Evening shadows slanted through the windows and fell across the room in warm amber streaks, Karina lay on her bed, her head aching from hours of tears.

The weight of these hours settled into a dull ache that was hard, unyielding, heavy, yet her eyes, swollen, dry, with each time she closed them, as she felt a fresh trickle threatening to seep out. But she had nothing left to cry over; only the hollow remnants of emotions that had worn her thin.

In the quiet of her room, she let herself sink into her thoughts; unbidden memories surfaced.

She remembered the first time she'd run into Winter within the strange loop—in the rooftop of school in a beautiful warm sunny bright summer afternoon and Winter's startled, bright eyes locking with hers for the first time. Her heart had leaped in a way she could not explain back then. She had fallen slowly, quietly, unable to keep herself from being drawn in by Winter's warmth, quiet strength.

And now… now that warmth was gone.

She rubbed her temples, trying to ease the tension, the ache that wasn't just in her head but deep within, lodged somewhere inside her heart. She lay still, her breaths soft, forcing her mind to quiet, accepting the aching emptiness.

Winter was gone, and maybe it was for the best.

Maybe, she thought, some part of her had always known it would end this way.

The quiet click of the door snapped her out of her thoughts, and she assumed that Yeji was back. She quickly swiped off the remnants of tears off her cheeks and tried breathing evenly, pretending to sleep. There was soft movement rustling, and one could hear a bag set on the floor.

Then suddenly, there was something—a presence—that made her heartbeat hitch slightly, her instinct telling her that it wasn’t Yeji.

The bed dipped softly beside her. She heard Winter’s quiet exhale, warmed with radiating heat from the very presence of the other beside her.

Karina’s heart twisted, she didn’t open her eyes, didn’t want Winter to see her vulnerable, didn’t want her to know just how broken she felt. She lay still, bracing herself, and then Winter’s voice, low and unsteady, broke the silence.

"Love...," Winter's voice was little more than a whisper, laced with exhaustion and rawness that mirrored her own.

"I'm… I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left like that."

Karina caught her breath, but did not open her eyes; her voice was soft in response.

"It's… it's okay," she managed, stammering the words out, shaking within.

"You had every right to be angry."

Winter swallowed audibly, a tension in her silence before she spoke again, gentler this time.

"No, I didn't. I let my emotions take over. I was so… hurt that you felt you had to hide it from me, like I couldn't handle it. But maybe I didn't think about why you did."

Winter's hand hesitated, then moved close to Karina's, her fingers brushing softly against hers.

“I don’t want you to feel like you have to hold everything by yourself. I want to be someone you trust. Please.”

Karina’s voice trembled.

“I… I didn’t mean to shut you out. I thought… maybe it would hurt less if I kept it to myself. That you wouldn’t have to worry about me, that I could protect you…”

Her throat tightened, the words coming harder than she expected. “But I messed it up, didn’t I?”

Winter's hand closed over hers, and the warmth of it soaked into Karina's chilled skin.

"We both did that, then," she said.

"I’m sorry for making you feel like I would leave, like I couldn’t be here for you. I want to face it… together. If you’ll let me."

Karina's eyes then opened, speaking in barely more than a murmur as she stared at the ceiling. "You deserve better, Winter… somebody who isn't so..."

Winter didn’t respond with words. She moved closer, slipping under the blanket beside Karina. Her arms wrapped gently around her, pulling her into a soft embrace.

Karina’s body tensed, caught off guard by the warmth, the comfort she’d been aching for. Winter's presence was steady and grounding, as if she could somehow take the shards of Karina's heart and put them together again.

Karina took a deep shaky breath, finally letting herself go and melting into Winter's warmth. She buried her face into Winter's chest, and could feel the beating of her heart-a steady rhythm soothing her frayed nerves. Her tears continued falling but now they dripped onto Winter's shirt yet Winter only hugged her closer, her fingers brushing gently against Karina's back.

The silence between them was almost heavy, but not on the hurt before, shared understanding, and a wordless promise that things will still be alright. They didn’t need to say more.

Winter's body warmth seeped into Karina, grounding her as it slowly tugged her out of the storm of emotions that had so long engulfed her. The slow rhythm of Winter's breathing against her cheek was a silent lullaby, an easy comfort she hadn't felt in ages. Every breath filled her senses with the soft scent of Winter; it had been something Karina so desperately missed.

Winter held her tighter, her fingers tracing gentle patterns along Karina’s back, as if each touch could dissolve the tension she found there. With a quiet sigh, Winter dipped her head, pressing a tender kiss to Karina’s forehead, her lips lingering, soft and warm, as if to convey all the things they hadn’t yet said.

A quiet warmth spread through her heart, dissolving what was left of the lingering pain she'd been grasping onto.

She nestled closer, her face pressed against Winter’s chest, her arms wrapping around Winter’s waist as if anchoring herself in this moment. Winter’s fingers threaded through Karina’s hair, each soft touch soothing and filling her with an overwhelming sense of peace.

The silence held a gentle understanding as they embraced, each beat of Winter’s heart steadying Karina’s own.

Winter brushed a thumb lightly along Karina’s cheek, wiping away any trace of tears, her touch feather-light and careful. Karina leaned into it, her eyes remaining closed, as her breathing softened into a rhythm that matched Winter’s.

Winter felt a quiet vow take root inside her—a fierce protectiveness, a promise to stand by Karina.

She stroked her fingers through Karina’s hair, letting the comfort of this embrace settle into her own heart, grounding them both in the warmth they shared. The world outside could wait; in this moment, they had everything they needed.

As they lay wrapped in each other’s warmth, Karina felt her mind quiet. Winter’s steady heartbeat, the soft rise and fall of her chest, became an anchor, a gentle reminder that she didn’t have to face everything alone.

Sighing softly, she pressed herself closer, feeling the peace seep into her bones.