Running along the shore in the early morning was Winter's favorite time. Training for nearly two months at Taito Beach, Japan, she found solace in the deserted stretch with only the ocean as her company. Just her, the surfboard, and the vast expanse of the sea—nothing could beat that.
After completing her three-mile run, she went through her usual stretches to cool down. Putting on her rash guard, she reached for her board. Looking up at the sky with a smile, she then shifted her gaze back to the vast, blue ocean.
She paddled out, enjoying the sound of the waves rolling over, the tide crashing into the shore and the burn in her arms as she went duck dived under the waves. When she was far enough out, she straddled her board waiting for a good set.
There was something about the play of the sun's rays on the water, transforming it into a sparkling tapestry, coupled with the tranquil anticipation of a good wave that triggered a familiar memory.
She taught Karina how to ride her first wave, "Not that hard, Rina. Practice popping up on the board consistently to build muscle memory and improve your balance."
The other girl harbored a strong dislike for any alterations to her name, particularly Rina. No one was allowed to call her that. However, she was perfectly fine when the surfer did it. Winter had a special way of making even the detested name sound just right.
She caught sight of a beautiful set heading in. She started paddling hard, not looking back before popping up on her feet with an ease born out of years of practice. She rode the surf line, dragging her hand through the wave with a big smile on her face. She executed a smooth bottom turn, tapped the lip, and smoothly transitioned into an aerial move before the wave transformed into white water.
That felt good. She wanted to feel like this every day. She wanted to forget about the competition results yesterday.
Noticing that familiar soreness in her ankle, she remembered the slight injury from the past two competitions that hadn't fully healed a week before the upcoming event. Despite the lingering discomfort, she brushed it off when Seulgi inquired and insisted she was fine. This would be her second loss ever in her entire surfing career, having faced defeat in the previous competition in Hawaii.
Keeping the injury to herself, she pushed through the pain, determined not to miss the Japan event. Her competitive spirit outweighed any reservations she might have had but now she might've just regretted this. Just a little, a tinge.
She paddled back to the shore, slightly limping and sat in a quiet corner. Absentmindedly, she let a fistful of wet sand slip through her fingers, letting it fall back to the beach while staring at the ocean. The bitter taste of defeat lingered in her thoughts—she had been defeated by Ryujin yesterday.
But it wasn't just the competition she lost; it was also Karina, who was now dating her friend.
A mind-blowing two years of Winter gracefully pirouetting through life, completely unbothered by whoever her ex was dating just went down the drain.
She has never heard about Karina officially seeing someone. All these years, it's just been a series of stories pairing her with an ensemble of actors and rumors of women.
There's one thread in that underground lesbian gossip forum circulating about Karina and her visits to the exclusive female-only bar known as The Monocle. This high-end establishment operates as a pop-up, with invitations being the golden ticket to gain entry. The catch is, you never quite know where the next event will be held, making it a haven for only the most VIP members.
Winter, in her infinite wisdom, dedicated an absurd amount of time combing through that site, only to find no concrete proof, mainly because phones were prohibited inside. Eventually, she decided she had better things to do. You know, like avoiding becoming a full-time stalker.
And the whole thing with Ryujin.
Images from Dispatch circulated, capturing those two inside a restaurant, appearing to cozy up to each other. One photo, the blurriest of them all, seemed to look like they were making out. Though Winter can't dismiss the possibility of it being a mere trick of the angle. Karina remains silent, offering no statement. While Ryujin faces a barrage of journalists attempting to reach her, primarily through Instagram. Despite the buzz, there's nothing but silence from both parties.
She believed she had moved on, but the realization that Karina had chosen to date someone so similar to her left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Both competitive surfers shared the same height, they had the same short hair, someone very smart who could most likely solve mathematical problems while balancing on a beam. Their common interests extended to a passion for trivia nights, a mutual belief that it might be the number one reason to visit a bar.
She promised herself she would stop mulling over this, but it kept popping up. The more she tried to push the thoughts away, the more they resurfaced, much like the relentless Krush beer posters around the hotel.
A deep sigh escaped her, a useless attempt to dismiss the overwhelming emotions swelling within her chest. She could still hear the sounds of congratulatory cheers, a chorus of admiration for Ryujin's incredible performance this morning. People and mostly the media gathered around her friend, capturing the moment like eager birds seeking the perfect shot. In contrast, Winter remained secluded, trying to distance herself from the triumphant crowd. Make no mistake, she doesn't care about any of that. She hated the limelight, and she had lost to Ryujin before. But this one right now seems so personal.
Now glancing to her right, she spotted a Krowd Krush beach flag fluttering in the wind, adorned with Karina's perfect face.
