: Kael once found a withered leaf that had blown through a ventilation duct. He pressed it into Elara’s palm during a gear exchange. To them, that dry, brown fragment was more valuable than any medal.

Kael realizes that in 171, romance isn't about finding a soulmate; it’s about reclaiming the right to be human. He pulls the lever, not knowing what lies beyond, only knowing that he isn't entering it alone.

In the sterile halls of Sector 171, romance wasn’t taught; it was a glitch.