12 Hours After

Translator: Khan

Editor: RED

I opened my hands, stretched them out, and squeezed them a couple of times. I still had a vivid sense of the long-haired lunatic when I shoulder threw him.

‘It still works.’

It had been several years since I had taken off my uniform, but I still had the basic skills that I had practiced thousands of times when I was a kid, while getting scolded by my dad.

A policeman handed me a paper cup containing a green tea bag. “Don’t be nervous, sir, you’re just here as a witness.”

A middle-aged police officer in the back added a word. “Not just that, but if you’re good at it, you might be honored with a good citizenship award.”

“Ah, yes.” I blinked a couple of times. I was still dumbfounded.

“Then, first, about how you reported it…”

I answered the policeman’s question sincerely. The police officer basically regarded me as a righteous man who had defeated the attacker instead of the police. I didn’t supply the particle to my answer.

“Yes, it was an unusual situation anyway. The stalker and the murderer were in one place.”

I nodded. “That’s true.”

The 180-centimeter-tall man in 12 Hours After was not the big man, but a skinny man with long hair. After the chaotic situation, police said the long-haired man was a hair designer for OH Entertainment, which Oh Hyun-joo belonged to.

Having seen Oh Hyun-joo, he fell in love with her at first look. He had met her several times, but every time her manager hit him with a curling iron. He had a grudge and prepared a weapon from long scissors that were cut in half, bringing something familiar to his hands.

The middle-aged policeman seated behind said, clicking his tongue, “What a crazy guy he is! Is a woman that important?”

A young policeman who was listening to the words piped up, “But she’s really pretty.”

He was one of two policemen on the scene. He handcuffed the criminal after I shoulder threw him. When he said that, a middle-aged policeman said, “Huh, it’s all about being a young man.”

“It’s because Assistant Inspector, you didn’t see her yourself. I saw her in person. I know what a woman of matchless beauty is. In the old days, if a king saw her, he was going to cut a mountain to build a palace and dig a lake because of her.”

The remark irritated the middle-aged police officer.

“Stop talking nonsense. Mr. Han came all the way here because you didn’t do your job well. Huh? How can a policeman be slower than a normal person? Huh? If you’re going to ask me, I’m going to cut your salary this month. Do you understand?”

It was the same here for a boss to scold his juniors with “a written apology” and “a reduction in salary.” The scolded policeman came out in a hurry and apologized to the middle-aged senior officer, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

I dissuaded him as I thought of myself in the old days. “Ah, that’s all right. But thanks to your quick response, I caught the criminal.”

At my mediation, the middle-aged policeman said, with a false cough. “Hum, No. Your courage was great. It’s not normal for an ordinary person to catch a criminal with a weapon like that. That young policeman did just clean up after you.”

I asked the police officer, thinking suddenly, “By the way, what happened to him?”

“Who?

“The stalker.”

“Ah, the stalker. I got a call from the hospital earlier. He got stabbed in the side by the weapon, but he had a lot of extra fat on his back, so he didn’t take any damage to his organs.”

Indeed, it seemed that he was not seriously injured because he was overweight.

The old policeman said a word, “It was a lucky break. Apart from that, as he was caught of stalking for the second time, he will be sent to prison.”

“Prison?”

“Yes, he was arrested while secretly taking pictures the other day, just like this. He was released with a warning, last time, but this is the second time. However, the agency requested a favorable arrangement. He got an intellectual disability. We don’t know what’s going to happen to him. We’d like to make the most of this.”

I asked, with one eye wide open. “Does he have an intellectual disability?”

“Yes, it’s not too bad, it’s a little short. Of all the strange things that you pointed out, there is the windbreaker.”

“Yes?”

The policeman grinned, his teeth slightly exposed. “He wears the windbreaker even in the middle of the scorching summer.”

I put my hands on the forehead. There were a couple of such people in the old town. A little short, but not bad. It might have been because of such stupidity that he was able to rush straight in at the sight of the weapon.

‘Somehow, that look was too good when he saw Oh Hyun-joo.’

For now, this seemed to have put an end to all this. I felt sudden fatigue. “Hoo, can I go now?”

At my words, a middle-aged policeman stood up and said, “Oh, yes, of course. Where do you live?”

I answered him, wondering why. “Oh, it’s near Nakseongdae Station.”

He beckoned at my words. “That’s close enough. Hey, policeman Kim. Take him home.”

“Yes, assistant inspector.”

That was great. I was wondering how I would get a taxi in Gangnam late at night, and it was good to be able to get a ride in a police car.

At that time, I heard the door open from the back, and suddenly all the officers in the station stood up.

‘Is a senior officer here?’ I looked back at the thought, and I experienced it for the third time today. Time Stop.

While I was firm, Oh Hyun-joo, who had opened the police station door, looked around and said, “I heard the one who saved me earlier here.”

Then she came up to me and told me, just as our eyes met. “Thank you. How can I repay you?”

Then she held my hands, the soft touch was beyond description. It was like touching a big baby’s hands.

‘I thank you more.’ I almost said that, but I grabbed the string of reason as much as possible and pretended to be dumb.

“No, it’s okay.” It was too hard to think. It was a stiff expression. But I couldn’t say any other words, as I would look stupid if I untied my tongue.

She held my hands and looked up at me with her limpid eyes.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

‘Now my heart is…’ Instead of the crap that came into my mind, I kept my composure as much as possible and uttered plain words. “Yes. No injuries.”

“That’s a good thing. Really.” She bowed to me, unlike a top star, holding my hands and thanking me. “Thank you very much.”

Somehow, I thought I should bow my head to greet her. I saw her raise her head, and I lowered my head afterwards.

“No, I did what I’m supposed to do.”

“I’m grateful.” She bowed her head once more, and we hit each other’s heads. “Ouch!”

She smiled widely, holding her head. The police station in the middle of the night was a bit heavy just minutes ago, but her laughter seemed to brighten up the whole station. With her smile, I felt that what happened today was worth it. If I hadn’t moved today, she’d have been taken to the emergency room at Choo Hospital instead of smiling here.

‘It wasn’t that bad today. I chased a stalker, reported to the police, and shoulder threw an attempted murderer, not bad. All of it.’

That smile on her face seemed to make it all worth it. I looked at her smile, and I laughed unknowingly.