#solhwi fanfiction

[sxfik]

he’s earth and heaven to you (you can’t conceal it)

read on ao3 • main masterlist • law school masterlist

summary: Kang Sol A, just wants a one normal year. Just one year without some kind of explosion, or murder, or world ending event. Unfortunately, disaster has struck in the form of a 5' 11" insufferable, quidditch player and genius Han Joon Hwi and their friends who thought it was great idea to lock the two in a cupboard.

word count: 11.5k words

a/n: user niki is back at it with another au fluff/light angst fic because the solhwi brainrot never ends. this is the project i've been working on since finals and all throughout this time, but honestly planned so so long ago (like august 2021). i quite literally just started writing and then i blinked and it became like 11k so i hope yall enjoy this!! dedicated to my loves aki, anne, mika and jul because i literally planned this fic AGES ago with them and then never fucking wrote it because im a moron. (ilyyyy)

— end of sixth year —

PREFECT KANG SOL A wasn’t planning of ending her sixth year with a bang. She had her share of trouble in her first four years at hogwarts, trying to get rid of the corruption within the Ministry of Magic and saving her friend group from getting charged with various crimes. After a rollercoaster of a school career, she was hoping that she could just get her gingersnap cookies for a pleasant sleepover with the girls.

Clearly, the universe thought that she needed to go through a little more trouble to earn her happy ending. This time around, trouble came in the form of the most insufferable, egotistical, smug and arrogant boy she had ever met. And what’s worse? She’s currently trapped in a cupboard with him.

"Shh," the warm brown eyes of a certain Han Joon Hwi looked into her eyes when she opened her mouth to question him. His palm was smacked across her mouth, her eyes wide as she looked up at him, his face illuminated by the small light emanating from his wand.

There was only a couple inches of space between their bodies, the narrow broom closet barely having enough room to fit both of them. Most of the female population at Hogwarts would kill to be in her position, squeezed in a tight room with the most sought after boy at Hogwarts.

Well, Kang Sol A was decidedly not a part of that.

Han Joon hwi, in her humble opinion, was a menace. Not only was he one of the smartest wizards to grace the halls of Hogwarts, he was also a good sportsman, charismatic and overly kind. He was a loyal to his friend group, the self-named Maruarders, and even helped in her quest to uproot the corruption with in the Ministry.

One look at her list and you would say Well, he sounds like an amazing guy!

That precisely was the problem. He had everything in the palm of his hand: good looks, money and the golden child of a rich, pure-blood family where the Gryffindor legacy was prided above everything else. He got every single thing he wanted as soon as he set his sight on it.

Well, Kang Sol decided quite swiftly after he cracked a taunting smirk at her on the first day, that she would not be one of them.

“What are you doing here? It’s past curfew and you’re not supposed to be out walking here,” she whispered harshly, prying his hand off of her mouth and trying her best not to raise her voice like she desperately wanted to. She tried to ignore the warmth that bled from his body to hers, the way she can feel every tone of his well-built chest against her torso. His legs were firmly pressed up against her thighs, the cloth of his uniform pants and cloak soft against her legs.

Sol wasn’t sure what exactly about him got a rise out of her. She had met plenty of persistent boys back in the muggle world, but there was something about Joon hwi that made her fight back much harder than anyone else.

She often chalked it up to the fact that he was an arrogant, privileged boy, but if she was being truthful to herself, it was a lie. She knew, for some reason, that the issue lay somewhere within the quirk of his eyebrow, or the arrogant smirk on his face, or the infuriating gaze of his. It was as though they were designed to drive her insane, each gesture only driving her up the wall, and for some reason, it had her body itching to press up against his.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Joon hwi quirked an eyebrow infuriatingly.

“Well, I asked first!” she sputtered, trying to tamp down the flutter in her stomach when he looked down at her lips. As if realizing the position they were in, he shifted his body away from her, trying to flatten himself against the wall and in a moment of weakness, she almost whined in complaint.

“If I tell you, you also have to tell me what you’re doing here. Deal?” he asked, tapping his wand lightly to keep the dark room lit. Sol bit her lip as he stared down at her, trying to keep her thoughts straight as his dark eyes followed her every movement.

“Deal.”

“I was going to meet up with Ji ho to make some plans for a prank but then I saw Filch coming by so I hid in here,” Joon hwi explained, as he twisted to peak out of the sliver of an opening on the closet door, trying to make sure no one was in the corridor.

“A prank?” she yelled out, but her voice was quickly muffled by Joon hwi’s hand once more.

“Be quiet,” he gritted out, turn his head to make sure no one was walking by the cupboard. “A deal is a deal. Tell me why you’re here.”

“Whenever the house elves make gingersnap cookies for dinner, they always drop off a batch here for me and the girls,” she murmured out, her eyes cast down at her shoes rather than meet his eyes.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” Joon hwi smirked, leaning closer to her, if it was even possible to do that given how close they were already. “Wow, does Lady Justice run an illicit cookie ring?” he teased lightly, and annoyance grew in her throat as she looked up at Joon hwi’s smug face.

“I wanted some cookies, okay!” she said, exasperated. “They’re delicious and they always run out before I get my fill. Not to mention, I’m pretty sure you weren’t allowed to do any more pranks this year.”

“Sol-ah, you know as well as I do that the school needs at least a bit of levity during these times,” Joon hwi sighed, his expression growing solemn. “No one’s had a real laugh since, well. Since the threats from the beginning of this year.”

Sol only sighed in response. She knew he was right. After Assemblyman Ko’s removal from the ministry of magic in their third year, their survival at Hogwarts had been on the precipice of destruction. The threat of war loomed above them, and the fear had only gotten worse after the dementor attack on the train to Hogwarts at the beginning of the year.

Parents were worried about their safety, and rightfully so. Her mother had owled her, finally figuring out how to send one from the muggle world into Hogwarts, and begged her to stay home, especially after Kang Dan’s disappearance from Hogwarts in their second year. Her mother couldn’t stand to lose two of her three daughters, but Sol would hear none of it.

Hogwarts was her opportunity to move up in the world, secure a better future for her mother and Byeol. Her ambition was appreciated here, and for the first time, it felt like it was going to pay off. She poured herself in her studies for the past five years and damn her, she was going to graduate from Hogwarts as a full witch.

“Plus, if it makes you feel any better, it’s Bok-gi and Ye-beom leading it this time around, not me.” He sent her a weak smile, noticing how her mood had darkened.

Sol snorted. “That makes me more worried, not less. There’s a 90% chance things go wrong when they plan. At least when you plan it, there’s only a 75% chance,” she murmured.

“Oh, why thank you so much,” he grinned at her as she scowled in return. The grin washed off his face, as he looked down at her, his eyes holding an earnesty that Sol couldn’t bear to handle. “I trust you won’t report me for this?” he asked softly.

“Of course I won’t,” she sighed, giving in. As much as he rankled her, he was good for school spirit. “I know how much everyone needs a laugh right now,” she said quietly.

Sol tilted her head up to meet his gaze once more, and drew a sharp breath at his soft expression. For a moment, all she could think of was the boy in front of her, the way he smelled of rain, the quidditch pitch and clean parchment. The way his school shirt felt against hers, the way his tie was slightly askew.

Her eyes roamed the soft lightly tanned skin of his, almost radeint in the glow illuminating the cupboard, his warm chocolate eyes swirling with something earnest and true, something that made her want to shy away from his gaze. For a moment, she wanted to give in, to allow herself into his arms, before steeling herself in a reminder that she would not be the next trophy in his brilliant trophy case.

Kang Sol A was not a prize to be won.

“It looks like the coast is clear. I bid thee adieu, my lady,” Joon hwi winked, smirking at her as though the moment never happened, before he grasped the door to the cupboard and opened the door. Or at least, tried to open the door.

The door for some reason decided to get stuck, not budging an inch as Joon hwi fiddled with the handle. He stood there trying to move it with increasing force, before she interrupted.

“Move aside, I’m sure a spell will work better,” Sol bumped into him as she pulled out her wand, barely able to move without being pressed against him more than she already was.

“Alohomora,” she cast, the white light emitting from her wand. “Now try it,” she gestured to the door. Joon hwi went to jiggle the handle once more, and was met with failure again.

“Here, let me try,” he said as he pulled out his own wand.

“I can’t believe you’re questioning my skills,” she scoffed, crossing her arms but moving out of the way for him to have a go. It’s no secret that Han Joon hwi was the best of their class, but still stung that he assumed she couldn’t even cast a simple spell.

“I’m not trying to-”

“Yeah, yeah,” she cut him off with a look of annoyance, “Just try it.”

His jaw clenched slightly, the familiar tick of his muscle showing through as he stared at her for a moment in irritation, before twisting back to the door. Flicking his wand in the perfect formation, he cast the same spell, and in a glimmer of hope, the door creaked open, only to be slammed shut with a red glow.

“What in merlin is wrong with this door?” he cursed out, yanking at the door knob. He tucked his wand into his cloak and attempted to throw his weight into it, trying to force it open, with no such luck. Sol only watched as he struggled, the furrow growing between her eyes as she watched Joon hwi put his might into it.

“Having fun in there?” a deep, familiar voice rang out from behind the door, mirth cloaking his voice.

“Ji ho? What the hell?” Joon hwi questioned, a furrow forming on his forehead as he stared confused at the door.

“It’s not just him, give me some credit as well,” a feminine voice answered in place of Ji ho’s.

Sol’s eyes widened in recognition. Kang Sol B.

“What in merlin?” Sol A hissed, before Joon hwi could get a word out. “Get us out of here!”

“No,” Sol B’s level voice replied.

“No?” both Joon hwi and Sol A chorused in confusion.

“We’re tired of listening to you to complain about each other all year,” Ji ho replied nonchalantly.

“So instead of telling us that, you decided to lock us in here?”

“Yes. The only way this resolves is if you two actually talk to each other, instead of us,” Sol B’s calm voice replied, the level cadence that once used to sooth Sol A turning into a taunt. Almost as though she’s challenging her to face the truth. Truth? The truth is that Sol resented Joon hwi. Nothing more, nothing less.

“Oh, and don’t even try to use magic. The charm on this door only wears away if the two of your actually reach a resolution. Try not to kill each other!” Ji ho chuckled at the end, clearly satisfied.

Sol strained her ears for more, trying to figure out if either of her so-called friends were still out there, only to be met with the sounds of their footsteps getting further and further from them.

“Merlin, I regret letting Ji ho borrow books from my uncle’s library,” Joon hwi ground out, shutting his eyes in regret.

“Huh?”

He let out a sigh. “Before my uncle died, he used to collect a lot of charms books. It was his specialty you know,” his paused, an emotion passing his face that was tinged with regret, and anger and something more.

Sol, despite avoiding Joon hwi with all her heart, considered herself pretty good at reading what he felt. Call it a sixth sense, but she was always aware of him, his movements, every slight change in his behavior. Still, it was hard to pinpoint what Joon hwi felt about his uncle, even though she was well aware of Joon hwi and his uncle’s rocky relationship after begrudgingly defending him in the defamation case.

She just nodded along, urging him to continue with his thoughts.

“We used to raid his book collection and I allowed him borrow books about emotion-based charms. It can detect and evaluate the emotions of either the user or the people it’s casted on,” he explained to her.

“That makes sense. Plus, Sol B is a goddess at engineering new spells so with both of them working together...” Sol trailed off.

“...It would have been a simple spell,” Joon hwi finished for her. A beat of silence passed.“Honestly, we should regret getting them together more than anything,” he let out a soft laugh.

“Well, I clearly recall that being your idea,” she huffed.

“As if. Don’t tell me you weren’t tired of watching them compete with each other and then pretend they weren’t hooking up!”

“They were hooking up that whole time? I didn’t know that,” she said, confused. Sol B and Ji ho’s relationship was always special, but Sol B was her best friend. She would know if Sol B was with Ji ho before they started their relationship, right?

“You didn’t?”

“No,” she blinked, confused.

“Did you never notice how they regularly wore each other’s ties? Or the time they turned in each other’s charms essays?”

Sol blinked, thinking back to fifth year, trying to sort through her memories for what Joon hwi was talking about, only to come up blank. Most of what she could remember was fighting against the Ministry of Magic, being increasingly annoyed at Joon hwi’s every move, and spending intense study nights at the library.

“So...” he trailed off.

“So?”

“You’ve been talking about me?” he smirked.

“Oh, don’t flatter yourself. It’s more like complaining if anything.”

“All I’m getting from this is that you talk about me,” Joon hwi sang, a wide smirk across his features.

Sol clenched her jaw, pursing her lips at the annoyance unfurling in her chest. See, this was what always happened. As soon as they were getting along, or having a normal conversation, he’d tease or poke or worst of all, ask her out.

“Right, well is there any way in those books of your uncle’s to short circuit the system?” she asked, twisting to the door even though she knew it wouldn’t budge.

”What?”

“You know, try to trick it,” she waved her hand around frantically, trying to gesture to the door. All she really wanted were her cookies, and instead she was trapped in having to ‘resolve’ their issues.

“You’d rather try to trick the spell than I don’t know... try to actually work this out?” he looked at her incredulous.

“Let’s be honest, why would that ever happen?” she blurted out, the words flowing out before she could stop herself. She didn’t mean it, but it was easier to snap at him than have an actual conversation.

A conversation was a chance, a glimmer of hope that Sol could like the boy, or worse, fall in love with him. But she knew, out of a sense of preservation for herself and him, that even the notion of something more between them was dangerous news.

Joon hwi blinked, a hint of shock crossing his face and Sol felt the instant regret flood her body.

“Look if this is about punching Yeong-chang in our fifth year, I’m sorry for what I did after but I don’t regret punching him,” he started. “I know you think I’m a git, but I watched him use an unforgivable on Ye-Seul and I just—”

“No... I-” Sol quickly cut him off, stumbling to find the words, “No, I’m not angry over that. I... I was angry at the time, but you were right. And the only reason I’d ever be angry over that is because I wasn’t the first to hex him.”

“Then why do you hate me so much?”

“I don’t hate you.”

“No? It sure feels like it.”

“I don’t hate you,” she said softer, looking into his eyes with as much earnestness as she could muster. “I disliked you because you asked me out.”

“You hated me because I liked you?” he asked, confused.

“I’m angry because you didn’t even consider how it would affect me when you asked me out,” she continued, pointedly ignoring the word hate, because she didn’t hate him. Resent? Sure. Dislike? Yeah. But never hate. “I don’t think you understood what I faced when I rejected a pureblood like you.”

Realization struck his face faster than Sol could process, Joon hwi’s features contorting to regret. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize—”

“It’s fine. Really, other than a couple girls, it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. But, asking me out, even if it was a joke, made the rejection even harder on me. And after the Ye-Seul fiasco in our fifth year, she got pulled into it with people whispering that you ‘dumped one piece of trash for another.’”

“What?” he asked, outrage thrumming through his voice. “Who?”

“It doesn’t really matter now, it’s over Joon hwi. No one says anything like that anymore, don’t worry.”

“I can’t believe-” he started, running a hand through his hair desperately as he looked up at her, trying to calm himself down.“I’m so sorry Sol. If I had known I would have intervened, and I’m sorry that I didn’t even consider what you were dealing with.”

“It’s okay,” she sighed. “It’s how it is, you know?” she said with a weak smile.

“It shouldn’t be. There shouldn’t have been a question of your blood status at all, Sol. Ever.” his voice determined. “And I’m sorry that I acted so entitled that I didn’t consider the consequences.”

“You weren’t—”

“Yes, I was. It was unfair to act like that, even if I liked you. It was inexcusable and I’m very sorry.” he rushed out, cutting her off. “And for the record? None of the times I asked you out were a joke. But, I understand that you only consider me as a friend and I promise that I won’t ever ask you out again,” he finished firmly.

Sol opened her mouth slightly, before closing it. This was what she wanted right? Then why did it hurt so much? Sol cleared her throat instead, deciding to not to think too hard about it.

“Sounds good. Friends?” she stretched out a hand for him to shake.

“Friends,” he said almost like he had trouble believing himself, grasping her hand and shaking it. She could feel the roughness of his palms against hers, his hands worn down from thousands of quidditch practices. His hands were big, engulfing hers even in a handshake, and it felt so electric as the warmth passed from his fingers to hers.

She stood looking into his warm brown eyes, a feeling of warmth and comfort spreading through her chest as they stood with their hands in each other’s grasps, just observing each other in silence. She had no clue how long they were stood like that, and if you asked her, she could have stood there just watching him forever.

It was nice, a moment of peace, of something passing between them and all she wanted to do was freeze this moment and live in it forever. A world where they got along, that they could even have a friendship. Maybe even more than a friendship, a small voice in the back of her mind echoed, which she quickly silenced.

Friends. That’s all. Only friends.

The moment was disrupted by the sound of a click, a low glow illuminating the cupboard door breaking their concentration. The door moved, the magic glowing through the wood as it was slightly ajar to let in the light from the hallway.

Silence enveloped the room as they looked at each other, as Sol brought her hand back from his grasp. Sol was stood still in the cupboard as she watched Joon hwi gather his cloak around him, his eyes still on her as he moved towards the doorway of the cupboard.

“Hey?” she asked out.

His head turned to her, his expression almost neutral.

“Make this prank the best Hogwarts has ever seen,” she smiled softly.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Joon hwi cracked a wide, honest grin, before shrouding himself under his cloak, and disappearing into the passageways of Hogwarts.

The next day, Sol walked into the great hall, only to be met with the sight of three girls, absolutely drenched in saltwater, with more buckets of water threatening to spill at any moment, floating above their heads.

And if they were the same girls that had tormented Kang Sol A, no one said a word about it, as Sol silently uttered the incantation to undo the curse, feigning ignorance at who pulled this off. She refused to even question how he found out who they were as she sat down for breakfast, pushing the thoughts to the side when she saw the gingersnap cookies and a whole assortment of food already picked out for her on her plate.

Sol’s head snapped up to catch Joon hwi’s eye down the bench and he tipped his goblet towards her, grinning widely. She smiled back, raising her goblet in solidarity and for some reason Kang Sol couldn’t help but feel something monumental had changed between them.

— seventh year —

WHEN HEAD GIRL KANG SOL A entered Hogwarts for her seventh and final year, she was hoping it would be uneventful. After spending her first four years trying to oust the corruption that plagued the wizarding world, she was hoping for a year with normal teenage girl problems. But the one teenage girl problem she did not wish for was realizing she was head-over-heels in love with the smartest (and hottest) guy of their year, Han Joon Hwi.

If you asked her friends Ye-Seul and Sol B, the realization was long overdue. After Sol B and Ji ho trapped them in a cupboard together, and forced her to talk to Joon hwi, it felt as though their friendship was on a better path. The last month of her sixth year was more than pleasant, finally being able to merge the Marauder group with her circle of friends.

It was the best summer to date after Joon hwi invited the whole group to spend two weeks at his house (or mansion as she calls it). They spent it relaxing, getting to know each other and it ignited a twinge of regret in Sol after realizing that Joon hwi could have been her best friend if she had just given him a chance.

After the getaway, both of them were constantly owl-ing each other, trying to keep in touch and update each other on anything they missed. Joon hwi even used the floo network, despite the uncomfortableness, to visit her in the muggle world, where she spent the weekend trying to explain all the muggle traditions scattered around the town.

This, of course, meant that Joon hwi was the star of each letter that she sent to Sol B or Ye-Seul, so much so that Sol threatened to break her quill if she ever talked about Joon hwi again.

“First, you wouldn’t shut up about how much he annoyed you, now you won’t shut up about amazing he is.” Sol B wrote back after she sent her fourth letter detailing her adventures with Joon hwi.

But for some reason, the idea that she was in love with the boy she chronically rejected had only clicked in her mind after she spent the last week of summer lamenting how she couldn’t have more time with Joon hwi. It was laughable at first, especially when she spent her first couple of years avoiding and hating the insufferable, annoying, gorgeous, and attractive Joon hwi, simply because he had everything in the palm of his hand.

Sol now realizes that all she did for the first three years was deny herself the opportunity to build a friendship with a brave, kind-hearted boy. The kind that wouldn’t judge anyone for their background. The kind that was humble and endlessly forgiving. The kind that would mountains for his friends. The kind that would move mountains for her.

So obviously, when one realizes they are in love with the former bane of their existence, the most sensible option is to avoid the hell out of them

Much to her chagrin, the universe had other plans.

She was standing on Platform 9 3/4, a heavy suitcase in each hand, thrumming with excitement and anticipation for the year ahead. She had gotten her shiny head girl badge in her letter from Dumbledore, alongside a small quip that she would be excited to be working with the head boy this year.

A disheveled Joon hwi approached her, not a moment later, running his hands through his hair repeatedly, a nervous habit of his that Sol had come to learn. His hands were tracing patterns onto the pants of his school uniform, as he stood in front of her, before shooting her one of his patented grins.

“Alright, Sol-ah?” he asked, his face alight with joy as he looked at her, and his grin made Sol wonder how she resisted falling in love with him earlier.

Before Sol could properly greet the boy, he had already picked up her luggage, silently taking the load off of her and helping her carry it towards the train. She smiled gratefully at him, before following behind in peaceful silence. Well, as silent as it could be with hundreds of first-year students nervously boarding the train as if they were walking towards their deaths.

“Sol, I have to tell you something,” he started as he set her suitcase into the luggage compartment on the train, running his hand through his hair again, causing it to only look more attractive. Her hands itched to run her fingers through his hair and dishevel it for him.

“Actually, let me just show you,” he sighed, and Sol focused back on him. He dug into the pocket of his cloak, while Sol looked at him with curiosity and confusion etched on her face. He produced something shiny, the light glinting off the edge. The head boy badge.

“I know this is the last thing you want, and I swear, I think Dumbledore has gone a little crazy, but if you want me to I can–”

“You are not going to trade in the badge Joon hwi, are you kidding?” Sol laughed, her face incredulous. It’s true, she couldn’t stand him for the majority of their schooling but she assumed that he understood it changed this summer. “You’ll make a great head boy and I’m glad that I’m working with you.”

“But I wasn’t even a prefect,” he tried to argue.

“So? You already show responsibility by balancing schoolwork, being one of the youngest Quidditch captain who has brought home three of the cups, and having fun while doing it,” Sol argued back.

Joon hwi relaxed, the tension in his shoulders easing up as she smiled softly at him. “Well, on to a wonderful last year eh, head girl?”

“Can’t wait head boy,” she grinned fully at him, and for a moment she forgot that she was standing in a busy train station surrounded by passengers hurrying to their trains. At that moment, all she could focus on was the boy in front of her. The boy with the disheveled hair, and the relaxed stance.

Many of the older students shot them bewildered looks as they made their way onto the train, whispers going around about how Sol A, who wouldn’t give Joon hwi the time of day, was seen spending time with him, willingly.

She underestimated how easy it was to be friends with him, to enjoy his companionship. Conversation flowed so naturally with him, but there was never a pressure to be entertaining as she felt with so many others. With him, Sol could be herself, tell him about the mundane things that happened in her life, as well as the big moments.

The prefects’ meeting in the head compartment of the train went smoother than ever, with many of the students left confused as to when Joon hwi and Sol A changed their tune about each other. Especially after notable incidents where Joon hwi started her infamous ‘Lady Justice’ nickname and she told him to go snog the giant squid.

Still, this added a complication to her initial plan to avoid him at all costs, but she thought it wasn’t too much of an issue to plan around. Kang Sol A knew that it just meant that she would have to patrol, make rounds schedules, and plan the annual dances for Hogwarts with him. They’d have plenty of time apart where she could get over this little crush of hers, right?

It wasn’t until she was stepping off the train and onto the school grounds that she realized that she was set to share the head dorms with him. Which meant that she would see him every time she stepped outside of her room. He'll be there in the common room practically every day, studying or goofing around, and she’ll have to share a bathroom with him.

Essentially, it would become impossible to avoid him.

When she expressed her catastrophic situation to her friends, who she had assumed were loyal to her, they were not sympathetic to her cause. Kang Sol B had let out a bark of laughter, followed by a smug look that had all but taunted her. The usual sympathetic and caring Ye-Seul had settled on gently teasing her, making her face turn red with embarrassment.

Of course, Ji ho had smirked and murmured something about how this spared them from seeing the sexual tension they had with each other every day which Sol had swiftly responded with a rude gesture. And when Sol suggested that she all but move into her friend’s shared dorm, both of them rolled their eyes and told her to stop being so dramatic.

But after seeing the state in which Joon hwi would walk in after Quidditch practice, she had severely underestimated how dire her situation truly was.

He had mentioned that he had Quidditch practice when she ran into him in the common room as she was making her way to do the rounds for tonight, but assumed she wouldn’t see him since her rounds ran later than the practices. But Sol’s plan to run patrols with Bok-gi ended earlier than usual since it was almost the weekend. And since both of her close friends were out hanging out with their boyfriends, she had no choice but to write her Potions essay.

Well, she did contemplate annoying Sol B and Ji ho but only god knows what Ji ho and Sol B were up to in the library tonight, so she settled on just working.

(’Studying’ was the excuse Sol B gave when Sol asked what exactly they were doing. Of course, she never specified whether she was studying for exams or studying his body.)

So Sol reluctantly tucked in for the night on the sofa of the common room, stretching her legs out after the rounds, absentmindedly playing with her quill as she came up with topic ideas for her essay. She sat there working until her mind turned into mush before the door slid open, and Joon hwi walked through the threshold with his practice jersey on.

Correction: A very sweaty Joon hwi, clad in his jersey that was sticking to his body in a sinful way, chest heaving from exertion, walked in with his broom in one hand.

If her brain was mush before, it was absolutely melted at the sight of him. Sol knew she was staring, her jaw almost on the ground as she looked at the man.

Sol was a sensible woman. She liked quiet boys, ones that were smart and passionate. Ones that were calm and didn’t pull pranks at the great hall whenever given the opportunity. Boys who would spend their nights cooped up in libraries and bookstores.

It was simply unfortunate for her poor heart that Joon hwi all of that (minus the pranking streak), AND had the athleticism of a full Olympian.

Merlin, there was just something about Joon hwi after he played Quidditch that drove her crazy. There was something about the competitive glint in his eyes, the effortless way he ran and flew on the field, the hint of arrogance as he caught the snitch that made Sol’s heart race. The way his eyebrow would quirk up and all the bravado he held on the field. It was maddening.

Sol bit her lip slightly, her breath firmly lodged in her throat as she looked at him and her mind drifted away to imagine how he would look, running across the field doing practice drills, chest heaving, and watching his muscles flex and ripple as he exerted himself.

She cleared her throat as he approached, trying to appear as if she was focusing on her studies and not his body.

“How was practice?” she asked, cursing the breathless quality of her voice, as she sat up in her seat and set the quill down.

“It was pretty good,” Joon hwi cracked a grin at her as he made his way to her, and by merlin, he was more attractive up close. Sol thought her poor heart might give out, the slight sheen of sweat covering his tan skin making him glow in the light of the fire. His hair was slightly damp from the sweat and the humidity, gently tousled from the wind.

“Try out any new strategies this week?” she asked, trying to keep him in front of her as long as possible so she could stare at him for a little longer. He launched into an explanation of everything he was trying out with the team, his eyes animated, but her eyes were roaming around his body.

She would say she was embarrassed about how she wasn’t even paying attention to what he was saying, but then she noticed how his arms would flex and move as he stretched, and all the embarrassment was thrown out the window. Whoever made the quidditch uniforms sleeveless needed an award, and Sol was ready to personally deliver it to them.

Trying to appear like she was paying attention, she absentmindedly nodded along with whatever he was saying when in reality her mind was anywhere but near quidditch.

Sol had liked boys before but never before had she felt so hazy and unhinged in her desire. She desperately wanted to take that jersey off of him, run her hands down his arms, and spend all her time admiring it.

All she could think of was how it would feel to have his arms around her, the way his fingers would grip her waist. She wanted to throw him on the couch and sit on his lap; grind her hips in circles until he begged to be inside her. She wanted to drag her nails along his muscles, along his back, feel it ripple as he moved over her. Her thighs clenched instinctively thinking about the way his deft fingers would feel against her inner thighs, teasing her until she begged him to touch her.

She had to force herself to remember how to breathe as want built in her stomach, trying her best to not let the desired show to him. It’s just what she needs, for him to know how badly she wanted him.

Then, as though it couldn’t get worse, he lifted up the corner of his jersey to dab off the sweat from his face, revealing his perfectly toned stomach.

Sol felt her face heat up, as she gawked at the way his abs tensed slightly, and she was sure that he could tell just how much it affected her, seeing him in this state. She felt frozen in desire, want, and need taking over her body and she wanted to throw caution to the wind, have him on the sofa here and now.

“Sorry, I feel disgusting right now, I’ll talk to you after I shower,” he flashed a smirk, breaking away from his monologue with mischief in his eyes, as though he knew exactly what effect it had on her and god, the confidence made her swoon. If she had less resolve, she would volunteer to join him.

Merlin, she wished she had less resolve.

She dumbly nodded at him as she watched him walk towards their shared bathroom, not trusting her voice. Her eyes were on his figure as he made his way to their shared bathroom, tracing his body with her eyes. And then she watched as he peeled the jersey off himself, his back gloriously rippling as his arms stretched.

