GIVE ME LOVE (WINRINA AU)

CHAPTER 32

Karina is glad that today is the weekend so she can keep an eye on Winter. usually, she would work on her deadlines on her free day.

"I can't go. My ankle is swollen." Winter is on a call with Chaehyun. "no, no. you don't have to come here." She paused. "really. My mom is taking care of me. don't worry."

Karina can hear her from the kitchen. Actually, she's been eavesdropping. Karina takes her cup of coffee and laptop and brings it to the living area. She sits on the single couch, put the coffee down and starts checking her unfinished work.

"I'll call you later, okay? I need to work on something." Winter hangs up after that.

"are you really need to work on something?" Karina teases her. "I can get your laptop."

"it's just an excuse." Winter stifles a laugh. "if I didn't stop it, we would call for hours and I can't get anything done."

"you often do that. why don't you tell them the truth?" Karina looks at her.

"I thought she'll get hurt."

"why is that?" Karina waits for Winter to reply but she's staring at her instead. "oh. yeah. I get it." Karina looks back at her laptop.

"she likes me. if she found out I'm with you right now, she won't be happy."

"well, do you like her?" Karina looks at her again.

"I can say that. it's kinda empty without her. but..." Winter sighs. "I've been struggling to take care of myself. I've been thinking last night."

"okay." Karina closed her laptop and put it away. "I'm gonna get your laptop so you can work again."

-

Winter is still focusing on her laptop for these pasts of few hours. meanwhile, Karina is having a free time, watching some series while snacking beside Winter.

"hey, what do you wanna eat? I'm kinda hungry." Karina took her phone and scrolls through it.

"whatever you're having." Winter looks at her looking at her phone. "maybe my mom cooked something."

"okay. I'll get them. You stay here." Karina quickly stands up and goes outside.

Winter got taken aback by her quick reaction. She doesn't look bothered at all as well. Winter thought that she should try to walk again and moves her foot little by little. she stands up, leaning to put her weigh on her healthy leg. She hops on one foot, little by little using her other foot as well to test it out. she walks towards the kitchen to grab a glass of water. After successfully drinking. She smiles to herself. It doesn't hurt so badly like before.

"geez! Winter!" Karina hurriedly runs towards her. "what are you doing?!"

"hey, chill out. I'm fine." Winter chuckles. "look. It doesn't hurt anymore." She slowly moves her ankle in a circling motion. Though it still tender, Winter can hold it.

"you're scaring me." Karina holds her hand and lead her to sit on the dining chair. "your mom did cook something." She said as she takes out some boxes from a bag.

"I think I'll go back tonight. thank you for letting me stay."

The two starts eating peacefully. Feeling like the silence is getting tense, Karina decided to break it.

"where does she live? Chaehyun, right?"

"WO district. Pretty far from here. That's why she took the same online class as me." Winter replied.

"that explains why you guys often call each other. Don't you wanna hang out with her?" a follow up question asked.

"um... as long as we can talk and care for each other, I'm okay with just calls." Winter shrugs. "I'm not good at keeping a relationship. Not only romantic ones."

"what? but you're so kind to people. They should be happy to be friends with you." Karina wonders.

"I don't know. they just leave. Maybe they're bored. My only friend at work is marrying someone and he's gonna move from this city." Winter talked about Soobin.

"bored? You're not boring." Karina shrugs. "I feel like you're a great listener."

"you think so?" Winter stifles a laugh. "mostly I just don't know what to say. They got mad when I didn't say anything so I stated my opinion instead."

"like they said. People come and go, right?"

-

Winter is already back at her own unit. She's accompanied by Chaehyun again while working on her assignments and editing.

"I'm sleepy." Chaehyun yawns.

"go to sleep. I still have a lot to finish."

"okay. you won't talk to me, anyway." Chaehyun stifles a laugh. "good night, Winter."

"good night."

Those statement gets into Winter's brain. She's not good at being chatty with someone even when they know each other for long. That's one of the things that she's insecure about.

"kid."

Winter turns to face the door where her father peeks inside her room.

"your sister is here."

Winter walks out of her room and found Wendy sitting on the couch.

"hey, Winter." Wendy stands up and walks towards her. "are you doing good? I hope you do."

"do you need something?" Winter asked, knowing what she needs very well.

"look, I've been in trouble." Wendy put on her sad face. "I have nothing left, even a place to live. I've sold everything."

On the other hand, Winter noticed her mother and father sitting uncomfortably on the couch.

"I'm here to tell you in person. Ask you, to be exact." Wendy bites her bottom lip nervously. "I wanna borrow some money from you. I also... want to live here. Again."

Winter takes a deep breath. This is wrong. Though she does have some money that she saved for emergency, this isn't the kind that she pictured.

"you can live here." Winter is still thinking about borrowing the money.

"phew... thank you." Wendy sighs in relief. "what about the money?"

"I don't have it now."

With that Winter leaves them.