Requested by Mr. Yu

Chapter 3

"WHAT?!" Winter raised from her seat in major shock. "Y-you requested to spend the night with me, while you are a girl yourself?"

"Well, I am a girl who is interested in girls. Haven't you met one before?" Karina chuckled as she got up from her seat too and moved to the long white couch across the TV. "Come, it's more comfortable here," she said as patted the space beside her.

Winter stood still, somewhat unsure of the other girl's invitation. Moreover she was beyond taken aback. Too many things happened within a day.

Too much to handle, even for Kim Winter.

"Come here, Winter. Don't look at me with such stare, I won't mean any harm to you -I can guarantee that." Karina smiled. She looked so tender, so honest and sincere that Winter slowly thought it would be fine to let her guard off a bit.

"We can just sit here and talk all night, if you'd love to. Besides, we only have time until 6 AM. I've got to prepare for work after that." Karina continued, convincingly. Her tone was soft yet slightly intimidating, just like a professional negotiator she was.

The percentage of her success in negotiating was always high, thanks to her skills and charisma.

Just like that time, where stubborn Winter finally gave up and sat beside her.

Winter sat on the corner, having her hands knuckled on her lap -all timid and ready to run or fight back anytime.

Karina, on the other hand, had been observing the girl's attitude and tried to read her mind. She found the pretty girl -who had instantly captivated her, or 'his' interest the moment she'd spotted her-- even more interesting.

She liked, no scratch it, she loved teasing girls who acted hard-to-get like Winter.

"Just a friendly reminder, um, Karina," Winter broke the silence, slightly uncomfortable with Karina's gleaming eyes on her.

"Yes?" Karina tilted her head.

"I am straight." Winter stated, seriously. Dead serious.

There was a moment of silence before Karina bursted out into laughter, which left Winter in another confusion.

"Why are you laughing? I am serious!"

"Oh, you must be, Winter." Karina scoffed as she unhurriedly inched closer, resulting in Winter backing away. "Most of the girls whom I've invited -like you, were straight. Until they met me," she smilingly said in undeniable confidence. "They always ended up begging for more touch from me."

The last sentence made Winter shiver and immediately wanted to leave the room; she even thought of jumping out of the wide window.

"Hey, what's with the alarmed face? I won't lay my fingers on you even an inch if you don't let me, really!" Karina laughed again, making Winter wonder if she was being funny all the time that the latter kept laughing at everything she did or asked. However her words sounded so promising that had unconsciously calmed her down.

After Karina felt that the younger girl wasn't so tensed anymore, she offered another cup of drink, and this time, Winter didn't reject a cup of hot coffee.

"Can I ask you a question?" Winter asked as she stirred the sugar.

"Sure, what is it?" Karina eagerly asked back as she took a sip of her espresso.

"Why did you disguise yourself as a man?"

Karina stayed quiet for some seconds before putting her cup on the table. "It's a long story, Winter."

"We have all night, don't we?" Winter pushed. She was so curious as to why such beautiful woman would hide her identity.

"Ah, well.." Karina ran a hand through her silky hair. "Sure you wanna hear?"

"It's not harmful, is it?"

Karina giggled, amused at the latter's curiosity. "No, it's as safe as a cotton candy. I was really poor, Winter. Really, really poor that the only valuable thing I had was nothing but my soul and life. I had no family nor wealth -I think I was dumped when I was a newborn baby." Karina took another sip of her drink, aware of Winter's sudden change of curious expression into sympathetic and shocked one. "-or my parents passed away, I don't quite remember, but let's skip that part. I couldn't choose how I was born poorly, but I could choose how I wanted to die. Therefore, I decided to work really really hard so I could die smilingly by making a lot of money and helping people who are suffering like I was. It wasn't easy, though. I started from bottom, but with endless studying, struggling, and fighting, I've made it into who I am today."

Winter was utterly taken aback by the story she had just been told. She'd been thinking that Karina was just another spoiled heiress of a super rich family who only knew how to mess with girls, and helped others just for the sake of popularity. Turned out she was completely wrong, and she got ashamed of her nasty thoughts.

"And to answer your previous question; all of my achievements, mostly were able to be achieved, only if I was disguised as a man. Business world is merciless --it's really cold and sometimes incredibly harder on women, you know. Moreover, a young one, like me. People, say, big bosses tended to underestimate me when I tried to make negotiation while dressing like a young girl I was. But what if I dressed as a promising, smart, and young gentleman? Who speaks like one, thinks like one, acts like one, and does my job outstandingly well?" Karina paused for a moment, giving another charming smile to Winter. "That's how and why I always disguise myself as a man, whenever it comes to business. Does it answer your question?"

"Wow," Winter uttered. "That's just.. amazing. You've got me speechless, Karina."

"Oh, don't worry, I'll get you screaming later." Karina wiggled her eyebrows and broke into another fit of laughter. Winter just smiled, sensing that Karina might not be that harmful; she just liked teasing and saying innuendos. "What about you? Tell me about yourself, Winter."

"What to tell? I am just a 20-year-old girl who is currently studying English Literature in college. I got there by scholarship since my uncle's business didn't really go well.. and my parents passed away when I was a kid, so my aunt and uncle has been taking care of me." Winter shrugged, feeling that her life had no major turning point or whatsoever, unlike Karina's.

"Boyfriend?"

"Had some, broke up, currently none."

"Great." Karina winked and that time, Winter laughed along.

"Wait, how old are you, Karina?"

"I am turning 21 this year." Karina said as a matter of fact, which left Winter in shock. She thought that the latter just wouldn't stop surprising her.

"We are barely a year apart and you've owned huge companies? That's unacceptable, Karina, unacceptable." Winter mused as she shook her head. "You're making me hate my life."

"Why would you? You've got family who love you, right? That's something I would trade for my whole wealth, you know." Karina sadly said, still with a smile plastered on her thin lips.

Winter felt sorry for Karina and as the night got later, they continued their conversation and Winter learned that Karina was just a normal young woman like her, who had dreams and problems in life, not to mention she was really fun to talk with, with her witty remarks and innuendos.

The differences were she was a billionaire, and she had this indescribable, relaxing, yet intimidating confident charisma in every act she did and words she said -which Winter, surprisingly, found appealing.. and hot.