"Unnie, can I go home now? The doctor already said I'm allowed to be discharged.." Winter spoke with her puppy eyes.

Giselle, who was in charge in the morning to look after Winter while Jimin took her morning classes, heaved out a sigh. It’s the fifth time already the younger whined at her about going home, "Not right now Winter, you should wait until Jimin arrives here. She would surely kill me if I let you go home without her permission."

Hearing that, Winter pouted. "Who is she.. My mom?" She muttered while looking somehow cutely annoyed.

Giselle laughed. "No wonder Jimin could act like a mom, you're just acting the same like a baby, Winter." 

"I'm not!"

"Yes you are~"

"Giselle unn–"

"Winter?"

The door was pushed open revealing Jimin with her college student outfit.

"There you are Jimin, this baby of yours has been whining nonstop to go home since the doctor checked her up earlier. The doctor said she can go home today." Giselle emphasized the word 'baby' only to tease the youngest – with a playful grin plastered on her face.

Winter blushed. Oh gosh, this unnie is so annoying..

"Really?" Jimin looked at her skeptically. "You're not telling me that because she wants to go home right?"

"Oh here we go again.. you can check with the doctor yourself if you don't trust me." Giselle rolled her eyes.

Since the accident happened two days ago, Jimin no longer trusted her best friend 100% to take care of the youngest. When Giselle was left alone with Winter, she came back only to find Winter was forced to be put to sleep with an injection due to the sudden painful headache she got from her wound for being too excited going out. One was persisting to go out and the other just couldn't say no.

Since then Jimin assumed Giselle just couldn't say no to Winter.

"Alright Gi, I've confirmed this with the doctor. You can go now. You still have a late class right?"

"Protective much, huh?" Giselle muttered silently. But when Jimin sent her a glare, she immediately threw her a peace sign and bid farewell.

"Bye Winter!"

"Bye Giselle unnie."

xx

"Are you sure you don't want me to borrow a wheelchair?" Jimin looked worried as she stood beside the younger – helping her to walk.

Winter nodded her head.

"You're not feeling dizzy?"

"...just a little."

The two stopped walking. Winter was confused and looked to her right only to find Jimin was already squatting down, "come on, hop on."

"But–"

"No buts Winter, hop on or go back being hospitalized?"

"...ugh fine."

"Am I heavy?" Winter asked as they're now the only ones inside the elevator to go to the ground floor.

"You think?"

"You're so mean."

"I didn't say anything though?"

As the ding sound was heard, Jimin continued to walk to her car that she already parked just outside the hospital building, for easier access.

"...still." Winter was getting sleepy. After eating her breakfast and consuming her medicine before being discharged, the sleepiness started kicking in. She placed her head on Jimin's shoulder for rest.

When they arrived, Jimin unlocked her white Ferrari F8 Tributo and put the girl down carefully. With the movement, it succeeded to wake Winter up from her drowsiness.

"Just sleep," Jimin spoke but she received a shake on the head from Winter and now the younger was already awake again. The older sighed.

"Jimin.." after Jimin hopped inside, Winter called her.

"Yes?"

"I'm hungry.."

Jimin took a glance at her watch and it's already lunchtime. "Sure, what do you want me to buy?"

"Can we just go to the mall and find something to eat there? I have no idea what I want."

"No, we will just do take-away."

"Jimin.." Winter looked at her with her puppy eyes. "...please~"

"...fine."

"Yeay!" Then Winter daringly gave a quick peck on Jimin's cheek. "Thank you, babe."

"Shut up. Don't babe me, I'm not your bae." Without breaking her focus on the road, Jimin spoke coldly.

"You're blushing! Your ears are getting red, Jimin!" Winter teasingly laughed.

"Aish.." Jimin muttered while rubbing her right ear that's visible to Winter's sight.

xx

*snapped* *snapped*
 

xxxx

*pictures attached*

Just make sure you keep an eye on them.

Sure, will do.

"Winter, I want to go to the toilet first, are you fine to be left alone?"

Winter who was the only one that's still not yet done eating, nodded her head. "Sure,"

"I won't be too long and please don't go anywhere okay?"
 

xxxx

 I see a suspected person keeps eyeing them from afar!

And Jimin is going somewhere, should I follow her?

No no no, just keep an eye on Winter.

Noted.

*read*

Not long after, Jimin went back from the toilet with a paper bag in her hand. An Apple logo was printed on it.

"Jimin, you took so long.."

"Sorry, the line was too long," Jimin answered and took a seat in front of Winter again.

"Was everything fine when I was away?"

Winter nodded. "Let's go home."

