Chapter 170 – Peace – Part 6

Chapter 170 – Peace – Part 6

“I’ll just have one fish cake.”

Woojin’s eyes, as he brought the fish cake to his mouth, moved once more in a fleeting moment.

It was the Yogurt Lady.

She had set up her spot across from the Candlelight School Main Gate and was selling yogurt.

She appeared without fail at this time every day.

And she would stay for 30 to 40 minutes before leaving.

Others might not know, but Woojin knew the reason well.

She was waiting for a child named Semi, who was in the first grade of elementary school.

She would appear at school dismissal time, give Semi milk or yogurt, and then leave.

That’s where something strange was noticed.

She wasn’t Semi’s mother, yet she showed strong maternal affection.

Her hesitation to hug Semi, instead stroking her head, and her micro-expressions when looking at Semi were all telling.

Every time she touched Semi’s hand or stroked her head, a hint of regret appeared on her facial muscles.

It meant her self-consciousness was fighting with her unconscious.

Others might just think they were acquaintances, but to Woojin, it looked a little different.

To put it simply, it’s like she wanted something but couldn’t have it, so she could only touch it and gaze at it.

Today was no different.

When Semi, wearing a red backpack, came out of the main gate, she waved to her.

Semi bravely raised her hand and crossed the crosswalk to approach her.

She knelt on one knee, as if to match the child’s eye level, and stroked Semi’s head.

She even straightened her clothes.

She soon handed Semi a chocolate milk, and gave yogurt or milk to Semi’s friends.

Semi exchanged a few more words with her, then bowed in greeting and headed towards the snack bar.

That’s where Woojin was.

She, who had been focused on Semi, then attended to a customer who came to buy yogurt.

“Oh? Hello.”

Semi recognized Woojin and bowed her head.

It was because she had seen him a few times at the snack bar.

Woojin smiled subtly.

And Woojin opened his mouth, feeling her gaze as she had just handed a yogurt to a customer.

It was a very deliberate action.

“Hey. Did your mom buy you chocolate milk? That looks delicious.”

Woojin had said this to Semi before, but he asked again as if to confirm.

“No. She’s Mom’s friend.”

“Friend?”

“Yes.”

Woojin nodded lightly and said nothing more.

He just brought another fish cake to his mouth. No, he dipped it in soy sauce and ate it.

Fish cake tasted best when dipped in soy sauce.

Just then, the yogurt vendor approached on an electric scooter.

It was because she had suspiciously watched Woojin talking to Semi for a moment.

She looked Woojin up and down from the electric scooter, then erased the suspicion from her eyes, got off the scooter, and stroked Semi’s head.

“Semi, don’t just eat the skewered rice cakes. Eat some kimbap and tteokbokki too. Auntie will buy them for you.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

She smiled and stroked Semi’s head again, but Semi’s face was filled with conflict.

“Mom said she’d come home early today and we’d eat together….”

At Semi’s words, she tilted her head.

“Mom went to work, didn’t she?”

“She said she’d take the day off and come home early today. She said she’d bring cake….”

Suddenly, a micro-expression appeared on her face and then vanished instantly.

A slight pupil dilation was visible.

She asked Semi worriedly,

“Time off? Why?”

I don’t know.

After a moment of thought, she smiled again.

“You can eat this cake and then eat more. Please give me some gimbap, tteokbokki, and blood sausage.”

Woojin left, watching Semi who was smiling, and her who was smiling back at Semi.

He returned to his car, changed into his police uniform, and watched from a distance.

She wiped Semi’s mouth and took care of her as if she were a young child.

Woojin mumbled briefly and nodded his head.

“Excessive consideration and overprotection destroy independence.”

If it’s designed that way from childhood, one is forced to conform to society.

But this wasn’t the problem.

The problem Woojin saw was why she was acting this way.

Her unusual behavior and the psychological emotions that appeared on her face.

And the dilation of her pupils when she reacted to the word “vacation.”

An algorithm began to connect clearly in Woojin’s mind.

As time passed, she exchanged farewells with Semi and waved as she left.

Woojin started the car at the same time.

Thump, thump, thump.

With the sound of road dust crumbling under the wheels, the police car began to move.

***

Kim Cheolung sat in his office, tapping the table with his fingers.

With just one phone call, Woojin’s special promotion was a sure thing.

The officer who solved a murder case.

Arrested after a dangerous duel with a knife-wielding criminal.

The article to be released to the press was already prepared.

They were just waiting for Kim Cheolung’s signal.

“I can’t believe I’m having such a dilemma in my life. How unusual.”

Kim Cheolung found it amusing that he was even agonizing over it.

It was a guaranteed special promotion, a position no police officer would refuse.

But Woojin is different.

He was the kind of guy who might kick open that office door and demand to know why he was specially promoted.

Kim Cheolung stood up and walked to the window.

If Woojin kept getting special promotions, one after another, how far could he go?

Then.

Woojin’s words from the Samgyeopsal restaurant seemed to tickle his ears.

‘Assemblyman Kim Cheolung, I’m fine as I am.’

Kim Cheolung rubbed his chin.

Then he suddenly blurted out a question.

“What’s the difference between an officer and a senior officer? Huh? Isn’t it just a tiny difference?”

