•Gunita•

Chapter 1: She's here

(Revised)

[ You're in a call ] - this means that a character is talking from the phone.

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     ' Memories last for a lifetime '

     Jae is a typical 20-year-old college student with a splash of crippling depression. A burnout overachiever who had to kill her dreams to be more practical in life. Contrary to her lovely-sounding name, Jae wasn't bright in any aspect, she hated everyone, especially herself. 

It was extremely suspicious how the world never let things go her way and yet it also wouldn't let her go so easily, with each attempt coming with greater regret she couldn't escape. 

Her phone vibrates, but she never puts in silent or sound; Considering her mother's nagging always ruins her mood. She scowls upon seeing the caller ID, think of the devil and it shall appear. Begrudgingly enough, she needed to answer this.

"Hello," Jae greets. Short and precise like how her mother drilled these manners into her head.

Her mother didn't say anything useful as usual, just the same, ' When will you graduate?'  'Are you already seeing someone?'  ' You need to find a husband soon, I'm not getting any younger'  or ' You need to stop with this nonsense depression of yours, during my days, we never suffered from such things! today's generation is too lazy! '. 

Jae sometimes wondered if her mother was just repeating everything because she has nothing better to do other than gambling and sharing gossip. 

"[ You know I'm only saying these because mom loves you, right?]  "

Ah, there she goes again.

" [ You know I'm only worried for you, you haven't been visiting me either. it feels like you're abandoning me in this place, you probably don't care about mom anymore. ] " 

" Yes I know mom, I'm sorry, I'll be visiting this weekend. " She felt like an automated telephone machine that spoke nothing but empty words.  Her mother bid goodbye, of course, not without making her feel guilty and responsible for her crazy gambling addiction.

Jae feels more tired than usual, eyes barely open with dark circles, face almost sunken lowly if not for the good lighting this place had. She pocketed the phone and opened a can of beer. Grimacing at the bitter-sweet taste it had.

" Why did I even get this, " she groaned in annoyance, throwing away the drink without hesitation. 

I'm going to sleep in tomorrow. She thought.

Her schedule for the next three days was already all planned out inside her head, opting to stay at home and binge-watch some lectures or just laze around. 

When Jae tends to focus and get lost in her thoughts, her awareness of her surroundings vanishes like her dad who said he was just gonna get milk. Therefore, she was completely unaware when a soccer ball was whirling wildly in her direction, successfully hitting her in the head with a crack. 

Jae loses her balance, stumbling into the park's stone stairs, and falling back to the edge of the fountain. Her head makes harsh contact with the edge, rendering her from moving her limbs or even yelling out for help.

Her vision was getting spotty with all the blood trickling down her face, eyelids feeling heavy and bothersome to keep open. 

Jaes' POV