"From now on, we will have a new member in the private detective department," said Jae Suk to his subordinate member. He came to the private detective department room together with a young man who had a cheerful and excited smile on his face.
"Anyeonghaseo, Choi Min Ho imnida (Hello, my name is Choi Min Ho), please take care of me," said Min Ho, bowing to Shin, Gary, and Haha politely.
"You have a lovely face.I'm Haha," said Haha, introducing himself and shaking Min Ho's hand.
"Thank you, Haha sunbaenim (senior),... nice to meet you," said Min Hoo, smiling happily to accept Haha's hand.
"Welcome Min Ho-ah, I'm Gary," said Gary, greeting a new member of his comrades.
"Annyeonghaseo Gary sunbaenim," Min Ho said, bowing once more.
"Let's finish the introduction. We still have a lot of work to do," said Shin coldly, without greeting the new member and just coming back to his table to continue his work. Min Ho seemed blank with his cold behaviour, and he felt a little surprised to receive Shin's unwelcoming act toward him.
"That's your table, happy work then," Jae Suk said, handing Min Ho over to his teammates. Min Ho bowed to Jae Suk before he left, then gave his best smile to act polite to his superior.
"Chief Kim, come to my room," said Jae Suk to Shin. The muscular detective stood up from his seat and followed Jae Suk to his room.
"Who is our chief name?" asks Min Ho, curious to see who looks most friendly among the others.
"Our chief name is Kim Shin." answer Haha.
"Does he despise me?Or is he disliking me?" asked Min Ho again.
"Anniyoo (That's not it), it's not because he hates you that makes him act coldly to you, he was like that from the first time he joined us, but he is really brilliant and amazing. He just joined this department for 2 years and he has become our chief now. Well, he is really great at doing this job as a private detective," explains Haha to Min Ho. He smiled at Min Ho, trying to ease his nervousness about Shin. Well, for a new member like him, everyone will always feel that Shin is really cold and frightening.
"I'm so startled by his cold action toward me," said Min Ho.
"Don't worry, chief Kim is actually looking tough, but he has a good heart and manner. Don't worry," adds Gary, trying to calm Min Ho.
"Ah, geauraeyo (is that so)? He must really be a great person. I want to be a great detective like him too. " Said Min Ho with a smile of excitement. For him, Shin is really a great detective. Well, not everyone can become a chief after working just about 2 years, right? He indeed had the capability to do that.
"What are you guys chatting about in the middle of working? Don't you have any jobs to do? " Shin asked Gary coldly when he had just come back from Jae Suk's office and saw his members still standing together and chatting around. Three of them are surprised by his existence and just bow to him for their mistake.
"We have a new case. Let's go quickly to the crime scene," said Shin to his subordinate.
Everyone yelled, "Ne chief!" Four of them then walk quickly to the outside and walk toward the car. Gary and Haha are in the same car while Shin goes along with the newbie.
The private detective department is one of the police departments that oversees many cases that need an investigation. As its name implies, the private detective department works secretly to resolve many criminal cases. This department is the most difficult one to enter. Even though their image is really famous because they have resolved so many cases, the members' identities are unknown to the public because they need to do their investigation underground. The only person known to the public from this department is Yoo Jae Suk, the chairman, who will be the department's face in announcing the results of their investigation to the public.
Finally, four of them have arrived at the location. There were some police there who did the initial investigation. The location of the case is in a grass field near a river that is far away from the street. From afar, Shin can see there are so many dead bodies covered by the blankets laying on the ground.
"What happened?" asked Shin to one of the cops there.
"We got a report from the neighbor that there was a gang fighting last night." Explain the cops to Shin.
"Detective Ha, detective Kang, do your work," said the chief, calmly giving a command to Haha and Gary.
"Ne chief!" exclaimed Haha and Gary simultaneously.Haha walked straight to the dead body to identify their identity while Gary walked away to get some cctv that may have recorded the accident.
"newbi,, follow me." said Shin to Min Ho.
"Thanks cop Han," said Shin to the police before he went to the closer location.
While Shin was conducting his investigation, he approached one of the dead bodies.There are more than 70 dead bodies laying on the ground. From the number of those dead bodies, He can guess that it's a fight between a big gang. Shin also found some revolver and bullet pieces from the scene. He takes a plastic bag to collect every piece of evidence and even a tiny detail from the location. He also checked the dead bodies one by one carefully. Min Ho followed Shin everywhere he went and photographed everything he did.After he checked about four bodies, he then found something familiar from the fifth body. Shin finds a tatto on his arm, the same tatto that he saw 2 years ago, that ACO tatto.
