HI I'm back again 😭
Sorry if there's mistakes, i hope this isn't too
Confusing-
There's a long silent ride to somewhere Winter doesn't have a clue to.
All she knew was Karina driving her bike so fast, to the point winter has to grasp on super tight.
"Where are we going?"
"Just hang tight," Karina informed the girl, not saying much as she sped down the empty streets somewhere.
As time goes Winter tries to put clues together since Karina wouldn't tell her and moments passed when she realized that Karina was heading towards the hospital.
"Karina, why are we here?" Winter asked as she's getting dragged into the building.
In the hospital was Chaewon scratching her cuticles off, Shuhua staring into the air with what seemed to be heavy thoughts, and Miyeon grabbing ahold of Shuhua's arm for some type of comfort.
Ryujin was seen at the front desk chatting about something.
The two girls arrive in the waiting room to see all of them looking at her and the other two that came along.
"Karina, Win, thank god you're here-" Chaewon exhales.
"Where's Aeri?"
"With the doctors, they said she's resting right now but she needs time alone."
That added more worry to Karina's mind, making her even more scared of what might happen to Aeri.
All she hoped was that everything will go well and there won't be a problem. It's all she could hope for.
"Where's Kazuha?"
____
The girl was waiting for Aeri near the operation room, her leg tapping with anxious thoughts in her mind.
Her heart still hasn't calmed after what she went through a couple hours ago.
it only makes her traumatized the more she thought of it. She tries taking a breath in, drying the sweat building on her forehead.
3 hours ago
After the gym, Kazuha decided to walk Chaewon back to her dorm room since the sun was setting and weird things happen around campus at this time.
"Thanks for walking me back Zuha" Chaewon smiled.
"Cmon, I always do this for you-"
Chaewon rolled her eyes with a grin. "And I can't thank you for it?"
"Whatever, I'll see you tomorrow morning for class!" She pushes Chaewon into the room, and waves goodbye.
She walks to her room she shares with Aeri, which was a few doors down from Chaewon and it's quiet like usual.
It's always her alone anyways, Aeri never gets home until late at night so it's nothing to expect.
But opening the door to her dorm room, she's met by Aeri lying on the ground.
The bitter feeling in Kazuha's tongue was there and she couldn't help but panic.
She's panting in fear, her entire body trembling and it couldn't stop. Each time she looks at Aeri lying in front of her it only scares her even more.
She kneels beside Aeri to check if the girl was breathing and even if her pulses were there, there's no point in waking her up.
She's unconscious, cold, sick and pale.
"Aeri.." Kazuha immediately and frantically pulls her phone out, shaky tears filling her eyes as her trembling hands dial the emergency number.
________
Her eyes stung with tears again, she just wants the memory out of her head.
It's too hazy for her.
She hears footsteps coming near her and she looks up to see Karina.
Karina feels terrible, just looking into Kazuha's eyes.
"Kazuha," Karina sat beside the girl,
"Karina, I was so scared for her.." the girl bursted into tears, doing her best to not hug the girl. She knew Karina hates hugs.
But when Karina pulled the girl into her arms, her eyes widened in shock. Karina never hugs, being in her arms was something new.
And Karina just stays silent, hearing Kazuha's cries. The visible pain and fear in her voice.
Karina felt even more guilty for some reason.
"She'll be okay.." Karina spoke, thinking about her own words.
Did Karina really mean it?
_____
Another hour passed and the girls were all still waiting. Kazuha managed to calm herself as the rest of the girls fell asleep.
It's 10pm.
Winter's sitting in the waiting room looking at how all the girls were exhausted.
Then a realization came to her,
Where's Chaeryeong?
"Minjeong." Jimin called her from beside.
She turns to see Karina looking at her, the tired look in her eyes.
"Sleep, you look tired" Minjeong insisted, laying Karina's head onto her shoulder.
Karina sighed. "Minjeong, I'm afraid."
"About what?"
"I'm afraid this was all my fault."
"The reason she's here is because of me. I hurt her." Karina's voice whispers.
The nurse comes out, and each girl wakes up one by one.
"How's Aeri?" Kazuha asks.
"She's in the recovery room, you can check in on her for a bit." The doctor smiled at Kazuha.
"Thank god.." Shuhua rubbed her eyes, sighing in relief.
"Luckily we were able to help her. However we'll need to ask the patient a few questions after she's recovered."
Each person lets out a sigh, Kazuha was already racing her way to Aeri's ward.
Everyone else went as well, leaving Karina and Minjeong behind.
Minjeong was also about to go when Karina stopped her. "Can we go see her when it's not so crowded over there?" Karina asked, pleading.
And Minjeong went along with it, whatever made Karina more comfortable. She was going through too much right now.
They're sitting outside the room watching people pass by with wheelchairs and doctors pacing around.
There's still the look of guilt on Karina's face and Minjeong sees it all.
"Are you still worried?" She asked.
Karina nods, biting into her lip anxiously.
Winter reassures the girl with a smile, setting her hand on top of Karina's to let her know that everything was okay.
"I think you should know that even if Aeri was someone else to you in the past, it doesn't make a difference that she's a person."
"I know, what happened a few days ago was harsh but at the end of the day, she's someone you know." Minjeong's eyes look at the hospital scenery again, seeing more nurses talking and walking around.
"Take it easy on her, you've considered her your friend in the end for a reason." Minjeong finished.
Karina took it to thought for a bit, realizing how harsh she was and that's what made her so guilty.
"Let's go see her." Minjeong stands up with a smile, lending her hands out.
____
Winter entered the room to see Aeri laying there silently resting, Kazuha by her side.
The silence was loud.
