Seven

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<<bgm "Scary" 4>> <<set $askedJasper to true>> You look back at Jasper. “May,” you say again. “My girlfriend.” His expression stills. Not confusion, not at first. More like someone realising a joke has gone on longer than expected. “I don’t think I know who you mean,” he says carefully. You wait for the smile. It doesn’t come. “Kay,” he adds, lowering his voice, “have you maybe got the name wrong?” You stare at him. Jasper has known you since you were kids. He has been in this flat dozens of times. He has watched you and May move around each other without comment. “I don’t think there’s ever been a May,” he says, gently now. <hr> [[Go and check the bedroom->Check Bedroom]] [[Ask around the room->Ask Others]]

<<bgm "Scary" 4>> <<set $askedJun to true>> You turn to Jun. “Okay,” you say. “Where did May go?” Jun blinks, then laughs. “Mate,” he says. “You were fine when you left.” He points at the crate of beer. “Fully upright. Coherent.” Then he looks you over, exaggeratedly. “Now you come back acting like this.” He grins. “Did you stop off somewhere on the way back? Sneak a few without us?” Jasper snorts from behind you. Jun nudges your arm. “Relax. You’re just a bit drunk, yeah?” <hr> [[Go and check the bedroom->Check Bedroom]] [[Ask around the room->Ask Others]]

<<set $askedKelly to true>> You find Kelly near the edge of the room. She’s holding a glass of water instead of a drink. When she sees you approaching, her expression tightens slightly — not fear, but recognition. “Kay,” she says. “You’ve been circling the room.” You stop. “I’m looking for May.” Kelly exhales through her nose. “You’ve said that. A few times now.” You shake your head. “She’s my girlfriend,” you say, faster than you mean to. “She’s your friend too. Ours. You know her.” Kelly doesn’t interrupt you. When you stop talking, she speaks carefully, each word placed on purpose. “Kay,” she says, “I don’t know anyone called May.” You laugh once, sharp. “You do. You’ve met her. We’ve all hung out together.” Kelly steps closer, lowering her voice so no one else can hear. “Hey,” she says. “Slow down.” She gently presses the glass into your hand. “Drink some water.” You don’t. “Where did you get this idea from?” she asks. “About having a girlfriend?” Your stomach drops. “I’m not joking,” you say. “I know,” Kelly replies. “That’s why I’m worried.” She holds your gaze. “Kay, you’re single. You’ve always been single.” The room feels very far away. <hr> [[Tell her to stop saying that->Ask Kelly1]] [[Ask her to help you find May anyway->Ask Kelly2]]

<<bgm "Scary" 4>> “I think I might need some help, just help me,” you say. Your voice comes out quieter than you expect. “Please.” Kelly doesn’t hesitate this time. She nods and steps closer, putting herself squarely in front of you. “Okay,” she says. “I’m here.” She glances at Jasper and Jun. “Guys, let’s actually be serious, and see if we can help.” Jasper folds his arms, frowning. Jun has stopped smiling entirely. Kelly speaks gently. “Kay, if this is real, we’ll find something. A message. A photo. Anything.” You nod. “There will be, I have it...I have it..my phone!.” Your phone is already in your hand. Kelly watches you unlock it. “Chill, Kay, take your time man,” she says. “Show us.” <hr> [[Check your messages->Reality Pushback1]] [[Look through your photos->Reality Pushback1]]

<<set $askedOthers to true>> You return to the main room. The music is still playing. People are still drinking. No one else seems to feel the shift you do. You try again. “Has May stepped out?” you ask. “Did she go somewhere?” A few faces turn towards you. Someone shrugs. “May who?” Another person laughs, not unkindly. “Is that your neighbour or something?” Jun raises his eyebrows. “Mate… are you sure you didn’t just mix up a name?” <<if $checkedBedroom>> You don’t mention the bedroom. You don’t mention the missing pillow. You keep that part inside your mouth like something sharp. <</if>> You can hear it in your own voice now — the way the question keeps coming out the same, as if repetition might make it real. Your eyes land on Kelly. Kelly is your closest friend here. If anyone is going to take you seriously, it’s Kelly. <hr> [[Ask Kelly directly->Ask Kelly]]

<<set $beerAmount to "less">> You take the smaller crate. It should be enough. People are already well on their way, and it’s not as if anyone is keeping count. You lift it easily, feeling faintly sensible about the decision. Jasper will have something to say about it, of course. <hr> [[Head to the checkout->Checkout]]

<<set $beerAmount to "more">> You hesitate for a second, then reach for the larger crate. Better to have too much than to run out again. It’s your birthday, after all. The weight settles into your arms, solid and reassuring. You shift your grip and turn towards the tills. Jasper will approve of this. <hr> [[Head to the checkout->Checkout]]

<<bgm "Scary" 4>> <<set $checkedBedroom to true>> You step away from the noise and head down the hallway. The bedroom door is open. At first glance, nothing seems wrong. The bed is made. The light is off. Your jacket is folded over the chair where you always leave it. Then you start looking properly. The second pillow is gone. The bedside table only has your things on it now. Your phone charger. Your book. No hair tie. No lip balm. No half-empty glass of water. You open the wardrobe. Half the space is empty. Not recently disturbed — just unused. It feels as though the room has always been like this. You stand there longer than you mean to. <hr> [[Go back to the party->Ask Others]]

You join the short queue at the tills. The person in front of you is counting coins far more carefully than necessary. The cashier waits without comment, tapping a rhythm against the counter with one finger. When it’s your turn, you set the crate down. The scanner beeps once, clean and final. The price flashes up on the screen. You barely look at it. You pay, slide the receipt into your pocket without checking it, and lift the crate again. “Have a good night,” the cashier says, already looking past you. You push the door open with your shoulder and step back outside. <hr> [[Head back home->Go Home]]