After finishing their investigation of the criminal scene, the private detective team came back together to their office to discuss the results of their first investigation of the case.
"Well, I found that many of the victims are members of the mafia. The mafia leader was also identified as a victim," explained Haha to Shin and Jae Suk.
"What about the victims who have ACO' tattoos? Haha, how many of the total victims have the tatto?" Shin asks.
"Well, considering the amount, it's about 20%. All of them are big fighters after I found their identity further." Haha answers him.
"Again, some fighter... does this mean that 'ACO' is only looking for a professional fighter to join them?What is their purpose? " Jae Suk was wondering about the mysterious gang identity.
"I think they are doing that to make their gang the most undefeatable and strongest one, so they can gain power with their strength," said Shin while thinking. Jae Suk only nods with his opinion, while Min Ho seems so excited to be following the discussion. It's his first time doing this kind of investigation and he really enjoyed it.
"How about the death caused?" asked Shin again to Haha.
"Well, there is something different about the deaths caused by the ACO members and mafia members. According to the chief, most of the mafia members died because of the injuries they got from the fight. I mean, there is no track of weapon injury on their bodies while the ACO deaths are caused by the shootgun."
"It means that the ACO kill their victims with their only skill of fighting, while the mafia used the weapon to protect themselves and also to balance the ACO's strength. If they used the weapon, it would just show us how much they have no confidence to face ACO with their empty hand. ACO must be really strong." said Shin, making a consideration.
"How about their reasons for fighting each other?" asked Jae Suk then to Gary.
"After I did some research, I found that the mafia was doing an illegal business, a big business that wasted 1 billion US dollars, but their business partner is unknown. But after considering their fight with ACO, I think that ACO is their partner. It seems like the mafia parties cheated them, " explains Gary.
"How about the CCTV footage? Do you find something from that? " adds Shin.
"Nothing much,... that ACO really can hide their identity so well, but from the CCTV record, I can make sure that they have a large number of members and... they are really strong," said Gary.
"So... they killed many people with their strength, and we can't know who exactly they are? They are so freaky... like a ghost, " commented Min Ho, who was only listening the whole time.
"Yes, they are like ghosts who are always hiding in their shadows and no one is aware of their presence. They are maybe among the common society like us too," said Jae Suk.
"By the way, you did a great job today. Keep your eyes on the close relative of the recently deceased ACO member. Maybe they can give us a hint...." said Jae Suk to his subordinate.
"Or perhaps some of their fighter friends are ACO members who can lead us to the leader..." Shin smirks.
Today's investigation was ended, and they plan to do more investigation to get the track from the deceased ACO member. After getting some information from the close relative of the deceased ACO member, the private detective team continued their investigation to look for those people first. As always, Haha and Gary go together, while Shin, who usually did his investigation alone, has to bring Min Ho along to give him some experience for his first case.
Shin and Min Ho went around to find anyone who was related to ACO, but they couldn't find anything during the investigation. Min Ho was feeling exhausted due to the investigation, and he went to get a cold cola to ease his thirsty throat. He buys two bottles of cold cola and gives one of them to Shin.
"I don't drink cola," Shin flatly refused.He then drank a bottle of water that he brought without accepting Min Ho's kindness.
"Aah... ne...I'm sorry I didn't know about that chief, "said Min Ho. Shin doesn't answer him nor take a look at him. Somehow Min Ho feels that he is invincible in Shin's eyes, but it's okay for him. Maybe he's just not used to the Shin's character.
"Chief... you're a great detective. I really want to be a detective like you in the future," said Min Ho, trying to start a conversation.
"Just do your job well," said Shin, wanting to drink his water again. At that moment, he saw some high school boys passing him while sliding fastly using their skateboards.
"Bukk!" Suddenly, Shin felt that someone had bumped him from behind, making his water spill out from its bottle and drenching his shirt. Shin coughed hardly because of some water entering his throat and his nose at the same time.
"upps-e. mianheyoo (I'm sorry)" said a high school girl passing Shin with her skate board without stopping and just continued sliding, following her boy friends. She just stared at Shin for a second before leaving the drenched detective. Her long hair is waving because of the wind, and she sticks out her tongue when she realizes her mistake. She is Song Hyang.
