GIVE ME LOVE (WINRINA AU)

CHAPTER 16

Winter walks down the stairs carefully. She prepared herself with a hammer on the back of her jeans, keeping her hand on it. she can't see anyone when she gets in front of Karina's unit. To make sure, she checks the stairs going downstairs.

"hey. Who are you? are you new here?" Winter sees a man. Looks like he's about to go.

"no, no. I was just looking for a unit." He replied anxiously.

"what unit?"

"four... fourteen." He tried to convince Winter.

"four one four? You better go before I call security." Winter said, knowing that there's no unit with that number.

"whoa, chill out. I'm out of here."

Winter waits until he's out of sight before pressing on the bell.

"Karina. It's me."

Soon after, Karina opens the door. She looks frightened. Then she lets her in.

"thank you so much. I'm sorry, I bothered you. was he still there?"

"he's gone. What are you doing getting home late?" Winter asked since she noticed Karina's flushed face.

"I had a dinner with my friends." Karina sits down on the couch.

"I just wanna let you know that it's not safe going home this late. Especially, when you're tipsy." Winter said sternly. "what if I don't reply? What if I'm asleep?"

"I'm sorry. I panicked." Karina massages her temples.

"it's okay. you should ask your friend to accompany you. take you home." Winter sighs.

"do you want something I can get you? I feel bad." Karina looks at Winter.

"no need. I'm just gonna go back." Winter replied. "have a good night." She then walks to the door.

"wait! Can you..." Karina shook her head. "forget it. have a good night, Winter."

Right after Winter walks out of her unit, Karina sighs in relief.

"what the hell are you thinking?!" Karina cupped her face. "she's close with Yeji. Don't say anything stupid." She said to herself. "why is she so... ugh!"

Karina's view of Winter starts to change, bit by bit. Maybe her body is starting to absorb all the alcohol.

"they're not together yet, though." Karina said as she prepares herself to sleep. "still, I can't be selfish."

She turns off the lights and climbs onto her bed.

"I shouldn't have drink."

-

Winter hangs out at the bus stop as usual. she noticed the morning bus pulling up, then stopping in front of her.

"where's that girl?" the driver greeted with a question after opening the door.

"don't know, sir." Winter then looks back.

Just then, she sees the entrance door opened, revealing Karina jogging in a hurry. Winter thinks that it's because she's still having a light hangover.

"shit."

Before they know, Winter is holding both of Karina's arms, preventing her from falling. Winter was fast enough to catch Karina who tripped over herself. She even threw her half-finished cigarette away.

"thank you!" Karina wasted no time, running inside the bus.

"nice catch, kid!" said the driver before heading off.

Karina is beyond embarrassed. being seen by the people in the bus like that? no. more like the way she was this morning, looking like a wreck in front of Winter. she doesn't know why she feels like this. since she's already too exposed to Winter by the way she's drinking last night and this morning looking like a monster, Karina thought that Winter sees her as a horrible person up close. It's really not about what Winter thinks, it's about her own image at this moment.

"what?" Karina answered Yeji's call aggressively.

"what happened to you? got hangover?" Yeji chuckles. "anyway, did you see Winter this morning? She haven't replied to my texts."

"I haven't seen her." the moment earlier keeps replaying on Karina's head. "you should be accompanying me last night. I almost got killed, you know?"

"you what?! what happened?!"

There's no way Karina told her best friend about what Winter did last night. Knowing Yeji, she'll be very jealous over it.

"I got to my unit before he did it. a man followed me. upstairs. I'm still freaking out when I think about it." Karina sighs.

"next time, I'll go with you. you can never drink alone, Karina. Stop being a people pleaser." Yeji sighs as well. "I'm sorry that Winter is my priority right now."

"you always did that when you're with someone. I kinda hate you for that." Karina stifles a laugh.

"alright, okay. let's hang out, then!"

"okay. we'll talk about it later."

-

Karina smiles upon seeing Winter at the bus stop. She walks towards her then sits beside her.

"hey." Karina started. "how's Yeji?"

"she said she's working overtime. So, probably she's not home yet." Winter replied.

"right." Karina nods slowly. "uhm... do you have time the next weekend?"

"probably not."

"I was thinking of inviting you to hang out with us. me and Yeji." Karina looked at her.

"I can find some time." Winter purses her lips, looking back at her.

"great! Tell her if you can make it." Karina stands up.

"okay."