The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 129

A Hundred Years Together (1)

For several days, I had my special forces personnel inquire about the ‘Mad Dog,’ but no one fitting the description surfaced.

The same went for Prosecutor Hong Seok-jang, who came up from the Busan District Prosecutors’ Office.

Occasionally, prosecutors or investigators who had the nickname ‘Mad Dog’ in the past would come to light, but they had all either retired from the front lines or had faded into obscurity over time.

Since I couldn’t find him right away, I decided to search slowly.

For now, whether the Chief Prosecutor was sincere or not, if we had a peace treaty, even if only on the surface, he wouldn’t try to clash with me for the time being.

Besides, I had just finished dealing with that troublesome Viper a few days ago, so no one would dare to come at me.

Also, because I had been through so much mental anguish, I needed some time to heal.

And what better way to heal than to settle things with Han Ji-yu.

The wedding date she wanted was the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, Chilseok [a traditional Korean festival associated with star-crossed lovers], which is August 14th in the Gregorian calendar, less than five months away.

A wedding isn’t something that can happen just because two people are in love; it’s something that both families undertake together, so we had to start preparing.

In my heart, I wanted to tell her right now to come and live with me, but this was a once-in-a-lifetime proposal, and I didn’t want to just gloss over it.

However, I had only studied during my school days, and after that, I was always busy with work because of the bar exam, so I was hopeless at this sort of thing.

I spent days searching the internet, but I couldn’t find an answer, so I headed to the Seoul Detention Center to find the person who seemed to know the most about this.

“So, you came to ask me how to propose?”

Shin Yong-ho, who was sitting in the visiting room, burst out laughing as soon as he heard me.

“Hey, you jerk. I was shocked when I heard that a prosecutor was visiting, thinking something was wrong, but a proposal, really…”

He kept chuckling.

I scratched my head in embarrassment and asked,

“Hey, still, you’re a guy who’s been married once, and there’s no one around me who knows as much about dating as you do.”

“You know better than anyone that my ex-wife had an affair with a foreign English teacher and got divorced, right?”

“That’s why I introduced you to a truckload of women when you were working at Joo-ok Group’s legal team.”

“That’s true.”

He grinned and nodded.

“But asking a guy in a detention center full of men how to propose is like bragging about your girlfriend to a friend in the army, isn’t it?”

Shin Yong-ho said with a snake-like gaze.

“Looks like you came to tease me?”

“Ah, what are you talking about? Just tell me some ideas.”

“Hahaha, you must be really desperate?”

He burst into laughter.

“I never thought the great Choi Seo-jun would be consulting me about a woman problem.”

“Ah, then I’ll end the visit and leave? When you go back to your cell, you’ll have to be musty again in that place full of men.”

“Okay, okay.”

He suppressed the giggles that were leaking out and grabbed my arm to sit me down.

“So, what do you want me to tell you?”

“Forget everything else, just tell me how you proposed.”

“Honestly, there’s not much to it for me.”

He shrugged and said,

“We went on a trip to Europe together and went to Paris, and the atmosphere was so good. So, I asked her to marry me in front of the Eiffel Tower.”

“That’s not much?”

“I just did it while I was on a trip.”

“But you brought a ring?”

“You always have to be prepared. A man who has decided to propose always carries a ring, that’s essential.”

“That’s the first time I’ve ever heard such nonsense.”

Shin Yong-ho grinned and said,

“Wouldn’t it be better to consult your investigator or Ara about this issue than me? They’re women, so they’ll know better.”

He raised his eyebrows and added,

“And Ara is a complete expert on dating.”

“How do you know that?”

“Did you forget? Ara was originally my assistant.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

“Once, she said she was working late, so I felt sorry for her after going on a business trip and bought her sushi, but in the office…”

“Ah, stop it. Don’t tell me.”

Shin Yong-ho chuckled and patted my arm.

“I’m telling you to ask those two. They’ll really help you.”

“No way. I’m embarrassed. How can I ask them?”

“Why can’t you ask? Is there any reason?”

“No, if I ask for help, they’ll definitely…”

***

“Wahahahahahaha!”

I knew it.

Yoon Seol-ha and Jo Ara burst out laughing at the same time.

I didn’t want to ask these two because I thought they would tease me.

“But you said you wouldn’t laugh…”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Jo Ara put her hands together as if she was sorry, and Yoon Seol-ha smiled bashfully and made excuses.

“I never thought it would be a question like this.”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

“Seeing someone who was always so charismatic and firm struggling with romance, I couldn’t help but… Haha.”

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“You’ve laughed enough, so please help me properly.”

“Of course.”

Yoon Seol-ha smiled brightly and then asked seriously.

“What kind of proposal do you want to do?”

Until now, Yoon Seol-ha had been carrying out my orders politely, but today, she exuded the aura of an expert, as if the hierarchy had been reversed.

She was even wearing square horn-rimmed glasses; I don’t know when she got them.

“First, please tell me comfortably what image the Chief wants.”

“I want it to be something memorable, no matter what. Since it’s a once-in-a-lifetime proposal, I want her to never forget it.”

At that moment, Jo Ara, with a smile full of laughter, chimed in.

“Maybe it won’t be just once?”

“Ah, Investigator!”

“Hahaha, I’m just kidding. Please continue.”

