The sun was bright but gentle, casting golden rays through the leaves as Yu Yin and Yin Yin strolled into the botanical garden—the third and final memory spot Yin Yin had planned to visit. The air was rich with the scent of blooming hibiscus, lilies, and a trace of familiar nostalgia that tickled Yu Yin's senses but failed to anchor her thoughts.
"This place feels..." Yu Yin paused, turning around in a slow circle, eyes sweeping the cobblestone paths and neatly trimmed hedges, "...comforting. Familiar."
Yin Yin smiled gently, trying to keep her excitement from bubbling over. "We used to sneak in here after school," she said, her tone calm. "You always insisted on coming straight to the koi pond."
Yu Yin blinked. "Koi pond?"
Yin Yin nodded, nudging her gently toward the eastern path. "Come. Maybe it'll trigger something."
They walked in silence for a moment, the sound of birds chirping and their synchronized footsteps filling the stillness between them.
Halfway to the pond, Yu Yin stopped abruptly. "Did I ever fall into the pond?"
Yin Yin turned, stunned. "Wait—yes! Once, when you tried to name all the koi and leaned too far over the edge." Her voice was high with disbelief. "Yu Yin, do you—?"
"I don't know if I remember," Yu Yin whispered, "or if my brain just made it up because it feels right."
"That's still something," Yin Yin said quickly. "It's still a start."
They rounded the corner, and as if the universe was orchestrating their lives like a perfectly scripted drama, Lu Chen stood right by the pond.
He was leaning slightly against the railing, dressed in casual beige slacks and a black t-shirt that clung just right to his frame. In his hand was a drink bottle, and his eyes were distant—watching the koi like they were telling him stories.
Yu Yin slowed, her breath hitching for reasons she couldn't place. Her gaze locked on him, her footsteps growing hesitant.
Yin Yin didn't say anything, just watched the two silently.
Lu Chen turned at the sound of movement and froze.
Their eyes met. For a split second, neither of them moved, as if even time paused to take a breath.
"…Yu Yin," Lu Chen said, his voice softer than she remembered it.
"I—hi," she replied, feeling her pulse quicken. Her brows furrowed slightly, as if something inside her stirred but refused to fully surface.
"You're here," he said. Then he looked at Yin Yin and gave a nod. "I didn't think I'd see you both."
Yin Yin, ever the smooth one, smiled. "We were just reliving some of the places she used to love. The doctor said familiar spaces might help with memory recall."
Yu Yin looked at Lu Chen, her expression conflicted. "Did I come here with you too?"
He stared at her for a long moment, then offered a small smile. "A few times, yeah. Once... you brought me here on your birthday."
Yu Yin blinked, confused. "My birthday?"
"Yeah. You said this was the one place that made you feel 'peaceful, and like your soul could breathe.'" His voice lowered, his gaze piercing. "That's what you told me."
Yu Yin turned away, the weight of emotions she didn't fully understand pressing against her chest. "I'm sorry… I still don't remember all of it."
Lu Chen took a step forward. "It's okay. Don't force it."
"I'm not trying to forget," she said quickly. "I promise I'm not."
"I know," he said gently.
There was silence again, and then Yin Yin cleared her throat. "I think I saw an ice cream cart earlier. I'll just go check it out and give you two a moment."
"No—" Yu Yin tried to stop her, but Yin Yin waved and disappeared with a wink.
Now it was just the two of them.
Lu Chen moved closer but not too close, giving her space. "I saw you crying the night Mingze came over," he said. "That's why I came here today. I figured if I ran into you, maybe… I could say what I didn't back then."
Yu Yin's eyes widened. "You… saw that?"
He nodded. "I couldn't knock. You looked like you needed space."
She folded her arms around herself. "It's hard. Not remembering… but knowing I lost something important. Like I'm constantly failing to find a piece of myself."
Lu Chen's jaw tensed. He wanted to reach for her, but instead, he said, "You're not failing anything. You're still you, Yu Yin. The most stubborn, curious, fearless person I know. That hasn't changed."
Her lips parted slightly. Something about the way he said it—like it was truth, not comfort—sent a shiver down her spine.
She looked at the pond again. "You said we came here on my birthday?"
"Yeah. I brought you a sunflower bouquet and a letter I never let you read."
Her head turned slowly toward him. "Why didn't you?"
He shrugged, a bit awkward now. "I got scared. Thought maybe it would change everything between us."
She narrowed her eyes. "Were we dating?"
The question hung heavily between them.
Lu Chen hesitated, then shook his head. "Not yet. But we were close. Too close for me to act like I didn't care."
Yu Yin's heart thundered in her chest. "So… if I hadn't left—"
"I don't know," he said honestly. "Maybe things would've been different. But I do know I'm here now. I'm still here."
There was something incredibly raw in the way he said that—no pressure, no expectation. Just truth.
Yu Yin stepped back, confused, overwhelmed. "I need some time."
He nodded without hesitation. "I'll wait."
Yin Yin reappeared just as Yu Yin turned toward her. "No ice cream," she said cheerfully, acting like she hadn't just witnessed the most emotionally tense moment of the week.
Lu Chen gave a small nod and began to walk away, but before he disappeared completely, he glanced back.
Yu Yin was looking at him.
And this time, something flickered in her eyes.
Something almost like recognition.