(Recent edit: I had changed the POV to third person POV... first person seems weird in fanfics idk)

Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he swung his fist in a right hook straight into the opponent's torso. Skillfully, he dodged the other's retaliation, using his outstretched arm as an advantage as he twisted it back, earning a groan from the opponent. However, the man soon broke free, managing to land a punch on his face. Despite the injury, he didn't let my guard down and fought back.

The fight ended up with the opponent on the ground, defeated. He wasn't dead. His body was slammed on the ground and was kept it there till a referee deemed it fit that the opponent lost.

The referee, who happened to be a friend by the name of Seungcheol, stepped into the makeshift fighting ring, grabbing the winner's hand and lifting it over their heads. "As expected, our winner, Kim Mingyu!" The crowd surrounding cheered. 

There were some people at the corners who gathered to pay their bet. Some had wide, satisfied smiles on their faces, while others looked dejected.

Either way, Seungcheol handed Mingyu an envelope. "For this week's win. If you continued this way, you'd be winning the finals for each week, you overgrown teenager." He chuckled, patting Mingyu on the head. 

"Thanks, hyung," The younger grinned, tucking the envelope into his old, ragged bag. 

"It's no problem. I may have slipped some extra money in there for you. You know you can always come to me for help, right?" Seungcheol asked worriedly.

"Hyung, I've told you. I don't want to live off of you even though you're my friend. I'm going to find a proper job to earn money soon. I'll be fine." Mingyu offered him an assuring smile. 

"Whatever you say, Mingyu."

*

The Underground.

That was the name of this place. A place where people come and fight while the onlookers placed their bets on who would win. 

Choi Seungcheol was the third son of multi-billionairre Choi Jinhyuk, Chairman of CP Enterprise, a well-known company with over 100 bases around the globe. His oldest brother, Choi Seunghyun, was the current CEO of the company. Seungcheol was only 20, and was still incompetent to join the business. So as of that moment, he had taken full advantage of his family's wealth to start an underground fighting rink. He had always loved watching wrestling matches and of the sorts, so what better way than to create one of his own?

Mingyu had come upon the place around two years ago, after he had ran away from home and wandered around the streets mindlessly. While he was walking past a bar, there were a few men talking about fighting for money, and that they were going there soon. Of course, money was an issue for the young boy at the time, so he followed them to the abandoned warehouse. He had thought that he could probably make some money there, since normal job employers didn't want to take in a fifteen-year-old boy who wouldn't say anything about his family background. Furthermore, back when Mingyu hadn't ran away, he had toughened himself up, so it could probably be an advantage for him.

He did that so as to lessen the blows from the abuse going on back then.

To him only, anyway.

It was there that Mingyu first met Seungcheol who was unexpectedly goofy despite his masculine appearance. They had both become good friends along the way and he had helped the younger during his most difficult times when he had no money. Mingyu was forever grateful for him and his generosity, and swore to pay him back once he found a job on my own.

*

Mingyu swung his bag across the room, letting it land near the mattress. Lying down, he ran his fingers across his sweaty hair and sighed tiredly.

This week had taken a toll on the boy. The men that he had fought were much tougher. His mind flashed towards the time when he had almost lost to a certain guy. This man had started frequenting The Underground just a few weeks ago, and was probably not much older than Mingyu. Despite seeing him from time to time, he had never conversed with anyone before. The fact that intrigued Mingyu, however, was that he did not look defeated or upset when he lost. It got him thinking if the people who went there to fight didn't want the money, but just wanted to vent their anger out.

It scared Mingyu, if he were to be honest. He knew he was putting himself at risk by fighting. There were people who had anger issues that would fuel them up even more to the point where even if they had won, they would not just stop throwing punches.

Mingyu would know that very well, for he knew that through experience.

He considered taking a break from fighting the following week, but knew that he was still short of money for the rent of his small rooftop house. It was due very soon. 

Each week, there could only be one winner in The Underground. On weekday nights, peopple who had joined would fig