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azucarmorena97 · 1 year ago

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Money Ties (Jungkook Love Story || Pt.6)

Pt.5 || Pt.7

Your parents have worked hard to get to the top and have made sure to teach you everything you need to know to be successful in this business: from tough but lucrative financial decisions, down to the right ball gown for any given banquet. A promising and extravagant future awaits you- that is, if you agree to one teensy detail...

Son of Mr.Jeon Sr. and heir to June Company, Jeon Jungkook is an immature playboy with nothing to offer a woman but good looks and a crap ton of money, and he stands to inherit much MUCH more, so long as you both enter into the arranged marriage contract that was drawn up before the pair of you were even born.

You're more than willing to try, but you're not sure you'll be able to stand each other long enough to inherit a single penny...

Series Warnings: There will be smut in the near future and I will label those chapters as such. As I say before most of my pieces- I do not endorse any themes, ideas, or behaviors in this series. This is all purely fiction/fantasy! Feel free to inbox me suggestions/ideas/what you'd like to see in this series and I'll see what I can do! Enjoy <3

Recap: When you both sit back down, Jungkook is quiet- like he's lost in thought. "So...who's Lisa?" You ask, pretending to be completely oblivious. "She's...just a mutual friend between Rosé and I." Again, it seems like a topic he'd rather avoid. "Alrighty..." You say, pursing your lips.

- You look down at your hand and can't help but smile. Oh, how easy it is to get carried away and forget that none of this organic....but is it so bad to dream?

You slept the most solidly last night than you have in months- even before you came to Korea, you had horrible insomnia from just how much stress you've been under. As you fell asleep, you played and replayed the events of your evening frame by frame, reliving the fun conversation and laughters...and even that strange moment between him and that girl, Rosé. He seemed so...evasive when you asked him who Lisa was. You quickly shoved it to the back of your mind, not really wanting to let it spoil the great evening you had with Jungkook.

You're awakened by your phone buzzing against your bedside table, though you aren't bothered at all the way you usually would be. Residual contentment from last night, you suppose. You look at the screen to see who it is and your joy only grows when you see it's B/f/n. You answer the facetime with a big smile, "Heeeeey." "Wait a minute, you're not grumpy this morning or crabby. What's going on?" She asks, a knowing smile on her face. You don't respond, you simply lift up your left hand and show her Jungkook's ring. Her eyes widen and she begins cheering, "NO FREAKING WAY. Did Jungkook give that to you?!" She asks. You nod, "Yes. Last night- it was after dessert, we were in the car-" "Wait, after dessert!?" "Yeah, After dinner we got dessert at-" "DINNER!?" She gets more and more excited with ever passing second, "One day without a call and I miss all the good stuff!" She whines, causing you to laugh. "I know- I gotta tell you, this guy is way different than I thought." "Is he fabulous? Are you falling in love?" She asks, propping her chin up on her hand. "I- I wouldn't say that..." You blush, feeling very vulnerable with that question. You've only known the guy for about a week- you're definitely not in love with him...but you would be lying to yourself if you said you weren't kind of starting to...warm up to him considerably.

"Ugh...I wish you could just be here so I could tell you everything in person," You sigh. She purses her lips as though she wants to say something but won't spit it out. You narrow your eyes at her, "Wait- what is it? What are you not saying?" "I'm not at liberty to say," She say, looking around the room she's in to avoid direct eye contact. "B/f/n," You say sternly, "Spill it." "Okay fine," She caves (without very much effort, as per usual) "Your parents are traveling to Seoul tonight," She says excitedly. You don't even know how to process what she's just said- your parents? South Korea? You can't imagine how that'll go, considering the fact that your dad won't even look at you on a video chat. "M-my parents?" How are you going to survive another week here with them also being here. "Yes, and guess what else..." Oh God, you can't even imagine what bomb she might drop next. "...what else..." You ask, pursing your lips to prepare yourself. "THEY INVITED ME TO COME ALONG!!!!!!" She exclaims. Your eyes widen and let out a little scream, "NO WAY!" You celebrate with her.

With her here, the trip will go much smoother. She'll be like a buffer between you and your parents. Surely the won't act up as much with guests around, right? "It was supposed to be a surprise but- I mean, clearly they don't know me at all if they thought I could just keep that to myself," She sighs. "You don't even know how happy you've just made me," You sigh, "It's just too bad you won't be here in time for Jungkook's party tonight. I'm gonna be in a sea of people I don't even know." "Ugh, I know. But think of it this way, tomorrow is completely ours." "You're right- I'll just hold on to the promise of tomorrow," You sigh dramatically. "Please do. Alright, my lunch break is almost over- I'll call you tonight when we're on our way to the air port- don't tell your parents I told you!" "Of course not, scout's honor. Bye!"

When she hangs up, you toss your phone next to you and sigh, staring up at the ceiling. You think about what your parents might say when they see you, what you and B/f/n might go do to pass the time, and before you know it, you're drifting off back to sleep for just a little longer.

Your head hangs upside down as you blow dry your hair, trying to hurry before the car arrives in an hour. You'd been lazy all day, opting not to do any of the items on your itinerary that your dad had planned out for today. This is the most rest you've gotten all year. You finish up with the blow dryer and then move on to thoroughly combing and straightening, then to your makeup. Before you know it, 50 minutes have gone by. As serene and calm as you were feeling this morning, now you're a ball of nerves. You've never been great in super social situations- you usually pop in, pop out, go home. Would Jungkook have an issue with you doing that with his party? Surely he wouldn't be bothered- then again, he isn't just some acquaintance or casual friend; he's literally your fiance. What are the rules? DAMMIT, WHAT ARE THE RULES!? You stand in front of the mirror and take a deep breath, "Everything's gonna be fine."

You can hear the music from a block away from the club where the party's being held, and you see a sea of cars lined up outside; men and women all dressed and ready to leave their inhibitions at the door. You feel very out of place already. "I'm sorry ma'am, I think I'm going to have to drop you off here because of all the traffic." "Oh, no worries. I can walk," You assure the driver, grabbing your purse and stepping out of the vehicle. The night air is chilly and lifts the hem of your dress ever so slightly. You walk down and get in the long line, praying it'll move quickly.

After five minutes or so of the line not movie, you hear a slightly familiar voice coming from the direction of the door. "Hey, it's you!" You turn and see the drunk guy from the ice cream parlor- Seokjin. You swallow, feeling shy. You're not really used to conversing with strangers out of the blue. "How are you?" He asks. You give a fake smile, "I'm-I'm good. Uhm, Seokjin, right?" "Please, call me Jin," He smiles back. Again, he smells like alcohol and cologne, but this time, he seems to be very coherent and lively. "Alright," You say, crossing your arms over your chest in slight discomfort. "What was your name again?" "Y/n." "Y/n, right...what a beautiful name," He says, stepping closer to you. You feel your cheeks getting hot and you want to tell him to give you some space, but it's like your voice is stuck in your throat. It's not that Jin isn't attractive- he's actually quite handsome and looks to be a sharp dresser, but you've never been one for men to approach you like that. You're more of a friends-first kind of girl. You also remember the girl who went to pick him up: the fire in her eyes, the venom in her tone- you'd hate to be at the other end of that. "Thanks," You try to keep it short, not wanting to entertain his flirtatious advancements any further.

