Ai Kotoba [Angst! Reader Inserts]

Vows [Rei Ryugazaki]

  It was on this unfortunate day. The day that Rei had stopped swimming... It changed everyone's life.


"Rei-kun, what are you doing? You're not going to get any better at swimming if you're just going to float there." Rei perked up and tried to readjust his vision. He lifted his head up, and the bright sunlight and chlorine burned at his eyes.

"[Name]-san? I'm not allowed to just laze around once in a while?"

"Of course not! You need train harder if you want to be the best! If you're gonna laze around, you can go sit over there." [Name] pointed over to the shaded area where Gou was lounging around.

Rei smiled and was pulled up by [Name]'s hand. "You're really nice, you know? For being a coach, you're really lenient"

[Name] looked away. "Of course I am. What kind of coach would I be if I was merciless?"

The butterfly swimmer chuckled and put on his glasses. He patted her shoulder before walking away. "You wouldn't be a very nice one."

The new swim coach blushed a little. Pulling her whistle from underneath her shirt, she blew on it. "Rei's out now! So you guys can swim faster!"

Rei sat on the bench, and [Name] came shortly after. She plopped down next to him and sighed. "I want to be mean and make them do fifty laps. Is that cool?"

He smiled. "Sure, why not?" [Name] giggled and put her head on his shoulder.

"I would if you were in the pool, you lazy swimmer." Rei snuggled against her head.

"That's fine. But, I know you don't want to let me go." Their hands had subconsciously linked together, and Rei squeezed them tight. [Name] blushed and shook her head.

"What-whatever," she stuttered. She looked away, obviously embarrassed.


"Bye, Rei-chan, [Name]-chan!" Nagisa waved good-bye as he parted. Makoto and Haru also waved good-bye as they left in the opposite direction. [Name] and Rei were left alone. Gou had left early to Samezuka to pick up Rin, and it was only the two of them.

"I'll drop you off at home, okay?" asked Rei. He looked down at [Name] and adjusted his glasses.

"Why can't I drop you off first, hm? Being a little sexist?"

"Of course not! You live close to the station, and my home is farther than yours. That's why you get home first." [Name] puffed out a little annoyed air cloud before reluctantly grabbing her boyfriend's hand.

"Whatever..." She walked off with him. Rei smiled softly and followed her to the station. They climbed on the train and sat next to each other. Across from them was a cute, elderly couple. They were holding hands and laughing at the jokes they made.

"If we stay together for a long time, I want to be like them." [Name] pointed out. Her head was resting in Rei's shoulder. She yawned a little, and Rei placed his arm over her, pulling her closer to him.

"Of course we will stay that long together. I'll be there even if death separates us," he said. [Name] nodded.

"Death won't separate us at all."


They walked the entire way to [Name]'s home with their hands intertwined. [Name] approached the gates and closed them. Turning to Rei, she leaned on it. "I forgot to tell you, but I'll be gone for an ocean swimming expedition. It's like a competition from one end of the beach to the other, so it's not big deal. You should come; maybe you'll learn something." [Name] smirked a little.

"I'll definitely be there to see you." He leaned over and pecked her on the lips. "I'll message you when I get there at the beach tomorrow."

[Name] smiled. "Okay, and call me when you get home."


(I'm so sorry for the time-skips...)
The beach was covered with canopies and booths, food stations and sunscreen vendors; everyone in Iwatobi and the surrounding towns gathered at the beach to see the best swimmers compete. [Name] was standing there in her competitive swimwear. Her goggles were hanging around her neck, and she was applying swimmers' sunscreen on her.

"Hello, [Name]. It's nice seeing you in a swimsuit for once." [Name] turned around and saw Rei, holding a camera in his hand.

"Why do you have that?" she asked, throwing the sunscreen bottle in her bag.

"Memories. I want to capture the day my beloved wins, don't I?"

"I might not win, but I will get a medal." [Name] winked optimistically. Rei smiled at her.

"C'mon now. Smile because there's going to be more photos than these."

