Favour | Winrina

6

"Yep," Karina gave her hoody a one handed tug to reveal the tshirt she had on underneath,

"Wow, my brother just loves it when you taunt him," Ningning rolled her eyes.

"And I love to taunt - that's why we're so close!" Karina smiled sweetly despite the blatant lie. She and Ten weren't close at all. Ever since Winter's freshman fling with him which lasted maybe forty-five minutes (it was not even a spectacular forty-five minutes) and Karina had unfortunately walked in near the crescendo of said fling...well she'd never been fond of him since and especially loathed the fact that he and Winter were still friends. Winter couldn't blame her - if she'd walked in on Aeri fucking Karina she might have had a problem. With Aeri funnily enough. Oh but friendships were complicated.

"Presentation went ok?" Winter asked before Ningning could call Karina on the lie. She dealt another round, dealing Karina in as the other girl waited impatiently for her Kimchi Fried Rice to warm.

"Uggghhh..."

"Meaning?" Aeri asked.

"It went great but then he assigned another for next week which means I'll be working all morning tomorrow, and probably longer," Karina shrugged. "You guys?"

"I'll be in the studio this weekend," Winter offered.

"Can't do it at home?" Karina loved weekends when they were all at home together.

"Nah, Aeri's gonna drag me into college with her at some ridiculous hour."

"True story," Aeri nodded.

"You got lots on too?"

"Yep."

"When doesn't she?" Ningning rolled her eyes. "I'll be home...sleeping."

"Is it just me or does this year seem especially work heavy?" Karina complained.

"Ha," Winter laughed, "says you when you've always been insanely devoted to work!"

"Yeah, well it used to be devoted in return, now it's sucking the life out of me."

"Poor Jimine," Winter teased, watching a flush rise on Karina's perfect cheeks, before shifting her eyes back to her cards.

"Talking of stress relief, did you see Ryujin today?" Ningning asked watching Winter carefully. She was interested to see her friends brow purse, only just visible as she kept her eyes steadfastly on her cards.

"No thank god," Karina shook her head.

"Thank god?" Aeri and Ningning looked surprised. Winter smirked a little, something that Ningning didn't miss.

"I'm seeing her tomorrow night...I know, I know we're all supposed to go out," she shot Winter a look who was pouting, "but I need to see her or I'm going to bail on the whole thing. I just...I guess I also needed a day or two to digest our terrible kiss. In honesty I'm surprised she actually wants to see me again because even I'm not sure after that awful first kiss. I guess maybe she didn't think it was as bad as I did?"

"It was really that bad?" Ningning asked taking a sip from her beer. "And thus more practise with Winter?"

"It was terrible and as I could only assume it was my fault, more practice with Winter," Karina agreed as Aeri grinned from behind her cards – both Karina and Winter had filled her in via email of all that had occurred.

"So not Karina's fault," Winter mouthed causing Ningning to laugh and Aeri to flick her eyes suspiciously between Karina and Winter again. Karina didn't notice - she was too busy stuffing her face.

"So, are you and Ryujin coming to the party with us tomorrow night?" Aeri asked Karina changing the subject.

"Nope, Ryujin wants to go to this gig, some band she adores, we're headed there."

"You Winter?"

"Maybe. I've gotta date," Winter answered, aiming for nonchalant, "dude in my sculpture class."

"Jake?" Karina asked staring at Winter. Karina hated Jake ever since she'd seen him lose his shit on some guys in a club one night.

"Yeah. He's persistent and cute...why not?" She shrugged, and found her eyes flicking up from her cards to meet Karina's.

"Because he's got a temper, and he cheats..." Karina didn't hide her opinion of the guy. Ten she wasn't keen on, but Jake she hated.

"Could say the same about library girl..." Winter put her cards on the table and crossed her arms.

"Ryujin doesn't have a temper!" Karina defended.

"Yeah but she flirts with anyone in a skirt!" Winter shot back.

"She flirts with you? That's what you're telling me?" Karina stood up, hands were on her hips, defensive as she shoved her bowl on the counter, Food eaten. She knew what Winter was going to say,

"Well, no...but she doesn't just flirt with you!"

"Guys, let's forget this. We don't have to love each other's choice in partner - we all know that," Ningning tried to make peace.

"Easy for you to say - everyone loves Haechan!" Karina scoffed.

"I just don't trust Ryujin and I don't want her to hurt you, that's all. I do trust you and I do want it to go well for you."

"Ditto for Jake," Karina admitted, and they shared a soft look.

"It's just a date with Jake...no feelings really...I know why you don't trust him," Winter reassured and Karina nodded.

"Ok. And I know Ryujin flirts...but she has said that this is just me and her."

"Ok," Winter smiled and kicked out the chair next to her and indicated Karina sit back in it with a nod of her head, "sit your cute ass back down."