Chapter 4

Chapter 4: A Step into the Unknown

Y/N awoke the next morning feeling disoriented but better. The warmth of the bed and the steady rhythm of her breathing were a stark contrast to the stormy chaos of the previous day. Memories of the night flooded back—the rain, the car, and Namjoon's sharp, commanding presence.

She glanced around the room. The guest quarters were far more luxurious than anything she'd ever imagined staying in, yet they felt cold, impersonal, as if they were meant to accommodate anyone but belong to no one.

A soft knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. A maid entered, bowing slightly before setting a tray on the bedside table.

"Good morning, Miss," the maid said politely. "Mr. Kim instructed us to bring you breakfast and to let you know that the doctor would like to see you before you leave."

Y/N nodded, murmuring her thanks as the maid retreated. She stared at the tray of food—a spread of fresh fruit, toast, eggs, and a pot of tea. It was far more than she was used to, and the thought of eating in such abundance made her stomach churn with unease.

As she picked at the meal, her mind wandered to Namjoon. She still didn't understand why someone like him, a man of wealth and power, had gone out of his way to help her. He didn't seem like the type to act out of simple kindness.

---

An hour later, Y/N stood in the doorway of the grand living room, hesitating. Namjoon was seated on a sleek leather couch, a laptop open in front of him. He looked up as she entered, his gaze sharp and assessing.

"You're leaving today," he stated, closing his laptop. "The doctor has cleared you to go, but you need to rest for the next few days. No overexertion."

Y/N fidgeted with the strap of her bag, unsure of how to respond. "I—I don't know how to thank you for everything you've done. I didn't mean to cause trouble."

Namjoon waved her words away. "It wasn't trouble. But next time, don't push yourself to the point of collapsing in the middle of the road."

There it was again—that bluntness, that air of authority that made her feel small and out of place. Yet beneath his cold words, she sensed a trace of concern, though he masked it well.

"I'll make sure it doesn't happen again," she said softly.

Namjoon stood, his towering figure even more imposing up close. He gestured toward the door, where his driver waited. "My driver will take you home."

As Y/N followed the driver out of the mansion, she couldn't help but glance back. The grand estate loomed behind her, its walls silent witnesses to a world she couldn't begin to comprehend.

---

The drive home was uneventful, but Y/N's thoughts churned with questions. What kind of person was Kim Namjoon? He seemed cold, detached, yet he had gone out of his way to help her. And why did she feel as though this wasn't the last time their paths would cross?

When the car pulled up to her house, Y/N thanked the driver and stepped out, clutching her bag tightly. The familiar sight of her worn-down building brought her back to reality. Whatever had happened over the past two days, it was a world apart from her own.

---

Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Namjoon stood by the window of his study, watching the rain drizzle over the gardens. He couldn't shake the image of Y/N from his mind—the way she had looked so fragile, yet resilient.

There was something about her, something that unsettled him. He had dealt with countless people over the years, most of them manipulative or superficial, but she was different. She wasn't trying to gain anything from him, and her vulnerability had been raw, unfiltered.

He sighed, turning back to his desk. "Focus," he muttered to himself. There was no room in his life for distractions, and yet...

---

Y/N spent the next few days trying to return to her normal routine, but the memory of Namjoon and his mansion lingered. She told herself it didn't matter, that she would never see him again. But fate had other plans.

A week later, as she walked into the convenience store for her night shift, she froze. Standing near the counter, dressed in a sleek suit that looked completely out of place in the small shop, was Kim Namjoon.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, the world seemed to stand still.

"What are you doing here?" she blurted out, her voice laced with surprise and confusion.

Namjoon's expression remained unreadable as he approached her. "You forgot something," he said, holding out a small, leather-bound notebook.

Y/N stared at the notebook in his hand, her heart pounding. It was hers, a journal she kept with her thoughts and sketches. She must have left it behind in his mansion.

"I... I didn't realize I forgot it," she said, taking it from him.

Namjoon's gaze softened ever so slightly. "Be more careful with your things," he said. Then, after a pause, he added, "And with yourself."

Before she could respond, he turned and left, leaving her standing there, her mind racing.

As the bell above the door chimed, signaling his departure, Y/N clutched the notebook to her chest. Something told her that this wasn't the end of their story—it was only the beginning.