Something was palpable in the air when Karina met Winter in the yard after class.

Karina had made up her mind—she needed to stop herself from falling any further, and she believed the only way to do that was to create distance.

They still hadn’t found any trace of Mai, and although everything pointed to her involvement in the loop, that didn’t matter to Karina right now. She was done allowing her heart to pull her in directions she didn’t want to go.

Standing with her arms folded tightly across her chest, Karina faced Winter. “Go buy us some food,” she said flatly, her tone void of the warmth she usually carried.

Winter’s eyebrows shot up in confusion. “What?” she asked, genuinely thrown off by the sudden shift. “We’re supposed to be looking for Mai, not—"

“We need to eat,” Karina cut her off, her voice stern and unwavering.

Winter stared at her, clearly unsettled. “What about you?” she pressed, her concern growing. "You’ve been acting weird all day, President. What’s going on?”

Karina avoided eye contact, focusing her gaze elsewhere. “I’m going to the teacher’s staffroom. I’ll check through any recent records and see if there’s anything useful related to Mai.”

Winter’s concern deepened. She knew how risky that would be, especially without any cover. “I’ll come with you,” Winter offered, her voice laced with worry. “It’s dangerous for you to go alone.”

But that concern only grated at Karina’s already frayed nerves. She felt her frustration bubble over, and she couldn’t hold it in anymore. Her heart was already aching, torn between her growing feelings for Winter and the guilt of what she knew she couldn’t allow to happen.

"Do what I said, Winter. You're just a kid. Don't you worry about me."

The words hit Winter hard. Her expression shifted from concern to something more guarded, her eyes briefly flickering with hurt before she turned her face away.

She had thought they were close, that maybe they were finally starting to understand each other, but Karina’s harsh tone made her feel like she had been pushed out again—like they were back to square one.

Winter nodded stiffly, her jaw clenched as she swallowed her emotions.

“Fine,” she said, her voice strained but calm. Without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Karina standing alone.

As Winter disappeared down the hallway, Karina felt the familiar pang of guilt return, sharper this time. She knew she was pushing Winter away on purpose, but the hurt on Winter’s face lingered in her mind, haunting her as she tried to focus on her next steps.

But she couldn’t afford to think about that now. There was work to do.

Winter stood on the side of the road, her expression colder than the autumn air around her, clutching her backpack tighter. Karina’s words echoed in her head, and she couldn't shake the bitterness that had settled in her chest.

What had she done wrong to deserve being treated like some naïve child? All she wanted was to help Karina, to be there for her. Yet, Karina’s cutting remarks left her feeling hurt and frustrated.

Kicking a stray stone down the road, Winter let out a small huff, her mood darkening with each step. Suddenly, the blare of a car horn interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see a sleek black SUV pulling up beside her.

The tinted window rolled down, revealing none other than Giselle, one of the school’s most popular seniors—and Karina’s best friend.

Giselle’s raised eyebrows took in Winter’s scowl with mild amusement. “Well, don’t look like you’re going to bite my head off,” she teased, her smile lazy.

But Winter wasn’t in the mood. Not wanting anything to do with someone so closely linked to Karina, she just stood there, glaring in silence.

Giselle’s smile widened, clearly not intimidated. “Get in,” she said, motioning toward the open door. Winter hesitated but eventually sighed in defeat, climbing in without saying a word. As the door shut, she breathed out slowly, staring straight ahead.

For a while, the car ride was silent, with only the hum of the engine filling the space. Winter, surprised by the lack of conversation, found herself glancing at Giselle. The older girl wasn’t usually this quiet, and Winter’s curiosity piqued.

Giselle broke the silence with a chuckle, her eyes still on the road. “So… are you finally ready to talk?”

Winter stared at her hands, unsure how to respond. “Talk about what?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Giselle began, glancing at Winter with a sly grin. “Maybe about your relationship with Karina?”

Winter’s eyes widened in panic, her face flushing red as she whipped her head toward Giselle. “W-What? There’s no relationship! We’re just—” She waved her hands in front of her face, stumbling over her words.

Giselle smirked, clearly enjoying Winter’s flustered state. “Relax. I’m not accusing you of anything. But… the fact that you immediately jumped to that answer is pretty telling.”

Winter’s blush deepened, and she stammered, “I didn’t mean it like that! We’re just… friends.” The words sounded weak even to her.

Giselle’s teasing smirk grew. “Sure, sure. ‘Friends.’ But tell me, have you ever thought about it… in any other way?”

Winter’s heart pounded in her chest, and she tried to bury her face in her hands, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks. “I—no! I mean, I don’t know! It's not like that,” she mumbled, utterly embarrassed.

Giselle laughed softly but didn’t push any further. She turned the SUV onto a quieter street, slowing down in front of a small shop. Winter blinked, looking around, unfamiliar with the area. “Where are we?”

Giselle parked the car and turned to Winter, her expression suddenly more serious. The air inside the car grew heavy, and Winter instinctively shrank back in her seat, feeling a sudden tension. Giselle’s playful demeanor had evaporated, replaced by something much more intense.

“Listen, Winter,” Giselle began, her voice low but firm. “I don’t know what’s going on between you and Karina, and frankly, I don’t care. But here’s what I do care about: if you hurt her, I will hunt you down. Got it?”

Winter gulped, eyes wide as she nodded furiously, feeling very small under Giselle’s intense stare. The playful banter from earlier was gone, replaced with something far more intimidating. The silence stretched between them, and Winter’s pulse quickened, her body tense.

Then, without warning, Giselle’s serious face broke into a giggle. “Relax, I’m just messing with you,” she said, patting Winter’s head like she was some sort of small animal. Winter blinked, her heart still racing, not sure whether to be relieved or even more confused.

“I can see why Karina likes you,” Giselle mumbled, more to herself, her eyes softening as she returned her focus to the road. Winter opened her mouth to object, but before she could speak, Giselle was back to her usual self.

“Karina’s a tough one to figure out, I’ll give you that,” Giselle continued, turning to Winter again. “She can be confusing, but she’s hardworking and—at heart—one of the good ones. So, if you’re trying to get through to her, be patient. She’ll open up… eventully.”

Winter didn’t say anything, her mind still spinning from everything that had just happened. But before she could dwell on it, Giselle handed her a large wad of cash. “Now, go in there and buy us some fried chicken and drinks.”

Winter blinked, momentarily confused by the sudden task, but obeyed, stepping out of the car. When she returned with the food, Giselle drove them back toward the school. As they neared the gates, Giselle pulled over, handing the food bags to Winter.

“Here, take these and eat with Karina,” she said with a knowing smile.

“Wait, what? I—” Winter began, but Giselle was already driving off, leaving her standing there, bewildered, with bags of food in her hands.

Winter stood there for a long moment, staring after Giselle’s disappearing SUV. Then, with a resigned sigh, she turned back toward the school, her heart racing once again at the thought of seeing Karina.