Just Twilight

A lukewarm breeze swept by.

Beomjin blinked a couple of times, running a hand down his face with a short sigh. Junyoung caught the fleeting look of frustration that crossed his face. Smirking, she added, “You were so formal about pretending not to know me that I almost believed you’d forgotten. I never thought we’d meet again like this. How have you been?”

Instead of answering, he abruptly stood up. When she looked up at him with raised eyebrows, he replied in a calm voice, “Stay here. I’ll get some bandages and ointment.”

Junyoung gawked at him, then burst out, “Hey, that’s your priority right now?”

“It is for me,” he replied without hesitation, turning and running back across the street toward the pharmacy.

Watching him sprint away, Junyoung let out a heavy sigh, her tightly wound nerves beginning to unravel. She wasn’t sure if confronting him had been the right move. But for the first time, it felt real—she had met Kwon Beomjin again. He had called her name, and she had called his.

She knew exactly why he was special to her.

He had been her first love.

If he hadn’t disappeared the day they had started dating, they might have shared so much more.

All of her most treasured firsts were tied to Kwon Beomjin.

It wasn’t as though she had never been interested in anyone else after that. But none of those relationships ever lasted. Every single one ended with the same accusation: she wasn’t interested in knowing them.

And they were right. She never felt curiosity about others. She avoided deep connections, reflecting her reluctance to let people in.

To Junyoung, relationships seemed unnecessary—a waste of time. She had no interest in impressing anyone, revealing her true self, or relying on someone else. Most men couldn’t handle that.

But Kwon Beomjin was different. She wanted to know more about him. She needed to know.

Perhaps understanding him would finally untangle the knot in her chest that had been there for so long.

“Lift your leg.”

Junyoung snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of his voice. She looked up to find that he had already returned and was now crouching beside her.

When she hesitated, he reached for her ankle and propped her leg on his knee without asking. From the plastic bag on the ground, he began pulling out medical supplies. Watching him, she muttered, “That hairstyle really doesn’t suit you.”

He let out a dry chuckle. “I’m cutting it.”

“What—wait! Ugh!”

With a sharp tearing sound, he ripped the fabric of her pants around the hole, pulling it apart until her knee was fully exposed. Looking down at the now-tattered floral pants, Junyoung opened her mouth in disbelief but was cut off by the sting of disinfectant. She bit her lip against the pain.

“Did my comment about your hair offend you that much? Still love showing off your strength, I see,” she grumbled.

He smiled faintly, focusing on his task. “If you don’t want scars, you need proper treatment.”

“Are you worried about a scar on my leg? You?”

The words she left unspoken—after the way you disappeared—hung heavily in the air. Though she hadn’t said it aloud, the look on his face made it seem like he had heard her anyway. Silently, he carefully pressed a bandage over her knee before lowering her leg and standing up.

“If you’re done shopping, let’s go.”

“I’m not done,” she replied.

“Want me to get it for you?”

“It’s underwear.”

At her blunt response, he froze momentarily before letting out a long sigh. Holding out his hand, he helped her stand. The proximity made her hyper-aware of his warmth. His hand hovered near her shoulder, steadying her whenever she stumbled slightly. The closeness sent a faint, ticklish sensation down her neck.

“Can I ask you something?” she said suddenly, her voice soft.

He turned his head slightly, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. His tense expression was evident, and Junyoung blinked as she stared at him.

“Why are you called Kim?”

His sharp gaze relaxed slightly, and he replied in a flat tone, “Just happened.”

Seriously? That’s all I’m getting?

She smirked and shrugged. Fine. Today’s not the only day.

“So, are you going to keep being ‘Mr. Kim’? What should I call you?”

“Don’t call me anything.”

She stopped walking. His quiet voice lingered in her ears.

“We’re not that close, are we?”

It felt like someone had slammed the back of her head with a blunt object. Heat rushed to her face, and she stood there, stunned, like a reckless fool who had just been put in her place.

Facing her blank stare, Beomjin asked calmly, “When are you going back?”

Her lips twisted into a crooked smile. He didn’t know it, but with that one sentence, he had pressed a hidden button—one powered by sheer stubbornness and obsession.

With a sharp, determined look, she tightened her grip on his arm and whispered, “So you did forget me. You were the type who couldn’t let things go, following me to sketchy motels and police stations.”