But then he would become a Senior Officer in less than a month.

Just then, the secretary opened the door and entered.

“Did you call me?”

Kim Cheolung scratched his cheek and asked.

“Was my voice loud?”

“Excuse me?”

“No, I didn’t call you.”

Once the secretary left again, Kim Cheolung immediately brought his phone to his ear.

He was calling Detective Kim Taehyun.

“It’s me.”

-Yes, Assemblyman. Did you have a good meeting with Woojin?

“He seems to have gotten even more handsome since I last saw him.”

-Why did you call?

Kim Taehyun’s voice was blunt, but it held affection.

It wasn’t like they had only met once or twice, and it wasn’t like he had spent just a year or two with Kim Cheolung, dealing with various incidents.

It was the same for Kim Cheolung.

The two were practically fated to meet by Woojin.

“Woojin is trying to get you a special promotion this time, what do you think?”

-What are you suddenly talking about? Are you talking about gifts or something?

It was Woojin who had helped Prosecutor Kim Cheolung become an Assemblyman.

“Even the day I visited, he was catching a criminal. A mur-der-er.”

-…….

“That Righteous Path certainly warrants a special promotion, doesn’t it?”

-I think so too… but would Woojin like it?”

“Exactly. That’s what I’m saying.”

-Just ask Woojin.

“Of course he’ll say it’s fine. Other officers would also refuse at least once, saying it’s just part of their job.”

-Then ask him three times. I’m busy. I’m hanging up now.

The call ended like that, and Kim Cheolung put one hand on his hip.

“Oh man… it’s so hard to repay debts.”

Muttering, Kim Cheolung spoke again, as if shouting.

“Oh, I don’t know. I’ll do it my way. I don’t know! I don’t know!”

***

Meanwhile, Woojin was watching the villa Semi had entered from inside his car.

It was 4 PM.

Just then, a call came from the Senior Officer.

-Are you still at the Police Station?

“No. I was just about to head back.”

-Are you really okay without stopping by the hospital?

“Yes. I’m already fine.”

Suddenly, Woojin saw a woman who looked to be in her late 30s walking towards him.

“I’ll be back now.”

-Alright.

After finishing the call, Woojin got out of the car and approached the woman.

She resembled Semi a lot, her posture unconsciously angled towards the Villa, and most importantly, she was carrying a cake in her hand.

Woojin looked at the white medicine packet sticking out of her bag and said,

“Excuse me. May I ask you a question?”

She had been walking with her gaze fixed on the ground, but then she swept her hair back and looked up.

The beads of sweat on her forehead came into Woojin’s view.

She nodded slightly, recognizing Woojin in his police uniform.

“Yes. Please speak.”

“Did you happen to see a man wearing a black hat and a white long-sleeved shirt on your way here?”

Her eyes unconsciously went up as if recalling the past. It was only for a fleeting moment.

“No. I don’t think I saw him. Is there something happening in the neighborhood?”

Woojin shook his head.

“Someone seems to have stolen bread from the convenience store.”

“Oh… I don’t think I saw anyone like that on my way up.”

“Alright. But are you okay? You seem uncomfortable. Is there anything I can help you with?”

People tend to unconsciously close their eyes when they feel dizzy or lightheaded.

This is to temporarily block their vision and calm the excess information flowing into their brain.

Semi’s mother fixing her gaze on the floor for a moment was along the same lines.

The symptoms she displayed were dizziness, sweat, and slight pupil constriction.

To Woojin’s worried question, she smiled and said,

“I’m fine.”

“Just one more question. The man in the black hat was also said to be carrying a blue orchid, perhaps….”

“I don’t think I saw it. Oh, I’m sorry. I really need to use the bathroom right now.”

Woojin nodded and stepped aside.

“Thank you for your cooperation.”

“Good luck.”

With that, she moved a little faster than before.

Woojin watched her from behind.

Dizziness, sweat, and the bathroom.

She took a day off because she wasn’t feeling well.

And someone welcomed that day off.

Woojin took a slow, deep breath.

Semi’s Mother also had the unique fishy smell of vegetables.

Semi and Mother, and the Yogurt salesperson, another shadow seemed to catch Woojin’s eye.

Woojin, who had been quietly staring at the third floor, began rummaging through nearby trash cans.

As time passed, darkness fell over Semi’s house.

***

The Senior Officer asked Woojin, who was holding the steering wheel and on patrol,

“Is he really just someone you know?”

He was asking about his relationship with Assemblyman Kim Cheolung.

“Yes. He’s someone I’ve known since his time as a Prosecutor.”

“Wow… that’s a solid connection. A golden connection. But seeing as he even came to visit, your friendship must be more than just ordinary, right?”

“He bothers me sometimes.”

The Senior Officer blinked.

The Assemblyman bothering him….

Just then, Woojin’s cellphone vibrated.

There was no caller name, only the number.

But Woojin instinctively knew who it was.

“Yes. This is Officer Shin Woojin.”

-Oh, sir. Sob! Sob! Waaah~!

At Semi’s tearful voice, Woojin immediately turned the steering wheel.

It was Woojin who had given Semi his business card when she went into her house.

“I’m coming now.”

The car tilted due to the sudden left turn,

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“We’ve received a report.”

Stop it before it starts.