"I hate you for what you did
And I miss you like a little kid."

~

Winter's brows furrowed in frustration as she meticulously combed through the room. The soft glow of the bedside lamp cast a warm hue on the walls, creating a cozy ambiance that starkly contrasted with her growing unease. Her favorite sweater, snug and well-worn seemed to have vanished without a trace.

Determined not to give up, Winter extended her search to the adjacent spaces. The side table, she peeked under the bed, half-expecting it to have taken refuge in some hidden crevice, but the floor remained bare.

The ottoman at the foot of the bed beckoned her next, its faux leather surface cold to the touch. Winter's fingers traced the seams, hoping for a familiar texture beneath her touch. Disappointment crept in as the reality sank in—the sweater was not there either.

They were both in a hurry to undress earlier, so who knows where it ended up?

"What's wrong?" Winter's gaze shifted from the room's disarray to the woman beside her.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it."

The soft light in the room cast a warm glow on the tousled sheets and the woman lying in the bed. Winter's fingers traced a delicate path, half-turning to brush the woman's dark black hair away from her closed eyes.

The woman stirred slightly as Winter's touch prompted a fluttering of eyelashes. Even in the serene vulnerability of sleep, she exuded a captivating beauty that never failed to captivate Winter. It was a bittersweet realization since they'd be back to trash-talking each other tomorrow morning at the surfing competition.

"Tell me what's bothering you..."

"It's just my sweater. I was getting up to take a shower, and I couldn't find it."

The girl whispered, her hand gently resting on Winter's leg, "It's just your Kwangya University sweater. What's the big deal? Just buy another one."

Winter closed her eyes in frustration, took a deep breath, resisted the urge to respond, and let the moment pass. She was convinced that whatever words she let slip would make her sound like a lunatic. After all, the other woman had a point—a valid one. It was an old sweater with faded colors and frayed edges that bore witness to the passage of two long years. In the grand scheme of things, it was just a piece of clothing that had seen better days. So why was Winter allowing it to unravel her composure?

It wasn't about the shirt itself, but the person it was associated with. The irony lay in the fact that it was a gift from someone she was actively trying to erase from her memories. A bitter smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she contemplated the absurdity of the situation.

Strangely, amid the clutter of emotions, this was the singular item she found herself unable to let go of. She wasn't sure if it meant she was a sentimental mess or just a er for questionable fashion.

"Come back here," the woman, still lounging on her bed, softly whispered.

"I'm going out," Winter responded with a flat tone, leaving the protesting girl, who was too sleepy to get up.

The hotel door closed behind Winter with a muted click, and she stepped into the brisk night air. The rhythmic melody of crashing waves accompanied her as she distanced herself from the hotel. They were in Taito Beach, the night before the surfing competition. The transition from the muffled ambiance of the room to the vast symphony of the sea acted as a catalyst, unlocking a floodgate of memories that surged within her.

Karina Yu.

She's five foot six, born and raised in South Korea, and a notable actress with whom Winter shared a deep history. She's got a mobile gaming addiction that's practically on par with her morning coffee fix. She can't multitask to save her life because, well, that might require putting the phone down, and that's just not happening.

Her father's South Korean, mom's part Australian, and something European... Winter can't blame herself for not noting the latter; Mrs. Yu despises her on a spiritual level.

Their moms, both renowned actresses, have maintained a longstanding career rivalry resulting in their families harboring mutual animosity. This caused an endless clash between Winter and Karina at school.

They led their own math and science clubs and joined spelling bees, making events intense for grade-schoolers. A brief foray into debates got them banned for going off-topic. Very off-topic.

They duked it out for the student council president's post and went all in for the prom queen title. Neither won. Not a single vote for them either. Honestly, the whole student body was fed up with their drama. Their feud dragged on for years. Even Ning Ning, Karina's cousin, who later on became Winter's best friend didn't toss a vote their way.

She took a deep breath, attempting to shake away these thoughts. It's that stupid sweater. If she hadn't lost it, she wouldn't be revisiting these memories.

"It's from my glorious days in Kwangya; of course, I want to keep it." This was her go-to excuse.

"Sure," Ning would respond, her voice tinged with sarcasm.

The hands ticking just past ten in the evening as she glanced at her watch. She was still wide awake. Frustration etched across her face as she decided to retreat back to the hotel.

A gentle buzz of conversation and the clink of glasses surrounded her as she perched on a stool, casually ordering a martini. The clear sound of her request cut through the ambient noise, and the bartender, quick on the uptake, promptly whipped up her drink.

The initial sip set off a torrent of memories.

Competing with Karina had become a peculiar routine, something Winter oddly enjoyed over time. Her day felt incomplete without a rich banter in the hallways, even the restroom, or during lunch breaks. Karina always pulled off hilarious stunts to embarrass the other girl in public. Sure, Winter had her quick comebacks, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't outshine Karina's creativity.

"You're a ing menace," Winter once groaned at her for going too far. Oddly, when Karina decides to take a break from her mischief for weeks, Winter finds herself secretly anticipating it, silently waiting for Karina's attention to return.

"Test the waters and just hook up," Friends teased Winter at one point but dating a Yu never crossed her mind; her mom would disintegrate.

Plus, she wasn't even sure if Karina was into girls.

It was non-stop fussing until the night of their senior high graduation party. They went on a bar crawl with a few other guys who challenged the ladies on tequila shots.

It had never happened before; being on the same team, and both losing a bet.

"Since you two have been conspiring against each other for the entire duration of our school years, we want you to stay here until dawn. Taemin, make sure they stay put. No escaping until the sun is up!" Taemin was one of Winter's close friends. He's a student who had multiple odd jobs around the area. Karina ordered rounds after rounds of martinis.

Left alone in the bar, they kicked off with some typical bickering—nothing out of the ordinary. The floodgates opened, once the booze started flowing.

The unexpectedly long list of shared interests began to surface. It had its awkward start, but it quickly transformed into lengthy animated discussion