Turning the Corner and Meeting Mr. Right

I want to travel through all time and space to love you.

Give you my all, do my best...

"Lily, from today on, you will live with James."

I was nine years old when I first met James.

He wore a grey sports suit with loose threads and carried an old khaki school bag. He followed my dad timidly.

His father, a firefighter like my dad, had died on duty.

My dad brought him home, saying it would be like raising two kids.

I didn’t care much about this new brother who appeared out of nowhere.

Life went on as usual.

"Lily, Lily, has no mother to teach her," the other kids would taunt.

I walked past them with an expressionless face, having heard it so many times that it no longer hurt.

But James would always stand up for me,

even if it meant getting beaten up.

In a way, James and I were alike.

My mother had passed away, and his mother had gone mad.

"Hey, Lily, you're so quiet. You better make a change or you'll never find a boyfriend."

James teased me often, and I would retaliate by throwing a book at him.

"You won’t find one either," I’d retort.

My father was always busy, so most of the time, it was just James and me.

We depended on each other,

and our constant bickering and playing made life less lonely.

When I was fifteen, my father died in a fire,

just like James’s father.

I cried all night, and my eyes are puffy the next day.

There were ice cubes on the table.

James is probably the person who understands me best in the world. He knew I didn’t like others seeing me vulnerable, so he always made sure there was ice for me.

I still remember that day when the sun was scorching and James’s eyes sparkled.

His tone was firm,

"Lily, I will protect you from now on.

I will become a doctor and never let you get hurt again."

From then on, I relied on James even more.

During high school, he never let any boy get close to me,

believing that early romance would affect my studies.

When I was eighteen, he walked towards me, looking like a hero from a novel, with jasmine flowers in his hands.

"Lily, will you marry me in the future?"

"Yes, I will."

That whole summer was filled with the scent of jasmine.

At the airport, even as the crowd thinned, I kept waiting, hoping he would come, though deep down I knew he wouldn’t.

In college, he studied medicine and I studied law.

At twenty-two, we got engaged.

That same year, I went abroad...

The red glow of the setting sun blurred the sky as I was asked to leave the airport.

Returning to the city after so long, I felt a wave of melancholy.

"Lily, what's going on?"

The sad-looking man across from me is my only friend, Liam.

He always carried a love letter in his pocket, never managing to give it to the one he loved. I stared at the yellowed paper, marveling at his enduring affection.

"It's still the same."

"Is there no other solution?" he asked, worry evident in his voice.

I shook my head.

"Do you...know where James is?"

His surprise was clear.

"He didn't pick you up? How could that be? I told him."

"Maybe he's busy,"

I said, trying to defend James despite my disappointment.

"He is now a famous doctor in Azure Bay. Many people seek his help."

I nodded. It was no surprise.

James had always wanted to be like his father, a dedicated doctor.

And I, determined to protect him from legal troubles, became a lawyer.

I picked up my coffee and noticed scratches on Liam's wrist.

Concerned, I asked,

"What happened to your hand?"

He looked panicked and quickly tried to hide it.

"It's nothing, just my cat. If you want to find James, I'll take you."

I lowered my eyes, knowing Liam didn't like furry animals.

I was curious but didn’t press further.

Perhaps everyone has their secrets...