January 2024

Karina dropped the bottle of vodka when she heard the news.

"It is not good to make fun of something like that, Chaewon." Sabi ni Karina. Her forehead is creased. 

"How could I ing joke about that?! She's on the plane! Pauwi na siya dito," she screamed with a big smile on her face. Karina blinked her eyes once, and then twice until tears started dropping like waterfalls. 

"She is the only survivor?" Karina asked. She fixed herself bago humarap kay Chaewon. She is still a drunk. 

"Apparently, yes." 

"It must be so hard on her. Ano pa bang hinihintay mo Chaewon? Let's go!" Sabi ni Karina at nauna na sa pintuan ng bahay nya. Chaewon held her arm and shook her head.

"We can't see her until she lands, Karina." The taller girl raised her brow. Bakit naman hindi? They have waited so long, or in this case, grieve. 

"Why not?" She finally asked. Chaewon smiled sadly.

"Because she is unconscious. She needs to be transported to a hospital, we'll go there to see her." 

"Do you know what happened to her for the past year?" Napatahimik si Chaewon. 

"I know. Pero, I am also with the Marines. I cannot tell you confidential information," Karina snickered.

"You did tell me she's alive." She said. Chaewon shrugged and sat on the couch.

"You're a member of this family, and you have the right to know." Sabi nito. Karina sat beside her and played with her fingers. Parang may nabuhay sa kanya. She felt so amazing, and happy. Their story is just beginning. She still has the time to turn it back and make them something more. 

"She's fine, right?" Karina asked. Chaewon hummed.

"She will be. But I heard, and you didn't hear this from me, she has yet to talk." Karina felt worried and sick. What really happened to the love of her life? Isang taon din simula ng nawala si Winter. One year. There are so many possible things that could happen in a year. 

"The plane landed na raw. Let's go?" Tanong ni Chaewon at tumayo. Dumeretso sila sa kotse nya.

"Did you already informed the others?" Karina asked. Chaewon drove palabas sa village na tinitirahan ni Karina. She'll see her best friend in a few minutes. 

"Hindi pa. I'll them kapag concious na si Winnie. For now, it's just you and me," sagot ni Chaewon.

"Say, may communication pa rin ba kayo ni Minju?" Karina remembered how Winter told her to take care of her twin sister. Yes, Winter is alive, but she is still unconscious. This is the least she can do. 

"Minju?" Chaewon smiled. It's bright, but not her brightest. 

"Ikakasal na sya kay Yeji. Hindi mo ba narinig?" Napapikit si Karina. Hindi naman sya updated sa love life ng mga taong nakapaligid sakanya. She was busy feeling the sorrow of her own love life. 

"And you are okay with that?" She asked. Chaewon gasped quietly.

"After what she's done for me, hindi ba dapat na okay lang sakin? I should think about her happiness, no?"

"And how sure are you na she is happy with that Yeji girl?" Chaewon did not answer. She parked the car and went out. She did not wait for Karina, nauna na syang pumasok sa hospital papunta sa room ni Winter. 

"Can you not tell Winter any of this? Ayoko namang magagalit sya agad paggising nya," Chaewon said and smiled. 

They went inside and saw Winter sleeping peacefully. Her face is full of bruises. Naka ang kamay nito at paa. She looks like she's been hit by a 10-wheeler truck. 

"Who did this?" She asked. Who in the right mind did this to her love?

"R-ri-rina." Winter weakly called. Karina walked to her as fast as she can and held her hand. She kissed Winter's forehead and cried. 

"Who did this to you?" 

"Where are they? Nasaan si Somi? Si Chenle?" Karina looked at Chaewon. She does not know. She knew they used to work with Winter, but she did not know where they are. How they died. 

"Uh, let's not talk about it, Winnie. Pagaling ka muna, yes?" Chaewon asked and smiled. Lumapit sya kay Winter at tumigil sa tapat ng kama nito. 

"Y-y-you're t-th-thin," Winter said, upset. Chaewon can only smile apologetically.

"I'm glad you're alive, Winnie." She said and hugged her twin sister. Karina watched them, her hand still holding Winter's small ones. 

"Can you give us a moment, Chae?" Karina asked. Chaewon nodded before leaving the room. 

"I love you, Winter. I love you, the way you love me." She said and smiled. Her eyes tearing up. 

"Hmm," Winter hummed. She looked up at the ceiling, eyes never meeting Karina's teary ones. 

"I said I love you!" Winter didn't move. If she loves Karina, why is she acting like this? Hindi ba sya na rin ang may sabi na she'll take a risk kapag nakabalik  sya ng buhay? Lahat ba ng nakasulat sa letter nya ay kasinungalingan? Lahat ba ng sinabi nya sa mixtape na binigay nya ay kasinungalian? 

"I thought you love me too," nanghihinang sabi ni Karina. She waited for so long, and here she is, devastated by Winter's attitude.

"I do," she simply said. Karina scoffed.

"Then why are you being like this?!" She is full of emotions. She found out her best friend and the woman she loves is alive, and she found out that she loves her too. But what the hell is going on here?

Winter never spoke another word that day. She has yet to fulfill the promise she said on the letter and tape. She came back alive, but she feels like a different person. And maybe, the girl Karina loves is really gone.

fin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So thank you for all the support you have given me and this well, fanfiction. Actually, I planned for so many things to happen before ending this, however, I realized that I am still incapable of that particular writing style. I want to write more about Winter's wound from her last tour of duty, actually, dapat doon lang magrerevolve yung story, pero I don't think I am that good to write it. Hindi ko alam how to portray a soldier's trauma. Kaya ayon, open-ended muna ending natin for today's video. Salamuch sa pagbabasa mga beh. I'll see you sa NingSelle story or sa isa pang jmj, help me choose na rin on what to write next!!