"What's wrong?"
Damian looked at Caitlin's slightly off expression.
"Um… Cynthia, she…"
Caitlin snapped back to herself, forcibly steadying her emotions, doing her best to calm down.
But her thoughts were still a mess.
If it were any other woman, she really wouldn't care.
In Caitlin's eyes, aside from their bodies and faces being able to interest Damian for a bit of fun, what else did they have?
Zero threat. Caitlin was sure she could easily "beat" any of them.
But Cynthia was different. She'd never beaten Cynthia…
"Just my own twisted sense of fun, I guess. Caitlin, you don't like it?"
Damian had noticed the subtle shift in Caitlin's mood.
"If it bothers you, I'll drop it."
For Damian, there was no contest at all between Caitlin and Cynthia.
Caitlin was the one he truly acknowledged as a teammate deep down—and the only reason he hadn't "made a move" on Caitlin yet was because he knew very clearly that he took her far more seriously.
Hearing Damian ask for her opinion, a soft smile appeared on Caitlin's refined features.
"It's fine. Just do whatever you want, Damian."
Caitlin smiled lightly.
Yeah. What was there to worry about?
She was the one staying by Damian's side.
Cynthia might be impressive, sure, but there was no way she'd lose to her.
Besides, Damian and Cynthia were on opposite sides. There was no way that story ended well.
No need to worry—she, Caitlin, would be the final winner.
"Really okay?"
"Damian, I've already moved on from the past." Caitlin's tone was gentle, her beautiful, clear eyes reflecting Damian's silhouette.
From the day I met you, my life started a new chapter. The shadows of the past are nothing but fuel for my rebirth.
"Caitlin, you're even more beautiful now than the day we first met."
Damian smiled and praised her from the heart.
He meant it.
Back then, Caitlin's outer appearance had been just as refined and doll‑like, but the gloom and confusion in her eyes had left her with a faint "keep away" chill.
Now, Caitlin's noble elegance and unhurried composure were truly stunning.
"Thanks～ Hearing you say that really makes me happy."
Caitlin tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear, pretending to stay calm.
Her gaze flickered a little. She could feel heat rising in her cheeks, the corners of her lips lifting despite herself, brows and eyes bending as her heartbeat sped up.
So this… this was what it felt like to be moved?
Oh my god. Damian just called her beautiful!!
"So, did you and Cynthia agree on a meeting place yet?"
Caitlin hurriedly changed the subject.
She was afraid she'd really lose control and show her fluster—way too damaging to the image she wanted in front of Damian.
Be elegant!! She had to stay elegant!
"Yeah. You wanna come?"
"I'll pass. I'm really not in the mood to see Cynthia right now."
Caitlin shook her head. She wasn't mentally ready to face Cynthia head‑on yet.
She was certain that sooner or later, there would be a battle between them.
Not to mention…
Caitlin's heart wasn't nearly big enough to go watch the guy she liked take couple photos with her own sis.
That was way too pathetic. Caitlin did not see herself as some tragic side character. She was the main heroine.
"Got it."
Damian nodded.
The three of them headed to a small town on the outskirts of LaRousse City and found a little inn to rest at.
They'd already been worn out from shopping today, and on top of that, so much had happened afterward. Caitlin and Lillie really needed a proper break.
Damian himself felt fine. If anything, the intense battle had him riding a high.
At the town entrance, Damian spotted a Garchomp flying in from afar, Cynthia riding on its back.
Garchomp landed and Cynthia hopped down, looking toward Damian as he walked over.
"You actually came alone? Champion Cynthia—you must really trust me."
Damian said with a smiling squint, glancing around and noticing Nemona hadn't come along.
"This was our agreement. I don't go back on my word." Cynthia replied calmly.
"You sure you want to shoot in this town? Doubt we'll find any decent cameraman here."
Cynthia glanced around at the little town.
"I only agreed to do one photoshoot with you," Cynthia reminded him pointedly.
"Relax. Tapu Fini's got great photography skills. Also—how about we shoot this set?"
Damian handed his phone to Cynthia. On the screen was the sample set he'd picked out.
Seeing the bright grin on Damian's face, Cynthia had a bad feeling as she took the phone.
She didn't even get through many swipes before her brows drew tight.
"Damian, I thought you said you were a gentleman."
After scrolling through the full sequence of sample poses, Cynthia took a silent deep breath and looked up at Damian.
"Isn't this set… a bit too intimate?"
She was one step away from flat‑out saying she didn't want to do it.
There were way too many shots in that template that, in Cynthia's eyes, went far "beyond the syllabus."
"Hm?" Damian looked genuinely puzzled.
"This one—your arm around my… waist, me leaning on your chest."
Cynthia pointed at one of the tamer ones.
"They're couple photos. That's normal, isn't it?" Damian replied, all innocent.
