“Today’s over, one way or another.”
Chief Han Seo-jin of Goseong Police Station stretched with a groan.
On his way home.
Watching the rural sunset burn red, he found himself becoming sentimental. He had intended to enjoy the scenery and forget about his promotion for a while. But instead…
‘There’s so little work that I’m thinking about it even more.’
It was counterproductive. Han Seo-jin wasn’t the type to easily give up his ambition for promotion.
‘Back then, my only competition was from the Police Academy or executive candidates.’
He was a graduate of the Police Academy, the so-called inner circle within the organization. If the Military Academy was a paved road in the army, the Police Academy was a guaranteed ticket to promotion. That was certainly the case until recently.
“Now I have to worry about law school graduates too.”
This was a relatively recent development. The organization had begun actively recruiting law school graduates primarily because of the adjustment of investigative powers between the prosecution and police. Weakening the prosecution’s power through law didn’t automatically make the police stronger.
“Of course not.”
Those high-and-mighty prosecutors used to command a hundred thousand police officers with a single finger. That was why the higher-ups kept trying to bring in law school graduates who also had lawyer licenses. To make them fight each other.
“Maybe I should just stop here…”
Honestly, retiring at the rank of Senior Superintendent wasn’t bad. There was a reason it was called the flower of the police force. It was just that he felt bad for everything he had done so far. Because everyone else was doing it. Like a hamster on a wheel, he had just been living by momentum.
…But then.
“Ch-Chief!”
In life, especially when you reach middle age, an unexpected jagged stone often flies into that wheel. Whether it’s a layoff disguised as restructuring, a child causing trouble, or… like now.
“Section Chief…?”
Seeing the employee running toward him out of breath, Chief Han felt an internal sense of dread.
“What happened?”
“An officer from our Women and Juvenile Affairs Division just attempted to take their own life.”
Han Seo-jin felt the back of his head grow hot.
“Who?”
“Corporal Jang Young-woo.”
“Is he alive?”
“Fortunately, his life isn’t in danger.”
Chief Han sighed. At least the worst had been avoided.
“Why did he do it?”
“He had… sexual relations with a victim he met during a case. The family found out and filed a complaint…”
The explanation was sufficient without hearing more.
“Hah.”
A headache surged back. When a subordinate causes trouble, the cleanup always falls to the head of the institution. He’d be summoned to the Provincial Agency and chewed out. He’d have to apologize to the victim’s parents with joined hands. If an article broke, he’d have to endure the concentrated fire of the media on the front lines.
“And at a time like this!”
Again, the police were currently in a sensitive state due to the investigative power adjustments. The prosecution at least protected its own. This organization was desperate to cut off its own tail. A prime example was the Itaewon tragedy where hundreds of people died. The Intelligence Section Chief took his own life while under intense investigation, and a station chief was even arrested, yet no one above them took responsibility.
“Wait, didn’t you say Corporal Jang Young-woo was getting married next month?”
“That is… correct.”
“He threw away his own luck. Where are the victim’s parents now?”
Chief Han turned around immediately.
“Are you going to meet them yourself?”
“It’s been that way before, and this is my role. I must visit them and apologize personally. That’s what I’m in this position for.”
“Um… Chief.”
Chief Han narrowed his eyes. His mind was already a mess.
“I’m busy, so if you have more to say, say it quickly.”
“It’s just, I wasn’t sure if you needed to hear more about the case…”
“Didn’t you post the details in the command group chat? I’ll check it on the way. Or is there something specific I should know?”
“…The other party is a high school student.”
“…”
Surprisingly, Chief Han’s expression remained calm. From the moment he heard the name Women and Juvenile Affairs Division, it was already within his expected range.
“He had sex with a minor. The parents got angry and sued. Our officer, feeling the psychological pressure, attempted suicide. Isn’t that it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I get it.”
“And that…”
“Stop hesitating!”
“…It’s a male.”
“…? I know Corporal Jang Young-woo is a man.”
“The victim, sir.”
“…”
Only then did Chief Han open his mouth blankly, as if he had been hit with a hammer.
“So you’re saying… a man and a man…?”
“Yes…”
Now his head wasn’t just hot; it felt like it was going to explode.
“Fuck…”
Chief Han couldn’t help but swear. With material like this, reporters would be drooling as they stormed the police station. This was the problem. A natural disaster he couldn’t do anything about even if he did his job well. A jagged stone suddenly flying into the wheel.
