The day felt ordinary.
But for someone—
It wasn't.
Man Ning stood in her room.
Looking at the date.
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"…So it's today…" she whispered.
Kevin's birthday.
A name she didn't remember fully.
But a feeling—
She never forgot.
Her eyes slowly moved—
Toward the wardrobe.
She opened it.
The ring.
Still there.
Untouched.
For years.
She stared at it.
Silent.
"…Why does it still matter…" she whispered.
Slowly—
She picked it up.
Hesitation.
Then—
She wore it.
For the first time in years.
At the same time—
Shen Yan sat in his office.
"…Arrange lunch," he said.
Minji nodded.
"With Man Ning?" she asked.
A pause.
"…Yes."
Meanwhile—
Man Ning received the message.
Lunch invitation.
She stared at it.
For a moment.
Then—
Accepted.
The restaurant was elegant.
Quiet.
Shen Yan stood as she entered.
"Welcome," he said.
Man Ning nodded.
"Thank you."
She sat down.
As she placed her hand on the table—
Something caught his eye.
The ring.
Shen Yan froze.
For a second—
Everything stopped.
A flash.
A memory.
A girl.
Laughing.
A promise.
"…I'll never take this off…"
His breath hitched slightly.
"…What is this…" he whispered inside.
Man Ning noticed his silence.
"Something wrong?" she asked.
Shen Yan blinked.
The memory disappeared.
"…No," he said.
But his eyes—
Stayed on the ring.
"…Where did you get that?" he asked.
Man Ning looked at it.
"…It's old," she replied.
Simple.
But her voice—
Soft.
Unusual.
Shen Yan leaned back slightly.
His heart—
Unsteady.
"…Why does it feel like I've seen it before…" he thought.
The lunch continued.
But not normally.
Because something had changed.
A memory had almost returned.
But not fully.
Yet.
👉 Some memories don't come back all at once.
👉 They return… piece by piece.