Circus of Illusions - Ch2 Biting the hand that feeds (JongKey)
Title; Circus of Illusions
Genre; Angst, Romance, AU, Fantasy
Rating; Rated M for Mature
Disclaimer; Lucy is a Fag Hag through and through, but thy characters portrayed in thee smut, thou shalt not hers. Sadly, but unfortunately true.
Pairings; JongKey crossdressing!Key and slight 2min that might evolve into more 2min later. <3
Summary; Jonghyun is a journalist working on an assignment for his class, deciding upon this urban legend going around school about a circus that grants ones desires... at a price. He decides to go personally to this circus and join their family, strictly for his article. He never bargained to go so deep that he might lose sense on reality, especially upon meeting a gypsy fortune teller that knows more than he leads on.
Notes; Throughout the story I might post certain images from the Tarot, to go along with the story. I find it helpful for me, especially when I'm trying to get really into a certain scene. I might also post pictures of what I imagine them wearing. I really hope you guys like this one. <3 Also, sorry for all errors and stuff... I was just really excited to post this, and it's pretty late over here.
Previous Chapters; 1
Jonghyun had been left in the lightly dimmed room, with no one in sight. After Gwiboon left to follow the other two that had walked in on them, the journalist stayed wondering on what to do next. He had been warned to leave while he still had a chance, but something told him to stay-obviously being far from logical. The man was stubborn, but was even more so when he set his mind on something.
It was difficult to ignore the pained expression on the fortune teller’s face, and just how much he held Jonghyun’s interest. He couldn’t deny the fact that the story behind the people inhabiting the tell-tale circus was one that Jjong wanted to stick around for.
Since his tour guide sort of ditched him, he had to find the next best thing. Jonghyun walked out of the room, and looked around in hopes of finding someone that could show him around. He mentally cursed when he spotted an abandoned hallway, yet again with no one conveniently walking by. He decided he would continue his investigation, and maybe then see if he could uncover anything pertaining to the mystery behind the circus itself.
There was a long hallway with many doors, nothing special that made them stand out. Although, there was one door that stood out in particular, and it was different from the rest. That particular door was painted in bright red. Jonghyun took a quick glance around, making sure he was still alone. He hadn’t spotted anyone and placed his hand on the doorknob, twisting it and surprisingly finding the door itself was unlocked.
“What are the odds…?”
He smirked to himself triumphantly and made his way in, Jjong’s eyes widening soon after. The room itself was dull, very plain, but what was inside made him cringe.
There were various marionettes hanging from the ceiling, standing in a corner, and even sitting at certain stations in the room. Jonghyun noticed they were mostly in the form of women, very beautiful at that. He stepped towards a blonde with large expressive eyes-they didn’t even seem doll-like- stepping back the moment it looked as if they had blinked. In walking backwards to make his way out of the room, he bumped right into something. Slowly Jonghyun turned around, only to see a pair of inquisitive eyes staring right back at him.
Those same eyes blinked in what seemed as confusion and smiled down at Jjong, smeared red lipstick across their mouth. He just had a really bad flashback and an evident comparison to Batman’s the Joker. The person snickered as they placed a hand on his shoulder, “Naughty, naughty intruder, this room is off limits, if you should know.”
“Uh,” Jonghyun was left at a loss for words, as he tried to respond back to the person in front of him. It was difficult to take them seriously when he was looking the part of a clown. Then again, he was still quite intimidating with that sickly grin forming on his lips.
Without a fair chance to even reply to the man, Jonghyun felt himself being hauled out of the room. As soon as he had been officially dragged out, the clown took a pair of keys out of his pocket to lock the door.
“I don’t even know who forgot to lock this door again,” the man with the smeared make-up groaned, keys slipping out of his hands and onto the ground. He had cursed aloud, bent over to pick them up, but somehow tripped over himself-caused by his too big clown shoes-following suit along with the set of the keys.
Jonghyun helped him up, trying his best not to laugh at his face, “Are you all right?”
After taking his hand, the man smiled, “Yes, thanks,” he looked around, locking the door, and made sure no one was around. He reminded Jonghyun of his prior paranoia.
“Is there a reason why this door needs to stay locked,” Jonghyun asked, knowing he might just get kicked out for sure, but it was still worth asking.
“The master would have my head if he found out that-“ the weird looking clown paused before he said anymore, “Who are you, by the way?”
A chuckle escaped the darker haired brunet, “I’m Kim Jonghyun and I’m here to join the circus.” If it weren’t for the fact that the person standing before him probably wasn’t worth his time, he would punch him. Jonghyun didn’t enjoy when others laughed in his face, it annoyed him greatly.
The laugh ricocheted against the walls as the taller of the two placed the keys back into his pant pocket, “If you’re trying to sell us something, we’re not interested. I don’t even know how you got so far into the circus tent. You’re not supposed to be here.” A seriousness that wasn’t there before was present, and the clown shook his head, “You better leave now, or else.”
Jonghyun was more than annoyed at that point, but he knew how to stand his ground. He smirked, “I passed the test, and I proceeded to the second one,” a look of confusion resurfaced on Jonghyun’s face, “But, I’m not too sure what the second test was… I just know I was in a room with a ma- This gypsy.”
“Gypsy you say,” The man masked in makeup returned the smirk, “I don’t know about these tests, but we never know what the master is up to. Maybe, you’re his next tar- I mean, follow me. I can lead you to the gypsy. That is what you want, right?”
