The Prosecutor’s Office’s Proposal Chapter 118

Prosecutor Joo, who hadn’t said much while choosing and watching a movie, pulled at my side as the film ended, where I was sitting slightly apart, clinging to the edge of the sofa. I was pulled over without much resistance and sat side-by-side next to him. Resting his chin on my shoulder line exposed by my sliding pajamas, he asked,

“Are you still sulking?”

“…I’m angry.”

“It’s only Officer Lee’s loss if you get angry.”

That confidence of his, rising high without knowing how tall the mountain is, was detestable. It was even more so because I knew it couldn’t be toppled. He was certain that I liked him, and I was the one who had crossed the boundary twice. That was why Prosecutor Joo was so bold, and why I had become that much weaker.

“What did you talk about while having lunch alone with Chief Song last time?”

He asked, blowing breath into my ear. As he spoke, his moderately plump lips moved slowly, grazing my earlobe. A pleasant shiver ran through me, and I shrank my shoulder slightly as I answered.

“We just talked about company life. There wasn’t anything particularly memorable.”

“Don’t use that stiff tone even at home. You were rolling around naked with me until a few hours ago. You’re surprisingly stubborn.”

His gentle breath and low-pitched voice slowly melted the stiffness inside me. In the end, I obediently relaxed my tone just as he told me to.

“…It was just ordinary stuff. He asked if there was anything difficult, asked how the case I’m working on lately is going, and we talked about hobbies.”

“So, did you tell him?”

“Except for the Oh Jahyeon case.”

“Good job.”

His hand burrowed inside my pajamas. The touch slowly sliding down my bare skin was both affectionate and secretive.

“When do you want to start stalking the son?”

“Should we go out even on Sunday?”

“He’s a high school senior, so he might go out.”

“Okay. Then, starting tomorrow…”

“Why is your voice cutting off?”

“Because Prosecutor’s hand is…”

“How did you hold out until twenty-nine while being this much of a slut?”

“Prosecutor is the one who lived what kind of life to have such… no, are those your tastes?”

Prosecutor Joo answered lightly, unexpectedly without much thought.

“I was promiscuous.”

Feeling hurt by that answer, I pushed away the hand that had been inside. I smoothed down my sliding clothes and tried to loosen my pouting expression, but my face had hardened more than a dol hareubang hit by sea wind.

“You don’t want to hear about your sex partner’s past?”

“…I don’t like it.”

“Is a lie better?”

“Yes.”

“Usually, people say they don’t like lies even if they’re hurtful.”

“No, I like lies.”

“Why.”

“I prefer not to get hurt. Even if it’s a lie.”

I had tried to speak firmly, but I had let my true feelings slip by mistake. Like a fool. I bit my lips tightly and then let go. I had hoped he wouldn’t notice, but Prosecutor Joo never missed a thing.

“Does my past hurt Officer Lee?”

“…”

“…I don’t like it when Officer Lee gets hurt. Then, should I say something else?”

“What…”

Prosecutor Joo’s face approached close. As if he were about to kiss me, yet leaving enough distance to see each other’s pupils.

“Truth is, I like Lee Chaeha, insanely.”

The low whisper crumbled the sandcastle that had been dangerously piled up.

It was a cowardly timing. Finally saying he liked me, right after I said that even a lie would be fine.

However, I was swayed by his cruel treatment. I wanted to ask if it was a lie, but I didn’t even ask, fearing Prosecutor Joo would answer that it was. I just stayed still, locking eyes with him, letting the time flow slowly.

Prosecutor Joo gazed at me quietly, like someone who had truly spoken from the heart, before covering my cheeks with his palms as if treating a precious lover. And that was why I wanted to believe that sweet lie even more, insanely.

Without an answer, I leaned into him quietly and reached my gaze upward, and he approached slowly to kiss me. His warm tongue intertwined with mine, and his large hands held me close.

We savored each other for a long time. Until the temperature that had dropped returned, and warmth flowed back into my cold body.

We started stalking Chief Tak’s son from Sunday. However, there was no harvest for four days.

The high school senior’s daily pattern was too simple; his day was done once he came back from school, stopped by home, and returned from the academy. I sat in the car, biting into the sandwich Prosecutor Joo had bought me, waiting for Chief Tak’s son to come out.

“Instead of doing this, shall I go and create a situation?”

“How.”

“By bumping into him and dropping something…”

Prosecutor Joo didn’t seem to like my suggestion; he swallowed the last bite of the sandwich without replying. Picking up something thrown away was the most procedural and trouble-free method, so I didn’t push my opinion any further.

We saw the son coming out of the apartment entrance after eating dinner, so we got out of the car after keeping a reasonable distance. There were no high expectations while following him. Because there had been no notable gains until now.

But for some reason, instead of entering the academy, the boy changed his direction to somewhere else with a friend he met in front of it. We followed, keeping a distance far enough not to lose the son. Streetlights illuminated the cherry blossom trees that had already begun to shed their petals, leading us along the bright sidewalk.

The target of our tailing entered an old shopping mall in the downtown area. At that moment, without needing to confirm each other’s thoughts, we ran side-by-side toward the mall. It was a building with two basement levels and five floors above ground. While we were busy scanning the signs of the stores on the first floor, looking for a place the kid might go, Prosecutor Joo’s finger pointed to the basement floor.

“Looks like he went to a PC bang.”

“I guess so.”

He looked at the stairs leading to the basement and hesitated for a moment.

“I think it’s better if Officer Lee goes in alone. There’s a high possibility he’ll recognize my face inside. We’ve had meals together a few times.”

“Yes, I’ll go in alone.”

“Be careful.”

“They’re just high schoolers, nothing will happen.”

“Still. Keep reporting the situation.”

“I understand.”

Leaving the worried Prosecutor Joo behind, I went down to the PC bang. Pretending to look around, I found where Chief Tak’s son was sitting and chose a seat one row away. I had been to PC bangs a few times while staking out during my days as a police officer, but since it had been a long time, it felt like quite an unfamiliar place. Thanks to that, I wandered clumsily before barely managing to sit down.

With a computer in front of me, a small sigh escaped me on its own. Since I only used computers for work, I was more worried about what I was supposed to do in a PC bang. I felt like I wouldn’t stand out if I played a game, but I didn’t know how to play any. In the end, I installed a car racing game and sent a message to Prosecutor Joo.

The high school senior seems to have started a game now. I’m sitting here pretending to play a game too.

High school senior was the short nickname we used for Chief Tak’s son.

What game?

I’m not really sure about that.

No, I’m asking what game Officer Lee is playing.

A car racing game.

Try your best. Are you good at games?

No.

I replied simply.

The stakeout continued for over two hours. At first, I couldn’t even clear the tutorial properly because it was difficult, but after playing for two hours straight, I leveled up several times, and even the color of my car changed. Still, it wasn’t fun. What on earth did people find fun about games? It was boring, but I endured, thinking it was better than Prosecutor Joo, who was standing outside alone and probably more bored than I was.

The high school senior’s phone is ringing many times, but he’s leaving it face down and not picking up..

Did he get caught skipping the academy?

That could be it.