Winter glanced up, her posture immediately stiffening.
"What do you want?" she asked flatly, fingers tightening around her phone.
Jaemin lowered himself onto the bleachers a few feet away. "To talk."
She exhaled sharply, already irritated. "About what? How I'm a terrible person?"
"No." Jaemin shook his head. "About why you're doing this."
Winter didn't respond right away. She stared past him at the empty gym floor, jaw tight, shoulders tense.
Jaemin watched her for a moment before continuing, his voice quiet but firm.
"I know things haven't been easy for you. But being mean to Ara... or anyone else... won't make it better."
A bitter scoff escaped Winter's lips. "What do you know about making things better? You walked away."
Jaemin flinched but stayed calm. He didn't react the way she expected. He just sighed, steady and patient.
"I walked away because I thought you needed space to figure things out," he said. "But you haven't. You've just... built walls."
Winter clenched her fists. "And what do you expect me to do? Just magically fix everything?" Her voice wavered slightly, but she forced it down.
"No." Jaemin met her eyes. "But I expect you to stop hurting people who've done nothing to you. Especially Ara."
Guilt flickered across Winter's face before she could push it down. She looked away, shoulders tense, heart racing.
"It's not that simple," she muttered.
"I know it's not." Jaemin's voice softened. "But you're not alone, Winter. You don't have to deal with everything by yourself."
She stayed silent, eyes fixed on the floor, afraid of what she might see if she looked at him. The silence stretched between them, heavy and quiet.
Jaemin waited patiently, letting her have her space. He didn't push, didn't demand an answer.
Finally, he stood up, brushing off his pants.
"Think about it," he said gently, without pressure. Just quiet understanding in his tone.
He walked away, leaving Winter alone on the bleachers.
She hugged her phone a little tighter, her tough exterior starting to crack. For the first time in a while, she realized maybe she didn't have to carry everything alone.
The gym felt bigger and emptier than before, but the weight on her shoulders felt slightly lighter.
Winter exhaled slowly, her jaw unclenching. Maybe she could change. Maybe she could stop hurting people. Maybe, just maybe, she could let someone in.
For now, though, she stayed seated, thinking about Jaemin's words. Quietly, slowly, she allowed herself to feel the smallest flicker of hope.
The bleachers creaked under her as she shifted, her mind still buzzing, but her heart a little less heavy.
For the first time in a while, Winter felt the hint of a choice... and the possibility that she didn't have to face everything alone.
A.N -
This is very small, but yeah... sorry...
