Chapter 122 - Caught You

* * *

“Dropped it...?” Jihae asked, as though she could not understand.

Was he kidding? It wasn't as if there was a hole in her apron. How could he claim she'd dropped it? The words rose to the tip of her tongue.

“Yes. I don't know what you're referring to.”

“It was right here!” Jihae pointed at her apron, responding to Hyeonyul's still utterly unchanging expression.

“And what exactly is it?” Hyeonyul asked, pretending not to know even though he knew it was a recorder.

He heard another set of footsteps. It seemed Nayun was on her way.

“... A recorder.”

“Pardon? You're speaking so quietly that I can't understand you.”

“A recorder! A recorder!” Jihae was frantic.

What on earth was on it that she was foolishly admitting everything? Hyeonyul smiled quietly.

“So you did have a recorder?”

“Yes, I did, so give it back!”

“I'm afraid I wasn't the one who took it.”

GRIND

Jihae clenched her teeth. Had he just made a fool of her? There was so much on that recorder. She absolutely could not let him take it.

“Shall I help you look for it?”

The sight of Hyeonyul's friendly smile nearly drove Jihae mad. Nothing like this had ever happened before. That recorder was more precious than her own life. She didn't know what power he had used, but he had definitely taken it.

“Give me back my recorder! My recorder! Give it back!” Jihae shouted, lunging at Hyeonyul.

The footsteps overlapped. Before her hand could reach Hyeonyul, something struck Jihae.

“... Agh!” She fell forward as though sliding across the ground. A rubber bullet rolled around on the ground.

Nayun ran over and bound Jihae's hands with a cable tie. Jihae struggled, turning her head to try to look at Nayun.

“What do you think you're doing?”

“You attempted to cause harm, so I restrained you. The Black Eagles exist to serve the public, but that does not mean we have no right to defend ourselves.” Nayun explained each point.

Given the nature of their work, the Black Eagles rarely came face-to-face with civilians. But following an incident in the past, civilians had subjected them to abusive words and behavior, condemnation, and direct attacks. Eventually, Black Eagles had taken their own lives. After that incident, the Black Eagles gained the right not to be recorded on video or audio, along with the right to protect themselves from civilians.

“You were the one who lunged first. We'll check the CCTV footage to establish exactly what happened.” Nayun directed her cold voice and gaze at Jihae.

“He stole my property! Is a Black Eagle allowed to do that?”

“We'll check that on the CCTV footage as well.”

Nayun turned her head. Several teachers had followed her.

“Everyone, lower your phones. I'll say it again. Lower your phones.” Nayun warned them.

As the others lowered their phones one by one, one person kept theirs raised.

“Squirrel Class teacher. Lower it. This is your final warning.”

With Jihae already pinned beneath Nayun, the Squirrel Class teacher quietly lowered her phone.

“You may find this unpleasant, but if you've recorded anything, I advise you to delete it. Please bear in mind that sharing or uploading the video will carry severe legal penalties.”

After issuing her warning, Nayun moved aside. She pulled Jihae to her feet and asked,

“Squirrel Class teacher. Where is the CCTV equipment?” Nayun singled her out.

Hyeonyul had just told her that Serin had given him reason to suspect the Squirrel Class and Elephant Class teachers. Nayun had her own suspicions as well. There was a barb in their conversation. They would voice a concern of their own, then suddenly belittle Nayun when she agreed with them.

For instance, one would lament wanting a new phone when her current one still worked perfectly well. The moment Nayun agreed that she felt the same way, the teacher would slyly mock her phone for being too old or worn out. It was perfectly calculated to make someone feel looked down on, and it worked especially well on strangers, easily escalating into a fight.

Besides those two, one other person had given her the same impression. For now, she estimated there were three involved.

“... Follow me.” The Squirrel Class teacher, Park Yujeong, responded belatedly and walked ahead. Her expression was visibly troubled. Nayun thought she would find out in time whether this incident alone accounted for it.

