WINTER SECRETS

The year was gradually drawing to a close, and with it, the semester. It felt surreal—like a dream slipping away too fast to grasp.

Carrie, ever the dedicated scholar, sat hunched over the dining table, completely absorbed in her studies. Nothing—not hunger, not exhaustion, not even a rogue flying cockroach—could break her focus. Across from her, Ava and Leo engaged in their own version of a "study session," which mostly consisted of giggles, whispered jokes, and dramatically pretending to flip through pages. And then there was Jae-Wook, the effortlessly gifted learner. While Carrie practically inhaled knowledge like her life depended on it, Jae-Wook simply existed and somehow understood everything.

Tonight was a strange mix of tension and relief—the night before their final paper. As expected, Carrie was the last one standing… or rather, sitting. The weight of exhaustion pressed heavily on her, her eyelids drooping dangerously with every passing second. The text on the page blurred together.

Then—thud.

Her head hit the table. She was out.

Right on cue, Leo strolled in, stretching lazily. His eyes landed on Carrie, face-planted into her open textbook, surrounded by an army of empty coffee cups. He let out a small chuckle.

"She pushes herself too hard," he mused. "If I were her dad, I'd be so proud."

With a sigh, he reached for the light switch, but before he could flip it—

"Don't. You. Dare."

Leo froze.

Carrie's head had snapped up so fast it was almost supernatural. Her bloodshot eyes locked onto him, burning with the intensity of someone who had transcended sleep deprivation and entered a whole new dimension of academic suffering.

"Uh… you sure you're okay?" Leo asked hesitantly.

"I just need more coffee," she muttered.

Leo eyed the tower of empty coffee cups. He let out an incredulous laugh. "Yeah, totally. That won't kill you or anything."

Moments later, Carrie returned, gripping a fresh cup like it was the elixir of life. She slumped back into her chair, rubbing her temples.

"This is exhausting," she groaned. "I've read everything, yet it feels like I know absolutely nothing." She exhaled sharply, glaring at her notes like they had personally betrayed her. "It's honestly a talent to be as unbothered as Ava and Leo. Let's just finish this."

But despite her determination, exhaustion had other plans. Her blinks lasted longer, her head grew heavier, and within minutes, she was slumped over the table again—this time completely out, her cheek smooshed against her notes.

Minutes later, quiet footsteps echoed down the dining corridor. Jae-Wook strolled in, a book tucked under his arm. One glance at Carrie, and he let out a quiet sigh.

"She really doesn't know when to stop, does she?" he muttered to himself.

He walked over, nudging her shoulder. No response. A little firmer this time.

"Carrie."

Still nothing.

His gaze flickered to the battlefield of empty coffee cups around her. He shook his head and, with a small sigh, reached for the blanket draped over a nearby chair. Carefully, he placed it over her shoulders, making sure she was warm.

And then—something weird happened.

As Jae-Wook lingered for a moment, he found himself… staring. The usual stress lines on Carrie's forehead were gone. Her expression was peaceful, her lips slightly parted in sleep. She looked different—softer, almost… nice?

A quiet chuckle escaped him. "Cute! She looks so much better when she's quiet," he muttered under his breath.

Then—

"What are you doing?"

Jae-Wook stiffened so fast you'd think someone had just pressed the pause button on him. His soul might have actually left his body for a second.

Ava.

She stood in the corridor, arms crossed, staring directly at him like she had just caught him committing a felony.

Jae-Wook straightened up immediately, trying to feign nonchalance. "Nothing."

Ava squinted. "You were staring at Carrie just now. Admiring her even."

"No, I wasn't."

"I can swear you were."

"She had too much coffee, so I was checking if she was still breathing," Jae-Wook lied smoothly.

Ava hummed, unimpressed. "Oh really? Then why were you smiling?"

"I wasn't. I grimaced," Jae-Wook interjected.

Ava smirked. "That's not what it looked like."

Jae-Wook huffed. "Believe whatever you want. I'm going to bed." Without another word, he turned and walked off with the speed of someone escaping a crime scene.

Ava watched him go, raising an eyebrow. She glanced back at Carrie, then back at Jae-Wook's retreating figure.

"Hmm. Suspicious, why was he smiling?" she muttered. Then her eyes widened. "Wait… did he poison her coffee??"

Goosebumps flooded her skin.

"LEO!!"

"LEO!!" she called out, spinning on her heel and retreating to her room to report the "incident."

But obviously… she never came back.