I Became a Police Officer in a Superhero Genre

Violent Crimes Unit detectives, no, police officers can’t sleep properly every day.

It’s the duty of the police to be loyal to the country and people, maintain social peace and order, and serve citizens.

When criminals threatening the country, people, society and citizens are diligently active as if they’ve taken some drug.

I, Detective Lee Munsu, stand in one place for hours while drinking coffee.

“Detective-nim, it’s cold, is it okay to stay here like this?”

“Yup.”

Mina, no, New Hope makes a questioning sound at my answer, asking if it’s really okay…?

New Hope and I were hiding in the shadow of a building, using empty trash cans placed in the alley as chairs. White steam comes out with every breath and ice has formed on the ground.

Of course it’s cold since the news was making a fuss about record-breaking cold waves. It’s a bit shocking that the Americano I bought just 5 minutes ago has gone cold, but I have a reason to endure this cold now.

I’m confirming how much of what Yagi said is true. That’s the reason I’ve been hiding in one place for hours.

Even if I try to just steal Yagi’s bait and run away, I need to know whether that bait is fake or not and if fishing rods are cast elsewhere to be able to do anything, right?

The guys suspected of reaching into awakening drug distribution from the Special Investigation Team are the guys from Team 2.

I heard that some of them have been coming and going to the empty building in front of me, so I’ve been watching for a few days to see if they really come here, but.

These guys seem to have noticed I’m here, so they don’t even show their noses near this building.

This is blown. I forcibly opened my esophagus and pushed all the coffee that was slowly turning into iced Americano into my stomach while sighing.

In the novel, it simply said the police in the Special Investigation Team were elites, and described them as a gathering of incorruptible people, but as long as people gather, dirty guys are bound to appear.

I heard that because of manpower shortages, even substandard guys entered the Special Investigation Team and it turned out like this or something.

Anyway, the result of me coming out alone under the pretext of investigating a case and observing the Special Investigation Team 2 guys from afar is – honestly, I don’t know.

There are guys among the newly added Team 2 members who are famous for being bad quality, but there’s no evidence that those guys did what Yagi said, and no suspicious movements are seen.

I didn’t think I could confirm it easily, but it’s a bit disappointing.

Ah, you’re asking how I ended up with New Hope? It’s just a coincidence- no, Mina followed me here.

It’s too much to ask why she’s suddenly doing this, since even after seeing Sai at home before, Mina came to the house at least 4 times a week.

She came often with the reason of helping a poor person who lost their memory, but while doing so, Mina didn’t look at Sai very favorably.

It was strange. A girl so kind it makes you worry about her future, being wary and disliking someone.

I don’t know if she intuitively realized that woman Sai is a villain, or if there’s another reason.

Maybe she’s just simply jealous.

Suddenly, the confession ‘Mina’ made to me before disappearing comes to mind. A bitter smile forms on my lips involuntarily.

I still can’t believe this tiny kid grew up so splendidly and made such a confession.

After hearing that confession then, I wonder if the Mina in front of me will ever develop such feelings for me too, and thinking that, even this behavior now looks like jealousy.

That could be wariness, or fear of losing an adult she followed like an uncle, but.

It’s a thought that I have nothing to say even if bald Captain mocks me for being a sentimental old man. Embarrassingly three.

“Detective-nim. Still, it’s dangerous to go around dressed so thinly when it’s cold. You’ll catch a cold.”

“It’s okay. Adults can endure.”

New Hope puffed up her cheeks as if dissatisfied with my words, but soon, as if remembering something, she started moving as if to take off her flight jacket to give to me.

Is she trying to give me her jacket when she’s only wearing spandex under that one jacket?

I recoiled in horror and pushed New Hope away, then put her clothes back on her.

Mina didn’t shake me off and spoke in a whining tone:

“It makes me cold just looking at you walking around in just a thin jacket in this weather. Please wear something thicker. You’ll catch a cold…”

“…What about you?”

“I’m a superhero, you know? I absolutely won’t catch colds or anything!”

This kid is lying without even wetting her lips.

A year ago, I suddenly wanted to see the winter sea and took her with me, but we happened to find someone who jumped into the sea there.

But I still remember Mina throwing herself into the sea to save that person and then suffering from a really bad cold.

But since I couldn’t mention that, I deliberately messed up New Hope’s hair and said:

“That’s amazing. But that won’t fit me.”

“Th-then how about this?”

Mina stumbled over her words right after, then came in front of me, smiled brightly and hugged my body.

I can feel the high body temperature unique to children – why is she suddenly playing this prank?

It’s strange. Just a moment ago, I was thinking about ‘Mina’ and wondering if this kid is interested in me, that it would be hard to respond and such.

But seeing her act cute like this, I became nonchalant in reverse.

Rather, it was very cute and worrying to see a young child who only used to cling to my arm even with skinship suddenly toddle over and act cute asking for a hug.

