A Recipe for Love ( Le sserafim X Fem reader )

Chapter 1: Burdens and Binds

As the bell above the restaurant door chimed, signaling the departure of the last customers, Y/N let out a tired sigh, feeling the weight of another long day settle into her bones. The greasy tables and scattered napkins around her were a familiar sight after a grueling thirteen-hour shift. Her boss had disappeared hours earlier, leaving her to handle the closing duties alone—just like every other night. It wasn't as if she had much of a choice. Jobs like these were hard to come by, and the bills piling up at home left no room for complaints.

She wiped down the last greasy table, checked her phone—9:45 p.m. Time to go. The diner's walls seemed to close in on her, but there was no rest in sight. She had to get to the hospital. Her mother was waiting.

Pulling on her coat, Y/N hurried out the back door and into the cold night air. Her breath formed small clouds as she walked briskly, the familiar route to the hospital carved into her memory. Each step seemed heavier than the last, the exhaustion from work mixing with the emotional toll of the past few months. The sterile smell of disinfectant hit her immediately as she stepped inside, making her stomach twist like it always did. The lights were too bright, the air too cold, and the hum of machines too constant.

When she finally reached room 320, Y/N hesitated for a moment before gently knocking on the door. Inside, the soft sound of laughter greeted her, a rare comfort in a place like this. She pushed the door open and stepped inside, her eyes landing on her mother, who was sitting up in bed, smiling warmly at the two older women beside her.

"Hello, Mrs. Kang, Mrs. Cho," Y/N greeted with a polite bow. The two women—her mother's roommates—looked up and returned her greeting with the kind of smiles only earned through shared struggles.

"There's no need to be so formal, dear," Mrs. Cho chuckled, her weathered face crinkling with affection. "We've told you a hundred times."

Y/N smiled softly and held up the plastic bag she had brought with her. "I made some food at work before my shift ended. I thought you might like some."

Her mother's eyes lit up, though Y/N could see the tiredness lingering behind them. Despite everything, her mother always managed to smile for her—an act of strength that both comforted and pained Y/N deeply. She began unpacking the contents of the bag, setting out small containers of homemade soup, fruit, and snacks, including Mrs. Cho's favorite herbal tea. The room seemed to brighten just a little as the three women eagerly gathered around the small table.

"Ah, Y/N, you spoil us," Mrs. Kang said, her voice filled with warmth as she reached for a bowl of soup. "You're too kind."

Y/N merely smiled, turning to her mother and placing a portion of the meal in front of her. Her mother accepted it with a soft sigh, her eyes filled with both gratitude and concern.

"You're always bringing so much," her mother said gently, her frail hands shaking slightly as she took the bowl. "I know this is coming out of your paycheck. You don't have to do this, sweetheart."

Y/N waved off her mother's concerns, sitting on the edge of the bed as she spooned some soup into her mother's bowl. "It's no trouble, Mom. I just want to make sure you're well taken care of. It makes me happy."

Her mother's eyes softened, but Y/N could see the worry etched into the lines of her face. Her once-vibrant, energetic mother had become so fragile. The cancer had drained her body, leaving her a shadow of the woman Y/N had grown up admiring. But despite everything, she still smiled—still found the strength to lift others up. It was that strength that made Y/N want to cry.

She didn't realize she had started tearing up until her mother reached out, her frail hand brushing away the tear that had slipped down her cheek.

"Oh, my sweet girl," her mother said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Don't cry for me. You know I don't like to see you upset."