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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: No Way
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Inside the police headquarters, Jong-min had asked his detective uncle to help him rack up some volunteer hours.
"Don't cause any trouble—just do what you're told and get out of here!"
"Yes, sir, Detective Kim! Loyalty!"
Jong-min goofed around, snapping a salute with crisp fingers.
"That's not how you respond."
His uncle flicked Jong-min's forehead with the edge of a document, even as a pleased smile crept onto his face.
"Ow! Uncle! That's assault."
"You want more? I called you in as a special favor because you needed the hours, so no troublemaking. Don't bother the detectives—just stay quiet and leave quietly!"
"Come on, Uncle. Me, a model student, causing trouble?"
"Sigh. Model student, my foot... Study harder! Don't give your mom grief!"
"I do study. Oh, and this guy's top of the whole school. You know how it is—birds of a feather flock together, right?"
Jong-min proudly introduced Jun-woo standing beside him.
His uncle gave Jong-min a look of disbelief that he had such a friend.
"Top of the school? Handsome kid who studies well, too. But why hang out with this one?"
Offended by the question, Jong-min bristled.
"Uncle!! Anyway, what are we supposed to do?"
"You guys know how to use computers, right?"
"Uncle, that's like asking elementary kids if they can walk."
"Sigh. Just take this."
His uncle handed Jong-min a thick stack of A4 paper that looked to be over 100 pages.
"Just enter the addresses and contact info into the spreadsheet."
"Whoa... All of this?"
"I'll buy you jajangmyeon if you finish."
"Jajangmyeon won't cut it. Jajangmyeon plus tangsuyuk?"
Jong-min snapped his thumb and forefinger with a comical expression.
His uncle smacked his forehead again with the document edge, muttering about his antics.
"Ow, seriously! Should we just bail?"
Jong-min rubbed his forehead and asked Jun-woo.
But Jun-woo just smirked, saying he deserved it, and followed the uncle.
* * *
The quiet detectives' office was filled only with the steady clacking of keyboards.
"So tiring..."
Jong-min slumped over, whining.
Jun-woo stopped typing and shot him an annoyed glance.
"Why am I even doing this?"
"You could use the volunteer points too."
"I don't need volunteer points."
"Dude! Isn't volunteering about giving back, not points? Then just hand yours over to me!"
"You're insane..."
Jun-woo ignored him and kept typing.
Volunteer points or whatever—he just wanted to finish and go home.
That's when Jong-min's uncle approached with a few photos.
"Take a break. Want me to show you something?"
"What is it?"
He spread four photos out across the desk so they could all see.
"Gasp. What the hell? That's gruesome!"
A woman's corpse. Photos from a brutal murder scene.
Jong-min jumped in shock, covering his eyes. But Jun-woo stayed surprisingly calm.
"Slash wounds. Doesn't look like a regular knife. More like a sashimi knife?"
"Oh! Sharp eye. How'd you know?"
"Hmm... This part. The wound edges look like it."
"You watch a lot of movies, huh."
"Not really. I think I saw it in a medical book."
"Ew! Too gross. I'm not looking."
Jun-woo took an interest in the body photos while Jong-min shuddered and resumed typing.
"What a wuss..."
"But why show us these?"
"Recent case we handled. Reminded me of you guys since the victim was about your age. She got jumped heading home late at night. Right after starting college... So young and tragic. That's why I say don't stay out late. Don't go dragging girls around for no reason."
"Aw, Uncle! What do you take us for?"
Midway through chatting with his uncle, something clicked for Jun-woo.
"Um, Detective?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you check reports that come in?"
"Sure can."
"How do you look them up?"
"I'll do it for you. What's the report about?"
"Illegal studio complaint."
At Jun-woo's request, his uncle searched the reports.
"Hmm... Nothing. Studio—you mean like a photo studio?"
"Yeah. Check for sexual harassment or forced filming too."
His uncle searched again.
But not even similar incidents had been reported.
"Nope. Why?"
"There's nothing?"
"No cases filed in the last month at least."
"Is it important?"
"Oh, no, it's nothing."
It was weird.
Cho-hee had definitely said she reported it.
Was she lying?
His eyes sharpened bit by bit.
* * *
She still couldn't believe she'd ended up here.
Entering Heejin's house, A-jin hesitated at the unfamiliar surroundings, unsure whether to take off her shoes.
She'd come to use the oven.
Her own, bought cheaply via overseas direct purchase, hadn't arrived yet.
Heejin's offer had been welcome enough, but showing up at a near-stranger's house out of the blue? She wasn't sure.
