Dangerous Investigation Diary

Ep. 28 ° Department Store Bomb Installation Incident (4) _

The now familiar, pungent smell of disinfectant, the sound of the heart rate monitor that I used to hear so much when my seniors got hurt, the sharp pain in my arm from being pricked by a needle, and... this time, the stinging pain in my shoulder.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw the familiar hospital room ceiling again. It didn't seem like the VIP room like last time... Where was it... Oh, it's the room where my seniors are hospitalized. I remember getting stabbed by Kim Hyun-seong and then Detective Min and Detective Park arriving.

하여주 [28]

"...Ugh, ahh..."

This time, I must have been stabbed quite deeply, my shoulder ached a bit. It'll be hard to recover quickly. No, that would mean three of our team members would be injured. Absolutely not. The damage would be too great. We need to get up quickly. Even so, Mr. Kim Hyun-seong, why did you stab him so deeply?

정호석 [30]

"Are you awake? You can't get up yet."

하여주 [28]

"Ah... sir, sir..."

정호석 [30]

"The anesthesia hasn't worn off yet, so you won't be able to speak well."

정호석 [30]

"How's your shoulder? If it hurts, nod. If it's okay, move your head."

I tried to nod at the intense pain in my shoulder, but then shook my head, worried that it might delay my return. Sergeant Jeong, seeing me like this, remained silent until he lifted his right arm, the one with the injured shoulder. In that moment, the unbearable pain made me scream and squeeze my eyes shut.

하여주 [28]

"ah...!"

정호석 [30]

"Please do it. Why are you lying about something like this?"

Officer Jeong's already stiff expression, now even more rigid, always made me tense. He seemed deeply angry at me for lying and not properly explaining my condition. I belatedly held his aching shoulder and muttered an apology, but he continued speaking in an angry tone.

정호석 [30]

"How many times have we told you not to act alone?"

정호석 [30]

"Not only did they cut off the radio and chased after the suspect, they even injured him..."

정호석 [30]

"Why are you like that?"

하여주 [28]

"...I'm sorry. The radio was disconnected by mistake..."

하여주 [28]

"Seeing him running around with a weapon... there was a high possibility that he was going to harm Park Soo-yeon."

하여주 [28]

"I'm sorry... because I thought I had to protect the citizens."

정호석 [30]

".....Lie down without moving an inch."

정호석 [30]

"I'm going to go out for a bit, so I'll apologize again when the rest of the team members arrive."

하여주 [28]

"...Yes. I'm sorry. Take care on your way."

After Officer Jeong left, his expression tinged with discomfort, perhaps uneasy at having scolded me, I sighed deeply. This level of shoulder pain would definitely last a week, and in the worst case, two weeks. And even during the recovery period, recovery wasn't guaranteed.

I really need to work on this impatient personality... This time, I was the first to jump out. I was fiddling with the radio, trying to communicate with my seniors, when I ran and the communication was cut off due to a malfunction. After I even finished organizing the situation, I briefly felt resentful toward Sergeant Kim and Officer Jeon.

하여주 [28]

"...ah."

Again, tears welled up in my eyes, unsure of what was so saddening me. I lifted my uninjured left arm and buried my face in it. Perhaps it was the sadness of being scolded by Officer Jeong, the frustration of having to take a break from police work, or the guilt of having caused harm to the team.

No one knew why, but the tears wouldn't stop. I held my breath, afraid the unconscious Sergeant Kim and Patrolman Jeon might hear me. My seniors always knew how to come and comfort me, but now there was no one.

After a while of silent crying, I felt someone's warm hand pat my trembling shoulder. I thought it was a senior, and I wondered if I'd heard the door open, but that was absolutely not the case. Then it couldn't have been a doctor or nurse... Then who... Could it be?

It seemed like a lie, but it was Sergeant Kim. I pressed my sore shoulder, wondering if it was a dream. It wasn't. He grimaced in pain. Sergeant Kim, startled by my actions, belatedly stopped my hand.

