Sociopaths are good at investigating - Ch 9 - Time for a Drink

Kyungsoo somehow managed to calm the endlessly crying elderly couple and brought them to the station.
Even after arriving at the office, their tears didn’t stop.
They pleaded, saying they would sell their jewelry to compensate for the damages, that it would be catastrophic if their grandson’s school learned they were criminals, and begged for mercy.

Team Leader Kim Deokgyu spoke to them.
“Unfortunately, the people who initially reported the noise have already discovered their piping was stolen, and we’ve already reported the apprehension of the thieves to the operations center over the radio. There’s no turning back.”
“I’ll make sure to note your circumstances in the report, but you’ll need to go to the precinct and cooperate fully with the investigation. The case has already been logged, so it can’t be undone.”

The detectives requested that the couple be immediately transferred to the precinct.
It was only after Deokgyu coaxed them for a long while that they could hand the suspects over.

When we returned to the office, Deokgyu let out a deep sigh.
“Ugh, those poor old folks. Just trying to raise their fatherless grandson right…”
His voice carried a hint of pity.
It seemed Deokgyu sympathized with their circumstances to some extent.

“Still.”
He brightened up and turned to me.
“Stealing is stealing, no matter the reason, right? Officer Tak, you really nailed it this time!”
“……”
“No, not just one case—it’s two! With the receiver of stolen goods, you’ve solved two property crimes!”
Grinning like a child, Deokgyu patted me on the shoulder enthusiastically.
“Great work, Officer Tak. Let’s have a big dinner tonight to celebrate! My treat!”
“……”

Even though Deokgyu was proposing a team dinner, I kept my head down and couldn’t respond.
It was because I was struggling to breathe properly.

Noticing something was off, he came closer and studied my expression.
“Ah, you must feel bad for arresting those poor elderly folks. It’s normal to feel that way at first. You’ll get used to it over time.”
Deokgyu gave my shoulder another pat before returning to his desk.

Then Kyungsoo sat down next to me.
“We’re having a dinner party! Dinner!”
“……”
Even though he exclaimed with the excitement of fulfilling a long-awaited wish, my lack of response prompted him to start consoling me.
“I totally get it. Early on, seeing suspects cry and beg can really tug at your heart.”

My shoulders were trembling, and my body felt numb.
I tried to compose myself, but it wasn’t working.

“But what can we do? We’re police officers. Even if someone has their reasons, if they commit a crime, they have to face justice.”

I finally caught my breath and exhaled deeply.
It was fascinating.
That it could feel this intense.

“Don’t feel so bad. As you work longer, you’ll come across even worse…”
“I’m not sad.”
“What?”
“I can’t control it.”

This was a different level from answering test questions or engaging in debates.

“This uncontrollable thrill…”
Solving a case in the field by reasoning out the suspect was—
“I just can’t control it.”

It was an ecstasy so intense it felt like my eyes might roll back.

—

That evening, at a local samgyeopsal restaurant in our jurisdiction, the entire seven-member team gathered for dinner after work.
“Kyungsoo, make a round of soju-beer mix for everyone.”
“Yes, sir!”

At the team leader’s command, Kyungsoo tapped the bottom of the soju bottle with his elbow, shook it vigorously, and poured a little into each glass.
Then he popped the beer cap with a satisfying *pop* using a spoon, covered the opening with his thumb, shook it, and sprayed beer into the glasses like a car wash pressure washer.
The beer foamed up and mixed naturally with the soju.

To me, the scene was art.
The team clapped and cheered.

“Here you go.”
Kyungsoo served glasses, starting with the team leader and working his way around.
“Here’s yours, Officer Tak.”
“I don’t drink.”
“What? Why not?”
“I just don’t want to.”
“Whoa.”

Kyungsoo’s jaw dropped as he leaned in closer and whispered.
“We’re all here to celebrate your first assignment. Just have one drink.”
“No.”
“Come on, it’s tradition to do a one-shot for your first team dinner. If you don’t, it’ll ruin the mood for everyone.”
“……”
“For my sake, just one drink.”

He raised a finger, pleading earnestly.
Seeing him reminded me of when I told him, “Senior Officer Go, you’re wrong,” two days ago.
Feeling guilty, I reluctantly picked up the glass.

“This is our first dinner with Officer Tak! Let’s toast to welcome him to the team!”
“To Officer Tak!”

The team clinked their glasses together and drained them in one go.
One by one, they let out hearty exclamations: “Ahh, that’s the stuff!”

I cautiously brought the glass to my lips.
*Hmm.*

It was my first time drinking alcohol in my life.
Each sip tasted bitter yet refreshing as it slid down my throat.
I closed my eyes and drank it all in one go.

As I set the empty glass down with a *clink,* a thought crossed my mind:
“…It’s not bad.”

At the same time, a cheer erupted.
The team was clapping and looking at me.

