It was like magic.

 

Seulgi thinks it's the most appropriate term, all things considered.

 

Despite the darkness inside of the tent and the great number of people squeezing into their seats for the show, Seulgi saw her.

 

She cannot quite explain the way her heart began to beat faster. Seulgi has never been one to be nervous in front of her audience, not especially in recent years, when she has grown accustomed to their eyes and ears and gasps – all of their attention on her. But when she appeared on stage that night, the smoke dissipating in a whirlwind of red and black hues against her velvet cloak as she waved her arm swiftly as she spun, she saw her. Their eyes locked. Seulgi held the trigger.

 

Who was she?

 

The woman sat there, right in the middle of the crowd, not in the front row but farther back in the stadium-like seating. Enough for her to be at nearly eye level with Seulgi. Like she was the only person there in the audience. Like it was just the two of them. Seulgi stared at her, her eyes shone even in the dark. Not quite like emeralds. But something darker that Seulgi could not place. The woman claps her hands along with the crowd at the introductory act Seulgi had just performed. Nothing but a crackle, an explosion of fire and smoke and a simple teleportation spell for her grand entrance.

 

It was not in her nature to be distracted, especially by a member of the audience. In her best show of professionalism, Seulgi looked away and tried her best to remember to forget the woman with green eyes as she went on with tonight’s performance.

 

-

 

Seulgi, however, does not remember to forget her once the show ends and the applause continues to ring in her ears. She divests herself of her cloak and mask and changes out of her white and black suit and into her casual fit of a leather jacket and jeans before leaving backstage to search for her.

 

It’s… ridiculous. But Seulgi felt something stir in her that will not rest until she finds the woman with green eyes that were not quite like emeralds.

 

The circus is a grand place. There are various tents. Some are smaller than a shed and others are as tall as a small office building. All of which are colored in the same dark red and pitch black. She passes by the contortionist’s tent with many curious patrons. The acrobats’ tent is always a crowd pleaser as she could hear cheers coming from the inside. There are children running about, eating salted caramel popcorn and candied apples that Seulgi has yet to try for herself. The night is musty and cold and she wonders if she could warm herself up with a cup of hot cocoa until she sees the glimmer of green amongst the crowd.

 

Barely a second later, after the woman turns around, she is gone. Seulgi could barely catch a glimpse of her face.

 

She sighs and feels her heart calming down, her breaths steadying. She no longer feels the high tension that was pulling her before. She takes the hot cocoa and returns to her tent, deciding to pack up her things after tonight’s show.

 

-

 

It is not Seulgi's first time in New York. She has been here two other times before. It is not quite as nice as the movies and shows make it seem to be. Maybe it is the romanticism that people have linked with this city. Regardless, it has a certain charm. Perhaps one learns to love New York the longer one stays here. Perhaps it is just not to Seulgi's taste. She enjoys certain places in Europe or even her hometown in Korea.

 

During the day, she tours whatever city they visit with some of her friends from the circus. But it usually ends with Seulgi going off on her own, finding little hidden treasures in the city. A quaint cafe hidden between big buildings. An old bookstore with its shelves and walls stacked with bounded paper that smell of ink. An art museum showcasing local painters or sculptors. More often than not, during the last night before they move out of a location, Seulgi finds herself at a bar, having a glass of wine alone. It is never quite as lonely as it is tonight. Maybe it's because this establishment is a bit more crowded than she'd like, with hopeful singles and old friends coming together. Maybe it's the thought of leaving yet another city.

 

After an exhausting day of partaking in the usual tourist activities of taking pictures of the Statue of Liberty or walking around Central Park, Seulgi resigns herself with a glass of rich whisky. It's not her usual drink. It’s much too hard for her liking but perhaps it is what she needs at the moment.

 

"Thank you. Please return the drink."

 

Her voice was soft, quiet. Seulgi could barely hear it over the chatter from the bar. But she heard it. She bites back the chuckle bubbling in her chest. On the opposite side, she sees the bartender walking over to the man, who, presumably, bought the woman a drink. He smirks, downing his own drink before getting up to, presumably, walk over to the woman he was trying to woo with a glass of something unnaturally blue.

 

On any other day, Seulgi would have ignored this. She would have let the man sweet talk the woman. She would have wanted to see the man get a direct rejection. But today is not like any other day and Seulgi decides she wants to intervene should the need arise.

