It ran roughly from March to April, lasting fifteen to twenty days. April was when new students actually started school.
That was why anime protagonists always saw cherry blossoms in full bloom when school began.
With the Pokémon Photography activity over, July had arrived, and summer vacation was drawing near.
[Shen Qi]
"Hmm?"
[I need to settle things with that driver from the Perilla Racing Team.]
Shen Qi was not the least bit surprised when Lilligant brought it up.
Shan Sheng had followed him on his last delivery trip to Island 3 with Chansey, too. Determined to defeat Tsareena and the mysterious Little Sheep, he often prowled around Island 6.
Shen Qi did not really mind. He did not race anyway. Shan Sheng could spend another two or three years wandering around and still fail to recognize which Little Sheep he was looking for.
For Lilligant, however, it meant something different.
She wanted to use Shan Sheng to test herself. Even putting that aside, an out-of-town driver was making trouble on her home turf. With her lofty ambitions, Lilligant could not keep hiding forever.
As far as Shen Qi was concerned, winning or losing did not really matter. Safety did.
Shan Sheng had been active on Island 6 lately, but he had not actually caused any trouble. He was simply practicing in pursuit of the next milestone in his racing career.
If he did anything malicious, the locals on Island 6 had plenty of ways to send him packing.
"If you want to race him, of course I won't stop you. But... I'd like to get everyone together for it."
Like the amateur races in Ruins Valley, having spectators and a host would make it much safer than Lilligant privately arranging a race with him.
Still, doing it that way would put more pressure on her.
Shan Sheng's ability was plain to see, and the practical advantages he had were considerable.
Both drove Class B Cars, but he had a Pokémon partner. On paper, that already gave him an advantage over Lilligant.
After all this time, Shan Sheng knew most of Island 6's roads. He would be a formidable opponent.
If Lilligant lost, Shen Qi would consider that perfectly understandable.
With the island's residents watching, she might feel more pressure. After all, she would be losing to an outsider in front of her neighbors.
[My pride isn't that fragile.]
Lilligant knew full well how difficult this challenge would be, no less daunting than Shen Qi's earlier attempt to take first place in the Pokémon Photography activity.
Shen Qi had worked so earnestly and so hard. Lilligant wanted to break out of the cage in her own heart, too.
Win or lose, it would be a good thing.
"If you've thought it through that carefully, then go for it." Shen Qi gave her a thumbs-up. "Summer vacation's almost here anyway. Just give me a shout if you need help."
[Yeah...]
Lilligant could no longer remember the last time she had felt so fired up.
[I need to go get ready.]
[Narrator: Lilligant hesitated. A word of thanks lingered on her lips, but she was too embarrassed to say it.]
"You're welcome."
[Who was going to thank you? Honestly...]
["Speedy Hot Girl," Romance Scenario progress: 73%]
Lilligant left. Shen Qi brushed the grass off his pants and headed back to the classroom building.
For once, no one was running around during lunch break. Instead, they had their heads buried in their books.
Final exams came before summer vacation.
"You look pretty relaxed, Shen Qi."
"I'm doing all right."
As long as he kept up with his studies, passing general subjects like language and math was not particularly difficult.
He did not even need to review Pokémon general knowledge or the Pokédex course.
At Pokémon High School, a first-year student who could clearly sense the energy of one type already qualified for an excellent grade in Fundamentals of Energy Communication.
Shen Qi had already opened his energy chakra and was gradually getting the hang of the most basic Normal-type Energy Coordination technique. Demonstrating it to the teacher during the assessment would easily earn him an excellent grade. Even if he made no progress all the way through his third year, that level would still count as excellent.
During finals, Shen Qi actually had the most free time. He quietly went to the library building to look for introductory textbooks on Trainer skills.
When the Pokédex exam ended, groans filled the classroom.
Although they had finished earlier than an ordinary school day, no one felt like attending club activities or meeting up to hang out. They hurried home to keep studying.
"Shen Qi, do you have a moment? I'd like to take up a little of your time."