She quickly averted her gaze and stood up. She then realized that her loss meant that she was going back home, to her tiny little island.
Life in South Korea became overwhelming for her after college. With her mother pushing her for a showbiz career, constant media scrutiny following a drunken incident at a fashion week and her flipping off a photographer, trending on Twitter 24/7 as the "black sheep" of their family even though her cousins were way worse, it was a lot to handle. Oh, and Karina had sort of broken up with her. They weren't together together but you get the gist.
Seulgi, her surfing coach who had temporarily relocated to that island in the Philippines, Siargao, extended her an invitation three days after their graduation ceremony. It's where she had once spent a Christmas break with Karina. Seulgi can be quite compelling so she made a spontaneous decision to go and strung along her purposeless best friend, Ning Ning, who was as lost as a compass in the Bermuda Triangle. Lacking post-college plans and known for being a pushover, Ning Ning readily agreed to the impromptu adventure.
"It's just temporary," they assured themselves. Initially planning to stay for a month, they found reasons to extend – another month, and then another. Before they knew it, almost a year had passed. Then two years. The presence of a small Korean surf community on the island had turned their intended temporary stay into something permanent.
Then her phone dinged.
✉ 1 Message Received
Ning Ning:
You fucking see this?
Another article about you.
Winter:
Don't mind it.
Ning Ning:
Are you kidding me?
You haven't been
to South Korea
for almost two
years now!
Winter:
Babe, these things
don't bother me.
Ning Ning:
WELL, THEY
BOTHER ME! 🤬
She would see an article about her at least once every month: "Winter Kim, Prodigal Daughter; What is she up to now?" The content was essentially a global broadcast of her failures in alphabetical order.
But no one really knows where she is. Media speculations run wild, claiming she's in Hawaii one moment, Ibiza the next, and there's even a story floating around suggesting she's currently in Australia surfing with Chris Hemsworth.
According to her mom, it's undoubtedly the Yus stirring up trouble. If something negative about their family hits the media, her mother firmly believes it's always Karina's mom behind it. The rivalry between them has undeniably taken a toll on their sanity.
Winter shrugged off these stories; she didn't care. She was in a completely different headspace, uninterested in getting involved in such drama. Her sole desire was a simple, peaceful life – the very reason she left in the first place. She made a habit of leaving her mom's text messages on read unless there was something genuinely important.
✉ 1 Message Received
Mom:
Sweetheart, whatever
you do today, do not check
social media. The Yus are
at it again.
Winter did not have Twitter or Facebook. She has one dump account on Instagram but she only follows cat video accounts. She avoided searching her name online as well, aware that it usually led to negative content. Occasionally, she'd stumble upon mentions like "Winter Kim won the IDGAF war" but she's not really sure if that was a good thing.
Mom:
Paying journalists to spin
something negative about
you? But they're the ones
paying the organization to
get Karina a Baeksang award!
Shameless. Have you watched
her shows? She can't act!
But you see, Winter thought Karina was probably a fantastic actress. The way she immersed herself in their intimate moments together, only to turn emotionless as soon as they stepped out of that condo – it was impressive. Really. When she thought things were going so well for them, but then Karina abruptly ended things with her – absolutely remarkable. Probably faked it the whole time. Winter thinks Karina had definitely earned any acting awards coming her way.
She had never seen any of Karina's films or TV shows. Well, except for that one time when Ning was secretly watching the series where Karina turned into a vampire and fell in love with a mortal. They watched the entire episode, arguing about how it was an exact copy of a certain scene in Twilight.
Winter realized that if those were the kind of shows she'd be watching, she'd much rather stab herself in the eye with a fork. So maybe it was a good thing that her and Karina didn't work out.
Winter:
Let it go, mom.
I'm their go-to
'slow news day' piece.
You know that.
Mom:
I know this is Karina's
mom doing these!
I'm not letting this
slide honey. But if
you ever want to come
home—
After reading the words "come home," she locked her phone, stashing it away in her bag. Her mom loved injecting that in her text messages.
Upon returning to the hotel, Seulgi greeted her with an immediate hug. Winter melted into it, assuming it was a comforting response to yesterday's loss. However, her coach drew her in even closer, almost squashing her, and whispered, "You know why you lost? You were drinking the night before the competition. Ryujin totally sabotaged you. I warned you not to hang out with her."
"Cut it out; you're starting to sound like my mom," Winter responded with a composed tone and broke away from the hug. What's with adults and their conspiracy theories?
Seulgi couldn't contain her frustration, "How can you stay so calm? This is your second loss! You've never had a losing streak before. What is going on with you?! You can't afford another one, or your sponsors will drop you!" she exclaimed.
