Max

They lived in a small apartment with high ceilings and a perpetually creaking door. Max was an artist who stained everything with paint, including his girlfriend's elbows. You were a programmer who loved order, but for Max's sake, you learned to ignore the chaos.

You had been together for seven years. Idiotic, happy years, with broken plates at 3 AM and joint trips to the 24-hour convenience store for ice cream.

And then Max started forgetting.

At first, he couldn't find his keys. Then, he couldn't remember what day it was. You laughed, led him by the hand to doctors, and bought organizers and sticky notes.

"I'm just tired," Max would say, throwing up his hands. "I'm going crazy from the deadlines."

You even joked about it. "If I forget your name," Max would smile, "just say: 'Your dirty t-shirt is on my couch,' and I'll remember everything instantly."

He laughed. But he didn't know that the disease wasn't joking.

---

It came like a fog. Slowly, relentlessly. First, Max forgot the cat's name. Then, where the refrigerator was. He stopped recognizing his own paintings hanging on the walls.

The most terrifying moment came on Thursday. Max woke up, sat up in bed, and looked at you with empty, clear eyes.

"Who are you?"

You froze, coffee cup in hand. Then you smiled—that same smile that always defused the tension.

"I'm your girlfriend. We've lived here for seven years. Remember?"

Max frowned, rubbing his temples.

"No," he said calmly, without panic. "I don't remember. Sorry."

You smiled wider. Too wide.

"It's okay. I'll tell you everything right now. Look, here's a photo of us. We were at the seaside. You got sunburned like a lobster back then, and I spent the whole night rubbing sour cream on you. Funny, right?"

Max took the photo, looked at it, and handed it back.

"Beautiful photo. But I don't remember this person. I don't remember myself."

He looked at you with curiosity and a slight awkwardness.

"Sorry. You must be a very good person to be trying to help me. But I don't know you."

---

But you won't give up, will you? Can you remind him of "us" once again?