"You really shouldn't be out here waiting. If you want, I can help you cut the line," He says, completely lacking self awareness as he casually throws his arm around you. You shake your head, "No, that's okay. That wouldn't be very fair." "Oh come on- what's not fair is Jungkook making you wait in freezing cold. What are you to him, anyway?" "I-" "She's his fiance," Namjoon steps in plucks Jin's arm off from your shoulders, letting it fall. Everyone turns and watches the exchange. Jin's eyes widen, and he turns to look at you and then back at Namjoon, "Fiance- what- I had no idea. I'm so sorry," He bows profusely, cheeks as red as yours were a second ago. You want desperately to hide behind Namjoon- relieved that he got there just in the nick of time. Namjoon rolls his eyes, "You should be apologizing to your girlfriend, ass wipe." Jin's eyes widen even more, "Please don't tell her." Namjoon waves him away and turns to you, "Sorry about that, Y/n. Follow me," He holds his arm out a good distance from himself for you to grab on, which you gladly do. You pass all the people of the line, and they all watch as you cut past them. Some have scowls on their face, some intrigue, but all watch.

"This way," Namjoon says, taking you up a staircase to a balcony that oversees the entire club. From up top, you see people upon people: dancing, drinking, and even some blatantly doing...other substances, out in the open. There's quite a few people on the balcony, though nothing close to all the bodies down on the lower level. "Oh, I guess he's down there mingling," Namjoon says, looking around and not seeing him. Some people glance at you, though they don't seem to care about your presence; they're too preoccupied with their own drinks and merriment. "Guys, this is Y/n," Namjoon says when he gets to a circle of seats in the far corner. Everyone turns and gives polite smiles, followed by a series of hello's. "What are you drinking?" Namjoon asks after you sit down. You shrug, "A beer would be great," You sigh, already feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Be right back." He leaves you with the people who'd been there first. "How do you know Jungkook?" One of them asks: a guy with slightly long lazily slicked back hair and high cheekbones asks. "I- uhm, I'm a family friend." "Oh, okay...I'm Hoseok, by the way." You nod, "Nice to meet you." "I just saw 'Kook a minute ago," A guy next to him says, "I think he went to go make a request for the DJ." It really does seem like everyone Jungkook knows is attractive because this new guy has like, the smoothest skin ever. His face is almost angelic, with beautiful eyes and brown shaggy hair- soft features for as deep of a voice as he has.

"Your drink," Namjoon says, walking up and sitting next you. You bow, "Thanks so much." You take a sip and continue looking around, trying to relax. While you really would like to drink something harder, you don't like the idea of being out of control in such an unfamiliar environment. "I- I didn't expect to see you here," You say to him. He chuckles, "Yeah, well, I- I'm not just Mr.Jeon's assistant. I'm also Jungkook's babysitter." "Ah, I see," You laugh. "A lot of people here. Jungkook seems to be very popular." "He's always been a bit of a social butterfly, I guess." "Have you known him long?" "Oh yeah, since high school. We were never friends or anything but I did know him. Plus, I've been working for his dad since I was nineteen or so." "Wow, long time." "Tell me about it," He snorts, taking a sip of his own drink, "Don't get me wrong- at his core, Jungkook's a good guy. It just takes digging through all that...horse manure to really find it." "Well, how sweet of you to say," Jungkook interrupts, walking up to you both. Namjoon doesn't even batt an eye; completely unfazed by Jungkook's literally being his boss' son. "Y/n," Jungkook says with a smile, "You should've let me know you were here." You shake your head, "No, no. I wouldn't want to distract you from your party-hosting duties. Plus, Namjoon was already keeping me company." "Oh, I'm sure," Jungkook side-eyes Namjoon.

"You gonna get out there to dance?"Jungkook asks, raising a brow at you. You're quick to shake your head, "I'm definitely not drunk enough for that." "Oh, come on. I bet-" "Jungkook, Yoongi's asking to speak to you really quickly. Need me to come along?" Namjoon interrupts, looking down at his phone with his brows furrowed, scrolling up and done intently. Jungkook sighs, "I'm sorry- he's one of our partners at the company. Do you mind?" "Not at all, go ahead," You smile. "Okay, I'll be back in 15 minutes. Start counting!" He quickly gets up and pats Namjoon's shoulder to follow him. You then take the opportunity to go downstairs and make your way to the bathroom that you'd spotted a few minutes ago at the very far corner of the club. Surprisingly, the bathroom is relatively empty, save for a couple other occupied stalls- you're glad because you have to piss like a damn racehorse. You sit down and let out a quiet sigh of relief.

As you're finishing up, you hear the main door to the bathroom open and close, with the voices of two people echoing against the tile- one of which you recognize. "He's definitely looking more mature these days," It's Jin's girlfriend- Rose, and then a voice you've never heard before, "I know. I'm glad- I thought I'd have to wait forever for him to grow the fuck up." "Wait- but what about that girl they were saying he was with right now?" "What about her?" The stranger scoffs. "I mean, Jin did say she was his fiance..." "Oh, please. That relationship isn't real. Jungkook's just being forced into it by his family so he can inherit the company. He even told me he'd back out of it if I asked. And it looks like that time is coming soon." "Damn, Lisa. You're stone cold." Lisa? THE Lisa? "I promise I can be nice- I just don't like the idea of him not being there for me anymore, you know?" "Yeah, it'll be a huge change. He's so used to following you like a little puppy." Your heart is pounding; you can't believe your ears. The boldness and disrespect- the way they're talking about him is...blood boiling. You open the stall door and walk right up to the sink. At first, they pay you no mind, that is, until you make a point of sliding off the precious engagement ring that Jungkook had given you and place it on the ledge at the bottom of the mirror so that you can wash your hands. You can practically see the moment they notice; the way Lisa's mouth falls open is priceless. "That's...a nice ring," She says. You know she recognizes it, but you act dumb, "Thank you," You say, plastering a fake smile on you face before grabbing a paper towel and drying your hands and then walking out the door.

