Just Twilight

Seungwoon’s chopsticks trembled in his hand. The beet salad he had picked up fell, splattering across the tablecloth and staining it red. He looked at his mother with wide eyes.

“What do you mean by that?”@@novelbin@@

“Are you two close? You were both involved in the last reflection paper, weren’t you?”

Seungwoon furrowed his brow as he set down his chopsticks and let out a sigh. Mihyang spoke softly.

“I told you, didn’t I? She says she doesn’t like him as much as she likes him. You can’t ignore the environment people grow up in. Do you know what it is about Junyoung that bothers me?”

“I don’t know. And it doesn’t matter if you don’t like her…”

“It’s that she’s foolish.”

Mihyang pointed a finger at him as she spoke. Despite not wanting to, Seungwoon let out a hollow laugh.

“Mom, you know Junyoung is the top student at our school, right? Her national ranking is even higher than mine.”

“Being foolish doesn’t mean being dumb. No matter how good she is at studying, she doesn’t understand that she can't stay on the same level as you. It’s always sad when a smart kid doesn’t get that, but she doesn’t know how to win sympathy from others, and she has no talents.”

“Don’t talk like that.”

“Seungwoon.”

Mihyang called him out sternly, shaking her head.

“I don’t dislike you being good-hearted. But for someone who’s going to rise high, they also need to be able to help others. But if that means getting involved with criminals, I can’t just sit back as a mother.”

It was clear that dinner was ruined. Seungwoon pushed his chair back and muttered angrily.

“I’ve never even had a proper conversation with Kwon Beomjin. I’m not close with him.”

“Then why did you call the police station and ask about the incident in such detail?”

Mihyang’s voice, soft as it was, sometimes made Seungwoon feel a chill. His gaze shifted to the side, landing on Manager Kim, who stood next to her. Kim stood upright, looking off to a vague point, avoiding Seungwoon’s eyes.

Mihyang gently tapped the table, as if to soothe him.

“Of course, if you need anything, you can talk to Manager Kim. But just know this: it’s less exhausting to prevent getting dirty in the first place than to try to clean up the mess later.”

“I don’t want to talk about it. I’ll eat later.”

Seungwoon stood up and headed to his room. His mind was a tangled mess, and his chest felt suffocating. He walked to the window, threw open the curtains, and opened the window. A lukewarm breeze flowed in.

It was to be expected. Manager Kim was his mother’s person. As her son, he showed respect, but he would not bow to her.

That wasn’t the only thing bothering him, though. He looked down at the darkened village, recalling the information Manager Kim had brought.

The man who had been mugged in the alley near the bar was currently hospitalized. He hadn’t died, but he had been struck in the back of the head several times with a sharp object and severely injured when he fell and hit the wall.

His consciousness had wavered, but when he regained it, he briefly testified to the police. He didn’t get a good look at the perpetrator, but he mentioned that the man was dressed in black and seemed tall and broad-shouldered.

The incident had occurred the previous Saturday afternoon, and the police, while canvassing the area, had gotten a testimony from the hardware store owner. The owner recalled that a tall, broad man in black had asked about waterproof tarps that afternoon.

There was a woman with him, wearing a black hat, who seemed like a student. The hardware store owner distinctly remembered seeing them head toward the motel alley, clicking their tongues in disbelief at what they assumed was the end of the world.

The police officer who happened to see the sketch immediately recognized Kwon Beomjin. A member of the community safety division, he had once received a consultation from a high school teacher friend who had a troublesome student.

Beomjin had a history of being involved in a violent incident, so the officer had kept his files in order. Moreover, Beomjin had distinct features and a strong impression, making him easy to remember.

When Beomjin had encountered the police at school, he had just sighed, showing no signs of resistance. His attitude suggested more that he found the situation troublesome rather than feeling guilty, which made the police officer feel instinctively that it wasn’t the right time to pursue the matter.

However, when they asked Beomjin about his whereabouts on Saturday afternoon, his behavior changed. The police hadn’t mentioned the exact time or place of the incident; they had only asked what he had done that afternoon. From that point on, Beomjin shut up, refusing to say a word. No matter what they asked, he remained silent.

Initially, the police had treated him as a witness, but after that reaction, their stance shifted. There was still no clear witness or evidence, but Beomjin was slowly becoming a suspect.

Of course, if Beomjin confessed or if the victim, upon regaining consciousness, pointed him out as the perpetrator, Beomjin had a high chance of being released.

