Just Twilight

“So, that’s not something I can decide, Martin.”@@novelbin@@

The man walking by glanced over at the fluent English. Junyoung paused and looked down at her wristwatch as she stopped her suitcase under the streetlight. It was 1:28 AM. During the taxi ride from the airport to here, her ears and mouth had been constantly occupied.

I’m really exhausted.

Her head throbbed. She was on her way back from a business trip to San Diego, a 3-day, 4-night schedule. And she hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep for three days before the trip either.

With a schedule like this, it wouldn’t be surprising if she collapsed on the street. But thinking about what would happen after she collapsed, she was too scared to even consider it.

• No, I need your decision, Jun. If I know that, I’ll understand how this will play out.

“That’s what I’m saying. After the team review, the decision will be made by the end of this month.”

• Jun. Just one word. You know better than anyone how important this is. The sale has to go through by next week. Isn’t your opinion the boss’s opinion anyway?

“Mind your words, Martin. I’ve heard the same thing for over an hour now. I think I’ve done enough. I’ll hang up now.”

• Wait, Jun...

After finishing the call, Junyoung switched her phone to silent mode. There were only two people whose calls she absolutely had to take at this hour. One of them was asleep by 10 PM after taking sleeping pills, and the other hadn’t had any major issues in a long time.

Both of them had been in good condition recently, so the chances of them calling were almost zero.

With a long sigh, Junyoung loosened her stiff wrist a few times and pulled the suitcase again. Despite it being night, the breeze didn’t feel pleasant, probably because it was still summer.

While riding the elevator, she closed her eyes and massaged her neck. As she entered the apartment after entering the code and opening the door, a slight crease appeared between her brows.

The living room was brightly lit.

“Are you back?”

She could hear clattering noises from the kitchen. Junyoung suppressed a sigh and rubbed her tired eyes as she took off her heels and switched to slippers. Turning around, she tried to pull her heavy suitcase, but a hand reached out and effortlessly lifted it.

“I thought you’d be back before 12. Your flight was at 10:10, right?”

The cool air from the air conditioner filled the living room. Junyoung, watching Seungwoon’s back as he wore a beige-toned cotton shirt and pants, walked slowly over to the sofa and threw her laptop bag onto it.

“I was sending an urgent email from the airport.”

“About the TANDOZ project?”

“Why?”

Looking at the wine bottle, glass, and cheese plate on the table, she turned her head and asked. Seungwoon, who had pushed the suitcase to the corner, turned the chair at the table toward her and sat down, wrapping his arm around the backrest.

“I thought about having a drink since I was feeling down. It’s also your first day back, and tomorrow’s Saturday.”

His innocent, dog-like eyes peeked out from under his hair as he smiled warmly. Having worked out regularly for years, his body had never gained unnecessary weight. He was always the center of attention at company events.

With his striking appearance and charming personality, even though he became the team leader of the business planning department at a young age, no one really disliked him. Of course, part of it was because he was the only child of Vice President Na Hyun-sik.

Junyoung didn’t head to the kitchen but instead sat on the sofa. Her shoulders were as stiff as stone.

“Stop hanging around in a house that isn’t yours. Especially not at this hour.”

“Things didn’t go well? Did Martin give you trouble? He was the one pestering you at the meeting last time, even though Seong was the one in charge.”

Both Martin, calling non-stop across time zones, and Seungwoon, loitering around in an empty house at this hour...

Junyoung felt exhausted, but she wasn’t reckless enough to voice her frustrations out loud. Seungwoon came over with the wine glass and offered it to her. She shook her head.

“I had a drink on the plane.”

“Mom asked if we could have dinner the day after tomorrow.”

Understanding the subtle refusal, Seungwoon placed the glass on the table. Junyoung narrowed her eyes. The weight on her shoulders felt even heavier.

“…Me too?”

“She probably wants to see your face. It’s been a while.”

Junyoung ran her hand down her thin face and sighed softly.

She had thought she’d get some rest, but it was already starting again. Mrs. Hong liked using meals like this to be briefed on the latest company issues. It was one of the methods she used to avoid being noticed by her brother, Hong’s CEO.

I’ll wash up, get some cold coffee, and sit at my desk. Junyoung stood up from the sofa as she mentally organized her tasks.

