Before My Memories With You Melt Away in Tears - Episode 60

As the poolside was filled with cheers from those finishing their swims, Ayaka Saikou dipped her toes into the water. The coolness of the water rushed up from her toes.

After confirming that a girl in the same lane had returned to the pool, Ayaka began swimming.

“…Hah.”

As she took a breath, she briefly noticed something beside her. Kanna seemed to be swimming a bit behind her, so she didn’t enter her line of sight. If she could just finish her swim without any incidents…

But just as she thought that, something brushed against her foot.

At first, she thought it was just her imagination. Maybe it was the resistance from the water, making her feel like something was there.

But then, it happened again. Something brushed against her foot, as if it were trying to grab her, scraping through the water.

“No…!”

She didn’t know what was happening, but it was too terrifying. In a panic, she forced her legs to push harder, swimming faster to escape whatever it was.

Thanks to her desperate swimming, when she reached the turnaround point, the hand-like thing that had been clinging to her foot was gone.

However, something else was different.

As Ayaka finished her turn, she glanced to the next lane. She saw Kanna swimming at almost the same speed as her.

No matter how hard she tried to get away, Kanna stayed right next to her. She couldn’t lose to this person.

Trying to keep her distance while focusing on moving forward, Ayaka noticed that, despite her efforts, the gap between them was widening.

“Ah!”

She saw Kanna push off with her legs, leaving Ayaka behind. And in that moment—

“Guh… cough.”

She felt a sharp pain in her stomach, and without understanding what had happened, she began struggling. She couldn’t breathe, and it was suffocating. She realized she was panicking, but couldn’t calm down.

The only things that stood out in her blurred vision were the growing pain and the bright sunlight filtering through the water.

Then, someone grabbed her arm.

Opening her eyes, she saw—

“Cough… cough”

“Ayaka!!”

She was pulled above the water, and air rushed into her lungs. The world suddenly became bright, and she felt dizzy.

Even so, she didn’t need to ask who was standing in front of her, looking down with a pale face.

“Kyo…ya-kun…”

There, dripping wet, stood Kyoya in his school uniform, looking at her.

“Ayaka!! I’m so glad you’re okay…”

“How…?”

“I saw you drowning, and I just… without thinking, I jumped into the pool.”

Kyoya’s hand, still gripping her arm, was trembling slightly.

He had always said he wasn’t good at swimming.

No… that wasn’t it. More than that—

“Why do you know my name…?”

“Why? Because you’re Ayaka, of course.”

“Yeah, but… you were supposed to have forgotten about me…”

He had looked at her with such a cold expression, walking past her as if she were a stranger.

But now, looking into his eyes, she could clearly see that he recognized her. The realization filled her with joy, and tears began to fall down her cheeks.

“Ah…”

Kyoya gently touched her tears.

“I’m sorry for making you cry.”

“Kyoya-kun…”

“I… I…”

But before he could answer her, the teachers who had noticed the commotion and jumped into the pool interrupted.

“Okamachi! Are you okay?!”

“Get an ambulance!”

“Take her to the poolside, now!”

The teachers reached out to grab Ayaka, but Kyoya shook them off. Holding her, he began walking toward the poolside.

In that moment, the loud chaos around them suddenly became quiet.

“Kyoya-kun, um…”

“I’m sorry I forgot.”

“But… even if my memory of you fades, my heart…”

As the teachers at the poolside reached for Ayaka, Kyoya continued, softly.

“…my heart remembers you.”

“Your heart…?”

Nodding, Kyoya entrusted her to the teachers.

Wrapped in a towel, Ayaka looked toward Kyoya, still in the pool. He gazed back at her with a troubled, almost tearful expression.

“I’ve forgotten so much, I’m sorry. But this time, I could help you with my own hands.”

Kyoya smiled as he cried, but there was a sense of happiness in his tears.