<<bgm "Multiverse" 3>> You go back to the hospital one last time. You kiss your mother’s forehead. You tell her you love her. She squeezes your hand. She knows this is the last time she can feel her son. You find your father in the hallway. You hold him longer than usual. “Take care of mum,” you say. He nods. His eyes are wet. So are yours. You don’t stay long enough to change your mind. Friday arrives. The star alignment locks in. The device hums, steady and precise. Sebastian stands beside you. He doesn’t speak. You step forward. The world breaks into light. You travel. Again. And again. And again… Cities blur. Languages change. Faces repeat but never quite match. Some worlds are close. Some feel wrong immediately. You age. Your hair turns grey. Then white. You stop counting after a while. In the seven hundred and seventy-seventh world, the light fades differently. You step onto a street that feels like… home. Someone brushes past you. Familiar. Unremarkable. An old woman. White hair. A presence that makes you stop breathing. She takes a few steps. Then turns. Your eyes meet. She looks at you as if she’s been looking for you for a very long time. She smiles. Her eyes fill. So do yours. Neither of you speaks. There’s nothing left to explain. You take a breath. “Hey, May.” <hr> [[Go back make other choices and see what you've missed->Start Game]] [[Hidden Credit->May's World]]

<<bgm "Sad" 2>> The hospital smells like disinfectant and coffee that’s gone cold. You spot your father first. He’s sitting on a plastic chair, elbows on his knees, one hand covering his face. You walk over and put an arm around his shoulder. “Dad,” you say quietly. “What happened to mum?” He doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he hands you a sheet of paper. You don’t understand it at first. Too many terms. Too many numbers. You take out your phone and search. The words rearrange themselves into something simple and unbearable. Late-stage breast cancer. Less than two and a half years. It feels like being struck in the head. Not pain, just completely white out. You look at your father. His eyes are red. Not from crying just now. From crying for a long time. You squeeze his shoulder. He squeezes back. Neither of you speaks. In the room, your mother looks smaller than you remember. You take her hand. It’s warm. You stay. Days blur together.... Meals eaten without appetite. Nights spent half-awake in a chair. By Thursday evening, she notices the weight you’re carrying. “You’ve been distracted,” she says softly. “Is there something important coming up, Kay?” You hesitate. Then you tell her the truth. About the research. About the device. About Friday. You laugh awkwardly. “Mom… I know it sounds strange. It sounds like I’m crazy.” She doesn’t laugh. She watches you for a long moment. “I don’t think my child is crazy,” she says. “I believe you.” She squeezes your hand, weak but deliberate. “I’m just afraid you’ll get hurt.” “But if this is something you feel you need to do, then do it, my dear.” She takes a breath. “Your father will take care of me.” “I trust him.” “And I trust you.” Her voice shakes. “I believe you’ll find her.” “And if you don’t… that’s not your fault.” She smiles, just slightly. “Mum loves you.” “Just remember me, and be strong...” You sit there long after, holding her hand. Outside, the world keeps moving. Tomorrow is Friday. The alignment will happen whether you’re ready or not, and the next chance is after a hundred years. You understand the math. There are countless worlds. No guarantee. No repetition. Finding May could take forever. And fate is already preparing to take someone else you love. <hr> How will you choose? <hr> [[Stay for Mom, don’t go anywhere->Stay with mom]] [[Leave on Friday and take the risk->Start Universe travel]]

After a long, long time of thinking… you decide to move on. There are so many theories, so many possibilities, and you can’t try them all. What about the other people you care about. The people you love. You leave the groups one by one. You stop checking for new posts. You stop replying to messages that ask if you’ve found any more clues. There is no final conclusion. No answer that makes everything fit. Life continues. You return to work. You make plans. You meet new people. Some days are easier than others. Sometimes, in quiet moments, you still catch yourself thinking about her. About where she might be. About whether she ever noticed you disappear. You don’t chase those thoughts. You let them pass. If May exists somewhere else, you hope she is safe. You hope she is living a full life, even if it no longer includes you. <hr> So what do you really think happened? And where do you think May is now? <hr> [[Go back make other choices and see what you've missed->Start Game]]

A message arrives late at night. The username is plain. No avatar. Just a name. Sebastian. “I saw your intro,” he writes. “Physics undergraduate, right?” You hesitate for a second before replying. “Yes.” Sebastian continues, measured and precise. He says he’s a physicist. That his younger brother disappeared years ago. Not died. Not moved away. Disappeared. After it happened, his family insisted he had always been an only child. Photos changed. Records changed. Everyone remembered a version of reality that excluded his brother entirely. Sebastian didn’t argue. He didn’t push. He waited. Then he found the group. “I don’t think this is psychological,” he writes. “And I don’t think it’s coincidence.” He explains that there are established physical frameworks that allow for multiple coexisting realities. Not pop science. Not metaphors. He mentions the many-worlds interpretation. How quantum events don’t collapse into a single outcome, but branch. How decoherence prevents those branches from interacting. “Most of the time,” he writes, “those worlds never overlap again.” You type back slowly. “And when they do?” “In rare cases,” Sebastian replies, “the separation fails.” He asks about May. About the alley. About taking a route you wouldn’t normally take. You feel a familiar tightening in your chest. Sebastian says his brother vanished on a day he chose a different way home. A shortcut. A decision that shouldn’t have mattered. “That’s why I contacted you,” he writes. “You’re not approaching this emotionally. And you have the background.” He suggests meeting. Public place. Neutral. No pressure. Just to compare notes. To see if the patterns align. You stare at the screen. This isn’t proof. It isn’t a solution. But it’s the first time someone has spoken to you with this much information. And the first time this hypothesis appears. <hr> [[Agree to meet Sebastian->Meet Sebastian]] [[You think this is nonsense->Let go]]

