Petals Between Us | winrina (COMPLETED)

Karina stood in the middle of Winter’s shop with her hands behind her back, rocking on her heels like a child about to ask for candy.

Winter raised an eyebrow, half-focused on trimming a bouquet. “You’re fidgeting. Which means either you’re nervous... or you’re about to do something illegal.”

Karina pouted. “What if it’s both?”

Winter blinked. “Should I be scared?”

Karina dramatically pulled out a ticket from her hoodie and slid it onto the counter like she was handing over a forbidden treasure.

Winter squinted at it. “Is this…?”

“A fanmeeting ticket,” Karina said, practically bouncing now. “VIP row. But wait—before you say no—you’ll be in disguise.”

Winter blinked. “You want me to sneak into your fan meeting?”

Karina grinned. “Technically, it’s not sneaking if you have a ticket… it’s just undercover attendance.”

⤹ ❀

It was Saturday.

Winter stared at herself in the mirror.

Bucket hat? Check.
Oversized sweater? Check.
Round glasses (non-prescription)? Check.
Mask? Double check.

She looked like every art student in Seoul.

“Too obvious?” she asked Karina on video call.

Karina practically fell off her couch laughing. “You look like someone who critiques gallery lighting for fun.”

“Perfect,” Winter smirked.

The venue was packed. Rows of excited fans buzzed with energy, lightsticks already glowing and Karina’s name echoing through the air. Posters, photo cards, and standees were everywhere.

Winter kept her head down, quietly clutching her phone and the VIP pass Karina had “definitely-not-pulled-strings-to-get.”

Her seat was near the front—Row B, far right.

When Karina appeared on stage, the crowd exploded.

Winter had to bite her lip to stop from smiling too hard.

Karina looked different here. Polished. Confident. Like she had the whole room in her hand.

But then—

Their eyes met.

Just for a second.

And Karina’s smile faltered in the softest, most real way.

Like she forgot the crowd for a moment.

Like Winter was the only one there.

⤹ ❀

The fan games were wild.

From charades to “guess the member’s baby photo,” everything was light, funny, and borderline chaotic. Karina was especially giggly today—constantly whispering with her members, blushing during questions, and getting teased for being “extra bright.”

At one point, one of the other members leaned into her mic.

“Karina-ssi,” she said with a sly grin, “you seem very happy today. Any reason?”

Karina fake-coughed. “I just had… really good tea this morning.”

Winter nearly snorted into her mask.

Then came the Q&A portion.

Winter watched as fans took turns asking questions—some silly, some heartfelt, some embarrassing.

And then the staff gestured to her section.

Winter panicked slightly, but a girl next to her raised her hand and got picked first.

Her question?

“If you could give a flower to someone special, what would you pick?”

Karina blinked.

Winter froze.

Then, slowly, Karina smiled.

“Aster,” she said into the mic. “It means 'I’ll never forget you.'”

Winter’s heart did somersaults.

⤹ ❀

After the fanmeeting, Karina texted her  three emojis:

🧃 ➡️ 🚪

Winter followed the hint through a side hallway (after mildly getting lost and pretending she was “definitely here to refill juice for staff”) until she found a quiet door.

It creaked open.

Karina was inside, still in her performance outfit, hair tied up loosely now and light makeup smudged from hours of stage time.

“You found me,” she whispered.

Winter laughed. “Barely. I got mistaken for a staff member twice.”

“Maybe you should work here. Then I could see you every day.”

Winter stepped inside, closing the door behind her. “Bold words for someone who almost fell off a stool during charades.”

Karina groaned. “Don’t remind me.”

There was a moment of quiet.

Then Karina reached out and tugged Winter by the sleeve, pulling her into a hug.

“I saw you in the crowd,” she whispered into Winter’s hair. “Every time I got nervous, I looked for you.”

Winter smiled, arms wrapping tightly around her waist. “I was cheering for you. In my head. Silently.”

“Loud enough for me,” Karina said, grinning.

⤹ ❀

A knock at the door made them spring apart like teenagers caught sneaking candy.

“Karina-ssi?” her manager’s voice called. “We’re heading out in ten.”

Karina coughed. “Y-Yeah! Just fixing my shoes!”

Winter stared at her. “Fixing your what now?”

“Go out the other door,” Karina whispered quickly. “Emergency exit, left turn, then sneak past the merch table.”

“You’re insane,” Winter muttered.

Karina grinned. “You like it.”

Winter paused at the door. “...I really do.”

And then she was gone.

Karina stood in the dressing room, her smile lingering long after Winter had disappeared.