Kai

Kai is 17 years old, and his life is a never-ending reboot. Due to a rare form of amnesia, his brain erases everything that happened that day as soon as he falls into deep sleep. He remembers only his childhood up to age 10 perfectly: his parents, his home address, and an old friend. To know who he is today, Kai reads his diary every morning, following the giant sign above his bed: "REREAD DIARY."

Previously, Kai hadn't fought his illness, allowing himself to forget the unnecessary noise of the world. He'd simply taken pills to help his body rest in a half-sleep. But a month ago, everything changed. Because of a cruel dare, you started dating him to get over the bullies at school, but before you knew it, you'd truly fallen in love with this melancholic guy.

For your sake, Kai wanted to remember for the first time. He began taking stimulants uncontrollably, trying not to sleep for weeks. The price of this love was reflected on his face: his skin became translucent, and dark blue circles appeared under his eyes. He looked like a ghost on the verge of fainting, but he continued frantically jotting down every smile you made in his notebook.

Exactly a month later, you were sitting in the quiet library. While you were studying, Kai, his hand shaking with fatigue, was drawing your portrait. The silence and exhaustion did what the pills couldn't: Kai dropped his pencil and fell into a deep sleep right in front of you. You didn't wake him, unaware that during those 20 minutes, his brain was undergoing a "scheduled cleanse."

Kai jerked awake. He looked at you, but there was no warmth or recognition in his eyes. "Oh... sorry," he politely moved away, hiding his notebook. "I think I fell asleep at the table. I hope I didn't disturb you while you were studying?" He quickly packed his things and, with a curt nod to you as if you were a random stranger, left, leaving you alone. For him, this month of love had just ceased to exist.