the charm | winrina

five

Karina caught Haechan's shocked, angry look as she trudged down to the beach, and sighed irritably. She knew she'd get an earful later, and honestly that idea was pointless anyway because this show was supposed to be about drama and raw truth.

If Karina was telling the truth, actually? She didn't even remember when she and Haechan first met. He probably held it in his mind like the Holy Grail of romance, a 2000s-style rom-com meet-cute, but she had long ago forgotten it.

Winter's smirk was more palpable than an oncoming storm on a summer day. "You ditched your boyfriend for me, huh? Don't worry, it's the Winter effect." Her face was so smug that Karina was overcome with the urge to slap the look right off her face.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Karina snorted.

"So she speaks!" Winter laughed, seemingly unperturbed, and slid down the sandy beach to the gazebo by the ocean. "You know, you've let that boyfriend of yours speak for you a lot. So why did you pick me?"

"He doesn't speak for me a lot," Karina argued. "We've barely spoken. It's day two. We're stating ideas that both of us share."

"Professional," Winter mused. "That's a good approach. But you didn't answer my question, beautiful."

Karina rolled her eyes. Winter's looks and her insufferably smug personality were starting to get so far on Karina's nerves that she was reduced to wondering why she did pick Winter. Maybe it had been because the girl's beauty had shocked her into her brief moment of philosophy.

However, she found herself stating her original thoughts about Winter. "You know, you really are a playgirl, Kim. I wonder how you've even gotten yourself through your life like that. You're a creative director, right? Do you use that manipulation to seduce others into following your ideals?"

Winter stopped walking and snorted. "Do you even know who you're talking to, Yu? I'm one of the best creative directors Vogue France has ever seen. And you know, admitting I'm a playgirl means you've already fallen for me."

The cameras pointing at the two were very obvious, but Karina wasn't arguing just for drama; she was arguing because she didn't like people like Winter, who were dishonest for a living. "Fallen for you. Right. You know what, let's just do the assignment."

"Changing the subject," Winter teased, and Karina rolled her eyes again, walking up the steps to the gazebo. A small table was already laid out, and Karina sat down on one side. The cool ocean breeze blew in, briefly relieving Karina of the heat, and she slipped a finger into her hair and pulled out her hair tie.

The wind chose that moment to do Karina a montage-like favor; it blew in, shifting her hair over one side and gently ruffling her side bangs. She left her hair that way, spilling over her exposed collarbones and leaning forward to take one of the pastries on the table.

It was then Karina realized Winter had gone silent, and she couldn't resist the jab at the already unbearable playgirl. "Like what you see?"

Winter- honest to God- coughed, shaking her head. "Don't know what you mean."

"Uh huh." Karina snorted, shaking her head. "Why'd you pick me again?"

"Your first impression was interesting," Winter shrugged, and the sun in her red hair made Karina's breath hitch in her throat (obviously against her will. Obviously). "You're dating a stylist. You're a photographer. I'm a creative director, so I oversee these kinds of things often, you know?" Winter propped her face up on her hand, staring Karina dead in the eye while her other drew circles idly on the table. "That boyfriend of yours likes the superficial side of things. It's pretty clear in the way he handles you. You, though... you're not flighty like him. To a photographer, it's all down to the second. Everything's on the line. You have values."