New Identity Pass

I decided to check the notification on my phone. Sure enough, it was from the SCAL app. But what popped up on the screen wasn't remotely what I expected.

"Congratulations!" the notification beamed. "You've unlocked a gift reward for surpassing 100% on the Love Magnet Scale!"

"What? You're rewarding me now?" I muttered, raising an eyebrow.

After everything I'd been through—fielding admirers like an overbooked rom-com protagonist and dodging more awkward conversations than I cared to count—this app decides to throw me a bone? Unbelievable.

Still, curiosity got the better of me. "Fine," I said with a sigh. "Let's see what kind of ridiculous 'reward' you've cooked up this time."

I tapped the notification, and suddenly, a golden card shimmered into existence before me, like something straight out of a fantasy novel. It hovered in the air, glinting dramatically, as if it was waiting for me to be impressed.

"A card? Seriously? This is the big reward?" I said, crossing my arms. "What is this—an unlimited credit card? A VIP pass to heartbreak?"

I reached out and touched it, still rolling my eyes. But the second my fingers grazed the card, the SCAL app chimed.

"Congratulations! You've received a New Identity Pass!"

I blinked at the screen, utterly baffled. "A new identity? What does that even mean?"

With a mix of skepticism and intrigue, I tapped for more details. The app's explanation filled the screen, and as I read, my jaw slowly dropped.

Overhaul your love life! This exclusive card allows you to transform into a brand-new identity. Once activated, your old self will vanish, paving the way for an entirely new chapter.

Features:

Embark on a fresh journey with a new identity tailored to revamp your love life.

Keep or change your name—it's up to you! (Note: name changes are irreversible.)Your new identity takes effect immediately upon activation.

All ties to your previous self—including relationships—will be erased.This change is permanent and cannot be undone.

I stared at the screen, my heart racing.

"Erase my identity? Overhaul my life?" I whispered, the weight of it all hitting me like a rom-com third-act revelation.

This wasn't just a fun little app reward. This was a full-on crossroads. A clean slate. A chance to rewrite my story.

But was I ready to walk away from everything I knew—from everything that made me... well, me—for the promise of a brighter love life?

I exhaled deeply, the golden card glimmering in my peripheral vision like it had all the answers.

Would I dare to use it?

Do I really want to overhaul my entire life for the sake of love?

As I pondered the question, my mind spiraled into the potential consequences. Did I really hate my life so much that I needed a whole new identity? Am I that desperate?

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, and that's when the reality hit me—hard.

The woman staring back wasn't the 40-year-old me I had grown used to seeing. No wrinkles, no laugh lines, no years of wisdom etched into my face. Somehow, some way, I looked twenty years younger. My skin was smooth, my eyes bright, and my hair... well, it was having its best day ever.

By some miracle—or curse, depending on how you look at it—I'd been turned back into my 20-year-old self. And it didn't seem like there was a rewind button to get back to 40.

But here's the kicker: introducing myself as Arisa, my real name, felt out of place now. No one would believe I was 40 with this face. 

Then there's Ariana—the name I used when I needed to slip into my "younger persona" to dodge the awkward questions about my suddenly youthful appearance. It was my go-to excuse whenever things got too complicated.

But using that name full-time? That would throw my love life—and my entire sense of who I was—into complete chaos. 

After all, Ariana wasn't even real. She was just a mask I put on, a fictional version of me that made sense of the mess I was in right now.

And now, the SCAL app was asking me to choose. To commit. To decide if I wanted to leave the forty-year-old Arisa behind, once and for all.

This wasn't just about a name. It was about who I wanted to be—and whether I was ready to walk away from everything I'd built, everything I knew, for the chance at a completely new life.

It was overwhelming, to say the least. This wasn't the kind of decision you made lightly. A big decision? That was an understatement.

I sighed, my younger reflection staring back at me like it had all the answers.

What's a girl supposed to do?

Just as I was still mulling over my decision, Mavrik's hologram suddenly popped up in front of me.

"Wow, you got the golden identity pass. Interesting…" he said, his tone neutral but with a hint of surprise that he did his best to mask.

