Chapter Text
The living room was a mess, to say the least.
Half unpacked boxes of ornaments and lights littered the floor and a gigantic fucking Christmas tree was strategically placed near the fireplace.
Winter had spent the past hour after getting back from her run trying to fluff out the synthetic branches and adjust the height so that it wasn't too close to the ceiling. She took a few steps back, resting her hands on her hips when she heard a voice behind her.
"Winter?"
She nearly tripped over a box of ornaments as she came face to face with an unamused Karina, all beautifully dressed and ready for another day at work.
"You're not supposed to be awake yet!" Winter rushed over to cover Karina's eyes with her hands.
Karina furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and easily brushed Winter's hands away. Her gaze shifted past her and landed on the monstrosity of a tree taking up almost a third of their living room.
She blinked once. Then twice.
"What the fuck is that?"
"It's a tree," Winter said as if it was the most obvious thing ever. "Can't you tell?"
"That's not a tree," Karina had a mortified look on her face. "That's a fire hazard,"
Winter crossed her arms and scowled. "It's festive. I thought we could use some Christmas spirit around here."
She stepped forward, staring at the too-perfectly green branches and poking at one of them with caution. "My mother could've had a tree delivered. One that doesn't look so..."
"The whole point of having a tree is getting to decorate it yourself," she said, bending down and rummaging through a box of tinsel. "Don't tell me you've never decorated one,"
"Can't say I have," Karina wearily eyed it again, taking some small steps back. "My parents usually have the maids do it,"
"What, you're telling me you've never strung up lights? Hung an ornament? Fought over the best branch?"
"Do I look like the kind of person who'd fight over branches?"
"I don't think you actually want me to answer that," Winter tossed the tangled mess of tinsel into Karina's hands, some of it landing on her shoulder. "But at least, there's a first time for everything,"
Karina stared at the tinsel in her hands as if Winter had just handed her a live grenade before setting it down on the couch and hurrying to pour herself some coffee. "I wouldn't even know where to start with this and I also have to go to work. So, you're on your own."
"Fine then. Tell your boss I said they're the Grinch for making you work on Christmas Eve."
Karina paused and side-eyed her over the rim of her mug. "I am the boss,"
"Exactly," Winter said without sparing another look in her direction. "Grinch,"
"Asshole," she grumbled under her breath.
Winter ignored her comment and continued digging through the other ornament boxes. "You know, it's very convenient that your company happens to need you during the holidays," she pointed out. "Who's supposed to help me decorate?"
Karina shrugged, leaning against the counter. She finished the rest of her coffee and set the empty cup into the sink. "Maybe try calling Santa and seeing if he has some elves to spare? You should know corporate emergencies don't take holidays. Lives could depend on it."
"Right, who knew running a media company would be as high stakes as an ER?"
She glared at her and headed for the elevator. "Have fun with your tree,"
"Oh, I will!" Winter shouted as the elevator doors closed in her face.
-
"What's that in your hair?"
"What?" Karina paused mid-step and awkwardly patted her head until Ningning reached out and plucked out a small piece of tinsel.
Ningning held it up in front of her face. "Since when were you so crazy about Christmas?"
"I'm not," she grumbled. "Winter decided to get a tree and the living room is a war zone because of it,"
"And... You let her?"
"Was I supposed to carry it out of the penthouse myself?"
Ningning rolled her eyes as they continued walking down the street. "You nearly ripped my head off after I moved your coffee table by an inch,"
Karina didn't say anything in response and stopped in front of a jewelry shop, carefully inspecting the pearl necklace on display. "Do you think she'll like this?"
"Is she an eighty-year-old woman?"
"Young people wear pearls all the time," she glanced inside to see if it was busy. "Don't you literally have some?"
"Yeah, and they're collecting dust in my closet,"
Huffing, Karina continued wandering. The truth was she decided to give everyone at Vanguard the day off. It was Christmas Eve and she imagined all of her employees would rather be at home with their families instead of a desk.
There was no 'corporate emergency ' or dire situation that required her immediate attention. She only lied to Winter because she needed to get away for a few hours without being questioned. Did she feel bad? Sure, but it was for a good cause.
Tomorrow marked their first Christmas together and she wanted it to be special. Except she had one tiny, tiny issue.
Gift shopping had never been her expertise.
Normally, Yunjin was in charge of that—carefully picking out high-end items and sending them out on her behalf without much thought. But this gift, in particular, wasn't coming from some half-assed effort by someone else.
It was coming from her heart.
Things had been relatively normal between her and Winter since they made up. They resumed their morning coffee sessions and usually ended the night talking about gossip that they heard through the grapevine over dinner, but there was still a hesitance that lingered in everything Winter did around her.
So, after some internet browsing and teasing from Yunjin, Karina decided maybe a small gift would be enough to bridge the gap between them—something that would say everything she couldn't.
And to say she was overthinking would be an understatement.
