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Chapter 01
“This, look at this. My baby is all dejected like this. See? Can’t you tell she looks exhausted?”
A middle-aged woman stood there with her arms crossed, eyes sharply narrowed in irritation.
Da-sol glanced at the dog, Seol-hee, who was yawning so wide her mouth seemed to split open and scratching behind her ear with her hind leg, then replied.
“…Ma’am Seol-hee’s guardian. I clearly recommended a scissor cut. But you insisted on a full clip.”
‘Solsoll Pet Salon.’
A one-person business run by groomer Jin Da-sol.
And right now, she was dealing with the task she hated most at work.
A difficult customer.
The middle-aged woman’s voice rose as if she were singing a high note.
Da-sol was biting down hard, holding back her frustration.
“Criepy? What even is that!”
“It’s clipping. You asked us to shave her down with the machine, remember?”
You said she gets overheated and requested a full clip.
Hoo—
Da-sol exhaled the rising anger from deep in her abdomen.
If she didn’t do that, she felt like she might explode on the spot.
“For dogs like Seol-hee, who are sensitive and easily scared, shaving them completely is not good. I told you that many ti—many times.”
She emphasized “completely” and “many times.”
“So I did my best to keep her calm while grooming her. Look—she even seems in a good mood right now.”
The owner, left speechless, moved her thick lips and glared at Da-sol.
Ah. That look.
A look she could never get used to.
The kind that said: How dare you talk back to a customer? Customers are kings. Or: You’re younger than me, how dare you.
Few people would enjoy being yelled at in a sharp, piercing voice and receiving hostile glares.
Da-sol, too, felt her heart racing like it was sprinting a marathon. Just like now.
“Payment is 70,000 won. Please proceed with the payment.”
The shorter she kept it, the better.
For customers like this, it was best to get them out quickly.
She swallowed hard, trying to look calm. Bracing herself for the storm she knew was coming.
“Payment? 70,000 won? Are you kidding me? You butchered my baby’s fur and still want 70,000 won?”
The woman screamed, spittle flying from her mouth.
As expected, the moment money was mentioned, her voice grew even louder.
Meanwhile, the shaved-down Seol-hee happily wagged her tail, looked around at other dogs, and then peed on the floor.
Ssssss—
The sound of urine splashing filled “Solsoll Pet Salon,” along with a strong smell.
But the owner didn’t even care about her “child’s” behavior. She just planted her hands on her hips and glared.
If she really loved her pet like a child, she should be paying attention to the dog first.
“This is a fixed price for Bichon grooming including bath. The price list is right here—”
“Ha! What kind of robbery is this? You want me to pay? I should be the one getting paid! You can’t even stick the fur back on—what are you going to do?”
She had clearly known a scissor cut cost more than double and still insisted on a full shave, and now she didn’t even want to pay for that.
Da-sol clenched her teeth, anxiety creeping in that she might not get paid at all.
“…Please pay and leave before I call the police.”
“What? Police? Do you even know who my husband is?”
My husband is who do you think he is.
Do you know who I am.
Or “Do you know who OO’s dad is.”
She had heard it many times while working here.
Da-sol’s pet salon was close to the prosecutor’s office.
It was close enough that people casually called it “the pet salon next to the prosecutor’s office.”
Not directly next to it, but most customers referred to it that way.
Why did she open here?
There was a large park nearby, rent was reasonable, and it was close to where she lived.
Because most of her clients were animals who couldn’t speak, if she built a good reputation, customers would come even from far away.
She was confident in that.
She also thought being near the prosecutor’s office and police station would mean fewer difficult customers.
That prediction turned out wrong.
Except for the “fewer difficult customers” part.
“I’m the one who should be receiving compensation here!”
Normally at this point, customers would try to negotiate the price.
But Seol-hee’s owner had no such intention—just as hairless as her dog now was.
If this continued, the shop owner would be at a disadvantage.
Reservations would get canceled left and right without context.
But if she simply gave in, rumors would spread and attract more problematic customers.
Bad rumors attract bad customers.
Suppressing her rising emotions, Da-sol spoke calmly.
“Actually, Seol-hee required an additional charge.”
Seol-hee was trembling due to fear, so grooming had to be done very gently.
“Calm down, it’s okay. It’s okay. Creep—yes, just do it like that. I heard this place is good.”
Her owner had pleaded like that.
“I spent 40 minutes just detangling her fur by hand while getting her used to me, petting her, trimming her nails first, calming her down. Detangling alone is an extra charge.”
