Chapter 22: A Brief Separation

The tension in the air was undeniable, the kind that made everything feel heavier like a storm was looming on the horizon. YN stood at the window of her apartment, looking out at the city skyline as the evening light faded. Her mind was spinning, replaying the events of the past few weeks, her heart aching with an emotion she wasn’t sure how to name. Was it guilt? Was it longing? Or was it the quiet understanding that something between them had to change?

Namjoon had been silent since last night. Their physical connection had only grown more intense, but the emotional distance was undeniable. They couldn’t ignore the situation any longer, and YN knew she had to be the one to step back. For her own sake. For him.

Her phone buzzed. It was a message from Namjoon.

Namjoon: We need to talk. Can you come over to the office tonight?

YN stared at the message for a long moment, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. She wanted to say no, to avoid the inevitable conversation. But she also knew that this was something she couldn’t run from anymore.

With a heavy sigh, she typed out a response.

YN: I’ll be there.

Later that night, the office was quieter than usual. The soft hum of the air conditioning was the only sound as YN entered the building. She had a strange sense of deja vu the same path she’d taken so many times before, but tonight it felt different. Finally, somehow.

She knocked lightly on Namjoon’s office door before pushing it open. He was standing by the window, his tall figure framed against the city lights. His back was turned to her, hands shoved into his pockets. There was something about his stance that made her heart clench. He looked... distant.

“Hey,” YN greeted softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Namjoon turned around, his eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, neither of them said anything. The silence stretched on, thick with unsaid words. Finally, he spoke.

“We can’t keep doing this, can we?”

His voice was calm, but YN could hear the tension behind it. She bit her lip, nodding slightly as she stepped further into the room. “No, we can’t.”

Namjoon sighed and sat down at his desk, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t want to lose you, YN. But I can’t keep pretending like everything’s fine either.”

She approached slowly, sitting on the chair opposite him. “I’ve been thinking about it too. This... whatever we have... it’s starting to affect me. I don’t know how to handle it anymore, Namjoon.”

His eyes softened, but he didn’t say anything. The weight of their situation was pressing down on both of them, suffocating the space between them.

“I need some time,” YN continued, her voice breaking just a little. “I need to figure out what I want, what this means for me. For us.”

Namjoon looked down at his hands, his jaw clenching slightly. “You’re leaving, aren’t you?”

She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. “I think I have to. I need space, Namjoon. I need to be away from here, away from all of this, to clear my head.”

His silence was deafening. YN’s heart ached as she watched him struggle with the words. She knew this wasn’t easy for either of them, but it was the only option she saw.

“I’m going abroad,” she finally said. “I got an offer for a temporary position. It’s far, but I think it’s what I need.”

Namjoon’s gaze snapped to hers, his eyes widening slightly. “You’re leaving the country?”

“Yes,” she whispered, her voice barely holding steady. “Just for a while.”

He stood up abruptly, walking around the desk and standing right in front of her. His hand reached out, gently cupping her cheek. “YN... I—”

“Don’t,” she interrupted, her voice trembling. “Please, don’t make this harder than it already is.”

His thumb brushed across her cheek, wiping away a stray tear. “You’re asking me to let you go, but you don’t understand how impossible that is for me.”

YN’s breath hitched. The closeness between them was intoxicating, but it also felt like the final thread that was about to snap. “I’m not asking you to forget me,” she whispered. “I just need some time to think.”

Namjoon’s hand dropped, his eyes clouded with a mix of emotions. “How long?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But I promise, I’ll come back. I just... I need to know what this is without everything else in the way.”

He nodded, but the pain in his expression was clear. “If that’s what you need, YN... I’ll wait for you.”

She stood up, her heart breaking with every step she took away from him. “Thank you, Namjoon.”

He grabbed her hand as she turned to leave, pulling her back just for a second. “Just remember, no matter how far you go... you’re still mine.”

Her heart pounded at his words, and for a moment, she almost reconsidered. But she knew this was the right choice. She squeezed his hand and gave him a sad smile. “I’ll remember.”

And with that, she walked out of his office, feeling like she had left a part of herself behind.

The night air was cool as YN stepped outside the building. She looked up at the sky, taking a deep breath. This was the hardest decision she had ever made, but she knew it was the right one. Her mind was filled with questions, uncertainties about the future. But there was one thing she knew for sure, she loved Namjoon. And maybe, just maybe, some time apart would help her figure out what to do with that love.

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