<<bgm "CalmThink" 4>> You meet in a quiet café. Nothing about the place stands out. Sebastian chose it deliberately. He doesn’t waste time. “I contacted you for two reasons,” he says, after you sit down. “One, what happened to you matches what happened to me.” “Two, you studied physics. I need someone who understands what I’m trying to do.” He speaks calmly. Not rehearsed. Like this is something he’s explained many times in his head. He tells you about the research. Not theories pulled from forums, but papers. Models. Edge cases buried in footnotes. Situations where separation between branches might fail. Where a system under specific conditions could cross instead of split. “It wouldn’t be intentional,” he says. “More like an accident. A misalignment.” You think of the alley. Of choosing a path you wouldn’t normally take. Sebastian nods when you mention it. “I’ve seen that pattern before,” he says. He tells you he’s been working on a device. A controlled environment. A way to reproduce the conditions mathematically and physically that can achieve parallel travel. “It’s not finished,” he says. “It won’t be for a long time.” You ask how long. “Years,” he replies. “At least.” You don’t hesitate. You realise that the moment you agreed to meet him, you had already decided. “I’m in,” you say. Sebastian studies you for a moment. “Good,” he says. “Then we don’t have to pretend this is safe.” You finish your drinks. Neither of you says much after that. There’s nothing left to clarify. <hr> [[Twenty years later->Twenty yrs later]]

<<bgm "Sad" 1>> You stay. You know exactly what you’re giving up. Friday comes and goes. You tell Sebastian about the decision, and he understands completely. The alignment happens without you. The window closes. You don’t pretend otherwise. You know it was the best chance you might ever have had. But you don’t regret it. You sit beside your mother. You learn the rhythms of hospital days. Good mornings. Bad afternoons. Quiet evenings. You are there when the pain is manageable. You are there when it isn’t. She held your hand when you were small. You hold hers now. Since parallel worlds exist, then somewhere, in countless variations of reality, another you might have taken that jump. And somewhere, another May might still be laughing, still loving, still living a life that never lost you. That thought doesn’t comfort you. But it doesn’t hurt as much as it used to. In this world, your mother is here. And she needs you. She loves you. And you love her. She told you to go. But loving someone doesn’t always mean listening. Sometimes it means staying. <hr> So what do you really think was the truth? And where do you think May is now? <hr> [[Go back make other choices and see what you've missed->Start Game]]

<<bgm "TheDevice" 1>> “Device Test Operation No.7777, in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1.” Sebastian shouts. The readings stabilise. The noise collapses into order. You and Sebastian stare at the data in silence. Then you both realise what you’re seeing. He laughs first. You pull each other into a quick, clumsy hug. It’s relief more than celebration. “There’s a condition,” Sebastian says, forcing himself to calm down. He points at the simulation. “It only opens properly next Friday.” “A rare alignment. Three stars in a straight line.” “The magnetic field will be strong enough to hold the jump.” He hesitates. “Once it starts, we can move between worlds more than once.” “But there’s no guarantee we can come back to this one.” He brings up another graph. “The transitions don’t loop,” he says. “They behave like π.” “3.1415926.” “No repetition. No predictable return.” You understand immediately. This isn’t a trip. It’s a commitment. Your phone rings. It’s your father. “Kay,” he says. “Your mum and I are at the hospital.” There’s a pause. “Your mum…” “I’m coming,” you say. You look at Sebastian. “Sorry. My mum—she’s in the hospital.” He looks worried. “Go. Go, go, go,” he says. “Hope everything is going to be okay, buddy.” <hr> [[Go to the hospital->Mom in Hospital]]

<<set $route to "control">> After that night, you make a decision. Not about May. About everyone else. You stop bringing it up. You stop asking questions out loud. You laugh when you’re supposed to laugh. You show up when people expect you to. Your friends relax. Your parents stop checking your tone for cracks. From the outside, it looks like you’re better. You let it look that way. But at night, you research about May’s disappearing. You search for people who had similar experiences like you. You find forums. Then private groups on social media. People share their experiences. Some sound unsure. Some sound exhausted. Some sound frighteningly familiar. Eventually, a few people suggest meeting in person. You go. A group of people sitting around a table, comparing memories, stories. Some of them have been doing this for years. “I’m done,” one of them says. “Nothing ever comes of it.” Another nods. “You have to move on, how can you just move on when somebody you remember so clearly just gone?” Some agree, some don’t agree. They’ve lost jobs. Relationships. Time. They’re still here. Still looking. You listen more than you talk. On the way home, you realise something. This can go two ways. <hr> [[Decide to let go and live your life->Let go]] [[Decide not to give up->New: Sebastian]]

You glance at the bottles again. “It’s probably fine,” you say. “We can make it last.” May doesn’t argue straight away. She looks around the room, taking in the noise, the volume, the way people have stopped keeping track of their own glasses. “You actually haven’t had that much,” she says after a moment. “You’ve been talking to me most of the night.” She leans closer, her voice quieter now. “And you’re the one who’ll end up tidying tomorrow,” she adds. “So maybe it’s better if you stay a bit more clear-headed than the rest of us.” She pauses, then gives a small, apologetic smile. “I’ve definitely had more than you,” she admits. “I probably shouldn’t be wandering off anywhere.” You know she’s right. She squeezes your hand. “I’ll be here. Just go and come back.” <hr> [[Go and get the beer yourself->Go Yourself]]

