Street Kids (5)
Just when I thought he was glaring at me for a moment, his waist slowly bent at a 45-degree angle.
“Lieutenant Kang Cheol-gu, please forgive my rudeness last time. I've come to apologize with all sincerity.”
Chief Kim Dong-sik's mouth gaped wide open. Every eye in the office filled with shock.
“I even heard that if Lieutenant Kang had been just a little later, our Ha Yeon could've been in real trouble.”
Park Man-cheol glanced briefly at Ha Yeon standing beside him. She gave a subtle nod.
“I don't know what you said to her, but after meeting you, Lieutenant Kang, the kid did a complete 180. She's back to being my pretty daughter again. This is all thanks to you.”
Ha Yeon winked at me.
“Got it. Stand up first, sir.”
I helped him straighten up.
“I wanted to hear the full story and then show my personal gratitude, but Ha Yeon here insisted against it. She said you're not the kind of cop who expects that sort of thing. So I came to apologize in person. Heh heh.”
In the break room, Park Man-cheol let out a hearty laugh.
“Ah, I see.”
Too bad. Personal gratitude.
“Not to brag, but around here in Gangcheon-gu, if you don't know Park Man-cheol, they'd call you a spy. If you ever run into trouble on the job, don't hesitate to call me anytime.”
Park Man-cheol handed me his business card, then added in a subtle tone, “Today I came as Ha Yeon's father to express my thanks, but next time, let's drop the formalities and be like brothers. I have a bit of a talent for spotting people. Seeing a capable young man like you makes me feel great. Haha.”
He's trying to add me to his pool of talent? Not a bad deal right now.
I shook the hand he offered.
“Thank you. And I hate to bring this up, but could you come with Ha Yeon to court tomorrow?”
“Court? What's that about?”
Park Man-cheol, who had been laughing boisterously, lifted his chin and furrowed his brow.
“It's nothing major. There's a trial for a kid Ha Yeon hung out with briefly. The family's not well-off, and Ha Yeon's testimony could really help the kid out.”
Park Man-cheol crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side, then suddenly straightened up as if something had clicked.
“I know what you're worried about. You're afraid she'll fall back in with bad friends, right? But it's the opposite—this is to completely sever those ties.”
After a brief silence, Park Man-cheol nodded.
“Alright. If it's you, Lieutenant Kang, I trust you.”
* * *
“No way, Detective Kang. What the hell did you do to make that high-and-mighty Councilor Park bow his head?!”
After Park Man-cheol left, Squad Leader Hwang Woo-sik's eyes sparkled as he asked. I could see the leaders of Violent Crimes Squads 1 and 2 eavesdropping from behind their partitions.
“Parents with daughters are all the same, right? He's just grateful I found his kid.”
I stood up casually, like it was no big deal, but Hwang added in a sly tone—as if for others to hear.
“Anyway, with Taehwa on your side and now Councilor Park Man-cheol too, Violent Crimes Squad 3 has nothing to fear anymore. Haha!”
Somewhere, a frustrated groan escaped.
* * *
Chief Kim Dong-sik's pen froze mid-signature on the approval form. He tapped his forehead with the fountain pen, trying to steady his breathing, but it stayed ragged.
The scene from earlier lingered like an afterimage.
Councilor Park Man-cheol... He brushed right past me. For that punk. In front of all my station's staff!
A vein bulged on his forehead.
Councilor Park Man-cheol's daughter Ha Yeon was his one headache. Over drinks a few times, Park had vented about it—easy to win tens of thousands of constituents, but so hard to win his own daughter's heart.
That's why he'd assigned the runaway case to that brat Kang Cheol-gu. Finding a runaway is tough, and even if found, the kid would be broken body and soul—from years of cop experience, he knew it.
But turn it around like this?
Chief Kim Dong-sik's eyes narrowed. He nodded to himself and picked up the phone.
That bastard needs to go!
This wasn't a choice anymore—it was survival.
* * *
Seoul Family Court.
Mi-ju sat in the “protected juvenile” seat before the judge, a woman in her fifties. Criminal cases are public by default, but juvenile trials are held in closed session.
Victim Ha Yeon normally couldn't attend, but since this was a special plea for leniency over punishment, she stood as a witness. As the officer who arrested Mi-ju on-site, I could participate too.
The judge spoke.
“The juvenile committed the serious crime of facilitating prostitution, warranting Protective Disposition No. 9. However, as a first offender, with the victim's strong plea for leniency and the testifying officer's statement, I order Protective Disposition No. 8: two weeks' detention.”
Mi-ju's head, bowed low, slowly lifted. Tears welled in her eyes.
* * *
“This is really great, sis.”
“Sorry... and thank you. After what I put you through.”
The two girls clasped hands. Tears streamed down both faces, no telling who started first.
