Her feet were bleeding.

But Katrina didn't care. Winter matters the most at the moment. Though she's bleeding, she blames herself as it's the least she can do, because Winter used to do the same to her, and without the other party knowing.

Eyes were on her state, egging on their curiosity about the girl looking all desperate and panting hard. None tried to help or ask about.

Traces of blood were visible at some point of her destinations. Their schools, the basketball court, the ice cream stand on a park, everywhere that Winter had step a foot at, name it, Katrina went there. She also traces back her steps to several places to see if she misses a spot.

Only God knows how Katrina is still running when she's on the edge of falling down.

But she didn't care, because Winter matters more.

That's when until her fatigue really hits her like a sudden wrecking ball on her knees, unaware of its coming. Katrina fell on a bench in the park, the park where she went to for the fifth time, including her current arrival.

She fell down hard with her head hang low and pale. She clenches the edge of the bench trying to fight back the urge to burst once more. At that time, she realizes that there's no more room left in her for the fact that guilt has taken over them.

"Winter..."

She clenches harder.

"Winter..."

Katrina wondered where could Winter have been, despite that she hasn't seen her for 2 days already, thousands of ideas came crashing down.

Where could she be staying? Have she eaten? Is she lost? Winter sure had learned a few things but that's when she's under either any of their eyes. Is there a hope if any of her friends found her and took her home but then they'll wonder why she was away? Or worse, did Katrina's past thought has finally came true? That Winter is kidnapped?

Katrina breaks down.

The sun is setting from her view of the ground albeit her blurry vision. It's too late.

But before Katrina could get up, a shadow came into her sight, shadowing the sunset light from her bare feet. She was about to apologize, maybe that she's a bother in some way to the owner of the shadow, until the person spoke.

"Your feet is bleeding."

That voice.

Katrina thought she must be seeing and hearing stuff because the person who just spoke to her sounds exactly like Winter. She's scared to lift her head, scared that she was right.

"Why are you crying?" The person squats down. The person's face is still in her sight. And so she blinks, making the last tear fall and clearing her view.

It's Winter.

Katrina can't believe it. The person that she had been looking for is in front of her, holding a yellow-colored balloon, looking at her as if nothing ever happened.

"Here, take this! Don't cry!" Winter hands the balloon to her and quickly takes out a hankie, "Stay put, this might hurt a bit!" she lift Katrina's left foot carefully and daps the clothe. It hurts, honestly, but Katrina didn't move. Eyes widen, she keeps them locked on Winter. Has she gone crazy that Winter is actually touching her?

"Kat!"

"Unnie!"

Another 3 familiar voices call her out from behind.

"Kat where have- Winter!!" Ningning pace increases and so did the others when they heard the name, running to Katrina.

Winter was shocked when Yujin crashed herself on her, making her fall back flat. "Winter!!!" Yujin cries on her chest, pushing herself to her more if that's possible. The little one must have missed her too much, "Don't leave like that! You're scaring me!!!" she says in between sobs.

Winter's face shows more that confusion when Yujin said so, she looks over Katrina and then to Aeri and Ningning.

"Thank God! Where did you find her?" Aeri ask as she heaves a sigh and smiles in relief, "Katrina?" she calls when the latter didn't reply. How could she? Few hours ago she was running to look for Winter, worrying whether or not she's still alive, now there she is, in one piece and as fine as a fiddle.

"Winter!!" this time it was Ningning's turn to receive a hug, she opens her arms for Winter to come to her, and she did. Winter releases Yujin and got up, but only to run past them. Bewildered eyes follow her figure, dumbfounded on her sudden action.

However, Winter stops running and turns to them. To their surprise, Winter's actually running to another figure which is currently standing next to her.

"Wha..." Katrina breathes shakily when Winter holds the person's hand.

"Winter, I told you not to walk away, but I see you have met your friends again?" Soyeon taps her cheek and Winter nods with a smile after looking over Ningning and Aeri.

"Care to name them? If you remember?" She smirks and points at Katrina's group.

"Jeon." Ningning furrows her eyebrows.

Winter slowly raises a hand and points at Ningning, "Ning!" somehow the latter felt relieve that Winter spoke her name and couldn't help but to smile.

"Aeri!" Winter moves her finger to Aeri's direction and then to Katrina and Yujin repeatedly.

But Winter didn't say anything as her smile falters, lowering her hand before turning her head to Jeon.

"Master, who are those two?"

—

"I don't know them..."

"Oh? But you seem like do?"

"I was trying to help...but I've never seen them before"

The exchanges between Winter and Soyeon echoes throughout Katrina's mind as she tighten her hug on her knees.

How is it possible that Winter doesn't remember her and Yujin but not her besties and by all means, Soyeon?

How come Winter claimed Soyeon as her 'master' in front of her, the real one?

