Winter felt something heavy around her abdomen. She slowly opened her eyes and crooked down her head, feeling kinda stiff as she slept with her neck firmly lazed against her pillow. She lifted up the comforter and peeked underneath and there she saw an arm encircled tightly around her. Winter then, at that point, smiled as soon as she turned to her left, seeing Karina sleeping as soundly as a hibernating baby, reposing her arm in her waist.

 

Winter carefully brought herself to her side, only to stare at the woman's entire face. She blinked as many times as her gazes sooner landed on the lady's resting lips. Those warm and soft lips, they tasted and moved so good, they are softer than a delicate rose, warmer than the morning sun, and addicting more than whiskey. Winter smiled as she remembers that gentle and soft kiss. She reclined onto the bed, adjusting her position to stare at her again. Her eyes are closed yet very captivating, her thin and high bridged nose is one of a head turn, her soft cheeks... her heart faced face.. her gorgeous skin. She is just exceptionally gorgeous.

 

Winter's staring portion was interrupted when her phone rang, she immediately took her phone from the side table and answered the call right away. Thankfully, the noise did not stir Karina from her slumber.

 

She furrowed her brows when she saw the caller id.

 

"Chaewon?"

 

"Yes. Good morning?" Winter chuckled at her friend for greeting her jocosely, with that waggish rising tone after her remark. "Good morning, dude." Winter greeted back and inclined her back on the headboard. She held Karina's arm up to her waist and gently massaged it.

 

"How's my car?" Winter knitted her eyebrows as she heard a tumultuous noise from the other line, opening and sliding of heavy metal doors, people walking ponderously, and people clamorously conversing. "Where are you?" Winter asked with her brows still knitted as if she was curious about her whereabouts.

 

"I'm on the subway right now. Going to Seoul. Where are you now, funk?" Winter moved closer to Karina as she budged and pressed her face against the pillow. Winter adjusted her left hand and gave support to her head, softly caressing her hair.

 

"Busanjin-gu." 

 

"Still!? You're really not coming?!" Chaewon asked in a high tone, indicating a mixture of mad, suprised, unconvinced emotions all in that one high tone.

 

"I'll visit Minju's grave some other time... I told you that already.." Chaewon just chuckled.

 

"I'm staying in Seoul before coming back home. I'll just message you once I get home.. well, that's definitely after the death anniversary celebration... bring back home my car, huh." Winter gave her a chuckle. She's more worried for her car.

 

"I won't bring your car to Seoul, silly. Of course, of course, Chae... I'll drive back to your place once you're home, okay?" Winter looked at Karina who's still sleeping, she caressed her hair again and tried to turn to her right so that she won't be disturbed.

 

"Do you want me to jump down this subway and fetch you over? Minju's parents will really scold me if they won't see any shadow of their beloved Winter there with me." Winter gave Karina's head a light pat and carefully removed her arm on her waist. Winter stood up and headed to the hotel balcony, walking with light and careful steps.

 

"You're really dumb! Do you want me to visit two graves at once, huh?!" She heard a loud laugh from Chaewon on the other line, her friend's morning joke was enough to clear off her jet lag.

 

"Is Karina still with you?" Winter smiled and shook her head, she's blushing again with just a simple mention of Karina's name plus thinking back of the kiss is making her even more thrilled.

 

Winter roamed over the smoky, misty district. The rain bucketed down heftily overnight.

 

"She's sleeping." She answered as she ran her fingers through the wet railings, wiping out what the blue had poured down yesterday night.

 

"Why don't you bring her along and introduce her as your girlfriend?!" Winter suddenly held a grip on the railings as she felt a sudden rush of blood coming all through her veins up to her cheeks. Her heart's beating nonstop again.

 

"Uncle and Aunty will definitely be happy if they know that you're already done with their daughter. It has been tough already, Win. Let go..." Chaewon sounded serious this time, that is very evident with her voice as her tone suddenly dropped.

 

"I mean... Karina is a fine young lady, She's so beautiful like heaven, girl!" Winter just smiled and hugged herself due to a sudden blow of wind.

 

"Two years was done... 6 months been wasted... And another year lost, like, dude... seriously! Just bring her to your apartment!" Winter's just shaking her head as she let her friend continue talking,

 

"You've encountered a lot of pretty girls but Karina is absolutely the prettiest among them. You never really talked to them for even just 3 days consecutively... Is Karina someone from the forest? Is she a fairy or a goddess that can lure anyone with her beauty? Did she use some magic or made you fall for her with her touch? Love potion or something?" Winter's just laughing at her friend. She's like Ryujin when she's describing Karina, too exaggerated but somehow true.

 

"Is there something going on between the two of you? I'd knock out this bastard beside me if you'll say there's nothing." Winter just laughed at her silly, loopy, and crazy friend. The joker friend might be in trouble if she says nothing abd decline what's really the truth. "I might bury you twice if that's the case then, just jump down from there. He might squeeze you in between his biceps, you'd probably die on the spot, dude." Chaewon laughed as well, she even slapped her free palm on her lap, making a clapping sort of sound.

 

"Are you shifting off the topic to this bastard, huh? Is that a yes or a no?" Winter's cheeks and ears are so red right now! 

 

"There is." Winter bit her lower lip. She blushed like a teen age schooler boy who got a kiss from his crush.

 

"I'm telling you this, Winter... get her already. I'd be really mad at you if she's something like you treat as a temporary girl." Winter immediately shook her head even though she's not facing Chaewon and can't clearly see her reactions, she barked back "No! Rebound things are not my style, Chae. I know what's the feeling of temporary happiness, I've been there and I don't want to pass it to others just to make myself happy for the meanest time." She defended, she even heard Chaewon's little approving sounds, she's maybe pouting and nodding her head at the same time.

 

"Karina doesn't deserve to be hurt. She's a really nice person. It's a luck that I got to bump into her. She makes me happy," Winter added, "As you should do, Win. If Karina ever got hurt, my fists will return her pain to your face." Chaewon said but with a warn. Winter just smiled and shook her head for how many times already. Already taking notes of her friend's intended warn.

 

"I promise, dude. She won't get hurt. She's nothing like a friend to me now, she is something more than that." Winter turned to her back as she heard the door to the balcony opened, Karina came in, rubbing her eyes with both her hands as what she usually do upon waking up.

 

Winter pursued her lips. She paused and turned red before completely facing Karina. She and Chaewon are literally just talking about jer right now!

 

"Is that Ryujin?" Karina asked in her throaty voice, her hands are still on her eyes, scratching. Winter just smiled and shook her head at her and mouthed, "It's Chaewon." Karina excused herself and quietly closed the door as she headed back inside the room.

 

Winter was still facing the door, peering over until Karina disappeared from her vision.

 

"If this is the present Winter talking, had her past self forgot her past love?"

 

"Have you completely forgotten Minju?"

 

Winter immediately answered.

 

"I'm moving on, Karina is the reason why." She's still looking at the door even though Karina wasn't seen in the frame anymore.

 

"I'm glad, Winter." Chaewon said it with a very sweet tone. She's thankful that she finally heard her long time heartbroken friend split the line. She's moving on and that's the end.

 

"By the way, Win... Ningning kept bombarding my inbox and call log, she said that all of our friends have arrived at Minju's family's residence already