Just Twilight-Chapter 80

Junyoung didn’t respond right away. Instead, she stared at the veins on the back of his clenched hands, watching them darken under the strain.

When she finally spoke, her voice was calm.

“I’m not turning down the offer because I think you have feelings for me despite your engagement.”

Seungwoon’s cheek twitched.

Junyoung didn’t waver.

“I’m refusing because of that night. The way you grabbed my wrist and tried to drag me away, thinking only of your own emotions. You didn’t hesitate to throw away everything we had built up over the years. I saw that for what it was—a threat. And when I imagine what might have happened if someone hadn’t come in at that moment… I still struggle to sleep.”

“Junyoung, that’s not—”

The moment he reached out, she stood.

She hoped her voice wouldn’t shake.

“That’s why I’m refusing. Not because I can’t separate the personal from the professional, but because I don’t feel safe. I don’t think I can work in the same space as you.”

She turned toward the door, every nerve in her body on edge, bracing herself in case he grabbed her again.

But he didn’t move.

Instead, his voice stopped her cold.

“What about your mother?”

Junyoung’s heart dropped.

She froze mid-step.

“What about your mother, Junyoung—the one who’s only alive because of Hankeong?”

His voice took on a slow, coaxing tone, as if he were soothing a child.

“Are you finally sick of it?”

Staring at the closed door ahead of her, Junyoung clenched her fists. Her nails dug into her palms. Her lips trembled slightly.

“She’s your only family, isn’t she? And she’s in great health, too. If you abandon her just because of one man—you’ll never sleep soundly again.”

She heard his footsteps approaching.

It felt as if he were hammering her in place with his shadow, nailing her to the floor.

His voice slithered against her back.

“Could you do it? Could you pull out her breathing tube with your own hands? Or are you planning to run to Beomjin? Beg him to throw money into a void for you? How long do you think he’ll keep it up? What will you give him in return? What if he decides he won’t? Oh—are you planning to act like you reluctantly had to let her go then?”

Junyoung let out a sharp breath.

Rage roiled in her chest, hot and consuming.

The relationship between her and her mother was hers alone to define. No one else.

No one else had seen, felt, or endured everything that had passed between them.

She resented her mother. And yet, she still worked herself to the bone just to keep seeing that peacefully sleeping face.

What the hell was it about just being alive that made it so important?

Even she couldn’t fully explain it.

But one thing was clear.

No one had the right to weaponize it against her.

Slowly, Junyoung turned to face him.

“Nah Seungwoon.”

She met his eyes squarely.

“You never once saw me as a friend. I was always something you wanted to have—nothing more. Then, and now.”

“Junyoung, I—”

Before he could sigh out his next excuse, she cut him off.

“You already have more than enough. Look at what’s in your hands. Stop looking at everyone else’s. If you don’t, you’ll be miserable for the rest of your life.”

The hard set of his jaw wavered. His sharp, composed features tensed, his neatly furrowed brows breaking into a frown.

Junyoung met his gaze without flinching.

“Let’s never see each other again.”

For years, his warm, soft brown eyes had reminded her of a storybook prince.

Now, they collapsed into something dark and hollow.

She turned away.

She heard him say something.

But by then, his words could no longer reach her.

***

“No, look, if we add 300 here and subtract 27% over there, we should get 2,600.”

“Why are you subtracting 27% here? It should be over there. The correct number is 2,820.”

“Why?”

Jung-ho took a deep breath.

This guy used to handle all the interest calculations at his old company? No wonder it went under. Samdu had a lot of strengths, but math was not one of them.

“From now on, leave this kind of thing to someone else. Don’t trust your own brain.”

“And who am I supposed to leave it to? If not me, you’d have to fix it yourself.”

Most of the investment business and credit management had already been transferred to specialized departments, but they still had to personally handle the long-standing private loan cases.

Without an office of their own, the two of them were hunched over a table in the spacious lobby, heads practically pressed together as they argued over numbers.

“You’re lucky your head is still attached. I can’t believe hyungnim hasn’t thrown you off a building yet.”

