[C] Time's Running Out || p.jm

4

The moment I entered my class with Rose and Jisoo beside me, everyone stared at me as if I were a total stranger. I went to my seat, while Rose and Jisoo took their places in the front row.

Some of my classmates looked at me with puzzled expressions. I covered my face with my hands, trying to calm my breathing. Wow, this is cringe-worthy, I thought.

"Are you okay?" Suga asked from beside me, startling me a bit.

"Y-yeah... okay. Just tired," I replied, noticing how beautiful and attractive his eyes were.

"Where have you been...? I thought Blackpink was helping you. You know, you don't have to stand up for me. It'll just burden you more. And you even skipped class, so I was worried you might have had a mental breakdown or something," he confessed, clearly worried.

I put on a wry yet cheerful smile to reassure him. "They helped me A LOT. Seriously, they even gave me a makeover. Now I feel guilty for being a burden to them," I sighed.

"Ahhh, that's a relief. Oh, I see you got yourself a group," he said, surprised.

"Yeah, Blackpink. They're so nice, right?" I remembered how they stood up for me earlier at the café.

"Sure they are. Jennie's my sister, and of course, she'd help you since you're my friend too."

"Oh! I didn't know that."

"Lol, I'm not expecting you to know that since you're still new. By the way, you look beautiful," Suga complimented, making me blush.

"A-ah... thanks..." Then we both fell silent, unsure of what to say next. Well, this is awkward.

"Ahhhhh!!!!!" a girl screamed in horror, making my ears ring. Oh my god, she has a piercing voice. Everyone noticed and rushed out of the class to see what was happening. I followed the crowd.

To my horror, a girl lay in front of a locker, blood covering her school uniform. I covered my mouth with my hand and stepped back from the gruesome scene. The locker was open, blood smeared on its walls and pooling on the floor.

From what I saw, the girl had been killed inside the locker. The locker was long enough to fit a human body, and the evidence was clear. Why is this happening?

Suddenly, I saw a black figure standing near the girl. As I looked closer, I realized it was the dead girl's soul. She looked frightened, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her hair was a mess, and strangely, there was no blood on her spirit. Of course, there wouldn't be.

"Soeun, this is your first clue. Save me, save us, and save yourself. I don't have much time. Don't worry, you're on the right path," the spirit said, suddenly appearing in front of me.

"What about the killer's face? Did you see it?" I asked, feeling anxious and curious.

"No, I can't. All I remember is... a rose... a tattoo of a rose... His name is Mr. Rosé! Find him..." The spirit faded away just as Suga put a hand on my shoulder.

I almost freaked out and quickly turned to him. He looked worried and determined.

"W-What..." I began, gesturing to the lifeless body on the floor. Two paramedics arrived with a stretcher and carefully lifted the body.

An instinct told me there was another clue. I couldn't let this opportunity slip away. My heart took over as I made my way to the dead girl on the stretcher.

Everyone was surprised by my actions as I pushed through the crowd. I noticed a deep cut on her neck, just under her chin. Curiosity took over as I lifted her head and traced my fingers behind her neck.