Night had fallen. Miyung sat on the cold dirt ground with her legs pulled towards her chest. Staring blankly into the distance, she thought. She thought about the new life, or the game, she had discovered since the morning. She wondered briefly if anyone would notice her disappearance. Well probably, but Miyung was a bit of a strange, dazy person; she was always wondering off into her own mind. Her mind skipped to Baekhyun. He had told her he had to be somewhere and just vanished, leaving her alone in this place. Oddly, it was definitely less enchanting and interesting in the lack of his presence. It was gloomy and dull. Not the spectacular and beautiful images you would picture when you thought of the circus. It was creepy and almost sad feeling.

Miyung sighed and stood up. Walking to the edge of the tent, she pressed her hands against the material and pushed gently with slight bitterness. Her hands fell and she scratched at the sides sluggishly.

“Ahhh. Now Miyung it’s not all that bad”. Miyung jumped at the sound of Baekhyun’s voice and turned around. Stood about a meter away was Baekhyun in flashy tux. Miyung almost laughed when she saw him, it was a striking comparison to his playful personality. Baekhyun frowned at her but he soon turned giddy.

“You’re going to get to watch the performance tonight” Smiling wildly he stepped closer towards her. “Of course it won’t be quite the same as it would be if you came normally.” This time Miyung frowned. “Oh well, what I mean is no one but us will be able to see you. And theres no chance of you dying.” He said easily as Miyung’s eyes widened. “Which is good. Generally” He added.

Miyung stared at him. Why wouldn’t anyone be able to see her; isn’t she just normal. “What are you talking about?” She questioned him. He smiled gently at her as he could see the shock in her face.

“Hmm, how to explain this?” He pondered to himself before saying “We, as “performers” to the normal’s, must put on a spectacular show for the audience. Obviously.” Baekhyun looked at Miyung to see if she was following. “However, we are not just a normal circus, as you may have already noticed” He laughed. Yes, Miyung had noticed; the traumatizing images that had crashed around her gave her a bit of a clue.

“But since you’re not a performer, technically, and you’re not the audience then you shouldn’t be seen.” He watched her again. Miyung was rather confused by this circus but because of the phantasmagorical scenes she had experience, she decided just to trust him.  “And because I’ve decided I like you, you’ll be protected from the effects of the circus”.

Miyung smiled to herself for a second. Baekhyun had decided to protect her, but this only showed her the further dangers that the circus held. The fact that she, specifically, was protected meant that everyone else wasn’t, or at least the audience wasn’t. Miyung didn’t really know how the circus worked and the gears and switches of it. How many people had been injured, scarred or died in the event. But as Miyung thought further she wondered what would happen to the people. Would their friends carry them away, as there were certainly no legalities to this act? Or would they be stuck and abandoned.

“W-what happens to the people who die?” Miyung asked, her voice was nearly angered. Baekhyun looked at her with a strange expression; he almost looked sympathetic.

“That isn’t the question I thought you were going to ask” He concluded. Miyung moved further towards him. The seriousness that surrounded Baekhyun was unusual and was not something he liked. “The dead are rather confused and anxious people, just as they were when they were alive. It’s almost as if it was ones fate to die here, and that is why they came.” Miyung listened to him. He spoke with difficulty as the topic was hard to explain. “Well, I don’t suppose they knew they were going to die. They’re not left when they die, Miyung. People are taken care of when they die, by the spirits.” Baekhyun struggled as he explained it to her. Miyung didn’t expect that.

Trying to ease the tension Baekhyun said “It’s not like we feed them to the beast. Haha” Miyung glared at him. “Ahh come now, Miyung, the show will begin soon”. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her across the room.

And as they walked the room was transformed. From the dull and lifeless place it became magnificent and magical. Bright ribbons swirled down from the ceiling in streams and drifted subtly in the wind that was introduced by the large entrance that now stood. Miyung stared out at the night. The battered winter trees were laced with lights leading to the entrance. Snow coated the floor in a thick and twinkling layer. She wondered whether she would be able to leave through that door, but the thought soon vanished as she watched ropes zip across the ceiling and stands appear from the ground. Small lights floated around like fireflies and the shadows and lights danced again on the walls. Miyung stopped and watched the shadows move. As she looked closer she found that they weren’t just lights; it was a couple. They pirouetted and flew in tragic joy, left to dance forever.

“It’s just part of their game” Baekhyun said closely next to her ear. Miyung looked at them. They were so graceful and seamless; it was hard to see it as wrongful.