“Hey! Mister. Did you hear? My dad—no, that guy... he turned himself in?! That monster's not the type to repent. Did you... do something?”
Mi-ju asked with her puffy eyes fixed on me.
“What could I have done? Even a scum like Jo Du-seong must've felt a prick of conscience.”
“...How do you know his name?!”
Mi-ju's wavering gaze turned to certainty.
* * *
The transport van carrying the protected juveniles rolled out the family court's main gate. Ha Yeon watched until the end, then let out a soft sigh.
“It turned out great. Mi-ju sis says she'll learn cosmetology when she gets out. Says she sucks at studying. I'll study hard and go to college too. But...”
Ha Yeon suddenly hooked her arm in mine, eyes sparkling.
“That monster Mi-ju sis calls her dad. She said he's not even human, so how'd you make him turn himself in? You're no joke, mister!”
“Shut up. I didn't do anything. By the way, why'd you tell your dad pointless crap?”
“What crap?”
She was still grinning.
“Your dad, Councilor Park Man-cheol, was gonna show me some personal gratitude! Why'd you stop him?!”
“Whoa! You really...!”
Her upturned lips drooped. Her arm slipped free. A sharp, metallic screech burst from Ha Yeon.
“Aren't you loaded, mister? You bragged your dad's some big shot!”
I yelled right back.
“My dad's big-time, not me! Cops get peanuts for pay!”
We glared, huffing, then burst out laughing together.
Everything worked out.
I repeated it to myself. Wrongdoers got their due punishment, the wayward kid returned to the straight path, the wounded one embraced new hope.
And I? I got stiffed on the personal gratitude.
My mouth soured suddenly.
* * *
After wrapping the canvassing on last night's robbery, I returned to Gangcheon Station.
What's this? Why's it so noisy!
Stepping inside, childish shouts echoed everywhere. Over a dozen boys yelled at each other, hurling curses at the cops trying to restrain them.
“You fucking punk, get over here!”
“Let go! Ah, shit! What? Gonna hit me?”
“That bastard hit first!”
“What's the situation here?”
I asked Squad Leader Hwang Woo-sik as I entered the office. He clutched his head, voice hoarse.
“Ah, Detective Kang. Crazy atmosphere, right? Sigh...”
“Looks like kids. Why the chaos here?”
“Middle schoolers got into a brawl. Supposed to be handled at the precinct, but too many, so they brought 'em here. Total headache.”
Hwang rubbed his forehead with a long sigh.
“No major injuries, just a simple fight—no reports needed. Send 'em home with parents. But those punks are the problem!”
Detective Kim Gwang-il grumbled from behind, jerking his chin toward one side. His neck was red with rage. Four teens sat there with crude tattoos on their hands, chins jutted defiantly.
“Who're they?”
“Won't even talk. Two days ago, they went to a convenience store in Wonju-dong for booze. The part-timer, a girl, refused 'cause they're minors. So they threatened her. Even beat up the owner who showed up—eight weeks' injury.”
“What about the cops? Precinct guys were there, right?”
“Exactly! Same family, but that cop's an idiot. By the time they arrived, the beating was done. Not caught red-handed. Just IDs and sent 'em off. Those trash!”
Kim Gwang-il's neck veins bulged.
Sloppy initial response, useless protocols. Cops' chronic issue.
I sighed deeply without thinking.
“That's not all.”
Kim Gwang-il's voice snapped me from my thoughts.
“Next day, they came back, threatened to delete the CCTV footage, stole the part-timer's phone, and bragged about smashing it on their SNS. Unredeemable trash! Check their SNS today—it's a riot! Know what this punk posted?”
Kim Gwang-il handed me his phone.
[Heading to get questioned by the fake cops today. Catch you later. I'll drop a review when I get back.~]
“They fear no law or cops. Know they're juveniles, so we can't touch 'em. They even strut more, trusting the station CCTV!”
Kim Gwang-il exhaled harshly, his massive frame shaking.
“Gwang-il, you'd be perfect for the truth room. What a shame.”
“Truth room?”
As I turned, Kim grabbed me.
“It's got someone who looks like you.”
He kept nodding, but Kim pressed on.
“Hey! So what's this truth room?!”
* * *
Violent Crimes Squad 2's Choi was gritting his teeth, eyes narrowed to slits.
Across the desk sat the punks and a mid-30s man, the apparent victim. His face was bandaged head to toe—no expression visible. Only his trembling voice betrayed his fury.
“I held back to avoid mutual assault charges. They kept stomping me while I was down, telling me to hit back...”
The victim exhaled long and hard.
“They said being juveniles makes it fine... It's so unfair they get no punishment just for being young. Doc says I need total bed rest. Could even lose my sight if unlucky! But I was so pissed I came here.”
The apparent ringleader shook his head, twisting away at an angle. He sneered, lips pursed.