Hooked | JJK | Ten

  Pair: UndergroundFighter!Jungkook x f!reader 

Summary: Walking away from your brother was never what you intended, you just wanted to run from the ghosts of your past. But now you’re back home and ready to pick things up from where you left off. If only things could be that easy, right? 

There’s a new guy living in your house, your brother’s best friend, someone you can’t help but grow close to. And the more you find out about him, the more you learn about yourself. An underground fight club, a newspaper competition, an overprotective brother and secrets you can’t seem to escape from. Did you make the right decision by coming back? Or did you just put yourself and those you love in danger? 

Genre: Series, fluff, smut, angst. All the aus: non-idol, underground fighter, brother’s best friend, roommates, rap-scene, chaebol. 

Chapter warning: Welcome to your new job in The Circle!

WC: 6.5k

 JUNE 27TH | 21:00

You made it to Itaewon two hours before The Circle was meant to open; thirty minutes before you were told to be there for your first day. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t nervous or that you didn’t re-think and regret your actions at least five times from the moment you hopped onto Jeongguk’s motorbike until he was parking it on a side street. 

The responsible part of you was telling you to run back home, where it was safe. To forget about the idea you had for this article, to settle for the boring subject you had initially thought about. But the reckless part of you was what made you keep going. 

That small part of you had been dormant for almost a decade now, playing by the rules, following the path that had been traced for you. But you were so damn tired of being told what to do, or not to do. You wanted to make your own decisions, even if they were bad ones. 

“You remember everything I told you?” Jeongguk asked you as he opened the backdoor after typing in the passcode. He looked even more nervous than you were.  

“Most of it, I think.” you nodded, hoisting your small backpack so it sat more comfortably over your shoulders. 

“We don’t have big names fighting tonight, so it should be a quiet night.” his wand was looking for yours as soon as you were locked in. “I won't be fighting tonight either, so I'll be around to look over you. If you feel uncomfortable or change your mind, you let me know and I'll get you home.” 

“Thank you, baby.”

It meant a lot to you, to know that Jeongguk would be there tonight. Even if he didn’t agree with you stepping into this world, he knew better than to fight you on it. And you didn’t mean to give him trouble, you didn’t want to make his life harder. You understood he did it for the money and for the adrenaline, but just as he accepted your decision, you respected his. 

It wasn’t up to you if he put himself at risk by doing these fights. And it wasn’t up to him if you worked behind the bar. 

You had reached a silent agreement that, despite any reservations you both might have, you were going to support each other as best as you could. You’d be a team; the only ones from your friend group that knew what you were doing. 

When you already felt like you were hiding so much already, it felt good to know you didn’t have to hide this from the man you were slowly falling for. 

You didn’t know what you were expecting from this underground fighting ring, but besides the locked back door, there wasn’t anything else stopping you from entering the building. There was no bouncer asking to see your ID to make sure you actually had a reason to be there, no electronic panel for you to leave your thumbprint. 

Jeongguk was able to lead you straight to the elevator, pressing the button to the underground. 

You were dropped off at the lowest level, which he had already told you was where the offices, changing and resting rooms were located, away from the eyes of the rich patrons. That floor also led to the fighting ring, which was absolutely off limits to any of the clients. 

Jeongguk wanted to give you a tour of the place before the work day started, but you both knew he wouldn’t be able to do that once you stepped onto the main room. 

The space wasn’t busy or filled with people by any means, but Lisa was there and she seemed to be waiting for you; getting up from a dark velvet couch as soon as you were walking out of the elevator. 

It took a bit of effort for your eyes to get used to the dark atmosphere; since you were underground, there were no windows to let in natural light –not there would be any sun this time of night–. The lighting was made up of deep blue LED stripes on the corners of the floor and ceiling, giving the space a futuristic vibe. 

“You're here early!” Lisa was dressed down for the first time since you met her, wearing a tracksuit set and nothing like the tight clothes you’ve seen her in at the party or when she was working at the bar. She was still gorgeous, however. “Good. We have time to talk before your meeting with Hwasa.” 

