Chapter 20: Echoes of the Past

He return to his home, but he's a little distracted.

Seeing him like this, his grandmother sighed "I think it will take some time to happen, but now...."

She didn't say anything to him and just left.

The snow continued to fall, blanketing the village in white. Jun sat by his window, his knees pulled to his chest, his breath fogging the glass. He watched the Moon Bridge from afar, its shadow stretching over the frozen river, its silence heavy.

His heart ached, his chest tight, his vision blurred. She's there… somewhere beneath the ice… trapped… alone… waiting…

He squeezed his fists, his body trembling. I won't leave you there… I promised… I'll find you… Mei…

But he didn't know how.

His gaze dropped, his shoulders heavy, his fingers cold. Why…? Why did she disappear…? Why won't anyone tell me the truth…?

His thoughts went back to Mei's parents, their faces pale, their eyes hollow, their voices breaking. "She's gone… she's never coming back… forget about her…"

His chest tightened, his fists trembling. They're lying… they know something… they're hiding it…

Jun's gaze sharpened, his fists clenching. If they won't tell me… I'll find out myself…

He stood up, his heart pounding, his breath visible in the cold air. He wrapped his scarf tightly, his steps firm, his resolve unbreakable. I'll find the truth… I'll save you…

He left the house, his body cold, his breath shallow. The snow crunched beneath his boots as he walked through the village, his eyes fierce, his mind racing. There has to be someone who knows… someone who will tell me…

His footsteps led him to the oldest house in the village, its walls crooked, its roof covered in snow. The wind howled, the shadows dancing, the air cold. He knocked on the door, his fingers trembling, his breath visible.

The door creaked open, revealing an old woman, her back bent, her hair white, her eyes sunken. She looked at him, her gaze sharp, her lips thin. "Jun… what brings you here…?" Her voice was soft, cold.

Jun's heart pounded, his chest tight, his eyes pleading. "Grandma Yuna… please… tell me the truth… what happened to Mei…? Why did she disappear…?" His voice was small, trembling. "Why… won't anyone tell me…?"

Grandma Yuna's face went pale, her shoulders heavy, her eyes darkening. She turned away, her voice low. "You shouldn't ask such questions… you shouldn't dig up the past…" Her steps were slow, her hands shaking. "It's better… to forget…"

Jun's fists clenched, his vision blurred, his heart aching. "But… I can't forget… she saved me… she was there… I saw her… I know she was real…" His voice cracked, his shoulders shaking. "She… she's trapped… under the ice… she called my name… she asked for help…"

Grandma Yuna's body went rigid, her breath catching, her eyes widening. She turned slowly, her face pale, her voice trembling. "You… heard her…?" Her voice was soft, shaking. "You saw her… beneath the ice…?"

Jun's heart skipped a beat, his body cold, his eyes wide. "You… believe me…? You don't think… I'm lying…?" His voice was small, his hope fragile.

Grandma Yuna's face twisted, her shoulders shaking, her voice low. "It's happening again… after all these years… the curse… it's still there…" Her hands trembled, her eyes hollow. "The river… still wants more…"

Jun's chest tightened, his breath shallow, his body cold. "Curse…? What curse…?" His voice was a whisper, his heart pounding. "What happened…? Why is the river… cursed…?"

Grandma Yuna looked at him, her eyes dark, her voice low. "Long ago… a hundred years past… a girl stood on that bridge… waiting for someone who never came…" Her voice trembled, her body shaking. "Her heart broke… her spirit shattered… and she threw herself into the river… cursing it with her sorrow… her hatred… her despair…"

Jun's body went cold, his vision blurred, his fists trembling. "A girl…? Who was she…?" His voice was small, fragile. "Why… did she curse the river…?"

Grandma Yuna's gaze dropped, her voice low. "She was betrayed… abandoned… forgotten…" Her shoulders were heavy, her hands shaking. "Her soul was consumed by anger… by grief… and her curse bound her to the river… for all eternity…"

Jun's heart stopped, his chest tight, his breath shallow. Bound… to the river…? His eyes widened, his fingers trembling. "Then… Mei… is she…?"

Grandma Yuna's face twisted, her voice cracking. "Every hundred years… the curse returns… the river calls… it demands a soul… to take her place… to end her suffering…" Her shoulders shook, her eyes hollow. "Mei… was chosen… she was taken… by the shadows…"

Jun's heart broke, his vision spinning, his body cold. "No… that can't be… she… she didn't do anything wrong… she was innocent… she…" His voice cracked, his tears falling. "Why…? Why did it have to be her…?"

Grandma Yuna's shoulders trembled, her voice low. "The curse doesn't care… the river only wants a soul… to take her place…" Her hands shook, her eyes hollow. "That's why… she's trapped… beneath the ice… waiting… crying… calling…"

Jun's vision blurred, his chest tight, his fists trembling. Mei… is trapped… because of a curse… because of someone else's sorrow…? His heart pounded, his breath shallow, his shoulders shaking.

His eyes burned, his fists clenched, his voice fierce. "Then… I'll break the curse… I'll bring her back… no matter what it takes…"

Grandma Yuna's face went pale, her shoulders heavy. "No… you can't… the curse is too strong… the river is cruel… it takes whatever it wants… and never gives back…" Her voice cracked, her body trembling. "If you try… you'll be lost too…"

Jun's eyes were fierce, his heart unyielding, his resolve unwavering. I don't care… His fists tightened, his vision sharp. I promised… I'd bring her back…

He turned away, his steps heavy, his heart pounding. No matter what it takes… I'll break the curse… I'll save you… Mei…

The snow continued to fall, the world quiet, the shadows whispering. The river echoed his words, cold and cruel. "A promise kept… a heart to restore… a curse to break…"