prompt: A woman afraid of clowns is forced to work in a traveling circus.

CARNIVÁLE

All she sees is red and a scary smile, more like a wicked grin. The pool of
red liquid around the body of her dead mother is silently streaming toward
her feet, and she is still frozen on the spot. Fear creeps up her spine, and
the little girl cries silently as she watches the sharp object sticking out of
her mommy's chest.

And there they are standing, in the pouring rain and amid the thundering of
the sky, just the two of them.

The little girl.

And the clown, holding a red balloon, still leering at the six years old girl.

Then she screams. A loud, ear-piercing shriek is escaping from her little
body. The man crunches in pain, covering his ears before his eyes and
ears start bleeding, before exploding, leaving her alone in the middle of the
empty road near a traveling circus named Carnivále, listening to someone
singing. The melody makes her fall asleep while in the shadows, a tiny pair
of glowing eyes watches her curiously.

Jihyo wakes up after noon, drenched in sweat, and gasping for air. The
nightmare still haunts her, even after more than thirty years. She
sometimes sees the clown even while she is awake, but when she sleeps,
it's worse. She tries to organize the pace of her breathing, trying to calm
herself. It's over. The clown died, and the man couldn't hurt her anymore.
He is gone. Forever.

But it doesn't mean she doesn't see him every time she wakes up. Her
screams are never heard when she wakes up every damn day (since she
lives alone), dreaming about dead bodies, crimson, and that ugly wicked
grin. Or when the clown visits her, looking at her from the other end of the
bed, stalking her wherever she wanders. Chasing and haunting her, making
Jihyo believe she is insane.
Later, as she is fleeing the officers after thievery, which she does more
often than she wants to acknowledge, she finds refuge within an
abandoned circus. The people are actively packing away the tents and
breaking apart the ferris wheel when she runs into a broad chest. The man
is sweaty and covered in black grime, most likely from the carousel's oil
and rust, and also has hard yet soft facial characteristics. She begins to
back away, preparing to leave, when her back is met with something cold
and solid, a cage. She is also startled when she hears a loud growl.

"If I were you, I would slowly step away from the lions," the man chuckles,
then he glances toward the wild animals, and with a gentle and shooting
voice, he commands them to stay put, and the lions are obeying. "I haven't
fed them yet," he explains to the frightened woman, his eyes still looking
like thousand little sparkling dots glowing in the dark sky. "Why are you
here?" When Jihyo doesn't reply, the stranger frowns. "I asked you
something. Why are you here? You know I can make you talk and obey, but
I'm trying to be nice here. So?" he raises a brow.

"I'm... I..." she stammers, looking around like a deer caught in a trap, "I
need to hide. They are chasing me."

The man chuckles. "The lion cage is not the best hiding place, you know?
But the circus is. Are you good at anything?"

Jihyo blinks, confusion evident on her lovely face. "I'm not afraid of
heights," she responds. "I also did ballet before."

"Well, that's good. We are a people short," he hums, then glances around
when he finally spots someone. "Somin-ah, come here!" A tall, pretty girl
walks in their direction and smiles at the attractive man with a look that
suggests they are more than friends. "Can you stay with her? I have to find
the boss, maybe we have a new aerialist."

Somin measures up the beautiful outsider, still unsure of the new

development. "Okay," she nods. "Maybe she won't fall and break her neck
like the previous one." She states this as it's the most normal thing in the
world, and Jihyo is uneasy. This place seems weird, and she doesn't like
she has no other choice but to be forced to work in a traveling circus unless
she wants to get arrested. Somin closes her eyes for a moment, before
forcing herself to beam at the older female, hoping that Jongkook and
Jaeseok will come soon.
"What you said before... it's true?" Jihyo breaks the awkward silence.
"About the aerialist."

"Yes," Somin reacts with a sigh. "I saw it coming. I told her that she
shouldn't perform that night. The cards never lie."

