Gun could barely comprehend the conversation that was going on in front of him, not when he was lost in the overwhelming thoughts that were blaring through his mind. His inner thoughts, inner turmoils and worries were all piling up and slowly becoming too overwhelming to bear alone. Then again, this had been going on ever since his family started trying to contact him and had gotten worse with each passing day.
Flashes of Daniel's hurt face, his teary eyes, and the way he had bit his lip to hold back his cries continued to plague his head. They had been ever since their conversation from the previous afternoon. Several times today, Gun has meticulously thought repeatedly about whether he should reach out first. To apologise to the younger, to tell him that he had snapped, that he hadn't meant all the comments he had spat out during their talk . Then he would remember what Daniel had been trying to convince him to do and all sorts of sympathies and guilt would go flying out the window. He knows the boy doesn't deserve this treatment, but Gun's twisted heart couldn't find it in himself to reach out to the other just yet. Not when the younger had made it clear that he didn't want Gun to stick around, that he wanted him gone to Japan and potentially wanted their relationship to end no matter how he tried to deny it.
After all, how were they supposed to continue being together if he had an entire ass wife and child?!
"Gun…GUN!" a voice shouts right into his left ear and Gun couldn't help but snap out of his stupor and recoil from the sound, turning to glare at Goo who was sending him an annoyed look. "Earth to Gun, is anyone in there?" The blonde questions mockingly.
Gun growls, rubbing his ear before replying.
"You don't need to scream in my ear like a banshee" Gun grumbles out and Goo snorts.
"To be fair, we've been trying to get your attention for the past several minutes and you've just been sitting there, staring into space and zoning out" James points out with a sigh. "Honestly Gun, I know that most of our meetings are boring, and you do usually ignore most of the things we say but you could at least pretend to be listening" The redhead crosses his arms, shooting him a disapproving look.
Gun turns away, embarrassed to not only be caught but also be called out by James of all people. It was always worse when it was either James or God forbid Goo calling him out and being in the right when they did so.
"Right, what were we talking about?" Gun sighs, turning his focus to the two men who did seem to be presenting something concerning, concerning enough for them to snap at Gun to pay attention.
"You know how we've got connections with people and are still monitoring all the gangs of Seoul?" Goo asks and Gun nods. Of course, he remembers this, fear amongst the gangsters, delinquents and petty criminals of Seoul weren't the only factors that prevented people or groups from starting trouble. In fact, Goo, James, and Gun weren't the only individuals who were in on ensuring that Charles' plan was working, the man had his web of other individuals and groups who helped keep the peace.
People who reported intel on individuals or groups who were looking to start trouble which would lead to one of the Founders or all three shutting down the mess. They also worked side by side with the police in these matters as well which is where their connection with Jichang came into play at times. Goo, James, and Gun were just the face of the organisation, but ultimately everything worked a little more complicatedly, not that the public needed to know about that. They can just assume that the three men were enough to pull everything into place which to an extent they were.
"There have been whispers of something interesting being planned for the next tournament that's going to be happening in about two weeks" Goo restates and with the way his expression pinches it could only mean that whatever was going on was even more serious than Gun had initially thought.
"What kind of whispers?" Gun frowns, searching for the meaning behind the blonde's words.
"People were saying that there's been a source out there that has been telling groups and individuals to hold back from entering the tournament this round" James explains with a deep sigh.
"Someone's going around telling people not to join? Is this happening because of those anti-groups again? You'd think after failing to cause any reaction or change to the CC in the last several years that they'd just give up whatever the hell they're doing?" Gun grunts but James shakes his head.
"It's not those protestors" He hums before sifting through his files and papers. "Although there hasn't been an individual who can be pinpointed and singled out to take the blame for all these rumours there is a general idea of who is organising it due to the sign-ups for the next tournament" The redhead passes the papers and Gun takes them stiffly, gazing down at the names.
Despite all the apparent whispers and rumours trying to prevent people from signing up for the CC, there were still well over several dozen names. The only confusion with all these individuals was the fact that these came from lesser-known groups or were individuals with no crew at all. None of the main fighters of any of the larger crews, from Big Deal, to Hostel, to God Dogs and Workers, not even Burnt Knuckles seem to be on the list. It was highly unusual for any of these groups to choose to not participate in the tournament, especially since most of them were so focused on winning every other single time.
Gun flips the page over to the list of new sign-up names and pauses. Reading and then rereading the list of names that were there.
'Jichang Kwak'
'Taesoo Ma'
'Gongseob Ji'
'Seokdu Wang'
'Jaegyeon Na'
'Doksu Heo'
'Jinyoung Go'
What the hell was going on? Gun breathes heavily through his nose before turning to look at James, his gaze resting heavily on the man.
"The First-Generation Kings, it's clear to see that they've organised this" Gun snorts before tossing the papers back. "You'd think after you defeated them all those years ago, they would continue being docile. They've been hiding, not causing trouble and being submissive all these years, why have they decided to change and come out blazing now?" He questions.
"Probably has to do with the fact that it's nearing Seongji's death anniversary, it's been five years since then so maybe they're doing this to commemorate him" Goo shrugged but there was no usual silly smile on his face. "You know they still blame us for his death, James didn't even kill the guy, sure he beat him up a little bit, but he didn't kill him. If his death is to be blamed on anyone it's the people of Cheongliang. That place is already creepy as it is, I wouldn't be surprised if it were the cause of that king's death" He argues.
"You're right, I didn't kill Seongji but that doesn't mean the kings will see it that way. They'll partially blame me for the coincidence that a few days after I fought him and the rest of them the guy suddenly upped and died" James sighs, sounding frustrated by not truly showing it on his face if he could help it. "Regardless of why they're banning together now, it's been a plan of theirs for a long time now. I did find it odd when several of them showed their faces here during the last tournament but now I realise it was an onsite scouting mission for them" James deduces.
Gun remembers it, seeing the Kings of Ansan, Daegu, Suwon, and the former king of Seoul all in one place. Even the entry of some of their underlings and fellow crew members such as Public and Seokdu's staffing agency should have been a red flag since the beginning. It had all been too sudden, but Gun had assumed it was the kings passing their torches down to their students, nothing more and nothing less.