There was no doubt, the other man’s face lit up in quite the mischievous glow, but Jonghyun nodded nonetheless. His real intentions were to infiltrate the circus, get inside information, proceed to write his article, and then expose it all getting the top grade in his class again. He didn’t understand why he would always get a rush writing stories, but the caliber of adventure was always present. There was never a dull moment, and Jjong believed that this one was to be the most intriguing of all.
“Yes, I want to see the gypsy. I want to see Gwiboon,” he uttered the gypsy’s name as if it were something forbidden. From the looks of it, it might’ve been because the other person flinched but resumed to smile soon after.
“It’s your life on the line,” the other shrugged, “It doesn’t matter to me.”
Jonghyun stared at him intently, “I understand, it’s my choice,” he stopped himself from revealing any more of his encounter with Gwiboon. It was something he felt he didn’t need to share with anyone, much less the clown.
“Good, then follow me,” another grin formed on the man’s lips, making his creepiness go up a notch or two.
They both made their way down the hallway, taking a couple of turns along the way, ignoring the rest of the doors all the while. The path seemed to become even more narrowed as they continued to go deeper into the tent, making Jjong a bit claustrophobic.
Breaking the silence the man in the make-up spoke up once again, “The name’s Onew, if you were wondering. I do all the crazy stunts, and I seem to be pretty good at making people-“ He tripped over his own shoe again, falling forward onto the wall. Luckily, he didn’t fall on his face like the last time.
Jonghyun was convinced that this Onew character had a permanent condition of sorts.
“I’m okay,” Onew smiled wide, belching out an unnecessary laugh that only served to creep Jonghyun out further, “I really need to get myself a new pair of shoes.” When they both looked down at the particular pair of shoes, Jjong cringed at the horrendous colors and size.
They continued their path in silence, until they reached the ringleader’s quarters. It wasn’t until they heard voices from behind the door that Onew pulled the intruder to a corner, making sure that they wouldn’t be seen.
Taken aback Jonghyun arched a brow and whispered to Onew, “What was that for?”
“Be quiet,” he shushed Jjong again, “I think Gwiboon is in trouble.”
Jonghyun glared at the clown, “Why are we standing around here if-“
No more words were exchanged between the two as they heard a voice from beyond the door, and it was far from friendly. Jonghyun recognized the mock in the tone, and it wasn’t anything like when the ringleader spoke to him. This time the voice oozed superiority, and he was making sure everyone else in the room knew of it.
The look on Onew’s face was proof enough that anyone in the room with the ringleader at that moment was probably far from safe. Jonghyun shuddered at the thought.
-☼-☼-☼-
“Is there any particular reason why the newcomer isn’t with you, Gwiboon?”
The man who was still dressed in women’s clothing let a growl escape him, “I’ve told you countless times master, my name isn't Gwiboon. I would appreciate it if you’d call me by my birth name, Kibum.”
Minho was still holding a lifeless Taemin, and looked away from the both of them. No one ever defied the master, for the exception of the man dressed as a woman. No one in the circus found it to be worth it, because the punishment was not only degrading it made anyone feel less of a person as a whole.
Everyone who worked at the circus secretly admired Kibum, because he was the only one that ever stood up to the ringleader. It was probably because of that reason that the ringleader wanted him as much as he did.
The ringleader glared right back at the gypsy and smacked him across the face, “Don’t change the subject on me. Where is he? I left him with you, now where is the newcomer?”
Kibum’s nostrils flared, holding back on the inevitable anger bubbling up inside of him, “I told him to leave while he still could. No one else needs to be recruited to this freak show, especially not under your conditions.”
A sadistic smirk formed on the other man’s lips, but he still didn’t appreciate Kibum’s tone, “You dare defy me? Do you enjoy the punishment I give you?”
Not another word came out of Kibum’s mouth, but he winced when he saw his master pull out a long leather whip. The memories were so vivid, of that same whip licking his skin every time he defied or displeased the ringmaster. He shivered as he placed a hand on his chest, remembering every single scar that had been placed on his body. Kibum could care less if his body was tainted again and again, but the unfortunate scars in his heart would never fade. He didn’t want anyone else to go through the same thing he had.
“Turn around,” the man holding the whip said.
The fortune teller hesitated at first, but obliged as he turned towards the door. He noticed the look of disapproval on Minho’s face, but Kibum reassured him he couldn’t do anything. He shouldn’t do anything, because it would only cause more problems. The man knew no bounds, and would only take it out on Minho as well.
“Good, now get on your knees,” the smirk widened as the man licked his lips, bringing the whip closer to his mouth. He cracked the whip on the ground first, causing everyone in the room to shiver like frightened mice, “Anticipate it Gwiboon and want it, just as you want me.”
Bile began to rise in Kibum’s throat at how disgusted he felt, but he already knew what was to come. All he hoped for was that the monster would let Minho go, to treat the boy he was still holding in his arms. It disgusted him further how the master enjoyed giving a performance more than anything, and unfortunate for him he was always part of the act.
He got on his knees, changing his own tone of voice, “Master, please,” Kibum turned to look at Minho, “Let him take the boy to get fixed. He cannot perform tomorrow night if he’s not functioning.”
“Well, I suppose you’re right, we need the boy to be working,” the ringmaster said a matter of factly, as he slowly draped the whip over Kibum. He looked at Minho as well, “Take him to the workshop, the clown has the keys.”
It was then that they heard a noise from outside, peaking everyone’s curiosity. The noise had sounded as if someone had fallen and broke something, but sooner than later a knock was heard at the door. The ringmaster groaned, walking over and answering to the source of the disturbance. The look of the disheveled clown only irritated the man holding the whip further. Still, it was a good thing he had conveniently stopped by, “Take him to the workshop, the puppet stopped working again.”