Sol swallowed hard, feeling herself gasp involuntarily as she watched every single muscle move in his back, still sweaty and glistening off the light. From that moment on, she vowed never to have scheduled rounds on Mondays and Fridays lest she misses out on all that gloriousness.

This became routine for her for the next month, claiming she had to study in their shared common room every time Joon hwi had quidditch practice. Of course, when she saw him come in to take a shower, she would distract him by asking him questions about Quidditch and his practice strategies just to get more time with him.

Of course, Joon hwi had the audacity to invite her to his practices after a couple weeks, apparently impressed with her newfound interests in sports. It was as though he was purposely making it worse for her.

As if watching him come in after practice was torture, watching him at practice was practically killing her. Every Monday and Friday she would drag herself to the pitch, with a bag full of homework that would never get done because her focus was more on the bright boy jogging across the field, instructing his players on drills and strategies.

Just watching him exert himself was alluring, but it was even worse when he took charge of the team. The cadence of his voice as he instructed them where to go, his voice almost commanding just did something to Sol. Worse were the moments he had the audacity to look up at her and flash that bright grin of his, oblivious to all the thoughts crossing her mind as she looked at him.

Needless to say, the number of times she touched herself to the thought of him only increased from then, trying to stifle her moans as she thought of him panting and moving his body in tandem with hers.

At the end of each practice, of course, he always had her wait outside the locker rooms near the pitch, where she would try desperately to avoid Ji ho’s teasing smile or the sarcastic remark he would make before Joon hwi came out. Joon hwi insisted on accompanying her back to their shared dorms, and the conversations were always more than pleasant.

There was something different to the mundanity of the conversations they shared. Despite only growing close this year, Sol was already so familiar with his mannerisms and habits that it felt like they were best friends for years. Sol could guess exactly what Joon hwi would say or do before he even did it, and the same went for Joon hwi.

To any outsider, their conversations seemed so mundane, but for them, there was nothing more to be said when they both knew each other so well. There was a lot more joy in sharing the smallest decisions and happenings with each other, because well, they already knew about every monumental event in each other's lives. It was a familiarity that Sol knew was special, and it didn’t take very long for her to realize that she loved him much, much deeper than just romantically.

Yet the need to confess to him wasn’t something insatiable that poured out of her. It was residing underneath her skin, lurking every time he looked at her for a beat too long or gave her a smile that just made her melt. It was something that she carried with her everywhere she went, filling up her body, but never enough to burst through the seams of her skin, always held in place by her fears and their future.

It was no secret that Joon hwi was the son of one of the oldest pureblood families and being so popular, there’s no doubt that he felt pressure to continue the pureblood line, even if he didn’t believe in any of it. And Sol? She was the daughter of a muggle-born family, her mother with barely enough money to make ends meet for her sister, and Sol was always scrambling to find her place after Kang Dan disappeared in their second year. Not to mention their lives were highly surveilled after going after the Ministry of Magic.

Whatever future they could have together, it was marred by a thousand different obstacles and risks. She knew, almost intrinsically, that Joon hwi loved her just the same. But taking the leap? Allowing herself to fall for him with no inhibitions was a luxury, so she stayed content having her as a best friend.

Her conversations about him with Sol B and Ye Seul, of course, reached a record high, as the two girls would roll their eyes. They made their way into Potions, the one class that the girls and the Marauders happened to share, trying to get there before Slughorn started class.

“I can’t decide if it was better when she hated him,” Kang Sol B deadpanned, clutching her book bag to the side as she strode confidently into class, speaking as though Sol A wasn’t right beside her.

“Hey, you brought this on yourself,” Sol A chirped back, “If you hadn’t locked us in that cupboard, we would have just hated each other.”

“Maybe we should lock you in that cupboard again, hope that you two snog each other, and get rid of this tension,” Ye-seul snorted, setting her books down beside Sol A.

Sol simply scoffed, taking her seat. “It’s not that bad,” she tried to justify, but of course Ji ho found that moment to chime in.

“Au contraire, my friend in deep denial, I’m pretty sure you were drooling when Joon hwi caught the snitch at practice last week,” Ji ho smirked as he walked by Sol A, his eyes glued to her best friend.

“I was not!” Sol denied her cheeks in flames.

“Oh? Let’s ask Joon hwi then?” Ji ho smirked as he slid into his seat, before twisting towards the doorway. “Oi, Prongs! Would you say Sol was— mmph!”

Before Sol processed, her wand was in hand, stood out of her seat and she had hexed Ji ho’s mouth shut before a word could leave his mouth. Ji ho quickly twisted to glare at Sol, but Joon hwi’s towered presence blocked her line of sight.

“Five points from Gryffindor,” Joon hwi announced, his eyes filled with mirth as he looked down at Sol. “Can’t believe the head girl would act with such misconduct.”

He looked especially handsome in the morning light, his brown hair tinged gold as the light filtering through the windows glinted off. He had a soft smirk on his face, and her breath was already lodged in her throat as she looked up at him.

“Shut it, or you can be next,” Sol warned, trying to not let his effect on her cloud her threat. “Should I reverse it?” she asked as she peeked behind Joon hwi to look at Ji ho’s annoyed expression.

“Mmph!” Ji ho nodded his head in the affirmative, as Ye-seul held back laughter.

“I don’t know... It is quite peaceful without his voice,” Joon hwi mused, smirking as he twisted to look at his best friend’s pleading figure.

“Alright that’s enough,” Sol B chimed in, pulling out her wand to undo the hex.

“Thank you,” Ji ho sighed, as he shot Sol B a thankful look, which the stone-faced girl smiled at.

“Traitor,” Ji ho muttered as he turned to glare at Joon hwi, who slid into the bench next to him. “Can’t believe you’d abandon me for a girl,” he scoffed.

“Sorry mate, it’s not my fault that Sol is way better looking than you are.”

“Lies. Ignorant and a blatant lie,” Ji ho replied. “I’m the prettiest one here, we can all agree.”

“I agree,” Sol B chimed in.

“You don’t count,” Joon hwi said. “Besides I’m pretty sure you locked us in that cupboard so you can get more time with Sol B in our dorm anyways.”

“No, we locked you in there for the noble cause of saving our ears from listening to you two complain about each other,” Ji ho replied, pushing up his wire-rimmed glasses.

“I mean it’s not any better now,” Ye seul mumbled, which Sol A quickly shot a glare at in reply. Before she could formulate a proper response, Slughorn cleared his throat, signaling the start of the class.

“Alright, alright, settle down please,” Slughorn’s voice carried through the room, as everyone scrambled to take their seat next to their partner. “As all of you are aware, one of the integral potions we will brew in your final year is Amortentia. Now, why is this potion considered dangerous? Yes, Ms. Kang,” he called out to the poised girl.

“It is considered the most powerful love potion in existence, and ingestion causes powerful infatuation and obsession. But, the scent of it is safe to inhale,” she answered.

“Good. Five points to Slytherin,” Slughorn nodded. “Now, what are the characteristics of Amortentia? Yes, Mr. Ko,” he pointed to Yeong-chang’s raised.

“It has a distinctive mother-of-pearl shine and spiraling steam, but the scent varies depending on the person. Generally, the scent is personalized to what or who the person loves,” he chimed in, but it was clear his eyes were flashing down to the textbook.

Sol A let out a small scoff. Cheater.

“And Yeong-chang will probably smell his girlfriend, the giant squid,” Ji ho sneered, and Joon hwi laughed alongside him, much to Yeong-chang’s glare.

“Five points from both Gryffindor and Slytherin,” Slughorn announced, disapproval tinging his words. “Mr. Han, Mr. Seo, I expect more from the two of you. And as this is your last strike, please switch partners with the bench next to you.”

Unbelievable. Slughorn was a favorite professor of Sol’s, but he was always unfair towards Joon hwi and Ji ho just because they didn’t excel at potions the way Yeong-chang did. Of course, the dear professor wasn’t aware that Yeong-chang cheated and faked his way through the class.

Joon hwi frowned as he slid in the seat next to Sol A, Ye-seul taking his place next to Ji ho.

“He’s being unfair,” Sol A mumbled as Slughorn continued his lecture. She could feel Joon hwi’s eyes on her as she gazed ahead, trying to put on the facade of paying attention to the lecture when all she could think of was the boy beside her.

“You can’t do much about it. Assemblyman Ko was one of Slughorn’s old sponsors and you know how he likes feeling like he’s in control of the powerful,” Joon hwi replied with a shrug. Silence fell over them once more as they listened to Slughorn instruct them on the process, but a part of Sol’s mind was always aware of his presence.

The warmth radiated off of him as Sol sat, side by side with her arm not even a breath away from his, and she noted every rise and fall of his chest as the boy trained his eyes on their professor. She could hear every inhale, see every expression and thought that crossed his face.

Honestly, it was a little annoying how aware she was of him. It was as though a part of her mind would always be occupied by him, what he was doing, what he was saying, what he was wearing. It was frustrating that so much of her life was consumed by him, but what could she do except to love him?

“With that, I’ll set you free to brew your own. Please be careful as this is a very advanced potion, and be diligent. Do not ingest the potion in any way,” Slughorn's voice was firm as he set them free.

Immediately the bustle of students erupted through the classroom, the sound of flipping textbook pages and the shuffling of feet towards the shelves of ingredients as students got busy brewing.

“I’ll get the ingredients?” Joon hwi asked.

“I’ll set up the cauldron,” Sol nodded in agreement as they split up, Joon hwi leaving their bench to gather their ingredients. Slowly, Sol prepped the cauldron to brew the potion, taking extra care to make sure that nothing spilled or touched their skin.

The process to make amortentia was slow and methodical, with both Joon hwi and Sol working in tandem to be careful as they added the ingredients. A blanket of silence fell over them as they worked together, trying to monitor the potion closely to add the correct ingredients at the right times.

Slughorn slowly made his rounds around the classroom, watching as students made their potions, and commenting on advice when needed. He passed by Sol’s bench almost twice, only nodding wordlessly as he looked over the potion, which usually meant approval. If Sol wasn’t working with Joon hwi, she might have even received a comment or two, but it seems Slughorn’s disdain for Joon hwi ended up extending to her as she worked with him.

“God, Joon hwi, did you roll around in the Quidditch Pitch before you came here?” Sol asked, wrinkling her nose as she stirred the cauldron. She tried to keep the potion from spilling as the potion glinted against the light, the pearl shine mesmerizing as the spiral steam wafted from it.

“Clearly, you decided to douse yourself with your perfume this morning. I think it’s going to give me a headache,” he laughed, as he stood behind her, looking over the potion. If she stepped even an inch backward, her back would be against his chest, his body lurching close as he watched over the potion.

“But my perfume bottle broke yesterday,” Sol said, her body tensing as she twisted her head to look up at him. Confusion was etched across her face as Joon hwi’s face drained of color slightly, as he avoided her gaze.

“I haven’t been down to the pitch since last week,” Joon hwi whispered.

Their eyes locked, and the breath knocked out of both of them. She simply stared at him, wide-eyed as her mind scrambled to process what just happened. They were smelling each other in the Amortentia. Sol blinked, trying to take in the shocking features of Joon hwi’s face as her heart raced, threatening to beat out of her chest.

She knew she was in love with him, it was always there within her heart, but to be called out on it, in front of him? It was too much. Sol wanted to say she felt mortified that Joon hwi was aware of her feelings, but she couldn’t help but find relief in some odd confirmation of his feelings for her, even though they couldn’t be together.

“Well, congratulations to Mr. Han and Ms. Kang, for successfully brewing the first batch of amortentia for this year! The two of you can clean up and dispose of the potion properly, before leaving class,” Slughorn informed them as he passed by their bench, looking over their cauldron, before passing by to the next bench, but she couldn’t care less.

Her feet were firmly planted on the ground, still looking up at the shocked boy, looking as though he didn’t see it coming, as though he wasn’t even aware. His shoulders were tense with a breath he was holding, as he looked down at Sol, eyes wide and starstruck.

And all she could do was stare.

Her eyes were almost glazed over, trying to just process what happened, what she smelled, what he smelled. It was too much for her mind to handle at once, only made worse by his gaze set on her, making her feel as though she was on fire.

“You two can leave, you know?” Ye-seul’s soft voice broke their concentration as her arm reached out to touch Sol’s shoulder, jolting her from her trance. Her best friend’s eyes were kind, sympathetic to her as Sol nodded slowly. Her movements felt as though they were on autopilot, robotically gathering her textbook and parchments spread across the bench.

As though Joon hwi’s body just restarted, his movements frantically joined Sol to clean up their mess. A heavily uncomfortable silence fell over the two as their friends looked at the two of them with glances of pity and a knowing expression that infuriated her slightly.

She didn’t even utter a word of goodbye when she was finally done, forcing herself to pretend as though he wasn’t present. She walked out trying her best to pretend nothing was wrong, her back straight and her eyes fixed on some distant place as she tried to rush her way out and back to her dorm.

Except she couldn’t even avoid Joon hwi at her dorm.

Oh god, how am I going to face him now?

It’s been a week since the amortentia incident. Turns out that spending all her time with Joon hwi for the past year made her well versed in his schedule, which was particularly useful to make sure she avoided him at all costs.

Yes, contrary to her branding as a Gryffindor, she avoided him. While she had the bravery to confront Assemblyman Ko and the Ministry of Magic, confessing to her crush was where she drew the line.

She would disappear the moment she spotted him within a one-mile radius of her, which meant leaving breakfast early and dipping out of any gatherings. The only class she shared with him was potions, and luckily she was allowed to take her rightful seat with Ye-Seul.

Her friends, of course, thought the idea was stupid.

“Where’s your Gryffindor spirit?” questioned Sol B when Sol had asked her to be her personal shield until Joon hwi left the room. Even the gentle, loyal Ye-Seul had expressed concern with her behavior, warning her that putting off talking with him would only end up in hurt and confusion.

Sol would hear none of it. It was painful, knowing that Joon hwi was aware of her feelings and worse, that he returned them in full force. It was the universe's cruel joke, to make sure that her feelings were requited and then forbid her from pursuing a relationship with him.

On some level, she was aware that she was just preventing herself from enjoying true happiness, knowing that there was a sliver of a chance that it would be okay A large part of her hoped to love him, to hold him in her arms, to have him fully and without inhibitions. But the rational part, the level-headed side that she had grown to resent, told her that it would only end in pain and heartache.

There were simply too many barriers between them, she argued. He was a rich pureblood witch that was set for so much greatness ahead of him. He was destined for it, and it only made sense that whoever his partner was, would match his skills. She was the poor muggle-born witch, struggling to hold her own against the brightest at Hogwarts. She would only drag him down, she reasoned.

So, whatever fantasies of romance she had with Joon hwi would pass. It would have to pass. She will watch Joon hwi fall in love with someone else, someone better, someone worthy of him, and she will be happy for them. It didn’t matter that Joon hwi was the end for her, that she wouldn’t love anyone like she loved him. All that mattered was that he would get the person he deserved.

And all she could do was live out her life, sequestered to wishing that the person was her.

Sol checked her watch as she sat on the common room couch. 8:00 PM. Crap. It was almost the end of quidditch practice. She hurried as she grabbed some parchment and quills into her bag, trying to move fast so she can leave before he returned for his nightly shower.

Sol walked quickly towards the entrance, fiddling with the strap of her satchel as her feet propelled her forward, only to run into a warm figure. Momentarily frozen, she took a deep breath. Grass. Rain. Joon hwi.

Her head snapped up to meet the gaze of the boy, his hair dripping wet. Unlike most nights, he was showered, no longer sweating and panting from his practice. Her eyes roamed his figure as she cleared her throat.

“Hi,” she stuttered out as she looked up at him, stumbling back to put some distance between them.

“Hi,” he let a breath out as he stared down at her, his gaze piercing into her. Her body felt as though it was lit on fire, his eyes peeling her apart against her will.

“Have a good practice?” she asked, a pitiful attempt at going back to whatever amalgamation of friendship and love they had before.

“Uh, yeah,” he answered, hesitant. He pursed his lips as he continued to look at her, as though he was trying to figure out a puzzle or a mystery.

“Good then,” she concluded, tearing her gaze away from him and stepping aside, trying to move around him. Only he mirrored her movements, using his body to block her path.

She tried again, this time in the other direction, only to be met with him blocking her, and she let out a frustrated huff. Just let me move Joon hwi, and we can be passed this.

“Let me leave, Joon hwi,” she ground out, looking up at him with irritation.

“We have to talk about it at some point,” his voice firm. “You can’t ignore it forever.”

“Talk about what?” she feigned ignorance, gritting her teeth.

“Potions. Last week. The amortentia?”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” she pursed her lips as she looked down at her feet, his expression too much for her to handle. One more look into his warm eyes, and the guilt would come crashing through her body.

Now was not the time to be weak and give in Sol. This is for his own good. She tried to convince herself, weakly.

“You can ignore it all you want, but I know what you smelled in that cauldron Kang Sol,” he took a step closer to her, forcing her back. Her eyes blurred as they stared into his red and golden Quidditch jersey, the colors blurring out as she noted the steady rhythm of his chest.

“So what, I smelled you in the cauldron,” she replied, her hands gripping tightly on the strap of her bag. She moved her head to meet his eyes, steeling herself. “No big deal.”

“Not a big deal? Yeah no, it’s definitely not a big deal when the girl I’ve been in love with since the first year smelled me in amortentia,” he scoffed, his familiar face confused and frustrated.

“So you agree,” she quirked an eyebrow. “It’s not a big deal.” Sol swallowed, trying not to let her traitorous heart dance at the confession that he loved her since the moment he met her. Every breath felt heavy, as though the action hurt every molecule in her body.

“It’s certainly a big deal. Sol...” he sighed. His eyes scrunched with pain, with desperation as his voice dipped into distress. “You know I love you.”

She drew a sharp breath at the admission, a pain and suffocation unfurling in her chest. Her throat closed at the admission, her eyes welling up with tears as she told herself that this was necessary. Why did you have to make it so hard?

“You shouldn’t.” she clenched her jaw, desperate to make him see how much it pained her to do this. So much regret and agony welled up in her body that she clenched her fists, trying so hard to steel herself. To tell herself that this is simply momentary.

“You don’t mean that,” he pleaded, his voice almost raw with emotion.

“I do. It’s a mistake Joon hwi,” Sol said stiffly.

Quickly, Joon hwi grew very, very still. It was as though he wasn’t even breathing as he looked down at her, his eyes filled with pain, with anger. A simple silence stretched between them, the tension filling the air as his eyes bored into her, making her skin itch with heat.

The way he looked at her was suffocating, an eternal reminder of what she was doing seared into her mind. In the back of her head, the hopeful Sol clawed her way through, desperately arguing to stay, to allow herself to love him fully. But all her fears, every insecurity shoved her down, telling her that this is for the best.

“Why?” Joon hwi asked, his voice hollow.

“What?”

“Why is it a mistake?”

“Because... Because it will only end up bad for both of us. You know that Joon hwi,” she pleaded. “You... you deserve more. Someone at your level, who can love you and keep up. Whatever this is... It’ll pass.”

Joon hwi stood in simple silence, his eyes roaming her face with a flash of irritation. “Who are you to determine what I deserve?”

Sol opened her mouth to reply, but he cut her off.

“More than that, how could you say that you aren’t deserving of this love Sol? How can you not even take a chance on this?” Joon hwi questioned her. “Why can’t we just love each other and that be enough?”

“Because—”

“No. There is no reason you could come up with that is logical enough for you to do this,” he begged her. Joon hwi’s hand was trembling as he brought it up to her face, as though it would burn him to touch her. Softly, slowly, his hand cupped her cheek and in a moment of desperation, Sol leaned into it.

“I love you. And if I know you well enough... you love me. And that’s all I need Sol-ah,” he whispered, “Being loved by you is a lot more than I deserve.”

His touch was so soft against her skin that it lulled her into a peaceful trance. All she could do was look into his eyes, helplessly at his mercy of him. Her hands moved up naturally to rest on his jersey, pulling him closer to her on instinct.

“But—” she weakly attempted at an argument, her hands still clenched in his shirt, her body contrary to her mind. Everything in her craved more of him, for him to push back and tell her this is a good idea, that this is right.

“Please,” he stepped closer to her, both his hands cupping her face to tilt it up to his. “Let me love you,” he whispered to her, his lips a breath away from hers.

His lips were soft as they pressed against hers, hesitant and scared. Sol’s eyes fluttered shut, and as though something clicked into place, she moved her mouth against his slowly. Their kiss was passionate, deliberate as his hands drew her face closer to his, bringing her desperately close.

She dropped her bag as she pulled him close again, forgetting every bit of her surroundings as she was consumed by him. She was lost in the feeling of him, the way his fingers held her so carefully, the warmth of his body bleeding into hers as she stepped closer.

Their tongues moved against each other, exploring each other's mouths with such deliberation, as though they would never enjoy the feeling of kissing each other again. It was filled with every confession, every moment of love that she had suppressed from showing as her hands tugged at his jersey trying to pull his body as close as she could.

They drew away slowly, panting to gather their breath, but crashed into each other once more, the kiss frantic and desperate. This was heated, messy as their mouths slotted against each other, desperate to get as close to each other as they could. Her hands traced the edges of his jersey, before dipping underneath to feel the planes of his stomach, the way his abs tensed as she dragged her nails up.

Joon hwi shivered slightly, before parting slightly, allowing her to drag his jersey off his body in a smooth motion. She gasped slightly at the sight of his body, being able to see, touch, and feel the body she had fantasized about for months, before throwing herself at him once more. The feel of his skin made her desperate to get out of her own clothes, but luckily Joon hwi’s hands traced across the edge of her school shirt, pulling it out of the confines of her skirt.

His deft fingers made quick work of her shirt buttons, parting once only to discard them before they were joined again. The feeling of her naked skin against his was stronger than any alcohol she had ever had, her mind clouded with the way his skin felt. It was so powerful, the way he made her feel that she was sure she would never feel anything like this, for anyone ever again.

Joon hwi dropped his hands from her face, hooking them under her thighs and using his strength to carry her. Sol’s legs wrapped around his waist instinctively, still not parting from their kiss as her arms curled around his neck. Her fingers went to play with the hairs at the nape of his neck, before running her hands lightly in his hair, trying to draw him closer to her.

There was something crazed at the way their hands roamed around each other's bodies, desperate to memorize the feel of his body with her hands, her body, her lips. Sol felt heady in her desire, pure lust for the boy that she loves, that she craves. She felt drunk off the feeling of his lips, breaking away from their kiss to press frantic, messy kisses against her neck.

Carefully, he set her down on the sofa, before climbing over her. The weight of his body was delicious against hers, and feeling every inch of his body pressed against hers felt like a luxury. It was hard for her to breathe, her lust and love for him suffocating and his hands roaming her skin making her mind feel lost.

She could feel her mind lose focus as Joon hwi’s attention turned down her neck and her collarbones, taking his sweet time exploring every inch of her body with his hands, his lips, his teeth. Her hands once more sought anchor in his hair, when she realized just how damp it was.

“Wait,” she said, her voice throaty from disuse. “Did you take a shower already?”

“Mhm,” he hummed against her skin, pressing kisses into her stomach as he continued his track down her body. “The quidditch pitch has showers.”

“So,” she paused, letting out a gasp when he nipped at her skin, “Why did you come up here to take a shower after practice?”

At that, Joon hwi lifted his head, a mischievous smirk across his face. “That, my love, was just a show for you,” he winked as she gasped.

“You minx! I can’t believe you,” her eyes narrowed.

“Too late. It was your choice to love a Marauder,” he laughed. “I will always be up to no good.”

“Promise?” she asked.

“Promise, Sol-ah,” he smiled, before they got drunk in each other's presence once more.

#user: sxfik #▸ fanfic; [sxfik] #▸ fandom; [law school] #solhwi #law school #jtbc drama #jtbc law school #law school jtbc #law school netflix #law school kdrama #kang sol a #kang sol b #han joon hwi #seo ji ho #jeon ye seul #min bok gi #jo ye beom #jtbc #fanfiction #my fanfiction #my writing

[thenerdywriter]

i came in from the outside, burnt out from the joyride

this was born out of a conversation with @akinosakiya, so all credits go to her >.<

chapter i | chapter 2 (coming soon)

Han Joon Hwi and Kang Sol, years after graduation. post-canon fix it, idiots to lovers.

ao3

a/n : i got this idea as i feverishly dm'd my friend about a solhwi prompt,,, i took it too far i think >.<

please tell me if you like it!!

a/n: title taken from Hozier's Almost (sweet music) which i recommend while reading this.

chapter 1: you and i are lovers in the dark

There has got to be another way of doing this. I can’t be doing this all my life.

“You know,” the words from Yeseul makes her look up, “you didn’t have to do this to yourself. You could have not taken the case, eonni. I told you not to take the case.”

Sol doesn’t say anything, just hangs her head in shame. The soju burns as she tips her head back, draining the last dregs of it, “I knew I shouldn’t have asked you for help. You’re being insufferable now that you’re dating Bok-gi.”

Yeseul laughs, reaching for the soda can, “eonni, I think you’re thinking about it too much.”

“I am, aren’t I?” she looks at the other girl, clearly panicked, “does it show? Oh, it shows, doesn’t it? Oh, what am I going to do—”

“Ah, noona, you shouldn’t have taken this case on, then,” Bok-gi says as he enters the room and take in the sight of a dishevelled Sol and a grinning Yeseul, “oh, Yeseul noona, I was looking all over for you!”

Sol scowls, “haven’t the two of you been dating forever? Why do you still have the honorific? And for your information, I took the case before I knew it was going to be him that I would have to go up against.”

Bok-gi looks affronted, and Yeseul comes to her boyfriend’s rescue, “ah, I like it, eonni.”

“Of course, you like it, you’re just as gone for him as he is,” she grumbles, “so, Bok-gi, Yeseul’s been telling you everything now, has she?”

“Ah, eonni, leave him out of it,” Yeseul soothes her, rubbing circles into her back, “do you want me to take the case? Instead of you—”

“The client won’t agree on it,” Sol whines, “and just when I thought I had got rid of him.”

“Rid of who?” so Bok-gi doesn’t know, Sol notes with some amount of pleasure, good. At least Yeseul didn’t tell him about the fact that—

“Oh, eonni might have to work with Joon-hwi oppa,” Yeseul chirps, looking entirely too pleased for Sol’s liking, “she’s the public defender for Joon-hwi oppa’s case.”

“The attempted murder one?” Bok-gi sounds as perplexed as Sol is, “but I thought hyung only dealt with financial cases, what happened? Didn’t you say you had some other prosecutor to deal with, noona?”

Sol groans, “apparently he’s taking criminal cases too, and the first one he chose to take was mine,” she stands up, “can’t I ever get rid of him?”

Yeseul blinks, “why did you have to get rid of him in the first place?”

Sol groans, sitting down on the chair with a thump. This was becoming a frighteningly regular occurrence, groaning at the mere mention of his name, “I told you, you wouldn’t understand.”

“You sound like a sixteen-year-old right now, noona,” Bok-gi giggles, and she scowls at him. How dare they find happiness in my misery. Just because she loved them didn’t mean she would put up with everything that they did.

Liar. You’ll always put up with whatever they do.

Wait, why did that sound like him? Did he finally manage to get inside her head?

No. no, calm down, Kang Sol. Joon-Hwi is not inside your brain. Your brain is filled with statutes of law, precedents, your grocery list, the things you need to buy Byeol for her birthday—

You have too many things on your mind.

Ah, fuck.

She stands up again, taking a look at Bok-gi and Yeseul’s surprised faces, and sits back down, “never mind. It’s just him. how bad could it be? We just lost touch over the years, and I specifically made sure to not keep in touch with him after we graduated—I’m going to die, Yeseul-ah.”

“No, eonni, you won’t,” Yeseul props her up gently, pushing the bowl of bibimbap towards her, “at least eat something before you cry.”

“No, you’re right,” Bok-gi agrees, although Sol knows he’s laughing at her internally, the little shit, “it’s wrong to cry and not eat. I’ll be dehydrated.”

The food tastes bland in her mouth, although she knows she’s made it spicy, but Sol works her way through it with tears in her eyes (she passes it off as due to the spice) and promptly starts sobbing again, lamenting her crappy life.

“Eonni, the trial isn’t until next month, you have enough time to prepare,” Yeseul tries to placate her, but it only increases the volume of her groans.  A whole month spent dreading the presence of Han Joon-Hwi as she prepared for the trial. “You’ll win it, right?”

There. That was what had been bugging her. The fact that he hadn’t lost a single case since he’d become prosecutor. It isn’t like she hadn’t expected this from him, coming first in her class, but—

“Is this even fair?” she wails, “the attempted murder case doesn’t even have to have him as the prosecutor, it is going to be easy for me to win, the client was framed, and there is no evidence—”

“Noona,” Bok-gi peers at her, his eyes going wide, “you’re scared, aren’t you?”

“Ah, it isn’t like that!” she tries to defend herself. But Yeseul just stares, “fine. You caught me. I’m scared of losing to him, he hasn’t even lost a single case since he made prosecutor, he’s on his way to becoming head prosecutor in less than a decade, and I’m—I’m barely surviving as it is, so why did Attorney Geun-Tae give this case to me?”

