The light in the tent went dim, everyone started to clap, except Tao. A very instrumental music started to play, making Tao think of the queen of England speech. It was played by an orchester above the whole stage, above the curtain. The music quickly changed into a more energetic and funny music, introducing the public to the whole new world of the circus. Suddnly a middle sized ball rolled on the stage. It was white with colourful dots around it. It rolled fast like it was so lightweight and empty inside. As the drum hit loudly the ball split in the middle and opened to two sides. It made the people laugh, but suddenly awe in amazement. One clown gathered himself out of the ball, three women in the same costumes as Sooyoung was wearing gathered themselves from the ball, a long haired blonde female clown gathered herself clumsily up from the ball and a bunch of puppies ran across the stage. The ball stayed spread on the ground, making the people wonder how could so many normal sized people fit in something so small?

"Good evening ladies and gentleman" said the female clown in high pitched voice. She made some funny poses, making Tao ticklish inside to laugh. The three gorgeous asian women stayed in the middle of the stage, stading sideways like models, with one knee bent, one hand on their hip and beutiful smiles on their faces. Tao examined every and each of them, making it clear. Everyone in this circus seemed to be asian. Tao flinched in his seat and put his hat down, as it was getting really hot inside. The clowns stood by the sides of the stage, making the same tricks with the puppies. Jumping over a circle, then rolling over towards each other and suddly jump across one another. The people in the audience laughed and clapped their hands amazed by the act. Tao was amazed even more...

"Ladies and gentleman, let me introduce the Royal Circus to all of you" a gorgeous woman's voice came from under the seats, turning heads of the viewers. It was Tao's new friend, Sooyoung. She got a microphone in her hand and with her long legs made the stage look even more gorgeous as she stepped out. She offered a very stunning smile and a spin, as she turned to look at all of the visitors. She stood in front of the ladies that looked exactly like her, only the height and hair colour was different. "We offer you an unforgetable experience of every kind. But first please welcome with the round of applause our Orchestra!" she said and with a swift movement she pointed at the group above their heads and a huge applause sounded as the main leader bowed his head. "Thank you~" she said with her voice lowering as she looked back. In Tao's eyes she was very confident, not being afraid to stand in front of so many people talking a speech she cannot forget. "I wish you a joyful show and good luck until the end" her voice, just like everything else in the tent darkened. The atmosphere was somehow getting scarrier, but it was only the magic of the effect.The stage went dark and the music stopped as well.

When the lights lit up again, another participants were on the stage. Three shirtless boys were standing on the stage, juggling some balls. The music started play vigorously, matching the pace of the juggling and hand shifting. It was kind of amazing how quick could they go. The women were stunned by the man standing on the stage, also asian. In a sudden moment, Sooyoung appeared on the stage again, coming from behind the curtain that meant the backstage. She came out with her majestic catwalk steps and started again:

"Stunned, ladies?" she started making all the women in the tent clap and cheer for the handsome boys. "Let me introduce you the juggling trio, Sehun" she started and leaned against the blonde haired boy's broad shoulders and hugged him around the waist, while the man wasn't disturbed. He smiled and did some amaying juggle tricks to introduce himself. Sooyoung swiftly changed her position and walked up to the boy on the other side. "Suho" she said and leaned her back against his side and the man slowly lowered himself, bending his knees making Sooyoung almost lie on his side, not being disturbed and doing some amaying tricks. He lifted Sooyoung back up again, what was a launch for her to shot up and turn back, walking to the middle one. She stapped on his bent knees and stood up behind him, having his head at her chest. She hugged him around the neck and with one hands traced his defined abs. "And Lay" she finished and she ended up climbing higher, sitting in Lay's neck. The boys never stopped juggling and now, they started to move again. "These boys are the trickiest ones, beware ladies" Sooyoung said with her seductive voice acting. She made poses up there where she was, giving the show more fierce. The boy started juggling the balls between each other, changing positions, exchanging one another while never stopping their hands. They shifted places, made acroabtic moves while doing so, but before the end Lay and Sooyoung did the most beautiful stunt. Lay threw the juggling balls in the air one by one, high above himself, reached up for Sooyoung to take his hands and with a gorgeous gymnastic move, she swirled herself around Lay and sneaked herself all the way down between his legs, making a pose, while the trio grabbed each one a ball and stoke a pose. The tent cheered loudly for them and Tao's mind was stuck. What was so wrong about this?