While it was definitely a delicious moment, you couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness. What she said wasn't completely untrue; he was bullied into this engagement by his parents, just like you were. It isn't the way a natural relationship would go, sure...but that doesn't make the rest of what she said okay. There has to be a line somewhere. You go back upstairs and find that Namjoon is sitting right where you were before he was whisked away by whatever impromptu business meeting. "Hey, where'd you run off to?" He asks. "Had to find the ladies room- is Jungkook not back yet?" You sit down next to him again. "Nope. Went off somewhere right after. You know, to tell you the truth, I hate these things." "What things?" "Parties, They suck. If it weren't because Mr.Jeon specifically asked me to come, I'd be at home right now." "What does he do at these things that requires so much supervision?" "What doesn't he do? I mean, for gosh sakes. Nineteenth birthday, he ran up his parents card buying drinks for himself and his friends, and for the rest of the damn bar. Twentieth birthday, completely trashed the banquet hall- he's lucky it was at his parents' hotel, otherwise he would've been totally arrested. But none compares to his twenty-fourth party, right after Lisa broke up with him-" Namjoon catches himself, stopping mid-sentence and looking away, "I mean- he- he just gets really wild at these functions..." "Namjoon," You tilt your head, narrowing your eyes at him, "Give me the tea."

"I don't know what you're talking about," He take a drink from his cup and surveys the bottom floor, "I think I'm gonna go dance-" He tries to get up, but you put your hand on his shoulder and force him back down, "Namjoon, I'm gonna be spending the rest of my life with this man. I gotta know." You look at him with pleading eyes, desperate to just be let in somehow. He sighs, "Fine," He looks around to make sure everyone is still off socializing and paying no attention, "Jungkook met Lisa during their first year of high school. They became pretty close pretty fast- he was definitely in love with her very early on but she friend zoned him pretty hard until right after their last year of high school. They were pretty inseparable and..." He trails off, biting his lip as though contemplating whether or not to continue. "Namjoon, please." "...and they even talked about getting married. He was getting ready to confront his parents about being with her and wanting to void your guys' marriage agreement, but the week before he could, she dumped him." Your heart is beating hard in your chest. So she was the one who got away... Great. Perfect. "Was it bad?" You ask, trying not to show your worry. "It was horrible. Dude went off the rails. It was like nothing I've ever seen before. During that time of his life, he was fighting some demons like you wouldn't believe. His parents had to send him to rehab because he'd picked up a nasty coke habit- I literally watched him snort off a model's ass cheeks once." "What the hell," You furrow your brows, trying to imagine Jungkook doing something so wild. Of course, you've only reconnected with him now, but even from what you've seen, he seems a lot more controlled than that.

"Why'd she do it?" "Do what?" "Break up with him." "Oh, I think she told him...it was because he needed to grow up. He was immature and irresponsible. It truly crushed him. But the rehab helped a lot and now...you," He smiles gently. "Me?" "Yeah- I mean, that's the very reason why his parents wanted this for him in the first place. He needs direction." "Direction, right." Me? I'm the direction? "Do you think he still loves her?" You ask, not even sure if you want to hear the answer yourself. He furrows his brows as though deep in thought, "I...I don't know. It's hard to tell with Jungkook. I mean, they're still friends. She's here tonight, by the way. I know they've kept in touch but I think he kind of lost hope for that relationship, honestly." You replay Lisa's words from earlier in the bathroom; how he sounded so sure she'd just up and leave...and maybe she's right. Maybe he would leave it all behind at the drop of a hat. Maybe this isn't where you belong after all. You're brought out of your pensive state when you feel your phone buzz in your bag. "Sorry," You say, taking it out and seeing a text from B/f/n.

𝙱/𝚏/𝚗: 𝙱𝚘𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚠! 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗'𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞!!!!!! 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝙶𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚗𝚊𝚖? 𝙵𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 :)

You smile, feeling your stress momentarily replaced with joy at the thought of finally having a friend of your own here. You look around and don't see Jungkook anywhere, so you pull his number up in your phone.

𝚈/𝙽: 𝙷𝚎𝚢, 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝙸'𝚖 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚊 𝚋𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘𝚘𝚗. 𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚔 𝚖𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚝?

You put your phone down and sigh, "Thanks for telling me all that, Namjoon. I...I really appreciate it." "Yeah- but if Jungkook asks, Jin told you." You laugh and nod, "Deal." "Do you need me to walk you out?" He asks. You shake you head, "No, I'm okay. Jungkook will do it." "Alrighty- well, if you excuse me, I think I'm gonna go get myself another drink." "No problem. 'Night!" And with that, he's down the stairs and lost in the sea. You look at your phone and see no reply, though you do see that that the message was seen 4 minutes ago. He should be on his way shortly, then.

Half an hour goes by and nothing. Not a single word. Every passing minute, you're getting more and more annoyed. You finally stand from the couch and look out form the balcony to see if maybe you can find him yourself- but then you see him. In the far side of the club, right by the DJ booth, Lisa is throwing her head back and laughing at something Jungkook is saying, her hand lightly hitting his chest. He's laughing too, and you see his arm gently resting on her shoulders, holding her just too close for comfort. Your heart sinks and you're pretty sure your face was visibly crestfallen. But now you know where his heart truly lays, don't you?

You calmly sling your purse over your shoulder and make your way down the stairs, passing all the people you'd met when you first came in who hardly even notice you pass. This isn't your world and you don't even know what you're doing here in the first place. Can this agreement even work? Are you just gonna pop out a few kids and then he and Lisa can go and ride off into the sunset? "Y/n?" You hear someone call your name but you can't be bothered to see who it is- the room feels like it's spinning and you just need a second to breathe. That's it- just some air. Just a little bit of air.

"Y/n..." You hear your name being softly called, but you can't even will your eyes to open. The darkness is just too comforting. "Y/n..." The voice calls again. You tense your face, slowly coming to. "Mmm," You whine, finally feeling a throb in your forehead. You open your eyes, taking a few blinks to adjust to the brightness of the room, and you're surprised to see Namjoon standing over you, along with...B/f/n- and your parents. You quickly sit up, though it only makes the throbbing worse, "What- what's going on?" "Oh, goodness, you're awake-" Your mom says, tears in her eyes as she practically throws herself on you. "M-mom- too tight." You look at your dad who looks relieved, though he doesn't say anything. "Finally, dude- you had us worried sick!" B/f/n says, sighing loudly. "What happened?" You ask, looking around and realizing you're in a hospital room. Namjoon steps forward a bit, "Well last night, you were leaving the party but you seemed totally out of it. Your eys looked totally glazed over like you weren't mentally present. I called your name but you ignored me- I managed to catch up to you when you got outside but you passed out right then and there. "Last night? What time is it?" You've been knocked out all night? "12PM," Your dad answers. "I told you ladies don't get drunk," Your mother hisses, though you let it slide because you know she's only worried. "I wasn't drunk at all," You say, "but why does my head hurt?" "Oh yeah, you banged your head on the concrete. Got a concussion," He added, "I didn't know what to do so I just called 112. The ambulance picked you up and they called your family. I called the Jeons right after you got to the hospital." "You called the Jeons?" "Yeah- Mr. and Mrs.Jeon were here all morning but they had to go into some meetings. They said they'd be back in a few hours," Namjoon assures you. "I don't want to see Jungkook." You say, looking away. Your parents, B/f/n, and Namjoon all look at each other, and it's a long moment before anyone of them speaks. "He's...in the bathroom right now," B/f/n says. "What?" You whip your head toward them, wincing at the pain. "Honey, he's been here all night. Why wouldn't you wanna see him?" You mom asks. You look at Namjoon who just looks down knowingly. "I just...don't want him to see me like this." Liar.

