Olivine City
"Why are you so late?"
Drew internally groans as he closes the door. Like always, Brianna is waiting for his return. "It's a long trip." He nonchalantly replies while walking past her to the bedroom.
Shaking her head, Brianna says, "You don't need to spend the whole day on Cianwood for a little meeting with Jimmy."
Drew's excuse was that he was visiting the Cianwood gym leader Jimmy Kenta who is also married to Marina, the Contest Committee head on the island. He had left before telling Brianna so that she couldn't follow him. Drew also promised to return shortly; thus, he told Brianna it isn't worth her following him. Obviously, he's been gone longer than expected.
"I got caught up. The Kentas wanted to catch up and I ate with them." Drew grabs his towel to head into the bathroom.
"What was your meeting about?"
"I'm tired, Brianna. It's late. Let's just go to sleep."
"I know you're lying, Drew." She narrows her eyes at him. Drew tries to close the bathroom door on her, but she won't let him. "I know you've been seeing May Maple!"
Groaning, he exclaims, "She doesn't know anything, so just leave her alone."
"If you see her again, I'm gonna leak the photos!" She threatens him.
Drew shrugs at this though because he's been preparing himself for it. "You'll lose everything. Me and the money."
"I'm already famous after 10 years with you. And everyone will pity the woman who got cheated on." She knowingly tells him.
Drew is prepared for this too though. "I will leak your rude comments about this region. About the hurricane and May. Your threats. Everything." He has been secretly recording Brianna who is only interested in him. She views the hurricane and relief efforts as a distraction, but she only helps out because of Drew and for her public image. "The people won't pity such a nasty selfish personality."
"The people won't believe a cheater!" The fuming woman shouts at him.
"I have your voice on recordings. Let's just break up peacefully and go our separate ways, Brianna."
"If you break up with me, I will ruin you and May!"
"You will leave May out of it! This is between you and me!"
"I'm not scared of you, Drew. You may have my voice on recordings but anyone can mimic voices. And I have plenty of clear photos of you cheating!"
Dropping his towel, Drew storms past her. It's about time he's truly happy again. And he's prepared for anything Brianna throws at him. "It's over. I'm breaking up with you." He coolly responds.
"You will regret this, Drew!"
"I regret being with you this long. I regret ever sleeping with you and dating you!" He glares into her dark teal eyes, making her flinch.
Through clenched teeth as she watches him open the door, Brianna says, "I'm gonna make May hate you."
Chuckling, he closes the door halfway. "That's why I like May better. She has a kinder heart than you." With that, he shuts the door in Brianna's face and leaves. He'll spend the night in a hotel room as he prepares himself for the major drama that's about to be all over the news.
The Next Day
As May leaves the building after the meeting, she makes her way to her car. With winter approaching soon, Marina has started having meetings again to prepare for when construction stops. May has been staying later after the meetings to catch up on what she's missed since she is still a teacher first. Being the only one in the parking lot after bidding Marina goodbye, May is instantly stopped by three people.
She curiously looks at the two tall men dressed in black standing on either side of the shorter woman with salmon colored hair who May instantly recognizes as Brianna Wakana. May figures Brianna must be here after hearing about Drew spending yesterday at Kai's birthday party.
Frowning, the brunette tries to walk past them, but the bodyguard won't let her. "Ms. Wakana would like to speak to you."
"I don't need to talk to her." May responds matter-of-factly.
"You will if you care about that kid." Smirks Brianna, which makes May glare at her.
How dare she bring Kai into this? "Leave him alone."
"You took Drew from me, so I'm gonna take that kid away from you." Hisses Brianna.
This causes May to menacingly step closer to Brianna, but the bodyguards cut in between them. "Drew is his own independent person. I didn't take him. He chose to leave you!" Brianna quickly slaps May, though May can't retaliate. Despite the stinging on her cheek, May won't show any weakness to this annoying woman who always wants to see her fail.
"You and Drew are going to regret this, May. I just came to see your face when I tell you that the orphanage is going to take that kid back."
Glaring at her, May coldly replies, "No one can take him away from me except for himself. Drew has nothing to do with it, and neither do you."
Brianna crosses her arms over her chest. "We'll see what you say when he is taken from you."
Fortunately, Brianna decides to leave so that the two don't continue engaging in this back and forth argument. May watches the black SUV drive off before she gets inside her car and screams. She's always feared something would happen with her and Kai, but after almost three great years together, those fears have disappeared. Now, May is terrified because the little boy she's grown to love after raising for years might be taken from her. She doesn't know what she did to piss Brianna off, but she knows it has to do with that green haired friend of hers.
After taking a few deep breaths, May starts her car to drive off to the Enbars where she picks up Kai. Kai and May rarely speak since he's a shy boy, so the quiet drive home isn't unusual. Because Kai already ate dinner at the Enbars, May quickly finds something to eat while Kai works on homework. Soon, it's bedtime, and May enters Kai's room as he's getting into bed.
This surprises the boy because May rarely enters his room now. He usually wakes up a little before her, and she trusts him to go to bed on time. The only times May ever enters his room is if Skitty brings something in there, so the fact that May follows him in for bed confuses him.
