Just Twilight

Junyoung felt the stares and whispers following her all day, but she had grown used to such an environment since she was a child. Now, even the laborers were talking about how Junyoung had supposedly taken out loans from loan sharks.

This all stemmed from the fact that Samdu, who had been stationed at the construction site's parking lot to keep an eye on Beomjin, had now brazenly parked his car in front of the office and was diligently watching over her.
On her way to work, the office manager had seen the car and gone to ask Samdu to move it. However, upon seeing him step out of the vehicle, the manager had awkwardly backed off and retreated inside.
"Must’ve parked there for a quick errand. We have some extra space anyway, so let’s not be too harsh about it."

Min-sook shook her head in exasperation but couldn’t exactly push the manager to do something about it. It didn’t take long for them to realize who Samdu was watching.
Like a lookout, Min-sook glanced out the window at regular intervals. She eventually approached Junyoung, who was packing up her bag, and whispered cautiously.
“Are you sure everything’s okay? Should I call the police?”

“It’s fine. He’s the younger brother of an old hometown friend.”
“A friend’s brother? Then why is he hanging around like that all day?”
“He’s a little shy. Takes him a while to say what he needs to. I’m meeting Chief Kim and then heading straight home.”

“All right. Please be careful, though.”
Even though Junyoung acted nonchalantly, Min-sook whispered anxiously. Junyoung offered her a small smile before stepping out of the office.
Samdu, who was sitting in his car, widened his eyes as Junyoung walked straight toward him. She confidently opened the passenger-side door.

“You’re going to follow me anyway, right? I’m heading to the district office.”
“Please, get in.”
Junyoung suspected that Beomjin might have assigned Samdu to her as a kind of makeshift chauffeur, given she didn’t have a car. With a faint smile at his cooperative nod, she got into the passenger seat. After buckling her seatbelt, the car smoothly pulled away.

“Don’t you get bored? Just watching all day?” she asked, rubbing her stiff shoulders.
“Watching is my job. There’s no time to be bored.”
Surprised by his unexpectedly earnest response, Junyoung blinked a few times before nodding in approval.

“That’s impressive.”
“Uh, no, I mean… it’s not really…” he stammered, flustered.
“Has Chief Kim called yet?”
Samdu, still shaken, cleared his throat and replied, “He only asked if anything unusual happened.”

“And you didn’t say nothing happened, did you?” Junyoung’s eyes narrowed as she asked, making Samdu mirror her expression in surprise.
“Is there something going on?”
“Of course, there is!” she declared confidently.

Samdu glanced at the side mirror and slowed the car down. “What kind of situation are we talking about?”
“If nothing’s happening, I’ll make something happen. If it gets too annoying, just give Beomjin’s number to whoever’s causing trouble.”
Samdu exhaled a quiet sigh and clamped his mouth shut, while Junyoung pouted and sifted through the documents in her bag.

“What’s your business at the district office?” Samdu asked, attempting to steer the conversation elsewhere.
“I’m meeting with a district official. I need to verify some details about a reported accident at a nearby construction site.”
“Should I come in with you?”

“You too? Haven’t you guys already determined that compensating Jung Mansu’s debt with settlement money isn’t possible?”
“It’s not about Jung Mansu. It’s about you. I heard that official has a bit of a… weakness for women. I’m worried something unpleasant might happen.”
Junyoung’s eyes widened at his words. She blinked a few times before suppressing a smile and replying in a measured tone.

“You know, calling me ‘ma’am’ feels a little odd.”
“I’m twenty-eight this year. I think I’m the same age as your brother.”
“Twenty-eight?”

Junyoung had assumed he was at least thirty-five but had been calling Beomjin “brother” out of loyalty. Realizing how startled she had looked, she awkwardly laughed and waved her hand dismissively.
“You definitely look the part. So, how long have you known Beomjin?”
“About six years.”

“Hm.” Junyoung nodded, lost in thought.
What was Beomjin like in his twenties?
While she was frantically juggling her double major, part-time jobs, and the cutthroat world of corporate work, what kind of life had he been living? What kind of scenery had filled his days?

“…Did he ever have a girlfriend?”
“Who? Me?” Samdu’s eyes widened, and his face turned red. Junyoung simply stared at him blankly until he sheepishly realized her actual meaning.
“Oh, our boss? Take one look at him, ma’am. Wherever he went, he was like a celebrity. Even if he wasn’t interested, there were enough heartbroken women to form a line around the globe…”

Samdu’s rambling came to an abrupt halt when he noticed Junyoung’s sharp gaze. Clearing his throat, he hastily gripped the wheel tighter.
“But the boss was always so strict. One time, someone dared to touch his thigh, and let’s just say they regretted it. After that, nobody dared to try anything. He’s got a soft spot for strong liquor, though. Once, when he was drunk, I jokingly asked why he keeps his distance from women. He said he always sees someone’s face whenever he looks at one. We figured he must have lost someone dear to him, but…”
Feeling the air grow colder, Samdu hurriedly corrected himself.