Onew nodded but frowned as he saw Kibum on his knees, “Yes, sir but-“
“GO.”
“I got it sir,” Onew sighed and helped Minho and the broken doll out of the room.
-☼-☼-☼-
Only a few minutes prior had the man inside mentioned Onew that the clown had tripped over Jonghyun, out of sheer nervousness. The noise was loud and it was sure to cause everyone in the room to wonder what had been the cause of it. The look on Onew’s face showed great fear.
Jonghyun had thought about the next best thing, and he knocked on Onew’s behalf causing the taller of the two to flinch. Sure, Onew probably hadn’t wanted that, but it was better than the sadistic ringleader to find out they had been listening in.
Everything was so surreal and only continued to confuse Jonghyun further.
What kind of circus is this?
Without taking notice, Onew had left the room with the other two, heading down the same path they had followed mere moments ago. He didn’t look back in Jonghyun’s direction for anything. What their master said was absolute, and the intruder- as he called him-was the last thing on his mind. It was probably better than way. If by any chance Onew gave Jjong the time of day, it would’ve been more than obvious that they had been waiting by the door together. Onew might be a complete mess, but he didn’t seem to be stupid.
The journalist could still hear voices from inside, the atmosphere becoming darker every second that passed. He wasn’t sure why, but Jonghyun felt as if he was watching a horror movie of sorts. He couldn’t help but become intrigued by the scene, at the same time horrified.
Clear as day, the voice of the ringleader was heard and so was the crack of his whip, making even Jonghyun shiver in place. The door was left slightly ajar to the brunet’s surprise, and due to his poor judgment he couldn’t help but look into the very sin of the circus.
The man responsible for Kibum’s pain was standing right there, proudly; whip in hand with a destroyed gypsy on his knees. It made Jjong’s stomach churn, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off the display. Kibum’s master had leaned down to be at level with him, and Jjong could see a little too clearly the intention in those dark eyes-which he remembered had been crystal blue when he had first met him.
“I can spare you your punishment this time,” Jonghyun heard the ringmaster, as he saw his whip hover over Kibum’s mouth. He assumed the man wanted the one on his knees to lick the leather rod, the gypsy far from obliging.
“I would rather be beaten than do anything with you,” Kibum spit on the dreaded circus prop, immediately resulting in the master growing furious. His eyes showed the same blue hue they had in the beginning.
That same circus prop wrapped itself violently around Kibum’s neck, bringing the effeminate man closer to his master at an unwanted proximity.
Jonghyun couldn’t take anymore of the sight as he barged into the room, now both staring at him with much annoyance in their eyes. He could tell just how disappointed Kibum was when he saw that Jjong had not escaped as he had told him to.
“What are you doing to him,” Jonghyun asked semi-shouting, not believing anything of what he was witnessing in front of him.
Only a mere smirk graced the ringleader’s features again, “I’m holding onto my mate, tightly in order for them not to escape,” the smirk dissipated at the mention of him, “And what are you doing referring to this woman as a man?” The grip around Kibum’s neck tightened as his own hands reached over the leather, trying his best not to be strangled to death.
Somehow the journalist mustered the courage to answer back, but he was so worried that one wrong word or move would hurt the gypsy. He sneered and shook his head, “That’s where you’re wrong, that’s a man, and you know it. Stop disguising him as a woman, when that’s clearly not his gender,” Jonghyun felt his cheeks grow warm, “He’s perfect just the way he is. Why change him?”
If Kibum wasn’t struggling against the whip across his neck, his smile would’ve looked more like one. But just the fact that Jonghyun’s response merited any kind of reaction from Kibum, made him smile to himself as well. Unfortunately, there was no reason to celebrate considering that Kibum was still in danger.
“You’re quite the disgrace of a man, aren’t you?” the ringleader sneered back, “Finding a man attractive, when you’re one as well. Disgraceful,” the man tightened the grip against the fragile neck once more, and Kibum found it difficult to breathe.
Jonghyun had wanted to rush towards the monster-almost regretting he hadn’t punched the man when he had the chance-but there was no point; it would only jeopardize Kibum even more.
“You’re the disgraceful one, for making Kibum play such a sick game. At least I don’t hide a person’s identity to trick myself into believing something that’s not,” Jonghyun’s voice cracked from how nervous he was, wanting so bad to reach out to the gypsy and get him away from the psychopath.
It was then that the ringleader let go of Kibum, and he pushed him towards Jonghyun forcefully, “You want this trash then go right ahead. Take it. There’s not much difference between you and I, for our real intentions are clear,” the same forsaken smirk appeared once again, “The real game hasn’t even begun, Kim Jonghyun.”
He walked out of the room, adorning the same twisted smirk all the while. Only the man would know what was going through his head, but Jonghyun wasn’t worrying about that then. Even so, the ringmaster’s words merited attention, but that would come as soon as Jjong reassured that Kibum was safe.
Jonghyun wrapped his arms around the gypsy taking in the strong scent of incense, letting his hands wander through his hair-which he soon found out was a wig. Kibum immediately pulled it off revealing his real head of hair, still brown in color but sweaty from having been under the wig.
He couldn’t stop admiring him, but as soon as Jonghyun had embraced the other he had been pushed away.
Kibum pushed him off and glared at him, “I had told you to leave. Why are you still here? You could’ve gotten killed just now, you’re lucky the master was lenient on you.”
“What about you?! He was going to hurt you just as bad, and no one was stopping him. What is wrong with everyone?!” Jonghyun lost it completely at Kibum’s words, because nothing seemed logical.
