In Shine -
When Ember woke up, her eyes fluttered open, greeted by the golden rays of the sun streaming through the window. The brightness made her squint as she blinked a few times, adjusting to the light. Her vision was blurry at first, but then she saw him—Dylan, peacefully sleeping beside her. The sunlight bathed his face in a warm glow, making him look even more breathtaking.
"He looks so beautiful," she murmured, mesmerized.
Her heart swelled with an unexplainable warmth as she gazed at him, unable to look away. Slowly, she lifted her hand, waving it in the air to block the sunlight from falling on his face. As soon as the shadow covered him, a soft smile played on his lips. Then, to her surprise, he turned toward her, eyes still closed, and caught her hand in his. With a gentle pull, he brought her closer, his arm wrapping around her waist.
In his half-asleep state, he mumbled, "Your hands are so soft."
Ember felt her cheeks heat up instantly. Her heart pounded wildly against her chest, and she bit her lip to suppress a shy smile. She looked at his face, her fingers hesitantly reaching up to trace his features. First, her fingertips brushed against his lashes.
"Your eyelashes are so long," she whispered in awe.
Then, she moved to his nose, running her fingers along the bridge with a soft chuckle. "Your nose is so straight… like a bride's," she thought amusingly.
Her attention then drifted to his ears, noticing how they had turned red. "His ears always get red when he's shy," she mused, gently stroking them.
"That tickles," Dylan muttered sleepily, making her freeze for a moment.
Thinking he was awake, Ember quickly shut her eyes and pretended to be asleep. But when he didn't move, she dared to peek at him again. Seeing him still relaxed, she smiled to herself and continued tracing his face with her fingers. This time, her fingertips lingered over his lips.
Slowly, she ran a thumb across them, feeling their softness. "So soft," she whispered, not realizing she had said it out loud.
Her own lips tingled as memories of their kiss flooded her mind. A deep blush spread across her cheeks as she became lost in the moment. Her gaze fixated on his lips, her senses betraying her. She leaned in, her heart hammering in her chest, and pressed a small, fleeting kiss on them.
As she pulled back, her eyes met his.
A sudden realization struck her—his eyes were open.
"You were awake the whole time?" she gasped.
As soon as Ember spoke, Dylan suddenly turned, pinning her down on the bed. His intense gaze locked onto hers, a teasing smirk playing on his lips.
"You're quite bold when I'm sleeping," he murmured, his voice deep and laced with amusement.
A deep blush spread across Ember's cheeks. Embarrassed, she quickly hid her face behind her hands, but Dylan wasn't going to let her escape so easily. With one swift motion, he grabbed both of her wrists with a single hand, pinning them above her head.
Panic flickered in her eyes. "What are you doing?" she asked breathlessly.
Dylan leaned in closer, his lips just inches from hers. His warm breath sent shivers down her spine.
"You were teasing me while I was asleep," he whispered, his voice husky. "But your kiss was way too clumsy. Let me teach you today."
Ember's heart pounded wildly in her chest. She turned her head to the side, her voice trembling. "Dylan, wait! I… I'm really not ready yet. I haven't even brushed my teeth," she stammered.
He chuckled softly, his fingers gently caressing her cheek. "I don't mind."
Before she could protest further, he captured her lips in a deep, consuming kiss. She gasped, but he didn't let go. In between kisses, he whispered against her lips, "Ember, open your mouth a little… let me in."
Hesitantly, she parted her lips, and he deepened the kiss, claiming her in a way that made her mind go blank. The kiss was longer, more intense than before. Every time she gasped for air, he only gave her a moment to breathe before capturing her lips again. Her cheeks burned, her body felt weak, and her eyes blurred with unshed tears.
Sensing her trembling form, Dylan finally pulled away, his gaze softening when he saw the tears brimming in her eyes. Guilt flickered across his face as he reached up, gently wiping them away with his thumb.
"I'm really sorry… I couldn't control myself," he murmured, his voice filled with regret. "I love you so much."
Ember looked into his eyes, her heart overflowing with warmth. "I love you too," she whispered.
With that, Dylan pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as if he never wanted to let go.
Ember nestled comfortably in Dylan's arms, letting out a soft sigh. After a moment, she looked up at him and asked, "How long are we going to lay here like this?"
Dylan tightened his hold around her and smirked. "Do you not like it?" he teased.
She shook her head. "It's not that… but I really need to use the restroom," she admitted, trying to push him aside.
Dylan chuckled but loosened his grip, allowing Ember to slip away. She quickly got off the bed, but as soon as her feet touched the floor, a sharp pain shot through her legs.
"Ouch," she winced, immediately sitting back down.
Dylan's expression shifted to concern as he noticed the fresh bandages wrapped around her leg. He furrowed his brows. "What happened? Why are you wearing a bandage again?"
Ember gave him a reassuring smile. "I'll tell you… but first, I really need to go to the bathroom."
Letting out a dramatic sigh, Dylan shook his head. "Okay, fine." Without warning, he scooped her up effortlessly into his arms.
"Dylan!" she gasped, her face turning crimson.
Ignoring her protests, he carried her to the bathroom and gently set her down by the door. Ember was too embarrassed to even look at him. The moment she stepped inside and shut the door, she muttered to herself, "Too embarrassing…"
From the other side, Dylan chuckled. "You're too cute."
A few seconds passed before Ember hesitantly called out, "Dylan…?"
"Hmm?"
"Promise me… promise me you'll forget everything that just happened a moment ago."
Dylan grinned. "What? I can't hear you."
Ember groaned. "Promise me you'll forget!" she said louder.
"And what if I don't want to?" he teased.
"Stop teasing me! If you don't, I'll stay in here until you do!" Ember threatened.
Dylan leaned against the door, thoroughly enjoying her reaction. "Go ahead. Let's see how long you last."