Sitting on the side of the bed, May smiles warmly at the boy. "We haven't talked much today, Kai."
"It's okay. We talked a lot yesterday." He hopes she doesn't feel guilty about her meeting today. However, Kai does blame himself because h doesn't talk much.
May reaches over to the faded red bandana on the table beside his bed. She slowly runs her fingers through it while reminiscing on her first journey and Brenden. "I know I've never said this before, Kai." She takes in a deep breath, which concerns him. Is she going to return him? Is she going to leave him to travel with Drew? "I love you." She croaks out.
To her surprise, he gets out from his covers to hug her tightly. With his face buried in her arm, he mutters, "I love you too, May." He used to tell his father he loved him, and Brenden used to tell Kai he loved him too. Thus, Kai knows what it means to love someone. May has been caring for him like his father had, so Kai loves her for that. He's just been too shy to express it or say it.
May can't help but tear up at the boy's words. She pulls her arm out to wrap around him in a side hug while his face is now in her shoulder. "I think we're a family." She admits to him and he nods. "So as a family, we're a team."
May closes her eyes as she recalls her father saying this when she was younger. He'd use the word team to get her and Max to want to help with the gym, and it always worked. The Maple family was a great team. Thinking about this only makes May tear up more. She's already lost her blood family, and now she may lose her new family with Kai. "I'm not gonna let anyone ruin our family, Kai."
He squeezes her tighter while saying, "I'll be good, so no one takes me away."
Kai is always good, so May isn't worried about that. She is worried about adults and the legal system though. Burying her face in his white hair, she replies, "You're always good, Kai. Just keep being Kai." She giggles into his hair.
He's concerned by her actions tonight, so he asks, "What's wrong, May."
This just makes the woman chuckle. Kai has been very mature and independent for his age. "I just realized I never said 'I love you' to you before."
"I love you too, May." He repeats. "And I'm happy you're my family. Thank you for adopting me."
She gives him one final tight squeeze before letting him go. Grabbing his covers, she smiles at him. "C'mon. Let me tuck you in for once." She hasn't tucked him in since his first couple of months living with her.
Returning the smile, Kai gets under the covers. To his surprise, May plants a kiss on his forehead as she tucks him in. "Good night, Kai."
"Good night, May."
May then turns off the light before leaving the room. The boy is still confused by her actions, so he can't fall asleep. Yes, his birthday was yesterday, which could be the reason for May's sentimental behavior, but she had spoken to him yesterday and this morning. She seemed normal before now. Maybe he'll talk to Shay about this tomorrow?
A Couple Days Later
"Drew, what the fuck?!" Shouts the woman over the pokenav.
"Hello to you too, Leaf." He groans from the very early morning call.
"You're gonna be all over the news in an hour!"
"Okay." He nonchalantly replies because he expected Brianna to make her move.
"Why are you so calm about this? Do you know what this could do? It'll ruin you! It may even separate May and Kai!"
Sitting up in his bed, Drew stretches his free arm above his head. "I won't let that happen."
"This is more than you, Drew! Think about May! And Kai!"
"How do you even know his name?" Drew has never told anyone about Kai or May, especially Leaf. Though he assumes Leaf must know May's name from the news article that's going to be released soon. Being the Johto Champion and married to the man whose grandfather led the most popular Johto radio station, Leaf obviously hears about news before it's released. Thus, Drew is unfazed.
Sighing, the brunette responds, "Research, Drew. I have connections." Her connection for this was obviously the Ketchums, but she won't let Drew know that she set him up to work with May almost a year ago.
"Look. I can't stop it, Drew. We need to figure out how to keep May and Kai together." Leaf furrows her brows in frustration.
Heading into the bathroom, Drew looks at himself in the mirror where he notices his deep bags from staying up late the past couple of days. "I already did, Leaf. Don't worry about it."
"Of course I'm fucking worried! This is an orphaned kid who's about to be separated from his loving adopter!" Exasperates the woman to him. Why is Drew so calm about this? What the Groudon is going on?
"I'll ask you for help when I need it. Thanks for worrying, Leaf." Drew smiles. "But I should probably get to Cianwood now before news spreads too fast." Drew has been staying in his Goldenrod City house since leaving Brianna. He's changed the locks and put her stuff in storage facilities nearby for when she returns for them. Moreover, he's been working hard on preparing for if Brianna ever leaks the photos, which apparently she has, according to this call with Leaf. Now that Brianna has made her move, Drew will make his.
"You're a fucking idiot. You're worse than Gary." She seethes.
Chuckling, Drew washes his face with his free hand. "But you married him for a reason." He knowingly tells her. "Bye, Leaf."
"Bye, dumbass."
Drew then gets ready and grabs his pre-packed bag to fly to Cianwood. Brianna and the world can throw whatever they want at him because he won't be separated from May anymore. Since Kai is important to May, then Drew won't let anything happen to their relationship too. He's finally fighting for his happiness, and he hasn't felt this passionate about anything in a long time.
