"What the hell, Winter!"

Winter hissed and pushed Jeno harshly. She was about to leave the venue when Jeno secretly followed her outside to confront her.

"Do not ever touch me again." Winter gritted her teeth.

"What was that? Are you with Karina?" Jeno asked, mad.

"It's none of your business."

"It is my business! You're mine!" Jeno tried to grab her arm again, but Winter was quick to kick him on the shin. Jeno groaned as he squats down to rub his shin.

"We broke up, idiot! And you are now dating Yena. I am not yours anymore, will never be again. Please, remember this." Winter glared.

"She's going to play with you." Jeno told her.

"You don't know anything."

"Oh, I know. She is Karina Yoo. She has never been in a serious relationship. She was only taking her revenge for her uncle! She wants me to suffer."

Winter scoffed. She knew about it, Karina's revenge. However, it has nothing to do with her.

"Stay away from her, Winter. Don't let her manipulate you." Jeno said again.

"You don't have the right to tell me what to do. Save yourself first before you worry about someone else." Winter said.

Jeno laughed like a mad person as he stood up. He clenched his jaw and tried to get closer, but Winter kept taking a step back.

"I will clean the mess and I will come back for you. You love me, Winter. I am the only one who you let into your heart." Jeno said proudly as Winter's only real relationship.

"We will marry each other." Jeno said.

"I knew you were going to finally say yes to me." Jeno added.

Winter's heart clenched at the thought of her almost giving her yes to him. She was upset, yet glad that she got to find out everything before it was too late.

"And maybe, I was only meant to give you a no. That's why, now I found out everything." Winter said.

"Winter..." Jeno tried to reach out, but Winter slapped his hand off.

"I gave you one chance, Lee Jeno. But you take it for granted." Winter said.

"I said, it was a mi-"

"Mistake. Yes. Nothing will make me change my mind now, Jeno. I will never get back with you."

.....

Winter sighed as she massaged her temple. She couldn't sleep at all. She thought that Jeno wouldn't bother her after their break up. Who knows that he would be this shameless to still wanting her after everything he had done.

She woke up a little late, as she took a rest some more before she decided to shower and went down to check on her grandmother. 

"Grandma-" Winter blinked her eyes seeing her grandmother was laughing brightly because of something Karina said.

Yes. Karina was there, at the garden with her grandmother while Johnny was just standing nearby, watching them. Winter then slide opened the sliding door to get outside and joined them. 

"Grandma, I didn't know that we would have a guest today." Winter said, eyes looking at her grandmother only.

"Oh, my love. Karina bumped into me earlier, and I asked her for a morning tea. Well, seeing that you were not up yet, she offered to help me with the gardening." Minhee explained.

"I see." Winter nodded.

"Johnny, come on and help me. Oh, Karina, please continue with this. I'll be back shortly." Minhee said, eyes glancing at them both before she walked further away with Johnny.

Winter just watched her grandmother walked to the very back with Johnny until they were far enough. 

Karina then stood up from her position, and approached Winter.

"Good morning, sweetheart."

Winter turned to look at her. Karina was already smiling at her, Winter took note of Karina's appearance. She was wearing her office attire, looking neat as usual. However, she looks funny right now since she was wearing the blue latex gloves.

"So, you are a sleeping beauty." Karina commented.

"What?" Winter blinked her eyes in confusion.

Karina then raised her hand and checked her watches.

"It is almost 11 now. Kind of late for me." Karina said.

"I don't usually wake up this late." Winter frowned.

"Really?"

"Yes! It's just I-" Winter paused and blinked her eyes again.

"Why am I explaining to you?" Winter asked.

"Because I am your future wife. Don't worry, I still like you. You can wake up anytime you like. I don't mind."

"Pfft. Future wife?" Winter laughed in disbelief. Karina grinned seeing her laugh because of her.

"Well, sweetheart..." Karina took off her gloves and put them on the round table near the door.

"When I finally make you fall in love with me, I am not going to settle for just being girlfriends." Karina said.

Winter stepped back when Karina did not stop approaching until her back was against the sliding door.

"And if you forget, you did tell me to show you that I am nothing like your ex." Karina said.

"..."

Karina put her both hands on the door, on each side of Winter's shoulders. She stares deeply into Winter's eyes, and gave a lazy smile.

"I am not one to waste time, baby. So, I will show you. And I am going to start by today." Karina whispered.