"Oh honey, he wouldn't care about how you look- you're his fiance for crying out loud," She says, trying to reassure you, "Right, F/n?" She turns to your dad, wanting him to step into the conversation but he just looks at you, eyes narrowed. You squirm under his gaze and try to ignore him. "Namjoon, just tell him to go rest." He nods silently, knowing not to challenge you right now. "I'm going to go to the ladies room," Your mom says, leaning over to give you a kiss. "I'll be back, Y/n. I gotta take a piss too." "Language," Your mom hisses. You can't help but give a little chuckle as they walk arm and arm out of the room, leaving just you and your dad. You twiddle you thumbs, regretting having sent Namjoon out now. "What's up?" You ask, unable to take the silence. "You're acting strange," He says, a suspicious expression on his face. "Uh, yeah- I mean, I am concussed." "What did he do?" He asks bluntly. Your heart picks up in your chest, "What did who do?" "Don't act dumb." Your dad was never on to mince words. "Dad, I don't know what you're talking about. Everything's fine." "Hm." "Dad, you know if you came all the way here just to be a pain in my ass, I'm sorry but you'll have to go," You snap, feeling frustrated at his lack of warmth. He sighs, and it's like you can visibly see his body loosen up. "I-I'm sorry, Y/n. I know that I've been very cold to you the past week and a half." You're shocked.

"You're sorry?" "Yes. I am... I guess, when it came down to it...I was too afraid to come to terms with the fact that I was losing my baby girl." "Afraid of losing me? I thought you were angry about the contract." He shakes his head, "No...I knew I was settling for so little. I suppose I was more upset that it was clear that you didn't really need me anymore," He reaches out and carresses your cheek, "I'm sorry for making you feel like this. I'm sorry for putting all these pressures on you at such an early age. You deserved to live life the way you wanted." His words bring tears to your eyes, and if it werent for the pain invading your entire brain, you'd have leapt into your fathers arms- but for now, a hand squeeze will have to suffice. "Now, I know you may not want to talk about...whatever it is that happened between the two of you, but just know that your mom and I are here. And even B/f/n... that girl really never stops talking, does she?" You laugh, "Nope."

The hospital discharged you around 2pm and now you're on your way back to the hotel. Your parents got a lovely master suite, while B/f/n opted to room with you. Though the doctor told you to rest, the two of you are already planning what you're gonna do while she's here. She takes her clothes out of the suitcase and transfers them over to the dresser below the television. You'd kept the conversation light while you were in the car with your parents, but as soon as you got to the room, tea was spilling left and right. You told her about the dinner, Jin and Rose, the ring, Jungkook's birthday party. It was so cathartic to relive everything through retelling- and seeing her reaction to everything is the icing on the cake. "Ugh, that guy's such an asshole...although, you did not prepare me for just how hot he is," She says, fanning herself. You chuckle, "Oh, please. He's alright..." "Girl, he is much more than alright. More than fine, even. If I were you, my hands would be connecting to Lisa's left cheek so quick," She pretends to box the air, "I might just do it for you." "Trust me, I wanted to...but at the end of the day, I have to remember there are no feelings involved in this process. I knew that coming into the agreement and I shouldn't expect it to change just because I was starting to..." "To...?" She asks, a smug expression on her face. "Nothing." "Starting to...like him?" "I said nothing." She shrugs, "Alright...you know, I will say- he sat at your bedside the majority of the night, and he looked really concerned. But no feelings, right?" "Right. No feelings." Your phone buzzes on your nightstand and you pick it up.

𝙹𝚞𝚗𝚐𝚔𝚘𝚘𝚔: 𝙷𝚎𝚢 𝚈/𝚗- 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚊 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚎𝚏𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚕. 𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐? 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞… 𝙲𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎

Your heart flutters in your chest, though you force your face to remain without expression. No feelings.

The Jeons invited you all to a charity banquet being held at their other hotel location tonight, and of course, your mom had gone out beforehand to get you and B/f/n gowns for the occasion. B/f/n's was a lovely powder pink, velvet, body con dress with silver detail and she looks absolutely stunning. "You look beautiful!" "I know, right? But where's yours?" She asks, a puzzled expression on her face. You purse your lips, "I...don't think I'm gonna go." "Why?" She asks with a pout. You shake your head, "I just don't feel well, you know? Head still hurts." "Your head? Or...your heart?" She exaggeratedly puts her hand to her chest and gives you that stupid therapist face she likes to put on. You roll your eyes, "My head only." "If you don't go, I'm not going," She says, turning to look in the mirror, a disappointed expression on her face. "No, no. You should go. This is your first night in Seoul- you shouldn't be locked up here on account of me. Besides," You walk up behind her and fix her hair, "You could be meeting the male lead to your love story tonight." Her eyes light up at the possibility. She's truly a hopeless romantic at heart- you wouldn't want to kill her delusions now. "Are you sure?" "Mhm. Positive." "Alright, fine. But the second you say you need me, I'm coming back and we're watching movies and eating junk food." "Sounds like a plan." She excitedly goes into the bathroom and begins doing her makeup and hair, humming to whatever tunes she has playing in her air pods. Meanwhile, you're laying in bed, hair up and out of your face, buried in the white covers.

"Alright, we're all going now," B/f/n says, putting her earrings on, "You sure you don't need me to stay?" "I'm positive. Go get laid- I mean, go find the love of your life." She laughs, "Oh shut up. Text Jungkook back. Don't sulk." You don't even look at her, just wave her away while your eyes stay glued to the TV. "Bye bye!" She says once more before closing the door behind her. And then there was one.

An hour goes by, and then two. Your phone buzzes every now and then: texts from Jungkook. You put your phone on DND, save for your parents and B/f/n. You go on instagram and see B/f/n's story; the hall full of people at grand tables, lavishly decorated with ginormous vases full of long stemmed roses, chandeliers sparkling in the background. Part of you wonders if most of the money being donated is just to cover the absolutely ridiculously expensive decor. B/f/n is smiling and showing herself having fun- even Namjoon makes an appearance in one of the videos...as well as Jungkook. You purse your lips and look over at your gown, draped over the back of a chair nearby. No, no. You're not in the mood to be around all those people. What would you even talk to anyone about? What would you say to Jungkook? No, you won't even entertain the what if's- you're not feeling well and that's that.

