By Zephyria 
Detective Oh Dae-Ho stared at his phone and cursed.
“That son of a bitch, Nam Ji-hoon. How dare he touch me?”
He knew that Oh Dae-Ho was involved, yet he went to the Blue House himself. It was a headache. Just like Lee Seon-jae said, the flies were swarming. And of all people, it had to be the most arrogant bastard. He was still young, but after going to school, his arrogance was through the roof.
It was a mistake to half-threaten Madam Lee to shut her up because he didn’t have the money. Meeting a pimp always cost money. He had made the girl’s face so bad that it would cost more than a few million won. Detective Park’s accident was worthy of disciplinary action, so he should be grateful that it was covered up. So, there was no way to cover the costs.
Detective Oh immediately called a friend who worked at the town’s police substation.
“What’s Nam Ji-hoon up to these days?”
“That bastard is practically living in Namchon Village.”
“Because of that Silver Town thing?”
“Yeah.”
“Hold him for me.”
“Aish, why again?”
A sigh could be heard over the phone.
“Just hold him.”
“I can’t this time, you bastard. Do you know how much I got chewed out because of what happened last time?”
“By the chief?”
“Our chief is like brothers with his boss.”
“Is that so?”
“Is that so? Seriously, you bastard.”
“I know, but Nam Ji-hoon has very important business with him.”
Detective Oh emphasized “very” and asked again. But his friend was firm.
“No way. Anyway, I can’t, so if you really want to contact him, do it yourself. I’ll send you his number.”
The phone hung up abruptly.
“This bastard, seriously. That’s why he’s stuck patrolling in a rural police substation at his age.”
Detective Oh glared at his phone and gritted his teeth.
A text message came in a moment later. As if he didn’t know the number.
He grumbled and looked at Detective Park’s desk. It was empty. He stood up halfway from his chair and looked around the office. Detective Park was sitting on the edge of the 3rd team’s desk, chatting with the detectives there.
“Hey, Dong-Hee! Park Dong-Hee!”
“Yes, Detective!”
Detective Park, full of military spirit, ran to Detective Oh’s call.
That’s why he couldn’t hate that bastard. These days, most of the rookies were so full of themselves that they didn’t care about their seniors. But Detective Park was different. He was always polite. He treated Oh Dae-Ho like a god, calling him “Detective,” “Hyung.”
Blood is thicker than water, so he naturally took care of him more than other juniors. That’s why he included that rookie in the secret operation. If he succeeded in this, a promotion was guaranteed, so it was like giving Detective Park a boost.
Oh Dae-Ho wrote Nam Ji-hoon’s contact information in his notebook.
“This is the contact information for the rose pimp.”
“Yes?”
“What are you so surprised about? He found out, that bastard.”
“Ah.” A shadow fell over Detective Park’s face. He wanted to scold him for not being able to control his lust for a moment and making things so bad, but he swallowed it since it was already done.
“He even went to the VIP’s house.”
“That bastard did?”
“Yeah. He contacted me a little while ago. He even spent the night.”
“He’s completely crazy. How could he sleep there!”
Detective Park’s voice grew louder.
“So, shouldn’t we take care of him properly?”
“Of course!”
“Good. Contact him.”
Detective Oh held out the notebook.
Detective Park looked at the number written in the notebook, and his expression darkened rapidly. The spirit he had a moment ago was gone, and he cautiously looked at Detective Oh.
“You’re not telling me to go alone, are you?”
His voice was cautious.
For a detective, he sure was scared.
“Why, are you scared?”
“No, it’s not that… it’s just that it’s not my territory.”
“If it was your territory, you could handle it alone?”
“Well, not exactly.”
He scratched his head. Then, he acted cute, saying, “You know what I’m talking about, but you’re still doing this.”
“You little punk, you’re scared. Just catch him. I’ll take care of the rest.”
“How am I supposed to catch him?”
“Tell him to have a drink.”
“And then?”
“You can hold your liquor.”
