*Chapter 10: Echoes of the River**

The river was calm again, its surface smooth as glass, reflecting the pale pink of the cherry blossoms above. The mist had vanished, the shadow gone, but its whispers lingered in Mei's mind.

She sat on the bridge, cradling Jun in her arms, his small body warm and solid. He was asleep, his face peaceful, his fingers curled around her sleeve as if afraid she would disappear.

She brushed his hair from his forehead, her fingers trembling. His breathing was steady, his chest rising and falling in a gentle rhythm. But he was too still, too quiet.

The lightness that usually danced in his eyes, the spark that made him feel so much like the Jun she had lost… it was gone.

Mei's heart clenched. She held him closer, her eyes stinging. "Jun… wake up. Please."

His eyelids fluttered, his lips parting as a soft sigh escaped. Slowly, his eyes opened, dark and unfocused. He blinked, his gaze drifting before landing on her face.

For a moment, something flickered in his eyes—a flash of recognition, a spark of warmth. But then it was gone, replaced by confusion.

He looked at her, his brow furrowing. "Jiejie?" His voice was small, uncertain. "Are you fine?"

The heart hurts, he still thought about her. Mei's breath left her, her heart plummeting as his words sank in. "Jun… I'm fine?" Her tears keep falling

He tried to stand up, his expression wary, his eyes scanning the bridge, the river, the cherry blossoms above. "Where am I? How did I get here?"

Her chest tightened, pain spreading through her. *Jun....don't you remember* She reached for his hand, her fingers trembling. "We were playing by the river, remember? You wanted me to teach you how to skip stones." Her voice broke, desperation seeping in. "You said you wanted to beat my record."

He stared at her, his face blank. "I… I don't know jijie." He looked down at her hand, still clutching his. Slowly, he pulled away, his fingers slipping from hers. "I don't remember anything, jijie"

Mei's vision blurred, her tears falling before she could stop them. She reached for him again, but he flinched, stepping back, his small body tense. "Jijie....."he wants to say something but the person before him feels I like stranger but also a little familiar.

Her heart splintered, the pain so sharp it left her breathless. "Jun… please…"

He shook his head, his eyes wide and fearful. "I have to go home." He turned and ran, his footsteps echoing on the bridge, his figure growing smaller as he disappeared down the path.

Mei was frozen, her body numb, her mind blank. She watched him go, her heart screaming, her body aching to chase after him, to hold him and never let go.

But she stayed where she was, kneeling on the bridge, her tears falling onto the cold stone.

*will he forgot .*

The shadow will take his memories, washing them away like petals on the river's current.

He will no longer remember her smile, her voice, her promises. He no longer remember the cherry blossoms, the Moon Bridge, the way they laughed and played beneath the sun.

He will no longer remember who she was.

The wind picked up, carrying the scent of blossoms, the petals swirling around her. Mei closed her eyes, her body trembling as the truth sank in.

She had saved him. The shadows were gone, the river's debt repaid. He was safe now, free to live without the weight of his past life, without the shadows trying to take him back.

But the price… the price was his memories of her.

Her promise to protect him had been kept, but she had lost him all over again.

Mei stood on the bridge, her body heavy, her heart hollow. She watched the river flow, its surface calm, its depths hiding the secrets it would never tell.

She thought she saw a shadow beneath the water, a whisper of the figure that had tried to take him. But when she looked closer, there was nothing—only the reflection of the cherry blossoms, drifting in the current.

Mei took a step back, her eyes lingering on the water, on the petals swirling away.

Then she turned and walked away, her steps slow, her heart heavy.

This time, she wouldn't follow him.

This time, she would let him go.

And as the wind carried the petals across the water, Mei felt the echoes of the river's whisper, soft and haunting.

*"A promise kept… a memory erased… a debt repaid."*