chapter 3:The fragments of yesterday

Episode 1 – Waking in the Unknown

A sharp gasp tore from Chun Yu's lips as she jolted awake.

Her body felt heavy, her mind drowning in the echoes of a dream—or was it something more? The temple, the bells, Song Lu's voice, and then… darkness.

She sat up abruptly, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Where was she?

She wasn't in her bedroom, nor was she on the temple grounds where she last remembered standing. Instead, she was in a small, candlelit room, the scent of aged wood and ink filling the air.

The furniture was antique, not the modern designs she was familiar with. A wooden table stood near the window, a flickering candle casting long shadows against the wall. A folded silk robe lay at the foot of the bed, its intricate embroidery shimmering in the dim light.

This wasn't her world.

"I'm still dreaming."

She tried to calm her racing heart, pressing a hand to her forehead. But the moment she touched her skin, a sharp pulse ran through her—like a broken memory piecing itself together.

A name slipped from her lips before she could stop it.

"Song Lu…"

At that moment, the door slid open.

Chun Yu's breath hitched as Song Lu stepped inside, his dark robes flowing as he moved.

But something was off.

His gaze wasn't filled with the quiet sorrow she had seen before.

Instead, he looked at her with a stranger's eyes.

---

Episode 2 – A World That Does Not Know Her

"Who are you?" Song Lu's voice was calm but distant.

Chun Yu's chest tightened. This wasn't right. Just a moment ago—or was it hours?—he had looked at her like he had always known her. Now, his eyes held no recognition.

As if she had never met him before.

She tried to steady her voice. "Song Lu, it's me."

He tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "Should I know you?"

The words sent a cold shiver through her spine.

She clenched the silk sheets beneath her fingers. "We met at the temple. You—you gave me this." She lifted the crescent moon pendant, hoping, praying, that he would remember.

But Song Lu's gaze remained blank.

Her heart pounded.

"No… this isn't how it's supposed to be."

A sinking realization hit her all at once.

This was a different Song Lu.

A different time. A different loop.

And in this version, he did not remember her at all.

---

Episode 3 – The Cracks in Time

Chun Yu struggled to make sense of what was happening. The memories—the brief, fleeting moments of familiarity with Song Lu—they were real.

She wasn't losing her mind.

She wasn't making this up.

But then why…?

Why did he not remember?

She needed answers.

"Where am I?" she finally asked, her voice quieter now.

Song Lu studied her before replying, "You are in my family's guest chamber. I found you unconscious near the temple and brought you here."

Her fingers tightened around the pendant.

The temple.

It always came back to the temple.

She took a deep breath, trying to keep her emotions in check. "Have we met before?"

Song Lu hesitated—but only for a moment. "No. I would remember if we had."

The certainty in his voice made something inside her ache.

This was not the same Song Lu she had spoken to at the temple.

Or rather… this was the same man, but in a different time, a different loop.

A terrifying thought crept into her mind.

"Am I the only one who remembers?"

A weight settled in her chest.

If she was the only one who carried the fragments of their past, then she was alone in this.

But no. That couldn't be true.

Song Lu had remembered before.

Which meant…

He could remember again.

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Episode 4 – A Thread Between Us

Chun Yu knew she had to do something—anything—to make him remember.

But where would she even start?

She glanced down at the pendant in her hands. The last time, it had triggered a memory—for her. Maybe… maybe it could do the same for him.

She took a deep breath and held it out to him.

"Take this," she said softly.

Song Lu raised an eyebrow but reached for the pendant without question.

The moment his fingers brushed the silver charm, his entire body froze.

His eyes widened, and for a split second—just a fragment of time—something flickered across his face.

Pain. Recognition. A fleeting emotion buried deep within him.

Then—

A sharp gasp tore from his throat, and he jerked his hand away as if burned.

Chun Yu's breath hitched. "Song Lu…?"

His expression was blank again, but there was a new unease in his posture.

He stared at his hand, as if expecting something to be there—something he couldn't see.

And then, quietly, almost unconsciously, he whispered—

"Again…?"

Chun Yu's heart stopped.

He didn't remember everything.

But something inside him had stirred.

And that was enough.

---

Episode 5 – The First Sign of Hope

The silence between them stretched.

Chun Yu's pulse raced as she watched Song Lu carefully. His brows were slightly furrowed, his fingers twitching as if trying to grasp something just beyond his reach.

"Again?" she echoed, hoping he would say more.

Song Lu blinked, as if snapping out of a trance. The moment was gone. His expression hardened.

"I don't know what I just said," he muttered.

But he did.

Chun Yu could feel it.

A fragile thread had formed between them—a thin, wavering connection across time.

And this time, she wouldn't let it break.

She squared her shoulders. "Then let me help you remember."

Song Lu hesitated. "...Why does it matter so much to you?"

Because I love you.

The words almost slipped out, but she held them back.

Instead, she met his gaze and said, "Because I know you're searching for something too."

A flicker of emotion crossed his face before he quickly masked it.

But Chun Yu had seen it.

A part of him still felt it.

This was just the beginning.

She would make him remember.

No matter how many loops it took.