Over the span of the semester, Tetsuo, Kogure, and I grew close with each other.
Aoi, Tetsuo and Kogure trudged along the riverbank and jumped into the water with splashes that sent droplets across the reeds.
Kogure flailed wildly, coughing as the current tugged at his legs.
"Hey! Watch your form, Kogure!" Tetsuo called, slicing through the water with precise strokes.
"I'm fine…!" Kogure sputtered, but before he could regain balance, Tetsuo shoved him.
"Wha—!"
Kogure toppled backward with a loud splash.
Aoi doubled over laughing, water dripping down her face as she clutched her stomach.
Tetsuo swam over, grinning, and grabbed Kogure by the arm.
"See? That's how you swim," he teased, pulling him upright.
"I… I'll get you back," Kogure muttered, water streaming from his hair, but the grin tugging at his lips betrayed him.
Soon the three of them were chasing one another, splashing, diving, and laughing.
Water sprayed across shoulders, tickled arms, and made the sun glint off rippling surfaces.
At the Nagoya elementary swim meet, the pool buzzed with the clamor of early morning competitors.
Tetsuo and Kogure stood at the edge, cheering wildly.
"Do your best!" Tetsuo called, leaning over the railing.
"Yeah, Aoi! Do your best!" Kogure shouted, clapping until his palms reddened.
The swimmers stepped onto the blocks.
Whistles blew.
Water rippled under the bright lights.
The buzzer rang.
Aoi bent her knees and dove, slicing through the surface with a sharp splash.
Cool water wrapped around her arms and chest.
She kicked hard, breaking through the bubbles as the lane lines blurred past on both sides.
Each stroke drove her forward—hands cutting cleanly through the water, legs beating in rhythm.
The air smelled of chlorine and wet concrete.
A faint echo of voices reached her ears as she turned at the wall, pushed off, and kicked into another lap.
Her lungs began to burn, her arms heavy, but her pace didn't falter.
She reached the final stretch—arms extending, fingers stretching for the wall.
A sharp slap.
She surfaced, chest heaving, water streaming down her face.
The scoreboard lit up above the pool.
Her name glowed first—gold medal position.
Tetsuo and Kogure jumped up in excitement, shouting as they ran to the edge.
"You did it!" Kogure yelled, splashing water her way.
"Gold medalist, huh?" Tetsuo smiled faintly as he ruffled her wet hair.
Aoi laughed, droplets flying from her hair as the crowd's cheers filled the humid air.
Weeks later, the gymnasium echoed with squeaking sneakers and bouncing basketballs.
Aoi sat on the bleachers, hands clapping as Tetsuo dribbled past defenders and spun into a perfect jump shot.
Kogure intercepted a pass, pivoted, and sank a basket.
"Nice pass, Kogure! Shoot, Tetsuo!" she yelled, fists pumping.
The game grew fierce, the other team relentless, but Tetsuo and Kogure's coordination never faltered.
Fast passes, clever feints, and seamless teamwork kept the scoreboard in their favor.
As the final buzzer rang, the scoreboard read 43-32.
Thirteen points ahead, they had won.
Aoi leapt from the bleachers, running towards them.
Tetsuo gave a small, satisfied smile, while Kogure hoisted her briefly in celebration, laughing.
Playful teasing, splashes of water, squeaks of sneakers, and cheering voices filled the days.
Moments of triumph, laughter, and physical closeness—Tetsuo saving Kogure from the river, Kogure's mischievous grins, and the shared joy at victories—wove the semester into a vivid sequence of events.
The more I got to know Tetsuo, the more I started liking him.
Everything was going great… until one day.
The squeak of sneakers on polished wood echoed through the gym as Tetsuo shot a two-pointer that swished cleanly through the net.
Kogure took the ball and passed it back to Tetsuo.
Tetsuo shot another shot that swished once more.
Oh… they're already here.
Aoi's fingers twirled the corner of the cookie box, and a small smile tugged at her lips.
I thought I'd surprise them with some cookies my mom baked…
Kogure dribbled the ball once and passed to Tetsuo, chest rising and falling from exertion.
He leaned slightly forward, lowering his voice.
"Hey, Tetsuo… there's something I've been wanting to ask you. It's been on my mind for a long time."
Tetsuo caught the ball, pivoted, and shot.
The ball arced cleanly through the hoop with a swish.
He glanced at Kogure, eyes flickering with curiosity.
"And what's that?"
Kogure hesitated briefly, then leaned closer.
"Be honest with me… do you like Aoi?"
Aoi froze, her small hands gripping the edge of the fabric of her dress as her heart suddenly thumped painfully in her chest, cheeks flushed.
What…!?
Tetsuo scratched the side of his cheek, a faint blush warming his face.
"It's true… I like her."
He dribbled the ball lightly with one hand, eyes briefly lifting toward Kogure.
"She's so hardworking, talented… and she's really kind to us."
He didn't notice that Aoi was peeking from behind the fence, small hands gripping the edge tightly.
Did… Tetsuo just say he likes me!?
