Radiant Short Story Collection

Violet fragrance

I can’t believe it’s starting to rain. It wasn’t in the forecast at all.. I move deeper between the rows of the supermarket shelves, lightly shake off my damp jacket, and mutter to myself. The sudden downpour really wasn’t in the forecast, and the damp air brings a chilly shiver, making me desperately crave something tangy that can also soothe me. My eyes sweep quickly down the shelves, looking for a bag of sour Lemon Drop candy to cure the sudden late-night thirst.

Lost deep in thought, I turned silently around the corner of the candy display without really looking ahead.

thud.

Before I could see properly, I crashed head-on into someone’s solid chest. Before gravity could drag me helplessly down onto the cold linoleum floor, one sturdy arm wrapped tightly around my waist to steady me. That arm pulled me snugly against a warm chest, a textbook K-drama pose if there ever was one. I caught my breath without meaning to. The moment I lifted my head and looked up, the whole world went quiet.

It was him. Chanyeon oppa. The person I’d been pining for and secretly loving for years.

Oppa looks down at me with an expression that’s gentle and somehow amused. His smile is so dazzling it makes even the supermarket’s harsh fluorescent lights seem dim. That familiar kindness and deep warmth are 그대로 there in his deep eyes. Oppa is wearing an oversized purple hoodie, and whenever the shelf lights catch the hem of it, it looks like a real violet halo has settled around his head. His face is only inches away, and my chest tightens so hard it feels like it might burst. I swallow nervously, afraid he might hear my wildly pounding heart.

"I wasn’t paying attention. Sorry." Oppa says softly as he carefully helps me stand straight. His low voice seems to echo through my whole body. As if giving me a moment to find my balance, he doesn’t let go of the hand around my waist right away.

"I-I wasn’t looking either. Sorry." I stammer, feeling the heat rush into both cheeks. Embarrassed beyond belief, I hurriedly brush back my damp hair.

"Still, it’s nice seeing you like this. It’s been a while." Chanyeon oppa says with a smile, reaching out as if to lightly brush the raindrops from my shoulder. His fingers rest on my damp clothes for just a moment before slipping away. 'He must have seen I got soaked because I didn’t bring an umbrella.' I mentally yell at myself for not being prepared.

"Yes, you too, oppa." I reply shyly. Trying desperately to hide the blush blooming on my face, I tilt my head slightly toward the candy display. Looking for something else to stare at, I finally spot the last bag of Lemon Drop candy that made me brave this storm and reach out for it.

But through the edge of my vision, another hand comes in, reaching for the exact same spot. Our fingers brush against the surface of the plastic bag.

"Oh, right. You liked this too." Chanyeon oppa bursts out laughing playfully. That soft, fresh laugh was seriously too dangerous for my heartbeat.

"Yes, it’s my favorite." Even while feeling a flutter in my stomach like butterflies were swarming wildly inside me, I tried to sound calm and normal. "But if you want it, you can have it. I know it’s the last bag, so it’s okay." To hide my trembling fingers, I pulled my hand back and slipped it into my pocket.

Chanyeon oppa gives a slight nod, a soft but mischievous smile on his lips. "Then let’s do this. I’ll buy it, and we can share it."

"Where would we share it? It’s pouring like this outside." I smile and point toward the fogged-up glass doors at the front of the supermarket, where the storm is still raging.

"I know a good place. I’ll drive you." Now a truly playful, boyish smile spreads across oppa’s face.

Before I could even choose my words properly, I was nodding without meaning to. Chanyeon oppa gently took my hand, and his warm fingers slipped softly between mine. A jolt of electricity seemed to run from our touching fingertips through my whole body. He led me to the checkout, naturally paid for the candy, and then took me to his car, spreading his jacket wide over both our heads as we crossed the rainy parking lot.

The drive wasn’t very long, but the quiet hum of the heater and the steady rhythm of the windshield wipers melted away the tension that had filled my head. Oppa parked the car on a dark, silent mountain ridge. At the top of the hill, it was the perfect cozy hidden spot to admire the glittering city lights through rain-blurred windows.

Oppa tore open the candy bag, and the bright scent of lemon instantly filled the small space in the car. He popped one candy into his mouth and held the bag out to me. I took one too and put it in my mouth, and my gaze naturally drifted toward oppa’s side profile standing against the backdrop of the dark storm. I really, truly love this person deeply. A faint ache settled softly in one corner of my chest as I desperately hoped he wouldn’t notice this unbearably devoted heart reflected in my eyes.

We met again tonight by a truly miraculous coincidence. But in the sound of rain hammering on the car roof and the warmth wrapping around us, I’m secretly wishing inside. If only we could just stay sitting in this car forever like this. Sharing snacks, hiding from the world, and sharing each other’s warmth in the sound of the falling rain.