Today is Friday. The time was showing 05.04 – still too early for people to wake up and start their activities. But a certain blonde girl was found awake, sitting on the bed with a thick blanket still wrapped around her body securely.

"I shouldn't have slept too early last night." Trying to adjust her vision, Winter the bed lamp and shifted closer to the edge of her bed to wear her cute bunny slippers. After successfully getting rid of the blanket from her body with her uninjured hand, she stood up and proceeded to the kitchen to get a glass of water. 

After gulping down the water from the half-filled glass, Winter released a satisfied sigh. She then walked to the living room unenthusiastically and plopped down on the couch after peeking through the slightly opened curtain – only to be greeted by a dark sky, not a single trace of navy color was seen yet. Traveling her eyes around the living room, she pondered on what to do at this time as going back to sleep was no longer possible for her.

Exploring a lot of things in her mind, the thought of visiting Jimin popped out in her mind. But reminiscing the accident that caused her fingers now to be wrapped with a cast, she brushed off the thought. She didn't want to wake the hell out of the older girl again. Jimin and mornings were such a bad combination. Hell it was. She shuddered at the memory.

But the profile of the older girl didn't leave her mind. Sometimes it brought her curiosity for the things she still had no idea about the older girl. Not just because she was still a freshman who just entered the university a few months ago and thus she knew nothing about the older girl, but she could also say Jimin was kind of a mysterious girl. She didn't open up easily to people and she kept things to herself. Not helping either with her cold aura and attitude where people sometimes became reluctant to approach her.. And lastly her brain – her smart brain . You can say she would survive herself with it even without people’s help.

Her train of thoughts was stopped at the memories of the time the blue-black haired woman took care of her or when it's only the two of them. It's like she's seeing a different person. Everything she did was genuine – although sometimes her annoying tsundere side kept getting in the way for Winter to welcome her wholeheartedly. But still, she's grateful to know she could witness a different side of Jimin. It somehow made her think that she's special to the older girl? Not sure if it's true or not, but that's what she felt. Besides, she wouldn't open up to her either if she didn't have enough trust in her.

Diving too deep in the sea of her own thoughts, she was brought back to reality when birds chirp sounds entered her ears. She stood up and came closer to the glass window to take a glimpse of the sky behind the curtain that now had turned into a bright navy blue color.

I guess it would be great to have a morning walk today before attending my classes later. Winter thought before walking back to her bedroom to get changed.

xx

A sudden knock on the door woke Winter up abruptly from her slumber. Is the doorbell not working anymore or what?! Why do people keep banging on my door lately? They’re killing me slowly with the sudden heart attacks. Taking a glance at the hanging clock on the wall, she puffed her cheeks in annoyance. Can people just let me chill before I attend my classes later?

"Who is–" as she swung the door open, she was greeted by Jimin who had dressed up presentably standing in front of her. A disaffection immediately painted out on the latter's face after noticing Winter was still not yet dressed up.

"Yah! Why are you still in your home wearing clothes?"

Winter on the other hand was still not able to grasp the situation. She looked at the older girl with confusion written obviously on her face.

Jimin exhaled exaggeratedly. "God bless me. I have an early class today.. So you're supposed to.." Jimin trailed off. When the realization hit her, she wondered why she could be there – standing in front of the younger’s apartment door. What did she want? For the younger girl to go to the campus together with her? Why could she even think about that? She must be out of her mind.

"Nevermind, I'm leaving. Just go prepare and meet later at the campus before your class." Then Jimin immediately walked away, leaving Winter alone with hanging open.

"Pfft. She should have told me yesterday if she wanted to go to the campus together." Winter chuckled before closing the door. "..tsundere much." 

xx

Winter's first-class started later in the 3rd period. She still had around 15 minutes until it started. While walking to the campus, she couldn't help but get anxious with all the stares thrown in her direction again, the difference was now she's alone. 

Just keep it cool, Winter. Breathe in and breathe out. Everything will be fine.

Stepping inside the campus area, she glanced at the watch on her hand before proceeding to the backyard of the campus to kill the time until her first class started – at the same time ignoring all the stares she's receiving.