"Are you a fortune teller?"

"I read cards. Past, present, future, it doesn't matter," she shrugs. "You are
in trouble, am I right? I told the others that something dark would come."

Jihyo wants to tell her that she is not 'something dark,' she is only troubled
a little. There is nothing dark about stealing clothes or food because she
needs it. She can't afford them. It's not dark but survival. The only dark
thing Jihyo knows is the scary clown who is always following her, haunting
her day and night, silently waiting to drag her to hell. She is ready to say
something to the younger woman, but then, suddenly, Somin's orbs widen,
and the younger girl becomes pale while peering behind Jihyo. Even the
lions start growling and being fidgety, which confuses Jihyo. Then she feels
it. She feels the cold and how the chill runs through her whole body. The
clown is here, touching her shoulder with his big hands.

"You... you see him?" Jihyo is shocked. Nobody has witnessed the clown
until now, Somin is the first. But she reasons this is because the girl is a
psychic. Of course, she sees things others won't. "The clown."

"Yes. And he will haunt you unless you finally move on. I think I saw this
jester before when I read cards for oppa."

Jihyo can't answer that as Jongkook appears with a bespectacled, skinny

man; he must be the leader of this circus. He emits a kind aura with his
gentle looks, the exact opposite of the bulky man's weirdly glistening, dark
spheres. It's like he is no human, which would explain why his eyes are so
strangely mesmerizing. The black-haired, older man examines Jihyo from
behind his glasses before silently nodding. "I'm the leader of this circus,
Jaeseok. Jongkook-ah told me that maybe you could be our new aerialist,"
he introduces himself, and Jihyo silently agrees with a nod, but she can't
tear her stare from Jongkook. There is something luring, something
magical about him. And something dark. "Charming, isn't he?" Jaeseok
chuckles as he observes Jihyo goggling at the younger man.
"What?" Jihyo asks back, not sure what the male told her.

"I asked Jongkook is charming, isn't he? But don't be fooled-"

But Jaeseok can't finish his sentences as Jongkook suddenly talks after
feeding the lions. "We should go, hyeong," he proposes, his voice hard as
a rock. "We have packed everything. The patrols are also near, I can hear
them, and she is hiding from them."

Somin lets Jihyo travel in her van, which is her home, while Jongkook
prefers voyaging with his best company, his dear animals. It's not like
anybody dares to come near the majestic lions, and the lions would never
hurt him. They sense that he is superior to them, the main carnivore, who
can kill them without even touching them. But oh, he would never do that;
he trusts them more than any human being; more than the members of this
little circus, and he considers them as family.

The caravan is led by Jaeseok, sitting next to him is Heegun, who is the
mechanic of the community and he is the one who usually drives the
ringmaster. In the second automobile are Seokjin and his family. The man
is the one who manages the money and deals with the business-related
stuff, helping Jaeseok out with everything. They are basically on the same
level. In the third car, are Donghoon, the resident clown, and his family. In
the fourth car is traveling Kwangsoo, who is talented at swallowing swords
and also is the fire juggler. Next to him is sitting Sechan, the magician. After
them are Jongkook and his lions, and following them are Somin and Jihyo.
Behind their van, there are maybe ten or so other automobiles with the
other members of the circus, including a snake charmer, dancer girls who
can do more if they are paid, more mechanics, etc.

"What Jaeseok-ssi implied by that I shouldn't be fooled by Jongkook-ssi?"

Jihyo unexpectedly questions Somin while traveling together. "And why did
he let me join you?"

"Look," Somin soughs, "you, being here, doesn't mean that you'll be joining
us. It can be temporary. Oppa and Seokjin oppa will watch your
performance before deciding whether you can perform or you'll be... I don't
know, another cook or ticket seller. They like to take care of people who
don't fit in society," she explains. "And Jongkook oppa... is very bewitching.
He is a good man, but you should be aware of that he is the most
dangerous among us. Not the snakes, not the lions, but him."
"You told me you saw the clown before when reading cards for someone
else. How is that possible?"

