I'm sure this book will be the best WinRina story you've ever read, guys.soooo lets goo
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It was Thursday, 7:57 am, when a woman was seen hurrying to get into the elevator before the doors close. Good thing there was a good guy who looked back and held the door for her.
She said her thanks to the guy while carefully fits her small frame in the crowd, making sure that the espresso to-go she's holding is still in one piece.
As soon as the doors opened to her desired floor, she went out immediately--- almost running --- trying to make it to her station before the clock strikes eight o'clock.
"On the dot, Karina."
Karina heard a voice from behind. She saw her friend approaching, "Hey, Giselle, how are you?"
"I'm a bit stressed. My partner wasn't here for a few days," said Giselle, rolling her eyes. "I'm surprised though. I thought you'll be on leave until Friday?" Karina chuckled at her friend's reaction. "It was a three-day vacation. I cannot afford to have a whole week off and attend countless unfinished tasks when I get back. That's suicide, she said while logging into her PC.
"Now that you mentioned it, I have been rendering OTs these last 3 days just to somehow make it up with the clients."
"I'm sorry. I'II make it up to you, I promise," said Karina, letting out a guilty sweet smile.
"It's okay. It's nearly the end of the year and you haven't taken a single leave yet. You must unwind from time to time,Rin. You're so workaholic," said Giselle, waving her hand.
"Not really. I just don't want to take an off and get a double load of work after. It just doesn't make sense."
"Whatever. I'm just glad you took an off. At least."
After successfully logging in, Karina composed herself by leaning her butt on the table with her coffee in her right hand. "So, how are things here?"
Giselle positioned herself to beside Karina. "Well, same old stuff. Nothing new."
"I guess we should start doing the articles now. Can you email me all the---"
"Oh, shit," blurted Giselle out of the blue, her eyes trailing to something.
Getting interrupted, Karina followed her friend's line of sight and saw a girl walking towards the ladies' room. She can't picture out the person's face clearly because she was wearing a cap.
"Did that girl just enter the ladies' room and wait why are you looking at her like that?" Asked Karina with a suspicious look.
Giselle sighed, slightly rolling her eyes, "Rin, c'mon. You have to admit, that one is a real hottie."
Karina grimaced. "Oh, c'mon. You know I don't swing that way."
"But did you see her face? She's cute right?"
It made Karina cringe even more. Call it old-fashioned, but still she can't grasp the idea of a female getting attracted to another female.
"Seriously? Giselle? You're asking me that question?"
Giselle, knowing her friend is a homophobic, decided not to push through.
"Okay, I know you're not really into this, but could you please help me on this one? I'd like to get to know her."
"Help you with what? Wait, wait, wait... How long has she been working here? Why didn't I notice her before?"
"She just started here this week, Monday, and you were on your leave, remember?"
"Oh, I see. Which department?"
"Graphics. Soobin's department."
"Ahh. That's why you needed my help.." Said Karina, deadpan.
"Exactly. I'm pretty sure Soobin missed you so much. Why don't we pay him a visit instead?" Said Giselle, looping her arm through Karina's.
"I could send him a message and tell him to go here."
"No! Let's just go to their department, please?' Giselle pleaded, making Karina roll her eyes. "Please, please, pretty please? I just really want to get to know her. You told me you'd make it up to me, right?"
Knowing that she can't say no anymore, Karina pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ugh! Why didn't you introduce yourself last Monday or yesterday? You didn't have to wait for me."
"I'm embarrassed, Rin. I know you'll never believe me, but I really feel shy around her..." Admitted Giselle.
Karina wanted to say 'no', but Giselle's unfaltering puppy-look seem to have won over. "Fine. Fine, just this once, okay?"
"Yeeeey!" Giselle jumped in excitement, forgetting that she's in the office.
"Oops."
Karina shook her head, smirking. "You're crazy."
"I'm crazy about her!" Giselle giggled. And you know what? A lot of ladies have been lurking around this floor since they learnt she's lesbian Soobin's department has been getting a lot of female visitors lately."
That finally ticked Karina's curiosity. "Really? Wow, she must be a real catch."
"You want to see her too?"
"just curious. But still, I'm not interested."
"That's good. At least you're not my competition."
"That will never gonna happen, Giselle." Karina grabbed her bag and fished something inside. "Lemme just look for the souvenir I bought for Soobin so we have a valid excuse to go there. I don't want to get accused by something that's not my interest."
"Eeeee! Thanks, Karina!"
------
The Graphics Department is composed of less than ten employees, with Soobin being the immediate supervisor. Karina doesn't like the idea of going there often because she feels uncomfortable being alone in a male-dominated room. She prefers talking to Soobin in some other places instead, in case her team needs something done from them.
"Hi, Soobin." Said Giselle gleefully upon entering the room.
The man in front of the terminal couldn't hide the smile smearing across his face. He rose up to greet his visitors.
"Hi, Giselle, And, Karina. I thought you were on leave?"
"I decided not to take a week-long vacation. I force myself swimming in papers on Monday." Said Karina.
"Right... Right.." Soobin's obvious gladness to see Karina reflected in his chuckle. "I... Uhh.. I missee you.." He whispered, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Eeee.. someone's inlove." Giselle teased.
