at least, what was witnessed by credible sources. There is still the matter about the unusual flight months ago that the Steel-type Elite Four member informed them about and some information submitted officially by the police. He has yet to ask Lillie about what she saw last night but does not want to distress her further. She needs a bit more time, but Gladion wonders if they have that luxury….
Hau shifted, his head turning toward the direction of the blond, and called out in a whining voice. "Gladioooonnn…"
"Oh, wow." Gladion's voice drawled sarcastically over his cup of Komala Coffee that Wicke brought him earlier. "Who stole your malasada? And here you said I am the grump of the group."
"Uggghhh!" Hau threw himself across the sofa. His arms draped across the arm of the sofa nearest to Gladion's desk. "This is serious!"
Gladion gave himself a second to prepare for the incoming migraine. "What did you do this time, Hau?"
"I didn't!" Hau looked offended. "It was Sun! Sun did something!'"
That seemed to get a reaction from the older Aether sibling, as the Champion expected. Gladion promptly placed down the papers on the desk and frowned. "What?"
"Didn't you see? When their match ended, Sun helped Lillie." There was an accusatory tone in Hau's voice. "I think he's flirting with her!"
Gladion almost spewed out his coffee. He placed the cup down and looked at Hau like he had grown two more heads. "Did you hit your head? What in the Tapus' name made you think that?"
"Hey!" Hau rose from his sprawled position. "My head's fine, but I'm sure of what I saw. Sun was holding Lillie's hand!"
"He was helping her. You said it yourself!"
"But he didn't do the same with Plumeria!" Hau reasoned out. "I'm sure he saw me looking at them and smirked. Like a really annoying smirk. He's into Lillie!"
"Hau, that does not make any sen-"
"You said that Sun texted you last night to find Lillie," Hau interjected. "How did he know where to find her? Wait…is he a stalker?"
Gladion ran his hands across his face and made a sound of both disappointment and frustration. He was tempted to call Silvally, run off to somewhere remote, and never come back. He wondered how in the world did Hau manage to keep the Champion title for five years now with him being like…this. He took a deep breath and turned to look Hau in the eye. "Hau…I told you. It was Lillie who was following Sun, not the other way around. You are just being jealous of some idea that wasn't there."
"Yeah? Then, why are you defending him now?"
"What?"
Gladion swore that one of these days, he was really going to borrow Lunala from Lillie and throw Hau into Ultra Space. Consequences be damned. He was already regretting meeting Hau years ago. Scratch that. He has always regretted meeting him.
"I am not defending him, Hau! I'm just stating the facts. Lillie never met him personally until today, and I don't think Sun is interested in Lillie the way you think he does. There is just no way that's what's happening."
Otherwise, he will punch that guy in the face.
"But Glads-!"
Gladion raised his palm to cut him off. "No. I'm not hearing it from you, Hau." He swiveled his chair away from the Champion and leaned against the backrest. He heard, rather than saw Hau slumped dejectedly back to the sofa and huffed in annoyance. It was a ridiculous idea, really. Sun liking Lillie? He is already getting punished with his sister dating Hau, but Sun? No, thank you! He would rather try tolerating Hau than that guy.
The tense peace lasted for only a few minutes when his phone rang. Gladion picked it up, and a hushed voice spoke from the other side. "Ummm…Gladion? Hau's with you, right?"
"Acerola?" It is rare for him to get a call from the Ghost-type Trial Captain and Elite Four member. Most of the time, it would be Olivia asking about the rehabilitation progress of Pokémon admitted from Akala. Hearing the usually sunny Acerola speaking in a nervous voice (which is saying a lot from a Trainer specializing in Ghost-types), he felt a sense of foreboding…and not the good type. "What's the matter? Did something happen?"
"Er… it's not really an emergency." There was a pause, and Gladion waited for her to continue. "I just…kinda, you know, saw Lillie with that guy Sun."
Hau almost jumped three feet in the air when Gladion abruptly stood up from his seat. "WHAT?"