The explanation settles into place. Not cleanly. Not comfortably. But completely. May existed. She loved you. You loved her. And then she was gone. Not misplaced. Not erased by the world. Lost. You sit with that for a long time. Long enough that no one tries to talk to you anymore. The world hasn’t changed back. It has only become understandable in a way you never wanted. <hr> So what do you really think is the truth? And where do you think May is? <hr> [[Go back make other choices and see what you've missed->Start Game]]

You step into the alley. It is narrow, but not unusually so. The walls rise on either side, close enough to block most of the streetlight, leaving the ground a little darker underfoot. Your footsteps sound sharper here, the noise bouncing briefly before fading. Someone has left a bin too close to the wall; you edge past it without thinking. A security light clicks on overhead, steady and white. You walk through at an easy pace, checking your phone once more as you go. No new messages. It takes only a moment. You emerge back onto the street, already thinking about the shop. <hr> [[Continue towards the shop->In shop]]

You grab your jacket from the back of the chair. There is nothing dramatic about it. No one stops the music. No one makes a speech. A few people call out variations of “Don’t take ages,” and someone reminds you to check your phone. May watches you from the doorway. “Text me when you’re nearly back,” she says. “I will,” you reply. It’s automatic. The sort of promise you’ve made a hundred times before. She smiles. “We’ll be right here.” You step out into the night, the door closing behind you with a soft, unremarkable click. <hr> [[Head towards the shop->Quick way]]

<<bgm "Scary" 4>> “No,” you say immediately. “Stop.” Kelly flinches, not because you’re loud, but because you’re certain. “You know her,” you insist. “You’ve met her. You’ve talked to her. We’ve all been in the same room together.” Jasper shifts his weight nearby. “Kay...” “You came to our place,” you say, cutting in. “You’ve eaten food she cooked. You’ve talked to her before!” Kelly opens her mouth, then closes it again. “Kay,” she says, carefully, “I’ve been to your flat. You’ve always lived alone.” “That’s not true,” you say. Your voice sounds strange to you now, too sharp, too fast. “We went together. All the time.” Jun lets out a quiet breath. “Mate… listen to yourself.” You look around the room, waiting for someone, anyone, just to back you up. No one does. Kelly reaches out, then stops herself. “Okay,” she says. “Alright. Let’s slow this down.” She takes a breath. “Let’s actually check.” <hr> [[Show them your phone->Reality Pushback1]]

You tilt your head towards Jasper. “You could go,” you say. “You’re still vertical.” Jasper laughs immediately, the kind that arrives a fraction too late to be convincing. He slings an arm around your shoulders, his weight settling there with familiar ease. “Absolutely not,” he says. “I am in no state to represent us in public.” He lowers his voice, conspiratorial. “Also, I have definitely had more than I should. You, on the other hand—” He gives you a brief, exaggerated look up and down. “—could probably use the walk,” he adds. “You’ve been getting a bit comfortable lately.” He grins, clearly pleased with himself. “Think of it as a birthday exercise.” May rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling. Jasper pats your shoulder. “Go on. I’ll keep everyone alive while you’re gone.” <hr> [[Go and get the beer yourself->Go Yourself]]

<<bgm "WhereIsMay2" 1>> The days blur together. You stop eating properly. You stop sleeping properly. Most of your time is spent searching. Old messages. Old emails. Places you remember going together. Sometimes you lock yourself in your room for hours. Sometimes you leave the house without telling anyone, just to stand somewhere that feels familiar. It never works. Your parents watch this quietly at first. Then they stop pretending it will pass. They call someone. A psychiatrist. His name is Dr Dan. You hear them talking in the living room before you ever see him. They tell him everything. About the party. About the studio. About the photos. They tell him there has never been a girl called May. That as far as records show, you have always been single. Dr Dan listens. He asks careful questions. He checks dates. Names. Histories. Then he asks to speak to you alone. He sits opposite you, hands folded. “Tell me about May,” he says. You tell the story the same way you always have. Consistently. Clearly. Dr Dan listens without interrupting. When you finish, he nods slowly. “I understand that she feels very real to you,” he says. “She *is* real,” you reply. “You’ve just checked the wrong places.” Dr Dan makes a note. He asks you again. And again. Your answer never changes. Eventually, he closes the folder. He steps outside to speak to your parents. You can hear voices through the door. Low. Controlled. When he comes back, his tone has changed. “This appears to be an acute onset of a severe delusional episode,” he says. “No,” you reply immediately. “I’m not sick.” Dr Dan doesn’t argue. “Given the level of distress,” he continues, “you are not in a position to make this decision.” Your mum starts crying. Your dad doesn’t look at you. You stand up. “I’m not going anywhere,” you say. Dr Dan gestures to the nurse waiting by the door. “I’m sorry,” he says. “This will help you settle.” You feel the injection before you see it. A sharp pressure in your arm. Your thoughts begin to slip, not all at once, but unevenly. Your words slow. Your legs feel distant. “This is for your own good, sorry Kay” someone says. The last thing you see clearly is your mum’s face with sadness. <hr> [[Force to go->Mental Hospital]]

<<bgm "Sad" 3>> You pull away. You hit your head again, harder this time. “Stop it,” your dad says sharply. “Then tell me the truth,” you shout. “Tell me where she went.” Your mum breaks first. “Enough,” she says. Her voice is shaking. “There was a May,” she says. “Okay? There was.” The street goes quiet. Kelly freezes. Your dad looks at the ground. Your mum wipes her eyes. “We didn’t tell you,” she says. “Because you couldn’t handle it.” <hr> [[Listen->Trauma]]

