-generations, 1st generation, hell even a 1.5-generation and soon-to-be 2nd generation fighters exist. Korea and specifically Seoul couldn't catch a break from all these gangsters and delinquents being born to fight and cause havoc. It was an endless and ruthless cycle that seemed to restart with every new decade and at this point, the regular citizens of Seoul were beyond tired of having to deal with all the problems that came with a new generation of fighters.
The police and local authorities could be called useless and corrupt and whilst they attempted their very best to draw these gangsters and delinquents in they failed spectacularly every time. These kids, teens and young adults would always go crawling back to their gangs and crews after being reprimanded, punished or arrested by the police. The anger and tension that ran through every street overpowered their non-existent fear of the authorities.
It reached the point where the president of South Korea called for a national state of emergency over how many brawls and fights were initiated in the span of a month which resulted in immense property damage, injured bystanders and even death. He made a call for action, if anyone could come up with any ideas to resolve the issue no matter how ridiculous it was then he would allow it to be enforced.
Many suggested bringing the military in to take care of these people; others suggested using capital punishment. Both were too harsh and the last options that any political member would ever consider implementing. Then one day a simple conglomerate businessman came up with a better idea.
"The only reason they fight is because they're angry and their pride won't let them back down. Nothing is going to stop them from doing it, rather than let them do it out in public and on the streets where innocents can get involved. Why don't we relocate it to a single area that is monitored?" The sophisticated businessman speaks, standing tall as he stares back at the man sitting behind his desk.
"Chairman Choi, are you suggesting that we create and fund a legal fighting ring for kids to brawl with each other to near death as a means of what? Releasing tension?" Mr President asks and Charles chuckles.
"Well, when you put it that way, yes but there's a lot more detail to it than what you just said. The pros of this would be that there would be less violence in the general public, less fear and more safety. Furthermore, we know from previous generational fighters that once the next generation overpowers the former then the former end up going straight and renouncing their delinquent ways. Just give this idea a chance" Charles pleads.
"Charles this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard, if I allow this to occur then the public will say that I am promoting violence" The President frowns. "Besides, how can we know that they'll even join this fight club? They would never do it if they know it's being run by the government as a means to control them and furthermore, you really believe I can just fund this with taxpayer's money?" He lists out the problems.
"A betting system can be implemented, money can be created from this plan and it can both pay the country back for the funding and also create a monetary prize that will entice people to participate. The main reason they would participate anyways is to prove that they're better than everyone else and lucky for us I happen to employ and know some of the best fighters this country has ever seen. They don't have to know that it's run by the government, let it be known that It's my idea or whoever. Mr President, you have to see and understand that this is the last and best solution you have before resulting in using the military or special forces. You certainly wouldn't be condemning hundreds if not thousands of people to death simply for being violent. I already have a place in mind as a base, I have employees and the money to kick-start us. I just need your approval" Charles announces with more passion and charisma than the President had ever seen come from the man.
"You've already arranged for everything, haven't you?" The President asks with a sigh before running a hand down his face. "This is crazy, alright fine. I'll approve of this but Charles I better see results by the end of this year or I will shut down your operation"
"Of course, sir" Charles replies, shifting into a small bow.
"So, how will you promote this to the crews? Just because I have approved it doesn't mean I'm willing to put ads on TV for this"
"Oh, I've already got that settled" Charles smiles.
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Bodies littered the floor of the arcade, most were bloodied and bruised and some were unconscious.
"W-Who the hell are you?" One person calls, struggling to push themselves upwards. "Why did you come here to do this?" He asks before spitting out blood.
The lone man that was standing above the bodies with an unimpressed look turned to the person. Suddenly the passive face turns into one that holds a smirk.
"Doesn't matter who I am, just know that I am better, stronger and smarter than any of you combined" The man taunts.
"Our leader will destroy you when he finds out what you've done" The person gasps out, clutching their stomach.
"They can try" Pulling out a business card he throws it down onto the floor just in front of the person. "There's a time, date and location on there. Tell your leader, come find me and we'll see who's better" The man taunts before turning around and exiting the building.
Once outside the man pulls out his phone and dials a number. It rings for a moment before eventually connecting through.
"Hello? I assume that you've finished with the God Dogs? Unless you're calling because you need back up" An annoying voice states.
"Goo, are you asking to be beaten up?"
