Things were weird. Karina was sure about it. She'll not doubt it any longer.
Since they shared a kiss together, Winter just become more annoying than ever. Everytime the younger girl having some free time, she bothered Karina like she always did.
But, in a different way.
She'll landed her chin on Karina's shoulder from behind, not letting the older girl doing her mopping job. She'll stand right in front of Karina and doodled emoji's on Karina's face. She'll stand in the way Karina's mopping the floor.
Winter still annoying her. But just since the first day after a month Karina survived the cleaner job jungle, Winter threw her own self for the annoyance purposes instead of other things like papers, coffee, drawings on the window, and tissues.
Such a child. But Ningning strangely being supportive to her bestfriend's bothering Karina at work.
This two human is getting weirder, Karina thought. Yet the reason of their sudden weirdness was still unknown.
But Karina didn't hate it. She loved it. Despite sharing a kiss with the short haired girl, they had no labels. They're still a CEO and it's top floor cleaner, who seems to have interest in each other.
Karina arrived that morning after she landed her feet on the paved roads, walking out from the bus. Her father still hates her for that. Jaemin came out together with her (it's a coincidence that they were in the same bus) so they walked towards the building together.
After saying her usual friendly hi to Yeji, Karina bid her goodbye to the Jaemin when he slowly disappear into the elevator. Karina didn't get into the elevator with him because there's a sudden buzz in Karina's pouch. She took out her phone to see that it was Winter.
Karina let out a small smile on her face.
Winter : Hi next generation 'Anti You' CEO! I'm not inside the building until 3, so don't miss me~
"Miss you? Huh~", Karina scoffed before writing a reply for the girl.
Karina : Morning dream isn't good, Winter. Did you have to go somewhere today? I guess I can mingle around today because your room not gonna be messy.
But, Winter room wasn't messy at all since a week ago. Winter just drastically-- changed! She may be posessed with a hygiene freak ghost, Karina thought once.
Winter : See? You missed me already? Awh~ So sad.
Karina : I am not!
Winter : I'll have a meeting at Tefal. Ningning didn't come with me because she had to go to Busan with Aeri to meet our clients. I'm afraid to tell you that you'll be alone today ;)
Oh. So Ningning wasn't here as well. Nor with Winter at Tefal. When Karina thought she had enough explanation from the younger girl, her phone buzz again and Karina couldn't help but to let out another tiny smile.
Winter : Just don't mingle around. I don't trust my workers that much to be around you since your elevator incident.
Winter : Again, if you're tired just rest at my office. You can even set up a tent and make a bonfire there, I don't care. Just don't mingle around. If you're hungry, I knew you can afford ordering food delivery~
Karina sneered at her phone. Who knows cold face MJ's CEO Winter Kim can be disgustingly caring?
....
It's 9 and Winter is at Tefal, discussing a future collaboration for their product together. Tefal suggested for them to do a cooking ware collaboration, and Winter had nothing to argue back. MJ's was known for their good looking and high quality kitchenware, and collaborating with a company like Tefal was beyond luck.
The meeting ended at 11 and everyone including Winter already walked out from the meeting room. After few small talks with the head ups, Winter making her way to the elevator. She can't wait to see Karina and surprised her with her early arrival.
When Winter was standing alone in front of the elevator, a familiar voice called her not from faraway.
"Winter Kim?", she said.
Winter lifted her head up slightly, and looked at her left to find out it was her friend from high school. Suddenly thinking about high school years make Winter's heart screaming in pain.
"Oh. Somi. Hi?", Winter waved back awkwardly.
It's not that she's awkward with Somi. Somi was one of her closest friend back then. Winter is awkward with anything related to high school. She didn't even want to remember it.
"It's been a long time! How have you been?", Somi asked, now standing right next to Winter with a smile on her face.
"Good. How about you?"
"Good as well. I'm the head of promotion team here", Somi replied before asking more.
"How's life? The last time I saw you was 7 years ago, until your father informed the school saying that you got into an accident, then suddenly changing school. Which school do you go?"
Winter was taken aback. It's not like she's uncomfortable with Somi. Somi just mentioned everything from 7 years ago that Winter didn't want to remember at all, which she know wasn't on purpose. Ofcourse Somi don't know anything what had happened back then.
That's when that painful memories started rushing back, and the pain on Winter's leg slowly rising.
