"Oh? Bakit ka nandito?" Irene asked when she saw her sister lying on her office's couch. Karina stared at her and pouted. 

"I am avoiding Winter." Napakunot ang noo ni Irene. 

"May I know why?" 

Winter and Karina has been actinf weird since the day they went to EK. Bakit ba kung kailan naka-adjust na sila, biglang magiging ganito si Karina? 

"Last night, she told me she loves me. The sleeping me," sabi ni Karina. Tinapik ni Irene ang legs nya para tanggalin sa couch. Umupo si Irene sa paanan nya at ngumisi. 

"Oh? Bakit mo iniiwasan?" Tanong ni Irene. Karina set aside her book and smiled sadly.

"Because she loves me." The older woman raised a brow.

"And? Why does that scare the hell out of you?" 

"Wala naman akong sinabing takot ako, Ate." Sabi ni Karina. Hindi na sya makatingin kay Irene. She is afraid. Palagi na lang ba syang takot kapag si Winter ang pinag-uusapan? Ganoon na lang ba palagi?

"Oh edi sana hindi mo iniiwasan diba? Ano bang nararamdaman mo kay Winter?" Irene hugged her younger sister to soothe her. She took a note in her mind to call their eldest and tell her the happenings in the youngest's life. 

"Alam mo naman na, Ate. Alam nyo naman ng lahat, so bakit ko pa sasabihin?" Sabi ni Karina. 

"Maybe we know, maybe hindi. Pero how could we know if hindi mo sasabihin? What's stopping you, Karina?" 

"I don't know how I feel for her. I'm afraid that if ever I got to admit what I truly truly feel, she won't feel the same. I mean, look Ate, you have Ate Seulgi, si Ate Tiff may Ate Taeyeon. Ako? Wala naman akong kahit sino. Nasanay na ako sa kung ano kami ni Winter. Ang hirap lang isipin na we're capable of loving each other," Irene's lips twitch upwards. 

"So you do love her." Napatingin sakanya si Karina. The latter can only smile and shrug.

"Wala naman akong sinabi." Sagot nya. Irene stood up and walked towards her pantry. Perks of owning the Academy, she thinks. 

"Alam ml ba kung bakit wala kang masabi?" The older asked. She poured a newly-brewed coffee into two cups, one for her and one for Karina. 

Sa totoo lang, hindi nila masyadong pinapainom ng kape si Karina, pero dahil nga duwag si Karina at bawal pa rin sya uminom ng alcohol, baka kape na ang magpapaamin sa kapatid nya.

Karina scoffed.

"Hindi." Iniabot ni Irene ang isang tasa kay Karina. Inilagay naman nya ang tasa nya sa may coffee table sa harapan nila.

"You're afraid to acknowledge that what you feel for Winter is not as shallow as you think it is. You don't like her as a friend; you don't treat her like one. You treat her like she's the most precious thing in the world, and maybe for you, she is." Karina sipped on her coffee. She hummed as the bittersweet taste of the coffee invaded her tongue. 

Nothing beats coffee, except, of course, a pair of strawberry-flavored lips. 

"Maybe, I am afraid, Ate. Can you blame me?" Tanong ni Karina. Ipinatong nya sa table ang tasa at tumingin sa nakakatandang kapatid. 

Hinahanap na siguro sila ng quiz bee team, pero this is far more important. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Ang bilis kasi ng pangyayari, Ate. Halos last week magpatayan kami para sa rankings, and now? Look at us, kissing each other, I even asked her to sleep beside me!" Sabi ni Karina. 

Of all the things she is afraid of, this is what she hates so much. Change. She is scared of change and how it'll affect her. 

"Isn't it how it should be? Hindi naman mabilis ang sainyo ni Winter. Hindi naman sya love at first sight or anything. Throughout the years, nagdedevelop ang feelings nyo sa isa't isa. You had a huge crush on her dati, hindi ba?" Tumigil si Irene. She wants to help her sister in every possible way. She knew how helpless feeling like this can be. 

"I had, I have." 

"Then what the hell is wrong with you, baby sister?" Karina looked at her. Eyes are glassy, tears forming up. Agad lumapit si Irene para yakapin muli si Karina. 

"What if she became Dad? What if she treats me like how Daddy treats Mommy?" 

Childhood trauma is such a . 

"Paano mo naman masasabi na Winter is like that man? Bakit hindi mo muna itry? Winter is a very good kid, Karina." Napakuyom ang kamao ni Irene. They always hated their father. Their father who slept with his secretary while their mother is taking care of them. 

"And what if I got hurt? What if I hurt her?"

"Then that is perfectly normal. Kung hindi mo pa aayusin lahat ng ito, then you'll surely hurt her and yourself. So please, Karina, talk to her." Karina closed her eyes and leaned on the couch.

She can't just barge into the SC Room and tell she loves Winter in front of everyone. She can't risk pressuring the younger girl to say she feels the same in public.