Half a month later.
Sitting on a bench in Pokémon Hollywood, waiting for Umbreon to take photos with some celebrity he did not know at all, Heiduo received a call from Serea.
Over the phone, Serea told him that Castelia City had just cracked a major smuggling case involving rare Pokémon and contraband. As one of the primary operatives, Shuangye had received commendation from her superiors, successfully shed her undercover status, and been promoted.
Heiduo paused, not quite understanding why Serea was telling him this.
Shuangye got promoted, so what? What did that have to do with him?
Then—
He finally understood that Serea was inviting him to Shuangye's promotion party.
Judging by her tone, she probably wanted to smooth over the relationship between him and Shuangye.
But so many years had passed. What was the point of reconciling or not?
The two of them no longer moved in the same circles.
Heiduo did not think twice before firmly refusing. Besides, putting all that aside, he was already engaged. What was he supposed to do at a single woman's promotion party? Were they even that close?
After casually making a few excuses, he hung up.
On the other end of the line—
Serea looked at the colleagues gathered in a circle around her and said helplessly, "He didn't agree."
The group of International Police officers with too much free time immediately shook their heads and sighed.
"Ah, what a shame!"
"This Heiduo is such an utterly straight guy!"
"Exactly! It was an invitation from a girl!"
"Good thing we didn't tell Shuangye first, or she'd tear us apart alive."
They whispered among themselves, occasionally looking around, criticizing Heiduo's "straight guy" behavior while also feeling fortunate that they had not informed Shuangye beforehand.
Otherwise, if that girl found out what they