Min Jeong's POV

"Oh! It's you again! You came last week, didn't you?" The man at the entrance of the carnival said.

"You.. remember?" I asked, surprised.

"Well, your face isn't one that could be forgotten so easily." He said.

What? Am I ugly?

"Ahh~" I smiled awkwardly before heading in.

The moment I was inside the carnival, I found myself searching for him. He was not difficult to spot because there would always be a crowd where he is. I found myself a safe spot that was not too far or near from him where I sat down and watched him.

Does this man really have a high tolerance of pain or can he not feel it at all? Whatever the people were paying to do to him is really scary. I never knew humans could be so mean until this moment.

For the next few days, I kept going back to the carnival. Every day, I sat at the same position and watched him.

"Hi." I looked up when I heard a voice.

A man who looks like he was around his fifties stood in front of me.

"I noticed you have been here for a few days, and you never seem to go enjoy any of the games except sit here." He said.

"Uh... And so?" I asked.

"I am just curious. Is my carnival not exciting?" He asked.

Did he say 'my carnival'?

"Your... carnival?" I asked.

"Yea." He smiled.

"My name is Min Jeong, and I actually am interested in making a program on carnivals and circuses like these." I introduced myself.

"Ahhh~ I see. Sounds interesting. How can I help you?" He asked.

"Could you bring me around and introduce your people to me? Could I interview them as well as you?" I asked.

"Well, I don't see why not." He smiled.

It seemed a little too good to be true that he is being so helpful but perhaps he really is.

"Let's go." He gestured.

I took another glance at the high tolerance of pain guy before following the carnival owner to wherever he was taking me. High tolerance of pain guy was too busy getting beaten up to notice me.

***

The carnival owner took me around the place, introducing me to different types of 'games'. Our last stop was the guy with high tolerance of pain.

"He claims to have a really high tolerance of pain. He can endure any form of pain." He explained.

"Human punching bag." I read out the title.

"Exactly." He smiled as he gestured me to watch the man get whacked by one of the goers. I cringed at it.

"Does he really have a high tolerance of pain or...?" I asked, still not taking my eyes away from him.

"Do you want to try?" The carnival owner asked.

"WHAT!? NO!" I was shocked by his offer.

"You gotta try it to know." He said, pushing a baseball bat into my hands.

"N.. no.." I refused.

High tolerance of pain guy and I were staring at each other while the crowd cheered on me to try.

He let out a small smile and nodded.

No, Min Jeong. You cannot do this.

"Come on. It wouldn't hurt him." The owner said, taking the bat from me and swinging it against his stomach.

I screamed, but the crowds’ loud cheers muffled my scream.

Sick. This is so sick.

Seungho's POV

She was here for a few consecutive days and she would always be sitting at the same place. I wonder why is she here.

She and my boss came to where I was. My boss explained to her what I can do, and then pushed a baseball bat into her hands.

"You got to try to know!" He urged.

She look scared and kept trying to reject. I smiled at her, nodding slightly in hope she get my message that it is okay to hit me. I would not feel anything anyway.

But before I knew it, my boss had grabbed the baseball bat back from her and 'demonstrated' to her how to hit me. I choked on my breath at the sudden blow in my abdomen.

The crowd cheered loudly, but behind all the cheering, I could hear her scream. She looked at me with teary eyes and pushed pass the crowd, walking off. I stared at her retreating back view, unable to take my eyes off her. Was she crying for me?

For the whole day, I was thinking about her. Although it was strange that I was, but at least thinking about her diverted me away from the humiliation I received from the people. 

At around 6PM, I ended my work for the day. Just as I was about to leave for the cafe, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned and saw her.

"My name is Min Jeong." She said with her hand outstretched.

"Seungho." I said, taking her hand into mine, shaking lightly.

"Can we talk?" She asked.

"About?" I asked.

"You." She said.

"Me?" I asked.

"Yea. You." She said.

Why is she asking me this? Why would she show interest in a man like me?

I looked at her quizzically.

“What for?” I asked.

"I am actually trying to write a TV show on people like yourself working in places like this." She finally said.

I knew it. She had something she wanted from me. But what were you thinking, Yang Seungho? Who are you to be worthy of anyone's time? No one but yourself would be interested in your life until they want something from you. As painful as it is, this is reality.