Lookissm

The first round of the second night of the tournament was Jake Kim vs. Vasco. Big Deal vs. Burnt Knuckles. A match that despite the circumstances and tension, Daniel was excited to see. After introducing the volunteers to Jay as a nurse and stating that he would be working and helping around, Daniel moved to take note of the arena. Just as Gun had spoken about, the second day seemed to bring in even more people, whether it was because of the incident from the prior day or whether it was because of the exciting matchups, Daniel couldn't decipher.

"Make sure to keep those sterile and clean" Daniel calls to some of the volunteers who were fiddling with a rack of tools. They nod and do as they are told, not daring to speak back. All the apparent backtalk and doubt in Daniel's abilities, whilst it wasn't prevalent before, was now completely gone. Apparently, the Lineman incident was enough for Daniel to earn the respect of all the volunteers and even several other employees such as the security guards. Even if he thought that he didn't do too well since he froze up at the start. Whilst the awe in their eyes was a bit much, Daniel could get used to them all listening to his words without worry.

"These matches will go on for a while so we just have to sit back and watch them like hawks the entire time" Daniel hums to Jay who stood by his side. "It's not the most exciting part of the job but at least we get front-row seats. The matches up till the tournament have been interesting to watch" He adds as Jay nods before gesturing with his hands.

"..."

"So, you're an avid watcher of the CC arena?" Daniel chuckles teasingly and Jay flushes, flustered at his words as he rubs his neck and shrugs. "Don't worry, I'm not judging you. Prior to working here I hadn't watched the CC at all and was confused about what all the hype was about. Then I came here and found that there was more to it than bloody fists flying at each other" He muses as he nudges the blonde.

"WELCOME TO THE SECOND DAY OF THE 17TH TOURNAMENT!" Goo's voice rings around the arena and the people eat it up. As he began explaining the next rounds of the tournaments as well as providing the list of matchups, Daniel noted that Jake and Vasco were already lined up and waiting to be brought in.

Soon enough they were given the green light and both approached the arena. Tension was high in the air despite the two men being friends, there was a grim look on Vasco's face whereas Jake held a fiery determination.

"He probably wants to get revenge on behalf of Lineman" Mira muses from beside Daniel.

"Against Vasco?" Daniel replies.

"Well not against Vasco specifically. The guy that hurt Lineman was a part of the God Dogs, their leader happens to have made it through and to fight him he needs to win his matches" Mira whispers.

"Oh," Daniel nods as the fight begins.

It was an incredible fight, both men fought fiercely and didn't hold back despite their friendship but there was a clear victor from the start. Vasco had to play defensively from the start and if he were anyone else he might have cracked and been defeated but he held on. His bulk and muscle mass allowed him to soften some of the blows as well as his defensive stance that was a cross between something ridiculous and a beginner's level of Muay Thai, his own stamina and endurance were through the roof. Jake on the other hand was relentless with his offense attacks, unstopping and refusing to give the other an opening.

There were times when Vasco's hits did reach Jake but they didn't hold enough power in them and eventually, as he was lunging forward to desperately land a hit, Jake took it as the opportunity to trip him when he was off balance.

Falling to the floor with a grunt, bruises littering his body, he stares up at Jake who places a foot on the man's chest.

'Stay down' Daniel read Jake's lips from the live broadcast on the screens.

Vasco didn't look like he wanted to give up but he was breathing heavily and they had been going on for quite a while. Eventually, he slumps onto the floor and raises his arms in peace. He conceded.

Jake's MMA fighting style prevailed against Vasco's style. The Burnt Knuckles leader was a formidable fighter but it looked like a mix of boxing and street fighting to a blooming style of Muay Thai. Once Vasco took on Muay Thai more seriously, Daniel could see the male becoming much more intimidating.

Daniel ignores the crowd cheering for the outcome. He ignores it when the noise level increases after he steps out with Jay and the others to collect the two exhausted fighters. Jake was helping Vasco up by the time they got to the centre, raising their clasped hands to show there weren't any hard feelings between them. The crowd ate up the camaraderie between the two, chanting both Big Deal and Burnt Knuckles.

Chuckling softly at the display, Daniel ushers the two towards the medical set-up.

"Mira you and other volunteers handle Jake, I'll take care of Vasco" Daniel orders and they nod before moving to Jake who didn't have as many injuries apart from a couple of scratches and bruises.

Vasco on the other hand looked practically black and blue.

"Hey, how are you feeling? Anything hurt a lot?" Daniel asks as he checks the man and shines a light in his eyes to make sure he isn't concussed. He didn't see any direct headshots but you could never be too careful.

"Just sore all over" Vasco sighs as he holds still but narrows his eyes on Jay who was providing Daniel with the antiseptic and bandages. "Hey, have I seen you before?" He asks curiously and Jay just shrugs.

"..."

"Oh! You went to J High a couple of years ago only for the first year?"

"..."

"Yeah, I remember you! You were that pretty silent boy from the fashion department" Vasco grins despite the pain his body was experiencing.

Jay was nodding along to the words, smiling softly as well.

"So you left to study and become a medical professional? I didn't know men could be nurses but that's super cool man" Vasco was saying.

