Chapter 20: The Weight of Silence

The morning felt colder than usual as YN stepped into the shower. The warm water cascaded down her body, but it did little to soothe the heavy ache in her chest. She leaned her head against the shower wall, letting the droplets wash away the remnants of sleep, but not the thoughts that had plagued her through the night. She hadn't slept much, and even now, as the warm water surrounded her, the knot in her stomach remained. It wasn’t just nerves it was the weight of everything unspoken between her and Namjoon.

Her appetite had disappeared, replaced by a hollow feeling she couldn’t shake off. Her mind wandered back to last night, the moments they shared, and the looming decision that hung in the air. They had to talk. Today, they would either find a way to move forward or finally face the truth they'd been avoiding.

She hurried through the rest of her routine, tying her hair back and slipping into a simple blouse and skirt. Her reflection in the mirror looked as worn out as she felt. Still, YN forced herself to leave the apartment, hoping the distraction of work would at least keep her mind off the impending conversation.

As she stepped outside, the bustling city seemed to mock her inner turmoil. She blended into the crowd, yet felt entirely apart from it. The ride to the office was quiet, with her thoughts louder than any of the passing cars or the chatter around her. She kept her head down, focused on the familiar route to the building that now felt like a battleground of emotions.

Upon entering the office, the scent of fresh paper, coffee, and faint cologne hit her senses, instantly reminding her of Namjoon. The environment was sterile, efficient, and calm completely contrasting the whirlwind of feelings she carried inside her. Her colleagues were already seated at their desks, engrossed in their tasks, offering her polite nods as she passed by.

“Morning,” she greeted one of her co-workers, offering a half-hearted smile.

“Morning, Ms. Lee,” they replied, but she barely heard them.

The hallway to Namjoon’s office felt longer today, every step weighted with the unspoken tension between them. Reaching the break room, YN set about making his coffee, the familiar routine offering a small comfort. She watched the coffee machine drip steadily, the scent filling the air. It was a distraction just like work had been for the past few weeks. Everything between them had been a distraction from the inevitable conversation that had to happen.

She grabbed the cup and made her way to his office, balancing the weight of the coffee and her thoughts. Her hand paused at the door for a moment before knocking softly.

“Come in,” Namjoon's deep voice filtered through the door, sounding as busy as ever.

Without glancing up, he continued typing at his laptop, the sound of his fingers tapping quickly against the keys filling the room. YN stepped inside, quietly closing the door behind her. She moved toward the desk, the very place where so much had happened between them where passion had ignited, leaving them in a tangled mess of desire and confusion.

She set the cup down on his desk carefully, trying to remain composed. Namjoon, still focused on the document in front of him, didn’t even glance her way. His concentration was unwavering, but YN could feel it the tension that pulsed in the room between them. Even without looking at her, he knew she was there. The air shifted whenever they were in the same space. Her scent, the faint perfume she always wore, was intoxicating to him, even now, in the middle of a workday.

"Thanks," he muttered, finally pausing in his work to grab the coffee. He took a sip, his eyes flickering over to her for just a second. That one look was enough to stir everything inside her all over again. She bit the inside of her cheek, standing awkwardly by the desk, unsure of what to say.

It was the same desk where they had shared so many intimate moments. A reminder of all the times they had blurred the lines between professional and personal. But today was different there was no lust-filled urgency between them, only the silent understanding that something had to change.

Namjoon went back to his work, but the weight of YN’s presence in the room was impossible to ignore. He hadn't eaten since last night either. In fact, he had barely slept. His thoughts kept replaying everything how far they'd gone, and how much further they could go before everything unravelled. His fingers stilled for a moment on the keyboard, the usual rhythm of his day interrupted by the flood of conflicting emotions inside him.

The day dragged on in silence between them. YN busied herself with reports and emails, avoiding any meaningful conversation with Namjoon. Every time their eyes met, it was brief, like they were both trying to avoid the inevitable.

It wasn’t until the office emptied and the quiet of the night began to settle in that YN finally worked up the courage to speak. Namjoon was still typing, the dim light from his desk lamp casting shadows on his face. His expression was unreadable, as always stoic, controlled.

YN knocked softly on his office door again, stepping inside. This time, the air was heavier, charged with the tension that had been building all day.

“Namjoon,” she started, her voice quiet but steady.

He looked up from his laptop, meeting her eyes fully for the first time that day. There was something in his gaze, a mix of exhaustion and anticipation. He knew what she was going to say. They both did.

“We need to talk.” Her words hung in the air like a challenge.

Namjoon closed his laptop with a quiet click and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples with a sigh. “Yeah... I know.”

It was finally time.

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