 

He starts the conversation. His voice is smooth and deep. Probably any woman would swoon over him. He is charming as well, complimenting her on small intricacies like her purse or her jewelry or the way she speaks. But then the man starts talking about matters that do not seem to be of particular interest to her, like the arduous process of wine making or the rich history of Italy (he must be Italian). He asks again if she would like a drink and she thanks him, declining the offer once more.

 

Seulgi does choke a bit this time, covering her laugh with a cough.

 

She has her head turned but she doesn't need to see her face to know she wants to be left alone.

 

"I would appreciate it if I could enjoy my night by myself. Thank you."

 

Her voice is harder this time, with a bit of an edge and a slight sharpness to it. This has gone on long enough, Seulgi supposes. With the quiet snap of her fingers, the man nods, gets up and leaves the woman without another word. Seulgi turns to face her this time, seeing her sigh in relief as she takes another sip of her much needed drink.

 

"Well," a voice, barely above a whisper, brushes past her ear, "that was unfortunate."

 

Seulgi whips her head to the side.

 

"I think she would have thrown her drink at him. He was already on his way to touch her leg."

 

Green eyes.

 

Sparkling quite unlike emeralds.

 

Gazing into her own.

 

Seulgi fights back the urge to gulp at the sight of the woman in front of her. She smirks, swirling her own glass around, the clear liquid forming tiny waves.

 

There is something in her presence, Seulgi decides. Something she cannot quite name. A certain gravity pulls her down to earth and yet staring into her eyes makes her feel like she is floating in space. She cannot make sense of it the way she can explain gravity or space and it's a little disconcerting.

 

Seulgi collects herself, smiling politely and returning to her drink if only to avoid those hypnotic green eyes.

 

"Perhaps," she says, "however, a little entertainment at the cost of a woman's safety and comfort is not entertainment at all."

 

"You say that like you had stopped the man yourself," the woman's voice is light, as if she was joking, "You must have some tricks up your sleeve."

 

Seulgi doesn't look back at her. She smiles instead. Surely, the woman would not recognize her. Seulgi wears a mask during her performances, a red one that covers the upper half of her face laced with meticulous designs using beads and black ink. It adds to the mystery and wonder of her persona and of the circus in general. But, mostly, it's for her own privacy and protection.

 

"I suppose you don’t know me," she says, carrying on with the conversation when Seulgi does not respond.

 

Seulgi turns to look at her again, this time, no longer focusing on her eyes alone. Admittedly, that is quite a difficult task. Her face is small, enough that Seulgi could probably hold it comfortably with both hands. Her hair is as dark as the nights Seulgi spends wondering if she could ever learn to sleep peacefully and her skin as fair as the speck-less, pristine sheets of snow Seulgi creates during her much-anticipated winter shows. She’s donning a simple black dress that hugs her body in all the right ways. But Seulgi looks away and back at her eyes, which are, certainly, the most alluring part of this beautiful stranger.

 

What is probably most surprising to Seulgi though is that she finds herself speaking her native tongue without hesitation and without question. It's a little secret conversation only the two of them understand as the mostly English-speaking patrons surround them, not minding these two women speaking a foreign language at all. She guesses this is part of New York’s charm.

 

"Am I supposed to know you?" Seulgi quirks her brow but keeps her polite smile.

 

"Well, you've been staring at me like you do," she laughs, calling for the bartender to serve them two glasses of vodka, "or would you rather get to know me instead?"

 

Seulgi clears , looking away again. It makes the other woman chuckle. And she cannot blame her, really. Seulgi is not usually so flustered, not especially by the presence of a pretty lady sitting next to her. But, as she had mentioned, there is a gravity to her presence and Seulgi keeps getting herself pulled in.

 

"You did that, didn't you? You made him leave," she clarifies.

 

The bartender returns with their drinks before Seulgi gets the chance to answer. But an answer she did not have. No one ever sees through her "tricks". They are not mere tricks, of course. There is nothing to conceal. No contraptions or mirrors or trap doors. They are as they are. And perhaps the greatest trick that Seulgi would have people believe is that her acts of magic are mere human machinations. To have people mistakenly believe that these are illusions – perfectly timed, perfectly staged performances. Perhaps, off the stage, it is not so apparent. But it was not an extravagant "trick" so to speak. Seulgi merely… guided the man out of the bar.

 

"It's impressive, I must admit," she continues, "I have yet to take up hypnosis. It was hypnosis, wasn't it? Was it something else? Mind control?"

