(5) MEMORY

"Hey! Max. Give me the usual one." Lily had reached the club and now was waiting for the person to arrive.

"Lily, it's been so long. How are you doing now?" A middle-aged man asked her while giving her a big glass. He had a beard and a scar on his face but he seemed like a friendly person.

"So and so." Lily answered him as she looked around.

Max was an old companion of Lily, who had worked with Lily and had taught her a lot. Now he had opened his club.

'Newly Famous' was the name of the club. It became a well-known place very fast after its establishment.

It was not only a place for selling drinks but also a place from where a huge amount of information was being traded.

"Lily, are you waiting for someone?" Mark asked her.

"Hmm." Lily replied absentmindedly.

She was staring at her glass without taking a sip. The drink somehow started reflecting her last night' memory.

××

"Doctor, wait. Please wait." Lily rushed outside as the doctor started leaving.

Though he had already told them that her aunt would be alright after some rest, Lily still felt uncomfortable.

"Doctor is my aunt alright?" She asked him again.

The doctor's face crumbled for a bit before it returned to normal but he stayed silent.

"Doctor please answer me. I think we have a right to know the real situation. My father has always trusted you." She tried to persuade him.

"Lily...." Dr. Han tried to say something but then decided against it.

But Lily was not the one to back down. She stood there firmly, waiting for an answer.

The doctor moved his head miserably and then answered, "Lily, I am sure you know about 'Ribukus'."

How could Lily now know what 'Ribukus' was?

It was a deadly disease where a person's organ starts decaying starting with their lungs. It was a slow process and the person suffering from it would experience serve pain to the point where they would rather kill themselves than suffer.

If not cured a person can live two years at maximum. But why would the doctor be talking about it right now?

"Looks like you know about it." The doctor perceived Lily's thoughts.

"As you know the person suffering from it would live two years at maximum if not cured. It is a rare disease so not many things are known about it. And therefore a cure is yet to be founded. It is not an incurable disease but still it is known as such. Do you know the reason?" The doctor questioned her.

"....Because only the Saintess could cure it by giving a blessing and..." Her voice trailed off.

"Yes, you are right," The doctor continued. "The Saintess could cure it but it is impossible to get the blessing from her. That is why it is known as a terminal disease."

Lily understood everything he said but couldn't find the reason for all this nonsense. She wished he would rather tell her about her aunt's condition right now. There is no way that her aunt would be.....no way!

'Impossible' She assured herself.

"Lily.... your aunt is suffering from Ribukus... She is right now at the starting stage. Her lungs have yet to deteriorate but it has started." He stopped as he saw Lily's complexion.

"No. It can't be true. No. My aunt is a very strong person. She won't succumb to a disease. No." There was no person to whom those words were directed toward. It seemed she was securing her belief.

"Lily, try to calm down. You have to be strong at this moment." The doctor started getting worried about Lily.

Something occurred to her and she raised her head, "Doctor, it can be that your diagnosis was wrong. There is no way to confirm whether it is true or not, right? As you said, her lungs are still fine. It can be something else." Lily tried to comfort herself but all in vain.

"Lily, please listen to me. Please get it together." He made an effort to bring Lily back to her senses.

"I knew it would be too hard for your family to withstand the truth. Harry loves Cherry too much and I was sure he would have been devasted if he learned the truth. That's why lied and after looking at you, I guess I was right... Lily take care of your aunt and uncle as well as yours." The doctor left after telling her everything.

Dr. Han's words brought Lily back to her senses. She started to understand the situation her aunt was in.

'I can't be weak right now. I have to protect my aunt.' Lily's resolution was firm.

Lily was all alone in that dark alley. It was late at night and everyone must have gone to sleep. But for Lily, it would be the most difficult thing.

A cool breeze blew and made a small rustle in the otherwise still night. Lily stood there for a while and settled herself before going inside.

"Lily where were you?" Harry inquired as she came inside.

"Uncle it's late at night therefore I went to see the doctor off. And while returning I realized that the night was good so I roamed outside for a bit," Lily peeked at her aunt and continued. "How is aunt right now?"

"She is asleep and not in pain anymore. You heard the doctor, it's nothing serious. Your aunt will be back to her energized self by tomorrow." Harry tried to assure Lily but his own self was all hagridden.

'He must be afraid.' Lily placed her hand on Harry's hand and sat beside him.

"Uncle I am not worrying. I asked the doctor again while returning," She smiled at him. "Therefore go and get some rest. I'll keep the watch for tonight and see if aunt needs anything."

"But Lily I should...." Before he could say anything Lily pushed him further.

"Uncle you also have to sleep so that you can spread your positive vibes tomorrow. Otherwise, aunt will worry about you."

After listening to Lily, Harry sighed, and after giving a kiss to cherry he went to sleep.

'I have at least one year before aunt's health will start showing and when the immense pain will be hard to subside.'

××

Lily was immersed in her previous night's memory when she sensed something and then she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She quickly turned back with a knife in her hand. Today she was totally on edge. Before that bumping incident and now this.

Lily herself wasn't sure where she got that knife but had almost hurt someone. Thank god it was stopped.

"Relax Lily, you are going to hurt your friend~" He took the knife from Lily's hand.

"You- you are finally here." Lily had a big smile on her face as she hugged him. "There's no way you are going to get hurt from something like that.

"Hmm, you are right about that." He smirked.

"So should we get going now?" He pointed toward a room and Lily followed him.

"Yup!"

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