"Gun we both know that I could easily beat your ass"
There was a moment of tight tension before Gun eventually let out an aggravated sound.
"I finished with God Dogs and because you're busy making stupid comments I'm going to assume you've taken care of Hostel" Gun relays and there was humming from the other side of the phone.
"These gangs aren't all that strong, are they? And here I was hoping for something a little more fun" Goo huffs and Gun could hear the blonde pout after that statement. "I wish I could have swapped with James'. It seems like he's the only one going against stronger fighters. Taking down the first-generation leaders seems fun" and Gun rolled his eyes.
"Listen I'll meet up with you in Gangseo so hurry up and get your scrawny ass there" Gun grunts and the last sound he hears before ending the call is a loud, offended squawk that is abruptly cut off.
Staring out at the bright sky of Gangbuk, Gun shoves his phone back into his pocket.
"This better be worth it, Charles"
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Over the course of the week, well-known and infamous crews were taken down at an unprecedented speed that even the police and general public couldn't register what was happening. By the end of the month, most of Korea would have heard about the war called the Execution of the Crews. No one died despite its name but only three people stood victory against all the combined forces of the gangsters that had shown up to take revenge.
"You'll have to train for the next thousand years if you ever want to actually try to beat us" Goo laughs, standing proud over the tired bodies with his hands over his hips.
"Fuck you!" Someone from a distance calls which only makes the blonde laugh even louder.
"Stop trying to aggravate them, idiot" Gun hisses as he wipes the sweat and blood off his face. The blood of his foes of course.
"Just because you took us down this time doesn't mean we'll ever give up! We'll beat you one day!" Another person cried out and there was a wave of agreement.
"Then we'll be waiting" Gun nods, a glint of approval in his eyes at the sight of the fire in their eyes. They may have been weak but they sure had spirit, if they were kindled enough then some of them might even become monsters.
"The hell do you mean by that?" Someone asks as silence overtakes the room.
Gun and Goo turn silently to each other before turning to face their third partner who sat on a mountain of bodies, looking down at everyone with a lazy look.
"We're forming a business of sorts, vivere militare est" James states with a small smile. some of the people were casting him confused looks at the words he spoke in a different language. "Would you like to hear about it?"
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3 YEARS LATER.
"What are the matches for today?" Gun asks as he takes a look at the clipboard that was laying on the desk. Suddenly his eyebrows were raised at the names he saw.
"Warren Chae Vs Jerry Kwon" He lets out a whistle. "The vices of Hostel and Big Deal, that'll be interesting to watch" Gun nods when he feels a chin pressed onto his shoulder. Shrugging the person off and shooting them a glare, he growls.
"Geez, what are you? A dog?" Goo huffs before pointing at the list. "Anyways, I'm more interested in Nomen Vs Samuel Seo" He hummed when the door to the office was opened.
"Are you both placing bets on fights?" James asks, he was dressed in a casual white and gold sweater, and white jeans and his usual dark red hair was permed into place.
No one could deny that despite being a pretty boy, James Lee was a strong and intimidating fighter.
"Hello to you too pretty boy, and no we weren't but If I had to make a guess I'd say that Samuel has it by a slight margin. Sure, Nomen's undoubtedly strong but he gets cocky and arrogant quite easily, furthermore, I don't think Neko will be paying much attention to him since Sinu isn't fighting today" Goo explains before turning to Gun. "What about you? Who do you think will win between the number twos?" He inquires, curious to see what Gun would say.
"Jerry" Gun replies easily.
"What makes you say that? Just because he's bigger doesn't mean he's guaranteed a win" Goo pokes at Gun's side much to his annoyance, he shoves the other person away before throwing the clipboard to James who catches it quickly.
Grabbing his long, black, trench coat he puts it on easily.
"Isn't it obvious? Warren Chae, at his current level, can't possibly beat Jerry. He has a lot of untapped potential but at his current stage where he barely has a technique he's mastered, he won't be able to beat Jerry even if he tries his hardest. Jerry, of course, is holding back as usual since his leader is watching in the crowd so the fight may go on for a little longer but his strength certainly overpowers Warren" Gun deduces and Goo snorts.
"Geez ok, Mr Smarty pants" Goo laughs as he readjusts his fancy blue suit.
"Gun is right, I also have a feeling that Jerry may win" James replies as he runs his eyes down the list of fights. "Your analysis is fitting of your title, Mentor Genius. Perhaps you should teach them a few moves and give them some pointers" James teases and Gun rolls his eyes.
