Winter made some rules for Karina the next day. Since the artist need to stay idle for at least a week, Winter told her that Karina will stay at her apartment this whole week. Winter didn't accept 'no' as an answer.

"But Winter, I can still do my work on the wheelchair. I can still draw the tattoos---"

"Nope. Your doctor told me you need to rest for a week. Don't be so stubborn", Winter shakes her head eagerly.

"Fine. But I can stay at my own shop. There's nothing---"

"It will be easier for me to watch you while you are there. Also, my apartment has a television, a kitchen, a couch, and a bigger shower which your shop didn't have", Winter shakes her head at the artist again.

Karina's both hand is up in the air, trying to protest the younger girl. But Winter is right. Karina really needs someone to take care of her. But she felt a bit guilty to burden the younger girl.

"Unless you want to be limp for the rest of your life, you can argue. No pod smoking allowed", Winter nodded her head in sarcasm, and Karina couldn't do much from sighing in defeat. Looking at Karina's expression softens Winter's heart a bit.

"I just want to take care of you, Rina. You know that your shop didn't have many household appliances, and your movements are limited. It will be hard for you, and I want to help", Winter looks into Karina's eyes with her lowered brows. She wants Karina to know that she really cared for her.

"Fine...", Karina sigh lightly before slowly flashing her tiny smile.

****

This is the second time the tattoo artist steps her feet inside Winter's apartment, even tho this time, she wasn't really stepping into it because of the wheelchair. The last time she was here, the ending wasn't that good tho.

Winter pushed the wheelchair to her living room, leaving Karina there before handing the older girl the remote control for her television. After an assuring nod for permission, Karina switched the television on and opened Netflix.

Winter headed to the kitchen for some drinks. It's really not good not to serve something for your guest, that's basic common sense.

"Another hot chocolate?", Winter asked from the tabletop before Karina answer her with a nod.

"Okay. Hot chocolate is on the way", Winter nod back happily before pulling out two cups from her cupboard.

The younger girl then poured two packs of chocolate powder pack, each on each of the cups before pouring some hot water inside it. She took a spoon from the kitchen drawer and slowly stirred the hot water carefully on the tabletop.

Her eyes shifted towards Karina, who is now watching One Piece on Netflix. The younger girl chuckled for a moment at the surprising news.

"I did not expect you to watch that", Winter laughs and Karina just gave her two-second bombastic side-eyes before focusing back on the television.

"Why? Did you find me weird enough?", she asked, not looking at Winter.

"Nope, it's not weird. I felt like I saw another side of you, that's it", Winter nod her head once before putting the spoon into the sink. She held the cups inside her hands and carefully headed towards the tattoo artist, handing her one cup of hot chocolate.

"Here"

"Thanks", Karina smiled with the cup now inside her holds.

Winter took her seat on her couch, right next to Karina's wheelchair. Her eyes stuck to the hot liquid in the cup, "Ningning said that Aeri will take care of you when I'm gone for classes".

Karina turns her head to the younger girl. "She said that?", she asked.

"Yup. She'll start coming here tomorrow", Winter nods her head. Karina suddenly moved her right hand to her forehead, massaging her frowning brows.

"I knew Aeri, Winter. Oh my god. She will treat me like a five-year-old girl, I swear...", Karina scoffed already imagining how terrible will it be when Aeri is here with her later.

"I think she will treat you just fine", Winter laughs lightly before sipping some of her hot chocolate.

****

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! Uchinaga Aeri has finally arrived!", Aeri opened her arms widely in front of the front door, celebrating her own self for her arrival. Karina who was now sitting on the couch just scoffed her heart out, feeling shameful for her friend.

"Huff. I knew it", Karina shut her eyes in disbelief before Aeri slam the door shut with her feet. Aeri then walked towards the living room with her dinosaur steps before stopping a few meters away from Karina, holding up the plastic bag in her hands in the air.

"With Aeri's arrival, here's some food inside her hands! Are you, Karina Yu, curious about what Uchinaga Aeri bought?", she pointed one of her hands at Karina with her mischievous grin.

"Aeri, stop and just---"

"Yes! Karina Yu is so curious about the food, and Uchinaga Aeri knew it! Ha-ha-ha!", she laughs like a dork with her wide open mouth before placing both plastic of food on Winter's coffee table. Karina just rolled her eyes, expecting that hilarious act from her friend.

