Zero Encounters

Apologies

        With another case closed, the Chief congratulated the team for their success and rewarded them with vouchers to his favorite restaurant. Jisung opted out of dinner and chose to spend his time with Nana. She had been making tremendous recovery along with her father who had now been moved to general ward and would be soon discharged from the hospital. Although they were grieving the events that happened, her family were grateful to have had the help from SIU.

While Jisung visited the hospital, Zero and Inspector Choi wrapped up their debrief alone in the backroom. Captain Lee and Hyesoo had left for the day, promising to meet the team in the evening and Minhyun stayed behind to place the finishing touches on his cameras. He planned to pitch it in the next board meeting and wanted everything to be perfect. He had the full support from his team and with Zero's seldom words of encouragement, it ignited his passion.

"Have you made up with Kangho?" Inspector Choi broke the silence as they cleaned their mountains of paperwork. He knew better to poke the grumpy bear, but he couldn't help himself. He loved the team like they were his own children and had a soft spot for Zero and Captain Lee especially from knowing them as kids. The two were equally stubborn in personality, but this time, he knew they needed a push to reconcile. When it came to interpersonal skills, those two needed the most coaching when it came to each other. While they don't argue often besides the usual banter and when they do bicker, it's swept under the rug no more than a day. Their silent war continued to wage on meaning lines were severely crossed. If one was to ask which side he'd bet on, he'd say Captain Lee with no hesitation. He thought that Zero needed to stop licking her wounds and come forward.

"Please don't meddle." She handed him the pile she gathered from the table. She had already been scolded by Minwook in the day for a different reason and had no capacity to listen to another. Even if he did, she hoped that Inspector Choi would let her off easier. She watched his body language carefully, knowing his next set of moves would be crucial in their little mind game.

He tapped his chin with his finger, pondering his next attack. He decided to play a game with guilt, baiting her to trip. "Out of all these years that I've worked under him, I've never seen him so angry with a perp. Did you see his hand? You didn't, did you? He had the poor kid outside working overtime, editing the footage from the interrogation room. 'I'll make your life a living hell.' was what he said to the druggie. Gives me shivers just thinking about it." He pouted. "Scary, scary Kangho. That voice of his." He shuddered, "Once in a blue moon, honestly and it's been forever since we've seen that moon." He winked.

"I see." She said with a blank stare which only annoyed the man. His tactic went sideways and he knew to lay it on her with his next choice of words.

"Don't make me call Minwook because I will." He gave a threatening look, "I'm sure you know how much you mean to the Captain. Not as a subordinate, a friend, but a person! It's not like the two of you to give each other the silent treatment once a case is over. Everything's resolved now and the trials for sure going our way so..."

"I'll think about it." She nonchalantly shrugged, deflecting all he had to say.

"No, thinking!" He smacked her head with the files in hand, "Both of you are too similar! If you guys are going to act like children, I will treat you two like children. I'm going to make you two hold hands and apologize until you mean it. I really don't want to, but I will if I have to!"

"Goodnight, Inspector Choi." She waved and he could only utter the words, 'Brat' before the door closed behind her. She knew the man was right because she had no other thoughts or words to counter his. She knew she was in the wrong this time and just didn't know how to approach him. It wasn't like when they were once kids where she found ways for him to forgive her. It was all different now. She knew if it was Kangho, he would always know the right things to say, the right actions to do, but she always lacked that in comparison even after all this time.