>>57999474Given Ash's high agreeableness, if Serena weren't so painfully shy about her feelings, she could've gotten this very early on. However, it's fair to say that her shyness worked to her advantage too: If she had sprung kissu and even an "I love you" on Ash too early, after having not seen him canonically for 3 (?) years, it wouldn't have been effective; she needed the journey across Kalos, the adventures, the ups and downs, their heart-to-heart talks, all to get Ash's shimmering eyes and determined smile after the eventual kissu.