the charm | winrina

twenty (epilogue)

ONE YEAR LATER

"Baby."

"Mm?"

"Did you know Chaewon and Yunjin are getting married?"

"I kind of assumed that," Karina mused from her spot on the couch. "They always gave each other heart eyes, and even from the start they wanted to be around each other."

"It's cute," Winter agreed. "And also, we're invited to the wedding."

Karina leaped up. "What?"

"Gucci?"

"No."

"Saint Laurent?"

"No."

"Oscar de la Renta?"

"Hmm... fine."

Winter grinned, removing the dress bag from the rack. They were going through the new shipments of clothing that had been delivered to her magazine, and Winter being the second-in-command at the company and having unquestionable control over her quasi-boss, she'd gotten permission to take one.

(Winter didn't really care whether it was allowed or not; Karina knew that she could charm her way out of anything.)

Once Karina unzipped it, her jaw dropped. "It's gorgeous."

"Let me see," Winter protested, since Karina was angling her body away from the creative director. "C'mon, babe, it's not like we're getting married."

"I know, but still," Karina answered. "It'll be a surprise."

"Fine, but at least tell me the exact shade of the dress so that I can coordinate."

Karina hesitated, squinting at the fabric visible within the bag, using her photographer knowledge to try to figure it out.

"Ladybug red. Pantone code 1807, if I'm not mistaken."

Winter let out a prolonged whistle, pulling the color up on her phone, then abruptly leaned forward to murmur in Karina's ear:

"It better have a zipper, because once that wedding is over, it's gone."

"Babe, are you ready?"

Winter's words echoed up the stairs, and Karina hesitated, fixing her hair one last time and adjusting the jewel comb holding her sleek bun together.

"Yeah, just a moment," Karina called down, smoothing the fabric of the dress and exhaling. It was now or never. And it wasn't even her wedding.

So why did she feel like a bride waiting to leave for the altar?

She stepped towards the door, the click of her heels accentuating every step- but as she moved carefully, her hesitation grew.

It felt like she was marrying Winter, almost.

Karina made her way towards the stairs and stepped down slowly, keeping her head down and her hand on the banister.

Winter was at the foot of the stairs, wearing a black gown with a spray of red beads that matched Karina's dress. She smiled, her red hair long and wavy, her bangs sprayed to keep them in place.

"Karina... you look so beautiful."

"You too," Karina answered softly, and Winter stepped forward, placing a gentle kiss on the corner of her mouth.

"It's okay. All we need to do is show up and cheer, my love. It'll be oka-"

"I love you."

Winter blinked.

"I'm sorry it took me a whole year to say it," Karina murmured. "I guess... I guess I was so sick of saying it to someone who didn't matter for a whole year that it took me another year to recover, and then say it to someone I really meant."

Another, bigger smile curled across Winter's face and she nodded.

"Don't worry, baby, I love you too. I always will, okay?" At Karina's nod of acceptance, Winter beamed and kissed her again. "I'm so lucky to have a girlfriend like you."

"So am I."

Winter leaned over and kissed her for the third time, leading them both out to the car- third time's a charm, anyway.

THE END