See you tomorrow

That was not wrong, but admitting it honestly was a little irritating, so Kaim kept quiet. I don't dislike children. Still, he was not particularly good with them, so silence was his only option.

Seeing him like that, Iris smiled like a flower in bloom.

"You seem kind, Kaim, so it's fine!"

"I don't understand how you reached that conclusion after the exchange we just had."

"Somehow!"

"One thing after another..."

Kaim shrugged.

He resigned himself to being pulled every which way during this stay.

As the sun began to set, Kaim and Cochran started preparing dinner.

At Iris's suggestion, they were having a barbecue in the garden, and everyone was helping with the preparations.

"Kaim! Is this how I should put it together?"

"Yeah. There's a fastener on the leg. Just tighten it."

"I-is this right?"

"All done."

"I did it! Leave it to me!"

Beside Kaim, who was preparing charcoal and kindling, Iris set up a barbecue grill. She asked him how to assemble it as she worked, and he continued his own preparations while answering her.

On the wooden deck, Cynthia and Caitlin arranged the seasonings and ingredients Cochran had prepared while watching the two of them.

"Iris, you and Kaim might get along surprisingly well."

Cynthia said this as she watched them noisily go about their preparations.

"Yes. They're like siblings."

"Hehe, that's because Kaim looks after people. He couldn't leave a tomboy like her alone."

"That's a habit of his, isn't it?"

"Maybe. I'm one of the people he looks after, too."

Cynthia gave a wry smile. She was terribly careless in her private life, and before Kaim arrived, her home had been piled with documents and discarded clothes. She never cooked for herself, either, usually eating out or buying something ready-made. She had always been physically robust, so she had rarely fallen ill before meeting Kaim, but an ordinary person living that way would undoubtedly have run into trouble somewhere along the line.

Kaim had turned her entire private life into a healthy one. Of course, rather than changing it, correcting it was probably more accurate.

"He has quite a talent for being a butler."

"No. Kaim is mine."

"Hehe. I'm joking."

Cynthia looked at Caitlin's mischievous smile with a trace of resentment.

"I know you both have feelings for each other. Even just as a person, I hope things always go well between you."

"I'm genuinely happy you feel that way, but I don't appreciate you teasing someone older than you."

"I'll leave it at that 'here.'"

"Haha. So I can't escape after all."

"Of course not."

Cynthia sighed softly at Caitlin's gentle smile, then turned her gaze toward Kaim and Iris.

Kaim put charcoal and fire starters into the grill Iris had assembled and began lighting it. Blaziken tried to get the fire going with scattered sparks.

"How's the fire coming?"

Cochran and Shimi came into the garden carrying the ingredients they had prepared.

"Amazing! It's burning so well! You're really good at starting fires, Kaim!"

"Anyone can do it once they know how."

Kaim fanned the fire while dealing with Iris's usual enthusiasm, her eyes sparkling.

"You know how to do it? Like stacking the charcoal so air can circulate easily?"

"Yes."

"Then I want to do it next time!"

"You should try."

"You two have gotten really close."

Watching the pair act like siblings, Shimi's expression softened despite herself. That was another story, but she thought an awkward older brother and an innocent little sister might make a good subject for her next tale.

Cochran brought over the ingredients prepared earlier.

"The ingredients are ready."

"Shall we start grilling, then?"

"I'm hungry!"

"Are they eating?"

As Cynthia fed the Pokémon on the wooden deck, Kaim stood holding a plate of meat and vegetables.

"Yes. They're enjoying it."

"That's good, then."

Kaim sat down on the deck, too, and began eating the food on his plate.

Iris fed Haxorus all sorts of food, her face full of enjoyment at how delicious it was.

"With ingredients this good, it's hard to go wrong just grilling them."

"Yes. We should thank Shimi."

"Did you call me?"

"Huh?!"

Shikimi suddenly appeared behind him, startling Kaim.

"Ahaha! You were so surprised, Kaim."

"Don't talk to me from behind."

"Sorry~"

Shimi smiled and sat beside Cynthia.

"So, did you call me?"

"Oh, well, the ingredients are so good that they're delicious even just grilled."