"Out of this list of fighters which is significantly smaller than previous tournaments, I can already tell who will be reaching the one-on-one fights" Gun snorts. None of the other no-named fighters stood a chance against the kings, the initial brawl stage was settled before it even got the chance to get started.
"Honestly it's a matter of who reaches the final stage, it's already obvious that they'll choose to fight one of us and when I mean one of us, I definitely mean James here" Goo points to the redhead who was staring at the list absentmindedly.
"I wouldn't mind going up against them, a rematch would showcase how much they've either grown or how much they've regressed" James hums and it was done so with a tinge of fondness.
James may have defeated and taken everything away from these kings, but he also had many memories with them. Furthermore, a large part of his training and growth was because of these guys. He would have never awakened all his true potential and abilities if it weren't for them.
"Still, the fact that they've been conspiring together to do this for so long and we hadn't realised it until now is a larger concern" Gun crosses his arms. "It's showcasing that our control is slipping, they shouldn't be able to think they can do this without consequences" Gun grumbles.
"It's hard to be scared of someone when they're younger than you" Goo snorts and that was just a reminder of how young the three Founders were in comparison to the other generations.
The second generations were babies in comparison to them but the first and 0 generation were significantly older. Of course, the older generations wouldn't find fear in three individuals such as them.
"You should have beat that fear into them harder" Gun drones on, feeling a headache coming on.
"I think I beat them into a state of vindication, all these bitter old men want is revenge and so long as we win then there's nothing to worry about. I am the strongest after all" James grins cockily only for Gun to throw a pen at his head and Goo to kick his chair.
"Okay Gojo Satoru, calm your ass down" Goo calls, a small smile finally making its way onto his face. "But are you sure you can handle this? We know that the odds of them picking Gun or myself are slim in comparison to you but if you need any support through this-"
"Goo, did you need support when you had to go down and fight? When you had to do it last tournament when the world was hating on the CC?" James fires back, raising a brow. Goo's silence was enough of an answer. "I didn't think so, I'll be fine. I'm just as strong and experienced as you. There is nothing that these kings can do that would defeat me, they may surprise me, but I will adapt. That's what makes us the best in Korea" he reasons, and Goo and Gun find themselves nodding.
Gun had faith that James would be fine. Goo didn't look as comforted by the thought even if he tried for a confident smile. James, the ever so observant one, notices this. Letting out a sigh he opens the field to the blonde.
"Look, I guess it would save me trouble if you found a way to get someone else to defeat the kings but choose the option of the money rather than a fight with us. If you can do that then all will be better for me" He points out.
Goo stares for a moment before an idea shines through his eyes.
"I have just the secret friend for that! I need to make a couple of calls; I'll talk to you two later!" With that, the blonde jumps from his chair and runs out of the room.
Both James and Gun watch him leave, amused expressions on their face.
"He's so hyper, giddy and loud, I can't imagine him as anyone's partner or lover" Gun sighs, turning to the redhead as he stands and readies himself to leave as well.
"He can be caring and nice, I'd even go as far as to say that the attributes you listed as positives to a man in a relationship" James hums, affection clear in his voice before he flickers his gaze to the dark-haired man. "Besides, I could say the same about you, I still can't believe you're dating sweet, innocent Doctor Daniel Park" He chuckles.
Gun freezes.
"That Doctor seems way too kind to be with a brute like you, but I guess opposites attract" James stands, shuffling past Gun and patting him on the shoulder. "You both work well together surprisingly, it's a good thing the two of you are so in love with one another" He murmurs.
Gun huffs out an airy laugh, the comment more amusing than depressing given their certain state of business.
"Yeah. Sure" Gun huffs before leaving the room.
.
.
.
It was an awkward dance they were both playing. Avoiding each other as much as they could without making it seem like they were doing so. Well, they both knew they were avoiding each other under the guise of giving the other some space but other onlookers didn't. Those who didn't have a clue about their relationship didn't seem phased in the slightest but those who did were a little more than confused.
"These are the new list of fighters for the upcoming tournament" Goo hums out, handing the files to the Doctor who accepts them graciously.
He flips through the papers and makes a happy glee-like noise. The list had really gone down by a couple of pages which was great for Daniel's case.
"There's fewer people" Daniel mentions off-handedly, skimming through the list of returning fighters before moving to the new individuals who he would have to arrange for check-ups with.
"Don't get your hopes up Doc, just because there's less doesn't mean it's going to be any easier. If anything, I think it's going to be even worse" Goo grumbles as he sits down on one of the patients' chairs and looks around the room as if he were checking out the decor.
A feeling of uneasiness settles over Daniel, it increases when he notices that within the returning list of fighters, there weren't any individuals from any of the big crews. None of their leaders, vices or other members were on the list, not even names from groups such as the Burn Knuckles and Ansan Public weren't on the paper. When he flips to the new names a slow rise of understanding registers in Daniel's mind.
"Is this…are these first-generation kings?" He asks, looking over to where Goo is. Daniel recognised the names, but he wasn't quite sure if this was real or not, what business did the Kings have for lowering themselves to the CC standards?
The blonde nods with a wry grin.
"Yep, a bit of a surprise attack on their side don't you think? But they've probably been planning this for ages, sending their lackeys on scouting missions here, coming here themselves to check out the facilities, rules, and other stuff and now they're attacking" Goo lists off, his knee bouncing up and down as his own hands were fidgeting with one another.
"They're not going to go easy on me with injuries, aren't they?" Daniel sighs and at Goo's sympathetic smile, the Doctor can only groan. First, it was Lineman's injury, then it was his own and now it was this group of old men. Okay, he was being mean, they're not that old but he was trying to make a point. "You seem worried, if you're worried, I feel like I should be scared shitless" He points out and Goo seems to freeze, his feet and hands pausing in place before he's trying to unwind himself.
"I'm not worried" He settles on lying and at Daniel's raised brow the blonde snorts. "Okay, I lied just a little. I am sort of worried but I'm not at the same time because even though all these Kings will be participating only one of them will be able to win the tournament and will be granted the ability to ask to duel one of us" Goo reasons and Daniel nods, it wasn't as if the Kings would all be able to jump the Founders.
Even if they could, Daniel wasn't sure if the Kings would win.