"Darling, do you think you are the only one who has secrets here? I know
everything about everybody who asks me to read a card, every dirty little
secret, and what the future holds for them. I can also read for you if you
want," she offers, but not exactly answers Jihyo's question. Somin is not
the one who would reveal her family's baggage. Especially if something as
dark as the one she knows. "I do it for free for the people who work in
Carnivále. Well, if Jaeseok oppa and Seokjin oppa will let you stay with us.
If not, you can pay me, and I'll do it."

"I don't have any money, that's why the authorities are after me," Jihyo
confesses. "I... steal stuff."

"Not a big deal. Some of us did worse."

They arrive at the next destination, a dirty little town, early in the morning.
They have a show the next day and have a lot to do until then. The
mechanics, led by Heegun with the help of Jongkook, start to put up the
tents and build up the carousel from nothing. The mechanics have the most
important job in this community; climbing up and down, tearing down and
putting up the tents and carousels, fixing things, and making sure that
everything is safe for the performers and that their shows are going off
without any disaster. It's an admirable job that takes lots of effort and
comes with great responsibility. Before Heegun joined, the previous lead
mechanic made a horrible mistake with the carousel that caused the death
of a mother. But since then, no accident happened, and it's all thanks to
him and his helpers. Without them, there is no Carnivále.

It's almost dinner time when all the tents are standing tall, and the carousel
is working perfectly. This is when they finally have time to deal with the
issue that Jihyo is in their camp. Somin leads her into the main tent where
the performances are held, and all the workers are there, even the cooks.
They usually decide together, but the final say is still Jaeseok's. Somin
leaves her in the middle of the tent and takes a seat next to Jongkook,
whispering something to the man the others can't hear. Jihyo watches the
unfamiliar and curious faces, and all of them stare at her, observing and
waiting when she spots someone she knows. Heegun also recognizes her;
it would be weird if he wouldn't. They causally had sexual intercourse
whenever the fellow was in town, and she was working as someone who
pleased men. It was before she started stealing stuff and food; she really
needed money. And it's not like it was not enjoyable sometimes; well, it was
enjoyable with this man. The male certainly knows how to make her
lightheaded and floating in the air of pleasure, but it was all that. Great fun
and a job for her, making the man come back to pay more. And she
succeeded. For ten years, he came back whenever he got the chance and
was nearby.

"This pretty woman here," Jaeseok points at Jihyo, who still stands
awkwardly under the scrutinizing glances, "may well be another attraction
and addition to our little circus. I heard that she did ballet and doesn't afraid
of heights, so we should watch her performance to decide if she fits."

They silently watched her ballet performance, and now, they are in awe
when Jihyo climbs the silks hung up high from the ceiling. Although they
don't have an aerialist since two years ago, it became a habit to secure the
materials.

Jihyo has a petite yet strong body for a woman. She walks with purpose
and pulls the silks apart and in the blink of an eye, is halfway up them,
making wonders and elegant poses, and formations with her graceful body
tangled in the silks. "She is good," Donghoon comments.

"And she knows it," Sechan remarks. "She looks elegant."

"Well, Kwangsoo's mouth is hanging open," Seokjin chuckles. "Hey kid, you
are drooling."

"No, I'm not," Kwangsoo closes his mouth and wipes his lips with his hand.
"It's just... she shouldn't be here. She could be everywhere with this talent.
In a theatre, for example."

"I feel like I have seen her before," Jongkook states suddenly. Since he
found her near the lion's cage, he has a feeling that he can't exactly
describe. As if they met in the past. She looks somehow familiar. "But you
are right. She is elegant." Hearing this, Somin gently punches Jongkook's
thighs. "Don't be jealous, Somin-ah."

