➪The Man|| WINRINA

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚢-𝚜𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗

Karina took a deep breath, calming her rapidly beating heart by reminding herself why she was here. She at the rusted black gates in front of her, debating if she should knock against the gate or ring the doorbell. The second.one was the more logical answer. But she wasn't sure if the Na's  fixed their doorbell. Last she heard, they had to fix it.


That is right, she was in Jaemin's home. Standing in front of their rusted gate in their desolated neighborhood. Well, it was not completely desolated as they had neighbors but the place was too quiet that it was like no one lived there.


“okay karina,” she muttered in encouragement. She glanced at the daunting red buzzer. “you just have to—”





❝excuse me?❞


“yah!”



Karina turned around, hands gripping her chest. Her eyes were wide as saucers as she stared at the person who talked behind her. She blinked her wide eyes, taking in the sight of the person and tried to recall who they were.


“s-shotaro?” she breathed out, breath steadying as she recognized him. He wasn't a threat, she thinks. “what—what are you doing here?”


“I live here.” the male, shotaro replied nonchalantly, nodding to the direction of his house at the left of Jaemin's. It was identical with it's orange exterior and white accent. “what are you doing here? Are you looking for jaemin?”


Should she tell him? Karina was debating if she should say yes. She wasn't exactly close with shotaro per se. All she knew that he was Jeno's boyfriend who was unaware(?) that his boyfriend was emotionally cheating with his “best friend”.


Maybe that was why she couldn't tell shotaro. She found it awkward to talk to an innocent (?) person knowing the wrong someone has committed to them. It was lying straight from your teeth.


“ye—I mean no. I'm here to see Mrs. Na.” karina lied, internally wincing. She's been lying tremendously. She needed to go to confession and confess. Who knows how many prayers she would need to be cleansed. “Is she?”


Shotaro shook his head no. “I believe she left with her siblings and Mr. Na.”


Then that meant jaemin was with them. Wherever they go, he goes as well. “Did they take jaemin?”


“I don't—”






“karina...”




The one called turned around again, a breath of relief washing over her as she took in the sight of her best friend, dressed in a checkered pajama pants and loose black shirt. It reminded her of sungchan's older brother, jaehyun.


Karina smiled, gripping the gate railings, pushing her face close to it. “jaemin! I was about to call for you.”


“what are you doing here?” jaemin scratched his nape, lips pouting. It was rest day for them students, so he planned on sleeping in, not see his girl best friend talk with his male best friend's boyfriend slash neighbor. “hi taro.”


“hi jaemin.” shotaro smiled, eyes turning into cresents. No wonder he was with jeno. “I wanted to give you something.” he walked up at the gate, raising a white plastic bag over the top of the gate and let jaemin grab it. “I was in the farmers market and thought you would like it.”


Jaemin pulled the handles of the plastic bag and way, revealing a fruit he never wanted to see. “It's durian.”


“exactly,” shotaro replied, “your favorite.”


Jaemin frowned, “But I don't—”


“See you jaemin.” shotaro didn't wait for him to finish, turning to his left before walking to his side of the lot and into his house, leaving the two friends alone.



“well that was weird.” karina mused. She looked between the two males, noting how strange their interaction was. For one thing, karina expected jaemin and shotaro to best buds, seeing as they both knew jeno.


She frowned. Then again, that meant they both knew about jeno.


“can I help you?” jaemin asked, breaking Karina’s train of thoughts. He looked at her expectantly. He pursed his lips, “actually, would you like some tea?”

🧑

The Na's house looked like any other house in a subdivision but in the inside, it was like a miniature mansion with how it was decorated.

High ceilings with a big crystal chandelier hanging at the center. Two prestine white couches that face the glass center table. The leather recliner Mr. Na comissioned from a luxury brand was at the corner beside the massage chair from the Jungs. A big smart tv that was always playing the news. A bookshelf with books as old as time. And a family portrait of Jaemin and his parents. That was only the living room, the rest were more extravagant from the last.


Karina took off her shoes. While the Na's weren't particularly traditional asians (they insist on wearing your shoes since their tiled floors were ‘dirty’), she chose to go through her traditional roots. The tiles were gleaming white and she feared the dirt she stepped on would tarnish it.


Jaemin had left her by the door, quick to make way to the kitchen where he had tea brewing. He saw karina have an  internal conflict outside his house. And while he lnew little how to solve that type of conflict, he did know that tea was a good remedy.


He took the kettle off the stove, carrying it over to the marble kitchen island where who tea cups with teabags. He poured the hot water, softly blowing the steam away before returning the kettle back on the stove. He can deal with that later.