She rubbed her temple, sighing. "This was a bad idea,"
"No," Ningning said firmly, looping her arm through Karina's. "This was an excellent idea. You're just bad at it. But don't worry, I'm here to save you from embarrassing yourself. Also, don't try changing the subject. How do you go from 'don't touch my stuff, don't breathe near my stuff' to letting someone put a giant fake tree in your living room?"
"Well, it's not like she asked for my permission. She just did it."
"I don't know... Sounds like you have a soft spot for her."
Karina glared at her as they entered another jewelry store. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that,"
A strong heat enveloped them the second they stepped inside and an employee quickly greeted them by the door with a warm smile before being dismissed by Ningning.
"I think it's kind of romantic," Ningning cooed, pinching her cheek. "Who knew you had a heart?"
"Shut up," Karina swatted her hand away, a faint blush covering her cheeks. "If you're not going to help me, you can leave and I'll just call Yunjin,"
"Oh, please. I wouldn't leave even if they tried to drag me out of here. Watching you try to be sentimental is like my own personal Christmas gift."
"I don't know why I called you in the first place," she muttered under her breath.
Ningning lightly tapped her nail against the glass display. "Okay, okay, I'm done teasing. What's your budget?"
"Is that a serious question?"
"You know what I mean. Are you trying to go all flashy or be modest?"
Karina slumped her shoulders and let out a defeated whine. "I don't know and I don't care, just find me a fucking necklace,"
"Jeez," she mumbled. "Someone's cranky,"
Karina turned on her heel and headed toward the back of the store, the dull throbbing at the base of her skull only intensifying at the way the light reflected off the diamonds.
She was on the verge of giving up when her eyes landed on a delicate necklace shaped like a snowflake, the diamonds catching the light of the store in a way that felt too perfect to be true.
It was elegant without being too over the top and beautiful in ways that she couldn't yet comprehend—it was perfect.
Like Winter.
"You have good taste,"
Karina looked up at the employee who was standing on the other side. "I find that hard to believe,"
"We just got this piece in today, actually," the employee said, using her key to unlock the case and bring out the necklace for closer inspection. "It's part of our exclusive winter collection. The rare diamonds are sourced from a mine in northern Canada known for producing some of the most flawless stones in the world."
"How rare?"
"Each diamond in the snowflake is hand-cut to ensure its design is one of a kind," she informed her, smiling. "You won't be able to find another replica of this anywhere else in the world,"
Ningning peeked over Karina's shoulder, her jaw going slack when she saw the price tag. "Okay, I see modest is out of the question..."
"We have a few other pieces that you may be interested in, I can—"
"No," Karina said, not once taking her eyes off the necklace. "I want this one. How soon can you wrap it?"
-
Karina adjusted the straps of her black evening gown one last time, sighing at her reflection in the mirror.
She hated wearing dresses.
There was something unsettling about the way the fabric clung to her skin left her feeling exposed. But Winter had insisted they coordinate for the evening and she couldn't help but give in despite her blatant discomfort.
Not being able to say no to Winter was starting to become a problem, evidently.
She reached for a small pair of diamond earrings, putting them on and instinctively tugging at the fabric of her dress once she was done. She let out a frustrated groan, carefully stepping into her stilettos to finish her outfit.
A few moments later, the bedroom door creaked open, and she caught sight of Winter through the mirror.
Karina straightened her back out, turning to face her properly when her throat suddenly closed up at how beautiful Winter looked. The black velvet of her dress clung perfectly to her curves, the neckline with a keyhole cutout revealing just enough to make Karina's pulse quicken.
Her mouth went dry and her tongue darted out to moisten her lips as she stared at the diamond necklace resting against Winter's collarbone. The gentle curve of her neck acted as a siren call, luring her in like a moth to a flame.
She couldn't help but imagine the necklace she spent her afternoon hunting down around Winter's neck instead. Her fingers twitched at the thought and she swallowed the lump in her throat.
It would look better. Karina thought. Maybe I should just—
"Karina Yu," Winter interrupted her thoughts with a charming smile. "How am I supposed to enjoy myself tonight when everyone is going to be looking at you in that dress?"
Karina instantly felt her face flush. "I—uh..." She cleared her throat. "I think you look beautiful too,"
Since when was she so bad at complimenting women?
Winter laughed in response and the sound was sweeter than a mountain of chocolate cake. "That might be the nicest thing you've ever said to me,"
"Don't get used to it," she brushed past Winter, their shoulders grazing each other lightly as she headed for the living room.
The faint scent of Winter's perfume lingered in the air around her and she clenched her jaw, ignoring the tingles shooting up her spine. She reached the living room and busied herself, putting on her coat while Winter mirrored her actions.
Of course, on one of her only days off from work, she'd have to spend her night around her insufferable family. She could think of a million better things to do with her free time instead. Like peeling that sinful dress off of Winter and drowning herself in every inch of her.
