Julian met Emilia on a rainy day in a quiet bookstore, a little haven filled with the scent of old pages. He was captivated, watching her as she read Neruda aloud, her voice soft and warm, wrapping around him like a cozy blanket. Their eyes locked, and in that fleeting moment, his heart skipped a beat—he fell hopelessly in love. Emilia painted in the mornings, her brushes dancing over canvas, deeply believing in the idea of soulmates. Julian, on the other hand, had learned to tread carefully around hope. Yet, together, they crafted beautiful mornings filled with steaming cups of tea and late-night conversations. They dreamed of Paris and explored old bookstores, creating a vibrant world alive with possibilities. But then came the heartbreaking diagnosis: cancer. Emilia fought with a quiet strength that left Julian in awe, while he remained steadfast by her side, supporting her through the heavy weight of the struggle. As spring approached, it brought with it the looming shadow of the end. At her funeral, Julian couldn’t summon the words to speak, even though Emilia had left him a heartfelt letter. Years went by, and every rainy Wednesday found him in the bookstore, some days convinced he could hear her voice whispering through the aisles. On her birthday, he finally mustered the courage to open Emilia's letter. “Whisper my name,” she had written so simply yet profoundly. With a trembling heart, he whispered, “Emilia.” And for that one aching moment, the room came alive with the sweet scent of jasmine, reminding him that love, once kindled, never truly fades away.