"Alright, if you've both finished your reunion. Vasco, would you like to rest in the medical bay? Your injuries don't look too bad but it would be good to rest and take it easy" Daniel hums but the male shakes his head.

"No thanks, I'd like to watch the rest of the matches. I promise to be careful though" Vasco promises and Daniel nods.

"Take it easy for a while, no strenuous activities. Doctor's orders" Daniel states and Vasco nods before turning to leave.

Jake had also finished with his check-up and was quick to catch up with the Burnt Knuckles leader, bumping his shoulders and asking questions about whether he was alright or not. Vasco merely threw his head back and laughed before slapping Jake on the back in a friendly manner, causing Jake to smile slightly.

"What a valiant fight we witnessed between Jake and Vasco but now we're moving on to the next match which just so happens to be between Gangdong's Mighty Warren Chae and the Mad Dog Kagiroi, Ryohei Kuroda!" Goo was announcing.

Hostel and a bunch of people who were in masks and others dressed in matching biker uniforms started cheering, their voices louder than the rest of the crowd. The two individuals walk out, one in white and a mask and the other in casual clothes. Warren, despite his previous injuries, looked more than fine and was staring stoically at the crowd, cracking a smile when his eyes landed on Hostel. It was filled with a warm fondness that Daniel could only ever remember his mother giving him.

"They're a really close family, aren't they? Even if they're not related by blood" Daniel hums and Jay nods from beside him.

Ryohei on the other hand was a lot cockier. He threw the mask he was wearing off and was revving up the crowd with his personality, the people in similar clothes to him were screaming and roaring at him, pumping him up. He then turns, his blonde hair swaying as he moves before he points to the VIP section, at the woman with a Neko mask on. She seemed to frown at the gesture but Ryohei didn't seem to get the message, he was happy with his open display of affection as he winked at her.

The woman's face grows even more indignant.

"I'm getting the feeling that this is one-sided" Daniel snorts.

"Oh it totally is, Everyone knows how in love Nomen is with his boss Neko but she only has eyes for another man" Mira hisses to him, a hand over her mouth to hide her gossiping lips.

"Another man?" Daniel asks, eyes wide at the words.

"Yeah, a previous fighter and the previous leader of Big Deal, Sinu Han. Apparently, it was love at first sight for her when she first came down to Korea from Japan to watch the CC a couple of years ago. His fight was the first ever that she saw and she was enraptured…much to Ryohei's dismay, especially since he's been in love with her forever and was made her personal bodyguard" Mira relays and Daniel nods, intrigued with the information.

"But Sinu's not here anymore and is in a happy relationship with Yeonhui" Daniel replies and Mira raises her brow at the information.

"I don't know how you know that but I'll ignore it. Yes, he quit but even then Neko hopes that he'll come back. I think at one point she tried bribing him to come back to Japan as her own personal guard and lover. At least that was what the rumours said" Mira shrugs and Daniel nods.

Warren vs. Ryohei goes by considerably faster than Vasco vs. Jake. It wasn't too surprising, despite Warren's Jeet Kune Do that was useful to parry against Ryohei's own martial art skill, Ultimately the blonde was much more ruthless and he took advantage of Warren's worry about his previous injuries. This time, Warren wasn't knocked out but he was hit out of bounds much to Hostel's disappointment.

As the two men left the arena, Ryohei was busy jeering and insulting Warren in both his choppy Korean and different phrases in Japanese. Warren was glaring right but at the very least kept his mouth shut, attempting to ignore the blonde.

"What kind of idiot gets into a fight that they know they've already lost? You Koreans are so stupid! All of you are such fools! Doing this for your so-called family? Don't make me laugh!" Ryohei roars, grasping his stomach as he laughs at Warren.

"Ryohei, please move over there to get checked out" Daniel directs, attempting to separate the men. "Warren with me" Daniel ushers and the man follows obediently.

"Look at him walk away in shame. You've brought nothing but shame to you and your fake family! Next time, why don't you learn a fighting style rather than randomly throwing your fists around? Maybe then you'll be able to beat me" Ryohei calls as the volunteers nervously gather around him to check his condition.

He shrugs them off with a growl, causing them to flinch in fear.

"You know, for someone who claims to hate Koreans so much you sure do know how to speak our language a lot" Warren hums out nonchalantly, not even flinching as Daniel disinfects his cuts.

"The hell did you say?" Ryohei pauses, his voice booming across the medical area.

"I'm just saying, do you really hate all Koreans or do you hate one in particular because the girl you are interested in is more invested in him than you?" Warren sneers, his fists clenched and a burning fury in his eyes.

"Warren that's enough, Don't egg him on" Daniel hisses, trying to calm the elder down but was only ignored.

Daniel turns to see Ryohei's face filled with rage. He was pissed.

"The fuck did you say you illiterate glorified orphan?" He sneers as he attempts to move forward. A few brave souls leapt forward to keep him back from Warren, Daniel and Jay had to hold the Hostel Uncle back before he too could lunge across the room.

Why couldn't they all get along like Vasco and Jake? Why did they have to continue fighting after their actual fights?

