Ayan couldn't breathe.
Not because of the rain.
Not because of the cold.
But because something inside him was… missing.
He ran.
Through empty streets.
Through flickering lights.
Through a world that suddenly felt unfamiliar.
"My sister…" he whispered.
But the word felt wrong now.
Heavy.
Meaningless.
He stopped.
Grabbing his head tightly.
"Why can't I remember…?"
Because there was nothing left to remember.
BZZZT.
His phone.
Still on the ground where he dropped it.
Still on.
Still real.
Ayan slowly picked it up.
Hands shaking.
The message was still there:
👉 "You don't have a sister."
"…Who sent this?"
No name.
No number.
Just emptiness.
Then—
Another message appeared.
Right in front of his eyes.
👉 "First loss is always the smallest."
Ayan froze.
"…Smallest?"
His heart started racing.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SMALLEST?!"
No reply.
Only silence.
Suddenly—
A sharp pain shot through his chest.
"—AHH!"
Ayan collapsed to his knees.
Gripping his shirt.
The blue cracks.
They were back.
But brighter.
Spreading.
"What is happening to me…?"
"Your Pulse is unstable."
Ayan looked up.
The girl.
The same one from before.
Standing right in front of him now.
Her glowing blue eyes locked onto his.
Calm.
Unafraid.
"You…" Ayan breathed.
"You were watching me."
She nodded slightly.
"You shouldn't have survived that."
Ayan's expression hardened.
"What is this 'Pulse'?! What did it do to me?!"
The girl stepped closer.
"It saved you."
A pause.
"And it took something in return."
"I KNOW THAT!" Ayan shouted.
"Give it back!"
The girl's expression didn't change.
"…You can't."
Silence.
Rain poured harder.
"Once the Pulse takes something…" she said quietly,
"…it's gone from reality."
Ayan's hands trembled.
"Then why me…?"
The girl stared at him.
For a moment—
her expression shifted.
"…Because you were chosen."
Ayan froze.
"…Chosen?"
Before she could answer—
SCREEEEEECH—!!
Another sound.
Another vehicle.
This time—
a bike.
Out of control.
Spinning.
Heading straight toward them.
Ayan's eyes widened.
"No— not again—!"
The world slowed.
The rain began to freeze.
The sound faded.
"…No…" Ayan whispered.
"…I can't lose something again…"
The blue cracks spread violently across his arms.
"STOP—!"
But the world didn't listen.
Everything turned gray again.
The bike hung in the air.
Seconds away from impact.
Ayan fell to his knees.
Terrified.
"…What will it take this time…?"
The shadow appeared again.
Behind him.
Smiling.
"You learn quickly," it said.
Ayan clenched his fists.
"I don't want this!"
The shadow leaned closer.
"But you still want to live."
Silence.
Ayan's breath shook.
Because it was true.
"…Yes," he whispered.
The shadow smiled wider.
"Then choose."
Ayan's heart stopped.
"Choose…?"
"Something of equal value," the shadow said softly.
"Or the Pulse will decide for you."
Ayan's mind raced.
"What… do I even have left…?"
Memories flashed—
School.
Friends.
His own name.
His eyes widened.
"…No…"
The cracks burned brighter.
The world trembled.
And then—
SNAP.
Everything returned.
The bike crashed past them.
Missing.
Barely.
Ayan collapsed.
Breathing heavily.
Alive.
Again.
But something was wrong.
The girl stepped closer.
Watching him carefully.
"…What did you lose this time?" she asked.
Ayan looked up at her.
Confused.
"…Who are you?"
Silence.
The girl's eyes widened slightly.
"…You don't remember me?"
Ayan shook his head slowly.
"…Should I?"
The rain fell harder.
And for the first time—
the girl looked… shaken.
"…That's not possible…"
Ayan stared at her like a stranger.
Because to him—
She was.