The Champion threw the older Aether sibling a questioning look, but Gladion ignored him. Acerola seemed hesitant to continue. "I…I saw them eating in a restaurant here in Malie City. You know…just the two of them. They seemed cozy." That struck a nerve in Gladion. "Could you please send Hau -
"Forget Hau!" Gladion snatched his Pokéballs and stomped toward the door. "I'm going to punch that guy! Where is the place?"
"It's-"
The door swung open before Gladion could reach for the doorknob. Wicke rushed inside with eyes wide in panic. "Young Master! We got a problem!"
At this point, Lillie does not know which is worse - losing a tournament battle to Sun or dining with the said Trainer in one of the best restaurants in Alola. She did not expect to run into him that soon. She was just supposed to run an errand in the Aether House for Professor Burnet before going back to Manalo to eat dinner with her friends. However, fate seemed to have other ideas when she bumped into Sun on her way out of the Aether House. She has yet to process why Sun was there of all places when he smiled (at least, that was what Lillie thought it was) and invited her out for dinner. She did not have the chance to properly answer when he took her hand and led her to the Sushi High Roller in Malie City on the back of his Corviknight.
Now, she was seated across him on a two-person table located at the best spot in the restaurant. Lillie just finished apologizing to her friends via a group message that there has been a change of plans and that she cannot come. She could not tell them exactly what is it, but it was sudden, which is true. Sun just finished placing their order by the counter and settled down on his seat. He did not tell her what he ordered but promised that it would be special. The red-eyed Trainer studied her with the same impassive expression, though something seemed off about it. But even so, Lillie could not help but fidget under his gaze. The people around do not seem to notice - all engrossed in their conversations.
"Ummm…thank you for inviting me."
"I should be the one thanking you, Miss Lillie," Sun said as he leaned casually on the table with his elbows. "You already had a prior engagement, yet you put it aside to entertain my little request. I apologize if it was sudden."
"Well…I…" Lillie twined her fingers together. "It's fine…as long as you will answer my questions."
"Hm…" There was a twinkle in those red eyes that Lillie did not miss. "Alright. I will try my best, as long as it is not related to the deal between your brother and me."
"T-That's fine by me." It is better than nothing. Lillie thought. For some reason, Sun is accommodating, unlike what she expected of him. She wondered if he was being considerate because she lost to him or because he found her amusing. Either way, she hoped she would get a few answers.
Lillie looked down at her clasped hands, debating what to ask first. She could feel Sun's eyes on her, waiting for her to do her worst. "Ummm…what…what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in Manalo?"
Sun raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you prefer small talk first, Miss Lillie." Lillie opened her mouth to say sorry, but he simply waved it off. "No need to apologize. I am just used to people being straightforward with what they want from me." He leaned against the backrest of the chair. "To answer your question, I am here for an errand. It's nothing much, really. I am just here to speak to a friend."
A friend? Lillie thought. Did not Mister Nanu say that Sun did not have any records here in Alola? How did he know someone here? Did that person help him get in Alola undetected? She remembered her brother telling them that Sun was working for someone. What if that person is his boss? She wondered if she could ask that. Maybe she could not be direct about it… "Is that person…the one who sent you here in Alola?"
"No." When Lillie deflated at his answer, Sun continued. "My friend and my boss are two different persons. Though, referring to that person as my superior is wrong. How should I say it?" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Ah, yes. You could say that that person is my benefactor. They are simply looking out for me, that's all."
Before Lillie stopped herself, she blurted out. "Why?"
Sun made a clicking noise with his tongue. "Too close, Miss Lillie, too close. That would be a question for Mr. Future Aether President to find out. That is…if he wins against me."
"Ah… I'm sorry."
Sun simply brushed it off as the waiter approached their table with their food. Plates and bowls of different dishes were laid out in front of them. The largest of them is the one in the middle – a rectangular, wooden plate filled with various types of sushi. Surprisingly, many of them are not familiar to Lillie, considering that she has dined in this restaurant many times already. The ceramic bowls were also different in the sense that it is not the restaurant's usual signature design. The number of dips was three more than the usual, even for the Z-Kaiseki: Ronin Set.