"Boys, enough. You shouldn't be fighting in here" Daniel reprimands, feeling that it was his responsibility to keep the medical area as peaceful as possible.

"Shut up skank," Ryohei sneers. "I don't care if you're some stupid miracle doctor, don't get involved in things that you don't belong in. I wouldn't wanna mess your face up" He raises a fist to threaten Daniel and the Doctor merely raises a brow, unimpressed.

Daniel was surprised that it had taken this long for him to get a death threat. Yet he couldn't stand by and accept it, not with a new employee and volunteers watching.

"You know, perhaps if you were nicer your boss would be more interested in you. I can't help but agree with her disdain for you after witnessing such a foul attitude" Daniel replies firmly. "Don't take your anger out on Warren when you've already won the fight. You throwing your ego around to compensate for your small dick is not attractive to anyone" He adds with a hiss.

There was a pause. People who hadn't been expecting his language or words were shocked by the open display of disgust. It takes a moment for Ryohei to process the words before his anger flares even further.

"You bitch!" He shouts as he lunges. This time no one attempts to stop him, too scared of his wrath or the consequence of getting hit themselves that they jump away.

Daniel feels himself get pulled back and he notices someone else step forward.

It was Jay who caught Ryohei's fists and it was Warren who had quickly pulled him back and was now standing in front of him entirely to protect him from the confrontation. Ryohei was surprised that the other blonde in the room could not only hold him off but keep him in his place. His hand was firmly wrapped around the wrist, had it not been for the hair covering his eyes, Daniel was sure that he would be scowling down at the fighter.

"Ryohei…Nomen, that's enough" Warren calls. "You won the fight, there's no need to do any more of this and get yourself disqualified" He warns and at that, Ryohei seems to calm down slightly.

Staring at Warren, then at Daniel before his eyes flicker to Jay, he rips his hand out of the nurse's grip before giving one last disdainful sneer. He shoves past the nurse and walks by Warren and Daniel before spitting at the Doctor's foot.

He mutters a curse in Japanese, most likely a threat, but Daniel stands his ground. He was determined not to be intimidated by such a bully.

Once gone, there were some sighs of relief.

"He's not very nice" Daniel crosses his arms, letting out a huff of annoyance.

"You shouldn't do that" Warren sighs as he turns to look at Daniel. "Doc, whilst I'm thankful for all the help you've given me you shouldn't carelessly provoke the people here. Quite a few of them have short tempers and even more of them will resort to using their fists. I'd rather you not get hurt trying to fight my battles" Warren mentions and Daniel smiles.

"I understand but I couldn't just stand by. Medical care is my responsibility and if he wants to interrupt that then he can go do it elsewhere. You didn't deserve his words, you did your best tonight and I was amazed by you" Daniel compliments lightly as he finishes patching up any cuts he could see. "You should go rest, I can also take care of myself so don't worry" He nods and Warren sighs but agrees, leaving the area with one last concerned look.

With him gone, Daniel heads over to Jay with a worried expression.

"Hey you, is your hand okay?" He asks as he takes the nurse's hands into his own. "You shouldn't have jumped in like that, you could've gotten hurt" He lectures but Jay shakes his head.

'If I hadn't then you would have gotten hurt, I'm fine' was what his expression and body were saying.

"Still, I can defend myself. I'm not weak. Although the next time anyone wants to start a fight in my medical bays I'm going to kick them out and not give them treatment" He huffs quite angrily before nodding towards the arena. "The next fight should have started by now, Let's head back" He ushers and Jay nods before reaching out to grasp his shoulder a question of concern on his face.

"..."

"No Jay, stuff like that doesn't happen often…at least I don't think so. Let's worry about the fighters instead of me, okay?" He insists.

The rest of the matches that night go by smoothly…well as smoothly as a fight could be. Samuel vs. Eli was a close match and it was quite a dirty one too. Then again, every fight with Samuel seemed to turn out dirty and rough but this time he lost, much to the surprise of many competitors and watchers alike. Eli was of course a crew leader, to be outclassed by another individual that wasn't another crew leader would be detrimental, especially since Warren had just lost.

Daniel was busy tending to Samuel's busted lip and a glass shard that had impaled the skin near his eye due to his broken glasses whereas Jay was helping Eli with the hand-shaped bruise around his neck. The two luckily had a much better attitude than Ryohei and Warren did. Sure they were snippy and made a couple of comments, but they didn't seem to hate each other. If anything it was teasing.

The next fight was between Mandeok and Johan. Despite the size advantage and how powerful Mandeok actually was, he lost to the brunette who was much more nimble and skilled than Daniel thought he would be. He was passive-aggressive but took Mandeok seriously, fighting with all his might. There had been a moment in the middle of the fight that did baffle Daniel when the brunette had paused and was glaring in Mandeok's general direction.

To anyone who was watching normally, it was a look of intimidation, the glare was in place due to the circumstances and situation. To Daniel, he noticed how Johan seemed to squint, his eyes becoming lost before taking its time to land on Mandeok who had been waiting for an attack in apprehension. The young Doctor knew that look well, it was one he made when he didn't have his contacts in and he would need to squint around to see his surroundings. Yet somehow, the expression on Johan's face was more worrying, it wasn't one that was squinting to see because he needed glasses…it was worse.