“I would rather it be me, than any of them,” Kibum simply stated, then lifting up his frilly shirt in the process, exposing all his scars from his chest to his back, “I’m used to this, they’re not.”
Jonghyun looked at the battered rose with a pained expression, but he didn’t pity him, he only admired him further. His hands slowly caressed the top of Kibum’s abdomen, the other wincing as he had done so. He couldn’t believe how someone would go through such lengths, only to protect those around him. Curiosity piqued him once more as he got close to him again; wanting to taste those lips he couldn’t stop staring at.
“Why do you protect them? Are you like the mother hen around here,” Jonghyun licked his own lips as his lust for the gypsy grew.
From the look on Kibum’s face he was just as distracted by Jonghyun’s ministrations, but pushed his hand away soon after. “Please, don’t touch me. My skin is sensitive, especially now,” his cheeks tinting a red hue, “Yes, I see myself as a mother of sorts, as the third arcana in the Tarot. I might be a man, but I still feel like the Empress herself,” ashamed at his response he turned to look the other way.
“Can I somehow be your Emperor,” Jonghyun asked remembering the limited knowledge he had of the mysterious cards. He had gotten a reading one time back in high school, and he remembered the girl telling him he was a full blown Aries, with the ruling arcana card of the Emperor on his side as well. He knew how extremely out of line as well as cheesy he must’ve sounded, but he had no say in what his heart was telling him.
( Artwork from William of the Numen Tarot, sorry for crappy quality. My scanner isn't connected and I took the picture from my iPhone. This is a very beautiful Tarot deck btw. Here is the Empress♥ and her Emperor in all their glory. <3 )
The blush spread further across Kibum’s cheeks, under his eyes, even his ears were beginning to grow in relentless heat. He took a deep breath and smiled quite radiantly, almost stopping the journalist’s heart all together. “Clever, you are,” the smile lessened, but was still there, “Unfortunately, there’s no way for you to escape now, the master has his eye on you. You didn’t heed my warning, and you deliberately barged in making only things worse for yourself. This all seems to be Emperor behavior though, and I cannot help but notice the irony of it all.”
Jonghyun bit his bottom lip in anticipation, “I wouldn’t want it any other way,” he smiled back, “Would you take care of me too?”
The gypsy rolled his eyes, basking in the light-heartedness of the situation, even if it wouldn’t last, “I’ve been taking care of you from the moment you stepped into the Circus of Illusions. Even a fool such as yourself should know when to listen to your inner voice of reason.”
“I guess mine is broken,” Jonghyun smirked, wanting to wrap his arms around Kibum again, but not wanting to ruin the moment.
“I will not accept excuses Jonghyun. In all honesty, are you still here for your story? I would take great offense if that is still the case,” Kibum crossed his arms over his chest, still holding his wig in one hand.
It was Jonghyun’s turn to blush, because he couldn’t deny the fact that he had completely forgotten about his assignment. He smiled a dopey kind of smile-that melted the ice barrier between the two, slightly-answering him sincerely, “I want to stay, and save you. I want to take you away from all this; you don’t deserve any of it,” he got dangerously close to Kibum again, resting his lips against his neck. He could see the marks from the whip, still bright red from the abuse he had endured.
This time Kibum shivered, his eyes glistening from the amount of overwhelming passion that was emanating from the other man. He chuckled softly, “Are you planning to whisk your princess away from the evil man keeping him prisoner? It doesn’t work that way, sweetheart.”
“And why not,” Jonghyun continued to inquire as he slowly pressed his tongue against the slight leather burns on the gypsy’s neck.
Kibum gulped pushing him away softly, “Not only am I a package deal, but we’re all under contracts.”
Disappointed, Jonghyun retaliated, “Let’s all run away then, you, me, and the rest of your family.”
“No, it really isn’t that simple,” Kibum’s eyes began to tear up for a completely different reason.
“What do you mean?”
“If we leave the circus, we would be better off dead. The rumors you heard, were true, that is why I wanted you to leave,” Kibum fought back the tears, “This is our fate, until death do us part. Do you understand the severity of the situation now?”
Jonghyun’s eyes widened, “The rumor about your souls being taken away if-it’s real?”
“The wheel of fate is turning,” Kibum said as he placed the wig back on his head, tucking in loose strands of hair, “Have you decided on what path you shall take?”
Kibum pulled out from a pocket on his skirt another card, this time it was a man sneaking off holding swords. It was the seven of swords reversed.
The fact that Kibum seemed to pull out cards from thin air made Jonghyun even more curious, and cursed to himself how lucky those cards were. He took the card from Kibum’s hand, taking in the imagery, “I will find a way. I will stay by your side, and find a way to break you guys free of those contracts.”
“I’m not sure if to believe you,” Kibum said a bit solemnly.
“You don’t have to believe me, the cards can tell you clearer than I ever could,” Jonghyun smiled as he handed the card back to the gypsy, returning the two of swords he had showed him last time as well, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
-☼-☼-☼-
A/N; Okay so I couldn't deliver in time for New Year's, but here is the latest chapter. My cousin is undergoing surgery later this week, so please wish her the best. <3
There's so much going on in this chapter,that I overwhelmed myself. I can guarantee 2min in the next chapter for certain. I just wanted to get the ball rolling between JongKey, and the inevitable antagonist.
Comments are love♥
Thank you you everyone for your support!
My next post will DEFINITELY be the RP logs. I feel bad I haven't posted the continuation yet.
Until then!
If you have any Tarot concerns don't hesitate to ask or simply join my Tarot community @empressreadings♥
I'm off to inject mom's insulin, and then a nice ol' shower. <3
Happy New Year everyone!