"I'm glad you're happy. I thought I might have brought a little too much."

Shimi smiled and continued eating.

A chandelier floated beside her.

"Oh, do you want some, too? It's delicious."

As Kaim absentmindedly watched Chandelure spin happily after taking food from Shimi, Shirona called out to him.

"You're thinking about adding a new Pokémon to your team, aren't you?"

"You can tell?"

"Of course."

"Haha. I see."

Cynthia brought her lips close to Kaim's ear as he acted as though it was nothing, and whispered.

"And her, too, right?"

"Yeah."

Cynthia looked at Kaim happily, while his expression was somewhat troubled.

Shimi joined in.

"Kaim, are you planning to strengthen your team?"

"Yeah. Cynthia says I should add to it soon."

"I see. Have you decided on a type?"

"Not yet."

Shimi's eyes lit up at that.

"Then how about a Ghost-type?"

"You just want to recommend your specialty, don't you?"

Kaim, who had yet to decide what to do, rejected the suggestion, but Caitlin and Iris joined the conversation, apparently having overheard it.

"Then how about a Psychic-type?"

"You, too?"

"A Dragon-type!"

"I haven't decided yet! Be quiet and eat!"

From a distance, Cochran and Caitlin Lanculus smiled as they watched the group begin making a fuss around Kaim.

"I'm exhausted."

"Hehe. Thanks for all your hard work."

After finishing the barbecue and washing the dishes, the two of them went for a walk along the beach near the Pokémon Center.

Afterward, Caitlin, Shikimi, and Iris had enthusiastically discussed their respective specialty types, and Kaim, who had first brought up the subject, had listened to the very end.

Of course, they were better trainers than Kaim, so they had offered plenty of very helpful advice. But they had all spoken so passionately that he was completely drained by the time the conversation ended.

"But didn't you get some good advice?"

"Yeah. They're top trainers in their fields, all right. Because each specializes in a type, they know its strengths and weaknesses. They gave me a whole lecture on styles that play to those strengths and make up for those weaknesses. It was really helpful."

Cynthia smiled back at Kaim, who gloomily declared that he was exhausted.

"Yes. Unlike an all-rounder like me, they've put everything into their chosen types. They probably know more about each of those types than I do."

There were specialists who focused on a single type and all-rounders. Both approaches had advantages and disadvantages, and both produced strong trainers. Generally speaking, neither was superior. Building a team that suited oneself was important in battle. After much trial and error, Caitlin, Shikimi, and Iris had settled on their current teams. Their results came down to those teams suiting them.

"Honestly, my knowledge of types is broad but shallow. Personally, I think a team whose members complement each other suits me better than mastering one type. I'm not really suited to specializing in a type. So after listening to today's discussion, I managed to come up with one candidate."

"Oh, that's good. Which Pokémon?"

"Metagross."

"It's a Pokémon from the Hoenn Region. Caitlin has one on her team, so you might get some advice from her. It's fairly rare, though. Why Metagross?"

"My current team leans toward physical attacks. In terms of species, everyone except Little Black is a little vulnerable to Special Attack. So I thought a Pokémon with high Defense and Special Defense could serve as a wall without breaking that physically oriented concept."

"Yes, that's a good idea. Being able to easily add members who cover some of your weaknesses without disrupting your core is an all-rounder's strength."

"Besides, Metagross can learn a wide range of moves. With that variety, it could offer some answers to the Fighting-type opponents Blackie struggles against and the Flying-type opponents Basamo is weak against."

"Metagross is a very powerful Pokémon."

"Yes."

"The Hoenn Region sounds nice. I've never been there, so I'd like to go."

Cynthia sat down on the sand, smiling happily.

Kaim sat beside her.

"If I go to the Hoenn Region, I'd like to greet your parents first."

"That's a pretty sudden decision to meet my parents."

"Is it? I'm serious about this. Besides..."

Resting her head on his lap, Cynthia smiled at Kaim.

"Will you stay by my side forever?"

In the moonlight, Cynthia's face was almost frighteningly beautiful.

A little embarrassed by how smitten he was with her, Kaim turned his gaze toward the sea.

