Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Beef and Bonds
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Sizzle.
The sound of beef grilling rang out softly.
Lee Jae-hyun watched the scene, feeling a strange mix of emotions.
It reminded him of that day in his previous life, the last time he grilled pork belly with Park Dae-hyung.
The situation was very different now, and it was beef instead of pork, which made the feeling even more peculiar.
He had caught Myeong Jin-han and saved his father.
And Park Dae-hyung sat right in front of him, with no worry of demotion hanging over him.
Silently gazing down at the beef as it cooked.
"That's it. The sizzling sound is completely different from pork belly."
The aroma of the grilling beef wafted up thickly, and Park Dae-hyung let out a small sigh of admiration.
Inspector Kim Seok-hyun, sitting beside him, nodded in agreement right away.
Lee Jae-hyun let out a light chuckle.
Honestly, he couldn't really tell the difference in the sizzling, but if Park Dae-hyung and Kim Seok-hyun said it was different, then it must be.
As he thought that, Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin chimed in from the side.
"What's different about the sound? Meat is meat."
"Team Leader, why are you like this? Anyone can tell it's different."
Inspector Kim Seok-hyun replied with a pleased expression.
Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin responded as if to say, 'Big Brother, make some sense. How could the sound be different?' but he was smiling all the same.
"Team Leader, as expected, let me handle the grilling..."
Lee Jae-hyun cautiously reached for the tongs and scissors while Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin held them, but.
Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin gently nudged his hand away with his elbow.
"Hey now! The maknae just sits quietly and eats what he's given."
"Exactly! This dinner is thanks to the maknae. Team Leader will grill it all, so just eat without worry."
Right after Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin's words, Inspector Kim Seok-hyun waved his hand as if it were obvious and piled on.
For Lee Jae-hyun, it was a situation where he couldn't help but feel a bit awkward.
As the team's maknae, with the team leader personally grilling, how could he not?
Even though Inspector Kim Seok-hyun, who outranked Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin by one level but was the oldest in age, told him not to worry, it eased him a little...
He still couldn't shake the feeling.
Whether he noticed Lee Jae-hyun's awkwardness or not, Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin and Inspector Kim Seok-hyun continued their cheerful conversation.
"Big Brother, when it's ready, the tongs and scissors come to you? Get ready."
"Aigoo, hand them over already."
Everyone let out light laughs at Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin and Inspector Kim Seok-hyun's exchange.
"We've arrived."
A loud voice rang out as a man greeted them and stepped into the police substation.
Behind him, a woman with short hair entered with an expressionless face.
Lee Jae-hyun turned his head unconsciously, then broke into a soft smile.
At this point in time, they had only exchanged names and were still acquaintances at best.
But in the future, he would grow quite close to them, so he couldn't help but feel glad to see them.
"Oh, you're here?"
"Come on in."
Park Dae-hyun greeted the entering pair.
Lee Jae-hyun quietly stood from his seat to welcome them as well.
The man saluted Park Dae-hyun, then lightly waved at Lee Jae-hyun.
"Maknae, good work. Thanks to you, we get to have beef after so long."
He spoke to Lee Jae-hyun.
Kim Jun-ho, rank of sergeant.
Right above Lee Jae-hyun in rank.
Before Lee Jae-hyun joined, Kim Jun-ho had been the maknae, so he especially welcomed his presence.
In fact, Kim Jun-ho had always looked out for him well.
He was the slickest talker on the team, the type who could chat endlessly.
When his father first passed away, Lee Jae-hyun had hated Kim Jun-ho's nonstop talking, but looking back later, he realized it was his way of showing care.
Lee Jae-hyun smiled brightly and opened his mouth.
"No big deal."
"Hey, what do you mean no big deal? No need to be humble—own it and enjoy."
Kim Jun-ho patted Lee Jae-hyun's shoulder as he spoke.
He was always lighthearted and sly like this, but especially so today.
"Maknae."
"Yes."
Kim Jun-ho sat down excitedly, and the woman who entered with him, Inspector Min Ji-hye, called out to Lee Jae-hyun.
Her signature impassive gaze and cool voice.
In his previous life, Min Ji-hye was the last team member Lee Jae-hyun had grown close to.
Part of it was her blunt personality, but she also hadn't thought highly of Lee Jae-hyun, who had been content just getting by as a police 'civil servant.'
Min Ji-hye always gave her all in everything.
She was a true cop, and though not the oldest on the team, she played the big sister role.
Unlike Sergeant Kim Jun-ho, she spoke very little.
But that didn't mean she was cold or rigid.
She quietly looked after the team members.
She just didn't show it outwardly.
Lee Jae-hyun couldn't help but look at Inspector Min Ji-hye with a puzzled expression, since they weren't close yet in this life and she was approaching him first.
"Good work."
She tossed out the single phrase bluntly.
Without any intention of saying more, she sat in an empty seat and stared at the grilling meat.
Lee Jae-hyun watched her for a moment before letting out a pleased laugh.
They exchanged greetings for a bit.
"Alright, let's eat!"
The meat on the grill was fully cooked by now.
As if Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin's words were the starting gun, the team members dove into the meal aggressively.
Kim Jun-ho looked like he could eat a ton, and Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin, with his sturdy build, packed it away too.
The surprise was.
"Man, I can't help but admire her every time. How does that much fit in that body?"
Inspector Min Ji-hye's appetite was impressive.
Lee Jae-hyun nodded along unconsciously at Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin's admiration.
She usually came off as stoic and serious.
But right now, she was downright enthusiastic.
