what is difference between having quote and not having quote in json string

Question

Got a string with key/value pair and some one in it having quote (the quote should be kept as part of the string). Would like to parse the key/value pair into a map. So use JSONObject(inputString) to construct a JSONObject from source string, then build the map from it.

(using org.json.JSONObject with Android api 31)

String theStr = "{
     mKey1:mVal1,
     mKey2:\"mVal2\",
     \"mKey3\":\"mVal3\"}";

after call the val map = jsonStrToMap(theStr) to generate the map from the string, the quote is lost at calling

val jObject = JSONObject(inputString) to covert to the JSONObject.

The trace log:

inputString: ({mKey1:mVal1,mKey2:"mVal2","mKey3":"mVal3"}),
jObject = JSONObject(inputString) => {"mKey1":"mVal1","mKey2":"mVal2","mKey3":"mVal3"}
+++ jObject.getString(mKey1) ==> mVal1 
+++ jObject.getString(mKey2) ==> mVal2 
+++ jObject.getString(mKey3) ==> mVal3 
return map: {mKey3=mVal3, mKey2=mVal2, mKey1=mVal1}

the function using the JSONObject:

fun jsonStrToMap(inputString: String?): HashMap<String, String> {
    val map = HashMap<String, String>()
    
    try {
        val jObject = JSONObject(inputString)
        
        System.out.println("\ninputString: ($inputString),\njObject = JSONObject(inputString) => $jObject")
        
        val keys = jObject.keys()
        while (keys.hasNext()) {
            val key = keys.next()
            val value = jObject.getString(key)
            
            System.out.println("+++ jObject.getString($key) ==> $value ")

            map[key] = value
        }
    } catch (e: Exception) { }
    return map
        .also {
            System.out.println("return map: $it")
        }
}

Question: How to keep the quote with the string when using JSONObject(inputString)