Winter lived her life behind the curtains. She always opt to be at the back as the supporting one. Behind closed doors, it is where she truly shines and the contentment she feels with that is unquestionable. Well, not until Ning Yizhou barged in her life like thunder roaring through a storm. In a flash and only her loud beating heart can be heard while she clutched on it. 

It was one sunny morning and her grumpy self cannot be contained as she walks through a throng of people trying to make it on time on their first class for the day. Winter fortunately has still time to spare, it will most probably take 20 minutes before her class will begin. But just like these people fighting for their lives to get into their respective buildings on time, the student with short blonde locks is also dragging her feet continuously towards the shaded part of the campus due to the scorching sun. She hates it is an understatement. 

One miscalculated step and she suddenly felt herself tripping forward. Winter prepared herself for what’s coming - the embarrassment and all things in between. She blinked her thoughts away when she felt herself still standing on the solid ground although her books weren’t in the same situation as her, it sprawled on the concrete pavement. As fast as the hand on her flannel retracted, a figure crouched down to pick her books for her. Long-blonde locks entered her line of sight. She soon followed suit muttering a bunch of thank you’s when gratefulness and the embarrassment overwhelmed her. 

“Thank —” she gawked at the sight in front of her. Her sentence stopped in mid air and she cannot even put any word to be let out of . 

Round eyes, long silky hair, plump lips - in short, Winter found her truly mesmerizing. 

“Don’t mention it. I’m Ningning.” a genuine smile grazed the girl’s lips and Winter cannot help but to also sport the same expression albeit a little shy one. 

“We will be late in our class, Ning.” a monotone voice called out behind Winter. She turned towards her back and a long black-haired girl welcomed her line of sight. The mole below her lips was what caught her attention. Winter will surely find her extremely pretty if not to the other girl with her. Not just a pretty face but her kind personality really stood out to Winter. 

“Oh, yeah right. Nice to meet you…” Ningning trailed off waiting for the latter to introduce herself. 

Finally, gaining her focus, “W-winter!” she exclaimed while stuttering. A little laugh escaped Ningning’s lips at the girl’s dumbfounded but cute behavior. Ningning guessed that the latter does not find socializing comfortable. 

“We’ll see you around, Winter.” 

Sensing that this could be a way to also help her best friend into the socializing game, she gestured for the latter to say something to Winter, “Rina…” 

The girl first sported a ‘what?’ look before getting what her friend is trying to do, she soon lets out a sigh. 

“Don’t trip again.” Karina curtly uttered without any hint of emotion in her voice.

Ningning can only mentally facepalm while dragging Karina out of the scene. Her best friend is truly a lost case.

Winter on the other hand was left staring at the two retreating figures. She cannot make up her mind on what to feel about her encounter with the two girls. 

One truly made her giddy while the other made her curious. 

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It is only plausible that her crush for Ningning or Ning Yizhou (she found out the girl’s name after the several conversations she had with the latter whenever they bumped into each other - she prefers to call her Yizhou by the way, glad that the girl didn’t mind for Winter to call her that) started on their first meeting as she seems so smitten by the girl back at that very moment. But she actually finally admitted the realization when one day she grew to miss the bright smiles that Yizhou always sported on her face whenever she sees Winter or whenever she talks to other people or whenever she is just simply herself bickering with other students especially with her best friend, Karina. 

Due to the several days that the girl was absent due to catching a cold , it finally dawned on her how much she looks forward to seeing her with her bright smile around. After putting the pieces together - that’s when she knew that she had taken a liking on Yizhou.  

Truly, it is through the absence of a thing or a person that one can realize their importance. 

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Rustling of hurried footsteps and hushed voices were what surrounded a group of three friends (for now) as Karina is lining up to order lunch for both Winter and hers. 

