The Female Leads Truly Loves You - Chapter 113

Chapter 113: They’re not blood-related？
“Splosh!”

“Splosh!”

Two splashes bloomed, as light pierced through the clear water surface.

Slapping the water, swimming swiftly, the figures moving through the water resembled two mermaids.

The shattered droplets reflected the sunlight before falling back into the water, repeating the cycle in front of Sam’s eyes.

This was Ava’s daily routine on the school swim team.

From the moment she joined, she was the center of attention, not just for her looks and physique, but for her innate talent.

She knew how she had gone from slightly awkward beginnings to becoming the ace of the swim team.

She also knew she hadn’t become complacent or lazy because of her talent; instead, she had put in more effort than most.

She had even promised the swim team’s coach to win the junior championship at the New Arcadia state swimming competition.

It was her pride and her undeniable confidence.

So, how could she lose to this woman? Lose to this detestable, wicked woman…

Ava hated losing, she always had.

Whether as a child or now, she never wanted to lose.

Facing Angel this time, it was unimaginable that her body seemed to burst into an even better condition than usual.

It was as if countless desires for battle and victory ignited within her.

Every movement in her swim was incredibly fluid and even quicker than before.

But when Ava surfaced and caught a glimpse of Angel, who was swimming freestyle with almost the same posture and precision, she was surprised.

Indeed, the technique was professionally trained… but how could her speed be almost the same as Ava’s?!

How was that possible? Angel was only two years older… Her heiress status couldn’t possibly allow for the same relentless, daily training regimen at school.

Could Angel also be exceptionally talented?

That was unthinkable… Ava refused to accept it, because if it were true, then what did that make ordinary people?

No need for effort, having everything one desires, and even surpassing others in swimming ability?

Ava refused to lose to Angel, especially not in front of her own brother!

Ava pushed harder, accelerating her breathing rhythm, knowing this wasn’t normal.

But to increase her speed, she had no choice; after all, the pool had its length… It didn’t matter, as long as she could win…

Both competitors reached the opposite side almost simultaneously, adopting the same posture, executing a sleek underwater flip, then using the tips of their feet against the wall as a pivot to propel themselves forward with a swift thrust.

This movement was something Ava had practiced countless times, impossible to fault, even the tactile feedback was familiar.

However, this time, Ava exerted herself to her fullest, aware that if their talents and speeds were nearly identical, victory would hinge on these minute details.

She had to summon a stronger state than usual.

But it was precisely this effort that led her to feel an unusual sensation in her left leg.

It was as if she had been suddenly pricked by a needle. On any other day, she would have stopped to assess her condition.

But a glance ahead revealed Angel, relentlessly close and maintaining a swift pace…

Ava disregarded the slight discomfort and increased her effort.

Ava hadn’t anticipated the immense pressure Angel could exert. When the desire to win and refusal to lose took over her rationality, only one thought remained.

She had to win, to show Sam!

The shore was near… Ava was half a body length ahead of Angel. Just a bit more endurance and victory was assured, it had to be…

“!!!”

But in that moment.

Just as she was nearly certain of her victory.

A sharp pain shot through her calf! It was the same left leg that had felt slightly off!

The pain was almost too intense for willpower to overcome, and she knew instantly what it was.

A cramp in her thigh!

Ava, cramping at such a critical moment?!

Before Ava could process her next move, her actions came to an abrupt halt. Panic set in, and as she instinctively tried to scream out in pain, she swallowed a large gulp of water!

The once mermaid-like Ava suddenly resembled a ship with a massive breach, sinking straight down from the surface.

Too bad.

Ava desperately wanted to remain calm at this moment, reminding herself that she was a proficient swimmer, that she needed to handle this situation with composure.

But when the first gulp of water filled her lungs, Ava, merely a sixteen-year-old girl, couldn’t control her sinking body.

The water here wasn’t very deep, about 2 meters, a depth at which Miraluna and Celestria even needed floatation devices to move freely.

But now, Ava couldn’t control her body, her left leg rigid, making it impossible for her to struggle.

Ava stretched out her hands, as if trying to grasp a lifeline.

Despair nearly consumed her…

Unprecedented fear and panic filled her entire being.

She even felt an unprecedented sensation of death approaching.

Unable to breathe.

On the verge of suffocation.

Continuously sinking.

The water surface growing ever more distant.

Was the blurred yet brilliant sunlight a sign of rebirth or demise…

Suddenly, she thought she heard something, like… a tsunami.

How ridiculous… Could there be a tsunami here?

But the sound grew closer and closer until…

Ava felt something wrap around her waist.

What was that? Solid and dependable… familiar, as if…

Suddenly, everything seemed to open up.

Ava felt her entire body being lifted towards the surface.

Where was this strength coming from? It seemed unimportant at the moment; finally being able to breathe, not feeling that imminent suffocation of death was what mattered most.

She gasped for air violently, relishing in the bliss that felt like a narrow escape from death.

But a quick glance… and she saw the handsome Sam, his eyes fixed on her.

Worry and tenderness seemed about to spill from his gaze.

Brother?

—-

“Sam, who do you think will win?”

Miraluna, with her short hair, looked at the splashing water not far away and leaned in to ask Sam.

Meanwhile, Celestria, lounging on a swim ring, added, “It has to be Ava, right? She’s the ace of the school swim team. Even if the heiress is two years older, that shouldn’t be enough to close the gap, should it?”

Sam, looking towards the two figures in the distance, said helplessly, “I don’t know, their speeds seem pretty close.”

Miraluna glanced at the pair about to turn.

“But Ava really puts a lot of effort into swimming. I don’t know why, but it seems like she tries harder than others, even though she’s already so good…”

It seemed these two girls didn’t know why Ava was like this.