He pulled open one of the cabinets, taking out the sigar packet his mother prepared in case they needed sugar on the go. He placed one beside the cup before slowly pushing the cup away from him. He clasped his hands together, placing them solemly on the island.


“so  what do you want to talk about?” he asked karina who entered the kitchen. He stared down at her.


“depends on who I am talking to.” karina pulled one of the stools, sitting on it as she pulled the teacup prepared for her.


“It's jaemin. I've,” jaemin sighed, “been in control recently.”


“then you must know what the rest has done.”


“I...” jaemin smacked his lips, letting out a heavy breath. “I have. It's awful. I apologize.”


“You're not supposed to say that to me.” karina said calmly, afraid she would tick something inside jaemin, causing him to shift. “you're supposed—”


“say it to winter. Yeah, yeah.” he rolled his eyes. “I know, and while I am aware that I owe her an apology. I believe I deserve one first.”


Karina scoffed, “what? For lying to you?”


“no,” jaemin hissed, “for—”


“look jaemin,” karina called, seriousness evident in her voice. “not everyone is wrong. Not everything jeno says is right.”


Jaemin scoffed,“I am well aware of that.”


“then why do tail after jeno like some mutt?” karina challenged, raising a brow. “I know you still like him, even if you force yourself to be with hendery and talk to shotaro for the sake you can have jeno one way or other.”


“karina,” jaemin warned dangerously, “you should be perfectly aware that my relationship with jeno is purely planotic. Yes, I still like him but I would not that make a reason for me to cheat with hendery. And while jeno was my breaking point, hendery was my sanctuary.”


“really? Cheating isn't just about sleeping around and kissing. ” karina sneered, “no one ecen thinks you and hendery are dating. Hell, no one even thinks jeno is dating shotaro because of you!”


Jaemin slammed his fist on the island. “because it's not supposed to be this way, okay!? I was supposed to be with jeno but shotaro came along and flipped the fucking story! I—” he took a deep breath before breathing out, “I got them together.”


“because jeno asked you, right?” Unbelievable, jaemin was ready to feel pain for the sake of the happiness of some guy. “he fucking broke you jaemin.”


“the world did it to me first!” jaemin bellowed, wanting to throw something. He could feel thumping inside his brain. “I libed a fucking shitty life karina. You think I would be this sane without jeno? Of course not! My parents won't take me to the doctor becaus ethey don't believe in mental illness. And you think I won't get scolded if I said I was sick? You out of all the fucking people who know me should know that my parents would scold everytime I get sick. They don't care if I'm sick, Karina. They only fucking of my fucking—”




“I was the reason why winter got into boys high.”



“w-what?”


“I was the reason why winter got into the boys high. I messed with her applications form.” karina reiterated. She eyed jaemin expectantly.


Silence enveloped them for seconds to minutes, until karina felt suffocated by it. “jaem—”



“so jeno was right.” jaemin utter dejectly, voice soft. “so jeno was fucking right all along.”


“jaem—”


“I shouldn't care.” jaemin concluded, “But I should.”


“jaem—”


“I have enough proof to destroy your relationship with winter.” he took out  the recorder that was inside one of the drawers. He always had one in case his parents would clain he did something he didn't. He looked at her smugly. “I bet you told her that you would love her whether as minjeong or winter.” he cackled, “ that you'd love her no matter what form she chooses. but let's be honest, you only  wanted winter. It was never minjeong.”


Karina frowned at the assumption. “of course—”


“unless you want your relationship with winter to be good as ash, I suggest you follow what I say.” jaemin offered. He knew karina liked winter enough to do anything he bidded for the sake of love. Pathetic love sick fool. “leave me and jeno alone. Don't meddle with our fucking business.”


It was far from what karina wanted. She wanted a happy ending for all of them. She wanted them to be with the person they were supposed to be with. That included sungchan. “I can't do that. That's not—”


“Ae, send this to—”


Karina’s eyes widen, recognizing the familiar home system that was gifted to the Na's by the jungs. The lights around the room turned into a neo champagne color. “wait!”


Jaemin looked at karina expectantly. “well?”


“I'll do it.” karina replied dejectly. “Just, don't tell winter.”


“then so be it.” jaemin snapped his fingers, the light turning back into it's original white color. “you know me well. I don't go back from my word.”


“jaem—”


“till next time, Karina.”

-𝐭𝐛𝐜-

If you're confused, then I'm confused. Sorry for the sudden update at late hours >.< I finally got to finish the chapter since this the only time I could squeeze it in. Classes is being a bitch but oh well. Hope you like it. Hi:)

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