In front of the shy girl, is her crush and Aeri that seems so close to her liking. The older girl continuously pampers her with her kind gestures. Bringing food to her plate, asking her if she wants anything and even wiping the side of her lips for some food crumbs. Unnecessary actions that left the other girl to feel like she is some sort of a third wheel in a couple’s date. Winter will surely think that it will be a romantic scene for the two if they are not situated in their university’s cafeteria. 

With the sudden burst of emotions, Winter must be out of her mind for what she is planning to do next. 

“Yizhou-ssi…” with the sudden call out of her name, both of the girls in front stop their antics as they averted their gazes at Winter. Curious eyes were boring on her soul since it was the first thing that came out of after they had settled down on their table. 

“Hey, I told you to drop the formalities, Mindoongie. See? I’m even calling you by your nickname.” Aeri on the side bobs her head, agreeing to what the latter said. Minjeong cannot help for a subtle smile to graze her lips upon the cute nickname. 

She heaved a deep sigh before gathering her courage. This might not be an ideal place to confess but she really cannot contain her emotions right now. All these are new to her but she guesses that  it will be better to tell the girl of all her pent-up emotions especially now that she feels like the two in front of her are already a ‘thing’. It is a futile thing but at least Winter can finally tell to herself that for once in her life, she acted bravely. 

Not behind the curtains anymore and finally in the limelight. She just isn't sure if she is the one of the main characters or just an extra trying to spice things up. 

“I…” Yizhou raised her eyebrows, urging her to continue.

With one last sigh…

like you 

Her words got stuck on as Karina hurriedly took the seat next to her. 

“Did I miss something?” 

“What is with the serious atmosphere?” 

She abruptly questions, darting her eyes to both her friends and to Winter. 

“Mindoong— I mean Winter has something to say.” 

Winter was too caught up with her internal turmoil to notice one’s shock and apologetic face, teasing one and glaring eyes. 

After coming up with an excuse that she's just going to say “I’m hungry.” she went back to contemplating if it would be better to let her feelings be known. 

Or if Karina’s interference back then is for the better or not. 

But maybe she had her answers already in front of her as her gaze landed on their intertwined hands. 

Feeling another surge of overwhelming emotions, Winter, despite not having any appetite to eat due to her realizations, fastens her actions to bolt out of the scene. Downing her drink, she immediately stood up excusing herself with a guise that she’s going to be late for her next class. 

It is as if the world is having an idea of what she truly feels at the moment, a downpour is what welcomed her upon arriving on one of the school building’s lobbies. Winter huffed in annoyance when she realized that her next class is located on the other side of the campus. Although she still has an hour before it starts, as much as possible she wants to get away from the place immediately. 

As minutes passed by and upon finally settling herself to just let the situation be, she grew to appreciate the calming atmosphere around her. No person around the grounds and only the pure drizzling sound of raindrops can be heard. 

The scene actually caused her to relish on her emotions - all the what ifs and what could have beens swirled on her mind causing for a defeated sigh to escape . The quietness of the surroundings have made her to hear a sound that mimics the one she just let out a few seconds ago. Tearing her gaze away from the falling raindrops she looked beside her and she almost jumped in surprise as it was Karina's figure that abruptly flashed on her eyes. Winter immediately gaze behind her to look for another two, clearly afraid that she might have been caught lying.  

“It’s only me. If you ‘lying a while ago’, is your worry.” The older girl monotonously uttered while still fixing her gaze in front. 

“W-what?” she uttered clearly dumbfounded at the latter’s words. How did Karina know she’s lying? 

“I guess I h-have heard from Ningning that your afternoon classes during Monday to Wednesday start at 2pm and 1pm on other days. And since it’s Monday today so—” Karina’s ramblings got cut off as Winter gestured for her to stop upon a realization. 

“Wait wait…Since you knew from Yizhou then that means she also knew that I was lying back then?” Winter narrowed her eyes on the latter, already cursing herself. 

“I… M-maybe?” The shakiness in Karina’s voice has made her to really facepalm right at the moment. 

“Is it really a big deal?” the girl inquired to which she replied, “Of course!” 

