Officer Park walked toward them.
Hauen immediately straightened, standing up from Suho's lap in an instant, her cheeks faintly pink. Suho blinked, slightly flustered, clearing his throat as he fixed his shirt.
"Officer Park," Suho greeted, his voice steadying, "what's the matter?"
The officer gave a polite half-smile. "How are you, Mr. Kim?"
"I'm good," Suho replied, managing a calm smile. "How about you?"
"I'm good," Park nodded.
"Please, have a seat," Hauen said, her tone soft but composed as she guided him to the chair near the garden table.
Park nodded gratefully, sitting down and removing his sunglasses. His gaze sharpened as he looked at both of them. "I came here to discuss about the attack that happened to you."
Both Suho and Hauen grew attentive immediately, their bodies straightening in quiet alertness.
"We have a witness," Officer Park began slowly. "A taxi driver who claims to have dropped the suspect off in Gangnam that night."
Suho's brow furrowed slightly. "That's good news then, isn't it?"
"Yes," Park said, his tone measured. "But before that, I have a few questions, and I'll need honest answers from both of you. If you cooperate, it'll help us investigate properly."
Hauen and Suho exchanged a brief glance, silent understanding passing between them.
"Of course," Suho said. "What do you want to ask?"
Officer Park leaned back slightly, folding his hands. "About your marriage."
Hauen's breath hitched. Suho frowned subtly.
"How did you happen to marry each other? Was it a love marriage, arranged… or something else?"
Suho's eyes narrowed. "Why are you asking about that?"
"Just background information, Mr. Kim," Park said calmly. "Don't worry, it'll stay confidential."
"It was an arranged marriage, Officer," Hauen spoke up gently.
Both men turned to her.
"Suho approached me first. We went on a few dates. Then our families met, and things moved forward. That's how the marriage happened."
Officer Park studied her expression carefully, as though searching for even the smallest trace of a lie, but her eyes stayed clear and steady.
He nodded slowly. "Alright. Were both families happy about this arrangement?"
"Yes," they both replied together.
The officer was silent for a moment, gaze flicking between them. Then he leaned forward slightly. "That's interesting, because I happened to hear something different. Correct me if I'm wrong."
Suho's eyes locked on him, quiet but alert.
"Mrs. Kim," Park said, "there were articles about your marriage being tied to a business deal, that your family's company was struggling, and after the marriage, the Kims invested and saved it. Is that true?"
The air seemed to tighten around them.
Hauen looked briefly at Suho, then back at the officer. Her tone remained calm but honest. "Yes… It was, in a way. But that doesn't mean we married just for business. We genuinely liked each other and chose to go ahead. Yes, after our marriage, Suho helped my father's company recover, but our relationship was never built only on that."
Officer Park nodded thoughtfully. "Alright." His gaze then shifted to Suho. "Mr. Kim, you dated Miss Seo Yerin for quite a long time before this, didn't you? Why did you break up and suddenly marry Miss Hauen?"
Suho's chest tightened at the name. The question cut too close.
"How is that related to the case, Officer?" Hauen's voice came sharp, protective. "You're getting too personal."
Officer Park gave a faint smile. "You'll understand soon, Mrs. Kim. Please, just cooperate."
Suho sighed, lowering his voice. "Yes, I dated Yerin. I did want to marry her, but our families had… differences. Things fell apart. Later, I met Hauen, and our families agreed, and the rest, you know."
Park nodded again, expression unreadable. Then he turned back to Hauen.
"Mrs. Kim, was your entire family happy with the marriage? Every single member?"
She frowned slightly. "Of course."
"What about your brother?"
The air stilled for a second. Suho's and Hauen's eyes met briefly.
"Yes," she replied after a pause. "In fact, he was the one who brought up this proposal first. He arranged our first meeting. He's always been supportive."
Officer Park hummed, his expression thoughtful, as if connecting invisible dots.
"What's wrong, Officer?" Suho asked, his tone cautious.
Park exhaled softly. "The man who attacked you, and his friend, were both seen talking to your brother before the incident. The taxi driver witnessed it."
The world seemed to tilt for a moment.
"What?" both of them said almost at once.
"Yes," Park confirmed quietly. "The driver said he saw them talking to your brother before boarding his taxi."
Hauen's voice trembled slightly. "How does the driver even know my brother?"
Officer Park hesitated, then spoke slowly. "Your viral highway video, Mrs. Kim… it was on every news channel. They showed a picture from your wedding day, too. Your brother was in that photo. The taxi driver recognized him and came forward to report it."
Hauen's eyes widened, disbelief clouding her face. Suho sat stunned beside her, his jaw tight.
"That's why I needed to ask if there was any personal issue between your brother and Mr. Kim," Park continued gently.
Hauen shook her head, still dazed. "He must have mistaken someone, Officer. My brother… he's the reason Suho and I got married. He was happy for us, grateful to Suho for helping our family. He would never do something so cruel. Especially not to Suho."
Suho looked at her quietly, seeing the sincerity, the fear, and the confusion flicker in her eyes.
Officer Park nodded, understanding. "We're not accusing him, Mrs. Kim. This is just an enquiry. But I had to confirm things with you directly. If you've answered honestly, we'll continue looking at other angles. If not…" He looked at both of them evenly. "It could get dangerous for you."
Suho spoke firmly. "We've been honest, Officer. And I agree with Hauen, Hyunwoo isn't someone who'd pull something like that. He's innocent."
Officer Park studied them for a moment, then gave a slow nod. "Alright, Mr. Kim. We'll keep investigating. If you remember or wish to share anything, call me anytime."
He stood, putting his sunglasses back on. "And please, be careful. And maybe… avoid another highway show." A knowing smirk tugged at his lips.
Hauen bit the inside of her cheek to hide her laughter, while Suho tried, and failed, to keep a straight face. His ears were burning red.
"Have a good day, Mr. and Mrs. Kim," Officer Park said with a polite nod before leaving through the garden gate.
They stayed there for a while, watching him walk away. The silence that followed was heavier than before, thoughtful, uncertain.
Hauen's mind was already spinning, replaying every word the officer had said. Suho glanced at her, wanting to ask, to comfort, but he knew this wasn't the right moment.
Instead, he reached for her hand and smiled softly. "Come on. Let's continue the steps," he said, trying to lighten her mood.
She smiled faintly, nodding, but her thoughts drifted far away, tangled somewhere between disbelief, fear, and love.