He said this and gave a meaningful smile. Detective Park, understanding, saluted and said, “Yes, sir!” Detective Oh grabbed Park Dong-Hee’s ear. “Ouch, ouch,” Detective Park exclaimed, and Detective Oh warned him, “You’re not a detective there. Don’t forget that.”
“Ah, of course.”
As if he knew that much, Park Dong-Hee rubbed his ear and smiled.
“Set it up right away.”
“Yes, sir! I understand!”
Detective Park happily returned to his seat.
He didn’t have good speaking skills and seemed naive, but that was his strength. People like Nam Ji-hoon tended to look down on people like Detective Park, who seemed less capable than them.
Anyway, Nam Ji-hoon wasn’t the type to just accept a drink. He would probably make Detective Park kneel and humiliate him before accepting the drink. He might even hit him a few times. Detective Oh couldn’t do anything about that. He could just think of it as punishment for causing the accident. He looked at Detective Park’s back with a heavy heart.
Detective Oh’s phone never had a quiet day. Calls related to cases, complaints, his Mother, sometimes his younger sister, and seniors, juniors, colleagues, or prosecutors and investigators came in dozens of times a day. Since he got this phone, he couldn’t even go to the bathroom in peace.
The timing with Lee Seon-jae was unavoidable. It wasn’t that he didn’t bring his phone. He just pretended not to. He felt uneasy. He seemed to have gotten away with acting out of breath this time, but he definitely wouldn’t let it slide next time.
The moment this fact reached Prosecutor Jeong’s ears, it would be irreversible. Nevertheless, Detective Oh was gambling. He had no choice.
“Don’t I have to find a way to survive too?”
There were dozens of high-ranking officials and political and business figures involved with Il-gwang. But it had been a while since the search and seizure, and there had been no progress since then. Even the arrest warrant, which was a glimmer of hope, was rejected this morning. So, the date for the summons investigation was bound to be uncertain.
No matter how determined and persistent Prosecutor Jeong was, it was over once the higher-ups turned their backs. Detective Oh was unconditionally on Prosecutor Jeong’s side and was cheering for Lee Seon-jae, but he couldn’t give up on his future. He didn’t want to live like Kim Byung-chan.
“Hoo.” He let out a long sigh. He was about to get up to have a cigarette when the phone rang. Speak of the devil, it was Kim Byung-chan.
“It’s been a while.”
He answered the phone and left the office.
Kim Byung-chan. Detective Oh’s sore spot. A friend who was like a brother before he was a colleague. If it hadn’t been for that arson case, he would have been holding a position in another precinct, if not the same one. Because of that incident, Kim Byung-chan had to retire early against his will. On the other hand, Detective Oh was called by Prosecutor Jeong to participate in the so-called “Sunset Operation.”
It was a special project that turned the ill-fated relationship with Lee Seon-jae into an inevitability, transforming Detective Oh from a corrupt police officer’s friend and perhaps a pathetic detective who might have committed the same corruption into a reliable veteran.
Honestly, Kim Byung-chan wasn’t the only corrupt detective. They all did it. They didn’t have money. Even the beef and rice soup that went into the mouths of murderers was paid for with personal money, and the liquor they fed to the thugs to get information all came out of their own pockets. Their salaries weren’t enough to cover the costs. So, they just took a few bucks, not to become rich. But what came back was the disgrace of being a corrupt detective, demotion, and a written apology.
Kim Byung-chan was the biggest victim. He became a suspect even though his right limbs were burned in a fire set by a criminal who was committing robbery and rape and running away. Even though it was clearly an occupational accident, he had to pay for his own hospital bills, and to make matters worse, he was sued by the bereaved family. The lawsuit was understandable. It was a bit annoying, but usually, the detective won. He could somehow get the hospital bills back.
The problem was that someone who had a grudge against Kim Byung-chan snitched about his corruption to a hyena-like reporter who was ready to bite and tear at the police. If he had embezzled hundreds of millions, it wouldn’t have been so unfair. The fact that he had received a few pennies was widely reported on public television, and Kim Byung-chan had to take off his uniform. Everyone comforted him with irresponsible words like, “Just think you stepped in shit.” Fortunately, it was processed as retirement, so he received a lump sum of retirement pay, although not much, but that money all disappeared into hospital bills.
