Chapter 15
Karina sat in her dimly lit bedroom, the weight of her father’s message looming over her like a storm cloud. The words echoed in her mind: Don’t let me down this time. She stared at her suitcase, half-packed, sitting on the floor. Tomorrow, she would board a plane to the U.S. with Jeno—her future dictated by decisions she had no hand in making.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, but she ignored it. It was probably Ningning or Yeji again, begging her to explain why she had been so distant lately. She couldn’t face them. She couldn’t face anyone.
Karina picked up a pen and a sheet of paper, her hand trembling as she began to write.
Winter woke to the sound of her doorbell ringing incessantly. Groggily, she shuffled to the door, only to find no one there. Her eyes fell on an envelope taped to the doorframe with her name scrawled in Karina’s familiar handwriting.
Heart pounding, Winter tore it open and began to read:
Dear Winter,
By the time you read this, I’ll already be gone. I wanted to tell you everything in person, but I knew I’d fall apart if I saw your face. So, I’m doing the cowardly thing and leaving you this letter.
I’ve made a decision. One I never wanted to make but felt I had no choice. My family has always come first, and their expectations—their demands—have shaped my life in ways I never imagined. Jeno… he’s a part of that world, a world I’ve tried so hard to resist but can no longer escape.
You brought light into my life, Winter. You showed me what it feels like to be truly seen and cared for. But this isn’t a fairy tale, and I can’t rewrite my story to fit the ending I want. My father’s message was clear: I can’t let him down again. And that means I have to let go of you.
Please don’t try to find me. I’ve cut ties with everyone, even Ningning and Yeji. I don’t want them to hate me for the choices I’ve made, but I know they will when they learn the truth. This is the only way I can protect them from the fallout.
I’m so sorry, Winter. For everything. For the pain I’ve caused you, for the promises I couldn’t keep and lastly, for coming into your life and ruining it. Please, live your life and find happiness—even if it’s with someone else. You deserve that. You deserve so much more than I could ever give.
Goodbye.
Love, Karina
Winter’s hands shook as she finished reading. The letter slipped from her grasp, fluttering to the floor. She sank to her knees, tears streaming down her face.
“Why, Karina?” she whispered. “Why couldn’t you let me fight for you?”
The next day, Karina stood at the airport terminal, her expression blank as Jeno wheeled their luggage toward the check-in counter. He glanced at her, offering a small smile.
“You okay?” he asked.
Karina nodded wordlessly. She didn’t trust herself to speak.
As they approached the gate, Karina took one last look at her phone. She scrolled through her messages, lingering on Winter’s name. Her thumb hovered over the call button, but she forced herself to put the phone away.
“Let’s go,” she said, her voice hollow.
Jeno led the way, and Karina followed, each step feeling heavier than the last. She glanced back one final time, her heart breaking as she whispered under her breath, “I’m sorry.”
Winter sat by her window that evening, the letter clutched in her hands. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the city. She thought about all the moments she’d shared with Karina, the laughter, the fights, the stolen glances that had meant more than words ever could.
But now, those moments felt like a distant dream—something she could never get back.
“Goodbye, Karina,” Winter whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the city.
And as the first stars appeared in the night sky, she made a silent vow to herself: to keep moving forward, no matter how much it hurt.
End.