Once they stepped into the elevator, Karina tried to steady her breathing and ignore how dangerously close Winter was to her.
"You know," her tone was light and teasing. "You don't have to be so nervous, it's just me,"
"That's..." Karina exhaled sharply. "Exactly the problem,"
Winter grinned, tilting her head to the side to get a better look at Karina's side profile. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means we're going to be late if we don't leave now," she said, stepping off the elevator once it reached the ground floor.
Winter followed behind, a quiet snicker escaping her. Once they made it outside, Mingyu was already waiting with the car. He opened the door for them and offered a polite nod.
"Good evening, Miss Kim and Miss Yu,"
Karina got in first, ducking her head as she settled against the leather seats and made room for Winter next to her. Mingyu shut the door behind them before hurrying to the driver's side, starting the car in record time.
As the car pulled away, Winter scooted closer, their legs brushing against each other. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Karina said unconvincingly. "Just thinking about the shit show that's going to inevitably take place tonight,"
"Are you sure that's all?"
"Yes," she answered a little too quickly. "I'm sure,"
Winter hummed in acknowledgment and leaned back in the seat, not bothering to move her leg.
"Your tree looked a little bare," Karina noted, changing the subject. "I thought you were going to decorate today,"
"I was but I wanted to wait for you,"
"Why?"
"I thought it'd be more fun for us to do it together,"
Karina ignored the fluttering feeling in the pit of her stomach and bit back her smile. Sure, her family always had a tree when she was growing up, but it was usually put together by event planners and maids, following whatever theme her mom picked that year.
So, the idea of decorating one herself with Winter, of all people, had her practically ready to jump off the walls in excitement.
"Sounds like a waste of time," Karina tried to sound unphased. "But I guess I can help,"
Winter snorted in amusement. "Oh, don't worry. I won't let you work too hard."
Mingyu glanced at them both through the rearview mirror. "We'll be there in about twenty minutes," he informed them.
"Plenty of time for Miss Yu to relax then,"
Karina shot her a glare, but Winter only flashed her another sweet smile in response—looking entirely too pleased with herself.
She just needed to make it through the night.
And she was certainly more than capable of doing that. Or, at least that's what she was trying to convince herself.
-
As Mingyu pulled up to the towering gates of her childhood home, Karina's stomach twisted into knots. Even through the car windows, she could hear the faint sound of music spilling out from the mansion.
Her mother's annual Christmas gala was, without a doubt, one of the biggest events in South Korea. Politicians, celebrities, business moguls, and executives from all over the country would sacrifice their firstborn child for an invitation if they could.
Although her appearance at her family's events had been limited after she moved to New York, she no longer had the privilege of using the excuse of being thousands of miles away.
The car came to a smooth stop and Mingyu climbed out first to open the door for them. Karina could barely register what was happening, the pounding of her heart making it difficult to focus on anything else. She stepped out behind Winter, absently mindedly fixing her dress.
The grand entrance was already bustling with commotion. Valets whisked away guests' cars while uniformed staff covered the main floor with trays of champagne flutes and delicate finger foods.
Every inch of the mansion screamed elegance. From the towering Christmas tree in the center of the foyer adorned with twinkling lights and Swarovski crystal ornaments to the garlands of fresh pine woven with gold ribbon draped along the staircase—it was almost as if her mother regurgitated a movie set.
After they handed their coats to the staff, Winter leaned over, her voice loud enough for Karina to hear. "Looks like your mother went all out this year,"
Karina eyed a flute of champagne from afar. "This is nothing. You should've seen the year she wanted to buy a snow machine because she kept complaining that there wasn't enough."
Winter smiled but said nothing, allowing her gaze to wander the room. Her eyes were filled with curiosity, but when they landed on Karina's tense shoulders, she frowned.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Winter asked once again.
She blinked and adjusted her grip on her clutch, quickly masking her discomfort. "I'm fine. You don't have to keep asking."
"I can't believe you had the nerve to call me a terrible liar,"
The corner of her mouth twitched and she tried not to smile. "I wasn't wrong, though, was I?"
"Not wrong, no. But maybe a bit hypocritical."
Before she could respond, she heard the sound of her name being screamed from the top of the staircase and mentally prepared herself for Hurricane Yoonchae which was bound to hit land any second now.
"Karina!"
Her satin dress was wrinkled and her shoes were already kicked off as she dangled a champagne flute between her fingers. Her cheeks were flushed and the wide grin on her face was more than enough to tell Karina how drunk her sister was.
Before Karina could think of an escape plan, Yoonchae shrieked her name again and nearly stumbled down the stairs in her attempt to reach them. A few guests nearby paused their conversations to stare but said nothing in response to her erratic behavior.
"You came!" Yoonchae said once she made it in front of them. She chugged the rest of her champagne before passing the empty glass off to one of the staff members. "Dad said you weren't going to show up,"
"You're drunk," Karina said bluntly, staring down at her.
