Aurelia stood frozen at the doorway, towel wrapped tight around her, heart pounding so loudly she thought he might hear it.
Dragan was there, lying on her bed, his chest rising softly in sleep. His face looked peaceful, even gentle. The sight shook her to her core.
She took a careful step back, holding her breath, and grabbed her tablet. She moved to the door, pressed herself close so he wouldn't hear, and whispered, "Bot… open the door."
The door slid open with a quiet hiss.
She slipped out and hurried down the hallway, her mind racing. Every step felt like she was stepping through fog.
When she reached the kitchen, she set the tablet on the counter and pressed her palm to the glass surface. The lights shifted, and above the stove, a small orb pulsed — her advanced AI system, Chefis.
"Chefis… show me," she whispered, her voice trembling.
The orb brightened, responding without words. She typed in a quick prompt: A young man with a girl.
Chefis began scanning, pulling old footage from its memory bank. Her breath caught in her throat as it started.She didn't want to watch it right there. She connected the feed to the main hall's invisible projector, which flickered to life with a soft inscription on the wall: Real Memory Unlocked.
She walked into the hall slowly, almost afraid. The images started to form in the air, clear as day.She saw herself in the kitchen, standing near the fridge. She heard her own voice.
"Could you hand me the stored juice in the jar?"Dragan's voice came back casually, "You can come pick it up."
She watched herself walk over, smirking, chuckling softly. She stopped in front of him, so close she could feel his warmth again just by watching.
"Hey Aurelia, hand me the juice," she had teased just as the fridge opened.The tech-hand had extended itself, but she ignored it, picked up the jar herself, and poured two transparent glasses with the bright juice.
She watched herself sip slowly, smiling.
"You should really taste it," she heard herself say with a grin. "It's the best juice in the world."
Dragan looked at her, surprised at her warmth, then accepted the glass.
"All girls are the same," he had said, smirking faintly.
Her own face in the projection twisted. "What did you just say?"
"Oh, it's nothing," he replied, brushing it off. "You're a nice person, that's all.""You're not by yourself," she heard herself say, the softness echoing through the empty hall now.
He had smiled, a small, genuine smile.
"Okay," she had continued, "so tell me — what's your name? Where are you from? Describe yourself."Dragan hesitated, tapped his throat. "My throat's stuck. Another drink might help."
She handed him a second glass, freshly poured.He took a sip, then leaned back.
"I'm Dragan Rex, son of Dr. Megan Norr Rex," he had said confidently.
She watched herself lean against the cabinet, teasing him.
"You're not done," she had said. "You only told me your name and your dad."
Dragan shifted closer, closing the space between them."I'm twenty-one," he had added. "I don't think I need to talk about height, complexion, or all that. You're clearly looking at me."
She had finally met his eyes. "I'm Aurelia. Daughter of Dr. Emerin Rex. I'm twenty-three."
She saw herself step back, turning her glass in her hand.
"That's all," she had said. "You can see the rest."
He had smiled playfully.
"Don't mimic my words," he teased.
"I'm not," she had replied, her tone calm but her smile giving her away.
She remembered how quiet it got then. The warmth, the strange closeness.
Then the voice from her home AI had cut in, almost teasing.
"He's nice. Just say it. I think you like him."
She saw herself flinch.
"Aurelia Bot, shut up," she had muttered.
The bot had answered, mock-hurt. "Okay. If it hurts you, but just tell him."
She had told it to be quiet again, voice barely above a whisper.
He had watched her carefully.
"It can be troublesome sometimes," she had said.
He had smiled gently. "Oh, don't worry. I've got nothing against it."
The moment stretched.
"It's just friendly," she had added.
But her voice had lingered a little too long.
She had yawned, checked the time. "It's already late. We should be in bed by now."
"You're really gonna say that?" he had teased.
"I'm just kidding," she had said with a small smirk.
Then she had started to walk away, before stopping.
"I'm not like the rest," she had said without turning around.
And he had answered, softly.
"I know."
The recording faded.
Aurelia's hands shook. Her mind felt as if a thousand pieces were snapping back into place. The warmth of his words. The sincerity in his eyes. Her own voice, the playful softness, the spark she had tried so hard to bury.
A tear slipped down her cheek. Then another.
She hadn't forgotten him. They had shared something real. Something fragile and beautiful.
She felt guilt crash into her chest. She had let them arrest him, she had screamed, blamed him. Now it all felt so clear.
She wiped her tears quickly, disconnected the feed, and stumbled upstairs, her heart pounding.
When she reached her room, Dragan was still there, sound asleep, his breath even and calm
She set her tablet down on charge, her fingers trembling.
She stood at the edge of the bed, watching him. Her heart softened.
Without thinking anymore, she slipped into bed beside him.
She turned to face him, close enough to feel the warmth of his breath on her forehead. Her fingers hovered for a moment, almost touching his cheek, but she stopped.
She let her head sink into the pillow, her breath slowly steadying.
She closed her eyes and whispered to herself, "I remember now… and I'm not afraid."
And for the first time in a long while, she felt safe enough to sleep — right there beside him.💞