Chapter 5: Unspoken Tension

The silence between Namjoon and YN stretched, thick with unspoken thoughts. YN shifted slightly in her seat, still clutching the spatula, her chef’s hat a little crooked from a long evening in the kitchen. She wasn’t sure what to make of Namjoon’s sudden interest in speaking with her, and the weight of his gaze made her uncomfortable, yet something kept her seated.

Namjoon leaned back, trying to break the tension in his own mind. His heart was pounding for reasons he couldn’t fully understand. He had no plan, no smooth lines like he normally would with women. The usual flirty charm he carried seemed to fall flat here. YN wasn’t the type to respond to that, and deep down, Namjoon knew it.

"I hope I’m not disturbing you," he finally spoke, his voice low and somewhat unsure.

YN shook her head. "No… You’re not." Her response was simple, her voice soft yet distant. She didn’t offer any more words, simply watching him, waiting for whatever he had to say.

Namjoon scratched the back of his neck, feeling an odd vulnerability creep up on him. "I, uh… I just wanted to thank you. For, you know… earlier. With the shirt and all."

YN nodded politely, her face revealing little. "It was nothing, sir."

"Namjoon," he corrected, smiling lightly. "Just Namjoon. No need for formalities."

She blinked, her eyes scanning his face for a moment as if trying to place him in her world. "Okay. Namjoon."

Namjoon’s eyes wandered for a moment, and that’s when he noticed it the name embroidered on her apron. "Chef Ms. Lee." Not "Mrs." it was "Ms." His mind raced as the realisation struck him harder than it should have. She wasn’t married, at least not anymore. This small detail added more fuel to the thoughts swirling in his mind, his curiosity deepening with every passing second. He didn’t want to seem too forward, but he couldn’t help but ask.

"You know…" Namjoon began hesitantly, "I noticed your apron says 'Ms. Lee'... not 'Mrs.' Is that, um—"

YN’s eyes flickered for a moment, and her smile was faint as she replied. "That’s correct. I’ve never been married."

Namjoon nodded, trying to hide the sudden rush of thoughts that came with her answer. He wasn’t sure why it mattered so much to him, but it did. She had never been married. And that, for some reason, made him feel something an odd mix of relief and intrigue.

There was a beat of silence again, as Namjoon wrestled with the strangeness of the situation. Here he was, used to clubs and women throwing themselves at him, and yet this simple chef had his full attention.

"You’ve been working here a long time?" he asked, trying to keep the conversation flowing.

YN nodded, her eyes drifting toward the kitchen. "Twenty years. Since I was young." There was no pride in her voice, just a statement of fact. For her, the years seemed to have passed in a blur, cooking the same dishes for the same people day after day. She lived in a routine, never thinking too much beyond it.

Namjoon leaned forward slightly, trying to get a read on her. "That’s a long time. You must really love what you do."

Her lips tugged into the faintest of smiles. "I suppose I do. It’s… comfortable." She didn’t elaborate, and Namjoon sensed that she wasn’t someone who opened up easily. But even in that brief answer, he felt like he understood something about her that maybe YN had gotten so used to being in the background that she didn’t know how to step out of it.

Namjoon was quiet for a moment, watching her again, the way her hands rested on the table, still gloved. They were rough from years of work, but they carried a kind of grace he found intriguing. This wasn’t like any of his usual encounters. This was real, raw, unpolished.

"Why do you stay?" he asked, his tone curious. "Why not try something bigger? A five-star restaurant or your own place?"

YN met his eyes briefly before looking away, her gaze softening with something like sadness or resignation. "This is where I belong," she said quietly. "I don’t need anything more than this."

For the first time, Namjoon felt something stir inside him an emotion he couldn’t place. There was something heartbreaking about her words, about how she’d settled for a life that seemed smaller than she deserved. And yet, YN didn’t seem upset or bitter. She was just… content.

But Namjoon wasn’t. He couldn’t imagine living like that, accepting less than what you were worth. It frustrated him, even though he barely knew her.

"I don’t believe that," Namjoon said, a bit more forcefully than he intended. "You’re talented. You could be doing anything, going anywhere."

YN looked at him, her expression unreadable. "Sometimes, it’s not about where you can go. It’s about where you’re needed."

Her words hit Namjoon harder than he expected. She wasn’t living for herself, not in the way he did. She lived for others for the customers who came in every day, for Mr. Kwon who trusted her with his restaurant. Her life was dedicated to making sure the people around her were happy and fed. And in a strange way, Namjoon found that admirable, even if he didn’t understand it.

He nodded slowly, taking in her words. "I guess I never thought about it that way."

They sat there in silence again, but this time, it didn’t feel as heavy. YN seemed more at ease, her gaze softening as she glanced toward the kitchen, clearly thinking about the work still waiting for her.

"I should get back," she said, rising from the table. "There are still orders to fill."

Namjoon wanted to stop her, to keep talking, but he knew she had a job to do. He stood up as well, giving her a small nod. "Thanks for sitting with me. I, uh… I really appreciate it."

YN smiled faintly, bowing her head in acknowledgment. "You’re welcome. Enjoy the rest of your meal."

As she walked away, Namjoon watched her go, his mind racing. There was something about her that wouldn’t let him go, something about her simplicity, her quiet strength, that had him hooked.

For the first time in a long while, Namjoon didn’t feel in control. And that terrified him.

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