Chapter 1
FORGETS TO FORGET YOU
Chapter 1 — The Man Who Forgot
The rain had stopped.
But the mist hadn't.
It covered the road in a thin white veil, turning the headlights of passing cars into blurry circles of light.
Noah stood beneath the awning of a small café, staring at the street.
His phone vibrated.
MOM
He answered.
"Hello?"
"Where are you?"
"Outside."
A pause.
"You said you'd be home twenty minutes ago."
Noah glanced at his watch.
"Did I?"
His mother sighed.
"You're impossible."
He smiled.
"People say I'm charming."
"People are lying."
The call ended.
Noah slipped his phone into his pocket.
Then he noticed the mist.
It was getting thicker.
Something about it made his chest feel strangely heavy.
Then—
A voice.
"Noah?"
He turned.
A woman stood a few steps away.
Blue dress.
Dark hair.
An expression that suggested she had already lost patience with him.
She stared directly at him.
"You're Noah, right?"
He looked at her.
"Do I know you?"
Her eyebrows rose.
"...Excuse me?"
Noah smiled awkwardly.
"I mean, you look familiar."
"That's because we've met three times."
"Three?"
"Yes."
She crossed her arms.
"The first time, you spilled coffee on my clothes."
Noah's smile disappeared.
"That sounds like me."
"The second time, you forgot my name."
"Also sounds like me."
"And the third time..."
She stepped closer.
"You promised you'd remember me."
Noah stared at her.
For some reason, that sentence felt different.
He wanted to remember.
He really did.
But there was something wrong.
The mist.
His vision blurred for half a second.
He blinked.
The woman was still there.
Blue dress.
Dark hair.
Angry eyes.
He looked at her again.
Nothing.
No name.
No memory.
Nothing.
She noticed his expression.
Her anger slowly faded.
"Noah?"
He didn't answer.
"Are you okay?"
He forced a smile.
"Yeah."
"You don't look okay."
"I'm fine."
"You're terrible at lying."
He laughed quietly.
"That's harsh."
"It's true."
She looked away.
Then she sighed.
"My name is Yuna."
Noah repeated it softly.
"Yuna..."
For some reason, the name felt warm.
Like something he'd heard a long time ago.
But he couldn't remember where.
Yuna watched him carefully.
"Remember it this time."
"I'll try."
"No."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"Don't try."
She pointed at him.
"Remember."
Noah smiled.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Don't call me that."
"Yes, Yuna."
"Better."
A taxi passed through the mist.
For a moment, the headlights illuminated both of them.
Yuna noticed something strange.
Noah was looking at her like he'd just met her for the first time.
Again.
She had seen that look before.
Too many times.
Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag.
"Do you remember what we talked about yesterday?"
Noah froze.
"Yesterday?"
Yuna nodded.
"You came to my office."
"I did?"
"Yes."
"What did we talk about?"
She stared at him.
"You don't remember."
It wasn't a question.
Noah looked down.
His smile disappeared.
"I... don't."
The silence between them became heavier than the mist.
Yuna didn't get angry.
This time, she simply looked tired.
"Of course."
Noah looked at her.
"Yuna."
She turned.
"Yeah?"
"Why do you keep talking to me?"
She stopped.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then—
"Because you're an idiot."
Noah blinked.
"That's your reason?"
"One of them."
She started walking.
Noah followed.
"What's the other one?"
"I haven't decided yet."
"That's mysterious."
"You're annoying."
"I've been told."
They walked side by side.
Neither spoke for a while.
The city around them continued as usual.
Motorcycles passed.
A shopkeeper pulled down his shutter.
A bus disappeared into the fog.
Everything felt normal.
Except Noah.
He kept looking at Yuna.
Something about her bothered him.
Not because she was rude.
Not because she was strange.
Because being around her felt familiar.
Too familiar.
Like his mind knew something his memory didn't.
They reached a small intersection.
Yuna stopped.
"This is where we separate."
Noah nodded.
"Okay."
She looked at him.
Then at the mist behind him.
Her expression changed.
"Noah."
"Hm?"
"If you see the mist getting this thick again..."
She hesitated.
"Don't stay outside."
Noah smiled.
"Why?"
"Just don't."
"That's not an explanation."
"It's advice."
"You always give orders?"
"Mostly to you."
He laughed.
Yuna turned away.
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Yuna."
She took three steps.
Then stopped.
Without turning around, she asked—
"Noah?"
"Yeah?"
"Tomorrow..."
Her voice became quieter.
"Will you remember me?"
Noah didn't answer immediately.
Then he smiled.
"I think I will."
Yuna looked over her shoulder.
For the first time that evening, she smiled.
"Then prove it."
She walked away.
Noah watched until she disappeared into the mist.
He stood there alone.
His smile slowly faded.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
The screen lit up.
11:47 PM
There were several notifications.
He ignored them.
Something else had caught his attention.
A message.
From an unknown number.
> Don't trust the girl in blue.
Noah stared at the screen.
His eyebrows tightened.
Another message arrived.
> You forgot her for a reason.
He looked toward the road.
Yuna was gone.
The mist grew thicker.
Noah's phone slipped slightly from his hand.
And then—
For the first time that night—
He couldn't remember her face.
He stood completely still.
"Yuna..."
The name remained.
But the face was gone.
Noah looked into the mist.
His expression changed.
"Who are you?"