"Who do you think will get chosen to fight?" Daniel asks instead and Goo's face turns to one of annoyance.
"It's a 90% chance that it will be James since he was the one to defeat them. They'll want vengeance" Goo grunts out before letting out a grin. "But if that's what they've been planning and what they want then there's no way in hell I can just let them have this. I mean, do they really think they can do all this scheming, preventing other fighters and groups from joining the tournament, ruining our revenue, and not suffer consequences?" The blonde giggles and Daniel feels worried churn in his stomach.
"Goo, what did you do?" Daniel rubs his face, groaning out the words and waiting in worry for his response.
Goo stands up and rushes over to the Doctor, grabbing the files and flipping the pages before pointing a finger at a name.
"I have a friend that will be joining the CC, it took several hours of convincing over the phone, but he eventually agreed" Goo grins gleefully. "He said he'll fight the other Kings and that if he wins, he'll just take the money" He explains.
Daniel stares at the name before nodding, although he still feels unsure of this plan. Was Goo really trying to interfere with the tournament? Was this legal? Did the other Founders know? Before he could ask anything, Goo speaks again.
"Appointments with all the new people have already been arranged into your schedule, my guy will also be coming too but he might be a little late since he'll be coming from the airport" Goo informs before he sobers up. "Try and not look him in the eye for too long, he might be a friend of mine but he's still…he's still dangerous. Be careful around him, actually be careful around all of them, just because they seem like nice people doesn't mean they'll always be nice, they were the best of the best gangsters at one point Doc" Goo warns and Daniel nods.
"I'll take that into consideration, thanks."
.
.
.
The rest of the week and weekend passed on without any fuss, Daniel was still avoiding Gun and vice versa as well. It was surprisingly quite easy to do since their paths rarely crossed when they weren't actively wanting to meet and see each other. It just went to show how much effort they both spent wanting to be with each other and now it was nothing short of depressing.
With each passing day when Daniel didn't get to see Gun, didn't get to talk to him, all he could feel was his heart ripping to pieces. Even during the regular fight nights, just seeing him at a distance in the VIP booth felt horrible simply because he could see the man but couldn't do anything to talk to him. The entire three nights, Gun didn't look at him once. It also didn't help that Shintaro was in the booth with his men.
A little longer.
That's what Daniel told himself. He didn't want to go to Gun whilst he was still pissed, he needed to wait a little while longer to let him cool off and settle with everything. Then Daniel would go in and explain himself with all the confidence he gathered during the waiting period. Gun needed to see that he was genuine about his feelings.
'The new drug test kits were dropped off in Gun's office' - James.
Daniel curses internally. Why couldn't the kits be in James' room or Goo's?! Why Gun's room?!
Daniel debates between getting one of the other employees to grab the boxes or going in person. At the end of the day, he decides to do it himself because if there's one thing that Gun hates more than losers it is losers who run away from a fight. Just because they were in a bit of an argument and were avoiding each other didn't mean they couldn't act professionally around each other. So, Daniel heads to the office and stands at the door for several minutes, debating whether he should knock or just go in.
He settles on knocking because he's not a rude person.
Knock, Knock
'Please don't be in, please don't be in… ' He felt sick, mumbling the mantra under his breath but he really, really, really hoped Gun wasn't in. Once upon a time, he hated seeing Gun's face, then he loved seeing it and wanted to see it every single day, then he hated it again and then he loved it, and now he's back to feeling dread at seeing it.
It really was a cycle.
"Come in"
At the order, Daniel curses, scuffling the floor and silently groaning before composing himself. Taking in a deep breath and making sure his face was blank, he entered. Gun was of course at his desk, doing what he usually does. He looks up briefly, pausing from his work as he takes in the sight of Daniel who gingerly walks closer after shutting the door.
"Doctor Park" Gun greets stiffly.
Daniel couldn't help but wince. He hated it when Gun called him that, especially in that tone of voice.
"Gun" He nods in return, feeling more out of place and awkward about the whole thing, especially since he was kicked out of this very room the last time he was here.
"What brings you here?" Gun asks and despite the words being plain and uncaring there is a hint of hope in his voice.
'Should I apologise now? Should I mention their talk?'
"I'm here to collect the drug kits" Daniel replies instead. He curses himself and Gun's face falls ever so slightly.
"Of course, they're on the desk" He gestures to the coffee table.
Daniel nods, seeing two large boxes. He heads over to the table, testing out the weight of one of them and noting that they weren't too heavy, so he stacks them on top of each other.
"You should carry them one at a time, don't hurt yourself" Gun speaks up suddenly and Daniel turns to see the Founder standing up from his seat, walking around his desk to approach the Doctor.
"It's fine, I got it" Daniel replies as he contemplates how he's going to do this. The weight wasn't much of an issue, Daniel was a strong boy, but the boxes were weirdly large and when they were stacked on top of each other they would obscure his vision, furthermore, he couldn't carry one in each arm simply due to how wide they were.
Gun's reasoning for carrying one at a time was logical but Daniel didn't want to come back to this office any more than he had to.
"Don't be foolish, you'll hurt yourself. Here, I'll help you carry them then" Gun grumbles, standing next to Daniel who lifts the boxes before Gun can reach out to grab one himself.
Spending time in Gun's office was one thing. Having Gun help him carry something and spending time in tense silence as they walk back to his office is another.
"N-No! I've got it…just get the door for me" Daniel replies, holding the boxes away from the man and turning to look away. He didn't want to see Gun's expression; he couldn't face him right now.
There was a tense silence but eventually, the elder moved, his footsteps moving towards the door. Daniel follows, shuffling slowly and trying to visualise his pathway. Gun opens the door, and Daniel miscalculates the opening as he walks into the other.
"Daniel just gives me the goddamn box, you're going to end up killing yourself like this" Gun demands, anger rising in his voice and Daniel trembles.
He didn't mean to make the other man angry; he just didn't want to be an inconvenience. He didn't want Gun thinking he couldn't do shit without the help of someone else. He didn't want this.
"I'm sorry" Daniel huffs as the box in front of his face disappears.
"Tch" Gun marches out of the office and Daniel follows, a few steps behind the man.