I'll probably add more notes later, when I'm not so sleepy. <3
Genre; Angst, Romance, AU, Fantasy
Rating; Rated M for Mature
Disclaimer; Lucy is a Fag Hag through and through, but thy characters portrayed in thee smut, thou shalt not hers. Sadly, but unfortunately true.
Pairings; JongKey crossdressing!Key and slight 2min that might evolve into more 2min later. <3
Summary; Jonghyun is a journalist working on an assignment for his class, deciding upon this urban legend going around school about a circus that grants ones desires... at a price. He decides to go personally to this circus and join their family, strictly for his article. He never bargained to go so deep that he might lose sense on reality, especially upon meeting a gypsy fortune teller that knows more than he leads on.
Notes; Throughout the story I might post certain images from the Tarot, to go along with the story. I find it helpful for me, especially when I'm trying to get really into a certain scene. I might also post pictures of what I imagine them wearing. I really hope you guys like this one. <3 Also, sorry for all errors and stuff... I was just really excited to post this, and it's pretty late over here.
Previous Chapters; 1
Jonghyun had been left in the lightly dimmed room, with no one in sight. After Gwiboon left to follow the other two that had walked in on them, the journalist stayed wondering on what to do next. He had been warned to leave while he still had a chance, but something told him to stay-obviously being far from logical. The man was stubborn, but was even more so when he set his mind on something.
It was difficult to ignore the pained expression on the fortune teller’s face, and just how much he held Jonghyun’s interest. He couldn’t deny the fact that the story behind the people inhabiting the tell-tale circus was one that Jjong wanted to stick around for.
Since his tour guide sort of ditched him, he had to find the next best thing. Jonghyun walked out of the room, and looked around in hopes of finding someone that could show him around. He mentally cursed when he spotted an abandoned hallway, yet again with no one conveniently walking by. He decided he would continue his investigation, and maybe then see if he could uncover anything pertaining to the mystery behind the circus itself.
There was a long hallway with many doors, nothing special that made them stand out. Although, there was one door that stood out in particular, and it was different from the rest. That particular door was painted in bright red. Jonghyun took a quick glance around, making sure he was still alone. He hadn’t spotted anyone and placed his hand on the doorknob, twisting it and surprisingly finding the door itself was unlocked.
“What are the odds…?”
He smirked to himself triumphantly and made his way in, Jjong’s eyes widening soon after. The room itself was dull, very plain, but what was inside made him cringe.
There were various marionettes hanging from the ceiling, standing in a corner, and even sitting at certain stations in the room. Jonghyun noticed they were mostly in the form of women, very beautiful at that. He stepped towards a blonde with large expressive eyes-they didn’t even seem doll-like- stepping back the moment it looked as if they had blinked. In walking backwards to make his way out of the room, he bumped right into something. Slowly Jonghyun turned around, only to see a pair of inquisitive eyes staring right back at him.
Those same eyes blinked in what seemed as confusion and smiled down at Jjong, smeared red lipstick across their mouth. He just had a really bad flashback and an evident comparison to Batman’s the Joker. The person snickered as they placed a hand on his shoulder, “Naughty, naughty intruder, this room is off limits, if you should know.”
“Uh,” Jonghyun was left at a loss for words, as he tried to respond back to the person in front of him. It was difficult to take them seriously when he was looking the part of a clown. Then again, he was still quite intimidating with that sickly grin forming on his lips.
Without a fair chance to even reply to the man, Jonghyun felt himself being hauled out of the room. As soon as he had been officially dragged out, the clown took a pair of keys out of his pocket to lock the door.
“I don’t even know who forgot to lock this door again,” the man with the smeared make-up groaned, keys slipping out of his hands and onto the ground. He had cursed aloud, bent over to pick them up, but somehow tripped over himself-caused by his too big clown shoes-following suit along with the set of the keys.
Jonghyun helped him up, trying his best not to laugh at his face, “Are you all right?”
After taking his hand, the man smiled, “Yes, thanks,” he looked around, locking the door, and made sure no one was around. He reminded Jonghyun of his prior paranoia.
“Is there a reason why this door needs to stay locked,” Jonghyun asked, knowing he might just get kicked out for sure, but it was still worth asking.
“The master would have my head if he found out that-“ the weird looking clown paused before he said anymore, “Who are you, by the way?”
A chuckle escaped the darker haired brunet, “I’m Kim Jonghyun and I’m here to join the circus.” If it weren’t for the fact that the person standing before him probably wasn’t worth his time, he would punch him. Jonghyun didn’t enjoy when others laughed in his face, it annoyed him greatly.
The laugh ricocheted against the walls as the taller of the two placed the keys back into his pant pocket, “If you’re trying to sell us something, we’re not interested. I don’t even know how you got so far into the circus tent. You’re not supposed to be here.” A seriousness that wasn’t there before was present, and the clown shook his head, “You better leave now, or else.”
Jonghyun was more than annoyed at that point, but he knew how to stand his ground. He smirked, “I passed the test, and I proceeded to the second one,” a look of confusion resurfaced on Jonghyun’s face, “But, I’m not too sure what the second test was… I just know I was in a room with a ma- This gypsy.”
“Gypsy you say,” The man masked in makeup returned the smirk, “I don’t know about these tests, but we never know what the master is up to. Maybe, you’re his next tar- I mean, follow me. I can lead you to the gypsy. That is what you want, right?”
There was no doubt, the other man’s face lit up in quite the mischievous glow, but Jonghyun nodded nonetheless. His real intentions were to infiltrate the circus, get inside information, proceed to write his article, and then expose it all getting the top grade in his class again. He didn’t understand why he would always get a rush writing stories, but the caliber of adventure was always present. There was never a dull moment, and Jjong believed that this one was to be the most intriguing of all.
