Just Twilight-Chapter 71

Even during her statement, Junyoung’s responses had been sharp and airtight. The detective clicked his tongue, stepping back. She gave a polite nod before walking out of the station, letting out a long sigh.

Waiting outside, Samdu ran up to her.

“You worked hard, Hyungnim, Noona.”

“You too, Samdu. I feel like I have an uncanny connection with police stations. I keep ending up in them way too often.”

She chuckled as she turned to look at Beomjin beside her, but he wasn’t returning her gaze. He simply addressed Samdu instead.

“Good job. Go home first.”

“Yes, sir.”

With a grin and a bow, Samdu got into his car and drove off. Junyoung quietly rolled her eyes. The way Beomjin stood in the middle of the pitch-black night felt unsettling.

“You must be exhausted. Should we just head back and rest?”

“Get in.”

Beomjin’s curt command came as he walked toward the car. Junyoung pursed her lips but climbed into the passenger seat.

However, the car wasn’t headed toward her grandmother’s house. Sitting in silence within the heavy atmosphere Beomjin had created, Junyoung’s brows lifted when she saw the hotel appearing before them.

Did he have the same thought as me? Not tired, huh? I mean, I’m a little tired, but nothing I can’t handle.

She followed Beomjin, who had already secured the room key in advance, into the hotel. Clearing her throat, she felt an odd tension—an incongruous chill in the air, given their surroundings.

Junyoung let out a small gasp as she stepped inside the suite. The spacious room had a refined, classic interior, with an open view of the city’s dazzling nightscape.

“This is my first time in a suite. I only ever stay in hotels for business trips. This is nice. Really spacious.”

Though she busily explored the living area, her focus was entirely on Beomjin, who remained silent. Scratching her chin, she turned to him.

“You want something to drink? Or do you want to shower first and sleep? Oh, wow, there are two bedrooms in here?”

“Yoon Junyoung.”

Her name cut through the air like a verdict. Beomjin, now seated on the couch, gestured with his eyes.

“Sit here.”

His gaze was sharp. It wasn’t the look of a man who had just held her, kissed her, and devoured her. That’s when it finally dawned on Junyoung—whatever she had imagined happening here wasn’t going to happen. She let out a small yawn.

“I’m really tired right now. Can’t we talk tomorrow? Oh wait, it’s already tomorrow. Either way, can’t we sleep first?”

“Sit.”

There was no room for negotiation. His face remained unreadable, but it was clear that he was angry. Clicking her tongue, Junyoung trudged over to the couch and plopped down.

Beomjin raised a brow, then leaned forward, his voice dropping low.

“If you knew I was almost there, you should’ve waited for me. Why did you go up there alone?”

“I just thought—what if nothing happened?”

“You said yourself you thought he was luring you in. Do you really think Choi Yeongbok would go through all that just to mess around?”

“That’s why I called.”

Junyoung hesitated as she chewed on her lip. The way Beomjin’s eyes darkened made her clear her throat. She darted her eyes around before sighing and lifting her head.

“Fine. I admit it. I was reckless. I didn’t have to go that far, but I did.”

“You ‘went a little far’?”

Beomjin’s voice was rough, laced with restrained frustration.

“The detective was right. If I’d been even a little late, do you have any idea what could’ve happened to you? And you call that ‘a little far’?”

At the intensity of his voice, Junyoung hurried to explain.

“What else was I supposed to do? I wanted to resolve this quickly. I was confident I could make Choi Yeongbok confess. Do you know how much this whole thing has screwed me over? The project I was in charge of got taken by my superior, my achievements are being credited to someone else riding that same line, and I don’t even know how long I’ll be stuck in Busan. Meanwhile, you’re leaving for Seoul. So yeah, I gambled with my life. Why not?”

“…You.”

Beomjin exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face as he furrowed his brows.

“Is your life that worthless to you?”

“Do I look like I took this lightly?”

Junyoung snapped, standing up abruptly.

