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“Drew, are you even listening?” the salmon haired woman questions her friend.
“Huh?” Drew Hayden returns his attention back to his long time friend. His first rival, though she isn’t his biggest rival. “What were you saying, Soledad?”
Sighing, Soledad wonders why Drew is so absentminded lately. “I said that you need to stop hooking up with randoms in every town you’re in. We’re here for business, so can we please make it through this week without the gossip magazines talking about your latest lay?”
“Are you jealous that you’re not getting any play?” Teases the green haired man as he flicks his hair. “Not my fault that the ladies want me.”
Of course his hair flick makes nearby women swoon, and Soledad shoots him a glare. “Because you’re like a little brother to me, and I haven’t seen you in months, I will let that slide.”
Before Drew was a teenager, he was very respectful towards her and kind. Then puberty happened and then he won the Hoenn Grand Festival, resulting in his ego being through the roof. That also attributes to his arrogance, though Soledad does try to deflate his big head.
There was ever only one person who could truly keep Drew in check though. Frowning, Soledad continues looking at the road ahead while Drew winks at all of the passing women. Soledad wonders how their old friend is doing right now. Last she heard, that friend had won a few Grand Festivals these past couple of years but gave up the title of Top Coordinator each time.
“Have you talked to May lately?” Soledad asks, and like always, she spots the quick hint of sadness on Drew’s face before his trademark smirk returns.
“No? Why would I?” May chose to not embrace the Top Coordinator positions that she won. It’s not his problem to keep tabs on someone who wants to stay away from the spotlight.
Nevertheless, as he and Soledad walk along the road, to the left of them is the Slateport City beach. The very beach that he met her at a decade ago. That’s why he’s been so absentminded today. Well, to be honest, Drew is always in a daze whenever he’s anywhere that reminds him of her, which is everywhere. They met in Hoenn and traveled around many other regions together.
“You guys did travel together for years.” Soledad notes.
The man shrugs. “I’ve been the Hoenn Top Coordinator for 4 years, Soledad. I haven’t seen her since I won.” Drew swears he’s told Soledad this many times before.
“Yeah, but she’s still your friend. You two traveled together for 5 years!”
“I don’t know what you want me to say?” Drew curiously looks at his friend, but he hopes she stops asking about this subject. “We grew apart. She wanted to keep traveling, and I wanted to fulfill my Top Coordinator responsibilities.”
“I know that.” Soledad has heard this from both May and Drew many times already, but she doesn’t fully understand why they couldn’t stay friends. Even though Soledad doesn’t see May and Drew often, she can still be friends with them. “I just miss when all 4 of us used to hang out together.” Harley is the fourth in their group, but Harley is currently already at the contest hall setting up.
Drew too misses when they all could have fun together. He especially misses having fun with May. Every day they got to travel together was a joy for him, but he made a choice 4 years ago, and he stuck with it. As much as he regrets that choice now, it’s too late to turn back. She wants nothing to do with him now, and he doesn’t blame her at all.
Flashback
“Well, that sucks.” mutters the brunette as she kicks up some dirt in front of her.
Sighing, her rival beside her has his arms behind his head while he walks too. “Guess we’ll try again next year.”
They just lost the Orre Grand Festival less than an hour ago. Drew lost in the finals while May lost in the final 4 against the same coordinator who won it all. Rather than stay for the festivities, the two opted to go train for next year. They’re not poor sports, so they did congratulate the coordinator who won, but these two have other priorities right now.
“What if we never win a Grand Festival?” mopes the teen, which, despite their circumstances, causes Drew to laugh. May always amuses him.
“We’ll win one.” They’re always so close. Eventually, if they keep on training and competing, they’re bound to win one.
“Yeah, but what if we don't, Drew?” She stops in her tracks to face him with those mesmerizing sapphire orbs of hers. “What if we’re 80 and we still never win a Grand Festival?”
“May-”
“No, Drew. What if?” She interrupts, and he sighs again.
At least May isn’t as bummed out as she was earlier. If anything, she just looks curious on his answer. As much as they both don’t want to think about this possibility, it doesn’t hurt to prepare, right? Or he could just entertain her for now. Thus, he shrugs, “I’ll go live somewhere far away and remote. I’d be that wise coordinator who other coordinators want to learn from, so they seek my help.”
“Why somewhere remote though?” May does like the idea of teaching the next generation of coordinators.
The boy flicks his hair with a smirk. His trademark look, making May also happy to see he isn’t taking his loss too badly anymore. “They gotta work for it, June.” Drew’s smirk grows seeing May’s eyebrow twitch. “I can’t be teaching everyone my techniques. Only the best who are willing to make the long trip to find me can be rewarded with my expertise.”
She contemplates his words for a second, searching behind his amused emerald eyes to see that genuine sincerity in them. Breaking out in a huge grin, May grabs Drew’s arm, causing him to blush. “That sounds awesome! We should totally do that!”
“We?” The blushing boy really hopes May doesn’t notice his flushed face, but this is dense May Maple who still thinks the roses he gives her are for Beautifly. He shouldn’t be worried.
Nodding, May starts walking down the road again. But this time, she is holding onto Drew’s arm. To the outside, they could look like a couple. Nevertheless, these two are just best friends and rivals who travel together. “I don’t wanna live alone. It’s boring. Do you, Drew?”
Groudon. She really doesn’t know the effect she has on him, especially with her innocent question. Turning away as he walks, Drew mutters, “I don’t really mind living alone.”
May pouts to glance up at him, but she sees he’s looking away. “Are you saying you don’t wanna travel with me anymore?”
“No!” Drew abruptly stops to look at her. Not even caring if she’ll notice the pink tint on his cheeks. How does he explain this to her without confessing and ruining what they have? What he is content with.
Drew uses his free hand to rake it through his hair as he lets out a breath. While the boy doesn’t mind being alone, he would prefer to be with this girl right here. It’s the reason he asked her to follow him to Johto after she separated from Ash. It’s the reason he let her tag along with him when they met up in Johto, and then he kept traveling with her since. It’s the reason he wants to keep traveling with her.
The green haired boy would love to continue spending every day with her, but does she feel the same way? Or does she just like traveling with him for now until someone else comes along? What if Ash, Brock, and Max get back together and want to travel with May again? Would she leave? He doesn’t know, so he needs to guard his heart because he’d rather have her as a friend and rival than nothing at all.
“You need someone to keep an eye on you. Make sure you don’t fall for stupid tricks and get taken advantage of.” Drew flicks his hair, earning him an eye roll from her.
“I’m not a beginner anymore.” She knows he’s referring to all of the times she’d fall for Harley’s tricks. “If we faced each other at the Grand Festival, I’m sure I would’ve won.”
Chuckling, Drew highly doubts that. Yet May has proven to be a formidable rival. They’re constantly exchanging contest wins when they compete. “Guess we’ll have to see at next year’s Grand Festival.”
This piques her interest as they continue walking again. “Next year? Do you still wanna travel together?”