Yoonchae waved a dismissive hand, nearly smacking Karina in the process. "Don't be boring, Unnie. It's basically Christmas." Her eyes then darted to Winter, her expression lighting up. "And you brought the fiancée!"
"Hello," Winter greeted her, sticking her hand out. "It's a pleasure to meet you,"
"She's been keeping you locked up in some ivory tower, hasn't she? The last time I saw you was..." Yoonchae shook her hand, but her grip was loose and lighter than a feather.
"The luncheon," Winter finished her sentence for her. "But we didn't get to talk much,"
"What a nightmare that day was. Jungwon was—"
Karina sighed, already feeling a headache forming. "Enough, let's get you some water,"
"I'm just making some small talk with my new sister-in-law, what's wrong with that?" She turned her attention back to Winter. "How do you deal with her all the time?"
"She grows on you," Winter replied easily, the polite smile never once leaving her face.
Yoonchae laughed a little too loudly before almost tripping on her own feet. Karina immediately grabbed her arm to steady her, but Yoonchae waved her off.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she mumbled, trying to brush Karina's hand away.
"Where's Heeseung?" Karina tightened her grip on her younger sister's arm.
Yoonchae gave her an odd look. "I don't know, probably off charming one of Dad's friends,"
"Maybe you should go find him,"
"Why, so he can babysit me all night like a helicopter parent? No thanks." Yoonchae aggressively pulled her arm from her older sister's grasp, stumbling backward and barely missing a waiter carrying a tray of hors d'oeuvres.
Karina pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering something under her breath that sounded like a prayer for patience. Winter stepped closer, her hand brushing against the bottom of Karina's back as she tried to intervene.
When Winter opened her mouth to speak, a soft but firm voice came from the crowd.
"Yoonchae,"
The three of them turned to see a woman walking toward them with a sleepy-looking Lucas latching onto her hand.
"There you are," she said, linking their arms together and smiling. "I've been looking all over for you. Come on, let's get some air."
"I don't need air," Yoonchae protested but her words were slurred and her feet were dragging as the woman gently steered her away.
"Of course, you don't," she threw a quick glance over her shoulder at Karina and Winter, mouthing sorry before disappearing into the crowd with Yoonchae and Lucas in tow.
"Well," Winter grabbed them both a glass of champagne. She held it out toward Karina with an amused look on her face. "That was entertaining,"
Karina gratefully accepted the champagne and let out a huff. "Glad you're enjoying yourself,"
"Who were they?"
"That's Jungwon's wife, Leslie, and their son, Lucas. He's usually a bit more fun to be around, but I think he wore himself out running around the place."
"Seems like a nice kid," she added.
"He is," Karina began leading Winter further into the mansion. "He always has a way of making people laugh. It's cute."
Winter took a small sip of her champagne before she boldly asked, "Do you ever want to have kids?"
Karina almost choked on her drink, her grip tightening on the stem of the glass. "Why?"
"You seem good with kids," she said with a shrug. "I guess I was curious if you ever thought about it,"
"I don't know," Karina admitted quietly, pursing her lips into a thin line. "It's never been something I let myself think about,"
"Because of work?"
"That's mostly the reason. But I also always assumed it wasn't in the cards for me. My family wasn't exactly the best model for... That sort of thing."
"But you're not your family," she pointed out.
Karina blinked, taken aback by Winter's response. Heat crept up the back of her neck and she awkwardly sipped her champagne to mask the faint blush on her cheeks. She'd never thought of it that way. The possibility of her own family had always felt so foreign and distant.
How could she even begin to explain it?
Her parents had seen her more as an accessory to their empire than as a child. Sure, they gave her a name and the resources to succeed but, at the same time, they selfishly ripped away the love and affection she had so desperately craved for most of her life.
Growing up in a world of lonely rooms, distant voices, and unmet expectations had stripped away any fantasies she might have had about family. Truth be told, Karina had always planned to spend the rest of her days out alone—wasting away in some extravagant yet hollow house in the suburbs after retiring.
Maybe if her allergies subsided enough by then, she'd bring home a handful of cats to keep her company, but a child?
No, absolutely not. Karina Yu doesn't do children.
Except now, standing next to Winter, the thought of having her own family was suddenly gnawing at every inch of her brain.
What kind of family would they have? Would they be the kind of family that hung out in the living room all the time? Would Winter be the kind of mom who left sticky notes with silly doodles in their kids' lunchboxes? Was Karina even ready to take on a responsibility other than herself?
The idea of it was overwhelming but somehow strangely comforting too.
She imagined Winter teaching their kids how to ride a bike—cheering them on when they would inevitably fall off just to encourage them to try again. It was even easier to picture the chaos of bedtime stories, their kids fighting to pick the book, and Winter's soothing voice lulling them to sleep.