"I'm not jealous of her," she mumbles as they watch Jihyo move fluidly
between the silks.
By the end of the night, Jihyo is part of the circus, and a month later, she is
in the performing group. Her charm wrapped everyone around her finger.
She is wandering around the circus campsite, getting familiar with the
current setups and where the others are staying. Some of them, like Somin,
spend the night in their customized van, and some of them are sleeping in
white-red striped tents, just as big as a room in a house. She likes the
atmosphere, and for a moment, she forgets what happened to her mother.
That she died near this exact traveling circus.

She passes the tent she shared with the dancers, and while staring at the
stars-lit dark sky, she somehow stops in front of the lions. Jongkook is
comfortably sitting between the animals, a leather-wrapped notepad in his
hand, drawing something while humming a song she knows she heard
before.

"Are you not afraid they will eat you?" She initiates a conversation.

"No," Jongkook replies, still concentrating on his drawing. "They know I can
hurt them badly if I want to. And they are sleeping."

"What are you drawing?"

"Oh, you don't want to see that, believe me. It will do no good if you get
frightened," he smirked at her. "You would make us hungry."

"Try me," she challenges. Jongkook sighs and shows her the drawing. The
picture has a too familiar clown who holds a balloon on it. Blood dripped
from his mouth and his face contorted into a devilish grin. Everything is so
detailed as if Jongkook has seen the object of Jihyo's nightmare. The man
who ruined her life. Her hand is shaking while holding the art, and her
chubbier cheeks are pale before ripping out the drawing and running back
toward her tent, leaving Jongkook alone.

While flying away from the memories and Jongkook, she spots Heegun
near the carousel, checking it once more if the enormous thing is safe for
use the next day. He notices her scared expression and strange behavior,
so he carefully blocks her, and Jihyo collapses into his arms. "Are you okay,
Jihyo?" he asks, with his voice full of concern. "You seem spooked."

"Jongkook-ssi gives me the creeps," Jihyo mutters, still shocked by the fact
that the man knows about the clown. The murderer of her dear mother, the
kindest person she has ever known. And the look of his irises is so dark,
yet the sparkling ebony orbs mesmerize her. But the most confusing thing
about the lion tamer is what he said: you would make us hungry. It just
doesn't make sense to her. The lions, she can understand. But why would
she, being frightened, would make Jongkook hungry?

"Oh," Heegun chuckles and gently wipes Jihyo's tears away. "Don't be
bothered by him, you'll get used to it. He is... different than us, but he is a
good guy. Just be careful and try don't be charmed by him," he warns her.
"He can make everybody do what he wants easily. And what do you want,
Jihyo?"

"Forget everything."

"I think I can help with that. Just like the old times." And maybe this is what
she needs. She had a very eventful day, and the offer is very tempting, so
she nods. "Come."

They are busy practicing and preparing for the night right after they eat
breakfast and all day. The dancers are on the stage with Joongki
rehearsing his speech to gather more attention, while Donghoon is in the
corner of the ring, preparing his show with Sechan for the child audience.
Kwangsoo is swallowing his sword, and the snake charmer is charming her
snakes while Jongkook is feeding the lions so they won't be hungry during
the show. Heegun helps Jihyo with the silks, Seokjin tries to predict the
possible gain for today's show with Jaeseok, and Somin arranges the tarot
cards that Jongkook painted her as a birthday gift a few years ago.
Everything is all good until Jihyo glimpses in the direction of Donghoon; the
short man is now in his disguise, his clown makeup on, and Jihyo starts
shaking again. She knows it was not Donghoon who killed her mother, but
she can't help. She is afraid of clowns, and it doesn't matter if Donghoon is
a kind person, he is still a clown. And it still happens almost every day that
she has a panic attack whenever he has his custom and makeup on.

"Sorry," Donghoon apologizes, understanding her fears but not knowing the
exact reasons. "We are opening in ten minutes, will you be okay?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Noona, here, water." Kwangsoo offers Jihyo a bottle, and she gladly
accepts it before gulping down almost everything. "Woah, you must have
been really thirsty."

