Chapter 4
The door to the interrogation room opened, and Hyunsoo entered with a bright expression.
“Hi? You are…… Student Kim Byunwoo?”
The male student who raised his head suddenly began to howl at his brisk appearance.
“I, I didn't know! I went because the guys told me to follow them……. I, I didn't even know who she was! I didn't know anything! It's real!”
“…….”
And then the silence.
Soon after, Hyunsoo started to clap along with his impressed eyes.
“Wow, I really like this attitude. Cooperative and willing to say anything. Student Byunwoo, do you feel good? I like it!”
Kim Byunwoo, who was puzzled by Hyunsoo's excessive praise, secretly looked around and began to smile after Hyunsoo.
“Ah……haha, I listen to the teacher very well.”
“Ah, that's right. I heard that Student Byunwoo studies a lot, too. Oh, but what do you do when you’re caught up in this, your life is going to get pretty messed up.”
At his words, Kim Byunwoo lowered his head.
“Ha…… You've been working really hard up until now.…… One mistake this time…….”
Hyunsoo's eyebrows frowned for an instant, but Kim Byunwoo didn't notice it.
“But Student Byunwoo, why did you come back to the motel? With another friend.”
At Hyunsoo's words, Kim Byunwoo gulped and raised his head again.
* * *
A few hours ago.
Kim Byunwoo lay on the sofa at home and recalled what happened a while ago.
The initial plan was the idea of Park Seokhyun, the leader of the group he was playing with. Park Seokhyun made a ridiculous proposal to make memories from his school days.
At first, he thought that he was crazy, but with Park Seokhyun's continued persuasion, Kim Byunwoo thought that a terrible crime could be wrapped in the name of memories. And the target automatically went to the weakest they knew. A girl who was the prettiest girl in the class, but because of her bad family situation, she was harassed even during the school year and was shunned by the teachers.
He thought it wouldn't be a problem.
Until the call came from another friend who committed the crime with Park Seokhyun and Kim Byunwoo.
-Yah, I think we’re f*cked?
“What are you talking about?”
-There are a lot of people in front of the Semo Motel right now. Something's wrong.
“What?!”
Kim Byunwoo immediately called his friend to go to the front of the motel. And watching the situation flow, he grabbed his friend's shoulder.
“Yah, let's pretend we didn't know.”
“What are you talking about? You want to tell the cops everything?”
“There are so many people here, how can the police investigate? They’re going to go through everything, but what if our hair actually comes out?!”
“Ha, f*ck…… I really didn’t know!!”
When his friend pulled his hair, Kim Byunwoo grabbed him by the shoulder.
“So let's say it was all done by Park Seokhyun. This sh*t was that bastard's plan in the first place!”
“Yah, then will Park Seokhyun leave us alone? With his personality, where will we be if we blame him! Huh?!”
“If we have criminal records, Park Seokhyun is not a problem. Let's say that Park Seokhyun made us do it, and we have to say that we did it wrong.”
“That's not gonna work!”
“We're high school students! There's something like that……. First-time offender, and young! Take it easy! Aren't you going to do something like that?”
“Sh*t…….”
“Park Seokhyun won't be investigated anyway. That bastard's family is so rich.”
His friend's frowning eyes widened. Kim Byunwoo's words were tempting.
When committing a crime, they shared more joy than blood brothers, but in less than a day, they became enemies accusing each other.
“If the two of us agree, no one will know. No, there is nothing to match. Because he really did everything.”
* * *
“I’m going to……turn myself in.”
“Turn yourself in?”
Hyun-soo's eyes narrowed at Kim Byunwoo's words.
Turn themselves in, a word that did not go well with these guys. He didn't know if there was any ulterior motive.
“How did you decide to turn yourself in?”
“Out of guilt……. I never meant to! All because Park Seokhyun told me to…….”
“Who?”
“It’s Park Seokhyun. He, he…… he made me do everything.”
Hyunsoo nodded quietly.
It was an unexpected confession, but thanks to the division between the perpetrators, there seemed to be no chance of missing the perpetrators.
