Been lovin' you for quite some time | Winrina

2

At first she had ignored the occasional groan from the room above hers. The girl on the fourth floor seems to enjoy loud rap music and rough sex, so she invested in good headphones and ear plugs and spent most of her time in the library. Annoyingly though the library is shut for the holidays and so Karina is stuck in her room, going over her notes on Machiavelli when she hears the ominous creaking and groaning of the floor above her. With a huff, she reaches for her headphones, readying to press them into her ears when another louder and far more foreboding groan sounds.

She frowns, pausing to look up and in the second she takes to contemplate going upstairs to bang on the door, the centre of her ceiling disintegrates in a torrent of water.

-

"Sis!" Jisoo is stood in the doorway to the large, red brick building, so strung with fairy lights it seems to glow in the night, a wide smile on her face and a preposterous pair of reindeer antlers on her head.

Behind her, the cab roars its engine and skids away across the icy road and Karina wishes she could call it back, instead stood awkwardly beside the curb, her duffel bag thrown over her shoulder as she shuffles her feet. It's snowing just slightly, the flakes hang in her hair and on the soft material of her warmest jacket and she glances up, wishing for the blue skies she knows so well as Jisoo steps out of the house.

There's a figure lingering in the doorway, but they remain there, watching as Jisoo opens her arms out for her younger sister, ushering her into a quick hug before pulling back to look at her.

"You've uh..." Karina gestures awkwardly to her antlers and Jisoo laughs a little, but the joy on her face is completely genuine.

"Yeah, they do Christmas pretty hardcore here. Want me to take your bag?"

"No, I'm good." She tightens her grip on the strap of the bag, following when Jisoo starts back towards the house. "Listen, I'm really sorry for intruding on you guys, I can go if it's a problem."

"Don't be stupid," Jisoo waves off her concerns, "I couldn't see my little sister stranded for the holidays. There's more than enough space as well."

"If you're sure," she mutters beneath her breath, wiping her snowy shoes on the mat and shivering gratefully when she steps into the warmth of the house as Jisoo chuckles.

"Yeah, not quite California huh? You're lucky your flight landed to be honest."

Karina hums in agreement, eyes catching at the wreath on the door- all bright green holly and golden tinsel and red berries- before the front door is swung shut behind her and she has a chance to admire the spacious, oak panelled hallway. A wide staircase swings in a graceful curve in front of her and a row of golden pegs with various coats and jackets swung on them sit to the right of the door. There are more fairy lights curling up the banister and mistletoe hung obnoxiously above the doorframe and she struggles not to wrinkle her nose at it.

"Here," Jisoo takes her coat and hangs it on one of the pegs, brushing the snowflakes from it expertly.

"Hi," a voice from behind her makes her turn in surprise and she can't help her slight smile at the sight of the tall, blonde girl with a gaudy Christmas jumper on and a Santa hat pulled over her head. "You must be Jisoo's sister," the girl is smiling welcomingly but it's clear she's keeping her distance, waiting for Karina to make the first move towards physical contact. "I'm Rosé."

"My girlfriend," Jisoo appears at her side, touching a hand to the small of the girl's back protectively and casting Karina a warning glance that screams play nice.

But Karina needs no such warning and instead smiles, reaching out a hand towards the girl, "hey, great to meet you at last."

Rosé's satisfied smile is enough to pacify Jisoo, who lets her touch fall as Rosé shakes her hand firmly, a small smirk playing on the edges of her lips. "You too Karina; I take it you aren't crazy about Christmas either, hmm?"

"It was never a big thing in our family, it all just seems a little commercial," she hesitates at the scowl Jisoo throws her, hesitating through her words, but Rosé only laughs.

"It's alright, we'll soon have you converted."

"Well I'm really sorry for crashing on your Christmas like this," she lifts a hand to rub awkwardly at the back of her neck, "I'll try to keep out of your way, it must be weird having a total stranger in your house."

"Oh it's not my house-"

Rosé is cut off a sudden figure appearing from the wide doorframe to their left, all dark hair and flushed cheeks. She wears a slightly ridiculous hat that looks like the rear end of a turkey and Karina is starting to sense a theme here even as she looks between Jisoo and the girl in surprise.

"Is this your sister unnie?" The girl doesn't wait for an answer as she darts around Rosé and throws her arms around Karina, squeezing her so quickly that it leaves Karina reeling. "Hi! Karina, right? I'm Jennie!"

"H-Hi," she feels a little out of breath as the girl spins away, turning to look to the two men who are now lingering in the doorway to the left hand room uncertainly and gesturing eagerly.

"Guys! Come and meet Karina!"

The first, a tall, tan skinned guy with broad shoulders,  walks towards Jennie to touch at her shoulder, holding his other hand out for Karina to shake. He wears an ugly sweater that looks unfortunately similar to Jennie's and he and the other guy, of course, have matching green and red elf hats.

"Kai," he introduces himself calmly, but Jennie takes over, talking excitedly.

"My boyfriend! And that's Mino over there," she gestures to the other boy, whose shaggy dark hair looks as if it is trying to escape from beneath the hat, "he's my brother."

"Unfortunately," Mino puts in, but only laughs when Jennie sticks her tongue out.

The others laugh too and Karina lets out an awkward chuckle, her eyes darting uncertainly to Jisoo for an explanation, but Jennie is already ushering her through into the room to the left where they have all emerged from, leaving her bag abandoned at the bottom of the stairs.

The room is a living room, she realises when she steps inside. It's long, with a cluster of chairs around a large fireplace decorated with yet more tinsel and holly at one end and a dark oak dining table at the other end, filled with empty bowls as if it once contained a selection of buffet foods, now abandoned. A huge Christmas tree, lavishly decorated, is placed in the bay window of the room, close to the fireplace. It is a mishmash of decorations and colours but somehow manages to look homely and comfortable in this rich, warm space. On the small coffee table in the middle of the cluster of chairs and couches by the crackling fire sits a half finished game of monopoly and a girl is crouched over it, flicking through the cards in the middle of the board, though her head darts up guiltily when they walk in.

"Hey!" Jennie cries out in outrage, "stop cheating Winter!"