“Would it be alright if I stepped out for a moment to talk?”
“Uh, sure. Go ahead. I’ll keep an eye on Jung Woo-min.”
After entrusting Jung Woo-min to Min Ji-hye, Lee Jaehyun walked over to Yoon Minha, who was beaming with a bright smile.
Yoon Minha, noticing Lee Jaehyun approaching her, stopped filming and quietly lowered her smartphone.
“I don’t know who he is, but he seems like a Fraudster? How did you discover and catch him… Your insight is impressive.”
“………I don’t think it’s all that impressive for a Police Officer to catch a criminal.”
“But for a Sergeant to catch a Fraudster, and to spot him right on the scene and arrest him like this—it’s impressive, isn’t it?”
Yoon Minha smiled cheerfully, as if expecting Lee Jaehyun to agree.
Lee Jaehyun didn’t really have much to say to that.
To be honest, even he would have thought, ‘He’s a Sergeant and he pulled that off? That’s impressive,’ if it had been someone else.
“If he’s asking to see his wife and daughter, it must mean they’re both hospitalized.”
“And it seems like he’s a Fraudster who’s been on the run for a while, so if he walked in here on his own… There must’ve been some issue that brought him in. I can only think of one thing. Sergeant Lee Jaehyun, what do you think?”
Yoon Minha asked, glancing at Lee Jaehyun.
It was a question with the answer already in mind.
It was a case that had just occurred before their eyes, and any Reporter with even a bit of sense would have caught on by now.
Lee Jaehyun didn’t bother to deny it.
He shrugged his shoulders and spoke.
“Well, I guess I got caught on the scene myself.”
“Excuse me? Ahaha!”
Yoon Minha burst into a clear, ringing laughter, as if she’d never even considered such an answer.
She laughed so much that she had to brush her hair back, still smiling.
“Wow, I almost cried laughing, because I never imagined you’d say something like that.”
“I don’t really get what’s so funny, though.”
Lee Jaehyun replied with a strange expression.
He’d just answered as he felt, but truly couldn’t understand what was so funny.
But Yoon Minha continued, as if it was only natural to find it funny.
“If someone who just caught a Fraudster says something like that, isn’t it only natural to laugh?”
“Well, anyway, moving on. As for what just happened…”
Whether his answer was funny or not didn’t really matter, so Lee Jaehyun quickly moved the conversation along.
Yoon Minha immediately responded to his words.
“Of course I need to write an Article. I saw it myself and even filmed it.”
“Please don’t use the video. Filming without the other person’s consent…”
“I’ll only write the Article, I promise.”
With a bright smile, Yoon Minha replied.
To be honest, even if she did use the video she just filmed, there wasn’t much Lee Jaehyun could actually do about it.
There were plenty of loopholes to exploit from the start.
But it seemed Yoon Minha had no intention of making things difficult for Lee Jaehyun, as she answered readily.
“And also, I think it’d be best not to turn your personal speculation just now into an Article.”
“Well, if you want, I’ll separate it out and make a different Article.”
Again, Yoon Minha nodded readily to Lee Jaehyun’s words.
Her obedient cooperation made Lee Jaehyun feel even more suspicious, so he quietly watched her.
Receiving his gaze, Yoon Minha candidly shared what she wanted.
“In that case, would you be able to do an interview with me?”
“An interview?”
“You say no, but from my perspective, I think I’m right. Myung Jinhan, Park Chunbeom, and now even the Fraudster. Oh, don’t tell me… Is Sergeant Lee Jaehyun also the one who caught the perpetrator of the Attempted Child Assault Case?”
For a moment, Lee Jaehyun was caught off guard by Yoon Minha’s sudden question and couldn’t respond.
News that Police Officer Lee Jaehyun had caught Goo Hyunseok, the perpetrator of the Attempted Child Assault Case, hadn’t even spread internally within the police yet.
Naturally, it should have been impossible for Yoon Minha to know—but her question, and Lee Jaehyun’s expression, gave her all the answer she needed.
“Huh, was I right? I was really just taking a shot in the dark.”
Muttering to herself, Lee Jaehyun let out a small sigh and replied.
“An interview… That might be difficult. Is there anything else?”
“Wow, you don’t like this, you don’t like that… You’re pretty greedy.”
Interviews were burdensome for him, and Lee Jaehyun, who’d never done an interview in his previous life either, wasn’t used to it.
He also didn’t like the idea of becoming the subject of an Article.
Honestly, who would enjoy being the center of a news story?
Lee Jaehyun stared at Yoon Minha, but she was the first to throw in the towel.
She raised both hands and spoke.
“Then, how about we just keep in touch from time to time?”
“That’s fine.”
Staying in touch from time to time.
Well, even if Lee Jaehyun wasn’t close with reporters, there had been some he kept in contact with, so he nodded and agreed readily.
There was nothing to lose.
If something came up, he could throw her a scoop.
And perhaps, there’d be times when he’d need help from a reporter as well.
“Not sure how often, but…”
Still, Yoon Minha seemed quite competent, so it wouldn’t hurt to get closer.
