Chapter 6

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Yeoido branch was enjoying a rare lull. Despite its location in the political district, surrounded by the glass towers of the country’s greediest conglomerates, the station was no better equipped than any precinct in the city. Every piece of furniture had been chosen for its cheapness. The benches were bare metal, the floor covered in plastic vinyl that had once been called “ecru” on a salesman’s chart. Above the waiting area, a box-shaped old TV sagged in a bracket that didn’t fit, secured to the wall with bolts that looked ready to surrender.

It was normal for the station to be quiet during the day. Nights were louder. The district’s businessmen drank late, and alcohol was behind nearly every incident that brought their suited bodies to the orange pleather chairs in reception. By lunchtime, the drunks had long since sobered up and stumbled home.

Detective Kangho Yang peeled the shrink wrap from his black noodles. A lull was the best time to eat. Even dogs were allowed to eat in peace, and Kangho often felt he was valued about as highly as the canine unit. He worked like a dog, so now he would eat like one. There was sweet and sour pork, too.

Like every good wolf pack, SMPA Yeoido ate according to hierarchy. Orders flowed down, responsibility flowed down, and food flowed down.

“Woosung, pass the soy sauce. Mijin, take a plate to the chief. Three dumplings — he likes those.”

Yang was number two. With the chief in his office, out here in the main hall he was number one. He barked orders, scolded drunks, directed traffic. If two salarymen staggered in fighting over a room salon bill, it was Yang who would break it up. If a lost child wandered in, Yang would hand out orders — blanket, mother, report — without leaving his seat.

Lunchtime was when his rank made him happiest. He chose the restaurant, decided who would make the call, made sure everyone ate well.

“Detective Yang, the chief wants to see you.”

Yang wiped his hands and what had been a moist towelette and reached for the plate meant for the chief. “I’ll take it in.”

“Yes, sir.”

Kangho’s chief was a necessarily stern man. His uniform was as immaculate as the straightness of the twenty-eighty parting that did little to cover an expansive bald patch. “Have you seen the shiny new GU Electronics building by the subway station?”

“I pass it on my way in every morning boss. It’s pretty impressive huh? Very tastefully done. Not like the buildings they put up in the 90s before the IMF. I heard they got some architect from the Netherlands to design it. Paid him an absolute fortune too. I’ve always thought that I chose the wrong line of work. Do you think if I quit and went back to school I could make it as an architect?” Yang was still shovelling noodles into his mouth as he spoke. As he placed the chief’s dumplings on the table, he noticed that his superior’s bowl was still full.

“Boss, you’re not touching your food. Everything alright? Your stomach giving you—”

“There’s a hole in the building.”

“—Problems? There’s a what? Boss?”

“A hole. Approximately one meter square in the south wall on the ground floor.”

“Guess they shouldn’t have paid that architect so much money.”

“It’s not the architect’s fault. The hole wasn’t there yesterday. Someone created it.”

“Someone made a hole in the GU Electronics building? 

“Your sharpness is staggering Yang.”

“How? Why?” Yang finally laid his bowl down on his chief’s desk.

“You’re the detective.”

”Are we talking about a break-in? What was taken?”

“According to a Seungi Choi – chief of staff for new devices – who called us, nothing. But he said he was in the process of verifying that information.”

“I’ll start with the CCTV. Woosung’s got a great eye for those things. There are traffic cameras on that road.”  Yang got up and moved towards the door. 

“Good.”

“I don’t need to tell you that this case has to be treated carefully. Get a team out to cordon off the street outside of the hole. The people at GU say they put up a tarpaulin as soon as they discovered the damage, but I very much doubt that not one single passerby saw the hole, so you may have to release a statement to the media. Keep the details to a minimum. If we are lucky, we’ll avoid pictures of the hole turning up in all the papers.”

“Let’s hope that none of the passersby was a photographer at one of the dailies. Their offices are just round the corner from the GU building.”

“Quite. Kangho, extend every courtesy to those working at GU. Work around them, not through them. I went to school with Vice-Chairman Han. They do a lot of work for the community.”