When Johan won and the two fighters came through, Daniel was quick to tend to Mandeok who seemed to have more injuries. He took note that Mira was fussing over Johan, whispering a lecture into the brunette's ear despite his clear irritation. Trusting that Mira and the volunteers would take care of the male for the time being, Daniel turned back to Mandeok who was clutching his side.

"Does your ribs hurt? I noticed that your opponent managed to get quite a nasty kick in" Daniel hums and Mandeok grunts. "Mr. Bang you're going to have to move your hand for me to check it out" He orders gently and eventually the larger male shifts his hand.

Daniel frowns. Despite the taller man's dark skin, Daniel took note of the darker bruises that were blooming across his side, Reaching out with delicate fingers and pressing down against the section. It was as Daniel added some more strength when Mandeok let out a soft hiss, sucking in a breath before biting his teeth. Removing his gloved hands, Daniel steps back and hums thoughtfully.

"Does it hurt when you're moving or standing still?" He questions.

"Only when I'm moving and when you touch it" Mandeok replies diligently. "And if I'm breathing too hard"

Daniel nods, taking this in for his diagnosis.

"Alright, the worst case scenario is that you've got a broken rib, the best case scenario is that it's only bruised. Whatever the case, the only way to know is to get a CT scan. For now, I don't want you moving around too much in case it gets worse. I'll be sending you to the infirmary and you'll take some pain meds and an ice pack until we can schedule the scan. Is that understood Mr Bang?" He asks and the male nods.

"Could you inform my boss about this? Eugene won't be happy about it but it'll be better if he knows" He asks and Daniel nods.

"Seeing as that's the last fight for tonight I can go do that, Where is he?" Daniel asks as some volunteers help the male lay down on a bed to be wheeled off.

"The VIP room" Mandeok states and Daniel nods with a sigh.

"Jay, take him to the medical bay whilst I go talk to the VIP" He orders the blonde nods.

Daniel passes by Mira and Johan who are still present.

"Mira, can you take over and take care of Mr Seong?" Daniel asks and she nods.

"Of course, Doctor" She smiles.

Daniel's gaze lingers on Johan. He wanted to talk to the brunette about his eyes before he left but apparently, he wouldn't have the time to. The crowd and the VIPs would be leaving soon since the night was ending so Daniel would have to walk fast.

He may or may not have gotten a bit lost on the trip but eventually, he was able to find the room. Knocking on the door he waits for a voice to let him in.

"Come in" It must have been James or Goo who said it.

Opening the door he comes face to face with the majority of the VIPs he had only seen from afar.

"Ah! Isn't this the Miracle Doctor!?" A female with long, brown hair asks as she bounces forward in her seat. "Oh, he's way more handsome in person!" She giggles and Daniel feels his ears grow hot but he ignores her to the best of his abilities.

"I don't see the appeal, Vivi, he was better looking when he was covered in blood" Neko scoffs from her seat beside the girl, She rolls her eyes at her friend's antiques.

"You think anyone covered in blood is more attractive" Vivi responds, almost falling out of her chair with how much she was bouncing and leaning in her chair. The man behind her with long hair in two braids had to keep her grounded.

"Dr Park, is there anything wrong?" James asks.

Daniel's eyes flicker to the three founders who were watching him like hawks. Being prompted, he finally speaks.

"Yes, Mandeok wanted me to inform his boss of his condition so I personally came up here whilst Nurse Hong is taking care of him at this moment" Daniel replies before flickering to the last male in a light grey suit who was being guarded by someone else in a similar suit with a cap over his head covering his eyes. "Eugene, is it?" He asks.

"Chairman Eugene, but yes" The man corrects and Daniel nods.

"I apologise, Chairman Eugene" He fixes up before heading slightly closer to deliver the news. "Mr Bang will need to undergo a CT scan for his ribs. I've checked it out and sent him to rest in the medical bay with an ice pack but the scan is important so we can see whether or not his ribs are bruised or broken. Judging from what I can tell I would say it's bruised but just for clarity the scan would be helpful" Daniel informs.

Eugene's eyes widened and Goo snickers.

"Ya hear that Eugene, Johan busted your guy pretty badly if he needs X-ray scans" The founder teases and Eugene shoots him an annoyed glance.

"Thank you for informing me. All of the Workers employees, fighters and all, are covered with health insurance. I'll have the X-ray arranged" Eugene nods before letting a business smile appear on his lips. "Thank you for informing me, I should also head to the medical bay to see him myself" He states as he begins gathering his belongings.

The door to the VIP booth opens again and this time it's Nomen who waltzes in without waiting to ask if he could enter.

"Neko you ready to leave this place?" He calls, not caring about the annoyed glances that were sent his way. Nomen's gaze flickers from Neko then towards Daniel, his cocky smile drops and is replaced with a frown. "Tch, you again" He sneers and Daniel could only feel his smile tighten.

"I'll be out in a minute Nomen, I thought you had better manners than to just barge into rooms like that" Neko reprimands as the guard next to her, a large man in another Japanese mask crosses his arms and shakes his covered head.

