Kukui liked to pride himself on his observational skills. It was part of what made him such a good professor; it certainly helped pad his notes and keep track of his pokemon.
It was also helpful when one of his students needed his assistance. He could tell immediately when one of them needed help, or a confidence boost, or even just someone to listen to. He knew that Ash got quiet when he was thinking, but talked more when he was worried. And he knew that Kiawe was reserved, but would easily pick up a conversation to help out the quieter Lana. And he knew that Sophocles would bury himself in research and data, and Mallow would bring him back with the promise of good food.
Then, there was Lillie.
Lillie was a bit of a mystery even to him. She was bright and compassionate towards pokemon, even before she could touch them. He had always admired that despite being terrified of the monsters, she only wanted what was best for them.
It had always concerned him, though.
The idea that a child one day just didn't like—no, was outright terrified of—pokemon was concerning in a lot of ways. Kukui wasn't a psychologist, but he knew that it was very likely that some kind of trauma happened to make Lillie so scared. And that idea made him sad on her behalf.
Lillie deserved to be able to touch pokemon. To hold them, to befriend them, and to take care of them. And it was obvious that she wanted to do so.
When Lillie slowly learned to touch pokemon again, Kukui felt his heart swell with pride. She handled the egg, she hatched her vulpix, and she even rode a ride pokemon. He couldn't have been prouder of the girl, and he was elated that she finally got the chance to be close to pokemon like her friends.
Through this process, Kukui noticed more and more about Lillie. And he learned more and more. He thought of all of the children as his own, but something about Lillie had stood out to him. Maybe it was how lost she seemed, or his admiration for how much she progressed, but he found himself constantly concerned for her well-being.
When he met her mother, he felt a strange gnawing in his stomach.
He felt uneasy. The woman before him seemed perfectly fine; happy, enthusiastic, and an almost direct copy of Lillie. Nothing about her outwardly seemed off or off-putting.
He began to think maybe he was jealous.
He had to admit that Lillie was essentially his… Daughter? Ward? Would friend even be appropriate? Whatever she was, he wondered if the gnawing was a jealousy born from the fact that Lillie had an acknowledged relationship with her mother.
But then Lillie walked into the room. And she and her mother made eye contact. And over the course of the following conversation, Kukui wanted to kill someone. Lillie's eyes flashed with shock when she first saw her mother. That shock soon turned to fear that made Kukui's stomach drop, but Lillie was quick to mask it with annoyance at her mother's actions.
But Kukui had seen. He'd seen a lot in those few moments, and in those past few weeks. He saw her terrified of pokemon. He saw her flinch away at sudden movements. He saw her look at her mom like her mother was about to take away everything good in the world. He wondered how obvious it had been before. Was it always so glaringly obvious that the child before him had been abused? Had he chosen, without thinking, not to consider it?
"You never consider the way I feel!"
He saw the reason Lillie was scared. And he was going to change it.