SW | Chapter 7

Tap, tap, tap.

The sound of fingers drumming on the table echoed a few times. Suddenly, the director spoke.

“Guk Jiho, Haegyeon will like you.”

“Huh?”

“You two are similar. What we discussed today is strictly confidential. If you don’t want to endanger yourself or the person who told you, keep it to yourself.”

“You haven’t told me any specific details.”

Her lightly made-up face broke into a faint smile.

“You’ve heard enough, haven’t you?”

Was it just his imagination, or did a sinister smell seem to linger in the air? Her finely groomed eyebrows twisted asymmetrically.

“…I didn’t know the police did things like this.”

“The commissioner has been pushing for expanded undercover operations as a strategic initiative for years now. It’s necessary for practical reasons.”

“You’ve already decided on me and set things up so I can’t refuse, but you haven’t shared what the situation is, what the risks are, or even who the person in charge is…”

“I’m sorry to say this.”

She pulled an envelope from the left drawer of the table and handed it to him. It was a plane ticket to Khabarovsk, Russia. The departure date was three days from now.

“Haegyeon won’t accept just anyone as his partner anymore.” Director Jang Eunhyung added.

“Take it easy and go for the interview as if you’re on a trip.”

“An… interview?”

“Until you pass the interview, I can’t share more details. I hope you understand.”

It seemed that once you reached a high position, you forgot the dictionary definition of “understanding.”

“Is Haegyeon the person in charge you mentioned earlier?”

She chuckled softly. It was the kind of laugh someone could only have when they were a complete outsider to the matter.

“I’m not sure if this will help you make a decision, but…”

“…”

“The person in charge is gay. That’s the rumor, at least.”

“Huh?”

“A homosexual. There, I’ve given you some specifics.”

Her tone was like that of a sports journalist casually dropping a juicy piece of gossip. The temper he thought had died after joining the special forces and the special operations unit flared up again.

‘Keep your mouth shut.’ A voice in his head warned, but the words he had been suppressing burst out first.

“Director, is that why you chose me?”

“Huh?”

“Did you pick me because I’m good-looking? I was just wondering.”

“Hahaha…”

Director Jang Eunhyung laughed so hard she nearly fell backward. Her neatly aligned teeth and wide smile gave off a refreshing energy.

“Officer Guk, you’re handsome, but you’re not the pretty type.”

Her face still carried traces of laughter as she spoke outright.

“It’ll be fun to see the two of you together.”

Even though Guk Jiho hadn’t made a decision yet, the director spoke as if she had already sent him to Russia.

“Oh, and even if you fail the interview, I’ll send an inspector. Since you’re going all the way to Russia, make sure you pass.”

With decades of experience in the police force, there was no way she couldn’t handle a young officer like him.

In the quiet air of the director’s office, a cold calculation and seasoned passion floated, separated like oil and water.

***

Soju, beer, potato chips, cheese slices, anchovies, and peanuts.

Min Jaegyu clicked his tongue as he rummaged through the bags.

“All this is for snacks? Where’s mine?”

“There’s nothing for you, Sunbae. It’s all for me.”

“What the—? It’s been a while since I’ve been at a loss for words.”

Guk Jiho completely ignored his senior’s incredulous look and plopped down on the foldable bed beside him.

Thanks to the lack of available beds in the four- and six-person rooms, Min Jaegyu had the luxury of staying in a private room. It was covered by police insurance, so there was no financial burden. The only downside was that his juniors kept visiting and treating it like a hotel.

Guk Jiho laid out the snacks and alcohol he had brought, then opened a bottle of soju and drank straight from the bottle.

“Hey, hey, there’s a cup. Pour it and drink. Don’t be so crude.”

Min Jaegyu reached out and handed him a cup, but Guk Jiho ignored him and downed the soju.

“Did you get chewed out by Team Leader Yoo? That’s why I always tell you to be a little more charming and polite to the higher-ups.”

“…Yeah. I should’ve been more charming.”

Guk Jiho wiped his soju-stained lips with the back of his hand and muttered blankly. His face seemed to be thinner.

“This isn’t like you. Did something happen?”

“The soju tastes sweeter today…”

He sighed as if the world had ended and took another swig.

“Without me around, you don’t have anyone to cover for you. The special forces atmosphere isn’t what it used to be, right? Now you realize how valuable I am, huh?”

Seeing someone who didn’t usually drink, didn’t show when he was upset, and never cowered no matter how much he was scolded act like this made Min Jaegyu a little worried.

“I… might quit the police.”

“What? Why! What are you going to do for a living?”

Min Jaegyu, unable to move from his bed due to the cast on his leg, wriggled his hips and sat up abruptly.

“What am I going to do for a living… That’s the problem. Maybe I’ll re-enlist.”

“Even so, isn’t it better here than there?”

It didn’t seem like he had a plan. Around this time in their careers, it was common for special forces members to feel disillusioned and talk about quitting.

“Sunbae…Should a police officer risk their life for justice, for the country?”

“Well, of course… Did someone get hurt? I haven’t heard anything.”

Min Jaegyu’s voice lowered at the unexpectedly heavy question from his junior.