The walk is about as horrible as Daniel thought it would be. He should have just agreed to let the elder help him in the first place than deny him and then piss him off by being an inconvenience. Now Gun was mad, storming to the medical room without so much as a look back. The outline of his shoulders, raised, squared, and brimming with tense anger did nothing to appease Daniel. If anything, they were only serving to cause the young Doctor to feel even more guilt.
Gun shouldn't be doing this. He was already such a busy person. He had so little time for petty jobs like this. He already stopped chauffeuring Daniel around because it was such a big inconvenience for him and now, he must do stuff like this. The elder must think that he was pathetic.
They reach the medical room in record time and Gun dumps the box on the floor next to Daniel's desk.
"Alright, is there anything else you need from me or can I go back to my actual job? Next time, if you know you need help with something just get one of the other employees or even a security member to help you. Don't be so stubborn and choose to do something like this by yourself" Gun grumbles, hands on his hips as he speaks, looking around the room for anything else Daniel needed his 'help' with.
"No, I'm alright now and yes, I'll make sure to ask for help next time" Daniel answers weakly, his voice sounding croaky even to his ears.
Daniel quickly wipes the stray tear that was falling down his cheek with his shoulder and rushes past the elder to drop the box down, avoiding the elder's gaze and face.
"You can go now" Daniel states, grabbing a retractable knife to cut open the box and making it seem like he was busy. "Sorry for…sorry for taking up your time" He mumbles, pretending to survey the inside of the box as if he hadn't seen this sort of material before.
There was a pause.
Eventually, Gun's retreating footsteps are all he hears and once the door shuts, Daniel deflates onto the floor. Sitting down on the cold tiles, Daniel freely wipes his face from the few tears that had made it past his eyes before letting out a defeated sigh. He was getting sick of crying, letting out his emotions and expressing himself be damned, the skin on his face was going to become irritated and he was going to walk around with a red rash on his face at this point.
"God, I'm the worst" Daniel grumbles to himself, feeling more than stupid at how pathetic their interaction was.
Gun had every right to be mad. He had every right to be pissed off with Daniel after everything he said. He had every right to be annoyed when he was being bothered whilst he was in the middle of doing work. Still, why did the man's attitude hurt him so badly?
It was well known that Gun acts like a dick. Everyone and their mothers knew the man was an asshole, Daniel KNOWS that he was an asshole but after getting a taste for how sweet Gun could be, it hurt even worse now that he was reverted to being treated just like any other regular person. As if Daniel wasn't special at all to the man.
Steeling himself that this would be the new reality of his relationship with Gun the Doctor stands up from the floor and starts setting up the new kits, after all, he had appointments with several of the new tournament contestants that afternoon. He didn't need Gun bothering his thoughts whilst he was doing that.
.
.
.
Due to the shortened list of people, Daniel had decided against contacting Jay for help during the examination with the new tournament contestants. Sure, it would have been great to have a friend and nurse around to help him, but he also didn't want to bother the other male. Not when he's been such a bother to other people already.
"Doctor Park" A voice greets the room along with the opening of a door.
"Ah, Officer Kwak, come in," Daniel smiles in greeting. It wasn't his usual bright smile, but it wasn't fake either. It had been a while since he had seen the police officer, so it felt nice for Daniel to see the man.
Following in behind the man were his two brothers who were curiously looking around the room but gleefully whispering to one another. At Daniel's gaze on them, Jichang lets out a defeated sigh.
"I hope you don't mind the entourage; they've been begging to come back to the CC since the first time and when I told them that I would be competing they decided to tag along. I told them it was just a physical examination by you and that we wouldn't be doing much else they still insisted on coming" Jichang explains, an exasperated expression on his face as he gestures to the two brothers. Despite the annoyance, the fondness the older man had for his younger brothers was clear and it was sweet.
"It's alright, they're free to just sit and wait" Daniel gestures to the spare chairs.
"Thanks, Doc" Both Jihan and Jibeom grin, giggling to themselves like teenage girls before going to the seats. "Take good care of our hyung, Doc" Jihan adds cheekily and again, Jichang lets out a deep sigh before turning back to the Doctor.
"Ignore them" The officer prompts and Daniel nods, smiling in amusement.
The physical is just like any other physical. He makes sure to ask the man about any past injuries or sickness, any medication he's currently taking, any current pains he should know about and whether he's had a past of drug usage which seemed redundant to be asking an officer but he answers each question without judgement or hesitance. When it comes to Daniel measuring the man and assessing his past injuries, the scars on his left hand seem to be the worst.
Daniel assesses them, frowning at how deep each scar ran as well as how messy it was, the injury could have only been caused by excessive force and a very sharp object like a knife.
"Did…did James do this to you?" Daniel can't help but ask. He's heard of the rumours that James was the one to go against the Kings in the past, that he had taken away something from each King he went against. Hell, he's seen the injuries on some of the other Kings, so he knows it to be true.
"No" Jichang surprisingly answers, and Daniel tilts his head up only to notice how close he had gotten to the officer.
Those piercing silver eyes were still as intimidating as the first time that Daniel had been graced by the sight of them at the police station.
"It was someone else" Jichang mutters with an underlying tone of resentment before he pulls the hand away from Daniel's own, instead he reaches up and grabs Daniel by the chin. "You've been crying and judging by the dark circles under your eyes you haven't been sleeping either. Is everything okay with you, Doctor Park?" Jichang suddenly asks, switching the subject.
Daniel stares back with wide eyes before blinking several times and then eventually pulling his head away from the man. Stepping back, ensuring there was distance between them, Daniel settled on a professional answer.
"Of course, it's just been a little bit hectic for me and some personal issues" Daniel then presents his best smile to the elder. "Of course, this won't affect the care you'll be receiving from me. I place patient care above anything else and on the nights of the tournament I will be requesting the assistance of another Doctor" He informs the man.
Daniel has learnt from the past that having someone like Collin around for the tournament was an immense help in comparison to the previous time. He was going to make the same request to his uncle this time round and he was sure that Jinyoung would be more than happy to send someone who could be spared to help.
Jichang looked slightly put off by how reserved Daniel had acted but he nodded with a firm smile.
"That is good to hear" He hums.