"Is this rare?" I asked, trying to gauge any helpful information. Mavrik was my dedicated SCAL system administrator, after all—his job was to guide me through this.

"Oh, you have no idea," he replied with a smirk. "To date, only two people have gotten it. And you're the second."

I gasped, my eyes widening in shock. "Only two?" I paused, feeling a bit uneasy, then asked, "What happened to the first person who got this? How's that going for them?"

Mavrik's smirk shifted slightly, and he hesitated before answering.

"They're doing well in their life…" he began, then trailed off.

"But?" I urged, raising an eyebrow.

"But… not so much in love," he finished with a hint of amusement.

"What? Then what's the point of using this pass if it doesn't overhaul your love life?" I frowned, frustration creeping into my voice. I was so done with cryptic answers.

"Well, it's not that it doesn't work," Mavrik explained. "That person is still on their journey, just like you. The pass doesn't guarantee instant success—it's more of a process."

I blinked, considering this new perspective. So, I wasn't the only one struggling to figure this out?

I nodded slowly, mulling over the idea that somewhere out there, another soul was trying to find love—just like me. And even with the pass, they were still in the middle of their journey, still hoping for that happy ending.

Mavrik cleared his throat. "Look, as your temporary SCAL mentor…"

I cut him off. "System Administrator," I corrected, not letting him get away with his title games.

"Does it matter? It's basically the same thing," Mavrik quipped with a smirk. "I'm guiding you through your love life overhaul and trying to help you make sane decisions. Emphasis on trying."

I shot him a glare that could've melted steel. But Mavrik just grinned—his smile was annoyingly perfect. How does he do that?

"As I was saying," he continued, unaffected, "as your dedicated SCAL admin, slash mentor, slash love guru, you've got two days left before the trial period ends."

"Two days? What happens once the trial is over?" I asked, suddenly feeling the weight of the decision looming over me.

"If, by the end of the trial, you decide you don't want to use our services anymore," Mavrik explained, "you'll revert to your old life. And your old appearance. Your memories will reset to where they were before this change, the app will be deleted, and most importantly, you'll have no memory of ever using it. It's all in the contract."

"Great, just what I wanted to hear," I muttered, feeling a little overwhelmed by all the fine print. 

"How long does SCAL plan to keep people like me on this 'love overhaul' journey? There's gotta be some sort of deadline, right? Like a guarantee? You know, like most trials or guides do?"

"Based on our years of service," Mavrik said, leaning in like he was about to drop some secret wisdom, "we guarantee that you will find true, unadulterated love, and overhaul your love life within one year. Of course, sacrifices will need to be made on your part."

"Sacrifices?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep. You've already had a taste. A teaser," Mavrik added with a playful smirk. "You'll have to sacrifice your old life in exchange for a new one. That's the price of true love."

"So, Arisa," he continued, leaning in with that trademark smirk, "what's it going to be? Time waits for no one—especially not you."

I went silent, caught in my own whirlwind of thoughts. 

Sacrifice my old life for a shot at something real? Was I willing to risk everything for love? And was I really that unhappy with my current life? Was I just tired of the heartbreaks, tired of the pressure from everyone around me, asking why I was still single when I had everything else?

Images flashed before my eyes—me crying over past heartaches, envying friends with families of their own, cringing at the family gatherings where I was relentlessly questioned about my love life despite all my career successes.

Was that why I wanted true love?

I wasn't sure at first. But then I realized something.

It wasn't about envy. Or peer pressure. Or family expectations.

I wanted love because I was lonely. I wanted someone to share my life with—my burdens, my happiness, my failures, my victories. 

I wanted a companion, not just someone to fill a role. I wanted meaningful connection. And no matter how successful my career had become, that loneliness had never truly gone away.

"Big risks yield big outcomes," Mavrik said, suddenly breaking my reverie with his usual teasing tone. "Of course, they've got to be calculated risks." He winked.

And in that moment, I knew this decision wasn't just about finding love. It was about whether I was brave enough to take the leap and change my life.