VKOOK // Religious Infidelity

Untitled Part 5

I sprint after the masked man.

He's fast, unlike me. But keeping my breathing steady, I push harder and run faster. Normally I wouldn't put this much effort into catching a thief, I've let a thief run past me before. Even though my reaction is quite fast and I could've caught them easily, I didn't. Because it wasn't my business so I didn't care. But why do I feel like I have to catch the thief this time? We end up outside the mall. Both running through bushes, booths, and crowds of people, pushing everybody away from our way to the ground without a second thought. I feel a thin layer of sweat covering the nape of my neck. He's making a mess trying to slow me down. Throwing everything on his way towards me like in the movies, but it looks like it's backfiring. My feet are flying over fruits and trash that the thief covered the whole road with. He slowed down and It's just before I can stretch my hand out and grab him from his hoodie. 

I try to grab him from behind but I fail every time. After repeated failure, there's only one thing my body's last bit of energy can do.

...

"Jeon Jeongguk. I'm officer Chang, take a seat."

Maybe if I listen well to the officer without protests, they'll go easier on my penalty.

"You know this will cost you a fortune" The officer somehow looked pitiful.

"I'm well aware sir." I'm not stupid. 10 Rolexes and many other watches are stolen because of me, I didn't really expect just a 100 dollar ticket.

"...Officer, what if I don't have that much money?" 

They really don't show mercy to broke students either?

"Look, kid. Unless all the watches are returned in good conditions you'll have to pay in one or another way."

"Then it's hopeless" I sigh as I try to bury my trembling voice.

"I can try to find a way to help you but until everything is settled we need to keep you here" I could hear the empathy in his voice which made me feel a little less lonely. 

-Thirty minutes later-

My eyes were closed but I heard the lock moving. I hesitantly look up to the cell door and the officer from before stood there with a delighted look. Had the old lady forgiven me for the stolen watches? Is there something I can do instead of paying? The numb feeling in my body immediately disappeared. I lightly smile at the officer as I walk out of the cell. With his guidance, I end up where I first had entered the police station with handcuffs and two officers on each of my sides. This time there's another person in handcuffs, a middle-aged man with a dark expression. I automatically take a few steps back when his body language tells me he's about to jump on me, and thankfully the officer blocks his glare by standing in front of me, the officer is really buff so I can't really see anything of the scary man. I can't even recognize him. And the fact that I've never been in any kind of similar situation, where I don't know the reason behind someone's rage isn't helping me with my anxiety. I couldn't think of anything. It feels like my lungs will give up any second. But at the same second my eyes recognize someone who was about to leave the police station. He stops and we share the confusion in our minds. Then he smiles and gets closer with a few steps. 

"So I did see you near the watch shop."

I don't know why but his smile flushed all the tension of the room away, like a heavy rain of relief poured over me. It lightened my body. My mind was amazed by how something so simple as a smile, could do what my psychologist couldn't do in a year.  I ended up staring at him without giving any kind of sound until it became awkward.

"Do you know each other?"

I was looking at the owner of the smile for an answer. Do we really know each other?

But the officer wanted an answer from me.

"He's my friend." Unsure if I said the right thing I look at him. Will he confirm or deny it?

His little scoff made me nervous.

"Why do you look so unconfident when you say that? Of course, we're friends!"

My first friend. Finally, I can call someone my first friend.

The moment of happiness got interrupted when a young girl in a police uniform drops a bag on the desk behind us and leave with the scary man without a word. It felt like everything else blurred out when I saw the shiny objects sticking out from the bag. It felt so unreal that I had to take a moment before getting close to the bag.

"But how?!?!?"

"Looks like your friend here is your hero too!" The officer patted my back excited.

"My- my hero?" I kinda see what might have happened but my slow brain needs help at times. 

"I like being called a hero, but why am I his hero?" He has the same confused look as me. The officer got the hint and pointed at me.

"He's the kid who lost all the watches!"

I caught his eyes glowing, now he must be really proud of himself.  

"I caught the thief and got back the watches! You have to call me your hero!" 

I can't argue on that, he really is the hero of the day. I can't imagine how much difficulties I'd have to go through and how stressed my parents would get if he didn't show up. All the mixed emotions, relief, gratitude, it made me lose control of my body. It acted on its own. And within seconds, my body embraced his. Everything went silent beside my pounding heart. And then it poured out of my mouth.

"Thank you Taehyung."