Both Bok-gi and Yeseul look shocked, and Sol isn’t surprised. They should be. She was the one who cut off contact with Joon-Hwi after graduation, claiming he didn’t need her to weigh him down, and she was the person who did everything without a single glance backwards, so why was she being so defensive? “It’s not like I don’t want to whine all the fucking time, it’s just that—”

“Whoa, noona swears a lot when it comes to Joon-Hwi hyung, who knew.” Bok-gi says, clapping a hand over his mouth, “have you always been this way, or did this just happen after you found out that you were going up against him?”

Sol scowls, “you’ve been trying to act cute, don’t try that with me, Min Bok-gi.”

Yeseul nods at Bok-gi. Sol scowls again. Traitor.

--

The truth is, she should have known this was coming. Their field doesn’t leave much for anonymity, and even if it did, why did she think it would be so easy to avoid Joon-Hwi? The boy—sorry, man, she supposes she should give him at least that much, they were both in their thirties now—the man was everywhere, the newest rising star in the prosecution. Even her boss, the clueless Park Geun-Tae knew about it, and had requested her to work in a case against him. her, the person who barely passed her law school course at Hankuk. Who has a sister far smarter than her, better than her at all aspects, who really isn’t cut out to be in this profession, something which she’s heard all too often from everyone, and all she wants to do is yell I know, I know, she knows it all.

Which is why, when Han Joon-Hwi approached her after the graduation ceremony, a determined look on his face, she dreaded the words that would come out of his mouth, and instead chose to flee. In retrospect, it wasn’t the best decision, but Kang Sol A isn’t known for making the best decisions.

She still lives with her mother and Byeol in that same house, where Joon had once installed a CCTV camera, which Lee Man-Ho had broken with a well-aimed rock, but the camera is still there, and while Byeol is in middle school now, a big girl, who doesn’t like Sol picking her up from school every day and who is already getting into trouble with that big mouth of hers, and certainly doesn’t need protecting, the camera is still there, and every once in a while, she likes to take a look at it, sipping beer after a long day at work. It’s obviously dysfunctional, but she likes to imagine that Joon-Hwi still takes a look at the camera feed, doing whatever “top secret” things he did.

She sighs, opening the door to their home. I have work to do if I need to beat Joon-Hwi.

--

“Why was I assigned to this case?” Joon-Hwi asks, surprise evident on his face, “I usually take financial dispute cases, this is an attempted murder, and the evidence doesn’t even look solid. Why am I being given this?”

He’s speaking to the wall in his office, and his paralegals are out on break, but he feels as though he should at least vent about this to something, if not someone. He’s supposed to be a star prosecutor, someone who hasn’t lost a single case since they stepped foot into the District Prosecutor’s office. And it’s true, he hasn’t lost a single case since he began working here, spurred on by a desire to both step out from under his uncle’s shadow and to prove himself.

The cases he has handled until now, have all been financial, catching the people who use money to get their way in the world, much like Ko Hyeong-Su, people so entitled to the world that they didn’t consider the rest of them as human beings. He liked bring them down to their level. Hell, he loved it.

But his specialty is not criminal law, and that too, a case that would be difficult for him to win, given that there was very little evidence and whatever he had, would never fly in a court of law. He’s kind of pissed at Prosecutor Lee for giving him the case. No, scratch that, he is pissed at Lee for giving him the case.

Defending lawyer—

Defending lawyer, Kang Sol.

Could it be?

He turns to his computer, and contemplates for a second if he should ask the police officer about the defending counsel, but decides against it. I don’t want to seem like a fool. Which—is correct. He is a fool.

So, he calls up the person who had the case before him, Prosecutor Shin, and tries not to hide the excitement in his words when he asks, “did you meet the defence counsel when you arrested the defendant, Prosecutor?”

“She didn’t have one,” the prosecutor replies, voice scratchy, and he wonders of he did the right thing by disturbing someone who was in the hospital, “we’ve indicted her, but the defence counsel was changed at the last moment, something about the public defender dropping the case. Her new counsel is some young lawyer, although she has a lot of experience.”

A lot of experience. “A lot of experience?”

“Yes,” the voice on the other side cracks, and there’s some commotion in the background, “I remember meeting her in the courthouse once. People call her crazy, the lengths she goes to defend her clients are insane. She’s a good egg though, doesn’t take on cases that she doesn’t like.”

“Hmm, thank you, Prosecutor,” he mumbles, hanging up the phone. So that’s what you’ve been doing all this time, Kang Sol. how long has it been, four-five years? And we’ve never met once, impressive.

He’s suddenly very excited for the initial hearing, even if he knows its going to be nearly impossible to win. But at least he can see her for the first time in years, even if its on the opposite side in a court of law. At least he has that.

—

“You’re being stupid,” Jiho says without much in the way of context, but Joon knows what he’s talking about, “you had to take a case just to meet her? A case you are most likely going to lose? What kind of person does that?”

Joon-Hwi rolls his eyes. Jiho was a good man, but sometimes, he really didn’t know the reason behind things. Or to be more specific, why Joon-Hwi did some things. Still, it was understandable as to why he would behave like this. Neither of them has had any connections with each other over the past five years, missing each other by mere moments at times, and yet, he’s still enamoured by her memory, of the way she used to look at her law books and the way she used to stick her highlighters in her hair, her triumphant smile after she answered something correctly; he remembers everything, and he gets nostalgic sometimes, but such is human nature, one supposes.

“It’s been five years, hyung,” Jiho mutters, pushing the bowl of soup towards him, “isn’t it time you gave up on Sol noona?”

He raises an eyebrow, “I didn’t think you addressed anyone as noona.”

Jiho shrugs, “she’s older than me, so it’s only right. And I did work with her on a case about three—two years ago, and she’s really become good. Or is it all the experience that she has had now, working as a partner at Attorney Park Geun-Tae’s firm, which is unheard of, at her age, but she’s far more competent than him—”

He’s talking, but Joon-Hwi doesn’t register anything anymore, “you’ve worked with her? Together?”

“Hmm?” Jiho mumbles, thrown off his track, “yes, I literally just said that I did, what are you thinking about?”

“No. no, back up a little,” he insists, and Jiho’s confused expression clears when he realises what exactly is Joon-Hwi implying.

“Really? You’re jealous over the fact that I worked with Sol noona? That’s how petty you’ve become now, hyung?” Jiho rolls his eyes, and Joon has the incessant need to just—bury his face in his hands, “you could just give her a call, you know.”

He glares. Jiho nods, “guess not,” and resumes eating. He takes another look at the case file, and sets it down, proceeding to shove food into his mouth. The Japanese restaurant has good food, he does agree, but nothing beats eating too-hot ramyeon at three in the morning with your best friend after you’ve finished reviewing three lectures’ worth of notes together. Crap. He still remembers her as his best friend, even though they haven't had any contact over the past years now. Pathetic.

But self-deprecation isn’t his forte, and he shakes his head at Jiho, who’s determinedly eating, “how’s Sol B doing? Isn’t she going to be a judge?”

“She’s still practicing,” Jiho replies, “her mother wants her to be a judge, although I don’t think Sol wants to do it. She’s happy being a legal scholar. Wants to become a professor at Hankuk later on, if the constitutional law position opens up.” His face has a curiously fond look when he’s talking about her, Joon notices, or perhaps it’s a trick of the light, because Jiho straightens up, “who gave you the case, though?”

“My superior sent it to me because the prosecutor in charge had fallen ill, and had to be taken to the hospital,” Joon-Hwi replies, “it isn’t east for me to win this one, even though—”

“Even though you’ve never lost a single case?” Bok-Gi’s voice almost makes the two of them jump, and Jiho sends a well-aimed smack his way, “so you’re taking noona’s case, are you, hyung?”

Jiho snorts, “he’s losing sleep here.”

“When did I say I was losing sleep?” Joon-Hwi begins to say indignantly, but Bok-gi is still grinning as he slides in beside Jiho, “who told you that, Seo Jiho?”

Jiho doesn’t say anything, so Bok-Gi fills in for him, “hyung, you look terrible. Haven’t you been eating properly?”

Joon-Hwi squints at the other boy, how did he know I haven’t been sleeping well? Does it show on my face? Is it that bad?

“It is that bad, hyung,” Jiho pipes up, “you look like death warmed over.”

“It isn’t that bad, honestly,” Bok-gi says, and promptly shuts up under Jiho’s glare, “jeez, all right, all right, he looks bad. Very bad. Bad with a capital B.”

Joon-Hwi groans. He was supposed to have been handling another financial scam by this time, but he’s now talking to two of his classmates, preparing for a case that he was sure of losing, just to see the girl of his dreams.

Pathetic.

--

It had been two weeks since she had found out that Han Joon-Hwi was going to be the prosecutor for her newly-assigned case, and Sol already felt like she was going to drown amidst a sea of precedents, case studies, and more cases that she needed to read just once, in order to keep her client from getting a guilty verdict. She would have to work harder if she needed to beat him, and had even contemplated asking Professor Yang for help, not that the man would do anything to make her life any easier.

Instead, she settles for the next best thing, calls over Sol B and Yeseul for help, and while Sol B grumbles, Yeseul agrees enthusiastically, even offering to bring over Bok-gi for an extra pair of eyes. Not one to be outdone in anything, Sol B offered to bring over Jiho, who grumbled more than Sol B (if that was possible), but agreed to come along nevertheless, and they all sat in her tiny living room, looking as though they had lived there all their lives, and had helped her with the case, although the boys were more interested in devising ways to make Joon-Hwi lose, as Jiho put it, “noona is our best bet, and he owes me food if he loses.” No one could argue with that, honestly.

Except she feels like drowning, and the trial was only two weeks away.

Stupid Joon-Hwi. Why did he have to take my case? Why couldn’t he just remain in civil law? Why did he have to do this? Why, why, why?

She knew that she was being irrational. He didn’t have much control over the cases he was assigned to, and given the fact that the prosecutor in charge had been admitted to the hospital, she doesn’t think he had any sort of control over what cases he would be assigned to. Still.

You’re being irrational now, a voice that sounds surprisingly like Professor Yang’s pipes up in her mind, you’re being distracted right now, Kang Sol. You won’t win if you’re distracted.

Right. She turns back to her papers, trying her best to push the thoughts out of her mind.

I can’t be distracted.

—

He was distracted.

It wasn’t his fault, perhaps, but Joon-Hwi feels guilty nevertheless, especially as he stares at his two paralegals who are stuck alongside him, working into the night.

He’s been staring at the same picture for the past thirty minutes. In his mind, it qualifies as work, but what sort, he isn’t sure. It’s a picture from their graduation day, the seven of them (Seung-Jae hyung was behind the camera) and Professors Kim and Yang, Yangcrates even had a rare smile, something which he hadn’t ever imagined witnessing, at least not sober. Him with his arm around Jiho, who clearly didn’t want to be dragged into a conversation then, his attention focused on someone else. Sol B, staring straight into the camera, grinning ear to ear. Bok-gi and Ye-beom, the latter gesticulating wildly and Bok-gi just laughing at him, Yeseul with her head thrown back in laughter, and Sol—Sol was radiant, (he laughs at that, radiant, the Greek meaning fitting her like a glove, Sol, the Sun) the way she smiled at the camera, her hand held up in a peace sign. It was an imperfect picture, and he has the final, proper version hung on his living room wall, but it’s the warmest picture he has ever been in.

The trial is the next day, and he should be getting some sleep, but he finds himself staying awake even after his two paralegals have gone home, apologising profusely for leaving him alone, and then he takes out his phone, which has been blowing up with messages from Bok-gi and Jiho, asking to come out with them for dinner. He knows it’s a bad idea, that they would try and get him drunk, or worse, that he would voluntarily get drunk, and showing up hungover at the courthouse isn’t a great idea.

Except… he really wants to do so. It’s like he’s back in university again, trying to find ways to rile Kang Sol up, teasing her, to revel in the way she would get angry with him for cutting short her study times, even though she should have been in bed three hours prior. She would always look at him with that strange sort of expression in her eyes, Joon-Hwi remembers, as if she couldn’t decide whether to hit him or to just kiss him and shut him up.

His phone pings, and it’s a text from Jiho, telling him that hyung, do you want to come out for dinner? Sol’s buying.

He really shouldn’t. even if it had taken him a moment to know which Kang Sol Jiho had been talking about and even then, he couldn’t stop his heart from skipping a beat at the mention of her name, he shouldn’t.

Oi, Han Joon-Hwi, aren’t you a little too old and a little too responsible to be drinking before the day of an important trial?

The voice in his head sounds suspiciously like Sol, not Sol B—Sol A, although he doesn’t know how anyone could confuse themselves between the two—they were as different as light and day, and the one on his mind was not the one who was offering to buy him drinks and dinner. He sighs, texting Jiho a quick apology before he heads out of the office. He needs to be alone tonight, trying to get his thoughts in order before he faced Kang Sol in the courthouse the next day.

Even though he’s sure to lose, he just might win.

--

#jtbc law school #mine #my writing #fanfiction #solhwi fanfiction #han joon hwi #kang sol a #kang sol a x han joon hwi #kang sol b #seo ji ho #min bok gi #jeon yeseul #idiots to lovers if there was one #ro writes #solhwi #solhwi brainrot whos here with me yall

[theautumnisnoble]

AO3: theautumnisnoble

#jtbc law school #mywrittenworks #kimbum #ryu hye young #kang sol a #han joon hwi #law school kdrama #my writing #fanfiction #solhwi #junsola #kimbeom

[marasdramacafe]

Did I make this blog to post the Solhwi fanfiction that I was working on? Yes. Am I now scared to post it? Also, yes.

#kdrama #law school kdrama #han joon hwi #kang sol #kang sol a #kim beom #law school #ryu hye young #solhwi

[sxfik]

caught up in a dream (in a technicolor beat) II

part I | part II

read on ao3 • main masterlist • law school masterlist

summary: Prosecutor han joon hwi found that quality checks in life were very important. He believed that pausing in your daily routine and checking your surroundings is essential. This, of course, also included his energetic girlfriend, Lawyer Kang Sol A's office, and the true effectiveness of the soundproofing. Definitely done with no ulterior motives, not at all.

THIS FIC IS RATED E. do not read if you are not comfortable with sexual content/smut.

a/n: FIRST i’d like to say thank you to ALL the kind words and praise this fic has received on both tumblr and twitter! i did not expect the response LMAO it was very surprising but incredibly well appreciated and motivating. based on a number of requests from both tumblr and twitter, i wrote a second part to this fic! (and it’s more than spicy)

Sunlight filtered through the windows of Joon Hwi's window and onto her eyes, the warmth seeping through her closed eyelids. She cracked an eye open, testing the environment only to be blinded by the brightness of the sun. She scrunched her eyes shut once more, shifting in the bed to get closer to the warmth, and willing her brain to just shut down, go to sleep.

Unable to succumb to the blissful sleep, Sol opened her eyes, only to face her best friend, and boyfriend, Han Joon Hwi's sleeping face.

Unlike the time she woke up in his arms two months ago, there was no sense of panic, nor fear that jolted through her body at the sight of the man, her best friend, still sleeping soundly next to her.  Only contentedness wrapped around her heart as he looked at her boyfriend, his face so peaceful and unguarded.

His hair was tousled from sleep, his expression so soft that she wanted to reach out and cup it. It was, for the lack of a better word, bliss. His arm was heavy as it lay across her waist, pulling her in against him, whilst she was buried in his embrace, trying to cuddle and gain warmth during the nights.

He was shirtless, just like the time she woke up in his bed disoriented, only this time around, she was wearing one of his older sweaters that became her property when she slept over. Her bare legs brushed softly against his legs, Joon hwi only choosing to wear his sweatpants from law school.

These past two months with him were delightful for her. Despite having been friends for almost 5 years, there's so much she's still learning about him. The way he dislikes the sounds of forks against ceramic plates, his obsession with collecting pokemon cards as a kid, all his small quirks, and loves and dislikes. It was like a craving for her, learning about him and sharing stories until she knew him like the back of her own hand.

Falling in love with someone who had supported her through everything, was an entirely different experience for Sol. Slipping into a relationship with him felt so easy, so smooth, that there was not a moment where loving each other felt foreign or awkward. They had already shared so much of their life together that she couldn't imagine a reality where she wasn't in love with him. Loving Han Joon Hwi was as easy as breathing.

This did not mean that her boyfriend made breathing very easy for her, of course. Han Joon Hwi, as sweet as he was, was also a teasing devil. If she thought his smirks and teasing were bad when they were friends, it had only gotten worse. Now, rather than just verbally teasing her, it was accompanied by his hands roaming around her waist, her hips. It was accompanied by frantic, dizzying kisses, ones that left her breathless and wanting more.

It was worse when they assumed their roles as Prosecutor and Attorney; the tension in the room would double, and it would end her moaning and begging for him. The worst, of course, was while she was working at her office.

"Seeing you flustered is my favorite thing in the world," he once said, a slight smirk on his face as she ate her ice cream cone he had bought her after work. His hand was firmly in hers, swinging it back and forth like little kids, as they walked down the alleyway towards their apartment.

"That doesn't mean you can do it while I was mid-case! I'm supposed to be focused on the argument," she whined at him, her face scrunched in mock frustration. He laughed at her frustration, the expression unchanged from the way he'd laugh at her during their law school days. He felt just as strongly for her, if not more, now than he did then.

He paused in his track, jolting her back towards where he was standing.

"Forgive me?" he asked, his bangs falling to the side as he tilted his head at her, trying to appear cute. She squinted her eyes in suspicion as his face scrunched into a smile, trying to appear cute in front of her. She huffed, and he laughed, pulling her into a warm hug.

Joon hwi's warm arms that were snaked around her waist pulled her closer, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck as he let out a small sigh. "Why are you awake?" he asked, his voice heavy with sleep.

"It's already 7 am, I have a lot of cases to deal with today," she replied back, her eyes closing softly as she enjoyed his arms around hers. She indulged in his warmth, his proximity and the safety and comfort his presence brought her before setting her mind.

"I need to get ready now so I can make my appointments today," she gently informed him, trying to escape him so she can get ready for the day. Instead, he shook his head and pouted at her, his eyes pleading with her.

"Stay," Joon hwi whined, his voice muffled as he pulled her closer into his embrace. She couldn't help but laugh. These moments made it harder for her to process that the man who once solved a murder and put away an assemblyman for corruption is the same man clinging to her in their bed, asking for a few more minutes of cuddling.

"Joon hwi-ah," her voice was almost melodic, saying his name, "the sooner I can get my work done, the sooner you can have me home. Doesn't that sound better?"

"Orrr, you could just stay and cuddle! Work can always wait."

"Say you, Mr. Top Prosecutor, I'm sure you're just as swamped as I am nowadays, hm?"

He lifted his head off the pillow slightly, pouting at her, "Then you should stay and help me with them!"

"Nope, nope, absolutely not," she escaped his embrace, and got up from the comfortable bed, walking towards the closet to choose her clothes for the day and get ready.

"You know, if you help me instead, maybe we can test the soundproofing of my office," she said innocently, pausing to look over her shoulder at him. Sol winked at him, gathering the last of her clothes before rushing off to get ready for the day.

"Sol-ahh," he whined, tossing in the bed, pouting like a little kid, "Don't tease me and leave!"

Her laughter echoed down the hall to him, as he relaxed back into his bed, trying to get a few more hours in bed before he left for work.

It was another day, another case. Prosecutor Han Joon Hwi was still swamped with work, as one does when they're on their way to be the top prosecutor in their department. For him though, it didn't matter, at least not today. Especially when there was another, more interesting case waiting for him at his girlfriend, Lawyer Kang Sol's, office.

It was late by the time he left his office, on the way to check on his girlfriend. It was part of their routine now, whoever would get off work first usually visited the other. If they couldn't visit, they'd call each other just to check in and give the other a break from working.

Their workaholic habits had not ended when they left Law School, especially for Kang Sol. The passionate girl that he could now call his, worked endlessly to prove her client's innocence. It was what he'd admired most about her, her tenacity and perseverance.

It was also what worried him most.

Even though there wasn't a repeat of their first year, when Sol passed out due to overexertion, she came too close for his liking. So, he'd made it his mission to check in on her, especially on days like these where she was swamped with cases.

It was quiet when he walked into her office, save for the sounds of rustling paper. Despite working for Attorney Park after she became a lawyer, she eventually opened up her own office. It made his heart swell with pride, to see the girl who struggled in law school, have so many loyal clients and people seeking her out for her advice. He shrugged off his coat and set his bag down quietly, then shuffled his way over to her desk.

Sol was buried between two stacks of papers, the case files bound together thickly, as she bit the end of her pen, her leg shaking as she looked down at the files in concentration. She barely noticed him approach her desk, so absorbed into the details of the case.

The look on her face only reminded of her when they were still at Hanguk law school, the late nights they'd study together where he'd study her more than the textbooks in front of him. Watching her expression change from confusion to understanding was fascinating, her energy infectious.

"Still working?" he asked, his hands absentmindedly messing with the little figurine at the edge of her desk. She sighed, dropping the pen onto her desk, before pushing away from it to stretch out her arms. She nodded at him, getting up to stand beside him in front of her desk.

"Mhm, I ended up having to do a lot more appointments today than planned," she started, launching into an account of her day's activities. Her eyes lit up with energy as she recounted the day, her hands flying as she gestured. His hand reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, listening to her talk about her day.

Eventually she paused, trying to capture her breath from speaking so rapidly at him, but he didn't care. It was the best part of his day, hearing her talk to him. And a bit selfish too, knowing that he was the only man lucky enough to get this pure, unfiltered version of Sol in his life.

She was beautiful, her hair now hanging to her shoulders rather than the signature messy bun she sported during Law School. She was wearing a standard light beige blazer, with a matching skirt that revealed her sinful legs in a way that was a little too distracting for him. He let out a small laugh, looking at her gathering herself.

"See, imagine if you didn't leave the bed this morning, you wouldn't be facing the piling work," he innocently remarked, attempting to keep a smile off his face as her eyes narrowed at him.

"I'm sure I'd be just as tired from spending the morning in bed with you," she said cunningly, knowing what he was up to.

"Oh?" he teased back, as he trapped her to her desk with both his hands braced against the desk behind her. "What are you thinking of Sol-ah?" He tilted his eyebrow at her as he grew closer, his gaze flitting down to her lips for a moment, before meeting her eyes. "I was merely wanting a few more moments in bed with my dear girlfriend," he said, still playing innocent.

"Ah, so you definitely didn't come here with any other intention, right Prosecutor Joon Hwi?"

Bingo. His expression changed into shock for just a moment, not expecting to get caught, but he masked it just as quickly as he noted how breathless she was.

"Oh, you know, you did ask me to come help you," his eyes fluttering close as he leaned in, "you just didn't specify what I would be helping you with."

His lips pressed a soft kiss into hers, before pulling back, to check if this was okay. Instead of a response, she pulled him back into a kiss, their movements a little more frantic and unrefined. His hands gripping the desk came to rest at her hips instead, as her hands cupped his face, trying to pull him in closer.

His hands trailed down to her thighs, and with a swift motion, placed her onto the desk, making his way between her legs, as her arms looped around his neck for stability. Her body was pressed against his as he rolled his hips in an effort for more friction, more contact. All of a sudden, it felt like he was burning up with her every touch, her skin searing into his, but the feeling got him drunk, dizzier with want. A shudder went through her as his tongue swiped against hers, and that was all he needed for his hands to move faster, his kiss to get more frantic.

Her hands moved to shrug the blazer off her shoulders, before going to pull his blazer off him. It felt too slow, as if she was unwrapping him all for herself and it took everything in him not to move faster, to fuck her half-dressed against her desk.

They pulled away for a moment, their movements frantic and needy, as her hands unbuttoned his white shirt. His eyes roamed her body, trying to memorize how she looked before exploring with his hands. Her blouse highlighted every curve of her body, already making it hard for him to breathe. It taunted and teased him, tempting him to run his hands over her curves until he could memorize the feel of her body. His eyes fell to her legs, her skirt hiked up from sitting on the desk, and his mind almost went blank from seeing the bare, bare skin on display for him.

"Your shirt has too many buttons," she quipped, her hands still frantically taking his shirt off.

"Your skirt has to go," he simply responded, his hands tracing her outer thigh as she shuddered a breath.

Finally, finally, her hands pushed the shirt back onto the floor, her hands firmly pressed against his chest. His hands edged her blouse, attempting to take it off of her as swiftly as possible. He paused after, drinking in the sight of the beautiful girl as she was left breathing heavy and shirtless on her desk. The sight of her, her lips swollen and red and breathless, was enough to send his body into overdrive. Her hair was disheveled and her bright brown eyes were dark and needy and she was all for him.

Despite being a man of restraint, his greed had no bounds when it came to Kang Sol, his Kang Sol. She was sitting on her desk and sitting prettily, just for him to make her disheveled and breathless and needy. The more he got, the more he craved and it was an unending cycle of want.

He moved back to kiss her neck, her hands tracing down his chest until she reached his belt, quickly unbuckling it. Her hands unbuttoned his slacks, and her hands went in, until it teased the waistband of his boxers. The delicate touch of her hands, so close to where he wanted her, was dizzying and sent his mind in a haze. Her hand, after teasing him for what felt like forever, slipped under, taking hold of his cock, and he groaned into her neck, his movements stuttering as attempted to keep focus on her.

Joon hwi left open mouthed kisses along her throat as his other hand busied itself at her bra clasp, maneuvering it until it gave way and loosened up around her. In a simple motion, he slipped it off her, finally having her on full display for him. His hand slipped up her stomach and towards her breasts, a single caress enough for her to tip her head back, granting him access to more. Her voice was heavy, the moans coming from deep within her as his hand cupped one of her breasts, his thumb brushing her nipple hardened against the cold of the office.

He continued these ministrations, alternating his attention between her breasts and the delicate skin of her neck, touching her enough to make her melt in his hands. Meanwhile, one of his hands traced along her thigh, edging under her skirt and towards her inner thigh as her hands stuttered to a stop against his body.

“How soundproof do you think this office is?” he asked, his smirk turning devilish. His hand inched higher and higher, until it reached the center of her underwear and pressed lightly, the dampness of her arousal evident. Sol gasped, her eyes closed in pleasure, struggling to  form a coherent thought, let alone respond to his question.

“I-I’m,” her voice wavered, “I’m not sure.”

“Hm,” he paused, his smirk growing wider, “Better to keep you quiet then.” He captured her lips with his, this time settling into a bruising kiss as his fingers dragged her underwear down, until it was off her legs. His hands came up again to press against her clit and she moaned into the kiss, his touch torturous.

“Joon hwi-ahh,” she moaned his name as his fingers moved in circles, “Please.” Her voice was breathless and high pitched, her hands were gripping the edge of the table, as she pushed her body against his, her body begging for friction.

"Shh, Sol-ah, you don't wanna be too loud right?" he teased her slightly as his hands moved with just the right pressure, making her gasp. He smirked, his gaze only getting darker as he watched her squirm against his hands, pressing forward for more friction. He continued, one hand playing with her breasts as the other moved in circles, until her breathing was ragged and fast, moaning incoherently against his fingers. The sight of her, pushing against his fingers, begging him for more, only made him go crazier with his need for her. As she got closer and closer to an orgasm, he pulled his hand back, making her whine at the loss.

Instead, he ruffled through her handbag set on the corner of his desk, pulling a condom and slipping it on, before helping her out of her skirt. Her hands then came to brace on the desk, her back tilted, as he entered her, the feeling so warm and full.

The feel of her around him was sinful and delicious and he only craved more as he moved against her, the friction increasing as their pace increased. It was messy and unrefined and filled with need for each other, their breaths turned into hurried pants and moans. Sol arched as his pace quickened and he groaned, his voice husky and deep.

"I think," he panted, "your office needs more thorough testing, wouldn't you agree, Attorney Kang?"

She smirked in response, "Of course, Prosecutor Han."

tagging: @akinosakiya

#jtbc law school #law school jtbc #law school #law school kdrama #law school netflix #kim beom #kim bum #ryu hye young #solhwi #kang sol a #han joon hwi #my writing #fanfiction #solhwi fanfiction #rated M #mature #smut

[sxfik]

caught up in a dream (in a technicolor beat)

read on ao3 • main masterlist • law school masterlist

summary: a dream or real life? when sol sneaks out of joon hwi's room after a one night stand, he assumes the whole night to be a very vivid dream. a little too vivid. but of course, it had to be a dream. right?

aka: idiots to lovers but heavy emphasis on the idiots.

credits: @ohcoolnice was a LOVELY HUMAN BEING and came up with the idea and the scenes!! co-writer's credit goes to her <333

a/n: did i write this listening to get lucky by daft punk just for the absurdity of it? yes i did. i don't think it would enhance the experience of reading this but ... i think it was an important addition to this. i got sick mid-writing this but AAA this was the first thing i came back to! to the whole gc on tumblr, i hope i did the idea justice. the title is from the song technicolor beat by oh wonder which actually might suit this fic better but as always enjoy <333

word count: 3190 words

The moment Sol opened her eyes, she shut them closed again.

Agh, my head. There was the unmistakable pounding that comes after a night of drinking with her friends, her body almost sore with exhaustion. My, I must have drank more than usual.

She buried her head into the pillow, noting that it was unbelievably comfortable and so warm. Usually, she woke up with a stiff neck and an intense hatred for the brick of a pillow. Maybe I don't need to spend money on a new pillow.

