Best Part (JENLISA)

1

September 2025

"Where is she?"

"I- I don't know, Chu! I swear she was just in her room when I checked her earlier! Where could she have gone to!?" A tall, beautiful, blonde girl said in panic as she fumbled through her phone to contact her missing bestfriend.

"It's no use, Chaeng. She's turned off her phone. Please calm down a bit. I think I might have an idea where she run off to." The girl called Chu stared off outside the windows and into a nearby hill where their other friend had been laid four years ago.

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A girl wearing hospital gown walks unsteadily towards the top of a low-lying hill where her beloved waits for her. She held the slightly painful area in her hand where she harshly pulled out the needle connected to her IV bags that she left at her room. Her steps gradually slows down as she nears her destination. She then stopped right in front of her beloved.

"Hey. It's been.. what.. four years ago huh. Can you believe that? Me, I can't believe we're still meeting each other like this after four years." She looked at her surroundings and take in the beautiful scenery around her. Its exactly as what she had said to her when she first told her how she wants her resting place to look like.

"You see, I didn't forget what you said to me back then. Now that I think about it, you still find me annoying that time, right?" The girl let out a chuckle before saying, "I remember you said you wanted to be one with nature. You wanted to finally rest in a place where anyone who wants to see you can even have a picnic. Sorry if I smacked you that time-" she paused for a moment just as a series of heavy cough began taking over. She clutched her stomach as her limbs felt numb again and she stumbled down onto the grassy soil.

"I..think..we'll be..be able to see each other again soon.." she mumbled in her slowing breath as she loses consciousness.

Loud shouts can be heard in the distance as the two girls, Jisoo and Chaeng rush to their collapsed friend in front of her beloved's grave.

"Chaeng, check her pulse immediately! There's no time to waste!" Jisoo ordered the blonde girl to which she complied right away.

Upon checking the pulse, the blonde girl's eyes widen in fear, she shakes her head in panic, "No..no..no.." she mutters.

"What is it, chaeng? What happened to her?"

Chaeng raised her head with eyes now filled with hot tears escaping and freely streaming down her cheeks. The usually level-headed one between the two, Jisoo, take this as a bad sign and finally breaks down her walls, "Let's get her to the hospital! Quick!"

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August 2021 (~4 years ago)

Its a new beginning for a new semester of a new academic year.  The month of August signals the start of another grueling year for the entire student body of Seoul University but for Jennie Ruby Jane Kim, it means so much more. She's finally in her senior year and hopefully she makes it to her graduation well and healthy.

JENNIE POV

"Jennieeeeeeeee!!!"

I heard a screeching voice, nah, its just a high-pitched voice really, coming from behind me so I turned back and there I saw my bestfriend Roseanne Park or Chaeng running towards me with a big smile on her face.

Chaeng and I met in high school where we hit it off right away. We were both bubbly, energetic, and extremely extrovert to the very sense of the word. We've been together ever since, however, we're not taking the same course in college. She's taking architecture while I'm a vocal performance major.

"Hey, Chaeng!! What's with you? Why so loud in the morning?"

"Aish, I have good news to tell you! Come here!" She replied giddily and dragged me to a corner near the lockers.

"What is this good news you're talking about?" I asked out of pure curiosity. I see she's too excited for this I wonder what could it be that makes my best friend squeal like this.

"I'm going with Jisoo to our university year-starter party!!" She clapped her hands like a little kid, her eyes even sparkled I can already tell she's daydreaming what to do with her long time crush since freshman year. Kim Jisoo is an engineering major who is also part of the school's women's volleyball team. Chaeng first met her when their cheerleading squad back in freshman year went to cheer for Jisoo's team during an inter-school tournament. Both of them have been promoted to captain positions in their respective teams this year.

"I'm glad for you, Chaeng!! Your time to seduce your crush has finally come!" I joked and burst out laughing in front of her.

She raised one hand as if to say 'stop' so it made me pause and give her a questioning look. I raised a brow to probe her what's going on here until she spoke again, "I'm not done yet, Jen. There's more, you silly!" She ticked my forehead softly so I put on a more serious expression this time.

"What's it got to do with me then?"

"Didn't you know Jisoo is Lisa Manoban's friend and former high school classmate? That means they must be pretty close!"

Of course, I know. Silly. How could I even forget that?

"Oh, really? Ah, I- I didn't know that. But, so what if they're friends?"

"Aish, Jennie!! Its unbelievable how you can frustrate me this eary in the morning!! You definitely have to treat me to snacks later, girl! I'm trying to help out here! Didn't you just tell me yesterday you want to be closer to Jongin because you like him so much you dont want to stand around and do nothing because its your last year here?!"

Ah, yeah. I remember I told Chaeng I have feelings for Jongin and I want to make a move this time and get him to notice me.

"Okay, continue." I urge her to say more.

"Well, newsflash! Lisa and Jongin are cousins. So I could ask Jisoo to maybe ask Lisa if her cousin Jongin already has a date for the party. I mean, who knows? Maybe he doesn't have one yet, you should definitely go for it! I can even ask Jisoo if Lisa can help you with her cousin."

"You think so?"

"Of course, Lisa may not be the same anymore and its really unfortunate she gave up dancing after her accident but I think she's already moved on from that.  I'm sure she'd lend you a helping hand. Don't worry!" She winked at me before she checked her phone and hissed, "I'm late!!"  She looked up at me and formed an apologetic smile whilst clasping both hands together, "Jen, I'm sorry! I have to go I'm already late for my drafting class. See ya later!" She waved goodbye at me and I waved back as she ran to the other side and completely disappeared at a corner.

When she was out of sight, I proceed to walk to the practice rooms so I could rehearse my piece for later's evaluation recital. In this program, we can easily be kicked out if we dont reach their high standards in vocals. That fuels and motivate us to practice hard as much as we can. I try to organize my thoughts in my head while on my way to the practice room and carefully laid out my plan on how to get closer to the person I like.

Inside the room, I grabbed my guitar and started to sing my chosen song, "Best Part". I'm already in the middle of the song, strumming my guitar softly, and singing my heart out when I felt a presence behind my back. I opened my eyes when I finished the song and slowly turned around to face the door. And there I saw is an extremely familiar figure leaning against the door and staring at me with her creased eyebrows and pursed lips. I'm not sure if she had been there at the start of the song and it bothers me that I can't tell if she liked my performance or not because she makes it hard to read her expression.

She looked at me for few more seconds before she leaned away from the door and walked away as if nothing happened.

What just happened? My brain stopped functioning for a moment until I was snapped out of it by my guitar that made a loud thud against the floor. I didn't even realize it slipped through my hands because I was too busy processing everything. It all happened too fast.

Was that really THE Lalisa Manoban who just watched me perform?