“Hi, it's nice to see you again.” you easily accepted her friendly hug.  

“I'll bet. You look so nervous, that's so cute.” she giggled, taking a look at you before breaking the hug. “Don't worry, you're in good hands.” 

With a soothing hand on your back, Jeongguk added: “Lis has been working the bar the longest, she welcomed most of us into the Circle.” 

“Yep, I saw this place grow into what it is today.” Lisa grinned, proudly. She was definitely someone you wanted to get close to. “And I'll take care of you, too.”

“Thank you, that means a lot.” you bowed slightly, more out of nerves than formality. 

“You can go now,” the woman turned to Jeongguk, shooing him with a manicured hand. “This is girl talk.”

“I don't think so.” the man didn’t budge, placing his arm around your shoulders. “I'm on guard duty tonight, I'm not scheduled to fight.”

“That might be so, but Hatter was asking for you.” Lisa challenged, reaching for your arm to pull you away from his protective hold. “Go see what he wants, I promise I won't let her out of my sight.” 

“It's okay, go.” you turned to Jeongguk, giving his wrist a squeeze that should tell him you’d be okay. “I'll see you after my meeting.” 

“I'll find you as soon as I'm out.” he promised, holding your face with a gentle hand to kiss your forehead. “Be good, dove.” 

You nodded to make sure he wouldn’t worry about you too much. You watched Jeongguk go down the hallway and get lost in the darkness, wondering if you’d ever learn how to navigate this illegal underground establishment on your own. So far, you felt lost and alone. 

“You two are so cute.” Lisa’s laugh brought your attention back to her. “Like two puppies in love.” 

You hoped that it was dark enough so Lisa wouldn’t see your flushed face. Hoping your voice was steady enough, you asked: “So, who is this Hwasa?”

“Her real name is Hyejin, but we don't use our real names here.” she replied while linking her arm with yours to lead you to the couch she was sitting on previously.  

“Is she one of you?” you asked curiously, wondering if she was one of the pretty girls to serve the patrons.  

“One of us, silly. You're part of the gang now.” she corrected, squeezing you in a side hug before sitting down. “But not really. She's more like our manager.” 

“I thought Hatter was the manager.” you wondered out loud. At least he’d been the one to hire you. 

“He manages the house and the fights. Hwasa manages the girls.” Lisa explained, crossing her legs and coming just a little closer. “She's like a big sister to all of us, so you can trust her. She's sweet but don't let that fool you. One time a guy tried touching Chaeyoung’s ass and she broke his pinky before dragging him out.”

“Oh damn.” your eyebrows lifted in surprise and worry. “Does that happen a lot?”

“Well, our patrons tend to be entitled, it comes with the money. But they know they can't touch us.” Lisa was so nonchalant about it that it made you believe that being groped on the job wasn’t the norm. And you could work with that. “Some might try, but that's why we have security.” 

“That’s good to know.” 

“Our fighters look after us too.” she added, immediately making you think of Guk. “Most of them mingle around to network, get sponsors and make deals, but they are always close to make sure no drunkies get too comfortable.”

“You make it sound like you're all a big family.” you noted, not knowing if she was trying to sell you a pretty image so that you wouldn’t quit. 

“It feels like that most of the time. I know it's hard to believe, but if you get past the whole illegal part you'll enjoy working here.” she beamed, but you still had your doubts.  

“I definitely like how you make it sound.” your smile didn’t feel fake, nor forced. At least you could feel comfortable around her.  

“We do have some bad apples, like every family.” Lisa shrugged and you wondered if she was talking about Wonho. “But stick to your group and you'll be fine.” 

You intended on doing just that. You might have accepted that you were acting reckless, but you wouldn’t act stupid. You wouldn’t go messing with the wrong people and you’d stay away from Wonho and his goonies as much as you possibly could. 

“Girls?” someone called and Lisa looked up, making you do the same. A girl with long hair and a friendly smile was waving you over. “You can come in now.”

