Just Twilight-Chapter 64

"I heard."

Her tone was indifferent. Carpenter Seo frowned deeply.

"We haven’t even said anything yet, and you already ‘heard’ it? What do you think we were going to talk about?"

"Jung Mansu, wasn’t it?"

At her words, Seo pursed his lips. As more people started gathering in front of her, Junyoung took her time speaking. Her clear voice rang in their ears.

"Since you all seem quite invested in Mr. Jung’s situation, I thought it would be best to tell you directly. Jung Mansu has testified that he was pushed and fell. The police investigation has begun."

There was a collective intake of breath, followed by murmurs rippling through the group. Junyoung scanned their faces and continued.

"If any of you saw a stranger that afternoon or have something to say about that night’s shift, you’re welcome to come to me anytime. And just so you know, all the safety issues previously pointed out have been addressed. Please continue to prioritize your personal safety."

She gave a polite nod, then turned on her heel. As she walked away, she heard footsteps trailing her. Glancing back, she saw Yeongbok scratching the back of his neck.

"Something you need?"

"...That, uh, Kim hasn’t been around lately. You hear anything?"

Even as he spoke, he avoided looking at her directly, but his concern was obvious. If he was asking about Beomjin, that meant he was worried about him.

Junyoung shook her head. "I wouldn’t know. Are you worried?"

"Nah, not really, but for someone new to this line of work, he caught on quick. He worked hard. A guy like that suddenly disappearing after over a month—it’s strange."

"He probably found another job."

She answered casually. He seemed like the sentimental type. Unlike the other men who often showed up reeking of sweat and grime, Yeongbok was surprisingly clean.

Despite the unavoidable scent of sweat and dust, he carried a faint trace of fabric softener. She had heard he lived alone, yet he seemed meticulous about keeping his place tidy.

"What’s your relationship with him?"

"Huh?"

Junyoung turned to him, confused. He motioned with his chin toward a parked car.

"Kim’s not here, so why does that guy keep showing up?"

"Ssamdu? He’s not a threat. But if you’re worried about me, I appreciate it."

Her nonchalant response made Yeongbok frown even more. After a long pause, he sighed.

"I still can’t believe it. That Jung was pushed."

Junyoung glanced at him. He was one of the few people close to Jung Mansu.

"You worked with him that night, didn’t you?"

"Yeah. The rain had delayed things, so we were rushing to catch up."

"Who decides whether there’s a night shift? The supervisor?"

"Most of the time."

"Then no one can predict which days will require night shifts? How are teams assigned?"

Her rapid questioning made Yeongbok raise an eyebrow.

"Why so many questions? Go ask the supervisor."

"You started this conversation, so I thought you wanted to talk to me."

She met his gaze without hesitation, making him let out a small scoff. Stretching his back, he replied,

"Those of us who’ve been here long enough can make a good guess. We knew it would be a night shift because of the rain. As for the team, they put it together as needed."

"Did anyone have a grudge against Jung? Any money troubles?"

Yeongbok turned to look at her. His face was unreadable, but there was a depth of emotion there that couldn’t be easily placed.

His lips pressed into a thin line before he exhaled deeply. Wrinkles formed on his otherwise firm face.

"Mansu was a good guy. All he cared about was his family. If only he’d gotten the settlement money to clear his debts, none of this would’ve happened."

Junyoung’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her lips curled at one side.

"If he hadn’t gambled in the first place, he wouldn’t have had any debts to begin with."

She had already read Jung Mansu’s credit records. There was no reason to feel overly sympathetic. Her voice carried a cold edge, making Yeongbok scowl.

"You must’ve grown up sheltered. Life doesn’t always go as planned. People make mistakes."

Sheltered? That made her chuckle.

"A mistake doesn’t mean you’re free of responsibility. Especially—"

She met his increasingly sharp gaze head-on.

"—if that mistake ended up destroying the lives of the very people he claimed to care about."

A cold silence settled between them. Yeongbok’s expression hardened. His voice dropped dangerously low.

"He did it for his family. He wanted them to have a better life. He wanted to take care of them."

"Ah, I see. So gambling was the answer? That’s the dumbest excuse I’ve ever heard. If he truly did it for them, he should’ve at least gotten their consent before putting their lives on the line. But if they had any sense, they wouldn’t have agreed."

The veins in Yeongbok’s neck bulged. His jaw clenched tightly, eyes burning with anger.

"You think a man with no options has many choices? Not everyone gets to walk the straight and narrow like you. Do you have any idea how much these men struggle, the agony they go through as husbands and fathers?"

"No. And I don’t care to. All I hear are excuses."

At her cold retort, his fist trembled at his side. Noticing the tension, Ssamdu had stepped out of the car and was approaching them. Glaring at her with bloodshot eyes, Yeongbok muttered,

"Well. At least now they don’t have to pay out the settlement."

"The company isn’t a charity. They can’t just hand out money to cover gambling debts."

With a sharp spit at the ground, Yeongbok turned and walked away. Only then did Junyoung let out a long sigh and cross her arms. Her hands felt stiff from the tension.

Thought he was gonna hit me. Why is he so defensive? Was he really that close to Jung Mansu?

"Sis, are you alright?"

"Shh. Don’t say anything."

She quickly cut off Ssamdu’s concern, furrowing her brows.

Something was off. Something was buzzing in the back of her mind like an annoying fly, but she couldn’t pin it down.

Clicking her tongue, she turned toward him.

"Maybe I’m just hungry. What should we eat tonight?"

"Anything is fine with me. Are you heading home now?"

"Yeah. I’m done for the day."

Waving a hand dismissively, she walked to the car. Ssamdu held the door open for her, and she climbed in, rolling her shoulders. As the car pulled away smoothly, she asked,

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

"I might be heading back to Seoul soon. Will you still be working with me there?"

"Not sure yet. Haven’t heard anything from the boss."

"Hmm."

She nodded and pulled out some documents from her bag—case files related to construction site falls in the area, courtesy of Beomjin. Skimming through them, she muttered,

"Grandma’s gonna be lonely if we all leave at once."

"That kimchi was delicious."

At Ssamdu’s wistful remark, she chuckled. Then, her eyes sharpened as she read further.

"Why do they all look so similar?"

"Sorry?"

Ssamdu glanced at her. Flipping through the pages, she murmured,

"Men in their 40s and 50s, mostly divorced, each with a daughter, all buried in debt… But none had bad reputations. None had family issues. And the creditors—they’re all different. Wait. Seongjin Finance and Seongjin Capital—are they the same company?"