Lyra's POV

Ethan and I have been friends since we were kids. We grew up together in New Bark Town, and when we were old enough to become trainers, Ethan started his journey before me. He always had his cute Marill by his side, but he didn't seem too focused on getting stronger or challenging Gyms. In fact, Ethan was busy helping Professor Elm with his research, so he didn't really have time for those kinds of ambitions. Since he became a trainer, we hadn't spent as much time together as we used to.

One day, it hit me: if I became a trainer and helped with the research too, I could spend more time with Ethan. As if on cue, Professor Elm called me. He needed someone to run an errand, and since Ethan was busy with another task, he reached out to me instead.

When I went to pick up the Mystery Egg, I somehow ended up with a Pokédex. Before I knew it, I was battling a Pokémon thief with a Cyndaquil—and I won, despite my Chikorita being at a type disadvantage! After returning to the lab and reporting the thief's name, Silver, to the police, I handed over the Mystery Egg to Professor Elm. He told me I had a knack for being a trainer. That's when I realized I enjoyed battling too, and I decided to take on the Johto Gyms. But a part of me felt sad, knowing it might mean seeing Ethan even less.

Just as I was about to head toward the first Gym, I saw Ethan walking toward me with his ever-bouncy Marill. He had a Poké Ball in hand and confidently said he'd show me how to catch a Pokémon, like a proper senior trainer. I scoffed and teased him, asking how good he could really be. Annoyed, Ethan charged into the tall grass. A wild Rattata darted straight for him.

"Marill, dodge and use Bubble Beam!"

The Rattata took a direct hit and squinted in pain, probably from water getting into its eyes. Ethan didn't waste any time. He threw a Poké Ball with precision and skill. Click! The Poké Ball snapped shut. To my surprise, Ethan was actually pretty cool. He handed me the Poké Ball with a triumphant grin, and when our hands briefly touched, I felt a strange, happy flutter inside.

"See? I told you I could teach you something," Ethan said, still grinning as he headed toward Cherrygrove City.

"Maybe we'll run into each other again, Lyra. You're heading that way too, right?"

We met again much later, just outside Violet City. Somehow, Ethan had fallen behind me. "I had something to take care of along the way," he explained. Without even looking back, he hurried past me, as if he had something urgent to do.

After not seeing each other for so long, no matter how busy he is… I started to think, but I quickly shook my head, feeling selfish. We'll see each other again, right? We're friends, after all. Not just friends—best friends…

By the time I had earned two Gym badges, there was still no sign of him. I grew more and more anxious. Why am I feeling like this? My Poké Balls were filling up with new Pokémon, but as time passed, so did this strange emptiness inside me. Why did I miss him so much? Because we're friends, I tried telling myself. We had always been friends. But things hadn't been like this before. Even when Ethan went on that month-long trip to Kanto with his family before we became trainers, I didn't miss him every single moment like this. There must be something wrong with me. Ever since that moment when he showed me how to catch a Pokémon, I hadn't been able to shake this feeling.

I was wandering near Goldenrod City after battling some street trainers when I spotted a familiar silhouette in the distance. It was Ethan. A sudden urge to run up and hug him surged through me, but I held back and walked calmly toward him instead. He looked tired, like he hadn't been getting much sleep. But when he saw me, his face brightened, and he waved excitedly.

"Lyra! You've already made it to Goldenrod City?"

I nodded, glancing at Ethan with concern. He noticed my gaze and forced a bright smile.

"It's nothing, really. The Professor's just been giving me a lot of work lately. Hehe. Oh, by the way, this is my grandparents' house. They run the Pokémon Day Care here. Do you want to come in?"

He quickly changed the subject. I hadn't met his grandparents before, so I was curious. For some reason, I found myself wanting to make a good impression on his grandmother. I brushed the dust off my clothes and adjusted my hat, but Ethan didn't seem to notice. As we stepped inside, his grandmother greeted us with a warm smile.

"Grandma! This is my friend, Lyra."

"Oh my, so my grandson's brought over his girlfriend!"

The moment I heard that, my face flushed. Girlfriend? What kind of thing is that to say? Ethan seemed just as flustered and quickly denied it.

"What are you talking about, Grandma? We're just friends."

I had wanted him to say that, but hearing it out loud left me feeling oddly disappointed. We're just friends, right? I couldn't help but think. But did he have to deny it so strongly? That thought startled me. I wasn't sure what our relationship was anymore. Meanwhile, Ethan, completely unfazed by what he just said, smiled and added, "Your face is all red. If you're hot, do you want to go outside?"

Before I could respond, he pulled me along without a second thought, and I followed, still too overwhelmed to say anything.

"Oh, I almost forgot! You can use the Pokégear now, right? Let me give you my number!"

His voice snapped me out of my daydream. Even though we wouldn't see each other as often, at least we had a way to stay in touch now. I stared blankly at Ethan's number displayed on my Pokégear, and before I knew it, he had quietly disappeared without a trace.