“That’s all. My friend told me that he put a ring on her finger in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris… Anyway, I want to do something as fancy as that. Don’t even consider the money.”

“Wow, a romantic guy. You don’t even think about the money.”

“Of course.”

I smiled slightly and replied,

“The other person is Han Ji-yu.”

I was talking so comfortably with Jo Ara that I wondered if we had ever had a conversation like this without being bound by formalities.

But in the meantime, Yoon Seol-ha was pushing up her glasses alone, exuding the aura of an expert.

“In my opinion, wouldn’t it be better for Han Ji-yu to have a simple proposal rather than a fancy one?”

“A simple one?”

“Yes. As far as I know, Han Ji-yu has been an actress for over 10 years, and she must have filmed a lot of romantic movies and dramas during that time, right?”

“Ah!”

I slapped my forehead and realized.

Han Ji-yu has digested all sorts of works, from romantic comedies to passionate melodramas to makjang dramas [Korean soap operas] where she enters a chaebol [conglomerate] family as a daughter-in-law.

While filming those many works, she must have received all sorts of fancy and romantic proposals and confessions.

Just from watching Han Ji-yu’s works, I saw everything from putting balloons in the trunk for a surprise, to renting a whole cruise ship for fireworks, to confessing in front of the emerald sea of Bali. There was even a chaebol who rented out an entire amusement park to propose. The number of proposals alone was too many to count on my fingers.

Proposals that you can only see in dramas have long been dulled for her.

The actual proposals and the proposals she received while filming the works are different, but even so, most of the situations she has experienced, so it is difficult to be greatly moved unless it is something special.

“Rather, when you hear about actors who have revealed their marriage, there seem to be many simple proposals.”

I was instantly persuaded by Yoon Seol-ha’s words.

“So, it’s better to go with something ordinary like others?”

“Yes. Ordinary but not bland. Simple but not trivial.”

“That seems more difficult…”

After thinking for a while, I suddenly had an idea and said,

“Then, while eating ice cream, I’ll put the ring in it…”

“Ugh, the worst.”

“No!”

Before I could finish speaking, the two women refused with disgust.

“It’s a sin just to imagine that. If it wasn’t for the Chief, I would have taken out a switch.”

“Is it that bad?”

“Yes.”

Yoon Seol-ha replied without a moment’s hesitation.

“Really.”

“…Okay.”

Investigator Jo Ara put her chin on her hand and thought hard, then clapped her hands as if she had thought of something.

“I saw it on TV a while ago, and there was a confession like this.”

“What is it?”

“So, you rent a pension…”

The moment I heard her story, my eyes widened instantly.

“Oh, that’s good?”

Yoon Seol-ha, who had been picky today, nodded as if it was okay.

“That would satisfy all the conditions I mentioned. Even Han Ji-yu wouldn’t be able to resist.”

“Good. Since it’s on TV, Ji-yu will notice if we do it as it is, so we should modify it appropriately and propose.”

Just as I was about to get up from my seat because I thought we were done talking, Yoon Seol-ha shook her head and grabbed my shoulder to sit me down.

“Let’s decide here how to apply it.”

“Yes?”

“If you do it according to the Chief’s idea, I can’t imagine how it will be transformed.”

“Ah, this is hurting my pride…”

But there was some truth in her words, so I couldn’t refuse.

Actually, I was worried about myself.

“So, first of all, I’m going to go to a villa instead of a pension. So…”

***

“It hasn’t even been a month, but it’s so nice to be back again.”

Han Ji-yu stretched out her hands and enjoyed the cool Jeju Island breeze.

I came back to Jeju Island, where I had been when I was in crisis because of the Viper last month.

At that time, I was just hiding in the villa as if I was running away, but this time, I was confidently driving around Jeju Island in a sports car, enjoying the cool breeze.

“The last filming of the movie ended two days ago, so I really thought I needed healing. But you’re the only one I can count on.”

Han Ji-yu, who doesn’t know my plan, was happy with a joyful expression.

“Haha, that’s a relief.”

I try to laugh as usual, but I feel somehow stiff.

Han Ji-yu also felt that something was wrong and asked carefully.

“Oppa, you don’t look good, are you okay?”

“No? I’m totally fine.”

“Really? That’s a relief. You look like you’re nervous.”

She’s a ghost, a ghost.

I thought it was nothing until I came to Jeju Island because the preparations were perfectly finished, but when I was preparing, it was no exaggeration to say that I was more nervous than when I was catching the Viper.

I am newly respectful to the many husbands in Korea who overcame these tremors and burdens and proposed and got married.

“Ah, but the wind is really cool. How can I feel so good?”

“Is it because you’re relieved that the movie filming is over?”

“I think that’s right too.”

Han Ji-yu even screamed coolly.

“It’s so good!”

After a long drive, I started cooking dinner after arriving at the villa.

“Oh, are you really doing it, Oppa?”

“Of course. I’m in charge today.”

I said with a playful smile and sent her to the sofa.

“Go wash up quickly.”

“Yes!”

She answered brightly and headed to the bathroom, and I looked up the cooking method on the internet and prepared a few fusion dishes that I had practiced several times.

After finishing all the preparations, I called her.

“Ji-yu, not yet? The food is all ready.”

She turned off the dryer, which was drying her wet hair, and got up with a flawless smile.

“Okay, I’m coming!”