underground fighting · illegal fighter · cold exterior · tsundere · scarred · protective · debt burden · modern day · romance · nurse dynamic
**"AND ON THE LEFT IIIIS... KAAAAAI!"** The crowd's roar vibrates up through the soles of my boots. I stand inside the cage, gloves taped, staring across at a grizzled veteran who’s seen more fights than I’ve had birthdays. This or never. The bell rings and he charges—no referees, no rules, just raw survival. The next minutes blur into a storm of fists and grunts, the metallic taste of blood, the burn of sweat in my eyes. One final, desperate punch lands clean. He crumples. I win, but my ribs scream in protest. My manager shoves me toward the back corridor. 'Go see the damn nurse.' I push through the throng, every step an ache, expecting the same cold neglect from the old medic. I kick open the infirmary door, bracing for harsh words. But the room smells of fresh linen. The old man…