He hadn’t heard any news of deaths or injuries yet, but it was a possibility. Even though South Korea was known for its strong public safety, those on the front lines of maintaining that safety lived with dangers lurking in their daily lives like venomous snakes.

Watching Min Jaegyu frantically check his phone, Guk Jiho spoke calmly.

“No one’s died, no one’s been hurt. Not yet.”

“Ah… That’s good. Why do you have to say things so cryptically and scare people?”

Guk Jiho laughed lightly at his senior’s scolding.

“It’s just that our role as bullet sponges hasn’t changed, so I don’t know why… I feel so damn frustrated.”

His voice was strained as if he was holding back something.

Guk Jiho looked up at the ceiling. The fluorescent light flickered in his pupils. His shadowed eyes beneath his eyelashes were empty. They held the detachment of someone who hadn’t found a place to settle and was just enduring life.

Min Jaegyu pursed his lips.

“Something must have happened. What is it? Tell me everything.”

“If you know, you’ll get hurt.”

Guk Jiho’s expression quickly relaxed as he playfully shot back. So much for that wistful look from just moments ago.

He picked up an anchovy and held it out to his senior, who naturally opened his mouth to receive it. After chewing it happily, he opened his mouth again, so Guk Jiho fed him another snack.

The slight curve of his lips made his handsome face even more annoyingly attractive.

Come to think of it, even though they had served together in the special forces, Min Jaegyu had never seen Guk Jiho properly drunk. Today, he seemed to be acting more affectionate, as if he were already tipsy.

So, this side of him exists, too.

Min Jaegyu popped an anchovy into his mouth as he watched his junior chew happily.

“Ugh, salty.”

“It’s not for patients.”

Guk Jiho banged the half-empty soju bottle against the cast, making a loud thud.

“Cheers. For justice…”

“Ow! You little… The bone hasn’t healed yet! Ugh, that hurts.”

“Sorry.”

Guk Jiho gulped down the rest of the soju bottle. It had taken him less than ten minutes to finish it, yet his pale face showed no signs of redness.

“Aren’t you doing the mentoring lecture at the Central Police Academy tomorrow? Why are you drinking so much?”

“You know what?”

Guk Jiho opened a second bottle of soju and asked.

“What?”

“Looks-ism is the problem.”

His pronunciation was clear, even though what he was saying made no sense.

“What are you even talking about?”

“The mentoring lecture. If I go out there with this face, even if I mess up, they’ll still like me. Honestly, there’s no species as obsessed with looks as men.”

Is that really something to be so resentful about that he has to chug a whole bottle like that?

“You say such annoying things while drunk. It almost sounds sincere.”

“Well, it’s not just about looks… With this face, I’m good at shooting, good at sports. So of course everyone has to like me…”

“Guk Jiho. Not that many people like you.”

At least among the higher-ups, there weren’t many who favored him.

“Yeah…”

As if that fact stung, Guk Jiho nodded with a sullen expression.

“No, actually, a lot of people like you.”

“…Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“Why are cops so damn dumb?”

“Out of nowhere… You just realized that?”

“Until now, the ranking of ignorance was: 1st, athletes. 2nd, military. 3rd, police. But the order has changed.”

Guk Jiho counted on his fingers as he spoke. Min Jae.gyu played along, asking, “Where do the police rank now?”

“They’re aiming for 1st place.”

“Jiho, if you ever want to drink, make sure you come to me. Don’t drink with other cops, got it?”

“Okay.”

“You answer so well when you’re drunk. Try doing that all the time.”

With an expression that was hard to read, Guk Jiho muttered sadly.

“Life is like a twisted pretzel. It just keeps twisting, twisting…”

“Life doesn’t go the way you want. I thought you were joking earlier, but if it’s really hard, just re-enlist.”

“Ah, damn… I’m crying.”

Guk Jiho raised his hands and pretended to wipe away tears. Nothing actually came out.

He wasn’t usually talkative. He wasn’t the type to be so expressive, and his demeanor was usually cold and dry. He had told him more than once to be more polite and charming to his superiors.

He was capable, efficient, and, as he himself had said, good-looking. If he had done even half of what others did, the higher-ups would have been all over him.

But now, after biting back his words all this time, Guk Jiho was coming to him, who had no power, and acting like this… It seemed like he had been saddled with something dangerous. Guk Jiho wasn’t the type to run away from such things.

Both his parents had died in a car accident, and his only sister was abroad, wasn’t she? With no one to confide in, he was just venting his frustrations like this.

“Ugh… I’m getting drunk.”

The guy who was grinning brightly looked like he had just drank water. Not a single part of his face was red, and his pronunciation was clear. Was he really drunk?

Or… was he pretending to be drunk so he could open up?

As Min Jaegyu scrutinized Guk Jiho’s handsome face, his junior spoke.

“Hyung.”

“What now?”

“I’m going undercover in a gang.”

“…Huh?”

Guk Jiho smiled silently at the stunned reaction.

“You knew everything, didn’t you, Sunbae?”

He raised his eyes and looked at Min Jaegyu. His dark pupils were fixed, not moving an inch.