Ah shit. You shoot up out of bed and start stripping off your clothes, flinging everything every which way as your hurriedly try to shimmy into your dress. It's a pretty, dark red gown with a deep plunging bodice; your cleavage isn't exactly on 'display' per se, but it's definitely not hidden behind that little mesh panel in the middle. It accentuates your hips in just the right way, and you already feel the difference in your attitude when you put it on. You check the time: 8:30PM. You try to hurriedly do your hair and makeup, though you can only go so fast while recovering from a concussion. Suddenly, you hear thunder in the distance. No. NO. You run to the window and, lo and behold, rain begins pouring down out of nowhere. Oh great. You're gonna step out into the rain and get all messed up. "I"m still gonna go," You say to the sky not wanting to let it think it won. You run over to put the last touches on your appearance. Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. Is this some kind of sign from the universe!? You grab your clutch and then hurry to grab your phone. You didn't even book the fucking car. "Ugh...Uber it is-" Knock. Knock. Knock.

You snap your head up from your phone to look at the door. They're back already? No, it can't be- she just posted fifteen minutes ago about barely being served dinner. Knock knock knock. You hesitate for a moment, but ultimately decide to open the door- only to reveal a very disheveled and sopping wet-looking Jungkook. "Jungkook," Your shocked expression is no match for the expression on his face: serious yet gentle eyes, lips parted slightly as he catches his breath, leaning lightly on the door frame. "What are you doing here?" You ask. He bites his bottom lip and just stares at you for a second, "You didn't come tonight." "You never came back last night," You say, not missing a beat. He nods, "I know..." You rest your hand on the door for a bit, considering whether or not to let him in. "Come in," You say finally, stepping aside to let him in past you. You suppose the rain can wait for you...

A/N: Hey everyone, I hope you're all enjoying this series so far- I'm having a lot of fun writing it. I feel like I get pulled into this world of fantasy and am so addicted to it. My asks are always open so feel free to request anything please please please <3 Or give me a writing prompt and I can make you a piece for a specific member of your choice! Interactions give me motivation :) :*

#bts #jungkook #jin #suga #jhope #namjoon #jimin #bts imagine #bangtan sonyeondan #angst #jungkook x reader #jungkook arranged marriage #bts fanfic #bts fanficition #kpop ff

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drariellevalentine · 4 years ago

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Medically Inevitable

Chapter 4- Radical Revelations

Characters:- Arielle Valentine, Sienna Trinh, Bryce Lahela, Landry Olsen, Elijah Greene, Jackie Varma, Rafael Aveiro, Ethan Ramsey, Harper Emery

Pairing:- Arielle Valentine x Ethan Ramsey

Warnings:- None

Arielle’s PoV:-

Completely exhausted from the day’s events, you head into the locker room and take a nice but quick hot shower. Drying off, you quickly change into a cute pearl silk tied top with a comfy pair of ripped jeans. Taking out the bun in your hair, you decide to let your hair down, parting deep to the left, caressing your revealed shoulders.

You enter Donahue’s to find it completely packed. You try to squeeze inside apologising every now and then and look around to spot your friends.

You finally find them sitting in a table at the furthest corner of the bar.

"Long day?" Si asks as soon as I slump into the seat next to her.

“You have no idea, according an 18 year old, I look younger than him, so apparently I not eligible to be a doctor cause I look too cute!," I sigh dramatically and she giggles.

"Careful please," Bryce says before placing a tray of shots in our table.

Jackie scoffs, " Why are you even buying us drinks, meathead?"

"He's being nice, Jackie.”, Sienna smiles.

"Yeah, and also you think you could afford to buy that tonight?" I add.

"Sure," she rolls her eyes, "Thank youu," she says sarcastically.

Bryce laughs. "Think of it as a good luck drink guys. You are going to need a lot of luck to get into the diagnostics team."

"Wrong meathead. What we need is brains and hard work. Duh!"

"And luck," Bryce adds smirking, ‘lots of luck’. He emphasizes on the word "luck".

After minutes of bickering in between Bryce and Jackie, Bryce leaves to join his fellow surgeons. But my friends are still talking over the fellowship.

"I can't still believe they'll be taking an intern in the team!" I hear Landry say, his voice filled with excitement. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think that they'll even consider giving an intern a spot in the team let alone train them."

"Cheers on that," Jackie says forwarding a glass.

"Let's have a toast guys," Elijah forwards his glass. "To having a marvelous fellowship."

As we all toast to it I say, "Honestly guys, good luck. I won't be joining the fellowship but I wish the best of luck to you all." I smile. Everyone stares at me like I just refused a million dollars.

"You won't be joining the competition?!" Jackie asks shocked. "But why?"

"Not everyone wants to join the diagnostics team, Jackie," Landry states.

"Maybe not everyone, but Arielle does. The diagnostics team is the very thing that made Arielle apply here, in Edenbrook. That's one of the many things she said to me the day we met." Jackie turns to me then giving me a look that says "I want an answer".

"I know. The diagnostics team is what made me apply here on the first place, but I changed my mind. I got through my first week because of you guys. I don't think I could have done it if you guys were not there to support me," Sienna places a hand on my shoulder, giving me an understanding look.

"I don't want to ruin our friendship by competing with you guys. I need you guys by my side not against me."

"Idiotic choice but your call," Jackie rolls her eyes. And I smile as Sienna hugs me. A while later, you all head home for the day.

General PoV:-

Harsh sunlight streams through the open curtains of Arielle’s magazine cover worthy bedroom. Arielle turns around in her bed to grab her phone from her nightstand. The alarm clock catches her eye ‘9:15 a.m.’ She bolts right up in bed, rushing to her closet while ranting a ton of expletives. Hearing the commotion, Elijah and Sienna rush inside to see Arielle on the floor half-naked tangled in a bunch of clothes. Sienna stares at her in confusion while Elijah understands what’s going on and bursts out laughing.

“What’s so funny?”, Arielle asks.

“You forgot today’s our day off, didn’t you?”, Elijah asks knowingly.

“It is? Oh shit! I completely forgot!”

They help Arielle out of the tangle of clothes. “Anyways, we were thinking of going to a baseball game so...I bought everyone matching t-shirts but they only come in two sizes you’ll have to adjust yours. Only then Arielle notices their shirts. Sienna hands her an red oversized t-shirt. “We’re leaving in an hour, get ready!”

Arielle’s PoV:-

You shower and slip on a robe after drying yourself off. “There’s no way in hell I’m wearing this!”, you exclaim holding up the red,baggy, oversized shirt. If there’s one thing you care about, it’s your style. You grab a pair of fabric shears and crop the oversized shirt folding the hem to create a neat finish using fabric glue, then cinch the extra fabric on the slides and secure it in place with a few stitches. You hold up the newly altered shirt and look to your mirror. “Much better!” Pairing it with a pair of studded white jeggings, white heel sandals and a couple of accessories, you sit down on your vanity’s stool. You take out your braid from last night, leaving thick curls in its place. You carefully clip your hair out of place and decide to brush on a little extra makeup. After finishing with your usual moisturiser, concealer and primer, you accentuate your almond eyes with a jet black eyeliner and brush out your brows. Knowing that you won’t need any help in the blush department, you move on to your lips. You decide on your favourite red transfer-proof lipstick ‘Bold Beauty’. You grab a crossbody purse and place your wallet, keys, phone and other essentials and head to the living room.

