Winter stood on the rooftop, her gaze fixed on the horizon as a gentle breeze tugged at the edges of her hair.

She closed her eyes, taking in the crispness of the air, the faint warmth of the sun overhead, and the muffled sounds of students below. Midterms were finally behind her, but finals loomed ahead, demanding her full focus. Right now, though, she let herself drift, allowing her mind to be still for just a moment.

She glanced down at the clusters of students moving around in the courtyard below, watching them with a quiet detachment. Suddenly, the door to the rooftop swung open, slamming into the wall with a loud clang that broke her reverie. Winter’s eyes shot up, her brow furrowing in confusion as she saw Ningning stumble out, breathing hard, her face flushed and damp with a slight sheen of sweat.

Winter straightened, her eyes narrowing in concern as she took in Ningning’s disheveled appearance. She tilted her head, silently questioning. Ningning held up a finger, catching her breath, her chest rising and falling as she gasped for air.

She clutched her phone tightly, her fingers white-knuckled, and finally managed to stammer out, “Mai… she’s… there—"

Her hand waved in a vague direction as she gulped down another breath, her words catching in her throat.

Without another word, Winter felt a surge of urgency flood through her. She shot forward, darting past Ningning and down the stairwell two steps at a time, her footsteps echoing as she went. Ningning hurried after her, stumbling slightly but determined to keep up.

Together, they burst through the school’s entrance and rushed toward the front gate.

As they skidded to a halt at the curb, a familiar black SUV pulled smoothly up to the sidewalk, its polished exterior catching the light. Giselle sat behind the wheel, a grin breaking across her face as she rolled down the window.

“Hey there, juniors. Ready for some action?” she teased, her tone light but with a glint of seriousness in her eyes.

Ningning flashed a quick, strained smile in response as she slid into the passenger seat, while Winter climbed into the back without a word, her mind racing too fast to focus on anything else.

As she settled in, Winter finally responded, her voice steady but edged with tension. “I’m managing.”

Giselle raised an eyebrow, glancing at her in the rearview mirror.

“I believe in you guys,” she said, her grin widening as she steered the SUV back onto the road. Winter’s gaze shifted out the window, her hands clenching and unclenching on her lap as the hospital loomed closer, her heart thundering with a mix of fear and determination.

The moment they parked, Winter and Ningning leapt out of the SUV, their steps quickening with each stride as they neared Mai’s hospital room. The air was thick with anticipation, each of them carrying unspoken hopes and fears.

As they opened the door, they were greeted by Mai’s grandmother, her face lighting up in a warm smile. Yet Winter couldn't help but notice how much she seemed to have aged—faint lines now etched more deeply, adding a subtle fragility to her familiar warmth.

Ningning’s parents were already there, standing quietly by the window. They shared a knowing look with the girls, offering encouraging nods before deciding to give them privacy. As they left, Mai’s grandmother gently squeezed Mai's hand, her eyes gleaming with relief and love before she, too, excused herself, leaving the three of them alone with Mai.

Mai lay propped up in bed, her gaze slightly unfocused, still adjusting to the bright light of the room after so long in darkness. Her skin looked pale, her frame delicate, but her eyes, now blinking as she took in the scene around her, were full of wonder.

Ningning couldn’t contain herself any longer; she dashed forward, wrapping Mai in a tight hug, tears welling up as she held onto her best friend, her sobs muffled against Mai's shoulder.

Winter watched, feeling slightly out of place, lingering quietly at the side of the room. Giselle, sensing her hesitation, gently closed the door behind them, glancing at Winter with a small, reassuring smile. She then stepped back, watching as Ningning’s emotions poured out.

Mai’s arms slowly came up to hug Ningning back, her expression softening as she murmured a quiet,

“Thank you.” She didn’t fully understand the weight of everything that had happened, but she knew that Ningning had saved her life in more ways than one.

Ningning pulled back just enough to fix Mai with a mock-glare, her voice trembling with both relief and frustration.

“You should have told me,” she whispered, wiping away the last of her tears.

Mai’s lips curved into an apologetic smile, her voice faint. “I’m sorry, Ningning.”

Once Ningning had settled herself on the edge of the bed, she composed herself and gestured toward Giselle, her tone lightening as she introduced their senior.

“Senior Giselle— our senior, with president remember? And basically our big sister now hehe.”

Mai gave a small nod of acknowledgment, bowing her head slightly, and Giselle returned it with a friendly smile.

“Welcome back, Mai,” Giselle greeted softly, with a warm, gentle respect. She then pointed towards Winter, nudging lightly, “And I believe you know her?”

Mai’s gaze shifted to Winter, recognition dawning.

“Winter,” she said quietly, her voice holding a faint note of familiarity, and Winter offered a subtle nod in acknowledgment.

With a soft pout, Ningning nudged Mai gently, her voice taking on a teasing tone.

“It’s been a year since… everything. So you’ve got a lot of catching up to do, okay?”

Mai’s expression faltered, her eyes narrowing slightly as she processed the gravity of that fact.

“A… year?” she whispered, looking ahead as if searching for lost time.

There was a quiet acceptance in her gaze, a resignation to the time she could never reclaim. But as the reality set in, a shadow seemed to pass over her face, a quiet hint of sorrow.

Ningning quickly spoke up, her voice filled with tender determination.

“Hey, don’t worry about it, okay? We’ll help you with everything. Finals are coming up, but midterms are already done. We’re here for you.”

Mai seemed to snap out of her thoughts, turning to them with a grateful smile, though there was a touch of fragility in her eyes. She nodded, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I’ll… try again. I’ll catch up.”

Her words were soft, the conviction not quite reaching her eyes, but it was clear that she was trying. Sensing this, Ningning reached over, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze, her expression full of unyielding support.

As the hours passed, the room was filled with laughter, whispered conversations, and the warmth of long-missed friendships rekindling.

When Winter and Giselle finally decided to leave, they offered Mai soft smiles and heartfelt wishes for her recovery.

Winter opened the passenger door and slipped into Giselle’s car, her mind still lingering on Mai’s fragile but hopeful smile. Once she was settled, Giselle reversed, slowly navigating the exit as she cast a quick glance Winter’s way.

“So,” Giselle began, her tone gentle but curious.

“How’s Karina? How’s… everything?” Her gaze shifted back to the road, yet her question lingered, genuine concern weaving through her words.

Winter blinked, caught a little off guard by the question. She lowered her gaze to her hands, the faintest tremor there, but she forced herself to look back up, a soft, tentative smile tugging at her lips.

“She’s… she’s healing,” she said, her voice steady.

“Going to therapy once a week. And we’re… we’re talking a lot more.”

Giselle nodded, her own smile warm as she reached over to squeeze Winter’s shoulder briefly before refocusing on the road.

“Good. Communication is everything,” she replied, her tone carrying a quiet wisdom.

The rest of the drive was filled with a comfortable silence, Giselle’s calm presence grounding Winter as she watched the city lights blur past. They soon reached Winter’s house, and as Winter opened the door to get out, Giselle leaned over, giving her one last nod.

“Hey, after finals, you should come by my studio,” Giselle said, her tone light yet inviting.

Winter gave a small smile, a spark of curiosity in her eyes. “I will. Thanks.”

With a final wave, Winter closed the door, stepping back as Giselle drove off into the night, her headlights fading as she disappeared down the street.