"You're done eating? But–"

"I'm already full. Come on Jimin." The way Winter was rushing them to go home didn't go unnoticed by the older girl. She noticed that.

"Hey hey okay, slow down, let me pay for it first."

"Can I have your car key? I'll go to your car first."

Winter on the other hand was trying to stop her mind from creating possible scenarios from what she noticed earlier. And just suddenly her headache appeared again because of that.

"You okay Winter? Is your head hurting again?"

Ah not again.

"Please wait here, I'll be quick."

Then in a dash, Jimin was already gone from Winter's sight.
 

They're now back in Jimin's car. Jimin was still not yet accelerating the car from the parking lot.

"Jimin, what are we waiting for?"

With each seat belt already attached to their bodies ready to go, Jimin whipped her head to the younger and asked, "Tell me, did something happen while I was away?"

Winter shook her head.

"Can we go out from here first?"

The fright on Winter's face was starting to get obvious. She threw her sight everywhere. Seeing that, Jimin looked away from her and immediately stepped on the gas pedal, and went out from the mall parking lot.

It was a silent trip. Winter knew Jimin was ignoring her, the older girl must be feeling upset for her not telling her anything when it was so obvious she was hiding something from her. But at the same time, she also just didn't want to be so mean to the younger – showing off her upset side.

When Winter had calmed down, she started, "...I felt someone was watching me from afar earlier."

Jimin very well paid attention to what Winter said.

"And when we made eye contact, he went away immediately.."

Still not responding to the younger, instead, Jimin swerved to another direction from the street she usually used to go to their apartment complex.

"J-Jimin, where are we going?"

Still no answer. Winter sighed and looked away from the older girl. Looks like she won't be easy this time.

Speeding up her speed, she finally arrived at the only resort near the sea.

"Jimin.."

Still not answering the younger, Jimin left the car and instead went to Winter's door to open it. She squatted down.

"Come on,"

Not wanting to worsen the mood the blonde girl obliged.

After putting down the younger gently on the soft mattress, Jimin sat at the bedside near the younger.

"I'm sorry. I hope you don't mind staying here for a while." Jimin stared at her with guilt.

"What do you mean?" Winter got up only to receive a painful headache.

"Hey hey just lie down," Jimin pushed Winter gently, "you still look pale."

"I'll explain everything when you get better, okay?"

"But you're not leaving me here alone right?"

Jimin shook her head with a smile, "I'll stay here too."
 

xx

"Anyway, here you can use your phone now." Jimin approached the younger on the bed with the same type as Winter's previous phone.

"Oh, where did you get this?" Winter inspected her phone, "wait, this is not my phone! I got it signed at the back of it."

Oh crap, I didn't know she had that. Jimin thought.

"Sorry, I needed to get you a new one. Your old phone was smashed pretty bad when Giselle's bodyguard found your stuff. But don't worry, I was still able to save the SIM card."

"Ah okay.. then can I get your bank account number?"

Jimin looked at her confused, "for what?"

"Of course to pay you back, dummy."

"Hey!" Jimin glared at her, "no need, just take it as my apology for having it broken."

"Okay, whatever you say Miss Insisting." Winter rolled her eyes. There's no way she would win against the stubborn Yoo Jimin after all.
 

xx 

The night had come and the two were found near the resort taking a night walk. The weather was a little bit chilly as it's quite late already, but the person who just called Jimin as Miss Insisting kept insisting to go out or else she would go cranky and sulky if the older wasn't going to say yes.

"I thought I was the Miss Insisting."

"And you're just too whipped Jimin."

"Your sulky side is just too much to handle. I can't let myself suffer from it."

"Oh, so that's the case. Okay fine."

"Fine fine, I'm sorry."

"Love you, babe."

"Shut up Winter!"
 

"I told you to bring a blanket or something. A sweater is still not enough." Immediately Jimin took off her jacket and wore it on Winter's small body.

"How about you?"

"I'm not sick, my sweater is enough."

Winter stared at Jimin's straight face and smiled, "thank you."

It smells so nice. Winter wrapped the jacket around her tighter.

"Can we sit there, Jimin?" Winter pointed out to a lone bench not so far from them.

"Tired?"

"Nah, just want to sit and enjoy the view."

"You are." Then without waiting for the younger to respond, Jimin already lifted Winter's small body and brought her on her shoulder – just like how people carry a rice sack.

A high pitch scream was released from the younger, "Jimiiinn!!!! You're so dead!!! Put me down!!!"

"Okay okay, chill. We have arrived." Jimin chuckled as she put the younger down.