“What do you think? Is it too much?”, you ask uncertainly.

“Hot damn!”, says Jackie.

“You look gorgeous.”, Sienna says.

“Woah! You look good!”, says Landry.

“Someone call the fire department cause it’s getting hot in here!”, exclaims Elijah.

You blush furiously. “Thanks guys, I’ll drive us there.

You pile in the car as Elijah rides shotgun and gives you directions. You reach there at 10:30. “Ok, 10 minutes till game starts. Everyone split up and stand in a different line and get one of everything. I’ll get the drinks.” Sienna tells everyone where the seats are and everyone splits up. You get a drink tray full of sodas, beers and a lemonade for you, everything packed with ice, and head down to the first row where you find everyone holding snacks.

“Great seats Elijah!”, says Sienna.

“Have to be close to fully appreciate the bloodbath, these teams loathe each other.”

Landry and Elijah start geeking out as you, Jackie and Sienna are talking.

“So...I may or may have not seen you get into Dr. Ramsey’s car yesterday.”, Sienna slyly says.

“Crap!”, you think.

“Tell us everything!”, says Sienna.

“Seriously?”, Jackie asks.

You slowly confide in them about yesterday’s events and what you confessed about your personal life.

“Oh my god, Ari! I’m so sorry!” Sienna pulls you into a hug.

“It’s okay, I’m fine now.”

“Now I feel really bad for judging you, also very surprised and impressed that you managed to get away with sleeping on Dr. Terminator’s shoulder.”, says Jackie.

“It isn’t that big of a deal!”, you counter. Both of them give you a look. “Ok, fine, it is. He was actually really sweet, he even tried to console me.”, you confess. Sienna smiles wide at the mention of this.

“Anyways, you both have to promise not to say a word about this.”, you give them a pleading pout. Jackie’s about to ask about something else when you realise some kind of commotion is going on.

"Oh no, did he faint?" Si says and I look forward to see Jake Sandburg, one of the players lying on the floor.

The other players rush to his side trying to wake him up.

"Uh, coach, he's in real bad shape," another player says leaning down beside him.

Their team manager hurries out," Damn our team physician quit on us just before the game."

"Is there any doctor here?" The manager asks and on instinct all of our hands goes up.

The manager looks clearly shocked to see five doctors in a front row but doesn't express it as we move towards the field asking the other players to help us move Jake inside.

We follow the other Nighthawker players into their locker as they carry Jake on a stretcher.

"Have you called 911?" I ask their manager.

"Yeah, the paramedics are on their way," the manager sighs, " Poor kid."

"Lay him here," I hear Jackie instruct them as they follow.

"He's got a pulse, but his breathing is shallow," Sienna says in a low and shaky voice. This sudden situation is clearly affecting her.

Landry pulls a stethoscope from his bag and places it against his chest.

"Sounds like fluid build up. We have to solve it fast or else he could be in trouble," Landry announces.

As the others take his vitals, Elijah and I go to ask his teammates some questions, which we think might help us to crack the case.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" One of the player asks as we approach them.

"You can help us by answering some questions. Has this ever happened before?"

"Not as far as we know," he looks at his other teammates. " Also he had to pass a physical test just recently."

"He was called up from the minor league just a few weeks ago," the manager adds.

"Did he complain about any pain recently?" Elijah asks.

"No, he was pretty quite, kept to himself. I think he was worried," the player says. "About what?"

The player shares a look with his manager as soon as I ask that.

"Look, he's been struggling in the majors. I was in discussions with ownership to send him back down to the minors," the manager answers, a pained expression plastered across his face.

"Did he know about it?" Elijah asks in between.

" You know, the guys talk. Rumors."

"He was kinda freaking out about it, he kept sweating, hyperventilating," the manager adds and I make a mental note of it.

"Hyperventilating... How often?"

"I only saw it a couple of times," the managers states.

"Well, it could've been panic attacks," I conclude thoughtfully.

"He always seemed tired too. Yawing in the meetings, like he didn't get any sleep at all," the player from before says.

"Have you seen any changes in his behavior recently?" Elijah asks.

"Uh, I guess he's been hitting the ice bath a lot recently. Probably because of feeling sore," the guys answers. "But he'd do it even in the days when he wasn't playing," the guys adds after a moment.

"Thanks you for the help. Was he on any medications?" I ask before moving towards the table

"No. The team doctor left all the prescriptions and Sandburg wasn't prescribed anything," the manager says going through the charts.

"Thank you that'll be it," I say and look forward to find a player from the opposite team sneaking in.

"Hey! You aren’t allowed here," I motion the others towards him as the player who was helping us moves towards him. But then to my surprise he hugs him and the other one whispers words of encouragement in his ears.

"Wait, weren't you two fighting in the field?" I ask shocked.

" Yeah, but that's only on the field. Ray and I grew up playing together in the streets of Miami. We are basically family," The Nighthawker player concludes.

“It’s that easy?”, you ask.

“When we’re in a game, our minds are focused on the game. But the minute it’s over, we’re brothers again. Iron sharpening iron, you know.”, he says but your mind is somewhere else.

“Iron sharpening iron. Competing makes them stronger...” You run back towards the patient.

I think it's a drug interaction. His medicines are amplifying each other out," I announce reaching them. "Two medications perfectly fine on their own, cauting each other to have an outsized affect."

"Oh, that could be it!" Sienna says, a sudden excitement hinting in her voice.

" But the team manager said that their previous doctor didn't prescribe him anything," Elijah says confused.

"Sandburg was already worried about being cut. If the team knew he had a medical condition, they'd be oven less likely to keep him around," I reply.

"So you think he kept him situation quiet to keep his job? Wouldn't be the first time someone's done that," Jackie shrugs .

"What do you think he was taking?" Landry asks.

"Well, maybe something for his panic attacks. Let's say fluoxetine," I reply to him

" That could be it. Getting a prescription for that isn't really hard..."

"Okay, maybe you are right. But what was reacting with it. What else was he taking?" Jackie cuts in between.

"Something for his soreness. His team members said he'd be sore even the days he was not pitching," I answer remembering what the player said.

"It could have been arthritic inflammation," Sienna states.

"Right? He's male in his twenties..." I try to think what it could be.

"Ankylosing Spondylitis!" Landry says.

"He could've been taking N.S.A.I.D for it, like - celecoxib," I say while checking his locker, " Here they are." I say taking out the medicines proving what we said is right.

