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sxfik · 2 years

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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.

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sheraayasherrecs · 2 months

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* screams and kicks feet repeatedly *

#law school #kang sol a #han joon hwi

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fake-married-my-dead-fiance · 7 months

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Categorizing Parent-related Trauma for male and female leads in Kdramas:

Orphans: Lee Hong-jo (Destined With You) Moon Gang-tae (It's Okay to Not be Okay) Moon Sang-tae (It's Okay to Not be Okay) Ha-ru (Extraordinary You) Naksu/Cho Yeong (Alchemy of Souls) Tak Dong-kyung (Doom at Your Service) Nam Ji-ah* (Tale of the Nine Tailed) Cheon Sa-Rang (King the Land) Jang Man-wol (Hotel del Luna) Yoon Yi-seo (100 Days My Price) Kang Young-hwa (Moon in the Day) Kim Do-ha (Moon in the Day) So Mun (The Uncanny Counter) Do Ha-na (The Uncanny Counter) Kang Tae-moo (Business Proposal) Kang Tae-ha (The Story of Park's Marriage Contract, present version) Lee Heon (The Forbidden Marriage) Do Do-hee (My Demon) Ji Eun-tak (Guardian: The Great and Lonely God) Na Bong-seon (Oh My Ghost)

Half Orphans with loving remaining parent: Eun Dan-oh (Extraordinary You) Koo Chan-sung (Hotel del Luna) Ye So-ran (The Forbidden Marriage) Nam Ha-neul (Doctor Slump) Yu Ji-hyck (Marry My Husband) Kang Hee-soo (Captivating the King) Choi Yi-jae (Death's Game)

Half Orphan + Remaining Parent is THE WORST: Jang Uk (Alchemy of Souls) Kim Do-ha (My Lovely Liar) Lee Yul (100 Days My Price) Ahn Min-hyuk (Strong Woman Bong-Soon) Seo Mok-ha (Castaway Diva) Gong Tae-seong (Sh**ting Stars) Kang Tae-ha (The Story of Park's Marriage Contract, past version) Yi In (Captivating the King) Kang Ji-won (Marry My Husband)

Parents (at least one) are THE WORST but Both Are Still Alive: Jang Shin-yu (Destined With You) Han Yi-joo (Perfect Marriage Revenge) Ko Mun-young** (It's Okay to Not be Okay) Mok Sol-hee (My Lovely Liar) Gu Won (King the Land) Crown Prince Lee Hwi/Dam-yi/Yeon-seon (The King's Affection) Do Bong-soon (Strong Woman Bong-Soon) Woo Young-woo (Extraordinary Attorney Woo)*** Jung Ji-woon (The King's Affection) Kang Bo-geol/Lee Ki-ho (Castaway Diva) Yeo Jeong-woo (Doctor Slump) Hong Hae-in (Queen of Tears)

Immortal Being that Still Somehow has Parent Issues: Myul Mang/Doom (Doom at your Service) Lee Yeon & Lee Rang (Tale of the Nine Tailed) Jeong Gu-won (My Demon)

Added trauma flavour: Parent was murdered in front of them (**Still counts if they survived the murder Parent tried to murder them Dying from seemingly incurable disease which makes their parents/guardian sad (If your parents are alive, you must pay for it by dying yourself) Adoptive parent/stepparent is THE WORST

Somehow has normal parents: Lee Jun-ho (Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Has no backstory at all. We only meet his older sister and hear nothing about his childhood.) Shin Ha-ri (Business Proposal, her family is refreshingly normal, right down to her brother being sent out to find her when she's drunk) Oh Han-byeol (Sh**ting Stars, Again, we know almost nothing about her family, only that she has twin sisters. But she doesn't appear to have childhood trauma.) Park Yeon-woo (The Story of Park's Marriage Contract, her mom being annoyed at her for something that is a crime doesn't count as bad parenting) Lee Young-joon/Sung-hyun (What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, his trauma comes from a kidnapper, his parents faced a pretty impossible situation and did their best. They clearly love their kids)

*Counting her as an orphan even though she gets her parents back after 20 years, she spent her childhood orphaned.

***This character is tricky because I understand why her mother wanted nothing to do with her, but her trying to manipulate the dad and also saying he didn't raise her properly made me so angry.

