Maybe...This is a villian story

3

Karina, NingNing, and Giselle were lounging in the living room of Giselle's house, the late afternoon sun casting a warm glow through the large windows. The air was light, filled with the easy chatter of friends who had just finished the rollercoaster ride of high school. With a few weeks of freedom before they started their new chapter at Yu University, they were enjoying their time together, scrolling through social media and chatting about nothing in particular.

NingNing, as usual, was the first to break the silence. Her eyes widened as she suddenly sat up, phone clutched in her hand. "Guys, did you see this? Kim Jisoo... she's dead."

The room fell into an immediate hush. Karina and Giselle both turned to NingNing, the shock registering on their faces.

"Wait, what?" Karina leaned in, her brows knitting together. "What do you mean, dead?"

NingNing swallowed hard, her usually cheerful demeanour replaced by a sombre tone. "It's all over social media. Apparently... she took her own life. They found her this morning."

Giselle gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "That can't be true. Are you sure?"

NingNing nodded, her expression grim. "It's all here. The news is saying she'd been dealing with a lot, but no one knew. It's so... sudden."

Karina felt a chill run down her spine. Jisoo, the quiet girl who had once been Mark's girlfriend, now gone. "That's... awful. I can't believe it."

****

The three girls sat in stunned silence, the weight of the news sinking in. They all knew Jisoo, but not well. Mark had kept her distant from their group, never bringing her along to their hangouts or introducing her properly.

Giselle broke the silence, her voice tinged with regret. "We never really knew her, did we? I mean, she was just a classmate, but... I always thought she seemed sweet. I wish we'd reached out more, you know? Maybe if we had been better friends, something like this wouldn't have happened."

NingNing nodded slowly, her eyes downcast. "Yeah. Mark always kept her at arm's length, never really letting her join in. But she was part of his life. If we had made more of an effort... who knows? Maybe she wouldn't have felt so alone."

Karina sighed, leaning back against the sofa. "It's easy to say that now, but we didn't know. None of us did. Still... it doesn't make it any easier, does it? Knowing we might have been able to do something."

The room fell silent again, the regret hanging heavy in the air. They had always been a tight-knit group, but Jisoo had never truly been a part of that. Now, it was too late.

****

After a long pause, Karina spoke up, her voice firm. "We should go to her funeral."

NingNing and Giselle looked at her, surprised.

"We may not have been close, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't pay our respects," Karina continued. "It's the least we can do. To be there, even if it's just to show that she mattered."

Giselle nodded, her eyes sad. "You're right. We should go. It's the right thing to do."

NingNing agreed, her usual sparkle dimmed by the gravity of the situation. "Yeah. We'll go. I'll let Jeno, Mark, and Jaemin know. They should be there too."

Karina gave a small, sad smile. "Let's do it. For Jisoo."

**l**

The day of Jisoo's funeral was grey and overcast, the sky threatening rain. Karina, NingNing, and Giselle drove together in a single car, the mood sombre as they approached the funeral home. The streets were quiet, almost as if the world itself was mourning.

As they pulled up to the funeral home, they spotted Jeno's car already parked outside. Jeno, Mark, and Jaemin were leaning against the car, talking quietly among themselves. Karina parked the car, and the three girls stepped out, the heavy atmosphere pressing down on them.

They approached the boys, exchanging quiet nods in acknowledgement. The usual banter and easygoing attitude were nowhere to be found; instead, there was an uneasy silence, the reality of why they were there casting a shadow over everything.

Mark glanced at the entrance of the funeral home, his face pale. "I can't believe this is happening," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

NingNing gave him a sad look. "None of us can, Mark. But we're here now. Let's go inside."

****

As they began to walk towards the entrance, Jeno suddenly stopped, his expression shifting to one of discomfort. "I... I need to use the bathroom. I'll catch up with you guys inside."

Mark and Jaemin exchanged a glance before nodding, both of them following Jeno as he turned away from the group. Karina, NingNing, and Giselle watched them go, a sense of unease settling in.

Karina sighed softly, her gaze following them as they disappeared around the corner. "We'll wait for them. I don't think any of us should be alone right now."

NingNing nodded, her arms crossed as she glanced at the grey sky above. "Yeah, it's better to stick together."

Giselle leaned against the wall, her eyes scanning the quiet surroundings. "It feels so... surreal, doesn't it? Like, this shouldn't be happening."

Karina nodded, her mind heavy with thoughts of what could have been. "Yeah. But it is. And we're here now. Let's just... be there for each other. And for Jisoo."

They stood there in silence, waiting for the boys to return, each lost in their own thoughts. The weight of the day pressed down on them, but they knew they had to face it together.