"Your pledge is to serve your master well. If you broke it, may you go astray and never go back as you have failed your duty."

"If you were to switch your lane once you did, there will never be any other option."

"Serve a life or be gone forever."

—

"Winter, we're going off now!" The older Yu shouts as younger one just finished putting on her shoes, right hand is already on the knob.

"Hm!" The said bear just hums. Weird, they thought. Usually Winter would just stand on the corridor with a grin or just lay on the floor sleepily. She just hummed, which they had confirmed that the bear is very awake, plus, she's not standing in the corridor.

"Ugh. I better go check first if she had set the living room on fire." Katrina groans at Winter's lack of response. "What are you doing?" She asks even before she came to her sight.

Winter's currently laying on her stomach, legs waving childishly, and writing? All those tutorials Yujin showed her had really paid off. Katrina was trying to peak on what she's writing but Winter's face was too close to the paper.

Putting her nose on others' business is the last thing she wants to do but she can't help but to wonder what Winter, who is like a new-born cub, is writing about. She's unpredictable. Katrina always thought Winter doesn't think before she acts. What could be running in her mind?

Finally, her curiosity lost (and time is running) Katrina lands a light kick on Winter's waist, earning a flinching bear. "NO!" Winter suddenly shouts, hugging the paper along.

"What?"

"Winwinis not finish! Katrina can't see it yet!"

"I don't even-"

"Unnie! Come on!"

With a groan, Katrina makes her way. "Where are you going?"

"To school, remember?" She manages to peek through her shoulder. Winter is now standing, holding the paper close to her chest while tilting her head. Katrina would think she's cute but the level of denseness in the latter is fogging her mind.

"Ah" Winter finally remembers. See?

"Oh and don't burn the house." Her daily reminder didn't go unsaid.

As well as Winter's daily goodbye kiss.

And a punch on her guts.

—

"OH MY GOD OH MY GOD-"

"Oh, there she is." Ningning points with her chin when she hears the familiar spat along with her rapid footsteps.

"Ayo, why are you so late? I almost drink your precious banana milk." Aeri frowns once Katrina took the said boxed drink away, drinking it as she was dehydrated for 712178 months already. "Omg, CHILL YOU WOMAN!" She shouts when Katrina almost choked.

"What's going on?"

It took a few moments for Katrina to regain herself before speaking but is still panting, "You guys remember Jeno, right?"

"Lee Jeno?" Ningning answered and Katrina nodded. "That stinkin' ex-crush of yours?" Aeri continued.

"STILL." The latter corrects her before shoving the satan's shoulder, "And he is not stinkin'!"

"OW! How am I supposed to know, you haven't talk about him since forever! And he cock-blocked some of my pranks before which is not cool!"

"Hold up, Katrina has a crush on our Student Council's assistant? WHAT-" The youngest peeks over.

"Ahh yes, you haven't been that long with us..." Aeri pats Ning on the head, "Yes, mate. She'd been head over heels for that stin- guy over 1234 years, she got it hard, I thought you were already over him."

Aeri shifts her head uninterestedly over Katrina who's blushing hard. "W-why would I talk about him all the time? It's not like you're gonna listen!"

"Exactly." She rolls her eyes.

"Okay, what about him?"

"HE SPOKE TO ME-" The latter spazzes, shaking the boxed drink almost spilling it all over. "

"We don't dig."

"Ugh. My calculus paper accidently slipped off my hand and it landed on his feet and- heeeeehehe- He picked it and compliments my knowledge!" She giggles, imitating the guy's response. "Maybe you should teach me sometimes!"

"EW. This is like one of those Korean dramas I hate." The satan scoffs.

Ningning taps her fingers on the table with a scrutinizing expression, "But what about Winter?"

"What about her?" The cat turns blank, not a single care was shown upon the statement. Both of her besties can only heave a sigh.

—

Katrina went home alone that day with an ear to ear smile which she had been sporting since that Lee Jeno guy spoke to her. She spent the whole class daydreaming, well half of the time because her studies are prioritized.

It didn't go unnoticed by her besties.

"I'm hooooome!" The said girl shouts throughout the living room.

"Oh that's rare." Her dongsaeng peeks over Winter's shoulder, she's currently doodling with the bear on the floor. "Did something happen?"

"Katrina!" It's Winter's turn this time to react, standing up her feet to cling but Katrina is swift to avoid, walking to Yujin.

"Guess what?" The oldest beams.

"Katrina~"

"What?" Yujin just looks up.

"Rina!"

"I said guess!"

"Katrinaaa!"

"Lazy."

"Katrina Yu!" Poor bear.

"You know Lee Jeno right?" The said Student Council's assistant is really distracting her current mind, she doesn't even realize Winter is back-hugging her trying to get her attention.

"That ex-crush of yours?" Her dongsaeng claims with a frown.

"STILL OK." Katrina began telling her everything about her interaction with him and that one key that brings out the delight in her, the question. "Can you believe that???" Yujin nods at everything, but something about the guy in her topic makes her feel uncomfortable,

"Well you I haven't heard you talk about him in ages."

"Aeri said the same thing."

and her instinct never fails her.

"Katrina!" The frustrated bear slightly shakes her, earning her attention for the first time since her arrival. "Oh what do you want?"

"Winwin," She runs back to Yujinto pick the paper she'd doodle on to show her, but by the time she turns around, Katrina is already out of sight, skipping her way to her room. "Later, Winter! I need have to prepare something!"

