Kim Dongdong glanced sideways and saw the men approaching. He raised his right fist in front of his subordinates and trembled.

“Thinking about tasting blood after so long, my steel fist is crying.”

As he rolled up his sleeves, a long scar on his forearm was revealed, making him look even more menacing. He had severely injured his arm in the past and had metal rods implanted.

His subordinates were in awe at the sight.

“Are we finally witnessing the legendary steel fist?”

Kim Dongdong and his men sprang up from their seats, ready to greet the approaching men.

“Tonight, I won’t be able to sleep unless I see blo—”

But the moment he turned around, his mouth clamped shut like a mute who had swallowed honey, and his body froze.

At the end of his gaze, standing there was a man—Shin Haesu—looking down at him with cold eyes.

“A sea of blood?”

At Haesu’s voice, Dongdong felt as if cold water had been poured over him, instantly sobering up. He hurriedly rolled down his sleeves.

“Greetings to the Physical Therapist!”

The title "Physical Therapist" was a nickname given by gangsters who had received a particularly rough session of ‘physical therapy.’

Though Dongdong's men had never seen him before, they had heard the nickname countless times from Kim Dongdong.

“Physical therapy…?”

“Physical Therapist?”

Seeing Kim Dongdong’s face turn deathly pale, they were convinced that he was the man from the rumors. In unison, they bowed deeply.

“Greetings, Physical Therapist!”

Hearing the title, Haesu finally remembered him. Haesu always remembered the gangsters he had paid a large settlement for. Kim Dongdong was the one whose right arm Haesu had completely wrecked, costing him nearly ten million won in compensation.

Haesu grabbed Kim Dongdong by the back of his neck and lifted him up.

“Dongdong, it’s been a while. How’s your arm?”

“Thanks to you, it’s in great health!”

“That’s the problem. So, that’s why you’re planning to turn Goam-dong into a sea of blood?”

At Haesu’s words, Kim Dongdong’s arm trembled as he shook his head frantically.

“N-no! It’s a f-fishing club meeting! We were just talking about catching fish and making the sea red… Ha… Haha.”

“Oh, I see. A fishing club, huh? Since we’ve met, let’s take a photo together and write down your names.”

“Y-yes, sir!”

Haesu lined them up, took photos, and collected their names, phone numbers, and even their resident registration numbers.

Watching the scene, Ogeng gave a thumbs-up.

“Wow, our Haesu is so famous, we don’t even need to lift a finger. This is nice.”

“Ogeng, we agreed to call me Shindol.”

“Ah, it just doesn’t roll off the tongue. Boss, let’s go to the second round.”

“Okay. Where should we go? Maknae, do you have a place in mind?”

“Anywhere is fine!”

“This guy’s all disciplined. Let’s go for beer!”

As the Violent Crimes Unit 1 detectives left, the members of the Dongdong Gang lined up like respectful underlings, bowing as they sent them off.

“Safe travels!”

“Safe travels!!”

“Dongdong, live a good life and stay out of trouble.”

“Yes, sir! I will keep that in mind!”

On the way from the barbecue restaurant to a pub, Haesu checked the time and thought of someone.

“Team leader, I need to head back.”

“Huh? Why? Do you have a toad bride waiting at home?”

“You mean a snail bride.”

“Same thing! Isn’t that right, Maknae?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Maknae, did you just agree with that? Am I an idiot?”

“I apologize!”

Ogeng, seeing the maknae flustered, grinned mischievously. Haesu found the sight unfamiliar. Ogeng had never played around with him like that. Perhaps it was because of their shared history at the precinct and his seniority.

“It’s nothing like that, my stomach just doesn’t feel great.”

“Alright, see you tomorrow!”

“I have the day off tomorrow.”

“Oh right, see you the day after tomorrow then!”

“Take care, Haesu!”

“Take care, sir!”

The bulky maknae bowed deeply. Strangely, it felt similar to how the Dongdong Gang had greeted them earlier.

Beep, beep-beep, click.

“Ah!”

The moment he stepped into his home, Haesu found Haru standing right in front of him. She seemed to be trying to greet him but looked uncertain about what to do.

Seeing her avoiding his eyes, Haesu asked awkwardly.

“Uh, yeah. Did you do okay today?”

“Yes…”

“Alright.”

The TV was still on the same channel as when he had left. It looked like she hadn’t changed the channel even once.

He slowly looked around the house. Though someone had been inside, it felt as if no one had been there at all—everything was in its place.

He checked the rice cooker, then opened the fridge and looked at the side dishes. She hadn’t eaten a single meal. Not even a sip of water.

“You…”

Instead of speaking, Haesu fetched her a glass of water first. She immediately downed two glasses in a row.

For some reason, anger welled up inside him. But it wasn’t her fault. Holding back his irritation, he started preparing a meal.

As he scooped rice into a bowl and took out side dishes from the fridge, he spoke with his back turned.

