[(WINTER)]

 

 

The light of the sun peeked into the room, seeping through the curtains. I felt its warmth against my face. I rubbed my morning eyes and walked to the window. There was the pale blue sky with bright milky clouds, the chirping of birds with wide open wings, the view from above was very calming. I was dazzled by a beautiful morning.

 

"Good morning, Busan... " I whispered in the air, the wind coming from here whistles like winter, it's cold. Busan is always cold... there's no surprise.

 

I peeked out the window, still smiling.., then closed it at a slow pace. I went back to bed and folded the blankets... I stopped for a moment when I saw a familiar bag. I went to it and placed it on the center table.

 

Karina's here. Still.

 

I started to get a little unsettled. Where could she have been at this very early? She's gonna comeback, her things are still here... maybe she's just off to somewhere or decided to have a walk outside. I looked around to see if there's something that she left,

 

There's nothing. She didn't even leave me a note.

 

Well... I'm not an important person she needs to get always updated. We just met yesterday and nothing more important happened, we met. We met and that's the point. 

 

I have already made the bed and she's still not showing. I'm starting to get worried and confused,

 

Where's she this time? It's only been a day but I'm already like this to her. I've met several girls after Minju's death tho, Ningning put me so much into blind dates back then but this girl... Karina is really really different. She got me mesmerized at first sight. There's no lie, she's that beautiful----gorgeous.

 

Busan is a big place. I will not find her if I'll just wait her back. With so much curiosity and worry at the same time, I found myself reaching for my phone. Dialing Ryujin to ask her is she has seen her around, hopefully she has because I'm worried about Karina.

 

"Yow, dude!" Ryujin seems to be energetic this morning huh, well... as she always is. I'm hearing noises from the other line, there are also small voices that I can't hear so well. Sounds like... moving tables, chairs.. she's at their bistro for sure.

 

"Hey..." I said in my low tone. I don't know how I should start, knowing this friend? She'll tease me about Karina. 

 

"Got a problem, dude?" Ryujin sounds panting. "Is it you who got a problem? You sound so tired, you're out of breath, dude." she exhaled right in the phone. I rolled my eyes at what she just did. "I just lifted a heavy box, Winter. We're busy here in bistro." Oh... I was right. I bit my lower lip as my gaze laid down to Karina's things. Is she there? I mean... she could be there...

 

"Karina... I mean the girl yesterday.. She's not here. I woke up to see her not in here." I said, bit my lower lip after that. I heard Ryujin chuckled, she's probably smiling like an idiot right now. I can sense that even though we're not seeing each-other's faces.

 

"You like her, don't you?" It's me who chuckled this time. "I just asked, Ryu. H-her things are still here so she's not away at this time I think.. yes?" Ryujin is now giggling for sure. I can't help but blush. There's nothing wrong with me asking about Karina, it's my worry if something bad happened to her. I promised to Yeji that I'll take care of her friend until we leave Busan.

 

"She's here. Yeji ask her to help us out here. She fetched Karina early in the morning. You were sleeping soundly so they didn't bother waking you up. I told them you're worse than a hungry lion when someone wakes you up from your sleep." She's literally laughing right now. She's blowing her breath in between her laughs, seriously telling a story while doing something in their bistro?

 

"I heard them talking about you," I feel like all my blood suddenly rose up to my cheek, giving me a hot feeling, shivering instantaneously. "Joke." My shoulder dropped at what Ryujin said next. I shouldn't have expected it, I'm talking to Ryujin by the way.

 

"You're the bad mood in this morning." I said. I went to change my clothes, phone is still glued to my ear. 

 

"Sounds weird, Win but... is this love at first sight?.. love at first ride? love at first coffee?" I'm shaking my head non stop. "What are you------stop teasing me, idiot!" These tight pants are making me hurry. I can't wait to hit Ryujin.

 

"I'm dead serious, Win. Out of all places you met Karina in Busan. In Busan where I fell in love at first sight with Yeji." She sounded serious this time. Is she going to boast about her love life? for the nth time? 

 

"Tsk. Who asked?" I finally finished wearing my pants. It's showing my curve, well I'm hot. I went straight to the mirror and applied my favorite lipstick on,

 

"I'm serious, Winter! Don't be so late your ! Ask her out already!" I almost dropped the lipstick. Thankfully I was already about to close it, I put it back to my bag once I'm done. "Ask her out? Already? Are you out of your mind? We literally just met yesterday, Ryujin." I made my way out of the hotel. I'm going to their bistro. I don't know why but... I want to see her. Just that, yeah. Just wanna see her.

 

"So what? I asked Yeji out just 3 hours ago when we first met. I never regretted doing so because she felt the same. We fell for each other at first sight." I went straight inside the Taxi once it stopped in front of me. 

 

"Minju's a long time dead, dude. It's time to move on." I let out a heavy sigh... I always feel heavy whenever I hear her name. I miss my sweet angel so much...

 

"Karina is a pretty woman. She likes you too for sure, you two will surely click." I regained my smile with a simple mention of Karina. I miss that girl too... yeah.

 

yeah..?

 

whatever,

 

"Wishing for someone else's love is a waste for yourself, Win. Minju is not gonna comeback to you. Try giving others some time. Give love to others I mean..... Karina has a chance. Go for her." I don't know if Ryujin is pushing me to Karina or she just wants me to get over from Minju. With everything she had said, It's making me think...

 

What if...

 

What if I let myself fall for her?

 

Will there be a change? Will I finally be happy?

 

"There are more plenty fish in the sea, it's your lost if she slips away from your hook." 

 

"You know what, Ryu? You're making me think twice." I said making her gasp in shock.

 

"What?"

 

"Nevermind,"

 

"You're not a love guru, silly. Stop talking nonsense. I'm hanging up, gotta be there in a few. Bye." I said ending up the call. I looked outside the window once I put my phone back into my pocket. 

 

My heart's beating so fast... I see Karina in my mind.

 

Is Karina my love at first sight? first ride? first coffee?

 

 My smile grew wider when I looked ahead.  We're close there...

 

[(KARINA)]

 

I carried a medium sized box, containing decoration items for Yeji and her girlfriend's newly built bistro. I put down the box in a long table, carried another box and laid it down there... I put aside together the eight boxes I have carried down on the table, they all contain the same thing. 

 

It's my first time helping Yeji in a while, we used to be block mates in college. I stopped college once I was advised to because it would be bad for my condition that time, I was not allowed to carry heavy things, join school activities, get tired and stressed from my studies. I had heart defect..., that was con... my heartbeat was very irregular... 

 

I suddenly stopped at my thoughts.

 

"You okay, Rina?" Yeji went to my side, she was holding a scissor for the boxes. I just smiled to her as a response. Yeji didn't know about it. I didn't let anyone know about it. Yeji was the only friend I had... sadly but yeah. For the record, I have her as my only friend... until now. 

 

Exactly a year ago, the operation was successful. I was able to live again... my great gratitude to the family of the patient next door. That girl... Minju Kim... I owe my life to her. I will be thankful to her for the rest of my life. I will not be here if it's not because of her.

 

"Someone's coming today..." Both Yeji and I turned to Ryujin, walking tiredly to our side, returning her phone to her pocket. "Did you invite a friend, babe? We're just settling things first. We'll open in three days, you should've extend it. We prepared nothing." Yeji said, adjusting the ladder for Ryujin. She waited