“…But thankfully, she’s alive and well.”
Samdu couldn’t bring himself to glance sideways and instead focused intensely on the GPS. The road to the district office felt endlessly long and treacherous. Then, Junyoung’s cheerful yet slightly mechanical voice broke the silence.
“Haha. Can’t wait to see you, Kwon Beomjin.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m looking forward to it too,” Samdu replied nervously.
Junyoung couldn’t help but smile faintly as she noticed Samdu’s broad, earnest shoulders slump at her comment. She considered teasing him further, maybe pushing him to send an SOS to Beomjin, but there was no need. She liked Samdu. It was rare for her to form a positive opinion of someone so quickly.
To grant him some peace, Junyoung quietly returned to scanning her documents, only to be interrupted by the vibration of her phone. The name flashing on the screen wasn’t one she was happy to see, but she couldn’t ignore the call. Giving Samdu a subtle glance, she pressed the answer button.

“Yes, this is Yoon Junyoung.”
“Head to Seoul tomorrow. Suite 1203 at the S Hotel. The young master will be there. Pick up the envelope left at the lobby and deliver it to him. Around 9:30 a.m. should be fine.”
“What kind of urgent documents require such last-minute—”

Before she could finish, the line went dead. She clicked her tongue in annoyance.
She was all too familiar with how Manager Kim treated her. It wasn’t surprising, really. In fact, Junyoung credited her enhanced problem-solving skills to this kind of curt treatment. Many times in the past, she’d blindly followed his orders without explanation, only to end up in embarrassing situations.
Staring at her phone, Junyoung mulled over the situation.

A hotel. And delivering an envelope to Na Seungwoon at that specific time.
Why assign this task to me? Do they not know I’m down in Busan?
Even if they don’t know, it’s odd. If they can leave the envelope at the lobby, why not deliver it directly?

Why me, specifically?
…Is it because someone shouldn’t see Seungwoon at the hotel at that hour? But why is Na Seungwoon at a hotel on a weekday?
“Nuna, we’re here,” Samdu’s cautious voice interrupted her train of thought. She blinked and looked up, spotting the district office building. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she turned to him.

“Looks like I’ll need to take the first train to Seoul tomorrow.”
“If you’d prefer driving, you can take this car.”
Junyoung blinked at his straightforward suggestion. “You’re planning to come to Seoul with me?”

“I was told to keep an eye on you anytime you leave the office. That includes Seoul.”
She hadn’t expected the directive to extend that far. Junyoung stared at him for a moment, taking in his straightforward, dependable demeanor, and felt even more pleased with him. She chuckled softly and tapped his shoulder.
“Fine. While we’re there, let’s stop by and visit Kwon Beomjin together.”

Samdu glanced between her and his own shoulder before hurriedly stepping out of the car. Following close behind her, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
***
The timing, at least, was appropriate. Though hectic, Junyoung had needed to visit Seoul at some point anyway.

Thanks to Samdu, who had thoughtfully laid out a blanket in the backseat, Junyoung shamelessly napped during the drive. After arriving in Seoul, she stopped by her place to freshen up and change before heading to the hotel right on schedule. Of course, she still used Samdu’s car. The whole situation felt absurd enough to make her chuckle—it was like living the life of someone with a personal chauffeur.
Since it wasn’t peak traffic, she arrived without delay. At the lobby, she presented her name and employee ID to the staff, who handed her a thin, sealed envelope. Nothing was written on it.
The combination of Na Seungwoon and a hotel naturally brought a few speculative thoughts to mind, but Junyoung dismissed them. She calmly stepped into the elevator, checked the time, and pressed the doorbell at precisely 9:30 a.m.

Seungwoon enjoyed waking up early for morning workouts. Given the nature of his work in the Business Planning team, this was usually followed by a quick meal and an early morning meeting at the office.
After waiting a few moments without a response, Junyoung reached out to press the bell again, only for the door to open with a heavy sound.
“What now?”

Na Seungwoon appeared, wearing a bathrobe. His hair was still damp, suggesting he’d just showered.
Junyoung saw him glance upward, shaking his head slightly as if irritated, only for his face to shift dramatically when he recognized her. The scowl etched on his forehead gave way to wide, astonished eyes.
“J-Junyoung?”

Why does he look like he’s seen a ghost?
Feigning casualness, she tossed him a light question. “What brings you to a hotel on a weekday? Skipping work?”
“No, no, it’s not like that. This isn’t what it looks like,” he stammered, his face growing pale as he frantically shook his head.

Without much thought, Junyoung held out the envelope she had been carrying. “Whatever you say. Here you go, Team Leader. This is the document I was told to deliver…”
“Babe, what is it? Did you order room service again?”