Criminal Boy (3)
“Bro, no matter how much I dig, there's not a single news article. It should've at least made a blip, but total blackout!”
Kim Gwang-il, who'd been scouring the internet since morning, stuck out his tongue in disbelief. Jin Hwi-jae. He'd expected some pull, but total domination of the local media? That was beyond imagination.
“Good. Just like I said yesterday, we'll bury this case.”
“Nah, Gwang-il. Hit 'em with a suspect summons right now.”
“You think that bastard'll show? Especially since it's not even his jurisdiction.”
“He'll come. Even if it's just a phone request without formal papers.”
The guy would've sniffed out that I'd tried a media play. To block any more moves and gauge my real strength, he'd show for sure.
Right then, the Violent Crimes Team 3 phone rang. Gwang-il picked up, his eyes going wide.
“Bro, Jin Woo-cheol's crew and their lawyer are out front!”
* * *
“Hello. I'm Seol Min-woo from Cheongwon Law Firm. Here representing student Jin Woo-cheol.”
“Perfect timing. We were just about to request his summons.”
A clean-cut lawyer in his early forties handed over his business card. Five students lined up behind him.
Jin Woo-cheol. Obvious at a glance. Unlike the other kids with their pale, ashen faces, a faint smirk played on his lips.
“Inspector Kang Cheol-gu, right? Seems like you've got some misconceptions, and my client's quite upset about it.”
“What misconceptions?”
“Heard you went to Jungcheon Station yesterday stirring up that old case. As you know, South Korea's Criminal Procedure Act follows the ne bis in idem principle. Your actions practically deny our legal system.”
Behind rimless glasses, Seol's eyes gleamed like a snake's.
“The only ruling was that one indictment decision. All the other crimes tied to Jin Woo-cheol there? Never even properly investigated—swept under the rug.”
“So you're saying you don't trust Jungcheon Station's investigation? As a cop, you're distrusting fellow officers?”
Thinking he'd hooked me, the lawyer's breathing quickened.
“...That's not it. Then how do you explain the Yeongin-dong construction site? The victim named Jin Woo-cheol as the perp—!”
“No way!”
A kid next to Jin Woo-cheol shrieked like a cornered animal. The whole interrogation room erupted in shouts.
“Woo-cheol didn't do it! That middle school punk acted like an ass, so we beat him down!”
“Woo-cheol tried to stop us!”
Seol shook his head with smug satisfaction and smiled at me.
“Haha. Looks like Inspector Kang's got some serious misunderstandings. As you see, why pin a bunch of teenage impulse crimes on Woo-cheol? I think we've said all we need to. We'll be going now. Call me first if you have more questions.”
He patted my shoulder lightly and turned away. Heavy silence filled the now-empty interrogation room as the kids' yells faded.
“...Bro, you okay?”
“......”
Gwang-il awkwardly approached me as I hung my head.
“Don't sweat it. How're you supposed to outtalk a lawyer? Cheongwon Law Firm—those guys pull ten billion a year easy. Looks like the kids even got their stories straight beforehand... Whoa! Bro, are you smiling? You snapping from rage?”
My lips were indeed curled up.
“Gwang-il. Remember fishing on Sinseon Island?”
“Fishing out of nowhere? But why?”
“What do you do when the fish just nibbles but won't bite?”
“What else? Swap baits, go for a sensitive float... No way, bro!”
“If the fish is too twitchy, the angler gets tense. Throwing all kinds of bait makes it hard to spot the real nibble.”
I stared at the interrogation room door they'd left through.
“But the moment you think it's a dumb fish... the angler relaxes.”
* * *
– Haha! Don't worry, Chairman Jin. Who am I? Seol Min-woo of Cheongwon! I laid it out crystal clear.
– So, like the lawyer said, he's just some young punk mouthing off to feel big?
– Yes. You should've seen his face, sir. Beet red, totally flustered!
Jin Hwi-jae hung up, interlocking his fingers under his chin. A low sigh escaped.
Seol Min-woo had handled Yeongjin Construction's messes for six years without a single slip. A man worth trusting.
'Am I overreacting?'
He'd clawed his way through countless near-deaths to this position, guided by instinct. And now, that instinct was screaming a warning.
He shook his head fiercely.
* * *
“Alright! Winner's off bread shuttle duty from now on. Fight!”
“You shithead Hyun-tae! Put some power in those eyes—what're you doing?”
Yuseong Foreign Language High School, Class 2-4. Two pale-faced students clenched awkward fists, glaring at each other. They were the only real friends in the class, spilling each other's woes.
A gang of punks circled them, chanting names and cheering.
