Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Fists at the Door
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Park Hyun-jin, blissfully unaware that Park Man-seok had been hauled in by the police and busted for GHB possession, was strolling home after a night out on the town.
Her brows furrowed as she walked the street, replaying the day's events in her mind.
*Annoying bitches.*
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, her brows knitting tighter.
Nothing had been going right lately.
Thanks to that idiot Song A-ram, everyone at school was giving her weird looks.
And then ghosts popping up out of nowhere.
Suspicious stuff kept happening around her, way too weird for comfort.
But the most infuriating thing by far was Song A-ram suing her.
*Dad said it was fine, but he seemed pretty stressed about it.*
Just thinking about it again made her blood boil, and Park Hyun-jin swept her hair back.
Sure, she'd messed with Song A-ram a bit as a prank...
But suing her over a little joke?
Her father, Park Man-seok, had told her not to worry, that he'd handle it.
But he had looked genuinely stressed about the case.
*If we could just get that Su-jin girl on board, it'd be sorted. Why's she being so damn stubborn?*
Park Hyun-jin ground her teeth, picturing Su-jin.
Her original plan had been to bully Su-jin into convincing Song A-ram to drop the charges.
It was all for her dad, who was running around cleaning up her mess.
Of course, Park Man-seok had said she didn't need to do anything.
But for her own pride, she figured she'd try something...
Su-jin was taking the bullying but stubbornly refusing to tell Song A-ram to withdraw the lawsuit.
Touching friendship.
To Park Hyun-jin, though, it was just pathetic.
*Fuck. Why's some bottom-feeder bitch fighting so hard?*
She'd arrived home by now, but instead of going straight in, she slipped off to the side.
A small flower bed between the apartment buildings.
Park Hyun-jin ducked in, rummaged through her bag for a cigarette and lighter with practiced ease, and lit up.
She usually didn't smoke right before heading inside.
But she needed to vent somehow.
"Hoo."
She watched the smoke plume out, mulling it over again.
No matter how she sliced it, it just pissed her off more.
She chain-smoked one cigarette, then immediately lit another.
One, two...
That's when she heard it.
"Come on, let's hurry."
"Yeah."
A group of men bustled about.
Park Hyun-jin glanced toward the sound, then froze.
A police car was parked there.
She dropped her cigarette and ground it out underfoot.
Peeking out cautiously, she scanned the scene.
*Police? Why the hell are cops here?*
Memories of her past screw-ups made her tense up.
Park Hyun-jin forced herself to stay calm and started walking toward the entrance like nothing was wrong.
Bad luck— the cops from earlier were still waiting for the elevator.
Ding.
It arrived right then.
She considered waiting for the next one, but that might look suspicious.
In the end, she slipped carefully into the elevator among the officers.
She reached for the button.
*Huh?*
Park Hyun-jin blinked, hesitating.
Her floor was 14.
And that's the button the cops had pressed.
Her mind raced.
*Are they here for me?*
*Or did something happen to Dad?*
"Kid, you gonna press it or what?"
"Oh, sorry."
At the cop's prompt, Park Hyun-jin punched the button for the third floor.
The ride to three felt like thirty minutes, though it was mere seconds.
—Third floor.
The elevator chimed.
Park Hyun-jin bolted out without looking back.
She raced down the stairs, pulling out her smartphone to call Park Man-seok.
—The person you are calling is unavailable...
"Shit!"
Of course, the cops had him at the station—he couldn't answer.
Fuming at the voicemail, she hung up and redialed.
But no matter how many times she tried, Park Man-seok didn't pick up.
*Did something really happen?*
Cold sweat trickled down her back now.
No matter how busy he was, he'd always taken her calls.
Ignoring her repeated attempts meant something big had gone down.
Hitting the first floor, Park Hyun-jin burst outside, fidgeting anxiously.
*That woman?*
A familiar face caught her eye.
A female cop standing with another officer below.
Oh Seo-hyun. No doubt about it.
The detective who'd been a pain over the Song A-ram case.
She'd even shown up at school.
*Song A-ram, that bitch?*
It clicked in her head like puzzle pieces snapping together.
Song A-ram's report. What else would bring cops to her place?
*You think I'm just gonna take this lying down?*
Park Hyun-jin seethed, snatching up her phone.
She dialed a number.
—Hey, Hyun-jin. What's up?
"Uncle, I need your help."
Her eyes blazed with fury.
* * *
While Park Hyun-jin was blinded by rage.
Lee Jae-hyun headed to Song's Gukbap House.
