Shin Haesu suppressed his surprise and asked back.

“What do you mean by that?”

All traces of gentleness had vanished from Assemblyman Oh Seongju’s eyes, now replaced with a sharp gaze that seemed to pierce deep into a person.

“Get in.”

“Yes, then I’ll be in your care.”

Only silence filled the car. As the vehicle entered the police academy, Oh Seongju pointed toward a solitary bench.

“Park over there.”

“Yes, Assemblyman.”

Haesu and Oh Seongju sat side by side on that bench. There was no one within 50 meters, and even the secretary had been sent far away.

Oh Seongju quietly looked up at the sky before speaking.

“When you grow old enough, you become like a child again.”

“Assemblyman, you’re still young.”

In fact, Assemblyman Oh Seongju was in his early 60s, but looked like he was in his early 50s. His eyes sparkled, and his face was full of vitality.

He chuckled softly, then continued in a serious tone.

“Sometimes, just sometimes, when I encounter things that can’t be explained by the laws of this world, instead of investigating scientifically, I choose to believe in miracles.”

“…Yes.”

“Let me ask again—what are you?”

Haesu couldn’t answer immediately. Someone who can turn back time?

He hadn’t obtained the reset ability because he wanted it, nor did he know who gave it to him. He didn’t know when it might disappear, or what kind of side effects it could have.

Haesu threw the question back at himself and, after some deep thought, opened his mouth.

“I’m Officer Shin Haesu of the Violent Crimes Special Investigation Unit.”

Oh Seongju’s brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed as he fell into silent thought under Haesu’s serious gaze.

“So that’s your answer, I see.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you know what I was thinking as I waited for my daughter in that emergency room…?”

Haesu was caught off guard by his tone. This man was already treating what had happened as a real event, not a dream of the past.

If Haesu matched his rhythm, it would be tantamount to acknowledging the reset. He simply nodded like one would to a slightly senile elder.

“In the emergency room… What did you think?”

“Bitter regret. Life is so fleeting, no one knows when it’ll end, so why didn’t I love more freely? Why did I put off precious things for the sake of future power and money… From now on, thanks to the opportunity you gave me, I’ll live a new life.”

“…”

“But I can’t just pretend it didn’t happen. It was a matter of two lives. I don’t know how much longer I’ll live, but I want to live in a way that helps you.”

It was quite burdensome. Haesu waved his hands.

“What are you saying? Please just make precious memories with your daughter without regrets.”

“That’s a given. In any case, if you ever need my help, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Just your words are already enough…”

“…But knowing your personality, I bet you won’t say a thing until I die of old age. So I’ll be watching carefully. An old man like me can’t help much, but I want you to know this—Oh Seongju is not someone who forgets grace.”

Haesu repeatedly bowed his head in silence.

As Oh Seongju stood to leave, he suddenly turned back.

“Oh right, are you single?”

“Yes.”

“Have you ever thought of meeting my daughter?”

“Ah, that’s…”

As Haesu fumbled for a response, Oh Seongju cut in firmly.

“Don’t even think about it. Your face is the type that would give a woman heartbreak. Even if I owe you my life, my daughter is more precious than that.”

“Don’t worry.”

“Good. Take care of yourself. And…”

“Yes.”

Oh Seongju turned fully toward Haesu, came close, and clasped his hands with both of his.

“Thank you, truly.”

“…”

Leaving the stunned Haesu behind, Oh Seongju turned and walked away.

His secretary, who had been watching from afar, drove the car up to pick him up.

As the car turned around, he looked at Haesu through the window and spoke to the secretary.

“Remember that face well. He saved your life. Got it?”

“Yes, Assemblyman.”

The secretary had no memory of the reset because he had died during it, but for some reason, he felt an odd emotion toward Haesu, with whom he hadn’t even had a proper conversation.

And after hearing the Assemblyman’s words, he thought—maybe this emotion is similar to what one feels toward a benefactor.

Bam—

The auditorium door slammed open. After Haesu left, a regular instructor had been lazily leading training, but he froze on the spot. The same went for the trainees.

Among them stood Oh Miyeon, wearing the same expression as the others.

After the reset, no one knew she was Oh Seongju’s daughter, and Oh Seongju hadn’t been injured, so she was just a regular trainee again.

Haesu looked away from her, swept his gaze sharply across the trainees, and shouted.

“There isn’t much time left! We’re changing the training! Everyone put on your shoes and run to the pull-up bars in the central field! First ten there!!”

“Huh?!”

“Yes, sir!!”

“Yes, sir” was short for “I understand,” originally used in conscript police training and later adopted by police cadets.

From the moment Haesu appeared, the trainees had been tense and braced. They immediately jumped up, hurriedly put on their shoes, and began sprinting to the central field.

Of course, Haesu stayed behind to ensure everyone had left before he ran toward the field as well.

After a whirlwind two weeks, Haesu’s farewell ceremony was held briefly in the auditorium in front of the 321st class of police cadets.

“Having worked in the field every day, coming here and seeing all of you has given me great reassurance. I feel hopeful about Korea’s future because of you. Please keep working hard, just as you are now.”

At Haesu’s words, the lead trainee, Kim Woong-min, stomped the ground with his heel and led the response.

Thud!

“Yes, sir!!”

Then a tremendous shout erupted, loud enough to blow off the auditorium ceiling.

“Yes, sir!!”

Haesu nodded in satisfaction as he saw the deeply tanned and fierce eyes of the trainees.

Later, the 321st class, which Haesu had visited as a special instructor, came to be known as the special forces class and gained fame nationwide.

Beep— click.

