The Gwangju Metropolitan Police station buzzes with activity as I follow Han through the corridors. Eyes follow us, some curious, others openly hostile. The tension is palpable; we're outsiders, interlopers from Seoul.
Han leads me into a large briefing room where officers of various ranks are gathered. The chatter dies down as we enter, replaced by a heavy silence. Han steps forward, his posture relaxed but commanding.
"Good morning, everyone," he begins, his voice carrying easily across the room. "I'm Inspector Han, and this is Detective Park." He gestures to me, and I nod in greeting. "We're here from Seoul, as I'm sure you've all heard by now."
A few murmurs ripple through the crowd. Han continues, his tone frank and open.
"Let's address the elephant in the room, shall we? Yes, we're from Seoul. Yes, this assignment is temporary. And yes, at some point, we'll likely return to Seoul."
The bluntness of his statement seems to catch some off guard. I can see a few officers exchanging surprised glances.
"But let me be clear," Han says, his voice taking on a more serious note. "We're not here to step on anyone's toes or steal anyone's job. We're here to help, to contribute our skills and experience to your team for as long as we're stationed here."
He pauses, letting his words sink in. "We know we're outsiders. We know we'll have to earn your trust and respect. And we're prepared to do that, day by day, case by case."
I watch as Han's words seem to have an effect on some of the officers. A few nod approvingly, their postures relaxing slightly. Others, however, maintain their guarded expressions.
"We bring a fresh perspective," Han continues, "and sometimes, that's valuable. But we also know we have a lot to learn about Gwangju, its people, and the unique challenges you face here. We're here to learn as much as we're here to contribute."
He concludes with a slight bow. "Thank you for your time. We look forward to working with all of you."
As Han steps back, I can feel the mood in the room shift. It's not acceptance, not yet, but the hostility has lessened. Some officers approach Han, introducing themselves. Others hang back, still wary.
A senior detective catches my eye, his gaze appraising. "Bold move," he says, nodding towards Han. "Being so upfront about it."
I shrug, trying to appear more relaxed than I feel. "It's Han's style. No point pretending we're something we're not."
The detective nods slowly. "We'll see how it plays out. Just remember, this isn't Seoul. Things work differently here."
As he walks away, I take a deep breath. It's clear we have a long road ahead of us. Han's strategy has bought us some goodwill, but we'll need to prove ourselves with actions, not just words.
I catch Han's eye across the room, and he gives me a subtle nod. The message is clear: we've made our introduction. Now the real work begins.
As Han and I stand near the edge of the room, taking in the atmosphere, a young officer approaches us, his eyes bright with enthusiasm. He can't be more than a few years out of the academy.
"Inspector Han, Detective Park," he says, bowing slightly. "I'm Officer Yong Jihun. It's an honor to meet you both."
Han smiles warmly, extending his hand. "The honor is ours, Officer Yong. Thank you for the warm welcome."
I nod in agreement, shaking Yong's hand as well. The young officer's excitement is palpable, a stark contrast to the cool reception we've received from most others.
"I've heard so much about the cases you've handled in Seoul," Yong says, his words tumbling out rapidly. "The high-profile murders, the intricate conspiracies. It must be so exciting!"
Han chuckles softly. "Every case has its challenges, Officer Yong. I'm sure Gwangju has its share of interesting investigations."
Yong nods eagerly. "Oh, yes, of course! Though perhaps not as spectacular as in Seoul."
Han glances at me before turning back to Yong. "Actually, Officer Yong, we'd be grateful if you could give us a rundown of the typical cases you handle here. If you have the time, of course."
Yong's face lights up even more, if that's possible. "Absolutely, sir! I'd be happy to."
He launches into an animated description of Gwangju's crime landscape. "Well, as I said, it's not as high-profile as Seoul. A lot of our cases involve petty theft, domestic disputes, that sort of thing. Oh, and we do have a significant Yakuza presence in the region."
My eyebrows raise at this. "The Yakuza? That must keep you busy."
Yong shakes his head. "Not as much as you'd think. There's a sort of... understanding between the police and the Yakuza. They keep the peace, we don't push too hard. It's a delicate balance."
I exchange a glance with Han, noting the implications of this arrangement.
Yong continues, oblivious to our silent communication. "We do get some interesting cases though. Just last week, we arrested this perverted man who'd been exposing himself in the city park. He's over there, actually." Yong points across the room to a disheveled man being processed at a desk.
As Yong continues his animated description of Gwangju's local cases, my attention drifts to the disheveled man across the room - the alleged park flasher. There's something about him that doesn't sit right, though I can't quite put my finger on it.
His posture, the way his eyes dart around the room, the slight tremor in his hands as he's being processed - it all seems off somehow. Not the typical behavior of a common pervert, but something... deeper, more unsettling.
Suddenly, a familiar voice breaks through my thoughts, causing me to stiffen slightly.
"Look what we have here," Manson's dark, smooth voice echoes in my mind. "Seems like you've spotted something interesting, detective."
I try to maintain my composure, not wanting to alert Han or Yong to my internal dialogue. This isn't the time or place for Manson's commentary.
"Not now," I think firmly, hoping to silence the unwelcome intrusion.
Manson chuckles, the sound sending a chill down my spine. "Oh, I'm not suggesting we have a chat. Just wanted to point out that I agree - something's not quite right with our flasher friend over there."
I struggle to focus on Yong's words while simultaneously processing Manson's observation. The fact that Manson and I are in agreement only heightens my unease about the suspect.
"Look at his eyes," Manson continues, his voice tinged with a disturbing fascination. "Those aren't the eyes of a man who just likes to show off. There's something darker there, something... familiar."
I swallow hard, trying to push Manson's voice away. But I can't deny the truth in his words. The man's eyes do hold a depth of darkness that seems incongruous with the crime he's accused of.
Yong's voice breaks through my concentration. "Detective? Is everything alright?"
I realize I've been staring at the suspect, my brow furrowed in concentration. Han is looking at me with a mixture of concern and curiosity.
"Yes, sorry," I say, forcing a smile. "Just... observing. Officer Yong, that man you mentioned - the flasher. Has he been involved in any other incidents?"
As Yong launches into more details about the case, I try to focus, to push Manson's voice to the background. But the seed of suspicion has been planted. Something about this seemingly minor case doesn't add up, and despite my reservations about listening to Manson, I can't shake the feeling that we might be overlooking something significant.
As Yong continues his enthusiastic briefing, Han leans in close to me, his voice low. "What's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost."
I hesitate, weighing my words carefully. "That man Yong pointed out, the alleged flasher. Something doesn't feel right about him."
Han's eyes narrow slightly. "One of your famous hunches?"
I nod slowly, aware of how this might sound. "I can't explain it, but... I think there might be more to his story than simple indecent exposure."
Han studies me for a moment, then turns to Yong, who's still chattering away. "Officer Yong, I hate to interrupt, but would it be possible for you to bring us a case file of that suspect? The one you mentioned earlier?"
Yong's face lights up at the request. "Of course, Inspector Han! I'll fetch it right away." He hurries off, clearly pleased to be of help.
As Yong walks away, Han speaks without looking at me. "You sure about this? We're already on thin ice here. If we start poking around their cases on day one..."
"I know," I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. "But if there's even a chance something's being overlooked..."
Han nods, his expression grave. "Alright. We'll tread carefully."
Yong returns quickly, a thin folder in his hands. "Here you are, sir," he says, handing it to Han. "It's not a very thick file, I'm afraid. He doesn't have any prior offenses."
"Thank you, Officer Yong," Han says, looking up from the file and holds out the folder to me.
"It's all yours," he says, his voice low.