As Hyunsoo smiled softly at Kim Byunwoo, his words continued.
“We really didn't know! Ask the other kids too! It's all because of him!”
* * *
“Park Seokhyun…….”
Hyun-soo immediately investigated the identity of ‘Park Seokhyun’. Then, in the scene that passed by in his head, when the face of the guy who led the crime and the face of ‘Park Seokhyun’ matched, his eyebrows wrinkled.
“Park Seokhyun, the son of the head of Hoseon District, Seoul City?”
Hyunsoo's head turned at the unfamiliar voice.
The protagonist of the voice was Police Officer Kim, the youngest member of the Major Crime Investigation Team 1.
“Ah, salute*! Team Leader Heo told me to stay with Inspector-nim no matter what……. I'm sorry if you were concentrating.”
“Team Leader Heo did?”
“Yes! I respect Inspector Lee, and I just became a police officer, so I thought you seem to be the one who can help me learn this job really well, so I readily replied that I would do that.…… I’m sorry.”
Looking into the eyes of Police Officer Kim, who was armed with respect, Hyunsoo shook his hand and pulled the chair.
“Nah, you don't have to be sorry. Sit down.”
“Yes, thank you. But…… why are you looking for the son of the head of the district? Could it be that one of the perpetrators who killed the female student at the motel…….”
Hyunsoo nodded.
“That's right. The son of the head of the district, Park Seokhyun.”
“Wow.”
Police Officer Kim looked at Hyunsoo, who casually looked at the monitor, and thought he was at least the coolest person in the Police Agency.
He handed over the son of the chairman of the construction company to the prosecution as a judgment for indictment, and this time it is the son of the head of the district. But, of course, it didn't seem easy.
“But…… is it possible? Of course, Inspector-nim is excellent, but the head of the district cannot just give up his son, and the power of the head of the district will be formidable.”
“It won't be easy.”
“Is there any other way?”
Police Officer Kim sent Hyunsoo a look full of anticipation. And Hyunsoo stared at those eyes and shattered them brutally.
“No, of course not.”
“……Pardon?”
Hyunsoo jumped up, leaving Police Officer Kim, who was stained with embarrassment, behind.
“Where, where are you going?”
“Catching Park Seokhyun.”
“Pardon? Al, already?”
“Did Police Officer Kim just say that? I think you even said you respect me, right?”
Police Officer Kim quickly stood up and strained his body.
“Yes, that's right! I respect Inspector Lee Hyunsoo-nim! But why is that……?”
“All right, so instead of following me unnecessarily, you look for evidence. You can do it, right?”
Police Officer Kim's eyes widened.
“M, me……?”
* * *
“Who?”
“The son of the head of Hoseon District, Park Seokhyun.”
After a while, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Major Crime Investigation Team 1 went wild.
Thanks to Lee Hyunsoo, who rushed to ask about the case from somewhere else, high school students were arrested as suspects, and even one of the suspects was the son of the head of the district. A case that was sure to become a prey for reporters even if a little time passed.
Detectives did their best to scrutinize the case so as not to be blamed. Of course, the one who found the situation hard to comprehend the most was Heo Insung, the team leader of the Major Crime Investigation Team 1.
On the roof of the police station, Team Leader Heo Insung opened his mouth, spitting out the cigarette he was smoking.
“Ha. Lee Hyunsoo, what the hell is wrong with that bastard……. Even if he really knows and provokes them, the batting average won’t be this good! How can he pinpoint and find out, first the son of Jisang Construction, and now the son of the head of the district!?”
“The two sons cause a lot of trouble. It's probably a coincidence.”
“Ah…… My brain.”
When Team Leader Heo Insung grabbed his head, Inspector Kim Jinhyuk of Major Crime Investigation Team 2, who was standing next to him, quietly closed the distance.
“What would you like to do? Would you like to hand this case over to our team?”
“I want to hand it over, but Lee Hyunsoo, that guy won't stay still.”
“Or just take your hands off.”
“What?”