"Sorry," Nomen apologises but not dragging his glare from Daniel. Instead, he saunters closer to Daniel, tilting his head and jeering at the Doctor in a way that would have annoyed him if it wasn't so apparent that he was attempting to get a rise out of him. "Hey Doc, what the hell are you doing up here?" He sneers.

"My medical business does not concern you when you are not in my care nor my patient" Daniel replies, his voice slightly snippy. "Chairman Eugene, are you ready to get going? I can lead you to the medical bay" Daniel asks and the man nods, eyeing both Nomen and Daniel with a confused yet intrigued gaze.

Daniel moves to sidestep past Nomen only for a hand to shoot out and clamp down on his shoulder. This time there was no Warren or Jay to help him out, it was only Daniel and a bunch of rich folks and their bodyguards that didn't associate with him. The chances of being saved were at a zero.

"Hey now Doc, don't scurry away so fast" He hisses.

"Nomen, don't do anything stupid" James warns.

Ok so maybe there was a chance that someone would jump in. Yet as Daniel scans their faces, Vivi and Goo look excited that something is going to go down, Gun is confused and Neko seems content in letting her guard do whatever he wants. Only James looked remotely worried and it was probably because Daniel was their last chance of having a Doctor at the CC.

"Stupid? I'm not doing anything stupid" Nomen retorts before smiling at Daniel. It was all teeth, if Nomen were an animal then he would be baring his teeth in a display of dominance and as a threat. "I just wanted to take this opportunity to speak to the Miracle Doctor about what he said to me back when we were downstairs not too long ago, What was it you said to me?" He bites out testily.

Daniel could do this one of two ways. He could passively apologise and keep his head down, meekly 'scurry' away and hope that Nomen was appeased. Or he could puff out his chest and put the bully in his place.

Hell. There was only one option that Daniel was going to choose.

"Hmm, what was I saying to you?" Daniel hums softly in thought, bringing a hand up to his lips in a thoughtful gesture. Usually, he would never do this, especially in front of his employers since it was going to be unprofessional but seeing as it was the CC and the majority looked like they wanted to see how far Daniel would take it, he was going to do it. Furthermore, it wasn't like he could be fired, they needed him and he sure as hell didn't need them, he wasn't going to take shit from them.

Face lighting up as if he remembers, Daniel answers Nomen.

"Oh right! Was this the part about you having a shitty attitude that repels women like bug spray or was this about when I diagnosed you with small dick syndrome?" Daniel snaps his finger at Nomen.

The group froze, staring at Daniel with open mouths. Even Nomen looked surprised that Daniel would be bold enough to speak in such a way to him in front of important individuals. Reaching out, Daniel gives the blonde a look filled with as much sincere sympathy as he can muster.

"Hey, it's alright. If taking supplements doesn't work for you then surely a penis enlargement surgery is a pathway you can take. I can refer you if you'd like so don't feel too ashamed. Don't let what people say bother you, size doesn't matter…although I guess it should matter slightly if your personality also sucks" He rattles on with a simple smile on his lips.

Suddenly, as if a switch was turned on, Nomen took one look at Neko's surprised turned amused face he ignited into anger.

"Y-You fucking bitch!" Nomen shouts. "I do not have a small dick!" He screams but at Daniel's pitying look, he seems to grow even more agitated.

"That's what they all say" He hums.

Nomen raises a fist and lunges forward to nail Daniel straight in the face. He should have expected it and technically he did. Of course, his words would injure the blonde's pride and he would try to fight him, he had been prepared to dodge or jump away but somebody moved in front of him.

The fist landed, and a solid sound was heard but Daniel had to peer over the broad shoulders to see where it hit.

"No fighting outside of the CC arena times, You should know this Ryohei" Gun grunts as he stares down with a raised brow at the fist that is still against his chest.

Snapping out of his anger, Nomen replaces it with unadulterated fear. Ripping his hand away, he gulps as he stares up at Gun's intimidating form.

"Shiro Oni…I didn't mean to-" "Ryohei you know the rules and you know what happens when you break them" Gun sneers and before Daniel could even blink, Nomen was on the floor massaging a red and probably bruised cheek.

Daniel gasps softly. Had it been any other situation he would have rushed over to the fallen male to inspect the injury but because he was almost attacked he didn't.

"Dr. Park, take Chairman Eugene to the medical bay. You've done enough here" Gun grunts, his voice low, tinged with a tone of warning to showcase that he meant business. It was the first time Daniel was able to witness and could understand now as to why Gun was so intimidating. He could see why people seemed to fear him. "I'll speak to you later" He adds in a darker tone and Daniel nods wordlessly.

Daniel nods at Eugene to get going. Circling around Nomen who was looking at the floor in shame, he felt conflicted about leaving him there but sucks in a breath and marched on. Once out of the room with Eugene and his guard, they walk to the bay.

Eugene, although curious about what happened between Nomen and the Doctor he didn't ask any questions about it. Instead, he asked a different set of questions.

"I'm surprised it was Gun who stepped in and not James, do you know why that was?" Eugene asks and Daniel shrugs.

"I have no idea, maybe because he was closer?" Daniel replies honestly and it was true. He didn't know why Gun involved himself.

