Episode 2.2

i'd rather lose (my mind)
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"What the is going on," Winter angrily swears at the four women standing in the room. 

 

"It seems you might have a concussion of some sort but we need to make tests to make sure," the doctor informs along with the nurse who's checking her charts. 

 

"I don't need it."

 

"You do," Minju exclaims. 

 

"No offense but I don't even know who the you're supposed to be." The statement earned a worried look between Karina and Minju. 

 

"Annnd that's why we need the test," the doctor intervenes. 

 

Winter looked at her girlfriend with pleading eyes, "Can we just go home please?"

 

Minju took note of the affectionate voice coming from the younger woman. "She remembers you?" She asked Karina.

 

The latter nodded, "I think Winter's a little bit confused."

 

"I'm not!" Winter bursts out before feeling a sharp pain on her ribs. 

 

Karina had to stop herself from rushing to her side and just watched Minju do her job. 

 

Minju immediately placed her hand on Winter's shoulder and inquired where she felt the pain. The action, however, was not welcomed by the petite woman. "Get the away from me."

 

"What's happening darling? Are you playing your pranks again?"

 

Winter was thrown off by the endearment and looked to Karina for help. "I- I don't know you, p-please leave me alone."

 

Minju touched Winter's hand and caressed something. All of a sudden, the latter finally took notice of a golden band attached to her ring finger.

 

It awfully looked the same as the other woman.

 

"No," Winter sternly voiced out. 

 

"Darling…" Minju gently whispers in a pleading tone. 

 

"I am not whatever you think I am. You're the one who should be test—"

 

"I'm your wife, please Win—"

 

"I. Am. Not. Your. ing. Wife. I'm—" Winter harshly pulled away from Minju.

 

Instead, she gazed at Karina once again. "I'm yours," she helplessly cried out.

 

The doctor and the nurse intervened once again and suggested the four of them should talk outside instead. Anxious, Winter immediately grabbed Karina's hand before demanding her to, "please stay."

 

Minju frowned at their hands before composing herself and urging Karina to stay with Winter.

 

When three women finally left the room, Karina immediately inched closer to Winter. This action prompted the latter to hold her lover's hand tighter.

 

"I'm scared."

 

Karina on her bed, facing Winter. "You'll be fine."

 

Winter examined her lover's face. "I'm yours," she declared once again and attempted to remove the offending ring on her hand before Karina stopped her in her tracks. 

 

"You're not my wife nor my girlfriend."

 

"I am your girlfri—"

 

"You're not. We're just been best friends since forever Winter. Please…" Karina drawls out, avoiding her gaze, "Please don't do this to me."

 

"No, baby, I don't know what happened. I don't even know who the that woman was, w-we were just together, we were home and suddenly t-there's this explosion—"

 

"What are you talking about?"

 

"We're at home and I went out of the room and I watched the explosion engulf our dorm."

 

"It's been 5 years since we last shared our dorm Winter."

 

The panic once again sets in. Winter missed 5 years and apparently during that time, Karina dumped her and she got married to another woman.

 

"N-no, it wasn't 5 years, I can't be in a coma—"

 

"You weren't in a coma, I just said it's been 5 years since we went to college," Karina held Winter's hand and felt the cold sting coming from the other girl's ring "You're married now and I'm… well we're still friends."

 

"I- I don't understand."

 

"You were in a car accident. A drunk driver collided with your car," Karina caressed her face. "Thankfully, you didn't need to have some major surgeries or else I would've lost my mind."

 

"No. It was an explosion, I—" Winter's eyes start to blur from her tears, she's gasping for air trying to recall every moment. 

 

There was her Karina frantically looking back at her, hands quickly pushing her away before a huge flame engulfed the room and Winter was knocked out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter woke up and immediately noticed the change of ceiling. She examined the room and concluded she was out of the hospital.

 

When she tried to sit up, She noticed that the pain lessened and didn't hurt as much as before. 

 

The dextrose was also out of sight and only her bandages were present on her body. She let out a sigh when her feet finally touched the floor. 

 

The room felt cozy and warm, with soft beige walls and a plush carpet underfoot. On the bedside table, a lamp cast a soft glow over a stack of books, and a vase of fresh flowers added a pop of color. 

 

It was the pictures on the wall, however, that truly captured the essence of the space. A series of black and white photographs depicted a smiling married couple, their arms wrapped around each other in front of various landmarks and natural wonders. 

 

They looked so happy and in love that Winter almost believed it to be true.

 

But it shouldn't be. No. It cannot be. 

 

There's no way she's married to another woman that's not Karina. 

 

As soon as Minju walked into the bedroom, she could see that something was off. Winter was sitting up in bed, her eyes blazing with anger. "What's going on?" Minju asked, trying to keep her voice calm. "Are you feeling okay?"

 

Winter shook her head fiercely. "No, I'm not okay," she said, her voice rising. "Where's Karina?"

 

Minju's heart sank at her wife's words. They had been together for years now, and maybe she suspected her wife to harbor feelings for her best friend but not at this level. 

 

She never once saw Winter express such intensity of emotions before.  

 

"Darling, I know you're confused," she said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "But you can't just leave. You're not well enough yet."

 

Winter glared at her. "I don't care," she said. "I can't stay here, pretending that everything is okay. I need to be with Karina." Minju sighed, feeling a pang of sadness and disappointment.

 

She stood up and walked a few feet away from Winter. "If you don't love me anymore just say it, but don't pretend you don't know me." 

 

The other woman felt guilty but chose to stand her ground. "I can't pretend I know you when I don't. I'm Winter Kim, a 4th year college student and I don't remember any of those—" she pointed to the framed pictures on the wall, "—happening to me."

 

Minju took a beat before following the direction on which Winter pointed her finger. "Y-you, what?"

 

"I'm a real estate management student and I've been living in a dorm with Karina for a year while she's been my girlfriend for 2."

 

"You didn't take that, you took astrophysics."

 

"You're not listening to me. I am not your Winter. This is what I remember," The petite woman stoo

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aescapism
Phew! Finally laid out the "hints" for this story.

I hope u guys don't mind the additional characters! This story will involve a loooot of disguises so be on your toes ^^

Let me hear ur thoughts on the comments (ps: so far no one is getting it right on who's the "real" karina)

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gomtokkim
2187 streak #1
Chapter 16: I miss this story...
tobykaiii
#2
Chapter 16: karina vs... karina?? AJHFJAHFJA
tobykaiii
#3
Chapter 15: this is so interesting.... WTF
tobykaiii
#4
Chapter 13: OH MY GOD ??????
tobykaiii
#5
Chapter 11: :((
tobykaiii
#6
Chapter 9: This chapter is so cute i always love me a bookshop owner winter. But i honestly cant help but imagine them as smurfs KAHDKSHAHA oh well at least theyre in love 🥰
tobykaiii
#7
Chapter 5: 🥺🥺🥺
jysowee
#8
Chapter 16: Its been a long while since I last saw this fic, congrats on the promo author-ssi! 🥳
Ghad20
#9
Congratulations
Etoile__
384 streak #10
Chapter 1: 🥹🥹🥹🥹