Chapter 2: The Melody of Memories

Kai couldn't shake the sensation that had gripped him since the moment he touched the Celestial Echo. It was as if the instrument had awakened something buried deep within him something that had been waiting for centuries to be remembered.

His gaze remained fixed on the old man, whose eyes gleamed with an unsettling wisdom. "What do you mean, 'souls bound by fate'?" Kai asked, his voice steadier now, but his heart still thrummed with unease.

The old man exhaled slowly. "The Celestial Echo has a long history, young man. It is said to carry the memories of those who have loved and lost across lifetimes. If it called to you, then you have a story unfinished."

Kai hesitated. It sounded absurd like something out of the fantasy novels he used to read as a kid. And yet… the vision he had seen felt more real than anything he had ever experienced. The woman in silver, her eyes like galaxies, the way his soul had ached at the sight of her was she real?

He gritted his teeth. He had never believed in past lives, but something deep inside him whispered otherwise. The longing in her voice, the plea to find her it wasn't just imagination. It was a truth his heart refused to ignore.

"Let's say I believe you," Kai said carefully. "How do I find her?"

The old man chuckled. "The Celestial Echo is your guide. Play it, and listen to what it tells you."

Kai's fingers hovered over the strings. He had played instruments before, but this was different. This wasn't about music it was about unlocking a hidden path. Taking a deep breath, he plucked a string.

A single note resonated, rich and haunting, filling the shop with an unearthly hum. The moment the sound enveloped him, the world shifted again.

He wasn't in the shop anymore.

He stood beneath a sky littered with stars, the scent of night-blooming flowers wrapping around him. Before him, the woman in silver turned, her luminous eyes widening with recognition.

"Kai…" she whispered, and this time, he knew he had found her before. And he had lost her.

The vision shattered like glass, and Kai staggered, his breath coming in sharp gasps. The shop was back, the old man watching him with a knowing smile.

"Welcome back," he said. "Looks like your journey has begun."