"Fat chance" He pulls out his shades and places them on his face, hiding the scars that ran across the bridge of his nose. "They'll have to beg me if they want my advice and we all know how much they secretly or not secretly hate us" He huffs before making his way to the door.
"Is it already time to head out?" Goo hops after Gun as James follows.
"Yes, it is" He reaches into his pocket to pull out his phone, taking note of the time as well as a couple of messages he had received. "The Chairman says that the bets on the fight have nearly doubled since two weeks ago, we should make sure that today goes smoothly without any fouls" He hums in approval as they leave the office, making sure to lock it after them before drifting down the hallways.
To anyone who had never been to the compound before, it might have been a maze, but the three who practically lived and worked there for the last three years easily maneuver their way through the silent corridors. They climb a couple of flights of stairs before eventually reaching a door. The silence was slowly being overtaken by the sound of faint roars and cheers of a crowd with each step.
As the noise gradually gets louder the excitement from the three also grows.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to the thrill and none of us is even fighting today" Goo grins as he twists the door knob to the VIP seatings.
"The tournament's restarting next month and we'll be streaming it again" James mentions. "The website basically crashed the last time we streamed the tournament so this time Charles has Kouji managing the site with a team to fix anything that might go wrong. The fact that we were able to get over 100k views on our site alone was amazing as it is, especially since it's an independent site and not Kwitch or Newtube"
The statistics alone for how much the popularity of their business 'Crew Corporation' had grown since the beginning was tremendous. In the beginning, there was no streaming or broadcasting and there had barely been any fighters that were willing to comply with the rules. News of their business spread through people's mouths but even then it was hard to believe that something like a fighting ring could be orchestrated through legal means without the police and government's approval. So most fighters had been antsy about getting involved due to the thought of repercussions which was a first since prior to that they had never thought about the consequences of their actions before. Yet when one-day Chairman Choi showed up with the Chief of police and a group of other officers to watch the matches, it then dawned on people that the Police and politics were promoting the club.
Just like that, the uproar circled throughout most of the crews as more and more fighters showed up to compete. It didn't help that Gun, Goo and James micro-managed any fights that occurred outside of the ring, usually taking down both sides and reprimanding them for their actions.
'Do you realise how many people you've put in danger because of your actions? Grow up!'
'Rather than fighting outside like this where you can face punishment, settle it in our ring'
'If you don't like what we're doing, come and beat us at the tournament'
Those kinds of comments were said which made people's burning passion against the trio ignite even further. Eventually, their business grew so large that most of the general public couldn't ignore it anymore. There had been a protest that the business was illegal or wrong but once shown the statistics for how far gang violence had fallen it made people pause. Eventually, the only protest people did against the business was under their own breath, as long as they were safe then why should they argue against what was happening? No one was fighting against their will, people could quit at any time.
As a larger variety of fighters came to be, the fights became more intense and interesting to watch. More people from different crews and even the public from all around Korea and even other countries like Japan and China came by to watch the outcomes which kickstarted the betting portion of the business. Crew Corps was added to the list of twenty-two other facilities around South Korea that were protected by Article 246 (1) which allowed certain places to operate gambling businesses legally. The government found that the statistics of good that the business had done for the country allowed it this privilege.
Thus their website was created, allowing the fights to be streamed online so people from anywhere could view the fights and make bets, winners of the bets and the winning fighters were all paid a percentage of the money that was made whilst the rest of the money went to paying the staff members, improvements to the facility and to Gun, Goo and James. The only reason they created their own website and didn't utilise other already popular platforms such as Kwitch or NewTube was due to their guidelines and rules that prohibited the showcasing of violent acts.
The door opened and the commotion from the crowd grew even louder. Stepping out into their VIP section there were already a couple of others present. Investors, big-name individuals, as well as their guards, stood and sat on the comfy chairs located on either side of the remaining three chairs that were left for the trio.
"Cutting it close, aren't we?" A man in a light grey suit and glasses asks with a raised brow.
"Hold your horse Eugene, you'll still be getting paid either way so why don't you slow down and enjoy life a little more?" Goo quips right back at the businessman.
"Besides, these three always love to make a dramatic entrance, isn't that right, Jiějiě?" The smaller girl with light brown hair asks, a sweet smile on her face as she turns to the taller, more intimidating woman who sat by her side.
