Morning light filtered through the windows, Karina scurried round her house with that jacket slung carelessly over one shoulder as she checked her phone one last time to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything.

This morning the house felt different, electric with excitement and sadness. Her mother, Mrs. Yu, waited in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest, but her gaze softening with every step closer to saying goodbye.

Giselle stood outside against the car as she humped the last of Karina's bags up over her shoulder.

"Come on, princess," she said mockingly, teasing her best friend.

"You gotta leave, else you gonna be one of those late comers in your dorm debut."

Karina ignored Giselle's quip, her thoughts too busy dwelling on leaving. She slowed to a stop in front of her mother and quivered slightly at the edge of her lips. A sad momentary glimmer in Mrs. Yu's normally proud face was almost an afterthought as she regarded her daughter standing before her, poised to take the next phase of her life.

"Mom…" Karina breathed, her voice thick with emotion, moving forward and wrapping arms around her mother. It was a tight hug, the kind that said all the words that neither of them could say out loud. Mrs. Yu, caught off guard for a moment, let her arms slowly encircle Karina's shoulders, patting her back gently.

"You're going to be just fine," Mrs. Yu said gently, though her voice contained a sternness that caused Karina to smile through the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Take care of yourself. And call me. I mean it."

Karina sniffed, trying not to cry but couldn't help it. She admitted through a shaking voice, hiding her face in the shoulder of her mother, "I don't want to go."

Mrs. Yu let out a small disapproving sigh, though her smile remained soft.

"Aigoo, crying before you even leave? You're going to embarrass yourself before you even step foot on campus."

"Yah, don't cry more!" Giselle interrupted with a dramatic roll of her eyes as she appeared behind Karina, carrying the last of the bags.

"You'll make her all puffy-faced. College boys might start running away."

Karina shot her a teasing look, wiping away the tears from her cheeks.

"I'll ignore that," she sniffled, as Mrs. Yu chuckled in the background.

Taking a deep breath, Karina went to the door, knowing she couldn't put it off any longer. Giselle smirked and flung the bag into the back seat. Karina waved good-bye to her mother one last time, trying to smile with the pain in her chest.

Mrs. Yu waved back, her eyes full of pride.

"Go on, Karina. You'll do great," she called out to Karina as she moved to get into the car.

As Giselle started the car and drove away, Karina settled back into her passenger seat, glancing out the window one final time to catch a glimpse of her mom standing on the front porch. The farther they moved from her house, the smaller her mom's figure became until she disappeared from view. Karina shook out a deep breath, settling finally into her seat as she faced forward.

"You ready for the dorm life?" Giselle asked, darting a quick glance her way.

Karina smiled weakly, lost in thought.

"Yeah...," she said, though her voice seemed not quite certain. For all the weight of everything she was leaving behindthe rooms, the halls, the bay windows that felt like an arm helping to hold her upa small part of her felt a fragile eagerness for whatever lay ahead.

As the car rushed forward into the unknown, she couldn't help but think of Winter, her heart fluttering at the memory of how her cheek had been stolen for a kiss mere hours before.

Maybe, just maybe, everything would work out.

Karina furrowed her brows, and the familiar roads that lay before her changed into nothing as the car ventured farther into uncharted territory. Her heart skipped a beat, and confusion laced through her voice as she turned to Giselle.

"Uh… Giselle? This doesn't lead to KS University," Karina said, her voice half-questioning, half-worried. She blinked rapidly to try to make sense of it.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see," was all Giselle said, none of which explained what that meant. She didn't even glance Karina's way, keeping her eyes straight on the road.

Karina blinked once again, frowning to try and get herself wrapped in some semblance of reason. Her mind played out possibilities in a scattered sequence of idea production. She glanced back in her seat, watching the road carefully.

The landmarks slowly began to look familiar; too familiar. Her breath caught in her throat as she wheeled her head side to stare at Giselle in shock.

"Wait… this is…" Karina's voice trailed off as realization dawned on her.

"I thought… I thought you hated... Why are we going here?"

Giselle glanced at her briefly, her expression unreadable.

"I don't hate her," she said, her voice softer than usual.

"I never did."

Karina blinked, her confusion deepening. She opened her mouth to speak, but Giselle continued.

"I just didn't like the way she left you hanging when you were in a real low." Giselle explained, her tone a little tighter, her hold on the steering wheel firm.

"But... I get it now. It wasn't easy for her either. And you two... you deserve this moment."

Karina gazed down at her nails, a clenched heart at the mention of that time. She had been so hurt at that point. Giselle had picked up pieces of her when no one else would. She never actually realized how much anger that best friend had held onto for her. But now… she could feel it seemed like she was letting go.

The car finally stopped, and Karina immediately knew the place. It was Winter's favorite park, their park—the same park they had shared so many moments within the rest of the world's view.

Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes fixed on Winter standing in the distance and silhouetted by soft morning light. And by her side stood Ningning, her long hair flowing freely in the wind.

Giselle changed seats then turned off the engine.

"I thought you might like to see Ning too," she added, her voice casual, though Karina could sense the effort behind her words.

It was then that Karina's eyes welled up with tears and gratitude. Turning to her very bestfriend, she managed barely above a whisper to utter: "Thanks, Giselle… really. This means so much more than anything."

Giselle wrinkled up her nose at mock offense, waving Karina off as if to dispel the heavy moment.

"Ugh, stop getting all gooey. It's disgusting," she teased, shooing Karina toward the door.

"Now get out of here before I change my mind."

Karina laughed through her tears, nodding as she unbuckled her seatbelt and hopped out of the car. Her heart pounded as her feet hit the ground. She didn't look back. She just ran to Winter, her heart full, her smile wide. Winter's head turned as she heard Karina's footsteps.

And everything else faded away at the exact moment when their eyes locked.