TIMESKIP 1 WEEK...

“Hey, why do you think Wendy’s the student council’s president and not Karina?”

“I don’t know bro, maybe something happened?"

“Or maybe because she’s older than her?”

“Maybe… Or maybe Karina just didn’t have the heart to?”

“Dude, do you know her? She’s strong-willed to the brim, I’m sure she would have taken the position if she was able to.”

“Let’s just go, she might hear us.”

A certain tall, black-haired girl was the new hot topic of the school, but she pretended to not hear any of the hallway whisperings, continuing to walk down the stairs, outside to where her friends met for break and lunch.

But she heard every last word, every last detail.

‘Strong-willed?’

…

Karina muttered under her breath when no one was around, “that’s not me at all…”

‘Maybe Karina just didn’t have the heart to?’

That student was right, she didn’t have the heart to. She was too weak, too fragile, to take on the role of the student council’s president. She felt as if she didn’t even deserve to be that high up in the first place. So why did s-

“Jimin-unnie!”

Karina jumped as someone small and soft rammed into her body in the form of a hug.

“O-oh… Hi Winter.”

The said girl’s smile dropped when she looked up to meet Karina’s eyes.

“Karina…”

Karina tilted her head, “hm? What’s wrong?”

Winter pouted, “it’s getting to you…”

“Huh? What’s getting to me?”

The younger girl suddenly smiled, “you know, you really are strong… Mentally at least.”

“Huh???”

Winter held Karina’s hand and led her to where they stayed during their break times, “don’t listen to what those people say, they’re all wrong.”

Karina sighed, “and who said that you’re right?”

“Do you not believe me?”

Winter’s puppy eyes struck home in Karina’s heart, but her soft gaze turned serious as the puppy continued to talk.

“Who’d you hang out with before me, Giselle, and NingNing?”

“... Irene and Wendy-unnie and their friends…”

“So wouldn’t it make sense that only them and us know you? The real you?”

As Karina glanced down at Winter, she saw her smile, “the other students don’t know who you are except that you’re in the student council. Have they ever talked to you besides school things?”

“No… You’re right.”

Winter’s smile warmed, “I understand that it’s hard, unnie, I really do… But you have to stay strong, it’s sad to see you this dejected constantly.”

Karina gave a hint of her own smile, “thanks, Minjeong-ah.”

Winter suddenly chuckled, “and besides, I’m the one who knows my jagi the best.”

The older girl’s smile widened, and she wrapped an arm around the other’s shoulders, soft blush tinting her cheeks, “good, I’m all~ yours and you’re all~ mine.”

That made Winter fluster up, and she hugged Karina’s waist and stared at the ground to avoid being caught blushing from her words.

Karina saw it all though, her smile lingered on her face as she thought to herself how adorable her friend was…

But…

“How’d you deal with all of that?”

“With what?”

Karina gazed in front of her to avoid Winter’s stare, “all those whispers… Yours is more… offensive as well…”

“Well, ‘cause I have you of course.”

Karina stared in shock at the other girl, “wait really?”

Winter chuckled softly, “yeah pretty much…”

She then sighed, “and I learned to just ignore it… Or at least try to. It’s been easier to do so with you around since I know you don’t think that way…”

“What about Giselle and NingNing?”

“Well, I met NingNing for the first time when you met her as well. And Giselle, I do tell her a lot of things, and she helps and supports me a lot as well but… I don’t know, you hit differently.”

“I… what?”

“I don’t really know how to explain it… No offense to Giselle but I feel much more comforted by you, maybe because we’re pretty similar…”

“Ah… I see.”

The pair continued to walk in silence, the aura around them shifting to a more comfortable one than that of before…

Winter glanced at Karina as they walked, thinking to herself, ‘you helped me more than you realized… I hope you’ll understand that soon.’

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Sorry for the short chapter! I didn’t really know exactly what to put for ch. 10 and if I merged it with ch. 9 or 11 it might be choppy... Anyways, stay safe bubs! -Minah