![](\"https:\/\/pixel-vault.com\/image\/sakuralive_en\/2354004.gif\")
<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
I quietly snuck into the pool after school.
The water\u2019s surface was still, and the air was cold and heavy.
Hurrying to avoid being seen, I quickly prepared myself and dove in all at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I strained my eyes underwater, I saw something sunken in the depths of my vision.
At the far end of the drain\u2014it was Amane.
I desperately pulled her up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amane\u2019s body was limp and lifeless, with cold water dripping from her.
“Amane! Stay with me!!”
I shouted as I shook her repeatedly, but there was no response.
Her shoulders were as cold as ice, and her breathing had completely stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her body, swaying helplessly with every movement, forced the harsh reality upon me.
“No\u2026 no way! Open your eyes\u2026 please!”
Tears wouldn\u2019t stop streaming down my face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amane, the one I had a crush on.
I couldn\u2019t even tell her how I felt before she drifted to a place beyond my reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I held her lifeless body tightly, I could still feel a faint warmth lingering. “Amane!? Are you okay?” “Ugh…” As I held her close, the scene from earlier replayed vividly in my mind. I could only imagine the terror she must have felt as her oxygen ran out. The trembling of her body conveyed an icy coldness, causing panic to rise within me. “Amane, I\u2019m sorry about this…” Plump.<\/em> “Soft…” Driven by impulse, I gently pressed my fingers a little more firmly. “…huh!?” Regaining my composure, I wrapped her in a bath towel. A few days later, I visited her in the hospital.
\u201cCough! Cough!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.40pbb.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/00011-1601489840.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Suddenly, Amane coughed up water.
The moment I held her, the water trapped in her lungs seemed to expel itself.
Her eyes opened faintly, looking at me with a dazed expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a faint groan, her body went limp once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When I tried to bring her to the surface, her long pink hair had gotten tangled in the drain.
That vibrant trademark of hers seemed to have trapped her underwater, refusing to let her escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Had I noticed even a moment later, she might never have opened her eyes again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/a>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
If she stayed wet like this, her body heat would continue to drain away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I hesitated but reached out for her swimsuit.
The water-soaked fabric clung to her skin, clearly making her even colder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.40pbb.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/00030-3149013716.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
“I’m sorry… huh!?”
The distinctively soft sensation at my fingertips made me gasp.
My heartbeat quickened rapidly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That word kept echoing in my mind.
Even though I tried not to think about it, the lingering sensation on my hand wouldn\u2019t fade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The soft surface shifted slightly under the pressure, its delicate yet resilient texture captivating my thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From afar, the sound of a siren gradually grew louder.
It was the ambulance I had called earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through the towel, I could feel her body slowly regaining its warmth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There she was, looking healthy again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n