Sam felt a little touched.
As his girlfriend, Erika had always treated him exceptionally well.
Even with her responsibilities as both the Gym Leader and the head of her family, she still took time to worry about his Masters Tournament.
Sam smiled.
"Alright. Once you've finished organizing everything, we'll go out and take a walk."
After that, he sat in the living room and absentmindedly passed the time.
Before he realized it, quite a while had gone by.
Suddenly, a soft hand gently touched his face.
"Let's go shopping."
Sam turned around and saw Erika standing beside him.
He immediately took her hand, and the two of them left the house together.
They wandered aimlessly through the streets.
In the Pokémon world, everyday life wasn't much different from the world Sam remembered from his previous life.
In some ways, it was even more advanced.
For example, Pokémon analysis devices were commonplace here—something that had never existed in his previous world.
As they walked, Sam told Erika about everything that had happened while collecting his five Gym Badges.
The two chatted and laughed together.
Eventually, the topic turned to Karen.
Karen's strength wasn't what worried Sam the most.
What truly concerned him was Murkrow's strange transformation.
Just as Blaine had suggested, Dark Energy was very likely involved.
"Did you watch Karen's match?" Sam asked.
Erika nodded.
"There's definitely something wrong with Karen."
So Erika had noticed it as well.
"The energy released by Murkrow gave me a very bad feeling," Sam said.
"If my guess is correct, that should be Dark Energy."
Erika nodded.
"That's what I believe as well."
Sam frowned.
"What exactly is Dark Energy?"
Erika explained:
"It's a very dangerous power."
"It can greatly increase a Pokémon's strength, but it causes irreversible damage to the Pokémon's body."
"This kind of energy should have been banned long ago."
"If Karen truly possesses it, then there may be a large organization behind him."
"And that organization could become a major threat to the Pokémon world."
As he listened, Sam gradually realized how serious the situation might be.
Seeing his expression, Erika smiled softly.
"Don't worry too much."
"For now, focus on the Masters Tournament."
"I'm sure the Johto League won't ignore what happened today."
Sam nodded.
Having someone like Erika beside him always made him feel more at ease.
The two continued strolling through the city.
Eventually, they arrived outside a restaurant called Moonlight Restaurant.
It was known as a popular destination for couples.
Tonight, however, a large crowd had gathered outside.
Curious, Sam and Erika walked over.
A young man was kneeling on one knee, holding a bouquet of flowers as he proposed.
The surrounding crowd shouted enthusiastically:
"Marry him!"
"Marry him!"
Sure enough, no matter what world people lived in, spectators always loved scenes like this.
Candles and flowers filled the area.
Dressed in white, the man stood within the candlelight, creating an especially romantic atmosphere.
The woman lowered her head shyly before nodding.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
The man immediately stood up, embraced her, and kissed her.
Watching the scene, Erika couldn't help but be moved.
After all, most girls would find such a moment romantic.
Leaning close to her ear, Sam whispered with a grin,
"How about we try kissing too?"
Erika immediately glared at him.
"Go away."
"Who wants to kiss you?"
Although she spoke firmly, her face had already turned red.
As the crowd gradually dispersed, Sam and Erika continued their walk and eventually arrived at a nearby park.
The two sat down on a bench.
Erika rested her head against Sam's shoulder.
For a long while, neither of them spoke.
The peaceful silence felt comfortable.
Then Sam suddenly thought of Sabrina.
He remembered everything she had told him before leaving.
Although he knew Erika wasn't someone who liked being surprised by things, he still felt he should tell her.
After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke.
"Erika, there's something I want to tell you."
"Hm?"
"You know Sabrina, right?"
"Of course."
Erika seemed to sense where the conversation was heading.
Her posture shifted slightly.
"Sabrina left."
Erika immediately raised her head.
"Why?"
"Because of me."
"Or you could say… because of both of us."
"Huh?"
Confusion appeared on Erika's face.
Then Sam slowly explained everything.
He told her about Sabrina's confession.
He told her about Sabrina's decision to leave and train.
He told her about the promise she had left behind.
Throughout the entire explanation, Erika remained quiet.
Her expression barely changed.
She simply listened.
When Sam finished, she looked directly into his eyes.
"What do you think?"
"I…"
Sam suddenly felt nervous.
"I don't really know."
He instinctively tried to dodge the question.
But Erika wasn't letting him escape.
Looking straight at him, she asked:
"I'm asking how you feel about Sabrina."
Sam hesitated.
Then he answered honestly.
"I like her… a little."
He spoke carefully, worried Erika might become upset.
To his surprise, she didn't seem angry at all.
Instead, she calmly held his gaze.
Then she said:
"Then let me tell you what I think."