I’m Obsessed With the Suspect - Chapter 53

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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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53

 

Today of all days, there weren’t any suitable clothes to change into in her locker. Cheong-a picked up some gym pants to put on and even ransacked Inkyu’s locker to pull out a spare shirt to wear.

 

The ill-fitting shirt hung down almost to her knees, but there was no time to worry about such things. Rolling up the sleeves and tying back her disheveled hair tightly, Cheong-a quickly returned to the office.

 

The team members’ gazes were drawn once again to her, now looking like a complete mess.

 

“….”

 

“Well well. The lady has left work and a beggar has arrived.”

 

Hong-nam and Sung-min clicked their tongues disapprovingly, while Inkyu covered his mouth with both hands and turned his head away at the sight of Cheong-a wearing his clothes.

 

Cheong-a kept pulling up the neckline that kept sliding to one side as she strode purposefully toward Hong-nam’s desk.

 

“Team Leader.”

 

Taking a seat across from him, Cheong-a reported to Hong-nam in a small voice.

 

“I met with Jeong Gwangsub yesterday.”

 

“Who?”

 

Hong-nam’s gaze turned toward Sung-min,

 

“….”

 

Sung-min’s expression became quite serious.

 

Cheong-a looked back and forth between their faces as she continued.

 

“I obtained intelligence that the Cheongwha Faction is planning something quite big.”

 

“Wait. Where?”

 

“The Cheongwha Faction. I couldn’t confirm the exact date, but he said a ship loaded with massive amounts of drugs will be coming into North Port soon.”

 

“No, why do you keep acting without reporting again. Ah, this is driving me crazy.”

 

“Team Leader, this doesn’t seem like something we can just brush off. What should we do about this? First, we should add surveillance personnel to North Port-.”

 

“Got it. I’ll pass it along to the 1st Team.”

 

Hong-nam cut off Cheong-a’s words as if he didn’t need to hear any more and withdrew his gaze. Then he began looking through the work files he was processing again.

 

“Huh, Team Leader. What are you saying? This is a drug-related case. Why are you passing this to the 1st Team? This is our job.”

 

Cheong-a shot up from her seat and looked at Sung-min, then immediately shifted her gaze toward Inkyu.

 

She hoped that at least one of them would nod and agree with her. But Sung-min turned his head to avoid her gaze, and Inkyu didn’t even lift his face from his monitor.

 

“Hey, what’s this? Senior? Hyung!”

 

Cheong-a’s voice rose.

 

“Say something. Help me out here.”

 

“Kim Chung-a.”

 

At Hong-nam’s low, firm voice, the atmosphere in the office instantly grew heavy. Cheong-a turned her gaze back to look at Hong-nam.

 

“Stop stirring up trouble here and there without warrants or reporting to superiors, and keep your hands off this case.”

 

“….”

 

“Didn’t you understand what I said?”

 

Cheong-a bit and chewed her lips with an expression that showed she found this hard to understand.

 

“Team Leader….”

 

“Ah, so much talking!”

 

Documents that Hong-nam threw landed roughly on the desk. He shot up from his seat and looked down at Cheong-a intimidatingly.

 

“What kind of kid are you that when your team leader is talking, you don’t know how to say ‘Yes, I understand’? Huh?! Do you think I’m a joke? You, follow me out.”

 

Only then realizing the situation had become serious, Inkyu quickly stepped between them and hid Cheong-a behind him.

 

“Ah, come on. Team Leader, why are you being like this? I’ll talk to her properly.”

 

“Don’t cover for her, you bastard. Because you keep coddling her, she can’t get her act together and just causes trouble!”

 

At Hong-nam’s loud voice, even other team members passing through the corridor glanced over, stealing looks at the situation in Violent Crimes Team 2’s office. Sung-min waved his hand irritably at the people standing in the corridor, signaling them to get lost.

 

Hong-nam put on his jacket while breathing heavily and glared alternately at Sung-min and Inkyu. As if to make it clear once more that he was very angry, he pointed his finger alternately at the two men and left a firm warning.

 

“Neither of you follow me out.”

 

The place Hong-nam dragged Cheong-a to was the outdoor smoking booth where cold wind was blowing fiercely. Dragged out wearing only Inkyu’s shirt, Cheong-a still kept her lips tightly pressed together with her head hung low.

