Over the next few days, the group slowly settled into their new routine. It wasn't exactly smooth, but they were starting to adapt.

One morning, Winter shuffled into the kitchen, her hair an untamed mess, still half-asleep. The smell of coffee greeted her, and to her surprise, Yuna handed her a cup.

"Here," Yuna said brightly, "Extra milk, just the way you like it."

Winter blinked at the cup in confusion. "Why...?"

Yuna turned to Karina next, handing her a cup of pitch-black coffee. "And for you, extra dark, extra bitter."

Karina accepted it with a nod of approval, taking a sip without a word.

Winter frowned, suspicion creeping into her voice. "What about you? Aren't you drinking anything?"

Yuna smiled serenely. "Oh, I don't drink coffee. Just water for me." She paused dramatically, adding, "And no, it's not because I'm trying to kill you. I promise."

Winter froze mid-sip, her eyes narrowing. "Wait... how did you know I was thinking-"

Karina's laughter cut her off. "She's got you figured out, Kim," she teased, her smirk widening as Winter glared at her.

Before Winter could retort, Ningning strolled in, grabbing a piece of toast. "If you don't want your coffee, Winter, I'll take it," she offered with a playful grin.

Winter hugged her cup protectively, shooting Ningning a sharp glare. "Don't even think about it."

The room erupted in laughter, much to Winter's annoyance. She muttered something under her breath and focused on her coffee, determined not to let them get under her skin.

_

That evening, Karina gathered the team in the common area. Her serious demeanor immediately silenced the chatter.

"Alright, listen up," Karina began, her voice commanding attention. "We've got our first mission in three days."

Winter groaned, slouching in her seat. "Already? We just got here!"

Karina ignored her, continuing. "This is a high-profile diplomatic event. The target is a suspected arms dealer who's planning to sell weapons to a foreign power. This is what we're going to focus on."

"Primary: Infiltrate the event, identify the dealer, and gather evidence of their plans.
Secondary: Retrieve a hard drive or flash drive containing intel stored inside the building.
Tertiary: In case things go south, ensure we have an escape route with a backup extraction point."

Winter sat up, her interest piqued despite herself. Karina pulled out a diagram of the event layout and started assigning roles.

"Yuna," Karina said, looking at the youngest member, "You'll be going in as our intel gatherer. Your job is to mingle, talk to people, and get a feel for what's happening."

Winter immediately raised a hand. "Wait, why her?"

Before Karina could respond, Yuna grinned. "Because I'm fun," she said simply, flashing her signature smile.

Winter scowled. "That's not an answer!"

"Focus, Winter," Karina snapped, shutting down the argument. "Next, Ningning will oversee the operation from a remote location. She'll hack into the building's security cameras to give us eyes on the inside."

Winter's jaw dropped. "Ningning? Hacking?!"

Ningning smirked, wiggling her fingers at Winter. "You'd be surprised what these hands can do."

Karina continued, unbothered. "Winter, you'll be positioned at a distance with your rifle. Your job is to provide overwatch and eliminate any threats if the situation calls for it."

Winter's groan was loud and immediate. "What?! That's so boring! I want to do something cool!"

Karina fixed her with a pointed look. "Your job is critical. Don't mess it up."

Winter opened her mouth to argue but closed it quickly when Karina's expression hardened.

"I'll be overseeing everything," Karina concluded, her tone leaving no room for debate. She turned to Winter one last time. "And don't complain. You're good at this, so prove it."

Winter crossed her arms, muttering under her breath. Ningning leaned closer, whispering, "Cheer up, Cinderella. At least you don't have to wear a ball gown."

"Don't call me that." Winter shot her a look but couldn't help the faint smirk tugging at her lips.

_

Winter sat on the couch of the boutique, arms crossed, her face twisted in a deep scowl. Across the room, Karina and Yuna stood in front of the mirrors, each trying on yet another elegant gown. The shimmering fabric of their dresses caught the boutique lighting, making them look ready for a red carpet event.

Meanwhile, Winter stared down at her plain black outfit-the only outfit she'd been given. It was sharp, yes, but compared to the luxurious dresses Karina and Yuna got to choose from, it felt dull and lifeless.

Ningning leaned over from her spot beside Winter, a mischievous grin on her face. "Aw, is our Winter jealous? Don't worry, we can still find you a Cinderella gown. I mean, you'd rock a ball dress with that scowl."

Winter shot her a glare. "My outfit costs half as much as theirs. Guess I'm not important enough for the fancy treatment."

Karina turned away from the mirror, her sleek, fitted dress emphasizing her commanding presence. "It's called a budget, Winter. We prioritized the outfits that need to blend in the most. You're not going inside, so there's no need to get dramatic."

Winter rolled her eyes, grumbling something under her breath as Karina returned to her selection process. Yuna twirled in her dress, beaming as she admired herself.

"This one, definitely," Yuna said with her ever-present smile. "It's perfect for mingling."

The shopping trip dragged on as Karina and Yuna went through outfit after outfit. Winter and Ningning were left to wait, though Ningning seemed to enjoy every moment, especially Winter's misery.

When it was finally over, Winter found herself hauling all the shopping bags back to the dorm. Ningning strolled ahead of her, completely empty-handed, much to Winter's irritation.

"You could help, you know," Winter grumbled, struggling with the sheer weight of the bags.

"I could," Ningning said with a smirk, not even slowing down, "but why ruin the show?"

By the time they reached the dorm, Winter was done. She dropped everything the moment they got inside, heading straight to her bed and flopping down face-first.

Karina appeared in the doorway, her arms crossed, raising an eyebrow at the mess Winter had left. "You're not even going to unpack any of this?"

Winter's muffled voice came from the pillow. "Don't care."

Karina sighed, muttering about responsibility and discipline as she started organizing the bags herself. Ningning chuckled, leaning casually against the wall.

"Cinderella's had enough for one day," she teased.

Winter didn't even have the energy to respond. She just buried her head deeper into the pillow, muttering to herself, "This mission better be worth it."