She ate with gusto, nearly matching Kim Jun-ho's pace, to the point where passing servers glanced over in awe.
In contrast, Park Dae-hyun ate a bit slower than usual.
Lee Jae-hyun felt puzzled by Park Dae-hyun's slightly troubled expression but swallowed his question.
Just then, Kim Jun-ho popped a piece of meat into his mouth and called Lee Jae-hyun.
"Hey, maknae."
"Yes, Sergeant."
Lee Jae-hyun turned his head at the call.
Kim Jun-ho shrugged and continued.
"But seriously, maknae, how'd you know that guy was a serial killer? Catching him in a taxi during a drunk driving check—it's wild no matter how I think about it."
As Kim Jun-ho asked,
Lee Jae-hyun pondered briefly before answering.
"The carry-on he was hugging looked suspicious, and he seemed really on edge... Once I thought he was suspicious, there were plenty of red flags."
As he said that, Kim Jun-ho snapped his fingers.
"Yeah, exactly. I saw the paperwork, and like you said, everything felt off if you looked at it that way. Nothing decisive, though?"
"...Yeah, just a bad gut feeling from the start."
"Whoa, so it was instinct in the end? You've got real cop potential. What do you think, Big Brother?"
Kim Jun-ho asked Park Dae-hyun cheerfully.
Park Dae-hyun waved his hand at the bright voice.
"I'm busy eating, don't drag me into it."
"Gonna hog it all?"
Park Dae-hyun spoke a bit gruffly, but Kim Jun-ho laughed it off without a care and went back to shoveling meat.
The dinner atmosphere warmed up.
Seeing Park Dae-hyun quietly stand, Lee Jae-hyun rose and followed him out.
When Lee Jae-hyun came along, Park Dae-hyun pulled out a cigarette, then looked at him in surprise.
"Eat more. Why'd you follow?"
"Two-man teams, right?"
Park Dae-hyun snorted at that.
Shaking his head as if it wasn't funny, he lit his cigarette.
"I can..."
Lee Jae-hyun approached to light it, but Park Dae-hyun waved him off.
"Nah. A non-smoker like you?"
He took a deep drag and exhaled.
Watching the smoke dissipate into the air, Lee Jae-hyun froze as his final moments from his previous life flashed back.
It wasn't trauma or anything.
Just a sudden craving for something cool.
As if sensing it, Park Dae-hyun looked up at the sky and spoke.
"One smoke, then let's hit the convenience store for ice cream."
"Yes, sir."
Lee Jae-hyun answered simply, but Park Dae-hyun exhaled smoke with a complicated expression.
"This case."
"...Yes."
Park Dae-hyun brought up the case.
Lee Jae-hyun responded slowly.
From the troubled face and bringing it up like this, he must have something on his mind.
Maybe disciplinary action? But Lee Jae-hyun dismissed it quickly.
If it were, Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin's face would be troubled too.
This was probably Park Dae-hyun's personal worry.
"You did great. Wrapped it up too cleanly."
"Thank you."
Park Dae-hyun tossed out the praise bluntly.
Lee Jae-hyun accepted it calmly.
Park Dae-hyun scratched his head as if pondering, then continued.
"But don't go solo from now on."
Lee Jae-hyun met his gaze steadily.
He fully understood the complicated expression, and why the praise.
That's why it was hard to reply easily.
He was at the substation now, but Park Dae-hyun had been a detective originally.
Full of vigor, always ready to take down the bad guys.
Then one case got him demoted here.
He still regretted acting alone back then.
Lee Jae-hyun shouldn't know this at this point, but having spent ten years with him in his previous life, of course he did.
Pondering how to respond, Park Dae-hyun continued.
"Not saying don't step up—I really think you handled this well. Just don't be so reckless. It can be dangerous. It worked out this time, but... you were reckless. Act like the maknae, like a patrol officer."
"Can't I show some youthful spirit as the maknae?"
Lee Jae-hyun understood completely.
Even without knowing his backstory.
Honestly, there had been reckless moments catching Myeong Jin-han.
And gathering evidence... he'd gone overboard without excuse.
Reporting a burglary to bust in the door himself.
No regrets, though, so he smiled lightly.
But Park Dae-hyun exhaled again, meeting his eyes more seriously.
"If possible, keep that fire. But if you act on your own, you'll end up shouldering it alone. Just follow orders."
He spoke firmly.
Lee Jae-hyun held his gaze without flinching.
He'd heard all this before in his previous life, so he understood fully.
But.
'I can't just play it safe.'
There were too many victims to save from criminals.
And people he personally wanted to see face justice.
He couldn't sit idle.
He would prove it with actions going forward.
He bowed his head slightly and replied.
"Yes, I'll live like a true cop."
Started with 'yes,' but the rest meant something else.
Sure, following orders might be 'cop-like' in a hierarchical sense.
But Park Dae-hyun caught on immediately that it wasn't.
He mulled over Lee Jae-hyun's 'live like a true cop,' then chuckled and nodded.
"A cop living like a cop is just natural. Why say it with such a determined face like it's some big vow?"
He placed a hand on Lee Jae-hyun's shoulder.
Lee Jae-hyun smiled lightly at the familiar gesture.
Reminded of how Park Dae-hyun treated him warmly in his previous life.
Lee Jae-hyun laughed and replied.
"No vow needed. I'll naturally live like a true cop."
"Good. Got it... Just don't get hurt."
"Yes."
"They'll be waiting. Let's grab that ice cream quick."
Park Dae-hyun started walking.
Lee Jae-hyun followed naturally behind.