Wasn’t that a given? Does she not? Well, he never asked her. Last year, they were in Johto where she ended up tagging along. Then he invited her to Orre with him this year. But are they a regular thing now? “Yeah? I plan to go to Sinnoh. Or we could go wherever you wanna go. I did pick Orre this year.” Why is he acting so nervous? That is unlike Drew Hayden.
However, when he feels the grip on his arm tighten, Drew’s tenseness leaves his body as his blush returns. “Yeah, let’s go to Sinnoh!”
A thought occurs to him, though, causing his trademark smirk to return. “Or…”
“Or what?”
“We could just quit contests now, find somewhere remote, and wait for coordinators to come learn from us.” he playfully suggests.
Giggling, May thinks about how she wouldn’t mind that option either. “No one is gonna find us now, Drew. We don’t have enough experience to be worth learning from.” She’s only been a coordinator for 3 years while Drew has been one for 4. They need more experience or more Grand Festivals won to be worthy of other coordinators’ times.
Dang. Although Drew knows she’s correct, a part of him wouldn’t mind the idea of giving up his dreams to live in the remote wilderness with her. To just wake up and spend every day with her, like they’ve been doing now. Yet, this would be guaranteed. If Drew never wins a Grand Festival, he doesn’t mind that as long as he continues having May in his life.
Flashback Over
Leaving the motel, the man calls out his Flygon to take him back to his hotel on the other side of town. Even though Soledad asked him not to hook up with anyone this week, he couldn’t help himself. Being in this city always aches his heart, but he has responsibilities as the Top Coordinator.
Therefore, after feeling lonely today, he went out and found someone to entertain him for a bit. To distract his mind just enough where he’d stop feeling sorry for himself. Obviously, he doesn’t remember her name or anything about her, but he doesn’t care either. He doesn’t even remember how she felt because he’s feeling lonely again. The hookups never help, but they are a nice brief distraction.
Regardless of how many other beautiful women he can easily get, Drew doesn’t want any of them. His heart doesn’t ever stop aching for her. It’s also the reason that he avoids hooking up with brunettes, or girls with bandanas, or girls with a Blaziken. Shaking his head, Drew hates that his thoughts are always wandering towards her.
When did life stop being fun? When did it start hurting and constantly have him in this turmoil? Groudon. Who is he kidding? He knows exactly when it started, and he’s the only one to blame. When he made his choice 4 years ago, he really thought he’d still have her by his side. Or that she’d eventually come back, but she still hasn’t. Was his ego that inflated that he thought she’d come back to him?
Pulling out his pokenav, he contemplates calling her. Texting her. Doing something to let her know he misses her. Nevertheless, like every time he thinks about this, he chooses not to do any of that. Instead, he opens up their texts to read the last messages they sent each other, which was right after he won the Hoenn Grand Festival 4 years ago.
She had asked him, ‘Can we talk?’
And what did his stubborn ass reply with? ‘There’s nothing to talk about.’
Closing the nav, Drew pockets it again. How can he try to reach out to her when that’s how they ended things? When she wanted to figure them out, yet he let his pride get in the way? She was gone the next day, and he never saw her again. It’s been years, so he doubts she’d want to hear from him now.
Flashback
“We should probably start looking for remote land soon.” teases the green haired boy.
Groaning aloud, the girl shoots him a glare. Although she did beat Drew at the Unova Grand Festival semi-final round, she lost in the finals. She was so close! “How about, as we continue traveling, we make sure to find some land too? Find somewhere we wouldn’t mind retiring together if none of this works out?”
Together. The boy chuckles while wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a side hug. May had shed some tears after her loss earlier, and like always, Drew hugged them away. He hates seeing her upset, especially after watching all of her hard work this year. While it still hurts his ego losing to her, he can push that aside to console her.
The two are outside of the city now when they hear loud bangs, causing them to look up at the fireworks from the Grand Festival celebration. Each burst of emerald and sapphire illuminates the grassy hill where they stand, far enough from the city that the cheers of the crowd are only a faint hum. Drew keeps his arm firmly anchored around May’s shoulders, his thumb tracing small, absentminded circles against her jacket.
He watches the way a gold spark reflects in her eyes. Usually, those eyes are narrowed in concentration or sparkling with a challenge, but right now, they look soft and weary. The silence between them isn't filled with the usual prickle of pride or the need for a witty comeback. Instead, it feels heavy with a truth he’s been carrying since they met in Hoenn.
It doesn’t matter how many ribbons he collects or how many stages he masters if she isn't there everyday. The thought of a season starting without her feels like a dead end. Without her loud enthusiasm, her stubborn heart, and even her frustratingly perfect combos. Drew cannot imagine life without her after having her in his life every day these past 4 years.
“May,” he says, his voice barely a murmur under the crackle of the distant fireworks.
Her attention is still on the beautiful fireworks, but she does acknowledge him. “Hm?”
He doesn't smirk. He doesn't reach for a rose. He just tightens his grip and brings his other hand up to brush a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Although his heart is pounding so loud that he’s sure May can hear it over the fireworks, right now just feels so…right? There was a time he figured he was fine with what they were. As just friends and rivals. However, the more they spend time together, and the more his feelings constantly want to slip out, makes Drew know this current relationship isn’t enough for him anymore.
Thus, he uses his free hand to turn May’s cheek towards him. Under the illumination of the fireworks in the dark star-filled sky, Drew hopes May can’t see how red his face is. He does hope she can see the sincerity in his eyes. Not the usual playfulness he exhibits around her.
“Are you okay, Drew?” May worriedly places a hand on his forehead because she sees how red his face is.
This gesture just makes his heart tighten even more due to her kindness. That’s just who May is. Grabbing the hand off of his head, Drew resumes nervously looking into May’s concerned sapphire orbs. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
“Your face felt hot.”
Of course, oblivious May Maple wouldn’t realize the position they’re in right now. She wouldn’t realize the battle he’s having with himself mentally on if he wants to ruin what they have or take the risk for everything he wants. “I’m fine.” He reassures her.
“Okay...” May is skeptical, but when Drew lets out an anxious laugh, she is now relieved.
“Groudon, May. You don’t know the effect you have on me.” admits the boy.
“Are you teasing me again, Drew?” She'd rather watch the fireworks if that’s what he’s doing.
“No!” Drew panics before offering her a sincere smile again. “It’s a compliment. It makes me never want to stop traveling with you, May.”
Oh. At these words, May loosens up. Not upset anymore. “I never wanna stop traveling with you too, Drew.” Despite being rivals, Drew is her best friend. They help each other a lot, and she knows her successes are because of him. Drew is a great teacher whose mind is constantly thinking up amazing contest strategies.
Hearing her innocent words, Drew really wants to hope. Hope that she feels the same way as him. Else, why would she be traveling with him all of these years if she had someone else in her heart? Besides, he’s never seen her call or text someone regularly, so that must mean she doesn’t have anyone romantically. Could it be because she feels the same way as he does?
The grand finale of the fireworks begins to tear through the sky, but Drew doesn't look up. Instead, he watches the way the strobing light washes over May’s face, turning the deep sapphire of her eyes into something luminous and endless. As the world around them crashes with noise and color, everything else falls away until it’s just the weight of his arm around her and the steady hum of her breathing.