Winter's constant losses were due to her injury, but she's one stubborn bitch who won't skip any competitions; she can't afford not to win with such a lucrative payout at stake. She has never lost but the universe had a way to humble her.
"You need rest. Get some sleep," Winter dismissed her, unfazed.
"Are you sleeping with her?" Seulgi seemed to entertain another theory.
"Excuse me?" She responded, sounding offended. "No, I'm not, coach. Just because I like girls doesn't mean I'd jump on everyone I see." She started walking away.
"Go back to the Philippines and free your fucking mind before the next competition! I'll be there next week. You will train 24/7!" Her coach yelled at her as she walked away. Despite the pain in her ankle, she made a concerted effort to maintain a steady and straight walk.
It suddenly dawned on her that she hadn't informed Ning about her loss. Winter felt a twinge of sadness, anticipating how Ning would be affected by her defeat. She planned to stay for another month until the next competition, but without any financial prize this time (as she only secured third place, with So-hee taking second), she decided to temporarily return to the Philippines. How did bronze medalists not get anything aside from that ugly Krush trophy and a one year supply of their disgusting beer? No one wants that, at least not her. Did they spend all their money on Karina's promotional posters? It annoyed her.
Ning hadn't brought up her loss either. She was certain the results had been published on all social media platforms. Her friend was probably preoccupied with her little plant obsession or caught up in arguments with her housemate, Aeri. "Get that big ass ugly plant out of the bathroom!" It was the last fight from them that Winter could remember.
More likely, Ning Ning was nursing a hangover from the previous night's drinking. Any of those three, not necessarily in that order.
Fumbling for her hotel room card, Winter heard shuffling from behind.
"Babe," So-hee peered out from her door, two rooms away. Her hair was in a messy bun, and she wore an oversized shirt, likely with nothing underneath.
"You're leaving tomorrow?" So-hee asked.
"Yeah," Winter replied weakly.
"You can stay in my room for the rest of the training before next month's competition. Don't go."
Winter hesitated, sighed, then met her gaze. "I'm broke. Can't stay."
"I'll take care of you."
"Like my very own sugar mama? Absolutely not," Winter firmly declined. She hated asking for help, especially from someone she was involved with. It brought a complicated layer that she wasn't willing to tread.
"Fine. Don't fucking call me for a month," So-hee declared before emphatically slamming her door shut. She had a tendency to be a bit of a spoiled brat, often reveling in getting things her way. She is a model who occasionally dabbles in surfing competitions, the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in South Korea. Despite not being exceptionally skilled at first, she had worked her way to the top without needing any favors from her parents. This shared journey was one of the qualities that had initially brought them together.
Winter gathered her belongings, exchanged goodbyes with the bar's waitstaff, offered a brief congratulation to Ryujin, tried knocking at her nap buddy's hotel room but was completely ignored, and eventually arrived in Siargao after a very long flight.
Arriving at the airport, she heard her phone alarm.
⏰Reminder⏰
🔴 DROP WHATEVER SHIT YOU'RE IN AND GO TO BED. NOW. IMPORTANT MEETING TOMORROW.
That was her past self reminding her that she has a Zoom interview tomorrow for this surf brand or agency, she wasn't so certain. Seulgi had gone to great lengths to secure this opportunity and had explicitly warned her not to miss it, stressing that her coach would go ballistic if she did. Winter was determined to avoid that scenario at all costs.
Upon approaching her building, she noticed a fleet of large trucks and vehicles outside. People were bustling about, carrying furniture, boxes, and even tiny house plants. It appeared that a significant number of residents were in the process of moving out. Weird.
She bumped into a familiar guy in the elevator who looked like he was in a rush, "It's Roman, right? What's with everyone leaving tonight?" She initiated, but he just gave her a blank stare. As if she said something stupid.
"Uh, gentrification. Someone bought the building. You didn't get the memo? Everyone needs to be gone by four in the afternoon tomorrow. They're demolishing the place and putting up a mall or something... rich fucking people..." He didn't stop whining until he reached his floor. She didn't even get the chance to ask further.
But shit.
Winter hurried to her apartment unit and scanned the floor to see if they slipped a moving out notice below the door. Nothing. Called her landlord. No answer. She finally confirmed it through a neighbor who was just packing their last box.
She hadn't been home for months so she was unaware of the circumstances. Who even doesn't use a damn email notice? What were they, cavemen?
Considering her options, Winter realized that she couldn't afford an advanced payment for a new apartment at the moment, ruling that out. Seulgi, who could have been a possibility, had accepted a client in China and was currently unavailable for a week. Although she wouldn't take Winter in anyway. She hated having other people in her place. Especially Winter. It would mean So-hee coming over 24/7 and she hated that brat.
