After a while.

Deputy Chief of Investigation Park Seunggil's office.

‘What, what should we do?’

‘Knock him down somehow, or either you or I might be knocked down.’

This was a scene that flashed through Hyunsoo's mind.

Team Leader Heo Insung straightened his back while brushing the dust off his shin.

“Team Leader Heo.”

At the words of Deputy Chief Park Seunggil, Team Leader Heo Insung approached him. Then, Deputy Chief Park Seunggil put a heavy hand on Heo Insung's shoulder. Park Seunggil's relaxed voice was then heard.

“You know that even if I cherish Team Leader Heo, if something goes wrong, I can't cover the money you took, right?”

“…….”

“You know I'm turning a blind eye to everything you did, from getting paid to tell the perpetrators to selling raid information to gangsters, right? But Lee Hyunsoo, he knows.”

Team Leader Heo Insung swallowed dry saliva.

Park Seunggil was the Deputy Chief of Investigation at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. A person who was mentioned as a potential nominee for the Seoul Commissioner after Commissioner Kim Taek. Soon, this was the person who would sit at the apex of the power of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

“I can only guess at the situation now, but if he try to grab Team Leader Heo's ankle with the backing of Commissioner Kim Taek, won't he be able to catch you?”magic

Deputy Chief Park Seunggil's eyebrows wriggled.

If Lee Hyunsoo is doing well, it's not good for you either.

It was what his eyes meant.

“He's the one who caught the Incheon Commissioner. Do you think he'll cut you some slack because you're his team leader?”

Team Leader Heo Insung nodded.

In any case, Heo Insung wanted to take the line of Deputy Chief Park Seunggil. Although there were several candidates for the Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, he had the most influential line among them, and it was because he had a deep relationship with Commissioner Kim Taek.

‘Lee Hyunsoo, if it wasn't for him…….’

Heo Insung nodded with a grim face.

“I understand.”

“Let's do well, Team Leader Heo.”

“Yes.”

After saying that, Heo Insung left the office. Deputy Chief Park Seunggil got up from the table and moved closer to the window.

Rustle- The scenery outside Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency as seen through the curtains.

‘I thought it was urgent to put Commissioner Kim Taek in the position of Commissioner General.…….’

It didn’t matter. If things went wrong, hard work would be done, and good would be seen.

‘I'll have to deal with it for sure.’

Deputy Chief Park Seunggil's eyes reflected in the window rolled.

A young detective who began to gain media attention as a righteous police officer. Plans for destroying this kid passed through his mind.

Then suddenly.

“If that's the case…….”

Deputy Chief Park Seunggil picked up the cell phone that was on the table. Then he called somewhere.

“Uh, you know that case last time? Bring me the data. Yeah, that's right. I think I've found the right person.”

* * *

At that time, the hallway.

Team Leader Heo Insung was walking with a limp after coming out of Deputy Chief Park Seunggil's room.

“Ha, f*ck…….”

He stopped walking and put one hand on the wall, caressing his shin.

Then.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

Heo Insung raised his head at the sudden voice.

“You……!”

Then, leaning against the wall, he saw Hyunsoo smiling.

Smiling, he looked as if he knew what happened in the room.

“No, you were touching your shins with a crumble face. I was wondering if Deputy Chief Park kicked you in the shin. It looks very hurt.”

Hyunsoo looked at Heo Insung's shin. Then, Heo Insung straightened his back and asked as if nothing had happened.

“Forget it. But what are you doing here? Do you have something to do with Deputy Chief-nim?”

“I'm here to see Commissioner-nim, not the Deputy Chief-nim.”

“Commissioner-nim……?”

Heo Insung's eyes shook.

“Yes. Why? Is there a problem?”

“No, nothing.”

It was as Deputy Chief Park Seunggil had said. If Commissioner Kim Taek and Hyunsoo became closer due to Hyunsoo's performance, not only Deputy Chief Park Seunggil but also himself would be in a cold state.

Heo Insung raised his head and looked at Hyunsoo with cold eyes.

“Do your best. I don't know if it'll work out.”“Thank you for your support.”

