Officer Jenny spoke with a calm expression, completely ignoring Nurse Joy behind her, who was gritting her teeth and gripping her Poké Ball tightly.
"You're here to visit Birch's laboratory?" Soyln smiled as well. She stepped aside and extended a hand in invitation. "Please, both of you, come in. Birch and Professor Shiro went outside to study Pokémon. They should be back soon."
If they were only here to visit Shiro, then as the lady of the Birch Research Institute, Soyln found herself in an awkward position regarding whether these two could even be considered guests.
Officer Jenny nodded in thanks. Her back was straight and she carried herself with a confident air as she walked inside with steady, even steps before sitting properly on the sofa.
Nurse Joy could only smile and thank Soyln as well before following along.
After sending a message urging the two men to hurry back, Soyln quickly went to prepare some drinks.
* * *
It was almost noon.
After spending several hours researching the relationship between Pokémon and their environment, Shiro and Birch walked together along the small dirt road back to Littleroot Town.
Birch soon received a message from Soyln.
"Did your wife suddenly have something to ask of you?" Shiro asked without looking away from the road.
"No." Birch gave him a strange look. "Someone is here to see you, Shiro."
"Hmm?"
Shiro turned to him in confusion.
Who would come looking for him at this time?
Cairo, who had brought him here yesterday, had said that he would visit later, but he had also promised to inform him in advance.
Could it be the Hoenn League? Maybe they had come specifically to thank him for saving Sidney and helping defeat Team Aqua.
While Shiro was wondering about it, Birch sighed strangely and said, "Soyln said your two girlfriends came to see you at the same time..."
"???"
Shiro looked as if he had just heard that Arceus was about to destroy the world.
What girlfriends? Why didn't he know about them?
This was pure slander!
* * *
Soyln felt that she was already getting on in years, so she could not help guessing about the relationships between young people.
Especially after Officer Jenny claimed that she had met Shiro once but had been cruelly rejected...
Soyln calmly sipped her drink while imagining an entire dramatic romance story in her head.
It was actually quite normal for young people to live like this, especially young ladies from prestigious families like the two sitting before her and a young League Champion like Shiro. After all, they had plenty of energy and seemingly nothing better to do.
Falling in love every day was only natural.
"That day, he left too quickly. There were so many things I hadn't managed to say before we missed our chance..." Officer Jenny rested her cheek on one hand and looked sorrowful.
Although they had only hurriedly met yesterday and Shiro had ignored her invitation to have coffee, there was no one who could prove otherwise. All it took was a little hint of ambiguity from her, and the relationship had practically become a fact.
Soyln believed her completely and listened with great interest. She had already finished two glasses of juice.
Nurse Joy, sitting beside Officer Jenny, stared at the shameless woman in disbelief. She wished she could use a Wurmple's tail to stitch Officer Jenny's mouth shut.
What a disgusting drama. It was more nauseating than a pile of Muk in a sewer.
Everyone knew the truth. Shiro had only arrived in Hoenn yesterday!
Being able to exchange a few words with him would already be impressive!
How could there be such a shameless Jenny? No, wait. The Jenny family was shameless to begin with.
Nurse Joy's brows drew tightly together as she anxiously pinched the edge of her skirt, doing her best to put on a pitiful expression. "R, really? I... I admire Mr. Shiro the most, but I've only seen him from far away once before."
"Officer Jenny, could you help me get his autograph? I want him to sign the back of a photo..." She suddenly looked flustered. "Ah! I didn't bring his photo today. I'll have to go back to my bedroom and get it. Could you wait for me for a little while afterward, Officer Jenny?"
Nurse Joy lowered her head and spoke meekly.
Soyln's eyes lit up as she listened. It was as if she had struck gold, and she quickly poured herself another glass of juice.
Officer Jenny's expression darkened instantly, her gaze almost murderous.
This shameless woman pretending to be an innocent little fangirl was only fit to be a Growlithe's doormat!
No! Even a Growlithe would only spit at Joy!
The Joy family really was such an irritating bunch of shameless people!
Still, Officer Jenny maintained her smile and replied, "Nurse Joy, it's only an autograph. You can ask him for one yourself later. He's quite easygoing with strangers... as long as you don't make him dislike you."
Nurse Joy looked like a timid little Buneary and nodded meekly.
"Mrs. Soyln, could you ask Professor Birch again?" Officer Jenny urged.
"Of course!" Soyln put down the glass and took out her communication device.
After sending a message a moment later, she smiled and nodded at the two girls before pouring herself another glass of juice.
"They'll be here very soon..."
Soyln spoke softly, her gaze moving between the two girls over the bottle of juice in front of her.
She had never expected that Shiro, who looked so upright and honest, would somehow become entangled with two young ladies from prestigious families… No, perhaps Miss Joy was simply an unfortunate outsider, suffering through a one-sided love.
In that case, it should be called good fortune with women.
She really had no idea what kind of arrangement fate had made...
Soyln thought about it carefully and decided that there was actually nothing strange about it. After all, Shiro was young and handsome, making him an extremely promising prospect. He was already a highly successful senior figure within the League.
Once the man at the center of all this arrived, that would be the truly entertaining part!
Soyln couldn't help curling her lips into a smile.
* * *
"Achoo!"
Shiro gave a muffled cough. After using his psychic power to check his body and finding nothing wrong, he stopped in confusion in front of the Birch family's house.
Could catching a little breeze really make him sneeze? Was he just having bad luck today?
Beside him, the owner of the research laboratory, Birch, went ahead and opened the door.
"Soyln, I'm back!"
Birch glanced around the living room and briefly exchanged a look with his wife. He then calmly walked toward the stairs, heading up to the third floor first to put away his backpack, research materials and other belongings.
Shiro stood alone in the entrance, frowning.
Three pairs of eyes immediately turned toward him at the same time. Their expressions were filled with tension, anxiety and anticipation, each for a different reason.
Joy? Jenny?
Shiro felt like he had never seen either of these two before.
Could that old bastard Goodshow be behind this?
Without informing him, was the League trying to send two people from the Joy and Jenny families over to keep an eye on him?
Considering the League's usual behavior, he felt that it was highly possible.
"Both of you." After confirming several times that he had never met them before, Shiro asked, "Is there something you need?"
On the sofa, Officer Jenny felt Soyln's interested and urging gaze, as well as Nurse Joy beside her, who seemed to be waiting for her to embarrass herself. She had no choice but to brace herself and stand up. "We parted too quickly yesterday. I don't know if you still remember my invitation. If you have some time..."
"...Hmm?"
Shiro hesitated for a few seconds.
Yesterday?
Which Jenny girl had he met yesterday?
There seemed to have been one in Lilycove City, but weren't Officer Jenny always just background characters at crime scenes? Who would bother remembering an outsider who merely cleaned up after a battle?
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