"Hey Doc, can I ask you a question!" A voice pipes up and both heads turn to the two other occupants in the room. "I've been watching the CC for a long time, so I've witnessed a lot of gruesome injuries as a spectator, but I was wondering, are the injuries as severe and dangerous as they seem? Like, I've gotten into fights before and I've gotten out with a few bruises and scrapes here and there but they aren't all that bad. Is it the same here in the CC?" Jihan questions as Jibeom kicks his chair to be quiet.
The youngest brother shoots the middle child an annoyed look in return.
Daniel was surprised by the sudden question but considered it. Despite all the serious cases that Daniel has had to deal with, he could count them all on one hand, they really were all bruises and cuts. On top of that were the broken and dislocated bones but those came from rougher fights.
"The cuts and bruises are what comes out of the CC but there are of course other risks that you need to be aware of and take into consideration when choosing to participate. These are serious fights with little to no rules at all, some things are bound to go wrong but so long as you're diligent and careful then I don't believe you would be in too much harm" Daniel states honestly.
Yes, the number of serious injuries was less than a handful, but it still exists. Every CC fighter signs a contract with the information that anything could happen.
"See brother?! The Doc says that if I'm careful then I should be fine!" Jihan shouts, directing his focus onto Jichang who was rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"You are not participating and that is final, don't bring up this conversation again" Jichang snaps out and Jihan's grin drops instantly.
"B-But…you're participating…why can't I?" Jihan grumbles under his breath.
"And I have told you that the reason I'm doing this is because-" Jichang cuts himself off, his eyes flickering back to where Daniel was standing awkwardly. "I have told you my reasons, don't make me repeat it and stop arguing with me on this and just listen to me for once" The officer lectures.
Jihan glares defiantly from his seat, Jichang breathes heavily and Jibeom alternates between looking from his youngest to his eldest brother, lost on what to do.
"Why don't we all just calm down and let the good Doctor do his job without the family drama" Jibeom tries, and the two men snap their heads away from each other.
Jichang clears his throat, an embarrassed flush on his cheeks as he turns to address Daniel.
"Jibeom is right, fighting like this in front of you, what are we thinking? Please, continue with the examination" Jichang nods and Daniel agrees.
It's a few minutes later before Daniel is thrusting the drug kit into Jichang's hands and pointing to the bathroom. The officer looked impressed that the CC even had drug testing kits but nodds and heads to the bathroom.
As soon as the door shuts with an audible lock, Jihan starts grumbling under his breath.
"I don't get it, just because he's the oldest and has custody over us doesn't mean he can just be a hypocrite. He's always going on and on about taking care of us, keeping us safe and then he does the opposite when it comes to himself" The baby serpent hisses and Jibeom pats his brother's shoulder.
"You know he's just doing his best" Jibeom tries.
"His best would have been not to get involved in all this gang shit in the first place and let us all live a normal life. Now we all have to sit by and watch him put himself in danger again because of his ties to the other Kings" Jihan argues, his voice rising slightly with each word but by the end of the sentence, he glances at the bathroom door in hesitance, as if waiting for Jichang to burst through to yell at him again.
"That's not fair to him and you know it, everything he has done up until this point has been to take care of us" Jibeom reasons and Jihan deflates.
"I guess so" He huffs out.
"He's right you know, even now your brother is trying to protect you" Daniel adds his input, already feeling like he was intruding just by listening to their conversation, might as well join it since he was just waiting for Jichang. "I know I said that the list of minor injuries is more likely to occur than serious ones. It doesn't rule out the fact that they're all injuries and that either can happen. If you don't need to be involved in the CC, then I don't recommend joining" he prompts.
Jihan raises a brow.
"You think so, Doc?" Jihan asks.
"I know so," Daniel nods.
Jihan considers the words before nodding as well.
"I guess so…It's just that, I've been a fan of the CC since the beginning, even after the whole Founders going around and putting crews and gangs in their place's thing, I was a fan of the CC even when I shouldn't have been. Even when my brother loathes it…I've always dreamed about participating in it when I know I shouldn't and now that my brother is doing it…it feels like betrayal" Jihan explains and again, Jibeom is rubbing his younger brother on the back comfortingly.
"I don't think your brother is doing this out of spite or betrayal against you, if it wasn't for his past and his relation to the other Kings, I don't think your brother would want anything to do with the CC in the slightest" Daniel reasons calmly. "I know it might be hard but don't take it too personally, he does care for you" he adds just before the door of the bathroom clicks open.
They fall silent as Jichang re-enters the room, handing the kit back to Daniel who takes it and continues with the rest of the examination. It doesn't take much longer and just as the kit comes out clear, Daniel tells the family of three that he's finished.
"You two, wait outside, I need a quick word with Doctor Park" Jichang states and the two brothers move without any further questions, passing Jichang with curious looks.
"Don't stay back to flirt with the Doctor for too long" Jibeom remarks casually and Jichang scuffs him in the back of the head softly before he exits the room.
Once gone, Jichang turns to Daniel with a soft smile.
"I heard what you were saying to Jihan whilst I was in the bathroom, thanks for reasoning with him. You didn't need to involve yourself in our drama, but I am thankful for the words you spoke" Jichang explains and Daniel shrugs.
"I was just telling the truth," Daniel hums before patting the officer on the shoulder. "You really care for your brothers and it's sweet. You have a good heart Jichang" he tells the man who looked surprised by the admission.
"Thanks…I should get going, you probably have another appointment, don't you?" He asks and Daniel nods.
Daniel sees the officer out the door, waving goodbye to the man before noticing that his next appointment is already present. Just outside, chatting with Jihan and Jibeom was none other than Taesoo and Hudson. By chatting it seemed more like the two Kwak brothers were engaging in friendly conversation with Hudson whereas Taesoo watched on silently like a guard Dog. At Jichang's entry, the Kwak brothers break off, saying their goodbyes and Taesoo and Jichang exchange nods and grunts with each other before splitting.
On the way down the hall, Daniel catches sight of Jichang messing Jihan's hair up fondly as the younger protests in indignation.
"Alright, come on in you two" Daniel calls for Taesoo and Hudson who was here to chaperon. Once inside Daniel restarts his physical examination.
