He is a legendary prison guard

Chapter 31

The end of the year is a hectic time for professionals.

So it was for the correctional officer. There were district office dinners, first shift dinners, security department dinners, dinners with teachers, dinners with colleagues…

In December alone, he couldn’t remember how many workplace dinners there were. For Shi-hyun , who wasn’t fond of drinking, it was a month he wished would just end quickly.

In the past, he could sneak away during the middle of these gatherings since he wasn’t very well-known. But now that he had become quite the celebrity in the prison, it was hard to leave without being noticed.

Even if he didn’t drink, the higher-ups insisted he join them for the second or third rounds. Because of that, there were many nights he returned home after 1 AM.

With the combination of not getting enough sleep and the fantastic hangover, Shi-hyun ‘s fatigue was at its peak. No matter how high his stamina stats as an Awakened, being tired from lack of sleep and alcohol was the same.

In that state, he received a call from the guild leader, Sang-hyuk.

“Yes? Year-end dinner?”

Why does your voice sound like that? If you’re not feeling up to it, you don’t have to come.

“No, no. It’s just that my throat is a bit sore. I’ll be there.”

Okay, then I’ll see you then.

After hanging up, Shi-hyun checked the calendar with slightly trembling hands. Another dinner had been scheduled.

“Damn, when is December going to end?”

When he had a girlfriend, there was at least the fun of spending Christmas Eve together, but now…

As Shi-hyun was raking his hair in frustration, the phone rang again. It was Sang-kyu.

“Hey, what’s up?”

The year is almost over; we should have a drink at a nice place. When are you free?

“….”

What’s wrong? Can’t hear me?

“No, I can hear you just fine. I just don’t want to drink. Let’s just eat.”

Come on, man. I wanted to have some sashimi after a long time, but it sounds like that’s not happening.

“Sorry, let’s save the sashimi for another time.”

Alright, alright. Let’s just have a meal then. I’ll choose the place.

“Go ahead. How about next Friday after work?”

Okay, see you then.

Another event was added to his schedule.

Shi-hyun marked it on the calendar.

‘Is being this popular exhausting?’

Just then, his phone rang again. It seemed like there was some kind of event being planned.

It was his younger sister.

“Hey, Ha-young.”

How have you been?

“I’ve been managing.”

I see.

“What’s up?”

Well, it’s not anything special, but I thought I should visit Dad before the year ends.

“Ah, I was planning to do that too. I’ve kept the last week open. Want to go together?”

That would be great. Plus, since you don’t have a car, it’s more convenient to take mine.

“Alright, I’ll contact you.”

Okay, got it.

After hanging up, Shi-hyun felt relieved since this was something he had already planned, so there was no additional schedule to worry about. His father’s condition had improved significantly, and he couldn’t delay persuading his father any longer after discussing it with his mother and Ha-young.

Thinking that would be the end of it, Shi-hyun ‘s phone rang again.

What is going on today?

With a look of annoyance, Shi-hyun answered the phone without checking the number.

“Yes, hello.”

Hello, is this Officer Lee Shi-hyun? This is Han Yi-seol.

“Oh, yes. Hello, PD Han.”

Shi-hyun adjusted his grip on the phone. The caller was Han Yi-seol, the PD he had met while filming a documentary about the prison.

It was completely unexpected. This was the first time they had spoken since then.

I’m sorry for calling out of the blue. I hope it’s not an inconvenience.

“What are you talking about? I gave you my number for you to call.”

I meant to, but I noticed you hadn’t contacted me, so I decided to reach out first.

“Haha, I’ve been busy lately.”

To be honest, I was a little disappointed. I thought you would reach out after watching the broadcast.

Ah.

Shi-hyun made a face of realization. He should have at least called once out of courtesy after watching the broadcast. Suddenly gaining popularity online had made him forget about that.

“I’m sorry. I got a bit overwhelmed by the sudden attention online.”

Hearing that, Yi-seol chuckled softly.

– Oh? I hope you’re not feeling bad about the sudden attention.

“Not at all. It was a bit surprising, but it helped in some ways.”

What he meant by help was the rise in his reputation. The documentary had good ratings, and the buzz online had elevated his status. Thanks to that, he had gained a few skills and items.

– That’s a relief. I was the one who edited and first posted your video in the community.

“What?”

Shi-hyun looked stunned, as if he had been hit on the back of the head.

No wonder the video felt professionally done… he never imagined that Han Yi-seol would be the one to post it.

There aren’t many videos showcasing correctional officers in a good light. But seeing your work firsthand, I thought it was a wonderful profession. I wanted to share that with others.

“Really….”

“Plus, you were so charismatic and looked amazing on camera that I thought it would be a great video just to showcase you. I believe your video has changed people’s perceptions of correctional officers a bit, don’t you think?”

“That can’t be true.”

Haha, think positively.

Yi-seol continued with a smile.