"I don't think there's any such thing as forever, but at least while I'm alive, I want to stay by your side."

"Hehe. I'm glad. But as you said, nothing lasts forever. People and Pokémon will someday lose their physical forms. You've experienced the deaths of people and Pokémon important to you, haven't you?"

Kaim had mentioned it before. Cynthia had not asked for details then, but she remembered it clearly because it was one of the few personal stories he had shared.

"My grandmother and my father's Pokémon. My grandmother died of an illness when I was five. My father's Pokémon died the year before I set out."

"Were you sad?"

"Yeah. My memories of that person and that Pokémon won't disappear. But it's still sad that they're physically gone."

Kaim had often visited his grandmother, and his father's Pokémon, Kaikin, had often played with him.

Someone who had been laughing and talking just yesterday had become cold and stiff the next day. He still remembered it clearly. As long as one lived, a day of parting would eventually come. Kaim knew all too well that ordinary days would not last forever.

"It's easy to get the wrong idea. The closer I am to someone, the more I assume they'll stay by my side. But every living thing eventually passes away."

"I want our time together to become 'ordinary,' too, and I want to cherish that 'ordinary' life. Nothing would make me happier."

"Yeah. You're right."

"Isn't that only natural? You'll be by my side, Kaim, so there's nothing wrong with greeting your parents."

"Yeah. Suit yourself."

In truth, he had no plans to visit the Hoenn Region. Since he did not know when it might happen, Kaim figured the subject would eventually fade away if he left it alone for now, so he let it drop.

Of course, at that moment, Kaim had no idea he would be visiting the Hoenn Region in the near future.

"Changing the subject, what are you planning to do tomorrow?"

"We're going to explore the Underwater Ruins. I've already reserved diving suits."

"I see. But I don't have a Pokémon I can dive with."

"That's fine. My Milotic can dive with about two people."

"Thank you."

Kaim could swim and had experience diving with light equipment.

But compared with diving alongside an aquatic Pokémon, it was somewhat inferior in both speed and safety.

"Would you investigate them with me?"

"You don't even have to ask."

"Right. Thank you."

Cynthia leaned against Kaim.

Then she brought her face close to his, while his gaze remained fixed on the sea.

"Yes."

"Oh!"

He felt something soft against his cheek.

Kaim instinctively touched the spot with his fingers.

"Consider that payment in advance."

"You paid too much."

"Hehe. Thinking about what comes next, I'd say it's reasonable, wouldn't you?"

"Damn it. Let's go take a look now."

His ears red, Kaim stood and brushed off the sand. Cynthia stood too, shaking the sand off herself.

"I'll be right back."

"Okay."

Standing beside Kaim, she started walking first.

Kaim took Cynthia's hand, interlacing their fingers.

"Ah."

"What?"

"No, nothing."

The two returned to Caitlin's villa, holding hands tightly and savoring their happiness.

Midnight.

Just after the clock's hour hand passed twelve, Kaim sat facing his laptop in the villa's rented room.

He was working. The League had ended, and the Gym was now practically closed, but they still needed to prepare for the move after it reopened. In a sense, Kaim could be called a workaholic for doing this sort of work even on vacation.

Someone knocked on Kaim's door.

"What should I do?"

"Sorry I'm late."

Cynthia came in.

She wore a thin hoodie with a camisole and shorts over it, giving her a casual look.

"Oh, sorry. Were you working?"

"No, I've finished today's work. So what's going on? Weren't you having a girls' night?"

If Kaim remembered correctly, Iris had said something like that to Caitlin before taking a bath. He suspected they would probably ask about Cynthia's relationship with him. His prediction was correct, but he had no way of knowing that.

"Yes, but they all fell asleep."

"Ah, a perpetually sleepy lady, a novelist who always finishes her books at express speed, and a child Champion. I see. It's no surprise they'd fall asleep around now."

"I slept well. But we talked about so many things that I felt wide awake. So I came to see you while you were still up."

"I see. Do whatever you like. At least I can be someone you can talk to."

"What were you doing?"

"Work. Some things for the Gym."

He took off his glasses and turned his gaze toward Cynthia, who had sat down.

"How was the girls' night?"

"It was fun. I'm a little tired."