 

Seulgi furrows her brows.

 

"I don't know what you mean."

 

The woman laughs, raising her index finger up to Seulgi's forehead, poking her lightly. Her touch is cold. It almost makes Seulgi jolt. But she stays in place, unmoving and attempting to remain unbothered.

 

"My, my. The Masked Magician is not quite good at keeping her secrets," she chuckles innocently, but there was something sinister about it, like a child who knows a bit too much and is oh so willing to tattletale, "Don't worry. I'll keep it safe with me."

 

She taps on Seulgi's glass once. Starting from the tip of her touch, it begins to crack. Or it doesn't? The glass is not breaking. Is it turning to ice? Seulgi eyes it intently but not at all changing its properties. Simply observing it. Frost coats the glass, the invisible icy reach touching the vodka. It's getting colder. Much colder than what Seulgi can muster with her own spells. The vodka freezes in no time.

 

"Negative twenty-seven degrees Celsius," she says matter-of-factly, "The freezing point of vodka. You can't quite drink it this way though."

 

"You…" Seulgi doesn't pull her gaze away from the freezing glass.

 

"Joohyun," she offers her hand. Seulgi thinks that if she holds it, she might suffer the same fate as the glass and liquor and wonders at what point a mere human such as herself would freeze to an untimely death. She shakes Joohyun's hand regardless, pleasantly surprised that she is still, in totality, warm blooded and very much alive.

 

"Seulgi," she introduces herself willingly. As it seems, there is no point in hiding her identity now. Clearly, this Joohyun knows more than she lets on and maybe Seulgi is a lot more curious than she is careful. She is not so sure if she should blame the alcohol, Joohyun’s beauty or her own curiosity (read as willingness to be fooled by said beauty).

 

Joohyun smiles, her teeth peeking between her dark red lips. Seulgi has only known of a number of magicians like herself, most of whom have gone and disappeared like the rabbits and the doves that go back into their hats and cages. Apart from her father, she has never actually met another one in person, right here in front of her. At least, one who makes herself so blatantly known like this. One would think true magicians would be more… subtle.

 

There are questions Seulgi wants to ask though. But she doesn't know where to start.

 

"You can ask anything," Joohyun says, as if reading her mind (which might actually not be impossible), "I will answer your questions."

 

Seulgi pauses, half open before closing it again.

 

"I think…" she drags her sentence, watching the frost leave the glass of her drink. She chooses her next words carefully "I am better off not knowing."

 

Joohyun nods, her smile ever present.

 

"Very well," she takes her drink in one go, not flinching at all as the liquor goes down smoothly as she swallows, "I enjoyed your show last night. I especially liked it when you made it seem like the audience was in the sky, floating with the clouds. I truly felt like I was lifted off my seat."

 

"You were," Seulgi recalls, "The clouds were real too. And the stars. Did it feel like I plucked them out of the sky?"

 

"It certainly did," Joohyun confirms, smiling as the memory returns to her. Seulgi reaches out to pick something off of Joohyun's hair. A star. The smallest star in existence, she thinks. A combination of gases and things in space that scientists study day and night to understand. Yet here it is in Seulgi's hand, glowing dimly in the dark corner of the bar. At this point though, it seems Seulgi and Joohyun have forgotten they are amongst humans who know not of their secrets. But no one notices and Seulgi closes her hand on the star before Joohyun gets a chance to hold it herself, disappearing into nothingness when she opens her hand again. She pouts in clear and utter disappointment. But Seulgi thinks earning a pout is just as rewarding as a smile.

 

"I can't be playing my 'tricks' out here. People must pay to see The Masked Magician," the smugness in her tone is annoying even to herself. But she much prefers the pseudo confidence than her shy, flustered self, especially when talking to Joohyun, "Although I would not mind giving you a free show."

 

It doesn earn her a smile this time.

 

-

 

It's still early.

 

Seulgi has time to frolic in the city before the circus leaves. For now, she feels the warm buzz of whisky and icy vodka mixed in her systems. Her father had always said never to cast spells when even the slightest bit intoxicated but she digresses. It is only when she has had a drink or two does she get the best ideas for her shows.

 

They're no longer walking in familiar streets. Although they all look the same to Seulgi. But she lets Joohyun lead the way, wherever they may be heading. She considers, maybe, that Joohyun might bring Seulgi to her home. The thought sends blood rushing to her cheeks and she cups them with her cold hands. Her fingers are nearly as icy as Joohyun's when she had touched the glass earlier that evening.