“Yes, I want to see the gypsy. I want to see Gwiboon,” he uttered the gypsy’s name as if it were something forbidden. From the looks of it, it might’ve been because the other person flinched but resumed to smile soon after.
“It’s your life on the line,” the other shrugged, “It doesn’t matter to me.”
Jonghyun stared at him intently, “I understand, it’s my choice,” he stopped himself from revealing any more of his encounter with Gwiboon. It was something he felt he didn’t need to share with anyone, much less the clown.
“Good, then follow me,” another grin formed on the man’s lips, making his creepiness go up a notch or two.
They both made their way down the hallway, taking a couple of turns along the way, ignoring the rest of the doors all the while. The path seemed to become even more narrowed as they continued to go deeper into the tent, making Jjong a bit claustrophobic.
Breaking the silence the man in the make-up spoke up once again, “The name’s Onew, if you were wondering. I do all the crazy stunts, and I seem to be pretty good at making people-“ He tripped over his own shoe again, falling forward onto the wall. Luckily, he didn’t fall on his face like the last time.
Jonghyun was convinced that this Onew character had a permanent condition of sorts.
“I’m okay,” Onew smiled wide, belching out an unnecessary laugh that only served to creep Jonghyun out further, “I really need to get myself a new pair of shoes.” When they both looked down at the particular pair of shoes, Jjong cringed at the horrendous colors and size.
They continued their path in silence, until they reached the ringleader’s quarters. It wasn’t until they heard voices from behind the door that Onew pulled the intruder to a corner, making sure that they wouldn’t be seen.
Taken aback Jonghyun arched a brow and whispered to Onew, “What was that for?”
“Be quiet,” he shushed Jjong again, “I think Gwiboon is in trouble.”
Jonghyun glared at the clown, “Why are we standing around here if-“
No more words were exchanged between the two as they heard a voice from beyond the door, and it was far from friendly. Jonghyun recognized the mock in the tone, and it wasn’t anything like when the ringleader spoke to him. This time the voice oozed superiority, and he was making sure everyone else in the room knew of it.
The look on Onew’s face was proof enough that anyone in the room with the ringleader at that moment was probably far from safe. Jonghyun shuddered at the thought.
-☼-☼-☼-
“Is there any particular reason why the newcomer isn’t with you, Gwiboon?”
The man who was still dressed in women’s clothing let a growl escape him, “I’ve told you countless times master, my name isn't Gwiboon. I would appreciate it if you’d call me by my birth name, Kibum.”
Minho was still holding a lifeless Taemin, and looked away from the both of them. No one ever defied the master, for the exception of the man dressed as a woman. No one in the circus found it to be worth it, because the punishment was not only degrading it made anyone feel less of a person as a whole.
Everyone who worked at the circus secretly admired Kibum, because he was the only one that ever stood up to the ringleader. It was probably because of that reason that the ringleader wanted him as much as he did.
The ringleader glared right back at the gypsy and smacked him across the face, “Don’t change the subject on me. Where is he? I left him with you, now where is the newcomer?”
Kibum’s nostrils flared, holding back on the inevitable anger bubbling up inside of him, “I told him to leave while he still could. No one else needs to be recruited to this freak show, especially not under your conditions.”
A sadistic smirk formed on the other man’s lips, but he still didn’t appreciate Kibum’s tone, “You dare defy me? Do you enjoy the punishment I give you?”
Not another word came out of Kibum’s mouth, but he winced when he saw his master pull out a long leather whip. The memories were so vivid, of that same whip licking his skin every time he defied or displeased the ringmaster. He shivered as he placed a hand on his chest, remembering every single scar that had been placed on his body. Kibum could care less if his body was tainted again and again, but the unfortunate scars in his heart would never fade. He didn’t want anyone else to go through the same thing he had.
“Turn around,” the man holding the whip said.
The fortune teller hesitated at first, but obliged as he turned towards the door. He noticed the look of disapproval on Minho’s face, but Kibum reassured him he couldn’t do anything. He shouldn’t do anything, because it would only cause more problems. The man knew no bounds, and would only take it out on Minho as well.
“Good, now get on your knees,” the smirk widened as the man licked his lips, bringing the whip closer to his mouth. He cracked the whip on the ground first, causing everyone in the room to shiver like frightened mice, “Anticipate it Gwiboon and want it, just as you want me.”
Bile began to rise in Kibum’s throat at how disgusted he felt, but he already knew what was to come. All he hoped for was that the monster would let Minho go, to treat the boy he was still holding in his arms. It disgusted him further how the master enjoyed giving a performance more than anything, and unfortunate for him he was always part of the act.
He got on his knees, changing his own tone of voice, “Master, please,” Kibum turned to look at Minho, “Let him take the boy to get fixed. He cannot perform tomorrow night if he’s not functioning.”
“Well, I suppose you’re right, we need the boy to be working,” the ringmaster said a matter of factly, as he slowly draped the whip over Kibum. He looked at Minho as well, “Take him to the workshop, the clown has the keys.”
It was then that they heard a noise from outside, peaking everyone’s curiosity. The noise had sounded as if someone had fallen and broke something, but sooner than later a knock was heard at the door. The ringmaster groaned, walking over and answering to the source of the disturbance. The look of the disheveled clown only irritated the man holding the whip further. Still, it was a good thing he had conveniently stopped by, “Take him to the workshop, the puppet stopped working again.”
Onew nodded but frowned as he saw Kibum on his knees, “Yes, sir but-“
“GO.”