Cianwood City
"Hello, Diana!" May smiles at the woman from the orphanage. Usually, the closest orphanage to Cianwood would send a representative over to check on May and Kai. Occasionally, Diana will come by, but it's rare. May and Kai haven't had the adoption agency visit in two months. They have been getting quarterly visits every three or four months, so May is surprised to see Diana after only two.
Giving her a small smile, Diana greets May back. With Kai at the Enbars this weekend, May has the house to herself. Once she and Diana sit down with some water, the older woman gets straight to the point by sliding a paper over to May.
"What's this?" May asks while picking up the paper. Without Diana saying anything, May reads the headline of the news article for the Johto Sentinel: Top Coordinator Drew Hayden's Secret Lover has an Adopted Son. The photo beneath the headline is of Drew and May gazing in each other's eyes the day they were at the school's playground. There are also photos of Drew giving May roses, Drew entering May's house, and more of Drew and May closely together.
Giving Diana a shocked expression, May stammers, "What?"
"This is bad, May." The article just came out today, but the Petalburg City orphanage was leaked it yesterday, prompting Diana to hurriedly arrive in Cianwood.
"Drew and I are just friends." May firmly tells the woman while trying to keep her cool.
"That's not what the pictures and articles are saying." Diana disappointedly responds.
Clenching the paper tightly in her hand, May knows this is Brianna's doing. "So what? The articles don't affect me."
Diana just shakes her head sadly though. "We can't let you have Kai anymore."
"No!" exclaims the furious brunette. She doesn't understand why the orphanage would take Kai away after she's had him for over two years. This is just some gossip that is untrue! "You can't take him from me!"
"You're involved in a national scandal, May! Drew Hayden has been with Brianna Wakana for almost a decade! They're a top Johto power couple, so you're getting a lot of bad publicity now! Think about how it'll affect Kai!" pleads the older woman.
"No." May repeats herself while standing up. "I think you should leave, Diana."
"Kai is going to come back with me." Diana gives May a sharp gaze.
"I adopted him! Brenden left him in my care!"
"But Kai was left at the orphanage! It is my job to make sure the children go off to stress free happy homes!"
"Kai is happy!"
"He won't be once the media and others realize you're involved with him." Diana knowingly tells the brunette.
Walking over to the door, May furiously swings it open. "Please leave my house, Diana." However, when Diana doesn't respond, May follows her shocked gaze to look at the door where she spots the man in the article with her.
He gives her an apologetic look. "I don't mean to interrupt-"
"What is this, Drew?" shouts the brunette as she shoves the paper in his chest.
Nevertheless, Drew ignores her to walk inside and towards Diana. "Ma'am, this is all a lie. May and I are just friends. Please don't take Kai away."
Diana, who has come out of her shock, replies, "It's already been decided." She then looks over at May. "I'm sorry, May. I was really happy when you adopted Kai, but we can't leave him here anymore."
"What if I make the bad publicity go away?" May quickly asks. She can't let Kai go without a fight. She promised to never leave him. "There has to be something I can do!"
"I'll help too!" Drew exclaims nodding beside May.
Diana looks between the two young adults who claim to be friends but are also the main focus of this drama. "I'll leave here in a week." The older woman sternly tells them. Even though she believes May and knows May is the best person to care for Kai, Diana can't allow Kai to suffer from this gossip. "Make the bad publicity go away." She then leaves while closing the door.
Once May is sure Diana is gone, she turns her fuming attention to the apologetic man beside her. "What the fuck is this, Drew?" She shouts at him again since he ignored her when he first entered the house.
Flinching from her tone, despite expecting it, Drew says, "I'm sorry, May."
"Sorry? You think sorry is gonna keep Kai with me?" the brunette's tears start to fall as she realizes the gravity of the situation.
Drew hates seeing her cry, so like he had done when they were younger, he hugs her. He hugs her so tightly that her fight against his hold soon gives in and she hugs him back. "I'm gonna do everything I can to keep you and Kai together. Trust me."
"I don't." comes her muffled voice in his chest.
Drew buries his face in her hair as he wishes he wasn't the one to cause her all of this heartache. However, he couldn't stay away from her. Not again after knowing she's so close by. "What can I do to make you trust me?"
After some sniffling, she replies, "Break up with Brianna! If you're so unhappy, then finally do it!" That woman is the cause of all of this, even if May was warned a few days ago.
He lets out a breath into her hair. "I did that last week." Her crying slows down, and Drew feels her tense up at his words. "She's been threatening me with this if I saw you again." Sighing, he squeezes May tighter. "I'm sorry, May. I was selfish, so I still came back to see you. I'm the reason Brianna leaked this article and the photos."
When May strongly pulls herself away from him, Drew expects to get slapped by her. Instead, he sees her intense glossy blue eyes glaring at his pained green ones. "She's not gonna get away with this!" exclaims the woman. Brianna has messed with May enough when they were younger all because Brianna wanted Drew's attention. Now that Brianna had it, she still continued to bother May. Well, this time, Brianna crossed the line by bringing Kai into it.
Seeing the determination on her face makes Drew let out a relieved breath. He gives her a small smile and says, "I'm never gonna leave you again, May."
Nodding, the brunette responds, "Good. Because we're both in this mess, so we need to get out of it together.