Just Twilight-Chapter 79

Beomjin’s lips curled slightly as his gaze flicked to one side of the living room.

“It would look good hanging over there.”

Junyoung followed his gaze to the empty wall, her lips quirking. It was just idle conversation, yet something about it made her chest tighten. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, then gave him a sharp look.

“You haven’t planned out kids yet, have you?”

“Not interested. I wouldn’t know how to raise one properly.”

He shook his head but then absently rubbed his chin.

“But… if it was your kid, I’d want to see. No matter who they took after, they wouldn’t be easy to handle.”

“I can’t believe you. Just how far ahead are you thinking?”

“Yoon Junyoung.”

He caught her hand as she kept shifting on his lap, pulling her down firmly as he whispered.

“How long do you plan on pretending you don’t notice?”

Feeling the tension in his body beneath her touch, Junyoung smirked and tilted her chin up.

Strangely enough, whenever she was with Beomjin, she found herself thinking about the future. And that future was always brighter than one where she was alone.

Cupping his face in both hands like a well-trained puppy, she grinned mischievously.

“I’ll only give you a kiss.”

“That’s all you get, then.”

With a lazy flick of his eyebrow, he pulled her close, pressing his lips softly against hers. The warmth of their bodies overlapped. Somewhere between the cool air of the room and the lingering heat of her shower, her bathrobe slowly slipped away.

***

The general meeting proceeded as planned. As soon as the resolution for appointing new executives was finalized, the media broke the news of Seungwoon and Jang Sera’s engagement. There had been discussions about the power structure between President Hong Inseob and the Hongs as a whole, but everything had been carefully controlled to prevent any unnecessary exposure of their internal conflicts.

Junyoung, who had been monitoring the meeting from the conference room while handling all media communication, practically melted into her chair the moment it was over. Now that the tension had drained out of her, exhaustion came crashing in.

She realized something then.

This wasn’t something she could blame on Kwon Beomjin.

It had always been her own decision.

No, but that didn’t mean Beomjin wasn’t at fault. Last night, he was particularly determined to drown me in sugar, as if he were trying to…!

“Great work, Assistant Manager Yoon.”

“Thanks for your efforts.”

Manager Im waved a hand from across the table, making Junyoung sit up straighter. But given their dark circles and haggard faces, they both ended up laughing instead.

“Well, that’s another one down. Considering how quickly this team was thrown together, we worked well, don’t you think?”

“I learned a lot.”

Her polite response made Manager Im wave his hand lazily.

“You’re efficient. It’s refreshing. People like me, who work slow, need people like you as motivation.”

“You’re just careful.”

“By the way…”

He was about to say something when Junyoung’s phone lit up. It was always a mystery why that name only seemed to appear when she was with other people.

With an awkward smile, she flipped her phone face down.

“Probably just calling to take credit. He’s not one to hold back when it comes to patting himself on the back.”

“I see.”

“You can continue. I don’t need to take it.”

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“No, it’s fine. Let’s get out of this suffocating conference room first.”

As he stood up, Junyoung followed suit, tidying up her seat. But just as she was about to grab her laptop, Manager Im suddenly hesitated.

A corporate email notification had popped up.

Their eyes met in the air.

“Let’s hope it’s not another assignment.”

“I’d rather read it at my desk.”

Shaking her head, Junyoung started walking—only to notice Manager Im’s gaze slowly shifting toward her as he read through the email.

Blinking at his odd expression, she tilted her head.

“What? Don’t tell me it’s actually more work.”

Wordlessly, he turned his laptop toward her.

Junyoung’s brows furrowed as she read the message.

It was an HR announcement.

Her overseas reassignment to the European branch.

“…Project Manager?”

She repeated the title, half laughing at how absurd it sounded.

It was technically a promotion. A huge one.

The only major project she had handled was TANDOZ, and that had merely been the opening move in breaking into the European distribution market. Hankeong was setting its sights on something much bigger now.

