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Tap, tap, tap...

Light footsteps clashed, and glancing sideways, one could see the fluffy snowflakes falling gently, covering the sky, the ground, and even one's head.

Following her lover's soft call, Nan Yin paused her fingertips, slowing her grooming of Eevee, and gently stepped out of the cozy little room, cradling the little beast in her arms.

As you can see, the blonde girl, dressed in a cotton coat, is dancing gracefully amidst the snow, her arms outstretched.

Without saying a word, Nan Yin simply took off the scarf from her neck, walked quickly to the former's side, and carefully draped it over her shoulders.

"As the weather gets colder, even a renowned fighter like Miss Korne should take care of her health."

These were naturally teasing remarks, but they also drew grumbling from the lover.

“I won’t get sick. On the contrary, even though Nan Yin looks so calm and composed, she always ends up in a vulnerable and passive position when she’s elsewhere.”

The rest of the story is probably known only to the two of them.

So, the silver-haired girl slightly opened her eyes and glared at her lover with a hint of annoyance.

"If we bring up the old stories about the bedchamber again, you'll eat the same food as those children today and be a well-fed, warm, and sleepy pig."

"Hehe, actually, I don't mind. It's an energy cube from your hands, Nan Yin."

With a playful laugh, Korne seemed to remember something, leaped in front of her lover, and proudly twirled around, showing off her self-assurance.

"Jiang Jiang, look!"

As she tossed her oversized cotton coat, from her shoulders and neck to her arms, from her waist to her legs, her fighting vest studded with dozens of Mega stones came into view.

"This is?"

"These are all the results I've achieved over this period! Let's have another match, Nan Yin, champion of Carlos!"

With her wrist raised horizontally and her elbow pressed down, the blonde girl didn't call out her lover's name directly, but instead adopted a familiar fighting stance.

However, the sharp and imposing challenge was cut short when Nan Yin struck him squarely on the forehead with her hand.

"Ouch, that hurts..."

"Put your clothes back on. If I find out who taught you to dress like this, I'll make sure she doesn't get away with it."

"That's a symbol of how hard I worked to beat other trainers!"

Seeing the girl raise her hand again, Korni quickly covered her head, only timidly peeking out a slit of her eye.

Shivering, so pitiful.

Seeing such a couple, how could Nan Yin bear to tease or bully them anymore?

"That's great, but I wouldn't want my daughter to look like this—"

Before she could finish speaking, a cool snowball landed on the girl's cheek; it was clearly a sneak attack from Korne.

"Take this! A sneak attack on a vital point!"

Her suppressed emotions vanished instantly. Nan Yin gently wiped away the snow stains and looked at Ke Erni with exceptional tenderness.

His tone and eyes clearly said—you're finished.

The next moment, countless snowflakes rose into the air, twisted into spheres under the influence of mental power, and rained down on the person in front of them.

Even though Korne had undergone combat training and was already used to seeing through and dodging, she still couldn't escape becoming a drowned rat when overwhelmed by numbers.

After all, Fairy-type is always the counter to Fighting-type.

And look at your lover now, you can see that his brilliant blond hair has been soaked by snow water, and he is drooping down, looking pitiful.

"Are you satisfied now?"

It is a question.

"Hmph, it's all because Nan Yin, you're always busy with the championship. We haven't gone on a trip together in ages!"

It's both a playful pout and a heartfelt confession.

This is understandable; after choosing to succeed Karuni as champion, she anticipated the constant busyness that would accompany her.

Moreover, societal norms bind the mind and body. While same-sex love is not taboo for Carlos, there is no need to publicize it, even if everyone is aware of this relationship.

"How about tomorrow next time?"

By tentatively proposing conditions, Nan Yin did realize that she had neglected her lover and that she did feel apologetic in her heart.

However, unexpectedly, the blonde girl refused in a righteous and firm manner.

"No way. Tomorrow and next time are just promises for the future. We can fulfill them as we please, but that doesn't change the balance between life and work."

"so?"

With great interest, Nan Yin leaned closer and gently brushed the frost off Ke Erni's hair. Although they had just been playing around, she was already used to fixing each other's makeup.

"Of course! I will defeat you, Nan Yin! I will tear you off your champion's throne so that you will be my only partner!"

With her arms crossed and her eyes sparkling, the lover's smugness was evident on her face; it was clear she was quite pleased with the plan she had devised.

However, in the next moment, a finger pressed against her forehead, pulling her from a smug height to a pitiful state of being obediently stroked.

Similarly, Sylveon tilted its head slightly, expressing its skepticism about the feasibility of this goal.

"A good idea. So, you mean that all our agreements are null and void until you defeat me?"

A slight upturn of the lips was a deliberate teasing.

After spending so much time together, even a usually quiet girl has come to enjoy adding a bit of excitement to her life.

"No, no, that's not true!"

In an instant, Korne panicked and rushed forward, wrapping her arms around her lover's chest with pleading eyes.

"Then get yourself ready, my dear Korni~"

"Yes, Teacher Nanyin!"

So, the playful antics ceased, and after a brief appreciation of the snowy scenery, they returned to their warm little room, the home of many children.

As she pushed open the door, Diancie put down her teacup, covered her mouth, and paused her private conversation with Magiana.

“Nanyin, Hupata said that he plans to bring Jirachi with him to visit everyone tomorrow.”