Hyunsoo smiled at Heo Insung.

* * *

After a while.

“Briefing?”

Commissioner Kim Taek’s room.

Hyunsoo, who was sitting on the sofa, turned his head to Commissioner Kim Taek. Hyunsoo ran to the Commissioner's room immediately after receiving a text message telling him to come to the room.

He thought he was going to talk about tomorrow's meeting with the Commissioner General.…….

“Yes, the Sangma Construction case is emerging as a huge issue in the media, and as the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency took the lead in solving it, we need to brief this time.…….”

It was Hyunsoo who called the reporters using Reporter Seo Gaeun. Of course, it was done to gain the trust of Commissioner Kim Taek.

‘He's gonna use me.’

Just as Hyunsoo was trying to use Commissioner Kim, Kim Taek was trying to use Hyunsoo as much as he could.

“You're the right person. You're the one who brought the almost-covered case up above the water.”

Patting Hyunsoo on the shoulder, Commissioner Kim Taek continued his soft voice.

“And now that it's like this, you should debut on TV as the face of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. What's the point of leaving such a handsome face? You have to use it.”

A small smile crept across Hyunsoo's lips.

It wasn't bad. No, rather, it was more certain to let Kim Taek use him than trust.

“Yes, I understand. It's my first time, but since you're asking me, I'll do my best.”

“Yes! Well thought out! Hahaha, there's going to be a big star police coming out of our Seoul Police Agency!”

Commissioner Kim Taek's laughter echoed.

After the briefing, Kim Taek would use the media to make Hyunsoo a star. Because he knew that it would help him in his position as Commissioner General.

Kim Taek, who had been laughing for a long time, grabbed Hyunsoo by the shoulder.

“Oh, and come to think of it, was it TN that called the reporters for an interview then…… I heard she's a reporter from a small Internet company. Do you know her?”

Hyunsoo's head tilted. However, he soon erased his expression and opened his mouth.

“No, I don't know her well. Just by chance.…….”

Commissioner Kim Taek nodded and said.

“I see, so how about dinner tonight?”

“I'm sorry, my grandmother is alone at home. I don't think the meal will be possible, I'm sorry.”

“Ah, I see.”

Kim Taek looked disappointed.

“Then don't worry and go. After all, you're a grown-up, but you're paying special attention to your grandmother too. We can have a meal together later, so it’s fine.”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

* * *

After a while, Hyunsoo was coming down the stairs.

Jiiing-

When the cell phone rang, Hyunsoo took it out.

[Caller: TN Reporter Seo Gaeun]

“Yes, Reporter Seo.”

-Are you busy today?

“A lot of people ask about today's schedule, why?”

Hyunsoo, who came down to the lobby, went out of the building with his cell phone in his ear. Then, he stopped walking.

In the corner of the parking lot, Reporter Seo Gaeun was waving hard with her cell phone in one hand.

* * *

“What do you think? It's a summary of the interview, is that okay? There's not too much private information, but it doesn't mean it's too obvious.”

The back alleyway of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Reporter Seo Gaeun and Hyunsoo were sitting on a bench on a quiet street. Hyunsoo turned his head while looking at the documents he received from Seo Gaeun.

“Do you always get confirmation like this? Every interview?”

“Well, it's not like that, but I'm a meticulous person. So you're saying it's okay, right?”

It was a summary of Hyunsoo's interview.

Hyunsoo nodded and handed over the documents, and she continued, putting them in her bag.

“A single article can change a person's life. Of course, it would be nice if it was good, but most of what I do is bad.”

“…….”

“So I tend to be meticulous. Of course, right now, I only have good things to say about Detective-nim.”

Hyunsoo, who had been listening to her words, slowly opened his mouth.

“Can I ask you just one question?”

“What is it?”

“Wasn't you originally a reporter for the social affairs department of KM Broadcasting Station? I feel like I've seen you once before.”

Reporter Seo Gaeun, who hesitated for a moment, nodded lightly.“That's right, but I quit. So…… I work for a small Internet media company called TN.”

Quit.

