By the time I stepped into the office elevator, I'd already grown used to the faint white words floating quietly before my eyes.
[Elevator perfume: remaining pleasantness – 4 minutes]
[Middle-aged man's anxiety: lasting until the meeting ends]
[Cleaning lady's genuine kindness: remaining – 10 minutes]
Everything in this world came with a time limit.
Only very few things lasted forever.
I'd barely settled into my desk when Jake wandered over with a coffee, grinning like we were lifelong buddies.
"Eliot, I tweaked a few details in your proposal last night. The boss is definitely gonna love it! We're partners, right? When this project takes off, don't forget to have my back."
I glanced up at the words hovering above his head.
[Superficial enthusiasm: remaining – 1 minute 30 seconds]
[Desire to steal credit for your work: PERMANENT]
[Promise: EXPIRED]
I nodded faintly and said nothing.
Once, I would've felt grateful. I would've thanked him, believed him, and thought I'd found a reliable coworker.
Now I only felt tired. Tired of the fake pleasantries, the quiet scheming, the performative kindness people handed out like cheap candy—short-lived, insincere, meant only to take something real in return.
Ten minutes later, our boss tagged everyone in the group chat, his tone grand and motivational.
"Give this project everything you've got! Double bonuses at the end of the month, promotions and raises by year-end. This company never lets hard workers down!"
The office erupted in cheers.
I stared at the line slowly appearing above my screen.
[Boss's promises: PERMANENTLY INVALID]
[Empty hype level: MAX]
I muted the chat and went back to typing. It wasn't pessimism.
I just didn't have to be lied to anymore.
During lunch break, I skipped the cafeteria and headed downstairs to the coffee shop I visited almost every day.
The little bell above the door jingled softly as I pushed it open.
The girl looked up and smiled at me—soft, gentle, unforced, unhurried.
Her name was Lila.
She was slender, dressed in a simple cream-colored apron, sleeves neatly rolled up to her forearms, revealing pale, delicate wrists. Her fingers were clean, nails trimmed short and neat, no polish, no decorations. When she leaned down to make coffee, a few strands of hair fell over her forehead, and she tucked them behind her ear so quietly you could barely hear the movement.
We'd grown familiar over time, from my frequent visits.
Without thinking, I checked the words above her.
No countdown.
No time limit.
No "remaining."
Only one clean, steady line.
[Lila's kindness toward you: PERMANENTLY VALID]
I froze.
She was the first human being I'd seen since my ability awakened with a label that read forever.
She slid the coffee toward me, her voice soft and calm.
"Same as always. Low sugar, hot latte."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
She returned to wiping mugs, quiet and unassuming. No forced small talk, no over-the-top warmth, no distant coldness.
Just the kind of gentle, effortless kindness that didn't drain you at all.
I sat by the window, sipping my coffee, watching the crowd pass by outside.
Every single person had a timer floating above their head.
Affection was temporary.
Enthusiasm was temporary.
Kindness was temporary.
Promises were temporary.
Only this coffee.
Only the stray cat that sometimes brushed against my foot.
Only this quiet, unassuming girl.
They were forever.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Chloe, my ex-girlfriend.
"Eliot, I really can't live without you. Can we please get back together?"
I read the text, then glanced at the label above her profile picture.
[Fake desperation: remaining – 4 hours]
[Selfishness: PERMANENT]
I blocked her immediately, quietly amused at my own terrible taste back then.
The world suddenly felt incredibly simple.
Keep what's real.
Throw away what's expired.
No more overthinking. No more heartache. No more wasting even a second on people who didn't deserve it.
I finished the last sip of coffee and lifted my face toward the sunlight.
Clarity, I realized, really did make life feel light.