Da-sol took a deep breath.
“Also, I didn’t take other appointments today because I focused only on Seol-hee. Since it was your first visit and she cooperated, I treated it as a service—”
“So what!”
Ah. The answer she didn’t want came.
Facing the furious customer, Da-sol bit her lower lip tightly.
It felt like a broken record, so she quietly picked up her phone.
[112]
She pressed the button, and the call connected quickly.
“Go ahead. Call them! Try it!”
Ignoring the shouting beside her, she calmly explained the situation.
After reporting, she waited for the police in the tense atmosphere.
Shortly after, the police arrived and the situation ended quickly.
At first, the owner shouted even louder, but once things turned against her, she began pounding the ground in frustration.
“Yip!”
In the chaos, Seol-hee was kicked by her owner and cried out.
It was chaos.
Eventually, under the firm response of the police, the owner glared at Da-sol and handed over her card.
“I’m not done with you. I’ll post everything on online communities.”
Da-sol tried to hide her anxiety and accepted the card with a calm expression, making sure her hands didn’t shake.
She had to look strong.
And so, the situation ended.
After drinking three glasses of cold water, she opened a drawer and took out red beans instead of salt.
She didn’t really believe in this kind of thing, but after watching the crime film “Everlasting Snow”, she had prepared them.
There was a scene where a restaurant owner sprinkled salt after a difficult customer left.
It stuck in her mind.
It was oddly satisfying—and easier to clean than salt.
“Go step on dog poop!”
She muttered inwardly as she scattered the beans.
It helped a little, but soon anxiety crept back in.
What if that customer spreads false rumors online?
What if she couldn’t respond properly?
Frustration lingered.
She exhaled deeply from her chest.
She had to endure it.
The shop had only been open a year. Things were just starting to stabilize.
As she was calming herself down, a Shih Tzu walked up to her feet.
It was “Mong-i,” a dog belonging to an elderly customer who had been coming since opening day.
Today, the owner’s children were visiting for dinner, and the eldest son had a dog allergy.
Seeing the worry on the elderly woman’s face, Da-sol had offered to take care of Mong-i.
“Mong-i, did you come because you were worried about me? Ohhh, you’re so cute. Thank you, I’m okay.”
After sitting for a while, she stood up when it was about time the family dinner had ended.
“Mong-i, let’s go back to grandma.”
At her gentle call, Mong-i trotted over on all fours.
Da-sol knelt down, attached the leash, and stood up.
“Let’s go. Departure to IL Apartment!”
As if understanding, Mong-i wagged its tail and happily followed.
Meanwhile, next door at the Prosecutor’s Office
A meeting was underway in the Criminal Investigation Division chief prosecutor’s office.
The chief prosecutor sat at the head of the table, with other prosecutors on both sides.
“Let’s start with Prosecutor Jang Ji-hyeok.”
“The investigation shows the suspect definitely entered a residential area.”
Jang Ji-hyeok had sharp features—tall bridge of the nose, defined lips, thick eyebrows under which rested cold, pitch-black eyes.
His gaze swept the room like someone no criminal could meet directly.
“If it’s a residential area?”
The chief prosecutor frowned.
Ji-hyeok placed his clasped hands on the table, his broad shoulders becoming more prominent.
“The suspect was under the influence of drugs at the time, so details are unclear. This group keeps moving, so we need to locate the scene before they move again.”
“Urgent.”
“We can proceed immediately with warrants and police cooperation if you give the word.”
“No need for explanation. Good.”
The chief prosecutor leaned back as Ji-hyeok led the briefing. Other prosecutors watched him sharply.
A genius prosecutor.
A trusted junior the chief prosecutor fully relied on.
To him, Ji-hyeok was born for this job.
“So, your estimate?”
“Mapo, Gangnam, or Seocho areas.”
“Good. I’ll submit the warrant request to the deputy chief. Once approved, Prosecutor Jang will take field command.”
“Yes. I’ll prepare immediately.”
The meeting ended, and Ji-hyeok stood up.
“He’s tall indeed.”
The chief prosecutor said with satisfaction as Ji-hyeok bowed slightly and returned to his office.
He reviewed case files submitted from customs, finished analyzing evidence, and checked his watch.
It was already well past quitting time.
He left the prosecutor’s office to go home.
A five-minute walk.
[IL Apartment]
Standing in front of his home, Ji-hyeok rolled his stiff neck while looking at the darkening sky.