“There’s no solid proof that Choi Yeongbok is the culprit. Without a confession, they have no way of locking him up. Sure, maybe the police could get a confession out of him. But when? What if he realizes what’s happening and disappears? How long do you think this case will drag on then? Two months? Three? And how long do you think I’ll be stuck here?”

Beomjin narrowed his eyes at her sharp retort, but Junyoung didn’t give him a chance to speak.

“If you didn’t know, then take note now—I’m the type to make a bold move when it counts. If you get used to stepping down one step at a time, before you realize it, you’re already at rock bottom. If a situation looks like it’s going to drag on, you have to find a way to break through. You can’t just sit there staring blankly until you hit the ground.”

Beomjin opened his mouth as if to argue but ended up exhaling sharply and shaking his head. He knew there was no winning against Junyoung when she had that serious look in her eyes. He pressed his fingers against his temple, speaking in frustration.

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“Why the hell are you treating your company job like life or death?”

“You think I’ve been going in and out of the ER for fun?”

Junyoung jutted her lips slightly, her fiery energy easing just a little. Moving with the grace of a cat, she slid onto his lap, her movements smooth and teasing. Beomjin let out an incredulous chuckle, flicking her nose lightly.

“I’m still mad. Do you have any idea how my heart nearly stopped when I saw you cornered on that ledge?”

“I only had the guts to go up there alone because of you,” she murmured, meeting his gaze. “I knew you were close. I trusted that Kwon Beomjin wouldn’t just stand by and let something happen to me.”

There was an unwavering trust in her eyes, the kind that wasn’t given lightly. Beomjin narrowed his gaze, gripping her hips tightly, a quiet growl slipping from his throat.

“So, I’m the reason you pulled that reckless stunt?”

“Don’t twist my words,” she chided. “It’s been a long, exhausting day. Instead of sulking, how about you hold me already?”

Stretching her arms out playfully, she smirked.

“Or maybe Kwon Beomjin is too tired from missing sleep. Want me to help you wash up?”

Her voice was laced with mischief, a temptation no devil could have whispered better. The warmth of her body against his thigh sent a rush through him, one he barely swallowed down. His gaze darkened as he slowly lowered his eyes.

“How exactly are you going to help?”

The corners of Junyoung’s lips curled, like a predator who had just baited its prey. She trailed her fingers along his cheek, down the column of his neck, feeling the way his skin tensed beneath her touch.

“Well, first—let’s get rid of this jacket.”

Slipping her hands inside his blazer, she slid it off his shoulders effortlessly. Beomjin let her do as she pleased, watching her with half-lidded eyes. Junyoung wasted no time, pulling his tie loose with a flick of her wrist, her voice dropping to a whisper.

“And then, the buttons.”

Her fingers worked their way down, undoing his shirt one by one, revealing the heat radiating from his skin.

The space around them seemed to tighten, like the air itself was pulling them closer. Junyoung cradled his face, pressing a slow, deliberate kiss to the corner of his eye before settling onto his lap, straddling him.

Beomjin’s dark eyes locked onto hers, intense and unreadable. Beneath her, she could feel the shift in his body, unmistakable.

“Should we move to the bathroom?”

“No.”

His answer was firm, clipped. His hand curled around the back of her neck, pulling her down into a fierce kiss.

Their breaths tangled together, heat pooling between them. Junyoung pushed his shirt fully off his shoulders, her fingertips skimming across firm muscles.

Beomjin didn’t hesitate. His touch was demanding, claiming. Junyoung gasped softly as his hands roamed, tracing fire along her skin. A shiver ran down her spine.

“…But seriously,” she whispered between ragged breaths, “are you sure you don’t need any sleep?”

Beomjin’s lips found her pulse point, pressing, teasing. His voice was husky as he murmured against her skin.

“You wake me up and then ask me that?”

“I was just offering to help you wash—”

Her teasing was cut off with a sharp inhale as his hands gripped her thighs, pulling her closer. His voice was a hushed warning, threaded with something dangerous.

“Don’t make me worry like that again, Yoon Junyoung. I don’t handle that well. I don’t know how to hold back.”