After that, I called Ethan whenever he crossed my mind. No matter how busy he was, he always made time to answer my calls. It often felt like we were just talking about our own separate lives, but hearing his voice was enough to make me happy. Talking to him gave me a burst of energy on my journey. Whether I was complaining about losing to Goldenrod City's Gym Leader three times, whining about my sore legs after hiking up Glitter Lighthouse, or calling in exhausted after a run-in with Team Rocket, Ethan always greeted me with the same warm voice. He was special to me. I wonder if I'm special to you too.

When Professor Elm called me back to New Bark Town for the first time in a while, I decided I wanted to give Ethan a special gift that felt right for him. As I was walking down the shortcut from Blackthorn City to New Bark Town, Meganium suddenly tugged me toward something. There, nestled in the grass, was a bed of red roses, more fragrant than any I'd ever smelled. This is perfect. A special rose for a special person.

Excited, I carefully picked one, making sure to remove the thorns. I couldn't wait. Hopping on my bike, I sped down the hill as fast as I could. The moment I reached New Bark Town, I didn't even stop to see my mom. I ran straight to the lab, eager to give Ethan this special gift.

As soon as I opened the door to the lab, I saw his face. My heart started beating twice as fast.

"Long time no see, Lyra—"

"Here!"

I thrust the rose toward him. Ethan, clearly flustered, took it from my hand. "What's with the flower?" he asked, confused. I didn't answer. "This isn't like you," he added cautiously. When I remained silent, he looked at me with concern and asked if something was wrong.

"No, nothing's wrong," I replied, my voice colder than I intended. Do you really not understand why I'm acting like this?

Ethan simply said, "I see," and placed the rose into an empty bottle, filling it with water. Just then, Professor Elm came downstairs, breaking the awkward silence. He glanced at the rose briefly, shrugged, and handed me a Master Ball.

From that day, until I met the Legendary Pokémon, defeated the Elite Four, and became Champion, I never called Ethan again. And he never called me either. It was like we had gone back to a time before we exchanged Pokégear numbers. But now, I knew exactly how I felt—and that made the emptiness inside me even greater.

Several times a day, I would stare at his number, debating whether to press the call button. But I never went through with it. Even after becoming Champion and entering the Hall of Fame, I shared the news with Professor Elm, my mom, and everyone else—but not with Ethan.

It wasn't until the next morning, after I returned home and slept, that I noticed I had a missed call from him. But I didn't have the courage to call him back. What if I let my anger out on him? What if we're not even friends anymore? The fear gripped me. Regret washed over me, and I realized I might have been too harsh.

A few days later, I received a call from Professor Elm. He had secured a free ticket to Kanto and asked if I was interested in going. It was perfect timing. I could leave for a new place and start fresh, and forget about a hometown friend who doesn't understand my feelings. But that wasn't as easy as I thought. When I went to the lab to pick up the ticket, I was surprised to find that the rose was still alive. It looked like someone had taken great care of it; otherwise, it would have wilted long ago. I was puzzled. Could Ethan have been taking such good care of it because it was a gift from me?

I headed to the Olivine City harbor to board the ship. A few minutes before departure, a sailor urged me to hurry. Feeling a lingering attachment to my hometown, I hesitated by the port. Just as I tried to get on the ship, I saw someone running toward me from a distance. The person was waving their hand and shouting loudly.

"Lyra!"

It was Ethan, holding a round object the size of a Poké Ball. On closer inspection, it wasn't a Poké Ball but an orange Apricorn. He was panting, apparently having run all the way.

"Pant... pant... First of all, um... congratulations on becoming Champion. And...," he said, extending the Apricorn. "I'm sorry for what happened last time. I wanted to give you an orange rose as a thank you, but I couldn't find one anywhere. So instead, I picked this orange Apricorn. Uh... will you forgive me?"

As I was about to respond, the sailor announced that we had only 30 seconds before departure and forcibly separated us. I barely managed to grab the Apricorn and board the ship. Ethan smiled brightly and waved goodbye.

My mind was in turmoil. I wanted to sleep and think things over when I wake up. I closed my eyes and started to hear the radio, which hadn't been audible earlier. It seemed they had turned it on for the passengers.

"...Today, we'll take a moment to learn about the language of roses! Most people think of red roses when they think of roses, but in fact, there are various colors, right?"

"Yes, that's right! For example, the meaning of yellow roses is..."

I wanted to cover my ears; I didn't want to think about roses anymore. But then the next line from the host reached my ears.

"...The meaning of orange roses is shyness! They're said to be given as a gift to express shyness, when you want to confess but can't say 'I like you.'"

I was going to give an orange rose in return.

Ethan, so that's what it was. I burst out laughing. So, you actually had the same feelings as me. I hugged the orange Apricorn tightly, then let the gentle sway of the ship lull me to sleep.

I'm happy, at last.