# **Chapter 15: Echoes of the Past**

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The snow continued to fall, soft and cold, blanketing the Moon Bridge in white. The petals drifted through the air, swirling gently, their whispers fading into the night.

Jun stood alone on the bridge, his breath visible in the winter air, his heart pounding. He could still feel it—the cold touch on his cheek, the soft whisper of his name, the presence lingering just out of reach.

He looked around, his eyes wide, his voice trembling. "Who… was that?" His fingers curled into fists, his chest tight. "Mei…? Who is Mei…?"

But there was no answer. Only the snow falling softly, the petals drifting through the air, the shadows swirling beneath the river.

He shivered, his body cold, his heart aching. He didn't understand why he felt so empty, so hollow. Why his chest hurt, why his eyes burned.

Why his soul felt so heavy.

He turned away, his footsteps light, his shoulders tense. The village lights flickered softly through the snow, laughter echoing faintly, warmth spilling from the windows.

But he felt none of it. He felt only cold, only sorrow, only the echo of a voice that no longer existed.

*"I… was someone who loved you… more than anything…"*

The words haunted him, lingering in his mind, repeating over and over. Who was she? Why did she sound so familiar? Why did his heart break at the sound of her voice?

He didn't know. But he couldn't forget.

He left the bridge behind, the snow erasing his footprints, the petals continuing to fall.

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The sun rose slowly, the snow sparkling beneath its light, the world still and quiet. The Moon Bridge stood empty, untouched by time, the petals drifting softly, their whispers faint.

And then… the silence was broken.

Two figures stood at the edge of the village, their eyes fixed on the bridge, their faces pale, their bodies tense. A man and a woman, their hair streaked with gray, their hands clasped tightly together.

The woman's shoulders trembled, her eyes shining with tears, her voice faint. "It… hasn't changed…" Her fingers tightened, her breath catching. "After all these years… it's still the same…"

The man's face was pale, his jaw tight, his eyes dark. "We never should have left…" His voice was heavy, full of regret. "We should have stayed… we should have never given up…"

The woman's tears fell, her body trembling, her voice breaking. "It's our fault… it's all our fault… if we hadn't…" She choked, her fingers covering her mouth, her shoulders shaking. "If we hadn't… she wouldn't have…"

The man's arm wrapped around her, his grip firm, his voice low. "Don't… don't blame yourself…" But his eyes were full of pain, his chest tight. "It was my decision… I thought… I thought it would be better… I thought we could start over… but…" His voice cracked, his body trembling. "We were wrong… we were so wrong…"

The woman's fingers curled into his coat, her tears soaking the fabric. "We left her behind… we left her alone…" Her voice was a whisper, full of grief. "Our little girl… our precious Mei…"

The snow continued to fall, cold and silent, the petals swirling through the air, their whispers echoing softly.

*"A promise kept… a spirit bound… a memory erased… a bond to break…"*

The woman looked up, her eyes wide, her breath catching. "Did… did you hear that?" Her voice was faint, her body tense. "It… sounded like her…"

The man's shoulders went rigid, his eyes sharp, his chest tight. "It can't be… Mei is…" He hesitated, his jaw clenching, his eyes darkening. "She's… gone…"

The woman shook her head, her tears falling, her heart breaking. "No… I can feel her… I can feel her here… on this bridge…" Her hands trembled, her fingers reaching out, her voice trembling. "Mei… my sweet Mei… are you there…?"

The wind howled, the snow swirling around them, the petals drifting faster, their whispers growing louder. The shadows beneath the river moved, swirling slowly, watching.

The man took a step forward, his body shaking, his voice breaking. "Mei… if you're here… if you can hear us… please… please come back…" His eyes burned, his chest aching. "We're sorry… we're so sorry… we never meant to leave you… we never meant to forget…"

The snow continued to fall, the bridge cold and silent, the petals swirling around them. But there was no answer. No voice, no presence, no sign of the daughter they had lost.

The woman's shoulders shook, her tears falling, her body cold and hollow. "She's… really gone… isn't she…?"

The man's hand tightened around hers, his voice breaking. "I… don't know…" His eyes were dark, his heart heavy. "But we can't give up… not again… not this time…"

He looked at the bridge, his eyes sharp, his face pale. "We'll find her… no matter what it takes… no matter how long it takes… we'll bring her back…"

The woman looked up, her tears shimmering, her hope flickering softly. "Yes… we'll bring her back… we'll make things right…" Her fingers curled into his, her chest tightening. "We won't leave her behind again…"

They stood on the bridge, the snow falling softly, the petals swirling around them, their whispers fading into the wind.

*"A promise kept… a spirit bound… a memory erased… a bond to break… a love that lingers… a hope that endures…"*

But Mei was gone. The Moon Bridge stood empty, the petals continuing to fall, the shadows watching from beneath the river.

And no one remembered her name.