"I still don't understand how this even happened" Shuhua looked at the slightly pale girl resting.
"Did someone break into the dorm?" Chaewon looked over at Shuhua.
"Maybe the police have to be involved?" Chaeryeong replied.
"I find it strange.."
Kazuha had enough of the chatting from the girls behind her, signaling them to stay quiet.
Aeri was awake but she's too tired to even think of anything or acknowledge the surroundings around her.
"Aeri," Kazuha sets a hand over Aeri.
They're cold, and the still eyes look back at her.
"Are you doing okay now?"
If Aeri thought about it all, the last week dragged her through pain and suffering. All because of one person.
There's tears running down Aeri's eyes and Kazuha immediately wiped them away, calming her down in an embrace.
"It's okay Aeri, we're here. You're alright." She whispered, her hand rubbing the girl's back.
______
They walk to the ward together, Karina opening the door to see the room silent.
The girls staring at Karina silently, a look of confusion on their faces.
And she doesn't get time to think when a punch lands on her face, making her stumble backwards.
Minjeong grabbed hold of the girl's arm from falling to the ground, "Rina!"
She looks up to see Kazuha's eyes burning with tears, the grit on.
Karina's vision slightly blurred, hissing from the punch as she felt blood drip down her nose. "Kazuha-"
The girl was about to strike another, but she's pulled back by the other girl.
Karina didn't have the urge to fight back, she knew she needed it.
Behind Kazuha, Karina could see Aeri watching and the look on her face.
She needed to accept the reason. She knew why Kazuha was pissed already, why bother?
"She's a fucking human, what the fuck is wrong with you??" Kazuha cried.
"If you weren't such a selfless bitch from the beginning she wouldn't be like this!" Kazuha cried out, the outraging strain in her voice echoes.
Karina stayed silent.
I did this..?
The rest of the girls fall into solemn silence as Kazuha loosens from the other girls grip, feeling the pain and tension in the room.
Seeing everyone in the room break into tears of fear, anger, shame, it breaks winter.
Karina's brain had zero thoughts. Not a single thing running in her mind, staring blankly at the ground.
______
The corner of her lips were merely busted, a wound in the corner with a bruise on her cheek and a tissue in her nose.
Karina's staring at the cars passing by the hospital, puffs of smoke blending in the sky.
The roads were busier than usual today, maybe because it was the weekend. It didn't feel like it though.
She thought of Kazuha and the things she said to her.
Was she really the reason everyone wasn't the way they were?
Reckless, selfish, harsh, Karina was every single terrible thing a person could be.
She gets it, she's a burden and her existence brought everyone down because of the way she treated everyone.
She should've seen it earlier, but she was so blind that someone else had to stop and show her. Somebody.
If anything, Winter pointed out Karina's problem without even saying a thing and now Karina's left feeling ashamed of herself.
Didn't mean she hates Winter for it, Karina had to accept her own huge mistakes.
A footstep comes from behind. She turns around to see the familiar figure in the distance.
Karina glances over and looks away, another puff blowing from her lips.
"It's cold out here." Kazuha spoke.
There's not an answer from Karina, she wasn't sure what to say.
"I'm surprised you'd still talk to me after I almost killed someone." Karina scoffs.
"Karina I'm not that naive."
"It's not too late to turn your problems around. If you acknowledge it you'll get somewhere with it." Kazuha removed the cigarette between Karina's lips, bringing an antiseptic cream to apply on her lips.
"I know you're hurting too, you yourself. The past, and now."
"But if you're strong enough, you'd find a way to at least bear through it." Kazuha applied a small bandage to the girl's lip.
"And I'm sorry I hit you, I just.."
"No, I understand." Karina cuts in.
"I deserve it and I should be the one who's sorry. If only I wasn't so stupid I would've known better, I'm serious." Karina got up, grabbed her cigarette out of Kazuha's hand and put it out on the nearby ashtray.
Kazuha smiles, patting the girl on the arm.
"Then I forgive you."
"But I think there's someone else you'll need to talk with." And Karina knew exactly who.
____
"Aeri we were so worried about You," chaewon frowned, giving the girl a small hug.
Aeri appreciated it, "sorry for making you guys worry. I won't do it again,"
"Please don't," shuhua grabbed Aeri's hand.
Aeri let's out a light chuckle as her eyes glance at Winter in the corner looking around the room.
The more she thought about it, she felt terrible for even saying such a thing to Winter that day. Did she all
Mean it or was she just.. pissed?
Everything was still off.
"Hey where's Kazuha?" Miyeon asked.
"I saw her walk out somewhere, I don't know where" ryujin looked out of the room.
Soon a doctor comes in, "Girl's visitor time is over, we'd like it if only one or two people can stay here."
The rest of the girls pouted, they were having a convo with Aeri yet it was time to go.
Minjeong wondered where Karina was.
"Hey min!" Miyeon called out, running to her.
"Oh hey Miyeon, where's Karina?"
"Hmm I don't know but do you wanna leave with us girls? We're gonna have a sleepover at Ryu's place."
At first winter thought of refusing but she needed to give Karina space so why not?
"Sure," she smiles.
Miyeon giggles at her as the group of girls walk out of the building.
—-
"So you're staying the night here with Aeri?"
"Yeah, I'll be okay with it." Karina nods.
Kazuha trusts the girl's words, "then I'll be heading off then. Don't get into any trouble."
Karina chuckled. "I promise I won't!"
It's 11:20pm and Aeri was just getting sleepy when the door to her room opened.
She turns to look, thinking it'll be Kazuha but she's met with Karina.
Aeri gulps, her stomach feeling uneasy. "Where's Kazuha?"
"Aeri can we talk?"