“Inspector Lee Hyunsoo, even in the case of Ji Soobin, son of Jisang Construction, seemed to know the connection between Jisang Construction and Team Leader-nim. I can't be sure that he doesn't know this time, so I think it's better to let the head of the district’s side take care of it in the first place.”
“I still got something, how can I stay still…….”
“The victim is dead. Park Seokhyun, moreover, gave the victim alcohol and sexually assaulted her. I don't know if the murder charge will be recognized, but sexual assault alone is already a crime for high school students, so it is a case that could become a big issue.”
Team Leader Heo Insung looked at Inspector Kim Jinhyuk with a troubled face. But the agony wouldn't be long. Inspector Kim Jinhyuk's words were right.
“It would be good for us to stay quiet.”
“Ha, f*ck……. Should I let them know though?”
Team Leader Heo Insung picked up his phone with a very unwilling expression.
* * *
At that time.
In front of a luxury villa in Hoseon District.
Park Seokhyun, leaning on a luxurious red sports car, was looking at his cell phone nervously.
“Why can't I get in touch with these bastards! Damn, why are people gathering in front of the motel!!”
Park Seokhyun was not yet aware that the victim was found dead.
“What the hell is going on!!”
He reached out to his friends, sweating. However, those calls couldn’t get through.
It was then when Park Seokhyun opened the sports car door, hoping that it would not work like this.
“Aiya, is this your car?”
A man ran his hand over the car and approached Park Seokhyun.
It was Hyunsoo.
“I know there aren't many of these in Korea. Well, I can't buy it because I don't have enough mone…… No, it’s enough now……. But I can’t obtain it now, right? Ah, this is the first time I've been envious of a brat.”
“……Wh, what? You.”
“But I guess Head of the District-nim made quite a big business back then? Buy his son a car like this.”
“……Who, who are you?”
Park Seokhyun was very wary and closed the car door. Then, he quickly scanned Hyunsoo up and down.
A cheap jumper and worn jeans. And if this person knew his identity…….
There was only one class.
“But what's the point of a high school student having a car? You can't even drive.”
“……You're a reporter, right? Huh?! Do you know where this place……!”
When Park Seokhyun, full of confidence, raised his voice, Hyunsoo shook his head lightly.
“I'm not a reporter. But you don't do illegal racing on the road at night without a driver's license, right?”
“Huh, what? If you're not a reporter, who are you?! Who are you!”
“Me? Police.”
“Po, police……? Why is a police…….”
Park Seokhyun's eyes rolled.
Then don’t tell me…… His eyes widened in disbelief.
“Yeah, that's why I'm here. An urgent arrest.”
“Ar, arrest……?”
“There's a time limit because there's no warrant, but. Yeah, arrest.”
“How, how dare the police arrest me!”
Park Seokhyun, holding his cell phone tightly in one hand, shouted at Hyunsoo as he approached.
“I mean, who do you think you are and acting so confident?”
“……What? What do you mean…….”
Hyunsoo pushed his cell phone into Park Seokhyun's face. On the screen, the name and phone number of the ‘Reporter of Hansang Daily’ were written.
“If this person knows who you are, what happens? And if he know why I'm here, it'll be a lot of fun, right?”
Park Seokhyun's mind ran fast. Then, he shut his mouth as if he understood Hyunsoo's meaning.
“At any rate, I only learned bad things.”
“Are, are you really a police? You're not a gangster?!”
“Right, police. I'll show you my ID later.”
“But how can the police threaten……!”
“So you can threaten the police because your father is the head of the district?”
“…….”
“Private talk is long. Let's go because we don't have time.”
Hyunsoo pushed Park Seokhyeon's shoulder and opened the driver's door of the sports car.
“Why, why do you open it?!”
“I came here by bus. We're going together anyway, so let's ride this. I really wanted to ride this.”
Park Seokhyun, who let out an absurd sigh, reluctantly handed over the key. Then, with a smile, Hyunsoo quickly got into the driver's seat.
“This uncle can drive, right?”
__________
*충성 (chungseong) means loyalty, devotion. 충성 is used by police officers when saluting.