@asawaniyujimin_: Karina hated hospitals. Everything about them felt cold—the white walls, the constant beeping of monitors, the smell of antiseptic that never seemed to leave your clothes. Minjeong used to joke that if she ever ended up in one, Karina would be the patient instead because she'd panic first. Karina always laughed. Neither of them imagined the joke would become real. It started with a phone call. A rainy Thursday. Karina almost ignored it because she was in the middle of a presentation. When she finally listened to the voicemail, all she heard was someone saying her name, the words car accident, and please come quickly. She didn't remember leaving the building. She only remembered running. By the time she reached the hospital, Minjeong was still awake. There were cuts on her face and bruises blooming across her arms, but she smiled the moment she saw Karina. "You look awful," Minjeong whispered. Karina laughed through tears. "You're making jokes?" "I don't want my last memory to be you crying." "Don't say that." "I'm serious." Karina grabbed her hand so tightly she was afraid she'd hurt her. "We still have so much to do," she said. "We're supposed to move in together next year. You promised we'd adopt a dog. You promised we'd grow old and argue about whose turn it is to make coffee every morning." "I know." "So don't leave." Minjeong looked at her for a long time. "I've been trying really hard not to." The doctors rushed in only minutes later. Someone gently pulled Karina away. She kept reaching for Minjeong's hand until their fingers slipped apart. The doors closed. Karina stood in the hallway, staring at them, convinced they would open again in a few minutes and someone would tell her everything was fine. Instead, a doctor walked toward her with tired eyes. "I'm sorry." Two words. That was all it took for an entire future to disappear. Months passed. People told Karina that time would make it easier. It didn't. Time simply taught her how to carry the weight without dropping it. She still caught herself unlocking her phone to text Minjeong whenever something funny happened. She still reached for the passenger seat before remembering it would always be empty. She still visited the little café where they'd spent countless afternoons together. The owner recognized her every time. "The usual?" he asked. Karina nodded. There were always two cups placed on the table. One for her. One that no one ever touched. On what would have been their tenth anniversary, Karina visited Minjeong's grave. She sat on the grass for hours, talking about everything Minjeong had missed. "I finally adopted a dog," she said, smiling through tears. "He's stubborn. You would've loved him." The wind rustled the trees. "I still talk to you when I drive." Silence. "I still look for you in crowds." More silence. Karina traced the letters carved into the headstone. "I used to think the hardest part would be watching you leave." She swallowed. "It wasn't." "The hardest part was learning that the world keeps moving after you're gone." She placed a small bouquet of white flowers beside the stone and stood. "I love you." The words were carried away by the breeze. For a moment, the afternoon felt strangely warm. As if somewhere beyond what she could see, someone had heard them. Karina smiled. Not because the pain was gone. But because love like theirs didn't end the day Minjeong died. It simply became something she carried with her for the rest of her life. #winrina #karina #winter #aespa #fyp

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Thursday 02 July 2026 07:35:28 GMT