Burns didn’t heal completely after a few treatments. The aftereffects lasted a long time. Kim Byung-chan complained about the itching and pain whenever he drank. It was a fact that Detective Oh would not have known if it weren’t for Kim Byung-chan.
“Why don’t you ever call me unless I call you, Hyung?”
Kim Byung-chan started with a sarcastic tone. Detective Oh chuckled at Kim Byung-chan’s unique sly voice.
“I’ve been busy.”
“Always pretending to be busy. Are you the only detective in Korea?”
“There you go again. I was going to visit you anyway.”
“Just saying.”
Kim Byung-chan never called Detective Oh without a reason.
His pride was something else, and he had become petty since he retired. Detective Oh understood that he would have been the same way, but he felt guilty when he was really too busy to contact him.
“Why?”
“Your customer came by.”
His tone was full of gratitude. The customer was obvious.
Detective Oh was the one who opposed Kim Byung-chan the most when he tried to get a job at a private loan company. But what could he do when his livelihood was at stake? Since then, he had been more active in promoting him than anyone else.
“Who?”
“Kim Min-soo.”
“Ah. Min-soo Hyung. What brought him there?”
He was the Hyung who had been the most indifferent when Kim Byung-chan was introduced and business cards were handed out. He was two years older than Dae-Ho and had hung out with him often since he was young, but he had made Detective Oh feel disappointed at that time.
“Is he older than us?”
“Yeah. Two years older. Why?”
“It’s strange. His voice and atmosphere were very young.”
“Really? What did he look like?”
“His face was a mess, so I don’t know what he looked like, but he was really pale.”
“That’s right, Min-soo Hyung.”
Detective Oh had already heard the rumor that Lee Seon-jae had beaten up the Eagle Five Brothers through the Village Chief. Min-soo Hyung was one of the victims.
Choi Chun-sam, who had been properly disliked by the villagers, couldn’t even set foot in the funeral home even though he was the Village Chief. It was pointless to talk about his son, Choi Gi-cheol. Fortunately, the Village Chief didn’t only have enemies, so he was hearing about the events happening at the funeral home in real-time. The Village Chief reported that to Oh Dae-Ho. The Village Chief was calling so often that it was annoying, and he was telling Oh Dae-Ho everything in detail. Thanks to that, he knew everything about Lee Seon-jae’s every move as if he were looking at the palm of his hand.
“Everyone thinks I’m in my 20s when they only hear my voice, you know.”
Detective Oh said this and lit a cigarette.
“You’re full of shit.”
There was laughter in his voice.
“How much did you get?”
“I didn’t get anything. He just went to talk to his wife. ”
“Really? Tsk. I knew that Hyung would do that. Didn’t he say when he would come again?”
“No. So, about that.”
He trailed off.
“Send me a few more. I’m struggling these days because of poor performance.”
He got to the point. He had complained about poor performance when they met last time. It seemed like he had no one to rely on.
Kim Byung-chan had wider connections than anyone during his time as a police officer. His outgoing personality garnered him many followers among his juniors, and he was loved by his seniors and peers alike. He even got along well with criminals, calling them ‘Hyung’ and ‘brother’. Thanks to this, he got a job at a small loan company, but the police connections he thought would help him practically cut ties with him. This was also why he failed so spectacularly when he optimistically opened a private investigation agency after retirement.
“I wish I could send them, but they don’t go just because I tell them to. They have to want to go themselves. You know that.”
Yoon Ki-beom was the only one who went when told. That bastard would do anything Detective Oh told him to, as long as it wasn’t to die, so it was only natural.
“Just hold on a little longer. The atmosphere in the village is unsettling.”
Why? What’s going on?
“The death of Yong-pil, and the village atmosphere is a bit strange.”