Seeing Sergeant Kim, still the same, brought even more tears to my eyes. He seemed to understand my feelings, and silently wiped my tears away and patted my shoulder. I was unfamiliar with the senior in the hospital gown, but seeing his affectionate demeanor made me realize, "It's you, Sergeant Kim." It was certain.

하여주 [28]

"Sergeant Kim..."

김남준 [30]

"...My lady."

The anesthesia must have worn off, and my pronunciation has improved. I call him "Sergeant Kim" by my title, while he calls me by my first name. We decided to use the more casual title... It felt a little odd to do it in uniform, but now that we're both in hospital gowns, it's okay.

하여주 [28]

".....Namjoon oppa."

김남준 [30]

"Yeah. Did you have to wait long? Sorry."

김남준 [30]

"Why are you crying alone? It breaks my heart."

김남준 [30]

"Why did you come here injured again?"

하여주 [28]

"Sorry..."

김남준 [30]

"Huh? What?"

하여주 [28]

"Just, everything..."

김남준 [30]

"What the heck~ I didn't wake up to hear that?"

I felt so sorry, words cannot express it. Acting alone all the time, I ended up hurting the team, and even burdening my unconscious seniors. I began to question whether I was truly qualified to be a police officer.

김남준 [30]

"Stop crying, you idiot. I hate that even more."

김남준 [30]

"Do you really think the kids want you to feel guilty about hurting your shoulder so badly that you can't even use your arm right now?"

하여주 [28]

"This time, I got hurt, and it was also because of my own actions..."

김남준 [30]

"Oh my, that's right~"

김남준 [30]

"That might be a bit much, but you know that they're the ones who'll be more upset than anyone else if you get hurt, right?"

하여주 [28]

"huh..."

김남준 [30]

"So stop it - you cry a lot, our youngest."

김남준 [30]

"When I see things like this, I wonder how anyone could do something so reckless."

하여주 [28]

"Don't tease me...!"

Meanwhile, the Violent Crimes Unit 1, which had been belatedly joined by Officer Jeong, was gathered in the interrogation room at the BU Police Station. They were all furious, with Kim Hyun-seong, the prime suspect in this case, at their center. He was the one responsible for Officer Ha's injuries.

김태형 [29]

"...Mr. Kim Hyun-seong."

김현성 [32]

"yes?"

김태형 [29]

"Do you have nothing to say?"

For about ten minutes now, I've been waiting for an apology, trying to determine if there's any shred of conscience left. Why did he stab Officer Ha? Why did he carry a weapon? Why did he express his personal anger in a public place and end up planting a bomb?

There were so many things I wanted to ask, so many accusations I wanted to make, but I held onto a glimmer of hope and waited. I also felt a pang of hope inside. I wanted to at least apologize, to receive one.

김현성 [32]

"Nothing to say. Go ahead."

김태형 [29]

"...Yes. I'll just proceed."

김태형 [29]

"May 24th, 12:55 PM. The Daehan Department Store where you worked was blown up. Did you know?"

김현성 [32]

"Yes, I know."

김태형 [29]

"I thought you didn't know, since you weren't in the store when the incident occurred."

김현성 [32]

"Huh? What is that?"

김태형 [29]

"I will proceed."

김태형 [29]

"1st floor lobby information, 3rd floor 'Rosher' store warehouse, 5th floor rooftop."

김태형 [29]

"You have installed three bombs yourself. Is that correct?"

김현성 [32]

"Excuse me. I don't have that-"

김태형 [29]

"Yes, well. I'll continue."

김태형 [29]

"You recently broke up with 29-year-old Park Su-yeon, who worked at the 'Rosher' store."

김태형 [29]

"Do you deny this too?"

김현성 [32]

"...No. That's..."

김태형 [29]

"Around 5pm on the 25th, you were in a confrontation with our team's police officers and brandished a weapon, right?"

김현성 [32]

"Huh? No...!"

김태형 [29]

"So who were you originally planning to swing it at?"

김태형 [29]

"Are you Park Soo-yeon?"

김현성 [32]

"I have never carried a weapon, nor have I ever planted a bomb in a department store!"

김현성 [32]

"The incident happened on the day I went out to answer a phone call."