The problem, however, was that the victim was the police chief's younger brother, and his son had experienced school violence in middle school. They harbored a strong disdain for so-called troublemakers at school.

As soon as Seungwoon heard about the woman in the black hat, chills ran down his spine. If he hadn't been sitting in the backseat, he might have collapsed. Trying to act unaffected, he stared out the window, listening to Manager Kim's words. His heart was pounding wildly.

That day. The day he had jumped out of the car with his mother. Beomjin had been walking with Junyoung. The area was definitely near the alley of bars.

The exact time the victim was attacked wasn’t clear. However, considering a margin of about an hour, it was likely that Seungwoon had seen Beomjin and Junyoung around that time.

Of course, it was possible that Beomjin had done something after parting ways with Junyoung. But would that really make sense? He had been with a friend, and then suddenly, he assaulted an unfamiliar person from behind?

Seungwoon narrowed his eyes as he looked down at the darkness. If Beomjin had actively met with Junyoung and explained what happened, the police might have shared Seungwoon’s doubts.

But Beomjin remained silent. Because...

He didn’t want anyone to know he had been with Junyoung.

Why would he go so far as to hide their relationship? Were they half-siblings?

Seungwoon shook his head quickly. While he couldn’t be entirely sure, there was no way they were siblings who had just reunited.

Instead...

When Junyoung had collapsed during a dodgeball game, Seungwoon had almost collided with Beomjin, who was standing right behind him.

Beomjin never properly participated in physical education. The teacher didn’t pay much attention to him, and he would usually lie on the mats or steps far away from everyone else.

Yet, there he was, suddenly right behind Seungwoon. Seungwoon couldn’t hide his surprise, and his gaze was locked on Junyoung.

It was probably Beomjin who had brought a heater to the nurse’s office where Junyoung was lying, pulling the curtain over her window. He had even thrown a basketball at Seungwoon’s friend, who had been bothering Junyoung. Although rumors had circulated, this was the first time Seungwoon had witnessed Beomjin act in such an extreme manner.

Seungwoon didn’t know what was in Junyoung’s heart, but Beomjin liked her. He couldn’t help but think that maybe Junyoung felt the same way when she showed signs of distress when Hye Soo talked to him. Seungwoon had been unable to focus on his studies because of her, just as she had been distracted by him.

Because, he too...

Liked Yoon Junyoung.

Seungwoon suddenly looked down at his hands, which were clenched into fists. He hadn’t realized how tightly he had gripped them, but the skin of his palm was turning white. With a sharp exhale, he turned away.

What should I do?

If I tell them that I saw Beomjin with his friend, and that they didn’t seem like they were about to part ways, the police would listen. After all, I’m the son of Hong Mihyang, who knows the police chief’s direct line.

Especially since I have no personal connection to Beomjin. Objectively, my testimony would be credible. And if Junyoung added her explanation of the events after that, Beomjin’s charges would be dropped immediately.

Of course, the nature of their relationship would also come to light.

“If I stay silent, and Beomjin stays silent…”

Seungwoon muttered absentmindedly before letting out a bitter laugh. But surely Beomjin wouldn’t really end up in prison. More than anything...

“Junyoung won’t stay quiet.”

With a long sigh, Seungwoon sank into the chair at his desk. Even if I don’t step in, Junyoung will reveal what happened that day. She trusted Beomjin’s innocence more than anyone else.

...But what if, for some reason, Junyoung doesn’t speak up?

Seungwoon absentmindedly twirled the pen on his desk, his brows twitching. Slowly, his lips curled into a loose smile, though he didn’t even realize it.

***

Junyoung stared at the building before her. It bore a familiar logo, but it was an unfamiliar place.

She had walked past here before, though, when she was younger.

It had been the day she first got severely beaten by her mother, when her lips had bled. That night, when her shoulders had bruised and her hands trembled.

But she couldn’t bring herself to go inside. She was afraid. Afraid that something might change, or perhaps, that nothing would change at all.

After wandering around for a while, she ended up returning home. She had learned how to endure alone.

But now, things were different. She needed information.

Beomjin had not returned home. He hadn’t come to school today. Her homeroom teacher said nothing, but a few loudmouths in class had spread rumors about it.

The situation was too grim for the kids to gossip openly. They whispered quietly. Junyoung, who didn’t have close friends, had nowhere to hear the news.

"Should I look into it for you? I could find out what’s going on with Beomjin."

Seungwoon’s words echoed in her mind. Yeah, if it were him, he could easily get much more information. Or more precisely, it wasn’t him, but Manager Kim.