"Jongkook-ah, can you come here?" Seokjin yells, and the man walks over
to the older male. "Our financial situation is not the best. We need a lot of
visitors today. Can you lure more people here?" The handsome guy nods
and starts singing in his otherworldly voice, mesmerizing every one of the
members and making them fall into a trance. Since he is a siren, his
singing will seduce every human nearby to visit the circus. Sometimes they
have to cheat when the situation is bad financially, and then they need
Jongkook and... his special abilities. This is also the reason the lions never
attack him. He lulls them into a feeling that he is one of them; or that he is
more than them. Though they opt to not use his capabilities since
sometimes Jongkook gets too hungry, and if he is hungry for blood, the
pitch of his voice is even higher than usual, reaching a frequency a human
can't hear and making them explode into tiny little bloody chunks and he
can swallow their bones and eat their meats. Luckily, it only happened
three or four times. Usually, raw meat is enough to quench his appetite
when it's unbearable.

They have a sold-out show that night in a long time.

After dinner, Jihyo takes a nap, dreaming the same nightmare she always
does.

She is in the middle of a pool of crimson blood, the stabbed carcass of her
ever-kind mother on the dirty ground. She sees the wicked grin of the
nightmarish malevolent clown with the red balloon in his hand silently
mocking her. Then she listens to a delicate voice singing a deadly song,
which seems even more deafening than the thundering sky. Louder than
her cries and screams. She hears the vociferous thump when the clown
bursts into tiny pieces and falls everywhere like the pouring rain. And for
the first time, she even sees a ten or eleven years old little boy who looks
at them with shining orbs, and the gentle voice comes from his weak body.
He is the one who sings that beautifully. And finally, she recognizes to
whom those tiny sparkling eyes and the angelic voice belong.
She wakes up in realization, jumps out of her makeshift bed, and rushes
out to find Jongkook. She needs an explanation. She can't move on until
she knows the truth.

She finds Jongkook sneaking out of Somin's van, his hair tousled, a
satisfied smile on his face. "Good night?" Jihyo asks, making the siren turn
around, maybe a bit surprised. He didn't expect to see Jihyo out this late or
this early. It's around four am, and they have to start packing up the tents
within five hours and going to their next stop.

"Yes," he replies eventually. "It's calm, and the sky is clear. We'll have a
nice day tomorrow. But I'm sure you don't want to chat about that, right?"

"It was you." Jongkook stays silent, not sure what Jihyo is talking about.
"You were there. You did it."

"I did a lot of things. You need to be more specific." Jihyo then hands him
the crumpled drawing she tore from Jongkook's notepad. Jongkook
smooths out the art, then smiles. "Oh."

"You were the one who killed him, right?" Jongkook nods. "Why?"

"A thank you would be enough for me," he replies. "He wanted to hurt you
real bad, so I killed him. You don't remember me, I guess."

Jihyo is confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"Your mother worked here as an aerialist," Jongkook explains. "We used to

play together, so when that clown, whoever he was, killed your mother, I
murdered him. You were my only friend when I was a kid, Jihyo. I couldn't
let him hurt you." He closes his eyes when the memories hit him after all
those years. Everybody was afraid of him, even when he was just a mere
child. Just because he was different. Then when Jihyo's mother joined the
circus, he used to watch her every night when performing. Then one day,
the woman's little daughter sat next to him, so he wasn't alone anymore.
From that day on, Jihyo was always seeking his attention until that fateful
night. "And now, you are afraid of me."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know-"

"It's okay," Jongkook sends her a sad smile. "I like being alone, anyway. I'm
just happy you came back."
"Thank you."

"Good night."

And when Jihyo looks at the crumpled drawing on the ground, finally, she
doesn't feel panic rushing through her spine and veins. When she looks at
the picture, she only sees a damn clown and feels nothing else.

She, finally, is free.