Chapter 6: Shadows of Yesterday

Mei sat on the cold wooden floor, her back against the wall, eyes fixed on the phone lying just out of reach. Her mother's words echoed in her mind, swirling like autumn leaves caught in the wind.

"The accident that took Jun away from you… forever."

She wrapped her arms around her knees, her body trembling as the pieces of her past began to fall into place. It was like watching shattered glass reassemble, each fragment slicing into her heart.

Jun was gone. He had been gone all this time.

And yet… she had seen him. Felt his presence. Spoke with him. Only hours ago, he had stood on Moon Bridge, his eyes burning with sorrow and anger. How could that be, if he were truly gone?

Her chest tightened, a hollow ache spreading through her. She could still feel his gaze, the way his voice had cracked when he spoke of her promise. It was too real, too vivid to be an illusion.

But then, the memories surfaced, raw and painful.

They were standing on Moon Bridge, laughter echoing as petals danced around them. Mei was running, her sandals clacking against the stone, her hair streaming behind her. Jun's voice rang out, bright and teasing. "Wait for me, Mei!"

She turned, smiling, just as his foot slipped on the wet stone. Time slowed. She watched his body twist, his arms flailing as he tried to grab the railing. But his fingers brushed empty air, and he fell.

Into the river.

The water surged, swallowing him, his scream echoing before being silenced by the current.

Mei gasped, clutching her chest as if the pain were physical, her breath coming in ragged bursts. How had she forgotten? How could she have erased something so terrible, so cruel?

Her parents had taken her away, she realized, to protect her from the pain. They had filled her days with noise and movement, distracting her from the loss that had shattered her. They had encouraged her to forget, to bury Jun's memory deep enough that it couldn't hurt her anymore.

But she had promised. She had promised to come back. To never leave him.

A chill swept through her, and she looked up, her eyes drawn to the window. Mist curled outside, weaving between the branches of the cherry trees. For a moment, she thought she saw a figure standing beneath the largest tree, shoulders hunched, head bowed.

Jun.

She scrambled to her feet, rushing to the window, her fingers splaying against the cold glass. But the figure was gone, the mist swirling in his place.

Mei stumbled back, her heart racing. If Jun was truly gone, then who—or what—had she been seeing?

Her gaze fell to the photograph on the table, her younger self smiling up at her, arms around Jun. The boy who had fallen. The boy she had left behind.

The boy who was still waiting.

She didn't hesitate. Grabbing her coat, she rushed out of the inn, her footsteps pounding against the cobblestones as she ran through the winding streets of Lushan. The sky was heavy with clouds, the air thick with the promise of rain.

She followed the familiar path along the riverbank, her breath misting before her as the wind whipped at her hair. Willow branches tangled in her clothes, their thin fingers pulling at her as if to hold her back. But she broke free, her eyes locked on Moon Bridge ahead.

It was empty, its stone arch rising above the swirling water. But the air was colder here, the mist clinging to the bridge like a shroud. She stepped onto the stone, her hands gripping the railing as she looked down at the churning river below.

Her reflection stared back at her, pale and haunted, rippling as the current moved beneath her. But there was another shape beside her, its outline faint, shimmering like a mirage.

Jun.

He stood at her side, his face turned toward the water, eyes hollow and distant. His shoulders were slumped, his body almost transparent, the edges of his form flickering like candlelight.

Mei's heart shattered. "Jun…" Her voice broke, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to leave you. I didn't mean to forget."

His head turned slowly, his gaze meeting hers. There was no anger now, only a deep, aching sadness. "You promised." His voice was soft, echoing like a whisper through the mist. "You promised we'd always be together."

Mei's knees buckled, and she sank to the ground, clutching the cold stone beneath her. "I didn't know. I didn't remember. I was scared… so scared of losing you." Her shoulders shook as the sobs broke free, years of grief and guilt pouring out. "But I never stopped caring. I never stopped feeling that empty space where you should have been."

Jun's figure flickered, the mist curling around him. For a moment, his face softened, the shadows lifting. He took a step closer, his hand reaching out, fingers brushing hers. She felt a chill, cold and sharp, but familiar. Comforting.

"I waited," he murmured, his form wavering. "I waited for you to come back. To keep your promise."

Mei choked on a sob, her fingers grasping at nothing as his touch faded. "I'm here now. I won't leave you again. I swear."

Jun's eyes glistened, his lips curving into the faintest smile. "Thank you… Mei." His figure began to dissolve, petals swirling around him as his outline blurred, the mist swallowing him. "I can rest now. Knowing you remembered."

The wind picked up, lifting the cherry blossoms into the air, a flurry of pink and white that danced around her. Mei watched as his form faded, the petals drifting down to the water, carried away by the river's current.

And then he was gone.

Mei knelt there, the cold seeping into her bones, tears slipping down her face as the cherry blossoms settled around her. The ache in her heart remained, but it was no longer hollow. It was full, overflowing with love, with grief, and with the memory of a promise kept.

She stood slowly, her gaze lingering on the spot where he had stood, before turning away. The mist was lifting, the clouds breaking to reveal a sliver of sunlight.

As she walked back along the riverbank, the breeze carried a whisper, soft and warm, wrapping around her like a hug.

"I'll always be with you."

Mei smiled, her tears sparkling as the sun touched her face. She looked up at the cherry blossoms, their petals falling like wishes. And she knew, deep in her heart, that Jun was finally at peace.