2 The Maple Leaf

*Six Months Ago*

The dried leaves slowly swirled towards the ground, ushering in the season of Spring. Ice of winter melted away as the sun peeked from behind the dark clouds. Warm rays of the sun livened up the place, adding different colors to nature. Birds were chirping on the trees while new leaves were beginning to grow and old leaves were withering off.

The sunshine fell on the pedestrians below who were busy with their daily lives. Some were talking on the phone while others were chatting amongst themselves. Office workers carried briefcases in one hand and a cup of coffee in another, rushing to work.

Cars sped by the roads, honking away as the drivers tried to reach their destination. Everyone was going too fast, not stopping to appreciate the beautiful weather which had been bestowed on them. They were minding their own mundane lives, working and working while the beauty of life passed them by.

Amidst the crowd, a petite girl in a blue coat sat on one of the benches, silently enjoying the lively nature which played around her. Her eyes were closed as she listened to the many sounds echoing in her ears. The cries of the insects, flapping of wings, flowing water of the fountain nearby. She was listening to it all as if they were music to her ears.

Her porcelain like skin was lit up with a bright smile and her long, dark hair was flowing gently with the breeze. Her innocent cat-like eyes slowly fluttered open, revealing a pair of dark green eyes. There was a name tag on her chest which read:-

Name: Lillian Cheng

Occupation: Trainee Teacher

Age: 22

Blood Type: B

The girl glanced at her watch. It was only 7.30 AM and school would start at 8:15 AM. She had plenty of time to sit there and bask in the arrival of spring.

Her phone rang up. It was her mother.

"Hello mom!" she greeted, answering the phone.

"Lillian, have you reached the school yet?" her mother asked, sounding very worried.

"Mom, I'm just around the corner!" Lillian giggled. "Don't worry so much."

"It's your first day at work!" her mother exclaimed. "Of course I'll be worried!"

"I'll be fine, mom," Lillian assured her. "You know how hard I worked for this? I'm sure I'll do well!"

Her mother, Natasha Han, sighed on the other end. Lillian was always optimistic and good natured. She rarely ever got angry and it only worried Natasha more. What if someone took advantage of her kindness?

"Call me after class, alright?" Natasha ordered.

"Yes mom!"

Lillian hung up the phone and picked up her bag. She slowly made her way towards the school, still enjoying the warmth. A couple walked past her and she longingly stared after them.

"When am I gonna get someone to love?" she sighed.

Ever since her childhood, she had been raised in a sheltered environment. Her father, Howard Cheng, was an ordinary office worker at an accounting firm while her mother Natasha was a cafe owner. They were not very rich but lived a comfortable life and doted on their only daughter. Lillian had witnessed her parents' relationship which was awestrucking to her.

In her eyes, there could not be any couple more loving than them. Her father would always greet her mother with small kisses and a hug as if they were newlyweds. Natasha would blush and act coy but Lillian knew she enjoyed the attention from her father. Everyday, they would sit and talk to each other about their day. They had their petty fights but patched up very quickly. Whenever her mother would be away to her grandparents' house, Howard would miss her and pout until Natasha returned.

Lillian saw their relationship grow over the years and it astounded her that a couple could be so much in love. It made her wish that someday, she would also find someone who would love her like that. Her friends called her old fashioned but Lillian saw nothing wrong with it.

She did not wish for riches or ambitions but only wanted a simple life to spend with that one man who would give her his whole heart. Everyone is destined for love. Whether the love is from a soulmate or from family and friends, she believed that no one can live without it.

Even though Lillian is yet to experience that kind of love, she hopes that one day, she will find it.

She had recently graduated from college and thanks to her excellent grades, she landed a job as a trainee art teacher at the country's most prestigious private elementary academy, Blooming Hue Elementary. Lillian loved children and was really good at handling them. She used to work part-time at a daycare to pay her way through college and the Dean gave her an excellent recommendation.

It was her first day at the school and Lillian was excited to meet the children.

Suddenly, a strong wind gushed by and several dried up leaves whooshed to the ground.

"Oh!" she softly exclaimed and held up her palm. One maple leaf fell on it, making her very happy.

There was a saying in her mother's hometown that if someone caught a falling leaf during Spring before it touches the ground, that person can make one wish. After that, the wish maker must blow the leaf away and if it does not touch the ground all day, the wish will come true.

Lillian quickly closed her eyes.

"I wish I find my soulmate soon," she whispered before gently blowing on it. She then sighed and shook her head. Making wishes was childish. She knew they would not come true but it was fun.

The leaf swirled in the air, going higher and higher until Lillian could no longer see it.

"It's impossible for a leaf to fly around in the wind all day, but one can always hope!" she sighed and walked away, ready for her first day at her job.

As she walked away, the leaf she had wished upon was still floating in the air in an aimless direction. It was bounced around by the wind until it fell on the hood of a black Maybach which was speeding past the park.

Inside the car were two people. One was the chauffeur who was driving the car. The second person sat on the back seat, his cold eyes fixed on the document in his hand.

"Where did they keep him?" the man in the backseat asked.

"In the warehouse at Herard Street, sir," the chauffeur replied.

"Take me there," the man said in a steely tone. "It's time he finds out what happens when someone double crosses the Hao family."

The man's dark eyes momentarily flickered outside and he blinked. He thought he saw a familiar figure but it disappeared around the crossing.

"Is anything wrong, sir?" the chauffeur asked.

"No," the man said. "Nothing."