She pulled her eyes away from them and gasped as she saw what was the empty and dreary to be so wondrous. Everything had pulled together perfectly. Baekhyun smiled at the twinkle in Miyung’s eyes. He did like to impress people.

A fire was lit in the centre of the room. Its light cast orange and yellow tones onto Miyung’s skin and made her short hair push backwards. The heat warmed her body as she sat down a couple feet away from it.

“Stay here and you’ll be fine. Okay?” Baekhyun had told her. She nodded her head slowly and he smiled. “Good.” He thought for a second then looked to her again with a new excitement in his eyes, “I guess it’s time to meet the guys” He spoke.

And like that the performers she had glimpsed at walked towards them. They were all dressed in flashy suits and costumes and walked with class. As they introduced themselves Miyung found that their acts reflected the personalities they presented, just as Baekhyun had.

A small statured boy with feminine looks and a gentle personality was the ice walker whose blood had fell like diamonds down the icicles. Luhan. The charismatic bronzed boy smiled innocently at Miyung in sharp comparison to the beasts he rode upon. Kai. The boy had fallen as a bird was now standing smiling happily. Xiumin. And the man who had exploded into blasts and sparks towered above Miyung. Chanyeol. A dark haired smirked arrogantly as he eyed her; his knives reflecting in the fire light. Tao. And the last man she had met was laced with mystery and was still so calm and gentle. Sehun. There were people she hadn’t seen. A sassy man with a boyish grin laughed at her as she blushed when he told her he could see her thoughts. Chen. Clad in black and white was a mime that grinned and danced. Lay. Then another man with a top hat placed perfectly on his head kissed her hand. Suho.

And then there was D.O. Someone like her, who had stumbled upon this place. Yet he did so purposely, deciding to live like this instead of the way he had previously. He seemed perfectly normal, Miyung noted. She was going to be ok. He wasn’t very loud and stayed with Kai.

“Let’s get this show started” Baekhyun sang and smiled widely at her.

***

Baekhyun sat with Miyung by the fire. The others had gone to prepare and such. People had appeared and filed into the tent. Many wore dark clothes that covered them from head to toe whilst others wore skimpy outfits revealing nearly every part of skin within decency as possible, in hopes of impressing the performers.

Tao had walked out and was soon swarmed by girls and a couple men. He barely took notice of them, only talking by gloating about his skills.

“He’s actually really cute and adorable” Baekhyun told Miyung loudly, which earned a sharp glare from Tao. Baekhyun just laughed and blew hearts to him cutely. Miyung looked down at her hands and smiled, nearly admitting to herself that this may be fun. Living like this.

However, something had been snagging on Miyung’s mind for a while now. Did Baekhyun and the others just happen; were they born into it; or had they come on their own free will? Miyung had figured that they weren’t just normal people due to the events that had taken place, but how did this become? Maybe it was just a question that couldn’t be answered.

Tension laid in the air as the seats filled. Miyung wondered how all these people had found this place. It wasn’t advertised anywhere, they all just showed up. Her eyes skimmed the crowd. She searched for people she may know but didn’t recognise any of the faces. They chatted with each other and waited eagerly for the show to start. If it was anything like what Miyung had experienced then she wasn’t sure why they were here. Although, the circus was captivating in strange ways, like the shadows and lights, the very vibe it gave off and of course the performers themselves.

“Sit tight, Miyung” Baekhyun called as he stood up. He patted her jokingly on the head and skipped towards an opening in the tent. She assumed people couldn’t see him.

Miyung turned around and waited. Suddenly, all lights went out, besides the fire she was sat by. The audience gasped and whispers raced across them. A low twinkling sound filled the tent.

Luhan fell from the top of the tent. His movement was so still and was if time had stopped and only he was moving. As he fell the music got louder and darker. Sparks of ice crashed around and spiralled to the ground only to blossom into large structures. The crowd gasped as he got to the sharp peaks. He gripped onto the ice and flew around the points. The shadows that crept around the edges copied his movements, adding to the alluring act. But as soon as the crowd had relaxed long cracks deepened into the ice. Yet Luhan’s dance did not falter. The ice exploded into a million playing cards that fell in ribbons leaving Luhan to fall and stain the cards red with blood. Playing cards scattered across the floor and were singed as a ring of fire erupted from the ground and swept the playing cards into the air. A blackened man walked calmly through the flames whilst they flung themselves to him. They caught and twisted around him, pulling on his hair and clothes. Suddenly he shrieked.  Rigid vermilion flames rolled and rumbled from his chest and through his mouth. He laughed so hard he was crying so that blazes poured down his cheeks and coated the beasts that had charged from all angles into the room. Members of the crowd wailed and sobbed or cheered and clapped at the display they were living. Miyung sat in wonder of the event. Lit beast circled him whilst knives jabbed into their large forms. They chased Chanyeol as he howled with laughter. He flashed Miyung a wide smile and winked at her as he passed. And then came Baekhyun. He pulled the fire and ice and cards into a large, angry swirling cloud and then let go so it cascaded across the ground, filling every corner of the floor. The beasts panicked and cried as they tried to escape the burning ground but to no avail as they burned and exploded into the air. The mime then danced soulfully atop the flames with his eyes closed in concentration. His dance was strange and fluid then dark and rigid. Xiumin dived from the ceiling. The flames collected in his feathers as he flew and then disappeared as he crashed and vanished in a smoke of dark barbs.