“Haru.”

Whoosh.

Her head snapped toward him so fast it made a sound.

“Everything here—you can eat it all.”

She looked utterly shocked. Her pupils visibly wavered.

“Come here.”

Haesu sighed softly and showed her how to use the electric stove.

Once the meal was ready, Haru sat at the table, staring intently at him.

“I…”

Haesu started speaking but stopped, simply scooping a bite of rice into his mouth. Only after seeing that did Haru finally pick up her spoon.

Even though she must have been extremely hungry, she shed tears with every bite she took.

It was time to sleep again. As expected, Haru was holding onto the sleeve of Haesu’s shirt as she slept. In the middle of the night, he got up and laid out bedding on the floor beside him.

She flinched, sat up, and lowered her head.

“Sleep here.”

“…Yes.”

The next morning, Shin Haesu was deep in thought from the moment he woke up. He was watching Haru, who had burned her fingers trying to turn on the electric stove and was now running her hand under cold water.

‘How long do I have to keep her with me?’

A grown woman who didn’t even know how to use chopsticks. She had to be taught everything, as if she were a newborn.

According to the gangsters, she had been kidnapped at thirteen or fourteen, but it was strange that she knew so little.

It seemed that losing her previous memories had played a significant role.

‘This is going to take a long time…’

Haesu frowned slightly, watching her, then glanced at the wardrobe and the shoe rack.

He seated her on a chair at the table and knelt on one knee in front of her.

“Foot.”

Haru didn’t know what he was doing but couldn’t even think of refusing. Silently, she lowered her head and lifted her foot.

Her feet were covered in thick calluses, and her toenails were damaged beyond repair. It was hard to believe they belonged to a woman in her mid-twenties.

Haesu placed his palm against the sole of her foot. It fit perfectly, as if they were made to match.

“Women’s feet are smaller than I thought.”

He suddenly realized that he had never known Chaeyeon’s shoe size.

Haesu stood up, heading toward the door.

“Wait here.”

Beep, click—

He left, the door closing behind him. A few seconds later, the silent room echoed with Haru’s quiet voice.

“…Okay.”

Haesu returned shortly, holding a pair of white sneakers in his right hand.

“Put them on.”

Because he had measured with his hand before leaving, the shoes fit her feet perfectly.

“Let’s go out.”

“…Huh?”

Haru, now wearing oversized black training clothes and pristine white sneakers, followed Haesu outside.

On their way to the market, Haru kept bumping her head against Haesu’s back.

“Why do you keep staring at the ground?”

“I’m sorry…”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. Just look ahead while walking.”

“Yes.”

Despite Haesu’s words, Haru kept glancing down at her feet whenever she had a chance. The sneakers she wore were as white and pretty as tissue paper, and no matter how much she looked at them, she never got tired of it.

Rattle—

Pushing a shopping cart, Haesu spoke indifferently to Haru.

“You can’t live with me forever, so whenever you have time, you’ll learn how to live alone. Keep that in mind.”

“…”

Haru couldn’t bring herself to respond. She had already suspected that this overwhelming happiness would eventually fade, but hearing it directly from him made her chest ache as if a knife had been driven into her heart. Unable to say anything, she simply lowered her head.

“Ah…”

However, before long, everything around her was so new and fascinating that her eyes widened in awe.

In contrast, Haesu was feeling a growing discomfort.

‘Hmm…’

Now that Haru had washed away all the dried blood and dust, she was tall and striking in appearance, almost like a model. On top of that, she kept grabbing the hem of Haesu’s jacket, making it difficult for him to move.

“Let go of this, or at least keep up.”

Like a mosquito, Haru softly murmured, “Yes,” but she still couldn’t bring herself to let go, instead pressing herself tightly against Haesu’s back as she followed.

On their way out after shopping, they passed a section across from the checkout counter where clearance women’s clothing was displayed. Haesu glanced between those clothes and the ones Haru was wearing before speaking.

“Pick one outfit you like.”

Haru clutched at the clothes she was wearing and shook her head.

“I like these clothes.”

“Those are mine. Pick your own.”

Of course, there was no way Haru could choose.

With the help of a store clerk, Haesu picked out a pair of snug-fitting jeans, a pair of comfortable cotton pants, and a set of three cotton t-shirts for ten thousand won. He then took her to the fitting room and had her change on the spot.

To Haru, Haesu’s old training clothes, which she had worn since escaping the underground world, were already good enough, but now she had brand-new clothes of her own. That alone made her incredibly happy.

Unlike the oversized and worn-out training clothes, these fit her perfectly, as if tailored just for her. The final touch was the pristine white sneakers on her feet, making her heart swell with joy.

She wanted to bounce on the spot, but she suppressed the urge, afraid that Haesu might dislike it.

By the time they had stopped by a few more places, night had already fallen. Despite her fragile appearance, Haru had surprising stamina and showed no signs of exhaustion.