He'd racked his brain, but his immediate priority was preparing for any fallout.
Incheon Western Police Station's Violent Crimes Unit had gone to Park Man-seok's place.
Park Dae-hyung was staking out the Tan-young Intersection branch of Hana Bank.
They'd done what they could to the perpetrators; now it was time to protect the victims.
Park Hyun-jin, the ringleader of the school bullying, wanted Song A-ram to drop the charges.
They had to brace for direct threats against her.
Ding-a-ling.
The glass door chimed softly as he entered.
Song A-ram, just wrapping up the dinner rush and catching a break, shot up from her chair on reflex.
"Welcome... Huh?"
"Hey, A-ram."
"Hi, mister. Isn't Seo-hyun unnie with you?"
Song A-ram glanced around.
Calling Inspector Oh Seo-hyun "unnie" meant they'd gotten close since last time.
"Yeah, Seo-hyun's off somewhere."
"Seo-hyun...?"
Song A-ram narrowed her eyes at Lee Jae-hyun.
He shrugged and spoke.
"We're friends starting today."
As he said that, the boss emerged from the kitchen.
"Back again? I love seeing you so often. Sit down. What'll it be?"
"Just one sundae gukbap, please."
Lee Jae-hyun smiled as he ordered.
He took a seat at an empty table, and Song A-ram naturally sat across from him.
"Hang tight. I'll whip up something amazing."
The boss headed back to the kitchen after that.
Only then did Song A-ram continue.
"You two got close all of a sudden?"
"Yeah, went to a club once and hit it off."
"A club? Wait, cops can go to places like that?"
Song A-ram blinked, questioning if it was allowed.
Cops and clubs—definitely an odd mix.
The people's guardians hitting up nightlife spots and fooling around? Tongues would wag.
"Exactly because I'm a cop."
Lee Jae-hyun grinned meaningfully.
Song A-ram blinked at his tone.
What did being a cop have to do with a club?
She couldn't figure it out.
Finally, something dawned on her.
"Wait, did those guys get nabbed at the club?"
Lee Jae-hyun instantly knew who she meant.
Park Hyun-jin and her bully crew who'd targeted her.
Man, she really was sharp.
Associating clubs with them right away.
"Nope."
"Oh... Then what? You said jurisdictions don't overlap, right?"
Song A-ram asked, puzzled.
If the kids weren't caught and areas didn't match, why go to a club?
He shrugged again.
"Not the kids. Park Hyun-jin's dad?"
"Yeah. Park Man-seok."
"Went and grabbed him."
Song A-ram's eyes widened at Lee Jae-hyun's words.
Catching the dad of her bully, Park Hyun-jin? Great news.
But... from what Park Hyun-jin had bragged about, Park Man-seok would slip out easy.
She tamped down her hopes and asked.
"What'd he do wrong?"
"Tons. Right now, we got him on attempted rape and drugs."
Attempted rape and drugs.
Legally, "attempted rape" might not stick if he denied it.
But the drug intent was solid.
Song A-ram knew the weight drugs carried.
"So..."
"He won't wriggle out easy. And naturally, Park Hyun-jin can't rely on Daddy to run wild anymore."
"Ohhh..."
Tears welled up in Song A-ram's eyes.
It wasn't fully resolved, but the pressure to drop charges came from Park Hyun-jin's dad.
Hearing he'd been nabbed eased the tension naturally.
Lee Jae-hyun spotted the tears, pulled a tissue, and handed it over.
"We'll sort out the others one by one."
"Really, thank you, mister."
"Just doing my job as a cop."
As he spoke, the boss, who'd brought the gukbap, let out a dry chuckle.
"What'd you do to make my girl cry this time?"
The gukbap house owner sat cautiously beside Song A-ram.
What father could sit idle seeing his daughter tear up?
It was just a light scolding, like last time.
"Thanks, I'll dig in."
Lee Jae-hyun nodded at the boss and lifted his spoon toward the gukbap.
Song A-ram watched, then started explaining the recent events and Choi Su-jin to her dad.
Crash!
A loud shatter—the glass door broke as a fist-sized rock rolled inside.
"Eek!"
Song A-ram screamed.
The gukbap boss instinctively hugged her, shielding with his body.
Lee Jae-hyun ducked briefly, then turned.
"Howdy, gentlemen?"
"Boss, one gukbap over here."
Big burly men strode in through the broken door.
Good call coming to the gukbap house.
Lee Jae-hyun clenched his fists and stood.