Carl put away his Pokédex with a resigned sigh.
"Fancy meeting you here, Carl," a young man approached with a girl on his arm. Her smile faltered slightly upon seeing Carl.
"Am I not allowed here?" Carl asked, crossing his arms and looking up at them with a casual air.
The young man's smile stiffened. Though Carl was looking up at him, it felt as though he was being looked down upon.
"I just thought you'd be at the gym training your Pokémon. The challenges start again tomorrow, don't they?" the young man asked with feigned concern.
"You seem awfully interested in my gym," Carl replied with a knowing smile. "You even remember the reopening date."
"Well, it's important, isn't it?" the young man said, holding his partner a little tighter. "The Fairfield Gym is quite the local landmark. If you lose too much, the online critics won't hold back."
Carl caught the underlying message and calmly asked, "Did you sign up for the challenge, Mark?"
"I'm just a helpful guy," the young man shrugged. "Battling with you can help you gain experience and maybe keep your win rate up, right?"
His words implied that Carl would suffer a significant loss.
Carl pretended not to catch the implication. "I appreciate the help. I've been worried about challengers lately, but knowing you're in the mix puts me at ease. After all, those three years in high school..."
He trailed off, feigning regret. The young man's face darkened instantly. For three years, he'd been second place, and everyone knew who held the top spot.
"Let's see how long you'll be smug," the young man thought bitterly, choosing not to respond. Any words now would sound like the lament of a sore loser.
He looked forward to seeing Carl's downfall and decided to take a little satisfaction now. "No need for thanks. I heard you have a good eye for fashion. Why not help Claire pick out some clothes?" His smile was smug, but it froze almost immediately.
A girl had appeared beside Carl, casually linking arms with him. "Sorry, but Carl's helping me choose an outfit," she said cheerfully.
Carl was bewildered, wondering what Selena was up to with her sudden entrance. She was dressed in a refreshing outfit, her long legs in white sandals, a red skirt, and a white blouse that highlighted her figure. Under the store's lights, she looked particularly captivating, full of youthful vitality.
The young man was stunned, and even his companion seemed to pale in comparison. "Sorry~" Selena winked, pulling Carl along and playfully asking his opinion on her outfit.
Though Carl's plans were disrupted, he played along. "Anything looks good on you, and this outfit certainly doesn't detract from your charm."
Selena's eyes lit up with surprise and joy; she hadn't expected such a compliment from someone like Carl, making her secretly happy.
"Shall we get this one?" she asked, blinking innocently.
She had only been window shopping, not intending to actually buy anything. She didn't want to spend her mom's money and was tight with her own travel funds. Plus, she preferred to make her own clothes, a skill she was quite adept at alongside cooking.
But given the current situation, with Carl in a showdown of sorts, not buying would make him lose face.
"Now that's more like you."
Carl saw through her intentions. Though she misunderstood some details, her thoughtfulness warmed his heart. She was rushing for his sake, not even finishing her shopping.
"One set won't do. Wrap up all of these," he instructed the sales attendant, pointing at the pile of clothes Selena had tried on. Though he seemed absorbed in his phone earlier, he hadn't missed a single outfit.
"Charge it!" He handed over his card confidently.
"Certainly, sir!" The attendant's smile was wide, knowing a hefty commission awaited.
Murmurs of admiration spread through the store:
"How dashing!"
"That's what a boyfriend should be like!"
"Look at him!"
Women looked on with envy, their gazes almost overwhelming Selena, while the men internally rolled their eyes: if their partner looked like her, who wouldn't want to spoil them?
Selena's smile was strained, contrasting sharply with the women's envious expressions. She felt uneasy. Carl's brisk card swipe was impressive, but she had no intention of taking advantage of him. The moment she thought of the five-figure sum, any joy from shopping vanished.
"Let's go." Carl took the bags, ignoring the couple they'd run into, and left the store. Once outside, he handed the bags to Selena and took out his phone to tinker with.
Selena sighed, taking the bags, and with a hint of complaint, said, "I get your point. I'll transfer the money to you later." She had no intention of freeloading, but couldn't he have brought this up later? After all, she only stepped in to save his face.
Twelve thousand dollars... Her savings would take a huge hit.
Just as she was about to make the transfer, Carl chuckled and said, "Did I ever say I wanted your money?"
"Seriously? You're just giving these clothes to me?" she asked skeptically. Spending so much on clothes seemed frivolous compared to investing in Pokémon, and she was fond of her handmade outfits.
"Why not?" Carl countered.
"Are you serious?" she hesitated.
"Absolutely," he shrugged. "I can decide what I buy, but I can't force you to spend your money."
"Alright." Seeing his sincerity, Selena's mood lifted. At least she hadn't backed the wrong horse.
"But I'm still going to pay you back," she insisted. "I can't accept something for nothing, especially as your apprentice. I can't let you spend so much on me." After all, she was the one wearing them.
"If you're going to insist, let's just return them," Carl said, exasperated. He didn't want her to wear those clothes with a heavy heart.
"Ha, wouldn't that be embarrassing for you?" Selena smirked, skeptical. Buying so much just for show?
Going back now would be humiliating.
"Seems like you've got it all wrong," Carl laughed, seeing her expression. "You think I'm rivals with that guy, competing over a girl, and that I lost, leading him to flaunt his victory?"
"Uh... isn't that it?" Selena blinked in confusion.
That was precisely what she thought. Although she dreamed of becoming a Pokémon performer, she wasn't a stranger to romantic dramas.
Don't they always play out like that?
"Your imagination is something else."
Carl gently flicked her forehead. "Look at me and that guy. Compare our achievements. What does he have to compete with me?"
"If you were in your shoes, would you choose him?"
Um...
Selena recalled the guy's appearance. He was well-dressed but average-looking at best.
And Carl...
She glanced at him, her cheeks warming slightly.
She had to admit, Carl was indeed strikingly handsome, and being a professional trainer at such a young age, with his generosity...
"So... I overthought it?"
Selena deflated.
All her excitement was for naught, and the money was seemingly wasted?
Blame those outrageous romance dramas!
"Then what was it all about?" she pressed.
"Just teenage jealousy," Carl said, fiddling with his phone. "Those two are Mark and Claire, classmates from different classes."
"Claire's supposedly some campus queen? I never saw the appeal."
"For three years in high school, no matter the subject or the practical exams, I was always first, and Mark second."
Mark's family ran a small gaming company, specializing in trivia games, coincidentally competing with Carl's friend's family business. Claire had pursued Carl for three years during college, while Mark had chased Claire for three years, finally succeeding.
"I don't understand what he's so proud of," Carl shrugged helplessly.
He couldn't fathom Mark's logic. A girl who took three years to win over was someone Carl could have had with a nod. What was there to boast about?
Selena pondered the rivalry between the two. Mark, the perpetual runner-up, was pursuing someone who had chased Carl. Coupled with the family business rivalry, it made sense that Mark harbored jealousy.
"Now that you mention it, Mark does sound ridiculous," Selena sighed.
She had expected an intriguing love triangle, even sacrificing her image to support Carl. But it turned out to be a solo act of follies from the other side.
Realizing this, Selena was even more frustrated: "So why did you buy me all these clothes, Carl? They're real money, and it's coming out of my savings."