 

Seulgi nearly bumps into Joohyun's back when she comes to an abrupt stop.

 

"A laundromat?" Seulgi asks, an eyebrow raised in obvious confusion. The shop in front of them is brightly lit inside with its fluorescent lights and decaying yellow walls. A bored teenage girl sits behind the desk with pink hair and a lollipop in , playing a game on her phone.

 

Joohyun shrugs in response, swinging the door open. The bell rings and the girl looks up at Joohyun, then at Seulgi and returns to her game. If Seulgi were to actually come here to get laundry done, she would be very upset at the customer service (or the lack thereof).

 

"Why are we here?"

 

Seulgi asks but she continues to follow Joohyun to the back of the shop, to where a single blue door stands between washers and dryers. She places her hand on the knob and turns it before looking back at Seulgi.

 

"You want to give me a free show, don't you?"

 

She offers her hand once more and Seulgi wastes no time thinking and holds it tighter this time and she's pulled away into the pitch black obscurity of the other room.

 

It's quiet. Too quiet. As if they were not just out in one of the busiest cities in the world. She does not hear the sounds of guns from the teenage girl's game on her phone nor the steady hums of the washing machines in the other room. Seulgi considers that they are no longer in the laundromat. But as to where they actually are, she hasn't a clue. There is some sort of ground beneath her but no air around her. Almost as though she were in a vacuum, empty of any light and elements and she wonders if she might have stepped off the earth and has reached an otherworldly realm.

 

It is only when she feels the cold touch of a hand to her cheek, caressing her carefully does she remember that she is still alive and breathing and is still very much existing.

 

"Go on," Joohyun says, her voice playful and teasing, breathy like a whisper, "Impress me."

 

Seulgi smiles to herself, unsure if Joohyun can see the way her lips curve at her daring encouragement.

 

A small light begins to flicker a few feet in front of them. It is bright, white and it moves like a candle in the dark, naturally inconsistent and unsteady. But there is no wind to cause such disturbance in its emission. It is quite the illusion – to make something unnatural appear as though it is supposed to be there and is behaving in the way you think it would.

 

Joohyun looks back at the light, her hand slipping off Seulgi's cheek. A smile is etched on her face, excitement brewing in her eyes. A second light appears next to it. And then another. And another until a ring of light surrounds them.

 

"I'm sure you can do more," Joohyun smirks.

 

"It's only the beginning," she retorts.

 

The lights begin to rise and the ring rotates at the same time, creating the appearance that it is one line. It rises until it is a reasonable height above them.

 

She looks at Joohyun for a moment, to assess her reaction. Her green eyes sparkle against the light and her smile is anticipating more to come. She has the expression of a child, ever so curious and seemingly wanting to touch the light that shines so brightly. But Seulgi cannot reliably tell how old the woman is. She seems ageless, really.

 

Tiny specks fall from the ring of light like rain. But they are not droplets of water. They are particles that Seulgi cannot quite describe. Something like powder. Perhaps like ash. She decided, when she was a child, to call it stardust. It seemed appropriate at that time. It still is though.

 

There's a hint of wonder in Joohyun's eyes. She steps away from Seulgi and reaches out to catch the stardust as it falls, like snow. Seulgi thinks she is quite child-like. Not at all asking if this would burn her. Just pure curiosity powering this woman.

 

It doesn't burn though. Seulgi has tried it herself.

 

They gather on her palm, forming a small mound of fine, white powder. The lights change color with the blink of her eyes. A dark, velvety red, just like the motif of the circus. It is a color she is used to working with. A little ominous. A little creepy. But not at all losing its magical charm. Exactly how the circus entrances its patrons.

 

"Can you make it pink?" Joohyun requests, watching as the stardust in her hands becomes a mix of white and red.

 

Seulgi looks up at the ring. The value of the ring turns lighter, the hue less saturated. And pink dust begins to fall.

 

Joohyun smiles. It appears sincere and Seulgi would like to believe that she has impressed a fellow magician with her skills.

 

"Do you like it?" Seulgi dares to ask.

 

"I do," she replies, "Can I walk under it?"

 

"If you don't mind getting the stardust all over your hair," Seulgi laughs. But Joohyun takes Seulgi’s hand and leads her to where the dust falls.

 

"Stardust," Joohyun repeats, "That's a nice word."

