SW | Chapter 2

Since the morning began, phone rings could be heard incessantly as the security team came in to install security-related equipment. New faces and footsteps moved briskly around. It was the first day of the personnel reshuffle.

The police are, by nature, an organization where promotions are a matter of life and death. A transfer to the National Police Agency was, in other words, a sign that one’s police career was about to get interesting. As a result, several congratulatory flowers with pink ribbons were delivered in the morning.

Among them, one with thick leaves was addressed to Baek Haegyeon.

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It was pure luck to witness this scene, even though they weren’t in the same office. When Yoon Sungsik came out of the bathroom, he was stunned as he saw the large rubber tree and the equally large, flashy ribbon tied around it.

Republic of Korea’s Finest Baek Haegyeon Fighting!

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The ribbon’s message, written in bold Gothic font, was vulgar and overly masculine.

Yoon Sungsik couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh. He craned his neck to see how “that Baek Haegyeon” would react, but the office door was already closed.

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If it weren’t for someone calling out, “Officer Yoon, can you come here for a second?” asking for help with some work, he might have been tempted to wander into another office under the pretense of having business with a colleague.

Having just finished helping move desks, Yoon Sungsik let out a tired sigh and slumped into his chair, fiddling with his phone.

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“What’s he like?”

He should’ve asked that earlier.

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There were hundreds of possible answers. What’s his personality like? Is he easy to work with? How does he treat his superiors and subordinates? Is he well-integrated into the police force, and is he trustworthy?

And… had there been any previous incidents where his gangster background came up?

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At the time, his senior had made some bombastic remarks with a particularly troubled expression, leaving Yoon Sungsik too dazed to ask the right questions. He had missed the chance to ask something more meaningful.

Baek Haegyeon’s transfer to the headquarters was expected, but it was surprising that he was assigned to the Organized Crime Investigation Division instead of the Narcotics Investigation Division.

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If this was a privilege due to his background, it left a bad taste. Was it to keep an eye on his family?

Yoon Sungsik wondered if he was the only one thinking this way, so he kept checking Polnet, the internal police network, for any posts, but no one seemed willing to openly discuss the matter. There were no posts about it.

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As he was wrapping up his unproductive thoughts, a message popped up on Pol Messenger.

Jo Yongsu ([email protected])_Organized Crime Division:

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“Got called in for a report the moment I introduced myself today. Spent the whole time scrambling to put together materials. First day, and it’s already tough, haha. Seems pretty strict. But… he’s not exactly what I expected.”

It was a message from his colleague. After sharing some of what he’d heard from his senior, this was the payback.

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Yoon Sungsik ([email protected])_Narcotics Division:

“Already giving out work assignments? How is it different from what you expected?”

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Jo Yongsu ([email protected])_Organized Crime Division:

“The report is just basic stuff. He seems eager to get up to speed. He’s polite? Seems like a decent guy… smart.”

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Yoon Sungsik ([email protected])_Narcotics Division:

“Did you see the flowers that just arrived in your office?”

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Jo Yongsu ([email protected])_Organized Crime Division:

“What flowers?”

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Yoon Sungsik ([email protected])_Narcotics Division:

“I think it was delivered to your chief. The ribbon had a pretty bold message.”

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Jo Yongsu ([email protected])_Organized Crime Division:

“I see flowers on his desk now, but the ribbon’s gone.”

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The response was neutral, but it felt like there was something being hidden. Yoon Sungsik figured he’d get more details soon since he had lunch with his colleague almost every day.

That expectation was shattered a month later, around the time the yellow forsythia flowers were in full bloom.

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Gossip and office politics exist in every workplace, but few organizations operate on whispered schemes as much as the police force. The police force is extremely bureaucratic, yet it shares a closed-off nature similar to the military. From the moment you join, you feel the severe lack of information flow, which makes people cling even more to rumors.

