Before My Memories With You Melt Away in Tears - Episode 64

A few days had passed since then. As promised, Kanna hadn’t said anything. I had told Fujino to let me know if anything unusual happened, but everything seemed fine, so I was relieved.

The teachers had asked Ayaka what had happened that day, but I told them exactly what I had told Kanna: “My leg cramped, and I couldn’t move.” They seemed a bit suspicious but didn’t press any further, probably because they were worried about any issues at school.

The swimming competition was rescheduled. Ayaka’s absence was accepted, and I just watched as everyone swam from the poolside. Kyoya wasn’t there.

The third-year students took first place, and to everyone’s surprise, my class came in second. A classmate who was on the swim team swam in my place and did an amazing job.

“I guess it was a good thing I didn’t swim after all,” I said, smiling as I looked at Kyoya, who was still lying there with his eyes closed. A little while ago, his grandmother had returned home. She had stayed by his side whenever I wasn’t around.

It had been a while since those eyes had reflected anything. The doctors still didn’t know why he hadn’t woken up.

“Hey, Kyoya-kun, please wake up.”

I reached out and gently touched his cheek, wiping away the tears that had fallen from the corners of his eyes.

Tears had been flowing from his eyes constantly as he remained asleep.

“If you keep crying this much, you’re going to dry up,” I whispered.

To prevent the bed from getting soaked by his tears, I replaced the towel that had been placed there. It was cold and wet, showing how much he had cried since morning.

“I have so much I want to talk to you about, Kyoya-kun…”

About school, about everything that had happened, and about what was to come.

“There are so many places I want to go…”

I kept speaking to him, my voice shaking with sobs.

“So… please, wake up soon…”

Until the day Kyoya wakes up, I would stay by his side… always.

“A… ya…ka?”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, I heard a voice.

I quickly looked up, and there he was—

“Kyoya-kun!!”

Kyoya’s eyes fluttered open just slightly, and he was definitely looking at me.

“Kyoya-kun! You’re awake!? Nurse…!”

I quickly pressed the nurse call button by the bed, and soon the hallway became filled with noise. A nurse rushed into the room, checked on Kyoya, and said, “I’ll call the doctor!” before quickly leaving.

I could only stare, dumbfounded.

“Ayaka”

He reached his hand out from under the blanket, extending it toward me. I hurriedly grasped his hand tightly.

“I’ve been dreaming… for so long.”

“A dream… what kind of dream?”

“A sad one…”

With his eyes still fixed on the ceiling, Kyoya spoke quietly.

“In the dream, I was crying all the time… running away from things I hated, from things that hurt. But no matter how much I ran, it felt so painful, like I couldn’t breathe, like I couldn’t move… And then, in the darkness, I saw you.”

“Me…?”

I could feel the strength in his hand as he held mine tighter.

“Yeah. In the pitch-black darkness, I saw a little light. And in that light, I saw you, smiling, telling me everything would be okay.”

He pulled me closer and gently wrapped his arms around me.

“I could come back, thanks to you, Ayaka. Thank you.”

“That’s not… I’m not… it’s because of me that you…”

“It’s not your fault, Ayaka. Back then, I was just trying to protect my heart. I could only forget, trying to keep my heart from dying. But now… it’s different.”

His voice trembled as he spoke. I slowly looked up, and right in front of me was Kyoya, tears streaming down his face.

“I have the strength now, and the hands, to help you. I want to carry your sorrow, Ayaka. This time, I want to help you.”

I felt his feelings reach me, and my heart tightened. But…

“I can’t accept that.”

“Ayaka…?”

Kyoya looked at me, surprised, his eyes wide.

I understood what he meant, but if that’s how it was, I’d just be a burden.

“My sorrow belongs to me.”

“That’s…”

“So… I want you to share half of it with me.”

“Half?”

“Yes. But in return, I want to carry half of your sorrow too. I want us to share all the painful and sad things, and walk through them together.”

There will surely be times when we’re crushed by sorrow.

But if we’re together, we can surely handle it. We’ll support each other and move forward.

“Ayaka, are you crying…?”

“You’re crying too, Kyoya-kun.”

We wiped each other’s tears and then looked at each other, smiling.

No matter what happens in the future, even if sadness comes our way, as long as we can wipe each other’s tears and smile together…

A month later, Kyoya’s grandmother passed away.

She had raised him like a parent, and now, facing her death, Kyoya stood silently.

“Are you okay…?”

“Mm, it’s a bit hard, but I’m fine.”

He smiled quietly.

His expression looked so much like his grandmother’s from just a few days ago.

“She said she was happy. I’m happy too, because I got to live with her.”

Tears streamed down Kyoya’s face as he spoke, but his hand was still holding mine.

He would never lose his memories again. He would no longer run away from sorrow.

His memories would never be erased, not even beyond the tears.

The hand that gripped mine tightly was full of memories of you.