Pokémon Simulator: Stealing Opportunities from the Destiny Child

"Hello? Is this Ethan?"

A sweet, melodious voice, like a warbler's song, came from the other end of the phone.

Even though Ethan had spoken to his parents and Elena on the phone yesterday, hearing this familiar voice again made his heart stir.

"Elena, I'm already at the store entrance!"

Ethan and Elena had planned to have lunch together today. After learning that she would be working, Ethan decided to meet her at the department store after her shift.

"So fast?"

"Wait a moment, I'll be right out."

Not long after, a slender girl in a white dress appeared at the store entrance, her bright eyes scanning the surroundings.

When her gaze landed on Ethan, a radiant smile lit up her delicate face.

She walked toward him with long strides.

The girl had a stunning face, skin as fair as snow, and the simple white dress accentuated her graceful curves.

Elena's appearance immediately drew the attention of passersby, who couldn't help but stop and admire her beauty.

"Ethan!"

Elena waved cheerfully as she called out his name.

Ethan and Elena had been close since childhood.

When Elena was first adopted by Ethan's third uncle's family, she was a skinny, introverted little girl.

None of the neighborhood kids wanted to play with her.

But Ethan, who was a little troublemaker back then, often dragged her along to various places to watch Pokémon.

Even though Elena was two years older than Ethan, she always followed him around like a little shadow.

Perhaps because of those childhood experiences, Elena developed a love for Pokémon and eventually chose a career related to them.

When she reached Ethan, he immediately gave her a warm hug, wrapping his arms around her slender waist.

"E-Ethan?"

Elena was momentarily startled, her body stiffening slightly.

Although they had been close since childhood, as they grew older, they naturally became more aware of the differences between boys and girls.

Elena was still a bit naive when it came to relationships.

She wasn't sure if her feelings for Ethan were romantic, but there was no doubt she held him in high regard.

Later on, Ethan, for Elena's sake, began to keep a bit of distance from her. Their relationship cooled slightly, leading their families to believe the two had quarreled.

After spending so much time with Ethan, Elena knew his personality well.

That's why the sudden change in his behavior immediately caught her attention.

She couldn't explain why, but today Ethan seemed incredibly confident and mature.

He no longer avoided her gaze or kept his distance.

Instead, their interactions felt natural and free—just like when they were kids.

"You're hugging me too tightly! Loosen up!" Elena protested, lightly patting his back.

Ethan finally let go.

Elena's heart raced, and her fair cheeks flushed a deep red.

"Why did you suddenly hug me? Don't you know it's over thirty degrees today?"

She glared at Ethan with feigned annoyance, trying to hide her embarrassment.

But her bright, watery eyes glimmered with an enchanting charm, causing Ethan's heart to skip a beat.

Ethan couldn't understand what he had been thinking back then.

With someone as stunning as Elena by his side, why had he been infatuated with Aria from his class?

Ethan fell into deep thought.

He had read many novels where the female lead inexplicably developed feelings for a poor male protagonist. After they pledged their love, the male lead would experience a string of lucky encounters, face down villains, and ultimately rise to the top.

Aria, a talented and well-connected school beauty admired by countless people, played exactly this role in his past life.

In his previous life, Ethan often confronted Tyler because of Aria, only to be humiliated and defeated every time.

But in this life, Ethan had no intention of indulging in childish romance with them.

No matter what it took, he was determined to make Tyler fall into despair. He would use any means necessary.

Unlike Cassandra, who had a deep blood feud with him and was Tyler's greatest source of fortune, Aria was different.

Ethan had hardly interacted with her.

So, he needed to carefully plan his approach.

In his eyes, having Aria die in front of Tyler wouldn't be as satisfying as making her fall into someone else's arms.

Watching his beloved turn to his enemy—that kind of relentless torment would ensure Tyler remained trapped in pain and despair forever.