The next act was a trapeze act, where the girls from the beginning, called Yoona, Yuri and Seohyun did their amaying acts before a couple of men came up to help them with the swinging. They were pretty musculine but they weren't too important because Sooyoung didn't present their names. An act of a snake woman was advanced, and it was Yuri again. She was making gymnastic moves, twisiting her body here and there with so much ease, but something wasn't right. She acted like an elastic woman, but she really looked like rubber on the stage. Like it wasn't pure training and talent, it was something she was born with. Continously, animals became a part of the show. The part that Tao was the most awaiting. It started from small animals like rabbits, cats and dogs, to pigger ones as horses, lions, tigers and wolves.

The wolf act was one that captured Tao's attention the most. It was a handsome man who had a wolf pack with himself, lying around him as he woke up from the ground in only leather pants and boots looking like cherokee, asian cherokee. He wasn't wearing a shirt and was pretty toned. He knew his ways with the wolves. It seemed like he was speaking to them through his eyes, always having eye contact with each of the. Especially with one exact. He was the biggest among the wolves, he was a great colour of brown and ginger. He had a very human like face and especially his eyes. It acted like a human too, doing everything what their trainer, Lay had told him. It was amazing leaving another question in Tao's head. How?

A man, tiny asian boy, maybe around Tao's age came in running onto the stage while the wolf drezure was still going. The wolves lost their focus on their trainer and the audience started to panic. It was Tao on lead, because he didn't want to see anymore deaths in his life, but they well all wrong. All so wrong about the upgoing scene. The wolves attacked the boy, just by walking circles around them until the biggest wolf came calmy towards the group. The wolves made a corridor for the main wolf and let him approach the poor boy, crouched up on the ground. As the wolf sniffed the boy, the boy looked up with hope in his eyes, lightly touching the head of the large animal. The wolf turned out to be a man. Tao didn't understand how, but it was a man. It a swift moment the wolf went smaller, shrinked in size and after turning it's head it was actually a human man. A very handsome human man, with only a furry clothing around his manhood. The act finished by the three bowing with the wolves at the same time, making the audience giving them a standingavation. 

The next act was included with a magician. Sooyoung came hand in hand with a tall young man, who really looked like a magician. A long cloak, dark clothing, but his tall hat was missing. He had Sooyoung by his left hand and another girl, one of from the beginning, on his right hand. They were so matching, doing exactly the same steps and everything, before Sooyoung laughed in the microphone:

"Mr. Park will now show you how the world of disappearing and illusion functions, with his lovely assistant, Seohyun" Sooyoung said and took her place in the dark corner of the stage. The show started with Mr. Park's introduction. He bowed deeply, with his arms by his sides in the air, showing he had nothing under his cloak. He straightened up as Seohyun stood by his side, in the same position as in the beginning, knee bent, hand on her hip. Mr. Park showed the audience some very tricky and impossible magic tricks, amazing the whole tent. He made Seohyun even disappear and by a sudden moment, she appered by Tao's side. He was much more startled than amazed. He didn't expect the girl to show up leaning against him and he didn't even know about him. Mr. Park smirked on the stage and Sooyoung was clearly the one having a sweet giggle in the background, while the whole tent cheered. Seohyun left by pecking Tao's cheek and rushed down with skipping steps to the stage, leaving Tao without any clue of what was happening. 

A cube appeared in Mr. Park's hands. It was a white cube, maybe a 1m². Seohyun brushed her hands over the cube, before Mr, Park put the cube on a thin slope that was used to hold his equipment. He made some weird hand moves above the box, before it burst open and from the tiny space a head of a person showed. They had fair hair, maybe blonde or white, but a very tall posture. It was a man in a black and red costume of dracula as it seemed. The man had a stick in his hand a fancy stick and as he tapped it on the sruface of the cube and couple of stairs appered from the height where he was. The man made slow steps down off the stairs and welcomed the audience with his arm up to his side and he bowed the next. The participants on the stage came running to the man, lying to his feet, Sooyoung included. It was an act where they worshipped the man, but who he was, Tao wondered.

