IMTS 05

Chapter 05

“That’s because… the room was… way too messy.”

“……”

As Cheong-ah had said, Yushin’s laboratory was indeed in a serious state.

“I’ve never seen a desk with books piled up like that. Uh… hmm. And those flowerpots on the windowsill—they look completely dried out.”

Next to the sofa where Cheong-ah had sat, what appeared to be lab coats she had taken off were piled high.

“The reason the professor sits perched on the table instead of the sofa… is probably because there’s nowhere to sit, right…?”

The more she spoke, the more Yushin’s expression tightened.

She wanted to stop talking by now, but her mouth wouldn’t stay closed.

It made him wonder if she’d hit her head. Otherwise, there was no way she would ramble like this.

“Maybe it’s an occupational hazard… Looking elsewhere… it’s all chaotic… the only thing organized in this place is the professor’s face…”

Her voice trailed off just as she spoke.

Thwack!

“Ah!”

If she hadn’t let her guard down, she wouldn’t have been hit so squarely.

Yushin’s palm had already slapped against her forehead and then bounced off.

Cheong-ah instinctively raised her hands and held her forehead.

What she felt was the smooth, neatly applied shape of a bandage. Having worked in the SWAT team and seen countless emergency treatments, she instantly recognized that Yushin’s skills were pretty good.

“It’s done, so let’s go.”

Yushin tilted his chin and got up from the table.

“It won’t leave a scar. Avoid getting it wet for now. If you feel like your head isn’t working right, it’s probably just a delusion, but tell me anyway.”

Cheong-ah didn’t reply much, only bowed her head in acknowledgment and left the room.

However, the moment the door closed, she had to stop in her tracks.

Something felt off once Yushin’s face was out of sight.

He’s an internal medicine doctor… How is he so good at emergency treatment?

The confident way he said it wouldn’t scar.

The skillfulness of his treatment.

It was a bit strange for an internist to perform such quick and clean dressing.

Cheong-ah narrowed her eyes and glanced sideways at the door.

Suspicious. Something’s definitely off.

There was nothing particularly unusual in the room.

Just… filthy.

But maybe that made it even more suspicious.

“Ah, what the heck? I don’t get it. I really don’t… I’ve never felt this kind of ambiguous feeling before. What is this?”

She didn’t have much time to ponder.

Checking the time, she had to hurry back to finish the cleaning.

After Cheong-ah left the room, Yushin sat leaning on the table, unable to move for a while.

He had quickly opened the door to check the presence outside. Unfortunately, he hadn’t expected Cheong-ah to get hit directly by the door.

The thump sensation transmitted through the doorknob was still vivid.

What caught his eyes was Cheong-ah hitting her forehead on the iron door and falling backward.

Yushin moved to help without hesitation… but ultimately, it wasn’t necessary.

Just as the back of her head was about to touch the floor, she quickly recovered and executed a roll to land safely.

Instinct? Not at all.

Her movements were more perfect than those of many athletes. It was clearly the result of intense repetitive training.

Yushin’s fingertips tapped the edge of the table.

A woman performing a roll at a moment when her mind isn’t fully stable.

It didn’t take long for his suspicion to turn into certainty.

He pulled out his phone and started calling someone. After a while of ringing, the sleepy voice on the other end responded.

[Uh… Mess.]

“Still asleep? Wake up. Get to work.”

[What… What time is it? Wow, I just fell asleep a while ago. Ugh, this sucks.]

“Stop rambling and earn your pay. Check up on the cleaning staff here.”

Yushin gave the man the name Park Bok-seon and the date she first started working. Over the earpiece came yawns and the clicking of a keyboard.

[Okay, our Mess professor’s hospital… Boksan University, Incheon. Contractor is Sejung Pa Work Clean. Ah, BG Labs. Mm-hmm.]

“……”

[Park Bok-seon. Age 40. Married 10 years. Wow, looks like she gets along well with her husband. Mom of multiple kids.]

“Forty-two? Multiple kids?”

Forty-two? Multiple kids? The absurdity of the information made him almost leap from his chair.