"You can say that again" The Neko mask on her face did little to hide the amusement in her eyes.
At the appearance of the three ringleaders of the corporation, the crowd had gone wild. Most praised the three for their efforts, others didn't appreciate them as much, not that they cared.
"Let's get this started" Gun sighs as he passes a microphone to Goo who grins before turning it on and opening his mouth to start the night.
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SEVERAL YEARS PRIOR.
"I just don't know what to do, Jinyoung. Ever since his father passed away he's become a lot more reclusive not only to me but to everyone around him. He wasn't doing all that well in school, to begin with, and he hasn't said much about friends but I had always assumed he had at least some. Imagine my horror when I start noticing him coming home a mess with ruined clothes and school materials. You know it's already a struggle to afford the stuff we have much less having to replace them so often. I would never come to you begging like this on a normal occasion but I had to for the sake of Daniel"
Jinyoung Park watched his sister explain her situation calmly. He hadn't seen his Noona since she got married and ran off with her husband after their late parent's disapproval, not that he could fault her for leaving. They had always been extremely controlling and demanding and expected her to work at their hospital and marry a rich, white-collared businessman. Instead, she had fallen hopelessly in love with a middle-class man she had met at university and they had eloped and had a child together. Now said man was six feet below the ground due to an illness he had treated far too late.
He didn't hold any negative feelings towards his sister's late husband either. He was the main reason she was able to break free but he was also the reason he ended up facing the wrath of his parents alone. The weight of their expectations grew by ten folds when they discovered she had left but it made him the Doctor that he is today. He was Head of General Surgery at Seoul National Medical Centre otherwise known as SNMC and whilst his parents being the previous owners and investors meant that he had a higher chance of speeding through the ranks he didn't allow for them to gain all the credit.
He wouldn't be known as just a nepotism baby. He attended and completed all his years at Seoul National University College of Medicine, did his years as an intern and even completed four years' worth of residency, putting up with those snot-nosed Doctors and nurses who thought he was just a rich kid riding on the backs of his entitled parents. Therefore he had to prove himself more than anyone else that he deserved to be in the field with them and after a decade of working at SNMC he was finally recognised for his talents.
He had always found it easier than others to pick up on things that weren't just limited to information and skills in the medical field. Most were jealous of his talent but Jinyoung paid them no attention.
So far he had gained many different healthcare excellence awards and was often the subject of medical conversation. Jinyoung's greatest ambition was to be known by his own name and not his parents and he was on the road to being there.
"Noona, there's no need for you to beg me for help" Jinyoung sighs, standing up from the armchair to walk over and sit beside his sister. "Furthermore, I shouldn't have been your last option in the first place" He adds as he takes her hands into his own.
Once upon a time, his sister had softer hands than the ones he was holding. She had been small, gentle and delicate, she was never one to cry or get angry even when it came to their parents lecturing them. She would often smile and agree even if it was all fake. Now her hands were calloused and hardened from all the jobs she's had to pick up and do to support herself and her son.
"You're my sister and I am your brother. We're all we have left of our family and it would be cruel of me to turn you away" He speaks gently.
The day had started out as normal as it should have always been. He'd woken up in his silent home, eaten the meal that was prepared for him and he had gone to work. It was around after lunch when one of the nurses had come by urgently saying that someone wanted to see him. At first, he had waved her off, telling her not to bother him with the words of some random individual but then she had mentioned something about the person claiming to be his sister. Immediately he abandoned his break and rushed to see the person, he had hoped he would see his sister again someday he just didn't think it would come so soon.
"But I left you" His sister's eyes welled up in tears. "And I was too scared to even come back even when they passed away. I thought you would hate me" She whispers and he shakes his head.
"Never, I could never be angry with you…well, I was upset I wasn't told you were leaving but it's gone and passed. Stay with me for as long as you need and I don't just mean until you get back up onto your feet. Stay, take your old room and I can make arrangements for my nephew, you could live with me forever and I wouldn't make a fuss. Hell if you really wanted I could see that you could study and finish your bachelor's. Become a doctor like me or a nurse at the hospital, you don't have to work at whatever restaurant you're currently at" Jinyoung gestures but his sister merely shakes his head.
"I couldn't do that to you, I missed my opportunity and I won't take advantage of your kindness to get back what I took for granted" She denies but it was settled.
His sister and her son would be coming to stay with him.