“Leave now. And if you come into my house without permission again, I’ll change the password. This is a privacy issue. Do you understand?”

“Junyoung.”

There was an ominous tone to his voice when he called out her name. When she turned, she saw his downturned eyes.

“If I’m not here, I have nowhere else to go. Everyone around me either thinks I’m a burden or tries to use me, one of the two. You’re the only one I can talk to, you know that.”

A friend.

A friend, huh.

She looked up at Seungwoon, who was standing with his broad shoulders hunched. Junyoung knew how confident and unrestrained he could be at work as a team leader, so this softer side didn’t resonate with her.

He was caught in the middle, though. He never fit well with the other heirs, who had undergone strict and thorough training, and he could never form close bonds with ordinary people, either.

But for him to casually talk about friendship—only when he was a child could he afford to do that. Since coming to university, Seungwoon had been thrown into a whirlwind beyond his control.

Mrs. Hong probably hoped he would manage to navigate it and believed that he had, but in truth, the reality was different. Externally, her actions had only contributed to Seungwoon’s psychological isolation. And the result was this situation.

...A friend he has, but I don’t.

Junyoung exhaled a short sigh, her thoughts turning bitter.

“I’ll wash up and get myself together. The only thing I’m entertaining right now is one bottle of wine.”

Seungwoon’s lips curved into a smooth line. Nodding, he headed for the kitchen.

“Got it. Should I take out some fruit?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Shaking her head, Junyoung walked toward her room. She pulled out a t-shirt and long pants, leaning against the wall for a moment.

What a long day.

And the worst part? It was probably just the beginning.

***

The weather was clear and sunny. The dazzling sunlight had something about it that made one feel dazed. Junyoung, wearing a blouse with a subtle pattern paired with a white skirt, stood up as she saw someone entering, guided by the staff.

“Director.”

“Why the formalities again? Sit down.”

Mihyang was wearing a crisp white blouse and cool pastel-colored slacks. Her makeup and hairstyle were flawless, just like always—nothing had changed over the years.

“You’re still the same. Even though time’s passed, why is it so hard to treat people casually? Always so stiff.”

Junyoung silently watched Mihyang sit down as she scolded her. She had learned long ago not to take Mihyang’s words at face value.

Mihyang projected an image of being warm and friendly to everyone, but it wasn’t always something she could get away with. Junyoung could immediately recall several people who had crossed the line, unable to differentiate when it was appropriate to be overly familiar, and had vanished as a result.

If Mihyang gave her a clueless, inept role to play, then Junyoung would just play it. And as for becoming comfortable with Mihyang—that was something she had long since declined.

“Why are you picking on Junyoung again?”

Seungwoon, who had entered a little later, cut in with a sly smile toward Junyoung. Mihyang clicked her tongue while watching her son with narrowed eyes.

“You always say Junyoung, Junyoung. You’re not doing that at work, are you?”

“I know how to separate work and personal life, Mother.”

After gently pressing down on Mihyang’s shoulder, Seungwoon sat down, and only then did Junyoung take her seat. The course meal she had ordered earlier began to be served one by one.

“…So, even though you just came back from Singapore, the company over there is planning to invest in Asian infrastructure to stimulate the economy. The investment is still primarily focused on local governments, so the debt burden is quite significant. We’ll need to take a long-term view on this. In order to reduce the debt ratio, I’ve identified a few good properties among the ones the government has put on the market.”

Junyoung pretended to take a clear file out of her bag. As expected, Mihyang waved her hand in disgust.

“She’s such a workaholic. Bringing this out at a meal, how do you expect to eat?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll set it aside.”

With her head lowered, Junyoung placed the file beside her. Seungwoon, who had been watching her carefully as she avoided using her chopsticks, let out a sigh and lightly tapped the table.

“Come on, Junyoung. Stop and eat something. You must be tired after staying up late last night.”

Junyoung’s hand, which had been lowered in thought, twitched. She slowly raised her head to look at Mihyang. As expected, Mihyang’s chopsticks had come to a stop mid-air while she ate, her brows raised as she looked at Seungwoon with a calm smile.

“By the way, did you meet Junyoung yesterday? Didn’t she just come back from a business trip?”