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(Postwickshipping Prompt Week 2020: Day 3+4 Realization / Confession)

It has been a couple years since Gloria has become a Champion of Galar region. She has quite tight schedule since then, so she has to move to live in Wyndon, and rarely go back to her home in Postwick. Hop is still an assistant for Sonia, they don't have so much time to spend together like they used to anymore, and Gloria knows all too well about the responsibilities that came after she got the title, but it can't help that she still feels sad about it.

Luckily that she has some days off, enough for her to went back to Postwick. And with that, she spent most of the days with her best friend. They go every inch in their hometown, eat dinner/lunch together at Hop's or Her's, camping at Slumbering Weald and let Zacian and Zamazenta out from their Pokéballs to catch up.

Gloria loves every moment she has spent with Hop, her number 1 rival, but reality comes too soon….

Last day before Gloria has to go back to Wyndon, with her luggages at her side, right now she's at the Wedgehurst train station, last train of that day. 15 minutes before departure.

"Are you sure you don't forget anything?" Hop ask, he come to the station with Gloria to see her out. They are stand in front of the ticket gates.

"My backpack, here. My luggages, right here. My ticket, also here in my hand. I'm pretty sure I don't forget anything." She is looking around to check her belongings, and turns to face Hop with a smile on her face.

"Well, If you say so." He smiles back. And they just stand there, not a single word out of their mouths. They know that after this day, they might not have a chance to see each other for a while, for months, or for years. And with that, Gloria feels hurt. She doesn't want to go, it shows on her face, and Hop sees that.

"If you don't mind, call me when you arrived at your apartment, 'kay?" Gloria looks at the man before her, snap back to her smiley face.

"Okay, thanks"

'When did hop grow this much' Gloria thought to herself. Her childhood friend, Hop, he has grown up, much taller than before. His face that once round and his cheeks were kind of chubby, now is sharp and, she got to admit, handsome. He kind of look-alike Leon, his own brother and former Champion, but with the smile that can stop her from breathing.

It's been a while since Gloria knows that, (Even though she tried to deny it for years.) She has been in love with Hop. Ever since that last battle at the Slumbering Weald, she started to fall for her friend. But with all these 'Champion's things' she has to do, made her don't get a chance to tell, to confess her feelings. But what is the point anyway? If she confesses to Hop, and what? They can't be together. It's going to be 'Leon situation' all over again for Hop. He's going to be sad, hurt, and Gloria doesn't want that to happen to her loved one.

"… Glo, are you alright?" Hop voice brings her back to reality.

"Oh! Um, I'm fine. It's nothing. I just…. wish that I can stay a bit longer. You know, Postwick is my home after all." She smiles, sad smile.

"Hey, you are a terrible liar Glo. If there is something that bothering you, you can tell me. I won't laugh." He said in jokingly tone, and it makes Gloria laugh.

"Stop that, I said I'm fine. You should worry about your own projects. Next time I see you again, you better become a Professor, or I'll mad."

"Alright, alright! I'll try. Can't promise though, Sonia– I mean, 'Professor Sonia' won't be much of a problem, but Professor Magnolia is another story." Hop's scratching his back of the head, a bit worried when mentioning . Gloria can't help but giggle.

"I know you can do it Hop. You are my best rival. You are capable of doing anything, trust me." She playfully punches on Hop's shoulder.

"Hey! Haha! Thanks, Glo" Hop smile so wide that it makes Gloria's heart skips.

'I love this boy so much', She thought, and that makes her feels sad again. She looks away from Hop, and they both just stand there in silence. Getting more awkward, Gloria looks at the clock on her Rotom phone. 5 minutes before her train to depart.

"Looks like I have to go." A bit upset, Gloria looks at her friend again. He doesn't respond, avoiding eye contact, like he is thinking about something else, and that makes this situation much more awkward.

There was a thought that popped up in Gloria's mind, maybe he, too, doesn't want to let her go. Should she confess her feelings, right here, right now? Or she shouldn't? She doesn't know. This is hurt her feeling even more. If she confesses, will he think that same? If not, will Hop still be her friend? She thinks too much that her hands start to shaking uncontrollably, she knows that Hop would notice, but tries to hide anyway.

'I won't… I won't tell him then… That's for the best.' Gloria thought that, she look at Hop with a fake wide smile, trying to be normal as much as she can, she doesn't want Hop to be worried.

"…. I'll call you when I reached Wyndon, so…. see you."

"… Alright,…. See you, Gloria"

Hop finally answered. He doesn't smile, Gloria started to worry but immediately shakes that thought out of her mind. She turns around and walks inside the ticket gates. Gloria stops walking just behind the gates, turn her face around again, just to see her friend one last time, Hop is still standing there, watching her go.

Gloria smiles at him, and when she turns back to go to the train…..

.

.

.

"Hey Glo! You forget something!"

Hop shouts, made Gloria jumps and immediately sprinting back at the gates.

"What? What did I forget? I thought I checked everything—–"

With the gate's door that separates them both, but Hop doesn't care. He walked to stand at the opposite side of Gloria's, and within range,….. He kisses her.

Eyes wide in shocked, and her body is frozen still. Hop, is kissing her, right now. This is too good to be true for her, so she doesn't return the kiss. But right now, her heart is skipping too fast that she can die. She wants this for so long and never thought that it is going to happen, so even people are watching them, she won't care anymore.

They break a kiss a while after. Gloria, who still in shock, looks her best friend, that his hands are caressing her face, her cheeks, and smiling.

"I'll be waiting for you, 'kay?"

With that soft and tender voice, Gloria's happy tears flowing down her cheeks.

"…I know. " With that said, both of them are happy laughing, and with one last touch of their forehead, and Hop wiped out Gloria's tears, they step away from each other.

Gloria has to run to get on the train. When she reached her reserved sleeper car, the train is starting to depart. She looks outside the window, Hop still stands there, looking at her until the train goes too far to see. She supposes to feels sad every time they are separated, but now, she knows in her heart, that there is someone, who is waiting for her, who is someone she can go back to.

Postwick is her home, but it much more precious now, that she has someone she loves, and loves her back, and she knows that no matter what, will be waiting for her.