“Anything within reason,” he replied, smirking.
She gasped with excitement, immediately grabbing his hand and dragging him into a nearby store. Wynter could see why she’d chosen it—one glance inside and he was surrounded by pastel colors, oversized bows, and clothing racks lined with ruffled skirts, glittered handbags, and floral hair accessories.Everything was drenched in that dreamy, whimsical feel he’d come to associate with the shoujo manga Bae read endlessly.
“Oh my gosh, look at this!” She held up a jacket covered in patches of baby blue clouds and tiny pink hearts, the sleeves wide and puffy. “This is something I think Sawako fromKimi ni Todokewould wear.”
Wynter shrugged. “Yeah, I can see that, it’s also very you.”
“Just ‘that’s you’? You don’t think it’s cute?” she teased, holding it up to her shoulders and doing a twirl.
“It’s cute,” he said with a slight nod. “But I’m no fashion expert when it comes to your preferences.” He motioned for her to keep going. “Let’s see what else catches your eye.”
They moved from store to store, Bae’s choices getting more elaborate by the minute. She tried on skirts decorated with stars and moons, dresses printed with huge-eyed characters, and sparkly earrings shaped like strawberries and hearts. Each time, she’d look at Wynter with that eager sparkle, waiting for his approval, and each time he just gave a nod and a relaxed, “If you like it, I’ll get it, no hesitation.”
As her pile of shopping bags grew, Wynter simply adjusted them on his arms, never once complaining. He saw the way her eyes shone with excitement as she put together her next outfit, layering colors and patterns he could barely wrap his head around.
Eventually, they settled down for a break at a little café, both of them clutching mugs of hot chocolate. Bae was practically glowing as she talked him through every item in her bags, listing out the outfits she’d wear to school.
“Thank you for today,” she said, pausing to give him an earnest smile. “I know my style isn’t exactly… mainstream.”
Wynter just shrugged again, taking a sip of his drink. “You like it, don’t you? That’s all that matters. Besides, you’re gonna look like a comic book character strutting through Nottingham. It’squite grey and dull, I’m happy you can bring some color into a place like that.”
She laughed, eyes shining. “You mean that as a compliment, right?”
“Of course,” he said with a smirk. “It’s you, Bae. Wouldn’t expect anything less.”
As they headed back into the chilly afternoon, Bae looped her arm through his, her bright bags swinging by her side. Wynter didn’t say it, but watching her light up had been the best part of his day; he hoped she’d never stop shining.
But even still there was only one lingering reminder on his mind—Yesoh. He had to speak to her, he had to make things right.
That night, Bae crept into Wynter’s room, her eyes glinting with mischief as she spotted his laptop, left open and unlocked on his desk. She glanced back toward the door, listening for any sign that he was coming back, but the apartment was silent. Wynter was busy in the kitchen, preoccupied with making dinner and, as usual, blissfully unaware of her schemes.
With a grin, Bae settled in front of the screen, her fingers poised over the keyboard. Channelling her best “Wynter” voice, she quickly typed out a message:
“Hey, meet at my place tomorrow night. No questions asked.”
She sent it to the group chat—Jax, Sydney, Cahya, and, most importantly, Yesoh. She knew the vague, urgent tone would grab their attention, especially Yesoh’s. Satisfied, she closed the laptop, leaving everything exactly as she’d found it.
A few minutes later, Wynter wandered back in, tossing a casual glance her way.
“What are you doing in here?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Just… Making sure you haven’t lost anything important,” Bae replied innocently, standing up and brushing off her hands. “You really should lock your laptop, though.”
Wynter shot her a suspicious look, but before he could press further, his laptop buzzed with replies—each one confirming that they’d be there.
Bae grinned to herself, already picturing the look on his face when he realized he was hosting an unplanned gathering. And best of all, Yesoh would have no choice but to face him, the way Bae had wanted them to for ages. He might kill her for it though, but she didn’t mind.
19
Fort King Kwon
YESOH'S POV
Present day
I paced back and forth in my dorm room, Sydney and Remi seated in front of me on my bed, watching me spiral over a single text message.
"Soh, if you go on like this, you're going to burst a blood vessel," Remi warned, tossing me the teddy bear on my bed, which I caught and squeezed for dear life.
