When Kazuki returned to Suzie's shop with a huge group of customers, Suzie had just finished explaining some Pikachu care tips to a handful of new faces brought in by flyers.
But the moment she saw the crowd Kazuki had brought with him, she froze in disbelief.
Not even during her peak popularity—right after her triple championship wins—had she ever seen this many people at once.
Waddle, waddle—
Psyduck tottered up with a flyer in its beak, handing it to Kazuki.
"Hey! Psyduck! No need to hand out flyers to our own team. Go get something to eat," Misty shooed it off and sidled closer to Kazuki, lowering her voice.
"Kazuki, you didn't hire background actors again, did you?"
"I mean, I get that it would help boost Suzie's confidence, but it'd be super awkward if she found out!"
Kazuki flicked her forehead lightly. "You really think I'd waste money like that?"
"These folks came on their own."
He turned to Suzie and explained with a grin,
"Suzie, these are all victims of that flashy makeup shop."
"Victims?" Suzie, ever concerned for Pokémon welfare, looked genuinely shocked.
"Yup. That store was using harmful cosmetic products on Pokémon."
"Once people found out, they deeply regretted falling for all that superficial glamor."
"So I took the opportunity to recommend your shop—and they all came running!"
"Now it's your time to shine, Suzie!"
Kazuki gently pulled Misty aside, giving Suzie the spotlight.
Looking out at the eager Trainers hungry for real knowledge, Suzie felt her confidence return.
"Alright, everyone! Let's dive into some fundamentals of caring for your Pokémon!"
"When Pokémon get injured in battle, a little massage can really help with the pain!"
Using Kazuki's Pikachu as an example, Suzie demonstrated the techniques.
"For instance, Pikachu's electric pouches on its cheeks are its key battle assets—
That also makes them one of the most tense areas on its body!"
"Kazuki, could you come up here? I'll show you how to do it."
Not forgetting that Kazuki brought these customers, Suzie made sure to include him in the demo.
"Like this?" Kazuki asked, gently massaging Pikachu's cheeks.
The cramped space on the platform made things a bit… cozy between them.
Watching him up close, Suzie felt a strange little tingle—pleasant and warm.
"Yes, right there!"
Under her guidance, Kazuki's fingers moved in gentle circles, and Pikachu let out a blissful sigh.
Suddenly, Psyduck flopped down next to Misty and let out a hopeful quack.
Misty narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"
"Pikachu gets a massage because it battles. When have you ever fought anyone?"
"Get up! Don't embarrass me in front of all these people!"
With a sigh, Psyduck clumsily got back to its feet.
"This kind of physical interaction builds trust between you and your Pokémon," Suzie explained.
"When that trust is in place, their true inner charm naturally shines through!"
With Suzie's calm narration and Kazuki's hands-on demo, many onlookers fired off a stream of enthusiastic questions.
By the end of her talk, Suzie's entire stock—a whole month's worth of food—was sold out.
Kazuki, helping with the accounting, quickly realized something:
Even after selling all that food, Suzie hadn't earned much. Her profits were razor-thin.
"Thank you so much, Kazuki, Misty," Suzie said, bowing deeply.
"Because of you both, I've found my confidence again."
"The fact that I lost faith so easily shows I still have a lot to learn."
"I really want to grow more—and I want to start traveling and learning as soon as I can!"
"You mean… you're about to head off on a journey?" Misty's eyes lit up.
"I want to," Suzie admitted, glancing back at her shop. "But there's still a small problem…"
"What problem?"
"The rent here on Scissor Street is steep. Business has been poor for half a year, and I haven't paid rent in six months."
"But thanks to you both, I sold a whole month's stock today!"
"Now that more people know about my shop, I believe I can work hard and pay it off soon!"
"Oh, if that's all, no big deal! I can just—" Misty started to say she'd cover the rent herself.
Kazuki quickly grabbed her wrist and gently cut her off.
"Hold it, Princess. Not everyone's got the kind of money you grew up with."
