The next day, May was back on the beach with Serena, to watch the training of their friends for the music contest. Wally had chosen to spend the day reading in his room at the Pokemon center, since intense heat was announced again for the day. Around the two trainers, members of the PML organization were working to prepare the summer festival. Some booths were already set up, and supplies such as food, figurines and raffle tickets were being brought in, so that the managers could start arranging them. As for the stage where the music contest would take place, it was already set up on the sand. Lisia had asked for permission to train once on the stage with her little team, and perhaps because they recognized her, or simply out of kindness, the organizers had accepted.

Now, Dawn and her, dressed for the contest, were rehearsing their choreography, being careful to avoid the various black cables still lying on the ground. Brendan was playing with a focused look. His guitar couldn't be connected to speakers yet, so Serena and May couldn't hear anything from where they were, but they suspected he must have practiced a lot to meet the contest star's demands.

The sun was scorching in the early afternoon. May had forgotten to bring a cap, and she felt like her head was about to boil because of the heat. Usually, she appreciated some warmth, but these days, it was just too much. She felt the beginning of a headache but chose to stay a little longer in the sun; she knew Dawn and Lisia's routines well now, so she knew the two women wouldn't take much longer. Then they could go for a drink in the village, on a shady terrace, and May could recover quietly.

"I don't think I've ever seen your friend so serious," Serena said after a while.

Brendan's face was tense with concentration, his eyes fixed on his guitar strings. It was funny to see him like that.

"Me neither," May laughed, "I'm not used to it."

She ran her hand through her hair; they were burning her palm. Maybe it was some form of anxiety, but May was feeling weird. Her head was spinning.

"Lisia is really talented", a calm voice said behind her, "You can't help but be amazed when you watch her perform."

May shuddered, not daring to turn around. She didn't have to, she knew it was Steven standing behind them. The young champion hadn't even heard him approach. What was he doing there?

"Hi, Steven!" Serena said, turning towards him.

May finally forced herself to do the same. His presence certainly wouldn't help her feel any better. Steven seemed to be suffering from the sun in his long-sleeved shirt and black pants; at least he had given up on wearing his usually elegant jacket today.

"Sorry if I scared you," he apologized. "They're getting ready for the music contest, am I right?"

"That's right, Lisia wanted so much to participate!" Serena confirmed.

"This doesn't surprise me. By the way, I'm also considering participating..."

Steven wanted to participate in a music contest? May couldn't help but smile at the thought. She had never heard him sing nor play any instrument. Did he have a hidden talent? It was Serena who asked the question that was burning on May's lips:

"Oh, do you play music too? I had no idea!"

"Well, I'm really not an expert like Lisia but... a friend of mine asked me to take part with her, but I'm still not sure. Contests aren't really my thing. However, I have an Alolan Sandslash with me who might add an interesting touch to her performance..."

A friend? Roxanne? Diantha? Cynthia? Why wouldn't he reveal her name? It was only after arriving in Pasio that May had realized how many friends Steven Stone had... for a long time, she thought of him as a rock nerd, always immersed in his own world. She thought she was among the few women he knew, but in reality, he associated with various people. May had judged him too quickly; now she understood that he was much more open to other people than she was, and it made her almost sad. Because she felt much closer to the socially awkward rock nerd than to the Steven Stone with so many friends.

"Oh, Steven, you should totally accept!" Serena exclaimed. "It would be great to see you compete. May and I are supposed to support Lisia and her team, but we'll cheer for you too if you participate."

Steven glanced at May. It was the first time he was looking at her since he had joined them. But his gaze was surprisingly distant. Perhaps he still resented her for spying on him, Cynthia and Lance yesterday, or maybe it was a payback for all the times she had ignored him.

May tried to decipher if his eyes showed sadness or anger, or if Steven simply didn't care. But she didn't have time to figure it out because he immediately redirected his attention to Serena.

"That's very kind of you," he said, fixing his gaze on the Kalos trainer.

So, he had chosen to ignore her for real, May thought.

"Hey, you three!"

Roxanne was coming in their direction. The scholar was wearing a light black dress and her hair were tied into two long pigtails that appear under a pink cap, with the logo of the PML on it. She must have bought it from one of the touristic shops from the village. May sighed inwardly. Roxanne had to join in, didn't she?