He lets his pride finally drop, melting into her gaze as if he's finally found the one place he doesn't have to perform. The spectacular show in the distance becomes nothing more than a blurred backdrop to the person in his arms. He tightens his hold, his voice barely a whisper but steady enough to anchor her. “I like you, May,” he says, the words feeling like a long-overdue confession. “I’ve liked you since we were just kids back in Hoenn.”
May freezes, her breath hitching as a massive white firework blooms above them, turning the world bright as day. The shadows disappear, leaving nowhere for his confession to hide. She looks at his hand, then up at his face, searching for the usual teasing glimmer in his green eyes. She finds only a quiet, terrifying sincerity.
A small, watery laugh escapes her as she finally replies to the nervous boy, “Is this a dream?” Like she didn’t win the Grand Festival, but she won his heart?”
Her response alleviates the tension, causing Drew to now laugh too. “May, the roses were always for you, you know?” Of course she would never realize his feelings for her.
“Then why’d you say that they’re for Beautifly?”
Groudon. This dense girl. “I just told you.” Drew’s nervousness returns. “I like you.”
Ah. Yeah. That confession is definitely not a dream. Not imagined. Finding her lips curling up into their own smile, May’s cheeks tint pink too. “I like you a lot too, Drew.” Now, she can stop being jealous of Beautifly for getting roses from her crush.
Drew lets out a breath he feels like he’s been holding for years as he rests his forehead on hers. Both teens having anxious shy smiles on their faces, yet Drew is eyeing her enticing pink lips. When May tiptoes to give him a quick kiss, his face flushes. What? That was too quick for his liking, and now she’s looking uncertain. If she should’ve done that.
Therefore, the boy brings a hand up to her cheek so that he can get a longer kiss. One where he can savor her. Because she had kissed him first, and he wants her to know that he truly does like her a lot. Heck. He’s sure he even loves her, but one step at a time.
Months Later
“I spy something green.” the brunette skips ahead of her boyfriend.
“The grass.”
“Nope.”
“The leaves.” he boredly responds.
“Yeah.” She sheepishly smiles. “Okay, your turn, Drew.”
Groaning, Drew is tired of this game. Everything is either green, blue, or brown! They’re outside and have been on the road for weeks. “I don’t wanna play this anymore.”
Pouting, she stops to turn around and face him, making Drew feel slightly bad. However, he cannot play ‘I Spy’ any longer. Fortunately, she now asks, “What do you wanna do then?” There’s still too much daylight, so putting up camp now will be a waste.
“Anything, except ‘I Spy’.”
This makes her giggle as she now links her arm with the blushing boy. “How about you tell me how much you love me again?” She could listen to that for hours.
With Drew’s blush intensifying, he mutters, “I love you, May, but I’m not gonna say that for hours.” Besides, she knows how much he loves her.
“It sounds like you want me to shut up?” she feigns hurt, and Drew rolls his eyes.
“Your idea. Not mine.” May smacks his arm, causing him to give in. “Ouch! Okay, I was joking. Groudon, May.”
After a few more steps in silence, Drew gazes down at the top of her head. He’s much taller than her compared to when they first met years ago. Feeling her lovingly hold his arm, further makes his heart beat. Of course, Drew loves her. He’s loved her the first year he met her.
“I know we’re young right now, but I love you so much that I can’t wait to marry you in the future.”
May tightens her hold on his arm as her blush darkens. She fights the urge to look into his eyes for fear of embarrassing herself. Thus, the two continue walking. “I can’t wait to marry you too, Drew.” Her voice is small. Almost a whisper, but he heard it.
“And then we can have a couple of kids. Drew Jr. and April.” teases Drew, earning him a giggle. Oh how he loves hearing her laugh. Obviously, he’d pick ‘April’ because that’s one of his go-to names for when he pretends to forget her name.
“We’re not naming our kids Drew Jr. and April.”
“Do you have better ideas?” the teenage boy challenges.
Thinking for a moment, May soon nods. “I like Rose for a girl. Since you always give me and Beautifly roses.”
That’s a good one. “I like that too.” Smiles Drew warmly. Rose is very fitting.
“And for a boy… Romeo?” It kind of plays off of the Rose theme.
“I like that too.” Drew smiles, reaching his arm down to interlock his hand with hers. He brings her hand up to kiss the back of it, causing her heart to beat quicker. “Romeo and Rose Hayden. Nice.”
While the two continue walking, hoping to have their blushes and heart beat cool down, they think about a future with one another. Ever since they met, they kept getting drawn to each other. And then once they started traveling together, they never stopped. Both coordinators doubt they’ll ever separate at this point. They love each other too much.
“Hey, Drew?” May softly asks.
“Yeah?”
Taking a deep breath, she finally does gaze up into those emerald orbs she loves. “How about, if we don’t win a Grand Festival by the time we’re 20, we just settle down and have a family? We raise our kids to win all of the Grand Festivals.” Any offspring of theirs will truly be talented.
Drew too peers into those sapphire eyes he adores. With a smile, unlike his trademark smirk, he asks, “Are we doing it on some remote land where only skilled and dedicated coordinators come to us for advice?” Recalling all of the times they’d joke about retiring somewhere remote.
Matching his smile, May likes being reminded of their original plan they made in jest years ago. “Yeah. We’ll have a few prodigies to raise, and we’ll also give advice to coordinators who want it that badly.”
Just like that, Drew kisses her because he loves kissing her, especially when she deepens the kiss. The two have kissed many times already, and each time, Drew can’t get enough of her. Unfortunately, they need oxygen, so they finally separate and continue walking.
“I think 20 is too young to retire.” Drew finally says, making May raise a curious eyebrow up at him.
“Same here, but I want to marry you as soon as I can. I think 20 is the youngest my parents will let me get away with.” She sheepishly laughs.
To Drew, this laugh brings him a euphoric feeling. Knowing that she too wants to marry him as soon as possible just reminds him of how much she loves him. If Drew could marry her now, he would. However, they need to focus on their goals before finally reaching that part of their lives. Plus, they can always get married and still try to be Top Coordinators. One step at a time.
Nevertheless, if he never wins a Grand Festival, he doesn’t mind it so much anymore because he already won in life. He’s got the girl of his dreams, and she loves him just as much as he loves her. They’ll get married, have that house in the remote wilderness, and have a couple prodigies to raise. That’s all Drew can ask for because all he wants is to continue doing life with May.
Flashback Over
“Thanks for coming by, Drew.” The professor hands him a package. “Brendan is always forgetting things here.”
“It’s on the way, Professor Birch. I don’t mind.” Drew smiles warmly, but he does mind. Why that irresponsible Champion bothered Drew, Drew hates it. Nevertheless, there have been times Brendan has helped Drew in the past, so Drew is doing him this one favor.
Drew is currently in Little Root Town making a pitstop for Brendan before going back to Ever Grande City. The Top Coordinator had to walk through the pastures of the lab in order to find Brendan’s father, the professor. As Drew is leaving, he looks around the field because he doesn’t need to focus his attention on finding Professor Birch anymore.