Nayun patted Hyeonyul's shoulder a couple of times and smiled. He had nothing at all to worry about.

* * *

Reviewing the CCTV footage showed that Jihae had initiated the conversation, and that she had followed Hyeonyul after he backed away, behaving threateningly.

“I was lawfully performing my duties. Do you have anything else to say?” Nayun looked at Jihae.

“... N-no. He definitely stole it!”

At Jihae's insistence, Nayun shifted her gaze directly to Yujeong.

“Ms. Park Yujeong. How does it look to you?”

Yujeong glanced at Jihae, then looked down anxiously. She was visibly trying to hide her trembling fingertips.

“Ms. Lee Jihae spoke first, but the Black Eagle over there was the one who demanded something. He's holding out his hand.”

“She had her recorder running, so I asked her to hand it over so I could check it. Was that so wrong that it justified lunging at me?” When Hyeonyul spoke, Yujeong answered without meeting his eyes.

“... Being accused of theft is upsetting. Couldn't that explain why Ms. Lee Jihae acted that way?”

“I never accused Ms. Lee Jihae of theft. On the contrary, she is the one accusing me of stealing her recorder. You heard her just a moment ago.”

At Hyeonyul's unwavering reply, Yujeong looked flustered, her eyes darting about before settling on Jihae.

“I mean, I was saying that Ms. Lee Jihae accused the Black Eagle of theft. She was certainly wrong to do that.”

“Ms. Park Yujeong! What are you saying? I'm telling you, he stole my recorder!”

“... But we can't see anything in the video.” Yujeong looked awkward.

No matter how many times they played it back, the Black Eagle was the one who had turned away first, and Jihae was the one who had pursued him.

“... That's right. I was too startled earlier to realize it, but he swore at me. That's why he used his power to steal it. That recorder could get him in trouble.”

Jihae gestured toward Hyeonyul with her face. The look in her eyes had changed. It was close to a very familiar look—the emotion called anger.

“What...? He swore at you? Is a Black Eagle allowed to do that?” Yujeong spoke as though appalled.

“Of course not! He's a civil servant. He shouldn't do that.”

“Did you really swear at her?” Yujeong looked at Hyeonyul and asked cautiously, as though playing along with Jihae.

“Are you kidding me? This is a public kindergarten. Have you forgotten that you're civil servants too?” Nayun addressed them with a smile.

She thought it was downright childish of them to use that against him when they were civil servants themselves.

“Fine. We can check once we get back.”

“... Pardon?” Yujeong asked, startled by Nayun's words.

“We're wearing body cameras. That's why I warned you. Now all that remains is to check the recordings.”

Nayun wore a triumphant expression. To be fair, what she said wasn't untrue.

Just then, the door opened. “Enough.”

“... Director?”

“D-director.”

Yujeong and Jihae reacted with surprise at the sight of the director.

“I apologize for this disgraceful incident.” The director bowed to Nayun and Hyeonyul.

“Before we call the police, would you be willing to speak with me for a moment?”

“D-director. I haven't done anything wrong—”

“Ms. Lee Jihae. Be quiet.”

The director gave Jihae a sharp look. Jihae, who had been so aggressive, now lowered her gaze, filled with fear.

“You can speak with me.” Nayun lightly nudged Hyeonyul and stepped forward.

The last person she suspected was the director.

[“... Well, something awful happened here not long ago, didn't it? The kidnapping and all that. The director changed a little afterward. It's such a subtle change that I can't put my finger on it, so I'm not sure exactly what it is.”]

A little earlier, as she was heading to meet Hyeonyul, the Rabbit Class teacher had cautiously approached her and spoken.

[“There's a child in my class named Lee Serin who still can't control her power very well. The way the director looks at her has become strange too. The other two teachers are the same. They weren't fond of Serin before. I don't know if it's because she's recently learned to control her ability just a little, but it makes me uneasy.”]

