When I was twelve, my parents died in a plane crash and our family went bankrupt. Since then, we have been hounded by creditors.
The relatives who had benefited so much from my parents in the past suddenly vanished—hiding when they could, avoiding us at all costs. Not a single person offered a helping hand.
Only Julian, my brother's high school buddy and roommate, took us in.
From that day on, they've been the best of friends.
Later, my brother decided to go abroad—partly to escape the debt collectors and partly to seek new opportunities.
When he hesitated about leaving me behind, Julian patted his chest and said, "Just go. Your sister is my sister—I’ll take care of her."
Julian treated me so well, handling everything for me. Rain or shine, he drove me to and from school without fail.
His friends would joke that he was raising a little wife, but he'd laugh and playfully kick them.
Initially, I didn't think much of their teasing. Still, after the debt incident in high school, I started paying close attention to Julian's reactions whenever I heard those jokes.
It wasn't until Julian got a girlfriend that our joke finally stopped.
At the same time, I began to distance myself from Julian.