The moment you step outside, the air feels wrong. Too open. Too loud. You press your palms against your head. Once. Twice. Harder than you mean to. “Stop,” someone says behind you. You don’t. You hit your forehead again, trying to dislodge the images. Trying to make the world line up properly. Jasper grabs your wrist. “Kay. That’s enough.” Kelly is already on her phone. Not filming. Calling. You can hear her voice, low and urgent. “He’s not okay,” she says. “No, it’s not just drunk. He’s panicking.” She turns away from you as she speaks. You recognise that tone. You’ve heard it before, aimed at other people. Never at you. Your hands are shaking now. Your thoughts won’t slow down. After a while — you’re not sure how long — two familiar figures appear at the end of the street. Your mum walks faster than your dad. She reaches you first. “Oh Kay,” she says, pulling you into her arms. Your dad stands just behind her, his face tight with concern. Everyone is here now. Not to argue. Not to explain. To decide what happens next. Your brain is completely blanked out... <hr> [[Friends let your parents take over->Go Home?]]

You let them take you home. The house smells familiar. That helps, for a moment. You sit at the table. Your mum makes tea. No one drinks it. “Just tell me,” you say. “You know May, right?” Your parents exchange a look. “You’re not joking,” your mum says. “I never was,” you reply. You keep asking. At breakfast. At lunch. At dinner. You don’t eat. You stop sleeping. Your dad tries to distract you. Your mum tries to comfort you. Nothing works, for days all you try to do is trying to figure out where is May. Eventually, your parents stop answering the questions related to May. <hr> [[Days passes->Waste days]]

<<bgm "WhereIsMay2" 9>> Your mum keeps one arm around you. Not tight. Just enough that you can’t drift too far. “Come home with us,” she says quietly. “Let’s just get you somewhere calm.” Your dad nods. “We can talk there.” Kelly doesn’t say anything. She’s watching your hands. Everyone is waiting. Not for an explanation. For a decision. <hr> [[Go with your parents->Home]] [[Pull away. You can’t stop now->Pull away]]

You leave without explaining. The air outside feels clearer. Sharper. If something has been erased, it won’t be in your friends’ opinions. It will be in records. Places. Systems that don’t care what anyone believes. There is one place you remember clearly. The photo studio. <hr> [[Go to the photo studio->Photo Studio]]

“Do you keep the photos?” you ask. “From past sessions.” The woman hesitates. “We archive them, yes.” She clicks through a few folders. Your name comes up again. She opens the files. There are photos you recognise immediately. The lighting. The background. The angle. You step closer. They are all of you. Standing alone. Sitting alone. Smiling at someone who isn’t there. Your hand raised as if it’s resting on a shoulder that doesn’t exist. “That’s not right,” you say. Your voice sounds distant to you. “They were couple photos.” The woman doesn’t argue. She doesn’t explain. She just says, “These are the only images we have.” You feel your breathing change. Too fast. Too shallow. You stare at the screen, trying to force your memory to line up with what you’re seeing. It doesn’t. There should be another person in these photos. There has always been another person. And yet every image insists there never was. You step back. You can’t stay in this room any longer. <hr> [[Step outside->Parents come]]

The studio looks the same. Same sign. Same window display. That steadies you. Inside, a woman looks up from the desk. “Can I help you?” You tell her your name. You tell her about the session. “Two people,” you say. “A couple.” She types in the two names mentioned, Kay and May. “There’s one booking under your name, sir,” she says. “Just you.” “That’s wrong,” you reply. “We took couple photos.” She turns the screen slightly so you can see. One entry. One person. Behind you, the door opens. You don’t turn around, but you know it’s your friends, worried about your safety. <hr> [[Ask about picture records in the studio->Photo records]] [[Step outside->Parents come]]

“She passed away...” your mum says. “Not recently...” “Not suddenly...” “Years ago...” “You remember things that don’t line up... Dates that shift... Moments you thought were last week.” “But they weren’t,” your dad says. “You were sick after. Really sick.” Kelly looks at you with a kind of sorrow she doesn’t hide. “You forgot,” your mum says. “Or you learned how to live without remembering, the doctors said this is called” The world doesn’t snap back into place. It just rearranges itself. In a way that finally makes sense. May will always live in your memory and in your heart... [[You can’t deny it anymore->Trauma Ending]]

Kay doesn’t come back. There’s no accident. No message. No delay that explains it. He just doesn’t return. At first, May assumes something simple. A wrong turn. A shortcut that took longer than expected. She waits. The party winds down. People leave. Someone asks where Kay is. She says she doesn’t know. By the next morning, everyone insists she came alone. They ask who she’s talking about. They look at her kindly, the way people do when they think you’re mistaken, but not lying. She checks her phone. The messages are gone. The photos feel wrong. Kay has been removed with a precision that scares her. She knows one thing. He existed. And now the world refuses to remember him. <hr> [[May's World 2->May's world 2]]

Life continues. May goes to work. She answers questions. She stops trying to explain. People suggest reasons. Stress. Dreams. Imagination. She lets them. At night, May speaks in her sleep. Sometimes she sees Kay’s shadow in her dreams, never fully clear, always just out of reach. “Kay… don’t disappear.” The words fade before she can respond to them herself. Another night, half-asleep: “Where did you go?” “Kay.” She sits up, heart racing. The room is empty. She tells no one. She waits. She waits her whole life. Somewhere, she is certain: Kay didn’t leave her. And whatever took him, didn’t mean to take him away from her. They will always wait for eachother...Untill they reunited. <hr> [[Go back make other choices and see what you've missed->Start Game]]

