When Shin Haesu arrived at work, the entire Special Investigation Unit sprang to their feet.

Not only were his fingers aching, but his wrist was also sore. After getting it checked, he was told that his ligaments were strained, so he ended up wrapping his wrist in bandages as well.

“I can’t believe it! I must be seeing things!”

“T-this can’t be…”

“Did he get into an accident with a dump truck or something?”

The team leader rubbed his eyes as if seeing an illusion, while the youngest member clutched his head in shock.

Oh Gaeng, the calmest among them, approached and examined Haesu’s hand.

“Are you okay?”

As expected, Oh Gaeng was the most normal one here.

“I’m fine.”

“No, I mean, are the guys who did this to you okay?”

As expected, the Special Investigation Unit had great teamwork.

“They probably haven’t woken up yet.”

“Savage bastard.”

Haesu casually told the team that he had fallen down the stairs. Of course, unless he had rolled down from the top of the 63 Building to the first floor, there was no way he could have sustained these injuries. But the team members, understanding Haesu’s intentions, let it slide.

That didn’t mean their curiosity disappeared easily, though. Throughout the day, they kept sneaking glances at him.

After eating at the main building, Haesu went up to the rooftop, feeling suffocated. He gazed at the sky.

Creaaak

The team leader, having seen Haesu go up the stairs, followed him. He leaned against the railing next to Haesu and asked,

“What’s going on? You may not want to talk about it, but everyone’s dying of curiosity about the bastard who did that to your face and fingers. Was it even a person? Some kind of martial arts champion?”

Haesu thought that might not be too far from the truth. He let out a long sigh and opened his mouth.

“There are people I want to catch… but I have no idea how. It’s frustrating.”

“I never thought I’d see the day when our human battering ram looked this weak. Who are they? Tell me. I’ll round them up and throw them in.”

“They’re people who can’t be touched with mere illegal gambling charges.”

“Come on, just tell me. I’m the chief of Special Investigation Unit, remember?”

“The youngest daughter of JL Group.”

“Hmm…”

“The second son of Haeseong Group.”

“Oh wow, is there more?”

“The eldest son of Geonyeong Group.”

“Whew~”

Haesu turned his gaze back to the sky at the team leader’s amused reaction. The team leader patted his shoulder.

“You’ve been through a lot, huh? You held back well.”

Even without hearing the full story, he got straight to the heart of it. Haesu thought, Is this what experience looks like?

“Chief…”

Haesu ended up telling him about what happened at the party. He just wanted to ease his frustration a little.

The team leader’s voice grew a bit calmer.

“…I completely understand how you feel. But taking down guys like them is the prosecutor’s job. Our job is to stop immediate dangers in front of the citizens.”

“I know that. That’s what makes it even harder.”

“Hey, I’m not telling you to give up. I know guys like them well. You may not have beaten them up directly, but to them, it must feel like they just got slapped twenty times.”

Pointing his index finger at Haesu, the team leader continued,

“They’ll definitely move. They’ll try to crush you. Those big shots value their pride more than money or even their lives. You just need to be ready. Wait, and when the time comes—then we strike. Then we can legally beat the crap out of them.”

“…Thank you.”

Even if he wasn’t completely sure a reaction would come, he felt a bit of hope.

Bzzzzzz— Bzzzzzz—

Just then, the team leader’s phone rang.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

- “Hyung, where are you? Emergency! Get over here!”

“On my way!”

The team leader hung up and immediately ran down the rooftop stairs. Haesu followed closely behind, and the team leader shouted as he ran,

“You stay in the office and monitor the situation!”

“I’m fine!”

Detectives had their own jobs to do. Even now, there were countless incidents waiting for them across the country.

This time, it was an armed drunkard. A heavily intoxicated man was causing a scene in a restaurant, waving a knife and threatening to kill anyone who looked happy.

His eyes were half-closed from how much he drank, and his face was so red it seemed like a single poke with a toothpick would draw blood.

He sat at a table, holding a kitchen knife in one hand and a spoon in the other, eating steamed eggs.