#kdramas #so many orphans #you would think that Korean children never have parents who make it to 60 #if they manage to be alive they are the worst

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letmereadinpeace4 · 1 month

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Why you should watch Law School?

Last year or about, I found myself searching for a new drama to watch. As I was scrolling on Netflix, I happened to look at a drama called Law School. Nothing in particular predisposed me to watch it: I am not particularly fond of the judiciary system as a setting, there was no mention of any romance, and the summary was rather vague. However, either because of the reference to an investigation in the summary, because of the preview pictures or, more likely, because I was bored, I decided to watch the first episode.

This turned out to be a great decision, and I watched the rest in about three or four days (a great feat for me, as I only do this kind of binging if the story captivates me).

Law School, as the name implies, takes place in a law school. We follow a group of law students and their criminal law professor, Yang Jong Hoon (aka Yangcrates as he is nicknamed by the students) as they face various legal cases, not the least among which is the murder of one of the most eminent professor of the university, a murder that Professor Yang is suspected of committing.

As the show progresses, the students will face the limits of the law and the way it can be used by powerful people to serve their own interests, but they will also discover their future role in the legal world and the responsibility they have in shaping the future.

This summary can seem rather vague, and it is, but that is because the drama covers so many themes, focuses on so many characters and so many plot lines, that it is practically impossible to summarize it succinctly.

Regarding the plot, it is well structured and well paced. There is never a dull moment, the plot twists are effective, and it is fairly credible as a law drama; not being realistic to the point of boring the viewer, not being outlandish to the point that it feels more like a soap opera (strong side eye to HTGAWM), yet still being entertaining and “dramatic” enough to pull the viewer in. The plot lines flow naturally from one to another and they are given the right amount of time to develop and resolve.

Regarding the depiction of the law setting, I am nowhere near qualified enough to tell whether the characters’ actions or behavior in a court of law are realistic or not, although I strongly suspect that some things are exaggerated for dramatic effect and the sake of the plot. It did not pull me out of the story, but some people who are more familiar with the judicial system might find more to criticize. One thing I appreciated was that the students are actually shown studying and struggling with all-nighters, exams, grades and all the constraints of actually being in law school. Very few of the students are actually perfect or even great students, in fact most of them are quite average in terms of grades. Compared to all the dramas where the characters are supposed to be in university and are never shown studying except when the plot requires it, this was extremely refreshing and relatable to see.

However, while the plot itself is good and effective, the two strengths of the drama are its characters and its themes.

The characters are well-written and interesting. They feel distinct from one another, with each character having their own strengths, weaknesses, desires, struggles and viewpoints on the law system. They also have incredible chemistry with one another, with the stand outs being the relationship between Kang Sol A and Han Joon Hwi’s, the relationship between Kang Sol A and Kang Sol B, the relationship between Kang Sol A and Jeon Ye Seul and the relationship between Han Joon Hwi and Seo Ji Ho.

To properly demonstrate how good these characters are, I will here introduce three of them, who can be considered to be the most important in terms of screen time. Note that they are far from being the only major characters, and that some characters (especially Jeon Ye Seul) cannot be introduced without spoiling the story.

Kang Sol A (another character is also named Kang Sol, so they receive the “A” and “B” to distinguish them from one another) is as close to a protagonist as you can get in this drama, at least when it comes to the student side, and she fulfills that role effectively. A former delinquent, due to a complicated familial environment, she is determined to pursue justice and is struggling with the limitations of the law, especially as powerful people and criminal exploits its loopholes to their own advantage. This strong sense is justice is completed by a strong loyalty to her friends and a determination to help them, which makes her the moral center among her group of friends. Despite these qualities, she is an average to bad student, often struggling with studying and grades. While this is often used as a way to provide comedy in more serious moments, it also serves to contrast her with other characters who are better students, but whose relationship with the law is more complex.

