𝙒𝙄𝙉𝙂𝙎.

CH. XXXIII

"You've grown so much," the older woman mumbles, twirling Yona's hair while glancing in between the soft material and her daughter's even softer brown eyes.

Lightly shaking her head, a pain-filled sigh leaves her dry mouth. She says almost below a whisper, "I'm so sorry for being a bad mother. You would've deserved someone who takes good care of you."

"I will never forgive myself for letting you go through all these terrible incidents," her mother continues, a single, stray tear falling down like the rain does outside.

Wiping the salty tears out of her face, she adds with a sad smile, "I hope, no, I pray that you'll find someone who teaches you all the important lessons in life. A person who motivates you, someone who helps you through your hardships, just someone who is by your side when nobody is."

"Because, my precious Nana, everything you went through in your small world is too much to handle." Bobbing her head to the side, she allows the upcoming tears to spill down her beautiful, yet bruised, face. "But I know, deep inside, that you'll find somebody who's going to love you as much as you love them. It doesn't matter when, because time is just an illusion."

"And the first step is to finally let go of this place, in which the worst things a small, little girl like you can see happened."

Yona sees those gravity-drawn shoulders painting a picture of her mother's heart, as if neither it nor her soul would welcome a beat.

She recognizes it in her mother's eyes that her brain has built some new walls, which are simply so lonely on the other side.

Her lower lip quivers as words slowly make their way out of her mouth. "W-What do you mean?"

"I mean," she declares, yet is followed with a long sigh. "That it's the right and probably only time for you to leave this place. For you, just for you."

"B-But I don't want to go!" the small girl disagrees, excessively shaking her head as silvery tears build up at the corners of her eyes. "I-I want to stay here, with you and—"

"It's not good for you to stay here!" her mother raises her voice, causing Ahri to flinch in fear. "Look! You're so traumatized by all these incidents that the smallest things scare you!"

The tears flow down her face, downwards her chin and make a tapping sound as it arrives at her clothes. "You're going to build peace in yourself if you leave all of us behind. I need you to stay strong, okay?"

"Please remember, whatever happens, nothing and nobody can bring you down! This world is filled with cruelty, and I know that people will try to take advantage of your pure heart, but you just got to spit the blood out, attacking them with your successful future, which is represented by your sweat. Tears will lead the way, yet it's always worth it in the end," her mother states, smiling to encourage her. "When you're surrounded with people who love you, everything feels at ease."

"Why can't I be surrounded by you, then? You love me, right? Why can't you stay beside me, then? Why do you want to leave me so bad?" Many sobs escape the kid's mouth, straight up yelling at her mother in utter frustration and desperation. "Or do you believe what the others say about me?"

"Of course I don't!" She quickly states, eyes stretching wide. "Please understand that this place is not good for you." Her mother adds in a smaller voice, "That I'm not good for you..."