" It could be doing irreparable damage to his kidneys! We gotta take him to the hospital as soon as possible," Elijah says.

The sound of helicopter blades cut through the commotion in the locker.

" The paramedics are here!" Sienna exclaims happily.

Soon the paramedics enter and you see Rafael running towards you. We explain him about the situation.

"Would you like to have a ride on the choper? My shift will end in five minutes. So after dropping Jake to the hospital we could maybe roam around the city," Raf says nervously once we are out of the locker. The other paramedics get Jake in the chopper.

"I would love that," I give him an assuring smile which he returns.

"Great!" He says making his way towards the chopper after asking me to follow him.

"Any certain place you have in mind where you'd like to go?" He asks smiling broadly getting back to the choper after we've successfully admitted Jake.

"Not really," I give him a silly smile.

"We'll have a tour over the whole city then, more fun," he winks and I giggle.

I am really enjoying the birds eye view. The city looks more beautiful from up here. Capturing the breathtaking city from above, I put it on my Instagram story.

The next picture I take is ours, I smile towards the front and Raf's is a candid, he's looking forward flying the chopper but smiling.

I post it on my Instagram feed, tagging Raf and captioning it "Soaring high with @raveirotheemt.”

You notice you have over 250 likes already. Perks of being famous.

"What do you see?" Raf asks and I look down.

"Edenbrook!" I squeak happily. " The first day in there, the hospital looked so enormous but now it looks so tiny!"

"Everything comes into perspective up here. It's one of the reasons I like it so much."

" How'd you learn to fly?"

"My uncle was a pilot in the Marines. He started teaching me to fly when I was still in high school."

"That was so young!"

"I just saw it as a fun thing to do on the weekends, you know. It was a great way to spend time with a great man," he smiles recalling the memories.

"Are you guys still close?" I ask

"He... He died two years ago."

"I'm so sorry Raf."

"He was really active in our community. When he wasn't flying, he'd organize food drives and buses for anyone struggling," he smiles sadly remembering those days," He's the one who inspired me to be an paramedic. I wanted to help people the way he did."

I nod at him understanding.

"Buckle up. We're ready to land," he tries to say it as normally as possible, smiling. But I know it is just an effort to not let people show his broken side.

“Hey, Jake and many other lives have had a chance to live because of you.”, I assure him.

He relaxes. “You too, Arielle.”

“You both land on Edenbrook’s helicopter pad as staff takes Jake away. You inform them of his condition.

“So... are you ready for the tour?

At first I thought that Beacon Hills were the most beautiful thing I saw today. But when we were taking a turn over Cape Cod Bay, my opinion changed. Nothing can be more beautiful than this. The breathtaking view of the glimmering ways merging with the bright golden sun creating a golden hue in the clear ocean water. The scenery is just breathtaking.

"It is beautiful," I say softly, still looking at the ocean.

"It's the best thing you can see in the city," Raf smiles.

"Can't disagree with that."

"And as much as I would hate for this to end," he smiles sadly, "But I need to return the chopper to the hospital now."

"It's cool Raf, we've been out here on it for a while," I smile.

Within minutes, he manages to fly back to the stadium and drops me off.

You return to your friends and show them the wonderful pics and views that you took.

“Of course!” After some time, you and Si head to the food court for a refill on food and drinks.

Ethan’s PoV:-

You’re stuck closing off an important deal with Banner Health alone, as Harper was called in for an emergency. You’re walking towards the bar in need of a stiff drink when a familiar waft of vanilla and cinnamon hits you. There she is, her beautiful jet black curled tresses falling below her waist, standing near you ordering something. She doesn’t seem to notice you. You turn your head the other way and ask for a club sandwich. A few minutes later, you receive a tray full of cheeseburgers. Somebody calls you.

“Excuse me sir, but it seems our orders got mixed up.” You turn around to find none other than Arielle. Her violet eyes widen in realisation.

“Dr. Ramsey! Hi, guess the world really is small!”, she responds enthusiastically.

“Some would say too small.” A petite intern who often you see beside her comes and doesn’t notice me.

“Hey Ari! I’ll take these down. You coming? In a minute, Sienna.” The intern leaves.

“I wouldn’t have pegged you for a baseball type of guy.”

“And you pegged me just right. I’m here to close a deal with Banner reps. They have me in the box suite, trying to butter me up with lobster and wine.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad...”

“I know it might surprise you, but I’m not one for schmoozing.”

“Nooooo... I don’t believe it. The great Ethan Ramsey doesn’t like it when someone butters him up!”, she feigns shock.

“Would you like to join me?, the words slip out before you can react.

Arielle’s PoV:-

You’re surprised. You’d never thought that your medical hero would need your help. He notices your expression and starts explaining, more like rambling.

“You know I’m not much good at speaking to other people, much less idiots but this is a very important deal for Edenbrook. Harper was taking the reins but she was called in for an emergency. One of your traits is that you’re quite persuasive, I was hoping that would help.”, he says.

“Of course.” You follow him to the private entrance which is blocked by a guard.

“Ah, Dr. Ramsey. The Banner Health execs are waiting.” He gestures for you to follow. The guard stops you.

“I’m afraid I’ll need to see some ID, Miss. Alcoholic beverages are being served.” Dr. Ramsey gets irritated.

“I can assure you she’s older than 21.”, he says. The guard insists. Sighing, you pull out your ID. His eyes flash with recognisation.

“I’m extremely sorry miss, but I have to follow protocol.”

“It’s quite alright.” Dr. Ramsey leads you into the private box, where you see a crowd of ‘business’ dressed people lounging on the posh sofas. He picks up two glasses of Malbec and hands one to you.

“Thank you. To deals, negotiations and whatnot!” He rolls his eyes. “To negotiations.”, he toasts.

“This is quite nice.”

“It is, don’t get used to it. I knew many great doctors, all who swore never to make it about the money but did. Don’t let it become about the money.”

“Ha! If only he knew I had millions of dollars in my name and still live like this.”, you think.

“You’re right. It never should become about the money.”, you say truthfully. Two reps saunter up and start sucking up to him. You roll your eyes internally.

“I’m sure there are many opportunities. By the way, let me introduce you to Dr. Arielle Valentine, one of Edenbrook’s newest interns, and one who shows much promise.”, he says.

Your lawyer/advocate instincts kick into action, which includes an amazing first impression.

“Hello, I’m Dr. Valentine but no formalities between us. I have already been impressed upon the very invaluable and precious bond of Banner Health and Edenbrook and hope today will also add on to that. I’m looking forward to the other ways that you have suggested for this partnership, all to help our patients.”, you say.

“Oh my, if this is who Edenbrook is recruiting these days, our partnership is very sure to exceed high expectations.”, they say. Dr. Ramsey nods in approval. They all start negotiating deals, which end in their favour and not-so-good for Edenbrook. Dr. Ramsey looks to you for help.