The problem was that she wasn’t even remotely qualified for the position. A Project Manager at the European branch had considerable autonomy, but that also meant shouldering massive responsibilities.

Someone with just five or six years of experience wasn’t supposed to take on a role like this.

“Do they just need a scapegoat to spearhead the new business? What kind of logic is behind this?”

“I heard Team Leader—no, Executive Na Seungwoon—was showing a lot of interest in that project.”

Manager Im exhaled lightly.

“I didn’t mention it before since it was just a rumor, but… Apparently, he’s considering taking over the European branch entirely.”

“…What?”

“He’s an executive now, so he has to show results to the shareholders. It’s a big market, and since it’s still in its early stages, people will give it at least a few years before they judge its success or failure. It’s high risk, but it also has enormous potential. There’s no reason for him to turn it down.”

Junyoung’s lips parted slightly.

No way.

There was no way he reassigned her there with that in mind.

Not after making a whole spectacle with his engagement to Jang Sera.

A chill ran down her spine.

The memory of his iron grip on her wrist flashed through her mind. Her brows furrowed deeply.

Just then, a sharp ringing cut through the silence.

It was the conference room’s internal phone.

Glancing at Manager Im, who was watching her cautiously, Junyoung nodded once and reached for the receiver.

A clear, steady voice came through the line.

—“Assistant Manager Yoon Junyoung?”

“Yes, this is Yoon Junyoung speaking.”

—“Executive Na Seungwoon is requesting your presence.”

Her expression hardened instantly.

Manager Im sighed under his breath.

The tension in the room plummeted to the floor.

***

The newly renovated executive office had an entirely different atmosphere from before. Given that it now housed the youngest executive in Hankeong’s history, it was clear that considerable effort had been put into its design.

As Junyoung stepped inside, she saw Seungwoon standing by the window, gazing outside. He turned his head at her entrance.

“Have a seat.”

The polite formality in his tone made Junyoung dip her head slightly before taking a seat on the sofa. His demeanor was effortless as he ordered tea from his secretary.

Dressed in a neatly tailored navy suit, his face appeared sharper and thinner than before, giving him an even more severe impression.

“I assume you’ve seen the personnel announcement. You must have found it sudden. I had planned to give you a heads-up, but I wasn’t able to get through to you.”

This was the last thing she had expected from him.

Junyoung sat upright and looked at him directly.

“I heard that you recommended me for the position. I’d like to know why you thought I was the right choice.”

Seungwoon walked over slowly and took a seat across from her, a faint smirk pulling at his lips.

It was hard to believe that this was the same man who had been so violently agitated the last time they met. Now, he was composed, polite, and completely in control.

Loosening the knot of his tie slightly, he began speaking.

“I’ve watched you work. I know what kind of person you are, Assistant Manager Yoon. I know how hard you work, how much you’ve accomplished, and how undervalued you’ve been.”

Junyoung studied him carefully.

Was this distance between them meant to be an apology for the way he had acted that day? Was this his attempt at atonement?

But Seungwoon met her gaze calmly and continued.

“In a situation where a new market must be developed, I don’t need someone with more experience or broader knowledge. You handled the TANDOZ deal, which means you understand the local conditions well. You’re decisive, competent, and highly capable. I simply recommended a skilled employee. HR must have agreed with my assessment, or they wouldn’t have approved it.”

“There’s a rumor that you’ll be directly overseeing the European branch yourself.”

At her words, Seungwoon’s sharp brows twitched slightly.

But almost immediately, he smiled.

“That’s true. I see it as an opportunity to prove myself as an executive.”

Junyoung’s lips curled faintly as well.

After a brief pause, she lifted her gaze.

“I’m sorry, but I won’t be taking this position. I think you already know why.”

His pupils shook violently.

The smile faded from his face, twisting into something unreadable.

Slowly, he clenched his fists.

His voice, when he finally spoke, was hard and clipped.

“You need to learn how to separate the personal from the professional, Assistant Manager Yoon. My feelings have nothing to do with this appointment.”