<<bgm "Hospital" 4>> You wake up in a different room. White walls. A narrow bed. A window that doesn’t open far enough to matter. For the first few days, you refuse to accept it. You tell the nurses they’ve made a mistake. You tell the doctors you’re not sick. You explain, calmly, that May exists and always has. They listen. They write. They adjust your medication. Time passes. The medication dulls the edges first. Then the certainty. Your thoughts slow. Your memories don’t disappear, but they start to feel further away — like something you read once rather than lived. You begin to wonder. Not loudly. Not all at once. Just small questions, slipping in when you’re tired. What if they’re right? What if this really is my brain doing something wrong? You hate that thought. But it doesn’t leave. Today, a nurse knocks on your door. “Library time,” she says. She calls it the library. You call it a boring time-waste, in your head. They’ve brought in a batch of new books this morning. You can go. Or you can stay. <hr> [[Go to the library->Library]] [[Stay in your room->nothing matters]]

<<bgm "Hospital" 4>> You follow the nurse down the corridor. The library is smaller than you remember. Metal shelves. Plastic chairs. A room designed to keep people occupied, not curious. A trolley stands near the desk. “New arrivals,” the nurse says, almost cheerfully. You look through them. Most are old paperbacks. Worn spines. Dog-eared pages. Two books stand out. One is a science fiction novel. The cover shows overlapping cities, slightly misaligned. The blurb talks about parallel worlds, people also existing in other worlds but living different lives. The other is thinner. A book about living well. About acceptance, letting go, and learning to exist without answers. You hold them both for a moment. It is always hard to make a decision. <hr> [[Take the science fiction book->SciFi book]] [[Take the philosophy book->Philo book]]

You take the thinner philosophy book back to your room. It isn’t written like a guide. There are no instructions. No steps to follow. It talks instead about distance. About how life becomes smaller when you keep returning to the same point. How circling something endlessly doesn’t deepen understanding...it only traps you in place. One passage stays with you. If you draw circles around a single point, you will never arrive anywhere else. You read that sentence more than once. Not because it’s profound, but because it feels uncomfortably accurate. The book doesn’t say the pain wasn’t real. It doesn’t deny loss. It only asks why you keep standing there. You close the book and sit quietly for a long time. The next day, when the doctor asks how you’re feeling, you don’t argue. When the nurse brings your medication, you take it without comment. You stop correcting people. Not because you’re convinced they were right — but because you’re tired of living inside the same moment. You decide to move. Not forward. Just elsewhere. <hr> So what do you really think was the truth? And where do you think May is now? <hr> [[Go back make other choices and see what you've missed->Start Game]]

<<bgm "Multiverse" 3>> You take the science fiction book back to your room. It’s not especially well written. The science is loose. Some of the ideas contradict themselves. And yet, you read it in one sitting. It talks about parallel worlds. About lives that diverge because of small, ordinary decisions. About people who slip from one version of reality into another, unnoticed. About there being a different you living in a different world, with different people around you and a different life. You keep thinking about one thing. Not the technology. Just the idea that disappearance doesn’t always mean loss. After that, you start asking for more books, whenever the opportunity appears. Books about multiverses. About probability. About realities stacked too close together. The doctors make notes. They increase your medication slightly. One afternoon, when the ward is quiet, you hear it. Not clearly. Not fully formed. But familiar. “Kay… don’t disappear.” The voice fades before you can respond. Another day, as you’re half-asleep: “Where did you go?” You tell the doctor about it. He listens and feels worried. Then he adjusts your treatment. He doesn’t ask what the voice says. The nurses start watching you more closely. So you stop talking about it. Instead, you start writing, just for yourself. You’re afraid the medication will dull things. That one day you’ll wake up and the name May will feel empty. You write down everything. What you remember. What you hear. What doesn’t make sense. You give the notebook a title. ‘Seven’ Because that was her favourite number. And because you’re afraid of forgetting why it matters — why you love her. You don’t know if this will lead anywhere. But for the first time in a long while, you feel oriented. Not cured. Just, for once, finally, close to the real answer. <hr> [[Go back make other choices and see what you've missed->Start Game]] [[Hidden Credit->May's World]]

You stay in your room. At first, it feels like resistance. Like you’re holding on by refusing to participate. But days don’t care what you call them. Medication arrives on schedule. Meals appear and disappear. Check-ins blur together. You stop correcting people when they say you imagined her. It takes too much effort. The memories don’t vanish all at once. They thin. Details go first. The exact sound of her voice. The way she laughed at things that weren’t funny. Then the smaller things. Texts you remember sending. Places you remember standing together. Sometimes you catch yourself trying to picture her face and realise you’re filling in gaps. Guessing. That frightens you more than anything else ever did. One morning, a nurse asks how you’re feeling. You open your mouth to answer. And for a moment, you can’t remember why this ever mattered so much. That’s when you understand. Not that they were right. But that this is working. <hr> So what do you really think was the truth? And where do you think May is now? <hr> [[Go back make other choices and see what you've missed->Start Game]]

<<bgm "StartGame" 10>> The flat feels too small for the number of people in it. Music is playing, something no one really agreed on. A few people are dancing to it, others are talking straight over it, barely paying attention. Laughter comes in uneven bursts, cutting off and starting again. Paper plates are stacked where they don’t belong. “How's the night feeling, star boy~?” she asks quietly. You realise you are smiling. <hr> [[Tell her the best part of tonight is that she is here->Party 2]] [[Say you would have been just as happy if it were only the two of you->Party 2]] [[Squeeze her hand and tell her you have everything you need right now->Party 2]]