박지민 [29]

"I didn't see any of them among the employees who fled outside the department store."

박지민 [29]

"Where did you go just to answer a phone call..."

김현성 [32]

"If you don't believe me, why did you call me here?!"

박지민 [29]

"You make excuses for everything even though you know I won't believe you. It's the same for you."

김현성 [32]

"hey!"

민윤기 [31]

"Please don't raise your voice, Mr. Kim Hyun-seong."

민윤기 [31]

"Who should be angry and yelling right now?"

김태형 [29]

"I have one last question for you, Mr. Kim Hyun-seong."

김태형 [29]

"Two of our team members are unconscious because of the bomb you planted,"

김태형 [29]

"One of our team members will have his arm paralyzed for a while because of the weapon you wielded."

김태형 [29]

"Do you feel sorry for them?"

김태형 [29]

"Are you truly sorry and do you feel like apologizing?"

김현성 [32]

"...I'm sorry. It was something I did out of personal feelings."

박지민 [29]

"If you went back, would you make the same choice?"

박지민 [29]

"Was this the only way to get Park Soo-yeon's attention?"

김현성 [32]

"That's not it, but..."

김태형 [29]

"...Until the very end, you won't even apologize or admit your mistakes?"

As he muttered in a trembling voice, Detective Kim placed the remaining two bombs he had collected after successfully dismantling them, excluding the one that had exploded, on the interrogation room desk. Tears soon filled his eyes.

김태형 [29]

"Please admit the charges..."

김태형 [29]

"Because of your actions, our team members are now..."

"Amateur." This was the person and word that Officer Kim hated the most. He always said that revealing his emotions during interrogation was a sign of his amateurism. But if you look closely, Officer Kim today was an amateur, too. Could this really be an amateur?

박지민 [29]

"Mr. Kim Hyun-seong, you are in detention for now. We cannot release you yet."

김현성 [32]

"Yeah, well..."

김석진 [32]

"Everyone, gather at the office-"

김석진 [32]

"Officer Kim, you can come once you calm down a bit."

김태형 [29]

"No, I'm sorry..."

김석진 [32]

"It's okay, that's possible. Let's go, quickly."

Officer Kim, wiping away tears, stood up, Officer Park led Kim Hyun-seong to the detention center, and the four members of Team 1, excluding Officer Park and the injured, were much more timid than usual.

The office of the Violent Crimes Unit 1, where even Chief Park was gathered, seemed even more empty today than it was today. Their absence was a void that couldn't be filled, no matter how much I tried to ignore it. Still, I had to do what had to be done. That was the only way to overcome it.

김석진 [32]

"There must be evidence that can definitely arrest Mr. Kim Hyun-seong."

김석진 [32]

"It will be difficult to confirm because all the CCTVs in the department store are still being checked."

김석진 [32]

"If we can't find any solid evidence, we'll have to release Kim Hyun-seong tomorrow."

민윤기 [31]

".....The circumstances are very different."

That's right. There were many suspicious circumstances. The voice on the broadcast matched Kim Hyun-seong's voice, and the possibility that he harbored a grudge against Kim Hyun-seong and Park Soo-yeon, who were not present at the department store at the time of the incident, and fled with a weapon. But the circumstances were just that: circumstances.

If things continued as they were, they could only charge him with swinging a weapon at Officer Ha, and since he was arrested on an emergency basis as a suspect in the Daehan Department Store bomb installation incident, he would have to be released as soon as the next day dawned due to insufficient evidence.

김석진 [32]

"Doesn't anyone have anything to talk about?"

김석진 [32]

".....Okay. If not, let's stop here."

정호석 [30]

"...I have something to say."

Detective Jeong, who had remained silent since returning to the interrogation room, opened his mouth. His eyes were filled with conviction.

박지민 [29]

"What is it?"

정호석 [30]

"...that is,"

•••

The perpetrator of the bombing that occurred at Daehan Department Store a few days ago was arrested by prosecutors this morning. Kim Hyun-seong, 32, allegedly imported a bomb and planted it at the Daehan Department Store after his ex-girlfriend refused to meet him.

