Chapter 13
Karina sat on the edge of her bed, scrolling absentmindedly through her phone. Her heart felt heavy from the unresolved tension with Winter. The memory of Winter’s cold, defeated expression wouldn’t leave her mind. She wanted to fix things, but every time she thought about how to start, her courage faltered. Winter’s words earlier—or rather, her lack of them—had pierced her more deeply than she expected.
Her phone vibrated, pulling her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen and froze when she saw the sender: her dad.
Don’t let me down this time.
Karina’s chest tightened as she reread the message. She didn’t need further explanation to understand what he meant. The pressure to meet her family’s expectations, to comply with the arrangement involving Jeno, loomed over her like a dark cloud. Her father’s words weren’t just a message—they were a reminder of her duty.
She tossed her phone onto the bed and buried her face in her hands. The walls of her room felt like they were closing in. No matter how hard she tried to carve out her own happiness, she was always dragged back to the obligations her family imposed on her.
Downstairs, Karina’s mom noticed the tension in her daughter’s posture when she came down for dinner. "Is everything alright, dear?" she asked, setting a plate of food in front of her.
Karina forced a smile. "Yeah, just tired."
Her mom’s eyes softened with concern. "You’ve been through a lot lately. If there’s something on your mind, you can always tell me."
Karina hesitated. She wanted to confide in her mom about the message, about Winter, about everything. But she knew that bringing up her dad’s expectations wouldn’t help. Her mom would only remind her of the importance of family and tradition, reinforcing the very weight she wanted to escape.
"I’m fine, Mom," she said instead, poking at her food. "Just a lot to think about."
Her mom nodded, though the worry didn’t leave her eyes. "Alright. But remember, you’re not alone."
Meanwhile, Winter sat in the corner booth of a quiet café, nursing a lukewarm cup of coffee. Ryujin sat across from her, watching her with a mix of frustration and sympathy.
"You can’t keep wallowing like this," Ryujin said, breaking the silence. "If Karina means that much to you, talk to her."
Winter stared at her coffee, her fingers tracing the rim of the mug. "It’s not that simple."
"Why not?" Ryujin pressed. "You’ve faced tougher things than this. What’s stopping you?"
"Her family," Winter said quietly. "Her life. Everything about her is so complicated. And then there’s Jeno… I’m just an outsider."
Ryujin frowned. "Since when did you care about fitting into someone else’s life? You’ve always done things your way, Winter. Don’t let this be the one time you back down."
Winter shook her head. "It’s different this time. Karina… she deserves stability. Someone who can navigate her world. I don’t think I’m that person."
Ryujin sighed, leaning back in her seat. "You’re overthinking. Karina’s not looking for perfection. She’s looking for you."
Winter looked up, meeting Ryujin’s gaze. For a moment, hope flickered in her chest. But the weight of everything she had seen and heard kept it from taking root.
Back at home, Karina sat on the balcony outside her room, the cool evening air doing little to calm her restless thoughts. Her phone buzzed again, and for a split second, she hoped it was Winter. But when she saw Jeno’s name, her heart sank.
Can we talk tomorrow? the message read.
Karina groaned, leaning her head against the balcony railing. She didn’t want to deal with Jeno, didn’t want to face the expectations that came with him. But ignoring him would only make things worse. With a resigned sigh, she replied: Fine.
Her phone buzzed again almost immediately.
I’ll pick you up at 10 AM.
Karina locked her phone and stared out at the city lights, her mind drifting to Winter. She missed her—missed her sarcasm, her warmth, the way she made everything feel lighter. But every time she thought about reaching out, the fear of rejection stopped her. She had already hurt Winter once. She wasn’t sure she could handle hurting her again.
The next morning, Karina stood outside her house, waiting for Jeno. She had dressed casually, hoping to make it clear that this wasn’t a date. When his car pulled up, she took a deep breath and climbed in.
"Good morning, Wife," Jeno greeted with a teasing smile.
Karina rolled her eyes. "Don’t call me that."
Jeno chuckled, pulling away from the curb. "Alright, alright. But seriously, we need to talk."
"About what?" Karina asked, crossing her arms.
Jeno’s expression grew more serious. "About us. About our families. You know what’s expected of us, Karina."
Karina’s stomach churned. "I thought we settled this years ago. I’m not interested, Jeno."
"And I respected that," Jeno said. "But things have changed. Your dad… he’s made it clear that this arrangement is still important to him."
Karina looked away, her hands tightening into fists. "What about what I want? Does that not matter?"
Jeno sighed. "Of course it matters. But sometimes we have to put our family’s needs above our own."
Karina didn’t respond, her mind racing. She hated how easily Jeno could manipulate her into doubting herself. And she hated even more how much influence her father still had over her life.
That evening, Winter sat alone in her room, staring at the unread messages from Karina on her phone. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to read them, afraid of what they might say. Instead, she replayed Ryujin’s words in her head, wondering if she was right.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a new message. This time, it wasn’t from Karina. It was from Jeno.
We need to talk.
Winter’s heart sank. Whatever Jeno wanted to say, she knew it wouldn’t be good. But despite her fear, she found herself typing a reply.
When and where?