Chapter Text
Katarina Yu doesn't believe in love at first sight. Because honestly? She finds it corny.
But it's been two years since she first crossed paths with the new transferee from the other section, two years since she saw the girl with long wavy brown hair looking like a lost puppy, staring blankly at the campus map, clutching a crumpled schedule she clearly couldn't make sense of, with this lost look on her face that was way too cute to watch (according to Kat, but shush!).
"Excuse me," Katarina said back then, not sure why she was even approaching the transferee eh wala naman talaga siyang pakialam sa mga bagong estudyante. "Are you lost?"
The girl looked at her, a little shy, then answered in a soft voice, "...Opo, alam niyo po ba kung saan yung 10-A?"
"10-A? Sabay na tayo." Kat said, and she even took the longest route to the building (even though she knew they'd both be late), she didn't know why, but she wanted to spend time with the transferee. Maybe it was the way the girl kept glancing around, clearly overwhelmed but too polite to say anything about it, or maybe it was just how out of place she looked, either way, Kat found herself slowing her pace, taking the scenic route on purpose. When they arrived, Kat walked her right up to the door of the room.
"..Salamat po." The girl thanked her shyly.
"Oh, no worries. Our rooms are right next to each other," Kat answered. "“Ano pala name mo..?"
"Oh! Winter."
"Winter?"
"Yes, Winter Kim."
"Ah, that's a pretty name." Kat said, trying to sound casual.
Winter gave her a small smile, then said, "Salamat po ulit." before disappearing into the room.
And that was it. Standing in the middle of the hallway, the first bell ringing, Kat realized something felt off. Her heartbeat wasn't doing its normal thing anymore. She didn't know what kind of feeling that was, but she knew one thing: she wanted to see that smile again.
From then on, there was no such thing as a normal day for Katarina Yu anymore.
Because every chance she got (during first period, whenever she had an excuse to step out of the room, any small reason just to leave their classroom) she'd sneak a glance at the window facing 10-A. And every time she saw Winter, even if just for a second, even just a glimpse, her heart would race so fast she was scared it would jump out of her chest.
She didn't get it. She never really cared much about her classmates before, especially people she barely knew. But Winter was different. There was something in the way she smiled, in the way she said "po" to literally everything, and in her cute little puppy-like face. The universe really didn't give Kat a chance; she was bound to fall for Winter one way or another.
"Uy, teh, ano problema mo?" Yizhuo asked, staring at Kat who looked like she was spacing out in the middle of their project discussion.
"..Huh? Nothing." Kat answered quickly, going back to her notebook like nothing happened.
But after a few seconds, there she goes again, sneaking a glance sa window.
Aeri looked at Yizhuo, they both blinked at the same time.
"Seriously though, how many times have you looked over there this week?" Aeri asked, half-laughing but with some confusion in her voice too. "May umaway ba sa’yo sa 10-A? Yung ex nung Jeno? You don't even like that guy, right?"
"Wala talaga, Aeri." Kat defended herself immediately, but her eyes went straight back to the window the moment she saw Winter step out of their classroom.
Aeri and Yizhuo followed her line of sight and exchanged looks, and from then on, they knew (BFF instincts, don't ask).
Winter Kim is Katarina Yu's eye candy.
Two years have passed since then. They're in 12th Grade now, and Aeri got separated from the group when they were split into strands, but by pure coincidence (or luck, who knows) she ended up being Winter's classmate mula Grade 11 hanggang ngayon. So all the news about Winter, even the most minor details, like her favorite pancit bihon from the canteen, all came from Aeri.
Katarina Yu has been pining over Winter Kim for two years now. She has rejected two people because of her, hoping that someday, Winter would finally look her way, and her dream of having a highschool sweetheart would finally come true.
It's been two years and Katarina Yu hasn't exactly done anything about her feelings towards Winter. But since it's their last year in high school, she realizes that it's about time to make a move.
So, during a study session in Yizhuo's room, she suddenly sat up from where she was lying on the bed and looked straight at Aeri.
"Aeri, can you ask Winter if she'd be willing to teach me Science?"
Aeri paused what she was doing. "...Huh?"
"Please, Aeri, please! I'm so desperate na oh." Katarina said, pressing her palms together and pouting, practically begging.