Serin's ability was fire. In a world with countless powers, many people had fire-related abilities. Among them, Serin's fire was exceptionally strong compared with that of children her age, and it could grow stronger still. She was a child being watched closely for several reasons.

“Then I'll secure the relevant material and follow you afterward. Do I have your consent?” Hyeonyul asked the director.

“Do as you please.”

The answer sounded like a provocation. Confidence that they would never be caught.

Only after everyone had left did Hyeonyul sit down. He took out his laptop and connected it to the equipment. He easily bypassed the password and checked through the files, until his fingers stopped.

'The CCTV footage has been deleted. Is that why the director was so confident?'

Hyeonyul grew increasingly certain that what the police had discovered was true.

'Let's see what happened.'

* * *

“... And that's how this happened, Director. I never intended to lie or slander anyone.”

Jihae spoke almost pleadingly, but with her hands still bound behind her back, all she could do was lean forward.

“So, in the end, it's true that you attacked a Black Eagle?” Having assessed the situation, the director spoke coldly.

When Jihae bit her lip, the director let out a long breath.

“The Black Eagles came here for us and our children. They're busy enough as it is, yet they made time for our children. Shouldn't we feel thankful and grateful first?”

“No. Visiting the children is something we ought to do.” Nayun was blunt.

She didn't want their work dressed up in talk of sacrifice or anything of the sort. Above all, those words could easily be used against them.

“We Black Eagles have a duty to work for the public and for this Empire. The children are citizens of the Empire too, so we didn't come out of pity or any other such emotion. We simply serve the public.”

“Of course. I went on at too much length.” The director spoke apologetically.

Nayun caught a hint of disappointment and refused to back down.

“Even so, what happened today is deeply regrettable. I can't understand an attack on us like this unless there was some ulterior motive. What do you think, Director?”

“I find it deeply regrettable as well. She isn't normally like this. Before we take this conversation any further, may I ask you to release Ms. Lee Jihae?”

“I cannot.” Despite the director's earnest request, Nayun's unequivocal reply went beyond firmness to outright coldness.

“First, she behaved in a highly aggressive manner despite knowing we were Black Eagles. She then attempted to attack a Black Eagle. I believe she could attack again if given the opportunity. Let me make this clear: for our safety and everyone else's, we cannot release her.”

Frankly, she had gone easy on Jihae for the children's sake. She was a teacher, after all.

“There is one more point I'd like to address, Director.”

“Please go ahead.”

“Why would she use a recorder? Sad as it is, these children have no parents. Did you perhaps suggest it?”

“I never suggested it.”

“Then do you know what she does with the recorder?”

“I don't.” The director shook their head at Nayun's continued questioning.

“To summarize, may I conclude that Ms. Lee Jihae's actions have nothing to do with this kindergarten, and that she acted entirely on her own?”

The moment Nayun finished speaking, Jihae looked at the director. Without looking back at her, the director answered, “Yes.”

“Understood. For now, we'll turn this case over to the police.”

“Director! You can't do this to me! How could you?” Startled, Jihae screamed as though having a fit.

But the director held their head rigidly forward and still refused to give her so much as a glance.

KNOCK, KNOCK

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

“Come in.” At the director's invitation, Hyeonyul walked in calmly and sat down.

“How did it go?”

“I've secured it.”

Nayun asked the question, and at Hyeonyul's reply, the director's expression darkened slightly.

Hyeonyul set his laptop on the desk. After pressing the record button, he played a CCTV video.

Jihae was sitting at a computer, with the director standing beside her. The two appeared to be plotting something, and the children's faces occasionally appeared on the computer screen.

Judging by the way they seemed to be sending those files somewhere, perhaps this was the very moment the police had witnessed.

Yujeong wasn't there. In other words, she had nothing to do with this case. Her bewildered expression, in contrast to the director and Jihae instantly freezing, proved it.

Hyeonyul looked at the director and said, “Caught you, didn't I?”