 

Before Joohyun could feel the stardust falling on her head, Seulgi slows it down. Not exactly the amount of which the specks fall. But the rate of falling of the stardust, like they are somewhat suspended in space. They are moving ever so slowly. Joohyun halts, clearly surprised by the sudden change. She raises her free hand to push a speck experimentally, to see if they are in fact floating. It moves along the motion Joohyun sets, steadily and slowly as her eyes follow it along its path. It hits another speck and then another. They move like dominos. Or like a pendulum. Joohyun stares at them before pushing past the wall of stardust, creating an empty space in the form of her hand. She looks up at the ring of light, still spinning at its usual pace.

 

"How do you keep the two at different speeds?" Joohyun turns around to ask, honest and curious.

 

"A magician mustn't reveal her secrets," Seulgi smirks.

 

Truthfully, controlling different aspects of her "tricks" is quite difficult. But she has learned to isolate each element, to control each one to a certain extent. Two elements are doable. Three is fine. Anything more than that is challenging. But Seulgi is always learning, looking to find ways to make her shows more efficient while maintaining the same level of grandiose wonder and magic.

 

"If I were to distract you, would this all falter?" Joohyun raises her brow, a sly smile on her lips. She inches towards Seulgi. Everything remains the same. The ring of light spins, the stardust continues to fall slowly. But Seulgi focuses on Joohyun. Her dark red lips and her bright green eyes. They stare at her intently, willing for Seulgi to commit a mistake. But she's much too good at her craft.

 

"I've been training for a long time," Seulgi smiles, stepping into Joohyun's space, testing her and herself, "I used to cast spells with birds flying around me, in the middle of a busy market, underwater with the fish. I don't think you could faze me so–"

 

Seulgi's words get lost the moment Joohyun presses her lips against her cheek. A soft, barely-there peck.

 

"You're right," she giggles, turning around to see that the lights continue to spin and the stardust continue to fall slowly, "Your focus is amazing."

 

No words leave her still. Joohyun must have taken them away. Seulgi touches her own cheek, wondering if Joohyun had left a mark on her. But it's warm where her lips had met her skin and Seulgi thinks it's not entirely because of the human touch.

 

Joohyun walks away from Seulgi running her hand along the stardust.

 

"Would you mind?" Joohyun asks without facing Seulgi as she paces around the circle.

 

"Would I mind what?"

 

"If I alter your spells? Just this once."

 

"Please," Seulgi gestures with an open palm, welcoming Joohyun to change the playing field as she'd like, "I would love to see what you can do."

 

"I bet you would," she laughs, the air of confidence filling the space.

 

The lights go off.

 

There's a chill in the air surrounding Seulgi. A single light turns on. It's a kind of blue. It shines through rays of light that seem to pass through glass. Almost like crystals. Like light going through a prism. But only blue appears. Joohyun is no longer near her. Seulgi walks over to the source of light. It doesn't hurt her eyes when she looks directly at it. It's almost soft and calming.

 

"You know," Joohyun's voice echoes, distant and far. How far she is Seulgi could not determine. It almost feels like Joohyun is in another room, speaking to her through a door or an opening. But Seulgi does not attempt to search for her. She is too drawn to the blue crystal hanging above her, shining its bright light, "I've been following you for some time. I feel a little shy now that I've shown myself to you. You are a much greater magician than I thought."

 

"How do you know me?"

 

"Who doesn't?" Joohyun chuckles, the light flickers along with her, "The great Masked Magician of Cirque de Rouge. Charismatic, alluring. A showstopper. A great innovator of the art of illusion. I could go on and on about what they say about you in the papers."

 

Darkness envelopes her once more but Seulgi continues taking small steps to where the light would have been. It is only now that she realizes her footsteps have not been making a sound until she steps on something… soft. Not quite soft. There's a bit of… crunch to it. She wonders for a moment until the cold hits her skin and now it is clear that snow has gathered beneath her.

 

She can feel the flakes of snow falling delicately on her shoulder, on her head, melting almost instantly as it touches her.

 

"The Masked Magician is a different person. Wouldn’t you like to know more about me – Kang Seulgi?"