 

“Haah….”

 

Hong-nam let out a deep sigh and pulled a hand warmer from his pocket to give to Cheong-a.

 

“…Thank you.”

 

“….”

 

He had just scolded and berated her like that. Yet seeing the top of Cheong-a’s head as she bowed deeply in gratitude for just this small thing, Hong-nam couldn’t help but sigh.

 

“I’m sorry for getting angry.”

 

“…What?”

 

“But there was no other way to talk to you alone without internal surveillance.”

 

Cheong-a lifted her head and blinked at Hong-nam several times.

 

Early this morning at dawn.

 

Hong-nam had received a phone call. If that number hadn’t been headquarters’ main number, Hong-nam probably would have ignored it and slept a little longer.

 

Barely opening his eyes to answer the phone, the caller opened with just one sentence.

 

[This is Headquarters.]

 

The man on the other end of the line, without revealing his department or position, requested that Inspector Kim Chung-a be excluded from the ongoing investigation.

 

Hong-nam, instantly wide awake, sat up in bed and suppressed his irritation.

 

−I’m not sure what you’re talking about. For this kind of discussion, shouldn’t we at least reveal our respective departments and ranks… isn’t that right? What gives you the right to tell me what to do with my hardworking team member.

 

[Headquarters’ investigation is being interfered with. By Inspector Kim Chung-a.]

 

−So which headquarters investigation. Who’s the person in charge.

 

[….]

 

−Look here. Headquarters does headquarters work, and we work hard on our own tasks. If there are problematic issues, send an official document. An official document. What’s the point of having them if not to use at times like this.

 

There was no need to be polite to someone who wouldn’t reveal their identity.

 

Hong-nam spoke with irritation in his voice,

 

[There’s also an internal report filed against Inspector Kim Chung-a for illegal undercover investigation. If you don’t take appropriate measures, headquarters will have to take action.]

 

The other party countered with a tone that was businesslike but somehow intimidating.

 

−….

 

[Well then, we ask for your cooperation.]

 

The call was unilaterally disconnected.

 

Hong-nam stared at his phone for a long while before lying back down on the bed and letting out a hollow laugh.

 

−These bastards messing with someone else’s kid.

 

Hong-nam’s gaze looked directly at Cheong-a, who had apparently been reported internally.

 

Unaware of anything, she blinked her large eyes as if feeling wronged. Seeing her like that made him feel sorry for her.

 

“Hey.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“It’s a bit awkward to ask this now, but what was the reason you were transferred from headquarters?”

 

“Huh?”

 

At the sudden question, Cheong-a made a bewildered expression, and Hong-nam quickly waved his hand to cancel his words.

 

“No, no. Just don’t say anything to me.”

 

Cheong-a showed a troubled expression, as if she couldn’t understand Hong-nam’s reaction, just fidgeting with the hand warmer in her grip.

 

“You must have really stepped on something properly.”

 

“Uh…. What? Huh? All of a sudden?”

 

Hong-nam crossed his arms and spoke in a slightly lower voice.

 

“It seems like there are forces at headquarters watching you.”

 

“Team Leader!”

 

Finally, someone had appeared who could discuss and consult about this matter!

 

Cheong-a made a tearful face as if she was about to spill everything, and Hong-nam reached out to firmly cover her mouth.

 

“I told you not to say anything!”

 

“….”

 

“The current situation feels fishy. What if I hear something from you? Then it feels like it’ll leak out somewhere intact. You know? Do you understand what I’m saying?”

 

Cheong-a nodded with drooping eyebrows.

 

“Some crazy bastard from headquarters threatened me to exclude you from the investigation.”

 

“…!”

 

“Stay quiet for now. Remember well what I just told you.”

 

“….”

 

“Don’t run your mouth to Park Inkyu either.”

 

“Yes….”

 

“For now, I’ll remove your name from all the major cases that go up to the higher-ups. Just know that.”

 

However, Hong-nam never uttered the words telling her to stop and cease the investigation of the case currently in progress.

 

Cheong-a looked up at Hong-nam intently to confirm once more whether she had understood the situation correctly. Hong-nam gave a slight nod in silent response.

 

“This is all I can help you with right now.”

 

“Thank you, Team Leader.”

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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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