To be honest, Sapphire felt that the song "The Girl Who Sat Beside Me" was a bit inaccurate. High schools these days were incredibly strict about preventing "puppy love"; almost all schools used single desks. Having a beautiful girl as a desk-mate was a fantasy for most.
However, while they hadn't shared a desk, she had sat right next to him for three years. So, calling her his "desk-mate" wasn't a total stretch. Besides, he had written—or at least performed—this song just for her. An original song! What girl hasn't fantasized about a handsome guy writing a song for her?
The lyrics were so nostalgic and moving that for a moment, she actually felt the urge to go back in time and start over with him. In that atmosphere, if his lips had pressed against hers, she would have accepted him without a second thought.
But no, he had to open his mouth and ruin it. Is it physically painful for you to go one day without being a prick?
She had been ready to give him her first kiss, and he chose to be a smart-ass instead! Sapphire was so angry she felt like her heart was hurting more than his bank account.
"Hey, don't be mad. Think about it—why are you the only person I've ever helped for free? Doesn't that say something?" Seeing the beauty pull away, Li Yuan immediately shifted gears, using a mix of coaxing and sweet talk to lure her back.
It had to be said that even though Li Yuan was a jerk, the fact that he could still make a girl fall for him proved his "game" was top-tier. He knew she had feelings for him, which gave him the confidence to be a prick. As long as she was attracted to him, he didn't need complex maneuvers; a little bit of coaxing would bring her right back.
Sure enough, Sapphire's anger dissipated slightly. If Li Yuan didn't have feelings for her, why would he waive a 500,000 RMB fee? That was half a million, not fifty bucks! Who gives a "friend" half a million for nothing? You wouldn't even lend that much to most people, let alone give it away.
"At least you have a bit of a conscience," Sapphire pouted, though she still looked aggrieved.
"Alright, let's put that aside. Let's talk about you. When you walked in, you looked like you were in a terrible mood. What's been bothering you lately?" Li Yuan saw her calm down and started his "small movements" again.
He reached behind her waist, and with a sudden surge of strength, he pulled her back into his lap, tucking her firmly against his chest.
This time, faced with such a bold and undisguised move, Sapphire's face turned completely red. This was a clear declaration: he wanted to be with her. Now, it all depended on her reaction. If she struggled, it was a rejection. If she stayed silent, it was acceptance.
But Sapphire wasn't the type to just be passive. She was a woman of action. She waited a beat, her heart racing against his chest, and then she wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him back tightly.
"I have been struggling with some things," she whispered. "Are you willing to listen?"
Li Yuan looked down at the beautiful girl looking up at him with such longing, and a wave of genuine affection washed over him. He stroked her cheek. "As long as I'm here, you won't have to suffer anymore."
"Mhm!" Sapphire nodded, her face glowing. She began to recount her family history—things she had never told anyone else.
When Sapphire was a child, she had a perfect family and a father she was incredibly proud of. Her father was Norman, the Leader of the Petalburg Gym. He was powerful, a man many believed would eventually become an Elite Four candidate.
But disaster struck. During the chaotic integration of the worlds on the Blue Planet, she lost her father forever. The League gave them a pension, but they eventually took back the Gym and appointed a new Leader.
It was standard procedure, but Sapphire couldn't accept losing both her father and her home. She had grown up fast, making it her life's mission to take back her father's Gym. But the path of a Trainer wasn't easy—it required talent, and more importantly, money.
Breeding and training her Blaziken had drained most of her family's savings. To become a Gym Leader, she needed at least three top-tier Pokémon. While her father's pension was substantial, she and her mother had to live on it too. Her mother had become sickly after the disaster and couldn't work hard jobs, so their income was low.
Sapphire rarely asked for money. Since high school, she had entered every minor tournament she could find just to earn prize money. Now, she was determined to enter the National Tournament. Even if she couldn't win, if her Speed Boost Blaziken made a splash in the main rounds, she could attract corporate sponsorship.
To enter the Nationals, she needed eight Gym Badges. She already had seven. But when she went for the final one, a bit of sentimentality led to disaster.
She chose to challenge the very Gym that had once belonged to her father, wanting to prove herself against the man who replaced him. But she lost.
She had used Blaziken against the Leader's Grass-type Tsareena. She had the type advantage! Fire beats Grass! And yet, she lost. She couldn't even beat a Leader's standard challenge team, let alone dream of taking back the Gym.
The defeat had crushed her. She wandered the streets in a daze, eventually finding herself in the secluded alley where Li Yuan's shop was located. Seeing the sign promising to make Pokémon stronger, she had walked in on a whim.
Li Yuan listened in silence. He hadn't realized that the "May" of this world had it so rough. But he also caught a key detail: her mother needed a job. He just so happened to be looking for staff.
"Just asking... but the person you lost to... was it Erika?" Li Yuan asked, looking at her with a strange expression.
"Yes, that's her name. I think she's originally from the Kanto region... Wait, how do you know her? And why did you call her 'sister'?" Sapphire froze, looking up at him in horror.
If Erika was Li Yuan's "sister," did that mean Li Yuan was part of the group that "stole" her family's legacy? And now she was sitting in his lap, basically becoming his woman?
Holy crap... is this some kind of NTR plot?!