Cynthia's brows stayed furrowed.
Technically speaking… that was true.
"And this one?"
Cynthia swiped to another shot.
In the image, the two were on a swing—no, more like the girl was sitting on the boy's lap, both arms wrapped around his neck while the boy held her around the waist.
Wasn't that way too intimate?
"And then this one." Cynthia swiped again.
In the shot, the girl was standing on tiptoe with her hands behind her back, giving the boy a light kiss on the cheek.
There was even a kiss???
"Problem?" Damian raised a brow.
"We're not actually a couple," Cynthia said bluntly.
"Those kinds of intimate poses aren't appropriate."
Cynthia wasn't against taking photos with Damian—but in her mind, at most it should've been things like holding hands, maybe leaning on each other.
She hadn't expected this much "intimate content." She was still a pure, untouched maiden, thank you very much.
"Champion Cynthia, what do you think I meant when I specifically asked you for couple photos?" Damian couldn't help laughing.
"You agreed to this," Cynthia's frown deepened.
"I agreed not to grope you or pull anything extra. But these are normal poses for a couple shoot, aren't they?"
Damian shrugged.
Cynthia fell silent.
Yeah, these were all normal couple poses.
But she and Damian weren't a couple.
Cynthia wasn't some ultra‑conservative woman—but she wasn't casual or open either.
"I even specifically skipped the proper kissing shots. I'm really giving you face here, Champion Cynthia." Damian honestly felt he'd been very considerate.
"Thanks, but… I still can't accept the kissing one."
Cynthia shook her head.
For her, that was just too much.
"Tsk~ and that was the one I was looking forward to most." Damian propped his chin on his hand.
"In that case, Champion Cynthia, you still owe me one more favor, don't you?"
Damian asked with a bright, friendly smile.
"…Yes."
Cynthia's expression was a little helpless.
It was true—Damian had taken down Rayquaza for them. She still owed him a request.
"But it can't go against my principles."
"Then if I ask you to cooperate with me on a perfectly normal couple shoot between lovers, you don't have any objections to that, do you?"
Damian tilted his head slightly.
"..." Cynthia lapsed into silence again.
"Champion Cynthia, I really hope you can read the situation here and not keep going back on your word. My patience has limits too."
"…I understand."
Hearing that, Cynthia stopped insisting.
She could only agree.
From a certain point of view, Damian really was giving her a lot of face.
Sorry… my future husband.
Cynthia silently apologized in her heart to whatever man she might marry someday.
Her first couple photos and her first kiss…
"Then, Fini, I'll leave the shooting to you."
Damian released Tapu Fini and hung a camera around its neck.
That's right—Tapu Fini's photography skills had been personally trained by Damian. There was nothing to worry about.
"Fini～!"
Their cameraman, Tapu Fini, very humanly flashed Damian an "OK" gesture, calling out in a proud tone.
"Nice. Shoot it perfectly and I'll give you a good reward tonight."
"Fini!!"
Tapu Fini was instantly pumped.
Then the two of them and one Legendary Pokémon headed for a pretty patch of grass nearby.
On that front, the Pokémon world really couldn't be beat—
With the natural environment this good, wild scenery everywhere was gorgeous and perfect for photos.
"Fini! Fini!!"
"Champion Cynthia, relax a bit. Don't hold yourself so stiff. Your expression's way too tense."
Damian had an arm around Cynthia's waist, "translating" Tapu Fini's directions.
Cynthia pressed her lips together.
Your hand's almost sliding onto my butt—how am I supposed to relax?
If you've got the guts, move your hand away!
"Fini!!"
"Smile more naturally. Lean forward a little. Eyes on mine, no looking away."
No way. That was way too hard.
Just thinking about kissing Damian's face had Cynthia's heart pounding like crazy.
"Fini!!"
"Loosen up. It's just a hug. Why's your face so red?"
Seeing Damian's wide grin, Cynthia felt like her fists were about to clench on their own.
But she still turned around and put her back to him, discreetly adjusting her bra.
They'd just finished shooting a "deep embrace" pose.
But Cynthia could clearly feel how hard Damian had hugged her.
Her whole upper body had been pressed tight against his, and she was sure her breasts had been squashed out of shape against his chest.
How was she supposed to relax like that?
He'd definitely gotten a very clear sense of their size and softness too, hadn't he?
Damian, that bastard—he was absolutely doing it on purpose!!!
What happened to "I won't put my hands on you or take advantage"?
Mini Theater
Caitlin: It's fine. Damian and Cynthia are enemies. Nothing's ever gonna come of them.
One day.
In a hospital.
Cynthia: Caitlin, I wanted to ask if you'd be godmother to my and Damian's baby. Would you?
Caitlin: (╥﹏╥)
~~~
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