"Gwenchanayo (are you all right, chief?)?" Min Ho tries to dry up Shin's cloth.
"Yaak!!" shouted Shin, angry at that girl. Hyang, who can hear Shin shouting, accelerates her slide on the skate board without turning around. She was afraid if the muscular man was chasing her. She felt afraid after listening to his yelling voice.
"Aiish! That mean girl!How can she just pass like that and run away after making someone drenched? And also, what is she doing at this time? It's still school time. How can she just go around the way when she has to study in her class? Besides, did she skip her school and go around with some boys? I will give her some lessons if I meet her again," Shin nagging angryly. Yes, for sure, he won't just leave her alone and give her some lessons to teach her. But how can he find her if he's not even seen her face clearly?
Min Ho feels bad for Shin about that, but he actually wants to chuckle at seeing the muscular man getting drenched and nagging like that. He doesn't know that his cold chief will be that nagging guy if he is angry. And also, the way he cursed that girl makes Shin look so cute.
"Yak guys!" she exclaimed, "Wait for me!" when she was far enough from Shin to have the shortest feet from her friends, so she left behind the other. Joon Woo, Hyun Ki, Dae Jun, and Myung Sik stop their sliding and wait for Hyang to approach them.
"That's so freaking scary..." said Hyang to her friends when she was standing between them.
"What is that?" asked Joon Woo, curious.
"Ahjussi (The uncle) who is yelling at me, really make me scared? It's more scary than meeting a ghost," said Hyang, frozen.
"Who is that, Ahjussi?" asked Myung Sik then.
"I don't know, but he looks muscular," said Hyang then.
After that drenching accident, Shin and Min Ho eat lunch together, and when they finish, they plan to continue their investigation.
"chief — aren't they the previous children? the girl is there too," said Min Ho, suddenly pointing at the gathering high school students who were playing the "hitting board" at the edge of the street.
Shin looked at the direction that Min Ho mentioned, and he found a high school girl together with four guys around her. They are laughing together while trying to make the highest score from their punches on the 'hitting board'. Somehow, Shin's eyes just focused on that laughing girl.
It was Hyang's turn to make a score punch. So far, Myung Sik is the only one who has hit the 'hitting board'. He is the first one. He raised his score to 674. Hyang prepared herself to make the higher score. She gripped her right hand and held it with her left hand. She positioned herself then made a hard punch on the board. A loud voice can be heard from her punching.
"Wow..." said Joon Woo, Hyun Ki, and Dae Joon in awe of her hard punching, while Myung Sik is nervous about defeating her.
"744! Yak Do Myung Sik, you lost again! " Dae Jun, mocking the tallest student. Hyun Ki and Joon Woo were laughing hysterically after seeing Hyang's score.
Hyang gave Dae Jun and Hyun Ki a high five with both hands together, then did the same to Joon Woo. Myung Sik looks at Hyang with a sulky face. He then suddenly pulls her hair and runs away.
"Yakk Do Myung Sik! Is that how you received your loss? " Hyang was angry and chased Myung Sik around.
Even though Myung Sik has a long leg, he can't run away from the angry Hyang. When Hyang can get Myung Sik, she then pulls his hair hardly and kicks his leg multiple times. The rest of the three flower boys just watch them while laughing together. Myung Sik then begins to apologize to Hyang, and the girl finally stops punishing him.After Myung Sik was forgiven, he then hugged Hyang's shoulder and approached their friend. Hyang smiles and laughs cheerfully after that, even though she likes to hit Myung Sik, all of them are good friends. When they approach the other boys, Hyang opens her other arm and then hugs Joon Woo's waist while he hugs her shoulder together with Myung Sik. All of them then hugged each other and walked together. Hyun Ki was hugging Joon Woo while Dae Jun was hugging Myung Sik with Hyang in the middle of them.
"Chief Kim, let's give her a lesson like what you said," said Min Ho to Shin, who was just observing that high school student's behavior.
"Let's forget that and come back to the office," said Shin. Even though he was really mad at her last time, after watching her laugh, his mad feeling was completely gone. He took a last stare at Hyang silently before turning around.
"She looks so happy and lovely..." thought Shin in his mind. Without realizing it, he just smiled to himself. Min Ho, who was observing Shin, was surprised to see his smile. It was the first time he saw him smile. Shin then stared at the sky silently.
" Are you going to have a cheerful and cute laugh like her? " said Shin in his heart, remembering his little sister.