"You're so annoying!" Winter sulked. She totally didn't expect Jimin would do that to her. At least with a nicer way, can she? Bridal style maybe..

"Come on. Sit here." Jimin patted the space beside her. But instead of sitting there, Winter sat on Jimin's lap – straddling the older girl. She rested her head on her chest while trying to enjoy the chilly weather.

"Are you still feeling cold?" Jimin asked as she tightened her hug around the younger.

A nod was rewarded to the older girl.

"Your hair smells nice. What shampoo did you use?" Jimin sniffed Winter's soft hair.

"I don't know, the avocado one? Or aloe vera maybe?" Winter leaned away to smell her own hair. "What do you think it is? I think it's aloe vera.."

"I don't know I can't tell.."

"You bought it!"

Jimin only chuckled.

It was another silence. A comforting silence that Jimin would like to enjoy until the younger spoke again.

"Why didn't I see people here?" Winter looked at the older girl.

"...it's my secret place." Jimin diverted her gaze from the sea in front of her to look at the younger. Their eyes met and Winter quickly looked away hiding her face in the crook of Jimin's neck.

"Stop looking at me like that,"

"Well, we're talking? Where do you think I need to look at?"

"No, it's not that– umm.. that's just not how you usually look at me."

"Really? What do you mean?" Jimin totally was having fun teasing the younger.

"You just look…" charming, sweet, and gentle– "I don't know! You just look at me differently!"

"I thought–"

"Stop it, just stop talking." Winter hugged Jimin tighter.

"I thought you can handle it better than me from blushing?" Jimin chuckled when she received a hit on her shoulder.

"Can you show me your face?"

"What do you want.."

"Just wanna see your face."

Reluctantly detaching herself from the crook of her neck, Winter leaned away and looked at the older girl with her grumpy face.

Staring at Winter's face, Jimin paid attention to the wound on the corner of Winter's lips. It's already dry. She lifted her hand to give a gentle rub on it. "Does it still hurt?" Jimin looked at her with a pained expression.

Winter reached for the older's hand on her face and held it. She smiled and shook her head.

"...I'm sorry, Winter."

"Stop it, it's not your fault, Jimin."

"No, it's still my fault. The people who hurt you before were bullies and they were asked by one of my sasaengs to do that to you."

Truth to be told, Winter already expected it. With how they stared at her on the first day she walked together with Jimin to the campus, those angered and envious stares were just too obvious for Winter to ignore. She knew the more she got herself engaged with the older girl, the more she would see those bullying things in the movies happen in her life. And she wasn't expecting it to be this bad.

But as long as I'm with Jimin, then it doesn't matter how many times I would get hurt.

"I know." Winter smiled. The kind of smile that could get anyone smitten with how sweet it was.

"I don't want you to get hurt, Minjeong." Jimin sighed. It's the first time she called the younger by her real name. She just felt like using her real name in this serious situation. She's getting frustrated with her own sasaengs. She just couldn't bear to see the younger hurting again.  Could they at least leave Winter alone?

But deep down in her heart, she wished Winter would still stay close with her no matter what happened and not leave her like the previous girls she had tried dating with. She knew she might sound too selfish, but she had been wanting for someone who will love her with all their hearts and are also willing to fight for their love too. Even Jimin was aware that she would still play the bigger part in protecting her partner.

She just wanted someone to stay and fight together with her.

"...I love you Jimin," Winter spoke so calmly. The genuine smile on her face never faded. "I really do," She raised her hand and placed it on Jimin's cheek. Jimin wasn't so sure but the next thing Winter was going to say would be something she had already thought in her head, something she wished Winter would say but at the same time seeing the more Winter got hurt, the more she slowly changed her mind. She wished Winter wouldn't say it. She didn't want to be selfish anymore.

"I don't care what they will do to me next.. as long as I'm still able to spend my time with you, it doesn't matter."

"Minjeong.." hesitation and worry were visible on Jimin's face.

"And don't worry you still have a lot of time to think about it, I don't mind waiting. I just wanted you to know that it's my own choice to stay by your side. I'll take any risks."

Then Winter stood up and walked away.

 

It's about five minutes already since Winter left to walk on the beach near the calming sea. Her mind would still run back thinking about those words she said earlier.

Where did I get the ability to say those words? Winter chuckled.

The power of love maybe? But I'm just happy and relieved that I was finally able to say it to her. But really, if she's not feeling the same and wanting me to stay away just for the sake of my safety, then I'll respect it. But I just have a feeling she's feeling the same. Ah, whatever. 

"...there you are." A familiar voice was heard from behind. And when she was about to turn around, a hand grabbed her hand faster and pulled her.