Ember huffed. "You really think I won't? I'll stand here until my legs lost their strength."
Dylan chuckled again, finally giving in. "Okay, okay! I'll stop teasing you. Now come out—I swear I've forgotten everything… every little thing."
Satisfied, Ember let out a relieved sigh. "Fine."
She opened the door, but the moment she stepped out, Dylan scooped her up again.
"Dylan!" she squealed as he carried her back to the bed and gently placed her down.
He knelt in front of her, his gaze fixed on her bandaged leg. "Is your leg okay now?" he asked softly.
Ember smiled and nodded. "Yes, it is. Did you really forget?"
Dylan looked up at her, his lips curving into a playful smirk. "Of course. I forgot everything."
Ember leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on his forehead. "Well done."
A bright smile spread across Dylan's face as he looked at the girl in front of him—the one who made his heart race in ways he never imagined.
Dylan snapped out of the kiss, pulling away slightly as he looked at Ember. His voice was firm yet concerned. "You really have the guts to make me agree with you while blackmailing me with your injury. You can do whatever you want, use any trick on me—but please, don't use your pain as a weapon."
Ember ran a hand through her hair and nodded. "Okay… I won't do it again."
His expression softened. "That's better. Now, stay here. I'll bring breakfast to you—you don't need to go downstairs."
"But—" Ember started, only to stop when Dylan shot her a warning look. His sharp gaze left no room for argument. She sighed and leaned back against the pillows as he left the room.
On his way downstairs, Dylan pulled out his phone and called Adrein. "Come over and check on Ember," he instructed before heading to the kitchen.
A few minutes later, Dylan returned with a tray of breakfast, As they sat down to eat, dylan 's curious gaze settled on Ember. "Can you tell me why you bandaged your leg again?"
Ember froze, eyes widening in surprise. Her mind scrambled for an answer.
Sensing her hesitation, Dylan spoke up. "Let's talk about it after we eat." His tone was final, leaving no room for further questioning.
Once they finished, Dylan gathered the dishes and was about to take them out when the doorbell rang. He glanced toward Ember and said, "That must be Adrein, here for your routine check-up."
Before he could leave, Ember reached out, gripping the corner of his t-shirt. Her voice was hesitant. "Dylan… can you give me something else to wear? I don't feel comfortable being seen like this… in my nightdress."
Dylan studied her for a moment before nodding. Without a word, he grabbed a light corset dress from the wardrobe and placed it beside her. Then, without another glance, he stepped out, closing the door behind him.
After some time, a knock echoed on the door.
"Come in," Ember called out.
The door opened, and Adrein walked in with Dylan. As they settled into conversation, Adrein turned to Ember with a concerned expression. "How are you feeling?"
Ember let out a small sigh. "There's still a little pain in my leg."
Adrein nodded and asked, "Can you try walking for me?"
Before Ember could respond, Dylan immediately cut in, his voice firm. "She can't walk right now."
Adrein frowned. "Why not?"
Ember hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Don't get me wrong, it's just that…" She trailed off and slowly pulled back the blanket, revealing her bandaged leg.
Adrein's eyes widened in shock. "What happened?"
Dylan exhaled sharply, frustration evident in his tone. "That's exactly what I've been asking her since this morning. And look at her face—see? She's making that expression again, like she's—"
"Guilty," Adrein finished, exchanging a knowing glance with Dylan.
Both of them turned their intense gazes toward Ember, waiting for an explanation.
She huffed. "Stop looking at me like that! I'll explain. And for the record, I didn't do anything that should make me feel guilty."
Dylan and Adrein remained seated on the bed, one on either side of her, as she finally began her explanation.
"So, the thing is… I was getting really bored just lying in bed, so I decided to take a small walk to the park—"
Dylan's eyes flared with anger. "A walk to the park? Are you out of your mind, Ember?! You need to rest! And now, look what happened!"
Ember turned to Adrein with an exasperated sigh. "See? This is exactly why I didn't want to tell him… He always gets angry."
Adrein shot Dylan a warning look, silently telling him to calm down before turning back to Ember. "Go on, I'll handle him."
Ember gave a small nod and continued, "I just wanted a short walk. But when I came back, my leg was already swollen."
Adrein looked at the bandage and said, "The bandage you tied really looks like professional work. Good job, Ember."
Ember smiled softly, replying, "Thank you for the compliment, but I didn't tie it. Zayne, the doctor who's been treating me, did."
Adrein raised an eyebrow, "Did you get checked up again by a doctor?"
Ember spoke without thinking too much, "No, my family invited him over for dinner. Before leaving, he helped me with it."
Dylan's expression darkened, his voice laced with anger, "Why would that doctor be invited to your house for dinner?"
Ember cluelessly explain everything, "Oh! Well, we met at the park, and he helped me get home with my injured leg. That's when I found out that Zayne had moved into the house next door, so I asked him to stay for dinner. My mom insisted he stay until then."
She chuckled softly, "What's funny is that my parents kept asking him questions, almost like they want him to marry me! Ha ha. And when he was about to leave, he helped me to bed and tied my bandage. You should've seen how my brother was staring at him like he was about to kill him. Ha ha."
But as Ember finished telling the story, she noticed Dylan's face was a mask of pure anger. He muttered, "You invited a guy into your home for dinner, and you let him enter your bedroom?"
That's when Ember realized she'd shared too much. She shot Dylan an angry look and glanced at Adrein for help. But he was helpless this time.
Adrein sighed and said, "Why don't you both talk it out? I'll be back in a while."
Before Ember could stop him, he left the room, and she muttered to herself, "He calls himself my friend, but how can he just leave me like this?"
Now left alone with Dylan, Ember could feel the tension in the room as he struggled to control his anger.