There was a girl who knew everything, who was curious about everything around her, and who wanted to learn everything. She knew a little bit about the world and always had vibrant energy, radiating joy. Many people didn’t really live, but the events that happened to her would bring everyone together.
Her mother hadn’t been able to get an education because of her family, and her father couldn’t find a good job because of the city they lived in. The place they lived was constantly being taken over by elderly people, so Narin had no friends. She would walk an hour to school, and sometimes the elderly would joke, “How can this girl still be so happy…?”
But the answer was simple: her little friend, Joy, gave her all her energy and happiness—that’s why her name was Joy. Narin believed she could overcome anything with her little dog. That belief lasted until that day. She experienced such pain that she knew very well she would never recover. She didn’t even try to get over it; it was as if she didn’t want to forget… her mother’s death.
Her mother was everything to her—her world, her friend. Losing her shook Narin so deeply that there was no trace of the old Narin left. She no longer spread joy or smiled. Life was now pitch black and lonely for her; even Joy couldn’t make her feel better anymore.
Two years passed, and Narin slowly began trying to heal herself, and it seemed she was succeeding. As she recovered, she found herself drawn to one place—the window in her room. Looking out from there, she felt like she found herself again. Her heart filled with peace; she forgot everything and lost herself in that energy. But when she returned to the real world, sadness filled her once more.
One night, she finished reading her book, and it was already 2 a.m. Before going to bed, she went to her window one last time, sat down, and closed her eyes. But this time, she felt different. Yes, she was happy—but something was off.
When she opened her eyes, a strange light began to fill the room through the window. She wasn’t afraid. Looking closer, she saw a face in the light, as if she were dreaming. She leaned in even more, and the face became familiar—it was her mother. She looked at her sadly.
Narin couldn’t say anything; she was completely frozen in place. Before leaving, her mother said, “I don’t want your life to end because of me. Yes, my life ended, but yours must continue. I want you to be the old Narin again. Promise me.”
The only word that came out of Narin’s mouth was “yes.”
The light slowly faded, and as Narin got into bed, she swore that she would be a completely different person the next morning—and she was. The old Narin had returned. Everyone in the neighborhood, even her father, admired her, wondering what had happened overnight. But it remained a secret—one that would stay with Narin for the rest of her life.