Radiant Short Story Collection

With arms wide open, to you

In a dark room, I lie down and turn slightly under a thick, soft blanket. Lying beside you in the dark, feeling the beat of your heart. In our bedroom, like a quiet refuge of our own, the chaotic noise of the outside world disappears completely, and only the warm amber light of the bedside lamp fills the room. Chan-yeon was already looking at me, his large, broad frame resting comfortably against a pile of fluffy pillows. We exchanged not a single word. We simply gazed quietly into each other's eyes in that stillness, wearing soft, heartfelt smiles at the corners of our lips.

We sailed together, and at times we drifted apart, but in the end, here you are by my side.

Because we had to be physically apart for weeks due to the intense tour schedule, this sudden silence felt strangely unreal, as if it weren’t part of reality. I reached out, slowly moving my hand toward Chan-yeon's hand on the mattress. As he followed my movement with his eyes, Chan-yeon's expression softened, and his large fingers firmly took hold of my hand. Then he pressed my palm flat against his bare chest, letting me feel the fast, irregular rhythm of my pulse in full. That physical vibration, carrying my longing that words could not fully express, made Chan-yeon's eyes widen slightly. It was a quiet, profound confession that needed no translation.

But now that you’ve come back and turned this night into day... stay by my side.

A breathtakingly soft smile spread gently at the corners of Chan-yeon's mouth. He released the hand pressing down on my chest, swept his arm upward, and wrapped the back of my head in his warm, tender fingers. He lazily slipped his long fingers through my hair and began to stroke it lightly, and that slow, rhythmic touch instantly melted away the last of the fatigue left in my body. The unwavering devotion in his gaze was so intense it made my head swim. Before long, Chan-yeon softly tightened the hand cupping the back of my head and pulled me closer to him across the sheets.

So now I’ll open my arms and come to you...

I slid into his broad chest and surrendered myself to his complete embrace. His firm arms wrapped tightly around my waist, and he pulled me so close against his side that my whole body felt fully surrounded by his warmth. I rested my chin on his bare shoulder and gently closed my eyes. The steady rise and fall of his breathing led me into perfect calm. The journey of the world outside keeps demanding things of me, but right here, in his arms, my long journey has finally come to an end. At last, I have come home—perfectly, beautifully.