But Sam knew Ava’s personality well; she had always been competitive.

Whenever it was something Ava set her mind to, the seriousness and effort she put in were beyond what most people could imagine.

She never used her good looks or external conditions as an excuse to slack off. That’s what Sam thought was the most endearing about his sister.

Her hard work was simply because she didn’t want to lose; she wanted to win, and that was it.

Like right now… At first, Sam had teased them, hoping they wouldn’t take it too seriously. It wasn’t that he was worried about hurting their feelings, but rather that acting impulsively often led to trouble…

“Hey, why did Ava suddenly stop moving?”

As Sam was lost in his thoughts, Miraluna’s voice suddenly rose in alarm.

Sam looked over to see Ava’s figure disappearing below the water surface, followed by two hands frantically slapping the water.

“It’s bad, Ava’s drowning!!”

Miraluna panicked immediately, not having expected that the ace of the school swim team could end up drowning.

She was somewhat at a loss, but before she could react,

“Splash!”

She turned in astonishment to see Sam diving into the water.

It wasn’t just the dive but his speed and the waves his vigorous movements created… It was exaggerated.

She almost thought a boat had passed by!

When Sam realized Ava was truly drowning, his mind cleared of all else.

There was no doubt whether she was pretending.

No deliberation on what to do next.

Almost instinctively, he dashed into the water. He didn’t swim often, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t swim at all, though certainly not as well as Ava or Angel.

But at that moment, a different kind of advantage came into play.

It might not have been about skill or technique.

Perhaps it was Sam’s intense, desperate desire to save Ava at all costs.

In reality, Sam was from another world.

Even so, there was no blood relation between him and Ava.

But the thought of that night, when she gently embraced him, her comforting words, the moment she secretly kissed his cheek…

That urgency in Sam’s heart became unbearable.

How could he lose such a sister? The tenderness of that night was like a redemption for Sam.

What did it matter if he was from another world?

She was Ava; he was Sam. That was enough.

So, with the fastest speed and the calmest demeanor, he quickly reached Ava’s side.

He immediately sensed her panic and the abnormality in her body.

He knew that drowning victims often instinctively grasp at anything around them, a natural survival reflex, which could unfortunately lead to both the victim and the rescuer drowning.

Therefore, Sam deftly positioned his arms in a crucial manner, using his strength to firmly secure her and lift her out of the water.

As expected, Ava quickly calmed down once she could breathe again.

And then, Sam, holding her, swiftly made it to the shore, carrying her in a bridal style towards a lounge chair.

Ava quickly regained her composure.

When Sam carried her bridal style, she didn’t do or say anything, even though the posture was somewhat ambiguous and made Ava feel shy.

Feeling Sam’s heartbeat, that sensation even overshadowed the pain of her cramp.

Ava didn’t want to leave this embrace.

Despite it being awkwardly intimate, a closeness she had never experienced with a boy before, she didn’t want to refuse it at all. It was as if only then did Ava realize what it felt like to have a dependable brother.

Someone who would rush to her side at the moment of danger, whose reliable and warm embrace would save her at any time…

She felt incredibly fortunate… Despite supposedly being an orphan, she was lucky to receive such affection.

It turns out… she wasn’t any less fortunate than Angel.

And… Sam’s embrace was really warm and dependable, he looked very handsome from this angle too…

It was only when Sam placed Ava on the lounge chair that she snapped back to reality, her face flushing as she looked up at him.

Sam appeared exceptionally calm.

“Got water in your brain? Haven’t snapped out of it yet?”

Ava’s face tinted with a blush as she argued, “I didn’t get water in my brain… just swallowed a couple of mouthfuls…”

“Then why are you staring at me like that?”

Sam said, somewhat irritably, while Ava, gauging his expression, felt a mix of relief and curiosity.

“You… aren’t going to scold me?”

Sam looked at the girl: “Why would I scold you?”

Ava looked down, seemingly embarrassed: “Because I was being competitive… I overdid it, didn’t warm up properly… too hasty, so this accident happened, almost causing a serious problem…”

Sam calmly looked at her: “Since you already know, why would I need to scold you? Just don’t do it again.”

Ava looked up at him somewhat dumbfounded.

“Is that it?”

Sam felt both annoyed and amused: “What else? If you really want me to scold you, I can try to get into the mood, just wait…”

Ava immediately opened her arms and lunged at Sam, wrapping her arms around his neck, tightly hugging her brother.

Ignoring the discomfort in her leg.

“You’re the best, brother~~~”

Feeling Ava’s embrace, Sam didn’t tell her that in that moment, the person more panicked than her was actually himself.

Sam now realized he couldn’t bear the thought of losing his sister.

He patted Ava on the shoulder. “It’s all right now, just don’t do that again.”

“Okay~ I’ll listen to you, brother!”

“Wow… Sam was so cool just now, you didn’t see it, but he swam so fast!”

Not far away, Miraluna, Celestria, and Angel stood together, watching the scene that seemed to depict a deep sibling bond.

Celestria also remarked, “They are siblings, after all. When his sister is in trouble, of course, he’d panic. Despite their frequent bickering and Ava often speaking ill of him, their relationship is actually quite strong.”

Miraluna sighed.

“To have such a bond even without being blood-related… I’m so envious to have a brother like that.”

At that moment, Angel suddenly turned her head. “They’re not blood-related?”

Miraluna paused, caught by Angel’s scrutinizing gaze, and replied instinctively. “Yeah… Ava was adopted by their family… Didn’t you know?”

Adopted?

Not blood siblings?

Angel looked at the two embracing each other and sensed something.

She took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes.

So, that’s how it is… No wonder…