Your talk with Lisa did wonders for your nerves, so your palms weren’t sweating when you stood up and followed the girl to one of the many office rooms down the hallway. You were allowed into the room and were glad that at least the lighting was a little better there. 

Three women were waiting inside: one sitting behind an office desk littered with papers, the one who called you in was sitting behind a sewing machine, and a third one was standing next to a table stuffed with fabrics and accessories. 

“Hi, unnies.” Lisa waved to the three older women, motioning to you to introduce you: “This is Yn, she's replacing Sooya.” 

“That crazy man was telling the truth, huh.” the woman behind the desk had a beautifully white smile, clearly amused about Hatter finding a new bartender. “We already have a new girl.” 

“Hi, it's nice to meet you all.” you bowed to the room, in almost ninety degrees. 

You couldn’t help but be a little intimidated by the three women. So far, everyone you’ve seen that was involved with The Circle, was really fucking beautiful. From the fighters, to the workers and now the managers. It did do wonders for your self confidence, if you were being allowed to work alongside such a striking group of people. 

Lisa rushed to explain: “She's Guk’s girl and she offered herself for the spot.” 

“Is that so?” the woman tilted her head, raising a single eyebrow as if pondering something deep. And then she leaned over the table to warn: “I want no catty shit between my girls, the four of you need to look after each other, you understand?” 

“If you're talking about Jenny's past with Guk then you don't have to worry.” you told her, standing a little straighter. “Not when it comes to me at least, I'm just here to work.” 

“Good.” you must have said something right when she smiled in the most amicable manner you’ve seen since you stepped into the room. “I’m Hwasa and these are Moonbyul and Solar.” 

Hwasa introduced you to the other women that you guessed worked with her; Solar being the one who was sewing something in bright pink and Moonbyul was the one picking fabrics that would look good together. Both sent a smile your way, but neither stopped what they were working on. 

“Have you been told the house rules yet?” Hwasa asked you, standing up from her desk.  

“Guk told me a few things on the way here.” you nodded, remembering the most important rules he mentioned: “He said no phones are allowed out of the backstage area, and that we can't talk about what happens here to no one else.”

“Those are some of them, yes, Lisa can tell you the rest later.” Hwasa walked around her desk and stopped by Moonbyul to pluck the measuring tape that was resting around her shoulders. “If you ever need anything, you can come to me or to these two.” 

“And she means everything.” Solar added, pushing her glasses higher on the bridge of her nose. “From family advice to a pregnancy test.” 

“Pregnancy test?” you couldn’t help but get wide eyed. 

“That only happened once and it was a false alarm, okay.” Lisa mumbled next to you, sending a look to Solar.

Hwasa ignored the bickering, coming closer to you and gently removing your backpack and resting it on the empty chair next to the door. She walked around you while holding the measuring tape, but not really bringing it near you. 

“She's the same size as Sooya, don't you think?” the woman asked over her shoulder. 

Moonbyul, who you didn’t think even looked at you a second time, replied: 

“Her ass is bigger, but I think tonight's outfit will fit.” 

“They make all of our outfits.” Lisa told you, still near you like a safety blanket.  

“Oh, you're all very talented.” you still remembered the outfits the four girls were wearing that night you visited The Circle for the first time. 

“It's our job to make you girls look perfect.” Solar told you above the sound of her sewing machine. “We like to pretend that you're our idol group and we dress you for a performance every night.” 

“As long as I don't have to sing.” you chuckled. Despite your very talented friends and brother, music wasn’t your thing. 

At this moment in time, you didn’t know what your thig actually was, but you were here to find out.  

“Your job is to make patrons happy.” Hwasa told you, but it didn’t feel like she was scolding you. “The happier they are, the more money they spend.”

“The bigger the tip.” Lisa pitched in.

“That goes for how much skin you show, too.” Moonbyul finally turned to you, eyeing your jeans and t-shirt. “Are you religiously forbidden from showing anything?” 

“Not really.” you shook your head.

