Irene rushed back to her dorm after her afternoon classes. She was due to take Seulgi out for their date in a few hours and there was just one thing she needed to do to tie all her plans together. Dropping off her bags haphazardly on her bed, she pulled out her tablet and dialed a number.

“Joohyun? What are you doing calling this early?” The voice on the other end of the line sounded like they were still half-asleep. Irene glanced at the clock on her desk to make sure she wasn’t having a . Sure enough, the clock read 2:30.

“Early? Teuk, it’s half past two.”

Leeteuk groaned and Irene could hear him getting out of bed. She rolled her eyes and waited for her mentor to wake up a bit. He must have been up late last night.

“I didn’t exactly get a good night’s sleep last night,” the Champion explained. He yawned into the phone. “Heechul and I went out with a bunch of other Champions and…” he paused, unsure if he should elaborate further.

“The two of you went out and got drunk, didn’t you?” Irene asked. She didn’t sound accusatory, which Leeteuk was thankful for. He’d already had to field calls from Taeyeon about how she’d appreciate it if he didn’t sing karaoke while completely smashed.

“I am a Champion, I am allowed to have fun occasionally,” he sniffed. “But enough about me, what’s up with you?”

Irene gulped. She needed a favor from Leeteuk to make this date night perfect but there wasn’t really a way she could subtly ask him without revealing everything. So she sighed and made up her mind to just tell him. “I-I wanted to ask you for a favor. I have a date tonight and I—”

Leeteuk could hardly contain his excitement, despite the pounding headache lingering behind his ears. He’d been talking with Hyuna and wondering when Irene would trust him enough to open up and tell him things. It looked like today was that day. “You have a date?”

“Yeah,” Irene’s answer was wary, almost as if she expected him to scold her.

“I am so happy for you!” Well that wasn’t the response she was expecting. “Tell me everything Joohyun, who was it that managed to break through and steal your heart?” Irene could almost picture Leeteuk jumping up and down with glee.

“You met her that night you stayed over at the Moon Manor for dinner. Her name is Seulgi.”

“Seulgi? You mean your roommate Seulgi?” Leeteuk couldn’t help the surprise in his voice. Out of all the people to break through his mentee’s walls, he never thought it would be her roommate. “I don’t know what to say, Joohyun. Except that you got lucky, Seulgi looks like a very nice girl.”

Irene paused on the other end of the line. Honestly she didn’t expect Leeteuk to react the way he did. She was expecting him to scold her, but his response was warm. Almost like how she’d like her father to react. If he wasn’t such a .

“She is. I really like her, Leeteuk. I wanted to take her somewhere really nice for our date tonight, but I talked with Moonbyul earlier and she gave me some good ideas. Hence the favor. I was wondering if you could get me in at Taeyeon’s restaurant tonight.”

Taeyeon was a former Johto League Champion who moved cross-region to Kalos after her former mentee stepped up and took the mantle of current Champion. She had opened up a small, exclusive restaurant/bar that catered only to Champions (both League, Coordinator and Breeder) and their guests. The clientele was small and with the security that had been hired, Taengoo’s had become a safe haven for celebrities to relax without worrying about rogue reporters or fans. It was the perfect place for Irene to take Seulgi.

“Of course I can, I’ll let her know right away to put you on the list,” Leeteuk beamed.

Irene let out the breath she didn’t know she had been holding. “Thanks a million, Leeteuk. It’s just after that whole thing with the reporter I wanted to take her someplace where we could just sit and eat without any threats hanging over my head.”

“I’m sure she’ll love it,” he said. “I hope you haven’t run yourself ragged overthinking this date. I know this girl is important to you but I want you to focus on school.”

“I promise I’ve been keeping up with my schoolwork and everything Dad,” Irene assured him. “And Moonbyul made sure I didn’t stress out too much. I’m in a good place.”

Leeteuk couldn’t believe his luck. Irene had never been this open and casual with him before and it made his heart soar. And hearing her joke and call him “Dad” was the icing on the cake. He had to thank Seulgi for helping Irene open up. Maybe he’d send her a gift basket…

“Good. I’ll even send a car over to the Academy tonight to pick you two up.” Leeteuk’s tablet beeped with another call and he swore under his breath. He didn’t want to end this conversation with Irene but he had some League business to attend to. “You two have fun tonight and be safe. I don’t want either of you pressuring the other into doing anything. Now if you’ll excuse me, Siebold is calling and I swear if that man wants to allocate more of our budget to install more art in his stadium I’ll kill him.”

