It's the way of most professions, honestly. Unless you happen to have had the luxury of being born into wealth. [ That way lies more talk about politics than Kim prefers, but it's true. Burnout is legendary among the RCM but it's hardly exclusive to them. Whether you're a grocery clerk, a construction worker, a police officer or a cop, your place of business will be understaffed and overworked, dealing with the problems that naturally come about when you live in a land that never had the opportunity to recover from war and destitution.

It's not a good discussion to have at a bar, though, and Kim is fully aware of his tendency to be overly serious; this is a place for easy conversation and for fun and he will make the active effort to keep it that way. He regards Goromi thoughtfully over the rim of his glass, as though deciding whether or not to answer her question.

Though their profession would typically make them mortal enemies, Kim decides that it's really not relevant here. ] I am a Lieutenant in the Revachol Citizens Militia. The police. [ Though it operates differently from some more traditional policing systems, as Kim has come to understand it.

Dryly, he says, ] And here, I am a clerk at a convenience store. Maybe one day I'll even be promoted to Assistant Manager.