[The Full Story _ Kim Hyun-seong's Perspective]

박수연 [29]

"Let's break up."

On May 12th, Suyeon suddenly broke up with me. She said it was because of my obsession. Lies... When did I ever say I was obsessed? What a breakup. I'm not ready to break up yet.

김현성 [32]

"no."

박수연 [29]

"Even if I don't like it, there's nothing I can do. I've already made up my mind."

김현성 [32]

"What did you say I was obsessed with?"

박수연 [29]

"Are you asking because you don't know? I'm going to go out with the kids for a bit, and if I try to eat, even if they're girls, I tell them not to go out."

박수연 [29]

"If I can't contact you even a little bit, I'll get at least 50 missed calls and over 300 KakaoTalk messages."

박수연 [29]

"Do I look crazy?"

김현성 [32]

"What's wrong with that? That's love and concern, Suyeon."

박수연 [29]

"If that's what you mean by love, then I don't want to accept it. Please let me go, okay?"

박수연 [29]

"And you're seeing someone other than me, oppa. Did you think I didn't know?"

김현성 [32]

"What are you talking about, come to your senses. Why are you delusional again?"

박수연 [29]

"I already know everything, so let's stop, please..."

So we parted ways. But I still didn't break up. I firmly believed that if I kept pushing, you'd eventually come to me. I was certain it would happen. It had to happen.

Despite my continued contact, Suyeon didn't answer. She didn't respond to my attempts to pick her up at her work hours or to my attempts to woo her by visiting her home. So, this is how you act.

Through a friend's introduction, I was introduced to a broker who smuggled three timer bombs for cheap. Of course, it was illegal. Fearing being stopped by airport security if I flew, I chartered a boat and embarked on a long journey. I was willing to endure this to gain Sooyeon's attention.

A week had passed since I'd planned to bring and plant the bomb, and on May 19th, it had been a week since I'd parted ways with Suyeon. The Daehan Department Store, the largest in the country, where I and Suyeon both worked, seemed like the perfect place.

Because I thought the look on your face as you watched those you loved terrify and fall into danger would be quite something to behold. Think of this as my parting gift. Think of it as your punishment for refusing to accept the day you arbitrarily broke up with me and clung to me.

May 23rd. I arrived at work earlier than the information desk staff and placed one inside the information desk. While working, I went in under the pretense of taking items from the "Rosher" store warehouse and placed one in a pile of clothing boxes. During my break, I went up to the roof and placed one. I successfully installed three.

May 24th. The security guards in front of the broadcasting room changed shifts at 9:50 a.m., and the shift lasted exactly 10 minutes. I took advantage of that gap to enter the broadcasting room and conduct the broadcast.

김현성 [32]

"At around 1 p.m., bombs planted throughout the department store will explode."

김현성 [32]

"You decide for yourself how to act."

The one in charge of how to act here was, of course, Sooyeon. Since you couldn't possibly not recognize my voice, if you contacted me right now, I'd drop this bombshell. If not, we'd proceed as planned.

But after the broadcast, I wandered around the department store in a state of panic, and found Soo-yeon, who was simply reporting this to the police. "Do you really want our end to be this miserable? If that's true, then I have no choice but to give you what you want."

I want you to feel the pain I felt.

•••

정호석 [30]

"In Mr. Kim Hyun-seong's hands,"

정호석 [30]

"There were wounds that could only have occurred when planting a bomb."

[Case No. 2002do258: Department Store Bomb Installation Case Closed]

[Investigation log released]

[Investigation log released]

[Investigation log released]

Investigation Log: A metaphorical term for a case manuscript written by the author before solving the case in episodes.

Detective Jeong's medical knowledge moments will continue in the next episode...😎 I wrote this in my spare time to quickly reach the undeserved 3rd place ranking 😉 Next episode, I'll be back with another case after solving the Strong Team 1 episode! Thank you for reading 🥰

p.s. It's a shame that the story ended so disappointingly compared to what I had planned 🥹 I will use this regret as a stepping stone to develop the next story and make it more substantial! 🍀

_ Number of characters: 7138