"He seems fond of you" Eugene mentions and Daniel raises a brow.

"Gun? I'm not sure if you saw the look he was giving me when he was telling me off but that didn't look like it was an expression of fondness" Daniel huffs but Eugene merely smiles.

"If Gun didn't care about you then he wouldn't have jumped in. Had it been anyone else he would never have intercepted so perhaps he does somewhat care about you Dr. Park" Eugene shrugs as they arrive in front of the medical bay.

Daniel took what the man said into consideration but eventually brushed it to the side as he opened the door and let the two men in. Mandeok of course was resting on one of the beds, an ice pack pressed firmly against his swollen side as Jay was monitoring his condition, writing a couple of notes on a clipboard.

"Hello Nurse Hong, how's the patient?" Daniel asks and Jay turns to him with a bright smile, nodding as he answers the question.

"..."

"I see, that's good that you've arranged it already" Daniel nods before turning to Eugene who was watching the exchange with a thoughtful look.

"A ride has been arranged to take Mr Bang to get his CT scan. It is rather unfortunate that the facility doesn't offer any scans and X-rays but as long as Mr Bang doesn't do anything too strenuous he should be fine" Daniel informs and Eugene nods.

"Is there any chance that if it was a broken rib the bone would puncture a vital organ such as the lungs?" Eugene questions and Daniel hums in thought.

"Well, there's no guarantee but as long as Mr Bang is careful and doesn't move too much from now until you get the scans back" Daniel informs before turning to Mandeok who was watching them with passive eyes. "Mr Bang, how are you feeling?" He asks.

"I'm fine, better than before with the ice pack" He grunts and Daniel nods.

"Alright. The crowd should have cleared up by this point so the ride to the hospital for your scans should be quick and easy, Jay if you will" Daniel nodded and Jay was quick to help take Mandeok outside to meet the ambulance.

At this point, it would have been better for an ambulance to be on standby for the CC with how many critical injuries left the facility. So much for just cuts and bruises.

By the time Daniel was able to return to his office with Jay it was quite late yet the moment he walked through the door he was met with the sight of Gun sitting at his desk, a frown on his face. The night wasn't over just yet.

"You didn't think you could get out of our talk, did you?" Gun grunts, crossing his arms as his eyes dart between Jay and Daniel. At least Daniel thought they were looking at them, he couldn't tell with the shades on.

"Ugh, can't we do this tomorrow?" Daniel matches the man's frown.

"Technically it already is a new day" Gun replies easily as he points to the clock.

Letting out an unamused huff, Daniel turns to Jay with a brighter expression.

"Jay you did wonderfully on your first day. I'm seriously impressed with your knowledge and experience and I'm happy to see that there's someone around here I can rely on" Daniel grins and the blonde smiles bashfully. "I'll give you your feedback report later 'today' so for now you can head home. I'll see you later" The doctor offers and the blonde nods, turning to stare at Gun apprehensively.

"You heard the Doc, you're free to leave so shoo" Gun flicks his hands and Jay frowns.

"Don't mind him, Jay. I'll be fine" He reassures and the silent man eventually grabs his belongings and coat before heading out, not before giving one final look of worry which fills Daniel's heart with warmth. It was good to know that Jay seemingly has his back even if they didn't know each other too well yet.

Once gone, Daniel turns to face Gun who looks unimpressed.

"How come I don't get that happy-go-lucky attitude from you?" Gun asks with a raised brow.

"It's reserved for people that deserve it" He shrugs.

"And what do I have to do to deserve it?" Gun jeers back but Daniel is far too tired to be arguing with the man in front of him.

"I don't know, be kind to people? Don't be an entitled asshole?" He states but Gun merely scoffs.

"I'm not sure if you remember but I saved your ass" Gun stands and approaches Daniel. "If it weren't for me then Mandeok wouldn't have been the only one today being carted off by the ambulance. Don't start talking about entitled brats when you also need to look in the mirror, you think being snarky at Nomen was the correct way to go about it?" Gun was pissed.

"I don't know, is beating people up the correct way to go about anything?" Daniel sneers back, irritation fluttering in his heart.

"You forced my hand" Gun was getting closer and Daniel didn't like it in the slightest, he attempted to walk backwards but eventually hit a wall. "The CC has its own rules and regulations and there is an unvoiced expectation around here. Fights happen in the arena and in the arena only. It keeps the fighting outside to a minimum which means peace for our city, the fighters and the avid fans know this. Nomen knows this. If you hadn't egged him on like some childish brat then he wouldn't have tried to fight you and I wouldn't have had to step in. Despite whatever image you've created of me I don't actually want to beat people up every second of the day. Nomen is lucky to have not been disqualified for trying to start something today" He shoves a finger into Daniel's chest, harsh and sharp.

"So what, I was supposed to bow my head and take the insults?" Daniel laughs yet it was without humour.

"Yes," Gun hisses.

"That's bullshit. As if I'm going to let myself get pushed around like some idiot. Just because people like you and him have bad tempers doesn't mean that everyone else has to be careful of what they do. Rather than having other people cave into what you want, why don't you focus on working on yourself?" Daniel shoves the finger off him and Gun sneers.