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"So this tyke is the nephew I've been hearing so much about" Jinyoung states when his sister and her son arrive at his home.
They didn't have many bags with them, simply a suitcase and a bag, both of their clothes were simple and slightly ragged and judging by the way they were carrying themselves they definitely weren't waiting for a moving company of any sort to bring the rest of their things. The boy in question was small and stout, sure he was only eight years old but even for his age he was small. He wore a pair of glasses on his face, probably with an out-of-date prescription for how small the frames were and how he squinted slightly. He quite frankly had adorable, chubby cheeks and a wary gaze as he held onto his mother's hand.
Jinyoung attempts to smile but it makes the boy shrink away even further. He had been told that the more he aged the scarier his face had gotten which honestly felt like an insult. Jinyoung still felt like he was the handsome devil he was when he was in his teens and twenties. Perhaps it was all the stressful studying and working that made the man feel aged. He was only in his early to mid-thirties.
"Hello Daniel, I'm Jinyoung Park, your mother's younger brother" Jinyoung crouches slightly. "Your uncle," He adds with a strained smile.
The boy stares back curiously before turning to his mother who smiles and encourages him to say hello. Well, Jinyoung was lucky that he didn't consider being a paediatrician.
"Hello," The boy whispers, carrying the same gentleness his mother carried as a child. Taking another deep breath, Jinyoung pulls in all his patience as he speaks to the kid.
"You're going to be living here with me from now on. You won't see me all that often since I'm busy saving lives but I'll be around from time to time so if you have any questions you can ask your mother, myself or the private tutors I'll be employing that will be homeschooling you" He explains as clearly as possible.
His sister had been slightly peeved at the idea of homeschooling but it was better than returning to the school he was being bullied at. It didn't help that the boy was painfully shy and naive, no wonder he got picked on.
"You save lives?" Daniel asks, that sentence being the one thing he got stuck on and not the details of being homeschooled. Wonder shone in the boy's eyes as he stared at Jinyoung. "How?" He hesitantly questions and Jinyoung gives a prideful smirk.
"I'm a doctor"
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Jinyoung and his sister kept tabs on Daniel's studies. The tutors he employed took note that it wasn't that he was bad at the work he did, it was that he was shy and didn't have confidence. Most likely an outcome of all the bullying he faced which was unfortunate because once the boy grew comfortable around the encouraging teachers he seemed to flourish. Especially in maths and science apparently.
There were times when Jinyoung was at home when he would catch the boy reading in the study or library which housed a lot of his parents and some of his own medical textbooks and work. Jinyoung wasn't sure how much the boy comprehended, especially since everything in there was high-level, advanced readings, all of which he would never expect an eight-year-old to read.
One night when he had gotten off a 20-hour shift he had walked into his home blindly. The maids were all asleep at that point so he wasn't expecting anyone to be up at four in the morning. Of course, as he was shutting the door of the fridge, he turned around and came face to face with doe eyes in the dark.
"OH HOLY MOTHER OF JESUS" He gasps, clutching his chest as he falls back against the fridge and away from the child, his arms raised in a familiar defensive position. "Daniel Park, what the hell do you think you're doing up at this time? Does your mother know?" Jinyoung hisses and the questions were promptly ignored.
"How do I become a doctor like you?" He asks innocently and Jinyoung merely stares back before letting out another aggravated sigh.
"Ok kid, back up and let me turn on the lights and for God's sake never pull a stunt like that ever again or else I'm going to swing an arm" He warns and the boy nods, waiting for the lights to come on before meeting the adult's eyes again. "Alright, you waited up this long for me to come home to ask me a question like that? Couldn't it have waited for a more appropriate time?" Jinyoung fires back at the boy who huffs.
His cheeks were puffed and his lips were pouting. There were many reasons why Jinyoung didn't want to have kids of his own but at least his nephew was adorable.
"You're never home and when you are we're both busy" Daniel huffs, his little fists clenched at his sides. "I-I've been researching a lot of things and I've been reading a lot of the books in the library and I think it's cool. All the things a doctor does, I want to become one…" he mumbles, stuttering a couple of times due to his nervousness.
"And what makes you think you can become a Doctor?" Jinyuong scoffs. Usually he would never want to break any kid's heart and ruin their dreams but this was his nephew. He knew firsthand how strenuous the job could be and how much it can ruin someone. Some of his colleagues only had a work life and no social life at all outside the hospital with how many hours they worked. Even the older residents suffered from doing the job of saving people's lives and whilst it was fruitful there were sacrifices they all had to make.