Seeing the baby orange chicks makes Drew frown, so he looks to the other side of the field. That’s when he sees how green the grass is over there where the Ponyta are munching on. Actually, the grass in Little Root Town is very green compared to other places, like the big city. Chuckling to himself, the pitiful man thinks about how the grass isn’t always greener.
“Skitty?” the little pink Pokemon questions, causing Drew to look down by his ankle. Since when did Skitty get here?
“Skitty?” Drew repeats and feels like an idiot. Sighing, he kneels down to pet Skitty who is rubbing herself against his pant leg and purring. The man hasn’t seen Skitty in years. Not since they stopped traveling together. “How have you been?”
If Skitty is here, then that means she’s currently the one out of rotation. Drew is glad he’s seeing the friendly Skitty instead of an angry protective Blaziken or Venusaur. Though Drew is sure his Masqurain would like to see Beautifly again. Feeling an ache in his chest, Drew stops petting Skitty to stand. Not only did Drew break his own heart, but he also broke Masquerain.
“Bye, Skitty. It was nice seeing you.” To Drew’s relief, Skitty doesn’t try to follow him. Like the Pokemon understands.
Yeah. Drew is feeling very heartbroken and alone right now. Despite being surrounded by people and Pokemon constantly, Drew always is lonely. The only times he can distract himself is when he’s hooking up with someone random, so he pulls out his pokenav to find a nearby Lass.
Flashback
“Congrats, Drew!” May tackles him in a tight hug, but that’s not enough for him.
As much as he wants to kiss her passionately right now, he won’t. They are trying to keep their relationship away from the media as much as possible. Thus, Drew just holds her tighter as confetti falls around them.
Despite losing to him in the finals, May didn’t cry. The first thing she did was run across the field to congratulate him. They’ve always been supportive of each others’ dreams, and they knew that one day, one of them would win while the other would lose. Nevertheless, they are happy for each other.
“Thanks, May.” Smiles the boy so hard that his face hurts, but he cannot stop. He’s finally accomplished his dream, and he has her beside him. The girl he loves. Everything is finally falling into place for him. Drew could not be happier.
After many photos are taken, interviews are held, and the party for the winner, Drew and May are exhausted in their hotel suite, but Drew does bask in all of the attention and recognition for his hard work. The winner always gets a suite paid for by the contest committee. Regardless of losing to Drew in the finals, May still got a decent amount of publicity too because of her strength. That and everyone knows how they’re best friends and rivals who have traveled together for years.
“Congrats again, Drew.” May lays down beside him on the large bed.
Turning to face her, Drew brings a hand up to cup her cheek. Oh how he loves those mesmerizing sapphire blue eyes of hers. “Thanks, May. I couldn’t imagine winning it with anyone else by my side.” When she blushes from his words, Drew tells her, “I’ve been waiting all day for my victory kiss.”
She spots the blush on his cheeks too, yet that playful smirk overshadows it. He’s lucky that she loves him too, and that she’s also been waiting all day to kiss him because she now welcomes those warm soft lips on hers. As Drew deepens the kiss, May reciprocates. The fatigue of today is gone, allowing the teens to fully embrace each other to their hearts’ content. To Drew, today is perfect, especially since he gets to end it with May.
The next morning, the teens wake up in each others’ arms. Of course, they’re awkward and blush a lot, yet they love each other. Eventually, with the high of yesterday’s win and activities dying down, the two are out and about in Slateport City. They settle for walking on the beach, their favorite spot because that’s where they met years ago. Drew still gets lots of congratulations, yet he and May do get some time to themselves.
After a few silent minutes of walking along the beach, May brings up their usual topic once they finish with a Grand Festival. “So I guess you don’t need to find any remote land anymore.”
Chuckling, Drew wishes they weren’t in public so he could put his arm around her waist. Instead, he opts for her shoulders to look like a friendly hug. Everyone knows they’re best friends, and everyone wants them to date. Little does the public know, these two have been a couple for almost a year.
“You still haven’t won a Grand Festival yet. I’ll go wherever you go.” smirks the teenage boy as he flicks his hair. Although they’re friends and dating, they’re both competitive and still rivals. He’ll flaunt his win against her.
Speaking of her not winning a Grand Festival yet, May’s goal is still to win one. They’re young, so she has plenty of time to keep competing, which she will do. “I’m thinking we should go to Kalos next year.” She’s heard about Kalos from Ash as well as the contest scene there.
At this, Drew raises a curious eyebrow up at her. “Huh? I thought we’re gonna stick around while I’m the Top Coordinator?”
What? Now, May matches his confused gaze with one of her own. “When did we decide that?” Come to think of it, they never discussed what they’d do once one of them won. Although they knew that one of them would win before the other, due to them both traveling the same region every year yet there only being one winner, the topic of what’s next never came up.
To May, though, she always assumed they’d keep traveling and stacking up Grand Festival wins. Just because one wins a Grand Festival, they don’t have to be the Top Coordinator. They can forgo the responsibility to the current Top Coordinator. That’s what May always planned to do anyway, so she thought Drew would too.
As much as they like winning contests, the open road is where they thrive the most. It brings them so many random adventures and lots of fun. Plus, waking up with each other every day to just leisurely enjoy their lives is very fulfilling compared to working. Why wouldn’t she want to keep traveling and competing?
“We didn’t.” Drew sighs as he removes his arm from her, coming to the same conclusion. How come they never discussed what would happen when one of them wins? “I worked hard for this win, May. I want to at least be the Top Coordinator for as long as I can.” However, he doesn’t plan to be dethroned that easily. “Why don’t you stay in Hoenn and help me out too? Your family is here.”
“This is your dream, Drew. You already reached your goal, but I haven’t reached mine.” May fights the lump in her throat because this is their first real argument. Yeah, they’ve bickered in the past, nothing that could potentially drive them apart. After years of traveling everyday together, May isn’t ready to depart from the boy she loves. “And you just told me that you’d go wherever I go. I’m going to Kalos.”
Damn. He did say that, but he meant that he’d go find remote land with her in 20 years or something if she doesn’t win a Grand Festival. Not go to Kalos with her immediately after he wins a Grand Festival. Drew wants to bask in his well-earned role he just won. “I didn’t mean that I’d do that right now.” Seeing the hurt on her face, Drew knows that came out wrong.
But when he opens his mouth to explain himself, she takes an angry step back from him. “You’re right. I don’t want to be holding you back from your dreams, Drew. I’ll just go to Kalos alone.”
May feels a tightness in her chest as she stares at Drew. This is the same person who promised he’d go wherever she went, yet here he is, choosing a title over her. Every secret kiss and every late-night conversation about their future feels like a joke now. Like just something for him to pass the time.
She looks at his green hair and emerald eyes, realizing that his win has changed him into someone she doesn't recognize. While she was focused on spending the rest of their lives together, he was clearly just waiting for his own moment to shine alone. It’s a stinging realization that she isn't his priority, and as she takes that step back, the weight of their relationship feels like it’s crushing her.