Han Joon Hwi is the most prominent male character in the student side. While Kang Sol A counts amount the “worst” students in her class, Han Joon Hwi is probably the best. He is charismatic, intelligent, funny with something of a troll side, and shares Kang Sol A’s determination for justice. However, Han Joon Hwi is in a different position, as his sense of justice has been challenged by the illegal actions of a member of his family, causing him to struggle between his affection for them and his belief that criminals should be punished. This moral dilemma causes him to be somewhat distant from other people despite his jovial attitude, rarely opening up about his true feelings and often hiding important clues and facts during investigations. He is a good counterpart to Kang Sol A, with whom he has the closest relationship with. While they are strongly implied to have romantic feelings for one another, nothing is ever resolved and the drama does not dwell too much into it, something that I am personally grateful for, as I think it would have taken a space that is better utilized elsewhere

Kang Sol B is Kang Sol A’s roommate and like Han Joon Hwi, she is one of the best students. However, while Han Joon Hwi and Kang Sol A share a strong sense of justice, Kang Sol B’s vision of justice is more complex. She is willing to be deceptive and commit illegal actions if it can suit her purposes. Furthermore, she is a far colder and distant character, whose ambition is clear to see. However, she is portrayed in a very sympathetic manner and never becomes a villain or even an antagonist. We are introduced to her familial environment and we get to understand how her family, especially her mother, has shaped the way she is. Throughout the drama, she grows into a friendlier, more balanced person, and slowly breaks free from toxic influences and patterns of thinking, to the point that she has one of the biggest character growth in the drama.

This cast of student is guided by Professor Yang Jong Hoon, who teaches criminal law, and by Professor Kim Eun Sook, who teaches civil law.

Yang Jong Hoon is one of the best teachers I have seen in media and probably one of the best characters in the drama, at the very least one of my favorites. While he is a strict and demanding teacher, he is also incredibly devoted to his work and to his students. His goal, as a teacher, is to push them to mature and to give their absolute best. However, when his students are “attacked”, he is quick to defend them against anything, no matter how powerful the threat may seem. Yang Jong Hoon takes his responsibility as a teacher very seriously, especially as it pertains to his students’ understanding of how the law works and what goals it should aspire to. Like Kang Sol A, he has a strong sense of justice, but his, due to his older age and his experiences of the judicial system, is far more mature. He is aware of how the law can be exploited, where the judicial system fails and how it can be exploited by greedy and powerful people, but is determined to teach his students that they should constantly strive for justice. The speeches he makes while in court, both as a lawyer and as a defendant, are some of my favorite moments of his, where his aspiration for justice shines wonderfully. He can also be quite eccentric, especially when he teaches. One of his best moments is when he brings the court case he is involved with as a murder suspect in class, and asks them to study it. Truly a wonderful moment.

Yang Jong Hoon shares his role as mentor with Professor Kim Eun Sook, who is probably my favorite character and a wonderfully written one. Kim Eun Sook shares Yang Jong Hoon’s sense of justice, but she can be far more cunning than him. She knows how to trick powerful people into doing things that benefit her while not compromising her morals. This aspect of her makes for delightful scenes where she is playing antagonists like fiddles all to benefit her and her students. Kim Eun Sook also displays a deep knowledge of the limitations of the law, especially when it comes to the protection of vulnerable people such as women in abusive relationships for example. She handles situations like this with grace and empathy, determined to protect her “clients” but also well aware that she sometimes needs to think outside the box to get the best results.

While this is a much less important aspect of her character, I strongly appreciate that there is absolutely no romance between her and Professor Yang and that she is played by a middle aged actress with a middle age body, and not by a younger more conventionally beautiful actress.

When it comes to the antagonists, it is difficult to talk about them without spoilers. I will however say that they are well-written and painfully realistic, which adds to the feelings of frustration we and the characters sometimes have when we see them scheme to not face the consequences of their actions. They are meant to show how the law can be exploited by powerful people and how these same people can gain sympathy from the public. The drama does not shy away from showing the damage they can do and how despicable and self-serving these people are. The fact that there are people in this world who are in similar positions and use similar tactics makes them all the more easier to hate.

As I have said before, the second great strength of the show is its themes. Unlike some dramas, TV shows and movies who portray the judicial system in either a cynical or an idealistic way, I would say that Law School depicts the judicial system in an inspirational way. As I have said throughout this review, the drama is not afraid to show the limits of the law, how it can be used to oppress people such as victims and protesters, how it is imperfect and flawed, and how the judicial system can be corrupted by powerful people like politicians for their own self-serving reasons. We see the police fail to investigate a crime properly, being pressured to solve the crime quickly and to put the blame on an innocent man, we see victims being re-traumatized in court, we see people who are fighting to protect innocents being put on trial because of their methods, we see how attorneys can be bought and how they can deceive the jury with rhetorical skills, we even see witnesses and defendants failing to use their rights because no one explained it to them, and thus damaging their cases. We see how the law can be unjust and corrupted and how it can hurt people.