“Okay, time to pull out all the stops!”, you mentally prepare yourself. You launch into a very persuasive but subtle argument slowly shifting the deal in Edenbrook��s favour. By the time you’re done, the execs have given their consent and you just got them to add a lot of benefits starting from loans to better rates on different services including neurological and cardiac.

“Thank you, Ethan and Arielle for the pleasure. Perhaps we could meet for a round of golf next week to hammer out the fine points.

“Oh hell no!”, you think.

“Oh! Dr. Ramsey is busy next week but how about later tonight?”, you say. They’re about to agree when you drop the bombshell. “Dr. Ramsey and I have an appointment later this week at the shooting range and self-defence center downtown. Don’t worry, I have quite a few guns to be spared, but be warned, I’m quite experienced.”, you say trying not to burst out laughing seeing their shocked faces. You catch Dr. Ramsey which a not-so-well hidden smirk on his face.

“That’s quite alright, we both have made many commitments later this week.”, say frantically say.

“That’s alright, another time then.” A few minutes later, they both leave claiming they had to go. As soon as they leave, you burst out laughing.

“That was quite an act you put on there.”

“Who said it was an act?” He gives you an incredulous look.

“Anyways, it was quite impressive how you shifted the deal in favour to Edenbrook.”, he says questioningly.

You sigh. “Pretty much everyone in my family are lawyers, different areas though. I picked up a lot of skills when watching their hearings.”

“You’re quite good at it. May I ask why you didn’t follow their path.”

“...My godfather was also a doctor. He would tell me stories of how he was able to save lives, make a difference, experience all the love, pain, loss, heartbreak. And I fell in love with it over time. My father wasn’t supportive of it though. I don’t know what went wrong. When I was a child, we had an unbreakable bond. Over time, he buried himself in his cases, that bond slowly evaporating. My brother always knew that I would work in the medical field and was very supportive. When I announced that I had gotten into Johns Hopkins for med school, my father was angry and didn’t support me. He claimed that I had led his hopes up and shattered them, when all along I always was hinting about my dream to become a doctor. We both said hurtful things that a father nor daughter should ever say, that night. After that, I cut off all contact with him.”, you carefully say making sure not to give any clues that Dr. Banerji is your godfather.

Ethan’s PoV:-

You’re shocked. Utterly shocked. You’d never guess that this bright, cheerful, kind intern had such a rough childhood. Especially when your’s made you turn out like this.

“I believe you made the right choice.”, you assure her.

“That means a lot to me.(more than you could ever know)”, she says and whispers.

You both relax and lounge on the comfy sofa, watching the game.

You notice the sun setting as the game ends. “It’s quite late, how will you get home?”

“My friends and I came here by my car, but I told them to take my car when they said they were leaving early. I spent all my money on food so I’ll take a train or something.”

“I’ll drive you home, it’s the least I can do.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to impose.”

“It’s alright. Let’s go.” You lead Arielle to your car, at the same time kicking yourself. “Dear god Ramsey, what the hell is wrong with you? Offering a ride!” You convince yourself that it’s just a thank you but you know it’s because you want to make sure that she gets home safe.

Both of you are exiting the stadium and stop when you see Harper.

“Ethan! Thank god you’re still here. I just received the terms of agreement of our deal with Banner. What did you do?” She notices Arielle.

“Dr. Valentine, what are you doing here?”

“She was here with her friends when I saw and asked for help with negotiating. She was the one who turned the deal into our favour.”, I quickly reply.

“Very impressive Dr. Valentine, but do know that this doesn’t make a difference in the fellowship rankings.”, Harper says.

“I know Chief Emery, anyways I haven’t entered the competition. But thank you though.”, she replies. You’re surprised. You thought she had entered, but you never checked the list of participants. You tell her to wait at the car.

“You’re dropping her off?”, she asks.

“She literally just scored us a very big deal. I’m just thanking her.

“Hmm... Well I’ll see you later. Goodbye, Ethan.” You nod and get in your car. Turning on the engine, you drive.

“Where do you live?”, you ask.

She pulls up a location 20 minutes from here on her phone.

“Why didn’t you enter the fellowship?”

“Did you want me to?”, she asks. You don’t answer.

“My first week was hard enough, with a competition that would jeopardise our friendship, I decided it wasn’t worth the risk. Especially when they were the ones who got me through the first week.”

“I understand. A lot of friendships of mine were severed during my residency due to the competitiveness.” You both talk about leisure topics until you reach a tall apartment complex.

“This is me. Thanks for the ride, Dr. Ramsey.”, with that, she swiftly exits out of the car. You reverse the car and drive to your apartment.

Arielle’s PoV:-

You walk up to the entrance of your building, taking the elevator to your floor. You pull out your keys when Jackie opens the door and lets you in.

“I was wondering when you’d be back.” You smile, taking off your shoes and head into the living room.”

“Hey Ari! Join us for a drink!”, says Elijah.

“Nah, I don’t want a drink. But yes for the company.”

“You all better kiss that fellowship goodbye, cause I just solved that case in record time.”, Landry says.

“You do realise that Arielle was the one who did most of it and we all helped.”, Jackie says.

“Exactly, I looked at the clues and diagnosed the problem!”

You laugh with your friends as they playfully egg each other on. You’re going over today’s events, thinking about all the crazy events, when you realise that you haven’t been true to yourself. “Competing makes them stronger.”, you remember saying. You’ve given advice to other people but you aren’t following your own. You bolt up from the sofa, grabbing your purse and keys and head towards the door.

“What are you doing, Ari?”, Sienna asks.

“You smile replying, “Something I should have done way before.” Your roommates give you a knowing smile as you head towards Edenbrook.

You park your car, rushing through the atrium and up the stairs towards Dr. Ramsey’s office. You a minute to compose yourself and knock.

“Come in.”, his professional but baritone voice replies.

You enter his office to see a minimally decorated desk, covered with papers and patient files. He files them away neatly as you enter. “Rookie. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I want in.”

“I made it clear that the cutoff was midnight.” Your eyes follow his gaze to the wall clock. ‘12:02’

“What makes you think that you’re an exception?”

You steady yourself. “I know I can be a good doctor. I know that I can make a difference in people’s lives, like you do. It just took me a little longer to realise it.” You gulp, wondering if you’ve blown your chance.

He smirks and pull out a long list of names, adding yours at the bottom. “You had me worried there. What changed your mind?”

“I always advised other people to follow their dreams, never give up, to take a leap of faith. I realised I needed to take my own advice.” He nods with approval.

“Good Night, Dr. Valentine.”

“Good Morning, Dr. Ramsey.”, you say, pointing at the same clock ‘12:08’. He shakes his head with amusement.

You head out to your car, the cool autumn breeze in your hair, and drive into the night.

“Bring it on.”

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