Chapter Text
Dr. Karina Yu had always considered herself a rational person. As an ob-gyn, she dealt with facts, figures, and the irrefutable truths of the human body on a daily basis. Emotions, while important, took a backseat to logic and reason in her line of work.
So why, then, did she find herself agreeing to the most irrational request she'd ever received?
It all started on a perfectly ordinary Tuesday evening. Karina had just finished a grueling shift at the hospital, delivering three babies and dealing with a particularly challenging case of preeclampsia. All she wanted was to curl up on her couch with a pint of strawberry ice cream and binge-watch her favorite drama.
But fate, it seemed, had other plans.
Just as she was settling in, spoon poised over the inviting pink confection, her phone buzzed with an incoming text. Karina almost ignored it, assuming it was Giselle or one of her other friends checking in. However, the unfamiliar number piqued her curiosity.
Scooping up her phone, Karina swiped to open the message:
Hey, it's Winter Kim. Got your number from Ningning. I need a favor.
Karina blinked at the screen, perplexed. Winter Kim? As in, the intimidatingly beautiful, sassy lawyer friend-of-a-friend she'd met a handful of times at group gatherings? That Winter Kim?
They weren't close by any means - acquaintances at best, really. Winter always struck Karina as the aloof, independent type, not someone who'd casually reach out for favors from near-strangers.
Intrigued despite herself, Karina typed back:
Hi Winter, this is a surprise! What kind of favor are we talking about?
The three dots appeared almost instantly, Winter's reply popping up a moment later.
I need you to be my fake girlfriend.
If Karina had been eating her ice cream, she would've choked on it. Fake girlfriend? Was this some kind of prank? She stared at the words, half-expecting them to rearrange themselves into something less absurd.
When they remained stubbornly unchanged, she replied:
I'm sorry, I must have read that wrong. You need me to be your what now?
A fake girlfriend. Do try to keep up, Doctor.
Karina could practically hear Winter's signature deadpan snark through the screen. She huffed, torn between amusement and exasperation.
Right, how silly of me. Because that's such a normal thing to ask of someone you barely know. Mind elaborating on why you need a fake girlfriend all of a sudden?
There was a long pause before Winter's next message popped up:
It's a long story. Buy me coffee tomorrow and I'll explain. Usual place, 2pm. Don't be late.
Karina hesitated, glancing forlornly at her waiting ice cream. She should say no. She had no business getting mixed up in whatever scheme Winter was cooking up. The smart thing would be to politely decline and go back to her quiet, uncomplicated life.
But Karina had to admit, she was intrigued. The mysterious Winter Kim, reaching out for her help? It was too tantalizing to resist. Before she could talk herself out of it, she found herself typing:
Make it a large caramel latte and you've got yourself a deal. See you at 2.
Perfect. Don't be late, Yu. I despise tardiness.
And just like that, with zero fanfare or room for argument, Karina found herself roped into meeting up with Winter Kim to discuss being her fake girlfriend. What alternate reality had she stumbled into?
She groaned, flopping back against the couch cushions. So much for a quiet night in. Apparently the universe had decided her love life, or rather, lack thereof, needed some spicing up.
Fake dating Winter Kim. Karina couldn't quite wrap her head around it. The woman was undeniably gorgeous with her fiery red hair, sharp wit and piercing gaze, but she seemed so out of Karina's league it wasn't even funny.
Where Karina was soft curves and gentle smiles, Winter was all sharp angles and cutting remarks. They moved in the same social circles, sure, but that was where the similarities ended.
Karina was the type to wear her heart on her sleeve, always ready with a kind word or sympathetic ear. Winter, on the other hand, guarded her emotions like a hawk, an air of mystery and aloofness clinging to her like an expensive perfume.
Frankly, Karina wasn't entirely sure Winter even liked her. Their interactions thus far had been limited to polite small talk and the occasional traded barb when Winter was feeling particularly snarky.
So why on earth would she want Karina, of all people, to play the role of adoring girlfriend? It didn't make sense.
But Karina was nothing if not curious (some might say to a fault). And if she was being honest with herself, the prospect of getting to know the enigmatic Winter Kim better held a certain appeal.
Against her better judgement, Karina found herself mentally rearranging her schedule to accommodate this bizarre coffee date. She'd go, hear Winter out, and then politely decline. No need to overcomplicate things, right?
