WINTER SECRETS

November 10th – The Cafeteria Showdown

Carrie and Leo were peacefully having lunch when Ava came charging toward them like she had just escaped from a zombie apocalypse. Her hair was a mess, her breathing was uneven, and her expression screamed chaos.

"What happened?" Carrie asked, alarmed by her friend's dramatic entrance.

Ava flopped onto the seat next to Leo, still gasping for air. "Have you read the article on the student page?"

Carrie frowned. "What's going on?"

"Read this." Ava shoved her phone toward Carrie.

Carrie glanced at the screen and immediately lost interest. "'Latest Couple Updates'? Seriously, Ava? Why are you stressing over gossip? I don't even know half these people." She rolled her eyes, shoving the phone back.

Ava didn't budge. "Have you actually read it?"

"Nope. Don't want to."

"It's about you and Alex."

Carrie snatched the phone back so fast that Ava barely had time to blink. Her eyes raced through the article until she reached the last sentence. Her breath hitched. There, captured in perfect clarity, was the moment she had hugged Jae-wook in his car.

"So... is it true?" Ava asked, chewing her bottom lip. "I know it's not, but it's kinda hard to deny. I mean, you were hugging him, and at a drive-in theater no less. Plus, half the school saw you two at the mall."

"Who wrote this?" Carrie demanded, her fingers tightening around the phone.

"It's an anonymous platform," Leo sighed, setting the phone down after reading it himself.

Carrie exhaled sharply. "We weren't hugging. I hugged him. I got attacked that day, and he saved me. I was thanking him and just got emotional. Plus you two knew why we were at the mall together." She abruptly stood up. "Where's Jae-wook?"

"Probably at home. But I really don't think you should see him right now," Leo warned.

"I need to take responsibility for my actions."

"And what about the rest of the school? Jae-wook has a lot of admirers, you know," Ava added, her tone skeptical.

"I don't care about anyone else's opinions. As long as you two believe me, that's enough." Carrie turned on her heel and strode out.

Leo exhaled, shaking his head. "She's definitely in trouble this time."

Ava shrugged. "Why is this even an issue? It's not like he has a dating ban or something."

Leo stared at her like she had just announced she was moving to Mars. "He does… and it's worse than a K-pop trainee's."

---

MEANWHILE

Jae-wook paced restlessly around his living room, AirPods in, listening to what seemed to be an increasingly frustrating phone call. His expression was twisted in irritation, exhaustion painting dark circles under his eyes.

"Mr. Liam, I'm telling you, there's nothing between me and that girl. And my grades aren't going to suffer," he said, rubbing his temples.

"Mr. Alex," Mr. Liam's voice was firm, "I agreed to work with you because I saw great potential. Dating can be a massive distraction."

Jae-wook groaned. "That's why I'm saying—there's nothing going on. She was just having a rough day."

"And that's how it always starts," Mr. Liam countered. "One day, you're being 'considerate,' the next, you're madly in love, and before you know it—"

"That's not happening." Jae-wook cut him off. "I have perfect control over my emotions. Besides, she's not my type. She's a sharp witted spoiled brat, and I can't work with that."

As soon as the line went dead a slow clap echoed behind him.

Jae-wook froze for the first time he didn't notice her presence in the arena.

"Wow." Carrie's voice dripped with sarcasm. "It's so nice to know what you really think of me. A spoiled brat?" She scoffed. "Not surprised."

"Carrie—"

"Oh, so you do know my name? And here I thought I was just 'spoiled brat' to you." Carrie folded her arms. "At least I don't spend my dad's money like it's Monopoly cash. I actually have manners and self-respect. Can't say the same for someone who acts like they were raised by wolves."

Jae-wook's jaw clenched. "Carrie!"

She ignored him. "Do you behave like this at home? Should I feel bad for your parents?"

Jae-wook's patience snapped like an overused rubber band. "Don't. Cross. The. Line."

"Oh, I already did." Carrie smirked. "And I'd do it a thousand times over. Because guess what? I'm really just a sharp witted spoilt brat."

His fists clenched. "How long are you going to keep pestering my life? Ever since you arrived in this city, it's been hell. Can't you just leave?"

Carrie let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, please. Your life was already a mess before I got here. And you can't blame me! If you hadn't patted my hair that night, I never would've hugged you."

Jae-wook gasped dramatically. "Are you seriously blaming me for showing sympathy?"

Carrie shot back. "I never asked for it! You should've just let me cry in peace. And let's be real—this is only a big deal because of you. Nobody cares if Carrie has a boyfriend. But if Jae-wook so much as breathes near a girl, the whole school explodes."

"Oh my God," Jae-wook groaned. "You are the most annoying person on this planet."

Carrie's eyes narrowed. "You should have sympathy for your parents. How do they even tolerate you? You could annoy a rock into crumbling."

"내가 짜증 난다고 생각해?" Jae-wook scoffed. "넌 모든 사람을 미치게 만드는 장본인이야! 나무 막대기조차도 널 견디지 못할 걸."

"Do you know what's even more annoying?" Carrie fumed. "I didn't understand a single word of your rant."

Jae-wook rolled his eyes. "Ohhh, I almost forgot how dumb Americans can be."

Carrie gasped dramatically. "Excuse me?! That's it!" She yanked her eyelids sideways. "How does that feel, YELLOW!?"

Jae-wook blinked. "I don't even have small eyes."

"And I'm not even American, you idiot! I'm Canadian!" Carrie snapped before storming out, only to find Ava and Leo watching with identical oh damn expressions.

She glared at them. "What?!"

Neither spoke as she stomped past them and out the door.

Ava turned to Leo. "Should we do something?"

Leo exhaled. "No. Now that they've screamed at each other, things might actually get better." His voice held a tinge of sadness.

Ava patted his back. "It'll be okay. They just need to get used to each other."

"I hope so," Leo muttered.

---

Meanwhile...

Carrie stomped down the street, still fuming. "Who does he think he is? Some Korean Chris Hemsworth?" She let out a sarcastic laugh. "I would never fall for someone like her" she said in a mocking voice repeating what jae-wook said on the phone.

A group of high school kids nearby stared at her, wide-eyed, whispering among themselves.

She rolled her eyes. "Why are you all staring?" she said and huffed "kids these days have no respect"

"I think she's crazy," another whispered as they walked away.

Carrie huffed. "I hate him," she grumbled, kicking a stray rock.

Unfortunately, it bounced off the pavement and smacked her shin.

"Son of a—!"

Yeah. It was definitely a bad day.