Song suggestion: E.R.-DMTN (Dalmation)

-7 Years Ago-

"RUN!" The women let out a blood curdling scream. The little girl was small so she managed to climb out of the flipped car, but her parents were still stuck inside, absolutely helpless.

With a blank expression, the girl continued to stand there, making no movement. A bloody mess, tears started to run from her eyes as the accident replayed over and over again in her mind.

"Go get help!" The mother cried hysterically, just barely yelling the coherent words at her daughter.

The father in the car was the bloodiest and most injured of the three. He continually slipped in and out of conciousness before he took his last breath.

The police and ambulance arrived after a crowd full of people had gathered around to see what was going on. A crew carefully started to disassemble the car piece by piece, then they pulled the two bodies out of the car into separate ambulances. A worker had already taken the girl in another ambulance.

"You're going to have to watch the 10 year old girl in room 2056. She hasn't said a word to anyone yet. No one else can attend to her since they're busy and I have to get going into an operation. Her father died on impact from the crash and her mother's still receiving surgery right now. It's amazing how she didn't suffer any major injuries, just some broken bones here and there. Her parents apparantly shielded her from impact. The doctors think she might be in a dysfunctional mental state right now because she has not spoken. Fetch some info from her."

The words lingered in Nurse Jung's mind. How the hell was he supposed to talk to a child who had just encountered a near-death experience? His daughter Eunji was the same age as the girl, and he couldn't even imagine what was going through her mind.

He walked into room 2056 and pulled a chair next to the girl's bed. She was looking out of the window with a faraway look in her eyes. She ignored the presence of the stranger in her room.

"Hey kid, you feeling okay? What's your name?"

The girl stiffly turned her head towards Nurse Jung, staring at him with no expression whatsoever. Should she trust the stranger?

She got up, struggling due to her broken leg, and rejected any help from the nurse. She hobbled down the hall over to the receptionist desk and grabbed a bunch of papers and a pen. Nurse Jung watched her as she made her way back into the room.

Getting back into bed, she grabbed the side table attached to the bed and snapped it in place in front of her. She quickly scribbled onto a sheet of paper.

"박초롱"

[Park Chorong]

Everyday, Park Chorong and Nurse Jung became closer and closer. She opened up her heart little by little to the man, who had been comforting her over the loss of her father. Her mother's surgery was successful, but she was still recovering and was unable to receive any visitors due to her sensitive condition.

Concerned over her lack of a social life, he brought his daughter Eunji over one day, hoping they would get along.

A little ball of energy, Eunji excitedly hugged Chorong and spoke proudly in her Busan dialect, just like Nurse Jung.

"My dad said you're the same age as me, 10 years old! We can just use banmal since we're same age friends right?"

Chorong was not used to meeting someone so open. She couldn't even begin to write before Eunji carried on the conversation by herself.

"Awww, come on, say something!" Nurse Jung slapped himself at his daughter's impatience.

Chorong didn't seem to mind that much though. She was genuinely smiling for the first time in a long time. The warmth that Eunji gave her at their first meeting put her at ease. She's someone I can trust...

"Eunji-ah, Chorong can't speak, she's mute."

"She's mute?! Why didn't you tell me earlier? Making people embarrased."

Chorong smiled at the father-daughter exchange. Her heart ached knowing she wouldn't be able to have a good old conversation like that anymore. 

Curious, Eunji asked all about what happened to Chorong. Chorong scribbled her life story as fast as she could, trying to keep up her pace with Eunji's questions.

"Eunji-ah, don't spit out so many questions at once. You're like a broken hose or something."

"But she's writing so fast appa!"

Chorong finally managed to finish writing down most of her story and handed the paper over to Eunji. Before she even read the paper, Eunji sighed. 

"Your handwriting's really pretty. My handwriting is too boyish. Ah, maybe I should get you one of those huge notebooks we use for art at school! The papers are huge and there are a lot of them so you wouldn't have to have papers flying everywhere! Dad, we should go buy one with mom for Chorong!" Nurse Jung nodded and she finally turned her attention back to Chorong's paper.