"Winter, it's me, Katrina!"

"W-who?"

Such a short respond yet able to shatters Katrina so much. The more Katrina tried to evoke her, the tighter Winter's hold onto Soyeon, shaking her head in denial as if it was true that she had never laid a glance on her.

The whole circumstances roused Katrina's curiosity, but not only hers, but also Yujin in the room, though she's not exactly in her sight at the moment, but she knew her vulnerable baby sister is experiencing the same.

She knows, her quiet yet distinct sobs are definitely bonus.

Her besties have decided to sleep over at Katrina, understanding the sibling's state, it's the least and the best they can do to be there by their side at the time being.

Katrina finally acknowledge what it's like to have your own words countable with fingers for a couple of days, only this time, she's the one counting. Not Winter.

But none of them egged on each other to speak more.

Although it's only for a few days already, Katrina had forgotten how warm it feels whenever she wakes up in the morning, how noisy it is in the living room with laughter in the afternoon, how chaotic it is in the kitchen in the evening, and how comfortable it is the combination of cold bed and Winter's warm at night.

Katrina realizes how colorless her daily routines are.

—

A couple of rings by the doorbell were heard, stirring everyone's train of thought from anything.

No one answered as they all look at each other, wondering who could it be until the doorbell rings once more.

Ningning quickly stands up rather ungracefully and rushes forward the door only to freeze herself, feeling slightly nervous, could it be Winter?

With a shaky hand, she grabs the knob and slowly turning it.

It's not Winter.

"Who is it?" Katrina props her head before making a full appearance followed by Aeri and Yujin but only to have their jaw drop.

"Uhm, H-hi." Minnie greets awkwardly, trying to decide whether it's appropriate to give a small wave.

—

The air is tensed, and somehow very awkward with all 3 pair of eyes staring deep into MInnie's and another pair literally glaring at her, obviously Aeri's. All the latter can do is tap her fingers on her knees and trying to avoid the one's glare when she was seated on a single couch in the living room.

"Are you gonna speak or do you want to be jabbed right now because I'll be gladly to" surprisingly it wasn't Aeri who just stated such things but it was Katrina.

Minnie winces at the sudden spur but calms down afterward as she just remembered why she was there at the first place, "There's no need for violence here." she clears her throat but a hint of fear is still there. "I'm here to talk about Winter."

"Who the fuck do you think you are to say anything related to her?" Again, Katrina responded.

A breathe escape Minnie's lips, "Look, I'm not here for a fight okay" she stones, "I'm here to help."

"What do you mean?" Ningning asks in not a very friendly manner.

"I know everything okay, about Winter-"

"Your bitch cast a spell on her." Aeri mocks, "What is there to help when you're on the same side."

If it wasn't for Minnie's real intention, she would have leaved long time ago, and so she sighs again, "Winter is a stuffed toy to begin with," she voices out confidently, taking them all by surprise, "And from my point of view, you woke her up." she points at Katrina, "Last but not least, Winter knows nothing when she first became human, am I correct?" the latter's eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"How..." Katrina is tongue-tied, how did Minnie knows the significant details about Winter? Just when she thought it couldn't get any shocking-

"Because I was once a stuffed animal too." A glimpse of sadness can be felt in Minnie's tone when she claims. "I was a star too but in a form of a rabbit."

Never in their entire life have they tried to sink such information in a blink of an eye, of course they have accepted the fact that Winter is one, but it never crossed their mind that Winter isn't the only one.

"S-star?"

"Yes, a star. Me and Winter, we are stars. And this might seem ridiculous to you guys but," Minnie coughs when the four of them kept staring, demanding an explanation. "Winter, she's a special kind of star, their kinds only exist only once in a blue moon."

Slowly, they all begin to adapt the facts Minnie just told them no matter how ridiculous they sound as she said, however, it ushers their curiosity more to know. "What do you mean?" Katrina ask, her tone finally plodding.

"As much as I cherish my self-esteem right now, I must say that I'm a normal star, unlike Winter, she was created with an ability"

"You mean her personal talent?" Yujin finally speaks, earning Minnie's attention. "Personal talent?"

"Winter's personal talent is that she can memorize everything in a single glance, is that what you mean?" Minnie smiles softly at her before nodding, "I guess you guys already know about that."

"But both of our kinds have their own advantages and disadvantages. For example, Winter is, sorry to say this, air-headed when she first became a human?" Katrina replies with a nod when Minnie looks over her for her confirmation.

"What makes her a special star is her ability which for me is by far much better than my kinds. I'm created without any special ability, but I'm packed with all the basic knowledge about human life and stars. I know what school is, what trees are, what happiness is and how pain feels. Unlike Winter, she only knows how to manage her chivalry when she learned them the correct way. And to further amuse you, my kinds already knew our name so we don't have any marks on the back of our neck."

