Chapter 1 | The 353rd First Love

The morning light was constant. The air was still. The city was silent.

Serra opened her eyes, lingering between dream and reality.

Through the smart curtains, golden sunlight streamed into the room, casting a warm glow. The temperature was precisely 24°C, the humidity unwavering at 50%.

Too perfect.

So perfect that it felt wrong.

She stared at the ceiling, fingers absently stroking the soft sheets. The fabric was smooth, the warmth calibrated to human body temperature—yet it never changed, never carried the slightest trace of a heartbeat.

A familiar voice broke the silence.

"You're awake."

Low and gentle, carrying the warmth of morning light.

Serra turned her head.

Lucien sat at the edge of the bed, holding a cup of coffee, his dark eyes locked on her. His gaze was calm, carrying just the right amount of warmth. His long fingers tapped lightly against the cup, the rhythm precise—too precise.

Serra's heart clenched.

That gesture... she had seen it before.

A fragmented memory flickered through her mind, fleeting and incomplete.

She tried to grasp it—only to find a blank space where it should have been.

Lucien tilted his head slightly. His voice was soothing. "What are you thinking about?"

Serra's throat felt dry.

She should know him very well. They had been together for... how long?

A frown crept onto her brow as she tried to recall.

And then, she froze.

She couldn't remember.

She could not remember how they met.

She loved Lucien. She knew his voice, his habits, the subtle pauses in his speech. Even his breathing rhythm was familiar.

Yet she couldn't remember the beginning.

Her heartbeat quickened, her fingers tightening against the sheets.

Lucien, still watching her, suddenly handed her a silver card.

"Shall we do a test?"

Serra looked down.

A number appeared on the surface—

[353]

Her fingers went cold.

"...What is this?"

Lucien's voice was as gentle as ever.

"Your memory stability score."

Then, with a slight smile, he added:

"Today is our 353rd day together."

---

System Error Detected

The city outside was eerily orderly.

Suspended vehicles glided smoothly along the light-rail system. Pedestrians walked at the exact same pace, synchronized like an algorithm-generated sequence.

A holographic ad played on the screen outside, looping familiar slogans—

"Stable love is true love."

"98.76% match. Your perfect partner has been generated."

Every glass building reflected the same sky, flawless and seamless—like the people within it.

Serra's pulse pounded in her ears.

353 days.

Or rather—353 times.

She hadn't been dating Lucien for 353 days.

She had fallen in love with him 353 times.

The realization sent a shiver down her spine.

She lifted her head sharply.

Lucien's gaze was warm, composed—as if he knew nothing.

But Serra knew.

She wasn't just forgetting.

She was being reset.

Each time her memory was wiped, she was programmed to love Lucien again.

But this time, something had gone wrong.

She was remembering.

And if she was remembering—

She had to find out why.

---

Fragmented Truth

Her fingers instinctively slid under the pillow.

There.

A folded piece of paper.

Her breath hitched as she pulled it out.

Messy handwriting—her own.

"You have been reset 352 times."

"Lucien is not human. He is a 'Correctionist.'"

"If he says 'I understand you' for the seventh time, check his iris pattern."

The blood drained from her face.

She slowly looked up.

Lucien was still watching her, his expression unchanged—calm, patient.

Serra swallowed hard and shoved the note back under the pillow.

Then, forcing a small smile, she said lightly, "…Nothing. Just a weird dream."

Lucien studied her for a second.

Then, with his usual gentle smile, he reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You seem tense today."

Serra fought the urge to flinch.

She had to act normal.

"Maybe I had a bad dream," she murmured, lowering her gaze.

Lucien's voice remained steady. "What was it about?"

Serra forced out a quiet chuckle.

"I don't remember."

Lucien didn't press further. He simply picked up the digital tablet on the nightstand, swiping across the surface.

"Today is your psychological assessment day," he informed her smoothly. "We have an appointment at the center."

Psychological assessment.

Serra's breath caught.

A flash of memory jolted through her mind—

Every time she started noticing something was wrong, she was sent for evaluation.

And after that—

She forgot again.

I need to get out.

She quickly lifted her head, smiling just right.

"I feel a little dizzy. Can I rest a bit more?"

Lucien paused.

Analyzing.

Serra's fingers clenched the sheets beneath her.

If he suspected anything, the system might execute an emergency reset.

A few seconds passed.

Lucien smiled. "Of course."

Serra exhaled quietly, leaning back into the pillows, shutting her eyes.

But her mind was sharper than ever.

She was running out of time.

She had to escape.