"What do you mean?" The boy asks sceptically.
"You think being a Doctor is easy? You've noticed how many hours I have to work, haven't you? Even though I'm only supposed to work 40 hours a week I've long extended past that limit. When you're a Doctor it's more than just textbook studying, the lives of people are in your hands. You're going to see a lot of difficult things, you're not just cutting people open and sewing them back together. You are going to suffer physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. you're going to see people die" Jinyoung lectures and it was harsh.
"B-But you said you save people" Daniel mumbles, his eyes getting glossy with tears.
Jinyoung feels his shoulders slump. He could yell and lecture interns and first-year residents like that but to an eight-year-old kid, it might've been too far. So lowering his voice he leans in closer to the boy, patting his head gently.
"I did and we do save people but sometimes there are ones we can't save. We do a hell of a lot to try but sometimes it doesn't work out that way. That's just how it is, kiddo" He explains gently.
"Do you ever get upset when you can't help somebody?" The boy asks a question that was unbecoming and sudden for someone his age. Jinyoung considers the question carefully before answering.
"Of course I do but it also motivates me to try even harder with the next patient"
Jinyoung has witnessed loss, he's told families and loved ones that patients don't make it. He's seen the tears, heard the gut-wrenching cries and taken the hits from those who were too devastated to accept the situation. He would argue that those things were a lot worse than seeing all the blood and guts. No matter how many times he's had to tell someone a person they loved was gone, it still stings him to this day.
"Thanks for answering my questions Uncle" Daniel mumbles before turning around and walking away towards his room. Jinyoung stood there silently for a moment, watching the small body leave before another voice interrupted his thoughts.
"He has more passion for it than I ever used to" His sister calls, a sad look on her face as she comes to stand beside her brother. "It's probably the burning emotions and drive that our parents would have expected from me…it's what they saw in you" She hums.
"Perhaps" Jinyoung replies when he feels his sister lean on his shoulder.
"If he does want this I would never stop him, I just hope that you could take care of him better than Mum and Dad ever did of us two" She whispers and Jinyoung snorts.
Him, take responsibility and care for a child in such a hands-on and detailed way? He'd never thought of it before but seeing the longing look on his sister's face shifted some emotions within Jinyoung. Letting out a deep sigh he makes a choice.
By the time morning came and Daniel was waddling out of his room in his pyjamas still rubbing his eyes awake he bumps into something.
"Ow," Daniel cries, rubbing his forehead before looking up to see his uncle standing in front of him, dressed casually and with a coffee in one hand. "Uncle?" He voices out in confusion at the pair of determined eyes that were boring into his skull.
"I'll help you, I'll make a doctor out of you but if I do it then you sure as hell can't give up. Is that clear?" Jinyoung asks the young boy who stares with wide eyes before nodding wordlessly. "Good now come on, learning starts now" He ushers, walking towards the dining room and it takes a moment before the young boy is rushing to follow the elder.
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PRESENT TIME.
"All the lab results and examinations came back all clear, we just want to keep him here one more night to keep an eye on his condition but Timmie should be able to leave by tomorrow" The Doctor states as he speaks to the mother that stood by the young boy's bed.
Her face morphs from worry to pure relief before she's grasping the Doctor's hand and thanks him profusely.
"Thank you so much, Dr Park, thank you" She repeats over and over again as she bows.
"The pleasure is all mine although I wasn't the only one who helped" He replies with a smile before turning to the boy and ruffling his hair. "Timmie's a strong boy to begin with" He hums and the boy smiles right back.
"Of course, I am," He puffs proudly.
With a few more final words the Doctor leaves the room and heads towards his next set of patients. People who caught sight of the Doctor couldn't help but stare or sigh dreamily.
Dr Daniel Park was a dream boat. He was the youngest resident in the SNMC and had been personally trained by his uncle the Medical Director Dr Jinyoung Park but even so, he was a talented and bright individual. The boy had apparently passed the GED at 16 years old and practically zoomed past university-level courses and units with flying colours, he was the fastest graduating student with a score to prove his worth. Some had speculated that his connection with his uncle was what led to this but anyone who had met the boy would realise how intelligent he was. Furthermore, once he started interning he had been nothing but a diligent individual who followed his senior resident's orders, he was also exceptionally kind and understanding towards the patients of the hospital which earned him all sorts of flattering nicknames.