At the thought of it, Karina felt warmth spread through her entire body and tried to reel herself back in before she was too far gone. When she glanced at Winter, she was met with a gaze so soft and achingly fond she wanted to curl up into a ball and hide from it.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Winter gave her another shrug. "No reason. You just looked happy for a second. What were you thinking about?"
You. I can't stop thinking of you and it makes me want to rip my own hair out.
"Nothing important," she replied a little too hastily. "Should we go find my mother?"
"Are you trying to change the subject on me?"
Sighing, Karina shook her head. "I guess if I did have kids, I'd want it to be different. Better than what I had growing up, but that's assuming I'd even be any good at it."
Winter didn't respond right away. Instead, she interlocked their hands and smiled at Karina.
"Well," she began to speak. "I think you'd be a great mom if that means anything,"
Her heart skipped a beat at Winter's confession and she tried to blame the overwhelming rush of love flooding through her veins on anything else but the woman in front of her.
"That's... Nice of you to say,"
"It's not me being nice, it's just the truth,"
"What about you? Do you want kids?" Karina found herself asking before she could stop herself.
Winter's steps faltered slightly, but she quickly gathered her composure again. "Of course. I've always liked the idea of it. You know, having tiny little humans running around the house and teaching them everything I know about life. Sure, it's probably a shit ton of hard work, but I feel like it'd all be worth it in the end."
She continued as if she was speaking to herself now.
"I'd want them try everything I couldn't when I was a kid. Sports, instruments—whatever they want. And I'd be there to support them with no hesitation. It sounds kind of lame, but I think I've always wanted to be a mom more than anything." She paused, suddenly aware of how much she was saying.
Winter cleared her throat, offering a forced, nervous laugh. "Anyway, I'm just rambling now, sorry,"
Karina only smiled, her brain struggling to form the right words to say in response. She looked away, focusing on the distant hum of voices from the other room. Her mind raced as she thought about what any of this conversation meant.
Would Winter want a family with her?
"I like listening to you talk," Karina confessed and looked at Winter again after what felt like forever.
She blushed and hoped Karina wouldn't notice how sweaty her palms suddenly became.
"Careful," Winter said. "If you keep saying things like that, someone's going to start thinking you're actually in love with me,"
"Wouldn't want anyone thinking that now, would we?"
"It would be terribly bad for business,"
Karina hummed, trying to keep a straight face but her smile easily betrayed her. "What a disaster it'd be,"
Winter bumped their shoulders together as she laughed.
She didn't want to admit out loud that disasters had a funny way of looking irresistible when Karina was involved.
-
The night dragged on and by the time it neared midnight, Winter was ready to have Mingyu bring the car around and leave. She had played her part perfectly enough, smiling and exchanging pleasantries with other party-goers all while dutifully hanging onto Karina's arm.
But now, with Karina off entertaining the rest of Vanguard's board members and her mother, she had too much freedom on her hands. She stared at the ice sculpture in the middle of the table, craning her neck to get a better look at what seemed to be a mermaid.
But just as she was about to turn away from the sculpture and get another glass of champagne, she could sense someone approaching her from the side. The faintest hint of cologne reached her nose first and then a voice followed.
"You look a little lost without Karina by your side,"
"Would it concern you if I was?"
"Not at all," Xiumi chuckled. "Just making sure you feel welcomed,"
"How kind of you," she pursed her lips and redirected her attention back to the ice sculpture. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Things are going well with her, I'm assuming?" He stepped forward and took a spot next to her as they watched small droplets of water slide down the sculpture together.
"Everything's fine. But I'm sure you could've asked her that if you really wanted to know."
Xiumi grabbed a bacon-wrapped scallop off the tray in front of him and devoured it in one bite. He finished swallowing before he opened his mouth to speak. "I trust you're not biting off more than you can chew,"
Winter raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that maybe getting involved in family affairs isn't the brightest idea. We don't take well to outsiders meddling in things they don't fully understand."
"And here I was thinking I was part of the family," her voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"Sure, if that's what you want to think, but let's not pretend the contract makes you one of us," Xiumi paused. "You couldn't possibly think I'd let you blackmail one of my closest friends and not say anything,"
Winter noticed Karina watching them from across the room, their eyes locking for a brief moment. "Is Si-hyuk so scared he needed to drag you into this?"
"I wouldn't say scared. Si-hyuk can handle himself most of the time, but you didn't leave him much of a choice, did you?" He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping low enough for only Winter to hear. "You've got guts. I'll give you that. But acting so impulsively can only get you so far. Haven't you learned from your father's mistakes?"
Her heart was suddenly lodged in her throat and she clenched her hands into fists by her side.
"I chose you for this arrangement because I know how smart of a girl you are," Xiumi plastered on a fake smile for a guest who passed them. "Don't be the reason why your father ends up rotting in a prison cell, Winter. I'm sure New York has better views compared to walls of concrete."