"Mmm."

As Shin Haesu stepped into his house for the first time in two weeks, he swallowed a groan. In front of him stood two frozen women.

"Uh."

"Ah!"

Ahn Seo-eun and Haru, wearing pink and white polka-dotted pajamas, had been lying on the sofa when they locked eyes with him.

Each of them had a headband on — one shaped like a cat, the other like a fox, with their foreheads fully exposed.

Haesu nodded as he looked at Seo-eun who was slowly getting up and Haru, who had frozen mid-motion while reaching for a snack.

"Looks like you've been doing well."

"Uh, I-I'll clean this up quickly."

"It's fine. Since you're here, why don't you stay for dinner?"

"Ah, uh..."

Seo-eun hesitated as she looked between Haru and Haesu. Then Haru tugged on Seo-eun’s sleeve and nodded.

"Please do. To celebrate the homeowner's return after two weeks. He's a good cook."

"I-Is that so?"

Haru and Seo-eun had grown quite close. They had met nearly ten times over the past two weeks, and apparently Seo-eun had even slept over at Haesu’s house in recent days.

"...So we almost got into big trouble at that club, but Haru went tak tak tak!"

"...At the department store, Miss Ahn Seo-eun said, 'From here to here.'"

Haesu sat at the dinner table, listening to the two chatter about what had happened while enjoying his meal.

That night, Haru didn’t go straight to her room to sleep. Instead, she loitered around the living room. She clearly had something to say.

"What is it?"

When Haesu asked, Haru suddenly rushed over. A refreshing scent, possibly perfume or makeup, wafted over — something he’d never smelled before.

"I have something to ask. I was going to ask during training tomorrow, but it’s been hard waiting for two weeks."

"What is it?"

Haru immediately picked up a fruit knife and slowly mimed stabbing Haesu with it.

"If an opponent attacks like this, how do I subdue them without killing—"

"Wait."

Haesu quickly grabbed her wrist and handed her the TV remote instead of the knife.

"Try again."

"Yes. If they charge like this, what is the most efficient way to subdue them?"

"So this is what you were dying to ask."

"Yes."

Drawing from his two weeks of training experience, Haesu taught Haru subduing techniques in an easy-to-understand way.

Haru clearly surpassed ordinary people in physical ability and memory. What took the trainees a week to learn, Haru would probably master in a single day.

And so, Haesu taught her everything she had been curious about for two weeks, thoroughly and sincerely until dawn. Eventually, the two of them, drenched in sweat, looked at each other.

"Nothing else?"

"No, for now. If I remember anything, I’ll ask again."

Haru’s expression looked visibly refreshed.

"You like physical activity, huh."

"Yes. I used to hate it, but now I enjoy it."

"I see. You've found your aptitude."

Haru nodded vigorously while reenacting the technique she had just learned.

"Yes. So, I've decided what job to try next."

"Job?"

"Yes. A bodyguard. Miss Ahn Seo-eun suggested I apply to Daeseong Guard. She said she’ll get me through the paperwork and added, 'I’m sure you’ll handle the interview well.'"

"Bodyguard..."

Haesu widened his eyes at Haru’s shocking declaration.

The next day, Shin Haesu returned to the Gangjin Police Station’s Violent Crimes Unit for the first time in two weeks.

Compared to the action-filled violent crimes unit, life at the police academy had been much easier. So, Haesu came in carrying food.

BAM!

He threw open the door and shouted as he saluted.

"Reporting i—"

"Oh, Haesu, you're here?! Man, good to see ya!"

Before he could even complete his return report, Oh Gaeng interrupted him.

Oh Gaeng, half-wearing his outer jacket, had a piece of bread in his mouth and car keys and a radio in his hands.

"Senior! You’re here! Please take this!"

Behind him, the muscle-bound rookie bowed at a 90-degree angle and handed Haesu a baton and body armor.

Then the team leader came rushing out of the bathroom, adjusting his pants, and glanced at Haesu.

"Oh, right! Great timing, Charge! Some crazy gangster or thug is having a knife fight in the middle of downtown. Let’s go!"

Haesu chuckled. He was back — back to a place where you couldn’t even properly report in, eat meals on time, or go to the bathroom in peace.

He pushed aside the body armor offered by the rookie and rotated his shoulders broadly.

"Don’t need that. Let’s go."

"Yes, sir!"

The rookie following Haesu somehow looked excited.

"Uwaaagh!!"

"Gyaaah!"

"Die, you bastard!!"

"S-S-Save me!!"

Yongsu-dong’s bustling area, right in the center of a pedestrian street paved with orange urethane, surrounded by karaoke bars and drinking spots, had erupted into chaos.

Dozens of large, rough-looking men were wildly swinging weapons like knives, hammers, and steel pipes at each other.

Ordinary civilians were too scared to approach, and nearby shop owners or employees locked their doors and hid behind counters.

Then a chubby middle-aged man came running and shouted with all his might.

"Hey, you bastards! Stop right there!!!"

His voice was loud like a lion’s roar, and a few of the men flinched at its force.

One man nearby, pointing a steel pipe, asked him,

"Who the hell are you?"

"Me? I’m the captain of the Artbox… Assault Team, you bastard! Assault Team!!"

Despite the team leader’s shout, the situation didn’t change. Just as the man scoffed and raised his steel pipe—

"CHARGE!!!"

At that cry, three burly detectives charged in from nowhere, holding batons in both hands and exuding a terrifying presence.

Leading the way, Haesu roared with his mouth wide open.

"AAAAARGH!!"

"Uwaaaargh!"

"Aaaack!!"