Jasper drifts over from the sofa, bottle hooked loosely in his fingers. You have known him long enough to recognise the look — the one that says he is about to point out something obvious and be mildly pleased with himself for doing so. A childhood friend. One of the few people here who remembers you before you became this version of yourself. He tips the bottle upside down. Nothing happens. “Well,” he says. “That’s unfortunate.” He gestures towards the table. Empty glass, empty bottles, the quiet evidence of a party that has been enjoying itself without keeping count. “We’re running low,” he adds. “Properly low.” Someone nearby says, “Already?” Jasper shrugs. “Time moves differently at birthdays.” May exhales softly. “We’re nearly out of the good one,” she says. “The one everyone actually likes.” Jasper nods. “That one. Exactly that one.” You know which one he means. <hr> [[Offer to go yourself->Go Yourself]] [[Suggest Jasper could go instead->Let Jasper]] [[Say it’s fine and that you can make do with what’s left->Don't want to go]]

The street outside is quieter than you expected. The sound of the party drops away quickly, replaced by the low hum of distant traffic. Cool air settles on your skin. Somewhere behind you, a door opens and closes — someone laughing, someone calling your name, then nothing. Your phone buzzes almost immediately. A message from Jasper: “Don’t take ages.” Another follows, from someone else: “Bro, I'm thirsty to death, they put too many BBQ sauce on this pizza” You pull your phone out and check the map. The shop isn’t far, but the route feels longer than you remember. A suggested shortcut appears on the screen — a narrow alleyway highlighted in pale blue. “This route seems way quicker...” You glance up. The entrance to the alley sits between two buildings, half in shadow, easy to miss unless you’re looking for it. The kind of place you wouldn’t think twice about on an ordinary night. Your phone vibrates again. May: “Everything okay? ❤️ Don’t forget the Bob beer.” You type back quickly: *On my way. Back soon.* You don’t want to be gone long. You don’t want to leave her waiting. The alley is right there. <hr> [[Take the alley->Enter Alley]]

<<bgm "WhereIsMay" 3>> No one raises their voice. That’s what unsettles you the most. Kelly sits beside you, not too close. Jasper stands with his arms folded. Jun has stopped leaning on things altogether. They are all paying attention now. “Okay,” Kelly says. “Let’s actually check.” Your phone is already in your hand. You open your messages first. Work chats. Group chats. Old threads you forgot you were still in. You scroll back. Further. There is no contact called May. You type the name into search anyway, thumbs moving faster than your thoughts. Nothing. “That doesn’t mean anything,” you say. “I could’ve deleted it.” Kelly nods. “Okay.” Your photos load next. Birthdays. Nights out. Random screenshots you don’t remember taking. You swipe. There are pictures you recognise — moments you know she was part of. You stop on one. You remember her standing there. You remember the weight of her arm around your waist. On the screen, it’s just you. Someone shifts behind you. Kelly leans closer. “Kay,” she says carefully. “That’s a solo photo.” “No,” you say. “It was cropped. Or edited.” “By who?” Jun asks quietly. You don’t answer. Your parents’ names come up next, because someone suggests it and you don’t know how to stop anymore. Your mum sounds confused. Concerned. She asks if you’re feeling alright. She asks why you’re asking about a woman she’s never met. You hang up before she can finish the sentence. Jasper rubs his face. “Mate… you’ve always lived on your own.” “That’s not true,” you say. “We went together.” Kelly looks at you. “Where?” The photo studio comes to you before you can stop it. You remember the lighting. The backdrop. The way she laughed when the photographer told you to stand closer. You pull up the booking. Your name is there. One session. Solo. You feel something shift in your chest — not breaking, not yet. Just… loosening. Kelly speaks again, softer now. “Kay,” she says, “we’re not saying you’re lying.” She pauses. “We’re saying that, as far as this world is concerned, there has never been anyone called May.” The room is very quiet. Not empty. Just waiting. <hr> [[Sit there and say nothing->Reality Pushback2]] [[Tell them this proves nothing->Reality Pushback2]]

You sit there longer than anyone expects you to. No one rushes you. That makes it worse. Your phone is still open in your hands. The screen has dimmed slightly, like it’s getting tired of being looked at. “There’s more,” you say finally. Your voice sounds unfamiliar to you now — flatter, thinner. Kelly nods. “Okay.” You don’t look at her when you speak next. “Paris,” you say. “We went to Paris.” Jasper blinks. “You?” “Both of us,” you snap. “The Louvre. The glass pyramid. You remember that trip.” Kelly doesn’t answer. She waits. You pull the photo up. You remember taking it. You remember asking a stranger to hold the phone. You remember May laughing because the sun was in her eyes. The image loads. It’s you. Standing alone. Your arm lifted slightly, as if it was meant to go somewhere and didn’t. “That’s not right,” you whisper. Jun leans forward. “Kay… that’s just a travel photo.” “No,” you say. “She was right there.” Kelly’s voice is very quiet. “Kay. There’s no space for anyone else in that picture.” Something in your chest finally gives way — not a break, but a slow collapse. You swipe to the next photo. And the next. Everywhere you remember her, the world has made room by removing her. You laugh, suddenly, sharply. “Okay. Fine.” You sit up straighter. “Then explain this.” You unlock your messages and scroll back to earlier tonight. The time stamp is still there. The memory of the vibration in your pocket is still there. You open the conversation. The message reads: --On my way back.-- No name. No thread. Just the sentence, floating on its own. “That’s May,” you say. “She texted me. About the beer.” Kelly takes the phone. She reads it once. Then again. Her mouth tightens. She hands it back to you. “Kay,” she says carefully, “that message didn't go to anyone, it might be for anyone of us from tonight.” You feel cold all at once. You grab the crate and pull a bottle free, hands shaking. “This,” you say. “Bob. That’s what I went out for. Everyone drinks it, May also loves it, she told me to buy this for y'all.” Jasper looks at the label. He frowns. “ye? We all know...and?” he says. Jun snorts, then stops when no one else laughs. “Mate…so you're trying to say...that...that May girl you are talking about like this drink? I mean...everyone drinks this brand...it proves nothing.” Kelly doesn’t touch the bottle. She looks at you instead. “Kay,” she says, “how long have you been feeling like this?” The room tilts. Not physically. Socially. You realise, with a clarity that hurts more than panic ever could: They are no longer trying to understand what happened. They are trying to understand you. <hr> [[Tell them they’re wrong->Reality Pushback3]] [[Say you just need a minute->Reality Pushback3]]

