Johnny Seo had zero problems. 

Ok, that wasn't true. His best friend was growing distant, his salary was hardly enough, and he was struggling with college. But he had a pretty awesome girlfriend to make up for it.

He sat daydreaming, thinking about where to take Aliya (his girlfriend) next, and what gift to give her for the four-month anniversary of their first date. It was coming up in two days, and he needed ideas. 

"Johnny!" 

Johnny snapped out of his thoughts to see his friend Jaehyun standing a few feet away. "Johnny, you know that circus that's in town?" 

"Yeah." Johnny shrugged. "I'm not interested." Aliya wouldn't want to go to a circus anyway. 

"I just went with Jaemin. It was incredible. No, don't laugh. Come on, I got you a ticket." 

"What's so cool about a circus?" Johnny asked. "They're for kids, aren't they?" 

Jaehyun snorted. "Not this one. I mean, kids can go, but..... adults enjoy it more. Well, you'll see." 

 

A few minutes later, Johnny found himself standing outside a giant tent, a ticket clutched in his hand, Jaehyun at his side. They handed their tickets to a short, bored-looking teenager with a soft voice and a Chinese accent, then made their way into the tent. 

The tent was dark. Johnny could see the metal framework under the roof, holding up the trapeze and a tightrope. He sighed and slumped against his chair, prepared to suffer through a long, boring performance. His mind wandered back to Aliya and what he was going to get her. 

A spotlight flashed on. Johnny heard soft footsteps, and a figure stepped onto the trapeze platform. The face was in shadow, but he could see that they were built very delicately, and he could see the short, silky dark hair falling over the still hidden forehead. He felt a spark of interest. 

The figure's head raised. All thoughts of Aliya- and literally anything else- fled from Johnny's mind. 

Jaehyun grinned and whispered, "Cute, isn't he?" 

The boy on the platform smiled and waved to the crowd. Johnny tried to silence his heartbeat before Jaehyun heard it. 

"Hello and welcome!" A voice boomed. Johnny tore his gaze off the trapeze artist and focused on the man in the center of the ring. He was thin and handsome, with a sharp jaw and doll-like features. His hair was dyed a vibrant green. 

"Lee Taeyong," Jaehyun sighed dreamily. 

"May I introduce to you our trapeze artist, who I picked up in Thailand- beautiful country, I might add." He waved a hand in the direction of the platform. 

"Hi," the boy on the platform said, smiling. "My name is Ten." He waved again. 

Lee Taeyong smiled and backed into the shadows, and the act began. 

Later, Johnny couldn't even remember it at all. He remembered marveling at Ten's flexibility, at his courage, and most of all at how he kept his smile the whole time. The entire act seemed effortless for him. Johnny found himself wishing it would never end. 

When at last the show was over, Johnny walked straight up to the bored Chinese boy and requested a backstage pass. The boy- his name tag read 'Renjun'- extended a hand and said flatly, "Five dollars." Johnny handed over the money without a second thought, grabbed his pass and hurried backstage. 

He passed several performers with painted faces, but continued pushing to the back. He was so distracted that he barely registered Jaehyun and Lee Taeyong sitting in a corner laughing and holding hands. 

Finally he reached a door marked with the number 10, with a nameplate that read 'Ten' on it. He took a deep breath and knocked.

"Yes?" A voice called. "Come in." 

Johnny gulped and entered. 

"Hey." Ten looked up from his cell phone and smiled. "You were in the audience, weren't you?" 

"Uh- yeah." Johnny nodded. 

"Sit down." Ten waved to a chair a few feet from where he was sitting. 

Johnny sat. 

"Now, what do you want?" Ten asked, his fingers drumming on the arm of his chair. He seemed to have a lot of energy. 

"I wanted to ask-" Johnny paused. What did he want? Why did he come here? 'I wanted to stare at your face?' He couldn't say that. Then an idea flashed through his mind.

"What's going on between Lee Taeyong and my friend Jaehyun?" 

Ten laughed airily. "I wouldn't know. Yongie doesn't tell me anything." 

Johnny sighed. "Jae's the same." 

"Best friends can be annoying," Ten said cheerfully. He jumped up from the chair and hurried over to his table. "Bye, see you around."

Johnny swallowed. "Yeah." 

It wasn't until two hours later, in his own bed at home, that he remembered Aliya. 

"Damn it," he groaned. He suddenly wasn't looking forward to their date very much.