The morning after felt different. Lighter, somehow. The weight of twenty-one women still hung over them, but it was no longer crushing. It had become something they carried together.
Dae-hyun walked into the bullpen at seven sharp, a stack of files in his hands. His team was already there—Min-jun nursing his usual coffee, Jin-young tapping at his monitors, Shi-eok by the window, Hae-rin reviewing notes, Soo-ah organizing papers, and Seo-ah at her desk, looking more rested than she had in days.
Their eyes followed him as he set the files on the central table.
"New case," he said. "Homicide. A businessman was found dead in his apartment in Gangnam. Wealthy, connected, and apparently very unpopular." He glanced at Soo-ah and Seo-ah. "Set up the board. I want everything on it within the hour."
Soo-ah straightened. "Yes, Captain!"
Seo-ah nodded and moved to help her, the two of them working in easy sync. The rest of the team began pulling information from the files, building the foundation of another investigation.
Dae-hyun watched them for a moment, then retreated to his office, leaving the door open as always.
---
An hour passed. The bullpen hummed with quiet activity. Soo-ah had pinned photos of the victim—a middle-aged man with cold eyes—to the board. Jin-young had already pulled financial records and phone logs. Hae-rin was building a preliminary profile.
Then the door opened.
Everyone looked up.
Commissioner Hwang walked in, and behind him, the bullpen door swung wider to reveal a small entourage—aides, security personnel, and people in suits with earpieces.
Every member of Team Zero snapped to attention.
"Commissioner!" Min-jun's voice was sharp, and the others followed his lead, saluting with crisp precision.
Dae-hyun emerged from his office, his eyes moving past the commissioner to the people behind him. He didn't salute immediately. He waited.
Commissioner Hwang approached him, a strange expression on his face—nervous, almost. He leaned in close and murmured something in Dae-hyun's ear.
Dae-hyun's expression didn't change, but something flickered in his eyes.
"If he's coming here," Dae-hyun said quietly, "that doesn't mean we need to change anything. This is a police precinct. He can enter and just talk."
Min-jun overheard. His brow furrowed. "Captain? Who's coming?"
Dae-hyun glanced at him. "The President of Korea."
The bullpen exploded into chaos.
Min-jun's coffee cup hit the desk with a clatter. Jin-young nearly fell out of his chair. Soo-ah's hand flew to her mouth. Shi-eok straightened instinctively, his posture becoming even more rigid. Hae-rin's eyes widened. Seo-ah's face went pale—not from fear, but from recognition. She knew what this meant. She knew what kind of attention this would bring.
"Everyone, tidy up!" Min-jun barked, already grabbing at scattered papers. "Make this place presentable!"
Jin-young started shoving empty cups into a trash bag. Soo-ah frantically straightened photos on the board. Hae-rin smoothed her uniform. Shi-eok moved to stand at attention near the window.
Dae-hyun watched them for exactly three seconds.
Then his voice cut through the chaos like a blade.
"Enough."
Everyone froze.
Dae-hyun stepped forward, his eyes sweeping across them. "This is a police precinct. We work here. We don't perform here." His voice was calm but absolute. "What happens if you misplace evidence while cleaning? What happens if you lose a file because you were too busy tidying up for a visitor?" He shook his head slowly. "Just let it be. Do your jobs. That's enough."
The bullpen was silent.
Then a voice came from the doorway.
"He's right."
Everyone turned.
The President of Korea stood there.
He was older than his photos suggested, with silver hair and a kind face marked by years of responsibility. He wore a simple dark suit, no fanfare, no entourage crowding behind him. Just the man himself, standing in the doorway of a police bullpen, looking at them with warm eyes.
Every person in the room bowed. Even Dae-hyun.
"Mr. President," Min-jun managed.
The president waved a hand. "At ease, everyone. I'm not here for ceremony." His eyes found Dae-hyun, and his face broke into a genuine smile.
He walked forward, past the stunned team members, straight to Dae-hyun.
And then he hugged him.
The bullpen went absolutely silent.
Dae-hyun stood stiffly for a moment, then relaxed slightly, returning the embrace with clear respect. The president pulled back, his hands on Dae-hyun's shoulders, his eyes bright.