Hyun-tae squeezed his eyes shut and swung wildly. The fight, starting with flailing punches, ended quicker than expected.
“There we go! Tournament winner: Park Hyun-tae! Big congrats.”
“Fuck! Lost again. Here's 30,000 won.”
The top dogs clapped and mocked the teary-eyed winner while the losers cursed and pulled out wallets.
Jin Woo-cheol watched it all with a bored expression.
'Boring.'
Stuck in self-reflection on daddy's strict orders. His crew tried livening things with bread shuttle bets to cheer him up, but the thirst lingered.
'Maybe sneak a smoke.'
Turning the corner toward the bathroom, muffled voices drifted from the hall behind.
“Hey, heard the rumor? Park Hyeong-jun's getting out soon!”
“Park Hyeong-jun? The legend from the first gen?”
“Yeah. If that bro comes back, Jungcheon District's flipping upside down. You know what he's like.”
“Then Woo-cheol's screwed. Honestly, if Park Hyeong-jun had stuck around, that punk never would've taken top dog!”
Whispered, but clear as day. Jin Woo-cheol's eyebrow twitched.
“So we gotta switch sides, right?”
“Dunno. Hyeong-jun's tougher for sure, but Woo-cheol's got backup. Think about i—!”
“Don't think.”
“W-Woo-cheol!”
Jin Woo-cheol rounded the corner, facing them. The kid trembled like he'd seen a ghost as Woo-cheol's cold voice slithered into his ear.
“Having fun gossiping?”
“Woo-cheol! Th-that's not—!”
“Hyeong-jun's stronger, and I'm just a lucky prick with good parents, right?”
“N-no, I didn't mean—!”
Woo-cheol's iron grip yanked the kid's nape, dragging him to the bathroom. He slammed the boy's head between toilets. Flushing sent hair swirling down the drain.
“W-Woo-cheol, mercy!”
Woo-cheol ignored the screams. His gaze sank into the past.
'Park Hyeong-jun. So you're coming back.'
Old grudge. An amateur boxing tourney for kicks. Even kids with middle school pro experience couldn't touch him. Raw talent crushed their hard work.
After a string of wins, the finals opponent: Park Hyeong-jun.
His punches missed. Inches from hair, but gone. Desperate steps led to empty air.
Total defeat. But judges, eyeing his federation director dad, raised his hand amid boos. Gold medal hung heavy with shame.
“W-Woo-cheol! M-mercy...”
The kid's belly bloated from toilet water, groans leaking out. Woo-cheol flung the hair away like filthy vermin.
* * *
“Congrats. Start with some tofu soup.”
“Congrats, Hyeong-jun bro!”
Yeongbu Prison's rusty gate creaked open. Blinding sunlight made Park Hyeong-jun squint.
“Whoa! Cheol-gu bro came all this way. Thanks from the heart! Hyeok, you too. Saw your win in the papers. Congrats!”
“Not 'bro,' call me 'detective' like I said.”
“Haha! Once a bro, always a bro!”
Park Hyeong-jun, nabbed as a pickpocket on Kang Cheol-gu's first day at Gangcheon Station, was out. He buried his face in the priestly soup, inhaling like it was heaven after ages.
“Slow down. Why'd Tae-seok stay in while you got out?”
“...My birthday's earlier. Got juvenile leniency, shorter sentence. Feels shitty leaving him after we messed up together. Gonna smuggle him extras now.”
He scratched his head, spoon paused.
“Yeah. Plans for after?”
“Gonna work at a car shop. Word is I'm an ace mechanic from school days. Haha! ...But.”
His eyes flicked to Ma Hyeok.
“Hyeok, why you fidgeting like a puppy needing to shit? Spit it out.”
“...Got a friend, Yoo Hyeong-in. Seoul lightweight division.”
“Lightweight? My junior. What's up?”
“...Actually.”
Ma Hyeok's long story ended. Park Hyeong-jun's spoon froze. Jaw clenched, eyes narrowed.
“So, Jin Woo-cheol that fucker crippled my junior and's running wild in Jungcheon. That it? But bro, you knew all this already?”
His gaze hit me. Before I could speak, Ma Hyeok bellowed, veins popping.
“This detective went to Hyeong-in's hospital room himself and stormed Jungcheon Station!”
“No shit?!”
Park Hyeong-jun nodded, arms crossed. A meaningful smirk tugged his lips.
“Knew a bro like you wouldn't let that slide. So, what's the plan?”
“Gonna use you.”
Laughter bubbled from Park Hyeong-jun. He leaned forward, chair scraping close.
“No questions asked. What do I do?”
'This bait should hook him.'