"Babe, baka late na ako makauwi later. I can't join you and Darcy for dinner din pala. The team and I will eat out after today's match." Sabi ni Winter habang sinisintas ang sapatos niya. Karina hummed. Off niya ngayon sa school, kaya maiiwan siya mag-isa sa bahay. 

Hindi niya alam kung kailan pa sila naging live-in partners. At some point, she just moved in. 

Wala rin namang naging reaction si Winter. It's like Karina is supposed to be there, she belongs in that home, with Winter and Darcy. 

"Can I come with you? Wala naman akong gagawin dito sa bahay, baby." Karina pouted. 

Kapag kasi off niya sa work, off niya rin muna sa pagrereview. Besides, she needs air before studying again. Hindi naman maganda na ibabad niya ang sarili niya sa pag-aaral. Kailangan din naman niyang magrelax every now and then. 

"Ano pa bang magagawa ko? Nagpacute ka na oh," natatawang sabi ni Winter. 

Napatalon sa tuwa si Karina at excited na umakyat para magpalit ng damit. Hindi man lang niya tinapos ang hugasin. 

After almost half an hour, bumaba na rin si Karina. 

"Baby ang tagal mo. Nakakahiya naman kung ako pa yung malate," pagmamaktol ni Winter. 
 
Karina raised a brow. 

"Palagi ka ngang late sa mga matches mo noong high school, ngayon ka pa nahiya?" The taller girl asked.

"Sabi ko nga shut up na nga." 

Si Karina ang nagdrive papunta sa gaganapan ng tournament. 

"Park lang ako. Mauna ka na, hanapin ko na lang kayo." 

"Ang aga mo para sa next match, Coach." Pang-aasar ni Eunchae. Nakatayo lang sila sa may entrance. Other players keep on staring at them. Sino ba naman ang hindi mapapatingin kung pro player ang Coach nila? 

"Pumasok na nga kayo." Sabi ni Winter at umiling. Parang tropa lang siya ng mga batang ito ah. 

Naglakad sila papunta sa Court na gagamitin nila. Tumayo si Winter sa harapan ng players niya. 

"Words of wisdom na ba, Coach?" Tanong ni Liz at ngumisi. 

Winter raised a brow. She shrugged. 

"Kailangan niyo pa ba ng ganon? Play with your heart, kids. Play by the rules, and we'll be fine. Don't do anything that will put you or your competitors in harm. That'll be all. May tanong ba kayo?" 

Winter smiled. Itinaas ni Rei ang kamay niya. 

"What is it?" She asked softly. Baka kasi matakot si Rei kung lalakasan niya ang boses niya. 

"What if matalo po kami, Coach? Hindi po ba namin masisira ang reputasyon ninyo?" The young girl asked. Winter hummed, her lips forming a thin line. 

"If you did your best, that means you did not lose, Rei. And I don't care about my reputation, it's not my thing." Sabi ni Winter. Hindi pa pala niya nasasabihan ang team sa balak niyang pag-alis sa posisyon niya. 

She'll tell them after their last match. The last thing she wanted is to make the girls sad. 

"Anyway, may one hour pa bago ang unang match. Make sure to warm up, okay? Mag-ccr lang ako." Paalam ni Winter at lumabas sa court. 

Hinanap ng mga mata niya ang pinakamalapit na cr, pero wala siyang makita. 

"Ano hinahanap mo, Win?" 

Winter looked back and saw Heeseung looking at her with a grin. 

She pouted. Kanina pa siya naiihi. 

"Alam mo ba nasaan comfort rooms? Hindi ko makita kasi," sabi niya. Heeseung chuckled and shook his head. 

This is the typical Winter. Walang sense of direction, at malabo ang mata.

"Deretso ka diyan sa may bandang gitna. Doon sa may malaking puno, tapos kaliwa ka. The door for the ladies' room is there," he said while pointing at the directions. 

Winter smiled. Finally! 

"Uy, salamat ha! Bakit ka pala nandito?" Napakamot sa noo si Heeseung. 

"Off ko kasi sa school. Naisipan ko lang silipin yung mga bata," sabi niya. 

"Baby. Nandito ka pala," a deep voice said. She looked back and raised a brow. Karina is glaring at Heeseung.

Poor boy. Ano na naman kaya ang ginawa niya para tingnan nang masama ni Karina?

"Hey, Karina. Iihi lang ako ha? Kayo na muna mag-usap," nagmamadaling naglakad si Winter papunta sa direksyon na itinuro sakanya ni Heeseung. 

Karina raised a brow before nodding in the guy's direction. 

"Hey," bati ni Heeseung at ngumisi. 

"Bakit ba palagi mong nilalapitan si Winter?" Nakakunot na ang noo ni Karina. 

"Because I am her friend, and she needs my help. May problema ba, Nurse Yu?" The man asked amusedly.

"Make sure na she is only a friend, Prof. Lee. Because Winter is mine." Karina crossed her arms and stared at the guy in front of her. 

Heeseung bursted out laughing. Humawak pa siya sa tiyan niya at maluha-luha na habang tumatawa. 

And it angered Karina more. Is he mocking her? 

"No, it's not like that. I am gay, Nurse Yu. I like boys, in fact, I have a boyfriend." 

That was the first time that Karina wanted to disappear into thin air because of embarrassment. But it would not be her last time.