The day had not started out the way I had intended. Having returned to Sinnoh after my recent win at the Hoenn Grand Festival. I would've been lying if I said I wasn't disappointed with my homecoming. It was the day of my nineteenth birthday and it seemed my mother had once again forgotten.

It was nothing new, although I had hoped my recent title of Hoenn Festival Winner would impress my overcritical mother enough to take note. Every year since I was three, my mother avoided my birthday like the pleague. Not that I could blame my mother. It was my birth that brought the strain that eventually caused my parents relationship to crumble.

Although I didn't remember him, I knew my father hated my very existence. It seemed with him leaving my mother had adapted that trait. The last time I remembered my mother somewhat acknowledging my birthday was nine years ago when I turned ten and set out on mt first pokemon journey.

Those days seemed so far away now. Satoshi, now twenty four, had become an elite four member of Kanto and settled down with his childhood sweetheart Sakura after they traveled through Kalos and Alola together.

Takeshi had followed his dreams and opened his own pokemon clinic right next to the gym that his younger brother Shinrin had taken over. Kengo and Jun had gotten jobs with interpol as junior agents working under Satoshi's friend Looker, and were currently on a secret mission out in Unova. My only other friend Haruka was on yet another extravagant vacation with her rediculiously rich boyfriend Shuu.

I walked along the streets of the Veilstone shopping district. Knowing my presence would just irritate my mother, I opted to stay in my apartment binging on cheesecake and watching old black and white movies alone.

I had bought an apartment shortly after my sixteenth birthday when I began interning as a designer. It had proven to be a lot of work since I couldn't pinpoint what exactly it was I wanted to do.

I had found I had talent in not only fashion, but interior design and event planning as well. Because of this, I had worked constantly for two years straight, perfecting my craft.

I had gifted myself with a break to take a journey in order to clear my head when I began to feel burnt out. The change was needed and I felt ready to settle down and start gaining clientele and beginning my newest journey as an adult.

But as I walked along swerving my way through crowded vendors I couldn't help but feel the pang of emptiness I could never seem to fill. Sighing I decided a shopping trip was doing nothing to cheer me up and turned to head back home when I bumped into something, or rather... someone.

I was surprised to see a head of familiar dark violet hair accompanied by a warm smile. "Renji? I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going."

"No its fine HIkari." The eldest Aoki brother chuckled in his usual warm manner. "So look at you... its been a while huh?"

Guilt flooded me as I heard the hidden accusation behind his words. When I had first moved out to Veilstone, Renji had been beyond helpful; from helping me find me the perfect apartment to giving me a job and keeping me company on days I felt so alone I thought my head might explode.

He had been such a great friend to me but I left on my journey on a whim and didn't even bother to tell him. Some friend I am."Yeah. I actually just returned from Hoenn a few days ago. I needed to get away, you know? My mind was going dark."

His gaze immediately softened and I knew any unpleasantness was out the window when he smiled and wrapped his arms around my shoulder leading me to walk aimlessly among the shops. "How did that go?"

"I won the Grand Festival." I answered simply. I should have been more excited to tell him that but I just couldn't find the energy. Besides, nothing much had happened so I didn't know what else to tell him.

"Thats great! I bet your mother is very proud!" He seemed to realize his mistake as soon as the words left his mouth. I knew it was a mistake so I offered him an awkward smile and shrugged it off. "erm... Yeah. So what about you, how are things?"

His face brightened and I giggled at his childlike excitement. "I'm actually kind of glad I ran into you. You see, I'm here to buy a ring for Summo."

"Oh my Arceus really? That's great Renji congratulations!" I really was pleased. Years ago, Renjis younger brother Shinji had destroyed Summos confidence.

At the time I was going through my own confidence issues and together, we found a new light and moved forward. I remembered when I moved to Veilstone and introduced the two of them.

They had hit it off immediately and I was happy to learn that their relationship had come so far. "Thanks, so um, Since you're here, you think you could help me look for a ring?"

His cheeks flushed in embarrassment and he motioned towards the multiple jewelry stores shyly. Jumping in excitement, I latched onto his arm and began to drag him forward. "I'd love to!"