Yizhuo, who had been quietly minding her own business on the other side of the room, suddenly sat up straight, eyes wide. "Sandali lang— after two years, ngayon mo lang gagawin 'to?"
"It's our last year, Yiz!" Kat groaned, burying her face in one of the throw pillows. "If I don't do something now, then when?"
Aeri sighed, setting her pen down. "Okay, but— why a tutor? Kaya mo naman aralin ang Science ah."
"Well, I need an excuse na hindi sus." Kat lifted her head just enough to look at Aeri, matter-of-fact in her tone. "Tutoring is the perfect excuse."
"Hayaan mo na ‘yan si bakla," Yizhuo giggled. "May plano na ata yan."
"..Okay." Aeri finally said, grabbing her phone from the desk. "I'll text her, you owe me for this ah ."
"I'll do anything!" Kat clasped her hands together again, eyes practically sparkling.
A few minutes later, it went quiet while Aeri typed out the message. Kat, meanwhile, could barely breathe from the nerves, biting her nails while staring at Aeri.
"Okay, sent." Aeri looked up. "I told her you need help reviewing for the CETs—"
Aeri's phone buzzed. She read the message, then looked up at Kat with a small smile.
"She said yes. She said she barely checks her Facebook anyway, so it might be better if you two just talk through iMessage instead."
Kat blinked. "...Her iMessage?"
Aeri was already typing something on her phone before sending Kat Winter's number and email.
"Bait pala ni Winter, for free yan, Kat? Sali mo nalang ako.” Yizhuo said, giggling with Aeri.
But Kat was busy with her phone, and with shaking hands, she clicked on the email and number Aeri sent and opened a new message thread.
She typed. Deleted. Typed again. Deleted again.
Maybe: Winter Kim
She stared at the message for another five seconds, thumb hovering over the send button, heart pounding like it wanted to escape her ribcage.
She pressed send.
The message delivered instantly. Kat set her phone down on Yizhuo's bed, face down, as if she couldn't bring herself to look at the screen directly.
"So?" Aeri asked, clearly amused.
"She hasn't replied yet." Kat groaned into a pillow. "Baka wrong namessage ko, or baka she finds me weird— wala kaming proper interaction tapos magpapa-tut—"
Her phone buzzed.
Kat practically lunged for her phone, almost dropping it twice before she managed to unlock the screen.
- Hi Winter! This is Kat, Aeri's friend! She told me you might be able to tutor me in Science, if that's okay with you?
- hi kat! I remember you!!! you walked me to my room on my first day, right? ^-^
- i can tutor you, when are you free?
Maybe: Winter Kim
Today, 5:42 PM
Kat stared at the screen, reading the messages over and over like they'd disappear if she blinked too long.
"My heart.." Kat said quietly, more to herself than to anyone else in the room.
"Teh? OA lang talaga." Yizhuo said flatly, not even looking up from her phone.
"No, but—" Kat sat up, phone still clutched in both hands. "She remembers nung ni-walk ko siya to her room! It's been two years!"
Aeri raised an eyebrow. "Okay, and? Reply na, she's waiting."
Right, replying. Kat cleared her throat, typed for a bit, deleted half of it, then finally settled on something normal enough to send without overthinking it.
- hi kat! I remember you!!! you walked me to my room on my first day, right? ^-^
- i can tutor you, when are you free?
- Omg yes that was me hahaha. And pretty much anytime tbh, whatever's convenient for you naman
- saturday maybe? library sa mall malapit sa school? mas quiet doon
- Saturday works! What time?
- 1pm? i'll bring my notes from last quarter, might help :D
- Perfect, see you then! Thank you so much again Winter, you're saving my life
- no problem! see you saturday ^-^
Maybe: Winter Kim
Kat set her phone down, finally, and let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding the entire time.
"Kat?" Aeri asked, worried with the way Kat's whole face looked like it was about to combust.
"…I feel like my heart's beating out of my chest." Kat said, voice a little dazed, like she still couldn't process that this was actually happening.
Yizhuo let out a low whistle. "Yie, kinikilig."
"Malamang, Yiz. I like her a lot, okay?"
"..Super down bad." Aeri said, not even bothering to hide her smile.