With that, he gave her shoulder a condescending pat and stepped away to converse with a group of men nearby. Winter let out a shaky breath, looking around to see where the nearest tray of alcohol was when Karina appeared by her side, a concerned look on her face.
"What did he say to you?"
"Nothing," she lied. "Just wanted to see what I thought of the party,"
Karina's eyes flitted over her face, her frown deepening. "He's not exactly the type to make small talk,"
"Really? Who would've thought?"
"Winter..."
"You're worrying too much," Winter tried to keep her tone light and playful. "Let's just have fun, it's been a nice night so far,"
"It's kind of hard not to worry," Karina brushed a strand of hair out of Winter's face. "Did he make you upset?"
"Are you going to start smashing through the walls like the Hulk if I say yes?"
"I'd wait for everyone to leave first, at least,"
"Then the answer is no," Winter replied. "But I have a better proposition if you're interested,"
"I'm listening,"
"Wanna get out of here?"
-
Karina stared blankly at the naughty-or-nice shirt Winter had on, resisting the urge to laugh in her face. "Is this necessary?" She gestured to the matching pajamas Winter insisted on wearing.
"This is how you get into the Christmas spirit," Winter explained, reaching out to put a Santa hat on Karina's head only to get pushed away.
"I thought you wanted to come home to sleep," Karina crossed her arms, sighing. "Not decorate your tree, it's late,"
"But if we don't do it now, then how is Santa going to leave gifts under the tree?"
"How old are you again?"
Winter let out a dramatic huff. "When I was younger, my grandma would let my brother and I decorate the tree and have some hot chocolate before we went to bed. It's a cute tradition, don't you think?"
"Hot chocolate and a tree," she repeated.
"Yep," Winter turned around and smiled brightly. "Now, are you going to help me or should I put you on the naughty list?"
"I don't know what to do," Karina admitted almost shyly.
"That's okay, we have all night to figure it out together," she bent down and pulled out a handful of tinsel.
Karina watched as Winter started to drape the strands of tinsel around the branches, making sure that all sides of the tree looked presentable.
"No one's going to look at the back of the tree,"
Winter shot her a glare. "A tree deserves to look good from every angle,"
Once she was finished with the last clump of tinsel, Winter pointed at the box of ornaments by Karina's feet.
"Come on, your turn," she said. "Let's see if you got any artistic talent,"
Karina crouched down and pulled out a small, glittery ornament in the shape of a snowflake. She hesitated for a moment, her mind trailing off to the necklace hidden in her bag before looking up.
"Where should I put this?"
"Wherever you think it'll look best,"
She moved closer to the tree and debated where the snowflake would look the nicest, ultimately deciding to hang it on one of the lower branches.
"See? That wasn't so hard!"
They continued decorating in a comfortable silence, the sweet sound of Dean Martin's voice and the crackling of the fireplace dancing in the air between them. Every so often, Winter would reach over to adjust one of Karina's placements, a sheepish smile on her face.
It took them nearly an hour and a half to finish and the hot chocolate had gone cold by the time they sat down on the couch. Winter sighed sleepily, resting her head on Karina's shoulder.
"That... Was more work than I expected,"
"Let's never do this again," Karina murmured, closing her eyes when she suddenly remembered the necklace she spent her entire afternoon looking for. She shot up from her position on the couch, her heart racing.
"What?"
"I—" she blushed and cleared her throat. "I have a gift for you,"
Winter blinked in surprise, the heaviness that once weighed on her eyelids practically vanishing once she realized what Karina said. "You didn't have to,"
"I wanted to," Karina clarified. "But I need to go get it,"
"Okay," Winter easily agreed before heading for her room. "I'll get mine too, then,"
Karina hesitated for a moment, watching Winter disappear up the staircase before she moved toward her bag by the door. She eyed the mistletoe that Ningning teasingly tossed in there and sighed.
Her hands trembled slightly as she pulled out the small box that was wrapped neatly with a gold ribbon when she grabbed the mistletoe at the last second.
By the time Karina returned to the living room, Winter was already back, holding a small package wrapped in paper covered with tiny penguins in Santa hats.
Winter smiled, holding up the gift. "I'm warning you now, though, mine's not as fancy as whatever you have,"
Karina kept her hands behind her back and returned the smile. "I'm sure I'll like it, anyway,"
"How do you want to do this?"
"Your holiday, your rules,"
She hummed and sat down on the floor near the tree, waiting for Karina to sit down across from her. "Close your eyes,"
Criss-crossing her legs, Karina sat down and closed her eyes as the sound of wrapping paper being ripped filled the living room. She was humming along to the song when Winter's soft voice caught her attention.
"You can't laugh at me, okay?"
"You're making me worried,"
"I'm serious,"
Suddenly, she felt a soft fabric being draped around her neck.
"You can look now," Winter murmured.
She slowly opened her eyes, her hands instinctively reaching up to touch the fabric. It was a scarf. A blue one that was slightly uneven in length but undeniably soft. She glanced at Winter, who was sitting there looking anywhere but directly at her.
