At the medical center, nightfall.
In the locker room.
"Heading to Old Friends Bar tonight?"
Adam strolled in, changing out of his scrubs while tossing out the invite with a grin.
"Did I hear that right?"
Izzie let out an exaggerated gasp. "Is this Adam Duncan actually inviting us out?"
"You must've misheard."
Meredith chimed in. "No way that's happening!"
"Yep."
George nodded. "Looks like that bomb blasted us all into some hallucination."
Cristina, mid-change, just snickered off to the side.
"Drinks are on me tonight, all you can handle."
Adam shot a cheeky smile at Meredith.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Meredith huffed. "In your eyes, am I just some booze hound?"
"Heh."
It wasn't just Adam laughing now—everyone cracked up.
"Okay, fine, maybe I enjoy a little drink now and then."
Meredith's defense was weak under the chorus of laughter. "But do you think I'm after your measly bar tab? Can't I afford my own?"
"Of course you can. That's not the point."
Adam grinned. "The point is we all dodged death today. We have to celebrate. You can chip in if you want."
"Why should I?"
Meredith shot back, indignant.
"Hahaha!"
Another round of laughter erupted.
Meredith inherited Alice Grey's fortune, so she's got some cash—no surprise there.
As an intern, she pours most of her time and energy into work. That time she nicked a patient's heart with her fingernail was a brutal wake-up call, so she's been laying off the heavy drinking.
Otherwise, with her boozy habits, if she really let loose, her inheritance might not even cover it.
"Today was way too close."
George sighed once the laughter died down.
"Adam, how are you so good at this?"
Izzie turned to him, wide-eyed.
"Not as good as Meredith."
Adam smirked modestly. "I only sense danger when it's right in my face. But Meredith? She felt it hours before it even happened. What's that about? It's like she's got some next-level instinct—'the cicada senses the autumn breeze before it blows.' Pure, top-tier foresight!"
Hmm.
Okay, more accurately: the plot gods tipped off the main character…
After today, Adam's 100% sure—Meredith's the star of the show.
Cristina might get the Mary Sue treatment, but in terms of spotlight, she's no match for center-stage Meredith.
Why?
Simple. Cristina's got zero crisis radar.
"I'd rather have your knack."
Meredith grumbled. "Mine's all fuzzy—I couldn't even be sure. Otherwise, Cristina and the gang wouldn't have dragged me out of bed to the hospital. You? You just had a hunch, no clue what was up, and still stopped a critical patient from coming in."
"Heh."
Adam just smiled, saying nothing.
"Let's go! Old Friends Bar, here we come!"
Izzie finished changing and waved everyone on.
The group got up and headed out together.
Old Friends Bar is right next to the medical center—just a few steps, no car needed. They walked over.
"Joe really shouldn't have crossed you."
Outside the hospital, Cristina glanced across the street at Joe's bar, looking pretty dead, and drawled a comment.
Everyone followed her gaze.
"Adam, your grudge game's no joke."
Izzie sighed.
"Grudge? What grudge?"
Adam shook his head. "If I didn't want a spot super close to the hospital to hang with friends and save time, I wouldn't even think about it. This was just a side move."
"Your 'side move' tanked Joe's business."
Izzie winced. "I heard he's shutting down the bar he's run for over a decade, subleasing it, and starting over somewhere else. Who knows what he'll do next."
"Joe's a decent guy."
Meredith couldn't help but pipe up.
"So?"
Adam shrugged. "You save someone's life, and they stab you in the back. Not retaliating is already generous—am I supposed to buddy up and boost his business too?"
No one had a comeback.
They're Adam's colleagues; they know the whole story. Put themselves in his shoes—even if they hadn't saved Joe from that oncoming car way back when, as his attending, they'd still be pissed.
Joe handed off a spot in that famous "stillness surgery" to someone else when it should've been theirs. They wouldn't stomach it either.
At the very least, they'd stop hitting up his bar.
No matter how friendly Joe's chubby face was, it'd probably just tick them off.
Bars are for drinking, unwinding, and de-stressing—why go somewhere that'd stress you out?
"Why overthink it?"
Adam laughed. "I didn't target him. It's just business—market economy, fair competition. If he's got the skills, he can win his old customers back."
"…"
Everyone's lips twitched.
Fair competition? Seriously?
A loaded guy like you "competing" with a small-timer like Joe? That's laughable!
Even if Joe's a business genius with years of experience and killer new ideas, he's no match for your deep pockets. You'd either buy him out or copy his vibe, undercut his prices, and crush him.
And since Joe ticked you off, he's not even getting the "join me" offer. No chance to work for you.
The second you made your move, Joe's bar was toast.
"With Joe's place gone, Old Friends Bar will own this area's bar scene."
Cristina side-eyed Adam. "You're not gonna sneakily jack up prices later, are you?"
"Gasp!"
Izzie sucked in a breath, dramatic as ever. "She's right! The brave dragon-slaying kid always turns into the evil dragon in the end. Monopoly's the poison that corrupts the hero!"
"Then I'm drinking big tonight."
Meredith jumped in. "Gotta get my money's worth before Adam turns into that dragon and starts bleeding us bar-goers dry without us noticing."
"Without us noticing?"
Cristina drawled. "Even if he sucked your blood right out in the open, what could you do? We're fine—we can skip drinking. But you? Booze is your lifeline."
"What do you mean, my lifeline?"
Meredith's protest was half-hearted. "Okay, fine, I like a drink. But I can just buy my own and sip at home!"
"Come on, solo?"
Izzie cut straight to the chase.
"…"
Meredith had nothing to say.
Same drink, triple the price at a bar compared to a store nearby—and people still line up, bribe the bouncer, just to get in. Is it really about the booze?
Nope.
It's about the vibe—hanging out, having a blast with friends!
Like that old saying: without limits, the flashiest stuff always boils down to sex, gambling, and drugs.
Booze? It's the wingman for fun! 😉
"Of course I won't."
Adam cut in with a laugh. "That's how typical capitalists play. I'm not some money-grubber. The bar's just a casual side thing—uh, I mean, a spot for friends to chill. Do I look like I need the cash?"
Hmm.
Almost slipped up there.
Sure, Adam won't hike prices.
But once Old Friends Bar becomes the only decent joint near the medical center, the foot traffic's gonna skyrocket.
For someone like him, looking to network in the medical world, traffic's gold!
If everyone shows up, vibes with the place, and sees Adam the owner as a pal, his path in the medical field? Wide open, baby.
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