“I got it sir,” Onew sighed and helped Minho and the broken doll out of the room.
-☼-☼-☼-
Only a few minutes prior had the man inside mentioned Onew that the clown had tripped over Jonghyun, out of sheer nervousness. The noise was loud and it was sure to cause everyone in the room to wonder what had been the cause of it. The look on Onew’s face showed great fear.
Jonghyun had thought about the next best thing, and he knocked on Onew’s behalf causing the taller of the two to flinch. Sure, Onew probably hadn’t wanted that, but it was better than the sadistic ringleader to find out they had been listening in.
Everything was so surreal and only continued to confuse Jonghyun further.
What kind of circus is this?
Without taking notice, Onew had left the room with the other two, heading down the same path they had followed mere moments ago. He didn’t look back in Jonghyun’s direction for anything. What their master said was absolute, and the intruder- as he called him-was the last thing on his mind. It was probably better than way. If by any chance Onew gave Jjong the time of day, it would’ve been more than obvious that they had been waiting by the door together. Onew might be a complete mess, but he didn’t seem to be stupid.
The journalist could still hear voices from inside, the atmosphere becoming darker every second that passed. He wasn’t sure why, but Jonghyun felt as if he was watching a horror movie of sorts. He couldn’t help but become intrigued by the scene, at the same time horrified.
Clear as day, the voice of the ringleader was heard and so was the crack of his whip, making even Jonghyun shiver in place. The door was left slightly ajar to the brunet’s surprise, and due to his poor judgment he couldn’t help but look into the very sin of the circus.
The man responsible for Kibum’s pain was standing right there, proudly; whip in hand with a destroyed gypsy on his knees. It made Jjong’s stomach churn, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off the display. Kibum’s master had leaned down to be at level with him, and Jjong could see a little too clearly the intention in those dark eyes-which he remembered had been crystal blue when he had first met him.
“I can spare you your punishment this time,” Jonghyun heard the ringmaster, as he saw his whip hover over Kibum’s mouth. He assumed the man wanted the one on his knees to lick the leather rod, the gypsy far from obliging.
“I would rather be beaten than do anything with you,” Kibum spit on the dreaded circus prop, immediately resulting in the master growing furious. His eyes showed the same blue hue they had in the beginning.
That same circus prop wrapped itself violently around Kibum’s neck, bringing the effeminate man closer to his master at an unwanted proximity.
Jonghyun couldn’t take anymore of the sight as he barged into the room, now both staring at him with much annoyance in their eyes. He could tell just how disappointed Kibum was when he saw that Jjong had not escaped as he had told him to.
“What are you doing to him,” Jonghyun asked semi-shouting, not believing anything of what he was witnessing in front of him.
Only a mere smirk graced the ringleader’s features again, “I’m holding onto my mate, tightly in order for them not to escape,” the smirk dissipated at the mention of him, “And what are you doing referring to this woman as a man?” The grip around Kibum’s neck tightened as his own hands reached over the leather, trying his best not to be strangled to death.
Somehow the journalist mustered the courage to answer back, but he was so worried that one wrong word or move would hurt the gypsy. He sneered and shook his head, “That’s where you’re wrong, that’s a man, and you know it. Stop disguising him as a woman, when that’s clearly not his gender,” Jonghyun felt his cheeks grow warm, “He’s perfect just the way he is. Why change him?”
If Kibum wasn’t struggling against the whip across his neck, his smile would’ve looked more like one. But just the fact that Jonghyun’s response merited any kind of reaction from Kibum, made him smile to himself as well. Unfortunately, there was no reason to celebrate considering that Kibum was still in danger.
“You’re quite the disgrace of a man, aren’t you?” the ringleader sneered back, “Finding a man attractive, when you’re one as well. Disgraceful,” the man tightened the grip against the fragile neck once more, and Kibum found it difficult to breathe.
Jonghyun had wanted to rush towards the monster-almost regretting he hadn’t punched the man when he had the chance-but there was no point; it would only jeopardize Kibum even more.
“You’re the disgraceful one, for making Kibum play such a sick game. At least I don’t hide a person’s identity to trick myself into believing something that’s not,” Jonghyun’s voice cracked from how nervous he was, wanting so bad to reach out to the gypsy and get him away from the psychopath.
It was then that the ringleader let go of Kibum, and he pushed him towards Jonghyun forcefully, “You want this trash then go right ahead. Take it. There’s not much difference between you and I, for our real intentions are clear,” the same forsaken smirk appeared once again, “The real game hasn’t even begun, Kim Jonghyun.”
He walked out of the room, adorning the same twisted smirk all the while. Only the man would know what was going through his head, but Jonghyun wasn’t worrying about that then. Even so, the ringmaster’s words merited attention, but that would come as soon as Jjong reassured that Kibum was safe.
Jonghyun wrapped his arms around the gypsy taking in the strong scent of incense, letting his hands wander through his hair-which he soon found out was a wig. Kibum immediately pulled it off revealing his real head of hair, still brown in color but sweaty from having been under the wig.
He couldn’t stop admiring him, but as soon as Jonghyun had embraced the other he had been pushed away.
Kibum pushed him off and glared at him, “I had told you to leave. Why are you still here? You could’ve gotten killed just now, you’re lucky the master was lenient on you.”
“What about you?! He was going to hurt you just as bad, and no one was stopping him. What is wrong with everyone?!” Jonghyun lost it completely at Kibum’s words, because nothing seemed logical.
“I would rather it be me, than any of them,” Kibum simply stated, then lifting up his frilly shirt in the process, exposing all his scars from his chest to his back, “I’m used to this, they’re not.”