But her wrong decision just led her to meet the well-known group that had caught her attention lately. Those people who are always everywhere around Jimin.. I should just leave–

"Well, who we have here.." it’s too late when a girl from the group already acknowledged Winter's presence and spoke while walking closer to Winter's direction.

With some guys and girls tailing behind the girl, Winter's breath hitched.

I guess it's better to run away now before it's too late.

As Winter was about to turn around ignoring them, the first girl that spoke earlier grabbed her shoulder – preventing her from walking any further, "Where do you think you're going?"

Forcing her body to face the culprit, Winter sighed before talking, "what do you want?" And stared at the girl.

"Whoa, straight to the point, huh?" The girl who was known as Mirae chuckled after her hand being removed politely from the latter's shoulder. This girl still knows manners. Mirae thought, a sly smile visible on her face.

Winter, on the other hand, wanted to wipe off that annoying smirk and swat her filthy hand from her shoulder. But as much as she started to hate this girl along with her gang, she's still– they're still her seniors. Don't know if they're sophomores or even in the same year as Jimin. She's sure they're not in the same year as her as they got to know Jimin more than herself. And being disrespectful to them would only get her in more troubles than she already had.

"Just tell me what you want. I don't have much time to waste." Winter replied.

Mirae cleared , "I see that you're going beyond your limit to be near Jimin and being all clingy to her," Mirae spoke and was agreed by her friends. 

Looks like she's the head gang. Winter thought.

"What do you mean being all clingy? I didn't–" not letting Winter finish what she wanted to say, Mirae cut her off. "Stop with all your actings. You know many students have tried your trick before. Which, of course, they're only faking it."

Without a warning, Mirae lightly swatted Winter's cast hand, that causing Winter to step back and shriek in pain.

Mirae laughed along with her groupmates seeing Winter bearing the pain. Such a bully.

"Stop acting, kid.. Now you better pay attention to what I'm going to say." After a satisfying laugh, Mirae crossed her arms and leaned closer to the smaller girl – her face turned serious. "Now you better be careful of what you're doing around Jimin if you don't want anything bad to happen to you. Stay away too, if it's not necessary. Just because Jimin can be around you, it doesn't mean she can protect you all the time… just like now." Then she pushed the smaller girl.

Gladly Winter was still able to balance herself. While still protecting her cast hand, unknowingly to the older girl, Winter clenched her jaw.

Winter wanted to cry. 

She thought the moment Jimin walked into her life, her life changed. Now she had become a part of the drama where everyone put all their attention to – which she hated, especially the amount of attention for being the closest to the main character of it, that was Jimin herself. Everyone began to pay attention to what she did, and now is being watched over her actions. But then if she wanted to be around the blue-black haired woman, she needed to be strong. She could befriend anyone she wanted after all. Including the main character.

"Who do you guys think you are to tell me what to do?"

Mirae looked at her in disbelief and chuckled. The audacity. I believe she knows nothing about us yet. But even before she's able to reply to the smaller girl, a shout from a distance calling for Winter's name stole their attention.

"Winter!"

After getting a good picture of the one who's calling for her, Winter glanced at the woman in front of her to see what her reaction was after seeing the person on the topic they're talking about was now walking closer to them. Tensed up, huh?

Jimin, who noticed the group was around Winter, went worried, afraid they might do something bad to her. She fastened her steps, even jogged to the smaller girl.

After taking a grip of Winter's other hand, Jimin pulled the younger to stand behind her while her eyes never left Mirae's.

"What are you guys doing?" Jimin spoke deadly while giving a sharp cold glare to Mirae – indirectly asking her what she had done to Winter to be specific.

It's happening again. It had happened too often. Whenever someone was close with her, these crazy sasaengs would not hesitate to destroy and get rid of them from being near her. Even though it's just a friendly bonding. It explained well why she only has Giselle from the beginning. Not only because she's her best friend since diapers, but she has the power to go against them too. The perks of being the daughter of the owner of their university. But that's not the point. The said girl just won't hesitate to do something even worse as a payback when many people chose to leave her – Giselle fears nothing when it's already related to her best friend or to the people she's close with. And now that Winter is another case, Jimin felt like she needed to fight more against these stupid sasaengs. She just didn't want to lose someone who she had begun to open up with again.

