SHADOW || JEONGCHEOL

2

JEONGHAN POV

I arrived at headquarters, where I work, but I wasn't sure where to go. So, I just stopped here, lingering in the corridor. Honestly, I just wanted to avoid running into Mrs. Lee and Seokmin.

"Hey, Jeonghan!" My colleague, Wonwoo, called out as he glanced up from his work. He had that usual serious look on his face, his eyes locked onto the laptop in his hands while his fingers danced across the keyboard. Every now and then, he adjusted his droopy glasses.

"Hi," I replied briefly. I walked over to see what he was working on. The laptop screen was filled with green text and lines of code that I only half-understood.

"What case are you working on?" I asked.

Jeon Wonwoo, the tech genius of our team, always had something complex going on. We all had to be proficient in IT, but Wonwoo was on another level.

He adjusted his glasses before responding, "Oh, nothing major. Just cleaning up the laptop. It felt like something was off, but when I checked, everything seemed fine."

I nodded slightly, absorbing his explanation. My eyes wandered, searching for the rest of our team. There are six of us, including Wonwoo and me.

Our team members come from various departments. For instance, my best friend Jisoo isn't stationed here; he's a forensic expert and usually handles autopsies. Each of us has our own specialty, making us a well-rounded group.

"Hyung, when did you get here?" Hansol, our youngest member, approached with Captain Hwang Minhyun beside him.

"Just now," I answered shortly.

"Have you finished moving house?" Captain Hwang asked.

I smiled thinly and nodded slowly. "Yes, I did. I got a neighbor who is... good."

Captain Hwang grinned. "I hope you don't end up moving somewhere else," he joked, and I knew he understood the look on my face when I said 'good.'

What I meant was, my neighbor was almost too nice, to the point where it made me uncomfortable. Inviting me over for a meal once is fine, but if it keeps happening, I'll have to say I'm not a fan of it. This issue is already well-known among my team members.

"Yoon Jeonghan," Wonwoo suddenly interrupted. "I think you should start hanging out with people other than us."

"Yeah, it's good for your mental health, you know," Hansol chimed in. "How long do you plan on being alone?"

"I wouldn't be alone if you all let me work again," I replied, looking at them meaningfully.

Captain Hwang burst into laughter. "If I were you, I'd enjoy the vacation, you know?"

"The commander gave the order; why would I violate it?" Hansol added with a grin.

I rolled my eyes, unable to help myself. Speaking of him...

"Where is the commander, anyway?"

"Wonwoo, Sergeant Kim sent over the victim's information. Identify him now," Commander Chae Hyungwon instructed as he approached us with his usual stylish demeanor, his expression serious.

Fun fact about Commander Chae: he has a pair of striking light brown eyes. His rank as Commander fits perfectly with his strong, commanding presence. I used to have a small crush on him when I was first recruited-ah, I was young back then. Now, our relationship is as close as family.

"What's going on?" Hansol quickly asked. We all instinctively gathered around the screen table, ready for Commander Chae's orders.

"Sergeant Kim reported that a hotel employee fell from a window on the 24th floor," Commander Chae explained.