Two weeks after the final shooting, Karina called the younger one to see if they could hang out together. That's brave of Karina, but she's not every time Winter tried to recall back what she said inside the phone call earlier that morning.

"H-Hi!"

"Hi back to you?" Winter chuckled, hearing the older actress stuttering. "Surprise to see you calling. What's the matter? Miss me already?" Winter tried to tease the older actress but Karina's next words surprised her even more.

"Yeah."

Okay, that was kinda blunt from the shy Karina Yu version she got to know two weeks ago.

"A-Are you at home?"

"Yup. Got nothing to do until next week. Why?"

"Can I... c-come? I'm going to buy food."

Winter smiled at her phone as her eyes darted to her manager, who actually just sitting across her with a playful smirk. "Sure. I'll text you the address."

"Great. See y-you... bye!" Karina said before the line went off.

"Wow. That's literally a ten-second phone call from the famous Karina Yu," Aeri snorted at the younger actress who still looking at her phone display in amusement. "See? I told you I got the feelings she might be into you, Winter," Aeri said nonchalantly like she never knew that Karina actually had a huge crush on Winter.

She promised Ningning to play cupid, and in return, the Chinese would grant her three dates, which Aeri was so excited about.

"Shut up," Winter said as she stood up from her seat in the meeting room. Well, she was lying a bit when she told Karina that she was at home despite just having a meeting for her upcoming drama at the company. She was just about to go home when Karina suddenly called her.

"Don't come to my house today. No— don't ever come to my house this week!" Winter warned as she twisted the knob to the door, giving Aeri some death glares in between.

"Fine, girl. Relax. I literally tried to help you get closer to her. Don't tell me, you like her?" Aeri faked her gasps as she blinked her eyes rapidly at the actress like a drama queen. Her words somehow got Winter flustered.

"S-Shut up! I like being around her, okay? Now shut that mouth of yours before I stitch 'em up, and it's not like she likes me either!" Winter said one last time as she slammed the door to the meeting room closed, leaving Aeri inside alone with her playful smirk.

"Don't have sex on the sofa!" Aeri shouted from the inside but Winter was fast enough to be completely gone from anywhere near that door.

"Oh, Winter. I guess my date with Ningning would come sooner."

*****

As soon as Winter arrived home, she cleaned her house neatly to impress the older. Winter's pyjamas from last night were successfully tossed into the laundry bag beside her washing machine. She vacuumed, mopped, and even fragranced her floor just to make sure Karina was pleasant to be there. She wiped every corner away from dust and particles, afraid that Karina might sneeze from them.

Night comes, and the actress knocks on Winter's door before she answers it with a genuinely happy smile on both of their faces, despite Karina being the shy one. "H-Hi..." the older actress's words came out a bit airy as she pulled down her mask. Then, she lifted up the plastic bags inside her grip, "I bought some snacks and Kong Guksu."

"Really?" Winter's eyes shined happily. "I love Kong Guksu!" Winter smiled happily, not knowing that Karina actually did some deep research on what Winter likes and don'ts. 

Winter invited Karina into her apartment happily before she helped to place the food Karina bought on her kitchen counter. Then, she invited her to her sofa, shared some snacks, rolling on the latest episode of their drama on the TV.

They were quiet through the whole show, trying to push away the tension in the air by munching some Cheetos and drinking some cokes. But when that scene where Karina and she kissed happily on the lips, both actresses couldn't help but glance at one another, realizing both cheeks were flush red from the embarrassment.

As Winter tried to turn away, Karina suddenly cupped both of her cheeks with her palms, bringing Winter's attention back to her. Startled Winter was about to say something when Karina beat her on that with a sudden apology. "I'm so sorry."

"What?" Winter frowned in confusion.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't being honest with you, Winter," the older continued, slowly releasing her hands from Winter's face.

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't hate you. You aren't annoying, and I didn't mean to annoy you all these months. I'm so sorry, that wasn't me," Karina confessed as she stuck her eyes on the TV, not looking into the confused expression on Winter's face. "I lied to you about everything. I don't have a fan who gave me two hundred chocolates".

"Wait, Karina. You lied?" Winter shook her head in disbelief as Karina finally let go of Winter's cheek. The younger actress couldn't understand a single thing Karina had told her. "Then, where did you get those chocolates from?".

"I bought 'em."

"You what?" Winter raised her voice in shock.

"I bought them, with my own money," Karina covered her face with both her hands, feeling embarrassed and ashamed in her own words. When Winter saw how Karina tried to cover, she pulled her hands away from the older face, now looking at the older face with a softer expression.

"You bought it for me?" she asked. "So you know I like chocolate?"

"I do," Karina ran away from Winter's eyes.

"Okay. Enough with all your little lies. Tell me the reason why, so I won't be mad at you. At least I should know the reason for your three months' annoyance," Winter's voice came out so soft and gentle that Karina finally had the courage to look at her eyes with her flushed cheeks.

"Actually..." Karina paused before sighing lightly.

"Actually, I— like you," Karina's voice is so low that Winter almost didn't catch her words. But when she does, the younger actress just comes closer, leaving only inches of space between their faces with a visible playful smirk. So, Aeri was right? Winter's heart started to flutter uncontrollably.

"What? I couldn't hear you," Winter asked, and the way her breath hit Karina's chin made the older flush even more.

"I really, really, l-like you, Winter Kim..."

So Winter wasn't just the one who feel weird around Karina?

Winter sneered one last time before she pulled away from Karina's tense face. When she does, the older will finally be able to lift her head up slowly, expecting Winter with another shocked expression. But she was surprised when all she could see was Winter smiling so happily at her, and it warmed her heart to the fullest, thanks to Aeri's words that gave Winter a heads up.

"I do like being around you too, Karina. That's a fact," Winter confessed with her tiny smile. "When I'm with you, I realized how much I smiled. You made me laugh like never before. Even with our fights and banter, I do miss it sometimes. Without it, I felt so lonely," Winter nodded her head knowingly as Karina watched her, at a loss for words. "And I think it only happens when I'm with you."

"I think we can give it a try," Winter hums and nods her head knowingly again.

"Try what?" Karina asked, getting more confused. Cheeks are still hued red.

Winter slowly leaned in closer again with a small smile on her face. "Dating," the younger bluntly said to Karina's face. "We should try dating. Maybe we can try for a real kiss right now," Winter smirks happily, leaving the older in utter shock.

"E-Excuse me? What did you—"

Karina's world stopped when Winter pulled her into a kiss.

Winter just pulled, Karina Yu, into a real kiss!

A long one, to be exact.

Karina's eyes are wide open. Sure, she does. Never in her imagination that Winter Kim, the person she secretly likes for months, precisely a year, kissing her, with a big smile on her face. The way Winter moved her lips on Karina felt unreal, Karina felt like this was a mere dream. When they pulled away from the kiss, Karina became so shy, but Winter still smiled and nodded her head confidently like before.

"Not bad," the younger blurted, enjoying the looks on how Karina's eyes flutter. The way Karina's cheek becomes so red makes Winter happy even more. So, it really wasn't one-sided after all. "Now that we tried kissing, let's try dating," Winter grins happily as she leans in again for another kiss on the older woman's lips.

Karina closed her eyes once more, this time, trying to follow the flow Winter tried to lead her. Winter's hand was behind Karina's neck and Karina's hands were around the younger actress's waist. They just kissing silently, letting Winter lead the flow, as long as she wants.

It was a dream come true for Karina.

____

*a/n - this is not the end ;) one more chapt after this ^^