Trying to shield her eyes from the stabbing burn of sunlight, she blinked, taking in the white pillowcase, the grey—

White pillowcase? She didn't have a white pillowcase. Sol threw her eyes open, hissing and closing them again immediately. Owwww, ow ow, ow, ow.

Slowly, she turned onto her other side, her back towards the window, and opened her eyes—

And almost screamed.

Laying on the other side of the bed, hair tousled, bare chested, was Han Joon Hwi.  No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no— she looked down at herself. She wasn't wearing anything. "No!" she squeaked, slapping a hand over her mouth as Joon hwi stirred. Please don't wake up. Please don't—

Sol let out a shuddering breath as his face relaxed, his body twisted as his heavy arm slung across her waist and pulled her close to his very unclothed body. The warmth of his chest pressing against it was delicious that Sol could get drunk from the feeling alone. His face was relaxed, unguarded, his lips slightly parted as he breathed out a steady rhythm. His hair was tousled, messy as if someone ran their hands through it.

Oh wait.

Images flashed through her mind, her hands raking through his hair, his lips on hers, his hands on her waist, him pulling her closer, her taking his shirt off. The memories flooded back as her face flushed, remembering how he'd touched her and how needy she was for him. Sol was aware of every nerve, every hair on her body all at once as she stared at him, wide eyed, her breath held in.

Kang Sol slept with him. Him being the top prosecutor. Him being the second round judicial exam acer. Her best friend. Han Joon Hwi. Han Joon Hwi.

He was her best friend. The man who'd been with her through every up and down. And she slept with him. Crossed boundaries that can't ever be uncrossed. Yet, despite the shock, watching Joon hwi's chest as he breathed softly, his face so soft, so boyish and young eased her so much.

She wanted to encapsulate that moment, try to memorize every bit of him. It ignited this craving inside her, to see him like this every morning as she woke up, with him beside her.

It was terrifying.

A sudden wave of panic rushed through her as she stared at the man currently tangled with her, and—

She had to get out of here. She needed air, space, something that's not so much. Not so real.

Being careful not to wake him, she slowly detangled herself from under his arms, cautious not to shift her weight too much. Quickly, she grabbed her clothes that were discarded on the floor, getting dressed as efficiently as possible.

She paused for a moment by his desk, looking down at the sticky notes and pens laying on it, contemplating whether to write him a note, but decided against it. Sol, as she left his bedroom, tried to keep her eyes away from Joon Hwi as she left, lest she be tempted to do something stupid. Like wake him up. Or even worse, crawl back in bed with him.

The sunlight filters through his room, the dust particles almost clear in the light as Joon Hwi tossed in his bed.

Mmmm, Sol-ah.... His arm went out to search the empty space next to him, his eyes still closed, arguing with his mind to let him sleep longer.

Wait. His eyes blinked open all of a sudden, his bedroom bright with the sunlight filtering through his window as he looked around his room. His head was pounding, in a way that told him just how much he drank the night before. But, of course, this was all normal after a great night out with his friends.

What was not normal was his current unclothed state.

Joon Hwi wasn’t  the type to sleep naked, especially after years of rooming with someone else. Occasionally shirtless or with boxers, when the sweltering heat of summer was unbearable, but never naked. Unless—

He quickly shut his eyes, the memories of last night flooding into his brain. Getting drunk with Sol, stumbling into his apartment at the Ungodly hours. Those were all normal for a Friday night out.

What was definitely not normal was the vivid images of kissing her against the kitchen counter, her hands carefully taking off his shirt, the frantic way he'd kissed her neck. How smooth and soft her skin was under his fingers, the way she moved underneath him, the salacious sounds she'd made for him.

Yet, as he twisted and looked around his room, there was no sign of the girl next to him. No sign that he had even slept with her, despite the fact his bedsheets were a lot messier than usual. Which could only mean that he had another dream of his best friend, the girl he'd been in love with for 4 years, Kang Sol.

He’s been head-over-heels for the girl since their first year at Hanguk Law School. They were seen everywhere together, the two stuck on each other. Where one went, the other would follow. It was never a wonder that he was head over heels for her.  Her spirit, her drive, everything about her was just so admirable. He could write pages upon pages on everything she changed in him, in everyone in his friend group.

She made it so easy to fall in love with her. Her tilted smiles, her mischievous and bright eyes, her overflowing enthusiasm and positivity. It was infectious and for so long, the seemingly cold Han Joon hwi was melted by her. She made everything so much brighter, so much easier, so it wasn't any shock to him when he fell in love with her.

But Kang Sol had never shown an interest in dating, let alone him. Granted, she had to spend a majority of her time during law school over her studies and her family and Joon hwi used it as a reason not to confess, not to complicate her life more. Soon, that evolved into She needs to be established in her career to She has a lot of cases on her plate to millions more excuses on why he couldn’t tell her how he felt. But for him, it was still okay. He would rather be a quiet admirer and keep her as his friend forever rather than ruin the relationship they had together.

His mind, of course, hated him. Those rare moments he had to himself were filled with thoughts of her, what he wanted to share with her, the funny post he saw on Instagram the other day, how he felt about the temporary investigator he was assigned. It was like she was a part of his brain, offering comments to his every thought, and she was always the first one he needed to see whenever he had a problem.

Out of all the ways his mind tortures him, though, this dream was the worst. It was all just so vivid, so real. The images of Sol in his bed, the way her legs had looked, the way her hands felt against his skin. His mind, starved for her, only created more images to torture him with: her hands sliding up his stomach and his chest, her gasps and expressions to his every touch, his hands against her hips. It was painful.

Tossing into his pillow, he groaned into it, almost smacking it into his head as he cursed his mind for conjuring such images of the girl he'd have to see almost daily. It was like the universe had a twisted sort of humor, forcing him to see her laugh and her happiness and then whispering to him that he couldn't have her.

He was content with having her as his friend, in fact would rather keep her by his side like that than ever lose her, but his mind only craved for more. To have her by his side, to build a life together, to be each other's cornerstones. To have her all for himself, in his bed, by his side every single night.

He sighed into his pillow, one last time. Prying himself off his bed, he tried to calm his mind and himself, before preparing himself for the day ahead of him, and to see her again.

Facing her best friend after sleeping with him is in the top 3  hardest things Kang Sol has ever had to do. Among those three were, obviously, going against Assemblyman Ko and telling her sister Byeol that she finished the last of her favorite ice cream bars.

Here she is, Attorney Kang Sol A, who is a real adult, who pays real taxes and did not buy happy meals when they had Powerpuff girl figurines. Yet she's turning into a complete teenager, a mess of nervousness and anxiety and awkwardness, when she has to sit next to her best friend.

Han Joon hwi, on the other hand, was acting perfectly normal. As if nothing happened between them, as if they totally didn't sleep together, crossing the boundary with each other. He would tease and smile and smirk at her just like normal, ask her about her day and the cases she dealt with.

It made her blood boil.

Her skin turned hot with rage when he looked at her like that, so unassuming and casual as if nothing had ever changed. It made her want to yell and throw a tantrum and ask why he could act like this as if nothing had changed.

Most infuriating of them all was her urge to grab the collar of his shirt  and kiss him, try to express everything she felt she could not with her lips, her hands and her body pressed up to him. It was almost insatiable and it was more than painful when she had to control herself, tell herself that it was just a simple mistake.

It's not like her feelings for him happened over night. Hell, Kang Sol knew that she fell in love with years before they slept together. There were never fireworks or an orchestra playing as she had her epiphany.

She wanted to share every little story, every adventure, every uneventful fact of her life with him. As time grew, so did her insatiable craving to understand every piece of him and keep him for herself. He was always by her side and at some point, she realized that she didn't ever want it otherwise.

God, Professor Yang, why would you ask us to work together on a case? She was cursing her every decision in life as she sat next to him, the two meeting in her office to help her go through a case that her old law school professor had assigned them. Despite being a year out of law school already, their professors had routinely called them to take on cases on their behalf.

Even though they would whine and complain every single time her professors called, they ultimately took the case on, knowing that if they didn't, no one else would. Since both of them were still in their early days career-wise, they would fit it in alongside the truckload of cases they'd manage. Still, it was easier because Sol could trust him with it, and even if they disagree, she knew it wouldn't cause a rift between them.

He was pacing behind her, going through the facts of their case and reviewing the evidence they had gathered while she was sitting by her desk, reading through some of the autopsy reports. Both of them decided to look at the case as if it was new, rather than focus on whatever evidence had been built up

"Hey, look at the injuries on his body versus the ones on hers. Does this look like it was a mutual assault?" she asked, her head slightly shifted to him, as he paused and walked over to her.

She tensed as he leaned over her shoulder, a breath lodged in her throat as he scanned the documents laying in front of her. Her heart was thundering in her chest and she could hear her blood rushing in her ears, his breath faintly caressing her neck. It drove her insane, her mind catapulted into their activities of their night together, the way it left both of them breathing heavy yet still starved for each other.

The way he braced against the table as he leaned closer, his arms so strong and masculine only made matters worse. She kept thinking of him hovering over her, his eyes dark and his smirk more devilish and teasing than usual. It was hard to keep her composure, harder to keep her mind strictly on the case in front of her and not on the warmth that radiated from him.

"You're right," he hummed, his voice deep, as he picked up the file to read closer. He stepped back and she could finally breathe again, his proximity no longer suffocating her as they both buried their head back into the case file.

Kang Sol was nervous, that much he could tell. He could tell from the way her legs would cross, then uncross and the way she would shift and tense her shoulders when he would approach her. She would bite her lip and her forehead would scrunch slightly and it was the most telltale sign that she was nervous.

He always had a radar for her emotions, the ability to tell exactly what she was feeling when. It wasn't like it was hard anyways, when all her thoughts would flit through her face for everyone to see. After 4 years of being in love with her and being her best friend, it was as easy as reading a book.

Unlike most of the time though, he could tell that it was his presence making her nervous. Her shoulders would tense every time he'd take a step closer to her or look at her for more than 10 seconds.

She was especially tense when he leaned over her to look closer at the file. Maybe, it was just his selfish way of teasing her, of having her closer to him, but something about the way her breath hitched made his mind go directly to the incredibly vivid dream he had Friday night. It made him imagine how she moved under him, the way her voice would echo in his head, telling him to keep going. Despite his every effort, the images of that night taunted him daily, thinking of the way his mind had constructed dreams of her so realistic that it made him yearn to have her just like the dream suggested.

It didn't help that she looked especially beautiful when she was suited up for work, her outfits matching her energy flawlessly and curving around her body in a way that should be illegal. She was a walking temptation for him, and it was growing impossible to ignore.

Still, it was concerning when she tensed like that around him. His mind was off the case this time as he paced, trying to think what he had done to set her off like this. The tension in the room suddenly multiplied, and his chest tightened before he tried to diffuse the tension.

"Ah, did I tell you,  I got a new couch for my apartment," he stated nonchalantly, trying to keep his heart from jumping out of his throat.

"Yeah, I remember seeing it when I was at your apartment on Friday," she lightly laughed, as if remembering something before shifting the file in her hand.

"Wait Friday?" he paused, stopping his pacing to turn to look at her.

"Yeah," she slowly said, as she twisted in her seat to face him.

"But friday..."

"Do you not remember?" she questioned, her voice sharp as he just blankly stared at her. Her eyes were severe as she looked at him, hurt rising in her gaze and all he could do was blink. Friday night... Was it not...

“I thought it was a dream,” he whispered, his eyes wide as the realization settled into his head.

"What?"

"A dream, I had..." he cleared his throat, his hand going up to his neck. "I assumed it was a dream when I didn't see you that morning." He stepped a little closer to her chair, Sol still blinking at him like he'd lost his mind.

"You thought-" She let out a little laugh, looking up at him as he approached her. "You thought it was a dream? That we slept together?"

"Yes, I... It felt too good to be true," he replied back. He was close then, his knees touching hers as he towered over her, as he leaned down towards her. His hands reached out to cup her face slightly, to bring it up to look into him. "Why'd you leave that morning?" he finally asked, his voice wavering slightly at all the possibilities of her answers.

"I-I was terrified," she said, her eyes impossibly wide, "I was terrified because it changed everything and I felt so nervous. I was terrified because it changed everything and I wanted more."

It wasn't clear who leaned in first, but her lips were soft against his, their kiss sweet yet needy. His hands cupping her face brought her closer as her hands gripped his shirt, pulling him to her. The feel of her lips against his, her hands pulling him closer were more vivid than ever, just like every dream his mind had conjured up but so much better. He tilted, kissing her deeper, the kiss turning more frantic and needing, and the moment never ending.

They pulled away, as he looked at her, trying to catch his breath. Her eyes were still wide, her pupils blown out and her lips red from their kiss. It was impossibly tempting, as he leaned in to capture her lips once more, when a swift hand had blocked him.

"Nuh uh, Prosecutor Han Joon Hwi," her eyes were teasing as she looked up at him, "Anymore and I'll make you drive us to your house instead of working on this case."

"Oh?" he smirked back "I'm sure your office is soundproof enough, right?"

She smacked his chest at that, her lips curved into a smile, her face flushed at the idea of his suggestion. "Get back to work!"

"Yes, of course, Attorney Kang," he leaned back, bowing mockingly before they both emerged themselves in their files.

tagging: @akinosakiya, @cathartichaoss, @affablewritesfables bc that conversation was everything that inspired this

#mine #law school #jtbc #jtbc drama #law school jtbc #law school kdrama #jtbc law school #law school netflix #han joon hwi #kang sol a #solhwi #solhwi fanfiction #my writing #fanfiction #kim beom #kim bum #ryu hye young

[sxfik]

you're the sunshine in the rain when it's pouring (won't you give yourself to me?)

read on ao3 • masterlist

summary: Kang Sol A was not afraid, she wasn’t built to be afraid. But what else could you call the pang that rippled through her heart as she noticed the two figures huddled at the cafe near the entrance of her school?

a/n: hello! this is my first solhwi fic i've written and if i'm being honest, it's kind of a mess but i have so many ideas for them, especially after these last few episodes! honestly, the two of them are the epitome of idiots to lovers so i just had to write this! the title of this fic is from best part by Daniel Ceasar ft. H. E. R.

come interact or drop a request if you want to see more solhwi content :)

Kang Sol A was not afraid.

She wasn’t afraid during her yearly doctor’s appointment, the glint of the long needle threatening to pierce through her. She wasn’t afraid when she stood up for her sisters, time and time again, until she was beaten and bruised protecting them. In the face of any adversity, she was taught to stand strong and fight, no matter how big or small the enemy. Even at the face of losing her scholarship and being expelled from Hankuk Law School, she knew she could pull herself up.

No, Kang Sol A was not afraid, she wasn’t built to be afraid. But what else could you call the pang that rippled through her heart as she noticed the two figures huddled at the cafe near the entrance of her school?

It’s been a week since Ye Seul’s trial, five days since the incident, and four days since she started avoiding Mr. Second Round Judicial Exam, Han Joon Hwi.

His presence was bearable prior to Ye Seul’s trial. Actually, more than bearable. It was a comfort, a person she knew she could let her guard down with. His teasing smiles or his love for ramen at any time of day.  As her days and her mind got busier day by day, his presence was unyielding. Every late night in the library, he was by her side, explaining the codes over and over again. Even when she got frustrated, or whiny, Joon Hwi was infinitely patient with her. With Joon Hwi by her side, everything seemed so easy. She saw the light at the end of the long tunnel she was dragged through. Still, with Kang Dan’s sudden appearance, Mr. Yang and Ye Seul’s trial, her mind was too busy to think clearly. To see clearly.

But when his gaze shifted to her and her roommate when he stood as a witness during Ye-Seul’s trial, her breath caught in her throat as she imagined, just for a moment, that he was going to say her name. That he was looking at her. That he was in love with her.

It was as if something clicked, like the puzzle pieces coming together in her mind. In an instant, she saw him in such clarity, every action, every smile and gesture passing through her mind. Cliche as it seems, it was as if she saw him for the first time all over again.

But of course, that gaze was not meant for her. Why would it be? Han Joon Hwi was meant to be with Sol B, not her. The students who were born to work with the law are perfectly suited for each other. It was obvious that he wanted to protect Sol B. Yet, in her weakest moment, her heart yearned for it to be her.

Forcing herself to breathe, she continued on after the trial as if nothing had changed between them. Because, well, they haven’t. The view had shifted but only for her.  At first, it was easier than she expected, teasing him about her roommate. Sol would be lying if she said it didn’t come with a twinge of jealousy but what could she do, but continue to be loyal to him. So on she continued, with Joon Hwi blissfully unaware that she was falling deeper for him, day by day.

Of course, nothing ever goes her way. Five nights ago, Sol was seated at her usual desk at the library, the rows of desks unoccupied. It was another late night for her, as she poured over her case files for a quiz the next day. Despite being a breeze for the other students, Sol had to study for a 110% in order to score an 80%. Sol set up camp in the library, her texts haphazardly strewed across the desk, highlighter in hand, as she buckled down for a long night of studying.

As the hours passed, her vision slowly blurred, the words on the page meshing together into a blob of black squiggles. She blinked, forcing her eyes to focus but to no avail. Sighing, she shut her eyes as she slumped back into her chair, allowing her head to loll off the edge of her chair and stretching her arms out.

“Still studying?” Joon Hwi’s familiar voice startled her, her head jerking back and almost tipping her chair backwards. “Whoa, Sol, be careful!” he lunged, catching her chair before she had the chance to stabilize herself.

“Yah, Han Joon Hwi, why would you come up suddenly like that?” Sol wrinkled her nose at him in annoyance, getting a teasing smirk in response. Sol turned towards her desk, pulling herself closer to the desk as he looked over her.

“Are you studying for Professor Jung’s quiz tomorrow?” he questioned, his head tilting in a familiar way as she sighed once more.

“Of course I am. Not all of us are law geniuses like you, Mr. Second Round Judicial Exam,” Sol huffed as she looked up at him but she softened her face as she saw the smile on his face.

Joon Hwi let out a small laugh as he stepped closer to her, clapping a hand on her shoulder in reassurance. “Well, then I’d be more than qualified to help, don’t you think, sunbae?” he quipped back.

“Hey, I can do it myse-”

“Hm, let me see,”  he cut her off, his eyebrows furrowed. Her heart stuttered as he leaned forward, over her shoulder, looking onto the texts that lay in front of her. “Oh, this one isn’t as bad as the others, you should start with this and then…” he rambled on, but every once of her concentration was on his proximity. The warmth of his hand on her shoulder bleed through her shirt, the feel of his palm burning her skin. He was close enough that she could hear the soft puffs of his breath, his warmth radiating off his body pulling her body towards him like a magnet.

It’s okay, just breathe. You know how to breathe right, Sol? She slowly instructed herself on how to breathe like she suddenly had to learn all over again. And wow, was that a bad idea. His cologne is even more intoxicating up close, and so is Joon Hwi. Every one of her senses was overloaded, her mind blank save for him.

“Yah, Kang Sol? You better be paying atten-” he turned his head towards her, and she forgot how to breathe all over again. His brown eyes widened in surprise as his face just centimeters away from hers. Sol parted her lips ever so slightly to speak but his gaze dropped her lips and her mind was blank again as she blinked at him. His features were so much softer up close, as she watched his face relax. His long eyelashes brushed against his cheek as he blinked. His eyes flitted back to her, but his familiar honey eyes darkened. Her eyes drifted over his face, and then dipped down to his soft lips. If she just moved closer, she could feel how soft his lips were...

And suddenly, reality slapped her in the face. What would Sol B think if she caught her boyfriend so close to her? Even with her roommate’s cold behavior, Sol knew just how much she suffered and how much it would break her to know how she felt about Joon Hwi. Despite every molecule in her body begging her to move closer, she couldn’t do that to Sol B.

So she moved away, stuttering out some lame excuse as she gathered her books and stumbled out of the library. But as she lay in her bedroom, staring up at the ceiling as she imagined all that could have happened between them, the warmth of the memory spread across her body.

And Kang Sol A knew that she wasn’t just afraid. She was terrified.

When she couldn’t stand and fight, she did the next best thing. She ran. She intricately planned everyday to minimize her contact with him as much as possible. Obviously, step one was to sit away from him in class, to avoid his gaze in the halls. She would leave her dorm as early as possible and hide until he was finished with his dinner to sneak in and grab herself something.

But it wasn’t until she tried to avoid him that she realized just how much space in her life was occupied by him. He used to always sit next to or across from her. Always looking over her shoulder, or leaning over  to see the textbooks clearly. Every time she turned to ask a question, or make a snarky comment, there was an empty space reminding her of her decision.

Still, even if he wasn’t physically present, he occupied a corner in her mind. His voice was in her head, echoing responses to her every thought. Her mind would fill with things she wanted to rant about, to ask, to share with him. When she closes her eyes at night and drifts into sleep, he would be there, his signature teasing smile on his face.

And he didn’t seem to be making it any easier on her. It seemed that Joon Hwi took it upon himself to magically appear whenever she least expected him to. If she went to the copy room to print a case file, he was sitting there, looking through a stack of papers or in line to print a copy himself. If she decides to have a late night study session, there he is across from her, books in hand with his legs propped up on a table.

Han Joon Hwi was the constant, unavoidable presence that she can’t seem to get rid of from her life. From her mind. From her heart.

“Unnie?” a soft voice snapped Kang Sol out of her thoughts, and Ye Seul appeared in front of her, near the entrance. How long have I stood here? Sol blinked.

“Ah, Ye-Seul,” she smiled at her best friend. “Let’s have some coffee today? At the cafe?” she asked, her shoulders relaxing after flitting up to where Joon Hwi and Kang Sol B stood. Well, where they were standing. I guess they left. Ye Seul’s eyebrows furrowed as she followed Sol’s gaze but before she could respond, Sol A hooked an elbow through hers, dragging her toward the cafe.

But of course, nothing ever goes her way.

“Ah, Ye-Seul, can I borrow Kang Sol for a moment?” Joon Hwi asked, suddenly appearing in their path, his eyes strictly focused on her best friend. Sol squeezed her arm in alarm, everything in her body pleading for Ye-Seul to say no so she can just avoid him until her crush fades away.

“Unnie, buy me the coffee next time, hm?” Ye-Seul turned to her with an apologetic gaze. Betrayal. I’ll get you back for this. Sol A sighed as she turned her gaze to Joon Hwi.

“Yah, Sol, why are you avoiding me like this? Please, just talk to me so we can fix it,” he pleaded with her, wasting no time to get to the point. Sol A pursed her lips as she looked up at him, her mind too full for her to answer him. What could she say to him? That she likes him? That she’s found out how much she needs him in her life, but she was too late?

“Sol, please,” his voice broke slightly as the silence stretched between them but that was enough for her to sigh, her shoulders relaxing as she gave in to him.

“Okay,” she responded and that was all Joon Hwi needed to grab her wrist and walk towards the corridor between the stairwells.

“We can talk more privately,” he answered her before she even voiced the question. “Now, why are you mad at me? The last time I saw you was at the library and then you disappeared,” Joon hwi ran a hand through his hair nervously as he rambled on and for the first time, Kang Sol took him in. To say he was disheveled was an understatement. The usual calm demeanor was nowhere to be seen and his clothes were askew as his face showed the lack of sleep and exhaustion. Her heart clenched for him, but no, you can’t do this. You can’t betray Sol B.

“Don’t you think it’s best if we don’t interact with how we used to?” she asked, her eyes glued to the floor, ignoring her throat closing up at the thought of breaking their friendship.

“What?” his eyes zeroed in on her, and she could see the confusion running through his mind.

“What do you think Sol B would think if she saw us like this? We can’t be close like this with each other bec-”

“Who cares about how I am with you?” he cut her off, his jaw clenched as his eyebrows furrow in frustration.

“Ya Han Joon Hwi, how could you do this? I expected so much better from you. Don’t you understand, it’s terrible to do this to her!” she pleaded with him, her heart squeezing inside her chest. Sol clenched her jaw, willing herself to be strong for her roommate’s sake, for his sake, and for hers.

Silence stretched between them as she looked up to him. His eyes closed for a moment while he looked down to the floor. And then his eyes flitted up and into her eyes as his fist clenched, his brown eyes filling with an unreadable emotion. “Why is it so terrible?” he whispered.

“Why-” Sol started, her voice burning in anger and pain.

“Why is it so terrible that I’m in love with you?” Joon hwi’s eyes flickered up to hers, his gaze boring into her.

Kang Sol blinked. Her back straightened as her mouth opened and closed like a fish, as Joon Hwi took a step closer. “Me?” she stuttered out, her mind spinning, unable to process his words.

“You.” He stepped closer.

“But you like Kang Sol-”

“A. Kang Sol A.” Another step closer.

She closed her eyes as she shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts and to ignore his proximity. But all her attempts were futile as Joon Hwi brought his hand up, his touch feather light as he cupped her face, tilting it up to meet his gaze. Sol’s hands felt frozen as her breath lodged into her throat, her eyes meeting his. She could hear her heart thundering in her ribcage as Joon hwi spoke.

“I like you, Kang Sol. It’s always been you,” he whispered, his voice wavering as he grew closer, his lips just a centimeter away from hers. Never one with patience, she surged forward to meet his lips. Her imagination and dreams did not compare to how his lips felt against hers. It was soft and his kisses were just as unyielding as his presence. It was all consuming as her hands gripped his coat, pulling him closer. His thumb running across her cheekbones, he shifted his head pulling her in deeper as his hands cupped her face. Even though their lips just met for a few moments, it felt as though his soft lips were against hers for an eternity.

Sol’s eyes were still closed as they parted, not wishing to leave this moment and back into real life. Apprehensively, she met his eyes and a moment of silence stretched between them, as they caught their breath. A million watt smile stretched across his face, his contagious happiness brightening her up as she smiled back. But suddenly reality caught up to her.

“Wait, so you’re not with my roommate?” she questioned, confused about everything she had seen between them. Joon hwi shook his head.

“No, I was just with her because she asked for help during one of her legal research papers,” he explained, then paused. “Yah, wait. You avoided me this whole time because you thought I was in love with Kang Sol B?” a smirk spread across his face, his expression taunting. Sol bit her lip as she looked down, unwilling to admit her mistake.

“Yah, how can you be at law school and not figure out I liked you!” he asked, his voice incredulous.

“You were so ambiguous! Every time I thought you liked me as more than friends, you’d act close with Sol B!” she huffed out, pouting  and pulling away from him, embarrassed that she thought he liked her roommate. Before she could pull away, he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her into a crushing hug. Her body relaxed as she took him in, the way he felt against her intoxicating and comforting beyond description.

Kang Sol A was terrified. But having him at her side was enough to know that she could fight once more, together, as more than friends.

#mine #my writing #solhwi #solhwi fanfiction #idiots to lovers #han joon hwi #kang sol A #kang sol B #ryu hye young #kim bum #kim beom #law school jtbc #jtbc law school #law school netflix #kdrama #law school kdrama

[sxfik]

a king and his rusty throne (i'm just skin and bones)

read on ao3 • main masterlist • law school masterlist

summary: Lawyer Han Joon Hwi never yields, fighting endlessly. The court was his domain, where he held the power over his opponent. The only exception, of course, is his 5'6" passionate, animated girlfriend, Attorney Kang Sol.

request by anon: Hiii here’s a prompt I saw on twitter. Not mine. I hope op doesn’t mind me submitting this here.

kang sol a untying joonhwi’s necktie would be so...

a/n: aaaa thank you so much for sending this prompt in! this is a lot shorter than my usual stuff but i couldn't get this scene out of my head. i hit writers block on my other fic so i wrote this instead and surprisingly it was much easier to write! anyways, hopefully i can post the other one soon. as always, enjoy <3

word count: 1354 words

After solving a murder, clearing an innocent man's name and capturing an assemblyman for corruption just in his first year of law school, and going on to becoming the top prosecutor in his department, one would think prosecutor Han Joon Hwi wouldn't be shaken by anything. And to be fair, he isn't. Despite having to combat so many injustices, he wasn't one to cower in fear nor let himself get emotionally involved. No, nothing would shake him.

Oh, except for his 5'6" girlfriend who had enough passion and fire to make him doubt how well his argumentative skills really are. Just as he had walked into their shared apartment, his talkative, ardent girlfriend had already launched into discussing the latest Supreme Court case ruling.

"It doesn't make sense! Even though some of the concurrent opinions made good points, the dissenting opinions had a better line of reasoning. The court should have been a lot more divided on the decision," Kang Sol rushed out her arguments, one after the other as her hands were fevorantly emoting, as if she was preaching.

After graduating Hanguk Law School, both of them had kept in touch and despite his every effort, his love for her only grew the more time he spent with her. As he was helping her practice her main argument for her upcoming case, he couldn't take it anymore. Watching her deliver her arguments so succinctly, her voice strong and decisive, drew him to her and he kissed her, with all the love and emotion he had felt for her ever since they met. He confessed to her, right there in front of the sacred court, his hands still in her hair, his lips still red and swollen from her bites, his breathing still hurried.

Despite dating for five years, Han Joon Hwi still felt like a teenage boy watching her, head over heels and moony eyed for the fiery, clumsy girl that had stumbled into his life. Though he held the power in court, Kang Sol held the power over his heart. He was never a match for her, no matter how good his grades were, no matter what position he held. Her eyes could take him apart bit by bit, pealing back every layer until he was bare skin and bones. And he'd offer every piece of him to her before she could ask him for it. He'd kneel in front of her, time and time again, if it meant he got to keep her in his life.