“Lastly, this is…”
The Administrative Affairs Section Chief handed something over while gauging his reaction.
“What… is this now?”
“A resignation letter. As you know, Corporal Jang Young-woo’s father is Lieutenant Jang Man-cheol of the Sangi Substation. After hearing the details, he said he was too ashamed and immediately applied for voluntary retirement… It’s likely been reported to the Provincial Agency by now.”
Accepting an officer’s resignation was a matter for the Provincial Commissioner, not the Station Chief. Sometimes people submitted resignations to avoid being fired after committing a crime, so a separate internal audit was required. To summarize all of this:
‘I’m totally screwed.’
For a moment, Han Seo-jin’s vision spun. It felt as if his entire consciousness was blacking out.
“Ugh…”
“Ch-Chief!?”
Thud.
That was the end of Chief Han Seo-jin’s memory.
Blink.
When he opened his eyes, a white ceiling was the first thing he saw.
“Ch-Chief. Are you awake?”
The familiar voice of the Administrative Affairs Section Chief followed. And…
“Are you alright?”
“…?”
Standing beside him was a quite unexpected figure.
“Prosecutor…?”
“The Prosecutor happened to find you when you collapsed and carried you to the hospital himself. He said for a distance of a few hundred meters, carrying you was faster than waiting for an ambulance.”
“…Oh dear.”
After learning the details, Chief Han Seo-jin immediately sat up in bed.
“I’ve caused you trouble, Prosecutor.”
“I was surprised. Oh, by the way. The hospital asked for an emergency contact. Who should I tell them?”
Chief Han smiled bitterly.
“I’m a wild goose father. It’s still early morning in the US, and I don’t want to worry my family with something like this.”
“Ah… then I’ll leave my number for now.”
“I can’t let you go that far.”
Chief Han waved his hand repeatedly.
“But why were you there, Prosecutor? It’s a bit of a coincidence since there’s nothing but the police station around there…”
“I was on my way to the police station anyway.”
“Ah… you saw me in a pathetic state.”
“Chief.”
“Yes?”
“Is it very hard for you?”
“!”
Chief Han’s eyes widened. A well-wrapped bundle was held out in front of him.
“Since I was treated to expensive beef, I brought something too. Eat this and recover quickly.”
“This is…?”
“Side dishes made at my house. You seemed to enjoy them so much last time.”
Gulp.
Chief Han swallowed hard without realizing it. Honestly, the food from that house was delicious. Enough to make him think of home-cooked meals his late parents used to make.
“They said it was a stress-induced faint. You need to eat well at times like this.”
“…”
“Hang in there. Once you’re discharged, I’ll cook you another delicious meal.”
Drip.
“…Eh…?”
Something fell, and Chief Han tilted his head back. At first, he thought it was a nosebleed. But it wasn’t.
“Ah… what am I doing?”
Embarrassingly, water was coming from his eyes. Why did this Prosecutor keep tugging at his heartstrings?
“Phew… I guess my hormones are acting up because of my age.”
Quickly composing himself, Chief Han smiled.
“But what brings you to see me today?”
“Actually, I came to ask a favor, but in this atmosphere, it’s a bit…”
“It’s fine, you can tell me. Things can’t get any worse anyway.”
“…Well, it’s called a favor, but it’s more of a warning. You probably already know what kind of trouble I’ve caused, Chief.”
The quick-witted Chief Han gestured to his employee.
“I-I’ll step outside then.”
As the Section Chief left the room, the conversation resumed.
“You mean the disclosure of investigative details? I heard you indicted the investigating officer at the Yongsan Police Station.”
“Yes. But most of the police high command are still from the Police Academy.”
Chief Han nodded.
“So you want to use me, a fellow Academy graduate, as a communication channel.”
“If you’re offended…”
“Feel free to use me.”
“…Excuse me?”
“I’m actually grateful. I’ve only met you a few times, but if you’re the Prosecutor I think you are, aren’t you already certain of a conviction? You don’t seem like the type to bluff about something like this.”
“…”
After a moment of silence, Baek Seo-jun gave a faint smile.
“Yes.”
“You don’t have to worry. Unlike the prosecution, our police force is an organization that’s amazingly good at cutting off its own tail.”
“May I ask this of you?”