"How are you, son?"
Min-jun's jaw dropped. Soo-ah looked like she might faint. Jin-young's glasses slipped down his nose. Shi-eok's stoic expression cracked into genuine surprise. Hae-rin's eyebrows shot upward. Even Seo-ah, who had met countless celebrities and dignitaries, looked genuinely shocked.
Dae-hyun's voice was steady. "I'm good, sir. Busy, but good."
The President laughed—a warm, genuine sound. "Busy. He says "busy," as if he hasn't just caught one of the most notorious serial killers in Korean history. He turned to face the team, his arm still around Dae-hyun's shoulders. "Let me explain before your imaginations run wild."
He released Dae-hyun and addressed them all.
"Years ago, long before I became president, I was just an assemblyman. Then a mayor. And during those years, I made enemies—the kind of enemies who don't fight with words." His face grew serious. "There were attempts on my life. Three of them. And every single time, this man—" He gestured at Dae-hyun. "—was there. He wasn't even a detective yet. Just a young officer who happened to be assigned to my security details. But he saved my life. More than once."
Min-jun found his voice. "The captain?"
"The captain," the president confirmed. "He never sought recognition. Never asked for favors. He just did his job and moved on. But I never forgot." He looked at Dae-hyun with genuine affection. "So when I heard about Team Zero, when I heard about this case, I had to come. In person."
He turned back to the team, his expression shifting to something official.
"And I'm here to congratulate all of you. Every single member of Team Zero." He nodded at Min-jun, at Jin-young, at Shi-eok, at Hae-rin, at Soo-ah, and at Seo-ah. "You caught a monster. Twenty-one women will have justice because of you. Twenty-one families will have answers. That's not something small. That's something heroic."
Soo-ah's eyes glistened. Jin-young swallowed hard. Even Min-jun looked moved.
The president continued. "Which is why I'm announcing—there will be a medal ceremony. At the Blue House. For every member of this squad. The nation will know what you've done."
The bullpen erupted in quiet murmurs. Medals. The Blue House. National recognition.
Dae-hyun's voice cut through. "Sir, that's not necessary."
The president smiled. "It's not about necessity, Kang. It's about gratitude. Let an old man have his moment."
For the first time in anyone's memory, Dae-hyun looked slightly uncomfortable.
The president laughed again and clapped him on the shoulder. "I'll leave you to your work. But expect an invitation soon." He looked at the team one more time. "Thank you. All of you. For your service. For your courage. For not giving up."
He walked toward the door, his aides falling into step behind him. At the threshold, he paused and looked back at Dae-hyun.
"Take care of them, Captain. They're special."
Then he was gone.
---
The bullpen was silent for a long moment after the door closed.
Then Soo-ah let out a sound that was half squeak, half scream. "The PRESIDENT just hugged our CAPTAIN!"
Min-jun collapsed into his chair. "I need a drink."
Jin-young pushed his glasses up. "Did that actually happen? Did we hallucinate that?"
Hae-rin's voice was thoughtful. "The President. Personally. For us."
Shi-eok looked at Dae-hyun with new respect. "You saved his life. Multiple times."
Dae-hyun moved toward his office, his face carefully blank. "It was my job."
"It was more than that," Seo-ah said quietly.
He paused at his door and looked back at her. Their eyes met.
"Maybe," he admitted. Then he disappeared into his office.
Soo-ah grabbed Seo-ah's arm. "Unnie! Did you see that? The President! And the captain! I can't believe—"
Seo-ah smiled slightly. "I saw."
Min-jun shook his head slowly. "Ten years I've known him. Ten years. And he never once mentioned he was friends with the president."
"He's not friends with the president," Hae-rin corrected. "He's the reason the president is alive."
The weight of that settled over them.
Jin-young spoke what they were all thinking. "Who is Captain Kang Dae-hyun, really?"
No one had an answer.
But as they returned to their work—to the new case, to the photos on the board, to the rhythm of investigation—they all felt it.
They were part of something bigger than they'd known.
And their captain was more than he'd ever shown.