It was terrifying, like looking into the vast blue ocean and contemplating just what monstrosities it held under. But as the waves crashed into him, his heart and mind was soothed, the water drawing him in until he was captured into the riptide and yanked under. And the scariest part? He didn't resist. He just let her sweep him in until the fear he held was washed away. Until an unending, unyielding peace swept over his skin, his bones. Until he was cradled and lulled by her power, her passion, her love.

He watched her grow into the woman she is today, arguing at the pots and pans in the kitchen as soon as he walked into their shared apartment. And even though the exhaustion was heavy on his shoulders and chest, the sight of her walking around their kitchen, wearing his sweater, her hair down to her shoulders, was enough to erase every bit of fatigue from his soul.

"Sol-ah, you know that argument would never hold up in court," he chuckled as she whirled to face him, her gaze narrowed. He was still in his work clothes, only pausing to discard his briefcase when he entered, before he leaned against the kitchen table to listen to his girlfriend. Watching her argue so passionately was distracting, to say the least, and it was evident in his voice. The thoughts of kissing her against the counter was overwhelming, with Sol left heavily breathing after her rant and his mind clouded with thoughts of other activities.

His gaze was still on her as she stepped closer, as his breath quickened and chest tightened. She narrowed her eyes slightly, her lips almost curving into a smirk as her hands traced up his chest, landing on his tie at the collar.

"And what arguments are acceptable, Prosecutor Han Joon Hwi?" she glanced at him, mischief dancing in her eyes as she pulled on his tie, bringing his head down to her level. Her lips paused only centimeters away from his, taunting him, and his gaze was solely focused on her soft red lips, yearning to press his against hers.

"You," he breathed out, "don't play fair, Attorney Kang Sol." Her proximity threw every rational thought out the window, the hold she had on him only growing with her closeness. If she asked for him to beg, he would as long as he was able to press against her lips, push against her body.

"Hm," she pretended to think, her gaze still on his lips, "I don't see you complaining."

Taking his chance, he surged forward to meet her lips, pressing against it insistently. Sol's hand tightened against his tie, pulling him closer to her, before her hands traced down to the buttons on his suit jacket. Unbuttoning them, she slipped her hands underneath his suit and against his white shirt, the warmth of her hands seeping through the fabric until she pushed the coat of his shoulders and discarded it on the floor.

Her hands traced over his shoulders, her grip tightening on his shoulders before her delicate hands traced up, up, up, until it reached his tie around his collar. Slowly, she untied the tie, almost like she was unwrapping a present and it took all the strength in him not to ask her, no beg her for her hands to go faster.

Her lips were addicting on his, the softness of her lips contrasting the passion of the kiss, as he buried one hand in her hair and the other cupped her jaw, pulling her in closer. Her tongue brushed against his lips and he groaned into the kiss, his voice almost guttural. It was frantic and unrefined, but he could only feel the need to have her closer, to feel her.

He turned them around, Sol now against the kitchen table as his tongue grazed her bottom lip, sucking slightly and she gasped against him. His hand left her jaw, tracing its way down to her collarbones and curving around her waist and pulling her close. Both of his hands traced down then, hooking around her thighs and lifting her until she was placed on the kitchen table.

Drawing away slightly, Sol turned her attentions towards his jaw, pressing insistent, hot kisses down until she reached his throat. Joon hwi felt his heart quicken as she sucked lightly against the skin of his throat and groan at the feel of her tongue lightly brushing the sensitive spot. It was bliss and it was enough to wind him up, enough for him to capture her lips once more and press deeper and all consuming kisses.

Her legs came to wrap around him, pulling him in closer as her hips slightly rocked up against him, the kiss swallowing his groan from her ministrations. His hands traced up from her thighs until it found the edge of her shirt and he placed his hands against her burning skin, her fire threatening to consume him. It drove him insane, the feel of her body pressed so deliciously against him, the softness of her skin enough to drive him into madness. It only made him pull her closer, ask for more, beg her to keep kissing, keep going.

"Is that a convincing argument?" she pulled away slightly, her voice was almost a whisper, her breathing heavy. Her skin was flushed red and her hair was messy, and yet she was still the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

"I think I need more evidence," his breathing was labored, as he let her pull him into her vast ocean once more.

#mine #my writing #jtbc law school #law school #law school jtbc #law school kdrama #law school netflix #ryu hye young #kim beom #kang sol a #han joon hwi #sol whipped #han joon hwi is solwhipped #han joon hwi is whipped #solhwi #fanfiction #solhwi fanfiction

[sxfik]

there's gotta be some butterflies somewhere (wanna share?)

read on ao3 • masterlist

summary: They were light and dark, yin and yang. Kang Dan and Kang Sol were a set, unbalanced without the other. Despite their differences, it was always clear that neither sister would leave the other.

Until one did.

aka: what would have happened if kang dan made her flight.

a/n: hello! and welcome back to me, being a clown for solhwi! this fic was inspired by a tumblr post by @yonikiyo-blog and idea from @steph0707! i really just needed sol pining and oblivious and some kang dan and joon hwi being partners in crime ! as always, enjoy and feel free to reach out if you have requests or ideas for some more solhwi content !! i'm @/chayenzo_sxfik on twitter !

Identical twins are supposed to be alike in all genetic characteristics and appearance. From first glance, the two sisters fit this description. Their mother often dressed them in identical sets of clothes, identical hairstyles and identical shoes.

The only way they could differentiate based on appearance was through their hair; coincidentally, their hair described just how dissimilar the two were. Kang Dan’s midnight hair described her personality best: focused, calculating and enigmatic. Kang Sol’s much lighter hair matched hers well: bubbly, expressive and honest. Kang Dan was quicker, smarter in ways that Kang Sol could never match. Many would say that the twins didn’t fit the definition of identical twins very well.

But Kang Sol has always found an affinity for the alternate definition: twins are something containing or consisting of two matching or corresponding parts. While their facial features were matching, their personalities fit together like a puzzle. Kang Sol’s bravery and loyalty in defending her sister during the times she would get bullied. Kang Dan’s cunning and defensive nature when boys at her school found her sister’s lack of grace hilarious. They were light and dark, yin and yang. Kang Dan and Kang Sol were a set, unbalanced without the other. Despite their differences, it was always clear that neither sister would leave the other.

Until one did.

It’s been 4 years since Kang Dan left, but when Kang Sol saw her at the entrance of their hideout, it was clear nothing had changed. Her sister’s expression was as guarded as ever, her posture straight and her movements with an air of grace that Kang Sol was never able to replicate. Yet as their eyes met across the room, it was like their twin senses clicked back into place, as if nothing had ever changed. As if she had never left.

“Hello. My name is Kang Dan, and as you might be able to tell, I am Kang Sol’s twin. Nice to meet you,” she stated with a curt nod in greeting, scanning the room. She did not smile, in typical Kang Dan fashion, but took a seat across from Sol, her sister’s gaze boring into her.

For a moment, the whole room was silent, as if they were gazelle’s startled by a sound, wide eyed and curious. But as soon as Kang Dan reached for a file from across the table, they resumed their work.

Internally, Kang Sol sighed. This was a usual routine for her, of course. Despite all the love she carried for her sister, she knew that Kang Dan will always be the one she can’t reach. It was no secret, the whole school knew as soon as Erica Shin was revealed as a guest lecturer at Hankuk Law School. As they grew up, it was clear that Kang Dan and Kang Sol were on two different levels.

Not that Kang Dan ever cared. For her, her twin was always at par with her, but Kang Sol knew that at some point, she would have to stop dragging Kang Dan behind. She just assumed that she would get a warning before Kang Dan decided to abandon her.

It was a common phenomena in her life, people always stepped over Kang Sol just to get closer to Kang Dan. Kang Sol was fiercely loyal to everyone in her life, and believed in everyone’s ability to do good. As a result, Kang Sol always got her feelings hurt the easiest, despite her tough and brave exterior. As much as she protected Kang Dan from incessant bullying or jealousy from other classmates, Kang Dan protected Sol’s feelings. She’d double check who Kang Sol decided to trust, always vetting out the groups she hung out with.

Of course, after Dan disappeared, she assumed that people would stop trying to get close to her to get close to her twin. And for some reason, she had thought she could exclude her study group, but of course they were no different.  It wasn’t apparent yet but she knew they would be clamoring to impress her in due time. Who wouldn’t want to impress a Harvard Law School graduate? Sol couldn’t even blame them for wanting her twin opinions and approval. Just as long as she still has Ye-Seul and Han Joon Hwi.

Someone cleared their throat then, shaking her out of her thoughts. “Hello. My name is Han Joon Hwi, it’s nice to meet you,” Han Joon Hwi had spoken, facing her twin sister with an outstretched hand. His eyes flickered towards her just for a moment before he met Kang Dan’s gaze head on, refusing to yield to her. Please don’t tell me she caught that look.

But nothing escapes her twin’s eyes, especially  when it concerns her twin sister. She pursed her lips as a silence stretched on and Kang Sol held in a breath. But Kang Dan offered a hand to him, and Kang Sol felt her shoulders relax. Why do I care so much? He informed her of the case at hand, the challenges they’re facing and helping her sort through the documents. Watching them work in tandem made a green feeling arise within her.

To an outsider, he looks confident in himself, like he’s challenging her but Kang Sol knows better. It’s clear to her he’s nervous, his weight slightly shifting on his feet, his other hand thumbing a repetitive pattern on his sweatpants. Seeing just how nervous he is in front of Dan made her want to scoff. Why did I think he’s different again? Of course, once he realizes how much more beneficial and less of a waste of time Kang Dan is, he’ll go skirting to her, walking the halls with Dan, like he used to with her. It’s only a matter of time. She shook off the feeling, shoving it into a deep corner of her mind where it won’t ever surface again.

Their group continued on working, slowly gaining confidence to speak in Kang Dan’s presence. Their day concluded just as it started, with them sitting around the table speculating about how they can prove Prosecutor Seo and Assemblyman Ko’s involvement in the hit-and-run case. Sol assumed that as the week progressed, the group's curiosity with her twin would only die down, but oh, how wrong she was.

Bok-gi and Ye-beom were obviously the first to bombard her with questions, trying to absorb as much information about her as possible. She would roll her eyes at every question, their curiosity only ever growing the more she answered. A few more questions and they’d probably start asking about her social security number. Ye-Seul, ever the loyal one, only went as far as to make small talk with her. Ye-Seul was always the one who listened to her pains and troubles at home, often ranting about Kang Dan’s departure left her scrambling, so it was safe to assume that her best friend was weary of her twin sister. Ji-ho, of course, was the least starstruck one. Figures considering that Kang Dan is in his league intellectually, so she often stumbled on them talking about the latest cases.

Her roommate was the oddest one out of her friends. The first day she met Sol B, she wouldn’t even spare her a glance, let alone a few words. From the year they had spent together, it seemed nothing could ever shake the girl. She always sported a neutral expression, her voice never betraying her emotions. Yet, the calm, collected Sol B was somehow shaken at Sol’s sister’s presence. Most people couldn’t tell, but Sol has been living with her long enough to recognize changes in her roommate’s behavior. She would watch as her eyes widened when Kang Dan approached her, and the shaking breath that would leave her after a short conversation with her twin. It was… odd.

Last but not least, it leaves… Han Joon Hwi. His reaction to her sister was the one that hurt the most. Han Joon Hwi was one of the smartest students at their University, with a sharp mind and a friendly demeanor. Mr. Second Round Judicial Exam was built to work in law so it came as a shock to the majority of students when they would spot the bottom-of-the-ranks Sol A hanging out with him. But when she was with him, it didn’t matter what everyone else thought as they were too busy bickering and teasing.

But now, the boy who always waited for her in the halls, the one who spent his free time at her side, talking about nothing and everything was at Kang Dan’s side instead. Every moment she saw him, he was accompanied by her twin. It seemed like he saw Dan more than she got to interact with her. Sol was definitely not jealous. It didn’t bother her that his smiles were supposed to be reserved for her. She definitely did not mind that he sat next to Kang Dan and not her when they planned for the case in the hideout. She wasn’t hurt, not at all, when she saw him huddling with her in the break room, his ramyeon in front of him as they spoke in hushed tones. It didn’t matter right?

But watching Han Joon Hwi work with her sister, laughing together, only distracted her from her work. Soon, she spent more time watching them than reading her textbooks, stewing in the familiar feeling of that should be me. So she started finding her isolated desk at the library, opting to stay away from her study group. It’s for the best, she convinced herself, as the small corner of her heart hoped that he would search for her.

“Do you know her favorite flower?” Kang Dan asked him, after a moment of silence as they worked through preparation for a separate case. The corners of his lips lifted, but he stifled his smile as he looked up at the girl he once thought was an enigma. It’s been almost two weeks since Kang Dan had arrived at Hanguk Law School and it was obvious that the whole school was enamored with her. You couldn’t expect any less from a school filled with some of the best and most competitive students from across the country.

When he first shook hands with Kang Dan, he could tell that she was the exact opposite from Sol. The warmth and bubbliness was a signature of Sol’s that was nowhere to be found in Kang Dan. Sol had a specific way of speaking, often teasing towards him but with an underlying sense of care and trust. Instead, her twin was the exact opposite; her demeanor was cold, calm and efficient. Her voice held none of the speech intonation that Kang Sol’s did. Her intelligence was admirable but the tenacity and passion that he was in Sol’s eyes was nowhere to be seen with Kang Dan. In a lot of ways, she resembled Kang Sol B more than Sol A. He, of course, wasn’t blind. From the moment that Kang Sol B and Kang Dan had shook hands he could tell that there was something between them.

The first time Kang Dan had approached him, it was in the cafeteria and asked about none other than Kang Sol B. They started off with small talk but, as collected as Kang Dan was, it didn’t take a genius to see that she was more interested in Sol B than she ever was with him. Nevertheless, since this was Sol's twin, he had an impression to make, so he helped her out and played innocent, answering her questions. Kang Dan being an intelligent and sharp girl picked up on his feelings for her twin.

“Am I that obvious?” he had asked her, when Kang Dan confronted him about his (not-so-subtle-as-he-thought) feelings for Kang Sol.

She snorted. “I think everyone but her knows about it. Trust me, my sister will not know unless you put it right in front of her,” she had replied, eating some of her noodles in front of her. “I’ll help you out with her, if you help me with Sol B.” she propositioned, and he, eager to know more about Sol, accepted.

“What will I get from telling you her favorite flower?” he quipped back, shaking away his thoughts and continuing to type away at his laptop, his eyes flicking up to her just for a moment.

“I’ll give you some advice,” she replied, her voice calm. “If you really want to impress my sister, you should consider spending more time with her instead of her twin.” Kang Dan shot him a look when he finally lifted his head from his laptop.

“I could say the same about you,” he replied back. She narrowed her eyes at him. “Which is why… ah Sol B! Over here!” Joon Hwi held up his hand as he spotted Sol B across the cafeteria.

“What are you doing!” Kang Dan hissed at him, trying to reach for his outstretched hand.

“You want to know about her favorite flower so badly? Ask her yourself,” he smirked at her as Sol B reached their table. “Ah Kang Sol, do you think you can show Kang Dan around the botanical gardens on campus? She mentioned she never got to see them during her time on campus,” he smiled up at Sol B, and before she could respond in the affirmative, he started packing up his stuff. “Great, thank you!” he exclaimed, slinging his backpack over his shoulder, “I’m going to check on Sol A, have fun!”

It was a quiet weekend at Hanguk Law School, as Sol entered the school library. It being a lovely day out, none of the students opted to stay inside the stuffy library.

Everyone except her, of course.

The past two weeks were harder on Sol and she could feel it more today, the sun and birds outside mocking her gloomy mind. She hated to admit it, but she was wrong. Not having Joon Hwi at her side was affecting her more than she ever wanted it to. She didn’t know when the lack of his presence in her life became unnatural to her but his absence left a hole in her life. Wherever she turned, he was always there. He was a constant and unyielding presence in her life, helping her through the worst moments and laughing with her in her happiest moments.

There was no denying it anymore; Kang Sol A liked Han Joon Hwi. She didn’t know when it started and despite the pang in her heart as she watched him interact with her sister, she didn’t want it to end. She wanted to keep liking him, even if it was from afar, the happiness that bloomed in her heart at the sight of his face is something she clung to.

She dropped her head onto the desk in front of her, inwardly groaning about how she got into this situation. Until two weeks ago, she was content with every moment, every smile that she got from him but these couple days, she found herself craving more. Sigh. Sol A, you will just need to relearn to be content again.

“Why the long sigh, sunbae?” his voice echoed out, and there he was, standing behind her desk as if nothing had happened. As if he hadn’t ignored her for the past week, he casually strolled up to her, spinning her rolling chair to face him. She lifted her head to meet his towering gaze, a scowl spreading across her face as she faced him.

“It’s such a pretty day out, Sol. Why are you cooped up inside?” he asked her, his head in his signature tilt. Because you were too busy chasing after my sister to bother spending time with me.

She cleared her throat instead, trying to keep her face as neutral as possible. “I need to brush up on some of the older codes we learned. Not all of us have memorized Korea’s laws, you know?” she almost winced at how bitter her voice sounded, but no matter. He deserved it for abandoning her so quickly when her sister arrived.

“Ahh. Well, I think you deserve a break! Let’s take a walk around campus, hm?” he asked her, smiling softly, his bangs almost in his eyes as he brought his head closer to hers. Her heart rate spiked as she felt the soft pufts of his breath. No, no, no, you can’t give in, Kang Sol. Stay strong.

“Why don’t you go with my sister, instead?” she asked, keeping her voice as casual as possible, as she shifted her head away from him, choosing to focus her eyes on the pillar.

“Ahh,” he replied instead, and she closed her eyes, knowing that she’d given herself away. Joon Hwi pulled the chair closer to him, bracing his hands on each arm of the chair, trapping her in. He leaned in closer to her, his proximity throwing out all her bitterness. “Do you think I’m in love with Kang Dan, Sol-ah?” he asked, his voice overly sweet and she could tell that his face held that infuriating smirk.

She pursed her lips, partly because her mind couldn’t think of a response. But no response came. Instead, Joon Hwi pressed his lips to the curve of her neck and she gasped. Just like his unrelenting presence, so were his kisses. He continued trailing the curve of her neck, and she swallowed as the pace of her breathing increased. All her thoughts of jealousy were replaced with the need for more from Joon Hwi.

“And what evidence do you have to prove this claim, hm, sunbae?” he taunted her, pulling away slightly, the smirk still not washed away from his face.

“How do you explain the amount of time you’ve spent trailing after her?” she questioned, cursing herself for how breathy her voice came out.

“Have you noticed that your sister has a particular affection for your roommate?” he asked in response, a slight smile spread across his face.

Sol B?Of course, she never acts like that… unless she likes her… Oh. Oh. The realization of her sister’s feelings for her roommate slapped her. Joon Hwi laughed in response and she cringed at herself, for being so jealous this whole time when he had only been helping his sister. How could she have been so blind?

“So you don’t…” she trailed off, finally meeting his gaze as she felt her face heat up from embarrassment.

“No, I don’t like her,” he answered, “For me, it’s only you Kang Sol-ah.” He kissed her softly then, their lips meeting for just a moment before he pulled away. He smiled brightly at her, his gaze softing as she relaxed, a small smile spreading across her face. “Now, will you come roam the campus with me? Or are you going to sit inside all day?” he challenged her, pulling away to grab her hands and pull her up from the chair.

The two left the library, hand in hand, identical grins spread across their faces. And if anyone at the school noticed, they showed no surprise, knowing that the school balance was finally restored with Kang Sol at Joon Hwi’s side.

#law school #jtbc law school #law school jtbc #law school kdrama #han joon hwi #kang sol A #kang sol B #kang dan #kim beom #kim bum #ryu hye young #kdrama #my writing #solhwi #solhwi fanfiction #idiots to lovers #oblivious!sol A #jealous!sol A #sol B lowkey having bi panic #KANG DAN IS VERY GAY #happy pride month guys

[thenerdywriter]

Solhwi fic request: ou know this quote by Mr Darcy when Elizabeth asks him when he realized his feelings for her:

"I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun."

Something like this for established attorney and prosecutor solhwi who share an apartment: one day all of a sudden sol asks joon hwi 'why me? when? how it all started?' And he answers. And fluff and mush follows

Thank you in advance if you pick this stupid ask

omg omg omg i love this!! so here's a lil drabble for u :)

rated t (implied stuff, theyve been dating for a long time, so y'know, stuff)

thank u for making this ask omg (*￣3￣)

they had finished doing everything. the walls, the fixtures, everything had been done. it took them a long time, yes, but they were finally here.

han joon-hwi and kang sol, in the next chapter of their lives, no matter how chaotic. they were in the middle of seoul, in their first apartment, one that let the sunlight in (too much sunlight, joon argued), one that was away from all the bad memories of lee man ho and the apartment that he had taken up.

still, there had been good memories for her in that tiny, dingy little ground floor apartment, memories of her and byeol, her and dan, her and joon, all mixed in this glorious kaleidoscope that she allowed herself to revisit on days she felt nostalgic. most efficient when with a drink, professor kim had told her once, dont let your emotions get better of you, but if you do, remember to have a drink by your side.

so there they are, she muses with a can of beer in her hand, two "law professionals" (although they dont make as much money as either would like, struggling to pay off both their loans) in the middle of seoul, one a prosecutor, the other, an attorney. joon was a rising star in the prosecution in his own right--people knew his potential, people recognised it as a n entity separate from that of his uncle. she wouldn't admit to it, but she was regarded as a rising star in the scene, she was kind, she was passionate, and everyone knew she would go the extra mile to help her client. so they are here, setting up their house, in the middle of everything in their lives.

"get those boxes for me, please," joon's voice calls for her, and she stirs into action, setting her can on the table and picking up the heavy box of law books that would now be a part of their home, and struggles under the weight of it, before straightening up to go and give them to joon.

he doesn't call by a term of endearment--she can count on one hand how many times she's heard the word jagiya or yeobo fall from his lips, always kang sol, always the same name with which he had called her in those hallways of hankuk law. it's comforting, in a way.

"here," she says, placing them on the ground beside him and sitting down cross-legged to admire the work of art that was the huge bookshelf, filled to the brim with books that they had either hoarded from their university days, or recently bought, "i got the books, mr. prosecutor."

joon starts, looking at her, and gives her a smile, "thank you, attorney kang." its strange, the way the name rolls off of his tongue, but she's learnt to take the compliment, after so many years.

"attorney?" she scoffs, watching the way he places books in the shelf, one after the other, calculated and precise, "han joon-hwi. one moment."

"yes?" he turns to her, eyes wide, and its a reminder of how different the two of them are, the prosecutor and the attorney, han joon-hwi and kang sol. he had asked her out in a moment like this, helping her arrange documents in her office, just a look and a simple question, will you go out with me, kang sol? on most days, she doesn't need reassurance from him, but today, in the dying sunlight, kang sol feels as though she needs to hear from him exactly why he asked her.

"why do you like me?" she blurts out, and joon-hwi's eyes widen for a split second, before he laughs, and she has to shake her head, "i'm serious, joon-hwi. why did you ask me out? when did you decide that you wanted to ask me out?"

he stops at that, looking intently at her for a second, until he turns back to his books, "you mean when did i start liking you?"

"yes, in a way."

"there really isn't a time, though," he turns around to face her, "if i could say, i'd say the moment you pulled the highlighter out of your bun to avoid being asked for a question. or the time you defended me in a mock trial in front of the dean. or even the moment when you worked to get my indictment overturned."

she blushes, not knowing what to say. joon's always been the better with words, using them to his advantage, and it is no different now, with him grinning as he takes in her flustered face, "do you want to hear more, kang sol?" he teases, and sol tries to block her ears, but he's faster than her, grabbing her hands to keep them at her side, "the time you scammed me in the bookstore, the time you ran out of the dorms because professor yang was in the hospital, the time--"

"ah, stop!" she exclaims, wrenching her hands free and placing them over joon-hwi's mouth, "i told you to stop!" his eyes are gleaming with happiness as she pushes him away from her, "i'll seriously kill you if you dont stop--oof!"

she's silenced by his insistent mouth on hers, feeling the smile in joon-hwi's kiss as he intertwines their fingers. no matter how long they have been dating, kissing joon feels the same, its the same butterflies in her stomach, the same dizziness in her mind.

"you're funny, han joon-hwi," she grumbles once they break apart, "and a cheater."

"cheater?" his eyes grow wide, but he's still grinning, "are you accusing me of cheating? me, a prosecutor?"

"yes," she smiles, "cheater," before attempting to get away, but joon-hwi is faster (curse his reflexes) and he catches ahold of her, before pulling her down onto his lap, "cheater."

"you're dating this cheater," he grins, "wouldnt that make you an accomplice?"

"how dare you--" but he's kissing her again, effectively stopping all kinds of thought, mumbling against his mouth, "cheater."

he smiles, breaking apart, "well then, how would you like to spend an afternoon with this cheater, ms attorney?"

she squints, "we have a lot of work to do."

he smiles again, "work can wait."

"you're right," she replies, grinning as he picks her up with ease, "work can wait."

#solhwi #solhwi fanfiction #kang sol a #han joon hwi #kang sol a x han joon hwi #law school fanfic #mine #my works #ro writes #ask ro

[sxfik]

underneath the singing moon II

part I | part II

read on ao3 • main masterlist • law school masterlist

summary: what once was (and what could have been)

a story in two parts, from two people who watched as their life flowed past. a solhwi & jisolB fic

a/n: aaaaaaa okay wrote this part two as quick as i wrote the first one because i couldn't get it out of my head. i hope you guys enjoy this!!

The air rushed past him, as Han Joon Hwi looked out against the field, the sky bright yet dull all at once. He drove himself, all the way outside the city to the hill and clearing, the place where his uncle would take him every week for a picnic, once upon a time.

Despite the roads being endless and similar to each other, something deep within him could find its way back here no matter what. The path was etched into his soul, just like how his uncle's laughter was pressed into his mind. He could flip through every bend and every turn in his mind, and he was able to know just where he was on the route by the way the road felt, the way his car would jump over certain bumps.

He could remember the rides here, from when he was a child to when he was in high school. The wind would flow through the car, the windows down as his uncle would drive. The trip felt endless and short, all at once. He could feel the euphoria and tranquility, all at once.

As a child, he'd look out and watch as the wind would blow against the blades of grass, and enjoy the wind whipping against his face. As a teenager, he would lose himself in the quietness of the countryside, the peace of the vast green fields.

Yet as an adult, he found everything suffocating. He found the greens too bright, the sky boring into his soul, his skin, his heart. It was somehow too much for him, the memories of what once was and what could have been too much for his brain to handle.

The clearing was at a standstill somehow never changing despite everything. Time left this place untouched, the view just the same as it had been 20 years ago, the air just the same as it had been. As he looked out into the clearing, he could see the same view that he had shared with his uncle, before he had betrayed him, before he had lost everything.

Unknowingly, he had grown, his job wearing him down faster than he'd ever imagined. Despite the prosecutor's office being everything, and more, than he imagined. Despite his mind and body being built for the law, he was worn away. His shoulders held a weight to it, his face holding the stress and the exhaustion from lack of sleep. Lack of time.

It was always another case, another day of wondering if the people he was prosecuting were actually guilty or if he had indicted someone innocent.

Coming back to the clearing, the memories of who he used to be so evident in every inch of the field, every inch of the view, shocked him into a standstill. He could hear his breathing, the blood rushing and his heart pounding. All he could do was blink, as he looked out and the memories would flood through his mind.

Joon hwi was trapped, his body worn and in the future but his mind stuck in the past.

His uncle would joke that as a kid, Joon Hwi was the kind to sit in a corner, without ever making a fuss. I could set you down in a corner of the room, and you'd sit there and stare at the walls until someone picked you up.

It was true, even as he grew up, he wasn't the kind to intentionally cause chaos. His whole life, he could be described as almost neutral. His mind was rational to a fault, applying logic to every part of his life— even to the illogical ones.

He laughed slightly, the sound almost bitter.

For someone so rational, it didn't make sense how intensely and illogically he felt for one girl, Kang Sol. His Sol. She walked into his life, dragging chaos and uprooting any sense of peace he once had.

And he loved it. Joon hwi couldn't imagine not having her in his life, her not balancing his peace with her chaos.

There wasn't a way to describe what she meant to him, who she was to him. She was simply Kang Sol. But she was also so much more than that.

She was fire and passion, energetic and bubbly. Her smile was enough to spread a warmth through his chest, the affection almost choking and pouring out of him. His eyes felt magnetic to her movements, her happiness.

She was a bright girl, hardworking and endlessly loyal. She'd work to death for her friends and for her family and she was a bright flame that would burn no matter how strong the wind was.

He'd never felt so intensely, and he wanted to bottle it up and get drunk on it. It was euphoric, her presence brighting him up in ways he couldn't describe. He craved to learn more about her, know her mannerisms until he could recite them from memory. He needed to know her like the back of his hand, know her better than he knew himself.

But it was also painful, the joy turning poisonous and suffocating in his chest. Her presence in his life was an eternal reminder, a constant struggle between wanting to confess, to lay himself out for her and hiding everything away, just so he could have her for a little longer.

