I’m Obsessed With the Suspect - Chapter 45

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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45

 

It was the moment when the alcohol suddenly sobered her up.

 

Wow, no matter how careless someone might be, for a police officer to drop handcuffs? Why wasn’t this kept in a case?

 

Hmm,

 

You’ve finally lost it, Kim Chung-a.

 

Cheong-a hurriedly reached her hand toward the handcuffs on the floor.

 

“Ah.”

 

Then her vision spun around.

 

She had apparently drunk quite a bit more than she thought, as her body swayed. Then Wujin quickly got up from his seat and grabbed Cheong-a’s wrist.

 

“Ah!”

 

Her body, pulled by his large hand, was suddenly close to Wujin.

 

A breath mixed with rich sandalwood brushed against Cheong-a’s ear. Her pulse pounded in the wrist he held.

 

“Bokseon said you…”

 

Cheong-a bit her lips tightly.

 

Then she looked up at Wujin with clear eyes.

 

“You really like roleplaying, don’t you?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Carrying around things like this too.”

 

Wujin’s fingertips moved toward the handcuffs that had fallen on the floor.

 

“Ugh! Don’t touch them!”

 

“Hm?”

 

Cheong-a was startled and launched a shoulder attack at Wujin.

 

However, there was quite a weight difference between them to begin with.

 

Wujin’s body held its ground firmly, and only Cheong-a’s body bounced back.

 

“Ah!”

 

Her vision spun round and round as Cheong-a’s head tilted toward the ceiling.

 

‘Wow. I think I’ve fallen like this before.’

 

But the situation was a little different from before.

 

“…?”

 

She felt strength tighten around the wrist that Wujin had been holding. Then her body was pulled instantly, and she found herself embraced in his arms.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

A low voice that resonated through her body.

 

The firm chest and rapid heartbeat she felt against her face.

 

However, there was another presence that completely captured Cheong-a’s attention.

 

‘What is this?’

 

Between their touching bodies, she could feel an unfamiliar object.

 

Something long and hard.

 

No matter how she thought about it…

 

‘This is, that thing. What is it. Right. A telescopic baton.’

 

A delayed judgment followed in her mind.

 

‘Why did I bring this when it’s not even a dispatch day today?’

 

Her alcohol-clouded mind was hazy.

 

She had definitely brought it when going to meet Rachel, but she was fuzzy on whether she had brought it here.

 

‘No, more than that, why is it in Min Woo-jin’s pocket?’

 

Min Woo-jin had stolen the telescopic baton.

 

Her chain of thoughts reached that conclusion.

 

Cheong-a unconsciously put her hand into Wujin’s pocket and said.

 

“This is mine.”

 

“Huh? Ah…!”

 

And the moment she applied strength to her grip, Wujin’s expression crumpled.

 

Cheong-a, who had bitten her lips tightly, looked directly at Wujin’s face and then…

 

For some reason, her memory cut off there.

 

***

 

Really,

 

truly.

 

Cheong-a was someone who didn’t fall asleep easily if she made up her mind to stay awake.

 

Even when studying for the college entrance exam, she was notorious at school for being extremely tenacious.

 

She had never dozed off from post-meal drowsiness.

 

And she would pull all-nighters as easily as eating a meal.

 

Even in Wanggil-dong.

 

Right, she was the one who had endured three days and nights there recently while wearing a garbage bag.

 

But why.

 

Why her eyes kept closing in front of Min Woo-jin was beyond her understanding.

 

‘This is driving me crazy.’

 

Cheong-a opened her eyes and blamed herself.

 

‘Hmm. Is it because he’s handsome? It keeps making me let my guard down, doesn’t it?’

 

She had planned to ask important questions once she got a bit drunk.

 

Today was another complete failure.

 

After two failures, she concluded that she should cleanly give up on the strategy of using alcohol to extract information.

 

Cheong-a got up abruptly and looked around.

 

Through the window positioned in front, she could see the evening glow setting.

 

In the room was a small bed.

 

A blanket that had turned yellow but seemed to have originally been red.

 

And wallpaper full of Chinese patterns came into view.

 

The room was filled with the stimulating scent of star anise and cinnamon.

 

‘Where is this place?’

 

Cheong-a raised both hands to wash her face dry in order to clear her mind. Then she discovered the handcuffs fastened to her hands.

 

‘…’

 

Why on earth am I lying in a place like this with handcuffs on?

 

And at that moment.

 

There was a voice that flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern.

 

−Could you stop groping around?

 

−No, it’s in here.

 

−…There’s nothing there.

 

−The manager stole it! Hurry up and give me back what’s mine.

 

−Ahaha! Yours? Ah, don’t do that.

 

And she remembered herself roughly grabbing Wujin’s clothes.

 

“Huh?”

 

What kind of crazy memory is this?

 

−Look, I’m drunk too. It’ll be troublesome if you keep pressing closer… If you keep doing that, should I put handcuffs on you?

