Fix me, please?

Chapter 4 : The one who actually cares

"Ouch" Rona muttered as she dragged herself inside her house. She looked around to see that the lights were off again. "What is mom up to these days? She's rarely home..." She switched on the lights and stumbled towards the couch. She sat down and placed her bag down beside her and heaved a deep sigh. Her whole body ached because of the whole incident with Jenny in the morning. Due to the way she had been shoved and pushed, there were many sore spots on her body. "Who even put all those things in my bag?" Rona buried her face in her small hands. "Why are so many people after my life when I just joined a month back?" A tear slid down her face. "I'm human, too." 

Her gaze fell on a particular photo frame that rested on the coffee table in front of her. She reached for it and sat back, staring at the two girls in the frame. It was an old picture that she had taken with Seol A on Seol A's b'day. It hadn't been a grand party. Rona had simply baked a cake for her and had visited her apartment at midnight. Seol A had opened the door and her mouth had hung open. "Bae Rona? Wh-what are you doing here?" Rona hadn't said anything that day but she had seen the cuts on Seol A's face and knees and god knows where else she had gotten hurt. It hadn't seemed like she had got hurt by herself. Rona knew Seol A was going through a hard time and she had always made it clear to her friend that she was there for her, but Seol A had never once told her about what was going on in her life. Rona had respected her wish. Flashing her brightest smile, she had held up the cake with lit candles sitting on top of it, "Seol a-ya~ HAPPY B'DAY!" Her cheerful voice filled Seol a's quiet and cold apartment as she barged in and made herself comfortable. That night Rona had seen Seol a have the brightest smile and the loudest laugh for the first time in her life. "Thank you, rona-ya. This really made my day." Rona had smiled softly and pulled her into her arms. "You need to make me just as happy on my b'day okay? You know I don't have any other friends except you." Hearing Seol a laugh to her blunt request had brought another smile on Rona's face. Seol a had patted her back and tightening the hug, she had said- "Of course! You should look forward to your b'day. I plan to make you the happiest person alive on that day."

Brushing her fingers against the photograph, another tear slipped down Rona's face. "Why didn't you keep your promise? You said you would make me the happiest person. Why did you leave me alone, then? Was it that hard to hold on and talk to me, Seol a-ya? Was it?" She hugged the photo frame, tears streaming down her face. "I made some new friends in Cheong A. They are twins - Seokkyung and Seokhoon. They really treat me well despite the fact that I don't come from a rich background. I wonder why y'all never became friends while you were in Cheong A." A smile spread on her face again. "They would've treated you so well had you guys become friends."

(2 hours later)

Yoon hee quietly stepped inside, making her steps as light as possible. She saw Rona sleeping on the couch, hugging a photo frame tightly. "Rona-ya..." She walked up to her daughter and kneeled down beside the couch and took a good look at her daughter. She wiped the tears off her face and slowly took the photo frame from her grasp and looked at it. "You miss her, don't you?" She whispered placing the photo frame aside. Caressing Rona's wet cheeks, Yoon hee leaned in and pecked her forehead. "My dear daughter, I hope you find your happiness soon. I hope you don't need to fake a smile anymore and stop pretending like you are okay. I miss your pure smile." She stood up and brought a light pink blanket and covered Rona's small body with it. "Seol a's first and last gift to you...I think this is the only thing that can comfort you right now." She finally noticed the band-aid on Rona's forehead. "Rona-ya, give me just a little more time. With the help of Suryeon Unnie, I will make sure to punish all those people who hurt you. Just a little while longer..."

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Rona woke up with a huge yawn on top of the couch. "What the-" She looked at the clock that was striking 11 am. "Did I sleep here the whole night?" She saw the familiar blanket on top of her. "Oh?" She smiled. "I guess mom does come home. Gazing at the photo frame standing on the coffee table, she smiled. "Min seola, thank you for giving me company last night!" She said hugging the blanket. She pulled herself out of the couch and walked up to the dining table and came across a note stuck on top of a pot full of kimchi stew. 'My lovely daughter, you seemed tired so I didn't wake you up. Since it's a Saturday, get some rest and enjoy your day! Mom loves you~' The note read.