Roses and Thorns (Jinlia)

Chapter 2: Painted in Light and Storm

Jisu stirred awake long before the sun began its climb. The house still slumbered in silence, the kind only the earliest hours could offer. She slipped from the warmth of her bed, feet brushing against the cold floor, and made her way to the kitchen with quiet purpose. Guilt lingered from last nightㅡshe hadn’t been able to share dinner with her mother, too absorbed in the project she and Chaeryeong had buried themselves in. Today, she would make up for it with breakfast.

She reached for the wooden ladle resting by the stove, only to nearly fling it across the kitchen when her mother’s voice rang out, sudden and sharp.

“What are you doing? It’s still early!”

Jisu turned on her heel, startled eyes meeting her mother’s half-drowsy gaze.

“But, Mom? It’s already 4:30 AM.”

“Exactly!”

“Sorry if I made too much noise and woke you,” Jisu said quickly, cheeks flushed. “I just... need to go to school early.”

Her mother waved a dismissive hand, padding across the kitchen with a sigh. “Okay, okay. Go and take a bath now. I’ll finish this.”

But Jisu shook her head with a firm smile. “I got this one, Mom. Just sit there and let me do the work.”

By the time breakfast was eaten and the plates were cleared, warmth had bloomed in the quiet kitchen. As Jisu sipped the last of her tea, a thought nudged at her memory.

“Mom? Did you see my school schedule? I couldn’t find it anywhere.”

“Ohㅡsorry, I forgot to tell you. I placed it in the vacant space on your bookshelf.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Jisu said, her smile faint but grateful. “By the way, I’ll spend the night with Chaeryeong later.”

“Sure thing, sweetie.”

──⇌••⇋──

The bells at Shin International University echoed faintly as the hour struck six. Jisu coasted to a smooth halt by the bike rack, the morning wind still clinging to her cheeks. She parked her bicycle in her usual spot, locking it with a practiced click before making her way across the dewy campus.

Her first class, Painting, wouldn’t begin until eight. Still, Jisu had arrived early, a familiar paper clutched in her hand. It was her explanatory piece for the upcoming projectㅡan important one, one that held weight over her grades and her pride. She wanted it to be perfect.

This wasn’t just about earning a high mark. SIU wasn’t just any schoolㅡit was a five-star institution of prestige and refinement, a place where every stroke of a brush and every written word carried weight. Jisu didn’t intend to be anything less than exceptional.

──⇌••⇋──

Time slipped past as Jisu buried herself in final touches, barely noticing the creeping hand of the clock. It wasn’t until the professor called her name that she realized how long she’d been waiting.

With careful hands, she lifted her easel and brought it to the front of the room. As she unveiled the canvas, a hush fell over the class. Every eye fixed on the painting, drawn into its depths.

In the center of the piece, a girl sat curled inward, her arms wrapped around her knees, face hidden. Above her stretched a tempestuous sky, streaked with lightning, the storm threatening to devour her. Shadows formed grotesque monsters on either side, whispering into her ears. And yet, amid the suffocating dark, a part of her chest burned whiteㅡa single, searing point of light.