The plan was simple.

Attend to karina without making much conversation with her, leave the room, and repeat the next day.

Winter smiled to herself, proud of whatever she came up with.

It would be easy, she had thought.

Until she imagined karina's madly adorable smile and decided maybe it wouldn't be so easy avoiding the girl as she had thought.

Yeah, it would be hard for winter, having to act cold towards the girl she liked a little too much,

But if it succeeded and they go back to how they were before winter had decided making friends with the loon was a good idea, it would be better for the both of them.

So winter prepared herself as she stood outside the door of room 411, making sure her voice sounded as emotionless as possible.

"Karina."

"Hi!"

"Have you taken your medication yet?"

Her voice was perfect! Firm and serious, just what she wanted.

Yeah, she didn't want to sound cold.

A doctor should treat their patient with respect, not coldness.

Winter reminded herself she still had to do her job as a doctor.

"Mhm," the girl nodded her head animatedly, and winter shouldn't have found it super endearing, but she did, "uhm ... Win?"

The nickname was not helping winter's case, because winter had felt her whole being soften after the girl had spoken.

"Yes?"

As distant as possible. You got it!

"You sound different today. Are you okay?"

Uh huh.

So karina did know how to read the room.

Okay, maybe she was a little smarter than winter had given her credit for.

Winter hadn't thought karina would notice the slight change in demeanor on her part, but she did.

"Yes, i have. I'll take my leave now."

After karina had pointed it out, winter realised the maybe she was making it sort of obvious.

"Are you sure? If it's just a bad day then we could like.. talk about it, or something."

Karina's voice softened and her words slowed as she finished or her sentence, as if unsure of herself.

-

Why was karina being so awfully sweet?!

The thought of abandoning the plan crossed her mind right then and there, but she chose to stick to it.

It might have been hard, but things would be even harder if karina did end up reciprocating her feelings.

God knows how that would play out.

"I'm fine, please don't stick your head into my business. If you don't need anything, i'l