"I want to kiss her."

Seulgi nearly choked on her water at Winter's declaration. Upon awakening, Winter sought out Taeyeon immediately, displaying raw emotions like any regular child. Though her eyes hadn't fully reverted to human form, her recovery from wraithhood was progressing swiftly.

Yet, amidst their joy at Winter's progress, tensions brewed between her and Taeyeon, resulting in constant bickering. Taeyeon attempted to explain to Winter the complexity of her desire to kiss Karina, but Winter persisted, her newfound emotions driving her actions beyond control.

Caught in the whirlwind of emotions, Taeyeon's protective instincts took over, momentarily overshadowing the delicate situation. In response, Winter voiced her feelings unabashedly, much to the amusement of their friends.

"You barely know her!" Taeyeon protested, prompting Winter to pout and turn away, ignoring her sister's words.

"Minjeong." Taeyeon called out firmly.

"Y-You're mean..." Winter's voice quivered with the threat of tears. Startled, Taeyeon moved to comfort her, but Winter retreated, seeking refuge under the bed where Karina lay.

"Minjeong-ah, I'm sorry. Wanna eat?" Taeyeon attempted to console Winter, reaching out to her, only to be met with avoidance that shattered her heart.

"N-No..." Winter's voice trembled with tears as she spoke. Despite her distress, she managed to articulate her longing. "I-I want to kiss Rina..."

"Alright, alright. Leave her alone, you idiot." Seulgi intervened, pulling Taeyeon away from Winter. "You're making her cry more. Let her rest."

"But—" Taeyeon protested, only to find herself being ushered away by Seulgi, with Changmin's assistance.

"Minjeong isn't a child anymore. If she wants to kiss the woman, let her." Seulgi asserted, coming to Winter's defense. Meanwhile, Giselle and Ningning approached Winter, offering comfort and reassurance.

"Hey, do you remember me? Come out from there, you'll get dirty. Come here." Giselle spoke gently, extending her hand to Winter. Reluctantly, Winter surveyed them, her face lighting up with recognition as she cried harder.

"G-Gigi..." Winter's voice wavered with emotion as Giselle and Ningning helped her emerge from under the bed. Giselle tenderly dusted off Winter's clothes and hair, while Ningning returned with water and food. Yet, despite their efforts, Winter remained fixated on her desire to kiss Karina, repeatedly expressing her wish to wake her up.

As Winter melted into Giselle's embrace, Ningning attempted to coax her into eating. "You must be hungry after all that. Have a bite." Despite Ningning's gentle encouragement, Winter shook her head, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"I want Rina..." Winter's voice quivered as she declined the food, prompting a chuckle from Giselle when her stomach audibly rumbled.

"Your stomach seems to disagree. Let's eat first and give Karina more time to rest. Then you can ask to kiss her when she wakes up." Giselle suggested, offering comfort to Winter.

However, Winter's sudden craving for chocolate caught them off guard. Ningning explained they didn't have any yet, and Winter's tears threatened to return. That's when Changmin intervened, offering her chocolates.

"Joohyun mentioned your love for chocolates, so she made me bring some. Here." Changmin smiled, but Winter seemed frightened of him and buried her head in Giselle's neck. Ningning accepted the chocolates, thanking him and assuring him they would take care of Winter.

"Okay, here. Eat this first before your chocolate. You need nourishment." Ningning offered, but Winter had already reached for the sweets. They sighed, allowing Winter to indulge in the chocolate to prevent further tears. Yet, as Winter savored her treats, they noticed a change in her demeanor, prompting them to call for Taeyeon once more.

"What's wrong?" Taeyeon sat worriedly beside them. Winter seemed normal, enjoying her chocolate while seated on Giselle's lap, but they noticed her eyes fluctuating between human and wraith-like. Concerned, they called for Haechan immediately.

Haechan attempted to explain Winter's condition in scientific terms, but none of them understood. They turned to Changmin for translation, who readily assisted in conveying Haechan's message.

"He said Minjeong isn't stable yet, not fully human, so he asks not to push her and to let her rest." Changmin explained. He glanced at Haechan for any additional insights, then translated. "He also mentioned they were supposed to wake up together like Jaemin and Jeno, but Minjeong woke up sooner than expected. And uh..." Changmin paused as Haechan continued speaking, simplifying his words for comprehension.

"Haechan's asking to look after Minjeong until Karina wakes up, and for everyone, especially Taeyeon, to give them space." Changmin chuckled, teasing Taeyeon gently.

They followed Haechan's instructions, though Winter refused to let go of Giselle and Ningning, who stayed by her side. Haechan proceeded to check Winter's condition, aided by the distraction of her chocolate treat provided by Giselle and Ningning.

Taeyeon observed Winter from a distance, her expression filled with concern. Respecting Haechan's request not to disturb her sister further, Taeyeon refrained from approaching and instead watched as Giselle and Ningning gently laid Winter back on the bed beside Karina.

Winter reverted to her wraith-like state, but Haechan, with Changmin's translations, reassured them, particularly Taeyeon, that it was part of the process. Unlike Jeno and Jaemin, Winter and Karina's procedure was more intricate, requiring careful monitoring. Winter, adamant about staying awake to be with Karina, needed to be sedated by Haechan to ensure rest.

Winter's display of humanity was a significant step forward, indicating progress. Haechan expressed optimism, believing the procedure would be a complete success once both Karina and Winter fully recovered. Despite Winter awakening before Karina, Haechan saw it as a positive sign, suggesting Winter's rapid progress and compatibility with the procedure.

If there was one thing they were certain of regarding Winter, it was her unwavering attachment, perhaps even stronger now, to Karina, evident even in her human form.

---

Seulgi accompanied Changmin back to their mountain house to check on Joohyun and the rest of their friends, as well as gather supplies for the laboratory. Despite being instructed to rest and fully recover after their extensive treatment, Jaemin and Jeno insisted on joining them, fueled by their voracious consumption of seventy-five percent of the laboratory's emergency food stock.

Changmin left a radio with Taeyeon for continued communication. Since Karina and Winter had yet to complete their treatment, they couldn't leave the laboratory, and they couldn't leave Haechan alone either. The plan was to relocate once Karina and Winter woke up and Changmin ensured their safety.

Giselle and Ningning expressed a desire to accompany them to check on Yeji, prompted by Haechan's remarks, but Seulgi insisted on handling it and informing Yuna first. Taeyeon patiently watched over Winter, eagerly anticipating her sister's awakening, while also hoping for Karina's recovery alongside her.

Haechan resumed his vigilant monitoring of Karina and Winter, prompting Giselle and Ningning to once again intervene to ensure he rested and ate. Surprisingly, Haechan complied, eating, drinking, and even sleeping, albeit reluctantly, as he adamantly refused to leave Karina and Winter unattended.

Taeyeon couldn't help but feel that Haechan was burdened by immense guilt over the events at the facility, driving him to push himself even after becoming a wraith. While grateful for his efforts, they remained deeply concerned for his well-being.

They prepared food and water in anticipation of Karina's awakening, expecting her to be ravenous like Jaemin and Jeno upon waking. Raiding the remainder of the laboratory's food and water supplies for Karina, they were confident that Seulgi's return would replenish their stock. With the house not far off and the assurance of safety under Changmin's watch, they felt secure enough to venture out as needed.

As Taeyeon sneakily nibbled on one of Karina's snacks out of boredom, a voice suddenly shattered the silence. Startled, Taeyeon dropped the food and rushed towards Haechan's location, with Giselle and Ningning following suit. The first voice they heard was K