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The rest of the evening is a rinse and repeat, with several others coming in for the exams. Some faces he recognises, some he doesn't. Seokdu comes in with Changyong and Dosu. Jaegyeon Na, a fashionable yet childish man who Daniel'd never met before either rambled on about why he needed to be here or about the newest sports car he brought. Doksu Heo, a man with prominent brow bones and a stocky build, held little words or need for conversation. Jinyoung Go was impeccably dressed and polite but looked like he was ready to leave several minutes into the physical, continuously pulling out his pocket watch to check the time.
Then there was Gongseob who was accompanied by Zack of all people.
Daniel sends the boxer a confused look when he enters the room with the monk walking in front of him.
"I knew he was your new teacher but you're taking him to doctor appointments now? Are you sure you're not his dutiful son?" Daniel snickers as Zack's face scrunches up at the words.
"Yeah, no," Zack huffs, crossing his arms.
"Who are you calling a father? I'm only at the tender age of twenty-six" Gongseob grunts, before pointing a finger at Zack. "And you, you'd be lucky to have someone like me as a father! I'd be great as a dad! I'd pamper you, teach you how to have fun, get lucky with girls and beat you to a pulp just to teach you how to fight" He announces only for Zack to snap back.
"You already beat me to a pulp! And you already try to do those other things" He points out.
"Alright, all right you two. Settle down" Daniel calms them, gesturing for Zack to take a seat and for Gongseob to begin the exam. He goes through all the list of questions, making sure to ask about further things.
When it comes down to any past injuries Daniel should know about the Monk lifts his robe to display his prosthetic leg which catches Daniel off guard. He nods at the leg, making note of it before moving on with the appointment. It comes time for the drug test and before Daniel can even gesture to the bathroom the man is doing his business right in front of the two.
"OH MY GOD! USE THE BATHROOM LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!" Zack shouts, embarrassed by the fact that his master was pissing shamelessly right in front of everyone.
"Sir, please go into the bathroom" Daniel squeaks, turning away quickly to avoid staring at a Monk's surprisingly well-endowed member.
"It's fine, it's fine, I won't spill anything. I have good aim" The man chuckles as the sound of piss fills their ears.
"Oh, for the love of God-" "In this household we're Buddhists, Zack" Gongseob reprimands.
By the time he's finished his business and handing the kit to Daniel the rest of the examination goes by smoothly. There is a part in the middle of it where Daniel asks if he's consumed any alcohol recently and the monk has the gall to giggle and say 'I'm just a boy' before skipping out of the room with a traumatised Zack in tow.
"I'm so sorry for him, you'd think he'd have some sense in him since he's a monk, but he doesn't" Zack apologises but Daniel shakes his head.
"I'm so sorry you have to deal with him as a teacher" Daniel retorts and they both snort.
"He's a good teacher, my boxing has improved immensely…I'll show you sometime" Zack grins as he rushes after his master who had disappeared faster than anyone would expect.
By the time it gets down to the last meeting, Daniel feels exhausted. He should have asked for Jay to come in and help…it was too late now to think about that. He just needed to focus on the last appointment for the day and then go out and grab some food to eat.
A knock on the door alerts Daniel and he's quick to call out a soft 'come in' before someone is stepping in. Daniel turns around, plastering his usual Doctor's smile on and turning around only to come to a screeching halt. He drops his clipboard and pen, gaping at the person who is standing there.
His mind is registering the appearance of the man and all it can conclude is the name 'Jake Kim' but whoever this person was, he was not Jake. His face held similar features to the Big Deal leader, but this guy looked older, the air he gave off was far colder and more dangerous than the kind and confident Jake and he was also bigger and taller.
"Doctor Park?" The Jake imposter questions, his voice far deeper and rustier than what Daniel was used to or was expecting from the man. All he can do is blink several more times before nodding tentatively.
"Yes sir" He responds after a moment and after a judging look from the tall imposter. This receives a raised brow.
"It's Gitae Kim, your 6 o'clock Appointment" Gitae drones out and Daniel nods.
"Oh…OH! Right, yes, yes, my last appointment" Daniel nods, swiftly spinning around and urging the taller to follow him inside. "I apologise for that, I just…you look like somebody I know, and the resemblance is quite uncanny" He mentions.
"Maybe I just have one of those faces" Gitae retorts but there was no annoyance or anger in his voice, instead there was a hint of amusement as he stood there, watching Daniel with a cocked hip. "Alright, let's get this appointment done and over with, I'm far too jet-lagged to be doing this right now" The man groans aloud, coming to stand right in front of Daniel.
The Doctor leans away just as Gitae leans forward into his space.
"So come on short stuff, chop chop" Gitae urges, and Daniel was unsure if he liked this guy's attitude.
"Of course," Daniel graces him with a wide and fake smile before turning away. "Short? SHORT? I'm not that short" He grumbles under his breath, beyond pissed by the comment.
"What was that?" Gitae calls.
"Nothing!" Daniel calls back.
Daniel performs the physical, asking all the questions that he's asked over a hundred times that day before he eventually registers something.
"Wait, you mentioned that you were jet lagged…did you just get off a plane?" Danie raises a brow and Gitae sighs.
"Yes," Gitae grunts and Daniel ignores the tone.
"You don't happen to be Goo's friend, do you?" Daniel inquires and suddenly Gitae's bored expression changes to one of interest.
"That blonde idiot mentioned me to you? Huh…either he's gotten lax on security and is an even bigger idiot than I remember, or he trusts you with the information of who I am" Gitae looks Daniel up and down.
"Um, he just said that he had a special person coming by to help with the tournament situation, he didn't say who you were…" Daniel explains gingerly, trying to keep the intimidating man away and uninterested in him. Some too many questionable men were interested in him already.
"I see" Gitae nods.
"So, where did you fly in from?" Daniel asks curiously.
"Mexico" Gitae states. "And before you ask me any questions about what I was doing over there, don't bother. It's classified and you wouldn't want to know anyway" He shrugs off the questions and Daniel sighs before continuing with the tests.
When it finally gets to the drug test, Gitae stares at the cup dubiously before looking up at the Doctor.
"Do I have to do this?" He asks.