"Steven, look at the amethyst I just bought," she said, getting close to the former champion to show him the large white and purple stone.

"Amazing…" he murmured. "Does that mean the gemstone booth is already open?"

"The seller just finished setting up everything, I was his first customer," Roxanne smiled proudly.

"Then I'll go take a look if you don't mind."

But Steven didn't wait for anyone's permission and left. May felt like a fist was crushing her heart, but she couldn't tell if it was the heat or Steven causing her this discomfort. She needed to find some shade, but the only sheltered places on the beach were the stage and the booths.

"Can I see the amethyst?" Serena asked.

"Of course," Roxanne said, handing her the stone.

May noticed that Roxanne didn't have the same reserved look when talking to her friend.

"You should go check out the booth if you like it," the scholar advised. "There are plenty of gemstones of all kinds and jewellery."

"Oh May, do you want to go...? I don't think Lisia and the others will mind if we don't stay for their entire rehearsal."

"Why not?" she replied.

Steven was probably still looking at the stones and would likely spend the rest of his afternoon there, but May really needed to escape from the terrible heat. And perhaps she could try to say a few words to Steven as well, just to lighten the atmosphere. Because she didn't want to be totally ignored... Well, what did she want exactly? For Steven to understand that she was angry and hurt, and apparently, he had understood that, but he still didn't intend to talk to her... So giving him the cold shoulder was no longer serving any purpose... And sometimes, May wished she could stop, but she was just incapable of being normal in his presence.

Steven didn't seem bothered by their arrival at the booth. Maybe May had slightly overinterpreted his behaviour from earlier. Spontaneously, he started giving them information about the various stones for sale. Which ones were the rarest, which ones came from Hoenn, which ones he preferred... He had that enthusiastic childlike expression on his face, which reassured May; he wasn't acting cold. He probably didn't care at all about what she might think of him.

Roxanne and Serena began examining the stones. May leaned her fists against one of the tables. She felt a shiver down her spine. Her hands trembled slightly, her stomach was turning inside out. Suddenly, it was as if she was losing control of her whole body. She couldn't move anymore and her vision was suddenly filled with thousands of black dots. The ground seemed to crumble beneath her feet, and May felt herself losing balance, clinging to the table with the little strength she had left.

"May! What's wrong?" Serena shouted.

Someone held her back, preventing her from falling too violently. May found herself sitting on someone's knees, surrounded by the smell of fresh earth. She didn't need her vision to guess that it was Steven who had caught her.

"May, what's happening to you?!"

"She looks so pale..."

"It must be the heat. How long have you been on the beach?" Steven asked, wrapping his arms around her waist as if he was afraid she might fall even further.

May didn't quite like the idea of being so close to him like that, but for the moment, she didn't have the strength to move. Everything was spinning around her, and she couldn't feel her legs anymore. Her friends were there but seemed like they were just ghosts; their voices sounded far away, and Steven's body against her back didn't feel real. She was completely detached from the moment.

"I'm fine," she whispered. "I'm okay... just dizzy."

"Stop lying, we can see that you're not okay," Serena said, kneeling beside her.

Lisia, Brendan, and Dawn rushed over; they must have seen May falling from the stage.

"What's going on?! May, are you hurt?" Brendan asked, holding her shoulders.

"No, I'm fine…"

"It's probably low blood pressure," Roxanne estimated. "Or maybe a sunstroke."

"You should give her some space," Steven told Brendan, Dawn, and Lisia. "She needs some fresh air."

The three of them moved away a bit, while Serena stayed close to her, passing her hand over her forehead.

"You're burning, May... Why didn't you tell me earlier that you weren't feeling well?" she asked. "We would have been in the shade right away."

"Serena is right. Hot days like today can be dangerous, even for young people."

May didn't react as Steven lectured her. Her brain felt like mush, and she couldn't fully understand what was happening around her. At least he was talking to her again.

"Here, take this," Dawn said, handing her a chocolate bar. "I was saving it for later, but you need it more than I do."

"You should also drink some water," Brendan said, taking his water bottle out of his bag.

May started eating and drinking, and the little group gathered around her felt relieved. She already felt a bit better now that she had relieved her thirst. Although she still had a headache, the world was becoming clearer.

"You scared us so much, you know," Lisia said to her. "When we saw you fall at the other end of the beach, the three of us panicked."