Outside, the restaurant owner stood with a bleeding forearm—he had been cut while trying to intervene.

People outside were recording the incident on their phones, oblivious to the fact that they could become victims in an instant.

As soon as the Special Investigation Unit arrived, the drunkard lazily lifted his gaze and muttered,

“What the hell? The police these days even hire patients?”

He was referring to Haesu’s cast. Haesu walked up to him and said,

“This isn’t a cast. It’s a suppression glove.”

Without hesitation, Haesu slammed the cast down on the man’s knife-wielding hand.

Bang!!

“Aaaagh!!”

The man’s hand was crushed, and the knife clattered to the floor. At the same time, the youngest officer rushed in and twisted his wrist back.

“You are under arrest for aggravated assault. You have the right to an attorney and the right to make a statement.”

The longer you work as a cop, the stronger your hatred for alcohol grows.

Watching TV programs that glorify drinking culture made Haesu grit his teeth.

After work, Haesu stopped by a convenience store to buy snacks for the three siblings. Carrying an armful of treats, he headed toward the elevator—only to bump into a woman who suddenly appeared.

“Kyaaah!”

Naturally, Haesu remained standing, while the woman, having run into him, bounced backward and fell.

Clatter

Her handbag and phone spilled across the floor.

Dumbfounded by the sudden situation, Haesu stood still for a few seconds, just staring at her.

“Ugh…”

Hearing her groan snapped him back to reality, and he stepped forward.

“Are you alright? I’m sorry.”

“Ah, no, it’s okay… I-I’m fine.”

Haesu picked up her belongings, placed them in her handbag, and handed it back to her.

“Still, I think it would be best to get checked at a hospital.”

“Ah, I’m really fine. I’ll just… Oh my!”

She lifted her phone and gasped. The screen was completely shattered.

Haesu found himself at a loss.

“If you take it in for repairs, I’ll cover the cost.”

The woman, on the verge of tears, quickly waved her hands in refusal.

“No, no, it’s my fault. It’s okay. Sniff…”

She pressed the phone a few times, then glanced at Haesu with a troubled expression.

“Ah, but… it won’t turn on at all. I’m sorry, but could I borrow your phone for a moment?”

“Yes, of course.”

Haesu unlocked his phone without hesitation and handed it to her.

She reassured him by dialing in front of him and pressed the call button. Then, she spoke to someone on the other end.

“Hey, it’s me, Hyejeong. Ah, I dropped my phone, and it’s busted. Where are you? Yeah, mine too—no, just one serving. I live alone, so what would I do with two? Okay, I’ll be there soon.”

After ending the call, she smiled brightly and returned the phone to Haesu.

“Thank you. I’m sorry. That must’ve startled you, huh?”

“No, I should be the one apologizing.”

“Well, I guess it’s obvious that I’m the only one who got hurt.”

She covered her mouth and laughed, and Haesu forced a chuckle as well.

“By the way… you’re in really great shape. What do you do?”

“I’m…”

“Ah! Let me guess. A trainer at the gym on the third floor!”

Haesu shook his head.

“A lot of people assume that. I’m a civil servant.”

She clapped her hands in surprise.

“Oh! A civil servant! I’m sorry! Hehe.”

Haru had never seen him before and couldn’t even imagine this, and Ahn Seo-eun only occasionally smiled with her eyes, but this woman? It was almost an automatic reflex.

She seemed to have been born with natural charm.

“Are you really sure you don’t need to see a doctor?”

“Seriously, I’m fine. Look at this.”

She rolled up her sleeve to her shoulder, showing her slim arm, then flexed as if trying to make her bicep pop.

Of course, only her slender arm stood out.

“Yes, haha.”

“Then, if you’re not a trainer… do you live here?”

“Ah, yes.”

“I see… The apartments here are nice. Lucky you. Invite me over sometime.”

“…Excuse me?”

“I’m joking, I’m joking. Anyway, sorry about everything. I’ll be going now.”

“Alright. If anything happens, please contact me. I’ll cover your medical expenses.”

At Haesu’s words, she tilted her head.

“How would I contact you?”