"Isn't he so handsome and kind?" A nurse coos as Daniel was talking to an older lady, his hands grasping hers as he tells her some good news.
"He really is the whole package, too bad he's still so young or else I would have snatched him right up" Another nurse giggles as the two nudges each other.
"Tch, he's not all that special" A second-year intern snorts as he stands beside them. "I'm guessing you ladies haven't heard about how he really acts when he's in surgery? Typical" He grunts which causes both women to turn to the male with confused looks.
"What do you mean?" They ask.
"Kids all talk, sure he can do all the theory work and is book smart, he can rattle off any goddamn medical fact but the one thing he can't do is an actual surgery. Apparently, the first time he went into surgery to assist he froze up and the senior resident had to kick him out, every time after that he's also been in similar states and hasn't been all that useful. He can barely last to the end of bypass surgery without getting queasy, can you believe it? One of the brightest wannabe Doctors of our time gets queasy around blood, what a joke. I give him one more year before he quits" He huffs before turning to leave the two nurses.
The two stare sadly at Dr Park before sighing.
"You know, I think I've heard about that rumour too" Nurse One whispers.
"What a shame" The other mumbles before they depart.
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"Charles, what you're suggesting is that I waste my residents, interns and resources on what? Some shitty brats who like to get into fights?" Jinyoung scoffs as he crosses his arms staring at his old friend who sat in front of him.
"It's not just shitty brats, Jinyoung. This is all for a good cause, all for the betterment of our society. With them occupied with the ring they aren't causing as much trouble in our streets. You've seen the statistics, I've shown you the statistics so you can't deny it by saying you've been too busy to take notice. The amount of violence on our streets has gone down astronomically and I intend to keep it that way" Charles presses on.
"And I'm happy that your plan worked but come on Charles, they're not the only statistics that I've seen. You don't think I haven't heard about the turnover rates of your little fight ring? How injured your hired staff members get when they get involved with those bipolar brats? I'm not about to risk the lives of MY employees to help you" Jinyoung shakes his head. "I'm the Medical director now, I've got a lot of responsibility and a lot of other things to consider nowadays which includes the wellbeing of my staff members" He huffs when Charles narrows his eyes.
"I am an investor in his hospital" Charles notes.
"Yeah, and I amputated your arm" Jinyoung eyes his friend with anger. "Don't start bringing up things we've done for each other because we both know who the hell would win that fight. Let's not play that game, Elite" Jinyoung hisses and Charles lets out a sigh.
"Alright, fine I won't but just think about it. You do realise that we weren't any better than these kids when we were their age, right? If anything I would argue that we were the ones who started this wave of delinquents in Korea so shouldn't it be our responsibility to deal with it? Wouldn't it be something that Gapryong would do if he were still alive?" Charles asks as he plays with the sleeve without an arm.
Jinyoung bites his cheek to stop himself from cursing at his friend. He didn't need to bring up their late friend but everything he had said was correct.
"Alright, you insistent bastard I'll see what I can do" Jinyoung grunts and Charles grins.
"Thank you Jinyoung" He breathes but Jinyoung merely holds up an arm.
"Don't thank me yet, let's just wait and see if any of my employees will last longer than the previous medical hires you've employed to fix up your fighters" The director grunts before standing. "Now get out of here before I reconsider everything" He urges and the Chairman snorts before nodding.
"I'll get out of your hair now" Turning around he opens the door of the office only to be greeted by a young male in scrubs. "Oh, pardon me" Charles walks around the boy and apologises softly before entering the office.
"Dr Park" The resident greets as the Director rolls his eyes.
"Enough with the formalities Daniel, what are you doing here? Spying on me and my meetings?" Jinyoung asks with a raised brow at his nephew. Daniel in turn flushes before shaking his head vigorously.
"No! Not at all! In fact, I just got here and the walls of this office are thick so I can't actually hear anything" He mumbles nervously, his hands fiddling with each other.
Jinyoung eyes his nephew up and down before taking note of how much he had grown. Not just as a student or Doctor but physically as well. It was all due to Jinyoung's strict regimen, a Doctor needed a healthy and fit body to be able to work. That was what he believed so he set a diet for Daniel as well as a workout routine. At around the age of 15 Jinyoung had sent the boy off to work at a farm over the summer holidays, the farm belonging to his sister's husband's brother and when the boy came back he was practically rippling with muscle. He, of course, was still lean but even with the loose scrubs one could see how fit the male was. Yet, just because he had grown into his looks and body didn't mean he lost all his nervousness.