“Any preferences on skirts, shorts, dresses?” the woman asked and you could see the cogs turning in her brain. 

“I'm good with whatever.” you told them honestly. 

Would you be comfortable walking around in a bikini? No. But you needed to fit in. Besides, everything you’ve seen so far –from the girls at the bar, the sketches on Hwasa’s table and the pieces Solar was working on, everything looked tasteful. Sexy, sure, but elegant and luxurious. 

When Hwasa finally started taking your measurements, she asked: “Did you think about a stage name yet?” 

“I wasn’t aware I was supposed to come up with one until twenty minutes ago.” you answered honestly, holding out your arms to make her job easier. 

“I heard Jk  calling you Dove.” Lisa said, and you froze. “That's pretty cute.” 

“Oh no, that one is too personal.” you started shaking your head, but Moonbyul left her workstation to stand in front of you. 

You felt like a little lab mouse, being watched and studied for your reactions to your surroundings. Moonbyul touched your chin to turn your face this way and that, and while it made you uncomfortable to have your personal space invaded by a stranger, she wasn’t harmful or rough. 

“I like it. We can make you the innocent type, pure and naive.” she decided, leaving little space for argument. “The kind of girl men will be dying to corrupt.” 

“We all have a role to play here, to cater to all audiences.” Lisa was out of your line of vision, but you tried looking at her from over your shoulder to show you were listening. “I’m the modern type, edgy and sometimes a tomboy. Rosé, that’s Chaeyoung, by the way, is the girl next door, she can pull anything off. Jennie is the Queen B, our It Girl. And that leaves you.” 

“Me.” you repeated. Playing the role I was born into, you thought to yourself rather bitterly. 

“You should do light makeup, natural, but with pops of pastel colors.” Mooonbyul kept going. “Would you be willing to dye your hair?”

“Not really.” you denied politely.  

“We have wigs you can wear.” Lisa gave you the option, which you appreciated. “And we do our own hair and makeup here, but we can help you if you don't know how.” 

“If you want to take her to the dressing room, we'll bring your outfits in a bit.” Hwasa said after she finished writing down your measurements on paper. “We won’t have anything new for you yet, but I think what we picked for tonight will be good enough for now.” 

JUNE 27TH | 22:45

You were extremely grateful for Lisa. 

The girl did not leave your side while showing you the kitchen that you could use, the bathroom, showers, and the dressing room that only the four bartenders –and their seamstresses– were allowed into. 

There were exactly four vanity tables in the room, complete with a huge round mirror, lights and drawers on each side, and you were addressed to the one closest to the door. The ‘we’ll miss you Jisoo’ written in the mirror in bright, bold red was telling enough that you were inheriting the space of the girl you were replacing. 

Not only did Lisa serve as a guide, when Jeongguk didn’t meet you again before it was time to get ready for the first night on the job, she let you borrow her makeup and hair tools; since you didn’t know you were supposed to bring your own, all you had on you was a red lip tint that was too bold for the archetype that was being asked of you. 

You learned that Lisa’s real name was actually Lalisa, so her nickname doubled as a stage name. You already knew that Cheyoung went by Rosé and then you were told that Jennie went by Ruby. 

And, from today on, you’d go by Dove. 

You tried not to think about that special term of endearment being used by strangers, promising yourself you wouldn’t let this taint it or ruin it for you. 

By the time you were getting dressed, Chaeyoung and Jennie arrived; full faces of makeup and hairs styled to perfection. All they had to do was to put on the outfits left for them hanging from a clothes rack. 

Chaeyoung welcomed you into their group, asked you how you were feeling and told you she’d be there to answer any questions you had about the job. Jennie, on the other hand, completely ignored you from the moment she stepped into the dressing room, until it was time for the four of you to go upstairs to the bar. 

It was very different to see the main floor of the Circle so empty. 

The neon lights were on, as was the club music, but no one was dancing, drinking or getting hyped up yet. Only staff members –which now included you–, and fighters were mingling around before the doors officially opened for the night. 

