Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: The Missing Boy
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Meanwhile, at Hanseong Police Substation.
“Inspector Park.”
“Yeah?”
Park Dae-hyung, who had been stretching, turned his gaze toward Min Ji-hye, the sergeant approaching him.
Min Ji-hye might seem a bit stiff on the outside.
But on the inside, she was always soft and the first to look after the team members, so she got along well with Park Dae-hyung too.
Park Dae-hyung had worked with Min Ji-hye for years, so he knew her moods and the situations well...
But the expression on Min Ji-hye's face right now looked like she was worried about something.
Park Dae-hyung looked at her with a puzzled expression.
“What's got you looking so troubled?”
“Well, Jae-hyun seems really out of it lately.”
“The rookie?”
When Min Ji-hye brought up Lee Jae-hyun, Park Dae-hyung tilted his head.
Lee Jae-hyun had seemed distracted recently.
But was it enough for Min Ji-hye to worry this much?
The Lee Jae-hyun that Park Dae-hyung had seen was obsessed only with the cat case.
He had no idea that even after Jae-hyun clocked out, Min Ji-hye and Kim Jun-ho had found him still reviewing CCTV footage nonstop, so it wasn't strange for him to feel puzzled.
Facing the puzzled Park Dae-hyung, Min Ji-hye nodded and continued.
“Yeah. It's probably not work or anything like that. It seems like it's been like this since the Myeong Jin-han case...”
“You still don't get the rookie, do you.”
“...?”
“It's not Myeong Jin-han he's stressed about. It's Jun-ho.”
At least, the Lee Jae-hyun that Park Dae-hyung knew wasn't the type to get mentally shaken because Myeong Jin-han threw a tantrum demanding compensation for the broken door.
He had a stronger mentality than any patrol officer Park had ever seen, and the action to match it—that was Lee Jae-hyun.
Not Myeong Jin-han, but probably Kim Jun-ho.
At his guess, Min Ji-hye stared at Park Dae-hyung silently.
“Because of Po-soon?”
“Yeah, right after hearing about Po-soon, that cat-related report came in. On weekend patrol with the rookie, something similar happened again.”
“Yeah, someone seems to be feeding sleeping pills to cats around. But you think it's really just about the cats?”
Min Ji-hye nodded but brushed her hair back, lightly touching her shoulder as she spoke.
She had heard about someone feeding sleeping pills to cats.
But would that really make him act so out of sorts?
Sure, Lee Jae-hyun might like cats...
But last time she saw him, his face looked like he could collapse any second.
Park Dae-hyung seemed to think it wasn't just the cats too, shaking his head slightly.
“It's too much for just that. That's why I think he's stressing over Jun-ho on purpose.”
“Looks like Jae-hyun looks up to Jun-ho more than we thought.”
“Well... yeah. And he seemed worried something bigger might happen. Said his gut feeling was off.”
At the words “gut feeling was off,” Min Ji-hye's brows furrowed instantly.
Honestly, Park Dae-hyung had been feeling an odd vibe lately too.
Not just because Lee Jae-hyun had been visibly preoccupied these past few days.
Someone definitely going around feeding sleeping pills to cats...
‘No normal person would do that.’
His instincts couldn't be good.
The uneasy air was palpable, and Min Ji-hye continued a bit faster.
“His gut feeling was off? No, wait—if it's something more serious...”
“Ugh, I'm scared to jinx it, so I won't say more. Just that. We should stay alert too. Let's patrol the playground area later.”
Park Dae-hyung said in a matter-of-fact tone.
He felt a bit uneasy, his instincts slightly off, sure.
But he wasn't green enough to show it to Min Ji-hye.
What good would making his colleagues anxious do?
Lee Jae-hyun was just a patrol officer, the rookie, so he could show some instability, but Park had to be the steady one.
‘The rookie's usually so solid—why's he so on edge this time?’
As Park thought that inwardly.
Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin appeared.
He opened his mouth right as he entered the office.
“Got a child missing report. An 11-year-old boy should've been home by now but hasn't returned. Can we head out right away?”
It was a common child missing case.
No, child disappearances shouldn't be common.
To be precise, they were usually runaways or brief wanderings.
Most resolved within 30 minutes to a couple hours after the report.
They always patrolled and guided kids back to their parents when found.
Yeah, it was just one of those routine cases.
But.
Why...
A sharp wave of unease surged.
In that moment, Lee Jae-hyun's words flashed through his mind.