Oh, how naive she was.
--
The next day found Karina fidgeting nervously in a booth at the quaint coffee shop Winter had designated as their meeting spot. She'd arrived fifteen minutes early like the punctual, people-pleasing doctor she was, and now had entirely too much time to second guess her decision to come at all.
She didn't have to wonder for long. At precisely 2 o'clock, the bell over the door chimed and Winter strode in, drawing every eye in the room. Karina felt her mouth go dry at the sight of her. Winter Kim strode in like she owned the place, all confidence and devastating beauty wrapped in a perfectly tailored suit. Her vibrant hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail, emphasizing the sharp cut of her jawline and the striking symmetry of her features.
Karina suddenly felt very underdressed in her simple sundress and cardigan, self-consciously smoothing non-existent wrinkles from the floral fabric.
Winter spotted her immediately, sauntering over with a smirk playing about her lips. She slid into the booth opposite Karina, crossing her legs with liquid grace.
"Yu," she greeted, sliding into the chair opposite Karina with boneless grace. "I see you opted for pastels and florals again. How charmingly predictable."
Karina fought the urge to fidget with her admittedly demure sundress, feeling suddenly underdressed next to Winter's effortless chic. "Yes, well, some of us have to be in the office later," she said a touch defensively. "We can't all spend our days power-posing in designer suits."
Winter's smirk only widened, eyes glinting with amusement. "Shame," she drawled, flagging down a passing barista. "You'd cut quite the figure in Armani, Doctor."
"Right," Karina said slowly. "Well, thanks for meeting with me. I have to admit, your text caught me a bit off guard..."
"I imagine it did," Winter replied, looking entirely unrepentant. "But I figured there was no sense beating around the bush. I need a fake girlfriend, you're my best option."
Karina shook her head incredulously. "See, that's the part I'm struggling with. Why on earth do you need a fake girlfriend? And why me, of all people?"
The waiter returned with their coffees, momentarily halting the conversation. Winter took a sip of her americano, considering Karina over the rim of her mug with assessing eyes.
"Mmm, straight to the point. I like that about you, Doctor." Winter leaned back in her chair, studying Karina over the rim of her americano. "Here's the deal. My ex, Yunjin, is back in town and being a complete thorn in my side. Despite making it abundantly clear that our relationship is deader than last season's Louboutins, she seems to think we're just on a break. I need to disabuse her of that notion. Forcefully."
Karina frowned. "I'm sorry, that sounds difficult. But I don't understand what that has to do with me..."
Winter sighed impatiently. "I'm getting to that. See, Yunjin doesn't know how to take no for an answer. I've told her repeatedly that we're done, but she refuses to accept it. So I need to show her, in no uncertain terms, that I've moved on."
Understanding started to dawn on Karina. "And you think having a fake girlfriend will convince her?"
"Exactly," Winter said, looking pleased. "If Yunjin sees me all loved up with someone new, she'll have to back off. And that's where you come in, Yu."
Karina took a fortifying sip of her latte, trying to gather her thoughts. "Okay, but why me specifically? We're not exactly close. Wouldn't it make more sense to ask one of your actual friends?"
"Ah, but that's precisely why it has to be you," Winter countered, setting down her mug with a decisive clink. "Yunjin knows all my friends. She'd sniff out the deception in a heartbeat. But you? You're an unknown variable. Fresh meat, so to speak." Her eyes sparkled with mirth, enjoying her own joke.
"Gee, thanks," Karina muttered, rolling her eyes. "Glad to know my role in this charade is 'fresh meat.'"
Winter's grin softened into something almost sincere. "What I mean is, there's no reason for Yunjin to doubt we're together. It's the perfect alibi - the dedicated doctor and the high-powered lawyer, finding love against all odds. It's practically a drama plot waiting to happen."
"Or a complete disaster," Karina pointed out wryly. She shook her head, taking a bracing sip of her latte. "I don't know, Winter. It all seems a bit...far-fetched. Couldn't you just, I don't know, tell Yunjin point-blank to back off?"
"Don't you think I've tried that?" Winter asked, a thread of frustration bleeding into her voice. "The woman is relentless. Short of taking out a restraining order, this is my best option."