“Why? It is because you like Ningning and you lied in order to bolt out of there because you finally realized that Aeri and her are not just mere friends but are actually in a relationship?” it must have been Karina’s intense gaze, how straightforwardly she fired the question or how each phrase that was let out of is equivalent to a step towards her that Winter unconsciously dug a hole for herself upon uttering the word “Yes!” with utmost conviction. 

The older girl nodded while taking a few steps back as a smirk and another emotion that Winter cannot point out were plastered on her face. As the happenings finally registered in her ed up mind, Winter found herself on her way to blabber another set of lies but the latter beat her into it. 

“You aren’t that subtle, you know.” 

“I—” 

“You can fool anyone Min- Winter but not me.” Karina cryptically replied. She’s curious as to what the girl meant by that but she’s afraid that she will accidentally utter another secret of hers. Hence, she just lets the girl be and soon they find themselves quietly staring at the wet pavement and ground as the rain pours on that one chilly afternoon. 

When a few minutes have passed with them not uttering anything, Winter curiously gazes on her side and what welcomes her immediately sparks a question within her. 

Karina stared solemnly and blankly at nothing in particular. It is as if she is sporting the same expression that for sure Winter had when she relish the fact a while ago that Yizhou cannot be hers as she is together with Aeri. 

“You like Aeri don’t you?” she pointed out which made the latter abruptly craned her neck towards her. 

“W-what?”

“You aren’t that subtle you know.” Winter fired back with a smirk. 

“Don’t make this about me, Winter.” Karina uttered sternly. 

“Then why are you here too?” 

Noticing that the girl is on her way to blabber something, Winter immediately cuts her off, “You can fool anyone Karina but not me.” If she was put on the spot a while back, Winter is now enjoying it. The flabbergasted expression of the latter somehow ignited a little joy inside her. Knowing Karina for a few months now, it is actually the first time that Winter saw her face to have such emotion. If she is not blankly staring at you, she is glaring. 

“As if you know me that much.” She is sure that the older girl blabber something more before dashing through the rain but she could care less about that as an umbrella was put on her hand by the latter. 

“H-hey!... “ We can actually share. 

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“Jimin-ah…” With the familiar voice, Karina can only huff knowing what Winter will say afterwards. 

“Go away Minjeong, if you’re only going to talk that Ningning and Aeri will go on a date after class.” she shooed the latter without breaking her gaze on the book she’s reading. 

“Y-you knew already?!” 

“I’m Ningning’s best friend, of course I would know especially if she cannot shut up about Aeri.” Even if Karina would not tear her gaze away on her book, she knew that the latter’s expression immediately went down a  notch. 

How things have turned out between the four of them has not left her not hurting but unlike Winter, Karina has already accepted the fact that the girl she likes will never like her back for she is already into someone. She is not used to being on the sidelines and be contented with just watching how things will unfold. If she’s not the center of attention, she will do things that will make her one. But out of the blue, this time Karina sets her mind that she will just opt to let the situation and fate take its course. 

It surely is a futile thing to fight for someone whose mind and heart is already fixed on another. No matter what efforts you put into winning her heart, you will always find yourself losing because it is a war that only you signed up for. 

How can one exactly win if that is the case? 

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Winter curses for the nth time while hiding herself on a vending machine when Ningning is somehow looking in her direction. Numerous pairs of eyes were already staring at her weird behavior which made her lower her cap in order to cover her face away from prying eyes. 

If you would ask why she is in this situation, the answer is simple but with somehow unreasonable justification. It’s because she has decided to follow the two girlfriends on their movie date this afternoon. No, Winter is not always like this whenever the two have a date that she has a knowledge of. In fact, this is the first time that she is tailing their date. And after this, she will promise to herself that she will finally let go of any feelings she harbors for Yizhou if she can truly gauge that their relationship is worth for Winter to give up. 

That of course entails a concrete display of the fact that Yizhou is happy with Aeri. She is happy with someone that is not her. 

