Winter had pushed the nagging feeling for days.

With midterms looming, she couldn’t take it anymore. Something wasn’t right, and no matter how many excuses she made, it gnawed at her until she finally decided to go see Karina herself.

The sight of huge KS University looming before her didn't help. Each step seemed heavy laden with worry and uncertainty about what would unfold.

It felt like an eternity when she reached Karina's room and knocked. She was pacing on her feet, the nervous energy rising in her throat, until finally the creaking door swung open to reveal Yeji rubbing her eyes sleepily.

Winter felt a little pangs of guilt- Was she disturbing her?

Yet, there was Yeji's bright, sleepy smile, as if none of that slumber had disturbed one strand of her hair; she smiled and reached out for her jacket and sidestepped.

"She is in there," Yeji breathed, nodding to the bed. And without another word, she slipped out, closing the door gently behind her, leaving them alone.

Winter blinked, almost caught off guard by how easily she was let inside, her attention swinging from the dark shape Karina made crumpled up on the bed with her eyes closed.

For a moment, Winter’s heart lifted at finally seeing her, but as she drew closer, her joy faded.

Karina was thinner than Winter remembered, her face almost hollow, with an underlying exhaustion that clung to her even in sleep. The room was dim, the blinds pulled shut despite the afternoon sun outside.

Winter sighed and moved to the window; she opened it, letting light flood into the room and warm it up.

"Love?," she called softly, full of gentle insistence.

Karina stirred, barely opening her eyes, muttering some incoherent before collapsing back onto sleep. Winter called her once more, this time with a teasing edge, and Karina's eyes snapped open.

She sat up, blinking slowly, as if Winter was a mirage.

Panic fluttered in her face, her eyes scanning the room as if to collect herself together.

Winter cracked a smile, settled into sitting on the side of the bed, and leaned to give Karina this really entertained look.

"You know, you’d still be the most beautiful person in the room, even if you were wearing a ragged sweater."

Karina’s initial panic softened, replaced by a tired glare as she crossed her arms and asked, with a hint of annoyance, “Why are you here?”

Winter folded her arms, her face feigning the most dramatic pout. "What, I can't come see my girlfriend? Is that not allowed?"

She leaned forward, opened her arms, and Karina didn't hesitate for a moment. She seemed to melt into Winter's embrace, her arms pulling tight around Winter's so fiercely that almost made Winter chuckle.

Winter held her, running her hand gently through Karina's hair as she said she had missed her, too.

After a long moment, Karina finally loosened her hold, tugging back, small smile on her face. Winter settled on the wall beside her and climbed up onto the bed.

She eyed Karina carefully, her expression softening as she asked, “So… how are you doing, really?”

Karina’s gaze faltered, her mind scrambling for an answer that wouldn’t betray her. She tried to force a small smile and nodded.

"I'm fine," she said quickly, changing the subject back to Winter, asking her how her day was.

Winter broke into an easy grin, as she began telling Karina about her school experience with Ningning. She was laughing out loud even just at the recall of the event where she almost got in trouble with zoning out while at school.

Her voice was infective and filled the air in the room, which allowed Karina to smile; for the first probably since a while, she felt actually alive and living, not just existing. She listened intently, letting herself be drawn into Winter’s world, feeling a strange comfort settle over her.

But as Winter continued, Karina’s smile began to waver, and heaviness fell upon her once more, guilt tugging at her heart. She wanted to stay in this moment, to let Winter's warmth and light wash away all the fear and sadness she'd kept hidden.

Yet the ache remained, quietly festering beneath the surface, making her feel stuck between comfort and pain-both given by Winter, yet each held back by secrets that had to remain locked in.

Winter’s eyes never missed a beat. She caught the flicker in Karina's face almost the moment it began-the drop of her smile, the tightening around her eyes. Winter felt concern flood up as she sat back up, all of her on Karina, her voice soft as she reached across to take Karina's hands in her own.

"Love, what's really going on?" she asked softly, her warm tone, yet laced with the slightest edge of worry.

Karina felt herself shrink under the weight of Winter's gaze, hated the intensity of it, the way that her eyes seemed to pierce through her. She attempted a weak laugh, fidgeting uncomfortably in her seat as she tried to lighten up the mood, but Winter's gaze did not change. She gazed at Karina like she could see right through her and peel away every layer of turmoil that Karina so carefully built to conceal that turmoil.

Karina's eyes turned away as she couldn't look at Winter anymore, her body tensing up like she was going to crack under the pressure of having her heart pound more rapidly.

A spurt of panic and anxiety grew inside of her and tightening her like a vice. She needed to escape—anything to avoid Winter’s piercing gaze and the way it made her feel so exposed.

Desperate, she leaned in, her hands clutching at Winter’s shirt as she kissed her, her lips crashing into Winter’s in a desperate attempt to drown out everything else.

Winter, caught off guard, froze for a split second, surprised by Karina’s sudden intensity. But then, she softened, instinctively wrapping her arms around Karina as she returned the kiss, letting herself be swept up in its heat.

Karina's fingers grasped her tightly, her hands creeping up to Winter's shoulders, then around her neck, as if drawing her closer could somehow calm the storm inside.

Their kiss deepened, both of them losing themselves in the moment. Winter's hands swept over Karina's waist as she lifted her into her lap, drawing their interlocked fingers, brushing aside what strands had crested it and fallen about Karina's face.

Winter's other hand, firm upon her back, pressing her so closely, that she feared she will drift away. The warmth of Karina against her, the familiar faint scent, the feel of her hands on Winter’s neck sent Winter into a dizzying haze, and for a moment, nothing else mattered.

As Winter finally drew away, her breathing was heavy, with her chest rising and falling as she fought to catch her breath. She blinked, still slightly dazed from the intensity of it all, her eyes scanning Karina's face as she whispered, "That was... wow."

Karina simply smiled, though it was faint and fleeting, her eyes reflecting something unreadable, as if she was holding onto something she couldn’t quite bring herself to share.

And Winter, still caught in the afterglow of their kiss, couldn’t shake the feeling that this moment was holding far more weight than it seemed.