 

Seulgi blushes at her own brashness. She is not usually like this. Her fans are just that. Fans. They adore her, they throw bouquets of flowers at the floor of her stage, they send her letters that she reads at night. But they are just that. She cannot reach them and she will not let them reach her. Not to this point at least. Not to the point of holding her face and grabbing her hand and certainly not kissing her on the cheek. Seulg thinks, for a moment, that this is perhaps too dangerous, that she is revealing herself too much in too little time. But Joohyun tugs at her strings and Seulgi cannot make sense of it despite her best efforts. Is Joohyun perhaps a hypnotist in her own right? Has she dropped a potion in her drink without Seulgi knowing? Is this some kind of different magic all on its own?

 

Instead of a verbal response, she receives a tap on her shoulder. When she turns around, the light is back on, softer this time, as if it has been diffused. The calming blue shines on the perfectly white snow. Her heart hammers in her chest when she finds Joohyun standing behind her. No longer was she wearing her black dress. She has on a coat, white and furry, looking so comfortable and warm. Her black hair falls over her shoulders, framing her pretty face perfectly. Seulgi almost feels out of place with her brown trench coat and gray dress shirt underneath.

 

"May I?" Joohyun asks as if Seulgi knows what she might be referring to. But she has a clue. Seulgi nods and, with a gentle smile, Joohyun pokes Seulgi on her chest, right in the middle of her sternum. The grays and browns of her attire are replaced with a stark white that bleeds into the fabric. Soon, Seulgi is coated in white, just like Joohyun, just like the snow surrounding them. Seulgi turns around to find that they are no longer surrounded by the hollow darkness a while ago. There are trees, bushes, shrubs and grass that Seulgi is sure are made of ice and snow. The blue light makes it seem as though they are outside, in the cold wilderness.

 

"It's beautiful," Seulgi admits earnestly, "You must show me how you create such intricate details." Seulgi reaches for an icy leaf, fearing it would break apart if she touches it in any way.

 

"A magician never reveals her secrets," she mocks as she spins around in the snow, creating footprints that reveal the once black floors. Snow covers them immediately. Or grows on them, as it seems.

 

"Do you perform?" Seulgi trails behind her as she moves forward. The snow forest seems endless and Seulgi cannot ascertain whether the forest “follows” them.

 

"I don't. This is… a hobby, I suppose," Joohyun turns on her heel to face Seulgi, "I've always wanted to know you, Seulgi. When I heard you were coming to New York, I knew I had to attend your show. I'm so sorry to only have been to one. I've been a bit busy, you see. But once I stepped into your tent, I felt right at home. I can't explain it."

 

Something blooms in her chest. Of course, she has heard many wonderful comments before, has read countless reviews and articles about her acts, has even watched a few videos trying to explain and debunk her trickery. But no one has ever made her feel so… happy. And successful. She can't help the smile on her face and the redness of her cheeks. She just laughs, fighting off the urge to say something foolish like "I like you".

 

"Had I known you were so pretty underneath your mask, I would have readied myself better," Joohyun laughs shyly, covering with her gloved hand, "I was certainly caught off guard earlier. You've quite the disarming gaze when you perform. But seeing you up close, when you smile," she sighs, reaching for Seulgi's face, cupping her cheeks in her small hands, "I feel so… safe. I'm no longer a single soul in the audience of your tricks. I am now standing in front of you, a fellow magician, strangely human as we merely are. But I feel safe."

 

Seulgi could say the same. She doesn't know what Joohyun means but somehow she understands it beyond what words could ever explain.

 

"I would not call you a magician, Joohyun," Seulgi says offhandedly, and Joohyun quirks her brow, perhaps a bit offended at Seulgi's words, dropping her hands from her face, "A magician plays tricks and fools the masses with what might be illusions. You, on the other hand, have enchanted me. You, Joohyun, are an enchantress."

 

She laughs at that, loudly and unabashedly and it fills Seulgi with such pride.

 

"I like that," she says, clasping her hands together in front of her, lowering her head now as her laughter slows to quiet chuckles she's selfishly keeping to herself. Her hair falls over her shoulders and covers her face. Seulgi wants to brush them off to see her eyes and that lovely smile. She wants to pull her close and press her lips against hers. Softly. Gently. She wonders what her skin must feel like, how warm she must be despite her cool touches. But Joohyun looks up at her, cheeks pink from the cold and Seulgi's attempts at making her blush, "Shall we go back now?"

 

It has not occurred to Seulgi how much time has passed. What time would it be when they would return? She doesn't want to. She wants to stay here with Joohyun and talk about their magic, how they learned the arts. She wants to stay and hear Joohyun laugh and feel her touch and stare into those not quite like emerald eyes. Seulgi wants to stay.