“Worry about your own head. Where’s the chairman?”

“He’s meeting with the K Securities director in the tearoom.”

The so-called tearoom was a small café inside the JBK Financial building. Since every employee there was under JBK, it was a safe enough space that Jung-ho, who was usually in charge of Sangchun’s security, could take a brief breather with Samdu.

Honestly, though, standing like a statue outside the café doors might’ve been preferable to this nonsense.

“How’d your trip to Busan go?”

“What trip?”

Samdu’s eyebrow twitched before he suddenly cleared his throat and looked away. Jung-ho clicked his tongue.

“You’re being way too tight-lipped. Come on, I’m dying here! Hyungnim has a girlfriend? Do you know how crazy that sounds? Even the chairman keeps talking about it.”

“I don’t know. I don’t know anything. Don’t ask.”

“What’s there to be embarrassed about? Did he tell you to keep quiet? I already heard a bit from the chairman. Apparently, they’ve known each other since high school. What was her name again? Yoon… Ji-young? Jung-yeon?”

Jung-ho tried to recall, but his words trailed off when he noticed something odd.

Samdu was staring at something, blinking like he had just seen a ghost.

“What? What’s with that look?”

“…I think I might be hallucinating.”

“What, did a celebrity just walk in? I’ve been into Cha Kang-eun lately—”

Following Samdu’s gaze, Jung-ho turned his head—and saw the woman who had just entered the building.

She wore a crisp pastel blouse paired with a geometric-patterned skirt. She walked with precise steps, pausing in the center of the lobby to glance up at the directory sign above the reception desk.

A striking beauty with an unusual aura.

Her hair was tied back in a simple yet sharp style, and her poised posture, coupled with her sharp features, gave her an air of someone not easily approachable. Her presence alone was enough to make people hesitant to engage.

She wasn’t here to borrow money.

And she didn’t look like someone trying to pitch an investment deal.

Maybe she was at the wrong building?

“Nuna!”

Jung-ho’s thoughts were shattered by the sound of Samdu suddenly jumping to his feet.

The woman turned at the sound of his voice, her clear, keen eyes widening slightly.

“Samdu-ssi?”

A smile curled her lips—one that was both dazzling and mischievous, like a child about to pull a prank. The contrast between her poised demeanor and the liveliness in her smile was almost disorienting.

Jung-ho, still staring, barely managed to rise from his seat as she strode toward them without hesitation.

“Y-you—uh, what brings you here? Did you have an appointment with hyungnim? But he’s in a meeting right now—”

“I just barged in.” She waved a hand dismissively. “You have no idea how close I am to exploding right now. Is he in a meeting? What about you, Samdu-ssi? What are you doing here?”

“I was, uh… going over some rent calculations for the month. But… nuna, are you sure it’s okay for you to be here?”

Most women—especially young women—tended to avoid Samdu entirely.

But this woman?

She walked right up and plopped down next to him without a second thought.

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If anything, Samdu was the one shrinking his massive frame, hunching his broad shoulders.

“Why?” She raised an eyebrow. “Are people not allowed to come here unless they’re borrowing money?”

The warmth in her smile disappeared instantly.

The expression that followed was cold enough to rival the dead of winter.

Jung-ho watched, completely stunned, as Samdu fell into an uncharacteristic silence, his lips twitching like a mouse caught in a cat’s gaze.

But then, just as suddenly as it had come, the sharpness faded from her expression.

With a sigh, she slumped her shoulders.

“…Sorry. I’m on edge right now. I really might need to borrow money.”

“Wait, what?” Jung-ho frowned. “Did something happen?”

“You could call it a problem.” She exhaled. “I have to leave my company.”

“…Seriously?”

Samdu’s voice was louder than it should have been.

She shot him a pointed look, her delicate brows furrowing.

“Why do you sound so happy about that?”

“D-did I?”

“And who’s that guy who’s been staring holes into me since I walked in?”

Her sharp eyes landed on Jung-ho, and he instinctively glanced at Samdu for help.