Irene laughed, “I’ll let you go then. And Teuk?”

“Yeah?”

“You don’t know how much this means to me. I really really appreciate it.” She hung up and Leeteuk sighed softly.

“I think I kind of get the idea though, Joohyun. Good luck tonight little one. If anyone deserves a little happiness, it’s you.” He made a note to call Taeyeon after this and get Irene’s name on the list before switching lines to answer the call from his Elite Four member.

“Siebold if your first words to me are “I just have to have this sculpture for my stadium” I’ll demote you…”

XXX

“Today’s the daaaay,” Wendy said in a sing-song voice, nudging Seulgi with her shoulder. The two of them were on their way back from art, which would be their last class of the day. Seulgi had signed up for art as her elective because she loved drawing. It didn’t matter the subject or style, she just enjoyed putting a pencil to paper and letting herself be creative. Wendy had signed up for art because it was the least demanding elective, and she got to spend two hours every Friday doodling in her notebooks.

“Don’t remind me,” Seulgi whined, readjusting the shoulder strap on her art portfolio case. “I’m already nervous.”

“That makes two of us,” Wendy replied cheerfully. “Believe me, Seulgi I want this date to go as well as it can. Then when you and Irene become an official couple I can con both of you into joining my team for the competition.”

Seulgi huffed, “Is that all I am to you? A means to an end? I thought we were friends.”

Wendy linked her arm with Seulgi’s as they approached their dorm. “We are friends. And friends help their friends win competitions by coercing one of the best Trainers in the world to join them.”

“You disgust me.” There was no bite to Seulgi’s words though, and Wendy just started laughing.

“Seriously, Seul. I’m proud of you. You’re an amazing girl and you deserve the world. Irene would be a fool not to treat you right.”

Seulgi’s smile was bright enough to be seen from far away. “Have I ever told you how amazing you are, Wendy?”

“Multiple times, but please tell me more. I enjoy getting my ego boosted as much as the next girl.”

Seulgi’s tablet buzzed and she almost dropped her portfolio in her haste to answer it. “Irene!”

“Hey Seulgi,” came the soft reply. “Can you meet me out by the administrative building?”

Oh my Arceus, it was time. Seulgi unconsciously started breathing faster and Wendy had to put a comforting hand on her back to calm her down. “Y-yeah. I’ll be right there.”

“I’ll see you soon then.” Irene hung up and Seulgi swore she could almost hear the note of nervousness in the older girl’s voice.

“Oh my god, you two are absolutely useless,” Wendy said, gently taking Seulgi’s portfolio off her shoulder. “I’ll take this back to my room, just message me when you’re on your back home. Be safe out there tonight, and remember if she doesn’t treat you right I’ll sic my Sawsbuck on her, Champion or not.”

Seulgi froze, suddenly realizing she was in her casual art clothes. “Oh my Arceus, I have to change. I can’t go out with Irene looking like this. She’ll think I’m a slob.”

She was getting nervous again but thankfully Wendy was there. “Hey, Seulgi. Look at me. You look fine. Irene told you this would be a casual, no-pressure thing, right? So trust her. You’re gorgeous.”

Seulgi shot Wendy a small smile. She’d never really had any close girlfriends before, and Wendy was more than she could have ever asked for. “Wendy, you’re the best.”

The shorter girl made a shooing motion with her free hand, hoisting Seulgi’s portfolio over her shoulder. “I wanna know all the details when you get back. Now go enjoy your date.”

Seulgi all but ran to the administrative building, her breath catching in when she saw Irene leaning against a sleek black town car. She looked absolutely breathtaking even though she was dressed just as casually as Seulgi.

Irene’s face brightened as soon as she caught a glimpse of Seulgi, and she unconsciously patted her blouse down to make sure nothing was out of place. Her team of Pokémon were on her belt, giving her a little bit of comfort. It was nice to know her team would always be by her side.

Seulgi stopped less than three feet from Irene and the two of them took a moment to just bask in each other’s presence.

“You look nice,” Seulgi broke the silence, her eyes raking up and down Irene’s body. True to her word, the Champion was dressed casually, wearing a light blue blouse whose sleeves were just a bit too long for her, a pair of jeans and white sneakers.

“I could say the same thing about you,” was Irene’s reply. Seulgi looked down at her plaid button up. Was that a little smear of orange paint on the bottom? Yet Irene couldn’t seem to take her eyes of Seulgi. Irene cleared , “Are you ready