"Yeah, don't do that to us too often," Brendan sighed. "Lisia is already stressed enough with her contest."

"I would be less stressed if you made fewer mistakes in your chords."

"I'm doing my best, Lis."

"That's the sentence of a loser! No wonder you never managed to defeat May."

May chuckled slightly hearing her friends bickering. She was feeling a bit better. The tightness in her chest had eased, and the dizziness had decreased. Now, she was a bit too aware of Steven's body against hers, their legs intertwined, his arms wrapped around her waist, and her head naturally leaning against his shoulder. Thankfully, she didn't have to face his gaze, because she felt embarrassment creeping back over her.

"You're regaining some color," Dawn noted with a smile.

She and Lisia were still catching their breath. Roxanne had gone back to her rocks examination, and Dawn followed suit, picking up a polished pink stone.

"Wow, all these stones…" she exclaimed in wonder. "And they've even indicated their meanings? That's so cool!"

"Yeah, no need to convince me," Roxanne smiled.

"Let's see," Dawn said as she looked up the meanings of the stone she had chosen. "Protection, assurance and love?"

"It's a rose quartz," the scholar clarified.

Steven turned his head to see the stone Dawn was holding.

"Yes, its meanings are quite easy to remember. Most of the gemstones sold here are intended for lithotherapy. You could buy this quartz to feel protected or to boost your self-confidence..."

May could almost feel Steven's chest vibrate against her back as he spoke. It wasn't completely unpleasant.

"Or to attract true love, right?!" Lisia added, winking at Dawn.

"Hahaha... Thank you Lisia, but I'm not looking to attract anyone right now. And I don't really believe a stone could help with that anyway."

"You never know!"

"Speaking of love and all that," Brendan interrupted them, turning to Lisia. "Did you know we saw your uncle and Winona the other day with May? And they seemed... very close."

Did he really think this was the right time to bring that up? It was Wallace's private life; maybe he didn't want his niece to know. Fortunately, Lisia didn't seem bothered by the news.

"Oh yeah? I'm not surprised. They're in their umpteenth breakup or reconciliation... I've stopped getting involved in my uncle's love life. It gives me headaches."

"Oh so they've been together for a long time?" Brendan asked.

"That's not your business," May snapped, annoyed.

Why was he so insistent on poking his nose into relationships that had nothing to do with him?

"The last time he talked to me about it, he said things had calmed down between them," the former champion spontaneously shared. "It's good if they've reconciled."

"I think I'm feeling better," May said abruptly, pretending to stand up.

She didn't want to listen to Steven talking about Wallace's love life while she was sitting on his lap.

"Are you sure?" Steven asked, holding her wrist, and May did her best not to flinch at the unexpected contact. She hated it when he did that.

"Yeah, really! I'm fine."

She held onto one of the tables, but that didn't stop Steven from taking her arm as if he expected her to collapse again. His skin was so warm; he had probably absorbed the sun's rays while they were still on the beach. Their eyes met, and May quickly looked away, embarrassed. She wanted to behave normally, but she wasn't good at it when Steven was around.

"I think... I'll head back to the center to rest," she declared.

"That's a reasonable choice," Serena agreed.

"I can accompany you," Steven offered.

"No, it's fine, I'm..."

"It's better if you don't go back alone," Lisia cut her, with a slight smile. "Let Steven play the knight in shining armor if that makes him so happy."

She wasn't making the situation any more comfortable.

"Come on, then," he finally said, looking rather pleased.

May turned around to give Lisia a stern look before following him.

During the journey back to the Pokemon center, they remained silent. May couldn't find anything to say as she knew that no matter what she did, Steven would accompany her all the way to her room to maintain his image as the perfect gentleman that everyone expected him to be. So, she endured it until they reached the center. Steven kept his arm under hers, ready to support her at the slightest sign of weakness. He was being so careful that it was almost ridiculous, May thought. When they stepped out of the elevator, he finally let go, allowing May to unlock her room door.

"May I?" he asked before entering.

Even though May would have preferred to extricate herself from this embarrassing situation as quickly as possible, she couldn't imagine sending Steven away like that after what he had done for her.

"Sure," she replied, trying to sound casual.

She closed the door behind him as he stepped inside, scanning the room. It felt really strange to see him there. Just the night before, May would have never imagined she'd allow Steven Stone to set afoot in her room.

