the charm | winrina

fourteen

Whenever Kim Hyoyeon smiled like that, Karina had trained herself to recognize the signs of something diabolical.

Action in question: making the couples play a "Best Friend Test" game. Hyoyeon had collected answers by relentlessly questioning each contestant a few days prior, and apparently recorded all the answers.

"The rules!" Hyoyeon announced, pacing back and forth between the anxious couples like a villain about to deliver a long-winded monologue. (In that sense, then, Karina supposed that Hyoyeon was the villain.) "You and your partner get question cards. I will take turns asking you the questions about your partner. The couple with the most questions right will not be recoupled or eliminated. The couple with the least right likely will. The top three couples are safe and the bottom two are not, basically," Hyoyeon amended, waving her arm like a flag. "Make sense?"

Everyone nodded, and Hyoyeon grinned another one of her wicked, evil smiles, flourishing her extremities once again like they were some grand heralds of destruction. (Okay, maybe Karina was just being dramatic, but she'd really prefer if she wasn't on camera.)

First were Hanni and Minji. They scored fairly well- 18 out of 20. The other couples followed suit, and the only couple to stumble were Sunoo and Riki, who had experienced something of a language barrier despite having noticeable chemistry.

"And last but not least, Karina and Winter."

Karina slunk forward, suddenly feeling too exposed in her tiny shirt and loose wrap. She felt naked, almost, but Winter's fingers pressing on her leg grounded her, encouraging her to move forward.

"First question, Karina," Hyoyeon announced grandly, the sparkle in her eyes growing more delighted by the moment. "What's Winter's love language?"

Shit. Karina opened her mouth to speak, nothing coming out- but then it hit her.

"You like that. You like me."

"Disappointed it's the food down your throat and not me?"

"Come again?"

"Physical touch."

Hyoyeon whistled, flipping over the card. "Correct!"

Karina tried not to glow in Winter's proud smile and squeeze on her leg. It's all for the cameras. Calm down your fucking heart. You're not a hormonal teenager, for God's sake.

"Next, Winter. Where would Karina want to be in five years?"

Karina tried to resist panicking. She hadn't expected that one. Hyoyeon had told her that they'd likely not use it- it was just out of curiosity.

How the fuck is Winter going to answer that?

Much to her surprise, however, Winter was already talking.

"I think that Karina would do extremely well as a lighting designer," Winter said. "She's a photographer, meaning that she's very well attuned to light and things like that. As a creative director, I understand the importance of a good lighting designer in the modeling industry. Besides, it's a fairly high position, and one she'd very much deserve." Winter winked, tapping her fingers on Karina's leg, and the older's heart began to race.

It's nothing. She's a creative director. Remember how many people she's been with before you?

It's for show.

Hyoyeon grinned and flipped over the card.

In it, in Karina's handwriting, was written, Lighting designer.

Winter beamed adorably, quickly replacing her look with one of calculated satisfaction, and Karina tried not to giggle.

"Next, Karina!" Hyoyeon's voice snapped Karina back to reality. "Say Winter suddenly got a ton of cash. What do you think she'd do with it?"