DAY 6

                You took the bus for many reasons.

                The department was downtown traffic was awful, parking was expensive, you didn’t own a car. The bus stops were convenient in both picking you up and dropping you off. You wouldn’t show up to work sweaty from biking, you didn’t show up to work wet from rain. It was more environmentally friendly. There were many reasons to take a bus.

                You waking up late and running, wasn’t one of them.

                “Of course, of course its snowing.” You cursed at the sky as you waited impatiently for the bus, scowling as you boarded it, bad temper levelling off as you realised you would technically still be on time for work, even if only just.

                The man at the coffee cart gave you a bigger cup without even asking. You should really get him a Christmas present this year.

                “And a second one, please.” You said.

                “Again? Wasn’t aware you had any friends.” He said with a grin, “trying to bribe some?”

                You scoffed, “who needs friends when I’ve got two coffees?” you paid him and dropped your bag in your office before heading straight up to the sixth floor.

                It was a relief to sit down, never-mind the company you were in. Chen looked like he’d barely woken up, his eyes were bleary and barely opened, and he accepted the coffee with a grateful mumble. It was hard to believe that three days ago you’d almost been afraid of him.

                “It cold outside?” He asked.

                “Hmm, what makes you think that?”

                “Your cheeks are all pink.”

                You nodded, “and I was running late so I forgot a scarf and coat and everything.”

                “Was it not cold yesterday?” He asked.

                “No.” You said, “it’s been warm all week.” He’s not seen the outside since he was arrested, you realised. “The leaves have mostly all fallen,” You said, “but today is the first cold snap we’ve had. It was snowing when I left my house but it’s stopped now. Those little snowflakes, you know? The ones that land and melt away? But there was a big patch of ice that I almost fell on near my bus stop.”

                “It’s snowing?” His eyebrows raised as a small smile spread over his lips. “I always liked the snow. I used to get into giant block-wide snowball fights when I was a kid.” He sipped at his coffee. “Always had hot chocolate waiting for me when I came back in.”

                You couldn’t stop the smile as you pictured it, so he had a home, and a family.

                “I had this really great hot chocolate once, I don’t remember what café it came from, it was just after this big job and everyone else had gone to a bar, but I told them I had to do and went to find a café. You’re supposed to have hot chocolate when it snows.”

                What ‘big job’ was this? You wanted to ask, it sounded like something illegal, it sounded like something you should be pressing him on.

                “It sounds nice.”

                He hummed in agreement.

                “It was.”

                The two of you sat in comfortable silence, wrapped up in your own thoughts and memories. You didn’t really play in the snow as a kid, it was cold and it got everywhere. You preferred to be inside, curled up by the heater with a book or colouring pencils. There was always something to do inside, there was no reason to be in the snow unless you were travelling somewhere.

                Chen had apparently had a different upbringing.

                You cautioned a glance at him, but his mind was elsewhere, eyes cast up on the wall as if picturing a window there. His fingers of one hand were dancing subtly against the edge of the table, tapping an almost inaudible rhythm.

                You remembered his tapping feet when you observed him, and now this, he must always have a song playing in the back of his mind, perhaps that’s how he managed to be so unaffected by solitary confinement? You’d have to look and see if there were any studies to back you up. 

                “Do you ever drink something other than coffee?” He asked.

                You shrugged, “Not really. I’ll drink tea if I’m somewhere fancy, but I prefer coffee.”

                He chuckled, raising his cup and touching it against yours in some kind of cheers, “black like our souls.”

=====

                “Ah, Miss Kang. It’s good to see you again.”

                Right. You’d only seen Mr. Im two days ago, add on the fact that he’d been the one to ask Yoona to ‘mentor’ you yesterday and it was almost like you were seeing him every day. You were sure he wasn’t micromanaging the others like this, you’d bet your career on it.

                It was strange sitting with him in the cafeteria, he didn’t belong here in that suit with that briefcase and that painfully straight mustache. He looked so out of place, and you looked out of place sitting with him.

                “Sorry to monopolise your lunch hour, but I just wanted to keep an eye on the youngster of the team.” He chuckled, apparently he thought he was funny. “How are things going with the subject?”

                “They’re going fine.” You said shortly, “He hasn’t said anything of consequence yet but it’s better than it was.”

                Mr Im nodded, like he’d been expecting your answer. “The boys downstairs tell me you haven’t sent him for discipline at all yet.”

                “Well I-”

                “Is there something the matter?”

                “No, I just-”

                “I know it’s your first time on this kind of case, and you aren’t used to the exceptions we are given, but just remember, he’s a prisoner, not a person. I’d like to see you using more force in your case.”

                He left shortly after that, considering his point made, but you stayed. The cafeteria was full, the buzz of people all around you was loud and mind-numbing, but no one sat at your table. You were grateful.

                Was Chen just a prisoner? Everyone seemed to think so, could you be the one with the wrong mindset here? He was a criminal, there was almost no doubt about that, he had to have done some bad things to get the reputation he had. But… does being a prisoner supersede being a person? Does someone deserve to lose their rights because they’ve done some wrongs? Does there have to be a distinction between them, couldn’t he be both?

                Is this how they justify the discipline they send him to? Was it less about defining Chen, and more about letting the investigators find sleep at night?

                You pictured Chen as a little kid, Chen slipping on ice in a big floppy hat and mittens, Chen throwing snowballs and laughing with his friends and neighbours, Chen rushing in the house knowing the hot chocolate that would be waiting for him.

                Chen stood alone at night, lit up only by a dying streetlamp, a hot chocolate in his hands.

                He may be a prisoner, he may be a criminal, but he was a person first and deserved to be treated like one.

                A chorus of shouts caught your attention and you turned to look.

                It was snowing again.

=====

                The man at the coffee cart had been even more snarky than this morning at the deviation from your usual order, but you had no mind to pay attention to him. Sat in your office, you watched the snow fall and let the sweet aroma of the drink surround you.

                It was so different from coffee, less sharp, less defined, like a distant memory you couldn’t quite hold on to.

                How could someone who enjoyed such a childish drink be a wanted criminal?

                “Eunji?”

                You whirled around in your chair, “Oh thank God it’s only you.”

                Hei-Ran looked at you, “I knocked, twice. Is everything ok?”

                Well you’d been pretty deep in thought, “Where’s Yun-Hee?”

                “Off on a date with the blond guy from marketing.”

                She walked to your chair and sat on the arm, placing her hand around your shoulders to avoid falling off. She slid into your lap, looking out at the snow with you.

                “Tell me what’s wrong.”

                You sighed, “I’m having ethical issues.”

                She hummed, “It can be hard when you’re being pulled in so many directions, and when your own heart leads away from what is expected of you.”

                Sometimes, you forgot how wise Hei-Ran could be.

                “So what do I do?” You said, tiredness leaking into your voice. “I want to prove that they were right to choose me, I want to do my job. But…”

                “You do what you won’t regret.” She said simply, “That’s the only decision you can live with.”

                You were silent, but which choice would that be? Would you regret beating Chen if you ended up with a promotion? Would you regret failing to beat him if you were fired?

                Hei-Ran took your drink from you and took a sip, “Not coffee? That’s not like you.”

                You shrugged, feeling an unwilling small smile pluck its way onto your lips, “You’re supposed to drink hot chocolate when it’s snowing.”

                “Yeah? Who said that?”

                Your smile widens, “just a guy I know.”

                “Sounds wise.” She said, resting her cheek on your head. “You’ll figure this out, and I know you’ll choose what’s right for you, you always do.”