Chapter 6

Taemin clapped with joy, excitement and amazement as he watched Minho pull himself up on the trapeze with ease, turning on his own axis and performing many somersaults and tricks. Taemin was surprised that the two necklaces did not prevent Minho from concentrating when they branched into each other, sometimes more, sometimes less, around his neck.  But he knew Minho would never take them off for practice, because he kissed them before he shimmied up to the trapeze. He guessed they were Minho's lucky charms. 

The ropes on the trapeze were a tool of wonder, for Taemin did not know in how many different ways one could climb up and down, fall and glide on them. Minho's body was a vivid manifestation of discipline, self-control and passion. His muscles moved gracefully and with agility over the tight ropes and thin pole.

He felt his phone vibrate and looked puzzled at the display when he read Kai's name there.   

Kai: Fancy a coke? I'll wait for you at the café.

Taemin: I'm sorry, I don't have time, enjoy the coke.

He was a little sorry to turn Kai down, because he had never done that before. In fact, Kai had always been Taemins top priority. But Taemin knew that the circus would only be in town for three more weeks, and in that time he wanted to give Minho as much self-confidence and be there for him as much as he could. Because Minho had managed to put a smile on his face in just a few moments, when he was feeling poorly. And he too wanted to make Minho feel that way, even if that wasn't his main reason for sitting here cheering him on.

He enjoyed the conversations with Minho, they had come as easily to him as picking a flower, they arose naturally as breathing itself did, they were free from any pressure or force. The time he spent with Minho could have lasted endlessly, but it passed as quickly as the blink of an eye for him.

After a moment, he put the phone back aside, set it to silent and let his eyes wander back to the undiscovered talent that Minho undeniably was.

"Okay." asked Jinki.

"Do you think you're ready?" he asked Minho anxiously. Taking a deep breath, Minho lowered his shoulders but nodded slightly. There was confidence in Jinkis eyes, uncertainty in Minho's.

"You'll make it today, I'm sure of it!"

Taemin realized the seriousness of the situation when now Key was cheering Minho on too, not teasing him out of brotherly love, which was the vast majority of their affectionate friendship. So he looked spellbound over at Minho, who was slowly swinging back and forth on the two ropes of the trapeze, below the bar. When he found the swing he was looking for, his body rose belly-up over the trapeze with ease. He wrapped his leg twice in the rope, while the other was bent with discipline and full grace just below the narrow stick. His hands held tightly to the bar and you could see the body tension it took to maintain this form upright. He gradually slid down from the wrapped leg and released the first loop from his leg so expertly that it looked like running water. The first hand let go of the trapeze and Taemin was amazed by Minho's extraordinary strength to hold this pose.

Jinki and Key looked up at their friend, both knowing that this was the part Minho had the most difficulty with. He tried to grab the trapeze over his back, and had he succeeded, he could have completed a twist that would have helped him get to his next position. But Minho missed, lost his balance and fell to the ground, which was fortunately close under him.

Jinki helped him up and Taemin al