Love Square | An Aespa Romance

A Night in Tokyo

Paris felt like a lifetime ago as the group's plane descended into Tokyo's bustling airport. The jet lag and fatigue were beginning to catch up with the four members of Aespa. While excitement was always present before a concert, there was a deep-seated exhaustion that even they couldn't shake. But the pressure to perform their best, especially in a city as important to K-pop as Tokyo, kept them going.

The flight had been mostly quiet—each member retreating into their own thoughts, listening to music, or catching what little sleep they could. The emotional conversation they'd had in Paris hung between them like an invisible thread, connecting them more closely but also making every interaction feel just a little heavier. The concert in Paris had been a success, but in the quiet moments between performances, when they weren't on stage, there was an undeniable tension simmering beneath the surface.

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By the time they reached their hotel in the heart of Tokyo, it was well past sunset. The glittering lights of the city cast a warm glow over the streets below, and despite their exhaustion, Karina couldn't help but feel a little spark of excitement at being here again. Tokyo had always been one of her favorite cities.

She leaned against the window of their shared hotel room, staring out at the sea of neon lights and moving cars below. She had always loved the energy of Tokyo, how it felt like a city that never stopped. But tonight, all she wanted was peace—something that had been increasingly hard to come by.

Winter sat on the bed behind her, flipping through the hotel's TV channels without much interest, while Giselle and Ningning were in the next room, probably already asleep or close to it. The quiet between Karina and Winter wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't exactly peaceful either. There was an unspoken tension between them, one that had only grown since their conversation in Paris.

Karina sighed softly, pressing her forehead against the cool glass. The weight of their conversation still lingered in her mind, especially Ningning's confession of fear—fear that their growing feelings might ruin what they had. And Karina shared that fear, more than she cared to admit. She didn't know what to do with these emotions, how to navigate the strange shift in their relationships without breaking something fragile.

She turned around to face Winter, who was staring at the TV with the same unfocused gaze Karina had seen too many times now. Winter was lost in thought, just like she was.

"Winter," Karina said softly, stepping away from the window. "Can we talk?"

Winter looked up, her expression unreadable as she muted the TV. "Yeah, sure."

Karina sat on the edge of her bed, facing Winter but keeping a respectful distance between them. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she wasn't sure why she was so nervous. They'd always been able to talk about anything before, but now, everything felt different.

"I've been thinking a lot about what Ningning said back in Paris," Karina began, her voice steady even though her hands were trembling slightly. "About... how things have changed between us. Between all of us."

Winter nodded, her eyes softening as she watched Karina. "Me too."

Karina bit her lip, trying to find the right words. "I just— I don't want to make things weird, you know? We've always been so close, but lately... it's like something's shifted, and I don't know how to handle it."

Winter's expression softened even more, and she shifted closer to Karina, her knees brushing against hers. "You're not the only one who feels that way. I've been feeling it too. I think we all have."

There was a beat of silence before Winter continued, her voice quieter now. "But I don't think it has to be a bad thing, Karina."

Karina blinked, surprised by Winter's words. "What do you mean?"