And yet, the drama does not stop there. The drama shows how good and moral people can work to protect people, how they can fight to pass legislation to protect people, how the law can be changed and improved, how it is a work constantly in progress and how it must constantly adapt to new situations and cases. Instead of falling into a cynical pit, the drama uses the fact that the characters are students and teachers to show how future generations can improve a broken system and protect the marginalized and the victims. In today’s world where we are constantly confronted with the failures of our judicial system, this drama reminds us that there is still hope, and I respect it for this message.

I cannot in good faith end this review without talking about one of the most powerful plot line in the drama. I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum, but for those who have not watched the drama or do not want to be spoiled, you can stop now.

CONTENT WARNING : The following will contain references to abusive relationships, sexual assault, recording of sexual intercourse without the parties’ consent, blackmail with a recording of sexual intercourse, and references to the judicial system’s awful treatment of victims of rape and of abusive relationships. Please proceed with caution.

One running plot line from the very beginning of the drama is Jeon Ye Seul’s abusive relationship with her boyfriend, a young man named Ko Young Chang who is the only son of a powerful family. This plot line culminates with him blackmailing her with a recording of him sexually assaulting her, and her seriously injuring him while trying to prevent him from uploading it online.

This is not the first time that law dramas and TV shows have dealt with sexual assault and abusive relationships. In fact, we have a whole spin off of Law&Order specially dedicated to that. However this is by far the most sensitive depiction of this topic I have ever watched.

By spending a respectful amount of time on the portrayal of the abusive relationship itself, the drama shows us how Jeon Ye Seul is pressured into staying in the relationship even as she is harmed both physically and psychologically. It also shows the mentality of the abuser, how he manipulates his victim and finds justification for his actions. When Ko Young Chang ends up injured, Jeon Ye Seul is so broken mentally that she cannot even bring herself to defend herself against his lawsuit, let alone press charges herself. In this moment, the support of her professors is wonderfully depicted, as they refute every justification she brings up in his defense.

“Jeon Ye Seul: It wasn’t an assault. We were in love.

Kim Eun Sook: It’s sexual assault to film you secretly.

Jeon Ye Seul: Please don’t put it like that. How is spending time with someone I love….

Kim Eun Sook: […] The moment you were forced to have intercourse and began to hide signs of assault behind your sunglasses, you couldn’t call it love.”

“Jeon Ye Seul: I know he hurt me, but he’s paying for it already.

Yang Jong Hoon: Let’s get the facts straight. He’s not paying for what he did to you. While committing the crime, an accident happened. It’s his own fault, not yours.”

We are confronted, painfully, with how the judicial system hurts Jeon Ye Seul. How the invasive questions, hypothesis and suspicions re-traumatize her. How Ko Young Chang and his father (a politician) do all they can to hurt her. Yet, her classmates and her professors rally around her and this support eventually gives her the strength to acknowledge the abuse and the rape. The climax of this plot line is a wonderfully written defense of Jeon Ye Seul during her trial, first by herself (the moment she finally expresses her anger gives me chills every time) and then by Professor Yang. The harm he caused her, the pain she endures and the anger she feels are perfectly portrayed and the resolution of the case is a victory for her, but also for future victims who may face the same situation. While it takes her the rest of the drama to fully recover, she ends the drama counseling a woman in an abusive marriage, which is the most perfect resolution I could think of.

I would like to end this review with a quote by Professor Yang, which in my opinion perfectly captures both his perception of this duty as a teacher and the message the drama is trying to convey.

“As a professor who teaches criminal law, I never tell my students that the law is just. What makes the law just are the judges’ decisions based on the presumption of innocence and the law of evidence. That is what I tell my students!”

#law school kdrama #kdrama #letmerantinpeace

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dean-winchester-is-my-cherry-pie · 6 months

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Rewatching Law School and Kang Sol A and Kang Sol B are the real couple of the show!!! Han Joon-Hwi and Seo Ji-Ho are the second couple!!

#law school kdrama #law school #kdrama #로스쿨

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emerald-notes · 2 years

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How each quote represents the characters

Jo Ye Beom is a modern and a free thinker. Despite making sexist jokes, he easily accepts his friends’ criticism. We also see that he is inconsistent to his own opinion. That’s why, he easily ratted their plans out to the prosecutor. But when his friends find it out, he changes his loyalty towards them. His quote directs that with time the laws are also modified, just like his character.