We spent the next three hours catching up and looking for the perfect ring. It took looking through a few different shops but eventually we found one that would be perfect. It was a simple white gold band that was encrusted with diamonds with a small violet square cut cusoned set gemstone on top. I looked down at my poketech and realized it was nearing seven pm and started to say my goodbyes when Renji surprised me with a friendly gesture.

"Come to my house for dinner Hikari. Its the least I can do to repay you for the sudden need of help." I wanted to accept but I had already taken up a lot of his day. Surely he had other things to worry about. Besides, cup of noodles didn't sound too bad.

"No its fine really. I was actually trying to destract myself today and helping you shop really did that for me." It wasn't a lie. He had distracted me from my self pity party and I was thankful for that.

"Well then let me continue helping you be destracted. Come on Hikari... you said you were an event planner and a designer right? Maybe you can help me out with the wedding, if she says yes... We can be your first clients!"

"Well..." I wouldn't lie, the idea of possibly starting my new dream career with the help of one of my best friends excited me. "Okay!" I finally agreed. He smiled and grabbed my arm to drag me towards his car.

The Aoki ranch looked exactly like I remembered. Well, maybe it was a bit bigger. Renji had mentioned something about having purchased more land so as to accommodate some of Shinjis larger and more aggressive pokemon.

The vast property stretched out around me as we drove up the mile long driveway towards his cottage style home. I admired the absolute beauty of the scenery. The rolling green hills expanded as far as the eye could see. Centuries old trees twisted in a way that made the pathway seem like a tunnel into some sort of fairy tale story book world.

I always found Renjis property relaxing and I found myself feeling happy that I had decided to accept his offer. After a comfortably quiet car ride, we finally pulled up to his two story home.

I got out and stretched my legs, waiting for Renji to get out of the car. He was on the phone with someone and motioning for me to give him a moment and I had no choice but to obey.

Normally I would've just gone in but the door was locked and Renji still had the keys. After a few minutes he finally got out of the car with a mischievous smile and walked over to me.

"What are you planning?" I asked in a somewhat serious manner. I was far to amused with the foreign look on my friends face to notice Shinjis Weevile sneak into the car and speedily grab a few bags before rushing back inside.

"Did you see my new garden?" Renji asked steering me towards a small area off to the side of his house. It was filled with thick growing vegetables and herbs and I smiled widely.

"It's lovely! It looks like you've got a pretty green thumb?" I joked. He smiled and nodded. Before he had a chance to respond his phone began to vibrate and he opened it to read a text message. Another smile crossed his cheeks and he held out a hand to help me back up.

"Come on, chicken curry with rice is still your favorite right?" I smiled at the fact that he remembered and nodded excitedly. "I can't believe you remembered!"

He began to rub the back of his head sheepishly and shook his head guiltily. "Actually..."

Before he could say anything else the front door to the house opened and the hair on the back of my neck began to stand when a deep but familiar voice answered for him.

"As if he'd remember something as trivial as that." My eyes widened in shock. Though Renji and I had become close, when I left, Shinji hadn't been home in three years, since he was sixteen.

I personally hadn't seen him since his sixteenth birthday where we were both regrettably smashed and shared a somewhat... intimate moment in a broom closet.

The embarrassing memory seemed to be at the front of my mind and I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. Shinji just smirked and nodded towards the door. "Hurry up troublesome. I didn't spend the last three hours cooking for nothing."

"So did you catch any new pokemon during your journey?" We had just finished the most delicious chicken curry I had ever tasted and were now sitting in the living room drinking coffee and eating mini cheesecake bites.

I was shocked to learn Shinji was the one who remembered my birthday. Not only that, he knew I had returned to Sinnoh (how I had no idea), he sent Renji to find me and sprnt all afternoon cooking my favorite meal and dessert.

Did our one night stand mean more to him than I thought? I didn't want to get my hopes up so I was thankful for the destruction that was Renji. Smiling, I thought back to my adventures on Hoenn and the pokemon team Piplup and I created together.

"Yeah! I caught a Kirlia that evolved into Gardevoir during my third ribbon battle. She's shiny and knows some really good moves, like telepathy.