"You don't get it, do you? I'm not telling you all this so you can become submissive and obedient, it's for your own safety. Picking fights with people like Nomen, people who are in gangs and run them is not a smart idea. If you call what you did today standing up for yourself then you're more of an idiot than I pegged you for, Doc" The word 'Doc' sounded like posion on Gun's tongue and a flicker of fear ran through Daniel's veins as the taller man towers over him. "What I saw today was nothing about you standing up to him and making him see what he was doing was wrong, the only things I heard coming out of your mouth were ridiculous insults that just riled him up even more. I wouldn't put it past him to get his revenge later on when no one is around to help you" Gun snarls and Daniel feels his shoulders draw upwards at the harsh tone.

"Are you saying I'm in danger because I knew that the moment I volunteered to work here" Daniel replies in a shaky breath.

"I'm saying you just threw yourself into deep shit and didn't even realise it" Gun grunts, backing off slightly when he notices that Daniel wasn't looking him in the eyes anymore.

"I can protect myself just fine" Daniel sighs.

"Right, sure" Gun scoffs, clearly disbelieving off the words. "I thought you were better than the previous hires but apparently you're all just the same. I guess you're younger which in the end just means you're an immature, inexperienced half-baked doctor" The words cut Daniel deep.

He knew this already. He knew that he wasn't half as experienced as the people older than him working in the same field. He knows that was only useful to a certain extent. But to hear it so plainly and harshly when all his uncle and mother had done until this point was sugarcoat their disappointment? It hurt.

Gun takes Daniel's silence as the end of the conversation, he turns to the door and starts heading out.

"Watch your back Doctor, because I don't have the time to watch it for you" With that he was gone out the door.

Clenching his fist, Daniel gritted his teeth. He wouldn't cry, he couldn't. Apart from the insults from Gun, what hurt worse was that he was right. Gun was completely right about not only Daniel as a person and a Doctor, but he was also right about how Daniel handled the situation. It was completely unprofessional and he knew it at the time but still did it.

Shrugging off his coat and kicking his shoes off he walks over to one of the beds and falls down into it. As he falls asleep, the words ring through his mind. He'd have to change the sheets in the morning, he couldn't have anyone asking him why there was a damp spot on the pillows.

.

.

.

Sleep was restless for Daniel. He only got a few hours in but the majority of it was fitful. Daniel showered in the morning before grabbing a coffee from the kiosk. He essentially lived at the CC at this point, he would have to ask James or Goo for an actual room soon, he couldn't keep sleeping in the bay, it was unbecoming of him.

He went down to the convenience store for breakfast before heading back to the compound. He had an entire morning to waste away which sucked because that merely left him to his thoughts. He documented the incidents and injuries that had taken place the prior two days, Daniel figured that having a record of everything would be a good idea and perhaps even useful in the future in some way. Yet after a couple of hours, he deemed himself bored and still stressed.

Letting out a sigh he decides to head to the gym.

Despite it being midday on a Sunday there was surprisingly no one around. Feeling content that he had the gym to himself he begins stretching before heading towards the sparring mats, easily hooking a boxing bag up to use.

Daniel has witnessed a couple of people use the training dummies and several more use the boxing bag, hell Gun would use them the majority of the times he was in the room. He hit it softly as a test to get a feel of how the sensation felt against his fist. He hadn't punched anything in a while.

Pulling his fist back he puts some more force against it, watching it bounce back before falling forward again he feels a familiar momentum grow within him. Getting into the swing of things he lets himself go.

Uncle Jinyoung's fighting style was…different. It was wild and a different level even when compared to the fighters of the arena. At least here you could see when their hits were approaching, with Daniel's own uncle he couldn't. Daniel remembers Gun's own fighting style, the different martial arts that seemed to mesh and combine into something else.

The times he had observed Gun when he was in the gym he had picked up a couple of different things. Kyokushin Karate, Aikido, and Capoeira. He had not only witnessed but heard the impact of Gun's own Brazillian kick before. In fact, it was filled with so much force that the boxing bag ripped.

Stepping backwards, Daniel sizes up the bag, attempting to remember how Gun had been able to do it. Replaying the scenes in his mind he opens his eyes and takes in a deep breath before replicating the kick.

The sound of the hit seemed to bounce around the room. The boxing bag didn't break but judging by the sound and force that bag took, the impact was quite impressive.

Daniel jumps at the sound of clapping. Turning around he was met with the sight of James standing at the door, a small smile on his lips.

"James?" Daniel calls as the redhead walks into the room.

"Sorry for interrupting you" James states as he approaches Daniel. "I'm impressed, not only are you a young yet highly dedicated Doctor but you're also a fighter. I wasn't told anything about this" The smile on his lips didn't ease Daniel's growing worry.

"I'm not, I just picked up a few moves here and there" Daniel shrugs bashfully, still embarrassed at being caught.

"That kick, it's similar to Gun's Brazilian kick…and you said that you just causally picked up the move?" James asks with a raised brow. "He didn't try to fight you went he went to talk with you last night…did he?" At this, there was a level of concern in his voice as he eyed Daniel's body for any signs of abuse.

