My Pokémon Story of Seasons

Chapter 327 Diary and Gifts

The space inside the box was not large, but it was surprisingly clean and dry, indicating that it was well-sealed.

The first thing that catches the eye is a thick notebook with a leather cover. The word "Diary" is written in gold-embossed cursive script on the cover, in the familiar, strong handwriting of my father.

Next to the notebook, a strangely shaped iron ball lay quietly.

This thing looks quite old; there are fine signs of wear on the surface of the sphere, but it's very well maintained.

Tong Hua's gaze first fell on the strangely shaped iron ball, which was about the same size as a regular Poké Ball.

There are no buttons on the surface, only a seam in the middle, and the color is half red and half blue.

"Why does this thing look so familiar?"

Tong Hua carefully picked up the iron ball. It felt slightly heavy in her hand, and cool and solid to the touch.

However, to Tong Hua's surprise, after touching the small ball, the Golden Finger did not display an information panel.

"Let me see Bree!"

Tibriam floated over curiously and carefully used her telekinesis to levitate the red and blue iron ball from Tong Hua's hand, examining it closely.

Gradually, a look of confusion appeared on her small face.

"Bree—this thing is made of a very special material; it's not an ordinary metal Brie."

But what exactly is this? This girl has no clue either, Brie—"

Even the self-proclaimed knowledgeable little witch couldn't recognize it, which made Tong Hua even more curious. But there was no point in continuing to explore at the moment, so he turned his gaze to the leather-covered diary.

Tong Hua took a deep breath, picked up the diary, and the gold lettering on the cover reflected slightly in the dim light.

He gently brushed away the dust on the surface, then slowly turned it over.

Despite having no memory of it, Tong Hua recognized at a glance that all the words in the diary were her father's handwriting.

The records above are basically just some trivial matters of daily life, starting from the year Tong Hua was born in the Alliance Calendar 93.

Until the year 103 of the League Calendar, shortly after Tong Hua obtained his starter Pokémon, before that accident occurred—

Tong Hua's finger hovered over a page in the diary, her fingertips trembling slightly.

The tenderness and love on that page were like a beam of blazing light, illuminating a corner of his heart that had been deliberately ignored.

Once upon a time, on Earth, his father and mother were always arguing. One of them was a world-class architect, and the other was a world-class fashion designer.

They are all top performers in their respective industries, and all have strong personalities and are unwilling to back down.

Their love may have begun with an attraction to each other’s talents, but it was worn away by the daily clashes of ideas and their unwillingness to compromise.

For this kind of couple, divorce is inevitable.

Ultimately, Tong Hua was awarded to his mother, who was deemed more "capable of raising" him, as a prize. His father disappeared from his life, leaving only a vague silhouette and the occasional, expensive, yet cold, "child support" payments delivered through his lawyer.

For him, fatherly love was never the delicate care and warm companionship described in his diary, but rather cold, impersonal checks and the glamorous yet distant figure he occasionally glimpsed in the media.

"If my dad were also—"

He almost said those words, but then swallowed them back down.

It felt like there was a wet cotton ball stuck in my throat, both sour and astringent.

Are you envious? Yes.

Tong Hua couldn't deny the intense envy that welled up in her heart. She envied this boy, who also had the name "Tong Hua," for having once possessed such ordinary yet precious fatherly love.

But more than anything, it was a complex and indescribable sadness.

For the happiness that "Tong Hua" in this world lost too early, and for the self on Earth who never truly had the warmth of a complete family.

"Tong Hua? What's wrong, Brie?" Tibrim's worried voice pulled him out of the mire of memories.

She floated closer, her small hand gently resting on his shoulder, transmitting a cool yet reassuring wave of supernatural energy.

"Huh?"

Sweet and beautiful, she also noticed his intense emotional fluctuations. Her slender fingers gently grasped his other hand, which was tightly clutching the diary. The sweet fragrance was like a gentle stream, healing all his sorrowful feelings.

"I'm fine," Tong Hua said in a low voice, her voice a little hoarse but still steady.

He gently withdrew his hand from Tian Lengmei's grasp, carefully smoothed out the page of the diary, and then continued to turn the page.

The later entries in the diary contain fewer and fewer entries about everyday life.

Instead, there were work-related matters.

"So, the father of this world is a mechanic—"

The diary mentions that after the family of three moved to the Sinnoh region to support "Little Birch's" dream of becoming a trainer, "Little Birch's" father found a new job in Snowflake City.

The job itself wasn't anything special; it was just some simple mechanical design. However, there were a few things that caught Tong Hua's attention.

"Code name 'Gift'?"

"Huh?"

The Pokémon nearby, hearing Tong Hua read the contents of the diary aloud, all moved closer out of curiosity.

"A gift? What gift, Brie?" Tibrim asked, tilting her head.

Tong Hua frowned, quickly skimming through the following pages. Her father's handwriting became somewhat messy here, as if he was multitasking while taking notes.

"Today, the project achieved a crucial breakthrough. This gift" represents the culmination of my life's work, and I must complete it before Tong Hua's eighteenth birthday and present it to him personally!"

The diary ends here.

"I must finish this before Tong Hua's eighteenth birthday and give it to him personally!"

Tong Hua's finger stopped on this line of words, as if she could feel the fervent heartbeat of her father as he wrote it, through the back of the paper.

However, the diary ends there. There is no follow-up, no record of the completed project, and no scene of him receiving a gift on his eighteenth birthday.

Because before that, a merciless avalanche had swallowed everything.

The father was unable to complete his "gift" or deliver it to his son in person.

The son's life ultimately ended at the age of eighteen, swallowed by deep trauma and sorrow, allowing another soul to find refuge there.

Tong Hua gently closed the diary, her fingertips tracing the rough leather cover, as if she could touch that unfinished regret.

His chest felt tight and uncomfortable, yet he also felt a strange sense of relief.

"I wonder what this 'gift' is. I wish I could help complete it."

"Bri—" Tibrim floated in front of him, her small face full of seriousness. "Is it possible that the gift mentioned in the diary" is that ball?

The "gift" that couldn't be completed was eventually sealed in this safe, Brie—"

"Very likely." Tong Hua nodded and picked up the red and blue iron ball again.

However, after studying it for a long time, Tong Hua still couldn't figure out what it was used for.

In the end, Tong Hua stored the iron ball and the diary in a safe in his basement, waiting for a chance encounter or when he found more clues before making any further plans.

The safe clicked shut, sealing away the unfinished secret once again.

Tong Hua straightened up, feeling a mix of emotions.

"Phew—" He let out a long breath, trying to temporarily suppress these chaotic thoughts.

"Bree—you idiot Tong Hua, go and rest for a bit, Brie."

Tibriam floated to his side, his eyes beneath the brim of his hat carrying a rare gentleness. "You must be tired today, Brie. There will be plenty of time to explore those secrets later."

"Ah, right?" Sweet and beautiful Queen nodded gently and pointed upstairs.

Tong Hua looked at his companions, all of whom seemed to care about him. A warmth spread through him, and he nodded.

"Yes, you've all worked hard. Thank you all for today."

He took one last look at the safe containing the secret, then turned and left the basement with his companions.