Her gaze turned imploring, the most vulnerable Karina had ever seen her. "Please, Karina. I know it's a lot to ask, but I wouldn't have come to you if I had any other choice. I'll owe you a huge favor - anything you want, name it and it's yours."
Karina wasn't convinced. The whole plan seemed ill-advised at best and a complete disaster at worst. She opened her mouth to gently turn Winter down, but something in the other woman's expression stopped her.
Beneath the bravado and devil-may-care attitude, Karina caught a glimpse of genuine distress. It was subtle, but unmistakable - a tightness around Winter's mouth, a hint of desperation in her eyes.
Clearly, this Yunjin situation was really getting under her skin. And despite their relative unfamiliarity, Karina found she couldn't stand the thought of Winter suffering alone.
"Alright," she heard herself say, the words tumbling out before she could snatch them back. "I'll do it. I'll be your fake girlfriend."
Winter blinked, seemingly taken aback by Karina's acquiescence. Then a slow, genuine smile spread across her face, softening her sharp features into something dangerously close to beautiful.
"Excellent," she purred, raising her mug in a mock toast. "To our glorious fake romance, then. May it be convincing enough to send Yunjin packing."
Karina clinked their mugs together, trying to ignore the butterflies suddenly taking flight in her stomach. What had she just gotten herself into?
Over the next hour, Winter laid out the details of their ruse between sips of coffee and the occasional blueberry scone (which she insisted Karina try, claiming they were "orgasmic").
They would need to be seen together regularly, both in group settings and one-on-one "dates," to really sell the charade. Hand-holding, pet names, and occasional PDA were all on the table.
Karina felt her cheeks heat at that last bit, but Winter seemed completely unfazed. Apparently, she had no problem playing gay chicken with her fake girlfriend. Good to know.
They agreed to keep the circle of people "in the know" as small as possible to minimize the risk of Yunjin catching wind of the deception. Giselle and Ningning could be trusted to play along and provide alibis if needed, but everyone else would be left in the dark.
"The key is to act naturally," Winter said, dabbing at her lips with a napkin. "We need to seem like any other obnoxiously affectionate new couple. Goggle eyes, pet names, the whole nine. Think you can handle that, Yu?"
Karina threw her crumpled up napkin at Winter's smirking face, earning a peal of surprised laughter. "You're impossible," she huffed, fighting a smile. "I deserve an Oscar for this, I swear."
Winter smirked. "That's the spirit. And who knows, you might even enjoy it. I've been told I'm quite the catch."
"So humble too," Karina muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Humble is boring," Winter retorted. "I prefer to be extraordinary."
And extraordinary she was, Karina had to admit. Even in this casual setting, Winter exuded an aura of power and self-assurance that was impossible to ignore. She commanded attention effortlessly, turning heads without even trying.
Karina, by contrast, had always faded into the background. She was pretty, but in a forgettable way - the girl next door, forever relegated to the friend zone. Imagining herself as the object of Winter's affections, even fictionally, was almost laughable.
But Winter seemed confident in their ability to pull it off. She'd instructed Karina to start thinking of cute anecdotes and couple-y details about their fictional relationship to drop into conversation when the moment arose.
"Make it believable," she'd said sternly. "As far as anyone knows, I'm mad about you. We're in the giddy honeymoon phase where everything is rainbows and orgasms, got it?"
Karina had choked on her latte at that, much to Winter's amusement. But she'd nodded gamely, promising to do her best to sell their love story.
They'd parted ways soon after, Winter off to strike fear into the hearts of corporate opponents and Karina to fret over her impending deception.
She couldn't quite believe she'd agreed to this absurd scheme. Fake dating Winter Kim? It was the stuff of drama plots, not real life. And yet, here she was, complicit in the ruse.
As she walked home, Karina tried to settle the riot of butterflies in her stomach. It was just acting, she told herself firmly. A few weeks of playing pretend, and then life would go back to normal.
Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that she'd just stepped into something far more complicated than she'd bargained for. Winter was an unknown quantity, equal parts alluring and intimidating.
Karina had a sinking suspicion that "fake" feelings could all too easily bleed into real ones given enough exposure. And wasn't that a terrifying thought?
But it was too late to back out now. She'd given her word, and Karina was nothing if not dependable. She would play the doting girlfriend to the best of her ability, and try not to let her traitorous heart get carried away in the process.
How hard could it be?
Famous last words, Karina. Famous last words.