Detour

17

Haein

I don't know how we ended up under one room, but I hope she did not notice how nervous I was, which I consistently hid by teasing her. I think I can't even count how many times I held my ears due to anxiousness.

Haein, you were always calm, collected, rational, think of Steve and how long your patience had been with him for the past years.

But maybe there's no way to calm my idiot heart from beating too fast because of her. I can't even deny it to myself that I'm starting to like her. No, I already like her. I really do.

I've been even reading fraternization policies within police rule books if it's ethical, or if its allowable for two officers to be in a romantic relationship. Yeah, I am already at that point.

But what if the book says no? Will I be breaking rules for her?

I just don't know yet, or maybe tonight, I am in the verge of it.

We called the lobby desk to inquire for food service which they had available in house and ordered food for dinner. She's not her usual chatty and bubbly mood, maybe she's really nervous about this setup. After dinner all things cleaned up, we both settle on the bed, our backs laying flatly. We were both staring at the ceiling.

"Are you okay?"

She just released few sharp breaths, and a quick glance, I saw her eyes closed. She just hummed as a response.

"Are you worried Kim? You too quiet." I can't help but note to her. I don't want her to feel uncomfortable. "I am not gonna do anything to you, you know."

"I am not worried okay. I just don't have anything to say."

"Jerry's unusually silent and not pissing Tom off."

That made her tilt sideways. My head turned, and she was looking at me fiercely.

There, that's the real Kimmy.

"You can't be serious. Our team mates are teasing us endlessly about our bickering." She sighed.

"Let them be. Is it their first time seeing someone banter?"

"Are you always like this in Seoul?"

Then that, made me turn to her.

"No." I replied shortly to her, and our eyes met. Both of us are now tilted on the side, facing each other. There was like an invisible wall in the middle of the bed.

"What do you mean no?"

I faced the ceiling again. I won't last looking at her that way. But she did not changed her position. I did not gave her an answer.

"How was it working in SMPA Jung?"

Glad she's talking now.

"It was tough. That's Seoul. Responsibilities and expectations are a combination that would put you on a tightest pressure. Especially if crimes you need to solve were crimes of humanity. People are expecting you to do this and that, people and higher-ups expect you to solve all crimes and give justice to each victims. Sometimes, they tend to forgot we police, are humans too. Trying to work on another human's grave mistake." I turned my head, and her eyes were fixated at me.

Then the next thing, she was venting out.

"I always wanted to work with Crimes since I graduated. I had this weird obsession on solving gruesome and bizarre crimes. But for some reasons, I am here in Jeju. Not that I am downplaying here, surely no. But I would have not felt bad if it was a natural happening that I was stationed here."