She doesn't want to beg him to love her more than his new role, so she just hardens her gaze, ready to leave it all behind. Despite the intense ache in her chest, May won’t cry. Not while they’re in public. Thus, she gives him a small smile, and she knows he can see her glossy eyes full of tears threatening to fall. Don’t give her that fake sympathetic gaze.
May isn’t cruel enough to make Drew give up a title he worked so hard for. She loves him enough to let him be happy with his choice. To not hold him back. Therefore, she’ll leave him with as happy a memory as she can. “Congrats again, Drew.” With that, May hurriedly leaves to find somewhere private to cry.
Drew is stunned. In the past, he’d chase her down to apologize and make up. Nonetheless, a large part of him is pissed that she’s guilt-tripping him like this. Why is she making this such a big deal? If she wants to keep traveling and competing without him, she can do that while he stays in Hoenn. There’s no need to be this dramatic.
As much as he will also miss seeing her every day, he wasn’t planning to hold her back from her dreams. All he did was give her a suggestion, and if she said ‘no’, he would’ve been fine with that. Nevertheless, she is insistent that he keep traveling with her, else he’s the bad guy.
Drew furrows his brows, annoyed by her reaction. Girls. Whatever. He’ll wait for her to cool down and come to her senses because she should understand. They have the same goal. If it were the other way around, Drew would’ve stayed by her side while she’s the Top Coordinator.
That night, the new Top Coordinator is alone in bed with the TV on showing coordinator news, mostly of him. He’s in the bed he shared with his lover last night, yet she’s nowhere in sight. All day, he was getting attention from so many people, resulting in his mind being too preoccupied to miss her. But once everything settled at night, he couldn't stop thinking about her.
Drew has been waiting for a call or text from her. Something from her apologizing for being selfish. Nevertheless, nothing came through, further aching his heart. Why are they doing this to each other? If she wants to travel without him, she can do that. They can figure out long distance. Anything without either one giving up on their dreams.
But she wants to go cold on him all of a sudden, and he hates it, especially when her face appears on the big screen in his hotel suite. Drew instantly sits up to see the segment on the Coordinators gossip channel, making him furrow his brows in more annoyance. There is a quick snippet of May storming off from Drew on the beach today.
Of course, Drew figured they were being watched due to being in public and him winning the Hoenn Grand Festival yesterday. Nonetheless, he still hates that his privacy was invaded. Regardless, the invaded privacy doesn’t bother him as much as the heading for the news segment: Prince and Princess of Hoenn finally separate. Trouble in fairyland?
The reporter is talking about how May and Drew have been traveling together for years after they met during May’s first year competing. That the two are best friends and everyone always thought they would date. But when May was spotted storming away from Drew, and Drew was without her all day, people got suspicious. Then, there is a clip of May somewhere else today. The reporter states that May was spotted in Kalos a little while ago, which is the reason for this news segment.
What? Drew’s aching heart feels like it’s shattering. So instead of trying to talk about it some more, she just hopped on the first flight to Kalos? While they always went straight to the next region after a loss, they never had to. There is a 2 month off-season, so May could’ve used this offseason to be with him and work them out. Not just leave!
The boy fights his tears despite his heart feeling like it’s being ripped from him. Drew’s grip on his Pokenav tightens as his jaw sets. To him, this feels like total abandonment. They had spent years attached at the hip. He had just reached the peak of his career, and he expected her to be the one person celebrating the loudest. Instead, she vanished.
The more he thinks about it, the more the sting of betrayal grows. In his mind, May didn't even try. She didn't offer a compromise. She just demanded he drop his new responsibilities for Kalos, and when he didn't immediately say yes, she threw their years away like they meant nothing. She gave up on them.
He feels like a fool for ever believing in the remote land and the baby names and her love. To Drew, her leaving like this proves that she was only with him as long as it was convenient. The second things got complicated, she chose to run. He’s the one standing in the city where they met, holding a trophy that feels heavier and emptier by the second, while she’s probably already looking at new contest halls in a different region.
As he continues glaring at the tv, the segment about them long gone, he feels his pokenav vibrate in his hand. It breaks him from his intense pain, so he looks at it to see the very person he was just thinking about. The very person who hurt him like this. She’s the only one he’s ever loved, yet she ripped his heart out. What could she want now that she’s regions away? Did she only text him because she figured he heard the news already?
‘Can we talk?’
Psh. Drew shakes his head in disbelief. She wants to talk now? Now that she’s regions away? Like he doesn’t deserve a face to face conversation when she was literally just here today! Clearly, she threw them away easily, so he turns cold. It’s the only thing to save his face and not go crawling back to someone who doesn’t value him enough to fully support his dreams. It’s the only way to protect himself from this pain again.
‘There’s nothing to talk about.’ He replies because she’s made it clear that they have nothing to talk about. If it isn’t worth talking in person to her, then it’s not worth it to him either. She made her choice, and it clearly wasn’t them. It was her. Drew never thought May would be this selfish, but people can show surprising colors when jealousy invades the relationship.
Well, she doesn’t respond. He waits a few minutes, making him hate that he was waiting. Nevertheless, a message never comes back, like she got the hint. But Drew wanted her to fight more. Why is she just easily giving up on them? Did she ever love him? He loves her. He’s always loved her. The realization continues hurting him, so he wipes at the tears that did escape.
With his heart freezing over, Drew has a new goal: be the Hoenn Top Coordinator as long as possible. He won’t let anyone dethrone him. He’ll show that the correct choice was to stay in Hoenn because he’ll be the best Top Coordinator Hoenn has ever had, and he’ll do it without her. Everything he had that brought him his win is due to himself, so he’ll just continue being by himself as the Top Coordinator.
Flashback Over
“Hello? Are you listening, Drewy?” the flamboyant man waves his hand in front of the Top Coordinator, finally earning Harley Drew’s attention.
“Huh?” Drew blinks at Harley. “Sorry, Harley. What were you saying?”
“Groudon, Drew. Soledad is right. Your mind is only on women.” Harley rolls his eyes because Drew has been looking elsewhere so far.
They’re currently in Fallabor Town helping the contest committee here. Harley and Soledad are on the Grand Festival committee while Drew is the Top Coordinator. Thus, they all work together often, so Drew and Harley were sent to Fallabor Town.
With Fallarbor being a smaller town, Harley figured Drew would focus less on the women. That seems to not be the case because Drew is still not paying attention to the contest work they’re supposed to be doing!
To Harley’s annoyance, Drew flicks his hair as his trademark smirk appears on his lips. “The women love me. I just give them what they want.”
“Please, just keep it in your pants until we finish our work.” groans the older man.
Chuckling, Drew pats Harley’s back, grateful for the company because Drew’s mind has indeed been wandering. Not on women. Just on one woman. That damn brunette who aches his heart and he cannot stop thinking about her. The first time he saw her in this town, he gave her a rose. For Beautifly of course.
Harley remembers something else Soledad had talked to him about, especially now that Harley is in Fallabor. Thus, Harley tells the green haired man, “The last time I was here, I saw May. It was last year.” Of course, Harley notices Drew visibly flinch at the name. Something Soledad had noticed too despite Drew trying to remain cool.