I fixed New Hope’s hair that I had messed up and rubbed her cheek that was firm like thick rubber. Right after, Mina’s face turned red like a heated iron.

Oh, it’s warm. I thought as I thawed my slightly frozen hands.

If Special Investigation Team 2 is really involved in awakening drug distribution, I won’t be able to easily get information just by blindly running around like this.

So – let’s use an illegal person for this kind of thing.

I know some guys, right? The psychopath who hacks police databases and the masked lunatic who has a grudge against Yagi.

Thinking that, I rubbed Mina’s cheeks. Mina spoke in a squeezed voice as if she couldn’t bear my actions:

“Shtop it… It tickles…”

Right. I took my hand off New Hope’s cheek.

There must be a reason she suddenly acted cute like this. If it’s something she needs help with, she’ll tell me. So let’s wait a bit until then.

Meanwhile, Mina rubbed her own cheeks and pouted her lips, but I pretended not to see.

At that, Mina, no, New Hope tried to complain to me, but.

Right after, a voice came from the phone she was carrying saying a supervillain had appeared. New Hope flew straight up to the top of the building.

“Then… I’ll take care of the supervillain! Don’t worry! Be careful on your way home!”

Huh. At New Hope’s words, I newly realized that I’m no longer part of the Special Investigation Team.

Come to think of it, it seems she kept coming to my house not just because of Sai, but to comfort me. She acted cuter than usual and showed more smiling faces.

Did she think I was having a hard time after being kicked out of the Special Investigation Team?

Was I in such a bad state that it made that kid worry?

That figure flying lightly over the buildings like a flying bird was light and beautiful like the ‘Mina’ I saw at dawn before.

…It’ll be colder with more wind blowing between buildings, I wonder who’s worrying about whom.

I let out a deep sigh on the spot.

“Hoho! As expected, Detective-nim is a capable person! To recognize my abilities!”

“……”

Yunari babbles. Sitting arrogantly in the chair, she looked like she’d fall backwards if touched even slightly. Long purple hair and star-studded eyes are visible.

“Right. But what would happen if I told the lab team leader that you, a newbie, did such a thing?”

“Ah wait. That’s unfair.”

Yunari scrunches up her face. She glares at me baring her teeth, but it wasn’t scarier than a Chihuahua growling.

When I was first introduced to Yunari, I didn’t know because they simply said she was a newbie. But it turns out she’s an intern researcher in the forensic science team.

Since she’s under the forensic team leader, her official employment is practically confirmed, but still, she must be incredibly busy every day watching out for that picky doctor’s eyes lest she fall out of favor.

But what if I, who’s close to the doctor, say something in this state? Then even her official hiring becomes precarious.

But even if I try to threaten her like this, Yunari isn’t in a state to just take it. As you know, she’s holding a knife too.

“D-Detective-nim, really, if you need help just say so. Even so, is it okay for a police officer to make such threats? Th-then I’ll have no choice but to tell your secret too! Wouldn’t that endanger your position too, Detective-nim?!”

Right, that’s how you should talk. I looked at Yunari while slowly loosening my jaw left and right.

She committed a crime in the Chosen Ones incident, but if she gets caught using that again, it’ll really become troublesome.

I already knew she’d say that. And because I knew she’d say that, I already thought of a way to persuade [threaten] her.

If she helps with this investigation, I’m thinking of making a deal saying I’ll turn a blind eye even if a few superpower awakening drugs disappear in the process.

Of course, I have no intention of actually doing such a thing, but this should be tempting enough for her too. I’ll have to threaten her that it’ll be a big problem if she tries to use me before that though.

Using the stick of threats and the carrot of turning a blind eye even if she takes awakening drugs.

Of course, I’m planning to take measures in advance to prevent her from taking the awakening drugs, but I’ll ignore it even if she says it’s unfair.

How can a person live if they’re only incorruptibly honest?

I smirked and spoke to Yunari to wield the stick first:

“Sure, if you tell about what happened before, I’ll be stripped of my position too… but do you want to meet me after I’ve been stripped?”

“No.”

Yunari’s face turns pale and deflates like a balloon. Why is her reaction so extreme when I’ve only uttered the “th” of threat?
Yunari crumbled instantly before I even properly started the threat or sprinkled the carrot.

Yunari got down from the chair and knelt on the floor. Then, with her arrogant attitude from just before completely washed away, she said while sobbing:

“I’ll do whatever you say… Please spare me.”

What the hell is she talking about? I asked, dumbfounded:

“…What kind of person am I inside you?”

“Someone who does anything to catch supervillains…”

…What the fuck is that?

I frowned while recoiling at Yunari’s words.

I looked back on everything I’ve done so far to deny those words, but I couldn’t think of anything to deny them.

So… uh, oh damn it.

“If you piss me off, you’ll get ‘marketed’ too. Watch yourself.”

“Eek.”

They say if you can’t avoid it, enjoy it. But it wasn’t enjoyable. I regretted it as soon as I spoke.
Another dark history has been added. I covered my face as it turned red.