Pokemon: I'll Exchange Everything

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Perhaps it was due to the fatigue from yesterday—Liam slept soundly through the night and woke up only when the sun was high. Glancing at the clock on the wall, he saw it was already 8:10 AM.

As someone who habitually stayed in bed until noon, sleeping this late was nothing unusual for him. However, this was someone else's home, and lounging around all morning might make things awkward for his hosts.

Hurriedly, Liam got out of bed, neatly folded the bedding, and put it away in the cabinet nearby. Then, clutching the Pokémon Egg, he stepped out of the room.

The bright light outside his door greeted him, and he found the living room empty. From the direction of the kitchen came the cheerful humming of Aunt Fumiko.

The sound of the door opening must have caught Aunt Fumiko's attention because she peeked out from the kitchen, smiling warmly.

"Oh, Liam, you're up! Did you sleep well? Was everything comfortable? Are you hungry? Go freshen up—breakfast is ready," she said before ducking back into the kitchen.

"Uh…" Liam started to ask about Professor Oak's whereabouts but decided to save it for later since Aunt Fumiko seemed busy.

After washing up in the bathroom, Liam returned to find breakfast already set on the table. Aunt Fumiko was placing the last piece of cutlery in its spot.

"Breakfast is ready, Liam! Come eat while it's hot," she said with a smile.

Liam quickly joined her, grabbed the utensils, and began eating heartily. Between bites, he asked, his words slightly muffled, "Aunt Fumiko, isn't Professor Oak home? Why isn't he having breakfast with us?"

Aunt Fumiko chuckled, covering her mouth. "We had breakfast earlier. Max wanted to wake you, but I stopped him. You were pretty tired yesterday, so I thought you deserved some extra rest. Samuel is probably at his lab by now, and Max had something else to attend to."

Hearing this, Liam was deeply touched. He didn't know what to say, but suddenly, the already-delicious breakfast seemed even sweeter.

Women's intuition was truly remarkable. 

Aunt Fumiko gently patted Liam's head, her expression soft and kind. "Take your time. Don't rush. If you need more, I'll make it for you. Treat this place like your own home, Liam. No need to feel burdened."

"Thank you, Aunt Fumiko," Liam said earnestly.

She laughed, a little embarrassed. "Oh, no need to be so formal with me!"

That breakfast gave Liam a sense of being home. Watching Aunt Fumiko washing dishes in the kitchen, he felt a deep gratitude.

"Aunt Fumiko, is Professor Oak's lab far from here? May I go take a look?" Liam asked, feeling uneasy just sitting idly.

"Oh, it's not far at all. Just take a right outside, follow the path up a small hill, and you'll see it. Very easy to find. Why? Are you planning to visit?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes, I'd like to learn more," Liam replied.

"Perfect timing!" Aunt Fumiko said, clapping her hands lightly. "I'll prepare two lunchboxes—Samuel usually doesn't come back for lunch, so you can take one for him. Otherwise, he'll just eat instant noodles again."

Liam chuckled, realizing that Professor Oak's habit of eating instant noodles was truly long-standing.

Aunt Fumiko packed the lunches and handed Liam a bag with them inside. After thanking her and bidding goodbye, Liam set off.

Following her directions, Liam turned right out of the house onto a gently rising path. The scenery was breathtaking, filled with vibrant greenery and scattered houses. Though they seemed randomly placed, the arrangement was somehow comforting.

After walking for a while, Liam heard some commotion up ahead. Curious, he approached to find a moving truck parked in front of a house. 

Several Machoke were carrying boxes of various sizes between the truck and the house, while a girl stood at the doorway, directing them.

It was a familiar sight. If Liam had a camera, he would've captured this moment—the scene felt straight out of the games. 

Seeing it in real life filled him with excitement, and he silently thanked all the Pokémon media he'd consumed.

The girl noticed Liam's arrival. Smiling brightly, she ran over, her orange ponytail bouncing with each step, radiating energy and cheerfulness.

"Hello! Nice to meet you! My family just moved here today. Sorry if we've been a bother!" she said, bowing slightly.

Caught off guard, Liam waved his hands quickly. "Hello, nice to meet you too! Don't worry, you haven't been a bother. Actually, I'm not from around here either—I just arrived yesterday."

Her eyes lit up. "Oh, really? You're new here too? That's great! Let's be friends! I'm Delia Ketchum. My parents and I just moved here. Since we're both new, let's look out for each other, okay?"

As she spoke, Liam's mind went blank except for one word repeating over and over: Delia… Delia… Delia…

Oh my gosh! It's Ash's mom! His thoughts spiraled in disbelief. What luck! I have to treat today as a sacred day from now on!

"Hey? Are you okay? Why aren't you saying anything?" Delia asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Ahem… Nothing, nothing! I just got lost in thought for a moment. Please don't mind me," Liam replied, sweating slightly.

She giggled. "You're funny. Anyway, I told you my name—what's yours?"

"I'm Liam."

"That's a nice name. But you look like you're definitely not from around here."

"Haha…" Liam smiled, unsure of what else to say.

"Delia, come help us!" a man called out from the house.

"Coming!" Delia responded before turning back to Liam. "Sorry, I have to go help. Let's talk again soon, okay?"

"Of course. See you next time, Miss Ketchum," Liam said politely.

Delia laughed, squinting her eyes. "Miss Ketchum? That's too formal! Just call me Delia!"

With that, she ran back to the house, leaving Liam standing there, unable to stop smiling. He walked around the moving truck and continued toward the lab, his heart feeling unexpectedly light.