“That’s nice.” Drew dryly responds, making Harley fight rolling his eyes.
“She was running an errand for Professor Birch. Something about an egg and a hotspring. Were you able to see her while she was in Hoenn?”
Well, that’s news to him. So she was in this region, and she didn’t reach out to him? She didn’t bother to see him? Granted, they both haven’t spoken since their breakup, but it’s been years. She could’ve tried to reconnect? “No.” Drew’s same monotone voice replies.
Nonetheless, the same could be said about him. He knows her family is in Petalburg, so he could’ve used them to reconnect with her too. Although, she was the one who broke up with him after starting that selfish argument; thus, she should be the one apologizing first.
Harley studies his friend’s face. Throughout the years, Harley would run into Drew and May often when they were on the road. After Harley gave up his troublesome ways, he became great friends with everyone. They used to have so much fun and share lots of laughs when they were traveling.
Since Drew became the Hoenn Top Coordinator, his eyes don’t light up like they once did. Sure, he smiles and laughs here and there, yet those who truly know him, like Soledad and Harley, know that Drew isn’t actually happy. They’ve seen him happy before. The carefree joys of just loving life. Despite achieving his goal, he is clearly unhappy. Why is that?
“It’s weird, ya know? She’s won 2 Grand Festivals, but she doesn’t want to be a Top Coordinator. She just keeps traveling and competing.” Harley tells his friend, and Drew wants to tell Harley that he doesn’t care. But Drew does care. These are the only updates he can get about her due to his stubborn pride. “But she looked so happy and fulfilled in life when I saw her.”
Unlike May, Drew is always looking bored; hence, why his mind wanders often. Even though his eyes could be scanning the available women in the area, Harley and Soledad are sure he’s always been searching for something else. Or someone else. They saw that news segment too after Drew won the Grand Festival, so they know that Drew and May had a falling out.
Moreover, every time they’d see May and ask her about Drew, she responds in the same way as Drew. She’s quiet and then tries to redirect the conversation. The two are clearly avoiding one another despite how much they miss each other. Soledad and Harley miss their friends being able to get together again.
As Harley continues explaining more of the plans in Fallarbor, Drew’s aching heart is already telling his head to quickly find another hookup. To find someone to help him forget about her for a bit. It’s only going to work temporarily, but he’ll take that quick fix because this pain is unbearable.
Over the years, Drew’s stubborn pride has diminished more and more. To the point that he knows if she ever came back into his life, he’d welcome her with open arms. Completely forgetting about their fallout and the pain she’s inflicted on him. Just being away from her and not having any contact with her for years makes him want to stop all this nonsense already.
His new dream has been to live somewhere remote, raise a few kids, and have coordinators come find him for coordinator advice and skill learning. Of course, that goal involves her being by his side too. Drew had this dream, and he threw it away over something he thought he wanted more than her. What he wouldn’t give to have that remote house with Rose, Romeo, and May again.
But he has just enough of a pride to not reach out to her. That, and he fears she may not want to hear from him. He did say some harsh words himself, especially the response to her text he left her. What if that was her way to try and reconcile? Yet he pushed her away and hurt her just as much?
Lately, he’s been thinking a lot about how much he regrets his decision to stay as the Hoenn Top Coordinator. Why didn’t he just follow her? Especially after she had asked him to? She had followed him for so long, but he was too selfish to follow her. And now, he wishes he had followed her because everything he thought he had wanted pales in comparison to just being in her presence. To just having her in his life.
Flashback
“Yes!” the young man jumps up from his seat happily.
He’s alone in his Slateport City apartment today, even though he should be preparing for the Hoenn Grand Festival tomorrow. However, he always watches the Grand Festival when she is competing. Despite them not talking in two years, Drew will always silently cheer her on.
“Rose!” Roserade pumps her arms in the air too.
Drew faces his starter Pokemon to happily exclaim, “She finally won!”
May just won the Kanto Grand Festival, and Drew is ecstatic. Maybe she’ll finally understand his choice to stay, and she’ll apologize? Then they can be friends again! And with her being the Kanto Top Coordinator, she’ll always be in one place. It’ll be easier to stay in communication, though they haven’t been in communication at all.
Even with the lack of communication, Drew will still celebrate her. He knows how hard she’s worked for this. Of course, he celebrates in the privacy of his home. Just so no one sees how much he’s still heartbroken over her. It’s a bittersweet feeling watching her because she’s out of his life. Hopefully, she’ll be back soon.
Pulling out his pokenav, he’s on a high from her win, so his stubborn pride is at bay. Drew will send her a congratulatory text. That will open the door to her in case she does want him back in her life, like how he wants her back. He’ll initiate the reconciliation. However, when he opens up their most recent text thread, which was 2 years ago, his high crashes.
It is replaced by an uneasy ache. ‘There’s nothing to talk about.’ He quickly exits out of the messages, his thumb hovering over the screen as if it might burn him. He wants to send the text; he really does. He wants to tell her that he finally saw her win, that he’s proud of her, and that she’s finally the Top Coordinator they always dreamed about becoming. But the cold, jagged words of his last reply stare back at him like a permanent scar.
How can he just text her ‘congrats’ after a message like that? Not after he clearly let her know that he wants nothing to do with her. Back then, the sting of her leaving had felt like a targeted strike. He had been so convinced that she was the one who gave up, abandoning him right when he reached the top instead of staying to fight for them. He had lashed out with that text because he wanted her to feel even a fraction of the rejection he felt being left in Hoen. He had wanted to hurt her back.
Now, that petty impulse from years ago feels like a heavy weight. Drew can’t text her and have her be reminded of his message. Not on her happy day. He won’t do that to her, and he can’t bring himself to see that message again. He realizes now that his own pride acted like a secondary wall, one he built himself to keep her out. Even though May finally achieved her goal, the bridge isn't just burned; he’s the one who threw the match. He’s the Top Coordinator now, just like he wanted, but sitting in this silence, he realizes he’s the only one left in the future they were supposed to share.
Eventually, he finds out that she doesn’t take the Top Coordinator position. She forgoes it to continue traveling and competing. It makes him realize that she has always enjoyed the road and competing more than the title. That if she had won before him, she would’ve been right back on the road with him anyway.
Thus, Drew definitely couldn’t reach back out to her because she wouldn’t understand why he took on the Top Coordinator position. The young man is disappointed since it means they won’t be able to make up. That’s when he starts filling his time with more parties and women than before. Knowing that he’s completely lost the woman he loves, he needs to hide these heart aches as much as possible.
The following year, May wins her second Grand Festival, meaning that she’s got more Grand Festival wins under her belt than him. A part of him hopefully watches in case she finally chooses to be the Top Coordinator. However, he’s not surprised when she forgoes that one too, even though it pains him again. It’s a definite reminder that they both made their choices, and it wasn’t each other.
Flashback Over
Last year, May didn’t win a Grand Festival. Else, he would’ve heard about it everywhere. A three-peat would’ve been all over the Coordinator news. After her first win 2 years ago, he stopped keeping up with her because he accepted that he lost her forever. The only reason he knew about her second win is because she won. That’s why he also doesn’t know where she was last year because she didn’t win. And he doesn’t know where she is this year either.
