Fatal Trouble | Y.Jw

| 15 |

Jungwon sternly watched as Secretary Choi flipped through various files, looking through each name before disregarding it with the person being dead or already incarcerated.

"We don't have that many people that are still out there," Secretary Choi excused casually, getting a small hum from Jungwon, "if anything it's minor charges?"

"Battery?" Jungwon questioned.

"Small theft as well," Secretary Choi excused and added another file to the tiny stack in her lap, "what do you need these for?"

"I want to read them before the court sentencing tomorrow," Jungwon excused quietly and picked at his lips.

"All of them?"

"Fast reader, ma'am," Jungwon excused and glanced about before noticing something, "married?"

"Engaged," Secretary Choi corrected with a small smile, "I know it's nothing for a woman my age to be engaged."

"It's delightful," Jungwon corrected, "engagement is big regardless of age. Besides... you look young as ever."

"Don't flatter me," Secretary Choi warned and closed her drawer and turned back to her desk to organise the files, "both Detective Ahn and I have seen how you look at her."

"Who?" Jungwon frowned, getting a side glance from Secretary Choi.

"Miss Young is a very pretty young woman, I understand you," Secretary Choi assured, getting a confused look from Jungwon, "I suggest you think twice before involving yourself with her. You would not be able to imagine the amount of people you'd have after you if anything happened to her."

"I don't think I quite understan-" Jungwon started with a small chuckle.

"Miss Young," Secretary Choi sternly stated and sent Jungwon a small glare, "she's popular in the station, you know? Lovely really. A lot of the female officers treat her like a daughter. You would not want them chasing you out. Last boy that did her wrong got a night in the cell."

"Is that legal?" Jungwon frowned in confusion.

"Hardly," Secretary Choi shook her head in amusement. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, "but he did have it coming. Could you imagine? Told her how great she was and the next day he was running around with some Economics student. Sure regretted his decisions afterwards, but she's stubborn that one."

"Persuasive as well," Jungwon pointed out and Secretary Choi only nodded before handing over the stack of files, "don't worry ma'am. I think I could hardly hurt her in any way. If anything I should be the one scared."

"You have reason to be," Secretary Choi assured with a small laugh.

Jungwon snickered slightly as he started to look through the names on the files he had been given, only glancing up once he noticed a familiar face entering the station. Millie hesitantly approached the desk as Secretary Choi only smiled warmly up at her.

"How can I help you, sweetie?" Secretary Choi questioned.

"I'm sorry to trouble you. But I had to hand over a book to Jiyeon," Millie excused with an apologetic smile, "apparently she didn't show up for her book club last night and my roommate is in the club as well... so she wondered if I could stop by and drop it off, but her apartment was locked."

"Of course," Secretary Choi grinned widely as Millie fished the book out of her bag and handed it down to the elder lady, "I'll ensure she gets it tomorrow. Have a nice day Miss Kirk."

Millie smiled slightly before excusing herself to leave as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, Jungwon quickly scanned the title of the book before Secretary Choi had put it away in her bag.

"Miss Young's been missing book club?" Jungwon questioned and Secretary Choi nodded quietly.

"Called in earlier this morning. She's alright, just a mean fever," Secretary Choi assured and somehow Jungwon noticed his heart rate go down rapidly. Apparently, it had shot up in speed once Millie had mentioned that Jiyeon's apartment was locked and that she had missed out on book club.

"A fever?" Jungwon questioned calmly.

"Mhm. She wanted to phone in and warn me beforehand in case she'll be sick tomorrow as well," Secretary Choi excused, "I'll stop by her tonight with some chicken soup. Always helps with fevers. I suspect she's been working a lot lately."

"Who will transcribe if not her?" Jungwon frowned in confusion.

"Me," Secretary Choi assured, "though my old fingers aren't as fast."

Jungwon hummed thoughtfully as Secretary Choi bent and stretched her fingers along with her words. Almost as if it was a subconscious action. The slight swelling around the finger joints and knuckles hinted Jungwon of an early stage of arthritis. Yet, he decided to not mention it. After having been told how rude it was to sometimes just burst out deductions he had been more wary about what he told people - and he had a feeling that telling Secretary Choi she had early stages of arthritis would not be so polite.

"I'll go home and read through these. Thank you very much," Jungwon excused and grabbed the files and walked towards the exit.

"I'll remember to tell Miss Young that you were concerned for her!" Secretary Choi called out with a smug smile.

"Oh I can't trust you with anything," Jungwon remarked in amusement, "if you're gonna tell her that, might as well tell her that I hope she'll be transcribing in court tomorrow and not you!"

"I'll let her know," Secretary Choi immediately nodded with a small wink.

Jungwon smiled to himself as he quietly left the police station and rushed down the street towards his mostly empty apartment. Quietly wished he could solve the case quickly so that he could get back to his usual area where he could take the tube back home and barely have to walk out in the cold. Yet, something in him kinda didn't want to see his apartment back north again.