"No! Gun didn't try to fight me…we just had a very firm discussion…" Daniel rubs the back of his neck.

Nodding calmly, James leans against a wall and crosses his arms.

"I'm assuming the talk didn't go over well?" James asks and Daniel can only hang his head in defeat.

"Well it wasn't that bad"

"Really because from over here Doc, it looks pretty bad" James snorts. "Especially if it's causing you enough stress to come down here and take it out on the dummies and boxing bags. Try not to break the equipment, we already have to replace the stuff pretty often" The elder calls out teasingly but Daniel's ears burn in shame.

"Sorry, I'll be careful" He mumbles.

There was a moment of silence between them before James let out a sigh.

"Want to talk about it? I know that Gun usually prefers resolving things with his fists rather than his head so at this point I already have a guess as to how he went about it. Don't take everything he says to heart, he's rough around the edges but I'm sure he didn't mean most of it, Don't let it dishearten you" James states warmly and Daniel appreciates it, he really did but he couldn't accept the words. Not completely at least.

"No. Everything he said about me, as harsh as it was…it was all completely correct" Daniel huffs as he sits down on a bench. "As much as it pains me to say it" Daniel runs a hand through his hair as James frowns.

"Really?"

"You look surprised that Gun could say something correctly" Daniel huffs out in amusement as James shrugs before moving to sit beside him.

"So what did he say?" James prompts softly.

Daniel debated between holding his tongue and keeping the information to himself and telling the person who was his technically boss about what happened. In the end, he gives in.

"He just said some things that I already kind of knew about myself and also that I just painted a target on my back" Daniel explains briefly.

"Yeah, the situation with Nomen isn't ideal but I promise that so long as you're working at the CC there shouldn't be any harm against you" James replies evenly.

"So even you agree that what I did was dumb" Daniel sighs.

"Well nobody ever said insulting and angering a gang leader was a good idea" James states in amusement. "But yes it wasn't smart but I do commend you for being brave enough to stand up for yourself. Not many people would be able to say such words in the face of danger…it makes you more intriguing than I initially thought you would be" James nudges his shoulder.

"Thanks" Daniel replies but it's deadpanned.

"Anyways what other things did Gun say? You said he was saying things about you that you already knew?" James insisted but Daniel didn't really want to delve into it.

"It wasn't much else, nothing that was wrong at the very least" Daniel attempts to end the conversation and James takes note of it before nodding.

"Alright, well if you don't want to talk about it how about you explain to me how you learnt how to fight? You seemed pretty good at it, how about a spar?" James jumps up and nods towards the mats.

"My uncle taught me a bit" Daniel answers as he also stands up. He wasn't opposed to having a friendly sparring match if it meant he could release some tension and anger.

"I promise to go easy on you Doc, so come at me with everything you have" James encourages and Daniel nods as he takes a stance.

.

.

.

James was never one to be easily surprised yet as he stood over an exhausted Daniel Park, slightly out of breath himself, he couldn't help but be astounded. Rarely has he ever been tired after fighting someone, sure there were times when he sparred against Gun and Goo and they would push him to his limits and there were also times against a couple of first-generation kings when he was out of breath but this? Fighting against someone who was supposedly more of a doctor than a fighter?

It was unheard of.

James was severely impressed. Of course, through the sparring itself, James could tell that the younger male wasn't someone who fought often but there was an underlying determination and set of skills that made James' heart shudder in a certain thrill. With enough nurturing and building, the Founder could already see that Daniel could potentially become one of the most skilled fighters in Seoul, if not the whole of Korea.

He should have known there was potential after seeing Daniel effortlessly 'copy' Gun's special kick but now he knew for sure.

"That was amazing" James calls out as he looks at Daniel lying on the floor covered in sweat.

"You're just saying that" Daniel cries back through deep breaths.

"I'm not, you're stronger than you look Dr Park" James laughs as he slumps down onto the floor next to the boy. "I haven't had that much fun in forever" and it was true.

Ever since taking down the first-generation kings, and the gangs of Korea and forming the CC, he didn't have much time for fights. Even if he did get into them, they were always severely disappointing. Yet when it came to Daniel, it had been fun.

Now that he knew Daniel Park had potential and that he could ignite a fire within James that had been fading, he wasn't going to let the boy go or rot. He wasn't a teacher of any sort, that was Gun's fort so he would have to convince the man somehow to train Daniel.

"You said your uncle trained you? What's his name?" James questions, intrigued at who had nurtured him thus far.

"Jinyoung Park, you might have heard of him since he's the top surgeon in Korea" Daniel replies, sitting up only to see James's gaping face. "James?" Daniel calls.

James shakes his head before smiling.

"Sorry, that just…that explains some things"

Zero generation Jinyoung Park. Of course, he was Daniel's teacher, it all made sense.

"Can I ask you a favour, James?" Daniel calls and James blinks slowly before nodding.

"Sure, what's up?" He asks.

"Since I've been staying over at the CC a lot I was wondering if I could convert a room into a bedroom or some sort just so I can stop sleeping on my desks or in a patient's bed" Daniel explains and James watches him before smiling.

"Sure"

Anything to keep the medical genius's prodigy within his grasp.