"Um," he said, suppressing a smile.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just realizing what I've avoided by not sharing my room with Wallace. This family takes up a lot of space."

He must have been referring to all the contest ribbons Lisia had hung on the walls. May had become accustomed to that unique decoration, finding it motivating.

"Oh... yeah, but... it's not that bad."

She sat on her bed, trying to maintain her composure. Steven offered to fill her water bottle, and she accepted, seizing the moment to release a deep sigh as he disappeared into the bathroom. She was searching for something to say to end this moment. Thank you Steven, that's so kind of you, can you leave now?... did that sound too rude? When he returned and handed her the water bottle, she decided not to say anything at all. Perhaps he would simply leave on his own. After all, he was skilled at slipping away.

Instead, Steven pulled the chair out from the desk.

"Can I sit?"

She nodded, taking a few sips of water to bolster her resolve. The young man took out a worn-out map from his breast pocket and carefully unfolded it on the table.

"I have something to keep myself busy while you're resting," he smiled at her.

So, in addition to insisting on accompanying her to the Pokemon center, he also intended to play the role of a caregiver for her? What exactly was he afraid of? That she might faint again? Though a little annoyed, May didn't want to chase him away. She was quite curious.

"Are you preparing for an expedition?" she asked.

"I am," he replied. "I haven't explored half of the island's caves yet. So I'm planning to continue my investigations tomorrow..."

May nodded. Steven wouldn't leave Pasio until he had thoroughly explored it. At least for that, he would never change.

"Would you like to come with me?" he asked after a slight hesitation.

"What?"

"As I just say, I'm planning to explore a new cave tomorrow... would you like to join me, May?"

She didn't except this, on the other hand. Why on earth would Steven want her to come with him?

"Is Roxanne unavailable?"

"Yes, she already has something planned with Flannery."

Ah, everything made sense now. She was his second choice, and he didn't even try to hide it. Couldn't he go alone?

"You spend a lot of time with her," May observed, staring at her water bottle.

"That's true," Steven admitted. "Because we enjoy discussing our shared passion."

"Only your passion? You two are like… very close, Roxanne told me."

He looked at her with surprise, probably thinking it wasn't like her to make assumptions. In fact, he might be right because May still didn't feel quite herself, with her headache and everything that had just happened with him. She thought she had nothing left to lose. Steven would never know how much she had appreciated being close to him, feeling him so near, despite her weakened state. And she would never admit it.

She expected him to ignore her remark, but he answered honestly, in a gentle voice:

"If you knew her better, you would know she's only interested in Brawly."

Oh really? Flannery had hinted at the same thing once, but May hadn't paid much attention.

"If she's that busy," she continued, stubborn, "you could ask Diantha instead... or Cynthia... You have a lot of options, don't you? I didn't think you enjoyed being surrounded by so many beautiful young women."

"What are you playing at, May?"

This time, Steven's tone was less relaxed. He frowned. May gave him an innocent smile. Was it so easy to annoy him?

"Nothing."

"I didn't know you were observing me to that extent," he said to her, smiling in return, though his gaze remained suspicious.

"I'm not. It was just a casual thought..."

"Alright," he said in a lower tone. "So, I'll attribute your casual thought to the heatstroke."

Steven stood up and walked over to her, placing the back of his hand on her forehead.

"You're still quite warm. Would you like me to bring you a cloth to cool down?"

"No, I'm fine."

Now that he was this close, she felt silly. May didn't have enough self-assurance to start teasing Steven; he would undoubtedly excel at such a game. His blue eyes gazed at her kindly, and this time, May chose not to look away. He sat on the edge of her bed, placing his pale hands on the mattress.

"Regarding my proposal," he whispered. "I assume you're not interested in joining me?"

May didn't know what to say. Deep down, she wanted to accept, but after ignoring each other like this, it felt strange to go on an expedition with him as if nothing had happened.

"It's okay. I just wanted to confirm something..."

Confirm what? Was this a test? May sat up, giving him a questioning look.

"What?"

"I…" Steven cleared his throat. "I've understood that you want to have as little to do with me as possible since you arrived in Pasio, and that's your right... I won't impose my presence where I know it's not wanted anymore."

