Criminal Boy (8)
“Hey, kiddo. Wanna chat with your big sis for a sec?”
The child eyed the unfamiliar woman suspiciously, his gaze darting up and down her frame.
“Who are you?”
“Sis isn’t a bad person. I’m a reporter who tells it like it is…!”
“A shitty reporter?”
Cha Mi-ran’s brow twitched in irritation, but she forced a smile and took another step toward the boy.
“W-well, sure, there are some weird reporters out there, but plenty of good ones too. You said everything earlier was a lie, right? Tell me more—sis will spread the real truth to everyone.”
She knelt down to meet the still-wary child’s eyes.
“…Everything Seon-u hyung said is a lie. He told me to rob a convenience store with Woo-cheol hyung.”
The boy clenched his fists, as if steeling himself. Woo-cheol was the victim supposedly shot by Kang Cheol-gu.
Cha Mi-ran drew a quick breath and hit record on her device.
“…So you’re saying Jin Woo-cheol, the one who got shot, was actually the school bully, and you were a victim too? Got any proof?”
“Yeah.”
The boy tapped play on his phone, and amid some static, an unfamiliar voice emerged.
[Fucking bastard. Do what I tell you. You’re a juvie anyway—no way you’ll get caught.]
[Woo-cheol, just slash that bitch’s face already.]
This voice belonged to Go Seon-u—the very student who’d tearfully defended Jin Woo-cheol’s innocence moments ago.
Cha Mi-ran nodded slowly, locking eyes with the boy. The certainty in his gaze ignited her resolve.
“Seong-gyu! What’re you waiting for? Run this recording with my draft as breaking news—now!”
“Huh? Without desk review?!”
“When are you gonna stop acting like some intern? This kid came here with Kang Cheol-gu. You get what that means?”
Her gaze flicked to Kang Cheol-gu, hemmed in by the crowd. Even amid the raw vitriol hurled his way, his expression didn’t waver.
“News is all about timeliness and speed. If you have to pick one, sacrifice timeliness—but never speed. The second Kang Cheol-gu opens his mouth, this stops being exclusive.”
“What’s the headline? ‘Truth Behind the Police Shooting’? ‘Misguided Victim’?”
“You dense fuck! What’s the first rule of reporting?”
“Uh, obviously telling the truth to the public…”
“Clicks, you idiot! Headline: ‘Twisted Mamchoongs Bury the Truth!’”
As her head tilted up, Cha Mi-ran flashed a wicked grin at the still-shouting crowd.
“Grab a shot of that auntie cursing up front and the one behind her flipping off the camera. Time to bait some views the second the story drops.”
With the breaking news live, Cha Mi-ran winked at the boy gaping at her.
“So, feel like a shitty reporter now?”
* * *
“Why are you all gathered here? To hurl simple abuse at me? Or do you want the truth?”
A megaphone was thrust into Kang Cheol-gu’s hand as the crowd pinned him in place. His question boomed into the furious mob.
“If it’s abuse you want…”
His gaze sliced through them like a blade.
“Go ahead. I’ll stand here till your rage burns out. But…”
The hand shaking placards aggressively dropped, and the jeers quieted.
“If you want the truth, I’ll show you—right now.”
Without waiting for a reply, Kang Cheol-gu turned and strode toward the protest broadcast truck’s screen. It was still looping a maliciously edited clip mocking him.
“You think you’ve got the right to reveal the truth? You who shot an innocent kid!”
“Yeah! Get on your knees and apologize to the victim!”
“Take off that uniform!”
Reluctant to admit they’d been cowed even briefly, the protesters erupted again from the center of the pack.
Kang Cheol-gu halted, brow furrowing—then bellowed.
“Hyeong-jun! Get out here!”
All eyes snapped to the black Jeep. A pale teen with his head bandaged stumbled out, supported by three or four kids on either side.
His legs buckled forward. The supporters cried out, gripping him tighter.
Oh, snap! Kang Cheol-gu clutched his neck dramatically before chuckling.
“That’s the ‘vicious criminal’ you’re all talking about. And this is the record from that day—his body cam footage.”
The truck’s feed cut, replaced by a dimly lit abandoned house under a streetlamp. A venomous voice blared from the speakers.
[Kill that fucker too! I’ll pay extra if you do.]
[Was gonna anyway. Fuck! Who does he think this is?]
“Wh-what the hell is that?”
Someone gulped. The scene shifted abruptly.
Jin Woo-cheol—the elite Yusung Foreign High student everyone thought was the victim—advanced with bloodshot eyes, nail-studded bat in hand.
Horrified screams echoed from the terrified onlookers as his murderous aura thickened. His lips curled in eerie glee, bat raised high—
BANG!
The shot rang out. Three hundred protesters fell utterly silent.
“That’s the truth of that day. Elite student Jin Woo-cheol paid to kidnap Park Hyeong-jun here—and when that wasn’t enough, he swung a weapon. My actions prevented further harm. If I hadn’t fired…”
Kang Cheol-gu steadied his breath.
“Jin Woo-cheol would be a murderer.”
“Lies! It’s all fabricated!”
“No proof it isn’t manipulated!”
The moment Kang Cheol-gu’s words proved true, their rally lost all purpose. As blind rage reignited—
Every reporter’s phone buzzed at once.
“SBA News flash—Kim Hyun-young here. Yes? Yes?!”
