GIVE ME LOVE (WINRINA AU)

CHAPTER 54

Winter is getting used to being spoiled by Jicheol. Little by little, she had asked for more pocket money as she became more and more bold with it.

"why do you need that?" Karina noticed a new headphones and keyboard that Winter sets up. "yours are still working properly."

"the sound is not that clear anymore. I'm uncomfortable." Winter looks at her. "some of the keys on this is not that sensitive anymore."

"oh..." Karina just nods, understanding the younger girl. "what do you want for dinner?"

"let's order something." Winter shrugs. "I'll order it."

"okay."

The two of them get busy with their own things. Karina is taking care of her work on her laptop, while Winter is working on her computer. When Karina heard knockings on the door, she gets up and answers the door. It's the food that Winter ordered earlier.

"Winter!" Karina called after placing the bags on the dining table. She knocks on her room and goes in. "the food is here." She noticed Winter is focusing on her monitor. Turns out, she's playing some online shooting game. "love."

"oh, hey. Wait." Winter glanced at Karina then back at the monitor. "I'm trying on these new skins that I bought. Cool, right?" she smiles confidently.

"it's pretty cool." Karina shrugs. "let's eat while the food is still warm."

"I'll finish this first."

"okay."

-

After the silent dinner, Karina climbs onto the bed, relaxing herself by playing with her phone. Winter goes back to her computer and continues her game. Aside from Winter being too comfortable being spoiled by Jicheol, Karina feels a little sad because Winter has been a little distance. Maybe because of her new job working with her professor or just because she's too overwhelmed with Winter's new way of spending money. Not that she's not happy about it, Karina still wants Winter to understand how to manage her spending. Feels like Winter is drowning in worldly pleasure.

"Win... are you still working for those youtubers?" Karina looks at her.

"only two. I wanna focus on my program first." Winter replied, not looking back at Karina.

"you cut the other four off? Since when?"

"since... I don't have to save for my study. Now, I can edit videos for hobby. Besides, I'm no longer have to pay for it. I'm about to graduate." Winter looks back, smiling at Karina.

"so, after you graduate, you'll be working permanently with your professor?"

"maybe. The program hasn't launched yet. We still have to upgrade it." Winter goes back to her monitor.

"will you go to campus to graduate?"

"no, we'll do it online."

"then we can celebrate after!" Karina excitedly said.

"yeah, after I go with Yeonjun, Kai, and Chaehyun. We made a promise to celebrate as well."

Karina's smile fades away as she looks back at her phone. right that moment, Karina decided to just prepare something for her.

-

Winter groans, tossing and turning in her sleep because her phone has been vibrating for a few minutes. She grabs her phone aggressively and unlocks it. she falls back to the bed, letting out a long sigh.

Wendy: are you asleep?

Wendy: it's lonely in here

Wendy: I hope you're still doing well

Wendy: I'm sorry I had to leave you

Wendy: I don't think I can go back there

Wendy: they will find me

Wendy: I promise I will keep you updated

Winter locks her phone without a second thought. 'what the hell is she talking about this late?' she thought to herself. Still tired, Winter is fast asleep in no time.

-

Karina has a little habit that she always does in the morning to get her brain ready for the day and that is watching a livestream of morning news. Winter is still asleep since she doesn't have to wake up early to do anything.

"... following yesterday's chase of a group that said to be involved in cocaine and methamphetamine distributor, four members that has been shot by the polices couldn't make it to court. The four members consisted of one female, twenty seven, two males, thirty five, and another male, just turned twenty. The police made the decision to fire after seeing them run away from their car that had been crashed by a police car. Due to this event, two of them are still in the hospital and the other two didn't make it on the way to the hospital."

Karina, who's brushing her teeth, stands in front of her laptop. Then, the pictures of the criminals are showing up. her eyes widened when she sees Wendy on the screen as the member who couldn't make it. she quickly runs to her room and shakes Winter's body to wake her up.

"what?" Winter stretched her body. "why are you brushing your teeth?" she asked still half awake.

"Wendy got shot by the police!"

"what? is she okay?" Winter sits up as she gathers up her soul so she can respond properly. "when?"

"yesterday. they've updated the news earlier." Karina grabs Winter's hand and forcefully drag her outside.

"hey, slow down." Winter is still tired. On the other hand, she hopes that Karina is lying because there's no way that happened. Wendy texted her last night. "she texted me."

"that's not possible. The chase is yesterday afternoon." Karina rewinds the livestream. "see?"

"no, that's impossible." Winter sees Wendy on the screen. Looks like the mugshot has been taken for her previous crime. "she texted me!"

"check your phone again. You must've been dreaming." Karina placed her hand on Winter's back.

"no! it's real! She did!" Winter falls down. she understands what Wendy said last night. Maybe it's her spirit or something because Winter never believed in such thing but she's sure that she's not dreaming nor hallucinating.

"oh, baby." Karina is aware that she looks dumb with toothbrush on her mouth and a little bit of foam around it, but she put Winter first.

"you can get ready for work. I need some time." Winter never prepare for this moment. She trusted Wendy so much that she believes that Wendy will come back one day, in an annoying way, or just when things are normal.

Winter walks back to the bedroom and grabs her phone on the bedside table. She sighs when noticing the dead device on her hand, thinking that it's better to let be.

"did you check the messages again?" Karina walks in a towel wrapped around her head, going around the room to do her morning routine.

"it's dead. She's dead!" Winter throws her phone on the floor but not hard enough to break it. she cups her face, trying to contain her emotions regarding this event.

"do you want some time for yourself? I can take a day off." Karina is already in her formal attire.

"no. you're important for your company. you don't even deserve to live here, goddammit." Winter doesn't know why she feels like this. unlike the deep grief when her mother passed, she feels angry and betrayed. "yes. I need time."