Since the day Karina stayed at Winter's place, the younger girl suddenly acted differently than usual. Karina could see it, but couldn't put the reason why.

These few days, Winter was somehow keeping her distance from the artist. Karina found it strange, definitely. She pulled out her phone to see their chats from the latest week. Winter's replies were somehow short and not demanding, not like the usual Winter the artist knew a few months ago.

Karina
You wanna come? I've got extra pizza today.

Is it Winter or Summer?
I'm busy. Maybe another time.

That was from five days ago.

Karina
Winter, I'm wondering if you wanna come today.

Is it Winter or Summer?
Got too many projects. Later.

That was from three days ago.

Karina
Hey... are you alright? Did I do something wrong?

Is it Winter or Summer?
Nothing. I've got things to do.

That was from yesterday.

Not to explain the total of twenty-three calls Winter ignored since that day, which somehow drives the tattoo artist crazy.

Walking in a circle, Karina knows something is wrong with the younger girl. She wondered if she should just show up in front of Winter's door and ask her what happened, maybe what Winter was telling her all along was true. Maybe Winter was really busy this whole week.

Karina wants to know, but asking Winter was useless. She will never pick up her phone and her reply will always be the same. Suddenly the thought of her friend is the girlfriend of Winter's friend, she immediately calls Aeri for help.

"I need you to give me Ningning's phone number", the artist said while smoking her grape pods. Aeri then answered her with a shout, "I'm not letting you flirt with my girl!".

"What the heck- Aeri! I'm not doing that", the artist answered. "I'm worried about Winter. She didn't pick up her calls, and she seems like don't want to send me messages. I'm wondering if she's okay or not, or did I do something wrong to her last week", she continued with a heavy sigh.

"Okay~ You worried about your girl, I see~", Aeri answered with a teasing voice and a whistle at the end. The artist rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I'm serious, Aeri. She's never been like this to me".

"Fine-fine. I'll text you her number later. But I swear, Rina, if you flirt with her I'll kill---"

"Thanks, Aeri. Bye", Karina ended the call first before Aeri can threaten her.

****

Calling Ningning after getting the number from Aeri doesn't really help the artist that much. The Chinese said that she only met Winter during class time. After class, the younger girl completely disappeared. Not even Ningning and their other friend, Chaehyun know what's going on with Winter.

They tried asking her what was wrong, said Ningning. But Winter keep putting up her smile and said that it was nothing, despite both of her friends knew that it was a complete lie. Karina strongly asked Ningning if she knew anything about Winter, the Chinese should tell her immediately.

Putting her phone down with a heavy sigh, Karina brushed her hair with her fingers. She had never been worried about anyone this much. Winter just had this much effects on her, but Karina couldn't describe why.

The tiny guts inside her somehow said that she might have feelings for the younger girl, but Karina couldn't trust it that much. Since the artist grew up without her parents, she doesn't know what love feels like. It confused her between friendship and relationship. She couldn't define the differences yet.

Her face turns into a frown. Karina knew if she let this problem goes any longer, she might not be able to sleep at all at night. The way Winter suddenly turn herself away from the artist 180 degree worries her so much that Karina felt like her heart shrinks and hurt a lot.

She won't wait anymore.

Grabbing her motorcycle key, the artist made her way outside her shop with her usual leather jacket. Her phone was busy calling Winter for the nineteen times that day. The result is the same.

Winter didn't pick it up.

"This is not funny, Winter...", Karina cursed between her breath before putting on her helmet. As she push the starter of the engine, her phone rang and the artist immediately pulled her phone out from her jacket with the hope that Winter called her back.

Sadly, it was Ningning.

"Hey, Ningning", the artist said with a sigh of disappointment.

"Hey, Karina. I'm sorry, but I really really need your help. Seems like Winter is in trouble", Ningning's voice expressed a clear expression of worries. Karina pulls her helmet visor up in shock. Winter is in trouble?

"You found her?", the artist asked.

"I'm not the one who found her- but, yeah. I found her", the Chinese said before continuing her words. "Someone from a nightclub near our college captured a video of her kicking Jeno's balls out of anger a few minutes ago. It was all over our class group chat", she continued.

"Jeno- who? And tell me where is this night club", suddenly the artist's head hurts so much.

"Nevermind about that guy, but he's a total brat. Winter wasn't a fan of night club so I was not sure why she was there in the first place", Ningning said. "Can you find her for me? Me and Chaehyun are in the middle of our consultation. I don't know anyone else who can help us right now. Plus, I'm worried something might happen to her".

Karina knows what should she do next. The determination took all over herself. She wants to find the answer herself. Why is Winter avoiding her this whole week, and why is Winter at the nightclub on Friday evening, 8 pm, alone, when the younger girl isn't keen on that place?

She received the location from Ningning and wasted no time driving away.

She needs to find Winter at all costs.

She needs an answer.

****

Winter walked out from the nightclub angrily after leaving Jeno crouching in pain on the floor. She doesn't care about that guy at all. He deserves the blow anyway. Thankfully, there are still saint people around her at that moment who helped her pull Jeno away from Winter's angry figure.

Stomping her feet like a madman, somehow she forgot why is she at the nightclub in the first place. Right. It's because of Karina.

Her angry stomps changed into a despairing ones. Almost looking like she was dragging her feet, Winter let out a heavy sigh before she saw a playground nearby. She placed herself on the swing before pushing herself with her feet.

