Dangerous Bait-Winrina

Bait 1

Snowfall Between Us
The dorm was quiet for once.
Winter sat on the floor by the large window, knees pulled to her chest, watching the soft Seoul snowfall blur the city lights. Her headphones rested around her neck, music paused halfway through a demo she’d been working on.
She sighed.
Practice had been exhausting. Promotions, rehearsals, interviews—everything felt like it was moving too fast lately.
Behind her, the dorm door opened quietly.
“Skipping practice review again?”
Winter didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.
Karina.
Her voice carried that calm confidence that somehow made everyone listen immediately.
Winter shrugged. “I was thinking.”
“Dangerous habit.”
Soft footsteps crossed the room.
Karina sat down beside her, close enough that their shoulders brushed. Winter felt it immediately—her heart doing that annoying little jump it always did when Karina got too close.
“About what?” Karina asked.
“Nothing.”
Karina raised an eyebrow.
Winter could practically feel the look.
“You’re a terrible liar,” Karina said.
Winter finally glanced at her. “You’re too observant.”
Karina smirked.
“Leader privileges.”
Snowflakes drifted outside the window.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Karina leaned back on her hands, tilting her head slightly.
“You’ve been quiet all week.”
Winter groaned. “You’re doing the thing again.”
“What thing?”
“The Karina psychoanalysis thing.”
Karina laughed softly.
“Someone has to check on you.”
Winter looked away, cheeks warming slightly.
“I’m fine.”
Karina leaned closer.
Too close.
“Minjeong.”
Winter froze.
Karina almost never used her real name unless she was serious.
Winter slowly turned her head.
Karina was already looking at her.
And suddenly the room felt very small.
“You don’t have to pretend with me,” Karina said gently.
Winter swallowed.
“I just… feel like everyone expects me to be perfect lately.”
Karina’s expression softened.
“Everyone expects all of us to be perfect.”
“Yeah but you actually are perfect.”
Karina stared at her.
Winter immediately regretted saying that.
Her brain scrambled for an escape.
“I mean—not perfect perfect—like—leader perfect—like—”
Karina laughed.
“Relax.”
But she didn’t move away.
If anything, she moved closer.
Winter’s brain stopped working.
“You really think that?” Karina asked quietly.
Winter’s voice came out much smaller than she intended.
“…Maybe.”
Karina studied her.
Winter had never been good at holding eye contact with her. Karina’s gaze was too intense, too confident—like she could see straight through her.
“Then you’re wrong,” Karina said.
Winter blinked.
“Huh?”
Karina lifted a hand.
Very gently, she flicked Winter’s forehead.
“Hey!”
“You’re the impressive one.”
Winter stared.
Karina continued casually:
“You work harder than anyone. You practice longer. You worry about everyone else. You care too much.”
Winter felt her face getting warm again.
“Stop complimenting me,” she muttered.
Karina tilted her head.
“Why?”
“Because it’s weird!”
Karina grinned.
“It makes you flustered.”
Winter covered her face with her hands.
“Karina!”
Karina leaned forward slightly.
“You’re cute when you’re embarrassed.”
Winter’s brain officially shut down.
Silence filled the room again.
But this time it felt… different.
Closer.
Karina nudged her shoulder.
“You know,” she said, voice softer now, “you don’t always have to be strong.”
Winter peeked through her fingers.
Karina was watching her again.
And this time there was something different in her expression.
Something warm.
Something protective.
“You’ve got me too,” Karina added quietly.
Winter’s heart started racing.
“…Yeah?”
Karina nodded.
“Obviously.”
She stood up suddenly.
Winter looked up at her.
Karina offered her a hand.
“Come on.”
“Where?”
Karina smirked.
“You’ve been overthinking all night.”
She tugged Winter to her feet.
“So I’m fixing it.”
Winter stumbled forward slightly.
“How?”
Karina grabbed her coat from the chair and tossed it to her.
“We’re going outside.”
Winter stared.
“It’s snowing.”
“Exactly.”
Karina opened the door.
Winter hesitated.
“Karina…”
Karina looked back.
Her voice softened.
“Trust me.”
Winter didn’t know why.
But she did.
Outside, the cold air hit them instantly.
Snowflakes drifted slowly under the streetlights.
The world felt quiet.
Peaceful.
Karina stepped into the snow first.
Then she turned and looked back at Winter.
“Better already?”
Winter watched the snow falling around her.
Karina looked… different out here.
More relaxed.
More real.
Winter nodded slowly.
“…Yeah.”
Karina smiled.
Not her idol smile.
Her real one.
And Winter realized something that made her stomach flip.
Maybe the thing making her nervous lately…
Wasn’t pressure.
Maybe it was something else.
Something that had been growing quietly for months.
Something that made her heart race every time Karina looked at her like that.
Karina stepped closer again.
“See?” she said softly.
“I told you I’d fix it.”
Winter laughed quietly.
“You’re very confident.”
Karina leaned slightly closer.
“Only when I’m right.”
Their eyes met.
Snow fell around them.
And neither of them moved away.