“This time, the organizational restructuring is going to be like this…”

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“This time, the evaluation period is…”

“The annual review…”

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People with good connections provide different information, so those who frequent the headquarters move around like snails, eyes peeled for quality intel.

Thanks to his ability to mingle with various departments and get along with everyone, Yoon Sungsik was known as a bit of an information hub. Yet, for an entire month, he was surprised to find that there was almost no gossip about Baek Haegyeon.

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Well, there were a few tidbits.

Born into a gangster family. The youngest of three sons. His two older brothers were also gangsters, and his father was the second-in-command of the Hwando. When you dug deeper, it was all just watered-down stories that had been recycled multiple times.

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Even when he asked seniors and juniors from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, there was nothing beyond what Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo had told him.

On the surface, it seemed like all the information had been dug up, but the inside was completely secretive. The flower ribbon incident was something that could’ve sparked a lot of talk, but no one in the Organized Crime Division seemed to notice, let alone mention it. Let alone personal matters.

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Was it because there was nothing noteworthy to say, or… had someone effectively silenced everyone?

Meanwhile, the Organized Crime Investigation Division was busier than ever. The office lights didn’t go off until midnight, and things like drinking with colleagues became a distant dream.

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When the Organized Crime Division passed by, there were over a dozen officers following Baek Haegyeon. Headquarters agency officers tend to have an elite mindset, so they usually dress neatly. But from the team leaders under Baek Haegyeon, everyone looked like they hadn’t slept in days, with messy hair and skin either oily or dry.

‘What the hell are they working on?’

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Even Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo from the Narcotics Division made a comment about it. No one knew what Baek Haegyeon was so feverishly pursuing right after his appointment. The Criminal Investigation Bureau members were curious, but no details about the specific case they were focusing on leaked out. The only thing heard was that Baek Haegyeon was frequently called to meetings with directors.

Because of all this, Yoon Sungsik found himself glancing at Baek Haegyeon when they crossed paths in the elevator today.

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His clothes had a polished sheen, and his sharp jawline stood out. His posture was as straight as a soldier’s, and his skin was smooth and radiant. His expressionless face, with its clean lines and contrasts, gave off the vibe of a black-and-white photograph.

Even from afar, he had a striking presence. But encountering him up close in a cramped space made him feel almost unreal, like running into a celebrity.

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Baek Haegyeon stood with the light behind him. He was so tall that his shadow stretched long, but even just noticing that added to his extraordinary presence.

“Hello?”

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“Ah, uh… yes. Hello, Chief.”

Yoon Sungsik stammered, not expecting the sudden greeting.

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The police force has a strict hierarchical society. Between a police lieutenant and a superintendent, or between a field officer and a section chief, there’s an unbridgeable river of time. It’s rare for a superior to warmly greet a subordinate first.

“You’re from the Narcotics Division, right?”

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His voice is nice too…

“Yes. I’ve seen you around a few times. I’m Yoon Sungsik.”

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Yoon Sungsik almost automatically handed over his business card. While this is standard etiquette for corporate workers, many police officers don’t carry business cards. At the lieutenant level, most of the people you interact with are criminals, so there’s no need for them. Plus, many find this “corporate-like” behavior a bit awkward.

Even though rotating assignments mean you don’t need a network, you never know when or how you might meet someone in a new capacity. Yoon Sungsik’s philosophy was that it never hurts to make a good impression.

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“I don’t carry business cards.”

Baek Haegyeon gave a faint smile and tucked the card into his pocket.

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“Yes, many people don’t.”

Then there was silence. Yoon Sungsik swallowed hard and focused on the elevator’s quiet hum. Fourth floor, fifth floor, sixth floor…

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“So, how’s the background check on me going?”

“…Huh?”

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The sudden informal tone caught him off guard.

Baek Haegyeon slowly turned his head to look down at Yoon Sungsik. Yoon Sungsik could only make meaningless sounds, his ears turning red.

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