"Were they asking about our relationship?"

"Yes, correct."

Cynthia sat on the bed with a wry smile and tied up her long hair with the hair tie around her wrist.

"They're all girls."

"I suppose. People are especially curious about others, particularly celebrities like you, whose private lives are a mystery."

"Is my private life really that mysterious?"

"At least the world doesn't think you're a woman who's a disaster at housework and can't tidy up at all. That's what I mean."

Before becoming her assistant, Kaim himself had never imagined that Cynthia was so careless in her private life. For starters, nobody in the world knew where her home was. It was in a hard-to-find location, and there was also the fact that you couldn't find it unless you followed the route carefully.

"Oh, maybe you're right."

"I don't think there are many people who wouldn't care about what your relationship is like."

"Agreed."

"I don't particularly mind being asked. Say whatever you like. I can trust that group."

"We haven't been dating long, so there isn't much to say."

"You can't go wrong."

He saved his work and shut down the computer.

Turning toward Cynthia, he stroked Kuroki, who was resting on his lap.

"I read a paper on the Underwater Ruins."

"Oh, in such a short time?"

"Just the overview and conclusion. I didn't read much of the middle."

"So? What did you find out?"

"It seems there was once someone called a 'king' in the Abyssal Ruins."

"A king?"

"Yes. I don't know what sort of person that king was, but the most obvious possibility is that he was the owner of the ruins."

Deciphering the writing carved into the walls of the Abyssal Ruins had made it clear that there was a king believed to be their owner. But when had that king been born, and when had he died? And what sort of person had he been? With the deciphering work still incomplete, those things remained unknown.

"No one has reached the deepest part yet, so the investigation hasn't progressed."

"The ruins themselves weren't discovered recently, but investigating them has been difficult."

"What do you mean?"

"Simply put, you can only stay in the ruins for a limited time."

Since they were on the seabed, visitors could only stay until their oxygen ran out. But long before that, the current would sweep them away and push them outside. This restriction limited the time available for each exploration, and scholars expected that unless they advanced as quickly as possible, they would never reach the deepest part.

"I see. That would keep the investigation from progressing."

"Even if we investigate, we don't know how much we'll learn. I'll do my best to avoid routes that have already been mapped out."

"Oh, that sounds good to me. I wanted to explore an unknown route anyway."

"Let's make the most of our limited time."

With that, Shirona laughed and flopped onto the bed.

Thinking about tomorrow's investigation excited her. What discoveries awaited them this time? She was too excited to sleep.

"I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

"It's fine to look forward to it, but it's getting late. Aren't you going to sleep?"

"Yes, I'm going to sleep."

"Then go back to your room."

"Let's sleep together."

Cynthia looked delighted, while Kaim stiffened.

"Why?"

"Isn't that fine? Neither of us sleeps very well, so I thought we could share a single bed."

"Would you not like that?"

"It's not that I wouldn't."

They had often been close even before they started dating. That didn't make him uneasy.

He might become restless and unable to sleep, though.

"Then that's settled."

"Ha. All right."

As though giving up, Kaim lay down on the bed with Little Black. When he turned over, Cynthia's face was right there.

"That doesn't apply."

"That's right."

"I'm happy."

"Have you gotten old?"

He lifted the silky hair covering Cynthia's face and stroked her head. Her glossy hair felt so pleasant that he already wanted to keep touching it.

"This is nice."

"Really?"

"Yes. It's very calming."

His stroking hand felt pleasant, and a sense of calm spread through her whole body. It was late, and her eyelids gradually grew heavy.

"Kaim."

"Go to sleep. I'll stay beside you."

"...Thank you."

"Good night."

Kaim lowered his eyelids as he stroked Cynthia's hair, and she began breathing softly. Little Black, nestled between them, was sleeping quietly too. Watching the two of them, Kaim gradually drifted toward sleep as well.

When he switched off the light, he suddenly felt drowsy.

"See you tomorrow."

Not taking tomorrow's arrival for granted, Kaim closed his eyes, happy to be with someone precious to him.

Listening to the gentle sound of the waves and feeling Cynthia's warmth and scent, Kaim fell asleep.