"Yes," And Daniel's tone left no room for argument. The fact that the man already seemed sceptical of the test and reluctant to do it was suspicious enough. Gitae moves to the bathroom to do his business, and Daniel decides to use the time alone to search through the guy's file.
There wasn't much information known about the man, even his family details were kept concealed. The man's appearance as well as his family name being 'Kim' led Daniel to believe that he was related to Jake in some way but other than that there was nothing else. Kim was a common family name in Korea and just because they held similar features didn't mean they were related.
"This enough?" Gitae asks as he comes out of the bathroom and Daniel nods.
Several long minutes pass by and any suspicion of drugs having been consumed are relieved as the tests come out clear. Gitae nods in pride before Daniel finishes off the examination.
"You're all clear, good luck for Friday," Daniel tells the man who smirks.
"Luck? I don't need it" Gitae snarks back cockily and Daniel frowns. "I'm the best of the best after all" He adds after seeing the look that Daniel was giving him.
"The CC tournament is a surprising place, you know? Not everything always goes to plan" Daniel hums out as a warning but the other merely shrugs it off.
"Maybe I am the surprise this time around" He flashes a sharp grin before collecting the leather jacket that he had stripped off during the check-up. Daniel's eyes track the movement, how his bare chest and muscles flex and move as he puts it back on. "If that'll be all, I'll get going now shorty" Gitae announces, and Daniel grits his teeth as he smiles.
With a wink, the Jake look-alike was gone.
With the last patient out, Daniel sinks into his chair with a deep sigh. He was drained from the day, and he was hungry. He could make it to the kitchen before it closes for the night before leaving for home but the thought of rushing for the bus takes any leftover energy out of him. Daniel couldn't help but feel horrible after being spoiled by Gun after all this time, being his passenger princess without genuinely appreciating the man for what he's done.
Dragging himself upright he decides to head to the kitchen before heading to his room at the CC, it had been ages since he stayed the night in the building and just as much time since he's cleaned out or aired the room.
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The next two days are filled with appointments with several other new participants for the CC and sending the reports of the participants to with James or Gun. Goo drops by occasionally to check up on him or just to chat and sometimes some of the regular fighters will swing by to ask him to join them for lunch.
Life doesn't feel all that different with or without Gun, the day goes on and on even if Gun doesn't make an appearance and Daniel can't help but find that both a relief and upsetting. Daniel has been so focused on his job and the tasks that have been set out on his shoulders that he barely finds the time to think about how to reconcile with his boyfriend the only moments he has to think of a solution are the minutes he falls into bed before falling asleep. As more hours and days drag on the opportunity to speak, the moments to talk to the man seem to grow farther away. The more unsure Daniel feels about seeing and speaking to the man, the more scared that he'll be brushed off or berated again.
Suddenly Daniel finds himself getting ready the morning of the Friday before the 19th Tournament of the CC is set to begin later that night. He's putting away the last of the new stock of materials he's ordered before asking some of the security members to help him with the setup of the rooms. They kept the style of the medical set-up area and the new waiting area that was created during the last tournament, keeping it as efficient as possible so that when people were moving around, they weren't being squashed between others or equipment.
James had given him the green light that Workers were still allowing them to use the private-use first responders and that Taejin would be coming by within the hour to meet up with Daniel. Nurse Hong was also on his way, stuck in the morning traffic but keeping up in updating the Doctor that he would be arriving soon. As for the hired help that Daniel had asked his uncle to send him, he was arriving now.
Daniel had gotten confirmation from his uncle that he would be sending someone to help him, and he had felt nothing but relief at the thought of having another qualified Doctor on board again. Having Collin by his side during the previous tournament and sometime after that had been great, it had been even better when they became friends. Daniel could only hope that it was Collin who was yet again assigned to the CC or at least someone nice.
"What the hell did you do?!" A voice shouts from across the room and Daniel's head snaps in the direction it comes from. He had just been chatting to a security member about where to set up the beds when the words filled his ears.
Daniel catches sight of the furious expression on the man's face and immediately the Doctor feels nothing but a sense of dread. Worse than the dread he felt when he realised it was Collin who would be working with him initially.
It was Jeremy.
The ugly sneer on his lips doesn't falter as he marches up to Daniel who quickly excuses himself from the security member.
"Doctor Kim, it's a pleasure to see you, welcome" Daniel attempts to greet but Jeremy's nostrils flare at the words. He grabs Daniel by the collar of his shirt and drags him away aggressively, not wanting to worry the others he merely smiles and waves other people away before following placatingly.
Ending up in a more secluded room Jeremy rounds on Daniel with a nasty growl.
"What the hell have you done? Why the fuck did the Director tell me to come here and help you with this stupid tournament?!" He sneers and Daniel's smile falls as he raises a brow.
"I feel like I'm having Deja vu with this conversation, Collin asked the same thing when he was assigned here last time" Daniel snorts. "And to answer your question, I didn't do anything other than ask for someone to come and help me for the tournament. I didn't ask for you specifically if that's what you're worried about" He states, crossing his arms as he watches the other doctor's movements.
"Tch well, you must have done SOMETHING because why the hell would he ask ME to come HERE?! To this shitty hell hole to do this charity work?!" Jeremy seethes. "It can't be a coincidence that he asked Collin last time and now me! You're doing this for revenge" He grits out and Daniel sighs.
"I wish I could say that I cared about you enough to do this in petty revenge, but I don't" Daniel shakes his head. "And really, I'm not doing this for revenge. It's because my uncle does think you're trustworthy and competent and that's why he sent you here" He points out even if he doesn't want to mention that the other was a good Doctor.
Jeremy remains silent for a moment before frowning even further as he thinks about the situation.
"I don't even want to be here" He grunts after a minute and Daniel snorts.
"Yeah, well I'd prefer Collin over you which brings me to my question, how come Collin wasn't sent here?" Daniel inquires curiously and Jeremy grunts in response.
"He has an important case; a child needs a heart transplant, and the surgery is scheduled tomorrow. He's the assisting surgeon" He explains and Daniel whistles, impressed by the case and for Collin's luck to be assigned to something so important. "Also, what the hell did you do to Collin? Ever since he came back from working at the CC he's changed! He's always telling me to shut up when I mention you or the CC and he's not the same anymore! What did you do to my best friend?!" Jeremy glares, approaching Daniel in an intimidating manner, only it doesn't work since Jeremy is only just slightly shorter than him and after working in this CC for this long, nothing can seem all that scary anymore.