“The number you called your friend with…”

“Oh, come on. You should at least give me your number directly. That’s the polite thing to do.”

“Hmm, how should I give it to you?”

“I’ll tell you mine. Just send me a text with your name.”

“…Alright, I will.”

After sending her a message, she finally left.

“I’ll be going. See you again sometime~”

“Take care.”

What a strange person. Haesu watched her walking away and noticed she seemed to be limping slightly. He kept looking at her back for a moment before turning around.

“Oh, crap—!”

Right in front of him, Haru stood motionless with an expressionless face.

“When did you come down? Are you heading out somewhere?”

Without answering, Haru slightly turned her head and pointed at the woman’s back with her index finger.

“Do you think her back looks nice? You were staring at her for a while.”

“I was just checking if she was limping.”

“Do you think her legs are nice? They must be.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

As they entered the elevator, Haru followed and muttered while looking straight ahead.

“That woman is suspicious.”

“Why?”

“I saw on the internet that what she just did is called ‘fox behavior.’ It means she’s trying to seduce you by acting all flirty.”

“And that makes her suspicious?”

Haru answered with absolute certainty.

“A woman that pretty and full of charm would never be interested in a big, scary-looking landlord like you. She must have ulterior motives.”

“…Let’s get off.”

Instead of getting off on the 10th floor, Haesu and Haru exited on the 9th. The three siblings lived in unit 904.

Ding dong.

“Waaah!!”

“Uncle!! Noona!!”

“Unnie!”

Except for the youngest, who had been properly scolded at the outdoor bath, the second and eldest, Jian, also clung to Haru.

Haru wasn’t the affectionate type, so how did the kids grow so attached to her?

That night, a text arrived from an unknown number.

-It’s me, Hyejeong.

Haesu felt that the unfamiliar name wasn’t completely unfamiliar. Searching his memory, he recalled the woman from earlier had used that name during her call.

┗Yes, what’s the matter? Are you hurt?

-Oh, how did you know my name? You were paying attention, huh?

┗I have a good memory.

-I see~ Just checking if the number’s correct. Have a good night~^^

Haesu furrowed his brow slightly. No woman had ever approached him this directly before. It felt unfamiliar.

He saved Hyejeong’s number.

[Collision Victim]

It was nearly midnight the next day.

Bzzzz, bzzzz

His phone rang while he was trying to sleep.

[Collision Victim]

Why would she be calling at this hour? Then, he remembered—she had mentioned living alone. A woman living alone making a late-night call could mean a thousand different things, most of them related to crime.

Haesu sat up immediately and answered.

“Yes.”

-I-it’s me, Hyejeong.

As expected, her voice was trembling with fear.

“What’s wrong?”

-I had a drink with a friend and came home, but there’s a strange man knocking on my door. He won’t leave. I’m so scared. What do I do?

“Call 112. The nearest police station will send officers to ensure your safety.”

-I called the police when something similar happened before, but they just made him leave and then left too. I don’t trust them… I’m really sorry, but could you come instead?

“Alright. Give me your address.”

-It’s close by. Just across the street, at Haetnim Mansion, unit 301… Oh my god! Kyaaah!!

“Hyejeong?! What happened?!”

The call ended with her scream. Haesu quickly put on pants and rushed out.

Haetnim Mansion was close enough that taking the motorcycle would take longer. As soon as the elevator doors opened on the first floor, he sprinted at full speed.

At the slightly old Haetnim Mansion, unit 301’s door was half-open in the middle of the night. Haesu flung the door wide and entered.

Inside, Hyejeong was sitting on the bed, wearing only underwear, clutching a blanket. The room was a mess, and her clothes, which she had been wearing earlier, were torn.

Haesu approached her.

“Hyejeong, are you okay?”

Then, their eyes met—and in that moment, he froze.

Fear and contempt flickered in Hyejeong’s gaze.

She took a deep breath and opened her mouth wide.

“Kyaaaaaah!!”

At the same time, as if on cue, people burst out of the neighboring units.

“Miss! What’s going on?!”

“This man—he tried to—hic!”

Her trembling finger pointed directly at Haesu.