Jeongguk was leaning his back against the railing where the patrons watched the fights from, pretty in an oversized t-shirt and jeans, while talking to the short guy you’ve seen in passing at Mingyu’s party. The second man was dressed in flashy clothes that made you think of a bullfighter; complete with a short red cape and wide shoulder pads. 

As soon as your man saw you, he completely missed what the other guy was saying, turning to you with wide eyes and a curved smile. By the time you reached Jeongguk, the short guy had already left to find someone else to talk to. 

“Wow, look at you–” Jeongguk gushed, eyes moving from your legs to your torso, spending just a little more time on your chest and ending on your face. 

“Do I look ridiculous?” you couldn’t help but feel a little self conscious at the moment, but Jeongguk’s shameless staring made you feel a lot better. 

The four bartenders were put in black and white outfits tonight, in all kinds of short skirts and tight hotpants. You were clearly wearing something of Sooya, as the seamstresses weren’t able to make something bespoke to you in such short notice. The little dress was, well, little. White and practically see-through as the fabric was lacy and thin. Your body was only covered by a snug fitting bodysuit that went underneath the dress. Your ass was practically hanging out, the underside of it wasn’t covered by the fabric at all. A black band was tied around your waist, forming a pretty bow under your breasts and pushing them up even more. 

You were put in white leg warmers and doll-like shoes, and had a small bow tied on the back of your head. Your makeup was light and natural like Moonbyul asked, a light pink shimmer on your lids and tiny white stones were glued underneath your eyes to give you more of a dreamy look. 

“You look amazing.” Jeongguk gushed, and somehow you believed him. “Kinda remind me of a bunny.”

“Bunny! Dammit!” you gasped, attempting to deliver a playful punch against his chest, but he held your wrist and pulled you closer. “Why didn't you say that before?!”

Jeongguk was giggling cutely as he let go of your wrist to circle your waist and keep you stuck to his front. “What are you talking about?”

“I could have picked bunny as my stage name!” you pouted, hands finding balance on his chest. “It was very stupid of me to not realize that I needed one, but you could have warned me.”

“Sorry, that completely went over my head in the ever growing list of concerns related to your new job.” Jeongguk shook his head, hand squeezing your hip. “What name did you pick?”

“You kinda picked it for me.” you answered sheepishly. “Lisa suggested Dove after hearing you call me that.”

“Oh.” you could see the guilt in his eyes, understanding only half of how much that pet name meant to you. “Are you okay with that?”

“I have to be.” you nodded, tracing the outline of his pec with a gentle finger. “It kinda stuck.” 

“Maybe I'll keep bunny for myself, then.” Jeongguk offered, touching the side of your face and running a thumb on your bottom lip. “Use that as a special pet name, just for me.” 

“You already call me pretty.” you whined softly, suddenly forgetting where you were.  

“Mhmm. Pretty bunny.” he teased with a lazy smile, breath warm as it kissed your lips. “That does sound nice.” 

Before Jeongguk could finally kiss you, the sound of something metallic hitting glass made the two of you put a more respectful distance between you. You turned around to see Lisa sitting on top of the bar counter, looking as comfortable as can be in her black, tiny shorts and white top with puffy sleeves, trying to get everyone’s attention. 

“Okay, everyone, gather round! Dove, come here!” she called, hitting the spoon on the tequila bottle again, just for the dramatics. “We have a new addition to the family, so let's have a toast to welcome her.”

You didn’t like being put in the spot like that, when you weren’t expecting it, but it was better to just pull the bandaid off and be introduced to everybody at once. Especially when it meant free tequila shots. You skipped your way to Lisa, and all other fighters and staff followed to grab one of the shot glasses filled with golden liquid that were already served on the counter. 

In between cheers! and welcome! you brought the glass to your mouth and tipped the liquid back. It burned on the way down, making you scrunch your nose in the process. Hands were on your waist and spinning you around so fast that you got  a little dizzy. In between giggles, Jeongguk pressed his lips against yours to steal that kiss he’d been meaning to. 