“Don’t even call it a favor. Thank you for letting me know in advance. If there’s clear evidence, the police would have suffered more if they tried to protect their own.”
Chief Han smiled back.
“I’ll convey this to the higher-ups in a way that’s easy to understand.”
“Thank you.”
“But… are you okay, Prosecutor?”
“I’ve already submitted my resignation anyway.”
Flinch.
Chief Han’s eyebrows twitched, and he said jokingly,
“Maybe I should quit and start farming too?”
“…Don’t do that. Just come over for a meal today? I’ll cook you something good.”
Thump.
Once again, a surge of emotion rose in his chest.
‘It’s because I’m old, just because I’m old.’
Chief Han turned his gaze out the window without answering.
Meem-meem-meem-meeeeeem!
Unaware of the middle-aged man’s feelings, the summer cicadas continued to cry noisily.
Returning home, I immediately called Seo Yi-re.
— You applied for a restraining order against CEO Bang Ki-cheol? And a summons for the suspect?! The police actually did that?
“Yeah. I even got a solid promise for personal protection. They gave her a public smartwatch. They told her to just press the button if an emergency happens. I don’t think we need to worry about Ms. Shin Hye-seo anymore.”
— Wow!
“A patrol car will be circling this area periodically from now on.”
It was the advantage of the countryside. Unlike the city, there were overwhelmingly fewer reports, making it easier to allocate manpower to things like this.
— You’re basically using the police as private security.
“The confiscated GPS remains as clear evidence. There have been so many retaliatory crimes lately, and the police would be exhausted if a house they already visited turned into a crime scene.”
— That’s all part of your plan, senior. You’re really smart!
That’s enough of the headache-inducing talk.
“Anyway, let me know if anything else happens.”
— Whatever. I contact you every day anyway. Just keep your phone on!
“Got it.”
I ended the call. The immediate fire was out. The warning shot had been fired. But if he touches her again…
‘Then I’ll show him exactly how scary a Korean prosecutor can be.’
Of course, the police would tear him apart before that. Isn’t it best to win without getting your hands dirty?
“Anyway, it’s about time I increase the types of crops I grow…”
My parents were a concern, but a great hand like ‘me’ had been added to the labor force. Furthermore, it had already been proven several times. The crops grown at our house had very special effects. If so, I wanted to test how far the scope of healing extended. If things went as I thought.
‘It would be a great help to others who have reached a dead end in their lives.’
It was practically a blessing to me. I threw away my resignation because I hated the tragedies happening before my eyes. But now, I had gained the power to stop those tragedies myself.
“Excuse me…”
“…?”
Just then, a completely unexpected guest visited our house.
“Who are you?”
“Is this the Ice Valley Farm?”
“It is, but…”
“Ah! Sorry for dropping by so suddenly. This is who I am.”
“!”
My eyes widened as I checked the business card. This is a major corporation.
*****
It was that afternoon when CEO Bang Ki-cheol received a call from the Yongsan Chief.
“No. You’re saying even a phone call is impossible?”
— That’s how it is.
“You said that much would be easy!”
— …I have nothing to say.
“Are you kidding me right now? The entertainment expenses I’ve provided you alone are in the hundreds of millions! And yet, connecting a single call with my employee is difficult?”
— …I’m sorry. For now, he’s being held at the Goseong Police Station in Gyeongnam. That’s all I can tell you, so check it yourself, CEO.
“What? No, wait…!”
Click.
The call ended before Bang Ki-cheol could say anything.
“Fuck!”
Crash!
He spent a long time smashing innocent furniture again. And the sparks soon flew toward an undeserving target.
“Hey!”
“Y-Yes, CEO!”
“If you guys are going to disappear too, tell me in advance! Because I’ll beat you to death before you do!”
Shiver.
The group that had entered the CEO’s office trembled without exception. They were an idol group he had personally raised, nearing their debut.
“D-Don’t worry, CEO. We would never do that.”
Jun, the leader, stepped forward, but Bang Ki-cheol’s mood didn’t improve at all. And.
“CEO! Something arrived at the office.”
“…What’s this? A restraining order? And… a suspect summons?”
The gift sent by Baek Seo-jun arrived at exactly that timing.
“Bullshit!”
Bang Ki-cheol screamed as he ripped the registered mail to shreds.
“Goseong, Gyeongnam? What the hell is happening in that middle-of-nowhere countryside I’ve never even heard of!”