With All That I Am: Bound To You

Best Version of Myself

Her father's words still ring in Karina's ears when she sees the familiar girl from the business dinner.

'Look after her. She needs a friend.'

She wasn't so bad, but she sure was talkative. Minjeong? Minjeong was her name if Karina remembered correctly.

Minjeong was Mr. Kim's daughter. Apparently, she was having a hard time with the sudden change in their life. It isn't common for someone to go from a regular life to sudden riches and importance. It seemed like Minjeong enjoyed her previous life more with the way she always looked so simple and appreciative of something as simple as the shine of the stars rather than the glimmer of diamonds.

Karina didn't understand why she was on babysitting duty. Her father didn't call it that, but that's what she saw it as.

"Oh, it's you again." Minjeong says when she caught sight of her, "Jimin, right?"

Karina scratches her head, "Karina, actually."

Minjeong furrows her brows, "then who's Jimin? She looks a lot like you. Do you have a twin?"

"No, that's me." Karina clarifies, "but... only my family calls me Jimin."

"Oh, that's your western name?" Minjeong says, mouth forming an 'o' shape, "I have one too. It's Winter. I guess you can call me that too then."

Karina gives a small nod, still standing awkwardly a few feet away. Winter eyes her, and the latter raises a brow in question. "Yes?"

"Are you just going to stand there?" Winter asks, giggling. "You look weird."

"Weird?" Karina repeats, a bit offended.

Winter nods, "you can come sit next to me, you know. I'm good company. Either that, or you can leave me be."

Karina stares at her, amused. Winter was very... blunt. But not in a rude and sassy way. The way she had been blunt still had a cheery undertone to it.

Hesitantly, Karina's feet take her closer towards Winter until she's sitting next to the girl on the bench.

"My dad said I was transferring schools. I'm kind of bummed about it." Winter suddenly said after a beat of silence. Karina doesn't say anything, and she continues. "He says I'm going to a private school now since we have money. What's the difference? I'm learning either way right?"

"What school are you transferring to?"

"FM? PM? AM? SM? I don't remember."

Karina hides a smile, "it's SM. That's my school."

"The rich people school?" Winter asks, "then you'll be my first friend!" She scoots closer and hooks their arms together. Karina stiffens against her, eyes widening at the bold move from such a pretty girl.

"You know, being rich isn't even that great. I've lost all my friends since I moved so far away, and I have to be at these stupid dinners and lunches. You'd think having money would allow you to do a lot of things, but it really doesn't." Winter blabbers, "do you do all this stuff too?"

"Well—," Karina tried to say, but Winter was already saying something else.

"—also, where are the children? Are we the only ones being forced to come here? I swear this creepy old man kept staring at me earlier."

Karina furrowed her brows, looking around them to see if anyone else was outside. It was just them, no creepy old men peering at Winter.

"There isn't—,"