"How are you doing kiddo? Working on your nerves still?" Jinyoung asks in a kinder tone.
He liked to check up on the boy once a week ever since the previous year when he had heard about Daniel's incident during his first surgery. The senior resident had complained about how useless Daniel was during the operation, fumbling around like an idiot and stuttering as he tried his best to assist, but the senior couldn't take it and had to kick him out. He had found the kid later on, sitting outside the hospital with a pained expression on his face. Jinyoung hadn't had the heart to yell at him, instead, he had sat down and asked him what was wrong.
Jinyoung knew his nephew wasn't scared of blood, he had watched him deal with cuts and bruises. His stitching and suture skills were also immaculate and everything outside of surgery was fine. So what made the surgery so scary for the boy that he would freeze up?
Daniel never told him, only that he would try better next time but even Jinyoung knew that wasn't enough. Not if a patient's life was on the line. Luckily nothing tragic had happened yet due to Daniel's nerves and emotions and the boy was getting relatively better at masking his hesitance when entering a surgical room.
"It's…it's getting better" Daniel huffs before running a hand through his hair. "I still…it's still scary but I haven't been told to leave the room again in the last couple of months and I've been strong enough to hold my sick in until the end of the surgeries" He admits and Jinyoung sighs.
He does remember telling the boy that he wasn't going to allow him to quit but nowadays he reconsidered taking it back. Yet judging from the determined look in the boy's eyes if he told the boy that it would surely hurt his pride so he held his tongue.
"I see," Jinyoung replies as he nods, watching the boy's reaction.
If you removed the fact that Daniel got squirmy when it came to surgeries then anyone would say that he was the perfect Doctor. Perhaps after several years as a resident, if he survives as much, he could move on to open his own general practition or something along those lines and that way he wouldn't have to deal with surgeries. Being a family Doctor was just as honourable and needed.
"Uncle, what was that man doing here? When the door opened the both of you looked quite serious" Daniel pipes up with sudden courage. "Is everything alright?" He adds as he meets Jinyoung's eyes head-on.
Jinyoung was amused, there were times when Daniel was a nervous fool and other times when he seemed to have more courage than half the people he was in a room with. It was confusing.
"It's fine, Chairman Choi needed my assistance. He wants to hire a few of our medical practitioners to help out with his business endeavour" Jinyoung waves off.
"Business endeavours?" Daniel cocks his head to the side.
"You ever heard about that business downtown called Crew Corporation?" By the blank look on Daniel's face, it showed how much he didn't know. "Despite its name, it's not your typical business…it's an underground fight club although I wouldn't call it underground anymore with how mainstream it's gotten" He hums and Daniel's eyebrows shoot upwards at the notion.
Had it been anyone else who was more aware of society and didn't have their noses stuck into their books studying they would have known about CC but since Daniel had been homeschooled for the past decade he had been quite sheltered.
"Fight clubs are legal?" Daniel asks curiously.
"This one is," Jinyoung snorts. "Don't ask me how the Korean Government decided to allow this to happen because I don't know either. Anyways that's beside the point, the reason Charles came here was that he was in need of more medical help since the fighters keep getting seriously injured after each fight which of course that's bound to happen. His previous medical team keeps quitting due to the hostile environment, they're scared for their lives and rightfully so due to how horrible they're treated. The only reason I've considered helping Charles is because he's a friend of mine, he has been since I was a teenager and the prideful bastard actually came here to ask me for help so how the hell am I supposed to deny him?" Jinyoung huffs as he leans back into his chair, head resting on the back of it as he thinks.
"So who do you think you'll send?" Daniel inquires meekly.
"No idea. Most of the residents and practitioners here are medically intelligent but they won't have the stomach for how the CC will treat them. They'll need to be built with nerves of steel and probably someone who can't be pushed around as easily, I'd send Amanda but she'd rather jump off a cliff than transfer anywhere else, or perhaps I could send Thomson that kid is big and intimidating but he's a bit of an airhead" As Jinyoung continues to mumble to himself Daniel continued to listen on silently.
The cogs in his mind were turning before eventually he pipes up.