"Seems they went all out," Sun remarked and thanked the waiter who bowed before leaving them to their meal. He picked up his chopsticks and gestured to the food. "Ladies first."
Lillie gingerly picked up her chopsticks and surveyed the spread. There were many to choose from that she did not know what to pick. She decided to try out one shaped like a rectangular box with a topping cut diagonally. A soft Oh! escaped her lips as the savory flavor of the cut fish and the sourness of the vinegared rice mingled with her taste buds.
Sun seemed pleased with her reaction. "That one is an oshizushi, also known as hakozushi. It's from the Johto region. And this," He picked up a pale rectangular sushi with fish and a few herbs on the top. "Is a sakezushi and a specialty in Hoenn. It has a rather strong and mixed flavor, but you should try it."
"I didn't know they serve sushi from regions other than Kanto."
"They don't," Sun said, dipping his next pick in a spicy sauce. "Unless if you have an 'in' with the manager. He called it Z-Kaiseki: Shogun Set to honor the First Alolan Champion." He smiled winningly that it made the butterflies in Lillie's stomach flutter. "You are one of the lucky few to be served with this set."
"O-Oh…thank you." She looked down on her plate, mulling over her thoughts. "Can I…can I ask a question?"
"You already are."
Lillie felt flustered but decided it was now or never. "Why did you save me?"
Sun tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Y-You know, last night! You knew that I was following you, but you just let it be." Lillie explained. "When I lost you that night, my older brother found me. He told me that you sent him a message that I was in trouble and expected him to come to my rescue. Why? I mean…my brother considers you as his enemy. Even my friends do. We didn't meet until today. Why did you do that?"
"Why? I wonder why." Sun placed his chopsticks down. "Let me first clarify one thing, Miss Lillie. My motives may not agree with you, but it doesn't mean I am a cruel person. I don't care if you try to stop me because, in the end, I must carry out what I came for in this region. As long as you don't get in my way, no one has to get hurt."
"As for saving you, I have my reasons. If I didn't message Mr. Future Aether President, you would be dead by now, or even worse…." He did not continue that sentence, letting Lillie figure it out herself. "Now then, it's my turn to ask, Miss Lillie." He leaned on his elbows, and Lillie felt a chill run down her spine as she looked at those red eyes. "Tell me what you saw last night."
Lillie dropped her chopsticks with a loud clatter that was drowned by the lively chatter around them. She wanted to run, but her body was frozen in place. The accommodating atmosphere that Sun initially set was replaced with something suffocating. "W-What I saw last night…." A part of her knew that if she did not answer truthfully to his question, he would not hesitate to get it in ways worse than this. "When I…I tried finding you, I heard voices. I followed them to an empty shop. There were… people talking, I think."
Sun narrowed his eyes. "You think?"
"I-I didn't see them at first!" Lillie answered hastily. "I just saw their shadows. There are five of them."
"Hm…go on. I am listening."
"I hid and tried to listen. A woman's voice was talking about some kind of plan. I didn't know what it was about, but I don't think it's anything good." Lillie bunched the fabric of her skirt with her hands. "The voice was familiar, and I tried looking to check who it was. Then, I saw her…I saw M-! "
Lillie's eyes widened in bewilderment when Sun suddenly lunged at her and covered her mouth. His face was just inches away from her. "Do not finish that word! Do not say her name!" He hissed. "Not here. Not to these people. Do you understand?"
Lillie trembled before him with eyes wild with panic and fear but managed to nod as much as she could. Sun withdrew away from her and settled back on his seat. The following minutes were tense and quiet. Between the two of them, Lillie could no longer find the heart to enjoy the food anymore. She was still reeling from the sudden confrontation. She could feel Sun's fiery red eyes boring down on her as he ate in heavy silence. She tried to pick up her dropped chopsticks, but her hands were limp on her lap.