Kat threw a pillow at her, which only made both Aeri and Yizhuo laugh harder.
Still, later that night, lying in bed and staring at her ceiling, Kat found herself reading the conversation over and over — the way Winter typed in lowercase, the little emoticons, and the fact that she'd offered to bring her own notes without even being asked!!!
Katarina had four days to ready herself.
And ready herself she did.
Kat started to sleep early — para maiwasan ang eyebags at para hindi magmukhang haggard sa harap ni Winter Kim. Si Yizhuo, na usually kasabay niya sa pagpupuyat, ay nadamay na rin at maagang natutulog.
By Saturday morning, Kat was sitting in front of her vanity as Yizhuo applied foundation on her face, While Aeri went through Kat’s whole closet.
”Yiz, pink or yellow?” Aeri asked, holding up two sundresses.
”Pink.”
”But Winter’s favorite color is yellow..”Kat butts in.
”Mas bagay talaga sayo yung pink, ate girl.” Yizhuo answered. Napasmile at napailing naman si Aeri as Kat pouted.
”Okay,” Sagot ni Aeri. “Do you want to wear a cardigan with this, Kat?”
“Um, no.”
“Are you sure? Hindi ka lalamigin dun?”
”I’ll just.. tiis ganda, I guess.” Napatawa naman ang mga kaibigan niya.
When they were finally done, Kat looked at herself sa mirror. Her hair curled with soft waves, her cheeks with a little bit of pink tint, and the pink sundress that did, in fact, look good on her.
“Okay,” Yizhuo said, pinching her cheek. “Go get your girl.”
”Hindi ko siya girl.” Nauutal na sagot ni Kat.
”Yet.” Aeri added, and Kat had to force them out of her room to calm down her reddening face.
Kat got there 30 minutes early. She realized that she’d rather wait for Winter than be late. Kaya here she is, sitting at a table near the window, staring at nothing.
She also hasn’t eaten anything at all. Not even breakfast. She was so nervous that she felt like her stomach was churning and she would throw up anytime. So, she told herself she’d eat afterwards (with the hopes of eating dinner with Winter. LOL!).
At exactly one pm, Kat looked up to the scraping of a chair, and saw Winter, na parang nagmamadali, her hair a little bit disheveled, her cheeks a little bit pink, probably from the heat outside, and with her tote bag on one shoulder. She was wearing an oversized tee with linen shorts, and her cute little white headband.
“Hi Kat! Did you wait long?” Winter asked, medyo hinihingal, she immediately sat across Kat.
”Oh no, I just got here lang din.” Kat answered, which was a lie, obviously, she’d been waiting for 30 minutes.
They immediately started, going through Winter’s notes, and turns out, magaling pala magturo si Winter. She’s been super patient, explaining concepts in her soft voice, and even drawing to make sure Kat understood. But Kat couldn’t focus, all she could think about was how cute Winter looked thinking, with her eyebrows slightly furrowed and a slight pout on her lips, or how she kept tucking her hair behind her ears. It also didn’t help that Winter scooted closer to Kat, and Kat could smell Winter’s perfume, taking over her entire being.
But out of nowhere, Kat’s stomach grumbled.
Kat froze. There was a beat of silence.
Winter’s laugh cut through it.
“Ay sorry—” she said between giggles. “I just didn’t expect—”
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," Kat said, mortified, her face as red as a tomato. “I didn’t eat buong araw, I was really nervou—” she stopped herself before she said too much, “Um… CETs… the pressure’s kicking in.”
Winter was still smiling, that soft, amused smile, and Kat's stomach did something else entirely; a flutter that had nothing to do with hunger and everything to do with the sound of that laugh. She genuinely couldn't tell anymore which one was making her feel like this: the fact that she hadn't eaten all day, or the fact that Winter Kim had just laughed because of her.
"Wait lang," Winter said, already reaching into her tote bag. "Good thing I made you something."
She pulled out two foil-wrapped sandwiches, setting one down gently in front of Kat. There was a small pink sticky note pressed onto the foil, with Winter's neat handwriting.
para di ka mahilo sa pagaaral! kain muna, tapos push through natin 'to — we’ll pass the CETs together, Kat! :)
— W