"Good evening" the man spoke in a deep but melodic voice, capturing all Tao's senses. "You came here seeking for fun and entertainment, right?" he said and made the audience yell a yes. "Then you might also go to the amusement park" he said sarcastically, but made the audience laugh. "You have been warned, that this show isn't an ordenary show. But to not disappoint you, I will make your dreams come true" he said and turned around swiftly, making the cloak behind him sway. Sooyoung, Mr. Park and gathered up from the ground and took their places in front of the curtain, making a corridor. Another people came out from the backstage. The trapeze girls, Yoona, Yuri and Seohyun, the horse trainer Jessica, the other animals trainer Tiffany, the clown female Hyoyeon and the puppy trainer Sunny.All the girls were wearing the American flag overall, striking their bent knee hand on hip pose. The wolf trainer, the wolf and the boy, Lay, Kai and D.O. took their poses on one side beside Mr. Park and the important boys (praising the animals, helping the girls at the trapeze, cleaning the stage) Baekhyun, Xiumin, Luhan and Chen stood in a line on the male side of the corridor. "My name is Kris" the man with the dracula cloak stood in the middle of the corridor, "and I'm a centuries old man!" at that point the orchestra started to play a very dramatic music, the fireworks started to work inside the tent and million bats started to fly around the inside. The people started to panic. 

Tao's mind was frozen. He stopped hearing, he went completely deaf, his eyes focused on the man who calls himself the centuries old man, the name he heard around hundred times in his life. He was staring at him, but had the feeling that the man was looking at him back. Smirking devilishly under his breath, sending shivers down Tao's spine. Tao's eyes never left the handsome man and he could clearly read the word from his lips when he said: "Now" very silently. Mr. Park, the magician strike a pose and the millions of bats turned into chocolates wrapped in silver paper. Another woman though appeared on the fence above the stage where the orchestra played. She was only wearing tight body lingerie, which perfeclty showed her curves. She held a microphone in her hand and started to sing a very melodical song. The audience suddenly changed their behavior first sitting quietly getting their thoughts together and after they started to cheer clap and gather as much free chocolate as they could.

"Let me introduce you the Sirene" Kris said pointing up at the woman sitting at the balcony, singing a very old song, but her beutiful voice really sounded like the voice of a sirene. Tao was stunned once again, just staring at the woman as she winked directly at him. "Thank you for your visit and good night" Kris said as the stage shut down, only the Sirene's voice could be heard and the people trying to march out of the tent.

Unfortunately, this beutiful event for Tao couldn't stay this fortunate to him. His all time biggest dream to see the circus ended not so very nicely. He was among the lasts to exit the tent and that was when someone grabbed him by the collar from behind. He was scared and frightened by this action, making him gasp for breath.

"You are underaged!" a police officer held Tao by his collar of the old coat of Joy's grandmother. The officer was pretty pissed and the other police officer's were asking the viewers for informations about the show. They must've been really suspicious about the show, because they were fully armed. Tao was a bit surprised too, because he was wearing a hat to cover his face. Oh right, the hat! Tao innocently reached up to his head and realized he had left his hat inside. It was a short moment for the others but a long century for Tao. The offcier pulled Tao towards the porter who was cleaning up his booth. Tao struggled to free himself, or at least be a bit comfortbale as he almost couldn't feel the ground under himself. "How could you be so irresponsible? You let a child inside and that means you broke the law!" the officer attacked the poor porter wit loud words, which made the porter jump. He was also looking as a good man, so he would probably never experience such a thing.

"What are you talking about?" the porter denied his mistake, trying to keep the situation cool. "I don't remember letting in anyone underaged" he defended himself, letting the officer think what he wanted. Tao was able to hear a familiar voice from behind the corner as he was struggling to not suffocate himself on the collar of his shirt, digging into his neck.

"Mr. Donghae, Kris wants to see...you" Sooyoung and two other show girls arrived, spotified as they saw Tao struggling for his freedom in the officer's hands. "Is there a problem officer?" Sooyoung asked, her voice changing into a really spectacular one of a lawyer.

"This young man is underaged and saw the show, which means you broke the law!" he repeated himself. The porter, Mr. Donghae as said hid behind Sooyoung and grabbed his whole booth powerfully and left.

"Why do you think he is a viewer?" Sooyoung started her hands on her waist, arguing with the officer. "Did you see him in the audience yourself?" she got a point.

"He has his goddamn ticket in his hand!" the officer raised his voice, making Sooyoung and the two girls jump in shock. The policeman shook Tao in his hand, trying to make him suffor more as he broke the law too. He seemed to be really obsessed with his job.