Detective Oh usually attended funerals held in Dongjam Village, but this time he didn’t. He made the excuse that he was busy and only sent condolences. He was a little uncomfortable meeting Chairman Kwon.
Besides Yong-pil, dozens more villagers had invested their entire fortunes based on their faith in Chairman Kwon. Maybe even more.
Yet, Chairman Kwon was carefree. He kept bragging about his second son, Yong-jae, whose business was starting to take off. Detective Oh couldn’t tell if Yong-jae’s business was really doing well or if he was just saying it, but either way, it was good if something was working out.
Detective Oh almost invested in that business too. If it weren’t for Kim Byung-chan’s accident, Detective Oh would have invested all his money with Chairman Kwon. To be precise, it was Kwon Yong-gi’s business, but no one would have invested just by looking at Kwon Yong-gi.
Looking back, Detective Oh was the only one who kept benefiting from Kim Byung-chan’s accident. He felt grateful and sorry. That’s why he kept worrying about him.
Anyway, it felt like something big was about to blow up. That’s what the detective’s intuition was telling him. But he had no intention of getting involved. He decided to remain a bystander to the end. Considering his relationship with the Chairman Kwon family, and the fact that Detective Oh had connections all over the town, this small Hwangmu Town had a network of power and money as intricate as Seoul. Getting involved could ruin the trust he had built up over a lifetime.
Well, who told them to invest without checking it out?
He blamed the villagers, even though he almost did the same thing.
Really? Is that good for me?
“Of course, it’s good for you, you idiot. A lot of people are going to be coming to you soon.”
If he couldn’t save them anyway, it was better for Kim Byung-chan to benefit.
Well, thank you then. I’ll suck them dry!
“You bastard, you’re really praying for them to fail.”
It’s not just praying, I feel like holding a shamanic ritual.
Kim Byung-chan said emphatically.
“Is the pressure to perform that bad? Should I step in?”
Detective Oh asked boastfully.
You’ve grown up, Oh Dae-oh. You’re even worrying about your Hyung.
Kim Byung-chan chuckled.
I can handle those bastards on my own, so don’t worry about it.
“Then don’t whine about it.”
He scolded him.
The kids are growing up so fast. There’s always something to spend money on at home.
“You idiot. Who told you to have three kids?”
Oh, look who’s talking. You barely managed to get one daughter and you’re talking big.
They bickered and laughed.
“I think I’ll be stopping by there soon, so let’s have some soju then.”
Sounds good. It’s been a while since I’ve oiled my throat.
They ended the call without saying ‘take care’ or ‘see you later’. They were still a good match. Detective Oh smiled bitterly and put his phone in his pocket.
It was time to write the report. Any more delay and he would be late again. He hurriedly turned on the computer monitor. He could never get used to this damn computer. Why not just use a typewriter? He was only using it as a typewriter anyway.
He opened his notebook and called up the report file he had sent on Wednesday, saving it under a different name. Then he erased everything. It took him a full 10 minutes just to do that. You’d think he’d remember by now, but he was completely lost without this damn notebook. He never thought he was stupid, but he felt like a moron whenever he sat in front of the computer.
Anyway, he stared at the blank paper, no, the monitor. The form contained no mention of the operation. It was just a common report form that any detective would use. Case number 10361-478. That was the only clue. In this document, Detective Oh wrote about the VIP’s movements.
Today marked the 478th day since the operation officially began. He submitted the report three times a week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. At first, it was so hard to fill in the blanks, but now he could write it with his eyes closed. He felt like he would miss writing the report when the operation was over. That’s why they say humans are creatures of adaptation.
The VIP’s real codename was ‘Fallen Blossom’. Fallen Blossom of Operation Sunset. A setting flower of a setting sun. It was a name that perfectly suited Lee Seon-jae’s flamboyant appearance.
The fact that Prosecutor Jeong had fallen for Lee Seon-jae could be easily inferred from the codename ‘Fallen Blossom’. You can’t hide a sneeze or love. Who said that? Detective Oh raised one corner of his mouth and began to type on the keyboard with his index fingers, one letter at a time.