We Found Love

Chapter 6

Karina hears the soft ding from the elevator and walks out slowly, eyes still glued to her phone screen while her thumbs are busy typing another reply to her boss.

It's been a very long week and it feels as if she's been working there for a year instead of a month. Right from the start, her boss has pressured her to get up to speed with the company's operations and although she loves the challenge and distraction from her dramatic private life, there's only so much her brain and body can take. So after a month of practically non-stop working and one heck of an adjustment, she decides that she's going to switch her phone off tomorrow—since it's Saturday—and sleep in. Maybe she'll even go shopping.

Unexpectedly, throughout this whirlwind of a month, the one person that continues to support her and practically became her confidante is Winter.

She'd ask her for advice or input on work stuff and the brunette would gladly listen. Coincidentally, Winter has been coming home on time and staying in nearly every night so they were able to have plenty of conversations and naturally, they also got to know each other better.

After she sends her final long reply, she bids her boss goodnight and silences her phone.

She's about to put her bag in her room when she hears noises in the kitchen.

Thinking that it's Winter, she immediately heads towards the kitchen, eager to tell her about the latest development on the project they've been discussing.

The large fridge door is open and she can see short legs that end in a pair of pink fuzzy slippers.

"Hey, guess what," she says as she places her bag on the kitchen counter and sits down on the stool.

That's when she realizes that the woman rummaging in the fridge is not the owner of the penthouse.

The girl is just as petite as Winter but her hair color is lighter. And her body is definitely very different from Winter's, she notices when the girl turns around.

"Err... who are you?" she asks.

"You must be Karina," says the girl with a smile. She closes the fridge door and goes to take a spoon from the drawer to eat the ice cream in her hands. "Where's Win?"

"Who's Win?"

"Win. That's Winter's nickname but I guess you're not on nickname-level yet," says the girl. "Ice cream?" she offers the open pint after taking a bite.

"No, thanks. Who are you?" Repeats Karina.

"I'm Ningning." The girl places the spoon inside her mouth so that she can extend her hand towards Karina.

She shakes the hand hesitantly.

"I'm Winter's friend."

"Oh. How did you... get inside?"

"My fingerprint and retina scan have been in her system for years," says Ningning who takes a seat across from Karina. "Nice to finally meet you. I guess she hasn't mentioned me yet, huh?"

"Not yet. We don't really talk much anyway."

Ningning nods contemplatively while nibbling on her spoon. Her eyes never leave Karina and they make her feel awkward.

"I'm going to shower and change," she finally says, hopping off the stool.

Twenty minutes later, after she has showered and changed, she comes out of her room to hear voices in the kitchen, halting her steps.

"Seriously, you're so nosy, Ning Yizhuo!"

She hears Winter's voice and assumes that the woman's talking to her friend Ningning although she doesn't recognize the name 'Ning Yizhuo'.