Chapter 2: The Strange Boy, Lee Hwi-jun (2)

Sometimes, there are days like that.

Days you’d describe as being cursed with really bad luck.

“…So, I was standing at the bus stop, and this boy suddenly pulled me from behind?”

“Yes! And that’s how my phone got completely destroyed, I’m telling you!”

“Hoho, I see… So that’s why our student is this angry…”

And today felt like the kind of day when that bad luck was just disgustingly stuck to you.

Sergeant Ahn Dae-soo, who works at the Somang 1-dong police box, thought this to himself as he mechanically responded to the shouting girl in front of him.

He had just finally sent everyone off and thought he could catch his breath, but thanks to the students who barged through the police box door, even that moment of peace had been stolen from him, leaving Ahn Dae-soo feeling deeply fatigued.

But he couldn’t exactly ask a civilian who came to the station to just go away because he was tired.

Thinking he might as well resolve this quickly and get at least a short break before the shift change, Ahn Dae-soo sighed internally and said in a lecturing tone to the boy who had been dragged in by the girl:

“So you came all the way to the police box—does that mean the boy refused to pay for the repair? Hey, student, that’s not right. If you did something wrong, you should take responsibility. Didn’t they teach you that in school?”

Since people didn’t normally bother to come all the way to a police box over trivial matters, he naturally assumed it was some dispute over compensation.

But then the girl interjected as if to say that wasn’t it.

“Ah, that’s not why we came. He already said he’d pay for the phone repair.”

“…He said he’d pay for all of it?”

At her words, Ahn Dae-soo looked to the boy as if to confirm.

“…Yes. I said I’d pay for the full repair.”

“Then why are you here…?”

As the boy nodded and answered, Ahn Dae-soo turned his eyes to the girl with a look that said, “Then why did you even come here?”

“There is a reason! Just listen, okay?”

“I asked him why he suddenly pulled me, right? And do you know what he said? He said it was because I was standing too close to the road and looked like I was in danger! Ha! What a joke! It’s not like I was standing right on the edge of the road or anything!”

“Officer! I was just standing at the bus stop like a normal person! There wasn’t a single reason to think I was in danger! Unless someone was literally about to push me onto the street or something! And it was just me and him there, so there’s no way that would’ve happened!”

Looking between the two students, the girl argued furiously.

Even though he had listened to everything, Ahn Dae-soo still couldn’t understand and asked:

“So, in the end… why are you here…?”

“Can’t you tell from listening? He did it to hit on me! But then he kept lying and saying it was because I looked like I was in danger!”

To Ahn Dae-soo’s question, the girl pointed at the boy and shouted.

As if tattling that the boy had done something really bad—more like hoping Ahn Dae-soo would treat it that way.

“Lying is a bad thing, right? So officer, please scold him properly. Tell him to stop lying and be honest!”

“…I didn’t lie.”

“Ugh…! Hey! You’re really going to lie like that even at the police station? I told you I’d let it go if you just admitted you were trying to score points with me! Never mind! I’m not letting it go anymore! Someone like you who only lies needs to be taught a lesson!”

And as the two continued bickering back and forth, Ahn Dae-soo, listening quietly, finally realized the reason they came—and shouted inwardly in disbelief.

“Hey, you little punks…! Did your school teach you to come to the police station when your love life turns into a fight?!”

These kids were being totally out of line, not studying, and just—he felt even worse because it was like these love-sick teens were rubbing salt into the wounds of his own lonely youth.

Even worse, the girl arguing with the boy looked a bit like his first love back when he was a student.

“…Damn. If I’d confessed back then, maybe I could’ve dated her.”

Thinking that, Ahn Dae-soo suddenly felt disillusioned with his life as he watched the argument unfold.

“Haa… This isn’t what I became a cop for.”

He wanted to be the kind of cool detective who catches bad guys like in the movies.

He’d given up playing and dating, studied his brains out with his not-so-bright head, and finally became a cop.

And now, all he did as a cop was deal with drunk troublemakers and watch teenage love fights up close.

Sure, as a public servant, he had to do the job someone had to do, but—Ahn Dae-soo wanted to do more police-like, no—more detective-like work.

Like undercover operations or arresting criminals, like in the movies.

But working in a small police box like this, that was just wishful thinking.

Even if something like that happened, it’d go straight to a precinct or headquarters with a serious crime unit…

“When I heard a spot opened up in the HQ’s serious crimes unit the other day, I should’ve done whatever it took to get in…”

He had barely missed the cutoff in the written exam to another candidate, and that truly felt like a lifelong regret.

