A New Start and a New Plan

Grace finally decided to make a change in her life. With her baby in tow, she went job hunting, eventually landing a position at a grocery store. Though the pay wasn't much—just 3,000 yuan a month—she felt a sense of accomplishment she hadn't felt in years.

Felix noticed the change immediately. "You're working now?" he asked one evening, a rare hint of warmth in his voice.

Grace smiled shyly. "Yeah, I figured it was time I did something."

Felix's lips twitched into a small smile. "Good. It's about time."

For the first time in a long while, Felix felt a small weight lift off his shoulders. Knowing Grace was taking steps to help the family gave him a sense of relief, though his work continued as grueling as ever.

Meanwhile, Lisa and her friends were gathered at Pharita's house for a weekend hangout. The house was enormous, with a grand entrance, sparkling chandeliers, and a spacious compound that seemed to stretch endlessly.

"Welcome, ladies, to my little castle!" Pharita said with a grin, opening the grand door.

"Little castle?" Lisa said, her eyes wide. "This place is huge!"

Pharita laughed. "It's just home to me. Come on, let's go inside."

The girls explored the mansion, admiring the décor and marveling at its size. They eventually gathered in Pharita's entertainment room, where a sound system and a massive TV dominated the space.

Sakura, with her usual playful energy, turned on a song by Blackpink—"Ddu-Du Ddu-Du".

As the beat dropped, the girls couldn't help but sing along, their voices blending with surprising harmony. Lisa, however, stayed silent, amazed at her friends' vocal talents.

When the song ended, Ratna turned to Lisa. "Why didn't you sing?"

Lisa hesitated before saying, "I… I didn't know you all could sing so well. You're amazing!"

Chelsea laughed. "Of course we can! We've been doing this forever. What about you? Do you sing?"

Lisa nodded. "Yes, I do."

Rani's eyes lit up. "Let's do something bigger, then. How about we all enter the school singing competition?"

Pharita clapped her hands. "That's a great idea! But how will we divide the parts?"

Lisa, already brainstorming, stepped forward. "I can help with that," she said confidently.

Lisa looked at the group, assigning parts based on their strengths.

"Pharita and Chelsea, you'll take Jennie's rap parts," Lisa began.

"Me? Rap?" Chelsea asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, you can do it," Lisa reassured her.

Lisa continued. "Rani, you'll take Jisoo's first verse. Sakura, you'll handle Rosé's first verse. Iris and Ratna, you two will take Jennie's first verse together. And I'll take Lisa's parts."

The group exchanged glances and nodded.

"That actually sounds perfect," Rani said, smiling.

Sakura jumped to her feet. "Let's start practicing!"

The room filled with laughter and energy as the girls began rehearsing. They sang, danced, and corrected each other, their excitement growing with every beat.

By the end of the day, the group felt more connected than ever. Lisa was slowly realizing how much her friends had become a part of her life.

"Maybe," Lisa thought, "we really do have a chance at winning this competition."

The girls left Pharita's mansion with a newfound determination, ready to showcase their talents to the world.