<<bgm "WhereIsMay" 3>> <<set $stage to "fracture">> Kelly is still talking, but you stop hearing the words properly. What you notice instead is how everyone has shifted — not closer, not further away, just… angled. Like furniture being rearranged without asking you. Jasper’s voice comes from somewhere above you. “Kay… bro… sit down.” Jun is already moving things out of the way, clearing space on the sofa. “No.” you say. It doesn’t come out loud. It barely comes out at all. Kelly’s voice is calm. Too calm. “Hey Kay, let’s take it easy,” she says. “We will listen to you.” That’s when you understand what’s happening. They’re trying to manage your emotions rather than understand you. “May is real,” you say. Louder now. “I remember her. I remember us! And so should you guys!” Kelly nods slowly, like she’s agreeing to something else entirely. “I know you believe that.” Something cold settles behind your eyes. “If I just sit down,” you say, “if I calm down… does she come back, is this like a prank or something?” No one answers. Jasper looks at the floor. Kelly says, gently, “Kay. Right now, we need to make sure you’re ok and safe.” Safe from what? From remembering May? <hr> [[Refuse to sit. Keep insisting. Do not let this go.->Route No Control]] [[Sit down. Breathe. Play along—for now.->Route Control]]

<<bgm "StartGame" 10>> The door opens onto noise. Music, laughter, overlapping voices — the party is still exactly where you left it. Someone cheers when they see the crate in your arms. Jasper is the first to react. <<if $beerAmount is "more">> “YES,” Jasper says immediately. “That’s what I’m talking about.” Someone else whistles. “Now that’s a proper birthday run.” Jasper claps you on the shoulder. “You legend.” <<else>> Jasper squints at the crate. “Is that it?” Before you can answer, Jun leans over from the table. “That’s… brave,” Jun says, grinning. “Or are you secretly budgeting now?” Jasper laughs. “Man goes out once and forgets we’re not drinking air.” <<endif>> You set the crate down. Bottles are opened. Someone turns the music up a little too loud. For a moment, everything settles back into place. Then you realise you haven’t seen May. Not since you walked back in. You glance towards the kitchen first. Then the hallway. She’s not there. You wait a few seconds. Long enough for it to feel slightly strange. “Has anyone seen May?” you ask. The question doesn’t land the way you expect. People look up — not confused, exactly, just… uncertain. “Who?” Jun asks. Jasper frowns. “Sorry...who are you looking for?” The room feels very quiet, all at once. <hr> [[Ask Jasper->Ask Jasper]] [[Ask Jun if he’s joking->Ask Jun]] [[Check the bedroom yourself->Check Bedroom]]

<<bgm "CalmThink" 4>> <<set $route to "control">> You sit down. Not because you agree — but because escalating this won’t get you any answers. The room exhales around you. Kelly relaxes first. Jasper stops hovering. Jun looks relieved, like this was the outcome he was hoping for. “Good,” she says quietly. “Let’s just take this one step at a time.” You nod. Inside, nothing has settled. May is still missing. Nothing about that feels resolved. But you decide something, just as deliberately. If you’re going to find out what happened, you can’t afford to look unstable. You will stay calm. You will listen. You will choose your moments. <hr> [[Take Your Time first->Days Back To "Normal"]]

<<bgm "WhereIsMay2" 9>> <<set $route to "madness">> You don’t sit. You don’t shout either. You stay where you are and repeat yourself. “She exists.” No one answers that anymore. Kelly looks at Jasper. Jasper looks at Jun. You realise you are no longer part of the discussion. That’s fine. If they aren’t going to help you, you’ll find answers yourself. You don’t need agreement. You need proof. <hr> [[Leave the flat and look for answers->Leave]]

The air inside smells faintly of disinfectant and warm bread. You walk the same aisles you always do, past the same end-of-row offers, the same half-hearted seasonal displays. A man stands comparing prices for far too long. Someone is arguing quietly into a phone near the tills. At the back of the shop, stacked low and neat, is the beer. Bob. The label is exactly as you remember it. Plain. Familiar. The kind of thing you never really look at properly because you don’t need to. The one everyone drinks. The one May always reaches for without thinking. You lift a crate experimentally. It’s heavier than it looks. Your phone buzzes. Jasper: “So? You found our Bob?” You： "Don't worry bro, Bob is in the house!" You look at the stacks, doing the calculation in your head. <hr> [[Grab a larger crate of Bob — better too much than too little->Buy More]] [[Take a smaller crate of Bob — it should be enough->Buy Less]]

You have been with May for years. You met at university. Both of you studied physics, sat through the same lectures, complained about the same assignments, spent too many late nights trying to make sense of equations that refused to cooperate. Somewhere in the middle of all that, you fell in love with her, and she stayed. You love her. Things between you are good. Easy. Solid in a way that no longer needs much thinking about. Tonight is your birthday. Your friends are coming over to your flat to celebrate. There will be music, too much food, and more people than the space is really meant to hold. May, of course, will be there too, moving through the evening the way she always does, close enough that you keep brushing against her without noticing. She leans in, presses a quick kiss to your cheek, and says, “Hey busy birthday boy, don’t disappear on me.” She’s smiling when she says it. <hr> [[Start Game->Party 1]]

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