The race had begun in ten minutes, and all of the swimmers were in the deeper parts of the ocean's waters. [Name] was close enough to shore, so that he was still able to get photos of her. The starting gun was shot, and the swimmers swam.

The waves were strangely tough, but all of the competitors were strong enough to push against them. [Name] had moved herself up past four swimmers and was now standing in second. Rei was running across the sandy beach, capturing candid shots of [Name]'s beautiful freestyle.

"You know, I heard that a high tide might come. It's supposed to be very strong, but maybe the swimmers are good enough to continue..."

"Yes, is that why they only allowed the best of the best swimmers?"

"Of course, a beginner couldn't survive if the tides grew mean."

Rei was waiting at the end line, but he overheard the conversation between the two visitors. He began to worry about the ocean. It wasn't the first time [Name] swam in the ocean, but it was frightening...

Anything could happen.

"Is she coming back up?!" Someone closer to the shore cried out in horror. Rei turned and ran towards the shore.

"She was doing so well... It must be the tide."

"Quickly! Someone needs to save her!"

A nearby swimmer overheard the commotion and dived down, searching for the drowned swimmer. Many other also stopped and dived down to cover more ground. A few stopped and climbed on shore to spot any signs of bubbling.

'Don't let it be [Name]. It can't be [Name].' Rei bit his lips in fear. He didn't want this to happen. He didn't want their love for each other to end so quickly.

The first swimmer surfaced and had someone draped across his shoulders. "We found her! Make room! Call the ambulance!" he shouted.

Rei gasped. He recognized the swimsuit and competing number. He ran towards her. "Is-is she okay?"

The swimmer switched [Name] around, so that now he was carrying her. "I don't know. I'm not a doctor, but we'll have to check. Are you her boyfriend?"

"Yes, I am..."

"You should try and do CPR. Do you know how? I have to talk to the coach about this." He heard the sirens of the oncoming ambulance. "Hopefully she'll be okay. She is a very good swimmer."

Rei, who had studied and took CPR has a course, had tried to help [Name]. But it failed. She was unresponsive, and her breathing rate was low.

The paramedics approached Rei. "What happened?" one questioned.

Rei explained as the other lifted [Name]'s limp body from the floor. "Please come with us." He followed them to the hospital.


Scared. Afraid. These were constantly pounding into his head, into his mind.

This all happened to quickly. He didn't want this to happen. It shouldn't have.

"Ryugazaki-san?" Rei lifted his head and saw the doctor from the emergency room.

"Yes? Is she okay?"

The doctor gave a saddened expression. "She is a little unresponsive. We are trying to get her heart rate and breathing even, but there seems to be water in her lungs preventing her from getting the needed oxygen. But, now you can see her. Talk to her before it...happens."

Rei fought back the tears. He nodded and stood, making his way to her assigned room.

There she was, hooked up to a breathing machine and needles and patches were attached to her. She looked so unreal. She was a tough person, a person who never got hurt. Now she looked weak, vulnerable.

Tears were rolling down his cheeks by now. They wouldn't stop, and he didn't want them to stop. "[Name], oh my God."

He sniffled and held her hand. He squeezed it hard. This was the worse pain he ever experienced. Worse than him almost drowning. Worse than his body aches and pains. Worse than a few of their fights.

[Name] was on the verge of death. And he couldn't stop it.

"We made a vow, remember? That death won't separate us? But, I don't know what to feel now. [Name], I can't. I just can't anymore. I don't want you...gone! Please, please, please..."

He was trying so hard to not cry and sound so pathetic, but she was so special to him that it didn't even matter anymore.

"I just want us to live together happily. To be together forever like that cute couple on the train. Please. Even if you go, I'll have to accept it... But, don't leave me now. I can't live without you."

And just like that, Rei had cried and cried, sobbing pleas. [Name] had left him a while ago, but Rei still held on to that cold hand. He couldn't lose her, even if their vow was broken...


It was on this unfortunate day. The day that Rei had stopped swimming... It changed everyone's life.

It had changed his life the most. Rei stopped swimming for [Name]. An unfortunate day this was...

~End~  

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