Before My Memories With You Melt Away in Tears - Episode 45

The next morning, when I woke up, my fever had gone down. My mom said it was probably just a fever from exhaustion.

“Good morning! The fever’s gone!”

I grabbed my phone and sent a message. As I waited nervously for a reply, I felt my phone vibrate with an incoming call.

I almost dropped my phone in a panic, but managed to press the call button with my trembling hand.

“Good morning.”

“G-Good morning!”

I sat up straight, my back stiff. My voice was shaky, and I could hear Kyoya chuckling on the other end of the line.

“It’s good to hear that your voice sounds so lively.”

“Yes, after a good night’s sleep, I’m feeling completely better.”

“I’m glad. I wasn’t sure if I should call, I thought I might wake you up.”

Kyoya’s thoughtfulness made my heart tighten. I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of affection for him. I liked this side of him so much, and it made me a little embarrassed.

Trying to hide my embarrassment, I cleared my throat and started talking.

“So, about today!”

“I think you should rest a little more…”

“No, I’m fine! I’m already feeling 100% better!”

“Really?”

He laughed as if he was a little skeptical, and I responded with a shy “Hehe”. I liked these little, casual exchanges so much.

Even though I had been so determined to distance myself from Kyoya, after just one day, my feelings for him had grown so much. I knew we had to separate, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to stay close to him.

“Well, I’ll come by around 1 o’clock.”

“Okay!”

I responded so quickly that Kyoya laughed again.

“I can tell you’re really happy about it.”

“Ah… s-sorry.”

I felt embarrassed that I was acting like a child, so I apologized without thinking.

“It’s cute.”

“…W-what?”

“Just kidding. See you later.”

“Okay.”

After the call ended, I hugged my now-warm phone to my chest. My cheeks felt hot—was it because of the phone’s warmth or because of the call with Kyoya?

“Ah, what should I do… I can’t take this…”

I threw myself back onto the bed, tossing my phone aside and sighing.

I hated myself for even considering whether I could lean on Kyoya’s kindness. I told myself that the past couldn’t be changed, and if Kyoya wanted to be with me now, maybe it was okay for me to stay by his side. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it, again and again.

I had been so sure I needed to distance myself, but now that I had found a more convenient answer, I just wanted to go with it.

“…Well, I need to get ready.”

If Kyoya was coming at 1 o’clock, it wasn’t too early to start getting ready now. I quickly changed my clothes and hurried downstairs, only to find my mom looking very serious in the living room.

“Mom?”

“Ayaka? You should be resting a bit more, even though your fever’s gone…”

“Ah, but I promised Kyoya-kun that we’d study together today.”

“Kyoya-kun…?”

My mom looked uneasy as soon as she heard Kyoya’s name.

“He’s the one from yesterday, right?”

“Yeah, that’s him.”

“Are you two dating?”

“…Yeah.”

It felt a little embarrassing talking about my relationship with my mom. I tried to gauge her reaction, but she had furrowed her brow in concern.

“I see…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, no, it’s nothing. It’s fine that you’re studying, but where are you planning to do it?”

“I was thinking of doing it at home, is that okay?”

“At home…”

My mom’s response was still hesitant, and it made me wonder if there was something she wasn’t saying. I almost wished she would just tell me straight up if there was a problem.

“Mom…”

“I’m actually going out later today, so I’ll be leaving by 3 o’clock.”

“Huh?”

“So, I’m just worried about leaving you two alone here.”

“M-Mom!”

I was embarrassed by her serious expression, not realizing what she was concerned about. I never imagined she would be worried like this.

“It’s not like that at all!”

“Oh? Well, I trust you, just be careful, okay?”

She smiled softly, and I gave her an annoyed look before walking toward the fridge. I didn’t have the energy to think about what kind of expression my mom was making while she watched me.

As I waited for Kyoya, I found myself pacing between the front door and the living room, glancing at the clock every few minutes.

“Calm down a bit.”

My mom scolded me, but how could I stay calm in this situation? I kept checking the address I’d sent him, making sure there were no mistakes.

The moment the clock on my phone hit exactly 1 o’clock, the doorbell rang, just as if it were waiting for that moment.

“H-Hello!”

“It’s Ikeda.”

I heard Kyoya’s familiar, beloved voice from the intercom, and my face naturally broke into a smile.