Aoi's chest tightened, and a happy warmth spread across her cheeks.
Tetsuo's fingers clenched around the basketball, pressing it against his stomach.
His gaze stayed fixed on the textured rubber as a soft red flushed his cheeks.
"Kogure please… don't tell her. Keep it a secret. I don't want it to be weird between us."
Kogure grinned slyly, bouncing the ball once with his palm.
"Your secret's safe… but if I win you in a one-on-one today, you have to confess to her the moment you see her."
Tetsuo let out a short laugh, spinning the ball lightly on his finger.
"Bring it on. It's not like you can win anyway."
Kogure's eyes sparkled with confidence, and he nodded, grin widening.
"Challenge accepted."
So he feels the same way…
Aoi's lips curved into a small, happy smile, and a warm flutter spread across her chest.
I'll confess to him after school tomorrow.
She clutched the cookie box tightly against her chest, small fingers pressing into the cardboard.
Her steps quickened as she ran home, sneakers scuffing lightly against the pavement.
Her heart hammered in her chest, faster than it ever had during a swim meet, and her cheeks tingled with excitement.
Aoi couldn't stop smiling, the corners of her lips tugging upward as she dodged cracks in the sidewalk, still focused on the thought of Tetsuo.
That was the last time I ever saw him.
He vanished without a trace, and Kogure wasn't the same after that day.
He did tell me what happened to Tetsuo's parents, but I always felt like he was keeping something from me.
He put all his focus into basketball, and honestly, we barely had the chance to talk much after Tetsuo was gone.
It was apparent that Kogure knew something more about what happened to Tetsuo, but I didn't question him because he looked like he was hurting inside as well.
So I spent the next six years hoping for a chance to see him again.
Back at Yokonan High School, Aoi held Tetsuo tightly.
The fabric of her jacket pressed against him over her swimsuit, arms wrapped around his torso, forehead resting lightly on his chest.
She clung to his uniform, as if afraid he might vanish again if she let go.
Her hands gripped the material with quiet tension, nails pressing lightly.
Tetsuo remained still beneath her grip.
Slowly, he brought his hands up and rested them on her shoulders—not to hug her, but to gently peel her away.
Tetsuo gently slid Aoi off him, hands pressing lightly on her shoulders as he stepped back.
"I'm sorry, but who are you?"
His tone was flat, steady, his posture unchanged.
Aoi's hands shook slightly as she lifted them, voice tight with urgency.
"What do you mean? I'm Aoi Itakura. Don't you remember? I'm the girl you saved from a dog when we were kids."
Tetsuo's arms remained at his sides, his expression unreadable.
He shifted a single step back.
"I don't know you. Hugging like this is… weird."
"But that can't be! No way…"
Aoi's hands shook as she pressed them against her chest, trying to steady herself.
"When you protected me from the dog, you were bitten in the process."
Her voice wavered, and her fingers pressed lightly against the fabric of his pants as she rolled it up.
Gasps ran through the team.
Eyes widened, mouths opening slightly as they leaned forward.
"See? You even have the scar to prove it."
Aoi's voice shook, but her gaze stayed fixed on him.
Haruko's eyes narrowed, arms crossed lightly, voice silent but her thoughts clear: I'm confused… what is this girl talking about? What is she to Tetsuo?
Noboru smirked, hands folded across his chest, tilting his head as he watched.
"Looks to me like she's begging Tetsuo to take her back."
Nanaho jabbed Noboru lightly on the shoulder, rolling her eyes.
Tetsuo's gaze stayed level, lips pressed lightly together as he looked toward Kogure.
Even if what you say is true, it doesn't change anything. Time has passed, and I've changed. I'm not the same person you knew, and I don't remember those things. If it happened years ago, it's in the past.
His voice was calm, steady, and controlled, carrying no anger—only certainty.
Tetsuo turned toward the team, expression unchanged, then walked steadily toward the school gate.
His steps were measured, shoulders relaxed but firm, not looking back.
"Let's go, everyone," Yukio called, voice carrying lightly across the yard.
Haruko hesitated, voice quiet.
Are you sure about this, Tetsuo?
The wind picked up slightly, brushing Aoi's hair across her face as she stood frozen.
Her fingers clenched the fabric of her jacket, eyes glossy with unshed tears.
Haruko's chest tightened at the sight.
She shifted her weight, shoes scraping lightly against the pavement, then finally followed, footsteps dragging behind the others.
Aoi's chest felt heavy as she watched them leave the school.
Her knees buckled, and she sank to the cold tile floor with a soft thud, shoulders shaking as tears spilled freely.
The sound of retreating footsteps faded into silence, but her mind kept replaying his voice—flat, controlled, distant.
I thought that seeing her again would have brought back some of his memories of the past… but it didn't. I'm sorry you had to go through all that, Aoi, Kogure thought, his hand hovering before resting gently on her shoulder.
Her small tremors reached his fingertips.
Wait… shoot! I forgot to take his number. Oh well, I could always go over to their school, he realized, a flicker of worry crossing his eyes before he looked away.