While Lee Jaehyun was thinking that, Yoon Minha spoke again.
“Oh, but you do know it’s strange if your work doesn’t become an Article, right? So many incidents have happened in quick succession, people haven’t had time to dig into it yet. But I can guarantee that, at the latest, within a month, there’ll be an Article with your name, Sergeant.”
There was nothing he could say to refute that.
The Article would break sooner or later.
Lee Jaehyun didn’t plan to block it unreasonably.
It’s not like he committed any Crime; he was just catching criminals. There was no need to desperately stop it.
Still, he hoped the Article would come after the Child Kidnapping Case was resolved.
Lee Jaehyun intended to keep things quiet until the case broke, which meant he had to investigate on site without drawing attention.
It wouldn’t do if the kidnapper recognized him.
A child’s life was at stake; unnecessary variables had to be avoided.
With that in mind, he spoke.
“I know. It’ll break sooner or later.”
“Then… what if I’m the one to break it first?”
“Just give me a week to prepare myself.”
“A week? That’s all you need?”
“Yes, if you can wait until the first weekend of next month, I won’t say a word when you publish it.”
He didn’t want to be in the news, but he’d rather have an Article about him as a specialist in apprehending violent criminals than as someone mired in controversy over excessive force.
“Thank you. I’ll write it up nicely and release it after next weekend.”
“Alright, then.”
After a slight nod, Lee Jaehyun turned away.
Yoon Minha, seemingly satisfied with what she’d gained, smiled and bid him farewell, making no move to stop him.
Heading towards where Min Ji-hye and Jung Woo-min were—
Se-re-hen appeared before his eyes.
“That Reporter shares my opinion.”
Se-re-hen spoke, gesturing at Yoon Minha behind her.
“In what way?”
“That the Client is impressive, and will soon become famous.”
“I can see the fame part, but I don’t recall her saying I was impressive.”
“You’re a moral and upright Demon. Do you not believe me?”
Lee Jaehyun ignored Se-re-hen’s words and kept walking in silence.
It was only natural to be wary of a Demon’s words.
Se-re-hen grinned mischievously before speaking again.
“Alright. I’ll stop with the pointless chatter and eat in good spirits.”
With that, she made a gesture.
A black aura flowed out from Jung Woo-min and was absorbed by Se-re-hen.
“I really think I made a brilliant contract. Thank you as always. I feel like I’ve been eating nonstop lately, so if there’s ever anything I can help you with, just say the word.”
“Help, huh… There is something that hasn’t happened yet. Could you help stop it?”
At Se-re-hen’s words, Lee Jaehyun immediately asked.
His biggest concern lately had been how to prevent the Child Kidnapping Case that would occur early next month.
But despite having just offered to help, Se-re-hen looked troubled.
“Mm… There’s nothing I can do for something that hasn’t happened yet. For anything I do, there needs to be evil deeds… It’s embarrassing to say.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s something I have to resolve anyway.”
“Still, if it’s anything else, I’ll help you once without compensation. If you ever need help, just say so.”
With those words, Se-re-hen disappeared.
By then, Lee Jaehyun had already arrived in front of Jung Woo-min and Min Ji-hye.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes. I’ll drive.”
At Min Ji-hye’s words, Lee Jaehyun replied calmly.
And so, the case that began with the Attempted Child Assault Case was finally wrapped up with the arrest of the Fraudster.
***
“Who is this guy, really?”
Min Ji-hye glanced sideways at Lee Jaehyun at the wheel and thought to herself.
Until just recently, he’d just been a quiet guy doing his job.
Just an ordinary Sergeant—sometimes making mistakes, sometimes a bit awkward.
He worked hard, sure, but he didn’t seem especially passionate, just someone carrying out his duties as assigned.
So she hadn’t paid him much mind.
With her grandfather and father both having been Police Officers, Min Ji-hye herself was a cop to the core. Naturally, she wanted to be close to those who truly had a Police Officer’s heart.
By those standards, Lee Jaehyun was nothing more than an adequately decent colleague—never anything more.
“But lately, he’s changed completely.”
She couldn’t say exactly when it started, but it was definitely after Myung Jinhan. Something was different.
Whether it was before or after catching him, she wasn’t sure—but Myung Jinhan had been the catalyst.
Since then, Lee Jaehyun had shown what it meant to be a real Police Officer.
At times, he seemed more experienced than herself.
Today was no different.
He handled the Reporter smoothly, knew exactly how to respond to sensitive questions, and even managed to arrest a wanted criminal in the middle of it all.
If not for Lee Jaehyun, Min Ji-hye wouldn’t have even realized Jung Woo-min was in the same room as them.
“At this rate, am I even qualified to be his senior?”
No, maybe I don’t even deserve to say I was born a cop.
She briefly thought that, but quickly shook her head.
It’s not that she was lacking—Lee Jaehyun just did something amazing.
After watching Lee Jaehyun a little longer, Min Ji-hye turned her gaze to the window.
The Capital Region Police Station was coming into view.