Left with limited choices, the only viable resort for her was to temporarily stay at Aeri and Ning Ning's apartment.
Winter had intended to surprise her best friend with an unexpected homecoming today, but frustration set in as her plans were spoilt, and she had to call them. But nobody answered their phones. She drove straight to their place. As she approached, a gathering of people caught her eye, congregating at a specific part of the beach and blocking the way.
She rolled her windows down and asked some locals. "Ano meron? (What's going on?)" She learned a few Tagalog words from staying here.
"May filming ng pelikula, (They're filming a movie)," A local girl replied.
Winter nodded, recognizing that Siargao was one of the Philippines' top travel destinations and a frequent filming location for local productions.
She speculated that Ning Ning might have seized the opportunity to earn some extra income during the shooting, perhaps engaging in persuasive talks with the staff and crew about Aeri's surf shop. A few months ago, Ning Ning had apparently saved enough money to become a part-owner.
Winter found herself intrigued by the mystery of how Ning managed to save money, especially considering her best friend appeared to have nothing in her bank account. Always.
Despite being Karina's cousin and coming from a family of celebrities like Winter, Ning Ning shared the status of being an outcast.
As Winter stepped out of the taxi onto the familiar sand beneath her feet, her attention was immediately drawn to something unusual.
This wasn't a local production.
Large letters spelling out "SPC" adorned banners and posters scattered around the area. Staff members were dressed in black shirts featuring the same letters: SPC - Seoul Production Company.
A surge of nausea swept over her. This small haven was meant to be her escape from everything, a sanctuary far removed from the chaos of her hometown. Yet, it seemed as if her past had stealthily trailed her to this remote place, triggering anxiety and conjuring worst-case scenarios in her mind. The thought of relentless stories surfacing about her seemingly normal life in this secluded town haunted her.
Upon reaching Ning and Aeri's apartment, she discovered it empty. Concerned, she rushed outside, scanning the surroundings. Spotting a few filming staff, she was relieved they didn't recognize her. Convinced they might be at Aeri's surf shop or the adjacent bar, she headed further.
To her surprise, the shop was closed, prompting her entry into the bar.
As Winter stepped into the open area of the beachside bar, the warm glow of yellow bulb string lights adorned the nipa hut structure, casting a cozy ambiance. Laughter and joy filled the air as people savored the lively atmosphere, the rhythmic sound of waves crashing nearby.
Winter immersed herself in the vibrant scene, ordering a smoky martini. Fumbling for her phone, she attempted to call Ning and Aeri, desperately hoping someone would answer.
The attentive waiter nodded as she began to expertly mix her drink, and Winter became aware of footsteps approaching from behind. Someone took the stool beside her, and a familiar voice echoed.
"One smoky martini."
She looked up, momentarily frozen, eyes widening at the improbable recognition of that voice. It couldn't be, she thought.
The waiter, noticing their identical drink orders, inquired, "You guys together?"
"No. We're not." The other girl responded swiftly. The words hung in the air, breaking the tension but stirring a tumult of emotions.
Slowly turning towards the girl to her left who had coincidentally ordered the same drink, Winter's suspicions were confirmed. This time, it wasn't just her face adorning the posters; it was a living, breathing presence right beside her.
"Everyone's on the second floor. Let's go," came a voice from behind that Winter instantly recognized as Karina's manager, Jisoo. She tensed, attempting to go unnoticed.
Karina looked like she wanted to break into a smile but wasn't sure if that was the best reaction after seeing someone she had broken up with. Her lips parted as if she intended to say something, yet they closed again, her eyes remaining fixed on Winter. It was evident that she too, didn't expect to see her sort of ex-girlfriend tonight.
"Karina!" Jisoo called again which released her from her thoughts.
Karina raised her hand to signal the waiter, eyes still on Winter, "Drink's on me."
Understanding that she would cover Winter's drink, the waiter nodded. Karina's voice was just as she remembered — velvety with a whispery allure and a hint of hoarseness.
Drink's on me? Winter bitterly thought.
She had to uproot her life to forget her and all she could say was 'Drink's on me?'
Sure, Winter was broke, we've established that, but she can buy herself a smoky martini. What she wanted to hear was a blunt apology along the lines of, "Sorry for being as dense as a black hole, Winter," or "Sorry for my selfishness, tracking you down to your private little island to disrupt your peace because apparently messing with your feelings in the past wasn't sufficient, Winter."
"She's a famous South Korean actress. You know her?" The waiter casually asked as she poured her drink.
"Too damn well." Winter replied, her icy gaze trailing Karina as she walked away.
🌊🌊🌊
Thank you for reading! 😊