Karina stormed out, her steps sharp and uneven, each one a punctuation mark in the silent argument she was having with herself.

Her boots struck the wooden floor with a rhythm that betrayed the chaos in her mind, as though she were trying to outpace the whirlwind of thoughts raging within her.

Her face burned hotter than the midday sun, the heat prickling her skin despite the cool breeze that brushed against her flushed cheeks. She scowled, raking a hand through her hair in frustration, the strands catching between her fingers like they, too, were conspiring against her.

Stupid Winter.

The faint echo of laughter trailed behind her, a soft, mocking sound that made her shoulders tense. When she glanced back, there was Ningning-lounging lazily on the couch, a handheld game console resting comfortably in her palms.

Ningning's eyes flicked up just in time to catch Karina's crimson face, and a slow, knowing grin spread across her lips, as if she'd just unlocked some hidden achievement.

Karina's glare snapped to Ningning, sharp enough to cut through steel. But Ningning didn't flinch-she just chuckled, her attention lazily drifting back to her game, her fingers tapping away as if nothing had happened. The casual dismissal only stoked the fire in Karina's chest.

She huffed, stomping out the front door, the cool breeze hitting her face like an unwelcome reminder of her own betrayal-to herself.

She leaned against the railing, squeezing her eyes shut, willing her heart to calm down, to stop racing as if she'd just sprinted into battle. Her trembling fingers lifted to her lips, brushing against the spot Winter had kissed.

Stupid. Stupid.

But her fingers lingered, and despite herself, a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. The memory of Winter's lips against hers was a spark she couldn't extinguish, no matter how hard she tried.

Then-

A hand landed on her shoulder.

Karina nearly jumped out of her skin, whipping around with wide eyes, instinctively ready to throw a punch-until she saw who it was.

Giselle stood there, barely holding back a laugh, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Whoa, relax, soldier. Didn't know I was that scary."

Karina scowled, trying to shake off her embarrassment, her voice sharper than she intended.
"What are you doing here?"

Giselle ignored the question entirely, slipping an arm around Karina's shoulder as if they were on a casual stroll.

"Come on," she grinned, effortlessly dragging Karina back inside despite her weak protests.

"You're acting weird, and I need entertainment."

Karina rolled her eyes but didn't resist. Maybe because arguing felt pointless-or she won't understand.

As they passed Ningning again, Giselle called out, "Hey, kid."

Without looking up, Ningning replied flatly, "Hi." Still grinning, still gaming, as if nothing in the world could faze her.

Giselle snorted and kept walking, pulling Karina along until they reached Winter's room. She didn't bother knocking-just pushed the door open like she owned the place.

Winter looked up immediately, her sharp eyes softening when they landed on Karina trailing behind. A small smile ghosted her lips, quick and subtle, but Karina caught it. Her heart stuttered, heat creeping back up her neck like an ambush she wasn't prepared for.

Karina awkwardly peeled herself away from Giselle's grip, standing stiffly with her arms crossed over her chest like armor. She stared at some random spot on the wall, avoiding Winter's gaze as if eye contact were more dangerous than a sniper's scope.

Giselle, oblivious-or pretending to be-walked right up to Winter's bedside and ruffled her hair with playful aggression.

"Still alive, huh?" she teased, grinning as Winter batted her hand away with an annoyed scowl.

"We're not even that close," Winter muttered, trying to fix her messy hair.

Karina, warned, unable to resist, snapped without thinking,
"Be nice."

Both Giselle and Winter turned to look at her.

Giselle's grin widened as she crossed her arms, leaning casually against the wall.

"It's fine," she said with a chuckle.
"Winter's always grumpy. It's part of her charm, I guess."

Winter rolled her eyes but didn't argue. Karina, still flustered, pretended to inspect something very interesting on the floor.

After a beat of silence, Giselle pushed off the wall, stretching her arms over her head.

"Alright. Now that I've confirmed she's still breathing, let's go. Give her some rest."

She glanced at Karina, jerking her thumb toward the door.
"Come on."