She was brought into an embrace with the familiar scent in it.

"J-Jimin.."

"You didn't let me speak earlier." Without breaking their hugs, Jimin spoke.

Chuckling, Winter just let the older to continue talking. She put her arms around her neck – hugging her back. Still, the same genuine smile was plastered on her face even without Jimin seeing it.

"I like you Winter– no, let me rephrase that.. I love you too Winter."

Hearing the direct confession and not any explanations that she already expected before, Winter broke their hugs.

Jimin was confused, was she too late already? Or what.

"If you're gonna confess to me, then say it when you're facing me, not like that." Winter jokingly scolded.

"I-I'm.. I'm too shy.." Jimin looked away, feeling the blood slowly spreading on her cheeks.

"Then okay.. bye~" Winter began walking away again only to be stopped by the raven-haired girl, "Minjeong.."

When Winter faced the love of her life, she was suddenly met with a pair of soft lips kissing her.

It was too sudden and unexpected, remembering Jimin was such a tsundere person. Smiling from the kiss, Winter began closing her eyes and responded to the kiss.

When Jimin began her lower lips asking for permission to on her bottom lip and explore the inside of Winter's mouth, she suddenly pulled away when she heard a small wincing sound coming from the younger.

"S-s-sorry! Did I hurt you?" Concern was visible in her voice as she held Winter's face and rubbed the area near the wound gently.

Winter chuckled. "Hey that's okay," Winter gave a short peck on Jimin's lips and smiled.

"I'm so sorry.." Jimin looked away feeling ashamed of her reckless action, "Gosh such a terrible way of confessing I did.."

"Hey, you can just simply reply to me back with an I love you too, I would be happy already." Winter chuckled.

"So, will you be my girl–"

Not even letting Winter finish talking, Jimin immediately cut her, "no! I should be the one to ask you that! Not the other way around!" This made Winter's laugh erupted.

"Okay fine, I'm giving you the last chance. The last, Jimin."

Taking a deep breath, with hands holding Winter's hands, Jimin stared at the younger's eyes deeply – the hazel eyes that could drown her anytime from staring at it. "Winter Kim Minjeong, I know this is too sudden and messy to be even called romantic, but one thing that you should know.. I love you too, I really do. A lot of things have happened to you and of course me. Sometimes I blamed you before for coming and ruining my peace in my life, but at the same time, I keep thanking you also for bringing colors and more fun in my life. My life no longer looks too dull and boring. I love you, I really do love your existence in my life. I'm hoping you will stay together with me for a long time.." For a few seconds, Jimin broke eye contact. The fluttering feeling in her stomach was too much to handle. But it's almost there Jimin, you can do it!

"...will you be my girlfriend?" Finally Jimin dared to stare back at the deep captivating hazel eyes.

Winter smiled the brightest until her eyes created crescent moon shapes and she nodded. "I will, Jimin."

Without breaking their eye contact, Jimin asked, "...can I kiss you again?" Her eyes said I'll be more careful this time.

Winter on the other hand nodded and began closing her eyes slowly watching Jimin came closer erasing the gap between them. She circled her arms around Jimin's neck – pulling her closer. Jimin's hands were securely wrapped around her small waist.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

The kiss was gentle. The way Jimin consecutively kissed and her upper and bottom lips with carefulness, and how she her bottom lip asking for an entrance, made Winter lost her sense. Her mind was just too clouded to even think straight while enjoying every kiss they shared. Her tongue was met with Jimin's and began dancing together when she's exploring the inside of Winter's mouth. It never felt this good before for her to be this addicted to kissing someone. Her lips were just too addictive.

When oxygen was finally needed, they broke apart and Winter immediately hugged the older girl hiding her burning face.

"You're amazing," Jimin said as she hugged her girl back. Yes, Winter is hers already.

"Let's go back now." Winter couldn't stay there any longer. She knew that once Jimin complimented her, she would not probably stop showering her with many more compliments that she still tried to get used to. 

Especially when they're now girlfriends.

Even with the kiss they shared, Winter was still overwhelmed.

"We had walked too far earlier.."

"You.. not me."

"Sorry, the view was just too nice that I got distracted."

"Jimin?"

"Come on, hop on,"

"Thank you, babe."

"Oh anyway talking about pet names, what should I call you from now on? Since we're a thing already."

"Baby?"

"Chagi?"

"Honey?"

"Love?"

"..."

"J-Just Jimin is fine."

"You're so cute when you're flustered."

"And I'm not the only one?"

It’s not a promise, but I’ll try my best to protect you at all costs. Thank you for staying until this far. I love you.