As the classroom gradually emptied, Xiao Chun called out to Shen Qi.
"Hmm?" Shen Qi was a little thrown. "I'm not busy, but don't suddenly get so formal. It's weird..."
His friend, who normally joked and horsed around with him, had suddenly become reserved. For a moment, Shen Qi had no idea what he wanted.
"There's something... I've been keeping it to myself for quite a while. I've always felt too embarrassed to tell you."
"Uh... what is it?"
The sunset bathed the empty classroom in gold and crimson, but Xiao Chun's face was even redder than the clouds on the horizon.
The more Shen Qi thought about it, the more he felt something was off about the atmosphere.
Why does this feel like a love confession...?
Two close classmates stayed behind in an empty classroom, one blushing as he tried to express feelings he was too embarrassed to share.
It was a textbook scene from a youthful, innocent romance.
But... Xiao Chun and I are both boys!
That can't be it. There must be some misunderstanding.
"Actually... I..."
Xiao Chun stole a glance at Shen Qi, then quickly looked away the instant their eyes met, making Shen Qi even more wary.
"Don't stammer. Keep going."
"I really do like..."
"Stop!!!!"
Shen Qi panicked. "How did things turn out like this?!"
"I don't know either." Xiao Chun bit down rather hard on his lower lip. "At first, I thought it was just an ordinary impulse. But over these past two months, I've thought it through carefully every quiet night. These feelings are real."
"What the fu-Zebstrika..." Shen Qi could not hold back a curse. "How did this happen?!"
"I don't know..."
"You-thinking like that isn't right."
"But I really do like Qiu Yan."
Silence-
In the awkward atmosphere, Shen Qi's cheek twitched involuntarily. "Who do you like?"
"Qiu Yan. Don't tell me you don't know her. She's the prettiest girl in our year-no, in all of Pokémon High School. In my eyes, no one else even comes close."
The photo Xiao Chun had submitted to the Pokémon Photography activity was of Qiu Yan from first-year Class B.
"You should've made that clear!"
"You shouted stop just now. I thought we were so close that you knew what I meant."
"Like hell I did."
Shen Qi wanted to kick Xiao Chun straight out of the classroom.
"If you like Qiu Yan, why are you telling me...?"
Chapter 54: A change in mindset
Qiu Yan, first-year Class B.
Her pretty, innocent-looking face always wore an aloof expression. Her figure was not voluptuous, but it had the healthy contours of someone who trained properly.
She was also one of the top students in their year, strong in academic subjects and no slouch in Pokémon courses either.
"She's opened her energy chakra."
"I know that."
Shen Qi had never paid attention to her reputation as one of Pokémon High School's prettiest girls. He only remembered Ms. Jixiang mentioning that two first-year students had opened their energy chakras.
Of course, they had both built a foundation before enrolling, had excellent talent, and did not have many other obligations holding them back.
Actually, Auntie Chunhe's son Xiao Ming was quite talented too. He was in his second year now, and apparently he was close to opening his energy chakra.
If his family did not have so much to deal with, Xiao Ming would have made even more impressive progress.
"But that still leaves the same question... why are you coming to me?" Shen Qi could not follow Xiao Chun's logic.
No matter how outstanding or pretty Qiu Yan was, Xiao Chun could simply confess. If she rejected him, then she rejected him. Why had he nervously stopped Shen Qi after school?
"Out of all the friends I know well, you're the best at Fundamentals of Energy Communication, and you didn't have any prior training when you enrolled."
Clap!
Xiao Chun pressed his palms together and bowed in earnest appeal.
"I know it's rude to pry into someone else's training secrets, but... I'd like you to give me some pointers, Shen Qi."
"Well..."
Having reached the point of opening his energy chakra, Shen Qi knew that both effort and luck had been indispensable.
From studying hard to build a foundation right after arriving in this world, to eating Chansey's eggs;
From chasing after Lilligant and coming into contact with Grass-type energy, to passively sensing Psychic-type energy in Ruins Valley while helping rescue Pokémon, which had also passively deepened his perception of Grass-type energy.
Before you continue