But he doesn’t care anymore. Anything involving her always stings his heart. Or wherever is left of his heart. He wishes he didn’t win the Grand Festival in Hoenn because they shared so many memories in this region. It’s their home region. Therefore, he tries, and fails, to not think about her because it only reminds him that he doesn’t have her in his life.
Although he regrets his choice he made, he won’t leave now. He’s already lost her, so he won’t lose his Top Coordinator position. That’s the next best thing, though it’s second place by a longshot. It doesn’t even compare to having her in his life. And there goes that painful ache again, resulting in him letting out a frustrated breath.
Gazing over at the Slateport City beach, the very place that hurts him the most in this region, Drew can hear the buzz of activity in the city buildings behind him. The Hoenn Grand Festival is tomorrow, so he should be resting because it is nighttime. Nevertheless, he always finds himself wandering to the beach when he misses her more than usual because it comforts him. This is where they met and left each other, yet it’s where he feels the closest to her.
As he’s lost in his pitiful thoughts, he senses something coming his way fast. Due to his quick reflexes, he grabs the item before it hits his face. Glaring at the frisbee, Drew looks around to see the irresponsible person who could’ve thrown this his way. The whole beach is pretty much empty, so why did the frisbee come this way?
“Hey! Give that back!” someone shouts, who is most likely the owner of this frisbee.
Why is this giving him deja vu? And why does that voice sound familiar? Turning towards the voice, his breath hitches. Also, it seems like she finally notices him because she stops in her tracks. Emerald eyes meet sapphire as both adults are frozen in shock. No one is sure of what to say or do to break the tension.
Thankfully, her Beautifly comes over to chirp happily in front of Drew because Beautifly hasn’t seen him in years. Drew mentally curses himself for freezing, so he recomposes himself to flick his hair. “For being a 2-time Grand Festival winner, I expected you to know how to throw a frisbee by now.”
Rolling her eyes, though she’s grateful that he broke the tension with his playful comment, she puts her hand out towards him. “Can I have my frisbee back now?”
“Nah.” Drew smirks. Why didn’t he just give it to her? It’s not like they’re friends anymore. This is awkward, despite them trying to not make it awkward. Nevertheless, a large part of him fears that, if he gives her the frisbee, then she’ll leave forever. Maybe this is fate giving them another chance to be together?
As she pouts in front of him, he studies her. Although they’ve seen each other in the media many times, seeing one another in person is something else. Drew notes how she’s grown a lot since he’s last seen her. Gone are her childish features. They’re replaced by more curves and toned muscles from her travels. Her skin is even more sunkissed than he remembered, but those sapphire eyes are pretty much the same beautiful shade.
To May, she also takes in Drew’s appearance. He’s much taller than she remembers. His shoulders are more broad, and the boyish features on his face are replaced by a more chiseled jawline. May can clearly tell he’s a lot more muscular under that thin tshirt he’s wearing, which makes her blush shyly. She hopes he can’t see it in the dim moonlight.
“Then I guess I’ll just follow you around until you give it back.” The younger May would’ve yelled at him to give it back. But standing here on the Slateport sand, the anger isn't there. Instead, there’s just a hollow ache that’s finally starting to fill. She’s missed him. Missed the way he catches things, the way he stands, the way he breathes. She’ll use this frisbee as an excuse to hang out with him for as long as he’ll let her, even if it’s just for five more minutes.
Chuckling softly, the sound vibrating in the cool night air, Drew reaches for a pokeball and releases Masquerain to play with Beautifly. The two bug-types let out chirps of pure delight, a happy reunion that mirrors the one happening silently on the sand. They flutter off together, spiraling down the shoreline but staying within view of their trainers, their wings catching the moonlight.
“Like how you followed me around Johto?” Drew asks, that familiar smugness creeping back into his tone.
“Oh, please, Drew. You practically begged me to join you,” May reminds him, her voice playful. But as soon as the last syllable leaves her lips, her breath hitches in her throat.
It’s the first time she’s said his name in years, and it’s the first time he’s heard it from her. Groudon, he’s always loved it best when she said it. The way the 'w' lingered, soft and familiar. Both of their hearts constrict painfully, a sharp, physical reminder of the time they’ve lost. Their pulses are racing now, thumping against their ribs like trapped birds. Why is this so awkward when it used to be as natural as breathing?
Clearing his throat, Drew shifts his gaze toward the ocean, hoping he sounds cooler than he feels. “And then you stuck around for five years.”
May’s blush deepens, the heat climbing all the way to her ears. She can’t handle the weight of that reminder right now, so she chooses to switch the topic before she loses her nerve. “What are you doing out here anyway? Don’t you need to rest and defend your title tomorrow?”
As the words leave her, she winces. Why did that sound a little bitter? She hopes he didn’t pick up on the edge in her voice, but she knows him better than that. He definitely did. May mentally curses herself for making the conversation worse than it was before. She hopes he doesn’t get upset and cut her off again.
Sighing, Drew looks down at his feet, the sand shifting beneath them. He doesn’t want to fight. Not anymore. He decided that a long time ago. If she ever came back, he wouldn’t fight because the agony of missing her far outweighs the satisfaction of his pride. “What about you? Shouldn’t you be resting so you can beat the Top Coordinator tomorrow? I heard he’s tough and hot.”
The comment catches her off guard, making her let out a genuine giggle. Drew’s heart aches just hearing it. Groudon, he’s missed her laugh. Her smile. Her everything. The sound is better than any trophy he’s ever held.
“I used to beat him all the time. I’m not worried,” May returns, a smirk finally finding its way back to her face.
This is nice. Just being able to talk like old times, even with all the heavy tension hanging between them. “What are you doing in Hoenn anyway? Why’d you choose to compete here this year?” Drew asks, the question he’s been eagerly waiting to know. He thought she avoided him. He thought, after that last text, she truly hated him.
May follows his gaze up to the bright, scattered stars above them, where she offers a casual shrug. “Dunno? I felt like it.”
“You have all these other regions you could’ve gone to,” Drew points out, his voice dropping.
“Scared I’ll dethrone you?” challenges the brunette, turning her head to look him in the eye again.
Instead of the usual playful smirk she expects, Drew’s gentle emerald eyes land on her with an intensity that makes May’s smile fall. “I hope someone will dethrone me. It’d be nice if it was you, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be going easy on anyone, especially you.”
May blinks at him in total confusion. Did she hear that correctly? Drew, the man who lived for the stage, actually wants to lose? “Why?”
Facing her completely now, Drew takes in a deep, shaky breath. His gaze doesn’t waver from those sapphire orbs he’s dreamed of seeing every night for years. “Because I chose wrong four years ago.”
“You look like you’re enjoying the fast life,” May notes, her mind flashing back to the countless articles and rumors of his scandals. Drew is the playboy of Hoenn now, the golden boy who gets away with everything because of his looks and his title.
