Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: The Branch Manager's Haste
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A grill house located at the Tanyoung intersection in Ilsan.
There, the Bank of Korea Tanyoung branch was holding its after-work dinner.
The mood wasn't bad.
At least, not for Branch Manager Kim Jin-cheon.
"My glass is empty. Mi-so, pour me one."
Kim Jin-cheon held out his glass with a pleased expression.
Bank teller Im Mi-so gave an awkward smile and lifted her beer to fill his glass.
In the midst of it, Kim Jin-cheon chuckled and casually reached out, groping Im Mi-so's waist.
Im Mi-so's face stiffened, but Kim Jin-cheon just pretended not to notice and kept smiling.
The faces of the other bank employees sitting around showed no change in expression.
It was a common occurrence.
The other female employees were inwardly relieved that it wasn't them.
"Thanks a ton?"
"...Not at all."
"These days, if you ask someone to pour a drink at a dinner like this, they call you old-school. Am I old-school too? Haha."
Kim Jin-cheon said that and burst into laughter on his own.
He opened his mouth wide enough to show his uvula.
It looked just like a toad opening its massive jaws to swallow prey whole.
Everyone thought he was worse than old-school, but different words came out of their mouths.
"No way. How could you be old-school, Branch Manager? Anyone can see you're young at heart and full of wit."
"Oh? Saying my mindset is young means my looks aren't?"
"Pardon...? No, no. Of course your appearance too..."
"I'm kidding. I know I'm getting old. But I've worked hard, made branch manager, and got to work with great staff like you all. That's what matters."
Kim Jin-cheon tried to sound dignified in a way that didn't suit him, but no one sympathized.
From the start, bringing up the old-school topic was his silent warning not to talk behind his back later.
Of course, that didn't mean the gossip wouldn't happen...
What Kim Jin-cheon was aiming for was insurance in case of a report.
If reported over tonight's events, he'd submit the recording of this conversation to claim everything was consensual.
Then, Kim Jin-cheon stood up and pulled out his phone.
"Oh, my son. I'll take this call outside."
"Go ahead, sir."
Kim Jin-cheon headed out of the restaurant as he said that.
Not a single bank employee remained seated; they all stood and bowed to him as he left.
One clueless newbie sat there with a puzzled look...
The gazes of the other employees toward him were filled with pity.
'Tsk tsk. He's gonna get called in later and chewed out.'
'Someone tell him.'
'...As long as it's not me.'
While they each thought that, Kim Jin-cheon glanced at the newbie and left the restaurant.
The moment he was gone, sighs erupted from all around.
Everyone exchanged awkward glances, until one bank employee finally spoke up.
"It's gonna be late again tonight... right?"
"Looking at how excited he is, yeah."
"Ha..."
Soon, they each muttered a word or two and let out long sighs.
The eyes of the employees, united in shared misery, soon gathered on one spot.
"We're fine, but Mi-so..."
"Yeah? I'm okay."
At someone's words, Im Mi-so, who had been feigning composure, bit her lip.
Her face flushed slightly with humiliation.
They act like they don't know why.
At the tacit signal to pretend nothing happened, everyone fell silent.
"No, Mi-so, you've been feeling under the weather lately. We were just worried."
"Yeah. It'll be a long night. Take half a day off tomorrow morning and rest."
No one said it outright, but they all knew the situation and spoke with sympathy.
But to Im Mi-so, their pitying gazes were repulsive.
After all, not one suggested she leave first.
They knew how Kim Jin-cheon would react if she vanished, so none dared to help her escape.
However, Im Mi-so couldn't blame them.
Until recently, she had been part of that group of 'bystanders.'
'The silent majority...'
Recalling the famous saying, Im Mi-so gave a bitter smile.
When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent.
I was not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I remained silent.
I was not a trade unionist.
And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak for me.
A critique of the silent majority.
Whoever coined it, it was a painful truth.
Gazing at the countless past versions of herself who had averted their eyes, Im Mi-so raised her glass.
The alcohol tasted especially bitter that day.
* * *
A little time passed, and Kim Jin-cheon returned to the restaurant with a hardened face after finishing his call.
His dark expression signaled that the call hadn't brought good news.
The employees, knowing better than to poke the bear now, clamped their mouths shut and looked toward one person.
