"Ash, look! Doesn't Pledging Tree look beautiful when its lit up?" Serena breathed in delight and pulled her boyfriend closer. This one smiled at his girlfriend excitement, and said, "Yeah, it sure looks."
They stepped right next to the trunk of the tree and Serena looked at the lights of the tree, her blue eyes sparkling and her mouth wide with a smile. Ash instead looked at Serena and remembered their first time under this same tree.
It had been almost 10 years. He remembered how he had spent many, many hours looking for berries for his Pokemon in the forest around Coumarine City and how much they had rejoiced when he had finally give them to them. He remembered how he and Serena had toured around the city and how he had won that blue ribbon. The ribbon he had later given to Serena, which was still wrapped around Serena's long, honey-blond hair.
Ash remembered it very well. He remembered how happy Serena had become when he gave her the ribbon. He had not yet understood why making Serena happy had felt so good to him, but later (much later, to be honest) he had realized it was because he had already fallen in love with Serena. At the time, however, he had not understood it and giving the ribbon had only felt right. Maybe that's why he felt like the right time even now...
"Excuse me, could I have an autograph?" there was a small voice beside them and interrupted Ash's thoughts. He turned to look, and saw a little girl, perhaps about 7 years old, standing next to Serena and looking at this admiringly. The girl squeezed the slightly crumpled photo tightly in her hands and Ash saw it show Serena in her victorious Master Class show.
"Of course," he heard Serena say and knelt beside the girl. She dug a pink glitter marker out of her bag, with which she always wrote autographs, and opened its cap. "Who am I writing this to?"
"Ashley. Put it to Ashley," said the little girl with brown eyes sparkling and Serena nodded. She started writing on the girl's card and Ash smiled.
Ever since Serena had been crowned Kalos Queen a few years ago, things called fans, reporters, and fame had appeared in their lives. The new Kalos Queen always interested people, but also taking into account the fact that the Queen was dating a man who had saved the world several times, was Alola’s first Champion and World Coronation Series winner, made them even more interesting in people’s eyes. So, wherever they went, someone was always asking for either a selfie, an autograph, or just staring at them.
"There," Serena said after writing the little girl's card and giving it back to the girl. The girl's eyes shone with excitement and she exclaimed, "Thank you!" Then she bowed quickly and set off to run away, her blond braids fluttering as she ran.
“It’s kind of weird to think I’m someone’s idol,” Serena said as they watched the little girl showed excitedly the picture to her mother. "I mean, it's kind of special that when they look at me, a lot of young people think, 'Wow, when I grow up, I want to be like her too!' It just feels strange."
"Yeah," Ash said, grabbing Serena by the hand. He felt this squeeze it and pressed a gentle kiss to the girl's cheek. Serena lowered her head over his shoulder and then Ash felt like it was the right time.
“Serena, I need to tell you something,” he said and suddenly felt very nervous. Serena raised her head in surprise from Ash's shoulder and asked, "What's the matter?"
However, Ash did not answer, but took Serena with both hands, cleared his throat and said, "Serena, since we met, you have brought joy into my life. You are determined, intelligent, kind and kind-hearted and of course beautiful. I love watching your eyes twinkle like two sapphires when you got excited, or how your smile makes you even more prettier. I love how you can always try again, even if you don't succeed right away, and how you always manage to encourage others, even if they have a hard time. I love everything you bake and cook, and I love how you dedicate yourself to Performances. Actually, I love all of you, and therefore, I want to ask you..."
Ash took a small, Love ball-shaped box from his pocket, reminiscent of its presence all that evening, and knelt in front of Serena. He opened the box, revealing a diamond ring resting on a beautiful burgundy velvet pillow from inside, and looked directly into Serena's very amazed eyes. Then he took a deep breath, and had never felt so nervous. Eventually he gathered enough courage, and asked, "Serena, will you marry me?"
It took a moment for those words to register in Serena's brain. (By that time, Ash already had time to fear that she would answer no.) But when it finally happened, her face burst into the widest smile she had ever had and she burst into tears of joy and happiness.
"Yes! Yes, I will!" she exclaimed and Ash felt feelings of happiness and relief rush inside him at the same time. Then Serena laughed, tears of happiness still flowing down her cheeks, and kissed him deeply.
"Congratulations!" they suddenly heard someone exclaim and then heard applause and cheers. Ash and Serena withdraw from their kiss and noticed the people around them clapping their hands at them. That little girl who had asked Serena for her autograph, looked particularly excited and cheered the most.
Ash and Serena looked at each other and grinned. Ash then took the ring from its box and put it in Serena's left ring finger. After he had put the ring in place, Serena raised her hand in front of her and looked at the ring in the lights of the Pledging Tree.
"It's beautiful," she said and smiled. She turned her hand to see the ring better from different angles, and Ash looked at her with a smile.
"Like you," he said and Serena's cheeks flushed. "I love you so much"
"And I love you," Serena said, pressing a kiss to Ash's lips again. Then they looked at each other and smiled. This would clearly be a good journey.