I was born mute. I hate going to school since kids always like to tease me, but I like learning, odd enough. My mom and dad were driving me from Hapkido lessons when another car hit us. I got out of the car but mommy and daddy were stuck inside. I wanted to scream so loudly, but I couldn't even say a word. It drove me crazy. The doctors told me appa died in the accident, but mom's still alive! She'll still be with me so I won't be alone in the world... Now I have a real friend too.  And I thank your dad for helping me to rehabilitate as well... Everyone else thinks I'm a weird little kid. 

Eunji finished reading and felt pity for Chorong. Reading her reaction like a book, Chorong wrote, "No need to pity me, some people have lives even worse than mine. Those who die of hunger, those who were abandoned at birth, etc."

At her quick words, Eunji smiled softly and nodded.

"Chorong-ah, great news!" A week had passed, and Nurse Jung had finally been given the green light to let Chorong visit her mom. 

Chorong's eyes widened at the news and she quickly grabbed the new notebook Eunji had gifted her, along with a cute pen. She hobbled along the halls of the hospital, hand in hand with Nurse Jung. She was excited to talk to her mom, knowing how ecstatic she would be knowing her daughter finally got a best friend. 

Before they entered, Nurse Jung slid the door open to see if Chorong's mother was sleeping or busy. He let go of Chorong's hand and didn't say a word.

Chorong tapped his back and pushed a paper in front of his face.

"Can we go in now?" Impatient, she dashed into the room.

"Chorong-ah, don't go in!" 

He tried pulling Chorong back, but it was too late. Chorong stumbled backwards in disbelief. She turned around and hugged Nurse Jung in horror. 

A thick, gruesome dark red dripped from the multiple slits Chorong's mom made on her wrists. The blood-stained pocket knife was right in the middle of the puddle of blood that had formed. The wires that monitored her heart beat had been disconnected, allowing no one to be alerted of her condition. It was definitely suicide.

"DOCTOR NEEDED, STAT. ROOM 1021" Nurse Jung yelled the protocol and carried the crying child back to her room.

"We found two letters next to her bedside. One's just a suicide note and the other's for her daughter. What a crazy ..." The doctor turned away from Nurse Jung and left the two notes in his hand.

Chorong had cried herself to sleep, hanging onto the thin belief her mother would magically be alive by the time she woke up.

Nurse Jungshook his head and first read the suicide note.

I can't take it. A world without him is nothing. It can't go on. I know it's wrong, leaving my daughter, but I trust whoever finds this must place her in good hands. Call me a crazy, selfish of a mom but YOU don't know me. I can't live without him by my side. I'm sorry...

He sighed in disbelief and cursed under his breath. How could anyone leave their child behind if they had a choice to stay? Especially when she's already felt so much hurt and pain. It was not fair.

Chorong-ah, you're mad at mom for leaving you huh? Don't worry, I know you'll grow up well for me and daddy, right? Make sure to take care of yourself, please. I know you probably hate me right now, but omma had no other choice. I must join appa up there as well. It's hell living on earth. I love you... and... I'm sorry... Omma's a bad person huh?

Nurse Jung noticed a couple of wrinkly dots on this sheet, and he knew Chorong's mother cried while writing the letter. She even left bank account numbers on the bottom of the note to Chorong. 

"Like leaving her money makes a difference..." he muttered.

Chorong woke up and silently slid the door to her room open and watched Nurse Jung. "Ahjusshi? What happened?" She held out the paper with a tear stained face. Nurse Jung thought for a while, and decided it was rightful to hand the paper to Chorong. It was her possession anyways. She slowly unfolded the note and cried while reading.

Eunji walked over with her mom, oblivious to the atmosphere. "Appa, we're here! Mom came today too!" She eyed Chorong who was still sobbing. "What's wrong Chorong?"

Chorong felt frustrated. She wanted to yell and scream, loud enough for the entire world to hear, but she couldn't. She would talk to either mom or dad when she felt like this, but now both were gone. Enraged, she threw down her crutches with a loud bang. How could mom leave me so easily? Why? Maybe... she didn't love me enough?

A/N: Woohoo managed to write the first chapter! It will most likely change into the present the next chapter, but at the end. This is just basically setting up the basic information. Hope you enjoyed and subscribed! ;P