That evening, Xia You picked up some takeout and invited Ash's group of three to his little house for a small meal together.
But perhaps because the tournament was approaching and Ash was nervous, or because this was only Chloe's second time meeting the others and she felt a little reserved, the gathering was inevitably subdued. Fortunately, Haunter and Yamper kept livening things up, so the conversation never quite died.
During their conversation, Xia You could clearly sense Ash's worries about the upcoming matches.
With no appetite at all, Ash could only envy how easily Xia You chatted and laughed.
Sigh, I really wish I could be like him...
Late that night, Ash returned to his dorm, but he tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.
Looking up at the stars through the window, he finally threw on some clothes and slipped out alone without waking Pikachu.
Compared with the bustle of the daytime, the Athlete Village's streets were now deserted. Only the dorms remained brightly lit, with faint laughter drifting out.
"Still up this late?"
As Ash wandered aimlessly, he suddenly heard Xia You's voice.
He looked up at the roof and saw Xia You sitting there with his Gardevoir, seemingly... admiring the moonlight?
Silver moonlight fell over them, hazy and mysterious.
Ash nodded. "Yeah, I'm having a little trouble sleeping. You're still awake too, aren't you?"
As he spoke, he also noticed that Xia You was holding his phone. Its screen was lit, displaying a chat window, though he had no idea who Xia You was chatting with.
Xia You switched off the screen and stood up, slowly floating down to the ground under Gardevoir's Confusion.
"Of course. This is my first time facing such an important day too. With so much excitement, how could I