Karina hesitated, her eyes flickering toward Winter, who was watching her with a subtle tilt of her head, an eyebrow raised slightly-as if challenging her to stay.

Karina swallowed hard, then nodded. "I'll catch up."

Giselle shrugged and left the room without another word, leaving Karina alone with Winter.

The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of the distant breeze seeping through the cracked window, carrying with it the faint warmth of the afternoon sun. Shadows stretched lazily across the walls, and Karina found herself standing there, arms folded tightly around herself like a fragile barricade against emotions she didn't know how to handle.

Winter's gaze was steady, unwavering-a sharp contrast to Karina's restless heart.

Breaking the silence, Karina blurted,
"It's because of Giselle's help that we found you so quickly."

Her voice came out more rushed than she intended, clipped with unnecessary formality.

Winter's lips quirked into a small, knowing smile, her brow arching slightly.

Karina's throat went dry. Realizing how that might've sounded, she hastily added, "I mean-that's why. Nothing else. Just... clarity."

Winter chuckled softly, the sound low and warm like a ripple across still water. She patted the empty space beside her on the bed, her fingers tapping a silent invitation.

"Come here."

Karina's brow rose in suspicion, her arms tightening around herself like she could hold the flood of emotions back.

"Why?" The word escaped with more resistance than curiosity.

Winter tilted her head slightly, her smile softening as she whispered,
"Please."

It was simple.

Just one word-but it made Karina's defenses crumble like fragile glass. She huffed quietly, like this was an inconvenience, though her heart betrayed her with every fast, uneven beat.

Finally, she moved, her steps hesitant, like approaching a dangerous edge. She perched stiffly on the edge of the bed, careful to keep space between them, her gaze fixed stubbornly on the floor.

"What?" she asked, her voice softer now, vulnerable despite the sharpness she tried to lace it with.

Winter didn't answer with words.

Instead, she reached out, her fingers wrapping around Karina's hand-gentle, warm, grounding. The touch was light, but it burned like an ember against Karina's skin, sending a shiver straight through her.

Karina's breath hitched as she dared to look up, their eyes locking. Winter's smile turned lopsided, charming in a way that made Karina's heart ache.

"Why are we still talking about Giselle?" Winter asked quietly, her thumb brushing softly over the back of Karina's hand.

Karina's throat felt impossibly tight. She tried to find the words, her mind scrambling for some logical excuse, something to distance herself from the truth pressing against her chest.
Her gaze dropped to their intertwined hands, the warmth there impossible to ignore.

"I just thought..." she started, voice low, hesitant.

She swallowed hard, her fingers curling slightly. "You might think..."

Winter didn't let her finish.

Softly, without hesitation, she asked,
"Can I kiss you?"

The question hung between them, fragile and bold all at once.

Karina's breath caught. She found herself staring-not at Winter's eyes, but at her lips, slightly parted, waiting. She couldn't look away. Her heart thudded loud and uneven, each beat screaming for her to answer.

Her mouth opened, but the word that slipped out was barely a whisper.
"No."

But she didn't pull away. Didn't move an inch.

Winter's eyes gleamed with amusement, her smile spreading just a little wider, like she knew exactly what that no really meant.

"Liar," she breathed softly.

Then-without waiting, Winter leaned in, closing the space between them.

Their lips met gently, softly, like a question asked and answered all at once. It wasn't rushed or messy. It was slow, deliberate, as if Winter wanted to savor the moment-like this was something precious, something real.

Karina froze at first, her mind blank, breath stolen.

But then-She melted. Her hand tightened around Winter's without thinking, her other hand lifting, hesitant, before resting lightly against Winter's cheek. The warmth there felt like home, like something she didn't realize she'd been missing until now.

When Winter finally pulled back, Karina's eyes fluttered open slowly, dazed and a little breathless. The world felt quieter, softer, like it was holding its breath just for them.

Winter was staring at her, eyes filled with something tender and bright, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Karina swallowed hard, her heart pounding so loud she was sure Winter could hear it.

And for the first time in a long time, she didn't want to run.