“Thinking about it just makes me more exhausted. I should just get rid of these kids and take a break…”

“Haa… Hey, Yoo Da-hyun? Yoo Da-hyun?”

“Ah, yes!”

“You came because this student kept lying and wanted me to scold him, right? Got it. I’ll make sure to give him a good talking-to. So Yoo Da-hyun, you can go now. You should head to school.”

“Really? Yay! Then I’ll leave everything to you, officer!”

Cheering up at his words, the girl happily turned to leave—but then glanced at the clock on the wall and frowned.

“The time… Ugh, it’s already 7:20? I was feeling good about getting a new phone and thought I’d try going to school early to study for once… And then this weirdo ruined it all… Anyway, you heard him, right? You’re dead now, haha.”

“One down.”

Muttering that to himself after sending the girl off, Ahn Dae-soo gestured toward the boy who was still awkwardly standing there, thinking he’d quickly take care of the next one.

“Hey, student? Your name is…”

“…It’s Lee Hwi-jun.”

“Alright, Lee Hwi-jun. Come sit over here for a second. I said I’d scold you earlier, but I’m not actually going to. So don’t worry. I just want to talk to you a bit.”

Speaking in a reassuring tone, Ahn Dae-soo cleared his throat and turned toward the male student.

Honestly, even if it was a hassle, once a complaint had been filed, he felt he had to at least hear the reason behind the incident.

It was more of a formality than anything else.

“The girl from earlier is gone anyway, and he’s probably got nothing to be embarrassed about now, so he’ll tell the truth.”

That’s what Ahn Dae-soo thought.

“…No, it really wasn’t like that.”

‘…Huh?’

Hearing the reply, Ahn Dae-soo couldn’t help but make a puzzled expression.

‘He doesn’t seem to be lying… then why?’

A bit more curious now, Ahn Dae-soo asked the boy, “Then why did you pull her back?”

“…She looked like she was in danger.”

“Because she was standing too close to the road?”

“…Yes.”

The boy gave the same reason the girl had mentioned earlier.

Hearing that, Ahn Dae-soo furrowed his brow slightly.

‘…What’s going on here?’

Ahn Dae-soo had always been known to have good instincts—not incredibly sharp, but decent enough.

After dealing with drunkards for years, he’d gotten pretty good at telling if someone was actually drunk or just pretending.

And now, those instincts were whispering to him—

“This kid is dodging. He’s hiding something.”

“Hmmm…”

Tapping his fingers on the desk, Ahn Dae-soo began to think.

Honestly, just letting it go would be easier on him.

Besides, even if a high schooler was hiding something, it probably wasn’t anything serious.

But still… why?

“…Hey, Lee Hwi-jun.”

Feeling a nagging sense that he’d regret brushing it off, Ahn Dae-soo adjusted his posture and spoke seriously.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t dodge the question and just told me the truth. Even though I’m just a beat cop at a local station, I’m still a police officer, you know? I can usually tell when someone’s lying.”

Of course, that part was a complete lie.

If all cops had that kind of ability, no one would call them incompetent.

But Ahn Dae-soo had enough faith in his own instincts to bluff with some confidence.

“I’m not asking for anything crazy. Just the truth—why did you pull her?”

“…”

But the boy said nothing, as if he believed he had already answered honestly.

‘Guess I’ll have to use that, then.’

Seeing this, Ahn Dae-soo decided it was time to bring out his secret weapon.

“You don’t want to talk? Then I’ve got no choice. I’ll have to contact your guardian. I’ll just tell them what happened, and that you don’t seem willing to explain why you did it.”

What’s the best threat to make a student talk?

It’s the threat to call their guardian.

After all, the person students fear most in the world is usually their parent or guardian.

Even the most defiant kids usually quiet down when they hear that magic phrase—and Ahn Dae-soo knew it all too well.

“You don’t want that either, right? So unless you want your parents to get involved and make things more complicated, just be honest here and now.”

Naturally, Ahn Dae-soo expected things to go smoothly like always.

But he hadn’t realized—there was a serious side effect to his go-to spell.

“…I don’t have one.”

“…What?”

“I don’t have a guardian you can contact.”

“…Oh.”

‘…Shit. I screwed up.’

And by the time Ahn Dae-soo realized it, the landmine had already exploded.