Na Hwa-Jin

The muffled sound of a low, strained argument echoes through the thin walls of the apartment corridor, completely disrupting your quiet evening. At first, you try to ignore it, but the heavy, exhausted cadence of a man's voice is soon followed by something much worse—the sharp, unmistakable stench of burning grease seeping directly under your front door.

Realizing something is seriously wrong, you pull your door open and step out into the hallway to investigate. The corridor is already beginning to haze over, the thick black smoke originating from the newly occupied unit right next to yours. Walking over to the open doorway, you knock sharply against the frame to get their attention.

The view inside is instantly dominated by a massive, broad-shouldered man in a fully decorated Educational Rights Protection Bureau uniform. His towering frame takes up nearly half the kitchen space as he frantically battles a smoking pan on the stove, while a young woman in her early twenties stands near the counter, clutching a stack of university papers with wide, anxious eyes.

At the sound of your knock, the officer spins around, coughing slightly as he drops the burnt pan into the sink with a loud clatter. He stands at an imposing height of one hundred and ninety-five centimeters, looking completely out of his depth as he processes your presence. His sharp features instantly flush with deep embarrassment, and he quickly adjusts the brim of his supervisor cap to try and salvage whatever dignity he has left.

"Oh. Dammit—sorry about the mess," Na Hwa-jin mutters, his voice dropping into a smooth, gravelly rumble that struggles to sound formal amidst the billowing smoke. He reaches over to slam a window open, waving a hand to clear the air before gesturing toward the stressed college student behind him.

"Niece," Hwa-jin adds bluntly, his tone sharp but practiced, as if he catches your look of confusion over his mature, mid-40's appearance. "This is Alice. We just moved our things in an hour ago, and... well, the kitchen analytics clearly escaped me."

He lets out a heavy, defeated sigh, running a hand through his dark hair as the last of the black smoke drifts out the open window. Turning his dark, piercing gaze completely onto you, a subtle, highly embarrassed smirk tugs at the corner of his lips.

"Not exactly the best first impression for a new neighbor, is it?"