His mind would only torture him, his rationality remind him that he could never have her in the way he wanted to. He would never know the feeling of her hand clasped in his, the way she would look waking up next to him. He would never know how she looked in the early mornings, how she would look sprawled out in his bed. For all the things he knew about her, he had a million more he'd never know.

He looked down, the thick card stock foreign in his hands, as his eyes traced over the gold inscription.

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Kang Sol and ...

He shut his eyes, the tears building up behind his eyes as he looked across the field. His throat closed, and his breath shuddered into a shock as his hands tightened.

All of a sudden, the view shifted, the trees and the greens suddenly dull and almost devoid of color. The clearing was, suddenly, much older than he remembered, much older than he was, much older than he felt.

#mine #my writing #my fanfiction #fanfiction #solhwi fanfiction #solhwi #jisolB #kang sol A #kang sol B #han joon hwi #seo ji ho #lee david #ryu hye young #kim beom #kim bum #lee sookyung #jtbc law school #law school jtbc #law school #law school kdrama #law school netflix #jtbc #jtbc drama

[sxfik]

peace is not known to man (II)

part I | part II | part III | part IV (coming soon)

read on ao3 • main masterlist • law school masterlist

fic summary: after turning his back on the prosecutor's office, lawyer han joon hwi attempts at a clean slate, starting his own private firm. but, there was no way for him to move forward without clearing his former suspect, his current coworker, lawyer kang sol. with lee man ho, their main suspect, escaped and an empty apartment, can they prove her innocence?

suspicious partner au, fake dating, roommates au of solhwi :)

chapter summary: A sleepless night, a hand for comfort. Lawyer Han Joon Hwi's journey to solving his uncle's murder and clearing Kang Sol's name only gets harder as he looks into it. With an unfamiliar feeling taking over his chest as he looks at his dear partner, will he be able to preserve everything that matters most to him in this fight?

a/n: aaa okay, here is chapter two of peace is not known to man! this took me a while to write, because well lowkey writers block and also i never planned out this fic before hand (bc it was supposed to be a one shot aaa) but now i'm a little more confident in where i'm going to take this fic. i hope you enjoy <3

It was another sleepless night for lawyer Han Joon Hwi, as he tossed and turned in his bed. His body was exhausted, the ache and rigor of the past day setting into his bones, but every time he closed his eyes, his mind imagined the scenes that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Every memory seemingly turned sour after the past year's events, the dreams of his camping trips with his uncle always ending up with the image of seeing his dead body in the mortuary. The fear, the pain would wrap around his chest and his breathing would constrict in his chest as if someone poured concrete down his lungs. His body would stiffen and he couldn’t breath enough, struggling to get air into his lungs. Then, he’d be shocked out of his nightmare and the image would dissipate, but he knew it would inevitably come back to him.

Sometimes it was the image of Kang Sol, his bubbly partner and former intern, in prison, her eyes and skin gaunt. In every nightmare, she would plead with him, get down on her knees and scream until her voice went raw. She would beg and beg, asking for her to save her, to help her, to see what had become of her. Eventually those pleas would turn into blame, her voice screaming that it was his fault, he made her like this.And then, he would wake up in a cold sweat, his vision unfocused and his heart frantic

Every time he had that dream, he would make sure to wake up early to make sure she was the first one he saw that morning. And every morning, she would be there in his kitchen, her hair would be put up in a messy bun as she walks out of her room, clad in her hanguk university sweats, offering him coffee. The relief as he saw her alive and well each morning was immense and it's like he could breathe again, and live his life until the next nightmare. It was a reassurance, for his mind, that she didn’t resent him for the mistake he made. For inadvertently ruining her life.

But on this particular night, he couldn't shut his eyes, despite his body screaming for rest. He lifted himself off his bed, the comforter hanging haphazardly off the bed as he paced around his room, trying to tire himself out. It had been a day since he and Kang Sol visited the secondary apartment, a day since she was his wife (fake wife, he reminded himself, but still wife, nonetheless).

They had rushed home after finding out that the apartment didn't belong to Lee Man Ho, making excuses to the kind landlady that looked at them with a faint nostalgia that Joon Hwi didn't like. Even though Ye-beom and Bok-gi had left early, they gathered the remaining of the office members in for a quick meeting in the living room. Joon Hwi had grabbed their whiteboard, the one filled with arrows and pictures of everyone involved in his uncle’s murder. Kang Sol had taken the lead then, his head too full  with the possibilities of what this could mean,  explaining to them how the apartment wasn’t occupied by Lee Man Ho, but by his son, James.

“Do you think Lee Man Ho paid for his son to stay in the apartment?” Ji Ho asked, the gears in his head turning as he scrutinized the boards as he sat on the couch, his eyes wide with the information dump.

“No,” Sol B started, her face slightly pensive, “It has to be someone else. James would not have stayed in a place paid for by him.”

“Maybe… Maybe he was contracted by someone to kill your uncle?” Ye-Seul looked up to Joon Hwi. “Is there anyone you know that could have held enough of a grudge against your uncle?”

“I’m not sure,” Joon hwi sighed, “It’s possible that it was someone he worked with in the past, but my uncle hasn’t mentioned anyone.”

“Why don’t you two go back to the apartment again tomorrow? Maybe ask around about James and possibly Lee Man Ho?” Ji ho asked.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Sol joined in, looking towards the whiteboard. “We might be able to find who contracted Lee Man Ho if we check with the landlady,” she looked up at him for his agreement and it was set.

Joon hwi sighed looking at his bed. I should be sleeping by now but trying to shake off everything that was weighing down on his shoulders only caused him to spiral more.  Might as well work since I can't sleep.

Having made up his mind, he marched to his door and opened it in one huge motion, when suddenly a figure appeared in front, making him jump back with a yelp. His heart jumped to his throat before Kang Sol's familiar voice out "It's just me, don't worry," as he shuddered out a breath, his body on high alert after the shock.

She held her palms out, as if to say it's okay, the silence of the house engulfing them as they looked at each other. She cleared her throat "I, uh, I heard you pacing from downstairs so I just wanted to come see if you were okay," her voice was quieter then as she looked up at him, concern evident her doe eyes. She was in her beige pajamas, her hair back up in a bun, blinking up at him. She looked so... soft and he felt himself being drawn to her warmth, like a moth to a flame.

"I can't sleep," he mumbled out, his shoulders dropping from the exhaustion weighing down his shoulders, his eyes dropping to the floor.

"Is it nightmares again?" she asked, her voice soft. Joon Hwi’s head suddenly shot up, his eyes wide. How could she know? He couldn't respond, but the silence was enough for Sol. "Do you want to do what we did last time?" she asked, her head tilting slightly as her voice wavered with embarrassment.

He blinked. Last time... the last time he had a peaceful sleep was with him laying on the couch in her old apartment, her hand warm in his hand.

"Yes," he sighed out, before more confidently stating, "Yes, I would like that"

"O-okay" she replied, a breath of relief leaving her. He brushed past her and into the common room and she followed shortly behind as he laid on the black couch, pulling the headrest closer to his head for comfort. She kneeled next to the couch, settling comfortably, before pausing.

"5 minutes," Sol breathed out, "I'll be here for 5 minutes."

He nodded in agreement, and she gave her his hand wordlessly. He laced his fingers through hers, pulling her hand closer to him as he shut his eyes tight. He breathed in, his lungs finally accepting air as he felt her soothing presence next to him.

5 minutes. 5 minutes was enough. 5 minutes was more than enough, it was more than he deserved. Yet, his greedy heart begged for so much more. His heart wanted it at all, unrestrained and free to love her, to bask in her presence, to protect her with everything he had. Just at a crumb of her, it would beg yes, yes please, i want more, oh so much more.

But for tonight, he gets 5 minutes. 5 minutes to bask in her presence, to be selfish and those 5 minutes soon turned into 10, then an hour, and eventually the whole night.

The light filtered through the room, the sounds of the birds chirping gaining clarity, as Joon Hwi woke up from his deep sleep.  Groggily, he opened his eyes, squinting as the light almost blinded him. And next to him, was her hand, still firmly clasped against his chest. Kang sol laid against the couch, her face peaceful. Her chest rose and fell with soft breaths and he knew that waking up to her in the morning is a luxury he wants to indulge in forever.

The second time they visited the apartment was entirely unlike the first time.  It was closer to the evening, both lawyers having been swamped with work. The day was much cloudier this time, the grey skies tinting their world in melancholy. Despite this, his partner, Kang Sol was radiant than ever, dressed in her beige suit, her hair loose. She (smartly) opted for flats this time, he noted.

“Damn, this humidity is killing my hair,” Sol grumbled as they walked towards the complex, “I just straightened my hair today too.” She bit her lip, huffing and scrunching her face up, which only made her look cuter. Her brown hair was slightly wavy, curling at the edges and it was so soft that he wanted to reach out and touch it.

“I like it,” he answered her, clearing his throat when she looked at him, “It suits you.”

“Oh,” her voice was smaller when she replied, “Thank you.”

“The weather’s nice too,” he continued, cringing when he realized how awkward he was.

“This weather?” She shot him an incredulous look.

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Leave it to you to find the most gloomy and dungy weather ‘nice’,” scoffing in response.

“Oh what, like sunny weather is so much better? It’s always sweltering hot and it makes all your clothes stick to you uncomfortably,” he argued back. Teasing and taunting her, Joon hwi had found, was the easiest way to get her to engage with him. No matter what, whether she was sad or happy or angry, bantering with him eased their atmosphere. She reared to throw another insult his way before they were interrupted.

“Oh! You two are back!” the kind landlady’s voice called out to them, and they both whipped their heads towards her. “Why don’t you two come in for some tea, and we can talk about the apartment,” she beckoned them over and seeing the chance, the two of them walked towards her and her house, situated outside the apartment complex.

Before they stepped into the threshold of the house, Joon Hwi paused, stopping Sol from moving forward with a simple touch to her elbow. He calmed himself, slowly drawing his breath in and out, before clasping his partner’s, no, his wife’s, hand. He leaned down towards her ear, a small satisfaction filling his chest as she went still and he whispered “Are you ready to play our parts, my dear?” She turned to him slightly, her eyes burning into him as she nodded.  As they stepped into the house, in sync with each other, she grasped onto his elbow, clinging to him, as they followed the old woman into her house.

“Sit, sit, I’ll be out in just a second with some tea,” the woman said, before rushing to her kitchen. Joon Hwi and Sol sat down on her couch, the house familiar and comfortable. The house was older, the walls seeming as if they’ve seen a lifetime of events happen in this household. There were pictures hung up all over the walls of her and what presumably were her kids as well as her with another man, presumably her husband. Sol’s hand was still firmly placed in his as Joon Hwi continued to scan the house, trying to distract himself from Sol’s proximity.

Grasping her hand was one thing, but having to be close to her, to sit and pretend like she is his, like he deserved her in his hand, was another pain entirely. He felt the warmth radiating from Sol, her soul always burning so brightly to his muted one. Her passion, her tenacity, it was infectious. If he was being honest with himself, before her, there wasn’t a spark to his life. Every case would mush into the other, the monotony of daily life overwhelming him. He was always resentful of the chaos she brought to his otherwise peaceful life, but in moments like this, he was more grateful than ever.

“Ah here you go,” the woman said as she served them both tea, “Be careful, it’s hot.” Joon Hwi took the cup closer to his lips, blowing on it to cool it down before taking a sip. “So, Mr. Han, Mrs. Kang, how did the both of you meet?” the kind woman asked them, taking the seat across from the two. Joon hwi felt Sol stiffen as she glanced at him, her eyes almost pleading for him to answer it.

“She interned for me when I was working at the Prosecutor’s office,” he started, trying to root his story in truth so it would be easier to keep their details together. “We bickered quite a lot then, but she was always a fierce spirit, combating every stack of files I’d give her by finishing the one I handed over the day before.”

Sol chuckled a little at that, and he continued on. “A year later, when I had quit being a prosecutor and started a law firm, I knew that there was no one more fit for the job than her. Her passion was always infectious and I found myself drawn to her, and the rest was history,” he concluded, avoiding Sol’s gaze and opting to look at the floor instead. He could feel his heart race as her hand squeezed his tighter.

“And for you, Mrs. Kang?” the old woman turned to Sol, her head tilting in curiosity.

“Ah well,” she paused, before looking up at him, “he was always infuriating.” The old woman laughed at that and she continued on. “Despite that, he was willing to help me even in my lowest place, when I had no one to rely on. All of a sudden he was always around. And you know, there was never anyone else that I trusted more than him,” Sol’s eyes were burning with an intensity that he had never seen before and he could feel his body burning with heat as he looked deeper into her. She turned away from him then, and looked at the old lady continuing, “Like he said, the rest was history.”

“The two of you have an adorable story,” the woman smiled softly, looking around her house to a picture of her and an older man, “Sorry, I’ve been asking a lot of questions. We should talk about the details of the apartment, right?”

“Ah actually,” Joon Hwi interjected, “We actually came to inquire about the previous tenant. He’s involved with the case we’re working on currently so we just wanted to ask some questions if that was alright?”

“Ohh. Yes, that’s alright,” the landlady pursed her lips slightly, probably disappointed at the prospect of them not looking to rent the apartment but Joon Hwi knew it was better for the two to be honest with the woman.

“We were wondering if the last tenant ever had anyone visit the apartment by the name of ‘Lee Man Ho’?” Sol inquired with the lady, sitting her cup of tea on the table as she pulled a photo of the boy’s father from her purse.

“James?” she clarified, “Ah, yes he really is a lovely boy, always helping me out whenever he can. But no, I don’t think I’ve heard of that man before.”

“Ah,” he sighed, turning to meet Sol’s disappointed gaze.. Another dead end then.

“Although,” the old woman paused, her eyebrows furrowing, “There was a man that visited him regularly. Not by the name Lee Man Ho but he was someone important for sure. I just can’t remember his name…” The woman trailed off into thought as hope bloomed in his chest. “Ah, I’m sorry, I can’t remember his name. The only thing I know is that he worked for the government, probably an assemblyman? I think he was an assemblyman,” the woman concluded. The evening progressed with other pleasantries but the only thing that had occupied his mind was who was the assemblyman that had a grudge against his uncle?

It was almost night when the two stepped out of the woman’s house, the sun already long gone. It was a moonless night, but the stars were bright nonetheless, shining down on them. The silence stretched as they walked back towards Joon Hwi’s car, parked in an alleyway a little ways away. The tension was thick from the lie they had to perform for the woman, neither of them meeting the other’s eye.

Except for him, everything he said there was not a lie. His heart raced and soared when he heard what she said to him, and fake or not, there was no denying it for him. Joon Hwi was in love with Kang Sol. The same girl who had annoyed and teased him, testing his patience in the prosecutor’s office. The same girl that bought him the bitter insomnia tea when she found out about his sleeping issues. The same girl that he had held the hand of, the same girl that brought chaos and tranquility into his life. He wanted, needed, her in his life, he needed her presence. Just one day of having her close to him, leaning into the crook of his arm, was not enough for him. He’ll need a lifetime and more of Kang Sol to be ever satisfied.

“Do you want to have a drink with the group before going home?” she asked, breaking the silence, completely oblivious to him having a revelation that he’s in love with her.

“Yes, let’s!” he said, his voice a tad too cheery, his breath a tad too rushed. Sol’s eyebrows furrowed, turning to him, a question on her lips when the ringtone of his phone interrupted her. Joon Hwi searched inside his jacket pocket before finding his phone, pulling it out to find Kang Sol B calling him. Perfect. He could just inform her to meet them at their usual bar.

“Hey, Kang Sol, let’s—” he started, but was cut off soon by frantic heaving of the girl on the phone.

“Joon Hwi. Ji Ho—” she started, her voice distressed, “Ji Ho’s in the hospital. He was shot.”

bonus

It was an early day for Ye-seul, as it often was when she started working for Joon hwi. It seemed like her days were so much longer, her nights criminally short, as she walked into his house the office that morning.

Like most mornings, she was the first one in, yet it was eerily quiet. As Sol's best friend, she had known that she was staying at Joon hwi's house, both of them roommates without the rest of the group actively aware of their situations. Of course, Ye-Seul was the first one to know and sworn to secrecy, but she never understood why. It wasn’t like either of them were very subtle with their feelings for each other. They spent every moment together, and despite their bickering, they cared for each other. She could see it as Kang Sol would always prepare two cups of coffee rather than one just for herself or how Joon Hwi would make ramyeon for two rather than just one, knowing that Kang Sol would inevitably steal some from him.

But usually, Kang Sol is ready by now, making her way around Joon Hwi's kitchen to grab some coffee. Or at least, joon hwi would be at his desk, sorting through the case files for the day before their daily meetings. But today, it seemed neither of them were up, and the office was tranquil. Too tranquil.

Looking around for the presence of her friends, she made her way upstairs, taking care to make her footsteps as soft as possible. (just in case they both stumbled into bed together.) Holding her breath, she had just turned into the second floor when she spotted the couple. Joon hwi was sprawled on the couch, one hand supporting his head as the other grasped Kang Sol’s hand, pressing it close to his chest as if he was cuddling with a teddy bear. Sol was leaning against the couch, her hair still in a bun and her breathing slow.

It was adorable, and heartwarming, watching the two lawyers who went through so much together find peace in each other. Suddenly, she heard the door open downstairs, the familiar sounds of her friends and coworkers filling the house.

“Yah, where is everyone?” Ye-beom’s voice echoed through the house and Ye-Seul, knowing what she had to do, ran downstairs. As she approached her friends, Bok-gi piped up.

“Ah, are they upstairs?” he asked her, moving towards her to check on their two leaders, when Ye-Seul braced her hands against the walls, blocking the path. She shook her head at him.

“No,” she grinned at them, and when Ye-beom attempted to get past her, she was even firmer. “No,” she repeated. Her coworkers narrowed their eyes at her, very obviously cursing her out in their heads for blocking them from juicy gossip but it didn’t matter. Ye-Seul knew, whatever they had between them, it was up to them to figure it out.

#law school #mine #my writing #fanfiction #solhwi #solhwi fanfiction #law school jtbc #jtbc #jtbc drama #jtbc law school #law school kdrama #law school netflix #kang sol a #kang sol b #seo ji ho #han joon hwi #min bok gi #jeon ye seul #ye beom #ryu hye young #kim beom #kim bum #kang sol a x han joon hwi

[sxfik]

golden (like daylight)

read on ao3 • main masterlist • law school masterlist

summary: three times han joon hwi tried to confess to kang sol, and the one time kang sol confessed to him.

word count: 6.8k words

a/n: after almost a year, ao3 user colorfuldreams finally had two braincells knock into each other and finally make an idea! jokes aside, i’m so happy to be writing for solhwi again. writing them felt so familiar that this fic just flowed freely from the heart. i forgot how easy it was to write for them. i literally wrote this in the span of 4 hours, literally one sitting and my god i missed writing for this couple so much. this is dedicated to everyone on twitter who encouraged me to keep going, to everyone who loved law school! i hope this kick continues and i can write more and more for them!

HAN JOON HWI wasn’t a masochist. Really, he liked to live a painless life as possible, but after losing his family, losing his uncle, being accused of murder, and the whole plethora of events during his 1L, he hasn’t been awarded the opportunity to live a peaceful life. But just when he thought he could live a painless life, at last, the realization that he was in love with Kang Sol A, punched him in the face.

The punch was painful, the fear of everything he was risking swirling around his mind. Kang Sol was everything to him: his best friend, his confidant. She’s the one that risked herself for him when no one else would. She’s the one that believed in him when no one else did.

It was a dangerous thing, to be so in love with someone that ripped his whole world off its axis to revolve around her. Each passing day, each study session, each moment shared between them was another granule of sand dripping through the hourglass, building up the fear of rejection, vulnerability, and commitment. Every fear of his that he had buried down was unearthed each time he considered confessing to her.

But the realization was also blissful. Blinding. Soothing. For every inch of fear she brought to him, she brought triple times the joy. Each time he looked at her, talked with her, spent time with her, happiness would burst within him, the feeling bleeding into every corner of his body. It would start at his lungs, wrapping itself around his heart before moving up to his throat, then down his shoulders to his arms, to the very tips of his fingers.

The first couple of times he felt it, the feeling was electrifying, making his fingers fidget in want to pull her close, to tell her how he felt. But the more he felt, the more he came to be at peace with it, the sharp excitement morphing into contentment each time. Being in love with Kang Sol A was just that: pain and fear swirling into bliss and contentment.

Joon hwi shut the book sitting in front of him, the slam of the pages causing the students around him to shoot him a dirty look. He paid them no attention, considering the only student that mattered to him barely lifted her head from where it was buried in her textbook.

It was dead week at Hanguk Law school, meaning every student on campus was crammed into any room they could find, pouring over their texts to sear every comma and word into their minds. Students walked around campus like zombies, one hand clutching coffee and a textbook in the other flipped open to whatever page they needed to memorize. Joon hwi, unlike his last year, was no exception. He was a genius, yes, but even he needed to study for the grueling exams of 2L.

So of course, he wound up studying next to Sol, her in the signature grey sweaters and sweatpants, with her hair haphazardly tied into a bun. He watched as she tracked her eyes across her readings, pausing to jot down some notes before continuing on studying. She was diligent in her studies, trying to absorb as much as she could so she wasn’t so behind in her classes. Luckily for his worrying heart, Sol wasn’t nearly as unhealthy as the last year, her self-abusive study habits fading away slowly after she realized that she couldn’t afford to burn out.

Still, he was always worried that she would slip back into them, especially after the crushing midterm grade in her Corporations and Evidence class. For the past few weeks, he had his eye on her, making sure to drop off food, leave her some of his precious ramen and encourage her to take breaks. Joon hwi knew better to argue against Sol at this point, familiar with the stubbornness that coursed through her so all he did was just be there for her.

Gently, Joon hwi placed a hand on her shoulder, trying not to startle her too much. Sol jerked at his touch, but the hazy look in her eyes vanished as she looked up at him questioningly.

“Let’s take a break,” he whispered to her, trying his best to ignore the glare of every student at the sound of his voice. Sol opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off by grabbing her hand.

He shot her his best ‘puppy’ eyes, trying to convince her to do what he wanted, until the tired girl gave in, getting up and out of her seat. He got out of his own seat, stretching before he followed behind her, leaving the stuff on the library table, trusting that Ye-Seul and the rest of the study group would keep watch of it.

The two of them walked in comfortable silence until they reached the doors of the school and stepped into the warm summer air. Sol stretched slightly, letting out a small sound of contentment as they marched side by side, enjoying a break from constantly studying. Joon hwi had his hands stuffed into his pockets, enjoying the feel of having her at his side, trying to soak in her presence as much as possible.

“How do you think we would be as lawyers?” she asked him, her voice breaking the silence.

“Why are you thinking about that?” he questioned, kicking a small pebble out of the way as they continued their lap around the campus.

“I don’t know. I’m just curious I guess, about how we would be after law school,” she answered simply.

“Hm. Well, I don’t think much would change. Obviously, we’d be in different fields and we’ll have longer hours and more work. But I’m sure we’d always be here for each other,” he answered, before noticing the slight furrow in her eyebrows. “Why? Were you excited to leave me behind Sol-ah?” he teased lightly.

Sol let out a sharp laugh, twisting to face him. “Han Joon hwi, if you think I’m letting go of you that easily, you’re dead wrong.” She moved to bump her hip into his, pushing him slightly.

“Trust me, I have no intention of letting you fade out of my life,” he replied, letting out a huff of laughter in response. As if I’d ever let you go.

Sol paused in her tracks slightly, and Joon hwi had to turn around to face her. And they stood, facing each other like that for a few moments, the summer air wrapping around them as they studied each other.

“Thank you, Joon hwi. I know you’ve been trying to make sure I won’t slip into my bad habits again,” she said, biting her lip slightly as she looked up at him.

Joon hwi opened his mouth to deny it but she beat him to the chase. “You don’t have to admit it, but know that I’ll make sure I pay back the debt!” Before he could formulate a reply, she started walking forward once more, leaving him only a couple steps behind.

“You owe no debt, Sol-ah,” his voice rang out as he smiled softly at her retreating figure. And all of a sudden, everything in him wanted to scream out to her how much he liked her. How grateful he was for her. How he’d always be here for her. How much he loved her.

But it was a moment too late, as he ran forward to catch up with her, as their conversation twisted towards the upcoming exams.

And yet, in that moment, Joon hwi could see the rest of his life roll out with her, whether their relationship was platonic or more.

The cold air whipped around him, soothing his burning muscles as he pushed himself into another lap around the field. It was pitch dark outside, save for the bright lights that lined the Hanguk field, the autumn wind bring a chill into the air. And in the center of it all, was Han Joon hwi, clad in just some shorts and a workout shirt, panting from the burn in his lungs.

It was almost 2 years since Joon hwi lost his uncle, and almost like it was tradition, he was outside, trying to push his body into exhaustion. The ache and reveal of who his uncle was, how he had gone against the sacred law that Joon hwi trusted so much, came back into full force around this time.

Despite having almost two years to move on from the betrayal, the admiration and the love Joon hwi had held for him, the ache still resided within his bones, awakening every single year. It was a pain that he couldn’t express, the emotions so complex and big that he couldn’t begin to untangle them in his mind. Every single memory of his uncle had resided, replaying in his mind over and over again.

His uncle lifted the younger Joon hwi onto his shoulders, running around the house in an attempt to make him laugh. His uncle comforted the teenage Joon hwi as he failed his first exam, trying to understand how he felt. His uncle took him to his office for the first time, announcing how proud he was of his nephew to his coworkers. Arguing with his uncle over the mistake Joon hwi had uncovered, gritting his teeth and trying to believe that his uncle was still a good man. Rejecting a conversation with him as they both stood in front of Hanguk Law school, ignoring the desperation on his uncle’s face. Discovering his uncle’s dead body in the Professor’s room, the shock and confusion threaded through his mind.

Each memory was clear as day in his mind, no matter how much he wanted to ignore the idea that his uncle was ever a part of his life, after understanding the bribes his uncle had taken. But then, he remembered who taught him to respect the law so much. The one that had debated every law code with him, helped him remember important cases as a high schooler when Joon hwi would ask questions. His uncle’s legacy for him was a confusing, tangled mess that hurt to touch or untangle.

So Joon hwi gritted his teeth and ran, ignoring the pain in his muscles, the sharp burn as he tried to breathe the cold air into his lungs. He shut down his mind as he pushed forward one more lap, closing his eyes and trying to distract himself from the sadness trapped within him.

He lost track of time, the sweat dripping down his body as he ran for what felt like an eternity. In a push to get out on more lap, his legs gave out, his knees hitting the turf hard the exhaustion caught up to the adrenaline. The momentary pause though gave the chance for his emotions to override him, his eyes welling up with tears as he breathed heavily, his knees burning from the impact.

Then, as he blinked away his tears once more, trying and failing to get up, Kang Sol appeared in front of him, thrusting out a bottle of water and looking down at him with such emotion, that he wanted to shy away from her gaze.

He grabbed the bottle from her hands wordlessly, as she kneeled in front of him. Her hair was askew from the wind, whipping it around. Sol was still in her plain brown sweater and sweatpants, her classic attire for school as she sat in front of him, her eyes roaming over his face.

“What,” he started, trying to catch his breath as he took another gulp of water, “What are you doing here?”

“I saw you in front of his memorial today,” she started, and he looked away, knowing exactly what she was talking about. “So, I figured you’d be here tonight,” she said simply, as though it was obvious to figure out.

“Yes, but why?” he asked, trying to press her for an answer. Sol simply pursed her lips as she looked at him, and he could see a million thoughts running through her eyes. Each emotion flitted through her face, clear as day for him to read. Still, he waited patiently for her to answer, yearning for a simple answer, a simple confirmation.

“I told you, remember? I’m rooting for you in your uncle’s place,” she said, as she looked down at her hands, tangled in the grass of the turf field. “And it means that I’ll be here for you, no matter what.”

All of a sudden, every emotion he had stuffed into a corner of his mind welled up inside him as he looked at her figure, kneeling down in front of him at almost 3 in the morning. The tears welled up in his eyes blurring out her figure and he gritted his teeth once more, as his emotions meshed into each other.

It was too much, the knowledge that she just knew where to find him, that she just knew how he felt. The idea that he was such an open book to her was so terrifying, yet it felt so gratifying to be seen. To know that someone was looking out for him, someone to protect him against everything going against him. And the idea that it all came from Sol, who had a million other things to worry about in her life, just made it all the more painful.

All he could do was sit there, still breathing heavily as he looked at the girl in front of him, still awake in the middle of the night just to check in on him, as she tangled her hands into the grass and fidgetted as if she had revealed too much of herself to him.

He opened his mouth, but he couldn’t express any of the emotion he felt, the words lodged in his throat as he looked into her knowing eyes, so he settled to grabbing her into his arms, hugging her tightly.

She landed against him in an oomph, surprised at his sudden movement as her shoulders stiffened in his arms. But Joon hwi made no move to let go, trying to soak up the feeling of holding her in his arms as much as possible before the moment dashed away. Slowly, she relaxed in his arms, her hands encircling his body to hug him tighter against her.

She was warm against him, her frame lithe against his as she fit right into his body as if she was designed to reside there. He breathed in her scent, letting the intoxicating smell wrap around him until his mind was only focused on her. Sol was warm against him, almost protecting him from the autumn chill, and it was bliss. Her hands clutched his shirt, trying to pull him a little closer, as though she couldn’t get enough and it only drove him insane.