“Boss, good evening!”

A loud voice rang out from behind them. When Haesu turned, he saw one of the members of the Dongdong faction they had encountered the previous day, bowing his head toward him.

His outfit and demeanor screamed, ‘I’m a gangster.’

Haesu narrowed his eyes as he approached the man and spoke quietly.

“Why am I your boss?”

“Huh? No, that’s not what I meant—”

“A punk like you shouldn’t act friendly with a detective. Understood?”

“S-sorry.”

“Leave.”

The man bolted away in a hurry. When Haesu turned back, Haru was gone.

‘Damn.’

She must have been scared and run away, remembering the Red Society.

“Haru! Haru!”

Despite his concern, it didn’t take long to find her. She was standing inside a food stall, quietly staring at the food.

Finding it amusing, Haesu watched from a distance. Haru hesitated for a long time, fidgeting with her fingers as she observed others picking up fish cakes and eating them. After some time, she cautiously picked up a fish cake for herself.

‘Yeah, you must be hungry. One, two, three, four… Wait, how many are you planning to eat…?’

By the time she had eaten ten, she finally looked satisfied, rubbing her stomach as she stepped out of the stall. Naturally, she hadn’t paid.

But the stall’s owner, an older woman, merely glanced at her and said nothing.

Haesu walked in, took out his wallet, and asked, “Why didn’t you stop her?”

“Oh, well, the young lady has a face full of hardship.”

Haesu gave a small nod. It seemed the woman, with her years of experience, had instantly recognized Haru’s difficult life.

“I hope you do good business.”

He placed two fifty-thousand won bills on the counter and left.

Meanwhile, three delinquent thugs had approached Haru.

Seeing them, Haesu was reminded once again that Gangjin City was truly a city of crime.

“Wow, damn, you’re gorgeous. Wanna hang out with us tonight?”

“…”

“What, are you mute? Come on, let’s go. We’ll take you somewhere amazing.”

One of them grabbed Haru’s wrist, trying to drag her away.

And then—

Thwack! Crack—

Haru smacked away his hand and clamped down on his throat.

“Guh…!”

Without hesitation, she thrust a fish cake skewer toward his eye.

Thud—

The sharp tip stopped just a fraction of an inch before his pupil. Haesu had grabbed her wrist in time. The thug, having never felt such raw killing intent before, felt his pants grow damp.

Haesu glared at Haru before turning his gaze to the thugs.

“Get lost.”

Feeling the dangerous aura emanating from Haesu, they frantically nodded and fled.

Haesu grabbed Haru’s wrist and scolded her.

“Get a grip. This isn’t the underground. You can’t just hurt people.”

“Never…?”

Her eyes were serious, taking his words at face value. Haesu let out a small sigh and carefully chose his words.

“Except for those who try to harm you.”

“Try to harm…?”

“Like, trying to hit you.”

“…Okay.”

It felt like trying to tame a wild beast. With Haru in tow, Haesu trudged back home.

The next day, the Violent Crimes Unit 1 was enjoying a peaceful morning, processing a routine drunk and disorderly report.

Ring, ring—

Haesu’s phone rang. The caller was Gu Se-ju.

“This is Shin Haesu.”

-Hello, Mr. Shin. Long time no talk. Why don’t you read your emails?

There was a hint of irritation in his voice.

“You’re handling things well on your own.”

-What if I were skimming money?

“I’m a detective.”

-Ooh, scary. Do you even know how much our revenue increased last year?

“I…”

-It went up by 41%. Your assets, including real estate, are now worth 20 billion won. And yet, you don’t even say ‘good job.’ Do you think I feel motivated to work?

“Ah… You did well. Hold on. I have another call. I’ll call you back.”

-What? Hello? Hey—

Ignoring Gu Se-ju’s grumbling, Haesu switched lines.

“This is Shin Haesu.”

-It’s me. Ahn Seo-eun.

“It’s been a while.”

-Your Unit 2 is handling the drug case involving celebrity Kang Min, right? He’s under my agency.

“Yes.”

-I want you to take over the case.

A brief silence followed. When Haesu spoke again, his voice was noticeably colder.

“I can’t do that. This isn’t why you’ve been supporting me, is it?”

-Actually, it is.

“I guess I misjudged you. I’m hanging u—”

-Kang Min is dead. Just now.

That was a shocking statement. Haesu remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

-I worked hard to keep my celebrities in check, so this really upsets me. I looked into who might have influenced him, and I found someone not easy to mess with.

“And?”

-But… the police don’t seem to know about it.

Haesu frowned and glanced at Unit 2. Either they truly didn’t know, or they were pretending not to. But detectives had a keen sense for anything suspicious, so the latter seemed more likely.

-That’s why I need you on this. You’re the only cop I can trust.

Haesu gave a small nod.

“Alright. I’ll take the case.”