Minnie close her eyes momentarily before looking up to Ningning, "Soyeon found me a day after your last date with her," she smiles sadly, "I was in a bush, all torn up but when Soyeon saw one of my bunny ears popping out, she immediately brings me home and fixed me. I'm sorry you guys have to underwent such break up, but if weren't for her care, who knows if I'm still alive till this days."

What she just said saddens Ningning, but not in a bad way, after hearing her story, Ningning is somehow relieved in some way. "It's okay." the latter smiles.

"Hold on, why are you telling us this?" Aeri tilts her head, still aware that Minnie's master is their arch enemy, who knows that she was playing tricks.

"Because I wanted to help."

"How do we know you really mean it? You're still Soyeon's treasure." She crosses her arms but Minnie only gives her a bitter smile.

"That's one thing me and Winter have in common. People are unaware of how hurtful it is when your master suddenly got a new apple on their eyes."

It jabs Katrina right in the feels as what she just said was meant for her. To hear from someone like Winter herself how it actually is, none of her guilt is eased.

—

Minnie had told them what happened and how Winter ended up in Soyeon's hand but had to leave without telling them the idea she had because to their info, Minnie actually used the excuse to go buy Jokbal on Soyeon and the latter has no idea about her initial plan.

But they did point out a date for the planning which is the next day.

"A star can only come back to her past master, If he or she was the first one for a star. The thing is, once a star redraws itself from being a human, every bits of his or her memories with the last owner will be locked, this also applies to anyone who is related to the owner, take your little sister for an example. And I believe you are her main from how I see it. The possibilities are big."

"I know this has effect on normal kinds but I don't know if it'll work on Winter. But it's best to take shot."

The plan wasn't that complicated, all Minnie had to do is convince Soyeon to go somewhere and separate her from Winter so Katrina can initiate what is supposed to.

And Minnie succeeded, the three of them, her, Soyeon and Winter actually went to an opening night market in a secluded part of the city. When Soyeon was busy choosing her food, Minnie somehow managed to lure Winter away with choco milk, but it would be a lie if she said she's not having a hard time doing so because Winter is clinging on Soyeon while the latter feeds her from time to time.

But she succeeded nevertheless, when Minnie texted Katrina that the choco milk plan actually worked, it lifted a huge weight off her shoulders, she's one step closer to provoking Winter.

Ningning and Aeri did a very good job in blocking their views despite they're only wearing black masks and caps.

Now there she is, looking at a very lost Winter in another secluded part of the area. The bear might not remember her, yet, but she's still the same old dense one.

"Winter..." Katrina calls, making Winter turn, adjusting her eyes in the darker side on the area. "Soyeon, is that you?" she walks closer to the shadow.

"Oh!" Winter blinks, obviously surprised that it's actually Katrina when she too walks closer to her. "Katrina, am I right?" the latter gives her a toothy grin. That grin, the one she always give Katrina when she was still hers.

"Winter..."

"What are you doing here? Have you seen Soyeon? You're friends with her righ-" Winter stops when Katrina pulls her face, connecting their lips together.

"A form of affection cures."

"Winter, come back, I'm sorry..." she muffles under her breathe.

"A word or two like you mean it."

Katrina's tears fell, the kiss flashes back a lot of memories. It was the first form of affection she gave Winter when she was still a teddy bear, it's how everything starts. More tears fell when the current situation reminds her that Soyeon had done the same thing to Winter after she misinterpreted her doings.

Katrina still has her eyes closed when she pulls back slowly. Winter didn't fight back, could that be it? When she opens her eyes, Winter was staring at her as if she was searching something in her eyes.

"Please let it work..." Katrina whispers as she caresses Winter's cheeks. Maybe she was being too delusional about getting something back what she think she deserves because when Winter opens her mouth, her words crumbles her.

"I-I'm sorry, I have to go find Soyeon." Winter steps away, stuttering before nervously walks away rapidly.

It didn't work.

It doesn't work on special stars.

Katrina wasn't what she's feeling deep inside her trembling body whether its anger or sadness, it's unfathomable. A part of her wants to throw something at Winter but she just can't.

"You stupid bear!!!" and so she yells in cries. Winter stops on her feet.

"You dense bear!"

"I hate you!"

"I hate your stupid bear-like face!"

"I hate that you woke up next to me every day!"

"I hate your hugs and kisses!"

"I hate that you ruined my kitchen every night!"

"I hate your ostrich run!!"

"Your stupid TV show and sketches!!"

"You choco milk obsessed, wall loving, doodle maniac, idiot bear!!"' Katrina spits fire nonstop, throwing her feelings instead because she doesn't know what else to do, nothing she can do, nothing at all.

"Stupid Winwin!"

With an inexplicable expression, Winter steadily turns her heels back facing the latter who has fallen on her knees.

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