"J-Jimin! Hi!" Mirae greeted her. "Is she your friend?" She asked as she eyed Winter.

But her question went deaf to Jimin's ears. Instead, she stepped closer face to face with Mirae, her grip on Winter's hand didn't loosen up. A dark aura began emitting around her as she spoke, "I remind you again, if you dare to get closer or do something bad to her, I'll make sure you'll regret it."

Not letting Mirae speak, Jimin immediately walked away – pulling the small girl who had been so tensed up and silent during the conversation with her to her first classroom.

xx

Once they settled on a two-seater table, while waiting for the professor to come, Jimin looked at Winter with worry and annoyance visible on her face. "Why were you there engaged in a conversation with her and her group? I told you to ignore them. Don't you know how dangerous they are?" 

Winter was then reminded of the scene where Mirae hurt her cast hand earlier without hesitation, but seeing the older girl now, she decided it's best not to let her know about it. After all, it's all okay now. She thought. 

Looking down while silently avoiding the latter's eyes, Winter shook her head slowly. She was still trying to adjust herself, being faced with a ragging Jimin.

Noticing this, Jimin softened.

"Are you okay? Did they do something bad to you? " She held Winter's chin and whipped her head to the left and right to see if there were any bruises on her face. This gesture successfully made Winter laugh.

"Yah! I'm fine Jimin.. you're just exaggerating it" Winter swatted the older girl's hand away from her face and let out a soft chuckle afterward.

This brought a smile to the older girl's lips.

"Well, you're small and look fragile. I'm afraid if they touched you once, you'll crumble."

Jimin's gentle smile was immediately replaced with a foolish one after seeing Winter rolled her eyes.

"Ugh! Unbelievable."

-xxx-
 

She went away with the girl.

Who? Winter?

Yes Winter, the freshman.

xx

"Alright, I think that's it for today. The class is dismissed." After letting the professor walk out of the classroom, some students immediately rushed out, looking like searching for fresh air after feeling suffocated being inside the classroom for 3 periods straight. Some students also began chit-chatting about either hanging out somewhere else or going back home. Just like a normal day.

"Finally.." dumping all her books and stationery into her sling bag messily, Winter sighed in content. Jimin who watched the younger one doing it, got her perfectionist side triggered. "Can you please treat the books nicely?" She immediately snatched Winter's bag and began re-organizing the items inside and put the ones that were still on the table in neatly.

Winter watched her with an embarrassed smile. Again her messy side was exposed in front of her crush, she began feeling insecure and discouraged for embarrassing herself. Already being smart, sweet, pretty, and beautiful.. Now being a perfectionist she is.. I guess she only wants someone equal or more from her. What to do with me? No chance for a person like me? 🥺

Not wanting to ruin her image, Winter immediately retrieved her sling bag from the older girl’s grasp, but was halted as the older girl was firmly holding onto it while at the same time shooting her a questioning stare.

"That's okay Jimin!– yeah Jimin unnie.. I can do it by myself."

"Nope. You can't–"

"I can treat the books nicely!" Winter insisted. But what she said was unexpected from what the older girl was about to say.

"..what?" With furrowed eyebrows, Jimin asked.

"Ugh, come on unnie, you just indirectly told me I’m a messy person, didn’t you? Don’t think that I cannot be an organized person.. I can! ..even though only books that you care about more than me." Winter said and mumbled the last part.

Connecting all the dots, Jimin laughed and then smiled after seeing the sour expression being visible on her face.

Not wanting to make the younger feel even worse, Jimin replied without looking at the latter while her hand continued reorganizing Winter’s bag, "I wasn’t planning to say that, I was just about to say you can't do it properly with the current condition of your other hand." 

Once she was done, she faced the smaller girl and bopped her nose, "don’t worry, you’re still cute."

Winter was no longer winter, who’s full of white snow, now she's spring, who's full of flowers in crimson red.

“Come on, we're going to the hospital to get your hand checked with an X-ray.”

“Wait for me Jimin!”