Breathe | Jensoo

Ch01

"Inspector Kim, how many times has this happened, huh?" Jiyong scolded sternly. "You clearly display total disregard for protocol!" He threw the day's papers angrily on his desk with a slam.

The headlines read: Murder Suspect Arrested in 24 Hours, with Broken Skull and Ribs.

"8 times that I have led SMPA* to crack cases under 24 hours, Sir!" Jisoo confidently answered, standing at attention with her feet together and fists next to her rigid body, eyes fixated straight ahead – the standard police stance when speaking to someone of a higher rank. (*Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency)

"Don't play dumb with me, Kim, you know exactly what I'm talking about," Jiyong glared and pointed a reprimanding finger in Jisoo's face, but the raven did not flinch a muscle.

"Sir, I was simply arresting a suspect."

"Kim, you broke his skull. His goddamn skull! And it wasn't even in self-defence! You just couldn't stop punching him like he was not even human, as if he were a fucking sand bag!"

Jisoo fell silent for a moment because it was the truth, but she was not the least bit remorseful.

"He deserved it, Sir."

Jiyong sighed, screwed his eyes shut and massaged his nose bridge, "That's for the court to decide, not you. We are the police, we have protocols to follow, and nearly killing a suspect is not one of them."

There was a pause.

"You're suspended."

"What? No!" Jisoo lost her military stance and stared incredulously at her boss. "Wait! I can change. Give me another chance." She raised her hands in surrender.

"No, Kim, you either take some time off to learn to control your anger or forget about re-joining the force."

"But –"

Raising his palm up in a gesture of finality, Jiyong exhaled, "I don't want to see my best inspector in jail one day."

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"Yep, out of action for a whole month, plus at least 8 psychiatry slash anger management slash counselling sessions." Leaning on her elbow with her fist propping up her cheek, Jisoo sighed as she stirred her coffee with the other hand.

"Shit, man. But you'll definitely be back after that, right?" Lisa asked sympathetically.

"Only if I pass the test and get certified by the doctor to be mentally fit for the force."

"I told you, Kim, that temper of yours is bound to get you in trouble one day, and it looks like the day has finally arrived."

"You're gloating," Jisoo narrowed her eyes at her best friend.

"No, of course not, why will I gloat when The Great Kim, who has broken suspects' jaws and arms and legs and hips and this time a freaking skull, is going for psychiatric help? Nope, not me."

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Without her SMPA badge and pistol, Jisoo was constantly itching, feeling uncomfortable and incomplete, like a part of her was literally missing.

Around her, the white walls donned a fresh coat of paint no more than three months old, in contrast to the aged but clean graphite tiles tessellating the floor. Four nurses weaved in and out of the main reception, the pharmacy area and the eight rooms behind closed doors, one of which must be suffering from a loose hinge by the way it whined softly when being opened. Nine patients were in line ahead of her turn, three of whom had just returned from a smoke break.