She didn't expect that. Not at all... May took several seconds to make sense of his words, then she almost choked, caught in a sort of panic. This is what you wanted... He finally gets it, aren't you satisfied? A reproachful voice echoed in her head. She stared at him, initially unable to respond. Yes, she wanted him to understand... but not like this. Well... Not with that sad look in his eyes.

"I'm right, aren't I?" Steven asked, scrutinizing her face. "I can see that as soon as you see me, you stop talking and try to avoid me..."

May thought this was a pivotal moment. The moment to figure out what she truly wanted.

"Yes, but... it's not against you, Steven, not really... well... I can't help it but..."

"No, don't worry, you don't have to explain yourself... I understand why you're doing this..." he assured her.

She waited for him to go on. Steven lowered his head.

"I suppose I deserve it."

Could it be that he was beginning to feel guilty? Was Steven Stone capable of experiencing this emotion?

"What do you mean?"

He gave her a sheepish look.

"I know you still resent me for leaving Hoenn when you became the champion."

This might have been the sentence she had always dreamed of hearing from him. But she had waited for so long… Now, May didn't know how to react. She wanted him to say more, so she remained silent.

"You know, I've been waiting to go on another journey for so long... When you took my title, the feeling of freedom was overwhelming... I recognize I only thought of myself. At the time, I didn't realize how selfish my departure was."

May felt an immense sense of relief, a weight lifted from her heart. Steven was finally acknowledging that he had been in the wrong, proving to her that she hadn't been imagining things... She could breathe normally again. However, listening to him talk also stirred up frustration, and May didn't want to keep it inside anymore.

"But why didn't you even warn me? Why did you leave without saying anything, leaving me only a letter? Did you really think that would be enough for me?" she asked, the questions piling up, her tone growing more aggressive. "You could have done things differently..."

Steven averted his gaze, but that only fuelled her anger. No, he wasn't going to ignore her questions.

"I needed you!" she insisted, louder than she intended. "I couldn't help but take it personally when you left!"

This time he looked at her, wincing in the face of her anger.

"I didn't think it would affect you that much," he admitted in a weak voice. "You always seemed so strong and brave... I thought you didn't need anyone, certainly not a poor mentor like me."

Strong and brave? Was he really talking about her? Steven seemed sincere. He appeared ashamed, but also pained, and that softened her a bit.

"Was that really the impression I gave you?" she sighed.

"At the time, yes..." he answered slowly. "It's only now, seeing you here in Pasio, that I realized I made a huge mistake, that I broke something between us... You don't want anything to do with me anymore," he mumbled in a small voice.

"It's not that... But I can't just pretend nothing happened either."

She looked him straight in the eyes. Steven's eyes, usually warm, now seemed full of distress. And she was the one who had put him in that state.

"If I could turn back time, I'd do things differently..." he promised.

He didn't really understand what this was all about, May thought. In a way, Steven was right. Her reaction to his departure shouldn't have been so strong, considering that the elite four had been there to guide her. Not having the support of her predecessor shouldn't have affected her so much because despite it all, she had never truly been on her own.

"You should know something. Something important," she finally said after a long silence between them. "I didn't need the former Hoenn champion or a mentor at that time... I just needed you. I needed Steven."

May wanted to cry, realizing the truth of those words as she spoke them aloud. She couldn't believe she was finally admitting it. Steven had been much more than a mentor to her during her journey in Hoenn. She had grown so attached to him, unintentionally, unknowingly. Far too attached. To the point where his abrupt departure had felt like a betrayal.

The young man stared at her for a long moment, suddenly looking very sad, as if he was slowly realizing the meaning of her words...

"I'm sorry."

Unable to hold back, May fell into his arms. Never mind if it was strange or awkward. Steven returned the embrace, carefully first, then more confidently. He repeated once more, in a quieter voice:

"I'm so sorry, May. Really... I... I never want to disappoint you again."

She didn't know how long they stayed like that, but when she pulled away and they were face to face again, far too close for her comfort, she felt the urgency to create some distance. She scooted back on the bed, leaning against the wall.

Steven stood up clumsily, crossing his arms as he took a few aimless steps around the room. The discomfort between them was back... May didn't want it anymore. After a few more steps, Steven stopped and faced her again. She wondered if he felt the same way she did. With a slightly uncertain smile, he asked in a tone meant to be light and carefree:

"So... for my expedition... are you up for it?"

Despite herself, May managed a small smile.