His eyebrow twitched, clearly remembering. As his frown deepened, he sighed.

“And even after you disappeared, I was the same. When I heard you’d dropped out, I went to the police station. When I went to your house, it was a mess. It didn’t look like you’d left for any normal reason. No one in the neighborhood cared, so I was the only one badgering the police every day. Do you even know how many times I went to the station because of you?”

His dark eyes locked onto hers, their intensity unwavering. Her voice shook, but she didn’t falter. Tightening her grip on his arm, she continued, “You asked me when I’m going back? Sorry, but I haven’t decided. My job is to make sure this project finishes without a hitch. And no, I’m not going to a hotel. Not until I know why Kwon Beomjin became ‘Kim’ and why you disappeared like that.”

He said nothing, but his gaze remained steady.

Junyoung’s voice turned cold. “So come up with a good story. And if you disappear in front of me again, I won’t forgive you. Ever.”

Releasing his arm, she stepped back. Staring at him, standing as still as a statue, she added, “If those words mean nothing to you, then disappear.”

At least then, I’ll be free in some way.

Her steps were uneven as she walked away, but she didn’t care. Her swirling emotions were already more than enough to deal with.

***

A lukewarm breeze drifted through the room.

Junyoung blinked a few times, staring at the ceiling, and clicked her tongue in irritation. She felt unsure if she had fallen asleep for a brief moment or if she had been awake the entire time. Either way, the dawn had already broken. The faint light outside the door was growing steadily brighter.

After coming back to the house, she had barely managed to wash up before collapsing onto the bed. But her nerves were so wound up that sleep had been impossible. The damp smell of the bedding certainly didn’t help, but the bigger problem was the image of Kwon Beomjin. His face dominated her thoughts, refusing to leave.

Neither of them had committed a crime, and there was no reason for him to disappear overnight. And yet, she couldn’t shake the irrational fear that she would wake up to find him gone.

Is this why my body feels like it’s falling apart?

Groaning at the soreness spreading through her limbs, Junyoung sat up. It felt as though fatigue was clinging to every inch of her body like a sticky residue.

“This doesn’t make any sense,” she muttered, rubbing her stiff shoulders.

There could have been a much more normal way for them to meet again. After all, he had been the one to confess first, and judging by his personality, it was safe to assume she was his first love.

Running into a first love after years apart should have been something brighter, maybe even sentimental.

But no, things had turned out this way because of Kwon Beomjin. He had been the one to pretend not to know her, to draw that line first. He had also been the one to metaphorically slap her across the face with his indifference.

And there had to be a reason for it.

Maybe it even explained why he wasn’t using his real name.

“Was he adopted?”@@novelbin@@

…At that age?

“Or maybe he changed his name because he’s on the run,” she mumbled, this time with more conviction.

That scenario seemed more plausible. Maybe that’s why he had told her not to call him by any name at all. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance all those years ago had been far from normal.

I’m not usually an optimist.

Shaking her head, Junyoung wobbled to her feet. Her knee ached, and her neck felt chilly, but she still had to wash up and get ready for the day. No matter her state, mornings came, and life moved forward.

“You’re up already? It’s barely past six,” came a voice.

Junyoung turned to see the old woman stepping out with a broom, her eyes widening in surprise. Junyoung could feel her gaze land on the mismatched pants she was wearing, and she smiled awkwardly.

“Sorry about this. I had an accident yesterday. I’ll replace them with a new pair. Where should I go to buy them?”

“An accident? Oh my, how did your knee get so scraped up? Don’t worry about the pants. I have three or four pairs just like them.”

“Even so, I’d feel better replacing them. Please let me do that,” Junyoung insisted gently.

The old woman waved her hand dismissively. “They’re just old pants I bought at the market ages ago. Don’t trouble yourself. We usually have scorched rice porridge for breakfast; it takes about ten minutes. Do you eat things like that?”

“I love it. I’ll wash up and join you shortly.”

There was something about the old woman’s unassuming warmth that softened Junyoung’s demeanor. Her voice instinctively grew gentler in response. The woman chuckled, waving her hand again.

“The water will be cold right now. Wash up after breakfast. It takes a while for the hot water to come through. You have to leave the tap running for a while.”

“But it came on immediately last night…” Junyoung trailed off as the creak of a door opening drew her attention.

Turning, she saw Beomjin step out, a towel draped over his shoulder.