Prologue ~ Before SPRING ~ Heroine

It was like in paradise!

The sun was shinning clearly, the shore felt warm while the waves were wonderful. The coconut trees were waving slowly, as if they were welcoming me. Even the people here were friendly and helpful. Quickly, I changed in to my swimming trunk, jumping into the water. Everything was great after all.

I was enjoying the water so much that I didn't realise the water level rising but when I finally did, the water level had already reached my chest, going higher in split seconds. I was sinking! I struggled to get back to the surface, however, to no avail. A sudden force pulled me backwards and I fell deeper into the water. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, totally helpless.

It was the moment I lost hope that it finally shone again. An arm dragged my hand up and the next second, I could feel air running in my lungs once more. I tried to look at my savior. She was a Japanese, from the shirt she was wearing, I was sure that she was a safeguard for the beach. Wasting no time, she held me with one arm while another, swimming towards the shore, fighting against the fierce waves.

However, it was just the beginning of the real disaster. The pulling waves were now pushing and dashing towards the shore. We were washed forward with high momentum. Just then, by the time we regained balance on the water surface, the water had already rushed across the shore and headed towards the towns above, swallowing every single thing along the path. The safeguard reacted spontaneously, picking her way through the berserk water to a half-sunken coconut tree, held it with one arm, while another still grabbing me, and with greater force every passing second. Such force that I won't flow with the waves.

"Shinpai des, we will be okay." she smiled, or pretended to be.

Yes, I agreed, but before the thing worsened. The waves became stronger, so powerful that some half-flooded buildings fell, fragments of big concrete pieces were produced. One of them was thrusting towards me. Strange thing was, it did not hit me, but the safeguard. She had blocked it for me, right on time. Though this fell upon her, her holding on me did not weaken, on the other hand, became even tighter than before.

"I am okay."

No, she was not okay. Her forehead was bleeding, so as her left eye. I did not know why she did this. She could just leave me and swim to safety for herself. Was her heroic attempt worthy after all? Saving this little life of mine, did it give her any good?

Now that the tree was almost sunken, we had to find another shelter. The safeguard scanned around the area, spotting a nearby tall building. He let the tree go and the water moved us. Reaching the building, the safeguard hang on a pillar. She then asked me, no, it sounded more like a command than a request, to reach for the roof. I was doing like i was asked until the moment my legs couldn't move, paralyzed. The safeguard noticed this and glared at me with a sight that I would never forget, a sight of making a hard decision.

"My name is Ayaka Kito. Nice to meet you."

She let go the pillar, with all her leftover strength, she hurled me to the roof. I caught a bad landing and the next thing I knew was that I was already on the roof, safe, unharmed. Worried, I looked all over for the safeguard and found her. She was carried away by the water, helplessly, finally, disappearing in the horizon.

Grief, sorrow conquered my thoughts, touched by how a person would make such sacrifice for a stranger like me. I knelt down. Tears, thrusting down my cheeks.

"Ayaka Kitoo. Thank you."

"Thank you, heroine. HEROINE!"