"He is a cleaner" a deep voice came from inside the tent. The door swayed to the side and the really handosme man came to Tao's rescue. "His job is to clean our tent from old tickets, boxs and trash" it was Kris, the centuries old man, speaking, right to defend the boy he never saw before. Tao already forgot how painful was the collar sinking into his neck when he saw the majestic figure in front of himself. Skin white as a porcelain, hard as marble and to all of his glory his gorgeous eyes that changed their colour by the surrounding light.

"Why did that couple said he was sitting right beside him?" the officer stuck out his chin, lips pressed in a thin line, already losing their pink colour from the pressure. Tao tried to look around, to see who he was reffering to, if he was the man of the couple sitting next to him. Kris was in loss of words, but that didn't change his expression at all. He was still cool and calm, not giving out any emotion.

"He is a seat heater too" It was Mr.Park's deep but hyper voice. Tao looked up at the tall magician, now dressed in normal clothers. Brown trousers with a white shirt pressed behind the waistband, tracks hung over his shoulders and he had a brown hat on his head, making his big ears stand out more. Tao was sure the answer he got was absurd and he read it from Sooyoung's face and Kris' too. "You know, we don't have any built in heating inside, so for the exclusive guests we have seat heaters like this boy" Mr. Park cleared himself, but Sooyoung was already gesturing him to shut up. Kris looked at the man, giving him a silent scolding, before looking back at the officer.

"May I have my worker back? I pay him, you know" Kris added and the officer's grip loosened. Tao escaped from the closeness of the guy and stood by Sooyoung's side, who hugged him to her side protectively. Tao took a good view of the officer. He was tall as Sooyoung maybe taller and he had a light moustage above his upper lip. He was asian too, but looked like a strict American father, scaring Tao at the most.

"Pche" spat the officer, before giving Tao one last angry look. "You better watch out!"

---

"What were you thinking?" the Sirene scolded Tao in one of the carriages the train had. The participants lived in these carriages for the rest of their lives, Tao thought. "You could bring us all some bad luck!"

"Taeyeon," Kris came shushing the Sirene down with his big hands placed on her shoulders. Tao capturing every single moment. "Calm down" he said in a lower tone.

Tao was sitting in a big armchair with golden lines and red carpet thrown over it. He was amazed how could fit 27 people on one carriage at the same time. All were participants Tao had already seen in the show, but this time dressed in casual clothes, like he is used to. He was looking up at the tall creatures that were examining him as well. Kris approached Tao bending over, supporting himself on the armresters of the chair.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Hu-Huang Tao" he said his voice hitching in his throat.

"How old are you?" now Tao was wondering. Should he say he was fifteen and he might get in trouble or should he lie and get himself in trouble?

"Fifteen."

The circusants let out a huge boo only one was happy and cheering. Mr. Park was it. Everyone turned to him and handed him a one dollar bill.

"Cheater" Hyoyeon scolded him and nudged him with her elbow. Did they bet on Tao's age?

"Out!" Kris shouted, making Tao sink in the chair even more, because Kris' eyes were fixed on him. "Everyone out!" he said and turned around pointing to the door. Everyone lazily shuffled out, only Taeyeon stayed, leaned against the wall. "Did anyone come here with you?" Kris asked as he turned around to pour some burboun into a glass at the bar.

"No" Tao lied. Taeyeon cleared and pulled a simple chair to sit in front of Tao.

"This circus means a lot to us, so you better speak the truth" she warned the boy, but she didn't mean anything harmful. She was a nice lady indeed, but Tao wondered what was her relatioship with Kris. Tao stayed silent, confirming his answer. Taeyeon looked up at Kris and awaited his response.

"Do you have parents, boy?"

"No" Tao lied. Taeyeon again looked at him sternly, but Tao didn't broke. "Not anymore" he corrected and made Taeyeon soften in her face, pitying the boy.

"What can you do?" Kris asked again. "Cook, clean, repair, heal, bark?" Kris added.

"Anything I'm asked to" Tao reponded in a small voice. Kris stepped closer and extended his hand towards Tao, making him scared again of being beaten up.

"Welcome to the circus family" Kris said as a decision he just made. Taeyeon was even more shocked than Tao, jumping up from the chair and not believing the words of her lover. Kris looked at Taeyeon and with emotionless face spoke: "He belongs with us" he finished with a smirk as he felt Tao's hand connect with his. 

Tao didn't hesitated much. He was so going to be the part of this family...