"Minjeong's sleeping again?" Taeyeon asked from the passenger's seat as they navigated the hour-long journey to Ningning's house. Seulgi, their designated driver, had volunteered to take the wheel, with plans to swap with Taeyeon when fatigue set in.

Karina glanced down at Winter, nestled comfortably in her lap, her head resting on Karina's shoulder. Winter slumbered peacefully, oblivious to the drool staining Karina's shoulder.

"She's been sleeping a lot lately. Is she okay?" Giselle's concern echoed through the car.

"Maybe Winter's just tired from all the recent playtime." Karina suggested, though a trace of worry lingered in her voice. She, along with the others, had noticed Winter's increasingly erratic behavior and heightened emotional displays.

"How much farther, Ningning?" Seulgi inquired, her eyes scanning the surroundings, which had been transformed by chaos and destruction.

"Probably about fifteen minutes. I'm starting to recognize some landmarks." Ningning replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Surprising we haven't encountered any wraiths or raiders." Giselle remarked, her lips pursed in thought.

"It's so eerie out here." Jaemin remarked, his gaze darting around the desolate landscape dotted with lifeless bodies. The lack of any signs of life heightened the group's tension, preferring confrontation over the unsettling silence.

Finally, they arrived at Ningning's house without incident. The sight of the shattered front door confirmed their expectations of scavenging and survival struggles.

As Karina remained in the vehicle with the still-slumbering Winter, Taeyeon chose to stay behind, keeping her sister company. Meanwhile, Seulgi led the others inside Ningning's house.

"Still out like a light?" Taeyeon's soft smile reflected the tranquility of her sister's sleep. Winter's small hand clutched Karina's jacket tightly as she slept. Karina nodded, careful not to disturb the wraith's peaceful rest. Taeyeon chuckled softly, passing Karina a handkerchief to wipe away Winter's drool.

"Hey." Taeyeon called out to Karina, her voice barely above a whisper to avoid disturbing Winter's slumber. Karina looked up, matching Taeyeon's subdued tone.

"Yeah?" Karina responded softly, gently adjusting Winter's head as it drooped from her shoulder.

Taeyeon's gaze softened as she glanced at Winter before turning back to Karina, her expression serious. Karina felt a weight settle over them, anticipating Taeyeon's next words.

"I need to talk to you." Taeyeon began, her tone grave, causing Karina's stomach to churn with unease.

"Please promise me you'll take care of Minjeong if anything happens to me or Seulgi." Taeyeon implored, her eyes locking onto Karina's with unwavering determination.

Karina shook her head gently, her grip tightening on Winter's arm. "No, please don't say that." she pleaded softly, glancing anxiously at Winter, unsure if their conversation had disturbed her sleep.

"Look at me." Taeyeon urged gently, reaching for Karina's hand supporting Winter's back. "I know how you feel about Minjeong. I see it in the way you look at her. And I believe she feels the same about you. I just need to hear you say it, so I can rest assured."

Tears welled up in Karina's eyes as she fought to keep her composure. Taeyeon's reassuring smile and gentle touch offered some comfort amidst the uncertainty. "I can't promise that nothing will happen to any of us, but we have to face reality." Taeyeon continued, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness. "Karina, please tell me you'll take care of my sister."

Karina swallowed hard, sniffing back her tears as she wiped them away. She hated confrontations like this, dreaded the thought of losing someone, but she knew Taeyeon was right. She had to be strong for what lay ahead. The fear of losing someone again gnawed at her, mirrored in Taeyeon's eyes. With resolve in her voice, Karina finally spoke up.

"I promise. I'll take care of Winter." she declared, feeling a sense of relief wash over her as Taeyeon's tension eased.

"Thank you." Taeyeon replied sincerely. "Oh, Seulgi's coming back." she added, pointing outside. True to her words, Seulgi approached the vehicle and opened the driver's door. Despite Taeyeon's somber words about their reality, Karina tried to push aside her worries, refusing to dwell on what-ifs. She needed to stay focused on the task at hand, not let fear cloud her judgment.

"What's going on, Seul? Where's everyone? Have you found the ledger yet?" Taeyeon fired off a series of questions as Seulgi started the car, preparing to respond.

"Not yet. There's some kind of password or puzzle for the hidden room in the office. Ningning doesn't remember it, so it must have been set up by that Yunho guy without her knowing. You need to see the house too. But first, we're stashing our car and spending the night here." Seulgi explained, maneuvering the vehicle into Ningning's garage, which had been manually opened by Jaemin and Wonbin.

Once the car was safely hidden, Seulgi stepped out of the driver's seat and opened the door for Karina and Taeyeon. Taeyeon disembarked first, then assisted Karina, who struggled to move due to the sleepy wraith clinging to her.

Jaemin and Wonbin headed off to secure the doors and windows, leaving Seulgi to lead Taeyeon, Karina, and Winter into the house and up to the office on the second floor. Karina noted the signs of ransacking throughout the house, except for the kitchen, closets, and basement. It appeared that someone had been searching for documents, leaving scattered books and papers in their wake.

"The house has been torn apart, but certain areas were left untouched. It's like someone was specifically looking for documents." Seulgi explained as they entered the office, where Ningning, Giselle, and Haechan were trying to uncover the hidden door concealed behind a bookshelf.

Seulgi suspected that Yunho and his men had returned to retrieve important documents, but the locked hidden room contradicted that theory. A sense of unease gnawed at her, a feeling she shared only with Taeyeon, not wanting to alarm the others.

"Why don't you tak