Senior Police Officer, Lee Jaehyun.
In his previous life, it was only natural that Lee Jaehyun passed through the rank of Senior Police Officer.
But in this life, he attained the rank of Senior Police Officer much faster than before.
Maybe that’s why.
Inside the Capital Region Police Station, all sorts of jokes were being tossed around.
“But wait, if the youngest and Junho are the same rank now… what happens then?”
“What do you mean? The youngest is still the youngest.”
At Park Daehyung’s slyly smiling remark, Kim Junho responded without missing a beat.
Because Lee Jaehyun received a special one-rank promotion, he became the same rank as Kim Junho.
Of course, their pay grades were different, and naturally, Lee Jaehyun was still the youngest.
Both Park Daehyung and Kim Junho knew that well.
That’s why Park Daehyung could tease comfortably, and Kim Junho accepted it with ease.
“Still, you’re the same rank now. Shouldn’t the youngest get to call Junho comfortably or something?”
“Hey! Seriously, Park Sergeant.”
“Yeah?”
“If the youngest keeps racking up results like this, honestly, he’ll be promoted to Sergeant in no time. What are you going to do then?”
“So, what’s the youngest’s rank right now?”
“…Senior Police Officer.”
“Still got a long way to go, huh.”
Park Daehyung said with a pleased face.
Kim Junho simply shook his head, exhaling in exasperation.
Both knew it was just playful banter, and the rest of Team 4 knew the conversation had no real meaning.
A truly ‘pointless conversation.’
That was how peaceful Team 4 had been these past few days.
Maybe it was because of their recent achievements, but there had also been an order from Sunbin Jung, the chief of the Gyeonggi Northern Police Station whom they’d met at the last appointment ceremony.
A directive granting special leave to everyone in Team 4.
“And it’s even paid leave, huh.”
Lee Jaehyun lifted the corners of his lips.
Thanks to that, Team 4 took turns going on paid leave.
They each took a week off, one after another, and came back well rested.
As a result, everyone was in great condition, and since there hadn’t been any big incidents during that time, the days passed peacefully.
Ding-ling.
Amid the lighthearted conversation, the clear sound of a bell echoed.
Everyone who’d been chatting fell silent at once and turned their gaze to the main entrance.
And there, familiar yet not unfamiliar faces entered, moving carefully.
“Hello…”
A young boy bowed his head first and greeted them.
Everyone let out gentle laughter.
It was Choi Daehyun, the victim of the child abduction case from a while ago.
That child had come to the Capital Region Police Station with his parents.
Choi Daehyun’s parents also greeted the officers politely.
They kept bowing their heads, repeatedly saying, “Thank you.”
Unlike the day the mother was frantically running from the police, she now seemed peaceful.
Well, their child had been rescued safely, and all the criminals who had threatened them had been caught.
It would be stranger if they were still afraid.
“Mr. Lee Jaehyun.”
After expressing their gratitude throughout the station, as soon as they spotted Lee Jaehyun, they quickly walked over.
Choi Daehyun’s father shook Lee Jaehyun’s hand as he spoke.
“Sir, I don’t think we properly thanked you in all the commotion back then.”
“No, not at all. I already received plenty of thanks.”
Who could expect parents to think rationally when their child seemed dead asleep?
And even though he said they didn’t properly thank him, Choi Daehyun’s father had instinctively thanked every officer around him at the time.
“Thanks to you, our child… was able to come back safe. Truly, thank you so much.”
Choi Min-hyuk gripped Lee Jaehyun’s hand as he spoke, his gratitude stronger than ever.
To parents, a child is so precious they are called another heart.
If forced to choose, they’d gladly give their own lives to save their child.
And this young man before them had saved their beloved child.
The depth of their gratitude was beyond words.
Lee Jaehyun smiled awkwardly and nodded.
“Yes, I’m just glad it all worked out.”
“We have prepared a small token of our gratitude.”
Still holding Lee Jaehyun’s hand, the boy’s father spoke.
He gestured to the boy’s mother.
The boy’s mother, Kim Ga-eun, handed the shopping bag she was holding over to Lee Jaehyun.
At last, the boy’s father released Lee Jaehyun’s hand so he could accept the shopping bag.
“Oh, it’s really not necessary, sir. I just did my job, there’s no need for a gift…”
Lee Jaehyun waved his hands, politely refusing.
“Please, we really want you to accept it. Think of it as the price of our son’s life…”
Choi Min-hyuk’s intentions were firm.
He pressed the shopping bag into Lee Jaehyun’s hands.
Lee Jaehyun kept insisting it was all right, but in the end, he had no choice but to accept it.
When the parents themselves ask you to accept it, calling it their ‘child’s life price,’ who could refuse?
Lee Jaehyun hesitated, but finally, carefully accepted the shopping bag.
“Please, open it. I hope it suits your tastes.”
The boy’s father gestured for him to open it.
The rest of Team 4 gathered around, curious about what it might be.
“What on earth did they prepare?”
There was even a shopping bag—it had to be something significant.