It could be ‘practice,’ Jae-hyun had said.
Park Dae-hyung's face hardened instantly at the thought.
Min Ji-hye, noticing the change, called out to him in bewilderment.
“Inspector...?”
“Ji-hye.”
“Yeah.”
Park Dae-hyung grimaced before continuing.
And at his words, Min Ji-hye's face changed just as quickly.
“Child abduction—how many hours is the golden hour?”
“What? Inspector, you don't mean.”
Min Ji-hye froze, eyes widening.
Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin, heading to his desk, stopped and looked at Park Dae-hyung.
Too many variables to pin down the golden hour exactly.
Could be just a simple missing case.
Even if abduction, the kid might not resist and be spending time with the ‘abductor.’
Abductions were often by acquaintances, sometimes even family disputes labeled as such.
Many possibilities.
But assuming the worst-case...
“...Three hours. Over 12 hours, undiscovered odds exceed 50%.”
Had to find within that window for the kid to be safe.
* * *
The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was the little girl.
Horns on her head, the kind of girl who'd make anyone say she was impossibly cute no matter what.
Lee Jae-hyun gasped and bolted upright.
“Oh, you're finally coming to. How do you feel?”
“What about that grandma—where is she?”
“She left. Came back to check you were asleep and bounced.”
“Damn it!”
Frustrated, Lee Jae-hyun ruffled his hair.
He'd been an idiot.
Too complacent thinking he knew the future.
The culprit in Choi Dae-hyeon's kidnapping-murder was Park Ye-chan, possible accomplices but low odds...
Naturally, it wrapped as solo crime.
Lee Jae-hyun had stupidly never considered the revealed future facts might not be complete.
He punched his thigh.
“Oh dear, hitting yourself right after waking up—you'll just hurt yourself.”
Serhen looked at him incredulously as she spoke.
Lee Jae-hyun snapped back after confirming her floating in front of him.
What a mess.
He was utterly pathetic.
Believed only what he saw like a fool, thought his knowledge was gospel.
Narrowed his vision.
Ignored anything he'd normally suspect, gulped down the ginger tea from the grandma like nothing.
No one would suspect a grandma.
Easy access to Choi Dae-hyeon.
Just get him to drink a sedative-laced drink, kidnapping's simple.
He could only curse his stupidity, but wallowing wouldn't help—time was ticking.
Assess the situation... If he couldn't stop the kidnapping, at least prevent death.
“Time... check the time first. How long was I out?”
“Uh... Supposed to be four hours, but I woke you after one. Didn't want your mouth going numb.”
One hour.
Thank goodness.
If hours more, no telling what happened to the kid, no matter how hard he tried.
‘The situation's changed.’
Originally, incident tomorrow, not today.
But drugging him today meant... they're striking today.
Why changed? Obvious without deep thought.
Lee Jae-hyun.
The ‘suspicious young guy bumping into her lately’ was too alert, kept showing up.
Grandma always nearby, got antsy, decided to wrap it up quick.
“Couldn't remove the drug components directly in case of mental side effects. Moved your body fast instead. Might feel like intense workout—exhausted, sore muscles. Be careful. Lucky no other ingredients besides sedative...”
Lee Jae-hyun nodded vaguely.
Not tired.
Refreshed, like deep sleep.
But yeah, like Serhen said—major muscle aches from sudden strain.
Not debilitating though.
Even if it were, he had to move.
What first?
No need to think.
Lee Jae-hyun grabbed his smartphone and called Park Dae-hyung.
Long ringing, no answer.
Unease creeping in.
Called again.
Finally, after ages, Park picked up.
―Hey, rookie.
“Inspector Park, I just...”
―Where are you?
Before Lee Jae-hyun could speak, Park cut in.
His voice told Lee Jae-hyun something happened.
“Alley near Bamtol Village Apartments. What's going on?”
―Child missing report. Name Choi Dae-hyeon, 11 years old. This feels off.
At Park Dae-hyung's words, Lee Jae-hyun gritted his teeth.
The kid was in danger after all.
Lee Jae-hyun steadied his ragged breathing and spoke.
“Anyway... I have something to tell you.”
―Shoot.
“I just woke up after being drugged with sleeping pills.”
Lee Jae-hyun dropped it bluntly.
Park Dae-hyung would get it.
Sure enough.
―...Hold tight. On my way.
Park Dae-hyung's voice was terrifyingly low.