The deputy manager, second only to Kim Jin-cheon.
Under the silent pressure, the deputy manager stepped up.
"Branch Manager... are you alright?"
"..."
But there was no reply from Kim Jin-cheon.
No, he wasn't even registering the words.
His mind was too rattled by what he'd just heard.
'Park Man-seok got nabbed?'
Kim Jin-cheon racked his brains.
Putting together what his son Kim Sun-woo had said, there was only one conclusion.
The backroom deal with the cops had blown up.
'What could involve me in this?'
Kim Jin-cheon wasn't worried about Park Man-seok's well-being.
Only whether the sparks would fly his way.
That was his sole concern.
Kim Jin-cheon thought fast, but no easy answer came.
Not that there were none—it was too many.
Finally, after running calculations in his head, he concluded he wouldn't get clarity this way.
He turned to the deputy manager, who was eyeing him nervously, and spoke.
"Hey."
"Yes? Oh, yes."
"You, come with me back to the bank. The rest of you finish up and head home."
Kim Jin-cheon stood, leaving the baffled employees behind.
Whatever it was, trouble had hit.
No time to figure out what.
If the cops had pieced it all together and were coming, it'd only be a matter of time before they grabbed him.
What Kim Jin-cheon had to do now was one thing.
'Destroy the evidence before the cops show up.'
Quickly eliminate traces.
As he got into the car to head back to the bank, Kim Jin-cheon overlooked one fact.
When people rush to hide something, mistakes happen.
* * *
Incheon Western Police Station.
Lee Jae-hyun was waiting for the lab results with Oh Seo-hyun and Inspector Seo Yoo-jun.
There were glasses and booze from inside, so detecting GHB wouldn't be hard.
It didn't take much time either.
GHB was common and versatile, so tests for it were advanced.
Logging evidence, paperwork...
Ten minutes on admin, another ten after the test.
Inspector Seo Yoo-jun returned with the results.
"Results are in."
"How'd it go?"
"Yeah, it's GHB."
Oh Seo-hyun approached tensely.
Her face hardened at the confirmation.
"Good thing we didn't drink. Dodged a bullet."
"They were pushing the drinks hard, so I skipped it on purpose..."
She trailed off with a sigh.
What if she'd just taken the drink?
The outcome was easy to imagine.
If Lee Jae-hyun hadn't shown up right on time, she might've blacked out and lost her memory for real.
Oh Seo-hyun turned to look at Lee Jae-hyun.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
"Using formal speech? Didn't we agree to be friends starting today?"
"Oh, well..."
He couldn't exactly go informal with a sergeant in front of everyone.
Lee Jae-hyun dodged with an awkward smile, and Oh Seo-hyun chuckled.
"Kidding. I know to keep it professional."
As Lee Jae-hyun nodded awkwardly at her words.
The Violent Crimes Unit at Incheon Western Station prepped for another dispatch.
Six detectives headed to Park Man-seok's house.
"Soon as we get there, bust in, secure any extra Liquid Ecstasy. And if you find docs hinting at hidden illegal funds or deals, pass 'em to Inspector Oh."
"Got it!"
Narcotics meant immediate search warrant.
The laws were strict, and it was a government priority.
Lee Jae-hyun didn't join the Violent Crimes team from Incheon Western.
Different units, and he couldn't do much more here anyway.
Instead, he watched their cars pull away and raised his phone.
―Hello?
"Inspector Park. Lee Jae-hyun."
―Hey, you're in Incheon, right? What's up?
Lee Jae-hyun called Senior Officer Park Dae-hyung right away.
He picked up before it even rang much, asking what was wrong.
"Mind if I ask a discreet favor?"
―What wouldn't I do for the maknae? Spill it.
"Bank of Korea at Tanyoung intersection... possible to stake it out?"
Requesting a stakeout wasn't easy.
Especially for substation cops.
Stakeouts were detective territory, not for beat officers.
But Park Dae-hyung answered crisply.
He'd been a detective originally, so it wasn't awkward.
―That branch manager?
"Yes."
―Got it. Heading there now.
"Thanks."
―No thanks needed. Your tips always pan out, even if I'm half-asleep.
Ending the call, Lee Jae-hyun pondered in place.
What should he do next in this situation?
Soon, he reached a decision and started walking somewhere.