“JTBD Ma Si-hyuk speaking. I’m at the scene. Chief, what the hell does that mean?!”
Reporters stared at Kang Cheol-gu, phones in hand, as desk orders defied belief. He glanced at his watch, lips curling white.
‘Kids can’t report it ’cause they fear Jin Woo-cheol. So blow that fear away. You up for it?’
‘Hyungnim, I’m a legend in Jungcheon-gu at minimum. Time to earn that rep.’
Park Hyeong-jun bit his lip, fiddling with his phone.
‘Remember: Staggered posts get buried. Hit national petitions, complaint boards, every SNS and outlet at once.’
‘Don’t worry. Tons of kids are in—Jin Woo-cheol’s tormented so many, no convincing needed.’
“Ch-Cha sunbae! This ain’t a prank. Over a hundred posts hit the national petition at once—all identical, all victims of Jin Woo-cheol. Wound pics, secret recordings—pure gold!”
Cha Mi-ran bit her lip, scanning the chaos. The once-solid protest line had crumbled long ago. Broadcasters shoved mics at the students who’d arrived with Kang Cheol-gu; within the crowd, accusations flew between protesters.
– You crazy bitch! What the fuck are you doing? You’re going viral as a mamchoong nationwide! Get the hell outta there!
A shrill scream from one auntie’s phone carried to her ears. The “Murder Cop Kang Cheol-gu Step Down” banner lay trampled underfoot.
Cha Mi-ran swallowed hard, staring at Kang Cheol-gu. She’d expected him to navigate the crisis somehow when he first appeared. But this total reversal? Even she, who’d risked it all on the exclusive, couldn’t believe it.
That man… what the hell is he?!
She clenched her teeth.
* * *
“Hyungnim! You gotta warn a guy before scaring him like that? My heart’s still pounding!”
“I never doubted you for a second. Had faith all the way!”
“Aigoo, Gyu-cheol hyung, quit sighing—you were holding your breath the whole time.”
As we pushed through the reporters into the station, Violent Crimes Team 3 swarmed us with shouts. Gwang-il wrapped me in a bear hug, stomping like a kid despite his size. Team Leader Hwang Woo-sik grinned ear-to-ear on a call.
“Lieutenant Kang Cheol-gu, public opinion’s flipped! Hate comments on you are getting comment-bombed and deleted. You know this? First time in three days I can breathe!”
Hwang shook my arm wildly, breathing ragged. Uncharacteristically, his eyes glistened red.
* * *
BAM! The door to Hong Gye-young’s top-floor office at Taehwa Building flew open without a knock.
“P-President! You hear the news? Lieutenant Kang Cheol-gu…”
“Yes. I saw. That man’s got a real talent for surprises.”
Hong Gye-young welcomed Secretary Yang Jin-ho with a smile that belied her “Ice Flower” nickname.
“How does he wriggle out like that? Thought he was done for this time.”
“Right? Life with him would never be boring.”
“…’With him’? What do you mean?”
“Nothing. Anyway, what about that favor?”
Her faint blush faded as she reverted to her calm tone.
“Compiled Na Sang-yeon’s dirt from Jungcheon Station. It’s a flood—case tampering, local bigwig crimes all swept under by him. Weird part: the guy leading the Kang Cheol-gu hit squad suddenly went dark.”
“That man must’ve handled it.”
That man no longer felt foreign on her lips.
“Possible? Even if retirement’s near, he’s still an active chief.”
“Nothing that man’s done so far seemed possible from the start.”
“True, but… don’t we ditch this now? Public opinion’s fully swung.”
“…You don’t know Kang Cheol-gu well yet, Secretary Yang. He doesn’t forgive those who bare their teeth at him.”
Her languid air sharpened instantly.
“He’s busy now, so we’ll handle the small stuff.”
* * *
[If you want the truth, I’ll show you—right now.]
The TV monitor filled with that infuriating close-up of Kang Cheol-gu. Jungcheon Station Chief Na Sang-yeon panted, flipping channels frantically.
Follow-ups usually toed the original story’s line—unless something huge broke.
[Twisted Mamchoongs Bury the Truth!]
Gangseong Daily’s scoop flipped the media overnight. Education experts decried grade obsession’s ills on forums; sociologists blamed elite-school privilege for turning kids and parents into monsters.
[This is structural rot from a winner-take-all society—peak pathology in our rank-obsessed culture and schools.]
Online, the “Jin Woo-cheol School Violence Victims” group formed; the petition started at 100 signatures, hit 100k in a day. Seoul Metro Police announced direct headquarters probe once Jin Woo-cheol healed—victim no more, now suspect.
HQ stepping into a non-serial, non-major crime? A blunt vote of no confidence in local cops.
Sweat beaded on Chief Na’s forehead. As he grabbed his phone to sync with Gwak Du-sik—
BAM!
Five suited men burst in.
“Won’t bother with hellos. You won’t be feeling so hot anyway.”
“Wh-who the hell are you? Do you know where you are?!”
“HQ Audit Team. Charges: performance fraud, doc forgery, bribery, embezzlement—shit, you did everything! Anyway, you’re coming with. Gwak Du-sik’s already there—won’t be lonely.”
“Let go! I said let go!”
CRASH!
Na thrashed wildly; the office mirror shattered. In the shards, he glimpsed his future.
No glorious Act 2 in sight.