Karina gave her friend a quick glare before handing Soobin a small box. "For you."
"For me?"
"You're so kind for giving me souvenirs during your travels. I just thought of returning the favor."
"Thank you." Soobin flipped the box on his hands, still smiling from ear-to-ear.
"Did you guys bother yourselves coming over here just to give this?"
"No. We're here because a good friend of mine wants to meet your new stuff, said Karina side-glancing Giselle.
Giselle cleared her throat loudly.
"Oh." Soobin smile, getting what it meant. "These past few days were crazy. I've been getting a lot of visitors. They're looking for me but I guess they just want to check out somebody here."
"Where is she at?" Asked Giselle, scanning the room. Soobin pointed at the farthest terminal in that area and Giselle stretched her neck as far as she could. "What's her name? Could you introduce us?"
"Giselle, I told you, I'm not interested." Karina muttered.
Soobin laughed at Karina's reaction. He turned around and called out a name,
"Winter..."
The person sitting at the farthest terminal, who by the way so busy like she's kissing her monitor, looked up to them. "Yes?"
Karina slightly raised an eyebrow. Her voice is girlish and soft.
Soobin moved aside to see the faces of their visitors. "Just want to introduce to you these two beautiful ladies here, Karina and Giselle. They are the assigned writers for some of our clients. They are from another department but we work together with them once in a while."
The newbie raised her hand for a wave. "Hi, I'm Winter!"
Although Karina can't see Winter's face much from her angle, she knew that Winter is smiling at them. She faked a smile and slightly shook her head.
Don't you dare think that I went here because I am curious about you.
Giselle immediately approached Winter. "Hi! I'm Giselle!"
Karina couldn't believe what she's seeing.
This woman is really something. Do I remember someone telling me earlier that she was shy?
"You know, I'm starting to feel envious of Winter," said Soobin, making Karina look at him. "Since she came here last Monday, a lot of girls visiting us. This is the first time it happened considering that, aside from Ryujin, we're all boys here."
"Hmm. What exactly are they doing here?"
"I dunno." Soobin shrugged. "Maybe checking her out? Asking questions and stuff? But yeah, it's really nothing important."
"Wow. Some kind of a welcome for a newcomer, huh? And how does she take it? The visitors?" Karina glanced back at Winter's direction but Giselle is already blocking the view.
"Well, I have to admit that Winter gave a satisfactory first impression." said Soobin, playing the souvenir box in his hands. "She is kind and gentle, not to mention that she's really good in designing. I've been working with her for days now and see no attitude problems so far. She entertains everyone with a smile; maybe a reason why they kept on coming back here."
Both their attention was caught by Giselle's sudden flirtatious laugh. Karina smiled secretly.
Hmm, I bet someone is having a good day.
Still, her mind just can't contain the idea of females going crazy over another female. Whatever quake this newcomer brought to their office, Karina is purely not affected by it.
-----
Friday
It was lunch and as part of her daily routine, Karina is heading to washroom to brush her teeth. She was walking slowly, thinking how she almost lost her patience with Giselle earlier who keeps talking about Winter the entire morning.
It's not only Giselle. Majority of the population in their office were thrilled to meet the new employee. Karina cannot fathom why is everyone is making a big fuss out of it to the point that it's starting to irritate her.
She was about to enter the ladies' room when she was blocked by the two girls walking out. They were giggling.
"So pretty!"
"Did you notice that she looked at me first?"
Karina shook her head and follow the two girls with her eyes. She knew those two were talking about the good-looking newcomer. Her mind was too occupied to notice that another person was coming out of the door.
"Oops, sorry," a gentle-apologetic voice said after they slightly bumped into each other.
Karina looked up and gawked at the sight in front of her. She didn't notice that her mouth was ajar. This is the first time she got a complete view of this newcomer.
She finally got the chance to witness the legendary smile that majority of the women in her office fell for. It wasn't as epic as she was expecting but she had to admit that a jolt hit her body. With that instant moment, she finally understood the reason why people are were dazzled by this newcomer.
When their eyes met , Winter smiled.
"S-sorry." Karina mumbled. "
Shit. Why am I stuttering?
"Its okay, no worries."
Karina smelled the strong scent of a mouthwash coming from Winter's mouth.It made her look into Winter's lips which are so red now. Good thing it was her that Winter bumped into. The whole office might be surprised to see a kissing scene near the ladies' room if it had been Giselle.
Winter was about to walk out of the scene. Noticing it, Karina moved to her left to let Winter pass. However, Winter moved in the same direction, her way is still being blocked by Karina.
Karina moved to her right instead to give way, realizing that Winter did the same.
"Oh my.." Winter chuckled.
Karina didn't notice that she was smiling too. That mouthwash surely smells good.
"Okay, let's do it this way," Winter said, gripping on Karina's shoulders. "You go to your right, and I'll go to my right, okay?"
Wearing an off-shoulder top, Karina felt warmness of Winter's palm on her exposed shoulders. She nodded, not really sure if she understood what she was told.
"Okay." Winter went right and started walking away in that area.
Karina continued walking inside the ladies' room. She put down her things on the rack and placed both her hands on the edge of the counter. She took a deep breath and stared at herself in the mirror, feeling her heart which is beating two times faster now.
Shit. What did just happen?