"Yunjin told me that blue was your favorite color and I always see you leaving for work without bundling up even when it's freezing out, so... I wanted to make you a scarf."
"Winter—" her cheeks were starting to hurt from how hard she was smiling. "I love it, thank you,"
Finally, Winter made eye contact with her, her cheeks flushed and embarrassingly warm to the touch. "Really?"
"Really," she said reassuringly. "It's perfect,"
You're perfect.
Winter let out a relieved sigh. "It's a pain in the ass to gift shop for a billionaire in case you were wondering,"
"I didn't expect anything in the first place," Karina reached over to give her knee a gentle squeeze and untangled the scarf from around her neck. "So, it means a lot. Thank you again."
"You should know by now that I have a tendency to go out of my way for you,"
"Shut up," she grumbled, blushing. She carefully set the gift down before whispering, "Close your eyes,"
Winter hummed and listened to her instructions, patiently waiting. She could hear Karina moving around, the soft rustle of something being unwrapped, and a leg brushing against her own as Karina shifted forward.
"Okay," she sucked in a deep breath. "Open them,"
Slowly, Winter opened her eyes and found herself staring at one of the finest pieces of jewelry she had ever seen. A stunning snowflake necklace made up of meticulously placed diamonds—she wondered how many people could have bought a car with the necklace in front of her.
"Way to outdo me," Winter said quietly, her fingers running against the pendant.
"Do you like it?"
"I think I'd be stupid not to," she swallowed the lump in her throat. "I got you a scarf, for fuck's sake..."
Karina shook her head. "It's not a competition,"
"But I wanted to give you something nice—
"It is nice," Karina interrupted. "Because it came from you. That's all that matters to me, I don't care about anything else."
Winter pouted and playfully hit Karina in the shoulder. "I knit you a scarf and you get me a diamond necklace that looks like Jesus made himself. How is that fair?"
"We'll worry about that later. Now, are you going to keep whining or can I put it on?"
Huffing, she twisted her body and swept her hair to one side, letting Karina put the necklace on. Her fingers lingered against the clasp for a moment longer than necessary, brushing against the soft skin of Winter's neck.
"It suits you," Karina murmured.
Winter turned back around, her eyes slightly glossy. "I can't believe you got me something this nice,"
"Why? Don't you think you deserve nice things?"
"Nice things in my book means you pick up the tab for lunch," she fiddled with the pendant before dropping her hands into her lap. "Thank you, Karina. I don't know what to say."
"That's not all," Karina moistened her lips and tried to ignore the way her heart was threatening to fall out of her ass.
"I'm not accepting anything else from you for the rest of my life," Winter shook her head in protest.
"It's too late, I already have it with me," she reached behind her back until her hands came in contact with the mistletoe. "Go ahead, close your eyes,"
Winter pursed her lips before closing them. "Has anyone ever told you that you're a show-off?"
"Once or twice," Karina said nervously as she held the mistletoe between them.
It was going to be fine. Karina thought. If Winter didn't want to kiss her, she wouldn't force her to. In fact, she'd accept the rejection so well that she'd at least call off of work before packing her bags and moving to fucking Alaska.
"Are you going to make me wait all night?"
"No," she answered, blushing. "You can open your eyes now,"
Winter opened her eyes, expecting another extravagant gift, but instead, she was met with the sight of a nervous Karina holding a mistletoe between them.
For a brief moment, Winter was unsure of what to do or say, her heart racing a hundred miles per second. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out.
Karina was certain she'd never recover from this.
Her grip on the mistletoe tightened and she awkwardly smiled. "I—uh—yeah. It's, uh, a Christmas thing to do this, right? And I figured, you know, maybe..." She trailed off, her words faltering as she shyly glanced at Winter.
"And here I thought the first kiss wasn't good enough for you to want another," Winter's voice came out light and teasing.
Her face turned an even deeper shade of red and she bit her lip. "I—I didn't mean to make it weird, I'm sorry. This is stupid."
Winter's gaze softened and she reached up to move the mistletoe out of the way. She cupped Karina's face and gave her a half smile. "You didn't make anything weird. I'm just worried you're going to regret this tomorrow. Things didn't exactly go the greatest the last time we kissed."
She swallowed thickly, savoring the warmth of Winter's gentle touch against her cheek before leaning into it. Her mind trailed off to what Ningning had jokingly said earlier.
"I don't know... Sounds like you have a soft spot for her."
It was the truth. Never in a million years would Karina imagine herself wearing matching Christmas pajamas or decorating a tree, for crying out loud. In the amount of time they'd known each other, Winter had somehow snuck her way into her heart and carved out a spot just big enough for her.
She didn't care about how Winter constantly teased her about the salty stew she made months ago or the way she stuffed an ugly tree in their living room. She cared that Winter was here with her no matter how hard she pushed her away.
