Chapter Text
In a room full of people- everyone bustling in the discussion, he only has eyes for her.
The study room stenches of exhaustion and instant coffee. There’s a growing tower of ramen bowls smack in the middle of the table, as the seven students commit themselves to letting the words of the case study they’re reading swallow them whole. Jiho and Sol B are debating once more, and while Joonhwi follows the conversation attentively, he’s grateful he’s blessed with the ability to multitask. It allows him to notice even the smallest of details- like the way Sol chews at her cheeks when she’s deep in thought, and the way she repeatedly cracks her knuckles, listening to the argument bounce back and forth.
“It’s easy to argue that this mother abandoned her child-”
Sol interjects, her eyes darting up from the screen of her laptop, returning Joonhwi’s gaze right back at him. He gulps, albeit not too visibly, and listens to what she has to say.
“But, had she said no when she got called into work because she was worried about her child, she probably would’ve been let go, since the company was trying to downsize. She had no choice. To emphasise that, Zumutbarkeit -”
“The non-existence of Zumutbarkeit can be used as a ground for excuses. You’re right, Sol.” He nods, grinning. There she goes again. The noise descends back to the static sounds of frantic fingers hammering at keyboards, as everyone acknowledges Sol’s point. It’s moments like these that he wishes he could capture in a vial, to shower her in encouragement whenever she doubted her own capabilities. Such instances happen too often for his heart to manage- he just wants her to realise how intelligent she is, how good she is at thinking in different perspectives.
Sol looks around and bites back a smile, before glancing at the boy sitting across her, and slowly bringing up a peace sign. Another thing she’s good at is making Joonhwi’s heart clench. Even as the heart-warming sight before him releases a flight of butterflies in his stomach on cue, he can’t bear to look away. She brings him so much peace while inflicting so much chaos in his mind. He always suffers conflicts of interest- Should he continue gaping at her or break the eye contact? Should he wish that everyone in the world sees the joy this lighthouse of a girl brings, or hope that he can keep the only beacon in his dull life to himself?
Joonhwi laughs at just how absurd the latter sounds. Her heart of gold shines too bright for anyone to contain. Sol’s vitality strikes like the sun on a warm afternoon, permeating and invading even the darkest of corners. It’s hard not to stare.