 JUNE 27TH | 23:29

“Are you seriously just going to stand there all night?” Chaeyoung asked Jeongguk with a laugh and a twirl of her blonde hair as she threw it over her shoulder. “You’re scaring the customers away.” 

“Actually, I think the bar never had so many female patrons sticking around.” Lisa added while passing a blue colored cocktail to a giggly woman who kept sending Guk heart eyes. 

Staying true to his words, Jeongguk stayed around the bar to keep an eye on you. When he told you he’d be there to be your bodyguard tonight, you didn’t think he meant to stay perched on one of the barstools all night. 

Not that his presence bothered you in any way, in fact, knowing he was so close made you more relaxed to actually pay attention to everything Lisa was explaining to you. 

No one expected you to know all of the recipes for the drinks they served at the Circle on your first night, which you appreciated. You learned that the four of you worked in pairs. While Jennie used to work alongside Sooya, no one even tried to make her work with you. She was placed on the furthest side of the bar, while you took the other end. Lisa was with you, and Chaeyoung was helping Jennie. 

Since it was your first day, you were only meant to serve the drinks already made; like shots, bottled drinks and beer. While your pair mixed and created the cocktails. 

You were a little slower than you’d like to be, still learning where everything was behind the bar, but you learned pretty quickly that apologizing with a sweet smile went a long way. Most of the men who came around were more concerned about your chest than your work anyway. 

It also meant that the girls’ tip jar was filling up quicker than yours, but you weren’t here for the money. 

“You can go watch the fights, you know?” you told him, already a lot more relaxed than you’ve been when the patrons started walking in. “I’m not going anywhere.” 

“I know, but I like looking at you.” Jeongguk shrugged, making Chaeyoung pretend to be sick somewhere down the counter. “And I can watch the fights from here.” 

“Was that guy you were talking to fighting tonight?” you asked him as you used a white cloth to wipe your side of the counter, since you didn’t have anyone else to serve right now. “The bullfighter?” 

“That’s Woozy hyung.” Jeongguk nodded. “He’s the shortest fighter, but he can pack a punch. His fights are always fun.” 

“I don’t know how any of you can think this is fun.” you mumbled, not trying to offend anyone but still not quite understanding of this whole thing.  

“Don’t worry, it will grow on you.” Lisa told you, while she used the mirror in the back of the bar to check if her makeup was still flawless. “We don’t have a full house every night for nothing.” 

“I’ll let you know if that happens.” you shrugged, not really buying it. 

“I’m going to make rounds, think you can cover our area on your own?” Lisa turned to you and seeing your wide eyes, she added: “If anyone asks you for something you don’t know how to make, ask Rosé to show you how.” 

“Yeah, sure, I got it.” you nodded, as you much rather stay behind the bar than to walk around the place to check on patrons. 

“Ruby, you’re coming with me?” Lisa invited Jennie to come along; if she needed the company or simply didn’t want to leave her with you without being present to oversee it, you weren’t sure. 

“Yeah, it’s boring without Jisoo here.” Jennie was dropping a mixing cup into the sink, not minding the noise. As she walked behind you to leave the bar area, Jennie threw a look Jeongguk’s way: “I can’t believe you haven’t asked once how my ass is doing after you went at it all morning.” 

The comment was a clear jab at you, a little reminder that Jeongguk had all but branded her with one of his art pieces. And while you did feel a little sting of jealousy, your stomach turning from the mental image of Jennie’s ass on his face and her dramatic moaning, you also remembered Jeongguk locking the door of your bedroom. 

Jeongguk didn’t reply to her, but he rolled his eyes as if annoyed with her attitude. 

When it was only you and Chaeyoung behind the bar, she said: “I love that girl, but she needs to learn when to let it go, you know?” 

“I don’t know what you mean.” you played dumb, not trying to start any drama tonight or any night. 

The blonde girl smiled. “Good for you. Don’t play her game and she’ll give up.” 