Jonghyun looked at the battered rose with a pained expression, but he didn’t pity him, he only admired him further. His hands slowly caressed the top of Kibum’s abdomen, the other wincing as he had done so. He couldn’t believe how someone would go through such lengths, only to protect those around him. Curiosity piqued him once more as he got close to him again; wanting to taste those lips he couldn’t stop staring at.
“Why do you protect them? Are you like the mother hen around here,” Jonghyun licked his own lips as his lust for the gypsy grew.
From the look on Kibum’s face he was just as distracted by Jonghyun’s ministrations, but pushed his hand away soon after. “Please, don’t touch me. My skin is sensitive, especially now,” his cheeks tinting a red hue, “Yes, I see myself as a mother of sorts, as the third arcana in the Tarot. I might be a man, but I still feel like the Empress herself,” ashamed at his response he turned to look the other way.
“Can I somehow be your Emperor,” Jonghyun asked remembering the limited knowledge he had of the mysterious cards. He had gotten a reading one time back in high school, and he remembered the girl telling him he was a full blown Aries, with the ruling arcana card of the Emperor on his side as well. He knew how extremely out of line as well as cheesy he must’ve sounded, but he had no say in what his heart was telling him.
( Artwork from William of the Numen Tarot, sorry for crappy quality. My scanner isn't connected and I took the picture from my iPhone. This is a very beautiful Tarot deck btw. Here is the Empress♥ and her Emperor in all their glory. <3 )
The blush spread further across Kibum’s cheeks, under his eyes, even his ears were beginning to grow in relentless heat. He took a deep breath and smiled quite radiantly, almost stopping the journalist’s heart all together. “Clever, you are,” the smile lessened, but was still there, “Unfortunately, there’s no way for you to escape now, the master has his eye on you. You didn’t heed my warning, and you deliberately barged in making only things worse for yourself. This all seems to be Emperor behavior though, and I cannot help but notice the irony of it all.”
Jonghyun bit his bottom lip in anticipation, “I wouldn’t want it any other way,” he smiled back, “Would you take care of me too?”
The gypsy rolled his eyes, basking in the light-heartedness of the situation, even if it wouldn’t last, “I’ve been taking care of you from the moment you stepped into the Circus of Illusions. Even a fool such as yourself should know when to listen to your inner voice of reason.”
“I guess mine is broken,” Jonghyun smirked, wanting to wrap his arms around Kibum again, but not wanting to ruin the moment.
“I will not accept excuses Jonghyun. In all honesty, are you still here for your story? I would take great offense if that is still the case,” Kibum crossed his arms over his chest, still holding his wig in one hand.
It was Jonghyun’s turn to blush, because he couldn’t deny the fact that he had completely forgotten about his assignment. He smiled a dopey kind of smile-that melted the ice barrier between the two, slightly-answering him sincerely, “I want to stay, and save you. I want to take you away from all this; you don’t deserve any of it,” he got dangerously close to Kibum again, resting his lips against his neck. He could see the marks from the whip, still bright red from the abuse he had endured.
This time Kibum shivered, his eyes glistening from the amount of overwhelming passion that was emanating from the other man. He chuckled softly, “Are you planning to whisk your princess away from the evil man keeping him prisoner? It doesn’t work that way, sweetheart.”
“And why not,” Jonghyun continued to inquire as he slowly pressed his tongue against the slight leather burns on the gypsy’s neck.
Kibum gulped pushing him away softly, “Not only am I a package deal, but we’re all under contracts.”
Disappointed, Jonghyun retaliated, “Let’s all run away then, you, me, and the rest of your family.”
“No, it really isn’t that simple,” Kibum’s eyes began to tear up for a completely different reason.
“What do you mean?”
“If we leave the circus, we would be better off dead. The rumors you heard, were true, that is why I wanted you to leave,” Kibum fought back the tears, “This is our fate, until death do us part. Do you understand the severity of the situation now?”
Jonghyun’s eyes widened, “The rumor about your souls being taken away if-it’s real?”
“The wheel of fate is turning,” Kibum said as he placed the wig back on his head, tucking in loose strands of hair, “Have you decided on what path you shall take?”
Kibum pulled out from a pocket on his skirt another card, this time it was a man sneaking off holding swords. It was the seven of swords reversed.
The fact that Kibum seemed to pull out cards from thin air made Jonghyun even more curious, and cursed to himself how lucky those cards were. He took the card from Kibum’s hand, taking in the imagery, “I will find a way. I will stay by your side, and find a way to break you guys free of those contracts.”
“I’m not sure if to believe you,” Kibum said a bit solemnly.
“You don’t have to believe me, the cards can tell you clearer than I ever could,” Jonghyun smiled as he handed the card back to the gypsy, returning the two of swords he had showed him last time as well, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
-☼-☼-☼-
A/N; Okay so I couldn't deliver in time for New Year's, but here is the latest chapter. My cousin is undergoing surgery later this week, so please wish her the best. <3
There's so much going on in this chapter,that I overwhelmed myself. I can guarantee 2min in the next chapter for certain. I just wanted to get the ball rolling between JongKey, and the inevitable antagonist.
Comments are love♥
Thank you you everyone for your support!
My next post will DEFINITELY be the RP logs. I feel bad I haven't posted the continuation yet.
Until then!
If you have any Tarot concerns don't hesitate to ask or simply join my Tarot community @empressreadings♥
I'm off to inject mom's insulin, and then a nice ol' shower. <3
Happy New Year everyone!
I'll probably add more notes later, when I'm not so sleepy. <3