Isn’t it obvious! Kang Sol B will talk about it since plagiarism is a matter of ethics. When she has to confront about it, her ethics are being shaken. She has learned that not only did she break the law but also did something unethical.

Jeon Ye Seul’s abusive boyfriend is a son of someone who has a lot of followers in law. That gave him the advantage of doing unlawful acts such as violence and rape. He does them because he doesn’t fear the law, which he thinks will be easily taken care of by his father. So we see Ye Seul quoting about those fearless people being punished by law. Notice how she is pointing at the sky? That’s to refer to her asshole boyfriend, to whom she finally stood up to.

Min Bok Gi is just us. We get to see his character as a typical student. And let’s be honest, we’ve all said something like “we’re not machines” when we were being crushed by the amount of homework and assignments on us at some point. Bok Gi literally said that on behalf of all the students out there.

Seo Ji ho has a revengeful mentality. He has given up his whole life to study law just because he wants to avenge his father’s murderer. His quote suggests that treat people the way they have treated you.

Han Joon Hwi has a strong moral when it comes to justice. His uncle is his role model. That’s why he quoted something from his uncle instead of any other famous person, which again talks about judging fairly.

And finally the most chaotic character of the whole series, Kang Sol A. Who else will be able to break the chain but her? This indicates how she is not our regular legal minded person. She goes along with what she feels is right. And most importantly she doesn’t need to quote anything to prove how smart she is.

#law school #law school kdrama #law school netflix #netflix #netflix shows #netflix series #kdrama #korean drama #han joon hwi #han joon hwi and kang sol #solhwi #kang sol a #kang sol #seo ji ho #kim bum #kim beom #jtbc law school #law school jtbc

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giyuulatte · 4 months

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DO NOT WATCH EPISODE 12 OF LAW SCHOOL IF YOU ARE ALREADY ON THE VERGE OF TEARS AND HAVE CRIED ALREADY THAT DAY

TEARS WILL THREATEN TO COME DOWN AGAIN

AND YOU WILL WISH FOR A PROFESSOR YANG AMD PROFESSOR KIM IN YOUR LIFE

AND A JOON HWI

AND SOL A

YOU WILL WISH FOR EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING THIS SHOW PRESENTS YOU WITH

#IT IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD #MY GAWD #apologies for yelling #i’m in distress due to the new semester😁#law school kdrama #jtbc law school #kdrama #yang jong hoon #kang sol a #han joon hwi #solhwi #kim eun sook #jeon he seul #seo ji ho #kang sol b

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rosenlily-aka-choconut · 1 year

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Look how soft they are with each other! How can he look at her like this and just shrug it off as, “I’m grateful for her”?

If someone who didn’t know the context of this GIF saw it, it could be easily mistaken for a declaration of love.

Here’s how it might have gone, had we got one.

My take on Han Joon Hwi’s confession-

He’ll look deep into her eyes with one of those soft smiles he has only for her. “It was never your roomie.”

Kang Sol would receive it with surprise and disbelief. “But that’s not what you…” She’ll double check with her mind to process what he told her. “I heard you told her you only look out for me because you’re grateful for me.”

Joon Hwi would step closer, encroaching into her personal space. She’ll blush, part her lips. He’ll take that as an encouragement to go on. “Yes, grateful that you came into my life, Sol-ah.” She’ll tilt her head slightly and give him a shy smile, and that will prompt him to take her hand in his. “Grateful that I can…”

There’s a lot he wants to tell her, but he’s a man of action, not words.

“I’m grateful I can do this.”

Then he’ll simply kiss her.

#law school #kang sol a #han joon hwi #han joon hwi x kang sol a #kim bum #kim beom #ryu hye young #fluff #confession #solhwi

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gjdraws · 3 years

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Leaked footage of season 2

#jtbc law school #law school kdrama #han joon hwi #kang sol a #solhwi #joonsola #law school jtbc #kim bum #ryu hye young #kim beom #im just seized bh the urge 2 draw HJH stare at KSA thx #tried out something new w colors n bombed lmao #procreate #kdramadaily #portf #kdrama

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sxfik · 2 years

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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.

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