21 | A Recipe for Respite

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A week had passed since the chaos at Y/N’s house, when SuAh’s stalker had pressed his face to the glass door, his voice a muffled plea that still echoed in her nightmares. The court had been swift, issuing an emergency restraining order that felt like a flimsy shield but a shield nonetheless. SuAh had made the gut-wrenching decision to leave the Blue Fox, her sanctuary of six years, where the stage had once been her armor. The choice left her raw, like she’d shed a piece of her soul, but her friends—Y/N, Rosa, and, surprisingly, her assistant Juhui—had rallied around her. Their late-night calls, care packages of soju and face masks, and Juhui’s unexpected knack for sending memes had stitched together the fraying edges of her spirit.

Now, SuAh worked remotely from Y/N’s place, her laptop glowing on the dining table, emails from LM pinging like a metronome. She was easing back into her corporate role, her ambition flickering back to life, but the quiet moments still carried the weight of fear. Y/N’s neighborhood had become a fortress—patrol cars circled regularly, their red-and-blue lights casting fleeting shadows through the blinds. SuAh had also hired Cheonghwa, a retired pro women’s boxer and ex-marine whose stoic presence was both reassuring and intimidating. Her broad shoulders and clipped responses filled the apartment with a sense of security, but Y/N wasn’t thrilled about the constant foot traffic. Patrol officers knocking to check in, Cheonghwa’s heavy boots pacing the hall—it disrupted the cozy chaos of Y/N’s home.

Still, Y/N made the best of it. She’d taken to leaving snacks out for the officers—kimchi jeon one day, mandu the next—her kindness a quiet rebellion against the intrusion. Today, as the afternoon sun spilled golden across the living room, Y/N was sprawled on the couch, scrolling through her phone, while SuAh tapped away at her laptop, Cheonghwa stationed by the window like a sentinel.

SuAh stretched, her back popping, and closed her laptop with a decisive snap. “I’m done for the day,” she announced, her voice brighter than it had been in days. “And I’m craving something home-cooked. Let’s make dinner.”

Y/N looked up, eyebrow raised. “You sure? I’m not exactly stocked for a gourmet feast. We’ve got, like, half a bag of rice and some questionable carrots.”

SuAh grinned, a spark of her old self flickering through. “I’ll hit the supermarket. I’ve got this.” She glanced at Cheonghwa, who gave a curt nod. “We’ll be alright.”

Y/N sat up, concern creasing her forehead. “You sure? I can come with—”

“No, really, I’m good,” SuAh insisted, her smile softening the edges of her words. “Cheonghwa’s got my back.”

Y/N hesitated, then nodded. “Okay, but call if you need me.”

~

The supermarket was a fluorescent maze, aisles stacked with instant noodles, gochujang jars, and glistening produce. SuAh pushed a cart, Cheonghwa trailing a step behind, her eyes scanning the crowd with the precision of a hawk. SuAh tried to lighten the mood, tossing a pack of enoki mushrooms into the cart. “So, Cheonghwa, you ever make japchae? I’m thinking that’s tonight’s vibe.”

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