The man shakes his head slowly. Having her here, in the flesh, makes him want to be honest for the first time in years. Being under the moonlight in the very place they met a decade ago... it strips everything else away. He’s missed her for almost half a decade, and all Drew wants now is to have no more regrets. He didn’t choose her last time, and he lost her. This time, he won’t make the same mistake.
“I’m not. I miss the slow days being on the road... because they were with you.” Drew takes a deliberate step closer to her, closing the gap until he can smell the faint scent of her perfume. “It felt like we had all the time in the world together when we were on the road.”
Of course May feels the same way. It’s the reason she keeps traveling, hopping from region to region, rather than settling down as a Top Coordinator. The open road is her home, filled with adventures and old friends, but it’s always been lonelier than she’d admit. Traveling was only ever the most fun when it was with him.
Furrowing his brows, Drew continues, his voice cracking slightly. “I wish I never won a Grand Festival. I’d give up all my contest wins if it meant we could just be in that remote home we always talked about.”
Being reminded of the plan they used to make in jest, May smiles. It’s a small, fragile thing, but a smile nonetheless. To say she never thought of that plan again would be a lie. Her mind would wander to the idea of that house even after her own wins. Having a place to play by her own rules sounded so much more appealing than the duties of the Top Coordinator title.
Hearing his honest words, May finds herself being honest too. This whole time, she thought he resented her for being selfish and walking away. It was why she froze when she saw him earlier today. She was prepared for his anger. The anger she feels she rightfully deserves. Instead, she’s relieved and heartbroken to see he’s missed her just as much.
“You know…” May starts, her voice soft. “Life has been peaceful alone on the road, but it was always missing something…” Or someone.
Can he actually hope she’s talking about him? The look in those sapphire eyes tells him he’s correct. “I missed the road. Can I join you after the Grand Festival?”
“What if you defend your title again?” May asks, genuinely surprised. He’d just said he wouldn’t willingly lose, yet he’s talking about leaving.
“I’ll resign.” Drew lets out a nervous, ragged breath. Her kindness is the only thing keeping his heart from jumping out of his chest, allowing him to finally say everything he’s kept bottled up. “I’m sorry, May.”
Her name rolls off his tongue with such ease, like it never left. It’s the first time he’s said it in years, and as much as it pains him, he loves the sound of it. May perks up at the sound of her name coming from his lips again. Something she was starting to forget the sound of. She’s always loved it best when he said it.
“I messed up years ago. Life hasn’t been the same without you, and I’m sorry that I let my ego get in the way of us. I should’ve talked to you. I shouldn’t have pushed you away. I should’ve supported you like you’ve always supported me.” He eyes her anxiously, bracing for any hint of the anger he knows he earned.
Instead, he feels a warm hand settle on his arm, and his rapidly beating heart finally begins to steady. Groudon, he’s missed her touch. “I’ve missed you too, Drew,” May practically whispers into the wind.
“Then why did you leave without talking to me?” His voice is pained, the old ache resurfacing.
Sighing, May brings her hand up to his face, cupping his jaw in her small hand. Something that feels so natural and foreign at the same time because this isn’t the same face she left. “I’m sorry for being pushy that day. And I’m sorry for leaving without talking to you.”
After the argument on the beach, May went to cool off. She had planned to talk to Drew again and figure out long distance or something. But a part of her feared the the cool-off period would affect Drew’s judgment too. Drew was always sacrificing his feelings for her. It’s the reason he would always apologize to her first via a rose.
“But I was worried that you’d give up your dream just because I asked. The one you worked so hard for. I was scared that if we talked in person again, you’d say you’d travel with me just to keep me happy, even though I knew you wanted to be the Top Coordinator more than anything.”
“I chose wrong. You should’ve come back and forced me to stay with you,” Drew says, reaching up to squeeze her arm.
Shaking her head, May looks at him sadly. “I couldn’t force you. What if you ended up hating me for it?”
“I’d never hate you!”
“Look, Drew.” May offers him a small, reassuring smile. “At the time, you made your choice, and I didn’t want you to feel obligated to choose otherwise. You worked so hard to get here. I realized I was being selfish, so I left before you could feel guilty enough to join me. I wanted to explain myself once I arrived in Kalos, but…”
Inwardly groaning, Drew knows exactly what stopped her. He brings his own hand up to cup her cheek, surprised at how much bigger his hand has gotten compared to her face over the years. “I’m sorry. I was angry, and I took it out on you. I should’ve given you a chance to explain yourself.” His heart tugs. “I wanted to congratulate you every time you won a Grand Festival, but each time I opened our texts, I would see that stupid message I sent. I’m so sorry, May.”
To his surprise, May wraps her other arm up around his neck, pulling him into her space. They both blush furiously, the proximity making the air feel electric. “How about this: we’re both sorry, and we’ve both missed each other, and we both want to travel together again. So why don’t we just forgive each other?”
Drew lowers his forehead onto hers, basking in every second of her presence, still half-convinced this is a dream. “No matter who wins or loses tomorrow, we’re gonna go to some other region to travel and compete again.”
“Sounds like a plan,” May giggles, her heart finally feeling full for the first time in years.
“No matter how many Grand Festivals we win…” Drew continues, his intense green eyes fixated on her glossy blue ones. “We’ll keep traveling together until we decide to retire and get that small house hidden somewhere far away.”
May’s heart aches happily as she leans into him. “And we’ll teach coordinators who find us for some new techniques.”
“And we’ll raise Rose and Romeo to be prodigy coordinators... or whatever they want to be.”
“That sounds awesome. We should totally do that.” she softly tells him, her eyes lit with anticipation.
It’s all he needs to hear and see before he lowers his lips onto hers where she kisses him back just as passionately. Groudon. He’s missed her lips. Her touch. Her kisses. Her. Drew may have chosen wrong years ago, but he finally has her back to fix it. No matter what, he won’t lose her again.
As his lips stay pressed against hers, the world outside this small patch of Slateport sand finally goes quiet. The roar of the stadiums, the flash of the cameras, and the relentless pressure to remain at the top of the rankings all dissolve into the rhythmic sound of the tide. For years, Drew had convinced himself that the adrenaline of a win was the only thing that could make him feel alive, but as he holds May, he realizes he was just using the noise of his career to drown out the silence she left behind.
In this moment, his priorities don't just shift; they anchor. He reflects on the fast life he thought he wanted and realizes it was just a long, lonely road leading nowhere. It all feels like a hollow script compared to the heat of her skin and the way she fits perfectly against him.
Drew finds himself thinking of the names Rose and Romeo again, but they aren't just silly fantasies anymore. They are a destination. He realizes that he doesn't need to be the best in the world; he just needs to be the best for her. Every trophy he’s ever touched is insignificant compared to that remote land they dreamed of.
The weight of being the Top Coordinator feels like a heavy coat he’s finally ready to shed. He’s content to let the spotlight fade, to let someone else take the crown, and to let his name become a footnote in the history books of Hoenn. As long as his name is still the one she speaks, he has everything he has ever truly wanted. He’s finally found his reason to stop running. The kiss is a silent vow: he’s done chasing the world, because the only world he needs is the one he’s holding in his arms.