"Let's make a deal, Miss Lillie." She visibly jolted when Sun spoke, but the young man ignored it. "You will keep everything and everyone you saw last night under lock-and-key and cooperate with me from now on. In exchange, I will give you information."
Lillie did not know how she managed to utter any word at all. "I-Information?" Sun lifted his left arm and pulled the sleeve of his jacket. Shock danced on Lillie's face when she recognized the Z-Power Ring wrapped around his wrist. "You…you have it…." Her shock slowly morphed to rage she did not know she had. She rose from her seat, almost knocking the chair backward. "You stole it! How could you?"
"What of it?" Lillie looked at him like she was punched in the gut, and he stared at her with an apathetic expression. "Your dearest Champion left years ago. What good is a Z-Power Ring if it isn't used?"
"That's Moon's-! "
"Your Moon is not here." Lillie felt her throat closed up. There was a deafening ringing in her ears. "Stop depending on someone that is not here for you. Is it that difficult to face that reality?"
She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but no words came out. A part of her felt betrayed, hurt that he was right. Moon is not here. Moon has left Alola for five years now. The previous Champion never once called nor sent a message to any of them. She never looked back…as if they were just memories of the past that she never wanted to remember. Sun was right, but she could not accept the truth that he just slapped at her face.
"Listen well, Miss Lillie. You will not tell anyone of what and who you saw last night. Not even to your friends, your family, or anyone in this region. You saw nothing, heard nothing, remembered nothing. If you know what's good for you and everyone else, you will do as you're told. Am I understood?"
Lillie did not answer. Sun shook his head in mild disappointment. From the inside of his jacket, he produced a brown, expanding envelope and held it in front of him. "One year after Miss Moon left Alola, where she went, who the people she interacted with. I got every information about what the First Alolan Champion did in the past five years." That got a reaction out of her as he expected. He offered the envelope to her. "Accept this deal, and I will provide all the missing puzzle pieces. Perhaps, I might even indulge you where her current whereabout is."
Lillie stared at the envelope, still in disbelief and shock at what he said. It was an enticing offer - if she accepts, she will not just know what Moon was up to in the past five years, but she might also find why she left. If Sun would also tell her where Moon is now, she can see her and try to talk her into returning to Alola, no matter the reason for her leaving the region in the first place. It was really a tempting offer…but what would her brother think of it? What would Hau feel about it? Will they agree with her if she accepts?
As if reading her mind, Sun spoke up. "This is between you and me, Miss Lillie. Whether you accept or not, it will have nothing to do with Mr. Future Aether President. It will not hurt him."
Right. Lillie pursed her lips. This is her decision. Steeling herself for whatever comes next, she took the envelope with trembling fingers. For a moment, she has mistaken the look in his eyes as regret, but it was just a mistake, right? The hostility in those red eyes was replaced with pity. That is right. It was pity. It was gone in a second when Sun turned away and flagged the waiter. She sat back down and cradled the envelope against her chest like a lifeline. The waiter cleared their table and went off to have their leftovers wrapped for takeout.
"Why...?" Lillie murmured. Her voice was a whisper loud enough for only Sun to hear. "Why do you want to hide her? She wouldn't...do anything bad, won't she? I trust her. Me, my brother, and everyone else..."
"I will give you advice, Miss Lillie." He told her after the waiter returned with their food packaged in take-home bento boxes. "Trust nobody. At this point, people live with their mirror images. You will never know which person is that belongs in this world before it is too late."
He pushed half of the bento boxes in her direction and smiled coolly. The accommodating atmosphere returned in a blink of an eye. "I enjoyed tonight's dinner." He stood up. "I hope you will accept my invitation next time. Good night…or at least, that's what I wanted to say."
Lillie threw him a confused look when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck rose. There was a rumbling sound, and the ground shook. Terrified screams broke outside, and before she realized it, her body was up and running right behind Sun. They rushed out, and Lillie nearly collapsed on her feet as she followed Sun's gaze upward. Churning above the skies of Route 11 and Malie City was a purple Ultra Wormhole.