“The fight is about to start.” Jeongguk announced to no one in particular, eyes watching the TV on the back wall of the bar where you could see Hatter walking in and calling all of the patrons to gather around the circular balcony.

“Wait, where’s the water?” you asked as you glanced at the TV. 

Now that most of the spectators were joining around the ledge to watch the three fights of the night, the bar area became almost completely empty and you could look around. On the television that showed the live feed of what was happening on the fighting ring, you expected to see the same water filled, ankle high pool. Instead, that same circular area was now covered in hay. 

“It’s a different theme each week.” Jeongguk explained. “Hatter likes keeping things interesting.” 

“I can see that.” against your better judgment, you kept watching the TV to see the two fighters being introduced. Woozy versus Yunho. “Does he ever bring live animals to keep things interesting?” 

“No, but I would like to see the fighters dressed as gladiators.” Chaeyoung understood your joke, making you laugh. You decided that you liked her when Jennie wasn’t around. “Maybe we can pitch in that idea.” 

You had your back to the counter as you watched the fight start on the deck below. The image from the television was very high quality, bringing out the details on the men’s clothes and their facial expressions. You told yourself that you were only watching it so you could learn. Since you couldn’t have your phone to take notes, and writing down things on a piece of paper all night would look suspicious, you had to keep your eyes and ears open if you wanted to write a good article. 

That’s all it was. Professional curiosity. 

And maybe you were a tiny, teeny bit worried that Woozy looked so much smaller than his opponent as Yunho looked even taller than Jeongguk. But Guk was right and every single punch the shorter man managed to hit, made a mess. And every hit that Woozy took, seemed to barely make him budge. 

By the end of the third round, you could barely peel your eyes from the TV, making Jeongguk chuckle as he watched you. 

You couldn’t watch the end of the fight as you noticed someone approaching the bar. You still had a job to do and you couldn’t be fired now. Since Chaeyoung was busy making the ice machine work, you waited for the tall, beautiful woman to approach you. 

But her attention wasn’t on you, but on the man that had been watching you all night. 

“Hello, handsome.” the woman leaned over the bar, her body turned towards Jeongguk. “Can I buy you a drink?” 

“Ah, Mrs. Lee, it’s nice to see you.” the man looked surprised to see her, but they were obviously familiar with each other. “You know I can’t drink on the job.” 

“It doesn’t look like you’re working tonight.” Mrs. Lee looked him up and down, obviously hinting at the lack of flashy clothes. “I didn’t see your name on the fighting board. I would remember if I had.” 

You busied yourself with anything that was near you, trying not to eavesdrop. You knew by now that the fighters had fans, it’s been hinted enough that you knew Jeongguk was one of the favorites amongst the younger audience. This woman in particular looked to be in her late forties, in a tight red dress and expensive high heels and handbag. 

You couldn’t blame her for trying to shoot her shot, things like these must surely be part of the work. It also didn’t bother you as much as you thought it might, seeing someone flirting so openly with Jeongguk. It wasn’t like Jennie, someone who was closer to his type, someone who had been intimate with him before. 

“You flatter me, madam.” Jeongguk was a little abashed, a little red in the face, but also a little uncomfortable. As if trying to move the spotlight, he said: “What can our lovely Dove get for you tonight?”

“I’ll take the usual.” she decided, not moving her eyes from Jeongguk. “You still remember what that is, handsome?” 

He swallowed hard, turning to you with a small grimace to say: “She’ll have a sour cherry negroni.” 

“I got it, don’t worry.” Chaeyoung came to your rescue, as there was no way you’d know how to make that drink based on what it sounded like. “You ring her up?” 

“You’re new here, huh?” Mrs. Lee finally turned to study you, plucking a back card from her designer purse.

You already knew that patrons who bet on the fights could drink for free and those ones wore a wristband for consumption. This woman only had Tiffany and Cartier around her wrists. 

“First night, but I learn fast.” you smiled angelically, taking the card from her to charge the drink. 

Working on the register was easy as it was pretty much automated and all you had to do was click the names on the screen and then tap the credit card in the correct area.  

