The rain had just stopped that morning, and puddles of all sizes dotted the path to school.
Rio, a fifth grader, walked with her schoolbag on her back, hopping lightly to avoid the splashes as usual. But when she turned the corner, her feet suddenly froze.
It was a puddle—larger and deeper than any she had ever seen. It shone as if the road itself had been swallowed by the sky.
For some reason, Rio reached a fingertip toward its surface.
The next moment, the world flipped.
The ground floated away, the sky turned inside out, and a wind without wind swept through her. In that weightless sensation, Rio suddenly found herself standing in an unfamiliar place.
It was a strange world.
The sky was a deep watery blue, and the ground glowed softly. Every building and tree was warped, as though mirrored left to right—and there wasn’t a single person in sight. Only the quiet ringing of wind chimes echoed through the air.
“Welcome to the other side.”
She turned toward the voice. A guide-like figure stood there, wearing a small hood. Their age and gender were impossible to guess, yet they carried a faintly nostalgic scent.
“You have crossed the Water’s Boundary. This is the Land of Forgotten Memories. If you wish to return, you must let go of just one thing.”
“Let go of… what?”
“One memory within you—one that you cannot quite forget, no matter how much time passes. Leave it in this world.”
Rio hesitated.
Led by the guide, she walked through the strange town—past an inverted clock tower, kites swimming across the sky, a cat that did not smile. Everything was beautiful, yet fleeting, and something stirred uneasily deep within her chest.
At the center of the town stood the Fountain of Memories.
“When you place your hand above the water, one of your memories will appear. Offer it, and you may return to your world.”
Rio slowly raised her hand over the fountain.
On the surface, an image formed.
A park at sunset. The shadow of a swing. And next to her stood her “big brother,” who had disappeared when she was very young.
—I remember, Rio. I always have.
It was the memory of the last day she spent with him.
After the accident, Rio had sealed that memory away. Remembering it made the tears flow without end.
The guide spoke quietly.
“This is a heavy memory. But if you leave it here, the pain will fade. You won’t have to cry anymore.”
Rio stared into the water. Her chest tightened painfully.
But then—she thought she heard her brother’s voice from inside the fountain.
—Rio, don’t forget. It’s okay to be sad. I’m happy you remembered me.
Tears slipped down her cheeks.
Rio slowly shook her head.
“I don’t want to throw this away. It’s sad… but it’s precious to me.”
The guide remained silent for a moment, then gently nodded.
“Then you may return. Only those who have the strength to hold on to what matters may open the door.”
The water glowed, and once again the world flipped.
In the next instant, Rio was standing before the puddle on her way to school.
Her uniform was dry. Time had not moved at all. But something in her heart had unmistakably changed.
From that day forward, Rio changed a little.
When she wanted to cry, she let herself cry. She learned to tell someone when she felt lonely. And sometimes, when she looked at the sky reflected in a puddle, she would smile softly.
—Thank you, Big Brother.
On a summer morning after the rain, a small puddle shimmered at the edge of the path.
And perhaps, on the other side of it, someone’s forgotten memory still sleeps quietly.