You must be busy with year-end stuff, right?

“Yes, quite busy.”

But you have time for a meal, right?

“Excuse me?”

I’d like to treat you to a meal.

“Treat? That sounds a bit burdensome.”

– Really? Then let’s go Dutch.

“That sounds better.”

How about this weekend for dinner? I’m free on both Saturday and Sunday.

Shi-hyun looked at his calendar.

“Then how about Saturday evening?”

That works perfectly. I know a great restaurant in Gangnam. Is that okay with you?

“Yes, sounds good.”

I’ll send you the address. See you then.

“Sure, see you then.”

After hanging up, Shi-hyun let out a short sigh.

… How many calls have I received in a row? And my schedule is getting busier. His head started to hurt.

Hang in there, body.

—

Yi-seol recommended a traditional Korean restaurant near Gangnam Station’s exit 5. After searching online, he found it was famous for its food.

But it seemed a bit pricey… maybe he should have just let her treat him?

While he was thinking that, his phone rang again.

“Yes, PD Han.”

“Have you arrived?”

“Yes, just now.”

“Oh, I see you.”

Yi-seol waved and smiled as she approached.

“Let’s go in.”

Shi-hyun followed Yi-seol inside.

The interior was traditional yet sophisticated and clean. Since it was the weekend, there seemed to be waiting for customers, but thankfully, they were led to a small room since they had made a reservation.

“Can you reserve for just two people?”

Shi-hyun asked.

“Yes, it’s designed for one or two people. It’s the smallest room.”

Yi-seol hung up her coat and sat down.

They chose a midpriced menu. Even the midrange was still quite expensive.

“Do PDs usually eat at places like this?”

“Not at all.”

Yi-seol waved her hand with a smile.

“I picked this place especially for Officer Lee Shi-hyun .”

“Wow, you know how to lift someone’s spirits. You must be good at socializing.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

As they chatted for a while, the food began to arrive.

The food was as delicious as the reviews suggested. Shi-hyun , not wanting to waste the expensive meal, polished off the first course entirely.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

Yi-seol said with a relieved expression.

“Yes, it’s really good.”

Shi-hyun replied with a smile.

“Honestly, for someone who eats prison food every day, anything else is bound to taste great. I feel bad for the restaurant owners, but their food is truly terrible.

Some officers even say military food tastes better. You experienced it too, right, PD Han?”

“Yes, the taste is definitely…”

“And did you know? If you search for ‘prison food’ on the search site ‘Guguru,’ it automatically suggests military food. I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw that.”

“Oh really?”

“Of course, it’s not referring to the food correctional officers eat, but the food served to inmates. Sometimes we get to try the inmates’ meals, and honestly, it’s hard to say which is worse. That’s why inmates often try to sneak in instant noodles whenever they can.”

“Wow, that’s some firsthand information. I’ll remember this and use it as trivia somewhere.”

The conversation with Yi-seol was going well.

Sometimes, talking to someone he didn’t know well could lead to awkward silences, but that wasn’t the case here. Although they had met during the documentary, she had a personality that felt easy to converse with.

“But I heard you’ve been doing great lately.”

“Really?”

He looked puzzled, but Yi-seol continued.

“I heard you’re good at restraint techniques.”

“Huh, why has that rumor spread to you, PD Han?”

“I’ve got spies in the correctional facility.”

Yi-seol said with a playful smile.

“Wow, that’s scary. I didn’t realize I had another officer I was in contact with. You seem friendly, but you’ve been playing both sides.”

“Come on, I just happened to hear it. An old senior from school mentioned it when I sent him a New Year’s message. I think you know him too, Jun-cheol.”

“Jun-cheol? Oh, he was from Yonsei, right? So you graduated from Yonsei too, PD Han.”

Jun-cheol was quite well-known, even among the training center staff. It was rare for someone from a prestigious university to become a correctional officer, especially at the 9th level. Although Shi-hyun had a classmate from Seoul National University, it was still uncommon.

“Yes, he was my senior in the same department. He was my TA when I was in school. I haven’t seen him since then, but he’s at the Daehan Correctional Facility now.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize Jun-cheol was so chatty.”

“I guess he was itching to show off how great his junior is.”

Yi-seol smiled as she continued.

“I felt back then that you were truly a born correctional officer. It’s a phrase that fits perfectly here.”

“Now you’re just flattering me. It’s even scarier when you say it with a smile.”

“Oh, I meant every word.”

As they continued their meal, the conversation flowed smoothly. Then, when dessert arrived, an unexpected topic came up.

“Are you interested in awakened individuals?”

“Excuse me?”

Shi-hyun instinctively stiffened.

Could it be that she found out about his status as an awakened?

“I wouldn’t say I’m particularly interested, but I guess I have a bit more interest than the average person.”

“I see.”

“And actually, I.”

“Yes?”

“I’m awake.”