Suho appeared and took off his hat. This was the night circus and it was brilliant.

The show continued with dances and acts, all implanting fear into the audience. The crowd had decreased as the show became too much. Miyung sat and watched in awe and exciting. The scenes really were beautiful, but maybe only she noticed as the audience was constantly put in threat of fire, knives and more. And then it happened. Tao’s knife slipped as it flew past and was failed to be caught by Sehun. It planted itself in a young woman’s chest. She gasped for the life that was slipping from her body and cried out. The audience quietened but the show continued. The woman dissipated into falling feathers and dusty ice, leaving the audience wondering if it was all a trick. Miyung gasped, but remembered the words Baekhyun had told her. It was her fate; it was just the ending of her game. She shuddered at the way she was thinking. How had he corrupt and entered her mind so quickly? Was it truly just him or the mind tricks he was playing, after all it was her game.

The show was ended shortly. After the event with the woman the audience were scared and disheartened, realising how creepy the acts were. It left them questioning the reality of the circus and themselves.

Miyung breathed. The air was cold and refreshing after the constant tension of the performance. She closed her eyes and stretched her arms out in front of her. The fire that she was sat by had vanished at the closing of the show. Everything was still again. The guys had vanished to do their own business after they had done. Miyung wondered where they had gone; was it only her who couldn’t leave? Maybe they had actual houses and jobs but came to perform in the night.

“Whatcha thinking about?” Baekhyun sang coming up behind her again. She jumped every time he did so, earning a small chuckle to flow to her ears. Miyung shook her head and answered “nothing really”. Then she turned and smiled at him.

“Well OK then…. Aren’t you tired or cold?” He asked brightly, reaching out his hand to pull her up. “You can take a nap, if you want?” Miyung looked at him. He seemed awkward in asking her, a shy smile playing on his lips. Miyung just nodded as to prevent further awkwardness and followed Baekhyun.

He led her to the edge of the tent where it parted. She peered through, but it wasn’t the outside. It was just another smaller tent. They walked through. Miyung smiled when she noticed that the floor was carpeted; the simple things. There were also a few small beds and sofas and other home like things such as mirrors and bowls. But it wasn’t really homelike; it was more just like a comfortable back stage area.

“Uh, this is where we stay most of the time. I don’t really know where everyone is at the moment” He gestured to other openings in the tent, probably leading to other rooms. Miyung walked over and sat on the edge of a clean bed. Questions had been gnawing on her mind since she had gotten herself stuck here. She didn’t really know what she was doing. Why had this happened?

“What am I doing, Baekhyun?” She decided to ask him in hopes of an easy answer, but she was afraid she wasn’t going to get it. Baekhyun came and sat down beside her. “I don’t understand. This ‘game’, the circus, any of it” She sighed.

“That’s not a very good question” He answered her, half jokingly. He looked down towards his hands and fiddled with his fingers. Miyung watched him. Baekhyun didn’t really know either and he had lived it for longer than he could remember. He didn’t know why things happened, only that they did. He knew how to play the game, in fact he was very good at it, but had never really stopped and questioned why.  In that moment he looked so fragile. The dark and cold secrets and truths weighed down on his mind. Everything was wound and connected so tightly that they could no longer see that centre. The start and ends were blurred or broken. This game was so intricate and confusing which is what made it beautiful but also frail and damageable, just like the frost that climbed the trees.

He sighed “Why don’t I just tell you a story instead” He smiled to himself and then at Miyung. “Yeah, I’ll tell you a lovely bed time story. Now, lie down” He ordered. Miyung did as was told and Baekhyun tucked the covers over her.

“Well, once upon a time…."

I hope you like it. Please tell me what you think because I neeed to knoow. It gets all sad then cute at the end. PSSSST baekhyun is frost, yeh? :D