Misty blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"
"I checked earlier. Suzie's feed makes barely any profit. And she gives those in-depth lectures away for free."
"That tells me she's genuinely kindhearted."
"She won't just accept a big lump of cash out of nowhere. You think she'd be okay with that?"
Misty scratched her head. "Is six months of rent really that expensive?"
"You really don't understand money. Next time, you're paying the bill."
"Wait—me? Pay?" Misty instantly realized the problem.
"Ever since I told Daisy I was dating you, most of my allowance has been going to your card so you could 'manage' it!"
"How am I supposed to pay for anything?!"
"You still have a lot more than your average Trainer," Kazuki replied. "Trust me—most of them don't even make close to that."
"No way! There are Trainers that poor?" Misty, raised like a proper rich girl, couldn't quite wrap her head around it.
Then again, when they were out in the wild living off roots, berries, and the occasional fish, she'd never complained.
"Alright. If we want Suzie to come with us, just follow my lead and don't say anything."
Misty mimed zipping her lips and gave a quick nod.
Kazuki walked back to Suzie, Misty in tow.
"Suzie, actually—we came here because we wanted to buy your food too."
"We've heard great things. Our Pokémon refuse to eat the stuff from other stores."
"The sample you gave us when we walked in? Pikachu and the others loved it."
"Really? That's… that's wonderful! I'm so sorry, though—I'm completely sold out right now."
"If you're okay waiting a few days, I can make a new batch just for you!"
"We'll need quite a lot," Kazuki said, estimating an amount equivalent to her unpaid rent.
"Wha—that much?!" Suzie looked at him, eyes wide. "Why do you even need that much?!"
Sharp as ever, she immediately noticed that the number matched her debt and grew suspicious.
"I really do need that much."
Kazuki stepped out the door and released his Pidgeot.
"W-What?! Your Pidgeot… It's huge!"
Kazuki smiled. "I've got a special constitution. Most of my Pokémon are like this."
"Yeah!" Misty chimed in, catching on. "He always manages to catch rare, high-potential Pokémon!"
Suzie took a closer look. The Pidgeot's plumage wasn't particularly vibrant, which added to the credibility.
"Alright. But even if I make that much food, how are you going to carry it all? I might need help from a factory."
Kazuki leaned in again.
"Truth is, my Pokémon are picky. They won't eat food that's been sitting too long."
"Which is why I was hoping… maybe you could travel with us?"
"You'd prep fresh batches of feed weekly. We'd deduct the cost from what we owe you for the rent."
"Oh, and don't worry—we'll pay you a 20% premium!"
Even with the markup, Suzie's rates were still half of what they'd paid in Saffron and Porta Vista.
"I… I couldn't possibly charge that much for something I'd do for friends!"
"Friends?" Misty perked up. "Does that mean you're agreeing to travel with us?"
"Kazuki, Misty… You're both amazing Trainers. It would be an honor to journey with you."
"I'll handle the food. And Kazuki, I will repay the money you're fronting for me."
"But… are you two really okay with me tagging along? I'd just be a third wheel."
"Oh, that?" Misty chuckled, popping a sugar cube in her mouth.
"We're both firm believers in the 'Strong Trainers Deserve Many Wives' philosophy!"
"If you end up liking Kazuki, feel free to join the harem!"
"W-What?! Me?! N-No, I didn't mean to intrude—I've never even dated anyone before! I-I-I…"
Suzie turned beet red and stammered a storm of embarrassed denial.
After a few deep breaths, she stood tall and smiled at them both.
"Anyway… I look forward to traveling together!"
"Yay! Hot meals on the road!" Misty cheered, her true thoughts slipping out.
"Hey now! She's a partner, not a—"
"It's fine!" Suzie said brightly. "I love cooking and I'm happy to be your little chef!"
Little Chef joins the team. Mission complete.
[Ding! Romance Side Quest…...]
Oh? It's here already?
Hehehe… This girl…