"I am going to warn you again. Prepare yourself." Karina smirked.

...

Winter sighed as she followed Karina outside to see her leave, as her grandmother has told her to. After gardening together, Karina finally had to go as she still had a meeting in the afternoon.

Karina glanced over her shoulder to see that Kim Minhee got back inside already, after saying bye to her, so she stepped back to walk side by side with Winter. She wrapped an arm around Winter's waist causing her to gasp.

"Wha-"

"I need to show you how I feel through every way. My words, my actions, especially this. Physical contact is my love language, sweetheart."

Winter rolled her eyes at Karina's excuses. Karina squinted her eyes and pulled her closer.

"Naughty, naughty. You keep rolling your eyes at me. One day, those eyes are going to shine for me." Karina said.

"Yeah, okay." Winter said nonchalantly.

Karina chuckled and pushed her back against her car. 

"You really like to trap me like this, do you?" Winter asked as she's starting to get used to Karina's way with her already.

"Well, you can say so." Karina admitted.

She put her left palm on the car's door, while her other hand grabbed Winter's chin gently.

"I like to have you trapped against me, or in my arms, or just... very, very close to me. I like to keep you close to me." Karina said.

"Because I can't get enough of you." She said lowly.

"..."

"Why, sweetheart? Cat got your tongue?" Karina asked when Winter kept quiet.

"I've been..." Winter's cracked voice was heard, and Karina raised her eyebrows at that. Winter coughed twice before she speaks again.

"I've been trying, Karina Yoo."

"Try what?" Karina asked.

"To hold myself back from either pushing you or pulling you."

"Huh?" Karina frowned, tilting her head.

"It's in between. I don't know what to do with you. I don't know how I feel."

"Oh." 

Karina hummed and tried to think. Then, she let go of Winter to take a step back, and looked at her. Winter just stares.

"Let me in, Winter Kim. And you will see all of me. I will show you how different I am than anyone you have ever met. And do not hold back, Winter Kim." Karina said strongly.

Karina stepped closer again to put her right palm on Winter's left cheek as she caressed her skin gently.

"With me, don't you ever hold back." Karina whispered.

.....

Karina stares at her phone screen on her desk sharply. She rested her elbow on the desk and intertwined her fingers. She had sent a DM to Winter's IG, asking for her number again and asking to let her court her openly. As much as Karina usually has the upper hand, she still has to respect Winter. It is a promise to her grandmother as well.

After an hour of waiting for her reply, Karina finally received a notification. She quickly opened it.

Fine.

Karina dropped her phone back on her desk and stood  up abruptly. Her left hand on her hips, and she runs her fingers through her hair as she closed her eyes. She took a deep breathe, then put her both palms on her desk. She looked at Winter's reply again. After 2 minutes, Winter sent another reply. It was her personal phone number.

"Oh, now, now, baby. Aren't you just so adorable?" Karina chuckled.

After saving her contact number, Karina quickly dialed it.

"Hello?"

"Sweetheart."

"..."

"It's Karina Yoo."

"I didn't give my number for you to call me for nothing."

"Just want to be sure if you're giving me a real number."

"I could've just ignored you instead."

"Right. Thank you. It is by far the best thing I've gotten so far."

"What? My number?"

"Winter Kim's number. Yes. The best thing ever."

Karina smiled hearing Winter's soft hum instead of saying anything back to her.

"When can I see you?"

"We saw each other yesterday."

"And I want to see you again." 

"I thought you said nothing is going to stop you anymore now, so why are you asking then?" 

"Oh." Karina sat down and tap her fingers on her desk. 

"Are you saying that I'm allowed to do whatever I want then?"

"Yes." 

Karina hummed. 

"But, you should know too, that I don't give a second chance if you mess up with me." 

"Is that a warning from you, sweetheart?"

"I can give a warning too." 

"Sure. Sure, you can. Then you have to know." 

"What?" 

"There's no room for a single mistake when it comes to you. I'll see you soon, Winter Kim."

Karina chuckled to herself then put her phone inside her pocket. She grabbed her car key and purse before she left her office room. 

"Boss." Chaehyun stood up to bow at her.

"Chaehyun, kindly postpone all of my meetings today. I have something important to settle first. Thank you."

.....

Hi, dearest readers! Here's a short update for yall. Next update will be longer, I promise hehe. 

Take care, everyone. Until next chapter ^^

xx