Winter's smile falters. "There's always next time, you can show her tomorrow!" Yujin side hugs her, "Now go shower, you've done too much ostrich run."

—

Wrong.

So wrong.

It has been two weeks.

The tomorrow you can show her your doodle never happened.

The day Katrina sees Winter's doodle never came as Katrina keeps dismissing her with the exact same excuse since Katrina started hanging out with Jeno.

"I need to finish this for Jeno, he said it'll be a very great help!"

The pencils and papers had become her companions most of the time, but she didn't mind.

Winter's papers had been piling, but she didn't mind.

The amount of response Katrina gave Winter throughout those weeks can be counted with fingers, but she didn't mind.

Winter is just a baby who needs attention, but she didn't mind.

She had always believed that the tomorrow Yujin claimed does exist. It's just... not today.

Yujin couldn't do much either, since her exams are also nearing. She did her best to accompany the bear. However, it's not her attention that Winter wanted.

No, Winter is not having a mental breakdown.

She understands exactly that they're schedules are tight. Her smiles never left when she tells Yujin to go study. And it works.

It had also been weeks since her bestie came to visit them, since their midterm is nearing. They can only connect with Winter through Katrina. Though she had started interacting with the guy, she'll always spare her time with her besties.

"How is baby bear?"

"Hm...She's fine."

It's always like that. Though they hang out together, it's always like that. Through her actions, Ningning and Aeri knew too well that she was unaware of what she just said, or the said girl's condition.

Which is why both of them currently standing outside the Yu's house, knocking on the door.

Surprisingly, Winter's the one who fetches. "Ning! Aeri!"

"Baby bear!" They both greets back in unison, giving a peck on the bear's cheeks.

"I miss you sooooo much!" Ningning hugs her tight like her life depended on her while Aeri just messes her hair.

"Winwin misses you two more!" She hugs her back, but lingers, nuzzling her head on Ningning's shoulder.

"What's wrong?" the latter asks when she realizes Winter had been quite since they arrived.

"N-nothing."

"Where's Yujin and Katrina?" Winter pulls back at the question, "Yujin is staying at a friend's house for a group study, and Katrina-" she turns to the stairs, "is studying.." which is partly true.

"So what are you doing all by yourself?" Aeri throws herself on the couch. The two then follows.

"Umm...Play with Wally?"

"How surprising." The latter laughs.

"Other than that, Winwin just watch tv and draw or write something- Oh!" Winter claps her hand when something just crosses her mind, making the other two jumps on their place.

Winter runs to the shelves at a side of the living room to search for something, Ningning and Aeri only looks at each other in confusion.

After a few seconds of struggling Winter finally pulls out what seems to be two pieces of paper. She then runs back to them. "What are those?" Ningning asks once Winter settles herself on the floor.

With a huge grin, she gave a piece to each of them.

"This...it's a chipmunk!" Ning exclaims in wide eyes.

"This one is a bunny! What about these?" it's Aeri turn to be surprised.

"It's Aeri and Ningning!" The bear flashes a toothy grin.

"Wha- do I really look like a bunny-"

"Did you draw these?" She nods childishly. "They're so cute!!!"

"Thank you, baby bear!" Ningning throws herself to Winter while Aeri just stares down on the drawing in her hand. "But why a bunny- you've watched too much cartoons, really"

She pouts but breaks into a fit of laughter when the latter just blinks innocently at her. "Thank you, Winter." They were just mere drawings but somehow it felt special. It was the first time that day Winter felt less lonely since a few weeks ago.

"Did you draw something for the siblings too?" The laughter died down when Aeri threw the question. Winter just hums.

"Winwin already gave Yujin hers, but Katrina.." she sighs, spreading her body completely on the floor. " Katrina is too busy...It's okay though!"

Both of them heard her bitter chuckle, making Ningning rest her head on Winter's belly. "Sorry that we're too busy with school, baby bear."

"Oh no, it's okay! There's always next time." Winter raises her head a bit to give her an assuring smile. Though she doesn't know when that specific next time will be.

It didn't buy Aeri as she sits up and looking at the bear, face full of worries. "It was that Jeno guy."

"Yeah, Katrina was never like this whenever we have exams or midterms...She's smart for God's sake!" Ningning's right.

There were silent for a moment before Winter finally spoke, "Guess he had doubled Katrina's works..." she unconsciously pinch Ningning's face, unaware that he girl below is struggling from her hold. "Winwin wish Winwin can go to school too..."

"Hold on a minute," Aeri sits up "Maybe you can!"

"Winwin can?????" It's Winter turn to sit up causing Ning poor head thrown aside, God bless her forehead. Amen.

"We can't stay here though... I'm staying at Ningning's house today." She bits her lips before turning to Ningning who's gasping for air. That's when it hits her.

"Winter, sleep over at Ningning's house today!"

"B-But Kat-"

"I'll text her and Yujin, since we all know she won't be coming out any time soon."

"But, what about school stuff?" Ningning finally recovered.

"I'll handle if it's expenses."

"Wow, where did you get all the money? Did you steal or- oh yeah, you're rich."

"Not rich, but loaded. "The satan winks. "Plus, Winter is just an exchange student, having one in our class won't cost much, am I right Winter?" She averts her eyes to Winter.

"What is an exchange student?"

"Well...This may take a while."