Back at the safe house, Yuna and Ningning were sprawled on the worn couch, idly flipping through a deck of cards. The door creaked open, revealing Karina and Winter, both looking a little worse for wear.

"Finally, Grandmas," Yuna teased, but her grin faded when she spotted the scrape on Winter's leg and the angry red mark on her wrist. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Winter said, a touch too quickly, brushing past them towards her room. "Just a scratch."

Yuna frowned, her concern clear. "Doesn't look like nothing."

"She's fine," Karina interjected, watching Winter disappear into their shared space. "Stubborn as ever."

Ningning raised an eyebrow, a knowing glint in her eyes. "Storytime, then?"

Karina sighed, running a hand through her hair as she sank onto the couch. "We got separated during the chase. She wasn't watching her back and ended up a bit scraped when she tried to catch up."

Yuna and Ningning exchanged a look, but Karina ignored it, focusing on the data they'd gathered. After confirming their findings, she dismissed the pair to get some rest.

Later, after everyone had retreated, Karina approached her and Winter's room. Inside, Winter was sitting on the edge of her bed, struggling with a bandage around her wrist. The gauze kept slipping, and a string of frustrated curses escaped her lips.

Leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, Karina watched silently. "Need help, genius?"

Winter jumped slightly, glaring at her. "I've got it."

Karina scoffed, walking over with a slight air of exasperation. "Sure you do." She gently nudged Winter's hand away and sat beside her, grabbing the first aid kit.

Winter blinked, surprised. "What are you doing?"

"Fixing your mess," Karina replied, her tone dry, but her actions careful. She examining Winter's wrist.

"It's not that bad," Winter mumbled, her voice softer now.

Karina glanced at her, expression unreadable. "Yeah, and you're terrible at first aid." Without a word, she applied the peroxide to a cotton and dabbed it onto Winter's scrape.

Winter hissed, her body jerking slightly. "Ow! That stings!"

"Really?" Karina deadpanned, her gaze lifting to meet Winter's. "Don't be such a baby."

Winter pouted, a slight frown forming on her lips, avoiding Karina's eyes. The sight made something strange flutter in Karina's chest. She quickly dismissed the feeling and focused on wrapping Winter's wrist, her movements precise and practiced.

Winter watched her, the cold touch of Karina's fingers sending an unfamiliar warmth through her. She didn't know how to react, so she simply stared, studying Karina's sharp, focused expression.

Karina could feel Winter's gaze, unwavering, but she kept her eyes on her task. As she carefully wound the bandage, she noticed how delicate Winter's fingers looked - long, slender, with a hint of veins. The thought made her face heat up, a reaction she quickly pushed away.

"There," Karina said, securing the bandage with a small clip. She straightened up and lightly flicked Winter's arm, eliciting a startled yelp.

"Hey!" Winter cried, clutching her arm. "What was that for?"

"For being reckless," Karina replied, her voice sharp but her expression softening slightly. "Don't do something stupid like that again."

Winter stared, her eyes wide. "You're being weird."

Karina rolled her eyes and stood, heading towards the bathroom. "And you're still annoying. Get some sleep."

Winter called after her, "You hit me where it hurts, you psycho!"

But Karina was already gone, the bathroom door clicking shut behind her. Inside, she splashed cold water on her face, trying to shake off the strange fluttering in her chest.

Winter lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, a mix of irritation and confusion swirling inside. Karina's abrupt shift had thrown her off.

"She must be having a bad day," Winter muttered, rolling onto her side, her injured wrist a throbbing reminder of the earlier chase. She eventually settled into a comfortable position and drifted off to sleep.

When Karina emerged from the bathroom, her gaze naturally drifted to Winter's bed. The younger girl was already asleep, sprawled out haphazardly, one arm draped over her face, the blanket half-kicked off. Karina let out a quiet sigh, shaking her head.

"Can't even sleep like a normal person," she muttered under her breath, walking over and gently pulling the blanket over Winter's shoulders, pausing a moment to watch her peaceful face.

"You're such a pain," she whispered softly, a hint of amusement in her tone.

Returning to her own space, Karina opened her laptop and typed a concise report for Colonel Park, detailing their findings and escape. After sending it, she leaned back in her chair, her eyes flicking to the clock on the wall.

It was late, and she couldn't help but think about Yeji's team. What intel had they gathered? Were they as successful, or perhaps more? Karina frowned slightly, hoping they hadn't encountered too much trouble.

Closing her laptop, she stretched, her muscles stiff from the long day. Her gaze drifted to Winter, who shifted in her sleep, mumbling something unintelligible.

Karina allowed herself a small smile before turning off the lights and slipping into bed. As she lay there, a familiar weight pressed on her. The responsibility, the need to keep everyone safe. Tomorrow would be another day, and they needed to be ready.