The sound of his chair sliding back made Chamkkae laugh.

[But what’s this woman’s role? Interesting.]

Yushin tugged at his tie impatiently, waiting for Chamkkae to elaborate.

[Looks like she went to work at the hospital today, and also went grocery shopping nearby. She must have two bodies. Let’s see… oh, what’s this?]

“Hey! Cut the unnecessary commentary, just get to the point!”

Yushin’s loud voice made Chamkkae laugh again.

[Ugh, so annoying. This is a cover.]

“Cover? Disguised identity?”

[Yeah. The real Park Bok-seon is at home doing housework, and the one at Boksan University Hospital… is… Kim Cheong-ah. Kim Cheong-ah.]

Kim Cheong-ah!

Hearing Chamkkae say it, Yushin slapped his forehead.

So that’s why she asked if I called her by her real name.

And only then did he realize that the call he overheard in the elevator wasn’t “Cheong-hwa, fighting” but “Cheong-ah, fighting.”

[Uh? Mess! This is bad.]

His thoughts were cut short by Chamkkae’s urgent voice.

[This lady is a magpie.]

“…What do you mean by that?”

[A former police academy officer!]

Yushin squeezed his eyes shut and exhaled irritably.

“Damn it. Why is a former police officer here?”

[Part of the Incheon Central Police Station, Violent Crimes Team 2. Wow, how did a police academy graduate end up here? Did she commit a major crime or something?]

Incheon Central. As Yushin remembered, there wasn’t a dedicated narcotics team there. Probably Violent Crimes Team 2 handled that role…

“Did the police catch on?”

[No. No signs of that. But better stay low-profile. This lady’s arrest rate is insanely high.]

“…Stop the unnecessary chatter and gather more intel. Put some fog around my personal info just in case.”

After hanging up, Yushin’s gaze fell on the bloodied gauze on the table. He slowly reached out and picked it up.

The unusually red gauze swayed at his fingertips.

Police, huh… A cute one at that.

The fitness room at Incheon Central Police Station wasn’t popular.

The old air conditioner rattled, and the facilities were poor. Not many people visited.

Cheong-ah and In-kyu faced each other and began circling.

The knife in In-kyu’s hand gleamed. Cheong-ah raised both hands in front of her chest, keeping her eyes on his movements.

In an instant, In-kyu lunged forward, extending his arm.

Cheong-ah twisted her upper body to avoid the blade and simultaneously struck In-kyu’s wrist with her palm.

“Ugh!”

The knife dropped, and In-kyu caught it with his other hand and quickly aimed at Cheong-ah’s side.

Thud.

“Ah!”

Cheong-ah grabbed her side and sank to the floor.

“Cheong-ah!”

In-kyu’s face went pale. He threw down the knife and ran over.

“Are you okay?”

“Ugh, it hurts. Wow, your strength is crazy.”

“That’s why I told you not to do this.”

Cheong-ah wiped away a small tear and shook her head.

“It’s better to get pricked by a training knife than stabbed in the field.”

“But even with daily practice, I can’t dodge once…”

“How do you dodge the movements of someone who practiced knife attacks for 10 years in a special forces unit?”

Cheong-ah flopped onto the floor and sighed deeply.

“Back at headquarters, no one could have stabbed me. It’s just… he’s amazing.”

“……”

In-kyu scratched his ear awkwardly at the praise.

“No one on the field uses a knife better than him. So I like learning while taking hits.”

Cheong-ah pouted, lifted her clothes to check her side, and In-kyu quickly looked away.

“Damn. I’ll have bruises tomorrow. Hey, have I improved at all?”

His laughter burst out at her need for praise. He rubbed Cheong-ah’s head a few times with his large hands.

“Even undercover work is tough. Why are you working so hard?”

“Why? Because the hospital smells suspicious.”

“Did you find something?”

It wasn’t a hard question. Cheong-ah awkwardly brushed her hair back, avoiding his gaze.

The image that came to mind was Min Yushin’s face.

“…Maybe?”

“What’s with that vague answer?”

“There’s a really handsome professor at the hospital.”