 

−Who are you to put handcuffs on me? What’s your real identity?

 

−Hmm. You probably won’t remember since you’re drunk. I…

 

“Huh? Ah? Ahhhhh!”

 

Cheong-a screamed “Ah!”

 

So she had gotten drunk and tried to commit theft by rummaging through Min Woo-jin’s pockets?!

 

Saying that what was in his pocket was her telescopic baton and to hurry up and give it back?

 

Why didn’t you just spread the news all over the neighborhood that you’re a police officer, Kim Chung-a?

 

“…This is driving me crazy.”

 

Moreover, the content of what Wujin had said about himself. She couldn’t even properly remember that most important part. He had definitely said something more… No matter how much she racked her brain, she couldn’t remember.

 

The only fortunate thing was that she hadn’t directly mentioned the word “telescopic baton,” which was like a symbol of police, in front of Min Woo-jin.

 

“If I drink alcohol again, I’m a dog, seriously!”

 

Hastily pulling out the key, she unlocked the handcuffs and shoved them into the case.

 

Then she kicked open the door and rushed out.

 

In the corridor, she could see rooms lined up in a row. Like an old lodging that might appear in vintage Chinese movies.

 

Door frames covered with years of grime, cracked tile floors. And fluorescent lights emitting dim light.

 

At the end of the corridor, she could see stairs leading downstairs, from where noisy sounds were coming.

 

Cheong-a strode down the stairs.

 

“Oh my. You’re already awake?”

 

At the bottom of the stairs, Chairman Jang came into view, wearing a meaningful smile.

 

Only then could Cheong-a realize that the place where she had been sleeping was the staff quarters on the second floor of Hwaryong Restaurant.

 

“Chairman! Min Woo-jin. No, where did that man from earlier go?”

 

“He left. A long time ago.”

 

“Ah… Nothing else happened to me, right?”

 

“When Detective Kim collapsed, that guy tried to carry you out like this, you know? So I stopped him and said no way!”

 

She felt like hiding in a mouse hole if one existed.

 

“Th. Ugh. Thank you.”

 

“When I told him to lay you down in our staff quarters on the second floor, he listened well though.”

 

Chairman Jang approached with quick steps and whispered to Cheong-a in a small voice.

 

“Hey, you got drunk on purpose, right? I didn’t interfere without reading the situation, did I?”

 

Cheong-a shook her head vigorously.

 

“No? Not at all!”

 

“But you usually drink well, so why did you suddenly pass out today?”

 

That’s right.

 

That part is strange to me too, really.

 

“If you’re interested, pretend you can’t handle it and go along with him. Ah, that guy who looks like he’d bring a cold wind was grinning from ear to ear as soon as he saw Detective Kim.”

 

“…”

 

That can’t be right.

 

Chairman Jang brought several sheets of paper and a USB file from the counter and placed them in Cheong-a’s hands.

 

“This is the statement and CCTV footage you requested earlier.”

 

“Wow, thank you.”

 

“I looked at it together, and those were Dregs Gang lackeys out front. These guys often go to Top&Tops Coffee Shop in Sinpo Market, so look for them there.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Cheong-a bowed deeply in greeting.

 

“But boss.”

 

“Yeah. What else.”

 

“Could you call a taxi for me? I need to return to the company…”

 

***

 

Central Police Station past closing time.

 

Sitting alone at a desk in the empty Violent Crimes Unit office, Cheong-a let out deep sighs.

 

−Kim Chung-a! You drank alcohol during duty? Are you crazy? Are you insane? You’re completely out of it. Hey! Today you’re going to rewrite this summary report. Match all the timelines and evidence numbers. If you don’t finish everything, no going home!

 

After getting severely scolded by Hong-nam, Cheong-a was stuck with work that would inevitably require pulling an all-nighter.

 

Her bangs flattened to one side, clear pillow marks remaining on her left cheek. Moreover, every time she opened her mouth, no, her entire body reeked of alcohol, so there was no room for excuses.

 

Cheong-a leaned back in her chair in a reclining position, gripping the mouse and clicking away.

 

“I can’t even say I was working hard, really.”

 

Ring ring.

 

Ring ring.

 

The phone on the desk began ringing loudly.

 

Cheong-a glanced at the clock once. Who would be calling at this hour?

 

“Yes, this is Violent Crimes Team 2.”

 

[Meow?]

 

At the voice from the receiver imitating a cat’s meow, Cheong-a let out a silly laugh.

 

“It’s Yeonhui. You can talk normally. I’m the only one in the office. But why aren’t you calling my cell phone?”

 

[Unnie, we’re in big trouble.]

 

Instead of her usual warm greeting, Yeonhui spoke in an urgent voice.

 

“Yeah. Right. Every day is big trouble for me lately. What is it this time?”

 

[Unnie, your phone got hacked again!]

 

“Please tell me you’re lying.”

 

[…]

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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