Baek Do Shik had always been quite proud of his intuition and his observation skills.
This is why he was shocked all the more.
He was putting back his glass of beer on the table, with a content sigh, when his eyes settled on Nam Ye Ri who was laughing, on the terrace.
The young woman was standing, listening to Park Min-Ho telling her the troubles he was going through with the rookie he had been given as for partner.
The kid had matured a lot. More than six years had passed by since the first time the Viper had called him a "real detective", during Min Chae On's kidnapping. He no longer looked like too much of a lanky teenager to be credible, nor like the great boaster who flirted with the female officers to obtain information. "Nine fingers" - or "Ringo" - was a cop Detective Baek was proud to count among his friends.
But when with Nam Ye Ri, like with a big sister, Min-Ho found back his kiddy winks.
- "So much charm…" snorted the man, amused.
He rubbed his nose, crunched on a salty cracker and reached out to take back his glass, his eyes still on the terrace and the small woman wrapped in sun and in joy.
He always had a weak spot for her. Like for a younger sister you love and spoil, whose progress you consider with pride and who you protect fiercely.
He swallowed and massaged his nose between his eyes. Something was off.
He pulled a face. Maybe he should get his sight checked. He pressed on his left eyelid, then released the pressure.
No, the picture had not changed.
He cleared up his throat, raised his eyebrows to help his clouded brain and turned to look for the director.
Yeo Ji-Hoon choose this precise moment to sit down on the stool next to him with a beer bottle freshly open.
- "Another drink, sunbaenim ?" he asked.
Baek Do Shik chewed on in space, then accepted the glass.
- "It's what you see", said the director, as if he had guessed the thought stirring under the bald skull of his former subordinate.
The detective gave him an sharp look.
His eyes returned again on the terrace, where Ye Ri's arm had made her shawl slide.
Under her light summer dress, the shape of her belly was very round and nice.
- "End of November", said Ji-Hoon with the same quiet voice.
But the extremity of his ears was red and from the way the corners of his lips went up, Baek Do Shik got the clear idea that he was a lot less neutral than he pretended.
- "You?" the detective hiccupped. "Nam Ye Ri… since when… a baby ?"
Apparently he had spoken louder than he wanted because the chat on the terrace broke off.
- "You didn't know? You're getting old!" exclaimed park Min-Ho, this rascal, pretending to look stunned.
Nam Ye Ri said nothing, but she smiled shyly, nibbling her lips, like a girl waiting for a paternal blessing.
Baek Do Shik's eyes locked with Director Yeo's eyes and he deciphered a husband pride, the love of a man for a woman, fear of being a child in front of an adult's challenge, the past without illusions of a detective who had seen too much.
He heaved a sigh, put down his glass and gave a slap onto the professor's shoulder.
- "What do they usually say? Congratulations, isn't it?"
Ji-Hoon relaxed and Ye Ri sent him a silent look of thanks.
Behind the young woman, Park Min-Ho had not noticed that he took on a protective look when his eyes passed on his Noona, behind the derisive smile he shot to the Viper.
- "Ahhh… life…" sighed Baek Do Shik.
He had a sip of beer and suddenly felt very old and very happy.