“Yeah, they sponsored that event last year where we handed bowls of rice out to the homeless.”

“Exactly. Don’t put anyone’s nose out of joint. These are not pimps or drunken homeless losers we are dealing with here. These people are pillars of our business community. They have an effect on our entire economy and their privacy is to be respected.”

”You know me boss, I’m a gentleman, always.”

“I do know you. That’s why I worry.”

Sunday September 27th 14:00

Red
So Rob, how old are you? I feel like we need to have a get to know each other session.

Boy 1
I’m 29, and you’re 23.

Red
Did I mention that?

Boy 1
You blurted out that you were born in 1988. Just before you threw the toothbrush away. And I did the mathsss.

Red
It was a cheap toothbrush.

Boy 1
I invested affection as well as money into that toothbrush.

Red
Hehehe. So it’s your question.

Boy 1
Did you really have a driver in the Philippines called Rob?

Red
Haha. So funny. Yes I did. But he hated me though.

Boy 1
I can’t imagine anyone hating you.

Red
Well Rob did.

Boy 1
It’s Sunday, are you religious? Are you going to church?

Red
My family is like super religious. We have like three pastors on my mum’s side. One of them is even a woman.

Boy 1
Really. You weren’t exactly biblical last night.

Red
Kkkk. I’m afraid I gave you a bad impression of me.

Boy 1
Not really. You showed that you only kiss random handsome English guys with clean teeth. And then you discard their toothbrushes with reckless abandon.

Red
You’re really upset about the toothbrush thing. You might want to let it go.

Boy 1
Yeah, but you did order seven tequilas. I was quite proud of you. That’s the best use of my card by a girl for quite some time.

Red
For some time? That card is often given to girls?

Boy 1
No answer. Telling.

Red
You know... beer doesn’t go well with me. So how come you came to Korea?

Boy 1
That’s a long story. That definitely requires beer. Or sake if you can’t handle beer.

Red
Sounds like a plan. When?

Boy 1
I’m not sure of my schedule.

Red
When do you usually get off work?

Boy 1
Anywhere between 6 and midnight. Hey, you want to play a game?

Red
Game? With sake?

Boy 1
No, now, to get to know each other better.

Red
Ahh, kkkkkk, OK. Sounds good.

Boy 1
Flowers or chocolate from a guy?

Red
Are you going to buy them when we have sake? Are you researching me?

Boy 1
This is not going well. Which do you prefer, coffee or tea?

Red
COFFEE!!! Tea is a my mummy thing.

Boy 1
Ok, now we’re cooking. Now ask me one...

Red
Oh I get it. Cute. Cats or dogs?

Boy 1
Look at my profile pic. I’m a dog person. Had a cat once, but he died. Tres sad.

Red
Sounds like a sake story. It’s your question.

Boy 1
Beer or soju?

Red
I am a Korean at heart. So definitely soju. I love somec. You know somec, right?

Boy 1
I work for the largest conglomerate in the country. I know somec. I am well versed in your ways.

Red
Let’s not do sake then? Let’s do somec.

Boy 1
If it’s OK with you, I’d like to drink something different than what I normally have with my coworkers.

Red
Kkkk. I guess. So which day are you going to drop the sake bomb on me?

Boy 1
Let’s say Thursday. For now. Location and time to be finalized. I’ll know better tomorrow after I get to the office.

Red
OK. Sounds good.

Boy 1
On a guy: Style / Career / Looks?

Red
I’m totally not motivated by the looks. So...

Career

Style

Looks

What are you doing today?

Boy 1
I’m about to go for a run.

Red
But you have stomach fat. I felt it last night.

Boy 1
Yeah. You did. While you were being biblical. That’s the reason for the run.

Red
I see. People need to lose weight. I need to lose weight.

Boy 1
No no no. Are you kidding? You have like the nicest legs I’ve seen on the peninsula. 

Red
You’re sweet. I like how you compliment me. I can’t wait for Thursday!

Boy 1
Red wine / White wine?