It speaks softly, and the Southern Music listens quietly.

Having been taught by the young girl, Tianxi's understanding of human society has deepened, and her organizational skills have become increasingly clear. Therefore, she often leads the small gatherings of the mythical beasts in this small courtyard.

"The New Year is almost here, it would be good to get together. Last time, I didn't even teach that kid Jirachi to remember the year, the human unit of time."

She reached out and closed the cabinet door that Scorpion King had opened, then gently moved Snorlax's chubby legs aside. Nan Yin tied her apron and went back into the kitchen. As soon as she saw that head of silver hair flowing in the hot wind, the day's drowsiness seemed to slowly pass by.

There was little communication, only a brief exchange of glances, and then the little animal's burp.

Although it was quiet, it was incredibly warm and inviting.

Every now and then, Nanyin would turn around and ask the little ones what their appetite was, or if they were interested in trying it.

Yes, even though the girl couldn't satisfy everyone's appetites every time, seeing that figure working so hard for her made even things that weren't to everyone's liking taste as sweet as honey.

Shedding the burden of being champions and abandoning the seriousness of fighters, the two, having no extra work in the evenings, would find things to do together, such as watching a movie together or joking around while playing games.

They bought two decent Rotom handheld consoles and played many popular games, but their favorite was still board games because they were simple and convenient. Korne could even rest her head on their shoulder and roll the dice. However, when they lost, they were punished with shame. Whenever they returned home and didn't know what to do, the two of them would play a game to kill time.

But not today. In the middle of winter, they set up two small stools by the window, ready to quietly watch the gentle snow and chat about their feelings.

Overall, their lives were rather uneventful, but life doesn't always have so many ups and downs. Even the lively Korne would purse her lips for her lover. They relied on each other, and as long as the two of them were together, life was no longer boring.

Lie back straight and relax your eyes.

Thanks to the policies implemented after becoming the champion, Nanyin planted vegetation in the new district of Luna City, creating a suitable habitat for wild Pokémon to form a unique ecosystem. As a result, this former city of light has become even more lush and green, and the night sky has become crystal clear, dotted with stars, even more beautiful than before.

Perhaps it was a blessing from the Wishing Star, or perhaps it was the White Dragon's way of pleasing the trainer and blowing away the gloomy clouds, or perhaps it was their own actions—whatever the reason.

"Nanyin, I heard that recently, Mr. Daigo has unearthed a lot of Mega Stones that have never appeared before in the ruins of the ancients. Even Lucario seems to have a new form in mind."

It was a whispered conversation.

"The world is constantly changing and developing, and so are we."

It was a gentle sigh.

"Regarding the Prism Tower incident, I never expected that Mr. Az would leave us like this."

"Even the ultimate weapon cannot reverse the flow of life; it can only prolong the process indefinitely. All we can do is find happiness for each other within the limited time we have."

"Um......"

The evening breeze blew, and there were no more words. Korne simply leaned on her lover's shoulder, turned her head to watch the bright red sparrow return to its nest, leaving behind only the whisper of the wind.

Crimson wings swept across the distance, and lightning streaked through the air. Both Salamence and Zapdos, as symbols of the champion Nanyin, protected this land and prevented all kinds of troubles, big and small.

“It’s decided. I also want to share more of the burden with you, Nan Yin. So, I’ll take care of handling the aftermath of this incident.”

Korni slowly clenched her five fingers and spoke.

"I believe you."

Whether you care or not, it's all in your words.

Moreover—

“You had something left unsaid earlier, didn’t you, Korni?”

Whether by chance or by unspoken agreement, the blonde girl turned her head away and uttered words with considerable dissatisfaction.

"You know perfectly well!"

"But I want you to say it yourself."

Yes, from the very beginning, Nan Yin knew that Ke Er Ni's words had ulterior motives.

"I......"

Koerni didn't understand sweet talk. In her past experiences, there was only day after day of training and battles. It was Nanyin's arrival that brought her peace of mind and fulfillment.

Therefore, even now, she speaks haltingly and clumsily.

"Nan Yin, I've said I wanted to defeat you, even though I know very well that it's incredibly difficult..."

"But I don't want to give up."

"That's all?"

The silver-haired girl raised her eyebrows and extended her hand as well.

"I... I can't say it..."

"Then I'll speak."

She joined her lover's slender fingers and held them tightly, Nan Yin responded softly yet firmly.

"Chasing the sun is a long process. If victory is destined to be difficult, then this steadfastness is a petition and a promise."

"Cornee, what you really want to tell me is—"

With her thin lips pursed, Nan Yin lowered her chin and gently buried her face in Ke Erni's shoulder, whispering softly.

"Even if we can't achieve our goal, as long as we stay together for life and never abandon each other, that is happiness, right?"

Upon hearing the words, the blonde girl stared blankly at those clear purple eyes and that familiar pretty face, tears already streaming down her face.

Yes, who understands herself better than Nan Yin, and understands her timidity and self-doubt in front of her lover?

Her thoughts were racing, but in the next instant, a warm embrace pulled her into it.

She saw the blurry figure in front of her whispering sweet nothings, and she listened to that voice that was gentler than anything else.

It is naturally Nanyin music, only Nanyin music, and only that comforting sound lingers for a long time:

"It's okay, this place... is in the shade."

P.S.: There may be more to come.