She had deprived herself of human connection for most of her life—fully convinced that she didn't need anyone only to find herself lost in the details of Winter's smile and the warmth of her laugh.
Across from her was a woman who willingly dragged herself out of bed at an insane hour every morning for the sole purpose of having coffee together. Someone who always gave her the best bite of food and almost got herself sent to fucking jail to ensure that things could go her way for once.
But at the same time, it wasn't just the way Winter took care of her. It was the way she made her feel. It was almost as if her body was being carried to the heavens to be worshipped by civilizations for eons every time she was near.
Karina wanted—no, needed Winter in a way that almost seemed humanly impossible.
Maybe this was God's way of evening the score with her. After putting her through a lifetime of suffering in such a short span of time, he finally decided to grant her the possibility of falling in love.
She had spent most of her life running. If it wasn't from her family, then it was from herself. From her insecurities and deep-rooted belief that she was undeserving of anything good in her life, it was a never-ending marathon for her. But as she drowned herself in pools of chocolate, she couldn't help but think that this was it.
This was it for her.
If three years passed and Winter decided to leave her for dead, she would accept her fate and die a happy woman knowing that she, at one point, meant something to someone.
"No," Karina said, her voice slightly wavering. "I'm not going to regret it,"
Because I'm falling for you.
The words danced on the tip of her tongue and her heart tingled at the mere thought of it, but she forced them back down her throat. She could feel the heat radiating off Winter's body as she slowly leaned in, giving her enough time to pull away.
Karina let out a soft sigh, her eyes flickering from Winter's eyes to her lips.
Sensing her nerves, Winter closed the rest of the distance between them, their foreheads resting against each other. "It's just me,"
"I know," Karina murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Before she could psych herself out anymore, Karina closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side, her lips gently brushing against Winter's as she held back a quiet whimper. Soft lips eagerly welcomed her and Karina briefly wondered when the living room suddenly became so unbearably hot.
Her hands found their way to Winter's shoulders, slightly pushing her back before she straddled her. Strong, firm hands were suddenly splayed against her lower back, desperate to hold onto her as if Winter was scared she would vanish into thin air.
Karina ignored the hammering of her heart and crashed their lips back together, deepening the kiss while she trailed her hands up and threaded them into ginger hair, tugging gently on the soft locks.
"Fuck," Winter groaned into her mouth, grabbing a fistful of the cheap fabric that made up Karina's matching naughty-or-nice shirt.
Their mouths molded perfectly against each other, the kiss growing more desperate and urgent with every passing second. Winter's body arched into hers in an attempt to be closer and Karina wondered if she was still breathing or if her heart had given up on her ages ago.
Karina couldn't hold back the quiet moan that escaped her once Winter lightly sucked on her tongue, the ache between her legs begging to be satisfied. She hadn't realized how long it'd been since someone touched her.
Since someone made her feel alive like this.
Her mind was a whirlwind of everything and all she wanted to do was lose herself in the woman underneath her. It wasn't just lust pumping through her veins at an alarming rate—it was something dangerously close to the love she always heard the people around her boasting about.
After what felt like forever, Winter pulled back slightly, her breath warm and ragged. "Are you okay?"
Her lips were still tingling but she managed a small smile. "More than okay," Karina murmured.
Winter hummed in delight, craning her neck and pressing a chaste kiss against Karina's lips. "Who would've thought decorating a tree would set the mood so well?"
"Shut up," she felt her face grow hotter, quickly untangling their limbs and sitting back down across from Winter.
"But you look so pretty when you blush,"
"Yah! I'm not blushing!" Karina scowled. "You don't know what you're talking about,"
Reaching for Karina's new scarf that was next to them, Winter wrapped it around her neck in one swift motion before tugging at the ends to pull Karina closer.
She smiled and resisted the urge to kiss Karina again. "So, are you going to tell me where you got that mistletoe?"
Karina froze like a deer caught in headlights, the elated look on her face quickly fading when she realized she was going to have to survive an entire interrogation by Ningning and Yunjin on how her night went.
Karina groaned at the thought of it and dropped her head onto Winter's shoulder. "Some annoying girl stuffed it in my bag,"
"Right," Winter laughed. "Tell her I said thank you, then,"
"You don't think I would've kissed you without it?"
"Would you?"
Karina pondered her thoughts for a moment. "I'd like to think so,"
Winter's smile widened, her fingers toying with the ends of the scarf. "Good,"
As they sat in the warmth of the fireplace, Karina reached up and traced the diamonds on the snowflake, her stomach fluttering with butterflies.
"Merry Christmas, Winter," she said quietly.
Let's spend every Christmas together from now on. Karina wanted to add but stopped herself from saying it.
"Merry Christmas, Karina," came a soft response moments later. "I couldn't have asked for a better gift,"
She hoped deep down that Karina knew she wasn't referring to her necklace.