room 411 | Winrina

Chapter 8- The Blame Game

Winter did her best to still her breathing, pressing hard at her eyes with the backs of her hands. She couldn't do this right now. Not while her friends were still in trouble. Her hands shook as she pressed the button to call the elevator, trying hard to ignore the lingering feeling of Karina's hands on her waist, her breath on her lips. How did it all go so fucking wrong? The elevator opened with a soft ding. Winter took a deep breath and entered, stilling her nerves. She was going to fix this.

Winter could hear quiet voices as soon as the doors opened to the lobby. A few feet from her, near the mailroom door, a sharp looking blonde woman was apparently very upset with Karina's boss.

"You told me she was being lenient, Siwon," the woman said angrily.

"She is! I swear!" Siwon defended, his palms up. 

"Does that look like leniency to you?" She growled, jabbing toward the mailroom.

"I have proof! There's a girl who says she's been complaining to Karina all semester about the noise from 410, but I checked and Karina never filed any reports about it—" 

As if Winter wasn't already guilty, this revelation nearly made her sick. Karina had been keeping her from getting in trouble all semester.

"Those kids are from 410 you imbecile," she snapped. "Your information is outdated and useless."

"No, only one of them is. There's this blonde girl that I've seen Karina talking to, I think that she's—" Siwon trailed off as a group of students entered loudly, tossing a football. Immediately, he noticed Winter, looking almost alarmed. The woman followed his gaze to where Winter stood.

"Can I help you?" She asked, visibly irritated.

"I think so," Winter said, taking another breath as she stepped toward them. "I live in room 410," Winter said. If looks could kill, Siwon would've been buried by the glare the woman gave him. "And this is all just one big misunderstanding."

The tension in the mailroom was palpable. Winter had entered and joined her friends, having been told she'd had to plead her case with the dean of discipline. Jaemin sat in one corner of the room with his head in his hands, quietly rocking himself back and forth. He hadn't even looked up when Winter came in. Jake sat not too far away along the wall, looking completely bewildered with an arm slung over Somi's shoulders. Yeonjun and Soobin were in the middle of the floor, lying on their backs, and Aeri had secluded herself to the far corner. Winter could only bring herself to stand close to the door. With each passing moment, she felt closer to crying. 

How could it have all gone so wrong?

"So I guess she turned on you, too, huh?" Aeri called bitterly from across the room. 

Winter had no idea what to say to that. Karina hadn't 'turned on her', she just didn't help. She was doing her job. Involuntarily, Winter let out a dry sob. If Karina didn't betray her, then why did all of this hurt so much?

"Are you kidding me?" Somi snapped at Aeri, shrugging her brother's arm away as she got to her feet. She joined Winter against the wall, giving her a sympathetic rub on the shoulder.

"What?" Aeri asked in the same bitter tone. 

"You're the one who invited him!" Somi snapped, pointing an accusing finger at Jaemin, even though it was obvious who she meant. He didn't look up.

"Oh," Aeri chuckled darkly as she stood. "So you're saying this is my fault?" She asked, slowly crossing the room.

"He shouldn't have been here," Winter said quietly, trying to still her breaths. "You should know he can't control himself."