She'd agonized over it the whole way here.
"Come on in."
Heejin pulled her hesitating hand.
"Okay. But I came empty-handed..."
She'd hoped for a convenience store nearby to grab drinks, but there wasn't one.
Why were the walls along the street so tall? She knew Heejin was well-off, but not that she lived in such a grand house.
She'd thought places like this only existed in dramas.
"Aw, it's fine! A gift from Sweet Honey!"
"Just call me A-jin."
"A-jin?"
When she gave her name, Heejin's eyes sparkled with emotion.
Just a name, and the intimacy shot up.
"Yeah. Kang A-jin."
"Wow! Such a cute name. Perfect for Sweet Honey. A-jin sounds like a cute puppy, and you even look like one."
Jun-woo had called her a puppy too.
No idea why he popped into her head right then.
"Speak casually."
"Is that okay?"
"Yeah. Make yourself comfortable."
"Then I will. Call me Aunt Heejin."
A-jin shook her head at "aunt."
No way was she an aunt—not this pretty.
"No way, auntie. I'll call you sis."
Heejin looked deeply moved.
"Sis? I have a son your age. How old are you, A-jin?"
"Eighteen."
"My boy's the same age. What school?"
"Seowon..."
*-Ding-dong-*
Just as A-jin started to say the school name, the doorbell rang.
Heejin went to answer, and A-jin toured the house.
Modern interior with antique furniture blended perfectly.
She marveled at the huge sofa big enough for three and headed to the balcony.
"Wow! What is this!"
It was a home cafe all its own.
A small aurora-hued vase with tulips sat on the white table.
A cabinet nearby held teacups in endless variety.
Being there felt like being a princess.
"So pretty. Wow."
Mouth agape in awe, Heejin approached.
"There you are!"
"Ah! Sorry. Wandering around like this."
"No, no. It's the one spot I wanted to show you—you got a preview."
"It's so beautiful here."
"Yeah? Actually, I made all the furniture there myself."
"Really? No way. Way prettier than anything for sale."
"Aw, stop! You're too kind. But Sweet Honey approves, so I'm honored."
"For real. I want to decorate like this someday."
"Forget someday—come every day. We'll have tea together here."
"I'm grateful just hearing that."
"For real! Oh, here—wear this."
Heejin handed A-jin a dress draped over her arm.
"What's this?"
"You get messy baking. Change into it."
"My clothes are fine to ruin."
"Psh, just wear it. Hurry!"
Heejin pushed A-jin toward the bathroom.
She'd bought it on impulse because it was so cute, but it was too youthful for her age.
Never worn, carefully stored—then she saw A-jin and knew it was a gift. To avoid burdening her, she used baking as an excuse.
Pushed by Heejin's hands, A-jin entered the bathroom. Soon after, the front door opened.
"Son's home?"
It couldn't be her husband at this hour.
Heejin peeked toward the entrance excitedly.
"I'm home."
"You're later than I thought."
"Had some stuff to do."
"Okay. Wash up quick. Oh, right—someone's in the bathroom. Use upstairs."
"Got it."
Jun-woo nodded.
"Um... Isn't it a bit short?"
Right on cue, A-jin emerged from the bathroom, changed.
He never dreamed he'd run into her at his own house.
His shocked steps halted right there.
His face screamed, *Why are you coming out of there?*
A-jin hadn't noticed him yet.
She was just tugging the skirt down as far as it would go to cover her exposed thighs.
"Short? Nonsense—it's adorable!"
Heejin gushed over how cute it was, while A-jin squirmed in embarrassment.
"Why are you here?"
Jun-woo asked in disbelief.
A-jin finally spotted him.
"Huh? You!"
She couldn't fathom why *he* was here either.
Flustered, she stepped back.
Then tripped on the bathroom threshold, nearly falling backward.
"Eek!"
Flailing, her body tilted back, and Jun-woo swiftly grabbed her wrist, pulling her upright.
Their faces ended up inches apart—barely a fist's width.
Time seemed to freeze.
Though brief, their locked gazes felt eternal before they both jolted apart.
A-jin, embarrassed, asked first.
"Why are *you* here?"
"I asked first."
"I..."
Heejin watched them, curiosity brimming.
"You two know each other?"
"Kid from my class."
Stunned by Jun-woo's answer, Heejin covered her mouth.
"Really? What a coincidence!"
A-jin looked back and forth between them in confusion.
Reading her eyes, Heejin explained.
"It's my son."
"What?"
A-jin's eyes widened impossibly further.
She clapped a hand over her mouth before she could gasp.