Why on a date when she can see how sweet they are in school? It is because Winter has realized that for sure their actions are still somehow binded by school rules and how other students will perceive them. Hence, the limited display of affection and she can sense it sometimes whenever they are with them. 

All these left her to think that there is no better way to truly gauge how happy her crush is with her girlfriend (which is not her) than finally seeing how they act carelessly with only the two of them without minding anything. 

As the movie ended, it also ended any ounce of hope that she had within her about Yizhou liking her back. It is clear as day that the two are madly in love with each other. Every action that flashed in front of her eyes while being seated a few rows behind the two seems like its made with utmost consideration to what the other one is feeling. 

Yizhou will look for Aeri’s hands when she feels like a jumpscare will come in the movie. 

Aeri will then either intertwine their fingers or will hug the younger one while covering her eyes. A soothing caress on the latter’s back will follow suit. 

Yizhou will hand the popcorn box that is on her hands to the older one upon noticing that the ones on her hand have already been consumed. 

Aeri will also carefully put the straw on the younger’s lips when she feels like Yizhou is totally engaged in the movie and is already too occupied to quench her thirst. 

In short, she should now move on. 

Winter is engrossed in her own thoughts while exiting the place that she fails to notice that a hurrying figure from her back is coming on her way while mumbling a bunch of ‘excuse me’ as she is also striving to make her way out of the crowd in the cinema’s exit. 

She then feels herself tripping forward. Just like the time when she first saw Yizhou, a grip on the collar of her plaid shirt can be felt preventing her from coming face to face with the tiled floor. 

Instead of a bright smile, a shocked expression is being sported by the one who’s holding her. I

And instead of Yizhou, it is now her best friend. 

“Karina?” She questioned the obvious for she is clearly baffled with the situation. Is Karina also tailing the two’s date? Is the question she was going to ask if not for the two familiar voices calling their names with a hint of surprise and curiosity. 

“Winter?” “Karina?” 

The two in question slowly looked at the owners of the voices and there it is, the reason why they are all gathered in the same place - Aeri and Yizhou. 

Numerous questions swirled in their minds on what to ask at the moment. But all are waiting on who will be the first to break the ice. 

Knowing Ningning's personality, of course it will be her. 

“So… why are we all here?” she awkwardly begins. 

“I m-mean we are on a date…” she pointed to Aeri then to herself, “What about you two?” 

“We…” Winter wracked her brain for a plausible alibi other than blurting out that she is actually stalking their date.. 

“We are on a date too.” Karina declared.

As fast as how her heart beats at the moment is also the same to how fast she looks at the latter like she grew two heads at the absurdity of her reply. When the older girl grabbed her hand and somehow pressed it - that is the time she finally realized that maybe that is the best lie to say. 

“Ah… y-yeah we are on a date.” she sheepishly uttered while flashing a fake smile at the two. 

It seems like their words have not fully registered on Yizhou’s brain, she confusedly asks, “Why?” to which earned her a playful smile and shove from her girlfriend. 

“What do you mean ‘why’? They are probably dating behind our backs.” 

“Oh… “ Ningning trailed off.

“Really?! Is that true, Jimin-ah?! So, finally you have confessed—” 

Karina cut her off “Yeah, we are dating Yizhou.” 

A teasing smile from the latter is all Winter needs to finally take of their situation as her doom “Right, love?” Upon replying, the older girl pulled her towards her. Winter can feel herself blushing when a hand runs down from her back to her waist, gently securing her in place. Hence, she cannot help herself but to just agree. 

“Y-yes. W-we are dating.” 

To be continued...

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A/N: Hi there! :) I am truly sorry that it took a while for me to finally update this story. I hope it doesn't bother y'all too much how I go from their birth to stage names and vice versa. Anyways, hope you have a good read today and see you on the next and final chapter. THANK YOU! 

Hints everywhere... 

You can share with me your thoughts or somehow ideas for the possible happenings to come hahahahha ;) Comments are really appreciated <3