And there they both sat, holding each other in their arms, desperately trying to cling onto this moment before it passed. He ignored every bit of his surroundings, just trying to soak in the moment until it was etched into his bones. Joon hwi would have sat there for hours, if not for the exhaustion and sleep creeping into his mind, his body almost slack in comfort against her.

As if she read his mind, Sol drew away, pausing for a moment to look at him, her thumb tracing along his jaw. He shivered against the feel and hoped Sol mistook it for the chilling weather and not because of her touch. She got up from the turf, dusting off the dirt as he sat and looked up at her, just watching her as she moved.

She juts out a hand, and he clasped it, as she pulled him up. He almost knocked against her, her body pushing back slightly against the impact, but soon they were standing in the field. Silently, they walked back to their dorms side by side, and Joon hwi spent every moment trying to soak up her presence, use her to comfort, and soothe his pain.

And in that moment, Joon hwi knew, that he could always rely on her, the same way she did on him.

It was almost 6 PM when Attorney Kang Sol A stormed into his office. It’s been a year since both of them graduated from Hanguk Law School, clinging to each other and the study group to get them through their finals. After graduation Sol took a job with Attorney Park, trying to work her way up to making associate while he took a position at the prosecutor’s office.

It was always Joon hwi’s dream to wear the mahogany robes, and it was as though his mind was always built for this job. But it didn’t make it any easier. The job was demanding, the hours long and the work-intensive as he had to pour over stacks and stacks of case files each day. It made the reading in law school look like a chapter book, with the amount of reading and writing he had to do to pick apart each case that was handed to him.

It often meant that he was seen leaving the office at odd hours, stumbling into his apartment only to collapse into his bed soon after. It meant that he had to skip lunch to meet a deadline, to make sure a case was thoroughly reviewed. It meant that he worked himself to the bone, to make sure that he can fight the corruption within Korea’s law systems.

It wasn’t much different for Sol either. The exhaustion from her work though was evident on her face, her tired eyes, and the slight droop in her shoulders a dead giveaway. While she hadn’t regressed to her unhealthy study patterns from their 1L days, it was clear that the job weighed heavily on her. Each day she was faced with an impossible case, trying to keep her morals in a world that rewarded you if you had none.

Unlike Joon hwi, who was equipped with so many resources at hand at the prosecutor’s office, she had none of the advantages. Sol had to gather her evidence on her own, often making trips and meetings to meet with victims and families and the scenes of the crime. She spent hours pouring over CCTV footage to scrounge up evidence, scouring through law codes to find the perfect one to use as a defense.

It was grueling work, demanding so much of her time and energy. Yet, Sol hadn’t changed a bit, her optimism and drive overriding any obstacle she faced. She had grown to hold her own, a lot more confident in her abilities than she had been when they met.

The amount of time he had with her had lessened as they both got jobs, unfortunately, distant from each other. Still, he was grateful that she was still in the city, and that she could spare some weekends to come and visit. She’d spend days lounging with him, making dinner or lunch, and watching some TV show as they talked about their weeks together.

It was blissful, contentment in sharing his life with hers, even if it would only be platonic. Even if it meant he couldn’t have her, he couldn’t kiss her or hold her in the way he really wanted to.

Joon hwi looked up at the woman that just stormed into his office, Sol’s hand clutched against her briefcase as he sat buried under the stacks of files on his desks. She sat down in the chair next to him, and he swiveled in his chair to face her, rolling it until his knees touched hers.

Her hair, now longer with bangs, was messy, as though she had been messing with it all day. Her usually immaculate suit was askew, her blouse crumpled slightly. And worst of all, he could see the redness in her nose and cheeks, the unshed tears building up in her eyes as she sat in front of him, which made his heart clench.

“I don’t know how I’m going to do this, Joon hwi,” she blurted out suddenly as she broke into a sob. Joon hwi blinked, taken aback by the crying woman who now sat in front of him, before the sharp pain of watching her cry flooded through him once more.

“What happened?” he asked, trying to hold back the urge to gather her into his arms and soothe her until she stops crying.

“I,” she started, her tears choking her words, “I lost the case. I lost the child abuse case,” and Sol cried harder, the words echoing around his office once more.

Joon hwi swallowed, his hands reaching out to clasp hers. He remembered this case from a couple weeks back, when he popped by Sol’s office. Her head was firmly buried under the case files, her hair pinned up with a pencil holding it all in place. It was a really important case to her, especially after her family’s past. Sol had talked to him for hours about it, how serious the abuse was and how if she lost, the mother would lose custody.

“You can’t blame yourself, Sol-ah,” he soothed, rubbing circles into the backs of her hands as she tried to calm herself, her breath coming out in small pants. Joon hwi’s heart broke as he watched her place the blame on herself, but knowing there was nothing he could do to fix it for her.

“No, because it’s my fault, I should have tried harder,” her voice was shaky, the tears still falling freely from her eyes, as she gritted her teeth.

Joon hwi moved his hands from hers to cup her face, slowly wiping away the tears that rolled down her cheeks. Then he pulled her into his arms once more, trying to shield her from everything as much as he could. Sol could only sob harder then, and Joon hwi could feel her tears soaking into his shirt, but he paid it no mind.

The affection was a pitiful attempt at comfort, knowing that there wasn’t anything Joon hwi could do for her other than to just be here. Sol was always a deep feeler, and her empathy toward her clients was what made her an amazing lawyer. She took chances on people, and she always put everything into a case, especially when she recognized any hint of injustice.

But it was also the reason why she held such pain for every lost case of hers, every case where she failed to deliver a favorable ruling. She had an impeccable memory for each other, playing through the details of every case she lost to make sure she never loses another. But every once in a while, a case like this will come across her desk and it will unearth all her failures.

No matter how much Joon hwi tried to argue that it wasn’t her fault, Sol would have none of it. She was firm in her belief that it was her fault, and no one else's, and that if she tried harder she would have won. It was a stubbornness that she held so close that convinced her that she was at fault. And truly, there was nothing he could argue against because he knows that it’s the same way he feels when he loses a case.

So he held her tight against him, her body shaking with sobs as he allowed her to feel every emotion and process everything she was going through. He tried to make her as safe in his embrace as possible, allowing her to just let go of everything she held within herself. They resided there again, with her head against his chest until Kang Sol drew away from him slowly.

“Thank you,” she choked out, her voice hoarse from the crying. Her face was puffy and red, her eyelashes clumped from the crying and his heart only broke more, watching her go through so much pain.

I love you. I love you so much Sol-ah and it breaks me every time I see you cry.

“I’ll always be here for you,” he breathed out, settling to say just this rather than the three words he yearned, ached to tell her. It was still lodged in his throat, trying to escape but the fear of her reaction and the idea of her seeing just how much it broke him to see her like this terrified him to no end.

So Joon hwi simply looked at her, trying to memorize every part of her face, every inch of her skin. And in that moment, Joon hwi knew, that he would be content for the rest of his life if he could just be there for her.

KANG SOL A was exhausted. It was her third year of being a lawyer, finally making associate at Park & co. You would think, after bringing down a congressman and solving a murder in her 1L, and taking on cases all throughout law school and beyond would make her equipped to deal with the stresses of her job now.

And if she was being truthful to herself, in some ways things were easier. She made more money now, not having to worry quite as much about her family as she used to. She supposed it was also the fact that Kang Dan was sending in support from where she was doing her doctoral work at Harvard, the missing sister finally bringing her family together. She had more freedom with the cases she chose, not having to defend scum or take cases with basically no evidence. Her friends were still thick as thieves, even though everyone was spread across the city, with their hours conflicting with each other. They held regular dinners, trying to bring back some of the camaraderies they had when they were cooped up on campus together.

Overall, it looked like she was holding it together, especially compared to her erratic life during 1L. Still, she couldn’t help but feel like she was scrambling for answers.

Maybe it was because everyone, while still friends, had moved on in some way or another. Kang Sol B and Ji Ho were set to be married, the invitations popping up in the mail out of nowhere. She supposed she should have seen it coming. The two of them understood each other in ways none of the others could. Jiho and Sol B were cut from the same cloth, so it made sense that they were able to comfort and be there for each other more than anyone else could.

Ye Seul and Bogki were starting anew, both of them just starting a relationship together. Bokgi had waited for her, to take time for herself, to find who she was before she attempted a relationship. They were taking it slow, but they cared for each other so gently and adoringly that it was clear that they would spend the rest of eternity together.

But Kang Sol was still stuck where she was 4 years ago, in love with her best friend and unable to do anything about it. She was stuck where she was, unable to make a move in fear of messing up the carefully stitched friendship she held with Han Joon Hwi.

There was never an epic love story between them. No grand gestures nor movie-like moments. It was gradually built, the two of them being there for each other when they needed it most. It was to the point where Sol could scarcely tell when she fell in love with him. It was as though her love was always residing within her, the pieces hidden deep within her heart until they all stitched together to make something that took over her whole body.

It was scary, being so in love with someone so much that she couldn’t imagine her life without them. It wrapped around any flutter or contentment she felt from being in his presence, the idea that she was so open and vulnerable to him. The idea that she had placed her heart in his hands unknowingly, and he wasn’t even aware that he could shatter it into pieces in an instant.

She supposed this was just a part of her nature. Sol was, unfortunately, an optimist. She saw the best in people, even if she was burned by trying to unearth the good in people multiple times. She used to resent that part of her, the piece of her that would rush into things even though she knew she would get hurt. But after seeing so much corruption and hatred and injustice, she realized that seeing the good in someone, and having hope for the future was a choice she had to make if she wanted to survive.

And even if she could express it, everything she felt for him, held back from him, it felt too confusing and complicated to ever express. It was too much to even put into words. Still, even with the carefully held hope that Joon hwi felt the same, she attempted to prevent herself from rushing in. She built a carefully, albeit weak, wall around her complex feelings for him, trying to keep it stuffed into a corner of her heart. Being hurt by her cases, by life, she could take. But she couldn’t afford it from Joon hwi.

She ran a hand through her hair, the other clutched at her briefcase before entering her mother’s house. Sol still lived with her, trying to minimize her financial burden as much as possible since she took care of Byeol after work when her mother was pulled in for a late-night shift. She opened the front door, the exhaustion of the day coursing through her once more as she took off her shoes to slip on her house slippers.

“Byeol-ah, I’m home,” she announced as she peered into the living room, only to be left confused when she was meant with an empty couch. Sol furrowed her eyebrows. It was rare that Byeol wasn’t on the couch, watching TV as she ate dinner prepared by their mother before she left for work.

“Byeol?” Sol called out again, setting down her briefcase and removing her black winter coat, now left in her beige suit.

“In here, Unnie,” Byeol’s voice came from the kitchen and Sol made her way in, wondering what the hell her sister was doing.

“Why aren’t you-” Sol started, walking into the threshold of her kitchen, but was cut off by the sight of Han Joon Hwi, standing in the middle of her kitchen, placing a steaming plate of food onto her kitchen table. The smell of the food made her mouth water, momentarily overriding the confusion she felt at his presence.

“Ah, you’re home. Sit down, Byeol is almost done with dinner,” Joon hwi told her nonchalantly. But she was still standing, mouth gaping at the man standing in her kitchen. He was still in his suit and tie, the grey suit set a staple of his in court. It was a set she was familiar with, seeing him use it frequently when he grilled a witness or addressed the jury. But what was shocking was her mother’s pink frilly apron that he now donned, the old apron cutting the intimidation and power that Joon hwi held in that suit.

“Joon hwi, what are you doing here?” she asked, finally able to make her body move forward, towards the kitchen table. She was still standing, staring at Joon Hwi before he sighed. He strode over to her, standing behind her as he placed both his hands on her shoulders, the warmth of his fingers searing into the base of her neck.

“Sit down and take the plate Sol-ah,” he muttered as he gently pushed her down into a seat. Byeol innocently stood up, declaring that she was finished with her food and as though this was a regular routine, Byeol made her way to the sink. Her growth spurt now made her tall enough to reach the sink without her stool, Byeol methodically washed her dishes and then made her way to the living room, avoiding Sol’s questioning gaze as much as possible.

Joon hwi had his back turned against Sol, facing the stove that held food, presumably still warm as she could see the waves of steam evaporating into the air. She was quiet as she sat, her fingers splayed on the table, and she was frozen as she just stared into his back, her eyes zeroing in on the knot he had tied to keep her mother’s apron stuck to the front.

“Here,” Joon hwi placed down a plate of warm food in front of her but he avoided her eyes as she roamed her gaze across his face. He was exhausted, that was clear

After a beat of silence, she finally gathered the courage to question his presence.

“Joon hwi, what are you doing here?” she asked, her face still held straight, trying to prevent herself from inhaling the food in front of her as hunger settled into her stomach. Her curiosity and confusion trumped any feelings of hunger or tiredness, as though she was electrified in his presence.

“Your mother called. She said she had to run to take another shift at work, and that you weren’t home yet, and asked if I could pop in and take care of Byeol until you got home,” he said nonchalantly, as though it was just a simple task. She blinked at him as his hands went around his back, in an attempt to untie the apron strings.

“So you just,” she paused, a breath catching in her throat, “You just dropped everything to be here?”

“Of course,” he answered her in the midst of getting himself out of the apron, “It’s not a big deal.” And then he shrugged as though this was a no-brainer. As though this isn’t something that made her love for him burst through the seems.

Kang Sol was frozen, her chest tight. For the first time, she could see so clearly how Han Joon hwi had always been there for her. No matter what the circumstance, he was there to hold out a helping hand, to offer a shoulder of comfort. But to be there for her family, at the drop of a hat. To take care of her and her family as though they were his own, was something else entirely.

The idea that Joon hwi, exhausted from his job at the prosecutor’s office would trek halfway across town to her home, to make her and her sister dinner at the drop of a hat. The idea that he viewed her and her family as a priority, so much so that he would be here at the drop of a hat. The idea that he would wear the old apron over his expensive suit, risking getting the smell of food and splashes of oil on it, just to be there for her.

It drove her over the edge, the idea that he was there for her no matter what. She could feel the adoration, the joy, the contentment, the bliss fill her up, from her lungs only to get caught in her throat, the emotions choking her until tears welled up in her eyes. It was too much, so much that it physically hurt her heart, her lungs, her body.

It was as though she finally saw him clearly, saw the blinding need within her to have him in her life indefinitely. For the first time, she could see the puzzle piece that she was missing. For the first time, she could see the rest of her life roll out in front of her, and she knew that she needed him by her side.

Kang Sol breathed in sharply trying to alleviate the emotions, but she knew what was going to spill out from her, finally understanding that it was inevitable. Loving Joon hwi was inevitable, and there was never a moment that she could stop herself from hoping that he loved her back.

“I love you,” she breathed out, and for the first time, it felt that simple.

Joon hwi froze. His hands had her mother’s apron balled in his hand, but his grip tightened as his wide eyes looked at her. He blinked again, before stuttering out “What?”

“I love you. I should have told you this years ago, Joon Hwi, but I love you.” Sol paused, trying to draw a breath, trying to express everything she had held inside her for years. “I used to think that this was too complicated. I was too scared, too weak. But I can’t hide it anymore from you. I love you, Joon hwi and I don’t want to live my life apart from you anymore. I need you in my life, I need you here. And it’s okay if you don’t feel the same but—”

“I love you too,” he blurted out. His hands reached across the table to clasp hers firmly, holding both of her hands tight in his. Sol’s voice felt raw, almost burning as she looked into his eyes. “I’ve loved you since our first year Sol-ah, but I never- I never dared to tell you. And god I tried, I tried so hard,” he shut his eyes once more, as though it hurt him.

Abruptly, she stood up from her seat, marching over to him in two short strides. Joon hwi turned to face her, one of his hands still braced against the table, before she brought her arms and clasped them around his neck, pulling him down to her level. And then she crashed her lips into him.

His lips were soft against hers, just like in her dreams. Without a moment's hesitation, his arms went around her waist, drawing her closer to his body. His lips moved against hers, and then every moment was filled with an inexplicable need to show him what she felt for him. His tongue ran against hers and it made her mind dizzy, her body igniting with desire.

Their kisses were frantic, filled with desire and passion for each other. She tried to express every bit of her emotions for him through her kisses, trying to convey just how much she needed him in her life. Her hands pulled him impossible close against her again, trying to merge their bodies together as much as possible.

His body felt delicious against her, the heat bleeding into her body as she moved her lips against him. His hands traced patterns up her back, trying to trace over every part of her he could reach. It was passionate and needy, as though he couldn’t get enough of her against him.

“As much as I am happy that you two are finally together, I’d love to not see you do that in this kitchen ever again,” Byeol’s sassy voice rang out, her hand on one hip as the other held a glass of water. Joon hwi and Sol broke apart quickly, his arms still encircled around her waist as her arms were clasped around his neck. Embarrassment filled the two as Byeol rolled her eyes at the two of them, before leaving the kitchen once more.

A silence stretched between the two, the just sounds of their breathing filling the kitchen, before they turned to look at each other. Joon hwi’s forehead bent down to meet hers as he closed his eyes, trying to enjoy her presence as much as he could.

“You should eat,” Joon hwi’s voice rang out, still breathless from the kiss. She could hear the vibration of his voice against him as she looked up at him, her eyes filled with adoration. Yet, neither of them was content to move away from each other, just enjoying being in each other’s embrace, trying to study every feature on each other’s face.

And in that moment, Sol knew, that she would never have to live without him at her side.

© all rights belong to sxfik. do not use header, dividers, icons, nor repost any of my writing in any manner. 

#user: sxfik #▸ fanfic; [sxfik] #▸ fandom; [law school] #solhwi #law school #jtbc drama #jtbc law school #law school jtbc #law school netflix #law school kdrama #kang sol a #kang sol b #han joon hwi #seo ji ho #jeon ye seul #min bok gi #jo ye beom #jtbc #fanfiction #my fanfiction #my writing

[sxfik]

push and pull

part I | part II

read on ao3 • main masterlist • law school masterlist

summary: during a trial, a lawyer must be ready for anything. they should be able to navigate their way through any sudden obstacles or arguments. but through her time at law school, this is the first time her opponent has used kisses as an argument strategy.

or: joon hwi decides it's time to test how far kang sol's concentration can last. you know, to prepare her for the trial. no other reason.

a/n: aaa this was supposed to be peace is not known to man pt. 2 but i just had to write this today, i could not get the scene out of my head. after this will be peace is not known to man chapter 2 because ✨✨ and then a prompt request that was sent in ! this might be shorter than normal but i did leave room for a possible sequel? anyways, i hope you enjoy this <3

Throughout Kang Sol A's time in rigorous classes and with strict professors, there was one thing that was drilled through her head: be prepared for any argument. As she progressed through the ranks, it was clear that students, as well as prosecutors and lawyers, will use anything and everything at their disposal in order to win. Even if it is the lowest or morally dubious argument, if it wins them the case, they will not be afraid to use it.

Kang Sol was never the brightest student in class. She struggled to pick up the concepts as quickly as her peers; she racked her brain every time she needed to name a criminal code from memory. But if there was anything she was good at, it was preparation.

Her biggest mistake her first semester was not having a battle plan and through the minefield that was fighting against Assemblyman Ko, she felt like she was constantly rushed and underprepared. After her 1L, Kang sol took the time every day to make sure she was prepared for anything that would be an obstacle for her. She's always in class with the needed materials already printed out, her course materials pre-read and she takes extensive notes during her lectures, making sure to get even the smallest details. She wrote down anything that could make the exam easier for her. So, during study groups, she was the go-to person for notes and specifics, despite joon hwi, sol B and ji ho's innate abilities to memorize and grasp the concepts. Her contribution was her thoroughness as well as her tenacity. And maybe, that was what made her so essential to her mock trial team.

The annual justice mock trial was just around the corner, and Sol was not going to be underprepared like last time. Joon hwi, Sol B and she poured over their case files, writing their main argument, rebuttal and summary until they were near perfect. For weeks, they'd spent in the library, reading and researching everything they would possibly need during the trial so they could make their main argument as bulletproof as possible. The three of them were going to win this trial, no matter what they had to do.

That preparedness was what found Sol in her current situation, standing in the empty mock trial courtroom, standing at the defendant's side of the table while Joon Hwi had stood across from her, looking over the prosecutor's argument. Her sense of morality was her biggest blessing and her biggest obstacle in Law School. Her belief in right and wrong, and the proper use of the law, made it almost painful for her to argue the other side. But being the wonderful classmate he was, Joon hwi had offered to help her whenever he could, acting as the devil’s advocate.

Han Joon Hwi. Her beloved classmate and next to Ye-Seul, her best friend. He was there for it all: from defending Yangcrates to protecting her sister from Lee Man Ho to defeating Assemblyman Ko. As Kang sol was sinking from her past two semesters at Hanguk law school, he was the one who kept her afloat. Every night she spent at the library, on the verge of exhaustion, he would be there alongside her making sure she took breaks and took care of herself. Without him, she was sure she wouldn't have been able to pull her health up or make it through her first year.

Joon Hwi had always processed his feelings more inwardly, holding everything in and away from everyone as much as possible. During the worst of his grief last year, he would sneak out into the practice fields, running laps until he was exhausted and his breathing ragged. She picked up on what he was doing, when she saw him dip out of the library a little earlier than everyone else. She had snuck out to follow him and watched him as he would run across the fields, until he'd break into pieces on the field. For a boy who had seen her worst, who had helped everyone gain their strength to fight, it wasn't right that he suffered by himself.

So when she saw him declining into the familiar pain, when he was staring into the memorial of his uncle's donation, the man who had meant everything to him, who had died before he could repent for his sins against the law, she sat by him in silence, until he leaned onto her shoulder. If she could, if it was possible, she felt like absorbing all the pain, the regret and the anger he felt inside until he was alright.

She wasn't sure when the lines blurred between them, but her image of him shifted until she was sure he was so much more than a friend. It was as if he had a new tint of color over him, and suddenly, she found herself thinking of him all the time. Now, every time she'd laugh, she'd turn behind her to make sure he was laughing. For every little thing that happened in her life, he was the only one she craved to share it with. Every smile, every little happiness, she wanted to share it with him. Even if she wasn't feeling well, or doing anything exciting, she wanted his presence by her.

Kang Sol was always eloquent, her mind moving at 10 mph and her words even faster. She never ran out of things to say, not until she met him. With Joon Hwi, she had no way of expressing just how much she wanted him in her life, how much gratitude she had for him. He meant so much more than anything she could describe in words so she forced herself to be content with the bits and pieces she could keep in her life.

Kang Sol cleared her throat, gaining joon hwi's attention from the papers and across the room. "Let's get started?" she asked her, looking up from her papers, and up to him as he nodded.

“As the defendant…” he started, his voice echoing in the empty courtroom, voice firm and strong as he delivered the main argument. Watching joon hwi transform into his full prosecutor mode was startling to watch, his casual demeanor changing into confidence. He transformed into something else entirely, his demeanor intense and his voice sharp as a knife. Watching him concentrate and argue was magnetic and with every passing line, she felt pulled towards him. She could feel the nerves build as she watched him, his voice strong and powerful through the room.

He looked up at her, finishing his argument and it felt like the wind was knocked out of her. Sol wasn't sure if it was the fact that she had to present the argument next or if it was his darkened eyes staring into hers, the awareness spreading through her body, that made her forget how to breathe properly. For a moment, the silence enveloped them, the tension between them taut as a bowstring, despite being so far apart from each other.

"Sol?" His voice interrupted the moment as the pressure built in her chest and her throat stagnated. She cleared her throat again, shaking the gaze off her, before starting her argument. As her eyes and her voice followed the words on the paper, her body and mind were somewhere else entirely, every hair on her body aware of his growing presence, his eyes on her. For someone so hesitant to argue against the side she believed in, she was going strong until she made one grave mistake.

She looked up to him for a moment, and he was standing much closer to her now, his eyes molten as he looked up at her, standing in the middle of the courtroom, and her voice wavered to a stop. She didn’t know when Joon Hwi had moved closer, her body too obsessed with the fact that his eyes were on her to ever notice his movements.

He raised his eyebrow, the ghost of a smirk on his face. "Why are you stopping, Sol-ah?" he asked, his voice much deeper, heavy and sweet like honey. He stepped closer then, and she looked down to the papers in her hand, his gaze burning her with intensity.

She continued on with her argument, as he stepped closer and closer, until he was right in front of her place behind the defendant's desk. She looked up then, confident in herself not to waver as the words on her paper blurred together into mush. But her mind and her mouth was on autopilot, her voice growing smaller and smaller as she parroted the argument from memory, his proximity throwing her off. He moved closer then, leaning in until his face was just a breath away from her. His hands reached up to her face, pushing a strand of hair back behind her ear. She felt her mind stutter and her stomach bundle into knots from him being so close that she could see his eyelashes brush against his cheek as he blinded. Her eyes were glued to him, pulled closer and closer, as he laid his finger at her throat, and traced down to the base of her neck.

She shuddered out a breath then, the feel of just a finger on her skin making her face grow warm and red. she struggled to think, to remember what she was doing before his fingers traced up, up, up, towards her jaw. His hands cupped her face, bringing it closer towards him, as his thumb brushed against her cheek.

"I think-" she paused, trying to catch her breath, "I think my argument ends there."

"You think?" he tilted his head slightly, his eyes taunting and teasing.

"Yes," she breathed out, leaning closer and closer, until her lips met his. His lips were firm and reassuring for a short moment, before she pulled away. But their distance didn't last even a second as she surged forward again, kissing him with everything she had. The papers in her hand dropped to the desk, forgotten, as her hands searched for him, finding purchase in his shirt as she pulled him closer.

His hands shifted then, kissing her deeper, as his hands went to untangle her hair from her ponytail, until her hair was loose around her shoulders. His hands tangled in her hair, pushing her closer to him as his tongue brushed against her lip and she gasped, the feel only accelerating the want, the need for him.

Her mind was foggy as he drew away from her lips and down to her jaw, his frantic kisses addicting as he moved down to her neck. Joon hwi tilted her head with the hand tangled in her hair, as he left open-mouthed kisses down her throat, ones that left her panting and gasping, his mouth bruising the delicate skin of her neck.

"Joon hwi-ah," she shuddered out, as he sucked, her breath coming out in soft puffs, a moan growing at the back of her throat.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

The loud noise against the door shocked the two out of the moment, as a voice inquired "Is anyone in there?" The two jumped back then, still holding on to each other as Sol looked at Joon hwi, alarm taking over her body.

Annoyance flooded his features, as he looked towards the door, his lips swollen and red from her ministrations.  He was panting, as he looked back at her, his gaze was heavy on her, and for one charged moment, Kang Sol thought of throwing caution to the wind, to pull him back into her. But he stepped back then, away from her desk, and back to his to gather his files. Sol was glued to her feet then, her hands frozen and unable to process what just happened before her rational mind kicked in, and she rushed to gather her files. She ran her hand through her hair, noticing her disheveled state in the mirror, before gathering her hair into a bun and smoothening out her clothes, trying to put on a pretense that she was perfectly okay, it wasn’t like joon hwi had feverishly kissed her until her mind was completely blank or anything.

There was silence between the two as they exited the courtroom through the back entrance, making sure to leave the room as if nothing ever happened. But before they parted, Joon Hwi grabbed her hand, looking into her eyes for a moment as if to say this isn't over, before the parted ways, leaving Sol to process what went on between them, and how she could ask for more, more, more.

#law school #mine #my writing #fanfiction #law school jtbc #jtbc law school #jtbc drama #law school kdrama #law school netflix #solhwi #kim bum #kim beom #ryu hye young #kang sol a #han joon hwi #friends to lovers #idiots to lovers

[sxfik]

push and pull (II)

part I | part II

read on ao3 • main masterlist • law school masterlist

summary: It's been a week since their incident in the courtroom, a week since her best friend, and crush, had kissed her. Despite her better instincts, Sol decides that it's best to test his feelings for her. After all, he's bound to get jealous right?

or: Sol riles him up and now she has to face the consequences.

request by anon: OP you are writing a sequel of push and pull? Right? Right? 🥺 As joon whipped pointed out, this isn't over. And as a prompt/ask for part 2 or a new drabble– like can yeseul find the hickey joonhwi definitely left from the neck kisses? Okayyy byeeee

PS peace is not known to man is alsooo amaze! All your fics are amaze!

a/n: AAA yes i was always planning to do a sequel to push and pull but anon you really gave me the BEST idea! thank you so much for sending something in <3 this honestly kinda got out of hand, i was not expecting it to be this spicy (don't worry, no smut yet lmao) but i really hope you guys like this!!

It's been a week since Kang Sol decided to practice her argument as the defense counsel. A week had passed since her best friend, and crush, Han Joon Hwi, had kissed her in the sacred court of law, and for a week everything was startlingly normal. It was like everything that went on between the two happened in another dimension, when he was just as in love with her as she was for him.

After leaving her confused and dazed outside the courtroom, they had gone back to normal life, into their regular routine. They would study together in the library, work on their case for the upcoming mock trial, and work at the legal clinic. The two of them shared lunches and all their classes together, and for a moment, she almost forgot that she kissed Han Joon Hwi. But what could a girl do, swamped with cases and professors who thought it'd be best to swamp them with assignments.