 

"Are you cold?" Seulgi asks, avoiding Joohyun’s question entirely. She takes her coat off despite the shaking of Joohyun's head. Clearly her reddened nose and clattering teeth are telltale signs. But she ignores it and wraps her snugly. It's a bit too big on her and so Seulgi raises the collars up so it nearly covers her ears. Joohyun looks so small, "Do you like the cold?"

 

"It is better than the heat," she shrugs (or perhaps shivers), "I like the warmth in between the cold, like a wool sweater or a tight embrace. It's better than the cold in between the heat, like a glass of iced tea or air conditioning."

 

She laughs as she explains, seemingly unsure if she gets her thought across. But Seulgi understands her completely.

 

"Shall I give you some warmth then?"

 

"Are you going to start a bonfire in my icy forest? You would melt my creations."

 

Without much warning, Seulgi invades Joohyun's personal space, wrapping her arms around the smaller woman. Seulgi feels her own raging heartbeat echoing in her ears. She places a hand on the back of Joohyun's head, caressing her soft black hair, easing her into resting on the sturdy comfort of Seulgi's shoulder. Joohyun is still, unmoving and Seulgi fears she may have crossed the line. But arms wrap around her waist, pulling her closer, giving Joohyun the warmth she so desires.

 

"Had I known you were so bold, I would have readied myself more," she says, repeating her earlier words with a slight revision. She chuckles, as if she does not enjoy this interaction while she digs her chin into Seulgi's shoulder.

 

"Would you like me to let go?"

 

"No," Joohyun says almost too quickly but not at all taking it back, "Stay right here for a moment. Let me enjoy this while it lasts."

 

She makes it seem temporary. It is, Seulgi supposes. The circus would have to leave before the sun rises. And Joohyun would have to stay and do whatever it is she does that does not involve manifesting a winter wonderland in the middle of nowhere. But maybe it is better this way. It is more special, is it not? They have this moment to share. Their own little secret.

 

"I have sacrificed a great deal to meet you," Joohyun says, mostly to herself. Seulgi does not know what she means this time and she's a bit scared to ask, "It was worth it though. I feel so at ease with you, more than anyone else."

 

She sighs, sagging a bit as Seulgi carries her weight in her arms.

 

"It's such a shame…"

 

Seulgi ponders on Joohyun's words but holds her tighter as if to comfort her sorrows she knows nothing about.

 

"I shall return to New York."

 

Joohyun laughs, pulling away from her embrace, the cold air immediately replacing the warmth.

 

"I'm sure you would."

 

"Shall I take you home?" she says if only to lengthen their time together.

 

"I'm not that kind of woman, Kang Seulgi," Joohyun taps her nose, teasing her as the blood rushes to Seulgi's cheeks.

 

"I didn't–"

 

"We shall see each other someday," Joohyun says as if she can see the future (and she might be able to), "Until then, think of me, prepare new acts for me. We will have the grandest reunion, Kang Seulgi."

 

She nods eagerly, already excited for their next encounter. She thinks of asking the circus coordinator about their next New York stop and how many days they would spend here. She wonders what sort of acts she could perform and show for Joohyun next time. Something bigger and bolder and more magnificent than the light show she had made. She would have to read more text and research more ways to bend reality to its limits.

 

"Will you close your eyes for me?"

 

Joohyun requests. And so Seulgi does as she is told. Darkness once again enveloping her.

 

The softness of her lips is unprecedented. Seulgi could not have prepared for it any more than she does now. She cups Joohyun's cheeks, afraid that if she didn't, Joohyun would let go and their dream-like reality would shatter. But Joohyun does not pull away. She relishes the way Seulgi moves her lips along hers, slowly, unsure of whether she is allowed to do more. But she's gentle enough even if she wants more of Joohyun.

 

Joohyun pulls away first.

 

And when Seulgi opens her eyes, Joohyun is gone. She is back at the bar where she met Joohyun. It seems like time has not passed. But Seulgi already feels like she's in a daze, like she has just awoken from an accidental nap on an uncomfortable couch, wondering if she had just dreamt the entire experience.

 

---

This is heavily inspired by the Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Like maybe too heavily... 

But anyway, I hope you enjoy this. It's not my usual style of writing I think. Not quite as magical as I'm used to so I hope I painted the picture well enough. Please leave kind comments! Thank you for reading up to the end! There will be more chapters!