"Winter told me that you didn't have your breakfast yet. So here's some fishcakes, bread, rice cakes, and bibimbap. Winter paid all of it, special for you", Aeri said obviously making the 'you' word clear and strong enough for Karina. The tattoo artist then lifted one of her eyebrows in confusion.

"She paid all of this?", Karina asked while her eyes followed Aeri's hand movement, pulling out all the food from the plastic bags.

"Yeah. She transferred the money to my account", Aeri answered before finally taking her seat across the coffee table.

"That's really a lot of food"

"Yeah, it is. Because she obviously loves you a lot", Aeri smirks while looking at her friend, teasing. "She's serious about you, Rina. What will you do about it?", Aeri asked as her expression just now drastically changed into concern. Karina let out a long hum as her hand reached out for the bread in front of her.

"I told her already that I'll let her be. She can keep liking me while I'm here trying to discover my own self", she answered, unwrapping the garlic bread that keep catching her attention since Aeri revealed it.

"You said that? Wow, my friend. You are so obvious!", Aeri said as her hand gestured here and there excitedly. Karina took a bite of the garlic bread and her eyes widen for a second because of how good the bread is.

"Means?", she asked with a mouthful of bread.

"It means that you obviously falling for her without you even realizing it yourself---"

Karina chokes her bread and Aeri's eyes turn wide. "Oh my god, are you okay?", the Japanese asked as Karina tried to gulp down her food and later coughed hard a few times. The Japanese then rushed towards Winter's kitchen to grab a cup and filled it with water.

"Aeri!", the tattoo artist shouted from her seat.

"What? I'm just saying the truth!", the Japanese shouted back as she came back to the living room with the cup in her hand.

"I'm not falling for Winter!", Karina shouted again before coughing hard once again.

"You are! I just know it!", her friend answered. "Drink this!", she shoved the cup harshly toward Karina's face and the tattoo artist had a hard time taking the cup from Aeri's hand before gulping down the water down her throat.

Then, she slammed the empty cup on the table, preparing to argue with her friend's words again.

"I am not!", Karina shouted.

"Gosh, Rina. I've known you for years, and now you tell me. Have you ever let any stranger come into your living spaces?", Aeri said with her voice slowly higher.

"No!", Karina shaking her head in disbelief, denying.

"Maybe not because of the sex topic since you are too obsessed with it. But, have you ever eaten outside with a stranger?"

"No!"

"Have you ever texted a stranger on a daily basis?"

"No!"

"Have you ever invited a stranger when she or he got injured?"

"No!"

"Have you ever let a stranger rides on your bike?"

"No!"

"Have you ever...", Aeri stops for a while thinking about her next words. "Ah! Have you ever slept at a stranger's house?"

"Eww... No!"

"Have you ever worried about a stranger?"

"No!"

"See? All of my questions will be a 'yes' in Winter's case!", she shoved her words right back into Karina's face.

"But, I'm not falling for Winter yet. We are friends!", and Karina still trying to argue with her.

"Have you ever seen your face every time you see her? I bet your face will be like 'Oh my god! Winter is here! I'm so happy!' "

"Who the hell immediately mirrors themselves when they met someone? Do you think a person like me installed a mirror on my hands to look at it every time we met?", Karina's hands are in mid-air.

"And who the hell let a stranger kiss themselves, not during the make-out time?", Aeri blurted out in frustration. "You said she kissed you when you are here last week. You said she kissed you at the hospital. Who the hell did that?", Aeri's hand is now in mid-air.

Karina's face suddenly turned into a flush. She suddenly remembered those memories, and she tried so hard not to show them to Aeri by turning her head away. But since Aeri is too close to her, her shameful attempt turns into a total failure.

"See? Who the hell blushing so hard remembering that?", Aeri asked her.

The tattoo artist now lost her words, staying silent and looking at the window. She remembered how Winter kissed her on the rainy days, in this same exact spot, last week. She can't deny that the fact she kissed Winter back that day.

"Stupid", Aeri muffled through her breath before taking another garlic bread on the table in frustration. "I know you somehow realize it, but your tsundere ass keeps denying it. I'm not your friend for nothing, Rina. Thanks for letting me know yourself too well", she said in annoyance before taking a big bite of the bread.

Karina still looking outside the window, as her own thoughts trying to bring her to another world.

'Hey! Winter' book 2 -
Hey! Karina
COMING SOON ON JULY ♥︎