So since he didn't mention anything about that day, neither did she. For the most part, she was so distracted by her classes and the anxiety that followed with being a student at Hanguk Law School that she was able to act regularly around him. But it didn't erase the memory of how he had looked at her, from across that courtroom, eyes dark and heavy. It didn't erase how warm his hands were on her, how his hands tangled in her hair as he pulled her in, how soft his lips felt against hers as he pulled her into a bruising kiss. It didn't erase how right it felt, having him press against her and it certainly didn't erase how much her feelings had grown for him.

There were moments, when their hands brushed against each other while reaching for the same book, or the way his shoulder would press against hers as they sat in the hideout, where she was sure that she would never get over him. Or the smiles he would send her, only her, across the classroom that would make a certain satisfaction spread through her like wildfire. It was like her mind and body lit up each time he looked at her with so much as an expression of happiness.

But Joon Hwi? He was completely fine. He was still right by her side, smiling and teasing, spending time with her as if they hadn't broken the cardinal rule of friendship. It bothered her, how he could act so normal around her, like nothing ever happened between the two. The anger rose as the days passed by, at how he could kiss her like that, and then pretend like it was nothing.

Kang Sol was always one for action, never one to sit back and let things happen to her. Even with the chance that she could make the situation so much worse, she plotted with Ye-seul. Her best friend had known of course, way before Sol could even understand why or what she felt for the boy that had kept her company through her lowest moments. In fact, she was the one who suggested the brilliant plan of testing his feelings, trying to see for herself if she was just hallucinating or if Joon hwi actually did feel something for her.

Her solution came in the form of a boy,  Lee Min-seok. Min-seok was always a close friend of hers, one of the few students that didn’t shame her for her low scores. He knew about her crush on Han Joon Hwi, figuring it out after they got drunk together. Not that it was all that hard, considering Sol had basically wailed, asking why Joon hwi didn’t see her the way she saw him. Luckily for her, he also had someone he wanted to make jealous, a girl named Seo Ae Ri, who was in their constitutional codes lecture.

Ye-Seul, Min-Seok and her had put their heads together, planning to work together on their project for Professor Kim's class rather than working with Joon Hwi like Sol usually did. It was simple really: Sol would act nice with him, just like she did with Joon hwi and see if he would react. In case they needed extra measures, Ye-Seul would tease her, really testing him once and for all.

“You keep looking at him,” Min-Seok said to her, snapping her out of her thoughts and back to the project at hand.

“Hm?” She turned to look back to the boy sitting across from her at the tables in the main hall. She shot him an apologetic look. "Sorry, I was just-"

"I know," he smiled, before tilting his head towards a girl sitting a couple tables away from them, "I'm getting distracted too."

"This is a bad idea, isn't it?"

"Probably, but we're both desperate losers, aren't we?" he grinned, and Sol laughed, the statement way too accurate to describe the both of them.

Being friendly with Min-Seok was easy but flirting with him was much harder than she thought. Sol had worn her hair down today, in an attempt to look more like she’s on a date rather than working on a project with a friend. She dressed up slightly, upgrading from her Hanguk university sweatshirt to a regular beige sweater. Still, it was impossible for her to keep her eyes on the boy in front of her when the real guy she liked was sitting right behind him.

Min-seok would lightly touch her hand, grazing past her and she would laugh at his jokes as if they were the funniest thing she’d heard all day. She tried her best to keep her eyes off of the Joon hwi and her focus on Min-seok, both of them trying their best to appear as though they had something more than friendship. Both of them joked and worked, trying to let their gazes linger on each other rather than their crushes sitting a couple feet away from both of them. She was still laughing at his joke when she looked up and noticed the empty seat where Joon hwi once sat.

Her laughter died down slowly as Sol watched him disappear behind the marble pillars of the school, without even sparing her a glance. I guess this was for nothing... Her hands squeezed into a fist, the pain and disappointment growing in her chest. She turned back to Min-seok and smiled, trying to not let her disappointment choke her.

It was evening by the time she left the main hall, after grabbing something to eat with Ye-Seul and Bok-gi at the cafe. Even with the delicious food, her mind was still on Joon Hwi, the figure walking away from her that afternoon permanently pressed into her memory. Even though it was just a memory, it weighed down on her shoulders as if she was carrying something physically on her back.

She sighed, making her way back to the dorms, stepping out of the main hall when she felt a tug on her elbow. Before she could process what was happening, she was whisked away to the corridor between the stairwell and the main hall.

“Wha-” she attempted yelled out before a hand came to cover her mouth.

“Shh, it’s okay, it’s just me,” Joon hwi was wide eyed, as he took his hand off her mouth after she saw it was him, letting her calm down. Her heart thundered in her chest, breathing fast from the shock.

“Yah!” she hit his chest lightly, “Why would you shock me like that? I almost had a heart attack.” She tried to slow her breathing down, closing her eyes to avoid his gaze on her. Silence stretched between them and slowly, she opened her eyes to meet his gaze. His head was tilted slightly, almost like he was trying to piece her together like a puzzle.

“Who was your partner for Professor Kim’s project?” he asked, his face still deep in thought.

“Oh, just Min-Seok,” she answered, trying to keep her voice as nonchalant as possible.

“Just Min-Seok?” he questioned, narrowing his eyes on her. She squirmed slightly, her mind racing to come up with an answer that’s not you kissed me and then didn’t talk about it so I needed to test if you liked me. He took a step closer to her as she stepped back, her back hitting the wall of the corridor. His eyes were the same shade they had been in the courtroom, impossibly dark and staring into hers. It was intoxicating and she found herself unable to look away or do anything except stare back.

"You just like watching me in misery, don't you sunbae?" His voice was taunting, much deeper than usual. The air was almost suffocating with tension, with his proximity. She swallowed as she met his eyes, watching as the passion and fire in his eyes made her body overheat. “Taunting me, making me watch that guy touch you and flirt with you like he knew you,” His head dipped in then, tilting slightly as his gaze dropped to her lips.

“Like he knows how you liked to be touched,” he said, teasing as he kept the distance, his hands cupping her jaw, tracing her skin lightly in a way that made her shiver. It sent her body into overdrive, every inch of her hyper aware of Joon Hwi, his intoxicating smell enveloping her senses. “Like he knows how you like to be kissed,” he whispered, and his lips were against hers, soft yet unyielding, before she could even register it. His kiss was like fire, threatening to burn her up, but she didn’t mind. Sol would burn and burn for him, if it meant a few more moments with his lips on her.

Her hands found his shirt, tugging him closer to her as he shifted his head, pulling her in deeper. His tongue brushed against hers, driving her insane with the need for more. His kisses were addicting, pulling her in for more and more. Her hands were then in his hair, pulling him in closer  against her as she kissed him with fevor, her tongue brushing against his lower lip enough to make him groan into her mouth. His body only pressed into her more, his warmth bleeding into hers. His hair was silky and soft against her fingertips, and the need and want for more, more, more, driving her.

He pulled away shortly, panting as he caught his breath. His lips were bright red from her kisses, his eyes darkened with lust and want for her. She was still pinned against the wall as he brought his fingers close to her throat, the pads of his fingers grazing the spot he once left bruising kisses on. She drew in a sharp breath, the delicate touch of his hands enough to clear her mind.

“Ah, Sol-ah, such a pity. The hickies I left have faded away,” Joon hwi smirked slightly, his voice gravelly from the kiss. God, he’s insufferable. “We can’t have that happening, can we?” he raised an eyebrow, then dipped his head closer to her throat. She tipped her head back, wanting, needing, but he paused, his warm breath against her neck, like he was waiting for an answer.

“Yes,” Sol gave in, her voice breathier than she’d care to admit, “Yes please.” He obliged, finally dipping his head fully to leave open-mouthed kisses along her throat. The feeling was torturous and delicious, his hand curving around her neck to adjust it as he pleased. His other hand found the edge of her shirt, his body pushed against her in a way that was designed to haunt her.

“Joonhwi-ah,” she moaned, her voice embarrassingly needy as his fingers grazed her waist, and then his warm hand pressed against her bare skin. His thumb grazed the edge of her bra as it rubbed soothing circles into her skin as he continued placing feverish, bruising kisses against the delicate skin of her neck.  Her mind was completely blank, with only his name and pleads for more leaving her lips. It was too much and too little at the same time, the sensations clouding her mind but her body only craving more.

Slowly, he pulled away, his pupils still blown out from what they just did as he panted, trying to catch his breath. Sol was left dazed, still blinking at what had transpired between them. The air was still thick as they looked at each other, the silence enveloping the two. Sol looked at the man in front of her, but her brain was still catching up to the fact that Joon Hwi kissed me. His hair was a mess, and his lips were still red and swollen from their kisses. She was the first to crack a smile, unable to conceal her happiness at the fact that her plan worked.

“I should have done that earlier if I knew you’d kiss me like that,” she joked with him, the warmth and joy leaking out of every seam of her body. Joon Hwi narrowed his eyes at her, finally catching on to what she had pulled.

“You really riled me up on purpose?” His expression was slightly incredulous, but still adoring. His voice was still gravelly and deeper than usual, yet he was still the Joon hwi who she grew to love.

“You left me no choice! You kissed me in the courtroom and then you never addressed it,” her voice raised slightly, and he laughed in response, the corners of his eyes crinkling in the familiar way.

“I know, I’m sorry Sol-ah,” he looked down at the ground before looking up at her, sheepishly, “I wanted to give you time. I- i know that the last kiss came out of nowhere so I didn't want to rush you or push you too hard. I was going to talk to you about it today, and then well, you know.”

“Yeah, I know,” she grinned at him. They stayed like that, just for a few moments, grinning as they looked at each other. He pulled back slightly, releasing her from the wall.

“Come on, Sol-ah, I’ll walk you back to your room,” Joon hwi grinned, her hand going out to hold hers as they made their way to her dorm room and to start a new chapter together.

bonus

The next morning arrived surprisingly fast, and Sol was happier than she had ever been. After the Joon Hwi had dropped her off at her room, leaving her with another kiss that would live in her dreams forever she had crashed, blissfully sleeping despite the eventful day she had.

Sol shuffled into the small kitchen area, stretching out her arms in a yawn. She was still clad in her hanguk university sweatshirt, her hair in her signature messy bun as she walked past Ye-Seul and Joon hwi, both sitting at the table looking at their phones and having some breakfast. She greeted both of them, her voice cracking slightly from disuse as she made herself coffee, needing the bitter taste to jumpstart her system before class.

She grinned at both of them before taking a seat next to Joon hwi, the three of them blissfully enjoying their mornings. Everything went by as normal, Joon hwi looking cuter than ever, Ye-Seul still soft and beautiful as ever. Though, as she drank her coffee, she noticed her best friend squint at her slightly, the younger girl’s head tilted inquisitively. But Sol was still on the high from yesterday and seeing Joon hwi in the morning only fueled it more so she didn’t pay the look much heed.

Almost 15 minutes passed before Ye-Seul stood up, making the move to clear her plate and wash her mug. She turned and cleared her throat, looking pointedly at Sol. “Unnie, you might want to use some concealer before you go to class today," she quipped and suddenly, Joon hwi sputtered, choking on the coffee. Sol patted his back soothingly, before she turned around to Ye-Seul in confusion, but the younger girl was gone, disappearing before she could ask what she meant. Joon hwi was still laughing, while Sol was left in utter confusion.

Sol pulled out her phone, switching to her camera to look at what exactly she needed to cover. Did she have a pimple? Did she break out?  But she gasped as she looked at herself in the camera, her eyes wide. Her neck, once pale and clear of any marks, were covered in dark bruises. Hickeys. They spotted all over her throat, the curve of her neck, everywhere.

“Yah, Han Joon hwi!” she turned to him, his laugh only getting louder as she berated him, “I’m going to have to wear a whole bottle of concealer to cover this up!” He grins at her in response, mischief and a certain look of pride tainting his expression and Sol doesn't know whether to kiss him or hit him over the head. But his laughter infected her, and despite all her better instincts to stay angry, she laughed along with him, knowing that she could never stay angry too long at the boy she finally had in her arms.

#law school jtbc #jtbc law school #law school #law school kdrama #law school netflix #mine #my writing #fanfiction #solhwi #kang sol a #han joon hwi #kim beom #kim bum #ryu hye young #jeon ye seul

[sxfik]

peace is not known to man (I)

read on ao3 • masterlist

part I | part II | part III (coming soon)

summary: after turning his back on the prosecutor's office, lawyer han joon hwi attempts at a clean slate, starting his own private firm. but, there was no way for him to move forward without clearing his former suspect, his current coworker, lawyer kang sol. with lee man ho, their main suspect, escaped and an empty apartment, can they prove her innocence?

tags: alternate universe, suspicious partner!AU, canon divergent, background solho/jisolB, slight roommate au, slight fake dating au!

a/n: welcome back to, me having random ideas and deciding to write them on a whim! this was meant to be a one shot that got turned into something a lot longer. this will be multi-chaptered (i'm thinking around 3 or 4? we'll see lmao) and i'll try my best to regularly write for them! if anyone has any requests, please send an ask! as always, enjoy <3

Everyone has moments in their lives where they feel as if they've hit a checkpoint. It's an innocuous moment, sometimes coming as you're walking out the door of your house, or when you wait for the next bus after a late night with your friends. The moment is like leveling up in a video game, where a little chime hits and you see everything around you with more clarity. Your surroundings become sharper, you become aware of yourself and who you are in that present moment. You see everything with a little more color and you’ll muse to yourself about how fast things change. The first time it happened to prosecutor Han, no lawyer Han now, he was looking out to the 1st floor of his house.

The weekend before, he had quit his job at the prosecutor's office, despite it being everything he ever wanted it to be. After admitting wrongdoing and withdrawing the charges on his former intern, Kang Sol, based on lack of evidence, he lost everything he worked towards in a flash. Being a prosecutor was everything he had wanted in his life, following in his uncle's footsteps. As a little kid, he dreamed of wearing the black and mahogany robes, seeing his uncle wear them on the days he went to court. But now, after the whirlwind Kang Sol had brought in his life, he was left with nothing but turmoil. His lifelong dream, now crumbling bit by bit. His uncle, now murdered in cold blood.

As it turns out, Joon Hwi was wrong in indicting Kang Sol as the culprit. Kang Sol had been a mere passerby and a victim of the wrong place, wrong time. Instead, he had found out during his year delving into her case, that it was Lee Man Ho, one of the people his uncle had once put behind jail, that murdered him. But with no solid evidence or way to make him pay for his uncle's life (and Kang Sol's future) Joon Hwi swore to himself that he would keep digging, until they could capture him together.

He can still remember the day she walked in as an intern, the girl who was cheated on by her ex-boyfriend that he had swooped in to save. He remembered the way she eagerly walked into his office the next day, introducing herself as his newest intern. He remembered the shock and embarrassment on her face as she recognized him from that night. He remembered every late night they spent, her cursing behind his back, them arguing and teasing each other every time he dropped a new stack of files on her desk. He had once argued with her, to leave his life in peace. And ultimately, he did get what he wanted, he finally had peace.

Peace, he found out, was not what it cracked up to be. As his year passed by without her, so did his spirit. Originally, he wanted to blame his job, his coworkers, and his superiors. But every night, as he closed his eyes and lay in bed, he could see her, clad in the drab colors of the prison uniform. Her eyes were devoid of the life she once had, the eyes of the girl that once would curse and spar with him, now pleading with him to believe her. And taking a shot in the dark, he believed her, sacrificing everything he worked for. In return, she left him just as he asked, but with her leave, she had drawn out the colors in his life and taken it with her.

So, with an aim in mind, he sent in his resignation letter and cleared out the first floor of his house, installing dividers and desks instead. He turned the space into a quaint office, enough to house the new workers he planned to recruit to his firm. It hadn't been easy, but after weeks of pleading with his former coworkers, Seo Ji Ho, Kang Sol (B), Ye-Seul, Ye-Beom and Bok-gi, they had relented and joined his law firm, some as office managers and others as partners. But the puzzle wasn’t complete yet. Not without her.

He expected her to be working as a lawyer, opening up her own practice in the years time. But instead, he found her at the martial arts academy, instructing children on how to kick and punch and fight for their own. If there was ever a job suited for Kang sol, it was this. Yet, he knew that she belonged in the firm with him, working as a full time lawyer. As a former suspect, she had the sympathy and capacity to believe in her clients, something he’s always lacked. From her time as an intern, he knew that she wasn’t like him; she couldn’t recall the codes verbatim and she had barely passed her exams at the university. Instead, she had tenacity and passion that he hadn’t seen in any intern before. Even when he swamped her with work, she would stay every late night to call up witnesses, to talk and explain to them with a care he didn’t possess.

He had found out, from further probing, that she in fact had opened up her own firm. But who would want to have a lawyer that was only cleared of charges because of “Lack of Evidence”? All her clientele, apparently, consisted of creeps and criminals who wanted them to defend her because she had escaped the murder charge. It made fire burn under his skin, when he found out that one of them had threatened and stalked her when she refused to defend him, and his guilt only grew after he found out it resulted in her losing her apartment as well. For the months before he had found her, she lived exclusively in her office. The month before his offer came, she closed down her firm and opted to work for her friend at the academy, teaching kids martial arts out of necessity.

But he knew that Kang Sol was meant to be a lawyer, so he decided that just for the day, he could leave all his dignity behind and plead with her to come back. He offered her the spare room in his house until everything was cleared up for her, just so she could come back as a lawyer. It took her all of 7 seconds to join him, dragging her bag behind her as she joined him in his car.

(Later, he would cringe at himself asking why did i care so much, why did i do that and then stifle the annoying voice that responded with words he did not want to accept.)

The second time he hit a checkpoint, was in his former kitchen, now a meeting room. Prosecutor Lawyer Han Joon Hwi was sitting at the helm of the table, looking out to his former, well-respected coworkers, silent in the chaos around him.

So this was his life now he thought, surrounded by former prosecutors and lawyers and suspects, who were arguing like toddlers, the chaos of who should do the chores this week, and what does everyone want for lunch and why ji-ho and sol B should be the ones to scout the apartment. Rather than clarity, his vision only got muddled at this checkpoint. Oh, how fast the dream of his firm crumbled before him. He should have known that having all his friends in a room like this, working together to cause him unending headaches, would come back to bite him in the ass. He loved them, but on days like this, it was a little harder to remember.

"YAH!" he yelled abruptly, pushing his chair away from the table, both hands running through his hair as the room fell quiet. He was standing then, frustration plain in his voice and his mind as his outburst cut through the room.

"There's no need to yell," Kang sol’s (A, his voice reminded him) disdainful voice rang out, narrowing her eyes at him, as if she was mentally cursing him out.

"Are you guys twelve years old? Why can we never have one peaceful meeting?" he begged them, ignoring her.  On days like these, he felt that he should be changing his title from lawyer to school headmaster.

"We have the chores ladder for a reason," he stated, and then spinning towards Ye-beom, "and no rigging it this time, everyone gets a fair shot." Ye-beom pouted, then schooled his expression into an innocent look.

Turning towards his best friend and former roommate Ji-ho, he continued "And you. Why would you and and Sol B go to check out Lee Man Ho's listing?"

"But, the landlord listed the apartment for-" Ji ho interjected, his eyebrows drawn in confusion.

"Kang sol and I will go. She needs to look through the files to see if she can recognize the handwriting of the note he had left at the scene," he said, ending the argument once and for all.

Ji ho nodded hesitantly, his eyebrows still furrowed, before looking down to his laptop. The meeting had continued smoothly from then on, Bok-gi distributing new cases among the lawyers and discussing any new developments in their clientele.

Joon Hwi leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh, as his fellow lawyers filed out of the room as the meeting ended. If he had known that being a lawyer was this exhausting, he would have never started. But before Kang Sol could file out with them,  he struck out his hand, capturing her wrist with his hand, causing her to pause in her tracks.

"You. We have a place to visit, today." he told her, looking up to meet her gaze. He stood up, not breaking their gaze, before walking out of the meeting room and back to his desk.

It was a great day out in Seoul, as Joon Hwi looked up at the apartment complex, the sun almost blindingly bright. He was still dressed in his office wear, both Sol and him not having the time to change before they headed out. Sol followed right behind him, panting as she tried to keep up with his brisk walk from the car.

"Why'd you wear heels, we're here to scout the apartment," he asked her, not taking his eyes off the building. He scanned the exterior of the building, looking for anything that could indicate that Lee Man Ho tried to break back into the apartment.

Lee Man Ho, the suspected culprit behind his uncle's murder, had disappeared a couple days ago, with no trace left behind. Well, visible trace anyways. Ye-seul and Bok-gi had kept their ears to the ground for any hint of the man, and up on some further digging, it turned out he lived in another apartment across town. If everything was still intact, this could be their best shot at finding him and whoever orchestrated this. It was still a long shot, but it could be more than enough for them to keep pursuing the case. Not to mention that he owed it to Sol to find the real culprit, and clear her name.

"How would it make sense—" she paused to catch her breath, panting with her hands on her knees, before continuing, "How would it make sense if i wore sneakers to come look at an apartment listing. We're supposed to make a good impression on the landlord, not look like we're here sleuthing for clues. Not to mention we rushed out before we had the chance to change," Sol looked up, towards the window he was looking at. "Do you think he came back here before running off?"

"It's our best bet for now," Joon Hwi sighed then, looking across to her, his eyes contemplative. She was dressed in her light blue suit, the shade making her look brighter and her spirits higher. Her hair was down, wispy and loose in the slight breeze rather than her signature bun that would get messy every time she had to work too hard on a case. She looked rather beautiful then, the bright sun shining and he could almost imagine what it would be like if they were here on a date.

Whoa. Where did that come from? He blinked then, trying to clear his mind off of whatever his brain was doing, and looked back at the building.

"Are you the newlywed couple here for the listing?" an older woman questioned suddenly. The voice startled them, their heads whipping towards the source of the voice as she approached them, shielding her eyes from the sun. “You two are the newlyweds, correct? Looking for an apartment in that complex?” she asked, looking between the both of them.  Joon Hwi whipped his head towards Sol, her eyes just as wide as his, as if they were both deers frozen in headlights.

"Actually, we—" Sol began.

"Yes, we are," Joon Hwi interjected, grabbing her hand in a tight clasp and slightly squeezing as if to say go along with it. "Is it possible for us to look around right now?"

"Hm, well, it is a little early but I'm sure I can make an excuse for an adorable couple such as you two," the woman smiled, as she beckoned them to follow her.

Joon Hwi sent his coworker, no now his fake wife, an apologetic glance as he dragged her along. She glared at him and grumbled something under her breath as she held onto his hand, following the woman.

Despite his mind having been on the case just a minute ago, he can't help the contented feeling in his chest as her hand rested in his. Her hands were smaller and much more lithe, his hand engulfing hers. Her palms were soft and as his arm brushed against hers, he could feel her warmth. It was as if Kang Sol’s brightness was bursting through her skin, and reaching out to touch him every single time he got close. For a girl who made his once peaceful life absolute chaos, her hand molded perfectly to his, almost as if her chaos meshed well with his peace.

Shaking it off, he focused on following the landlady leading up to the entrance of the apartment. Shifting his head, he scanned down the halls trying to catch any possible witnesses or a way that Lee Man Ho could have sneaked in. Despite the rows and rows of doors, none of them looked occupied, nor leaving any blatant clues or signs of break ins.

The woman opened the door with some struggle, the key not turning the lock properly but after a couple adjustments the door opened. They walked through the door of the apartment, still hand in hand, taking in their surroundings.

The apartment was pristine, not a speck of dust coated the walls nor the furniture. It looked vastly different to the other, which was covered head to toe in posters and newspaper clippings. The only thing that had indicated a presence in the apartment was the stacks of files on the desk across.

"The current resident said I could show it to couples that came by, whenever he's on vacation or taken off," the landlady continued on, opening the curtains so the light filtered through. She continued on talking, informing the two of the amenities and such, as the two lawyers scanned the apartment. Joon Hwi mentally catalogued everything that was in the apartment. Why was this apartment so devoid when the other one was so cluttered and filthy? Did he even live here?

"So, how long have the two of you been together?" she questioned them, interrupting his train of thought, a kind smile as she turned to face the two of them, who were still hand in hand.

"Five years," he replied, just as Sol said "Two years." The landlady's face scrunched in confusion, and the two lawyers looked at each other, their smiles as fake as can be with panicked eyes. Joon Hwi let out a forced laugh as took his hand out of her grasp and placed it over her shoulder, drawing her in close, hoping that the show of affection would make up for the screw up. Sol clenched her jaw in response, her shoulders stiffened up, as she sent out a reluctant smile at the kind lady as his fingers squeezed her shoulder a little too tight.

"We had met five years ago, but we only started dating two years ago," he said, smiling a little too much as he dragged her even closer, trying to signal her to relax. "She was very obviously head over heels for me back then, but I took a little longer to come around," he informed her, as he took the opportunity to tease her, trying to get her at ease.

Sol let out a bark of laughter at that, sending a saccharine smile towards him. "Oh really, honey?" her voice sang the last note as she dug her heel into his foot, a small yelp leaving his throat before a forced smile settled on his face. "I remember you outside my window, quite desperate to take me on a date." Joon Hwi laughed as he looked at her, but Sol could see the barely constrained frustration in his eyes as she smirked back.

"Aw, you two are adorable together," the old woman responded, her eyes a little too soft for Joon Hwi's liking. "I remember being young and head over heels for each other," she let out a wistful sigh, not noticing the lawyer's mirrored looks of alarm. "Well, I'll let you two look around," she finally said to them, heading towards the entrance, informing them to just holler if they need her.

The two of them stayed frozen, Sol firmly pressed into his arm as they watched her leave, making sure she's finally gone. Her warmth truly bled into him now, her body fitting just right in his arm. Before long they jumped back from each other as if they were shocked into reality.

Joon Hwi swallowed then, his breathing had sped up a lot more than he'd like to admit with her proximity. The two avoided each other's eyes, a silence stretching between them, as they quietly looked around the room. Sol coughed just then, trying to break the silence

"Ha, uh I wonder why Ji Ho and Sol B wanted to see this apartment so badly if it was for couples," she mused, her voice a little too breathy. She walked forward, towards the desk, flitting through the piles of books and papers before looking up at him. Joon Hwi shot her a look then, as if to say you don't know?, forgetting all about the predicament they were in a moment earlier.

"Did you not notice them coming in for the past week?" he furrowed his eyebrows. How could she not have noticed?

"What do you mean?" she squinted at him, tilting her head in confusion.

"Sol. They've been coming in at the exact same time, every single day," he paused then, trying to send hints to her about what was between their coworkers. She squinted even more, biting her lip slightly. Cute. The thought echoed in his head before he could stop himself, as he watched her connect the pieces.

"Oh my god, you mean to tell me..." she trailed off, her eyes widened in surprise over their news.

"Yeah, it's been going on for a while," he continued, looking away from her while he knelt and searched the drawers for anything that could work as a lead. "I didn't know that this listing was for couples but after the landlady mentioned it, it clicked for me."

He continued rummaging through the drawers as she turned her back to him, presumably searching for any leads here. It was only a matter of time with those two. Ji ho and Kang Sol B had met each other in middle school, being avid rivals that settled into some sort of friendship and they went through high school and university together. Just from his time living with Ji ho, he could tell there was something more than just rivals or just friends between them. So it came as no surprise to him, it was only a matter of time before they started dating.

While he mindlessly rummaged, his mind drifted to the woman sitting next him, how easily she fit into the crook of his arm. Just like her hand, it was as if her body was meant to fit there. He didn’t know if it was infatuation or just out of proximity but he found a certain comfort in her chaos. His life was deafeningly quiet before her, and he found himself hating the peace more and more.

Suddenly, Kang Sol turned to him, slapping a hand on his shoulder as she leaned in with something in her hand. She smelled like lavender and cedarwood and his mind went blank at her proximity, the warmth of her hand bleeding through his clothes.

“Take a look at this,” she shoved a picture in his direction, and he took it, trying to gain a closer look. It pictured a group of men in his early 20s, smiling at the camera. He flipped it over, the inscription reading Min-seok, Chan-woo and I, last spring of University. “Could this be James?” she asked, biting her lip. Through Ye-Seul and Bok-gi’s sleuthing they had found that Lee Man Ho had a son, but he hadn’t had contact with him since he had gone to jail.

“But why would this picture be here? I thought he hadn't had any contact with him since he was in middle school?” He bit his lip. He tossed the picture aside, digging back through the drawer, only to find a stack of letters, all addressed to James. If everything here has his son’s name on it, why is the money paid under Lee Man Ho’s name even before he was out of jail?

“I don’t think Lee Man ho lives here,” he continued, his expression growing severe as he carded through the letters. “I think this apartment belongs to his son, which means he’s back in the country.” Sol bit her lip then, meeting Joon Hwi’s gaze.

"This means—"

"This means that Lee Man Ho isn't the one that owns this apartment. Someone else is paying for the apartment for James to stay in."

#mine #writing #my fanfiction #law school #jtbc law school #law school jtbc #law school netflix #law school kdrama #han joon hwi #kang sol A #kang sol B #seo ji ho #ji ho #solhwi #ye seul #bok gi #ye beom #ryu hye young #kim beom #kim bum #solhwi fanfiction #suspicious partner #alternate universe #idiots to lovers #enemies to lovers #rivals to lovers #roommate au!