9. The Sevestar Prince

Chapter 8

Alice has returned to Laverre City and finds her mother, Valerie, hard at work in the gym, crafting a new dress for an upcoming fashion show. "Hello, Mother," Alice greets her with a warm smile.

Valerie glances up from her work, a curious expression on her face. "Oh, Alice, what brings you here? I thought you were off enjoying your travels?"

Alice explains, "Well, I did come back from Lumiose City recently. I decided to return to Laverre City for some rest, but I also wanted to see you."

"I see," Valerie replies as she struggles to remove excess thread from the dress. Spotting Alice, she seizes the opportunity and asks, "Since you're here, could you lend me a hand with this string?"

"Of course," Alice says, reaching for a pair of scissors. As they work together, their concentration is broken by the sudden entrance of Kali, a raven-haired girl donning a black kimono, her hurried breath catching their attention.

"Kali, what's the matter?" Valerie inquires, concern evident in her voice. "Take a deep breath and then tell us."

Kali heeds her advice and takes a deep breath before speaking, "Ms. Valerie, you have to see this. There's a revival of a famous clothing store in Lumiose City, and you won't believe the incredible sales they've made on their very first day!"

"A revival? That's intriguing, but why should we be concerned about it?" Valerie questions.

Kali's words hold a revelation as she continues, "The revived brand is none other than D&W, one of the renowned brands from 30 years ago!" At the mere mention of the name, Valerie flinches and unintentionally drops the string she was working with. Quick to react, Alice catches it before it hits the ground. She inquires, "Mom, what's wrong?"

Valerie, visibly shaken, queries, "Is that true? D&W is making a comeback? Did I hear correctly?"

Kali confirms, "I'm certain you heard correctly, Ms. Valerie. It's indeed D&W." She shows Valerie the news on her phone, and Valerie gasps as she sees the store's exterior. She also observes Whith making an announcement about the store's reopening and Dean engaging with familiar old customers, memories flooding back. And as a reporter enters the scene, they witness Dean conversing with customers he still remembers.

"Dean and Whith?" Valerie ponders, her thoughts racing. "How is this possible? I was Whith when I owned this store. Who are these Dean and Whith, and how do they seem to know everything about D&W?"

Alice, noticing her mother's growing concern, takes a look at the news and starts to worry as well. She questions, "Mom, you're familiar with D&W?"

Valerie admits with a heavy heart, "Yes, I do. In fact, I was one of the founders of the brand 30 years ago."

"What?" Alice exclaims in astonishment. "So, does that mean the store belongs to you? Why didn't you ever mention it to me?"

Valerie, her voice filled with regret, explains, "I'm sorry, Alice. I opened this store more as a personal interest than a real business. It wasn't something I actively pursued, and I didn't want to burden you with it."

"If you're one of the founders, then that means you must know Dean and Whith personally, right?" Alice inquires.

Valerie takes a moment to reflect before responding, "Dean? Yes, he's one of my closest friends. We occasionally collaborated on clothing designs."

"I see," Alice acknowledges. "And what about Whith? The news reporter mentioned she's a famous model."

Valerie nods and explains, "Indeed, Whith was also a dear friend of mine. However, due to her role as the D&W Brand's model, we didn't have many opportunities to feature her in our clothing line. Interestingly, even the renowned model Elesa from the Unova Region learned her modeling skills from Whith."