ATTACHED • Winrina

• chapter ten • UPDATED

The evening moon draped its warm luminous light over the small hill, filtering through the delicate petals of the cherry blossoms, creating a serene atmosphere that belied the turmoil within Jimin's heart. She stood beneath the tree, her fingers tracing the trunk, feeling the textured bark beneath her touch-an anchor tethering her to this reality even as her thoughts spiraled out of control.

Jimin could hear laughter and cheerful chatter from Winter, whose exuberance filled the air like a sweet melody. Winter was sitting cross-legged on the grass with a small, sleek object in her hands. It was too contemporary for Jimin; she could hear the soft buzzing of notifications, the faint glow illuminating Winter's face as she scrolled through various apps.

"Jimin! Look at this! You could talk to your family anytime!" Winter's voice rang across the space, all enthusiasm and innocence, but it sent a chill down Jimin's spine. The idea of using such a device was both fascinating and terrible; it felt like a mockery of her reality.

"Winter," Jimin's voice wavered, "I... I really don't think I can use that."

Winter paused, tilting her head in confusion. "Why not? It's simple. You just press a button and-"

"No. You don't understand." Jimin's tone sharpened, the walls she had built around her secrets cracking under the strain. "It's not safe for me. I... I cannot stay here for long, okay? I need to go back."

"Go back? To where?" Winter's brow furrowed, her brows knitting together as she set the phone down and stood up, her demeanor shifting with the tension in the air.

"Back to my time," Jimin whispered, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She ached to disclose the truth-the weight crushing her chest, the burden of knowing that her family was in danger, trapped in a war she had fled. But every time she opened her mouth, she feared the potential destruction of their bond.

"Jimin," Winter said, stepping closer, her voice low and soothing. "You don't have to keep pretending. This is 2024. You're safe here; we can figure things out. We can find somewhere peaceful. Just... don't go."

The words reverberated in Jimin's mind, but the reality of the Korean War loomed large. She could picture her family-her mother's fierce spirit, her father's quiet strength, her younger brother's laughter-trapped in the throes of chaos. She couldn't let another moment slip away. Not when they were at risk. Not when she had a chance to save them.

"No, you don't understand." Jimin took a step back, almost lost in the moment. "My family... they need me. They need to know I'm okay, and that I'm coming home."

Winter's eyes widened, a mix of confusion and concern painting her features. "But Jimin, the past is dangerous. You don't know what could happen. The war..."

Jimin felt a sharp pang in her chest. She had escaped the horrors of gunfire and hunger, the sounds of despair that haunted her days. In this moment, under the cherry blossoms, she could almost forget that the world beyond this tranquil scene was crumbling.

"Winter," she pleaded, the desperation surfacing, raw and aching, "if you only knew what it's like... You have to trust me. I'm not from this time, and I need to go back. If I don't, I could lose everything."

Silence fell, thickening the air around them. Winter sank onto the grass, her expression unreadable. "But what if you don't come back?" she whispered, her voice small. "What if it's not safe? What if..."

"I can't stay here while my family is in danger!" Jimin snapped, frustration sparking like a wildfire. "I have to try, Winter!"

Jimin closed her eyes, visions of her past flooding her mind. The laughter of her family, the aroma of her mother's cooking, the warmth of her father's embrace-she needed to return to all of that. Just thinking about them left alone in the chaos made her stomach twist in knots.

Winter stood up again, shaking her head, a hint of tears pooling in her eyes. "But I can help you! We can-"

"No!" Jimin shook her head, stepping back further, nearly losing her balance as she moved away from the safety of the tree. "There's nothing you can do. You can't understand... I'm from there. I live through that hell. I must go back and help my family."

"Then what do you want me to say?" Winter's voice rose, frustration lacing her words. "Do you want me to just send you back and hope everything works out? You can't just throw yourself into danger and expect everything to be fine!"

"I-I need to find a way," Jimin whispered, feeling the weight of hopelessness press down on her. "I can't let them suffer. Not when I can do something about it."

Winter's gaze faltered, and she fell silent, the air crackling with unspoken tension. Jimin could feel the ache in her chest growing-this was it. The chasm between their worlds had widened to a point of fracture.

"I wish I could help you," Winter finally said, her voice softer, almost breaking. "But I can't. I can't protect you in a war. And I can't bear the thought of you getting hurt."

Jimin's heart twisted painfully; Winter was right, and the truth stung more than she could verbalize. "I can protect myself," she said, but her voice faltered with doubt. "I have to believe I can."

"Just... promise me that you'll be safe," Winter pleaded, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Please, Jimin."

Jimin nodded, not trusting herself to speak, her heart shattering with every passing second. She knew she had to leave, but the thought of Winter suffering from her departure unfurled a new agony within her soul. They stood there, the cherry blossoms fluttering softly around them, enveloping their pain like a gentle embrace.

"Whatever happens, don't forget me," Winter added, her voice trembling. "You're my friend, Jimin. I don't want to lose you."

Jimin's heart surged with emotion, the very thing she was fighting against. As she looked at Winter, doing her best to hold onto the shards of hope, she knew she would never forget her. The girl who had pulled her into the present, the girl who cared against all odds.

"I'll find a way back," Jimin promised, her voice barely more than a whisper, the weight of the world pressing upon her. "I'll come back for you. If it's the last thing I do."

With a shared understanding of the heartbreak that lay ahead, the two stood together beneath the cherry blossoms, an unbreakable bond forged through the conflict between two worlds.

But time-an unforgiving force-was already pulling Jimin back to where she truly belonged.