It's been a week since camp. 

Something is off. 

Not in a bad way, no. Winter thinks whatever happened to that camp caused a shift in her dynamics with her friends. Lia had been hanging out with them lately, the banters between her and Karina are just the bare minimum, it's even funny at times. Somi would sometimes join their lunch with Ryujin, the initial table for the three of them is now packed that they had to move to a larger table to accommodate everyone. 

Their block mates were sending them confused looks on the first few days after camp. They're probably wondering what happened between Karina and Lia, and how they can get Hyunjin up from his desk when all the guy does is sleep.

But what's really off for Winter is her Karina unnie.

There's something that she can't pinpoint, but definitely something she welcomed. They had been spending a lot of time together at the campus radio, the initial Wednesday schedule of the two of them has transitioned to three times a week. Winter would come in on Mondays even if she's not scheduled to, and Karina would drop by every Thursday as well. 

They started shadowing more and more, even Joy is letting them do it during Thursdays. Winter can't wait till she can come on air and try DJing herself. 

What confuses Winter is Karina's attitude. She's her typical, snobbish, quiet self everywhere with anyone else, but when they're together, she turns into this huge fluff of ball, and Winter can't help but double-take to see if it's actually the same person.

She'd sometimes drop by the campus radio whenever Winter is on shift just to give Winter her favorite almond snacks and strawberry milk juice. They'd chitchat for a bit with the older throwing lame jokes at her, grinning widely whenever she sees Winter's cringing reaction. They'd laugh and gossip about the messages read on air at the radio station, sometimes they would guess who the message was from, even betting ice cream bars for it. Karina would stay for at least half an hour before she would bid goodbye to the younger, letting her know she's heading down to the football field to watch Ryujin play.

(Winter will never tell her that she actually wanted her to stay.)

So there goes Winter's dilemma. 

She had been hanging out with Somi too, genuinely enjoying their time together, except that all the butterflies she initially had were turning into something platonic. Winter is not sure if a certain tall, dark-haired girl has something to do with it. She thinks about it every night before she sleeps, feeling a bit guilty about the conflicting emotions she's having.

Just like tonight. 

Winter stared at the ceiling of her room, counting the glow-in-the-dark stars pasted unto it, the only source of light in her dim room. She knows it's unfair for Somi. The girl is sweet, kind, and thoughtful and everything Winter wanted. She takes good care of her and attends to even her smallest needs, but why is she getting distracted about something else? 

Winter pulls her pillow and placed it on top of her face before yelling unto it, the soft cushion muffling the sound. She grabbed her phone from the bedside table, reading the last message Somi sent her. 

somi-ah: Goodnight, Winter. Can't wait for our Ramen date tomorrow!

Winter should be excited because it's Somi. Who wouldn't want a date with Somi?

She was about to lock her phone when she felt it vibrate in her hand, getting startled with her own ringtone. 

min-min unnie calling....

Winter sat up straight and looked around the room, panicking because she's unsure of what to do. She fixed her hair (as if Karina's going to see her in a voice call, jeez) and cleared a few times before hovering her thumb over the answer button. 

She was a millisecond late and watched in horror as the call dropped to a Missed Call, Winter staring at the icon indicating it on her phone screen. She slouched in regret, a little disappointed at herself, before panicking and overthinking if she should return the call. She huffed and decided yes, she should call Karina back. 

She got startled for the second time when the phone rang again, Winter clutching her chest in shock. She answers this a little too fast, hearing Karina's raspy voice on the other line chuckling. 

"You didn't even let it ring this time." Winter hears the voice from the other line, preventing a squeak from coming out of her own mouth because oh god her voice is so ing good~

"Are you there, Min-min baby?" She hears Karina call again, tone confused as to why she's not hearing anyone on the other line.

"Oh, umm yes, hallo unnie." 

"Ha-llo!" Karina teased. 

"Do you umm need something?" Winter says, fiddling on her blanket. 

"Do I really have to need something to talk to my Min-min baby?" Winter hears her answer, still distracted by Karina's sleepy voice. 

"Oh, no, not at all, I was just umm, just wondering, that is." 

"Do you have plans for tomorrow? After your coffee shop gig?" Karina asked.

"Yeah... umm Somi asked me to try this new Ramen place...."

"Oh." Winter heard Karina say, and is that disappointment in her voice?

"Uhm, but yeah. I'm free Sunday afternoon tho." Winter said, facepalming herself because just why would she say that??

"That sounds good! I'll pick you up at the coffee shop then?" Karina says excitedly.

"Oh yeah, sure unnie. Umm. Where are we going?" Her tone laced with curiosity. 

"That's a surprise. I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

-

Ten has been looking at Winter suggestively for the past ten minutes, the girl trying her best to ignore her colleague. 

"Winter's going on a date~ Winter's going on a date~" Ten sing-songs, causing Winter to roll her eyes. 

"Yes, Ten. I'm going on a date. Are you happy now?" Winter grunts, wiping the countertop table for the fourth time now. 

"I should probably ask to get assigned to the cashier next time, maybe some cute girl will ask for my number too." Ten jokes. 

"Why, who's asking for Winter's number?" They hear someone say, causing the two to jump in their place. They were so busy teasing each other, they didn't hear someone coming in. 

"Oh, umm no one. It was a-, kid, yeah from somewhere." Ten answers panicking, scratching his nape. 

"Umm you're early!" Winter says, pushing Ten away to the back. "Hi Somi!" Winter smiles awkwardly. 

"Yeah, I was hoping to grab the regular? You're clocking out in 30 right? I'll just wait for your shift to finish there?" Somi says, pointing to a table next to the window. 

Winter nods at this, letting Somi know she can grab the seat and she'll just bring it over there. She prepares Somi's large Americano, grabbing a slice of her favorite strawberry cake on the side, placing it on a tray. Winter walked towards Somi's table, the girl looking so serious typing on her phone. 

"Hey, here you go." Winter says, flinching when Somi dropped her phone face down a little too quickly.

"Hey, thanks. I didn't know this coffee shop has hot girls serving coffee." Somi said instead, easing the unknown tension from earlier. 

"This coffee shop doesn't serve at all." Winter says as a matter of fact. 

"Well, I must be special then." Somi says, smiling at Winter before getting distracted by her phone notifications dinging loudly. "Sorry." Somi looks at Winter apologetically, the other girl waving it off and letting her know she'll be out in a couple of minutes. 

Somi reserved a table, making it easier for them to enter the restaurant. It's a bit packed as people from