Hyunsoo stared at Seo Gaeun quietly. At Hyunsoo’s gaze, Seo Gaeun smiled.

“I know what you're thinking, but I didn't get fired.”

“Are you saying you quit on your own? That major broadcasting station?”

Seo Gaeun nodded.

“Even if I did the interview, I couldn't publish the article. The broadcasting company itself censored it so much, and if it's news about someone who has a little connection with the director…….”

It would have been buried in no time.

“I felt skeptical as a reporter. Well, there was a lot of pressure on me to get out on my own, but I moved on my own anyway. I like to write articles that I can write, even for small companies.”

It was Seo Gaeun's sincere words.

Hyunsoo, who had been watching her, glanced at his watch and said.

“Shall we go eat?”

* * *

They headed to a baekbanjip* near Hyunsoo's house.

It was close to lunchtime, so Hyunsoo and Seo Gaeun were eating at a table full of side dishes.

“……Still, President-nim is quite young, so he’s trying to do something like a YouTube channel. These days, more people watch the news through video than through text…….”

Hyunsoo was also enjoying listening to her company's story, as to how many times they had worked together.

“But again, camera and things like that cost a lot of money…… When I was at the broadcasting station, there was someone in charge of everything, so I didn't have to worry about it…….”

Seo Gaeun's words continued for a long time. Soon after, however, Hyunsoo's head tilted. No matter how small an Internet media company was, the more he listened to her, the more poor the foundation of the media company seemed.

Hyunsoo, who put down his spoon, opened his mouth.

“……By the way, how many employees do you have in your company? Since it's a media company, there will be at least 10 people…….”

“There are 2 people.”

“Pardon?!”

Surprised, Hyunsoo's eyes widened.

“2……people?”

“Yes…….”

Seo Gaeun nodded awkwardly.

“No……So, President-nim and Reporter Seo Gaeun-nim. Just two?”

“Yes…… Haha.”

“Ha…….”

Hyunsoo grabbed his forehead. Hyunsoo wanted to work together with Reporter Seo Gaeun until the end. Even though he had a high regard for Reporter Seo Gaeun as a reporter, he thought it was a company with a certain amount of thought to publish all of her articles.

However…….

“……How's your salary?”

Two people, this was the number of people that couldn’t be established as an organization called a company. Now that he thought about it, he could understand the disastrous number of views of the articles.

When Seo Gaeun nodded awkwardly.

“You can feed her.”

Hyunsoo turned his head to a familiar voice.

“Grandma……?”

Hyunsoo's grandmother was standing right next to the table.

“What are you surprised at? The two of you are eating in front of the street corner on our way home.”

“No, but how…….”

“I still have good eyes. Right? I don't use a magnifying glass at this age. I saw you on the way to buy fruit, so I came in.”

When the grandmother sat down naturally, Seo Gaeun bowed her head with a bright smile.

“How have you been?”

“Uh uh, yeah. Pretty Reporter-nim. Were you on a date?”

“No, no, it's not that…….”

Hyunsoo held his forehead with both hands as if he had a headache. Then the grandmother shook her hand and said.

“Aigoo, what are you so worried about? Just buy it.”

“Huh?”

Hyunsoo tilted his head.

“What do you mean?”

“Our pretty Reporter-nim's company is a tiny little one with only two people, but it’s still just one company, you can just buy it. You have a lot of money.”

Reporter Seo Gaeun, who didn't understand, widened her eyes at the grandmother's words.

“Buy it……?”

However, Hyunsoo's eyes sparkled.

In the end, the biggest problem even for the major media outlets, which had plenty of support, was that they lacked the reporter’s spirit. However, Reporter Seo Gaeun, and the president of TN Media who protects her.

It was a small media company, but if Hyunsoo's support was combined to make it a bigger company…….

Hyunsoo's head turned to Seo Gaeun.

“Reporter Seo, what's Presidet-nim's number?”

__________

*백반집 (baekbanjip): a type of restaurant that serves a variety of side dishes that included in the set. The number of side dishes can vary from 5 side dishes to dozens of side dishes.