"Why did I involve myself in this matter again? Karina clearly wasn't into me...", Winter smirked to herself while looking at the ground. She put the blames back on herself. It wasn't Karina's fault. It was her own fault.

"I shouldn't even meet her in the first place", she scoffed once, her head upwards looking at the night sky. Winter didn't even try to stop a single tear that fell from her eyes through her cheek.

Her phone vibrates for the twenty times that day and Winter predicted it must be Karina again, and yup, she was right. Again, she declines it.

Her mind turned into a mess. The thought of stopping everything related to Karina and starting fresh again, maybe with new inspiration from someone new hurts Winter's heart. It's hurt, but Winter know she need to do it. She couldn't let herself fall deeper in love with the artist knowing that it was only for a mere contract, and the artist will never feel the same about her.

"All you need to do is move on, Winter. Yes, you can do it".

****

Karina hissed in frustration when Winter rejected her call again. She's already at the nightclub Ningning mentioned but found no sign of Winter or the guy she kicked.

She showed the picture of Winter to the bartender, and the mid-30 man said that Winter has left the club about fifteen minutes ago. Karina couldn't help but brush her hair in frustration again. She had enough of Winter trying to run away from her.

That girl really drives Karina crazy.

"Where the fucking hell are you!", the artist shouted angrily, kicking a stool in front of her.

The clock almost hit nine, and Karina knows well enough that Winter is afraid of the darkness of the night. She guessed Winter might be in a bright place right now, instead of a dark one. A safer place for Winter to go.

But there's a lot! Karina couldn't point out which one.

Karina drove by convenience stores, shops, parks, and the Han River. There's a lot for Karina to look at that she didn't realize the way she drive her motorcycle is extremely dangerous. She lost her focus for a short second and the emergency break sends her rolling on the ground.

Few other motorcycle riders and a car stop by the road just to check her condition. Her motorcycle was lifted up by a bystander and Karina could see a few scratches on her beloved black bike.

It wasn't that bad as Karina can stand back up on her own two feet. But her skin grazed by the rough tarred road somehow left a strong sting for her senses. All she can do is wince in pain, didn't even think much about how the pain is eating her up.

Her mind is still on Winter.

****

Winter getting bored sitting on the swing for too long, so she decided it was time for her to go home. The last bus to her apartment might still be there oncoming, but Winter trusts the taxi more at night.

The sidewalks are filled with lights and there are still many people around, thankfully. Winter's phone buzzed again and Winter guess it might be Karina again. But as soon as she look at her phone, she pick it up, realizing it was her friend, Ningning.

"Hey-"

"Where in the world are you, Winter Kim!!!", Ningning's loud voice hurts Winter's ear.

"I'm on the sidewalk near our college. The one with our favorite tteokbokki stall".

"Karina tried to reach you all day long! She even goes to your house and the nightclub where you--"

"Wow-wow. Wait- How did you know?", Winter cuts her friend's words.

"You are at the nightclub near our college. Did you expect no one inside there is our classmates?", Ningning stated and Winter facepalmed herself. How can she be that stupid? Of course, there will be someone from the college inside that club, including that jerk.

"What did you say again? Karina was there?", Winter asked her.

"She asked me and told me she had been worried about you this whole week. She tried to find you, so I told her that you are at the club", her friend said. Karina worried about her wasn't a new thing, and Karina trying to find her also wasn't a new thing. Karina did that once, during the eat-out where she saved Winter from the drunks. Suddenly there's a sense of guilt inside Winter.

"But I didn't see her at all. When did she say she want to find me at the club?", Winter asked her back.

"About an hour ago. She should be there already, or tell me something about it. But the thing is that I called her few minutes ago and got no reply", the Chinese answered. "It's weird because she definitely keeps her eye on her phone to find you. Why don't you try calling her back?".

Guilt washed over Winter for a moment. Should she call the artist back? Winter was determined minutes ago that she wanted to start fresh and move on. But knowing that Karina tried to find her all her might somehow left Winter hanging with her decision.

"Just call her, Winter. She's really worried about you...", Ningning adds up.

Winter said her thanks to her friend before slowly scrolling through her contact list. There it is, Karina's name with a heart emoji beside it. Winter was unsure whether this is the right thing to do. Should she call her back? Or should she just leave her alone?

But Ningning said Karina was worried about her.

It took a while for Winter to press the call button, but it took only a short time for the line to reach the other side. Winter nervously gulped down her saliva before greeting her on the phone.

"Hey, Rina---"

"Trauma Centre, Seoul National University Hospital. Miss... 'Is it Winter or Summer'? May I know if you knew the owner of this phone?"

Winter's eyes wide open, how can't she be?

"E-Excuse me, but isn't this Karina Yu's phone?", Winter asked back just to make sure.

"Yes, it is. So you know the owner of this phone?", the person on the line answered and Winter can feel her breath stop.

"Where's Karina Yu...?"

"She got into a small accident just now and dropped her phone. An ambulance staff helped pick it up for her. She's under treatment right now", the person on the line said.

It was stupid, it is. Winter was so determined minutes ago that she can do this. But it only took another few minutes the wall she tried to build was now gone in a flash. Her heart breaks into pieces and her eyes hold up her tears.

Karina, the person she loves is hurt while trying to find her.

"Tell me where she is. I'm coming..."