“You’ll fit in with the girls.” the stranger mused, receiving her card back once you were done. Bringing her fiery gaze back to Jeongguk, she added: “But don’t let these fighters fool you, okay? They will promise you heavens and leave you hanging.” 

“You break my heart, Mrs. Lee.” Jeongguk placed both hands on his heart, which made you chuckle, but you tried to hide it behind a fake cough. 

“Do you even have one?” she teased, but then looked at you, challenging. “Or is it already with her?” 

Jeongguk clearly didn’t want to answer that, which you were thankful for. Instead, he asked:

“So what brings you here tonight, if you’re not interested in watching the fights?” 

“I’m accompanying an old friend.” Mrs. Lee replied, attention back on him. “Actually, I think he would love to meet you. Come, let me introduce you.” 

Before Chaeyoung even finished placing the drink on the counter, the woman already had her bony fingers around the glass, moving away from the bar and expecting Jeongguk to follow. He seemed tired and apologetic when he looked at you, as if to say he had no choice. 

You shooed him away reassuringly, which seemed to alleviate the weight on his shoulders. As you watched him go after the woman, you made a mental note to have a conversation with him. Whatever either of you had to do, while inside the Circle, to make sure you’d both play by the rules and do what was expected of you, wouldn’t mean anything serious. 

Who he talked to, or who looked at your scarcely covered body, shouldn’t matter when it came to your developing-almost-relationship outside of the job. 

Lisa had warned you, when you were getting ready, that half of the fun for the old and rich men that came to these things, was to flirt with pretty, younger women. It was your job, for the sake of the cash flow, to make them think they had a chance. Sometimes that meant flirting back, making eyes, acting charming. 

You were still wrapping your head around all of that, but the more you saw the girls interact with their regular customers, the more you understood what that meant. And they did it with class, too, which you appreciated. 

The three girls didn’t behave like escorts or playmates for hire, but they were dreamy figures; unobtainable women that were too good for any of the powerful men. And that was fun for the men, too, who liked the chase when everything else in their lives was already easily bought. And it was fun for the girls, as it made them feel powerful and untouchable. 

When it came to the fighters and their fans, you guessed it was the same kind of transaction, in a way. They looked and acted like idols, the only difference was that they weren’t singing or dancing when they were up on the stage. But the obsession and admiration was much the same. 

After serving some beers and whiskeys and catching a small portion of the second fight, you walked closer to Cheyoung to ask:

“Do you know who that was?” 

“Yes, she’s an old client. Lee Doona, she’s known for offering gifts in exchange for favors.” the woman told you in a low voice, but she had no problem telling secrets. “Like a sugar momma type of thing.” 

“Like… In exchange for sex?” you wondered, finding her in the crowd with Guk and an older man.  

“Mhmm, sometimes. A few of our fighters said yes, but it’s none of my business to tell.” she told you with a wink and somehow you knew that she would talk more if you asked the right questions. “Jk is her newest target, but he shoots her down everytime.” 

“And who is that guy with them?” you wanted to know next. 

“Oh, that's Mr. So.” even Chaeyoung looked surprised to see the man, standing next to you and forgetting to wipe crystal glasses for the time being. “He's a bit of a junkie when it comes to betting on the fights, I haven't seen him here in a while.” 

“You think he went into debt?” your mind was already coming up with twists for your article; the downsides of betting on underground fighting rings, when everything else just looked fancy and lux.  

“I wouldn't be surprised.” she shrugged. “He keeps betting on the wrong fighters. Last I heard, he was trying to convince one of the favorites to throw the fight.” 

“To lose on purpose?” you remembered that’s what happened between Mingyu and Jeongguk, where Mingyu lost on purpose just so someone he didn’t like wouldn’t win the money. 

Chaeyoung nodded. “If he bets on the underdog, and he actually wins, Mr. So will get all the money.” 

“And in exchange?” you asked as you watched Jeongguk and Mr. So shake hands. 

“Let’s just say, if Jk shows up with a car, we’ll know where he got it.”