"When I was traveling through a haunted cavern looking for a mega stone, I ran into an injured Sableye. He didn't want to let me help him at first but eventually he warmed up to me and joined my team."

I smiled at the memory of my eighteenth birthday. Satoshi and Sakura happened to be in Hoenn for a fashion show. Haruka and Shuu had just returned from a cruise and we all met up in Pettleburgh for pizza and karyoke. "Skitty was an abandoned pokemon. After I spent some time with my friends I found her alone and afraid in the rain. I took her with me and she's very strong. A little mischievous but a good pokemon nonetheless. Budew was the first pokemon I caught. It stole my lunch." I said with a frown.

I remembered that afternoon was already going bad because I had lost a contest to a strange man in a cacturine suit. That little runt stealing my food was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back and I caught him out of spite.

"Eventually he evolved into Roselia, and he's been wonderful to have in many situations. I hatched a Bagon egg that I got from some strange old man. He said his daycare was overflowing with eggs that had been left behind by trainers who didn't want them and that he was going out of business and giving the excess eggs away. He's a stubborn one but one day he's going to be my strongest, aside from Piplup."

Renji seemed extremely impressed and Shinji just looked in massive. "Those are some good pokemon. Right Shinji?"

"You could've done worse." He said in his usual monotone voice, although I noted the approving gaze he gave me and started blushing like a moron.

"Shinji!" Renji looked like hed missed the whole thing because he shouted defensively. It was unnecessary but still funny to watch. Renji was frowning while Shinji was growling.

"It's okay Renji," I said deciding to stop things before the day was ruined. Because, if I was being honest, this was the best birthday I could remember in a long time. "Coming from your brother that's pretty much a compliment."

This time, Renji saw the amused glint in Shinjis eyes that I did and his eyes widened like he had just had some sort of epiphany "True... So, about the wedding..."

"You should probably ask Summo before you plan the wedding Renji." I stopped him before he could even start. I was not going to be the cause of an argument between them, and him planning the wedding before proposing was just asking for trouble.

He seemed to realize that he hadnt actually asked yet and before I knew what was happening, he was grabbing his keys and running out of the door. "Oh my Arceus you're right! I'll be right back!"

"Idiot." Shinji said as he got up to close the door. Renji was in such a hurry he left it wide open, much to my amusement.

"He's just excited Shinji." I said in a gentle tone. Honestly I was nervous as hell. This was the first time I had been alone in a room with Shinji since...

"And why on earth is he asking you to plan it? You're a coordinator not a party planner." My thoughts were cut off as Shinji asked me in a forceful tone.

"Actually..." I spent the next hour explaining to Shinji that I never truly wanted to be a coordinator. If I were being one hundred percent honest, which with him I had no choice, I only ever did it in hopes of gaining some affection from my mother.

It worked at first. When I was traveling with Satoshi and just starting out, I truly thought my mother had finally grown to care for me. But when I didn't win the grand festival that year she all but shunned me.

From the age of eleven until I was fifteen, I traveled alone through Jhoto, Alola, Kalos, and Kanto. The summer before my sixteenth birthday I went home hoping my mother may have gained some semblance of feelings for me since I had managed to win three of four grand festivals, but it wasn't enough.

Supposedly, I had already tarnished her reputation with my losses and she decided I was no longer worth her time. So I left. That was when I came to Veilstone.

I spent the first few months rooming with Summo and helping Renji on his ranch to make money. Eventually, after helping redesign Summos dojo and plan a graduation party for her students, I found my calling.

After a few calls to Satoshi's girlfriend Sakura, I found myself face to face with Sinnohs two leading event planner and stylist. Holly and Paris were amazingly understanding of my situation and offered me an advance on my first years pay.

With Renjis help, I was able to purchase a small plot of land and have my dream apartment built only a mile from the Aoki ranch.

I split my time between working off my debt with Holly and Paris, and working part time for Renji as a helper. But one day everything just became too overwhelming for me and I decided to leave.

I was very lucky that Holly and Paris were so understanding. They had held my job for me the entire time I was gone. Instead of a lecture about responsibility, upon returning I was greeted with hugs, gifts, and questions about my journey. They made sure to tell me that I was free to travel whenever I wanted because I could send in designs via email and gain event clients all over the world.

