"When I was around your age, I wasn't as bedridden as I am now. I am," Ramon even bothered to make a little laugh, as if trying to make light of his situation, and setting the mood for his tale, "quite the spry young man. I traveled with a group of close friends not unlike your own group. We all have different dreams, but eventually drifted apart. Not that the distance between each of us actually mattered, mind you; we all still kept in touch, and our bonds remained strong.
"There is this one girl, however. Best Pokémon breeder I ever met. Her name is Josephine. She's special, I told myself. I feel like I want to spend the rest of my life with her. Pardon me but if I have to blush right now," and that's exactly what happened, in front of their very eyes, Ramon's cheeks turning red, "after months of trying to muster up my courage, I finally told her what I felt about her."
"May I guess that," May started to ask, wincing a little, "did she reject you?"
Ramon almost comically slipped off his bed because of that. "Th-That was a little blunt, don't you think?" he asked, smiling ruefully, and slightly annoyed. "If you would rather know, she actually accepted my feelings." That was something he was actually feeling proud of. "However, we also made a promise first. Right here in this spot, or rather, on the beach outside. That once we have achieved both our dreams, and only then we would start thinking about our future together."
"Perhaps I should stop here. Maybe I mentioned it already before, but this kind of story is not meant for books or an audience like you kids."
"No!" May interjected. "We really want to hear the rest of your story. Right, Max? Ash?"
"Actually, I want to hear the rest too." Max was nodding, just to show that he's in complete agreement with his sister. But...
"Well, I'm not." Four heads turned in the direction of the speaker, who emphasized what he said by standing up abruptly from his seat.
Both Max and May were stunned at hearing these words, but especially the latter. "W-Wait a minute! Ash!" She was speechless that Ash is already out of the door before she could utter another response, and had to catch up to him. She even had to grab him by the arm to make him stop in his tracks. "What in the world are you saying?!"
Ash didn't even turn around to address her, and just wriggled his arm to set it free from May's hold. "I don't want to hear the rest of his story. That's why I'm leaving." May didn't let go, however, making Ash twist his wrist, pain that he ignored as he continued to move.
While the two were walking away, Max finds himself alone looking uncomfortable on the sofa as his hosts scrutinized him with curious looks. Max preferred the latter over the ensuing argument, however. "I'd rather sit that one out. I remember how last time they had a row, it was...nuclear."
The two were out of the door and Ash down the porch before May could finally stop his momentum. "What do you mean you don't want to hear the rest of the story?" May repeated. When Ash didn't turn around to face her like he didn't hear her, May was just about to repeat what she said again, but...
"I meant every word that I said," Ash replied; he still didn't turn around. "That story is sad. I really hate sad stories. They're something I really hate. I thought you hated them, too?"
May finally let go of Ash's wrist. And she's seething. "I don't believe you," she muttered, trying to contain, and quite obviously failing, to contain her anger. "I mean, yes I don't like how Mr. Ramon's stories all have sad endings, but I didn't want to express it like you did! Did you really have to say that you hated it?! That's the most despicable thing I could ever hear about a heartfelt story, Ash, especially coming from you!
"And just when," May's voice started trembling...cracking...something. She had to close the front door hoping that those inside would not hear what she was about to say next. "Just when I wanted to tell you something so important...but you're just such a big jerk after all! Even bigger than Drew and Harley combined!"
Ash started walking away, still not turning around to address May. She didn't even bother trying to catch up to him, and instead replied by whirling around so now they are facing away in opposite directions. "If you're going to be like that, then I will really, really hate you."
With her back to him, May doesn't know how large the distance between them is becoming, and she had to shout again, from the bottom of her lungs. "You really are the worst of the worst! I hate you! I don't ever want to see you again."
Going back inside the cabin, May leaned her back heavily against the door behind her until it shuts close, then she slides herself down to the floor in a sitting position. She was about to let out some waterworks until she realizes her hostess is standing right in front of her. May shot back up to her feet, took a deep breath, then slapped herself on the cheeks and shook her head several times, trying to look calm and composed, but Sam is not buying it.
"I really want to hear the rest of Ramon's story," May said in a rather quick tone as she started walking past the older girl.
"You don't want to talk about your friend's departure?" Sam asked.
"What friend are you talking about?" May said, not halting her stride. "There's certainly not someone who insulted your father by rudely interrupting his story and abruptly leaving. There really wasn't anyone I was shouting at, no one at all. I was just blowing off some steam, that's all. I really want to hear the rest of the story, so can we please just go back?"
When the two returned, Max and Ramon are having a talk about new Pokémon moves that are discovered; well, they're both still Pokémon enthusiasts, after all. At the sight of his sister, Max broke off their little chat to ask her, "So, sis, how did it go with A-"
"Sorry, Max, but I don't know who you're talking about," May immediately interrupted him. She shot him a look that could burn a hole in a tank.
But, for once, Max didn't take the hint at all. "But what about As-" And then May gave him a second look, one that was enough for Max to finally clam up.
Satisfied that her brother is not going to bring up a "certain undesirable" subject again, May turned to Ramon. "Sorry for leaving like that and the outburst I had outside," she said, genuinely apologetic. "Please carry on with your story."
"Are you sure?" Ramon replied. He didn't bother waiting for an answer. May's look was enough to tell him she was serious. "Very well, then. Although, my story is close to ending, actually...in fact, this might be the closing passage, if you'd like to call it that.
"Like I said regarding my circle of friends, Josephine and I went our separate ways. Years later, I retired from being a trainer; started a family, as you can see before you." He gestured towards Sam. "But my wife and I eventually had a divorce; perhaps it is because of my memories of Josephine, but it was so long ago that I am not so sure anymore.
"Anyway, I built this cabin, based on the promise I made with her. Sam, having estranged from her mother, moved in with me with her husband and they helped me finish construction. As you can see, they have been living here with me since. As for Josephine, last I heard, she started a family of her own, and even opened some sort of Pokémon preserve somewhere in the Johto region."
Just then Max thought he heard some sort of noise from a window nearby. But, seeing as no one else seems to have heard it, he deemed it just a piece of his imagination, and listened to the rest of the tale. "And then I had this little condition that left me bedridden, so I couldn't search her out. I might never get the chance to see her again." He looked forlornly out the window. "I'm really having trouble banking on that chance."