"I don't remember the name-- it's just a normal high school, in Busan...", Winter answered, lying. She just want to run and hide right now. The pain on her leg almost at her limits and Somi here just make it worse.
"Oh~ You know what? There's a lot of things we can catch-"
"Somi, I'm sorry. I need to go. See you later~", Winter said as she walked away, almost running actually towards a nearby staircase.
Winter tried to hide away from anyone, trying to avoid anyone and the staircase was just a perfect place for her. That's when Winter start crouching, and in seconds fell down sitting in pain, grunting silently while holding tight onto the area near her left shoe.
"My meds..."
Winter need her meds more than anything right now. Only by taking those meds could help lessen and slowly make the pain disappear.
Winter opened her bag to reach out that specific bottle of acetaminophen. But then she cursed herself to find out there's nothing left inside that tiny bottle.
Shit.
That's when she knew she need help, and the only person who knew about her medical needs was Ningning. But the Chinese girl's now in Busan, which was 3 hours away by car.
Winter was helpless. She don't know who to ask for help and she don't want to stay here shouting for help from people who don't know her. Who don't know her history. Who don't know how she got this pain.
Ambulance? Winter didn't need one. She don't even want one. She's afraid that if someone from Tefal saw her and spreading the news that she's hospitalized because of this, they might dig the story from 7 years ago.
And Winter knew, she can't hold herself anytime she heard it.
But something suddenly clicked inside Winter's mind.
Karina saw her. She saw her once, in this state. That makes Karina the second person to know that Winter have this medical needs.
Winter decided to ask Karina for help, and it didn't take the girl long enough to answer the phone call.
"Hello? Winter? You're done with your meeting?", Karina asked.
"Karina..."
"Why? You missed me already? I'm inside your-"
"H-Help..."
"Winter? Are you alright?", Karina confused.
"H-Help me... Tefal... At the... s-staircase...", Winter asnwered and a slow grunt left her mouth. That's when Karina on the other line couldn't help but panic.
"Did your leg hurt again?? Winter?? Hello? Answer me?!"
"My meds... f-from my drawers..."
....
Karina never felt an adrenaline rush like this in her 25 years of life. Only Winter succeed to do this to her and for the first time Karina realized that she also cared for the younger girl.
After she found the meds inside Winter's drawer under her office table, Karina called her father asking for a driver to pick her up as soon as possible. NTYU building was just 2 kilometres away, and it will be faster than Karina waiting for a cab.
Her father was surprised when Karina asked for a driver, because the girl only asked for a driver once in her 25 years of life, which was 10 years ago because the bus was broken.
But now Karina need a driver more than anything.
Running towards the lobby with her hand holding tight into Winter's meds, it only take a minute until the NTYU car arrived in front of the building. Karina get inside in hurry, asking the driver to speed the car to Tefal.
She even asked them to drive as soon as they can without a need to worry about the speed limit. She said she'll pay for it if they'll ever get a compound for it. All she can think right now is to get to Winter as soon as possible.
She can't even think straight anymore.
The 8 kilometres drive only took Karina less than 10 minutes, thanks to the speeding. When she ran out from the car towards the Tefal building, she rushed towards the lobby to ask for the location of the staircase.
Now she's running towards the location of the staircase, and everyone was looking at her because of that. Why not? Karina ran almost like a speedrunner and Karina thanked god for giving her such a long legs.
Karina pushed the door towards the staircase and she found no one nearby. She just ran up the staircase despite how messy she is right now.
She didn't even realize that she didn't take off her cleaner apron.
Karina exhaled heavily when she saw Winter, now lying on the cold tiled stair floor while holding her leg tight. Karina didn't even realize she just ran to the 8th floor by stairs in 1 minute. She could even make a national record for that.
Winter just gave her a heart attack.
"Winter- Oh god", Karina didn't want to waste much time longer. She immediately sitting on the floor right next to Winter, lifted Winter's head before putting it on her lap.
Winter still groaning in pain silently and Karina shake out two pills from the meds she brought just now. In no time, she shoved it into Winter's mouth gently, and she helped Winter to drink the water she took from Winter's bag.
After making sure that Winter took her meds, that's when Karina could sigh in relieve just for a second. Winter still groaning and the meds still didn't do its magic. But Karina willingly will wait for Winter until she's fully recover like before.
"It's gonna be alright, Winter", Karina said as she stroke Winter's head that's still on her lap.
"It's gonna be alright~"