Just by looking at the outside, he couldn’t even begin to guess what was inside.
Lee Jaehyun carefully took out a box from the shopping bag.
At a glance, it was a high-class, elegantly wrapped box.
And on the box, the logo written was… familiar to Lee Jaehyun.
“This is…”
Seeing the brand name stylishly engraved on the luxurious box, Lee Jaehyun’s eyes widened.
A watch brand, ‘Alpha.’
The watch made famous by James Bond in 007.
Each watch costs at least several million won.
“This is… too much. I really can’t accept this.”
Lee Jaehyun immediately looked up at the boy’s father.
I mean, what age is this, to accept a watch that costs at least several million won?
If I accept, I’m sure to run afoul of the law…
“Huh?”
Come to think of it, this is ten years before the era I lived in.
And ‘that law’ only went into effect 6 or 7 years ago.
In other words, it won’t take effect for another three or four years from now.
“Wait… does that mean I can accept this?”
Lee Jaehyun blinked as he looked down at the watch box in his hands.
A box containing a watch worth several million won—almost as much as gold—was in Jaehyun’s hands.
As he stared, countless thoughts raced through his mind.
But when he looked up again, the boy’s parents were watching him, silently pleading for him to accept.
“Thank you for saving me, mister.”
Choi Daehyun bowed deeply once more, expressing his gratitude.
He really couldn’t refuse.
It was simply something he could not do.
He had saved a child more precious than life itself.
He had restored peace to a family.
And they weren’t forced, but of their own will, wanted to show their gratitude with a gift. How could he reject that?
“If it were the old days, I would’ve refused without hesitation…”
In his previous life, he would’ve flatly rejected such things.
But now, things were different.
Lee Jaehyun gently smiled and reached out, patting Choi Daehyun’s head.
“From now on, make sure to listen to your mom and dad, okay?”
“Yes, sir!”
Daehyun replied energetically.
At the same time, smiles spread across the faces of his parents, Choi Min-hyuk and Kim Ga-eun.
They realized that his gesture meant he had accepted the gift they prepared.
And Lee Jaehyun’s face was shining even brighter than theirs.
***
Tick, tick, tick.
A sound so faint, you had to listen carefully to hear it—the soft ticking of a watch.
Lee Jaehyun smiled, enjoying the pleasant sound.
“Lucky you, our youngest.”
“Yes, I am lucky.”
At Kim Junho’s remark, Lee Jaehyun nodded right away.
He hadn’t even dreamed of wearing such a watch in his previous life.
To begin with, expensive watches didn’t fit the lifestyle of a detective who had to run around and roll on the ground…
And his salary was too low.
Well, the latter was probably the bigger reason.
After all, Lee Jaehyun was a man before he was a police officer.
And all men… weren’t they crazy about watches and cars?
“This is really something. It looks great.”
Lee Jaehyun fiddled with the watch on his wrist.
It was so finely crafted, even the hands looked beautiful.
The watch on his wrist was worth over 8 million won, nearly 9 million.
He’d have to save up months’ worth of salary to buy one himself.
And now, he’d received it as a gift.
“It’s not like I got a bribe or anything.”
Lee Jaehyun stroked the watch thoughtfully.
Of course, if it had been payment for a favor, he would’ve refused without question.
Corruption, bribery.
Those were the things Lee Jaehyun hated most.
No matter the excuse, it would mean doing business with a criminal.
But if it was a thank-you for saving a kidnapped child, and the parents wanted to give it out of gratitude…
And it didn’t even violate the law, then there was no reason not to accept.
“Maybe I should work hard and buy myself a watch, too.”
“Why don’t you focus on saving people like the youngest, instead of thinking about watches?”
“Oh please, I know my limits. Trying to keep up with the youngest would break my back.”
“Well, you’re not wrong there.”
Park Daehyung nodded in agreement to Kim Junho’s words.
Lee Jaehyun listened to their conversation and let out a small laugh.
A few days had already passed since Choi Daehyun’s parents had given him the watch.
Life was back to normal.
The drunks were still out there, traffic accident reports kept coming in, and so on…
Just the usual, everyday life.
Time passed, and as evening approached.
Woo-woong.
Lee Jaehyun’s smartphone vibrated.
He was looking at his computer when he checked the caller.
He cocked his head slightly.
The name ‘Oh Seohyun Sergeant’ appeared on his phone’s screen.
He hadn’t heard from her since he’d finished being a reference in the school violence investigation with Song Aram.
It had been a while—what could it be?
“Hello?”
—Is this Officer Lee Jaehyun? Ah, no, I heard you were promoted. So now you’re Senior Police Officer Lee Jaehyun. Congratulations.
Even as she congratulated him, Oh Seohyun’s voice didn’t sound cheerful.
Lee Jaehyun blinked and responded.
“Ah, yes, thank you. Sergeant Oh, is there something wrong?”
—…Can you help me out, just one more time? A/S, please.
Oh Seohyun let out a small sigh as she spoke.
The moment he heard her voice, Lee Jaehyun’s expression hardened.
Something had happened to Song Aram.