“Wow, Officer Tak can really drink!”
“No, actually, this is my first time…”
“Who would’ve thought we’d get such a gem? Smart and a good drinker to boot!”

As Deokgyu laughed heartily and began telling stories, the quieter team members chimed in, one after another.

“Exactly. Honestly, I was hoping for a quick-witted rookie patrol officer, but when I heard we were getting a police academy graduate, I felt so pressured.”
Assistant Team Leader Kim Jongmin, who had initially glared at me on my first day, was now smiling.

“Remember how the team leader had it out with the head of public safety? He was furious, thinking they were trying to screw us over by assigning us a police academy officer when we already had plenty of senior officers. Haha.”
Officer Lee Gukjin, who always played Go on his phone in the corner, spoke up. His voice was thinner than I had imagined.

“I’ve been at the HQ and precincts, but I’ve never met anyone as sharp as Officer Tak. It’s not just because he’s from the academy—there’s something different about him.”
Officer Lim Cheolsu, one year older than Kyungsoo, nodded emphatically as he met my eyes.

“Anyway, I’m glad we’ve got someone great on the team. Our team leader really does have great luck with people.”
The senior sergeant, Park Suho, concluded, pushing his empty glass toward Kyungsoo.

Following his lead, Deokgyu also slid his glass forward.
“Luck with people indeed! Kyungsoo, in celebration of finally not being the rookie, make another round.”
“How can I not be the rookie with my rank?”
“Hey, after tonight, we’re all brothers and sisters. Rank doesn’t matter. Now get to it.”
“All right, then. I’ll give you something special this time.”
“Something special? You’re not doing *that* again, are you?”
“Oh, I have to. It’s been a while.”

Kyungsoo gathered the empty beer glasses and lined them up. He poured beer into each glass, then placed a soju glass on top of each one, pouring soju into them.

And then—
“Thank you for putting up with this immature rookie!”
*Smash!*

He slammed his forehead onto the table.
The table shook, and the soju glass fell into the beer glass with a splash.
Amazingly, one for each glass.
A louder cheer erupted than before.
Kyung-soo, whose forehead had turned red, passed the cup to me after taking a long sip.
“Have another drink.”
“Oh, I think I’ve had enough…”
“Hey.” How can you end it already? The atmosphere has heated up like this.”
Strangely, my body’s resistance had decreased compared to earlier.
I felt like having one or two more sips, swept up by the atmosphere.
“Alright, here’s to our Maechon Police Station Team 3!”
“Cheers!”
So I downed another drink.
“Ugh- Ah, but our Officer Tak is really great.”
This time, Kyungsoo, whose voice had become rough, spoke up.
“He didn’t tell me to speak informally.”
“Eh, really?”
“There’s a difference of about ten or twelve years in age, isn’t this totally a rank thing?”
“You’re right, right?”
“Isn’t this abuse of power? It’s abuse of power.”
“Isn’t it, isn’t it?”
Every time Kyungsoo asked, the team members would chime in as if it were a rehearsed routine.
Deok-kyu added that within a team, age is usually prioritized over rank.
I didn’t understand why I had to decide whether Kyungsoo should speak informally.
Kyungsoo turned to me and said.
“Officer Tak.” Can I speak informally to you now, Officer Tak?
“Of course.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s have a drink.”
Kyungsoo poured me another drink, and I emptied my glass again.
“Okay.” Now I’m going to call you Jeongtae? You can call me “hyungnim” too. If calling me “hyung” is too much for you, you can call me “manager.”
“Manager… is it?”
My vision started to blur a bit, and my speech slowed down.
Is this what it feels like to be drunk?
“Yeah.” In our organization, we call the inspector the manager. It originated from the old title of “sub-inspector,” but anyway, that’s how it is. Here, you can call the senior inspectors “Chief.”
“Sergeants are called department heads… lieutenants are called supervisors…”
“That’s right.” Ah, now that we’re speaking informally, it feels a bit more comfortable. As expected, I told you we should have a drink. But Jeongtae, what about your siblings?
It seemed like my mind was gradually becoming hazy.
But it wasn’t to the extent that I couldn’t make out the words being said.
“I don’t have any siblings.”
“Oh really?” Then you must have been raised with a lot of care.
“Not really.”
“Huh?” Your parents must have really doted on you. You studied hard and even got into the police academy, you’re such a good son.”
“My parents aren’t here either.”
There was a moment of silence after my words.
“I grew up in an orphanage when I was young.” I don’t even know what my parents look like.
“……”
That expression again.
Even the teachers during my school days and Professor Jang Gyu-seok from the police academy had the same expression.
Whenever I said this, everyone would close their mouths and look down.
“Ah… I see.” “You’ve grown up so well… It’s amazing that you’ve become such a wonderful police officer…”
When Kyungsoo was hesitating.
“Then, Officer Tak.”
Deok-kyu, who had been staring at me intently, spoke up.
“What is your ultimate goal now that you’ve become a police officer?”

I have something else to do.