"I didn't do anything to Collin, we just worked side by side and came to an understanding of one another" Daniel responds, annoyed that he was being attacked for something like this. It wasn't his fault that Collin reconsidered and became a decent person, and it wasn't his fault that Jeremy couldn't understand that his quote-on-quote best friend didn't want to bully someone anymore.
Jeremy's glare intensifies but he eventually backs away and clicks his tongue.
"I know you did something to him, whether you'll admit it or not it doesn't matter" Jeremy concludes before turning his nose up. "That being said just because I'm working here for the time being it doesn't mean that WE will come to any understanding. You don't like me, and I can't stand you, so let's just do our business and ignore each other, yes?" He orders as if Daniel had any other plans other than this.
"Of course not, after these three nights we'll go back to normal. You can go back and work at SNMU and I can stay here" Daniel nods, finally coming to something they can agree on.
"Good" Jeremy spins around on the balls of his feet before pausing as he looks left and right.
Daniel raises a brow at the action.
"You have no clue where everything or anything is, do you?" Daniel sighs.
"Shut up!"
"Come on then, I'll give you the mandatory tour that I gave Collin as well as the rundown then we can do our own thing like we said. Come along" Daniel huffs and Jeremy reluctantly follows.
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Jeremy, unlike Collin, doesn't try to charm other people he meets. There are no pleasant smiles and sweet words to get other people on his side, no fake persona that can sugarcoat his awful and cocky personality. He smirks, the tone of his voice is haughty and doesn't hide the distaste on his face when he comes across fighters or other employees. There are no kind handshakes and 'Pleasure to meet you' or 'I hope we can work well together these next few nights. It's all limited to grunts and nods.
Daniel doesn't know whether he should feel frustrated by the biased behaviour or relieved that everyone else can see the guy for what he truly is. There are a few glances here and there, directed towards Daniel as if to question if this really was the guy that would be staying for the next few days and all he can give is a sympathetic and tired smile to showcase that he was in the exact same boat of feelings.
"It's not as run-down and pathetic as I thought it would be" Jeremy grunts as he checks out the medical set-up that was by the arena, looking over the equipment with sharp eyes.
"Of course not, fight club or not, millions of dollars go into his business a night" Daniel retorts, rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, millions of our hard-working money goes into this shit show of a business. I mean come on, a fight club for criminals. This place has brought down the image of our country" Jeremy states and Daniel does nothing to respond to him, too tired to even bother trying to conversate with the man.
"That being said, do these guys even know how horrible of a doctor you are?" Jeremy sends a scathing grin towards Daniel. "I bet you've just been lucky nothing terrible has happened so far that requires you to do any real doctor work" He remarks, and Daniel narrows his eyes.
Flashes of Warren's unconscious body, Lineman's pierced abdomen, Olly's nosebleed, Jacky's ruptured spleen, every broken bone, strained muscle, laceration, cut and bruise flickers through Daniel's mind and he can't help the snort that leaves his mouth. Jeremy's smirk falters as he stares at Daniel's amused expression.
"You've never watched the CC…have you?" Daniel asks and Jeremy's face shuts off from all emotions.
"Hah?"
"Nothing, it's just that…you're in for a real treat tonight" Daniel pushes himself off where he was leaning. "A doctor's duty is to administer care for their patients, surgery isn't the only thing that makes a doctor qualified for their role" he points out.
"Tough words from someone who can't even perform a surgery without passing out or throwing up their lunch" Jeremy retorts. "You're right, administering care is important and at least that's something the both of us can do. Surgery on the other hand, with your time here you've been missing out on all the experiences and cases that you've needed to develop whereas that isn't the case for me. You can be all fine and happy staying here playing nurse to these hooligans all you want; you can settle on this but for me? This is nowhere near enough with what I want to achieve in life" Jeremy hisses, his nostrils flaring again as he speaks.
"I'm not just here to settle" Daniel growls in return, that anger and annoyance returning.
"Really? Because all I see is someone who ran away when things got hard" Jeremy smirks before walking past Daniel and shoving his hard against his shoulder as he does so. "Although I guess it's a good thing you ran away since you only got here through nepotism, it serves you right that you're nothing but a failure" he calls back with venom.
There it was again. The accusations of nepotism, that Daniel had spent all this time coasting his way through his degree and years of study when it was false. His uncle gave him an opportunity, but Daniel had to work and study just as hard as everyone else, his uncle would have never hired him or made him into an actual doctor if he genuinely thought Daniel was a danger to patients. He wanted to hurl the words that he IS A DOCTOR at the other, but it would only be speaking to a brick wall. So instead, he asks.
"Where are you going?"
"Back to the medical room to reread the files of the patients, one of us has to be competent enough as a doctor to memorise the information, right?" And the implication that Daniel wasn't competent enough to have already remembered everything was just rubbing salt into the wound. Once Jeremy was out of sight Daniel couldn't help but let out a huff of frustration.
Frustration that had been building since his talk with Shintaro, since his fight with Gun, with the return of the tournament this season and now Jeremy undermining everything about him so openly. Before Daniel can stop himself, he feels his body react, he throws a fist, and it lands against the nearest wall.
He stays there momentarily, heaving in deep breaths he tries to calm himself down.
"Doctor?! Are you alright?! We heard a loud noise coming from here!" A voice calls and several footsteps rush into the room.
Daniel snaps out of his anger, pulling his hand out of the hole that he had created in the wall before straightening up, masking his emotions he turns to the few guards that had been alerted.
"Oh gosh, this is embarrassing. I slipped and fell into the wall but when I accidentally tried to stop myself my hand went through the wall" He remarks, pointing to the broken piece of wall. "I'm so sorry about this, this is too embarrassing" Daniel apologises, and the group shake their heads.
"It's okay Doctor, we'll patch it as best as we can for now" One guard states and Daniel nods before smiling.
"Thank you, I'll leave it to you guys then" He states before moving away from the scene.
Despite having punched a hole in the wall Daniel doesn't feel bad, nor does the entirety of his frustration and anger dissipate.