All of their support along with the forgiveness and welcoming I felt from Renji and this dinner only made me feel more guilty about abandoning everyone the way I did.

But at the time, I was in a dark place mentally. Surprisingly enough, Shinji seemed to be just as understanding because he didn't berate me like I expected. Instead he asked a question that had me completely stumped.

"If you don't want to be a coordinator, then why did you go compete in the Hoenn conference? Why continue to catch pokemon if you don't plan to use them anymore?"

His stormy velvet eyes bore into my very soul, or at least that's what it felt like. He held no anger or frustration in his gaze which was more shocking than the fact that he was carrying on a conversation with me. Instead he looked... concerned? I found my throat suddenly dry up and I was at a loss for words. "I..."

"You don't want to settle down in this city and you know it." He said it so calmly, so quietly that if I wasn't looking at him, I would've missed. Why did he sound so... sad?

"I need to become independent so I can survive alone." I answered just as softly. I had never seen this side of Shinji. Even during our broom closet escapade, he was domineering and slightly aggressive, not that it was a bad thing I just, wasn't used to this gentle Shinji.

"But haven't you been doing just that for three years now?" His pitch didn't change and he stared straight into my eyes.

It took me a minute to think about what he said. Had I been surviving? I've held a job, training my pokemon, and interning all while paying my own bills. I had been surviving. "You're right... But, why do I still feel so lost?"

I could hear the defeat in my own voice and cringed. Thinking the pitifulness would upset him I was shocked when he came to sit down next to me on the couch."Because you still haven't lived."

"I've lived plenty! I've been to five regions!" I said stubbornly. He just shook his head with a small smile on his face and grabbed my hand, effectively shutting me up.

"You traveled on journeys that weren't what you wanted. You went through the motions but you didnt enjoy it. When you finally had enough of that you ran away to the first place you could find with comfort. You havent lived, you've only just scraped by."

He was right, but what other choice did I have? "What else am I supposed to do? I can't go back to my mother's and i cant be homeless when im not out traveling! And what am I gonna do if im traveling and dont coordinate?! Im not good enough for gym battles Shinji, you know that."

"Shut up troublesome woman." He growled in a husky voice that sent my heart racing.

"But-" before I could get another word in, he raided his free hand to my chin, tilting it until I was facing him he crashed his lips against mine.

Even after three years, he still knew how to make me squirm. I tilted my head to the side deepening the kiss and gasped for breath when he broke apart.

Resting his forehead against mine, he closed his eyes and whispered, "You're perfectly capable of challenging gyms you're just too afraid to do it."

Those words sent a chill down my spine. Had he missed me as much as I'd missed him? Why was he encouraging me when he lived to tear people down? As if reading my thoughts he kissed me again before he whispered, "Come with me to Unova."

My head shot back and I looked at him with wide eyes. He pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to me. Inside were two first class aeroplane tickets to Unova. I wanted to say yes right then but the responsibility of a house that I still hadn't paid off held me back. "What about my apartment?"

"I'll take care of it." What could he possibly mean by that? I still owed 25,000 pokeyen on that house. He smirked and ruffled my hair. "You forget your property borders ours. Renji can take it over and you can pay him back with your battle winnings."

"I couldn't ask Renji to pay that much money..." My heart was beating a million miles a minute as he leaned in closer to me.

"I already gave him the money." I was once again speechless and confused.

"Why?" I whispered shakily. He sighed and pulled me into a sideways hug so that I was now resting on his chest.

"Three years troublesome." He said quietly. "For three years I've tried to forget you, but I can't. I came back for one thing and one thing only."

"What's that?" I asked almost dreading the answer. He smiled and rested his forehead against my shoulder. "I want you. Come with me Hikari."

The more I thought about it, the more excited I became. How could I say no now? I couldn't. Nodding slightly I decided to take a leap of faith. "Okay."

He pulled me close and kissed me again and this time I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed back. All I could think about was how this day had started so horribly lonely. Now I was filled with a fire I hadn't felt in years. Despite how this morning had started, Shinji had turned it into a very special day...