






Lala sat by the window, staring outside at the gray sky. Her tiny shoulders were slumped, and her big round eyes looked dull. She had been feeling down lately. Everything had seemed too much—schoolwork, chores at home, even her favorite cartoons didn’t make her smile anymore. Lala wasn’t sure what was wrong, but she felt like a balloon slowly losing its air. She missed the days when laughter came easily and her heart felt light.
Mom noticed. She gently asked, “Lala, are you okay?”
Lala gave a small nod but didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to worry Mom. Still, Mom’s eyes looked concerned, and that made Lala feel even worse. She didn’t want to be a burden. She just wanted to feel better, to feel like herself again.
That evening, as Lala sat quietly in her room, she heard familiar footsteps rushing up the stairs. It was Bon and Ni—her two best friends and next-door neighbors. They burst through the door with their usual cheerful energy.
“Lala!” Bon called out, waving a bag of snacks in one hand. “We brought cookies!”
“And my coloring set!” Ni added with a big grin. “We’re here to hang out with you!”
Lala blinked, surprised. “But… I didn’t call you guys.”
“We know,” Bon said, plopping down beside her. “Your mom told us you’ve been feeling sad. We figured you needed some company.”
At first, Lala hesitated. She didn’t want to drag them into her gloomy mood. But Ni handed her a cookie, and Bon started making funny faces, and before she knew it, she giggled. It was small, but real.







“There it is!” Ni cheered. “The famous Lala giggle!”
That evening turned out to be the first spark of light Lala had felt in days. They sat on her floor surrounded by coloring books, plush toys, and chocolate crumbs. Bon told wild stories about a superhero dog who saved a city made of cheese, and Ni drew funny cartoons of the three of them riding a rainbow into space.
Lala laughed until her stomach hurt.
As the days went by, Bon and Ni made it their mission to stay close to Lala. They came over after school, invited her to the park, helped her with homework, and simply sat with her when she didn’t feel like talking.
When Lala had a hard day at school, Bon would say, “Tell us what happened. We’re all ears.” Ni would nod and add, “And we’ve got hugs ready when you need them.”
Their presence made all the difference. Lala began to open up, slowly at first. She told them how overwhelmed she had been feeling, how everything seemed too heavy. She talked about the pressure she felt to do well, to make everyone happy, and how it sometimes made her feel lost.
Bon reached out and held her hand. “Lala, you don’t have to do everything perfectly. We love you just as you are.”
“And we’re here,” Ni said softly. “Always. Even on the sad days.”
That moment brought tears to Lala’s eyes—not of sadness, but of relief. She didn’t realize how much she had been holding inside. She squeezed their hands and smiled, her heart full.






With Bon and Ni by her side, things slowly got better. Lala began to feel hopeful again. She smiled more often, laughed more freely, and even started enjoying her old hobbies again—drawing, dancing in her room, and helping her mom in the kitchen.
One sunny afternoon, the trio decided to make a “Happiness Garden” in Lala’s backyard. They found empty flower pots, painted them with silly designs, and planted colorful flowers. Lala named one pot “Hope,” another “Joy,” and another “Strength.”
“This one,” Lala said, pointing to a pot painted with three smiling faces, “is called Friendship.”
They all laughed and high-fived.
That garden became their little safe space. They watered it every day, sat beside it to chat, and watched the flowers grow—just like Lala’s heart was growing stronger and more joyful each day.
One weekend, they built a small wooden sign that read: “Lala’s Garden of Light—Where Love Grows.”
It made Lala feel proud. She wasn’t just surviving anymore—she was thriving, thanks to the warmth and support of her friends.
Her mom noticed the change. One evening, she hugged Lala and said, “You look brighter these days. Happier.”
Lala smiled. “Bon and Ni helped me. They were here when I needed them most.”
Mom nodded, eyes misty. “That’s what true friends do. I’m glad you have each other.”
Eventually, Lala started helping others too. When she saw a classmate looking lonely, she invited them to join their group. When someone was having a bad day, she shared her snacks and a kind word. Her heart, once heavy, now overflowed with empathy and kindness

One night, the three friends sat beneath the stars, wrapped in a blanket, sipping hot cocoa.
“Remember when you thought you’d never smile again?” Bon asked.
Lala nodded. “I do. But now I smile every day. Because I know I’m not alone.”
Ni raised her cup. “To friendship!”
Lala and Bon clinked their cups against hers. “To love and laughter!”
That moment felt perfect—simple, warm, and full of gratitude. Lala knew life wouldn’t always be easy, but with Bon and Ni by her side, she could face anything. Together, they had turned darkness into light and sadness into strength.
And from that day on, Lala carried a little spark of optimism in her heart, lit by the love of her dearest friends.
The End.